Follow Thai politics in English — government policy, elections, parliament and political developments, with reporting and analysis from Thai PBS World.
The transfer of remanded Ratsadon core leader Parit “Penguin” Chiwarak, from Bangkok remand prison to the detention centre in Pathum Thani province on Monday night, is in line with the Corrections Department’s regulations for treating those sentenced to detention by the court, said Mr. Thanakrit Jitareerat, secretary to Justice Minister Somsak Thepsuthin on Tuesday. Parit
Thailand’s national police commissioner, Pol.Gen. Suwat Jangyodsuk, offered a public apology today (Monday) for the police’s rough handling of some of the anti-establishment protesters in and near Sanam Luang on Saturday night. He admitted that there were some mistakes made on the part of the police and promised to make amends, adding that he would
The Criminal Court today sentenced Ratsadon core leader Parit “Penguin” Chiwarak, who is already being held on remand, to 15-days additional detention for contempt of court, after his misconduct in the courtroom on March 15th. Initially, the court sentenced him to 1 month, but commuted the sentence to 15 days because he pleaded guilty and
The Criminal Court, this morning (Monday), held an inquiry into a letter of complaint from Arnon Nampa, one of the remanded Ratsadon leaders, expressing concern over the safety of his two colleagues in Bangkok remand prison. In the letter, which was posted on social media on March 16th, Anon claims that, on four occasions in
Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha is reportedly scheduled to chair a meeting of Thailand’s National Security Council on Monday, to assess the political situation following recent and increasingly violent political protests. On Saturday night, police used water cannons, tear gas and rubber bullets against anti-establishment protesters, after they tried to break through a barricade of cargo
Thailand’s six media organizations issued a joint statement today (Sunday), urging all parties in the current political conflicts to exercise restraint, following a violent protest Saturday night, at and around Sanam Luang, during which the police, protesters and some media representatives were injured. The six media organizations are the National Press Council, the Thai Journalists
Police fired water cannons at anti-establishment protesters this evening (Saturday), after they broke through a barricade of cargo containers and razor-wire at Sanam Luang in Bangkok. Police repeatedly warned the protesters that they could face arrest if they continue to try to break into Sanam Luang, where anti-riot police had formed a human barricade. Protesters
A long trail of damaged decorative plant pots and vandalized portraits of HM the King were strewn along Bangkok’s Ratchadamnoen Avenue, following the dispersal of the violent anti-establishment ReDem protest on Saturday night. The Phra Nakhon district office mobilized about 100 workers to clean the road and remove the damaged pot plants at 1am this
Police have taken 20 people into custody following clashes between anti-government protesters and anti-riot police Saturday night in areas around Sanam Luang, one of Bangkok’s best known landmarks, which saw at least 32 people injured. The clashes erupted after police used water cannons, tear-gas and rubber bullets against hundreds of demonstrators who had tried to
Armed with a search warrant, issued by the Nonthaburi provincial court, Special Branch and Rattanathibet police have raided the anti-establishment Fah Diew Kan printing house and seized many copies of a book called “The Monarchy and Thai Society”, which police claim were intended for distribution to protesters at Sanam Luang on Saturday evening. The book
Police have blocked access to Sanam Luang with cargo containers and razor-wire to prevent ReDem Restart Democracy (ReDem) protesters, a youth wing of the anti-establishment Ratsadon group, from entering the area to stage a protest on Saturday afternoon. The ReDem group, otherwise known as “Free Youth”, urged its followers, via social media, to gather at
No anti-establishment protest activist has been more effective at grabbing media attention than Parit “Penguin” Chiwarak. The tubby 23-year-old Thammasat University student has even managed to make headlines from behind bars, where he is being detained on lese majeste and other serious charges. The student protest leader has been in the limelight ever since he
