A Feb 24 Criminal Court verdict has placed Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha in a situation he was dreading — the need for a Cabinet reshuffle he reportedly tried to delay…
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A Feb 24 Criminal Court verdict has placed Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha in a situation he was dreading — the need for a Cabinet reshuffle he reportedly tried to delay…
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Although new to Parliament, Sira Jenjaka has lost no time in stealing the limelight from veteran MPs – drawing publicity for his outspoken views, belligerent talk and ability to take…
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The prime minister and nine Cabinet members managed to sail through the recent censure vote, but the voting has rejiggered a rift between the coalition’s two largest partners. Six MPs…
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Across the South-East-Asian nation, millions have marched against military dictatorship. Both private and public workers have engaged in the Civil Disobedience Movement (CDM), in an attempt to shake the military…
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Although Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha appears to be sailing out of a big storm, his ship will still remain in uncharted waters, which could turn extremely treacherous at any moment….
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Assistant Professor Arnond Sakworawich first came under the spotlight last November, when he sparred on TV with firebrand protest leader Panusaya “Rung” Sitthijirawattanakul over royal assets. Viewers were glued to…
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Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha and nine other Cabinet members managed to sail through last week’s no-confidence vote — mostly with comfortable margins — while the opposition declared success in opening…
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With their clear majority in the House, Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha and the nine other targeted ministers are expected to sail through the second no-confidence debate in the two years…
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Education Minister Nataphol Teepsuwan is expected to gain the fewest approval votes following his censure-debate grilling this week, amid speculation that up to 30 MPs will give him the thumbs-down….
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A “vaccine passport” has emerged as the best hope for Thai tourism businesses devastated by COVID-19. The passport, which could exempt inoculated tourists from the mandatory 14-day quarantine, might help…
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The government’s handling of economic problems worsened by the COVID-19 pandemic is expected to be the core of the no-confidence debate starting on Tuesday (Feb 16). Opposition MPs are poised…
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Thirty-eight opposition MPs have been allocated 42 hours on the floor during the four-day censure debate, which kicks off on Tuesday (Feb 16), with voting scheduled for Saturday (Feb 20)….
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A draft cybersecurity law due to be implemented in Myanmar has raised protests that it will be used to quash dissent rather than protect privacy. Human rights advocates issued statements…
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The battle over Thailand’s lèse majesté law has intensified with supporters and opponents coming out in full force to fight for their cause. Representing opponents of the Criminal Code’s Article…
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The soaring price of Bitcoin is making headlines around the globe following news that electric-car maker Tesla, one of the world’s largest auto firms by market valuation, has invested $1.5…
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The current junta-sponsored Constitution is among the most condemned charters in Thai history, yet also arguably one of the most difficult to amend. The push for charter change received another…
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Public Debt Management Office (PDMO) chief Patricia Mongkhonvanit on Wednesday encouraged people to purchase newly issued government savings bonds worth Bt8 billion. The Bt8 billion issuance is part of Bt55…
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Two most difficult periods to bring a politician to justice are during the peak of his (or her) power and the time after he has just lost it. Thailand has…
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Amid all the confusion about Thailand’s COVID-19 vaccination plans, two things are very clear: People will not start getting inoculated from Valentine’s Day no matter what top government figures said…
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Lost at not being able to celebrate in Chinatown? We offer an alternative that’s just as enjoyable, albeit in a very different way Like many other countries around the world,…
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Illegal gambling will be among the issues fired at Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha and nine members of his Cabinet in next week’s censure debate. The grilling – scheduled for February…
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The review of two charter draft bills has been completed, paving the way for changes to the 2017 Constitution that is at the heart of Thailand’s political impasse. However, critics…
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Bangkok commuters are crossing their fingers and hoping that the Central Administrative Court will stop the maximum BTS Skytrain fare being raised from Bt65 to Bt104 on February 16. The…
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Thai and other foreign companies are expected to delay their investments in Myanmar following a military coup that threatens Thai border trade and migrant labour. Myanmar’s military seized power on…
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Born to a wealthy family, Apirak “Sia Po” Chat-anon could have made money without courting legal trouble. But this 28-year-old macho internet celebrity chose a different path – one that…
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Move Forward, Thailand’s second-largest opposition party, has been hit by accusations that could result in its dissolution after less than a year in politics. Move Forward or Kao Klai is…
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A court ruling against Theptai Senapong has brought the curtain crashing down on one of Thailand’s most colourful political performers. Renowned for his sense of humour, the senior Democrat politician…
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Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha will remain the prime target, but the similarities between the upcoming no-confidence attack and the last one end there. The rest of the strategy and the…
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A 99-year-old grandmother says she will go to prison if the government sues for repayment of Bt100,000 in subsidies whose overlapping claim rules were too complicated for her to understand….
