Follow Thai politics in English — government policy, elections, parliament and political developments, with reporting and analysis from Thai PBS World.
The Pattani United Liberation Organization (PULO) has condemned the Thai military over an incident involving a previously healthy Muslim man who was taken to a military camp in the country’s southern province of Pattani for interrogation on Sunday, only to end up in the provincial hospital’s intensive care unit with brain swelling. In a statement,
Former deputy prime minister Korbsak Sabhavasu said today (Monday) that he was stunned that the government dared to use the words ‘intelligent country’ in the policy statement to be presented to parliament on July 25th and 26th by Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha. “(I) didn’t expect that they would dare to write such policy. ‘Toward intelligent
The Office of the Secretary-General of the Cabinet has released the 66-page full text of the government’s policy statement, which includes 12 major policies and 12 emergency policies. Amending the Constitution, specifically on the methods and rules for amending the charter, is one of the 12 emergency policies, but public opinion must be sought regarding
Suan Dusit Poll conducted an opinion survey on the expectations of the public from each of the 20 ministries under the new cabinet, which is to start functioning after Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha’s presentation of the policy statement in parliament on July 25-26. The survey was conducted on 1,586 respondents between July 16th and 20th.
Thailand’s Constitutional Court has decided to accept for consideration a petition accusing the Future Forward party, its leader, secretary-general and the executive committee of engaging in activities deemed a threat to the country’s constitutional monarchy. The court ruled to accept the petition, from lawyer Mr. Natthaporn Toprayoon, by five votes to four after the same
Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha’s post-election premiership hangs in the balance after the Constitutional Court accepted for consideration a petition from the Opposition challenging his prime ministerial status. According to a press release from the Constitutional Court today, House Speaker Chuan Leekpai has submitted the Opposition’s petition, claiming that General Prayut is unqualified to be prime
Future Forward party leader Thanathorn Juangroongruangkit has dismissed the allegations by his detractors that his recent tour of the European Union and the United States was intended to discredit Thailand. He told a news conference at the party’s head office today (Friday) that he had anticipated such a response before he began the tour about
US State Department Secretary Mike Pompeo has said the United States looks forward to working with the government of Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha, to deepen the alliance and partnership between the two countries, building upon over two centuries of friendship between the two peoples. “We support transparency and good governance around the world and will
His Majesty the King offered moral support to Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha and his cabinet ministers and urged them to perform their duties for the happiness of the people and the security of the country, as they had pledged to do during the swearing-in ceremony. The Prime Minister led his 35 cabinet ministers in swearing
Former red-shirt activist Tanat Thanawatcharanont, better known as Tom Dundee, was released from Bangkok special prison this morning (Wednesday) by Royal pardon after having served five years and eight days behind bars on a conviction for committing lèse majesté. He was welcome at the prison gates by his wife and several members of the United
Future Forward party leader Thanathorn Juangroongruangkit has admitted that Thai people must themselves fight for democracy and change and not rely on the support of foreigners “because no foreigners will come to our help.” In his interview with the VOA Thai, which was released on Monday, Thanathorn said that Thai people must wake up and
Twelve of Thailand’s northeastern provinces are at risk of drought due to lower than normal rainfall, which has resulted in the volume of water stored in the region’s reservoirs to fall to less than 30% of their storage capacities, according to the Office of National Water Resources (ONWR). The serious water situation has prompted the
