Thailand's National Research Council (NRC) under the Ministry of Higher Education, Science, Research and Innovation has launched a field inspection of drone technology research and innovation for flood preparedness in Nan province. Dr. Wipharatna Di-ong, director of the NRC, led a delegation including academics and local officials to the Drone Technology Center in Chiang Chai subdistrict, Pua district, Nan province on August 8, 2025.

Dr. Di-ong stated that the NRC aims to apply research and innovation practically in local communities, with drone technology improving survey efficiency, situation assessment, and aid delivery to hard-to-reach areas. The initiative focuses on building local capacity through training drone pilots and volunteers for sustained emergency response. Large drones can carry 70–80 kilograms of supplies including food, water, and emergency goods.

Pua district, which receives water from multiple areas and faces high flood risk, will benefit from the drone center's enhanced monitoring and rapid response capabilities. Chiang Chai subdistrict has a funnel-shaped topography that collects runoff from several districts, making it vulnerable to flooding; over 600 households in nine villages were previously affected.

The NRC is supporting four drone disaster response centers nationwide in Nan, Chiang Rai, Nakhon Si Thammarat, and Songkhla provinces, providing knowledge, equipment, and personnel training to enable efficient surveying, monitoring, warning, and disaster impact mitigation.

At 3:40 a.m. on August 9, 2025, police responded to a report of a shooting at a karaoke bar in Ban Ta Khun District, Surat Thani Province. Officers discovered a two-story commercial building with blood scattered throughout, and found a 49-year-old man named Sommai (surname withheld) who had been shot. He was rushed to Ban Ta Khun Hospital but succumbed to his injuries shortly after arrival.

The suspect, 66-year-old Natthaphong (surname withheld), suffered a head wound and was also admitted to Ban Ta Khun Hospital. Investigators recovered a 7.65mm semi-automatic STAR pistol, one magazine, and two spent .32-caliber cartridges found behind the building.

Witnesses inside the bar reported that both the victim and suspect were friends of the bar owner. After closing, the two men continued drinking together when the confrontation occurred without warning. Patrons subdued the shooter until police arrived. The motive for the shooting remains under investigation.

Friend rejects bullying claims about Nonthaburi school shooting gunmanLegacyA close friend of the student gunman in the Nonthaburi school shooting on August 7 has claimed that the student had never been bullied or involved in disputes with classmates. The close friend, identified only as Mak (pseudonym), gave the account after police finished questioning him yesterday, August 8, with his parents’ permission. Mak described the perpetrator, now reported to have been 14 years old, as quiet and reserved, rarely speaking to others. He typically sat in the far-left corner at the back of the classroom. According to Mak, the student had never been bullied, teased, or physically assaulted during the years they had known each other from Mathayom 1 to Mathayom 3. He could not comment on the student’s primary school years as they did not know each other at the time. Photo from Wason Wanichakorn via AP Photo Khaosod reported that Mak also rejected claims circulating online that the student had previously been kicked into a toilet or subjected to prolonged bullying, describing them as false. As far as Mak knew, the student had no grudges or disputes with other students. The only issue he was aware of involved a Thai-language teacher, after the student complained about struggling with the amount of homework and receiving a grade of zero in the subject. The student made several attempts to resolve the failing grade before eventually passing and regularly complained to Mak about the issue. Mak also confirmed that the student had previously brought a BB gun to school in his bag, showing it to friends and firing it on school grounds. Another student reported the incident, leading a teacher to confiscate the BB gun and the school to deduct conduct points. Photo from Sakchai Lalit via AP Photo On the morning of the shooting, all students, including the accused student, attended the morning flag ceremony before going to class as usual. The incident occurred during the second lesson, a mathematics class, while the teacher was explaining homework and preparing to tutor the students. About 10 minutes into the lesson, the student put in earplugs, stood up from his desk at the back of the classroom and walked towards the front carrying a shoulder bag containing ammunition. Mak alleged that the student then fired at the mathematics teacher before leaving the classroom and firing at a teacher in another room. Mak attempted to find a place to take cover during the incident. There had been no warning signs or tense atmosphere in the classroom immediately before the shooting, he added. Investigators are still working to establish the circumstances surrounding the shooting and determine the motive behind the incident. The story Friend rejects bullying claims about Nonthaburi school shooting gunman as seen on Thaiger News.