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A widening rift between coalition partners Palang Pracharath and the Democrats over the upcoming Nakhon Si Thammarat by-election is threatening to undermine the government’s stability. After falling out over several…
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Thailand is bracing for unprecedented chaos in Parliament later this month when the opposition shatters a deep-seated taboo by citing the monarchy in its censure motion against the prime minister….
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(Reuters) – Myanmar’s powerful military chief, Senior General Min Aung Hlaing, is in the spotlight after politicians from the ruling National League for Democracy (NLD) party were detained and the…
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As the new wave of COVID-19 exploded in Samut Sakhon, the governor leading the fightback always managed to keep a smile on his face, radiating much-needed confidence to his team…
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The opposition is unlikely to upend the government in next month’s censure debate, as has been the case previously. But its performance will show if opposition MPs are indeed serious…
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The Mekong river is a life line of millions of people in six countries. In the past few years, however, life has been very difficult for people who depend on…
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Sometimes, ones explode their way out of a dark tunnel, whether they like it or not, or even intend it or not. Whatever Thanathorn Juangroongruangkit is thinking about being charged…
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TV host Kalamare downed by her own “Power Shot” She started as an ugly duckling in TV’s glamorous world but Patcharasri “Kalamare” Benjamas quickly rose to fame, winning over viewers…
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Thailand looks poised to confirm its first official “super spreader” as fears grow over the scale of the latest cluster infection. The hashtag #DJ Matoom is top-trending on Twitter after…
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Already hit by an anti-establishment uprising, Thailand’s ruling Palang Pracharath Party is now facing a potential revolt from within as it chooses a candidate for the Bangkok governor election. Three…
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Myanmar’s long-delayed Dawei mega-project experienced yet another setback after contracts with Thailand’s construction giant Italian-Thai Development were cancelled recently. The ambitious, but controversial Dawei Special Economic Zone (DSEZ) project seeks…
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Prioritising both safety and speed as it faces a new wave of COVID-19 infections, Thailand is poised to launch its largest ever inoculation programme when the first batch of AstraZeneca…
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Many municipalities’ eagerness to procure COVID-19 vaccines for their residents has roused suspicion of political motives and concerns about inequality between residents of richer and poorer areas. Local authorities have…
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The prime minister can be forgiven if he assumes that his previous problems were “political”, albeit ones that had more to do with ideology and power play than genuine well-being…
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Dr. Apisamai Srirangsan has become the second former beauty queen to join the Centre for COVID-19 Situation Administration (CCSA)’s spokesperson team, tasked with updating the public on the mission to…
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Thailand’s heated debate over the lèse-majesté law has been revived, with supporters and detractors clashing on social media following the arrest of dozens of alleged violators in recent weeks. Some…
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The new wave of COVID-19 has forced leaders of the anti-establishment movement to break from street rallies and focus instead on legal cases stemming from their campaign. As a result,…
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The Capitol Hill tragedy may be an exception to US rules. Or it might not be. Donald Trump may have acted crazy after he “lost” the presidential election, but many…
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Public Health Minister Anutin Charnvirakul has tossed an explosive question into the country’s ongoing battle against the COVID-19 outbreak: Should illegal migrant workers pay for their own treatment if infected?…
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The fresh wave of COVID-19 is threatening to plunge Thai students into a deeper “summer slide”, a recent report by the United Nations Educational Scientific and Cultural Organisation (Unesco) suggests….
