The Thai police have not resorted to the use of lethal weapons including live rounds in dealing with anti-establishment protesters, and that only rubber bullets were used, according to Deputy…
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The Thai police have not resorted to the use of lethal weapons including live rounds in dealing with anti-establishment protesters, and that only rubber bullets were used, according to Deputy…
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Former election commissioner Somchai Srisutthiyakorn has predicted that there is only a slim chance that the People’s Constitution draft, scheduled to be debated in a joint session of parliament on…
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Last week’s controversial Constitutional Court verdict is likely to rekindle Thailand’s political conflict and fan the flames among anti-establishment groups already furious over legal action stemming from the lèse-majesté law,…
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The news of the demise of eminent economist Virabongsa Ramangkura on November 7 was received with a deep sense of loss across the country. Numerous Facebook pages were filled with condolences. Virabongsa…
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Thailand’s Constitutional Court turned down the request, by the three anti-establishment leaders, for the submission of additional oral evidence because it has already completed a year-long investigation under the inquisitorial…
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A shocking act of violence shattered the atmosphere in Chulalongkorn University’s auditorium 68 years ago. Jit Poumisak, then a third-year Arts student and editor of CU’s “University” periodical, was addressing…
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Thailand’s oldest political party had been there before. By that, before the catastrophic last general election, the Democrats had gone through all kinds of lows, be it devastating insurrection, disastrous…
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A bitter conflict with Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha has resulted in Thammanat Prompao’s ouster from the Cabinet and civil war breaking out between rival factions in the ruling Palang Pracharath…
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Thailand’s opposition Move Forward Party announced its determination to push for amendments of the lèse majesté law (Section 112 of the Criminal Code), warning that, if the law remains in…
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In politics, a man’s good news is another man’s bad one. However, here’s doom and gloom for all: Long-lasting national peace will remain very remote no matter what happens from…
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A carefully-crafted national public health plan with proactive diplomacy can help Thailand to participate in global health development and deal with emerging diseases in the coming decades, suggested a panel of…
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After seven years out of government, the Shinawatra family appears to be keen on making a comeback. Paetongtarn Shinawatra, the youngest daughter of former prime minister Thaksin, made a surprise…
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A Constitutional Court ruling due to be issued on Wednesday (Oct 20) holds the key to the political future of the ruling Palang Pracharath Party’s legal expert Paiboon Nititawan, with big impacts…
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Uproar over the recent killing of a drug suspect by police investigators has revived debate on the need for a law banning torture and killings by state officials. And the…
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An early general election has become more likely after Parliament voted on Friday (September 10) to approve a charter amendment bill that restores the two-ballot election system and alters the…
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The ethics committee of Thailand’s opposition Pheu Thai party decided today (Monday) to propose to the party’s executive committee the expulsion of two rebel MPs who did not vote in…
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Halfway through their government’s four-year term, Prime Minister Gen Prayut Chan-o-cha and his brothers in arms – Gen Prawit Wongsuwan and Gen Anupong Paochinda – apparently have no choice but to change tack…
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Renegade Pheu Thai MP Sarunvuth Sarunkate, of Thailand’s northern province of Uttaradit, admitted today (Saturday) that he defied the party whip, to vote against Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha, by abstaining…
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Thailand’s Prime Minister Prayuth Chan-o-cha has refuted the Opposition’s claim that his government should be held accountable for all the COVID-19 deaths, as a result of its failures in managing…
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Thailand’s House Speaker Chuan Leekpai has ordered a formal investigation into the allegation, made by Pheu Thai MP Visarn Techateerawat, that a group of MPs each received a five-million-baht bribe…
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Rival Thai politicians and their supporters are gambling on how the country’s COVID-19 situation will pan out in the immediate future. If it gets worse significantly or improves remarkably, nothing…
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Seri Ruam Thai party leader Pol Gen Seripisut Temiyavet has accused Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha of being the biggest borrower and spender of all Thailand’s prime ministers and of being…
