Anutin says peace in Myanmar crucial to ASEAN

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4 August 2026, 17:26

JAKARTA, Indonedia — Prime Minister Anutin Charnvirakul said Thailand’s push for a gradual re-engagement with Myanmar is beginning to show results, pointing to the recent visit by the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) to detained former Myanmar leader Aung San Suu Kyi as a positive development.

Speaking at the ASEAN Secretariat in Jakarta on Tuesday, Anutin outlined Thailand’s vision for ASEAN’s future, telling diplomats that the bloc must preserve its unity while responding more effectively to regional challenges. More than 100 ambassadors, permanent representatives and diplomats attended the address.

On Myanmar, Anutin reaffirmed that ASEAN’s Five-Point Consensus remains the bloc’s main framework for addressing the crisis, while arguing that the association should continue its policy of “calibrated re-engagement” with Myanmar’s authorities.

He said the approach seeks to keep dialogue channels open, maintain engagement with stakeholders and respond to realities on the ground while encouraging tangible progress.

“The approach appears to be moving in the right direction,” Anutin said, referring to Monday’s ICRC visit to Aung San Suu Kyi, which marked the first known access granted to the humanitarian organization since her detention. He said Thailand had consistently advocated for such engagement and hoped to see further positive developments.

Anutin said a peaceful and stable Myanmar was not only in Thailand’s national interest as a neighboring country but also essential to ASEAN unity and regional stability.

The prime minister also said Thailand and Cambodia had agreed to restore mutual trust and continue bilateral dialogue, adding that Thailand remained committed to resolving differences peacefully and in accordance with international law.

Beyond Myanmar, Anutin proposed three priorities for ASEAN: strengthening regionalism, building greater resilience against geopolitical and economic uncertainty, and ensuring the bloc delivers tangible benefits to its people.

He said ASEAN should reinforce supply chain, food and energy security, accelerate digital connectivity and deepen cooperation with middle powers and countries in the Global South to preserve the region’s strategic autonomy.

Anutin noted that his speech at the ASEAN Secretariat was the first by a Thai prime minister in 17 years. He said ASEAN’s 60th anniversary next year would provide an opportunity to chart a new course for the regional bloc, with Thailand ready to play a leading role.

Seven giant sinkholes open up in Khon Kaen farmland

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4 August 2026, 16:38

Seven giant sinkholes open up in Khon Kaen farmland

KHON KAEN — Seven large sinkholes have emerged in farmland in Phu Pha Man district, Khon Kaen province, alarming local residents and prompting authorities to investigate the cause.

The sinkholes were reported on 4 August 2026 in Ban Wang Charoen, Village 2, Huai Muang subdistrict, in an agricultural area used by local residents.

An initial survey found seven sinkholes at the site. Each hole was reportedly large and deep, with signs that the affected areas could continue to expand.

The incident has caused concern among residents, who fear further ground collapses in the area.

Phu Pha Man district chief Siwakorn Mitrat assigned senior district official Prachuap Chitkhum to inspect the site alongside Khompet Kornsิง, chief executive of the Huai Muang Subdistrict Administrative Organisation, and community leaders.

The affected area is approximately 12 kilometres from Phu Pha Man cliff and the district centre.

Authorities said tourist attractions in the area remain safe and have not been affected by the incident.

Officials are continuing to inspect the site and assess the situation.

Source: Thawatchai Kraisorn

Old fuel tank explodes during demolition in Ubon, 3 hurt

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4 August 2026, 16:20

Old fuel tank explodes during demolition in Ubon, 3 hurt

UBON RATCHATHANI — 4 August 2026, An old fuel tank exploded while it was being dismantled at a petrol station in front of Samrong Hospital in Samrong district on Tuesday afternoon, injuring three people.

The explosion occurred as workers were carrying out demolition work on an old fuel tank at a petrol station in the area.

Three people were injured in the blast, which also alarmed residents and people in the surrounding area.

