BANGKOK — 15 August 2026, Australian diplomat and international lawyer Katrina Cooper has been appointed chair of a conciliation commission operating under the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS), Thailand's Ministry of Foreign Affairs said.

The ministry said the Permanent Court of Arbitration (PCA) issued a statement on Friday, 14 August, announcing Cooper's appointment as the fifth conciliator and chair of the Conciliation Commission. The Thai government has been formally notified by the PCA.

Cooper, whom Thailand was among those supporting for the role, is an experienced diplomat and international lawyer with expertise in international law and negotiations, according to the ministry. She has also held senior diplomatic posts, including serving as Australia's ambassador to Mexico.

Cooper previously served as a co-agent for the Australian government in the compulsory conciliation proceedings under UNCLOS between Australia and Timor-Leste, giving her direct experience with the same dispute-settlement mechanism.

The next step will be for the commission to set a date for its first meeting, which is provisionally expected to take place in September. Among the main items on the agenda will be the adoption of rules of procedure setting out how the commission will operate and providing a framework for subsequent meetings and proceedings.

The Foreign Ministry said Thailand was ready to fully cooperate with and support the commission, describing conciliation as a peaceful dispute-settlement mechanism under UNCLOS. The ministry and other relevant agencies would work to protect Thailand's national interests while participating in the process on the basis of international law, with the aim of reaching a sustainable solution for both countries, it said.

The Thailand Open cycling championship round 3 in Chainat saw brisk activity on August 15–16, 2025. Chainat Governor Bhumiwat Udomsap said the event demonstrates strong momentum, noting that the province aims to develop as a health-focused tourism destination featuring cycling, trail running, and other wellness activities. He thanked the Thai Cycling Association for selecting Chainat as host of the third round of the Thailand Open championship, sanctioned by the Crown and dedicated to Princess Suthida. All relevant government and private sector organizations prepared extensively to welcome cyclists from across the country. The influx of athletes filled local hotels to capacity and boosted sales at restaurants and shops—particularly for pomelo and cucumber, signature Chainat fruits now coming into season. Visitors' spending stimulated the local economy and tourism sector significantly.

Governor Bhumiwat noted that Chainat is a "Slow Life" province well suited to sports tourism events, blending natural attractions and cultural heritage. The province features rolling hills, rice paddies, the Chao Phraya River, and revered spiritual temples such as Wat Pak Khlong Makham Kao and Wat Khositaram, where visitors can pay respects to renowned monks. He expressed confidence that visitors will fall in love with Chainat and return. Should the Thai Cycling Association offer Chainat another hosting opportunity in 2025, the province stands ready and willing to serve as host again.

General Decha Hemkrasetsri, vice president of the Asian Cycling Confederation and chairman of the ASEAN Cycling Federation, clarified that the Thailand Open does not permit national team athletes to compete. The cycling federation deliberately separates competitions: elite-level events open to national team members, while the Thailand Open targets newcomers, emerging talents, youth, and the general public, allowing them to compete, gain experience, and demonstrate potential for future national team selection. He added that Thailand's national cycling team for the 20th Asian Games is currently training in Tianjin, China.

Chiang Mai Chefs Charity organized the "Chef to Farm" event, bringing together more than 50 chefs and food industry professionals from over 17 hotels, restaurants, and networks to visit Hak Rong Khum vegetable garden in San Pa Tong district, Chiang Mai. The initiative aims to educate chefs about safe food production sources, strengthen relationships between chefs and farmers, and build a network for using local and organic ingredients from farm to kitchen to consumer. The activity is part of a food security agroecology program under the Healthy Lifestyle Bureau, promoting healthy food consumption in the Chiang Mai region.

The Chef to Farm program allows chefs to learn the entire food production process, from seedling extraction and rice planting to growing and harvesting traditional vegetables, as well as beekeeping and raising ducks and chickens. Chefs exchange knowledge with farmers about production seasons, ingredient quality, and how to use local products to create innovative menu items for restaurants and hotels.

Chef Supreechar Tansingchai said the Chiang Mai chef community began discussing ways to organize socially beneficial activities and wanted chefs to leave the kitchen and directly learn food production processes. Chef to Farm marks the beginning of chefs from multiple hotels and restaurants coming together to create initiatives that can benefit consumers and communities in the future. "We learned what the real starting point is, from sowing to seedling extraction to planting. When we see it firsthand, we can tell consumers where our ingredients come from and what processes they go through," she said.

