Police expand alleged ‘ghost father’ network probe; Chinese couple stopped en route to Australia

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19 August 2026, 15:17

BANGKOK — 19 August 2026, immigration police have expanded an investigation into an alleged “ghost father” network accused of falsely registering Chinese children as Thai nationals, with four people facing legal action in connection with two families.

The case centres on Thai men allegedly being named as fathers on birth certificates despite DNA evidence indicating that the children’s biological fathers were Chinese nationals.

ChatGPT Image Aug 19 2026 03 04 15 PM — Graphic from Matichon Online translated by Khaosod English

Pol Col Suriya Puangsombat, superintendent of the Immigration Bureau Division 3 Investigation Sub-Division, said the inquiry began after a 39-year-old Chinese woman, surnamed Huang, applied to extend her stay in Thailand on the grounds that she was caring for Thai-national children.

Police became suspicious of the relationship between the woman and the Thai man named as the children’s father on their birth certificates.

On 14 July, investigators collected DNA samples from the parents and children. Huang allegedly admitted that her two daughters were not the biological children of the 53-year-old Thai man, identified under the pseudonym Pradit, but of a 40-year-old Chinese man, surnamed Yue Long. The children’s births were registered at Si Racha district office in Chon Buri province.

Checks found that Pradit was listed as the father of six children: three with his Thai wife, two with Huang, and one with another Chinese woman, surnamed Wang, 42. Police said the information gave them grounds to suspect that foreign children had been falsely registered as Thai nationals.

The people linked to the case were placed on a watchlist. On 24 July, immigration officers at Suvarnabhumi Airport alerted investigators after Wang, her Chinese partner, surnamed Zhu, 42, and their son were preparing to fly to Australia.

Police asked the family to attend questioning and provide DNA samples. Wang allegedly admitted that Zhu, not Pradit, was her son’s biological father. The child’s birth had been registered at Khan Na Yao district office in Bangkok.

Wang is accused of jointly making false statements to officials, causing false information to be entered in official documents, and improperly registering a birth.

On 4 August, Huang and Yue Long were summoned to acknowledge similar charges, including using an official document resulting from false information. Pradit attended a second summons on 18 August and allegedly confessed to the allegations. He was released temporarily while investigators gather further evidence for prosecutors.

Police said three Chinese nationals and one Thai national are now facing legal action. Immigration Bureau Division 3 investigators said they would continue examining possible links to others involved in similar alleged misuse of Thailand’s civil registration system.

Lisa earns four MTV VMA 2026 nominations, leads K-pop artists

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Khaosod English

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19 August 2026, 15:06

Thai K-pop star Lisa has made history with four nominations at the 2026 MTV Video Music Awards (VMAs), making her the most-nominated K-pop artist at this year’s awards.

MTV announced the official nominees for the 2026 VMAs, with Lisa, whose real name is Lalisa Manobal, earning nominations for her song “DREAM” from her debut full-length album Alter Ego.

The track, a collaboration with Japanese actor and musician Kentaro Sakaguchi, is nominated in four categories: Best Pop, Best K-pop, Best Cinematography and Best Editing.

The four nominations also put Lisa among the top 10 most-nominated artists at this year’s VMAs and make her the most-nominated Asian artist in 2026.

Lisa ranks behind Madonna, who leads this year’s nominations with 11, followed by Taylor Swift with nine. Ariana Grande and Sabrina Carpenter each have seven, while Bruno Mars, PinkPantheress and Zara Larsson have five each.

The 2026 VMAs nominations add another major milestone to Lisa’s growing international career as a solo artist.

Nan, Phayao and Lamphun told to brace for flash floods

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Khaosod English

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19 August 2026, 14:39

BANGKOK — 19 August 2026, Deputy Prime Minister Yodchanan Wongsawat has ordered Nan, Phayao and Lamphun provinces to urgently prepare for flooding and flash floods, including 24-hour Cell Broadcast alerts and a standby KA-32 helicopter.

Yodchanan, who is also Higher Education, Science, Research and Innovation Minister and chair of the northern regional flood and drought prevention committee, signed an urgent order to the three provincial governors on Tuesday.

The order follows a Meteorological Department forecast warning of thunderstorms, isolated heavy rain and strong winds in August, which could cause flash floods, forest runoff and rivers to overflow.

