Follow Thai politics in English — government policy, elections, parliament and political developments, with reporting and analysis from Thai PBS World.
Prime Minister Gen Prayut Chan-o-cha said today he will not take part in any political debate leading up to the election as it would be a waste of his working time. He also noted that most of the political debates so far have not been constructive as politicians spend more time arguing against each other
North Korean leader Kim Jong Un and US President Donald Trump arrived in Hanoi Tuesday, ahead of a second summit closely watched for concrete steps to dismantle Pyongyang’s nuclear programme. After an initial historic meeting in Singapore in June that produced only a vague statement about denuclearisation, analysts say the second date must deliver more
Representatives of six major political parties taking part in a debate forum organized by Thai PBS on Monday night expressed optimism that Thailand will see a smooth political transition after the March-24 general election. However, some see electoral mechanisms in the Constitution which prolong the political role of the military as an impediment to Thailand’s
Thailand’s Election Commission has given mixed signals as to whether current Prime Minister and head of the NCPO, Prayut Chan-o-cha, can legally take part in debates with other prime ministerial candidates or even whether he can campaign for Palang Pracharat candidates. EC chairman Itthiporn Boonprakhong said today that the EC had not yet received a
Thailand’s Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha is coming under increasing pressure to take part in political debates with other prime ministerial candidates. The People’s Network for Elections in Thailand (PNET), a non-governmental organization monitoring elections in Thailand, today posted a poem on its Facebook page calling for individuals, who aspire to become future leaders of Thailand, to have the courage to participate in political debates. PNET did not mention
All eyes will be on Future Forward leader Thanathorn Juangroongruangkit next week when he and two other party executives face the prosecutors for a Facebook Live session that allegedly discredited the prime minister and the Palang Pracharat Party. A political storm seems to be brewing for the businessman-turned-politician. If a decision is made to prosecute
In an apparent about-face, the pro-Thaksin Thai Raksa Chart party has decided to go full steam on election campaigning even though the party’s fate still hangs in the balance with the party’s dissolution case pending in the Constitutional Court. The party’s chief campaigner Mr Natthawut Saikua told the media that the court case was the
With close to 7 million first-time voters being their prime target in the March 24 election, several political parties are competing in an unprecedented scale to reach out to them through the social media. But how do these young potential voters think about what is happening around them politically?
73rd Chula–Thammasat traditional football match 2019. Presidents of CU and TU student cheering clubs on how students’ political and social point of view is reflected through one of the country’s most watched sport events.
The pro-Thaksin Thai Raksa Chart party submitted its written defence to the Constitutional Court today against the Election Commission’s ruling that the party committed hostile acts against democracy under the constitutional monarchy by nominating Princess Ubolratana as its prime ministerial candidate. Mr. Surachai Chinchai, a lawyer representing the Thai Raksa Chart party, told the media
The Thai military has defended its spending of about 1 trillion baht, or 7% of the fiscal budget, over the past five years and claimed it had not increased substantially. Speaking at length to the media today about defence budgets since the coup, Defence Ministry spokesman Lt-Gen Kongcheep Tantravanich also insisted that the budgeting process
The Future Forward Party led by its leader Thanathorn Jungroongruangkit made its presence felt during a recent campaign visit to Kru Whee market on Rama 3 Road in Bangkok. How does it “change message” resonate with the people there?