Chef Supreechar noted that personally working in the rice field helped chefs better understand the labor and rice production process, which requires planning, patience, and teamwork—principles that can be applied back in the kitchen.

Chef Billy Suksan Chutinadharatip, Executive Chef at Amelia Chiang Mai hotel, said that Chiang Mai chefs and restaurants had been discussing ways to unite for community activities before developing the Chef to Farm program, which gives chefs the opportunity to meet farmers and producers directly. "Today we brought chefs to put down their utensils and plant rice, but behind rice planting is the conversation with farmers and producers, learning about food sources and vegetables we use, and understanding how production processes differ," he said.

Chef Billy noted that connecting chefs with farmers creates benefits in three areas: economy, as income from purchasing raw materials goes directly to farmers; tourism, as visitors are interested in learning the stories behind dishes; and health, as restaurants and hotels can choose ingredients from known sources for consumers.

The field visit also helps chefs learn details about ingredients that cannot be seen once products reach the kitchen, such as planting seasons, optimal quality periods, and planning menus to align with seasonal production. "If we know the seasons of different vegetables, we can create menus that match those seasons and choose ingredients at peak quality. This kind of knowledge requires direct exchange and questions with farmers," Chef Billy said.

Associate Professor Puanrat Kaewloum, instructor at the Environmental Engineering Department, Faculty of Engineering at Chiang Mai University and manager of the Chiang Mai Greentopia project, said the activity originated from some chefs who had previously worked with farmers at Hak Rong Khum garden and wanted to invite fellow chefs to learn together, eventually expanding into a broader collective effort.

The Internal Trade Department is accelerating discussions on measures to help rice farmers reduce costs and boost production efficiency in practical, situation-appropriate ways, while maintaining rice price stabilization efforts. Witthayakorn Manirat, director-general of the Internal Trade Department, reported that the National Rice Policy and Management Committee's production subcommittee is consulting on additional farmer support covering management assistance, cost reduction, and production efficiency improvements. The proposed measures will align with policies already approved to ensure targeted help that fits the current situation and can be implemented effectively, with conclusions expected soon.

Previously, on June 11, 2025, the committee approved five measures including a rough rice sales deferral credit programme targeting 3 million tonnes, an agricultural institution rice consolidation credit programme for 1.5 million tonnes, interest compensation for mill operators storing 4 million tonnes of rough rice over 2–6 months, a rough rice absorption programme through the State Warehousing Organization purchasing at 300 baht per tonne for 3 million tonnes, and a second phase premium rice programme supporting 266 farmer groups with 300,000 baht per group for machinery and equipment. Total approved funding reaches 12.04 billion baht.

The director-general stated these five programmes will serve as key mechanisms to absorb output, defer rice sales during peak harvest, improve liquidity for agricultural institutions and operators, and raise production efficiency—all supporting rice price stability and farmer incomes. Supplementary assistance measures under consideration will align with existing programmes and address cost reduction and efficiency improvements.

At 9:25 a.m. on August 15, 2025, at Makkasan Police Station, investigators brought seven youths accused of assaulting a Japanese tourist in a derelict area near Makkasan Airport Rail Link station to file detention requests with the Juvenile and Family Court on charges of nighttime robbery. After questioning was completed the previous day, police released the youths to return home and summoned them to the police station in the morning to be taken together for detention proceedings. Parents and guardians brought the youths to the station before heading to the juvenile court to prepare bail applications.

Police Captain Urampol Khundechsamrit, commander of Makkasan Police Station, revealed that during questioning with a multidisciplinary team, the youths confessed to the incident, which aligned with facts showing that robbery and assault did occur. Police have charged them with nighttime robbery. Regarding reports that the victim allegedly engaged in indecent conduct with the seven youths before the assault, details cannot be disclosed as this is a juvenile case handled with multidisciplinary team involvement.

Khundechsamrit stated that whether the location is a disorderly area during nighttime hours requires inquiry from the State Railway of Thailand, as they own the area. Investigators do not oppose bail, and families may file bail applications. Whether bail is granted depends on the court's discretion.