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The old saying “there are no permanent friends or foes in politics” has been proven true once again. Jatuporn Prompan, an activist/politician and a long-time loyal ally of the Shinawatra…
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With fugitive former prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra as his role model, Pol Lt-General Camronwit Toopkrajank is on a mission to turn his hometown of Pathum Thani into a highly developed…
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Pop diva Nantida Kaewbuasai is set to become the first woman to head the Samut Prakan Provincial Administrative Organisation (PAO) after scoring a landslide victory at the polls. Unofficial tallies…
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After 12 months of tumult and tragedy, 2020 will go down as the “worst year ever” for millions in Thailand. Along with a global contagion that almost shut down the…
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Some major political changes in Thailand followed high-profile troubles with the land. A Democrat-led government crumbled in the 1980s after some politicians of the ruling party were accused of grabbing…
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Pol General Chakthip Chaijinda has never held a political post let alone contested for one. Yet, his entry in the upcoming Bangkok governor’s race – if confirmed – will send…
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Thailand has been praised on the international stage for the way it is dealing with the COVID-19 pandemic. But the recent cases, discovered in several provinces, resulting from a group…
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A former key leader of Pheu Thai dating back to its incarnation as Thai Rak Thai in 1998, veteran politician Khunying Sudarat Keyuraphan has left the opposition party abruptly. In her…
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Social critic Sulak Sivaraksa, a veteran scholar who has a love-hate relationship with royalists, was the “big surprise” planned by protest leaders at their anti-establishment rally last Wednesday (November 25). …
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The country is counting down to December 2, when the Constitutional Court is scheduled to rule if Prime Minister General Prayut Chan-o-cha should lose his post for violating the charter….
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Jon Ungphakorn is the man behind the civil sector’s first ever constitutional-amendment motion to go before Parliament – though it was overwhelmingly rejected by lawmakers. Only three senators voted for…
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Fear is growing that Thailand’s ongoing political conflict will intensify, with no visible way out, after Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha declared that “all existing laws” would be wielded against anti-establishment…
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The red and blue colors marking who wins which states in the US presidential race are eerily similar to how Thailand’s map is painted after each general election. Consequences of…
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As the saying goes, behind every successful man, there’s a woman. Except in Deputy Agriculture and Cooperatives Minister Thamanat Prompow’s case, there are two – the woman he is legally…
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When Thailand’s rising political conflict went international outside two embassies last week, two women with opposing viewpoints were leading the way. Patsaravalee “Mind” Tanakitvibulpon, a 25-year-old student, led several thousand…
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As ongoing pro-democracy protests prompt more and more Thais to choose sides, actor and charity worker Bin Bunluerit has stood up to declare himself an uncompromising royalist. He surprised the…
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Buddha Isara, a former monk convicted for his role in violent protests seven years ago, returned to the spotlight on Friday when he caught the attention of Their Majesties the…
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As soon as political heat rises in the country, the name of ultra-royalist Maj-General Dr Rienthong Nanna starts flashing on the radar. Last week he won media coverage not for…
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Colourful solo activist Ekachai Hongkangwan has landed himself in legal trouble again – this time facing the rare charge of threatening Her Majesty the Queen. The former lese-majeste…
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Behind every successful man there stands a strong woman, goes the old saying. And no one illustrates this better than Khunying Potjaman Na Pombejra, who has taken much credit…
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In a move never before attempted by any Thai politician, opposition MP Rangsiman Rome has proposed a “new deal” between the people and the monarchy to ensure that Thailand becomes…
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A firebrand leader of student-led protests against the Thai establishment, Parit “Penguin” Chiwarak may sound aggressive on stage and at times may seem bent on getting what he wants at…
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Thailand has witnessed the departure of two finance ministers in just past two months, and a veteran politician who served as their deputy is now offering himself as a well-qualified…
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The man behind a popular Facebook page critical of the Thai monarchy and military has been left to defend himself against allegations that he employs an authoritarian approach in running…
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Army chief General Apirat Kongsompong has stirred up politics and ruffled more than a few feathers during his two years as Thailand’s most powerful military figure. He has launched repeated…
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Warong Dechgitvigrom is best remembered for his crucial role in exposing corruption in the rice-pledging scheme of the Yingluck government. And now the veteran politician is carving a niche for…