Emergency medical and rescue teams rushed to the scene to assess the situation and assist those affected. Authorities cordoned off the area as a precaution before taking all three injured people to hospital for treatment.

Details of their conditions have not yet been released.

Initial inspections indicated that the explosion occurred during the dismantling of the old fuel tank. Authorities suspect that flammable fuel vapour may have remained inside the tank, potentially triggering the blast.

Officials are investigating the scene and collecting evidence to determine the exact cause of the explosion.

The incident was reported by volunteers from the Boonwipha Fire and Rescue Base.

Thailand welcomes 18.5 million foreign tourists in first seven months of 2026

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4 August 2026, 15:44

BANGKOK — Thailand welcomed more than 18.5 million foreign tourists between 1 January and 1 August, generating nearly 900 billion baht in tourism revenue despite a slight decline in visitor numbers from the same period last year, the Ministry of Tourism and Sports said.

Tourism and Sports Minister Surasak Phancharoenworakul said Thailand recorded 18,510,243 international arrivals between 1 January and 1 August, down 3.19% year-on-year. Foreign visitors generated 896.2 billion baht in tourism revenue during the period.

China remained Thailand’s largest source market with 3,078,486 visitors, followed by Malaysia (2,373,537), India (1,376,433), Russia (1,100,847) and South Korea (679,064).

During the latest reporting week, from 26 July to 1 August, Thailand received 567,312 foreign visitors, down 2.92% from the previous week, or an average of 81,045 arrivals per day.

The ministry attributed the decline mainly to weaker arrivals from short-haul markets following reports of unrest in Thailand’s southern border provinces and reduced airline capacity on India-Thailand routes, where seat capacity fell 28.6% year-on-year.

Long-haul markets, particularly Europe, continued to grow, supported by new flight connections, including Dubai–Bangkok (Don Mueang) and Amsterdam–Suvarnabhumi services.

South Korean arrivals increased 19.85% from the previous week, driven by family travel during the country’s summer school holidays, making South Korea Thailand’s fourth-largest source market for the week.

Family to conduct second autopsy for Hlun Solo after body returns to Thailand

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4 August 2026, 14:47

BANGKOK — The family of Thai travel creator Hlun Solo said they will arrange a second autopsy after his body is returned from Georgia before holding funeral rites in Thailand.

In an update posted on Monday evening, Hlun Solo’s elder brother said the family plans to send the body to the Central Institute of Forensic Science under Thailand’s Ministry of Justice for an additional examination to ensure all procedures are completed thoroughly and transparently.

The family expects the process to take one to two days after the body arrives in Thailand before funeral rites are held at the family’s home.

Details of the funeral schedule, including the date, time and venue, will be announced once arrangements have been finalized.

The family also expressed gratitude for the outpouring of support received following the death of the popular YouTuber, who died in Georgia while filming travel content.

They specifically thanked Chulalongkorn University President Wilert Puriwat, Political Science Dean Pakorn Siriprapob, the Faculty of Political Science and the Rural Scholarship Program for offering to host the first night of funeral prayers.

Responding to inquiries from supporters wishing to help, the family said it would welcome donations of equipment and supplies needed for the funeral, including tents, tables, chairs, fans, sound systems, lighting, portable toilets, drinking water and other essential items.

The family stressed that it was not seeking financial contributions but wanted to give those who wished to pay their final respects an opportunity to support the funeral according to their means.

Hlun Solo, one of Thailand’s best-known travel content creators, died in Georgia while on a filming trip. The circumstances surrounding his death remain under investigation by Georgian authorities.

Cambodian woman arrested for selling pork outside work permit in Sa Kaeo

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4 August 2026, 13:39

SA KAEO — Immigration police in Sa Kaeo have arrested a Cambodian woman for allegedly working outside the conditions of her work permit after finding her selling fresh pork at a municipal market.

