Follow Thai politics in English — government policy, elections, parliament and political developments, with reporting and analysis from Thai PBS World.
An opposition party’s push for military reform has hit trouble after its draft law to abolish conscription was shot down before making it to Parliament. The Bill on Military Service proposed by MPs of the now-defunct Future Forward Party failed to get the necessary endorsement from Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha, who is also a former
The de facto leader of Thailand’s progressive movement. Thanathorn Juangroongruangkit, encountered resistance from pro-Monarchy demonstrators when he arrived in the southern province of Nakhon Si Thammarat today (Wednesday), to help campaign for his mayoral candidate in the Provincial Administration Organization elections. The royalists gathered in front of a hotel, where Thanathorn attending a closed-door meeting
Thailand’s opposition parties will vote in support of all the seven draft constitutional amendments, proposed by the government, opposition and the iLaw NGO, whose draft has been endorsed by more than 100,000 signatories, said Opposition Deputy Chief Whip Somkid Chuakhong today (Tuesday). He added, however, that he has learned that government parties will not accept
Army Commander-in-Chief General Narongphan Chitkaewtae has dismissed the chance of a military coup in Thailand as a “minus” possibility, saying that he believes the country will weather the current political storm and that political conflict must be solved using political means. He added, however, that the military will have to support the police in the
The letters and the four red post boxes from the protest in Bangkok yesterday are in police possession, at the Chanasongkram police station. Deputy Metropolitan Police Bureau commissioner, Police Major General Piya Tawichai, said whether anyone will be charged for writing those letters depends on whether the content violates any law. Piya also said, regarding
Thailand’s Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha has sent a letter of congratulations to President-elect Joe Biden and Vice President-elect Kamala Harris, after their election victory over incumbent President Donald Trump. He also wrote that the Thai government is looking forward to working closely with the US administration to enhance further the cooperation between the two
The “new normal” was adopted to fight COVID-19, but Thailand’s local elections next month will likely see the “old normal” – a ballot where political dynasties and patronage politics still dominate. Provincial voters will be electing their local administrators for the first time since 2012, after all local government elections were suspended following the
A group of about 40 senators has asked Parliament President Chuan Leekpai to seek a ruling, from Thailand’s Constitutional Court, on the constitutionality of three of the seven draft constitutional amendments, including the draft from the iLaw NGO. One of the senators, Mr. Kittisak Rattanavaraha, said today that the move is not an attempt to
General Prayut Chan-o-cha has defied a demand by anti-government protesters for him to step down as prime minister. But he may lose his seat if the Constitutional Court finds him guilty of violating the supreme law next month. The court is scheduled to rule on December 2 whether Prayut violated the Constitution by occupying an
Thailand’s Election Commission has been asked, by political activist Srisuwan Janya, to investigate the conduct of the Progressive Movement, led by Thanathorn Juangroongruangkit, which he accuses of functioning like a political party. Mr. Srisuwan, Secretary-General of the Association for the Protection of the Constitution, told the media today (Monday) that the Progressive Movement, co-founded
After negotiating with the police tonight (Sunday), anti-establishment protesters in Thailand announced that the resignation of Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha, constitutional amendments and reforms of the Monarchy are the “utmost compromise”, then the protesters dispersed at around 9pm. Earlier today, the protesters began gathering at the Democracy Monument just before 4pm. The police had begun
The protest today (Saturday), at Samyan and in the Silom commercial district of Bangkok, turned out to be a demonstration by the LBGT community, to raise awareness of gender equality. Led by Mr. Siraphob Attohee, alias “Rapper”, the demonstrators, who call themselves Free Thai Plus, converged at Samyan intersection at about 4pm before walking to
