Follow Thai politics in English — government policy, elections, parliament and political developments, with reporting and analysis from Thai PBS World.
Anti-government protesters, who gathered at the Victory Monument and Asoke intersection in Bangkok and started dispersing after 8pm today, claim that Thailand has a new protest model, which does not need a leader or rally stage. Protest organizers declared that every protester is a “core” protester and anyone can address the crowd by just standing
Thailand’s Deputy Prime Minister, Prawit Wongsuwan, in his capacity as leader of the Palang Pracharat Party, today announced the party’s full support of and reverence for the Monarchy, in the wake of protesters’ demand for sweeping reform of the institution. He said the ruling party supports amending the Constitution, but not chapters 1 and 2,
A group of 386 doctors, from hospitals across Thailand, has issued a joint statement, urging the Government to stop using irritant-laced water or tear gas to disperse protesters, who are peaceful and unarmed. The doctors said that police use of water cannons, spraying water mixed with chemicals, against unarmed protesters at Pathumwan intersection on Friday
Thailand’s renewed political tension is increasingly worrisome, as the government continues ignoring demands of anti-establishment protesters who are becoming bolder under the spotlight of global attention. The youth-led protesters have been rallying for the past three months, demanding that Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha and his government step down, the junta-endorsed Constitution be rewritten and
Protesters are streaming to Bangkok’s Victory Monument and the Asoke intersection, on Sukhumvit Road, which have been chosen as Sunday’s two main protest venues by the Free Youth Movement, as it gave conflicting information on social media to confuse the police. Police deployed detention vans and water trucks at Lat Phra intersection, in anticipation of
A network of civic groups has called on Thailand’s Government to stop dispersing anti-government protesters and on Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha to step down, for the sake of peace and order in the country. The civic groups include the Campaign for Democracy Committee, led by Dr. Pichai Rattanadilok na Phuket, the Foundation for Human Rights
Parliament President Chuan Leekpai has scheduled an informal cross-party meeting for consultation on how Thailand’s Parliament can contribute to ending the current political conflict, which is pitting student-led protesters, demanding political change, against the Government. Mr. Chuan said today that he has been coordinating between Government and Opposition MPs for some time and has scheduled
AUCKLAND, New Zealand (AP) — New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern won a second term in office Saturday in an election landslide of historic proportions. With most votes counted, Ardern’s liberal Labour Party was winning 49% of the vote compared to 27% for its main challenger, the conservative National Party. Labour was on target
Thailand’s Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha has instructed police to avoid the use of violence, in any form, when dealingwith the anti-government protesters and has promised to restore peace and normality to the country, according to Government Spokesman Mr. Anucha Buraparangsi. The Prime Minister has, however, defended the forceful dispersal of protesters at the Pathumwan intersection
Anti-riot police, backed by high pressure water jet trucks, have dispersed a mass anti-government rally at Pathumwan intersection in the heart of Bangkok. At least four police personnel and a protester reportedly suffered minor injuries in the operation which began at 6.30 pm and lasted more than hour. Armed with shields and batons, the police
Rajprasong intersection, a Bangkok shopping hub usually buzzing with locals and foreigners, was instead overtaken by more than 10,000 anti-establishment protesters and their supporters on Thursday evening. They were rallying in defiance of a “severe” state of emergency announced by Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha at 4am on Thursday, after anti-government protests escalated when a group
A large number of protesters are occupying the Rajprasong intersection, the commercial centre of Bangkok, in defiance of the state of emergency which bans public gathering of five people or more. The protesters were responding a call by the so-called Khana Ratsadorn group to rally there to reiterate their demand for Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha
