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.
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Sponsored Long-term life in Thailand? 5 reasons private health insurance pays off in the long run
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Court set to review petition for PM Paetongtarn’s removal
Thailand’s Constitutional Court is set to commence a preliminary review of a petition submitted by Senators seeking the removal of Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra. Filed last week, the petition will undergo an initial assessment by court officials to verify its compliance with requisite standards. According to a Bangkok Post source, this assessment involves checking the authenticity of the petitioners’ signatures…
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Ratsada’s bold plan: Mayor unveils 7 key initiatives for growth
Jirayut Songyos, the newly elected Mayor of Ratsada Subdistrict Municipality, laid out an ambitious policy plan aimed at transforming his subdistrict into a stronger, more prosperous community. Following his certification by the Phuket Provincial Election Commission on June 4, Jirayut spoke to the Ratsada Subdistrict Municipality Council, outlining his commitment to work under the principles of good governance and transparency.…
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Cambodian tourist numbers to Thailand drop 48% due to closures
Cambodian tourist numbers visiting Thailand have significantly decreased by 48% this month due to border closures, impacting a market already experiencing a slowdown since the previous year. Despite this, Thai AirAsia has reported a strong load factor on flights from Bangkok to Cambodia. Thapanee Kiatphaibool, governor of the Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT), stated that Cambodian arrivals in the first…
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Senate seeks to oust Paetongtarn over leaked call with Cambodia
The Senate Speaker has petitioned the Constitutional Court and the National Anti-Corruption Commission (NACC) to remove Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra from office due to a leaked phone call with Cambodian Senate President Hun Sen. The petitions question if the Thai PM engaged in corruption by violating the Constitution or laws, or if she seriously breached ethical standards. Concurrently, the Constitutional…
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Poipet casinos offer promotions to lure back Thai gamblers
Casino operators in Poipet, Cambodia, are implementing enticing travel promotions to attract Thai gamblers back after a noticeable decline in cross-border visits due to increased security measures at the Thai-Cambodian border. A local source noted that smaller gates at the Ban Khlong Luek border checkpoint in Sa Kaeo’s Aranyaprathet district remain operational to facilitate students travelling to school. The official…
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Phumtham defends PM, dismisses audio scandal backlash
Thailand’s Deputy Prime Minister Phumtham Wechayachai has come out swinging in defence of Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra, urging calm and diplomacy following the political storm triggered by her leaked audio conversation with former Cambodian leader Hun Sen. Phumtham, who also serves as Defence Minister, downplayed the fallout from the controversial clip, reaffirming the coalition’s support for Paetongtarn and brushing off…
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Watch your words: Thai air force warns troops on recordings
Heads up, airmen — Big Brother might be listening. The Royal Thai Air Force (RTAF) has issued a stark warning to its personnel: think twice before you speak, because your conversations could be recorded. In a now-deleted post made on June 19 via the official RTAF News Facebook page, Air Chief Marshal Praphat Sonjaidee, the air force’s spokesperson, reminded service…
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‘Get out!’: Rally erupts in Phuket over PM’s leaked clip
The streets of Phuket Old Town roared with anger as hundreds rallied against Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra, demanding her resignation following a bombshell leaked audio clip. Yesterday afternoon, June 19, a group that called themselves Phuket Loves the Nation staged a highly charged protest at Queen Sirikit Park on Thalang Road, drawing a crowd of 200 to 300 demonstrators. Their message…
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Thai activist calls mass protest to ‘sink the boat’ over PM scandal
Veteran activist Jatuporn Prompan has declared political war, calling for a mass protest at Bangkok’s Victory Monument on June 28. His mission? To oust Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra, whom he accuses of betraying the nation. At a fiery press conference held at the Rattanakosin Hotel on Ratchadamnoen Road, Bangkok, at 10am today, June 20, more than 40 prominent figures from…
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Death penalty call: Activists accuse PM over leaked tape