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Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha is bracing for his third censure debate this week when he and five other Cabinet members will be grilled by opposition politicians. The attacks will center…
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Recent weeks have seen the emergence of youth-led violent protests at Bangkok’s Din Daeng intersection – in what observers view as a strategy to help support the mainly peaceful anti-establishment…
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Tanat Thanakitamnuay was addressing a crowd of anti-government protesters in Bangkok on August 13 when he was hit by a projectile that his family says permanently blinded him in one…
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As a prolific writer and editor, Suchart Sawasdsri was honored with the role of the national artist (literature) in 2011. However, as a keen political observer and critic, he is…
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Police are under fire over their handling of anti-government protesters who have taken to the streets almost daily since early this month. The methods being used by police are viewed…
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Thailand’s House of Representatives passed the Public Health Ministry’s (MoPH) 37.6 billion baht budget for the 2022 fiscal year, in its second reading today (Saturday), by 242:124 votes,despite opposition MPs’…
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Politics, whether it’s an extreme dictatorship, mild fascism, or full-blown democracy, is all about magnifying opponents’ faults and belittling your own in the full glare of the public. Motives are to…
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Hard-core anti-establishment protesters fought street battles with the police, throwing their “ping pong” bombs, bricks and other hard objects, in response to the police use of teargas, water cannons and…
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Thailand’s Civil Court rejected an application for an injunction forbidding the police from using rubber bullets against anti-establishment protesters, citing the necessity under the State of Emergency to bring “emergencies”…
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Anti-government protesters, led by the “United Front of Thammasat and Demonstration” group on Tuesday issued five demands, and urged all officials to rebel against the government and all businesses to…
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There are anti-government protests scheduled to take place in Bangkok and in several other provinces today (Saturday). While the police have already set up barricades with razor wire and shipping containers…
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32 anti-government protesters, belonging to the “Talu Fah” group, were arrested yesterday, Deputy Commissioner of the Metropolitan Police Bureau Pol Maj-Gen Piya Tavichai confirmed today (Tuesday), while Amnesty International (AI)…
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Former classmates, who studied at the Faculty of Communication Arts of Chulalongkorn University with, both twin daughters of Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha, have asked them to tell their father to…
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The answer will depend primarily on the COVID-19 numbers at Thailand’s popular island resort. But how the Prayut administration will look coming out of a potential Phuket nightmare will also…
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Calling people out has become popular among Thai social-media users in recent times, and now they are pressuring local celebrities and stars to take a stance – usually on political…
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Once a darling of the anti-establishment movement, Nuttaa “Bow” Mahattana is now being denounced as a traitor to the cause – though the human rights activist insists she is just…
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Simple math and the almost-worldwide belief that good coronavirus vaccines are in the United States make its current situation mind-boggling. Its population is roughly 4.7 times that of Thailand, but…
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Thailand’s Navy has once again shelved plans to buy Chinese submarines, following growing pressure on the government to divert the budget for their purchase to tackle the worsening COVID-19 crisis….
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Famed as Thailand’s top “economics tsar”, former deputy prime minister Somkid Jatusripitak has served both elected governments and a junta regime during his long and colorful career. Somkid, 68, abruptly quit…
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Debutant MP Wiroj Lakkhanaadisorn from the opposition Move Forward Party has campaigned relentlessly for full disclosure of the government’s vaccine procurement contracts, insisting that transparency is vital in the fight…
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The “car mob” protesters, led by political activist Sombat Boonngarm-anong, rallied in different parts of Bangkok this afternoon (Saturday), to put pressure on government coalition parties to dump Prime Minister…
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Two groups of protesters gathered, as they said they would, near Government House in Bangkok late Saturday afternoon, to demand the resignation of Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha. Led by Mr….