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In the eyes of pro-royalists, Anon Nampa, Panusaya Sithijirawattanakul and Parit Chiwarak are trying to abolish the monarchy, but for fellow anti-establishment protesters they are heroes. The three have become…
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Predee Daochai is taking on what is probably the most unenviable task — steering Thailand out of its worst economic crisis in modern history. By accepting Prime Minister Prayut…
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Khairiyah Rahmanyah from the deep South of Thailand may not be as famous as Sweden’s young environmental activist Greta Thunberg, but they both have plenty in common. Not only are…
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It was no surprise that Deputy Prime Minister General Prawit Wongsuwan, Palang Pracharath’s chief strategist, was elected the party’s new chief at its general meeting on Saturday, replacing Finance Minister…
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Former Thai deputy commerce minister Banyin Tangpakorn was taken from the maximum-security Bang Kwang Central Prison to a court hearing on Monday morning under the watchful eye of two dozen…
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Wanchalerm Satsaksit is not the first activist living in exile in a neighbouring country to mysteriously disappear since the 2014 military coup, and he may not be the last. At…
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Ranking among the country’s most talked-about female MPs, former Miss Congeniality Pareena Kraikupt has received huge media coverage ever since she joined the Palang Pracharath Party. The coverage has not always…
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In his 34 years as a politician, Chaturon Chaisang has never been out of the spotlight. Despite being ousted by three coups, seeing his parties dissolved twice and being banned…
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Crowned Miss Thailand 2008, Dr Panprapa Yongtrakul returned to the spotlight last week as assistant spokeswoman of the Centre for Covid-19 Situation Administration (CCSA). Her task in this new position…
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Former Constitutional Court president Nurak Mapraneet was named privy councillor on Monday (May 4), becoming the 17th since His Majesty King Maha Vajiralongkorn’s accession to the throne in 2016. Following…
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Given his humble background and inspirational rise to the top, Loei governor Chaiwat Chuenkosum knows exactly where to find people in dire need. Hence, his destination one day recently was…
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A crucial weapon in the battle against any public crisis is concise information that can be understood by each and every one of us. However, since the outbreak of Covid-19,…
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After weeks of fumbling for answers to deal with the worsening coronavirus pandemic, Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha finally said what many had wanted to hear: “I am in charge.” But…
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With just two years in the field of politics, Pita Limjaroenrat has taken on the challenging mission of leading more than 50 MPs elected under the banner of the now-defunct…
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Opinion The Constitutional Court’s verdict to dissolve the Future Forward Party (FFP) and ban 16 party executives from politics for 10 years on February 21, 2020 sends a shock wave…
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Grudge and weaponry expertise can be a very bad mix, as proven tragically in the case of Sergeant Major Jakrapanth Thomma, the gunman in what is Thailand’s first massive random…
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Sorrayuth Suthassanachinda started off like any young, promising journalist — bold, relentless, working hard, getting great exclusives and building good, widespread connections. He, however, has ended up on a treacherous…
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Being a complete political outcast is difficult, especially in Thailand, where one man’s villain is easily another man’s hero. Deputy Agriculture Minister Thammanat Prompao has not fallen into the “ostracized”…
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If the Prayut government was a man with a weak heart, legal cases involving opponents of the administration were strong pills, which aren’t necessarily good for someone not in perfect…
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Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha may have taken one step closer to the brink with the Cabinet he has set up. But it’s not quite about the “faces”, which are a…
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For someone whose name was largely associated with “half-baked democracy”, to be generally accepted as a “statesman” is unique. Privy Council President Prem Tinsulanonda, who passed away this week at…
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Jurin Laksanavisit’s first job as Democrat leader is tackling an immense dilemma that brought down his immediate predecessor Abhisit Vejjajiva. A social media cynical post has it that Jurin had…
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Piyabutr Saengkanokkul, secretary-general of the Future Forward Party, is travelling at the speed of light politically. A virtual nobody last year, he has come under a major media spotlight along…
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If Jurin Laksanawisit is a footballer, he will be called a “utility player”. By that, he can help the team by playing any role no matter how small, how big,…
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Because of his height and good look, Korn Chatikavanij is an outstanding man. In politics, though, he is the sort of men who let many people, including those less qualified,…
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