Deputy Prime Minister and Finance Minister Ekniti Nitithanpraphas stated that 200 billion baht from the remaining portion of the government's 400-billion-baht emergency loan decree will be dedicated to energy transition projects. Of the first 200-billion-baht tranche, approximately 40 billion baht currently remains. Prime Minister Anutin Charnvirakul has instructed that the situation be assessed carefully given budget constraints, with priority placed on meaningful energy transition initiatives.

When asked about the Ministry of Tourism and Sports allocating 1.75-2 billion baht from the emergency loan for the "Thai Help Thai Plus" tourism project, Ekniti stated that the allocation was not excessive and must align with the program's objectives of assisting merchants. He acknowledged that while surplus funds exist, spending must serve the intended purpose effectively.

Regarding potential criticism that the tourism project may not align with the urgent necessity requirement of emergency borrowing, Ekniti indicated the situation requires further assessment. He confirmed that while it is legally possible to redirect the 200-billion-baht energy transition portion to extend the Thai Help Thai Plus program, the government prefers to reserve it for energy transition goals.

Ekniti confirmed that 50-60 billion baht will fund the solar rooftop program to help citizens transition to solar energy, with Government Savings Bank and Government Housing Bank providing financing support. He emphasized the necessity of comprehensive energy transition given Thailand's heavy reliance on oil and natural gas, including upgrades to smart meters and transmission systems to prevent widespread outages during grid transitions, as seen in some foreign countries.

Additionally, the government plans transportation sector transition by converting public buses to electric vehicles across seven categories, though detailed implementation and budgets have not yet been finalized. Ekniti also discussed a meeting with Grab Holdings executives who acknowledged the Thai Help Thai Plus project's AI system development, similar to the Whisper Bird application, which increased merchant sales by over 68 percent, demonstrating how the "Plus" component enhances business performance.

Government Spokesperson Ratchada Thanadirek stated on August 8 that the administration remains committed to managing the public's cost of living, citing the June 2025 consumer confidence index rising to 50.2 for the first time in four months. This figure reflects recovery in purchasing power from government measures, but with the economy still fragile, the administration must work simultaneously on income supplementation, expense relief, and energy price control to prevent daily hardship.

Rather than using single-track stimulus, the government employs a bundle of measures and the Thai Help Thai Plus program, which circulates approximately one trillion baht through the economy, reduces living costs, and distributes funds to grassroots communities nationwide. Ratchada emphasized that Thai Help Thai Plus ensures money does not concentrate in Bangkok alone—with only 15–16 percent of spending occurring there—demonstrating that funds reach other provinces, small businesses, and genuine communities.

Meanwhile, the Energy Ministry continues using the fuel fund mechanism to cap liquified petroleum gas (LPG) prices against global market fluctuations by increasing compensation from 7.2209 baht per kilogram to 9.8642 baht per kilogram, keeping the retail price at 423 baht per 15-kilogram tank. Freezing LPG prices directly impacts households, restaurants, and small traders, as cooking gas is a household and business cost; rising energy prices would immediately cascade to food, goods, and service prices.

The government acknowledges the cost of energy price controls: the fuel fund balance stood at minus 71,826.31 million baht on August 7, up approximately 2,044 million baht from the previous week, requiring careful management. "The government is doing its utmost to manage the cost of living within the nation's fiscal capacity, aiming to circulate money to the grassroots, achieve stable economic recovery, and leave no one behind," the spokesperson said.

Deputy Democratic Party leader Radchadao Intavangsuwankiri has posted on Facebook expressing condolences to families affected by the school shooting at Thepsirindr School in Nonthaburi, calling the incident a warning signal about escalating youth violence and mental health problems that Thai society must urgently confront.

Radchadao noted that Thai society has repeatedly witnessed cases of children and youth experiencing stress, self-harm, suicide, or violence toward others, with violence now spreading into educational institutions and affecting both teachers and students. "We must seriously ask what adults are doing, and how many more people must we lose before we act?" she said.

Radchadao emphasized that Thailand should prioritize building prevention systems rather than reacting after incidents occur. She advocated for mental health awareness, early warning sign recognition, violence prevention, bullying intervention strategies, and safe reporting channels to be embedded in educational systems. She stressed that most violence cases show warning signs beforehand, so teachers, students, and parents need to recognize these signals and have the courage to report them before it is too late.

