Follow Thai politics in English — government policy, elections, parliament and political developments, with reporting and analysis from Thai PBS World.
Beijing and Manila have agreed to a joint oil and gas exploration deal – one of 29 deals that were signed on Tuesday as Chinese President Xi Jinping began a two-day state visit to the Philippines, South China Morning Post reported. The two nations also signed a memorandum of understanding to cooperate on Beijing’s vast
Pheu Thai party core member Chaturon Chaisang led about ten former Pheu Thai MPs in a “friendly” mass defection from their well-established party to join its offshoot party, Thai Raksachart on Monday. Among those who joined Chaturon to apply for memberships at Thai Raksachart party were Wuthipong and Thitima Chaisang, former party-list MP Veerakarn Musikapong,
Almost half of the respondents to an opinion poll admitted that the Prayut government’s “Return the Happiness to the People” policy has not made them happier as there have not been any changes for the better for their livelihood after four years and six months since the military take-over. office. The Nida Poll of the
Both the Democrat and Pheu Thai parties have come out to slam the National Council for Peace and Order for what they see as its interference in the work of the Election Commission. They claim that the executive order issued by Prime Minister Gen Prayut Chan-o-cha over the weekend in his capacity as the junta
An army of 60 members of the Sam Mitr group led by two former ministers, Somsak Thepsuthin and Suriya Jungroongruangkit, flocked to the pro-government Palang Pracharat party at the Shangri-La hotel in Bangkok on Sunday to apply for memberships. Suriya, a former member of the dissolved Thai Rak Thai party, said he decided to return
Democrat Party leader Abhisit Vejjajiva today raised strong objection to an attempt by a group of newly-emerged political parties to petition the Election Commission to postpone the election tentatively scheduled for February 24. He said the Election Commission must be held responsible if the election was not held as scheduled. These political parties claimed that
The fresh order by the National Council for Peace and Order to give more time for the Election Commission to demarcate constituency boundaries will not delay the election tentatively scheduled for February 24, government spokesman Putthipong Punnakan said Friday. The additional time for the EC to work on the constituency mapping would make it more
A Royal Decree for the selection of 200 senators has come into effect after its publication in the Royal Gazette today. The senators will be selected in accordance with the provisional clauses of the Constitution with the Election Commission responsible for selecting 50 of the senators through a intra-group vote. The selection process at district
Not to be left out by other parties, the Democrat Party today unveiled a group of 21 young members, collectively known as the “New Dems”, who are touted as new faces of the country’s oldest political party. Media attention centred on Surabot Leekpai, the 31-year-old son of former party leader Chuan Leekpai and Prit
The National Anti-Corruption Commission has launched a fresh investigation into rice deals committed under the government of former prime minister Yingluck Shinawatra which were suspected to be plagued with corruption. NACC chairman Pol Gen Watcharaphol Prasarnratchakit said Monday that two subcommittees responsible for the investigation have found out there were more people suspected to be
The European Union on Sunday offered a clarification over a media report that it has asked to send an army of observers to monitor the upcoming general election expected in February next year. It said in a clarification that the EU has not received invitation from Thailand to dispatch observers to oversee the election, explaining
The pro-junta Palang Pracharat Party will begin accepting applications for membership at its head office in Ratchavipha area on Tuesday. Party secretary-general Sontirat Sontijirawong, who is also commerce minister, said several celebrities from different circles would apply for membership with the party and to contest the election as its candidates. He, however, stressed that the party