Two fiery political activists have filed explosive charges against Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra, claiming she committed acts so severe they could carry the death penalty. The complaint was lodged on Thursday at Mueang Khon Kaen Police Station by anti-corruption campaigners Tul Prasertsilp and Chaichana Tasaniyom. The duo accused the prime minister of breaching multiple sections of Thailand’s Criminal Code over…
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United Thai Nation Party demands PM’s resignation
The political ground is shaking as the United Thai Nation Party (UTN) threatens to walk out of the government coalition unless Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra steps down, setting the stage for a dramatic showdown. Pirapan Salirathavibhaga, the party leader and Energy Minister, made a terse announcement yesterday, June 19, following a closed-door executive meeting of the UTN in response to…
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EconThai warns against dissolving House amid political unrest
The Employers’ Confederation of Thai Trade and Industry (EconThai) has advised against dissolving the House of Representatives to tackle the weakened political stability in the wake of a leaked phone call between Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra and Hun Sen, former Cambodian prime minister. Tanit Sorat, vice-chairperson of EconThai, expressed concern about the potential political vacuum that could result from dissolving…
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Paris Air Show: Thailand and Textron join forces on fighter fleet
A high-flying deal was struck at the Paris Air Show this week as Textron Aviation Defence LLC joined forces with Thai Aviation Industries (TAI) to launch a major support programme for the Royal Thai Air Force (RTAF). In a Memorandum of Agreement (MOU) signed at the international aviation event, the two companies agreed to jointly sustain and support Thailand’s fleet…
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Thai government pays 750k baht to families of tortured conscripts
The Thai government awarded 750,000 baht per family to the relatives of two conscripts who died from torture. Today, June 19, at 9am, at the Ministry of Justice on Cherng Watthana Road, Police Colonel Tawee Sodsong, the justice minister, presided over the compensation ceremony for the victims’ families under the Prevention and Suppression of Torture and Enforced Disappearance Act 2022.…
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Clip leak scandal: Paetongtarn says ‘This isn’t the time to fight’
Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra publicly apologised after an explosive leaked audio clip of her private conversation with Cambodian Senate President Hun Sen sparked a diplomatic firestorm. In an urgent press conference, the Thai PM addressed the nation and confirmed she had no idea the conversation was being recorded, let alone that it would be released to the public. “I didn’t…
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Thai political instability threatens economy amid US tariff concerns
Political instability between Thailand’s ruling Pheu Thai Party and its coalition partner, the Bhumjaithai Party, is expected to further weaken investor confidence. This comes amid threats of a 36% US tariff on Thai exports. Poonyawat Sreesing, a senior economist at Siam Commercial Bank’s Economic Intelligence Centre (SCB EIC), highlighted that the Thai economy has been enduring political uncertainty for some…
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Ex-Bangkok MP jailed after Supreme Court slams defamation plea
A disgraced ex-Bangkok MP has been marched off to jail after Thailand’s Supreme Court upheld a defamation conviction linked to a fiery hospital confrontation. Sira Jenjaka, once a high-profile figure for the Palang Pracharath Party (PPRP), was sentenced yesterday, June 18, to six months and 20 days in prison without suspension, following a long-running feud with Mongkutwattana Hospital director Majoe…
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Commander takes no offence over PM’s private phone call
The Commander of the 2nd Army expressed his understanding after being mentioned in a private phone call between Thailand Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra, and Cambodian President Hun Sen. PM Paetongtarn was accused of positioning herself against the Thai armed forces, particularly 2nd Army Commander Boonsin “Big Kung” Padklang, due to remarks made during her conversation with Hun Sen, yesterday, June…
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Paet’s all, folks! Thai PM’s Instagram post sparks political meltdown
Thailand’s embattled Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra is facing the worst political crisis of her short premiership, after an emotional Instagram post backfired spectacularly and her ruling coalition began to collapse around her. PM Paetongtarn posted a cryptic message to her Instagram story at 8am, today, June 19: “People are not pretending to be sad, but pretending to be okay.” Less…
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Bhumjaithai Party exits from govt over PM phone call scandal
The Bhumjaithai Party, led by Deputy Prime Minister and Interior Minister Anutin Charnvirakul,, announced its withdrawal from the governing coalition yesterday, June 18, in the wake of the leaked phone call scandal involving Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra. PM Paetongtarn admitted that she had held a private phone conversation with former Cambodian PM Hun Sen. The call, a portion of which…