The operation was carried out by Sa Kaeo Immigration Police in cooperation with the provincial employment office during an inspection of foreign workers at Sa Kaeo Municipal Fresh Market in Muang district.

Officers found the 33-year-old Cambodian national selling fresh pork and asked to inspect her documents. Authorities said she held a valid Cambodian passport and was legally permitted to remain in Thailand until 2027.

However, an inspection of her work permit found that she was authorized to work only as a laborer. Selling fresh pork was deemed to be outside the scope of employment permitted under her work authorization.

She was charged with working without a valid work permit or performing work beyond the conditions authorized under Thailand’s law governing the employment of foreign workers.

The suspect was taken to Muang Sa Kaeo Police Station for legal proceedings.

Sa Kaeo Immigration Police said inspections of foreign workers will continue across the province, warning that authorities will take legal action against employers and migrant workers found violating the conditions of work permits or other labor regulations.

Chinese man jailed 46 years over Pattaya weapons cache

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4 August 2026, 12:47

PATTAYA — 4 August 2026, Chinese national Mingchen Sun has been sentenced to 46 years in prison after pleading guilty to illegally possessing a cache of military-grade weapons, C4 explosives and signal-jamming equipment in Pattaya.

The Pattaya Provincial Court delivered its ruling on Sunday in the case against Mingchen Sun, who was charged with unlawfully possessing firearms, ammunition, explosives, military equipment and radio communication devices.

Police seized the items on 8 May, including Glock 9mm pistols, M4 and M16 rifles, ammunition, magazines, C4 high explosives, bomb-making components, bulletproof vests, radio signal jammers and communication devices.

Sun admitted all charges during the trial. The court found that the offences involved multiple violations of the firearms, military equipment control and radio communications laws.

While his guilty plea was considered beneficial to the proceedings, the court said the scale and nature of the weapons cache posed a serious threat to public safety and national security. It reduced the sentence by one-third before imposing a total prison term of 44 years and 24 months, equivalent to 46 years.

A second defendant denied the charges. The court temporarily removed that case from its docket, giving prosecutors 15 days to file a new case and ordering the defendant held in custody pending further proceedings.

The court also ordered the confiscation of all seized items, including firearms, ammunition, explosives, body armour, chemical-protection masks, signal-jamming equipment, remote-control transmitters and other military gear.

Anutin to fly in F-16 fighter jet during Air Force border mission

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4 August 2026, 12:17

BANGKOK — Prime Minister Anutin Charnvirakul is scheduled to fly in a Royal Thai Air Force F-16 fighter jet during a visit to Wing 1 in Nakhon Ratchasima on 14 August, where he will receive briefings on border security, inspect military equipment and address air force personnel.

According to a report on Monday, the Royal Thai Air Force invited Anutin, who also serves as chairman of the National Security Council (NSC), to take part in the flight aboard a two-seat F-16 fighter aircraft based at Wing 1.

The prime minister is scheduled to travel from Wing 6 in Bangkok to Wing 1 by Royal Thai Air Force aircraft before receiving operational briefings on the air force’s missions, the security situation along the border, ongoing operations related to border unrest, and key research and development projects. He will also be briefed on the planned flight mission.

Anutin will then don a G-suit before boarding the F-16 for a sortie departing from and returning to Wing 1 airbase in Nakhon Ratchasima.

After the flight, the air force will hold a ceremony marking the successful completion of the mission, followed by a group photograph. Anutin, in his capacity as NSC chairman, is also scheduled to deliver remarks to personnel at Wing 1 and inspect military equipment.

If the visit proceeds as planned, Anutin will become Thailand’s second prime minister to fly in a two-seat F-16. Former Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra was the first Thai premier to take part in such a flight, occupying the rear seat as a passenger.