Nida Poll, the polling center of the National Institute of Development Administration (Nida), has released survey findings on the question "Should civil servants stay or leave early?" The survey was conducted August 4-6, 2025, among 1,310 government employees, state officials, and state enterprise workers aged 18-59 across all regions and income levels nationwide.

When asked why they chose public service, respondents gave the following reasons:

78.85% cited job security as the main factor 54.12% mentioned good benefits 23.28% cited good salary 22.90% said it was family pressure or expectation 21.37% said it was a long-held personal dream 10.53% wanted to honor their parents and family 8.32% wished to serve the nation and people 3.51% had no better option and simply needed employment 2.67% desired social status and rank 1.68% were obligated by scholarship agreements 0.46% wanted to exercise state power 0.53% listed other reasons, including working near home or matching their field of study

Regarding job dissatisfaction:

50.08% reported no dissatisfaction and no intention to resign 19.01% felt bored but stayed for their family 13.89% felt bored but did not know what else to do 7.02% were not bored but would leave for better opportunities 6.72% were bored and ready to quit for a better job 5.95% were bored and willing to take early retirement if offered 5.27% were bored and would quit if they had enough money 2.67% were bored and ready to resign anytime 2.37% were bored but had to stay to repay educational loans

On workplace staffing levels:

58.40% said there were more jobs than people 30.61% said staff and workload were appropriately balanced 10.99% said there were more people than jobs

On early retirement policies for civil servants:

64.05% supported early retirement for those aged 50+ or with 25+ years of service (with at least 2 years remaining) 24.66% thought all government employee types should have early retirement options 20.00% opposed early retirement for civil servants 19.24% supported it for those aged 40-49 with 10+ years of service 13.36% thought state enterprise employees should also have the option 12.37% thought government officials should have the option 11.37% thought all age groups of civil servants should have early retirement 1.76% had no knowledge or opinion

As of August 8, 2025, verification and appeal figures continue to rise as local agencies and accessible service channels improve uptake. Of 3.1 million newly eligible beneficiaries, 2.3 million (73%) have completed verification, leaving 830,000 (27%) still pending, down from 980,000 (31%) previously. The government is urging new beneficiaries to complete verification quickly to activate benefits from October 1, 2025.

The Finance Ministry is accepting verifications until January 12, 2026. The five provinces with the most unverified citizens are Nakhon Ratchasima, Nakhon Si Thammarat, Ubon Ratchathani, Buriram, and Khon Kaen, where authorities have been instructed to intensify outreach.

For rights reviews, 4.2 million applications have been filed, but approximately 5 million people have yet to submit. The government is calling for submissions by August 31, 2025. Provinces with the highest review submission rates include Lampang (60%), Narathiwat (59%), Pattani (58%), Yala (54%), and Phrae (53%).

The government is offering multiple service channels: the government application, the Pao Tang app, websites of five state banks, and 878 One Stop Service (OSS) centers at district offices nationwide. Provincial governors, district officials, local government organizations, village headmen, and elders are tasked with assisting elderly, disabled, and vulnerable groups unable to use online services.

Two armed men on a motorcycle carried out a drive-by shooting that killed an 18-year-old and injured two of his companions. Officers from Khuan Khun Police Station responded at 3 a.m. on August 9 to a report of a fatal shooting on Phi Thong-Thalenoi Road in Phatthalung's Khuan Khun district. At the scene, police found blood traces and a motorcycle with Songkhla license plates overturned on the road. Three victims were transported to Khuan Khun Hospital, but the 18-year-old victim, identified as Mr. A (alias), died en route with a single gunshot wound to the back of his head.

Two other victims were also injured: 17-year-old Mr. B (alias), shot once in the right arm, and 18-year-old Mr. C (alias). Police found a replica handgun on the victim's body during examination at the hospital.

Initial investigation revealed that before the attack, the victims were riding a motorcycle when two suspects on another motorcycle pulled alongside and opened fire five to six times. Security camera footage captured two motorcycles riding side by side before multiple gunshots rang out, resulting in the injuries and death.

Police Lieutenant Colonel Nathapol Bunsanit, the station commander, stated that officers have already questioned both injured survivors and are investigating the motive behind the shooting. Investigators have not yet determined the type of firearm used, though they suspect it was a short-barreled handgun. Police are accelerating efforts to collect additional security camera footage and evidence to identify and prosecute the suspects.