Follow Thai politics in English — government policy, elections, parliament and political developments, with reporting and analysis from Thai PBS World.
A new controversial, luxurious and exclusive “Parliamentary Club”, equipped with a variety of recreational and exercise facilities, is coming under fire and has prompted questions about this lavish use of taxpayers’ money, when several more pressing issues are not being tackled. The Thai-language hashtag “Parliamentary Club” has been trending in Thailand following a media tour
A video clip showing Bangkok Governor-elect, Chadchart Sittipunt, getting out of a taxi, has gone viral on social media, as some question whether the popular politician, who has been dubbed “the strongest”, is truly invincible if he can be rejected by a taxi driver. The clip, lasting just 14 seconds, which has now been deleted
Thai Lawyers for Human Rights (TLHR) have sought help from the Office of the Attorney-General (OAG) by asking them to instruct police to question three defence witnesses, in a renewed attempt to get bail for detained monarchy reform activist Tantawan Tuatulanon over her opinion poll on royal motorcades and her live broadcast on the topic.
Bangkok presumed governor-elect Chadchart Sittipunt and 3rd placed Move Forward candidate Wiroj Lakkhanaadisorn joined force in trying to tackle the persisting flood problems in the capital today (Monday), after a chance meeting at Lat Phrao Temple. Upon learning that Wiroj and Move Forward councillors-elect were nearby, Chadchart started looking for Wiroj and hugged him once
Chadchart Sittipunt is on course to becoming Bangkok’s first elected governor in nine years after securing a landslide victory in Sunday’s gubernatorial election. According to the unofficial vote count, he garnered more than half of all ballots cast and won in all 50 districts of the capital. As the scale of his victory became apparent,
A group of people rallied in front of the United Nations Office, on Ratchadamnoen Road in Bangkok this morning (Monday), to protest against a draft law which seeks to control and restrict the activities of non-profit, non-governmental organisations (NGOs) in Thailand. The protesters arrived at the Makkhawan Rangsan Bridge, in front of the UN office,
The unofficial results of the Pattaya mayoral and council elections yesterday (Sunday), the first such election in a decade, have been withdrawn pending an investigation into the mysterious absence of two ballot sheets and one case of a ballot sheet being issued to a person who is ineligible to vote. The late night decision
“Red-shirt” followers in the north-eastern Thai province of Khon Kaen joined various anti-coup groups in a protest march yesterday (Sunday), to oppose coups and to condemn the government of Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha for its alleged failures in all aspects of national administration, from the fight against corruption and human rights violations to political reform.
With just over a million votes counted since the Bangkok local election polls closed at 5pm Sunday, Chadchart Sittipunt, an independent candidate, is looking likely to win the gubernatorial election by a landslide. Chadchart has maintained a significant lead throughout the evening, garnering more than 50% of the ballots counted. “I’m ready to be everyone’s
Democrat candidate Chaithip Kamolpanthip beat his rival from Thai Liberal party in the by-election in Constituency 3 of Ratchaburi province yesterday (Saturday). The unofficial vote count last night showed Chaithip leadingwith 51,743 votes, followed by Natthanan Nithiphonyangsa-nga, of Thai Liberal party, with 16,853 votes, and Pinyosilp Sangvalwong, of the Equality party, who got 1,889 votes.
The Bangkok gubernatorial and council elections on Sunday are a reflection of the political conflict in Thailand, between self-proclaimed pro-democracy liberals, who include the Pheu Thai and Move Forward parties, and the conservatives, who include the Democrat and Palang Pracharath parties and the People’s Democratic Reform Committee (PDRC) and its allies, according to Dr. Olarn
A Criminal Court yesterday (Tuesday) rejected a bail application, by the Opposition’s Move Forward Party Leader Pita Limjaroenrat, on behalf of monarchy reform activist Tantawan Tuatulanon, aka “Tawan”, because Pita’s MP pay slip was not submitted with the application. The court rejected the application on the grounds that the guarantor, Pita Limjaroenrat, did not provide