Radchadao argued that this is not a problem of children or teachers alone but a systemic issue involving families, schools, communities, and government. She called for building a comprehensive "learning ecosystem" where children, teachers, and parents do not face these challenges in isolation. "We should not wait for more deaths to hold meetings, we should not wait for the next teacher to post they cannot take it anymore, and we should not wait for another child to pick up a weapon before asking why no one knew," she concluded, noting that warning signs have been present for years.

BANGKOK: The Interior Ministry has ordered a financial trail investigation into more than 100 Phuket companies suspected of being linked to foreign nominee networks, with combined revenue estimated at more than B5 billion last year.

PRACHINBURI — The Prachinburi governor has ordered the immediate closure and seizure of equipment at an allegedly illegal e-waste processing plant operating inside a national forest reserve, following complaints that the facility had been operating for nearly a year.

The crackdown came after Sumet Rianphongnam, leader of the Prachinburi Khemkhaeng civic group, posted photos and videos online calling for an investigation into alleged encroachment on the Khwae Rabom and Si Yat national forest reserves in Moo 7, Krok Sombun subdistrict, Si Maha Phot district. The group alleged that foreign investors had been allowed to establish an illegal facility for sorting and processing electronic waste in the area.

Governor Weerapant Dee-on ordered Si Maha Phot district officials to join forces with the provincial Natural Resources and Environment Office and Provincial Industry Office to inspect the facility on 6 August. The inspection confirmed that the plant was located within the protected Khwae Rabom and Si Yat national forest reserve.

Officials found the facility operating without authorization to sort, shred and compact scrap metal, electrical wires and electronic components. Authorities immediately ordered the operation suspended and seized the materials, equipment, machinery and other items found at the site as evidence.

The governor also ordered an urgent investigation into the legality of the land title documents. If the documents are found to have been illegally issued or used, authorities will take decisive legal action to protect community rights.

The Khwae Rabom and Si Yat national forest reserves are considered nationally important natural forest areas, established under Ministerial Regulation No. 409 in 1969. The reserves cover areas mainly in Sanam Chai Khet and Tha Takiap districts of Chachoengsao province and extend into Si Maha Phot district in Prachinburi. Around 700,000–850,000 rai of the forest reserve remains protected under the law. The area forms part of the "five-province forest complex" in eastern Thailand and provides important habitat for wild elephants and other protected wildlife.

The forest is also a source of the Khwae Rabom and Khwae Si Yat rivers, which merge into Khlong Tha Lat before flowing into the Bang Pakong River. It is also home to the Khlong Si Yat Reservoir, which has a capacity of about 420 million cubic meters.

Authorities warned that illegal e-waste processing and the dumping of hazardous chemical waste could contaminate groundwater and natural waterways, potentially causing serious impacts on ecosystems, wildlife and public health.

Pol. Lt. Gen. Rewat Glinkasorn, the former commander of the Narcotics Suppression Bureau, has proposed allowing qualified and responsible teachers to carry firearms to protect students at schools, citing examples from the United States. Speaking about a school shooting incident where a student brought multiple guns and ammunition into a school, killing five teachers before taking his own life, Rewat acknowledged the Prime Minister's push for strict gun control but offered a different perspective.

"The Prime Minister emphasizes controlling firearms and banning civilians from carrying weapons," Rewat said. "I understand his intention, but I see it differently. We've already had shootings at two schools, and in one incident, an attacker opened fire killing and injuring many. The teachers, numbering 100 to 200 at that school, all complied with the Prime Minister's order, but no one could stop the attacker."

Rewat suggested allowing well-behaved teachers with clean records to obtain permits to carry firearms—one or two per school—to serve as unpaid security guards. He argued that without armed resistance, a single attacker with a gun can wreak havoc unopposed.

"If teachers had been authorized to carry weapons and heard gunshots, they could have intervened," he said. "This is how it works in the United States. When an armed criminal uses an M16 or AR15, even police can't arrive in time, but a responsible citizen with a firearm can stop the threat. The incident becomes less severe."

Rewat contrasted the school shooting with an incident at a kindergarten in Nong Bua Lamphu, where a police officer opened fire, killing over 30 children. He argued that if responsible teachers had firearms at the Nonthaburi school, they would have felt obligated to intervene and protect students, potentially preventing the attacker from continuing his rampage.

"A 15-year-old with a single automatic 9mm weapon caused eight to nine deaths and 15 injuries," Rewat noted. "Had there been armed resistance, he might have fled instead of continuing to shoot, since he was just a teenager with limited firearm training and only one gun firing standard rounds."