Follow Thai politics in English — government policy, elections, parliament and political developments, with reporting and analysis from Thai PBS World.
Thai politics will reach another critical juncture next week when the junta-written Constitution is reviewed after months of pressure from young anti-establishment protesters seeking changes to the supreme law drafted after the 2014 military coup. Parliament is scheduled to meet on September 23-24 to discuss charter amendment motions to pave the way for a Constitution
Bangkok police have warned this Saturday’s protesters not to trespass on Sanam Luang. Pol Maj-Gen Somprasong Yenthuam, Deputy Commissioner of the Metropolitan Police, said today (Tuesday) that Sanam Luang, a spacious area used for Royal ceremonies, has been registered as an archaeological site since 2012 and any unapproved use of the land is illegal. Since
A Thai coconut milk cannery has denied any involvement in the smuggling of liquid methamphetamine into Australia, contained in cans apparently bearing the company’s brand name. In August, Australian Border Force officers inspected an airfreight shipment, containing 86 cases of canned coconut milk, after it arrived in Sydney from Thailand. A test on the liquid
Thailand’s former Deputy Commerce Minister Banyin Tangpakorn has reversed his not guilty plea and confessed to the kidnapping and murder of the brother of a judge who presided over a fraud trial in which he and three other people were accused of falsifying documents to transfer to their ownership shares, worth about 228 million baht,
Thailand’s Institute for Judicial Reform has urged Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha temporarily to relieve from active service all police officers involved in helping Red Bull heir Vorayuth Yoovidhya escape prosecution over a fatal hit-and-run case eight years ago. Pol Senior Sergeant Major Wichian Klanprasert was killed in the accident and his body was dragged about
Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha said today (Monday) that he will not stop protesting students from marching to Government House on September 20th, as their leaders intend, but questioned the appropriateness of such an action. He said, however, that it would be unfair to him if the protesting students were to accuse the Government of harassment
PORTLAND, Maine (AP) — Democrat Sara Gideon sought to link Republican Sen. Susan Collins, of Maine, with President Donald Trump during their first debate Friday night, and she demanded several times that Collins say whether she’ll vote for him — a dare Collins wouldn’t take. Collins, who has said she didn’t vote for Trump four
Democrat party leader Jurin Laksanavisit has proposed that the chief whips of all parties and the Senate meet to discuss constitutional amendments, to prepare the way for a smoothrewrite of Thailand’s supreme law. The Deputy Prime Minister and Commerce Minister said today (Saturday) that there is broad agreement that the charter needs to be amended,
As nationwide anti-establishment protests gather momentum, a counter movement launched by royalists is garnering far less attention and at times attracting more criticism than support. Political pundits are divided over whether the latter could evolve into a bigger and stronger movement in the future. More than 1,000 people joined a rally organised by newly established
Thailand’s former Deputy Prime Minister Plodprasob Suraswadi and former Interior Minister Yongyuth Vichaidith have been released from the Corrections Department’s hospital after they met the conditions for the suspension of their imprisonment. The two men are, however, required to wear electronic monitoring tags for the rest of their jail terms. In March this year, the
A group of Thammasat University alumni, led by outspoken former lecturer Kaewsan Atipothi, has voiced strong objection to the use of the university’s Tha Prachan campus for the holding of a protest on September 19th, claiming that it may lead to violence, as was seen in the “Black May” incident. On Friday, the group asked
Thailand has witnessed the departure of two finance ministers in just past two months, and a veteran politician who served as their deputy is now offering himself as a well-qualified replacement – amid widespread opposition and questions about his past. The day after former banker Preedee Daochai quit on September 1, following just 27 days