The committee set out eight measures for immediate implementation:

Closely monitor and assess conditions, coordinating with upstream areas and neighbouring provinces. Authorities were told to focus on flood-prone communities,
densely populated areas, economic zones, tourist sites and key transport routes.
Improve the speed and accuracy of warnings through Cell Broadcast alerts and provincial, district, local and community-leader communication channels.
Pre-position personnel, boats and water pumps in high-risk areas, with round-the-clock operations. A KA-32 disaster-relief helicopter is to remain on standby for evacuations and deliveries to inaccessible areas.
Prepare temporary shelters with adequate facilities, food, drinking water, health care, kitchens and cooking supplies.
Provide continuous updates on river and waterway levels, low-lying risk areas, and warnings for raft operators, restaurants, riverside residents and tourists travelling into affected areas.
Set up incident command centres if flooding occurs, mobilising resources and prioritising assistance for vulnerable groups in coordination with provincial social development and human security offices.
Quickly survey and record damage so relief payments can be made fairly and promptly under government policy and Finance Ministry emergency-disaster assistance rules.
Coordinate with local Higher Education, Science, Research and Innovation Ministry agencies to support flood response, moving belongings and post-flood clean-up around the clock.

The measures were issued under the Prime Minister’s Office Order No. 275/2026, which established five regional flood and drought prevention committees to speed relief efforts.

Cambodia blames border closure as 3 factories shut, nearly 4,000 workers affected

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Khaosod English

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19 August 2026, 14:25

PHNOM PENH, Cambodia — Three factories in Cambodia’s Banteay Meanchey province have closed or are preparing to shut down as soaring transportation costs and falling orders linked to disruptions along the Thailand-Cambodia border put pressure on businesses, Cambodia’s Ministry of Labour and Vocational Training said.

The closures affect nearly 4,000 workers. ML Intimate Apparel (Cambodia), which employed 683 workers, and Hi-Tech, which employed 2,532 workers, have already closed, while Nidec Die-casting Cambodia, with 724 workers, is scheduled to cease operations in October.

The ministry said workers at the two closed factories have received their wages and other benefits required under Cambodian labor law. It will monitor the third closure to ensure workers receive all legally required payments.

Ministry spokesman Sun Mesa described the closures as regrettable, linking them to sharply higher transportation costs following what he called Thailand’s unilateral border closure.

Before the disruptions, goods from Banteay Meanchey factories could reportedly reach production facilities in Thailand within one to two hours. The ministry said transport costs have since increased by dozens of times because goods must be routed through Cambodian sea routes before entering Thailand, with some shipments even requiring air freight.

The ministry is helping affected workers find new jobs through the National Employment Agency and provincial labor authorities. Officials said factories producing similar goods are seeking workers and authorities are arranging transportation to new workplaces.

Workers seeking to change careers can also access free vocational training at 32 technical and vocational training schools across Cambodia.

The ministry said more than 90,000 job vacancies are currently available nationwide.

Lingling Kwong named world’s most beautiful woman alive 2026

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Khaosod English

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19 August 2026, 13:25

Thai-Hong Kong actress Lingling Kwong has been named the Most Beautiful Woman Alive 2026 by Netizens Choice Magazine, receiving 22 million votes in the global fan poll.

Kwong, whose full name is Lingtan Sirilak Kwong, also made history by being named Most Beautiful Thai Actress of 2026 in the same voting season.

The rankings were based on votes from fans and internet users around the world, according to the entertainment publication.

Kwong previously ranked No. 17 on TC Candler’s The 100 Most Beautiful Faces of 2025 list.

She was not the only Thai actress to make the global top 20 this year.

Thai actress Orm Kornnaphat Sethratanapong ranked No. 4 among the world’s most beautiful women, with more than 11 million votes, while also placing No. 2 among Thai actresses.

Other Thai actresses in the global top 20 included Freen Sarocha Chankimha at No. 15, Becky Rebecca Patricia Armstrong at No. 17 and Yoko Apasra Lertprasert at No. 18.

The results have drawn attention from Thai fans, with five Thai actresses making the publication’s global top 20.

Gas truck crashes, catches fire and explodes in Chiang Mai

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Khaosod English

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19 August 2026, 13:13

Gas truck crashes, catches fire and explodes in Chiang Mai

CHIANG MAI — 19 August 2026, A gas truck overturned and burst into flames on the Chiang Mai-Lampang road on Wednesday, prompting police to completely shut the inbound Superhighway and divert traffic along a railway-side road.

At 11:30, Chiang Mai Provincial Police radio centre received a report that a gas truck had overturned and sparks had triggered explosions and a major fire near Chiang Mai Beverage in Saraphi district, on the inbound side toward Chiang Mai city.

Police at Saraphi Police Station and relevant agencies were alerted, while fire trucks from the Chiang Mai Provincial Administrative Organisation and nearby municipal authorities were dispatched to the scene.

The truck was found engulfed in flames, with explosions occurring intermittently. Authorities cleared the area and completely closed the inbound Superhighway to prevent vehicles from approaching the danger zone.

