Politics News
Thailand politics news, government updates, policy changes, and election coverage—stay informed on key political events, leaders, and decisions shaping the nation. Get the latest from The Thaiger, your trusted source for political news in Thailand.
-
New Thai PM, Srettha, vows to elevate Thai well-being, royal PM appointment postponed
The newly elected Prime Minister of Thailand promised to elevate the well-being of the Thai people after yesterday’s Parliament meeting to select a new PM. However, the scheduled royal ceremony for the installation of the new PM at 8pm encountered a delay. During the Parliament meeting to select a new PM, the Pheu Thai Party’s candidate, Srettha Tavisin, managed to…
-
New era in Thailand: Srettha Tavisin voted 30th Prime Minister of Thailand
Thailand can finally hail a new leader after Pheu Thai Party candidate Srettha Tavisin secured enough votes from members of the National Assembly of Thailand to become the kingdom’s 30th prime minister. Today, August 22, marked a day of significance for Thailand, as the nation witnessed two important events. Leading the headlines was the return of a former Thai PM,…
-
Thaksin Shinawatra’s 15-year exile ends with immediate jail term upon return (video)
Former Thailand Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra was jailed this morning only hours after his aeroplane touched the tarmac at Don Mueang International Airport in Bangkok – ending his 15-year self-imposed exile. The 74 year old ex PM’s aircraft landed at 9am today and he was immediately escorted to the Supreme Court to acknowledge and begin an eight-year prison sentence. Despite…
-
Political change, Thai PM appointment poised to boost stocks
The anticipated appointment of Thailand‘s 30th prime minister this week is predicted to bolster stocks likely to benefit from political change and the policies and stimulus measures proposed by the Pheu Thai Party, reported Bangkok Post. Brokerage firm Asia Plus Securities (ASPS) projects the 11-party coalition, which declared on Monday its possession of 314 MP seats, will secure enough senatorial…
-
Awaiting arrest, ex-Prime Minister Thaksin returns to Thailand amidst political unrest
As Thailand anticipates the arrival of former Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra, fresh from a self-imposed exile, arrest warrants are ready for viewing and inevitable jail time awaits him. His expected return is scheduled for tomorrow, incidentally, coinciding with parliamentary proceedings to elect the country’s 30th leader. His daughter, Paetongtarn “Ung Ing” Shinawatra, a former prime ministerial candidate for the Pheu…
-
Thai MP has beef with beef restaurant that calls him scum
In an unusual incident, a Member of Parliament found himself on the receiving end of a vulgar slur. The slur was scribed on a delivery package from a renowned beef restaurant, which was ordered by the MP himself, creating a whirlwind of controversy. Piyarat Chongthep, the offended MP in question, represents the Phra Khanong Bangna area of Bangkok. He is…
-
Chuwit urges Big Joke probe into Pheu Thai PM candidate’s tax scheme accusation
A former Thai politician urged the Deputy Commissioner of the Royal Tha Police (RTP) to initiate an investigation into allegations levelled against the Pheu Thai Party’s prime ministerial candidate. After the Pheu Thai Party announced that they would propose Srettha Thavisin as their PM candidate, former politician and soapy king Chuwit Kamolvisit announced that he had evidence which could prove…
-
Forward march halted: Constitutional Court blocks MFP’s leadership ambitions
The Move Forward Party (MFP) and its leader today suffered a substantial setback in their aspirations to lead the country after the Thai Constitutional Court rejected a plea to reevaluate a Parliamentary verdict that obstructed the renomination of their prime ministerial candidate. This turn of events deals a fatal blow to any lingering hopes the MFP harboured of steering the…
-
Pheu Thai Party solidifies coalition agreement with PPRP and UTN
In a significant political development, the Pheu Thai Party has successfully solidified a coalition agreement with the Palang Pracharath Party (PPRP) and the United Thai Nation (UTN) Party. According to a reliable source, this pact involves a reciprocal arrangement where both the PPRP and UTN have committed to supporting Srettha Thavisin, a prominent figure within Pheu Thai, and the anticipated…
-
Pheu Thai Party urges caretaker government to halt civil servants relocation