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Paetongtarn admits to phone call with Hun Sen after audio leak
A leaked phone conversation between Thailand Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra and former Cambodian President Hun Sen surfaced online, allegedly revealing the Thai PM taking a strong stance against her military personnel. The audio recording, which recently circulated on Thai social media, features voices believed to be Paetongtarn, Hun Sen, and an interpreter. In the recording, the alleged Thai PM urges Hun…
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Miss World Opal vows to empower Thai women
Thailand’s newly crowned Miss World lit up Government House this week, promising to use her global spotlight to empower women — and sending a message of strength to the nation’s leader. Suchata “Opal” Chuangsri, the first Thai woman to ever win the Miss World crown in the pageant’s 72-year history, paid a visit to Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra yesterday, June…
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Thai princess takes to the skies with Sweden’s top fighter jet
Princess Sirivannavari Nariratana Rajakanya turned heads in Sweden this week as she got hands-on with one of the world’s most advanced fighter jets — and showed unwavering support for the Royal Thai Air Force (RTAF). During a private visit to Linköping, the Thai royal observed a live demonstration of the Gripen D aircraft’s capabilities and took a closer look at…
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Thailand’s 157 billion baht stimulus scramble begins
Time is running out for government agencies to grab their slice of a massive 157 billion baht stimulus budget — and if they don’t move fast, the money disappears for good. Today, June 18, Thailand’s Economic Stimulus Committee will review a long list of proposals from ministries scrambling to secure funding before the clock runs out on September 30. If…
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Srettha slams Pride tokenism, demands real equality
Thailand may have just made history by legalising same-sex marriage, but former Prime Minister Srettha Thavisin says the party can’t stop at rainbow flags and parades. In a hard-hitting interview with the Bangkok Post for Pride Month, Srettha warned that true equality needs to go far beyond symbolism. “The goal should no longer be limited to designated celebrations such as Pride Month.…
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Thai air force on standby to rescue citizens from warzone
As the Middle East spirals further into chaos, Thailand has its wings clipped and ready. The Royal Thai Air Force (RTAF) is on high alert, poised to swoop in and evacuate tens of thousands of Thai citizens caught in the escalating Israel-Iran attacks. Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra revealed yesterday, June 17, that evacuation aircraft are prepped and waiting, pending coordination…
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Thailand and Malaysia boost maritime security with joint exercise
In a significant display of naval cooperation, Thailand and Malaysia have strengthened their maritime security relations through the 71st SEAEX THAMAL Combined Training Squadron/2025, which takes place from June 15-18. Yesterday, June 16, Vice Admiral Suwat Donsakul, Commander of the Third Naval Area Command, assigned Rear Admiral Phachong Rodnikorn, Deputy Commander of the Third Naval Area Command, to officially welcome…
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Thailand bans workers crossing to Poipet over safety concerns
Thailand has banned its citizens from crossing the border into Cambodia’s Poipet township, effective immediately. The order, issued by Major General Benchapol Dechatiwong na Ayutthaya, commander of the Burapa Task Force, prohibits all Thai workers employed in entertainment venues and casinos in Poipet from entering Cambodia through the Sa Kaeo border. The directive, which was enforced at 8am today, June…
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Tourism in Thailand drops amid Israel’s attack on Iran
Israel’s recent military attack on Iran is significantly impacting tourism, with a potential 30-50% drop in visitors from countries such as Iran, Iraq, Jordan, Lebanon, and Syria. This decline affects travel to major Thai destinations including Bangkok, Pattaya, Phuket, and Chiang Mai. Thapanee Kiatphaiboon, chief of the Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT), highlighted these concerns, noting a drop from approximately…
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Transport Ministry to launch contractor oversight system in August
The Ministry of Transport plans to introduce a “contractor report card” system in August, aimed at enhancing the oversight and accountability of contractors involved in public infrastructure projects. Deputy Prime Minister and Transport Minister Suriya Jungrungreangkit announced that the Ministry of Finance’s Comptroller General Department is working on regulations to evaluate contractor performance. These regulations will be reviewed by the…
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