Follow Thai politics in English — government policy, elections, parliament and political developments, with reporting and analysis from Thai PBS World.
BANGKOK, Sept 15 (Reuters) – Thailand’s parliament on Wednesday started debating draft legislation outlawing torture and enforced disappearance, following years of delay and civil society outrage over alleged abuses and impunity among law enforcement personnel. A draft bill designed to prevent and punish rogue state officials who abduct and torture suspects was initially approved by cabinet in 2016 but its progress stalled
Thailand’s smaller political parties, most of which have just one seat in the House of Representatives, are set to petition the Constitutional Court this Friday to seek a ruling on the constitutionality of the constitutional amendment draft, which recently passed its third and final reading in parliament. Dr. Ravee Matchamadol, leader of the New Palangdharma
Controversial Thai political figure Thammanat Prompao, who was dismissed from the post of deputy agriculture minister last Wednesday, will stay on in his role as the ruling Palang Pracharat Party’s (PPRP) secretary-general, at least until the next election, even following an apparent conflict with Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha. PPRP deputy leader Somsak Thepsuthin revealed the
The Thai government’s chief whip and Palang Pracharat MP, Wirat Rattanaseth, and 86 other people, including school directors, local politicians and teachers, were indicted today by public prosecutors before the Supreme Court’s Criminal Division for Political Office Holders over alleged corruption in the construction of futsal courts at hundreds of schools in 17 northern and
Bangkok’s Metropolitan Police Bureau (MPB) denied today (Monday) an accusation by anti-government protesters that a police truck had hit a “Talugas” protester and then fled the scene at Din Daeng intersection during a protest on Sunday night. MPB Commissioner Pol Lt-Gen Pakapong Phongpetra told a news conference this morning that the alleged hit-and-run incident occurred
The ethics committee of Thailand’s opposition Pheu Thai party decided today (Monday) to propose to the party’s executive committee the expulsion of two rebel MPs who did not vote in line with the party’s agreement in the no confidence motion earlier this month. Sarunvuth Sarunkate of Uttaradit province and Pornpimon Thammasarn of Pathum Thani province,
Thailand’s Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha reiterated today (Sunday) that he has no current intention of reshuffling his cabinet, following the departures of Deputy Agriculture Minister Thammanat Prompao and Deputy Labour Minister Narumon Pinyosinwat, and hopes that his deputy, Prawit Wongsuwan, will not be upset by his decision. He said that his relationship with Prawit, one
Anti-government protesters from five human rights advocacy groups rallied in a “car mob” today (Friday) to demand the release of seven core leaders of the anti-government Ratsadon group, who have been held on remand for about a month. Starting at the Democracy Monument at about noon, which took them to Thon Buri via the Phra
A joint parliamentary session on Friday passed the proposed two-ballot electoral system, by an overwhelming 472 votes to 33, in the third and final reading of the only constitutional amendment draft accepted out of 13 submitted. 23 MPs and 149 Senators voted in favour, with 23 MPs and 10 senators voting against. 121 MPs and
Controversial Deputy Agriculture Minister Thammanat Prompao has been dismissed from the cabinet, effective yesterday (Wednesday), but only announced today, amid an internal conflict between him, on one side, and Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha and Deputy Prime Minister and Interior Minister Anupong Paochinda on the other. Also dismissed from the cabinet is Deputy Labour Minister Narumon
Thailand’s opposition Pheu Thai party is not concerned whether the constitutional amendments will be approved by the Senate, as the party expects to win the next election, said opposition chief whip Sutin Klangsang today (Wednesday), ahead of the vote whether to accept the popular two-ballot system proposition on Friday. The amendment to revert to the
In a pre-emptive move, crowd control police swooped on a group of hardcore “Talugas” protesters as they converged at Din Daeng intersection in Bangkok this evening (Tuesday), before starting their routine provocation of the police and hurling missiles at the Royal Thai Army Band Department. Police in 5-6 pickup trucks surprised a group of protesters
