Follow Thai politics in English — government policy, elections, parliament and political developments, with reporting and analysis from Thai PBS World.
At around 8.10am on Friday there was an explosion in or near a white car in a parking lot in front of the Mahanakorn Building, near Chong Non Si BTS station. At around 8.30am there was another explosion in a small flower nursery, located under a walkway connecting the BTS station with the Mahanakorn Building.
Parliament President Chuan Leekpai and senior officials of the Office of the House of Representatives yesterday (Wednesday) inspected the new parliament building at Kiakkai intersection. The new building will be opened for the first meeting of the Senate next week. For the past two months, members of the Senate and the Lower House have been
Opposition Pheu Thai party has been dealt with yet another blow as its former MP for the northeastern province of Si Sa Ket and former deputy agriculture minister, Mr. Pornsak Charoenprasert, defects to the government’s core Palang Pracharat party. Pornsak, who was reportedly recruited by Mr. Suchart Chomklin, Palang Pracharat’s chief MP, said today (Wednesday)
Thailand’s Cabinet is set to endorse the proposed budget for fiscal year 2020 next week. The proposed budget is expected to call for expenditure of Bt3.2 trillion with a budget deficit of Bt450 billion. The Cabinet is scheduled to examine the proposed budget on August 6th before the first reading of the draft budget bill
Five core members of the United Front for Democracy against Dictatorship (UDD) were given a temporary reprieve when the Criminal Court decided to postpone the reading of the Supreme Court’s verdict until September 23rd. Originally, the Criminal Court was scheduled to read the Supreme Court’s verdict today, but one of the defendants, Mr. Veerakarn Musikapong,
After having delegated responsibility for running the country’s economy to Deputy Prime Minister Somkid Jatusripitak for the past five years, the Prime Minister has decided to replace Somkid and head the economic team himself. However, Dr. Somkid and the other four deputy prime ministers are still part of the economic team and they have been
Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha hinted today that Thailand may buy another submarine, in addition to the one the Royal Thai Navy bought from China, due for delivery in 2023. Responding to a reporter’s question as to whether the defence procurement would include a second submarine, General Prayut, who is also the defence minister retorted “Why
The cabinet is expected to appoint Palang Pracharat party-list MP Narumon Pinyosinwat as government spokeswoman at its first meeting today (Tuesday). Palang Pracharat deputy spokesman Thanakorn Wangboonkongchana is expected to be named the deputy government spokesman. A former vice minister, assisting Former Finance Minister Apisak Tantiworawong of the previous administration, Mrs. Narumon is said to
Deputy Prime Minister and Public Health Minister Anutin Charnvirakul said today that commercialization of cannabis for economic benefit would come after the use of medical cannabis has proven to be successful and controllable. He denied that his Bhumjaithai party had ever talked about liberalizing the use of recreational cannabis or commercialization during election campaigning. “No
The Criminal Court is scheduled, on Wednesday, to read the verdict of the Supreme Court in a case involving seven core members of the red-shirt movement, known as the United Front for Democracy against Dictatorship (UDD), relating to the illegal siege of the residence of Privy Council president Prem Tinsulanonda in July 2007. The seven
Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha will directly supervise the Department of Special Investigation (DSI) instead of assigning one of his deputies to do it on his behalf, as was the practice in the past, Justice Minister Somsak Thepsuthin said today. By supervising the DSI, he explained that the Prime Minister will oversee the handling of criminal
The Constitutional Court will exercise caution and only when necessary will it hold an individual in contempt, said Constitution Court Judge Panya Udchachon today (Sunday). He added that the decision to uphold a contempt of court charge must be endorsed by two-thirds of the nine-member Constitutional Court panel. There are also different degrees of punishment,