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Pheu Thai and Move Forward are reportedly not seeing eye to eye. But neither are Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha and Palang Pracharath, and the latter pair’s conflict can be more…
Read MoreHopes for a new and more democratic Thai Constitution rose this week when the referendum bill sailed through Parliament. The government-sponsored bill paves the way for a public vote on…
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Two anti-government protest groups have vowed to resume their rally at Government House in Bangkok tomorrow (Saturday), after they ended their protest on Thursday night. Mr. Nititorn Lumlua, a core…
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Thai anti-establishment protesters, including “Ratsadon” and affiliated groups, gathered at the Democracy Monument early on Thursday, to commemorate the 89th anniversary of the bloodless revolution, which transformed Thailand into a…
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The opposition is targeting a “secret budget” worth more than Bt1 billion while vetting the Bt3.1-trillion budget for the 2022 fiscal year. The budget bill passed its first parliamentary reading…
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As the new spokesman of the Centre for Economic Situation Administration (CESA), Thanakorn Wangboonkongchana’s first job was to defend the government’s relief measures for people affected by COVID-19. His opening…
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Parliament is scheduled to deliberate 13 charter amendment bills this week, but only a few are expected to make it through to the national assembly, a third of which is…
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The ruling party’s latest internal reshuffle indicates it desperately wants to win the next election, amid speculation that the national poll will be called early. Palang Pracharath Party rejigged its…
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Humans make rules, dissolve parliaments, woo voters, mark ballots, and set up administrations, but the new normal of politics stipulates that they aren’t the ones actually in control. Those activities…
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The draft bill for a national referendum on charter change is back in the spotlight, with Parliament due next week to resume deliberations that were suspended in April. The government-sponsored bill would…
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The opposition Move Forward Party is pushing for an amendment to the Criminal Code that would punish judicial personnel for “distorting the law”. Move Forward, aka “Kao Klai” in Thai,…
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Politics is a game where there are no permanent enemies, and no permanent friends, only permanent interests. The old saying was proved true again recently when veteran politician Ruangkrai Leekitwattana…
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When Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha ordered his Cabinet last week to speed up implementation of public projects as the government only had one year left in office, many saw it…
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Exiled Former Thai Prime Minister, Yingluck Shinawatra, and her cabinet, have been cleared of any wrongdoing by an investigative panel of the National Anti-Corruption Commission (NACC), in connection with the…
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This month marks a year since Thai government critic Wanchalearm “Tar” Satsaksit disappeared following his apparent abduction in Cambodia on June 4, 2020. His family, friends, and fellow activists have…
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Proposed amendments to the Official Information Act are aimed at protecting state secrets, contrary to the law’s original goal of securing the public’s right to access government data, critics warn. …
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Thai politics has taken a surprising twist amid the worsening COVID-19 crisis, with supporters of Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha now joining loud calls for him to quit. Previously seen as…
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While for outsiders Anwar Salaeh is a rebel MP, most of his fellow Democrats consider him a black sheep for his role as an opponent of both his party and…
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The Constitutional Court’s controversial ruling last week in favour of Deputy Agriculture and Cooperatives Minister Thammanat Prompow has upset many people, including supporters of the government. Thammanat, a key dealmaker…
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Disappointment, anger and despair is rumbling through Thai society after Thammanat Prompow was let off the hook by the Constitutional Court on Wednesday. Though many were unsurprised by the verdict,…
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Yesterday’s Constitutional Court verdict, which allows controversial Deputy Agriculture Minister Thammanat Prompow to retain his ministerial post and MP status, despite his drug trafficking conviction in Australia in the 1990’s,…
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Thai social media has lit up with heated debate about citizens who have vowed to leave the country over growing frustration with the government’s COVID-19 vaccination policy. Both sides of…
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Thailand’s Constitutional Court ruled today (Wednesday) that Deputy Agriculture Minister Thammanat Prompow, who was found guilty of drug trafficking by an Australian court in 1993, can retain his ministerial post…
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When General Prawit Wongsuwan took control of the ruling Palang Pracharath Party in June last year, among his core tasks was to manage the internal power struggle between party factions….
