At 1:45 p.m. on August 18, 2025, the Chom Thong District Disaster Response Club reported a van rollover with a male passenger trapped inside near Pa Dok Siao Waterfall on Doi Inthanon. Emergency responders from the club and Doi Inthanon National Park rushed to the scene with rescue equipment. National Park rescue personnel used specialized tools to safely extract the injured man from the vehicle and transferred him to Chom Thong Hospital for treatment. The cause remains under investigation by police.

The Bank of Thailand reported that the commercial banking system remained stable and solid in the second quarter of 2026, with capital, reserves, and liquidity at high levels. Commercial bank credit across all networks expanded 2% from the same period a year earlier, primarily supported by lending to large businesses requiring increased working capital due to higher energy costs and raw material prices. However, credit to SMEs and consumer lending continued to contract, reflecting elevated credit risk. Non-performing loans (NPL, or Stage 3) fell to 534.8 billion baht in the second quarter as banks accelerated debt management efforts, keeping the NPL ratio to total credit steady at 2.82% similar to the previous quarter. Stage 2 credit declined to 6.78%, partly as vulnerable borrowers moved into NPL status while some borrowers improved their standing. Banks continued to pursue preventive debt restructuring, helping slow the emergence of new NPLs. Net profits at commercial banks grew from the year-earlier period, supported by gains from fair value measurements of financial instruments and higher securities brokerage income, coupled with reduced provisions after banks had built reserves aggressively in prior quarters and implemented more efficient cost management. These factors offset declines in net interest income from rate adjustments aligned with policy rates and borrower relief measures. Going forward, ongoing Middle East tensions and an uneven Thai economic recovery pose risks to debt repayment capacity, particularly for vulnerable SMEs and households facing volatile earnings and high living costs. The Bank of Thailand will closely monitor commercial bank loan quality, while debt relief measures and continued liquidity support from financial institutions are expected to help sustain businesses and households ahead.

On August 18, 2025, at Parliament, House Speaker Sophon Sararum responded to opposition and Senate calls for the Supreme Court to establish an independent investigative committee into the National Anti-Corruption Commission's conduct in dismissing the stock manipulation case against former Transport Minister Sakdisiam Chidchob. Sophon said a committee has already been set up with outside members participating. Once the review is complete, he will explain to the public the reasoning behind forwarding or withholding the petition to the Supreme Court.

When asked whether the names of outside committee members could be disclosed, Sophon said while no one wanted to take on this responsibility, there was an agreement that the committee would work independently during the process. After the report is finalized, he is ready to reveal the members' identities. He denied the committee was merely ornamental.

Regarding whether the review must finish this month, Sophon said that depends on the committee, as they operate independently under his authority in accordance with parliamentary rules and receive standard meeting allowances. When asked if there was a work deadline, Sophon noted that when they met, he asked for a thorough examination with no fixed timeframe. He cited another committee he formed to consider appointing parliamentary assistants, which he gave 90 days but they have now requested a 30-day extension because the results must answer to society.

Sophon explained that outside members were included because the Constitution grants the parliamentary speaker discretionary power, which requires careful judgment and research. Since committees have been formed this way historically, he appointed both internal and external members to avoid accusations of selecting his own subordinates. He verified he never consulted with these members beforehand, selecting them based on their professional credentials in law and law enforcement.

When asked if this could be viewed as stalling, Sophon said the perception depends on procedure and historical precedent. "I'm not concerned with whether people call this stalling or not," he stated. "I've done my job and think the process is complete. From here, only results matter. I want to use my mind on other issues facing the nation right now. We should focus our brains on other things too, rather than fixate on just one issue. Let's make this produce results and earn public trust."

Khon Kaen land officials have filed charges against Buakhai Sarasamuth, the estate manager for the late Hiang Pimmsri, owner of title deed number 61945, for falsely claiming the deed was lost when requesting a replacement—while the original document was held by Wat Pa Adulyaram. On August 18, provincial land officer Pongsuwan Chaitonteuk and related staff filed the complaint at Muang Khon Kaen Police Station. The officer disclosed that the filing concerns providing false information to officials to proceed with legal action. Since it emerged that the original deed still exists and is held by the temple abbot, authorities must investigate whether the applicant knew in advance that the deed had not been lost. If confirmed, criminal liability may apply.

In this case, the applicant obtained a certified copy from the land office on July 13 before submitting the replacement request on July 27. However, during processing, the temple abbot produced the original deed to officials, causing the land office to verify and confirm the deed had not been lost. Consequently, the replacement application was cancelled. The provincial land officer explained that the cancellation order is an administrative decision and the applicant has been notified of the right to appeal within 15 days; a notice was sent on August 17, and no appeal has been filed to date.

