Toyota has reiterated its position that excise tax restructuring must happen urgently, arguing that higher tax collection benefits the nation and would create fair competition among domestic vehicle manufacturers.

Suphakorn Ratanawara, senior vice president of Toyota Motor Thailand, revealed that following discussions with government officials about the current automotive industry situation, Toyota has proposed restructuring the excise tax framework to ensure equal competition, with national interest as the priority. The company highlighted the competitive disadvantage facing domestically produced vehicles compared to imported Chinese electric vehicles, which pay significantly different excise tax rates, creating an uneven playing field.

To protect the domestic automotive industry, particularly manufacturers who have invested in local production facilities, Toyota argues the government should address tax loopholes being exploited by importers with no clear commitment to domestic investment. This disadvantages genuine investors who have committed to Thailand.

"Over the past 4-5 years, the government has promoted electric vehicles through subsidies worth 100,000 and 50,000 baht, using taxpayer money," Ratanawara said. "Meanwhile, some automakers exploit these gaps to import and sell vehicles without any clear plan to invest in Thailand, putting serious domestic investors at a disadvantage."

Ratanawara emphasized the importance of reconsidering the excise tax collection structure for imported vehicles and imported components assembled domestically to ensure fairness and equality.

He noted the significant scale difference: China sells 20 million vehicles annually while Thailand sells only 600,000—meaning China sells in two weeks what Thailand sells in a year. While Thailand cannot compete on cost, Chinese importers gain further advantages through tax loopholes and government subsidies while paying only 8 percent import duty, whereas domestically produced vehicles face taxes at every stage.

"We are not opposed to consumers having access to affordable vehicles," Ratanawara said. "But the government must carefully consider the details. With 600,000 vehicles sold annually in Thailand, substantial tax revenue is collected for development. However, the current tax structure allows revenue that should be collected to disappear. If this situation continues, the government will eventually lack funds to compensate for these losses. We urge the government to restructure the imported vehicle excise tax system as quickly as possible and collect at the highest appropriate rate."

While Toyota would be affected by restructured import vehicle taxation, the company is prepared to accept it in pursuit of fair competition and a level playing field, prioritizing Thailand's national interest.

At 4 p.m. on August 13, the King graciously authorized Education Minister Praseurt Chantharawungtong to preside over the royal cremation of Thiwaporn Vanich, a senior specialist teacher at Thepsirin School in Nonthaburi, held at Tanonod Temple in Ayutthaya province. Deputy Secretary of the Education Ministry Sutheep Kaengsan and senior education officials, school administrators, teachers, education personnel, and local residents attended in large numbers to pay their respects. Senior Buddhist clergy led by the Ayutthaya Provincial Abbot presided over the religious proceedings, with numerous monks participating in the cremation ceremony.

The solemn atmosphere was filled with grief and condolences as family members, relatives, colleagues, students, and those who knew Teacher Muay attended the final farewell. Many mourners remained visibly affected by the loss of their beloved teacher. Tourism and Sports Minister Surasak Phancharoenvolkul also attended the ceremony to offer respects.

During the proceedings, the Education Minister formally recognized and honored her memory by presenting the Teacher Thirakun award from the Teachers' Council Secretariat, along with financial assistance of one million baht from the Prime Minister's Office Disaster Relief Fund and approximately 900,000 baht in condolence benefits from the Teachers' Association for her family, celebrating her dedicated service to the education profession.

Prime Minister Anutin Charnvirakul told a senior US defense official on Thursday that Thailand will not use defense cooperation with the United States as a bargaining chip in trade negotiations, as the two countries seek to strengthen their 193-year alliance. Anutin, who also serves as interior minister, held talks with Elbridge Colby, US Under Secretary of Defense for Policy, at Government House in Bangkok on Thursday afternoon during Colby's first official visit to Thailand. Government spokesperson Rachada Dhnadirek said Anutin welcomed Colby and highlighted the positive development of Thai-US relations. The prime minister stressed that security cooperation is a key pillar of the longstanding bilateral relationship, but said Thailand does not have a policy of linking defense cooperation to trade negotiations. "Trade and security discussions proceed on the basis of mutual interests and through the relevant mechanisms for each area," Anutin said, according to the government. Anutin highlighted the 193-year history of Thai-US military ties, saying the alliance has benefited both countries and contributed to peace, security and stability in the region. He called for the two countries to strengthen their alliance in response to a changing international environment and emerging security threats. Colby described Thailand as an important US ally and said Washington places strategic importance on the region and on working with countries that share common principles and goals for maintaining regional peace and security. He reaffirmed the US commitment to strengthening security cooperation with Thailand to address increasingly complex challenges and a rapidly changing security environment. The two sides agreed to deepen security cooperation, including efforts to strengthen their ability to respond to modern security challenges, modernize Thailand's armed forces and expand defense industry cooperation. Anutin also raised cooperation against transnational crime, referring to his meeting with FBI Director Kash Patel in July. The two sides discussed strengthening law enforcement cooperation, particularly efforts to prevent and combat transnational crime in the region. On the Thailand-Cambodia border situation, Anutin thanked US President Donald Trump for his constructive role in supporting efforts to ease tensions. He reaffirmed Thailand's commitment to international law, good-neighborly relations and a peaceful resolution through bilateral mechanisms, including implementation of the Kuala Lumpur Accords. On trade, Anutin reaffirmed Thailand's commitment to concluding an Agreement on Reciprocal Trade with the United States as soon as possible. He said Thailand was ready to continue its long-standing relationship with the US and further strengthen the alliance, while expanding cooperation that benefits people in both countries and promoting regional peace, security and stability.

