Follow Thai politics in English — government policy, elections, parliament and political developments, with reporting and analysis from Thai PBS World.
The race for the Democrat party leadership between former Phitsanuloke MP Warong Dejkitvigrom and incumbent leader Abhisit Vejjajiva will be a competition between “brothers” without subsequent hard feelings no matter what the result, said Democrat secretary-general Chuti Krairiksh on Tuesday. He disclosed that Warong and his key supporter, deputy leader Thavorn Senniam, had discussed with
The National Council for Peace and Order has lifted restrictions on political activities but is apparently not in a hurry to allow full-fledged election campaigning. Government spokesman Lt Gen Sansern Kaewkamnerd suggested this morning that NCPO will be taking gradual steps in increasing the political space leading up to the election, expected early next year.
Political parties have begun setting dates for crucial activities they are required to complete before the election that is expected to take place between next February and early May following the an order issued by the National Council for Peace and Order (NCPO) to ease political restrictions. Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha in his capacity as
Deputy Prime Minister Wissanu Krea-ngarm hinted on Thursday that the National Council for Peace and Order (NCPO) would ease political restrictions very soon in order to allow political parties to carry out certain political activities. Although the law on the election of MPs and the act on the selection of senators have been published in
Former prime minister Chuan Leekpai today squashed speculation that he might make a comeback as the leader of the Democrat Party. He said incumbent party leader Abhisit Vejjajiva has been doing a good job but welcomes challenges to the latter’s leadership by a number senior party members, describing it as part of the democratic process
Out-going US Ambassador Glyn T Davies said today that he sees a positive future for Thailand which he hopes will be a strong, independent, free and prosperous country. Speaking to reporters at the Defence Ministry after meeting Deputy Prime Minister Gen Prawit Wongsuwan, Davies said the promulgation of the two organic laws on MP elections
Countdown to the general elections has begun after two laws on elections of members of House of Representatives and selection of senators were published in the Royal Gazette today. The senate selection act will take effect tomorrow while the MP election act will take effect after 90 days. Elections of MPs are constitutionally required to
Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha today came to the defence of BNK48 all-girls music ban leader Cherprang Areekul against criticism from anti-junta elements that she was being used as a tool of the government’s propaganda. He said he had sympathy for the young girl who just wanted to do something for the good of the country
There’s something ironic about Warong Dechgitvigrom, but his emergence as one of the candidates to challenge Abhisit Vejjajiva for the leadership of the Democrat Party is probably one of the most intriguing political developments over the past few days. Pheu Thai is not the only party that can pull a leadership candidate out of nowhere.
Former Democrat deputy leader Alongkorn Polabutr is demanding a “social contract” from members of the party by accepting his five-point “iron” ground rules if they want him to be their leader to effect meaningful changes in the party. Alongkorn, who quit the party four years ago, is staging a comeback to the country’s oldest party
If Prime Minister Gen Prayut Chan-o-cha is really serious about returning to power after the next elections, support from the Democrat Party would be very crucial. And that’s why some of the senior members of the party suspect that elements of the ruling military junta may want to get rid of its leader Abhisit Vejjajiva
Pheu Thai Party’s core member Chaturon Chaisaeng has asked the National Council for Peace and Order for an equal treatment so that all political parties can go out to meet their constituents the way one of the newly-formed parties believed to have ties with the military junta is doing. Chaturon, a former education minister and
