Thailand's national football team lost the first leg of the 2026 AFF Championship final 0-2 to Vietnam on August 22 at Rajamangala Stadium. The second leg will be played at Minh Dai Hang Stadium in Hanoi on August 26, where Thailand must win by at least two goals to force extra time, or win 3-0 to claim the championship.

Captain Saraech Yooyuen said after the match: "We still have luck on our side in a home-and-away final. We have another game, another 90 minutes to fight. I think a 0-2 score isn't too far to recover from. Everyone is still battling and will try to come back in the second game."

He added: "What we saw today is that they scored on two counter-attacks against us. We conceded too easily, so we need more focus. In the second game, I believe they will still set up defensively and wait for counter-attacks as before. We must be alert to their breaks and try to create more scoring chances."

"I think the mental state of everyone is quite good," Saraech continued. "Everyone still believes that in the second game, if we score early, momentum will come back to us."

Thailand will face Vietnam in the second leg of the 2026 AFF Championship final at Minh Dinh Stadium on August 26 at 8 p.m., with the match broadcast live on TrueVisions Now.

On August 23, 2025, Nathi Theerarojpong, 69, a former activist who took up complaints from troubled Chiang Mai residents, opened up to reporters after completing his sentence in the "Ufan share-scheme" public fraud case. Wearing an electronic monitoring bracelet, he explained that he was convicted in the Ufan fraud case, for which the court imposed a 12,655-year sentence. However, sentences in such cases are capped at 20 years maximum. He fought through three levels of court over nine years, then received sentence reductions from the Department of Corrections on three separate occasions, ultimately serving nearly 11 years in prison. He was imprisoned starting August 25, 2015, and was released on August 14, 2025.

When released on August 14, an outstanding old case from a different plaintiff emerged, and he was taken to Chiang Rai City Police Station and held for two nights before being brought before Chiang Rai Court. The court granted him an electronic monitoring bracelet and bail of 50,000 baht for the outstanding case. He now reports regularly.

"While imprisoned, I did what I could to benefit the Department and the prison. I taught English and primarily translated English documents for Khlong Prem Prison. After 11 years inside, I have come to believe that inmates are a mix of good and bad people, but I genuinely believe the good ones are far more numerous. I discussed with fellow inmates that when I am released, I will work with full dedication. With perhaps only 10 years of life remaining, I want to dedicate myself to society. I wish to establish the 'Alliance of Good People Returning to Society' group, aligned with the prison motto: 'Care with heart, correct with compassion, to return good people to society.'

"I will bring together former inmates, current inmates preparing for release, their families, and neutral-minded citizens to give us a chance to help develop our nation. We will perform our duties to the best of our ability for the good of our country." On August 25, 2025, he will pay respects at the Khruba Sri Wichai monument at the base of Doi Suthep and establish the group on that auspicious day—marking exactly 11 years since his incarceration began on August 25, 2015. The group, "Alliance of Good People Returning to Society," will be announced across all social media platforms, welcoming current inmates, former inmates, and anyone who believes in supporting their rehabilitation and development efforts.

He also noted the contrast between his case and drug trafficking convictions, where some sentenced to life or death have been released within 7–8 years, whereas he served nearly 11 years despite a maximum 20-year sentence. He views this as a matter of Department of Corrections procedure and trusts that the Department will apply wisdom and justice in balancing societal and individual welfare as circumstances evolve.