The Department of Physical Education and WOW 1971 Company Limited are jointly organizing the DPE WOW Futsal Cup 2026 for inter-school futsal competition in the 2026 academic year, divided into two categories. The tournament features 84 participating teams: Category A includes three age groups (14, 16, and 18 years old) with 16 teams each, totaling 48 teams divided into four groups of four teams. Category B similarly includes 14, 16, and 18-year-old age groups with 12 teams each, totaling 36 teams divided into two groups of six teams. The competition will run from August 20 to September 16, 2026 at the Nimitthibutch Sports Building at the National Sports Stadium, with live streaming on YouTube and the Department of Physical Education's Facebook page.

Sirothom Meeyod stated that the tournament brings together top futsal players from schools and universities, providing them an opportunity to showcase their skills with professional scouts expected to monitor performances. He emphasized that this will be the last competition held at the historic Nimitthibutch facility before it returns to Chulalongkorn University's management, urging athletes to create lasting memories on the field.

Tedsakdee Wong-chiang-peng, Managing Director of WOW 1971 Company Limited, expressed the company's commitment to developing youth futsal by providing uniforms, coaching staff support, referee uniforms, and funding for event operations. He encouraged young athletes to demonstrate their full potential as a pathway to professional futsal careers.

After navigating marital difficulties, comedian and actor Bell Angshumlap from the Srikram troupe is preparing a grand wedding celebration on September 27 to fulfill his wife's dreams. On August 13, while attending a blessing ceremony for the new series "Ravanakanya" at Brahma Shrine on Thai PBS, Bell revealed that preparations are already 70 percent complete. What started as plans for a small ceremony has grown into a major event at Ayutthaya City Park. Bell explained he wants to do everything perfectly because his wife's first wedding was only a simple hand-tying ceremony, and he wants to create wonderful memories for the family while erasing negative ones.

Bell also discussed his first television series role, playing a sweet, feminine male character in "Ravanakanya," which features three siblings. He acknowledged the adjustment has been challenging, particularly wearing false nails, but he is committed to adapting. He expressed gratitude to his management team and director for accommodating his other work commitments by adjusting shooting schedules. His family was delighted to learn he would be acting, and he mentioned waiting a long time for this opportunity.

When asked why the ceremony expanded from a small event, Bell explained that he wanted to make it special. The first wedding was only a hand-tying ritual held privately, but this celebration allows them to create lasting positive memories and replace negative ones. He and his wife discussed this for a long time, and now that they have saved enough, they are making it happen. The celebration will take place on September 27, with a meeting scheduled for September 26. Fans are invited to attend, and the event will feature a beige and cream color theme. His wife is very happy with his efforts, and the ceremony will be a one-day celebration without a religious ritual, focusing instead on a reception party.

Deputy Prime Minister and Finance Minister Eaknarit Nitivattananond delivered a special address on Thailand's economic transition and new challenges facing the justice system, identifying four major global economic challenges: First, geopolitical and geoeconomic tensions arising from clear world polarization between the United States and China, forcing many countries to choose sides in trade negotiations—such as the 12.5% import tariff the US imposed on Thailand over forced labor concerns. Second, artificial intelligence technology, which represents an industrial revolution faster and larger than the internet age. Third, environmental issues now being weaponized as pretexts for trade and investment barriers, alongside energy price crises from global conflicts that may mean cheap oil prices never return. Fourth, Thailand faces labor shortages as the country enters an aging society with negative birth rates, forcing reliance on workers from neighboring nations.

To address these crises, Eaknarit said Thailand must accelerate transformation across multiple fronts. On geopolitics, Thailand must maintain neutrality to attract investors while selecting only quality investment partners. On technology, Thai businesses must embrace the AI era—citing the "Thailand Helps Thailand Plus" project, which uses AI tools to help small traders automatically analyze sales and costs. On energy, Thailand must transition to clean energy to buffer against global price volatility, as the country currently imports 65% of its natural gas and petroleum needs.

Eaknarit stressed that these global shifts have particular importance for judges, especially in specialized appellate courts, as increased foreign investment and labor will generate complex international cases. The rise of AI has spawned technology crimes such as deepfake fraud—using AI to fake faces and voices to deceive the public. He called on judges to adopt AI as an analytical tool for examining case data and detecting contradictions in rulings, though they must remain technologically savvy. If courts understand the global context, support the transition, and decide cases with awareness of these changes, they will strengthen confidence in Thailand's economy.

"You will see many fraud cases involving AI technology. I myself was recently targeted by an AI deepfake pretending to be me, trying to lure me into an investment—I reported it recently. The face and voice were very similar, but not identical. If you know the real person, you can tell the difference," Eaknarit said.