Follow Thai politics in English — government policy, elections, parliament and political developments, with reporting and analysis from Thai PBS World.
The opposition Move Forward party’s Progressive Liquor Bill, which seeks to break the oligopoly of corporate brewers and provide business opportunities for small-scale, community based entrepreneurs, sailed through its first reading in the Lower House last night (Wednesday), by 178 votes to 137, with 15 abstentions. A 25-member committee was set up to scrutinise the
Once highly admired for his campaigns against corruption and lack of transparency, social activist Srisuwan Janya is now facing widespread ridicule after he accused new Bangkok governor Chadchart Sittipunt of vote-buying. In a petition filed with the Election Commission (EC) following Chadchart’s landslide election victory, Srisuwan claimed the winner encouraged people to recycle his vinyl
The cabinet approved the Civil Partnership Bill today (Tuesday), which, if made law, will allow a same-sex couple to register their partnership and recognises many rights and privileges enjoyed by heterosexual couples. Deputy Prime Minister Wissanu Krea-ngam said today that the bill has already been sent to the House of Representatives to be debated in
Opposition parties will submit a motion to the House of Representatives on June 15th seeking a no-confidence debate against Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha and a number of other ministers, opposition chief whip Suthin Klangsang said today (Monday) after chairing a meeting of opposition whips. This will be the fourth censure debate against Prayut and his
The ethical and disciplinary committee of the opposition Pheu Thai party will consider how to deal with seven dissident MPs, who voted in support of the government’s budget bill forthe 2023 fiscal year in defiance of the party whip, according to party leader Chonlanan Srikaew. The 3.18 trillion baht budget sailed through its first reading
The opposition Move Forward party is demanding an explanation from the army over its spending of more than seven million baht to hire the National Science and Technology Development Agency (NSTDA) to test 700 GT200 bomb scanners, purchased by the army over a decade ago, to determine whether they work. Party list MP Rangsiman Rome
After three days of debate and last-minute behind-the-scenes lobbying, to convince dissenting MPs from smaller parties to support the government, the 3.18 trillion baht budget bill for the 2023 fiscal year comfortably passed its first reading in the Lower House early Friday morning, with 278 votes for, 192 against and two abstentions. The House of
Opposition Pheu Thai MPs zeroed in today (Thursday), the scheduled last day of the three-day debate on the 2023 annual national budget, on alleged widespread corruption in numerous projects in different departments. The Lower House is set to vote this evening whether to accept in principle the draft budget bill worth 3.18 trillion baht, an
Newly elected Bangkok Governor Chadchart Sittipunt said he is having a busy day today (Wednesday), a day after he assumed office, as he met with representatives of Krungthep Thanakom, a public company which is over 99% owned by the city administration as its investment arm and which is allocated a large budget each year. Chadchart
Thailand’s Constitutional Court revoked the parliamentary status of Bhumjaithai party-list MP Samlee Raksuthee today (Wednesday), retroactive to March 24th 2019, after finding him unqualified to contest the election in the first place. The court ruled that Samlee was convicted by the Maha Sarakham provincial court on a fraud charge. The case was concluded before he
Thailand’s declining birth rate over the past several years has resulted in fewer students and a commensurate reduction in education budget, from about 330 billion baht this fiscal year to about 325.9 billion baht for 2023, said Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha in parliament, as he responded to opposition MPs’ questions about why the education budget
New Bangkok Governor Chadchart Sittipunt went to the Election Commission (EC) office this morning (Wednesday) to receive his certification, officially declaring him to be the 17th governor of Bangkok, following his landslide victory 10 days ago. Chadchart then went to the Bangkok Metropolitan Administration (BMA) office at Sao Ching Cha for the first time as