Furthermore, land office investigations confirm that the criminal complaint filed today will not affect the process of transferring the title deed to the temple's name, which must proceed according to Section 84 procedures. The case status summary notes: (1) the replacement application has been cancelled after confirming the deed was not lost; (2) the applicant has been notified of appeal rights within 15 days with no appeal filed so far; (3) the false information complaint has been filed for police investigation regarding the false claim that the deed was lost; (4) land rights will be handled according to the final judgment unless a new ruling changes it; (5) the title transfer to the temple is proceeding under Section 84 of the Land Code, a separate process from the false complaint case; (6) heirs cannot directly contest the temple's rights under Section 84, but if the estate manager consents to the transfer, the process will be faster; otherwise, the land office must follow legal procedures; (7) the target timeline is approximately one month, though no firm timeframe can be guaranteed due to multiple agencies involved; (8) the provincial land office is consulting the Department of Lands to establish clear and legally correct guidelines before proceeding with the next critical steps.

On August 18, Cyber Police Bureau investigators executed a search warrant at a condominium on Phaholyothin Road Soi 72 in Lam Luka district, Pathum Thani province, and arrested a 30-year-old man identified as Nathapol. Officers seized three illegally modified blank-fire guns—two in 9mm caliber and one in .380 caliber—along with 10 rounds of live ammunition.

The investigation began after police discovered that Nathapol had been purchasing ammunition from an underground weapons trafficking group on Facebook. After gathering evidence and obtaining a court-approved search warrant, officers arrested him and confiscated the firearms.

During questioning, Nathapol admitted to collecting firearms and possessing knowledge of gun assembly. He said he had purchased blank-fire gun receivers and barrels online for about 12,000 baht each, then modified them to fire live ammunition. He acknowledged that he had become bored with some of his collection and sold several modified guns to friends at 20,000 baht each to fund purchases of new models to add to his collection.

Police have charged him with unlawfully possessing firearms and ammunition without authorization. He remains in custody pending further legal proceedings.

Track Asia Cup 2026, an elite international track cycling championship, will feature a record number of competing teams as cyclists from across Asia prepare to compete for world ranking points toward qualifying for the 2028 Olympic Games in the United States. The tournament will take place August 28–30 at the Huamark Velodrome at the Sports Authority of Thailand, with General Decha Mekarachree, president of the Cycling Association of Thailand, leading the press conference on August 18 alongside board members, sponsors, and media.

The Cycling Association of Thailand has registered the event with the Union Cycliste Internationale (UCI) as a Class 1 competition on the UCI calendar, earning world ranking points for Olympic qualifying purposes and eligibility for Nations Cup and World Championships events. A total of 38 teams from 21 countries will compete—both national squads and club teams. National teams will include representatives from Thailand, Singapore, Japan, Taiwan, Australia, Malaysia, Macau, Indonesia, the Philippines, India, Saudi Arabia, Hong Kong, Bahrain, Uzbekistan, and Kazakhstan.

Club-level entrants number 23 teams: six from South Korea (Sangju Cycling, Samyang Cycling, KSPO Cycling, KNSU, Yonchon Cycling, and Yongdeungpo Technical High School); three from China (Yunnan Cycling, Guangsu Cycling, and Shenzhen Cycling); two from Taiwan (Xinche High School and Fulcrum Gaosong 0715); two from Hong Kong (HKSI and CAHK); two from Malaysia (Selangor Cycling Federation and Cahaya Mata); plus Standard Insurance from the Philippines, QLD from Australia, Jakarta Pro Cycling from Indonesia, and club teams from Sweden, the United States, Cuba, Slovakia, and Velodrome Thailand.

General Decha noted that the 38 teams and over 1,000 athletes and officials from 21 countries mark a historic turnout, bringing significant economic benefit to surrounding businesses and supporting tourism promotion. The opening ceremony on August 28 at 2:00 p.m. will be presided over by Datuk Amaejit Singh Gill, president of the Asian Cycling Confederation (ACC), and will feature cultural performances including Khon dance from Ramkhamhaeng University and traditional pipe music from Vachirawut College.

General Decha announced that Thailand's national team—preparing for the 20th Asian Games in Tianjin, China—will return to compete in this championship. Athletes including Lieutenant Colonel Chutathip Manee-Phun (Bee), Jay Ang-Suthasawit (TJ), Lieutenant Colonel Noraserdsathan Boonma (Naew), and Senior Sergeant Major Yuenyong Phetrat (Makham) will compete alongside other Thai cyclists for testing and international competition experience before returning to final training in Tianjin prior to competing at the Asian Games in Nagoya, Japan in September.