Traffic heading into Chiang Mai was diverted to a road running alongside the railway. Firefighters deployed multiple fire engines and chemical extinguishing agents to contain the blaze.

The fire was brought under control after about one hour.

No injuries had been reported in an initial assessment, while officials were continuing to inspect the scene and determine the circumstances of the crash.

Local residents said accidents frequently occur in the area. They also noted that it had been raining at the time, raising the possibility that the truck lost control on the slippery road before overturning. Sparks then reportedly triggered the fire.

Authorities are continuing their investigation.

Anutin, Albanese agree to deepen Thailand-Australia strategic ties

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Khaosod English

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19 August 2026, 13:00

20260819081239_3782 — Prime Minister Anutin Charnvirakul and Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese agreed to strengthen cooperation against online scams, cybercrime, human trafficking, drug trafficking and money laundering.

Thailand and Australia agreed to deepen their strategic partnership, with a focus on tackling transnational crime, expanding economic ties and strengthening cooperation in science and innovation, Prime Minister Anutin Charnvirakul said Wednesday.

Anutin and Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese held bilateral talks and a joint press conference at Parliament House in Canberra on 19 August, during Anutin’s first official visit to Australia by a Thai prime minister in 14 years.

The visit comes ahead of the 75th anniversary of diplomatic relations between Thailand and Australia next year.

The two countries upgraded their ties to a Strategic Partnership in 2020. Their latest talks covered four main areas: politics and security; economic, trade and innovation cooperation; culture and people-to-people ties; and regional and multilateral cooperation.

On security, the two sides agreed to strengthen cooperation against traditional and emerging threats, particularly transnational crime, including online scams, human trafficking, drug trafficking and money laundering.

The two governments welcomed a Joint Statement on Transnational Crime, aimed at strengthening efforts to prevent and combat cross-border crime at bilateral, regional and global levels.

The leaders also welcomed a Leaders’ Statement on Deepening Economic Engagement, which seeks to make greater use of the Thailand-Australia Free Trade Agreement (TAFTA), expand bilateral trade and investment in key sectors, and support a rules-based multilateral trading system.

Thailand and Australia also welcomed a Letter of Intent between Thailand’s National Science and Technology Development Agency (NSTDA) and Australia’s Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation (CSIRO) to expand cooperation in science, research and innovation.

On defence, Anutin welcomed an Australian proposal to establish a biennial Thailand-Australia Defence Ministers’ Meeting to strengthen defence cooperation and support peace and stability in the Indo-Pacific.

The two countries’ defence ministries will coordinate to establish the mechanism as soon as possible.

Anutin also highlighted the importance of strengthening people-to-people ties through education, innovation and skills development. He praised the contribution of the Thai community to Australian society and noted Thailand’s continued popularity as a destination for Australian tourists.

At the regional level, Thailand and Australia will work more closely through ASEAN, the Ayeyawady-Chao Phraya-Mekong Economic Cooperation Strategy (ACMECS), the Mekong-Australia Partnership and other relevant frameworks.

Anutin also thanked Australia for its continued support for Thailand’s bid to join the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD).

Albanese expressed Australia’s readiness to deepen cooperation with Thailand across a range of areas, particularly the fight against transnational crime and economic cooperation.

He also welcomed Anutin’s decision to bring a Thai private-sector delegation to Australia and accepted an invitation to make an official visit to Thailand next year.

Anutin said the agreements reached during the visit would help create new opportunities in the economy, security, innovation and people-to-people relations as Thailand and Australia prepare to mark 75 years of diplomatic ties.

He thanked Albanese, the Australian government and people for their warm welcome, saying Thailand was ready to work closely with Australia to translate the strategic partnership into tangible benefits for people in both countries.

Thai entertainment mourns actor and host Ray MacDonald, dead at 49

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Khaosod English

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19 August 2026, 11:45

BANGKOK — 19 August 2026, Thai entertainment is mourning the death of Ray MacDonald, a prominent actor, model and television host who rose to fame in the 1990s. He was 49.

Reports said Ray died at his home in Bangkok’s Phatthanakan area. Friends were reportedly travelling to his residence following the news. Born on 21 May 1977 in Roi Et province to a Thai-Scottish family, Ray completed secondary school in England before building a career in entertainment.

Known for his mischievous yet stylish on-screen personality, he became one of the best-known teen hosts of the 1990s through the youth programme Teen Talk. He also appeared in numerous films, including Fun Bar Karaoke, Dang Bireley’s and Young Gangsters and O-Negative.

Ray won a Suphannahong National Film Award for Fun Bar Karaoke in 1997-98, and later received the Kom Chad Luek Award for Best Supporting Actor for Dear Galileo. His most recent film was Puean Rak Puean Lap.

