Follow Thai politics in English — government policy, elections, parliament and political developments, with reporting and analysis from Thai PBS World.
The Thai Lawyers for Human Rights (TLHR) has announced, on Twitter, that the Criminal Court has revoked the bail of protest leader, Panusaya “Rung” Sithijirawattanakul, in the lèse-majesté case of the September 19th protests last year where she called for reform of the monarchy and urged her followers to wear black. Last week, Panusaya was
Constitutional amendments regarding the two-ballot electoral system take effect today (November 22nd) following the publication in the Royal Gazette yesterday. Under the two-ballot electoral system, the House of Representatives will still be made up of 500 members, but 400 of whom are elected through the constituency electoral system and 100 are party-list MPs seated in
Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha has refuted allegations that he is a dictator, who aspires remain in power for up to 20 years to implement the 20-year national strategy, or that he is blind to the views of his detractors. Instead, he said he is ready to listen, to make improvements, adding that he cannot please
The current Minister of Higher Education, Science, Research and Innovations, Anek Laothammatas was, today (Sunday), elected uncontested as the new leader of the Action Coalition for Thailand Party (Ruam Palang Prachachart Thai), succeeding Tawatchai na Takuathung. The party’s general meeting also appointed a new executive committee which comprises: Associate Professor Duangrith Benjathikul Chairoongruang as secretary-general.
Deputy director of the US Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) David Cohen had about 45 minutes of closed door discussions with Thai Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha during an unscheduled meeting at Government House on Friday. The discussion ranged from regional security and military and security cooperation between the United States and Thailand, to the situation in
The Royal Thai Army’s (RTA) First Division of the Royal Guards has put a fleet of 34 trucks and drivers on standby to help with cargo transport, in case truck drivers stage a strike to put pressure on the government to cap the diesel price at 25-baht/litre. The idea of using army trucks as a
Secretary-general of the Progressive Movement, a non-party reincarnation of the now-defunct Future Forward party, Assoc. Prof. Dr. Piyabutr Saengkanokkul, has pleaded with members of the public not to lose hope, after Parliament rejected the so-called “People’s Constitution” draft today (Wednesday). A key proponent of the draft and an advocate for reform of the monarchy, Piyabutr
Same-sex marriage in Thailand will have to wait, as the Constitutional Court ruled unanimously today (Wednesday) that Section 1448 of the Civil and Commercial Code, defining marriage as being a union between a man and a woman, is constitutional. The court did, however, suggest that parliament, the government and relevant state agencies should enact a
A key proponent of the People’s Constitution draft, Parit Wacharasindhu, pleaded with members of the Thai parliament to be open-minded, claiming that the proposed legislation is not intended to replace the election system already approved by parliament, but to dismantle the so-called “Prayut (Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha) regime” and put in place a fairer system
Thailand’s Parliament, during a joint session for its first reading today (Wednesday), voted to reject a constitutional amendment draft, dubbed “the people’s charter”, which sought to abolish the Senate, revamp independent political institutions and the constitutional court and prevent coup d’états. Drafted by reformist groups, led by “Re-solution” and endorsed by the signatures of over
The Thai parliament is clearly divided over the “People’s Constitution” draft, with non-elected senators and government MPs opposing it and opposition MPs, from the Pheu Thai and Move Forward parties, in full support. The most contentious issue is the proposed abolition of the Senate, in favour of unicameral parliamentary system. Noting that only few countries
The former personal protection officer of exiled former prime minister Yingluck Shinawatra, Pol Col Watanyu “Nui” Witthayapalothai, has been reinstated and promoted to deputy commander for intelligence in the Special Branch Bureau in a recent police reshuffle. The website of the Information Division of the Royal Thai Police published three orders, regarding the reshuffle of
