Follow Thai politics in English — government policy, elections, parliament and political developments, with reporting and analysis from Thai PBS World.
Move Forward party’s candidate Padipat Suntiphada was voted the first deputy House speaker today (Tuesday), beating the other candidate from the United Thai Nation party, Witthaya Kaewparadai. Padipat received 312 votes, compared to 105 votes for Witthaya. 77 MPs abstained from voting and two votes were invalid. The eight-party coalition, led by the Move Forward
Thailand’s Attorney-General Naree Tantasathien has another important decision to make in a case with serious political ramifications. On her agenda is a petition lodged against the liberal Move Forward Party and its leader and PM candidate Pita Limjaroenrat over their policy to amend the lese majeste law. The petitioner, lawyer Theerayut Suwankesorn, believes this policy
The House of Representatives is scheduled to meet today (Monday) to select the House speaker and two deputy speakers. The procedure is as follows: The most senior MP, Pheu Thai party-list MP Pol Lt-Gen Viroj Paoin, will act as the interim House speaker to open the meeting and to preside over the selection of the
The Move Forward and Pheu Thai parties have agreed to nominate Prachachat party leader Wan Muhamad Noor Matha as the sole candidate for the House speakership, ending weeks of political wrangling over the position. Newly-elected MPs will convene on Tuesday for the first time and the first item on the agenda is to elect the
Prachachat party leader Wan Muhamad Noor Matha, 79, was selected as the new House speaker this morning (Tuesday). His candidacy was uncontested, after Move Forward party leader Pita Limjaroenrat nominated him. According to selection procedure, when only one candidate is nominated, he or she is automatically selected. Wan Muhamad ’s selection, which is yet to
Prachachat party leader Wan Muhamad Noor Matha revealed on Monday that he has not yet officially been informed that Pheu Thai will nominate him for House speaker. He said he does not want the position, because he wishes to remain the Prachachat party leader and he has already taken that and other important political positions.
His Majesty King Maha Vajiralongkorn presided over the opening of the Parliament today (Monday), saying that how well the country prospers will depend on the MPs, who should consider the benefit of the country and the people as the utmost priorities. “I would ask all parliamentary members to remind themselves that they have been assigned
Palang Pracharath party leader Gen Prawit Wongsuwan has categorically denied that his party is in a secret deal with the Pheu Thai party to form an alternative government, which he described as “pure speculation”. He said that the possibility was floated by the media, adding that the party which won the most seats in the
Hushed and visibly anguished, hundreds of mourners from France’s Islamic community formed a solemn procession from a mosque to a hillside cemetery on Saturday to bury a 17-year-old whose killing by police has triggered days of rioting and looting across the nation. Underscoring the gravity of the crisis, President Emmanuel Macron scrapped an official trip
Mom Chao (MC) Chulcherm Yugala, a staunch royalist, has issued an apology to a female Thai national team volleyball player, Ajcharaporn Kongyot, for his error in criticising her for using a three-finger gesture, which can be a sign of protest in Thailand, at a recent game in Brazil. In his Facebook post, featuring the image
Key leaders of the Move Forward and Pheu Thai parties have played down news reports that they have reached a compromise on the issue of the House speakership. They insist that the two parties are still in talks to settle their differences, which threaten their ongoing attempts to form a post-election coalition with six smaller
Move Forward Party’s Padipat Suntiphada is focused on one thing as he prepares to take over as House speaker and Parliament president – being “different” in a positive way. “I will lead a Parliament that people can be proud of,” Padipat said during a recent television interview. “I will dream big and push for my