Songkla University unveils CAR-T therapy with 90% cancer treatment success rate

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4 August 2026, 11:26

Songkla University unveils CAR-T therapy with 90% cancer treatment success rate

SONGKHLA — The Faculty of Medicine at Prince of Songkla University (PSU) has unveiled progress in using locally developed CAR-T Cell therapy to treat blood cancers and autoimmune diseases, reporting that nearly 90% of patients have achieved complete remission.

Asst. Prof. Dr. Nalinee Kowitwanawong, deputy dean for administration at the Faculty of Medicine, said on 4 August 2026 that PSU had introduced CAR-T Cell therapy to treat patients with lymphoma, leukaemia and systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE).

The treatment uses a patient’s own immune cells, which are genetically modified to recognise and attack targeted cells. The university said treatment outcomes so far have shown nearly 90% of patients achieving complete remission.

Assoc. Prof. Dr. Chakkarawadee Chulamanee, director of the Centre of Excellence for Stem Cell Transplantation and Cell Therapy, said the university had researched and developed PSU CAR-T Cell therapy to treat cancer patients while significantly reducing treatment costs.

Imported CAR-T Cell products can cost nearly 20 million baht, while the locally developed treatment can reduce the cost to around 2 million baht, she said.

To expand access to the treatment, PSU’s Faculty of Medicine is building a facility to manufacture PSU CD19 CAR-T Cells. The facility is expected to increase production capacity from around 30 patients per year to more than 100 patients annually.

The university is also seeking partnerships with private companies and international networks to expand access to the treatment and further develop the technology for international use.

As part of its private-sector collaboration, the Faculty of Medicine has signed an agreement with Bangkok Hospital Phuket to develop CAR-T Cell therapy. The partnership combines academic expertise, research capabilities and medical services.

The initiative aims to establish a systematic, safe and standardised foundation for advanced medical treatment, including precision medicine and advanced therapy medicinal products (ATMPs), alongside a comprehensive patient care system.

The system will cover the entire treatment process, from patient selection and suitability assessments to treatment planning, safety management, monitoring for complications and long-term follow-up by a multidisciplinary medical team.

The partnership is also intended to improve access to advanced treatments for patients in Thailand’s Andaman coastal region, the wider southern region and international patients.

The initiative is part of efforts to position the region as an international hub for advanced medicine based on medical standards, patient safety, research and meaningful outcomes for patients, Dr. Chakkarawadee said.

Mirror Foundation submits six proposals to police to improve missing-person response

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4 August 2026, 11:16

0 - graphic-translated-feat — Graphic from the Mirror Foundation on Facebook has been translated from Thai by Khaosod English

The Mirror Foundation has urged the Royal Thai Police to overhaul Thailand’s missing-person system following the recent Chonburi murder cases, calling for a national online database, faster investigations and clearer public guidance.

In a statement dated 3 August, the foundation’s Missing Persons Information Centre said the Chonburi tragedy, in which missing people were later found to have been victims of crime, highlighted weaknesses in the country’s response to missing-person reports.

The six proposals:

Strengthen the national mechanism for managing missing persons and unidentified bodies, with dedicated staff to collect information, coordinate cases and work with police stations and partner agencies nationwide.
Develop a nationwide online system linking missing-person reports, searches, unidentified-body records and assistance efforts.
Improve officers’ knowledge and attitudes when handling missing-person cases, particularly cases involving a possible risk of violence or criminal activity.
Issue clear instructions to every police station and regularly remind the public that a missing-person report can be filed immediately. People do not need to wait 24 hours before reporting someone missing, and officers must begin searching without delay.
Provide regular training on missing-person investigations so officers can respond effectively and help prevent further crimes.
Introduce a risk-assessment system at the time a report is filed to determine the urgency of an investigation, deployment of personnel and coordination with other agencies, especially where there may be a risk of crime, death or harm.

The foundation said it had received 2,266 reports involving missing persons, unidentified people and unidentified bodies during the first seven months of 2026.

It urged police to treat missing-person cases as a matter of urgency, warning that prompt action can help prevent serious harm and save lives.

The six proposals:

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