BANGKOK: Thailand aims to secure Unesco Creative Cities Network (UCCN) recognition for two new destinations every two years as part of a national strategy to have at least 35 Thai cities designated by 2037, according to the Designated Areas for Sustainable Tourism Administration (Dasta).

2 teachers reported dead at Nonthaburi school shootingLegacyA shooting at a school in Nonthaburi province on Thursday morning left two people dead and 15 others injured, according to initial reports. The suspected gunman is a 15 year old student, while officers continued responding to the incident. The Nonthaburi school shooting was first reported at around 10.30am after local news outlets shared updates from the scene. The school was later identified as Debsirin Nonthaburi School in Bang Kruai district, Nonthaburi. Officers from Plai Bang Police Station and rescue workers from the Poh Teck Tung Foundation were dispatched to the school following reports of gunfire. According to DailyNews and Matichon, between 15 and 20 people were injured in the attack, while two victims were pronounced dead. Matichon reported the deceased were teachers at the school and that three of the injured were in critical condition. Photo via DailyNews Rescue teams initially could not reach the victims due to safety concerns while the operation was under way. Authorities later began evacuating some of the injured, who received first aid before being transferred to nearby hospitals. Students were gradually evacuated from the school as officers secured the area. Police remained at the scene as the operation continued. According to Matichon, the suspected gunman was believed to be inside the school’s pink building at the time of the latest reports. Photo via DailyNews Authorities also urged members of the public and nearby residents not to livestream the police operation, warning that doing so could interfere with efforts to bring the situation under control. The incident remains under investigation, and officials have not yet released further details about the motive or confirmed the final number of casualties. The story 2 teachers reported dead at Nonthaburi school shooting as seen on Thaiger News.

Deputy Prime Minister and Commerce Minister Supachee Panitchpakdi revealed progress on the next phase of economic stimulus measures, saying the government is currently consulting with Finance Minister Ekniti Nitithanprapas to review all measures thoroughly. The government has not yet decided whether to fund the packages through loans or regular budget allocations, as officials must ensure funds are used with maximum efficiency, benefit the public broadly, and not create unnecessary fiscal burden.

Paramount is that measures should not be short-term cash injections alone but must help generate genuine income for the economy, particularly tourism, retail, local businesses, and travel-inclined citizens, circulating money throughout regions and stimulating economic activity widely. "This requires careful consideration and proper planning first, as we must use funds as efficiently as possible and distribute them as widely as possible," Panitchpakdi said.

The government is still evaluating responses from previous measures and proposals from Deputy Prime Minister Pakorn Nilpraparth, who wants comprehensive results from the "Plus" group initiatives before moving forward with new packages. For "Thailand Travel Thailand" and "Thais Helping Thais," Panitchpakdi said there is no need to launch everything simultaneously, as each measure has different objectives, timelines, and target groups that must be tailored to necessity and appropriateness for maximum public benefit.

Tourism measures should align with seasonal demand to maximize travel incentive across hotels, restaurants, and transport, while urgent assistance or measures to unlock domestic economic potential may roll out at different stages depending on cost-of-living conditions and consumer purchasing power. All details will be reviewed by Ekniti's working group—including budget size, funding sources, target groups, duration, and economic impact—before resubmission to the Cabinet.

Feel All the Feelings @ Koh Phangan Feel All the Feelings @ Koh Phangan: Recharge your life energy at a festival that gathers art, music, culture, health, and lifestyle in one place amid a special at...

At 9:30 a.m. on August 7, 2025, at Parliament, Ratchanok Srinork, a People's Party list MP and chair of the House committee studying budget preparation and oversight, received a letter from Dr. Suphatthorn Hasuwannakij requesting an investigation into the Health Ministry's use of budgetary and extra-budgetary funds for event organizing.

Dr. Suphatthorn stated that while the Health Ministry's management is concerning and many hospitals face declining reserves with insufficient funds for patient care activities, the ministry is extensively hiring event organizers using hospital funds. This risks inefficient and corrupt use of budget allocations. He urged the committee to gather data on event-organizing contracts in the Health Ministry, noting that Phetchabun province alone spent at least 7 million baht on events, with the national total potentially exceeding 500 million baht.

Ratchanok responded that events themselves are not inherently wrong if the public benefits. She questioned whether budget allocations for events in Phetchabun, known as a stronghold of the Health Minister, were distributed fairly across provinces or if unusual transfers occurred from other areas. She noted that budgets for such events typically stay under 500,000 baht, clustered around 490,000 baht. Ratchanok indicated that the Universal Coverage Scheme should be questioned about payment issues and past budget allocations' appropriateness and efficiency, with the matter to be brought before the committee for further follow-up.

Chinese fraud fugitive poses as durian vendor for months to evade policeLegacyThai police arrested a Chinese fraud suspect in Pathum Thani province on Tuesday, August 4, after she frequently changed her appearance, vehicles and accommodation to avoid detection. Officers from the Immigration Bureau carried out the operation targeting foreign fugitives using information provided by the Foreign Affairs Division of the Royal Thai Police. As part of the operation, officers investigated the wanted Chinese suspect, identified as 47 year old Najia, who is wanted by Chinese authorities over invoice fraud. According to police, Najia used a private company to obtain invoices from several businesses without any genuine commercial transactions. Photo via MGR Online Chinese authorities allege the scheme was used to evade taxes, causing losses of more than 35 million yuan, or over 200 million baht, in Shanghai before she fled to Thailand. While living in Thailand, police said Najia worked as a durian vendor, travelling between Bangkok and orchards in Chanthaburi province. Investigators said she bought durians from growers before selling them in Bangkok and developed contacts with other fruit traders. Police added that she frequently changed her hairstyle, moved between different residences and switched vehicles in an effort to avoid being located. According to MGR Online, investigators posed as buyers interested in purchasing a large quantity of durians to gain the suspect’s trust. After confirming her identity, officers arrested her at her home in Khlong Luang district, Pathum Thani. Thai authorities said the woman will be deported to China to face legal proceedings. Photo via MGR Online According to MGR Online, police said Najia was not found to have committed any offences or violated Thai law during her stay in the country. In a similar case, Thai authorities arrested a Chinese national wanted by Taiwanese authorities in Surat Thani in July as he attempted to leave Thailand for a third country. Another Chinese fraud suspect was arrested in Phuket in April after allegedly accepting payments for billiards equipment that investigators said was never delivered to customers. Photo via MGR Online The story Chinese fraud fugitive poses as durian vendor for months to evade police as seen on Thaiger News.