The Pheu Thai Party is calling for the caretaker government, under PM Prayut Chan-o-cha’s leadership, to heed the national constitution by not relocating leading civil servants, particularly permanent secretaries, whilst the new administration is being formed. Phumtham Wechayachai, the party’s deputy leader, voiced these calls recently. Phumtham issued a statement in which he admonished the transitional approach of Prayut’s government, reminding…
-
Pheu Thai candidate Srettha sues over tax evasion allegations from Chuwit
In a recent turn of events surrounding the Pheu Thai Party, Srettha Thavisin, the prime ministerial candidate, commanded his legal counsel to start a legal battle against the well-known whistleblower Chuwit Kamolvisit. This move comes in response to allegations raised by Chuwit that Srettha was complicit in tax evasion incidents related to land acquisitions by the property giant, Sansiri Plc.…
-
Prescription for trouble: Hospital director’s defamation verdict
In a recent ruling, the Criminal Court handed down a sentence to the director of Mongkutwattana Hospital, Major General Doctor Rianthong Nanna, convicting him of defamation offences against Sira Jenjaka, a former Bangkok MP for the Palang Pracharath Party. The judgement includes a prison sentence of five years and a penalty fine amounting to 100,000 baht. However, due to his…
-
Pheu Thai Party confides challenges in forming new Thai coalition government
In an evolving political landscape where the constitution, power structures and group conflicts have become major challenges, the Pheu Thai Party acknowledged that manoeuvring the formation of a new coalition government is far from simple. According to Pheu Thai’s Deputy Leader, Phumtham Wechayachai, the party has to remain committed and steadfast in its approach to lead the nation out of…
-
Thaksin Shinawatra delays Thailand return sourcing health check as deciding factor
Thaksin Shinawatra, former prime minister of Thailand, announced yesterday that he would be delaying his return to his homeland from his current location of self-exile. Shinawatra, whose background lies in telecommunications, took to the popular social media platform Twitter to inform followers of his upcoming health checkup, which resulted in the need for him to reschedule his original plan to…
-
Thai democracy at risk following Pheu Thai’s exclusion of MFP in coalition
A collective of democratic organisations has appealed to the Pheu Thai Party to reconsider its choice to exclude the Move Forward Party (MFP) from a coalition government, declaring the move as a setback for Thai democracy. Yesterday, a joint statement from 32 unit network cautioned that sidelining of MFP, the party with the most parliamentary seats following the May 14…
-
Thaksin Shinawatra’s return to Thailand delayed amid prime ministerial vote postponement
The return of Thaksin Shinawatra, former prime minister of Thailand and reputed de facto head of the Pheu Thai Party, has been delayed. The strategy appears aimed at facilitating his smooth return, once a government led by his party comes into play, disclosed an unnamed source within Pheu Thai yesterday. The initial return plan for Thaksin was for Thursday, August…
-
MFP calls out Pheu Thai Party’s lies on lese majeste law revision
The Move Forward (MFP) yesterday accused the Pheu Thai Party of lying. The MFP insist the Pheu Thai Party never requested them to withdraw their plan to revise the lese majeste law. The Pheu Thai Party yesterday announced an official split from the MFP and six other aligned parties, which had earlier agreed to a memorandum of understanding (MOU) regarding…
-
Move forward, lese divide: Thai election winner MFP sparks coalition clash over lese majeste law revision
Thai General Election winner the Move Forward Party (MFP) is refusing to abandon its ideology, insisting it will revise the lese majeste law, leading to a division among the Pheu Thai Party and the eight coalition parties. As a consequence, the Pheu Thai Party insisted that they cannot work with the MFP and announced they will form a government with…
-
Rayong MP Nakhonchai steps down after criminal past revealed
Amid the swirling storm of controversy, Move Forward Party MP for Rayong, Nakhonchai Khunnarong made a public statement on his Facebook account regarding his criminal conviction in a theft case over 20 years ago. In his post, he expressed his willingness to shoulder the blame and depart from his role. He confirmed that he would be stepping down in just one…
-
Pheu Thai party prepares for coalition meeting
In the latest political development, the Pheu Thai Party, one of the primary political entities in Thailand, plans a strategic meeting with its seven coalition partners next week. The primary focus of this meeting is to mull over the future direction of the eight-party coalition. Following this, they intend to update other parties outside of the bloc and opposition members.…
-
Royal pardon for ex-PM Thaksin?