Thailand’s Deep South hit by 51 disturbances overnightLegacyFifty-one disturbances were reported across Narathiwat, Pattani and Yala from 8pm yesterday, August 22, with two people injured in Narathiwat, according to the Internal Security Operations Command Region 4 Forward Command (ISOC 4 Forward). ISOC 4 Forward issued an update today, August 23, saying that as of midnight yesterday, it had recorded 22 disturbances in Narathiwat, 11 in Pattani and 18 in Yala. Photo via Army Military Force In Narathiwat, four disturbances were reported in Chanae district, one in Si Sakhon, one in Waeng, three in Bacho, one in Mueang Narathiwat and one in Cho-airong. A further five disturbances were reported in Ra-ngae district, one in Sungai Kolok, two in Tak Bai, one in Yi-ngo, one in Rueso and one in Sungai Padi. Initial reports said two people were injured in the province. Photo via Army Military Force In Pattani, three disturbances were recorded in Yarang district, two in Yaring, three in Nong Chik, one in Sai Buri, one in Thung Yang Daeng and one in Khok Pho. No injuries were initially reported in Pattani. In Yala, 18 disturbances were reported. The breakdown provided by the command listed eight in Than To district, six in Bannang Sata and two in Raman. No injuries were reported. Photo via Army Military Force Security personnel were sent to inspect and secure affected areas, assist residents and collect evidence. The Fourth Army Region commander ordered units to prioritise public safety while working to restore normal conditions as soon as possible. ISOC 4 Forward asked residents to exercise additional caution and avoid locations where disturbances had occurred and areas restricted by security personnel. People who encounter suspicious individuals, objects or vehicles were advised not to approach or touch them and not to take action themselves. Instead, they should immediately contact personnel in their area or call the ISOC 4 Forward 24-hour hotline on 1341. Photo via Army Military Force Related news

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On August 24, the Internal Security Operations Command Region 4 Front reported that after social media claims emerged of youths being shot by a helicopter while returning from a camping trip near Gumung village, Chang Phueak subdistrict, Jannae district, Narathiwat province, the command investigated with Narathiwat special forces and found that although a helicopter was operating in the area during the incident, it was conducting aerial patrol, surveillance, and situation monitoring to support ground operations—with no weapons fired from the aircraft.

The command stated that linking the youths' injuries to helicopter fire contradicts the facts from official investigation. The case of the injured youths remains under detailed investigation to establish clear facts. The command asked the public and media to verify information from relevant agencies before publishing, particularly for ongoing investigations, to prevent misinformation that could create misunderstanding and harm local communities.

Authorities said they are investigating the incident thoroughly and will communicate confirmed facts to the public as they emerge. The command affirmed that all operations follow established procedures with public safety as the priority, and pledged transparent fact-checking and accurate public communication. The public is encouraged to report any information or leads about the incident via the hotline 1341 or local special forces units for official investigation and follow-up.

Nan province is pioneering a new dimension in rainy-season tourism with the fourth Pua Mud Volleyball tournament, held August 15-16, 2025, in the rice fields. The event merges sports, agricultural heritage, and creative activities to enliven the Pua district while boosting travel and spreading income to local vendors and communities.

Organized by the Nan Provincial Office of Tourism and Sports alongside the Pua Tourism Promotion Association, Pua Facebook groups, the Pua Mud Volleyball Club, private enterprises, and tourism partners, the tournament operates under a competitive development and quality tourism advancement programme for fiscal year 2025. Now in its fourth year, the event reimagines Pua tourism during the green season, showcasing lush rice paddies, agricultural traditions, and local natural beauty through sport tourism and mud volleyball competition.

Throughout the event, the rice field was transformed into a celebration of sport and community spirit, with athletes and supporters bringing colour and energy. Beyond competition, activities included food and drink sales from local vendors, youth cultural performances, and live music, weaving sport into the fabric of tourism and local economy.

Tournament winners were crowned as follows: champions Nan Buri won 50,000 baht, first runners-up Chok Naphaphi won 30,000 baht, second runners-up Teng 1 VC won 10,000 baht, and third runners-up Luang Prabang won 5,000 baht. The fantasy costume competition prize of 5,000 baht went to Teng 1 VC, reflecting the event's philosophy of blending athletic competition with fun, creativity, and inclusive participation.

The fourth Pua Mud Volleyball tournament exemplifies how sport and creativity can drive tourism by building on local resources and identity to create fresh experiences open to all ages. It aims to stimulate off-season travel, distribute revenue across Pua and Nan, and elevate sport and creative tourism to establish the region as a premium destination.

Beyond the field, the event showcased collaboration between government, private sector, young people, communities, athletes, and local partners, who collectively transformed rice fields—central to Pua life—into a tourism story and added value. The tournament is more than muddy athletes; it represents a shared vision for developing the region's tourism economy.