In recent years, he reunited with close friends Leo Put and Tar Phonphet Thephassadin na Ayutthaya for the YouTube programme Tit Kui, released under the Put-Tar-Ray name on the Rayron channel.

Heavy rain floods Nan, damages weir and collapses bridge on key route

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Khaosod English

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19 August 2026, 11:26

NAN — 19 August 2026, Heavy rain has caused flooding across parts of Nan province, damaging an irrigation weir, washing out a bridge on a key route and prompting authorities to urge residents in at-risk areas to prepare to evacuate.

In Santi Suk district, one side of the Na Lao irrigation weir was washed away by strong currents, damaging the road beside it, the Nan provincial public relations office said.

Persistent heavy to very heavy rain has caused waterways in the district to overflow, flooding homes, farmland and some roads. Ban Pang Chang in Pong subdistrict was among the affected areas.

As of 06:00, heavy rain was continuing. Flooding made the Phayaeng–Kiew Muang road, a route into Nan’s provincial capital, impassable, officials said.

Authorities used a motorboat from Pa Laeo Luang Subdistrict Administrative Organisation to assist residents stranded near the water at Ban Sri Bun Rueang in Pong subdistrict. Strong currents hampered the operation.

Residents were also stranded on a bridge over the Muap stream at Ban Nam Song in Du Phong subdistrict. Santi Suk district later reported that everyone on the bridge had been brought to safety.

Flooding was also reported in Pua, Chiang Klang and Tha Wang Pha districts, particularly around the Nam Pua and Nam Khuang waterways.

A bridge on Highway 1256, the Pua–Bo Kluea route, reportedly collapsed, making the road impassable to all vehicles. Authorities advised travellers heading to Bo Kluea to use Highway 1081 via Santi Suk instead.

Nan municipality said more than 200mm of rain had fallen in several areas, particularly Pua, Santi Suk and Mae Charim districts, since midnight, causing flash flooding in northern parts of the province. Water levels in the Yao River and Wa River were rising.

The municipality urged residents in at-risk communities in Nan city, especially areas flooded in 2006 and 2024, to move belongings and vehicles to higher ground and prepare to evacuate vulnerable people.

Those who decide to remain at home were advised to prepare at least three days’ worth of food, drinking water and medicine, along with lighting, cooking and communication equipment. The municipality warned that electricity supplies could be suspended in some areas.

The Department of Disaster Prevention and Mitigation also urged authorities to move vulnerable residents, including elderly people and bedridden patients, to safer locations where necessary.

Hermitcraft charity brings Thailand’s first hospital gaming “Go-Kart”

By

Seth Buren

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19 August 2026, 10:26

0-feat — Photo: @GamersOutreach/X via @GTWScar/X

BANGKOK — Thailand has received its first GO Kart, a mobile gaming station that brings video games to children receiving hospital care, at Samitivej Srinakarin Hospital in Bangkok.

Scar, a member of the Hermitcraft Minecraft creator community and a Gamers Outreach board member, announced the arrival in an X post on 18 August, writing: “New country unlock by the Hermitcraft community. Thailand received their first GoKart!”

The portable gaming kiosk was provided through Gamers Outreach’s partnership with the Hermitcraft community.

Despite its name, a GO Kart is not a racing vehicle. The units can be wheeled to patients’ bedsides and carry a television, gaming console, controllers and games, allowing hospital staff to bring entertainment directly to children receiving treatment.

Gamers Outreach says its carts are designed specifically for healthcare settings, with adjustable screens and storage for accessibility devices. It began producing the units in 2008 and says it has deployed them to hundreds of hospitals worldwide.

The Samitivej Srinakarin delivery is the first confirmed GO Kart placement in Thailand. It may also be the first in Southeast Asia, although this has not yet been confirmed.

HQAbxx9boAAJUd3 — Photo: @GamersOutreach/X

Hermitcraft, a long-running invite-only Minecraft community, has become one of Gamers Outreach’s most prominent fundraising partners. Its members first held a charity livestream for the organisation in 2022, raising more than $439,000, enough to fund more than 100 carts.

The community raised more than $840,000 at Gamers for Giving in 2024, followed by more than $847,000 in 2025. Its fourth annual fundraiser in 2026 raised more than $1 million, according to Gamers Outreach. 2025 impact update 2026 recap

By April 2025, Gamers Outreach said Hermitcraft had helped provide more than 310 GO Karts, estimated to create about 899,000 gaming experiences for hospitalised children each year. Scar joined the charity’s board in 2025.

Gamers Outreach accepts donations to help provide gaming equipment and play experiences for children receiving hospital care. Find out more or donate through the charity’s official website

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