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One Redem protester was arrested on Sunday night, following a clash between crowd control police and some hard-core protesters who refused to disperse after the protest in front of the…
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As Public Health Minister, Anutin Charnvirakul is being blamed for perceived failures in handling Thailand’s latest and worst wave of COVID-19, whose tide of infections and deaths has triggered partial…
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Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha and his government are suffering a barrage of attacks from critics and political rivals as Thailand is hit by a third wave of COVID-19 infections. Some…
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Human beings’ “fights for freedom” have come a long way since the man loved and idolized by so many all across the world and considered a symbol of peaceful resistance…
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Non-governmental organisations (NGOs) are coming under tougher government scrutiny in many countries, and Thailand recently joined the trend by introducing a draft law that would allow state monitoring of NGO…
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The LINE chat between someone, said to be a US Embassy official, and a Thai political activist, is a complete fabrication and the US government is not funding or providing…
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Supporters of the anti-establishment movement are calling on two detained protest leaders to end their hunger strike as concerns for their health grow. The calls are mounting as Parit “Penguin”…
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Prime Minister General Prayut Chan-o-cha’s communication style has never been impressive, especially when it comes to tackling crises like the COVID-19 outbreak that hit the country early last year. His…
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Saksayam Chidchob was previously best known as the “nominee” of his older brother, veteran politician Newin. However, last week he landed himself in trouble by becoming the first Cabinet member…
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More names are joining the fray thick and fast. They make the complex picture of Thai politics even more incomprehensible, compensating for the fact that street protests at the moment…
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While opinion polls show Bangkok voters favour independent candidates in the upcoming governor election, observers say the “swing vote” in the capital makes it difficult to predict a winner. Many…
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The push to change the junta-sponsored Constitution is back at square one after the amendment bill paving the way for a charter rewrite was shot down in its final reading…
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Among top Thai political activists, Jatuporn Prompan is probably the most unpredictable. Wild speculation, therefore, has greeted his surprising plan to lead a separate street protest against the prime minister. Whatever…
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Colourful MP Pareena Kraikupt has gone down in history as the first person to be indicted for “grave ethical offences” under the new anti-corruption law, for her alleged encroachment on…
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The newly formed Ruam Thai Sang Chart Party sounds very familiar, especially since it carries the same name as the government initiative launched to fight the COVID-19 pandemic. Despite government denials,…
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Three Ratsadon leaders, currently being held on remand, told the Criminal Court today (Monday) that they would not mention the monarchy issue again if the court grants them bail, with…
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The new digital economy and society (DES) minister, Chaiwut Thanakhamanusorn, is set to get tougher with fake news aimed at undermining the government and the monarchy — intensifying an unfinished…
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Seventy protesters, who had been camping at “Baan Thaloo Fah village”, which was set up in front of the Government House on March 13th, were rounded up by the police…
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Anti-establishment protest leaders imprisoned on charges of lese majeste and sedition claim their lives may be in danger behind bars. They recently voiced fears of being assaulted or even killed…
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All of a sudden, it’s halfway through. Amid a reigning political chaos, it’s easy not to notice that Thais are now as close to the next general election as they…
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The government-sponsored draft bill for a referendum on charter change is hanging in the balance after lawmakers were forced to postpone their vote when a significant point in the draft…
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The national police chief, Pol Gen Suwat Jangyodsook, said today (Wednesday) that he had not offered an apology to the demonstrators attending a protest at Sanam Luang on Saturday, explaining…
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The referendum that endorsed the present Constitution in 2016 may be controversial, but the one that would re-affirm or question its worthiness will be far less so. The former referendum…
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The bill seeking to amend the current Constitution which was promulgated while the military junta was in power in 2017 was voted down late Wednesday night after more than 10…
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Wednesday’s parliamentary session was marked by long and heated arguments over whether the charter-amendment bill should go to a final reading or be dropped altogether. Last week, the Constitutional Court…
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A heated and lengthy debate accompanied by chaos including a walkout are expected in Parliament when the charter amendment draft bill returns for its third and final reading on March…
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Political stability has a key influence over a country’s economic performance both in the short and the long term. In Thailand, anti-establishment protests that kicked off last year are rocking…
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March has been a bad month for the anti-establishment network, so far at least. Its public support has continued to decline, the royal portrait burning incident has planted more doubts…
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Another crucial moment for the Thai Constitution has arrived, with the court set to rule on March 11whether Parliament is authorised to pave the way for a charter rewrite. The Constitutional Court’s ruling carries serious…
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Ahead of planned protests in Bangkok on Saturday, by various activist groups, Supreme Commander General Chalermphol Srisawat, in his capacity as the security chief of the current emergency situation, issued…
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Four political parties will battle for a single MP seat when the polls open in the Nakhon Si Thammarat Constituency 3 by-election on Sunday (March 7). The coalition Democrat and…
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