Follow Thai politics in English — government policy, elections, parliament and political developments, with reporting and analysis from Thai PBS World.
The Election Commission (EC) decided today (Tuesday) to ask the Constitutional Court to rule whether non-Thais can be included in the population for the calculation of the number of constituency MPs for each respective province. There will be a total of 400 constituency MPs and 100 party-list MPs in the House following the forthcoming general
A pro-democracy protester, who is serving two years and four months jail term on a lèse majesté conviction, was ordered to be released on bail by the Supreme Court today (Friday). The convict, 26-year-old Sitthichoke Setthasavet, a food delivery rider, is currently being treated at Thammasat University Hospital after beginning a hunger strike on January
The Election Commission is under increasing pressure to review how it is redrawing the electoral boundaries for the next general elections which currently takes into account people without Thai citizenship in calculating representation for each of the constituencies. The commission insisted that this is not the first time it includes non-Thais in their calculation. However,
Former Palang Pracharath Party Secretary-General Thamanat Prompao is expected to be responsible for overseeing the party’s election campaign in the northern provinces, after he re-joined the party, along with 11 MPs from the Thai Economic Party. Palang Pracharath Deputy Leader Wirat Rattanaseth said today (Thursday) that Thamanat and the 11 MPs, who are former members
Tharit Pengdit, controversial former chief of the Department of Special Investigation (DSI), made headlines again last week when the Supreme Court issued a warrant for his arrest after he failed to attend the reading of a verdict in a criminal case against him. Former prime minister Abhisit Vejjajiva and deputy premier Suthep Thaugsuban filed the
An attempt to amend the Constitution, to strip senators of the power to elect the prime minister, at a joint sitting of parliament today (Wednesday) has failed after the meeting collapsed due to the lack of a quorum. President of the Parliament Chuan Leekpai informed the meeting that 95 senators and 15 MPs took leave
Thailand’s Criminal Court granted temporary release to two hunger strikers today (Tuesday), at the request of the director of Thammasat University Hospital, claiming that their health has deteriorated to a life-threatening level due to high levels of blood ketone and a reduction of kidney function. Separate requests for the temporary release of Tantawan Tuatulanon, aka
In an almost unprecedented move, the House of Representatives convened last Thursday (Feb 2) to debate possible measures to save the lives of two young activists on hunger strike. On January 16, Tantawan “Tawan” Tuatulanon and Orawan “Bam” Phuphong poured red liquid over their heads in a symbolic protest in front of the Criminal Court
A lawyer from Thai Lawyers for Human Rights (TLHR) said today (Monday) that the two young hunger strikers may end their strike if the Criminal Court agrees to grant bail to eight detainees from the Talugas protest group. Krisadang Nutcharat and families of Tantawan Tuatulanon and Orawan Phuphong visited the two hunger strikers in Thammasat
Thailand’s Democracy Index for 2022 improved significantly over 2021, jumping 17 places to 55th out of 167 countries, according to Acting Government Spokesman Anucha Burapachaisri, citing the Economist Intelligence Unit’s 2022 Democracy Index. He said that the ranking was based on assessments of the electoral process and pluralism, functioning of the government, political participation, political
The Ratchadapisek Criminal Court in Bangkok agreed to the request of five anti-establishment protesters yesterday (Wednesday), to have electronic monitoring (EM) tags removed. The protesters, who are currently out on bail pending trials on lèse majesté and sedition charges, sought the court’s permission to remove the tags after the court ordered one removed from actress
An anti-establishment political activist sought permission from the Criminal Court to have the electronic monitoring (EM) tag removed from his ankle today (Wednesday), after the court granted permission yesterday for a similar device to be removed from actress Savika Chaiyadej, aka “Pinky”. Panupong Jadnok said that, since the court decided to remove Savika’s device, he