The unseated ex-Prime Minister of Thailand, Thaksin Shinawatra, is eligible to request a royal pardon upon his return to the country. When he returns, he would be imprisoned but can request a pardon, according to the acting Deputy Prime Minister Wissanu Krea-Ngam in an announcement yesterday. According to the deputy premier, who also holds the interim role of justice minister…
-
House speaker warns Thai MPs against ‘cobra’ behaviour in Parliament
The President of the Parliament, Wan Muhamad Noor Matha, who also carries the title of House Speaker, has issued a stark warning to Thai MPs against breaching the peoples’ trust by becoming “cobras,” within the parliamentary chambers. Speaking to attendees of a seminar addressing the roles and obligations of MPs, Wan declared that true power belongs to citizens, who exercise…
-
Exiled ex-PM Thaksin pledges return to Thailand for driver’s funeral
Former Thai Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra, exiled since 2008, today confirmed he is returning to Thailand next month. The 74 year old ex PM is returning to pay his respects to Wichai Changlek, Thaksin’s driver, who passed away at the age of 73. Thaksin wishes to return to attend the cremation ceremonies. The family of Shinawatra, including his daughters Paetongtarn…
-
Thai Transport Minister accused of illegally holding shares in partnership company
Move Forward Party (MFP) MP Pakornwut Udompipat accused the current Minister of Transport of violating the constitution by holding shares in a partnership company. The accusation was first brought into the public domain in the censure debate on July 19 of last year. Pakornwut presented his information stating that Saksayam Chidchop, from the Bhumjaithai Party, concealed his shares, in Buri…
-
MFP seeks reconsideration of Pita’s prime ministerial candidacy
The Move Forward Party (MFP) is determined to push for a reconsideration of Pita Limjaroenrat’s renomination as a prime ministerial candidate, urging the National Assembly to handle the matter internally without involving the Constitution Court. The scheduled Parliament meeting for prime minister (PM) selection, initially set for July 27, took an unexpected turn when Parliament President Wan Muhamad Nor Matha,…
-
Thailand prime minister selection meeting takes a raincheck
The President of the National Assembly of Thailand today officially announced the meeting in Parliament to choose the next prime minister has been postponed. The meeting, originally scheduled for Thursday, July 27, will be delayed until further notice. Wan Muhamad Nor Matha, also known as Wan Nor, explained that the meeting to select the next Thai prime minister has been cancelled until…
-
Bodyguard of MFP leader Pita hits a snag: Criminal past uncovered
The bodyguard of Move Forward Party (MFP) leader Pita Limjaroenrat has been suspended from duty after Thai netizens discovered he has a criminal past. He was jailed in 2011 for kidnapping someone for ransom. The bodyguard in question, Sisuriyen Sikamonpakdee, became the talk of Thai social media because of his dedication to protecting Pita wherever the politician went. However, netizens…
-
Thai Ombudsman deems rejection of MFP leader’s renomination as PM as unconstitutional
The Thai Ombudsman yesterday declared Parliament‘s rejection of Move Forward Party (MFP) leader Pita Limjaroenrat’s renomination as a prime ministerial candidate as unconstitutional. As a result, the case will be forwarded to the Constitutional Court for further review. This request followed a solution passed by the Parliament Assembly, which blocked Pita’s bid to become PM. The Ombudsman believes that this…
-
Move forward, step back: Thailand’s election winner yields to Pheu Thai Party to form govt
Thailand’s General Election winner, the Move Forward Party (MFP), and its leader, Pita Limjaroenrat, have agreed to step back and make way for the Pheu Thai Party to lead the coalition parties and form a government. The MFP Permanent Secretary, Chaitawat Tulathon, today, July 21, revealed the party’s struggles over the past two months during a press conference. The conservative…
-
MFP leader Pita Limjaroenrat hailed as politician of the year in E-Saan Poll
The leader of the Move Forward Party (MFP) was hailed politician of the year according to an E-Saan Poll. The survey was compiled by the E-Saan Centre for Business and Economic Research (ECBER) of the Faculty of Management Science, Khon Kaen University, in the Isaan province of Khon Kaen. The annual “Rewards of E-Saan” poll aims to gauge the sentiments…
Don't forget to check out some other things to do in Thailand - get help starting a business or finding a job in Thailand, buy Thailand property, rent a yacht or book a medical procedure worldwide.