Gobsak Phuutrakun, chair of the agricultural goods and food security working group under the trade, tourism, and community economy subcommittee, said the committee's first meeting discussed Quick Win and Big Win policies directed by Deputy Prime Minister and Commerce Minister Suthathip Sutheephan. Discussions covered the entire agricultural sector from production through processing to distribution, with plans to engage private companies to establish markets for producers across the country.

The meeting explored crop research, plant variety improvement, agricultural innovation, and farmer processing capabilities. On the SME side, the committee discussed SME-GP initiatives to support small and medium enterprises in selling goods, as foreign products are flooding the market. The committee aims to help SMEs scale up into larger companies that can become industry leaders and regional pioneers through mentorship systems, skills training, online courses, AI consulting, and coding support.

Gobsak stated that the agricultural sector has significant potential but requires identifying which crops are profitable, which lose money, and which should be imported instead. The strategy involves moving away from loss-making production and focusing on high-value agriculture. The committee will consider involving young, change-ready farmers through a Young Smart Farmer programme. On a separate note, Wisit Limlueechaa, vice chair of the Thai Chamber of Commerce, commented after attending the meeting at Government House that day.

PHUKET: Patong Municipality will stage an emergency exercise this afternoon (Aug 14) simulating floods, storms and landslides, with motorists warned to avoid parts of Pisitkoranee Rd during the drill.

Police received notification at midnight on August 14, 2025, of a pickup truck rollover on Baan Khuan Thob Road near a sharp bend in Moo 4, Phaya Khan Subdistrict, Muang District, Phatthalung. Investigators and rescue workers found a heavily damaged Isuzu pickup with Phatthalung registration flipped on its side. Inside was Sukhawit, 61, a former director of a subdistrict health promotion hospital in Phatthalung, suffering facial injuries and lacerations from broken windshield glass.

When officers attempted to assist and remove him from the vehicle for hospitalization, he refused to exit and displayed obvious signs of intoxication. He remained inside the cab, using his phone and berating the officials. Officers spent several minutes talking and persuading him before he finally agreed to leave the vehicle and accept transport to the hospital for treatment of his injuries.

Initial investigation revealed that the force of the rollover also caused damage to nearby property, including a government direction sign and civilian vehicles parked in front of nearby homes. Police documented all damage as evidence for subsequent claims resolution between the parties. Authorities will conduct alcohol breath or blood testing according to procedure before determining whether to proceed with legal charges.

The Thai Meteorological Department issued an August 14, 2025 forecast for the next 24 hours, warning that Thailand will continue experiencing heavy rain in some areas, particularly in the eastern region due to monsoon troughs from Myanmar, northern Laos, and northern Vietnam combined with a strong southwest monsoon across the Andaman Sea and Gulf of Thailand. Residents are urged to beware of dangers from heavy rainfall and accumulated rain that may cause flash flooding and flash floods, especially in foothill areas near water channels and low-lying zones, including potential overflow in the northeastern region. The upper Andaman Sea has moderate to strong winds with waves of 2-3 meters, exceeding 3 meters during thunderstorms; fishermen should navigate with caution and avoid thunderstorm areas, while small boats in the upper Andaman should not leave shore. Regional forecasts include: the North with 60 percent thunderstorms and scattered heavy rain, lows 22-28°C, highs 32-35°C, southwest winds 10-20 km/h; the Northeast with 60 percent thunderstorms and scattered heavy rain, lows 24-26°C, highs 32-35°C, southwest winds 10-20 km/h; the Central region with 40 percent thunderstorms and scattered heavy rain, lows 24-27°C, highs 34-36°C, southwest winds 10-25 km/h; the East with 60 percent thunderstorms and scattered heavy rain, heavier in some areas, lows 24-28°C, highs 30-34°C, southwest winds 20-35 km/h, sea waves around 2 meters with over 2 meters during storms; the South (east coast) with 40 percent thunderstorms, lows 23-26°C, highs 31-36°C, southwest winds 20-35 km/h, sea waves 1-2 meters, 2 meters offshore, over 2 meters during storms; the South (west coast) with 60 percent thunderstorms and scattered heavy rain, lows 23-27°C, highs 31-36°C, from Phang Nga northward southwest winds 20-40 km/h with waves 2-3 meters exceeding 3 meters during storms, from Phuket southward winds 15-35 km/h with waves 1-2 meters exceeding 2 meters during storms; and Bangkok with 60 percent thunderstorms and scattered heavy rain, lows 26-27°C, highs 32-34°C, southwest winds 10-25 km/h.

On August 13, 2025, Dron Tienthawornwong, known as Madame Kaeng, accompanied by amulet expert Wachrapon Radomsitphattana (Uk Krung Siam) and two attorneys, Chirapun Yanareung and Chetsathon Govitwanich, met with Crime Suppression Division investigators to sign case documents and introduce their legal team. The meeting lasted over one hour. Madame Kaeng stated that her purpose was to sign documents in a fraud case involving three amulet dealers who allegedly cheated her of 65 million baht, and to follow up on other cases in which she is both complainant and defendant. She explained that because she frequently travels abroad and is not familiar with legal matters, she has assigned the two attorneys as primary representatives to coordinate with creditors and defendants, and she is prepared to negotiate whenever contact is made through her legal team.

Uk Krung Siam noted that Madame Kaeng's cases are interconnected and complex, making it necessary to have attorneys coordinate to ensure proper and orderly negotiations. Regarding the 53 amulets valued at 65 million baht that have been traded, their current location is unknown, but he confirmed they are definitely not with Madame Kaeng.

Madame Kaeng further acknowledged that she currently has multiple overlapping cases, including the 65-million-baht fraud case and a document theft case filed by two amulet dealers in civil court, which is now under appeal court review. She has also filed a police complaint with the Crime Suppression Division. She hopes all cases will be resolved soon and firmly reiterated that none of the 53 amulets are in her possession. Those wishing to contact Madame Kaeng to negotiate may reach attorney Chirapun Yanareung at 085-565-6111 or attorney Chetsathon Govitwanich directly.

August 13, 2026 — Deputy Police Colonel Aratchwasit Sriboonmanannont, superintendent of Anti-Money Laundering Division 3, led officers from the division's Anti-Money Laundering Bureau in cooperation with Regional Police Unit 6 and Bang Rak Police Station in the arrest of four call center scam gang members: Nattapong, 33; Huynh (Vietnamese national), 38; Tang (Chinese national), 38; and So Mo Thaw (Myanmar national), 29. The first three were arrested in Bangkok, while the fourth was apprehended in Mae Sot district, Tak province.

The case began on August 6 when Bang Rak Police received a complaint from a 22-year-old university student who reported that on August 2, he received a call from a scammer posing as an AIS telecommunications officer, claiming a phone number registered in his name was being used for online gambling. The caller then transferred him to someone claiming to be a Ranong Provincial Police officer.

The fake officer told the victim that his bank account was linked to money laundering and that he needed to transfer funds for investigation. The victim made 10 bank transfers and handed over cash on 3 occasions in person to a masked individual, totaling 12,356,609 baht. The gang instructed him to delete all chat records and photos, then told him to visit a nearby police station to retrieve a check from officers. When the victim went to Yannawa Police Station, he discovered the fraud and filed a report.

Investigators traced the operation to Nattapong, who has a history of drug-related offenses and had been hiding in the Lat Krabang area. Following his arrest, police tracked down and arrested the three other suspects. Authorities have issued arrest warrants for nine additional gang members and seized approximately 1 million baht in cash during the operation. An additional 12 million baht in suspect accounts has been frozen, which may be linked to fraud cases involving other victims.