Follow Thai politics in English — government policy, elections, parliament and political developments, with reporting and analysis from Thai PBS World.
HONG KONG (AP) — Police fired a water cannon and tear gas at protesters who lobbed Molotov cocktails outside the Hong Kong government office complex Sunday, as violence flared anew after thousands of pro-democracy supporters marched through downtown in defiance of a police ban. A mixed crowd of hardcore protesters in black and wearing masks,
Thailand’s House of Representatives today (Friday) rejected an attempt by both government and opposition MPs to set up an ad hoc committee to study the impacts on the environment, communities and people’s livelihoods from Eastern Economic Corridor (EEC) projects. The House decided to kill four motions, related to the EEC program seeking the setting up
Even if Deputy Agriculture Minister Thammanat Prompao’s doctorate degree from a university in California is fake, it does not disqualify him from being a cabinet minister, Deputy Prime Minister Wissanu Krea-ngarm said today (Friday). Citing a provision in Constitution, regarding the required qualifications of a minister, he explained that a proposed cabinet member must
The Supreme Court’s Criminal Division for Holders of Political Offices has issued a warrant for the arrest of former red-shirt co-leader Arisman Pongruangrong to stand trial in connection with alleged corruption in the National Housing Authority’s Uah Arthorn housing project. Arisman, a former party-list MP of the now-defunct Thai Rak Thai party, failed to show
HONG KONG (Reuters) – Embattled Hong Kong leader Carrie Lam has promised to prioritize housing and people’s livelihoods to appease deep rooted discontent about the way the Asian financial hub has been governed, as protesters gear up for fresh demonstrations. Lam, who said she caused “unforgivable havoc” by igniting the political crisis and would quit
House Speaker Chuan Leekpai made clear this morning (Thursday) that the Opposition’s debate against Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha’s incomplete oath recital on September 18 will proceed as scheduled. He said that the debate, without a vote, is part of the legislature’s check and balance process, as defined in the Constitution. Members of parliament have the
Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha has given the thumbs up to embattled Deputy Agriculture Minister Thammanat Prompao after his clarification in the House on Wednesday regarding his criminal past, as reported by the Sydney Morning Herald newspaper in Australia. The Prime Minister said today (Thursday) that he monitored Thammanat’s explanation and found it reasonable adding, however,
Palang Pracharat MP for Kamphaeng Phet province Pol Lt-Gen Waipote Arpornrat has lost his Member of Parliament (MP) status after the Supreme Court upheld the 4 year prison sentence handed down by the Appeals Court for his involvement in the disruption of the ASEAN Summit in Pattaya in 2009. As the Supreme Court is the
The Supreme Court today upheld the four-year prison terms imposed on 12 former core members of the United Front for Democracy against Dictatorship (UDD) for their role in leading red-shirt protesters in breaking up the ASEAN Summit at the Royal Cliff Beach Resort in Pattaya on April 11th, 2009. The Supreme Court, however, acquitted the
LONDON (Reuters) – The British government’s plans for a no-deal Brexit warn of severe disruption to cross-Channel routes, affecting the supply of medicines and certain types of fresh foods, and say that protests and counter-protests will take place across the country, accompanied by a possible rise in public disorder. The “Operation Yellowhammer” worst-case assumptions published
Thailand’s Constitutional Court has unanimously rejected two petitions challenging the constitutionality of Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha’s incomplete recital of his oath of office on July 16. One was submitted by a Ramkhamhaeng University student through the Ombudsman’s Office and the other by Ruangkrai Likitwattana, former member of the now defunct Thai Raksa Chart Party. In
Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha this morning (Wednesday) covered one of his ears with his hand as he pretended not to hear a reporter’s question about the announcement yesterday that the Prachatham Thai party is to pull out of the government’s coalition. Mr. Pichet Sathirachavan, leader of the small party, told the media yesterday that they
