Follow Thai politics in English — government policy, elections, parliament and political developments, with reporting and analysis from Thai PBS World.
Thailand’s Constitutional Court ruled today (Wednesday) that Deputy Agriculture Minister Thammanat Prompow, who was found guilty of drug trafficking by an Australian court in 1993, can retain his ministerial post and MP status, despite the conviction. “Even though the defendant was sentenced by the District Court of New South Wales, before he ran for the
Thailand’s Ministry of Digital Economy and Society is setting up a committee to oversee a Facebook group called “Let’s Move Abroad”, after receiving complaints that some users are posting material that offends the monarchy and could incite conflict. The DES minister, Chaiwat Thanakamanusorn, said that members posting helpful information related to studying and finding jobs
The current interest among Thais in moving abroad, with nearly 763,000 members joining a newly created Facebook group and the Thai hashtag “Let’s Move Abroad” among top Twitter trends, has sparked much discussion, debate and backlash about the state of Thailand and love for one’s home country. With countless posts asking for and sharing tips
One Redem protester was arrested on Sunday night, following a clash between crowd control police and some hard-core protesters who refused to disperse after the protest in front of the Ratchadapisek Criminal Court in Bangkok. Pol Col Krisana Pattanacharoen, deputy spokesman for the Royal Thai Police, said Sunday night that some of the Redem protesters
Tycoon-turned-politician Anutin Charnvirakul may arguably be Thailand’s most-hated public health minister by now. But to be fair, his predecessors never had to tackle the world’s worst virus crisis in more than a century. Heading Bhumjaithai Party whose key election pledge was to legalise medical marijuana, Anutin took up the health portfolio in July 2019. But
A labour rights activist began a hunger strike in front of the Bangkok’s Ratchadapisek Criminal Court at 4pm on Sunday, demanding release on bail of all anti-establishment Ratsadon leaders and followers indicted on lèse majesté charges and being held on remand. The activist, Ms. Patchanee Khamnak, joined several other followers in a rally at the
Thailand’s corrections department issued an official statement today (Saturday), confirming that the general health of Parit “Penguin” Chiwarak, anti-establishment Ratsadon leader and hunger striker, is normal, albeit he experiences fatigue and pain around the cannula, through which intravenous fluids are administered. The department also said that it could not confirm Parit’s claim that he had
Ratsadon anti-establishment protest leader and hunger striker Parit “Penguin” Chiwarak was today taken from Bangkok Remand Prison to Ramathibodi Hospital, after prison doctors expressed concern that he might go into shock due to his prolonged hunger strike. Mr. Thawatchai Chaiwat, deputy director-general of the Corrections Department, said Friday that Parit’s weight had reduced from 107kgs
As Public Health Minister, Anutin Charnvirakul is being blamed for perceived failures in handling Thailand’s latest and worst wave of COVID-19, whose tide of infections and deaths has triggered partial lockdowns in red zones including Bangkok. The latest outbreak saw Thailand hit a record high of 15 COVID-related deaths on two consecutive days, April 27
Two anti-establishment Ratsadon group leaders, Somyos Prueksakasemsook and Jatupat Boonpattararaksa, alias Pai Dao Din, indicted on lèse majesté and sedition charges, were granted bail by the Criminal Court today. Somyos and Jatupat were brought before the court this morning, from Bangkok Remand Prison, after their new lawyer, Noraseth Nanongtoom, from the Centre of Thai Lawyers
Non-governmental organisations (NGOs) are coming under tougher government scrutiny in many countries, and Thailand recently joined the trend by introducing a draft law that would allow state monitoring of NGO funding and supervision of their activities. Governments say the shift towards stricter state control stems from fears of foreign intervention in local politics and adverse
The LINE chat between someone, said to be a US Embassy official, and a Thai political activist, is a complete fabrication and the US government is not funding or providing support to any protest groups in Thailand, according to the U.S. Embassy’s spokesperson, Nicole Fox. Earlier today (Tuesday), a group of protesters, calling themselves “The
