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.
-
Sponsored Limited-time deal: Save 20% on Cigna's expat health plans forever
Starting a new life abroad is exciting—new culture, new lifestyle, and new chances to grow. But living far from home also means taking steps to protect your health in unfamiliar surroundings. Without the right coverage, even small health issues can...
-
Paetongtarn Shinawatra confirms new Cabinet
Thai PM Paetongtarn Shinawatra confidently returned to the kitchen today, ensuring the flame from the gas cylinder was on while announcing that her new Cabinet’s composition has been finalised. The prime minister seized the opportunity during a visit to flood-stricken Sukhothai to cook pad kaprao with premium beef, alongside renowned chef Chumpol Jaengprai in Mueang district. This time, she left…
-
NACC awaits CCTV in Thaksin hospital treatment probe
The National Anti-Corruption Commission (NACC) has yet to receive CCTV footage from the Police General Hospital as it investigates potential preferential treatment given to former Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra during his hospital stay. Niwatchai Kasemmongkol, NACC secretary-general, stated yesterday that the commission has gathered substantial information and will soon determine if there is sufficient evidence to proceed with questioning. The…
-
Thai House of Representatives to make 7.8 billion baht budget cut
The House of Representatives is set to proceed with the second and third readings of the budget bill for the 2025 fiscal year next week. This development comes amidst reports that the proposed spending plan has been reduced by nearly 8 billion baht. House Speaker Wan Muhamad Noor Matha announced that the budget debate will take place from September 3…
-
Hungary and Thailand to sign MoU for stronger economic ties
Hungary and Thailand are set to strengthen their economic ties with the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between the Hungarian-Thai Chamber of Commerce and the Budapest Chamber of Commerce next month. The Hungarian embassy facilitated a luncheon in Bangkok, where the Hungarian ambassador and local Thai media discussed Hungary’s role as president of the Council of the European…
-
Myanmar journalist jailed for life, another gets 20 years
A military court in Myanmar sentenced one journalist to life imprisonment and another to 20 years behind bars, further tightening the junta’s iron grip on the nation’s media. The verdict was delivered under a draconian counterterrorism law. The journalists, 40 year old Myo Myint Oo and 49 year old Aung San Oo, who work for the independent online news service…
-
Bangkok faces 11.75 billion baht Green Line debt crisis
The Bangkok Metropolitan Administration (BMA) and its business arm, Krungthep Thanakom (KT), are urgently reviewing a National Anti-Corruption Commission (NACC) ruling before they settle a colossal 11.75 billion baht debt owed to the Bangkok Mass Transit System (BTSC). This follows a Supreme Administrative Court order on July 26, which gave BMA and KT just 180 days to pay up. The…
-
DJOP evaluates Thicha Nanakorn’s contract amid budget cuts
The Department of Juvenile Observation and Protection (DJOP) is evaluating whether to renew the contract of a seasoned expert in juvenile justice, Thicha Nanakorn amid budget cuts for hiring specialists. A document released today by the DJOP outlines a policy to reduce staff numbers, particularly specialists and experts, during the 2025-2028 fiscal years. This policy has led to Thicha’s resignation,…
-
Seri Ruamthai quits coalition over police reform dispute
The Seri Ruamthai Party has withdrawn from the Pheu Thai Party-led government, following frustrations voiced by its leader, Police General Sereepisuth Temeeyaves. During a briefing at the Seri Ruamthai headquarters yesterday, Sereepisuth announced the party executive board’s decision to vote 7:4 on Tuesday, August 27, to exit the coalition government. Sereepisuth cited the desire to switch to the opposition bench…
-
Commerce Ministry cracks down on hidden foreign ownership
The Commerce Ministry intensifies its scrutiny of businesses allegedly using Thai nominees to hide foreign ownership, focusing on sectors like tourism, real estate, and logistics. Auramon Supthaweethum, director-general of the Department of Business Development, stated that under the Foreign Business Act of 1999, foreign firms must secure permission as outlined in specific lists before starting operations. A Thai limited company…
-
Thai activist Panupong Jadnok seeks asylum in New Zealand
Political activist Panupong Jadnok aka Mike Rayong facing a lese majeste charge for a defamatory message about His Majesty the King last year, has appeared in New Zealand, where he is expected to seek political asylum and begin a new life. Eakapop Luara, also known as Tang Achiwa, an ex-member of the red-shirt movement and a political refugee who previously…
-
Thaksin visits flood-hit Chiang Rai in sensational homecoming
Thaksin Shinawatra, the once-exiled former Prime Minister of Thailand and father of current PM Paetongtarn Shinawatra, made a sensational return to his homeland on Tuesday, August 27. Touching down at Mae Fah Luang Airport in Chiang Rai, he immediately set out to assess the devastation caused by severe flooding in the region—a crisis that has left hundreds struggling. Greeted warmly…
-
Thaksin’s taxing plan to tackle poverty in Thailand
Thaksin Shinawatra is making more waves to shake up Thailand’s social, economic and political scene. His latest pitch? A negative income tax (NIT) to shake up Thailand’s tax system. This isn’t the first time NIT has been floated in Thailand. Over a decade ago, the Finance Ministry’s Fiscal Policy Office (FPO) proposed something similar, and it was included in the…
-
Kenyan envoy urges stronger Thai-African trade and academic ties
Thailand and African nations should enhance bilateral trade, investment, and academic exchanges to foster stronger ties and expand business prospects, according to Kenyan ambassador to Thailand, Kiptiness Lindsay Kimwole. Speaking at a press conference yesterday, August 28, Kimwole, who also serves as the dean of the African Ambassadors’ Group, advocated for increased Thai investment in Africa. His comments were made…
-
Thai ministers set up flood command centre to tackle rising tides
Thai ministers ordered the establishment of a Flood Situation Command Centre to tackle the severe flooding sweeping across the nation. With a unified command structure, the newly formed operations centre is set to streamline water management efforts and mitigate the crisis. Leading this critical initiative is Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Commerce Phumtham Wechayachai. The government has reassured the…
-
Senate passes referendum bill, simplifies majority requirement
The Senate has given initial approval to the referendum bill passed by the House of Representatives, despite significant opposition from some senators. The contentious issue revolves around the bill’s replacement of the referendum’s double majority requirement with a simpler single majority or more than half of the votes cast. At the conclusion of yesterday’s session, the Senate voted 179 to…
-
Pheu Thai Party says no Cabinet seats for Palang Pracharath MPs
Pheu Thai Party MPs met yesterday and agreed to remove members of the Palang Pracharath Party (PPRP) from the new Cabinet. Former Pheu Thai Party Deputy Prime Minister Phumtham Wechayachai recently revealed that the new Cabinet would be established by the end of August, now only three days away. Phumtham disclosed that some former coalition parties have already submitted the…
-
New regulation allows convicts to serve time outside Thai prisons
Justice Minister Tawee Sodsong staunchly defended a new regulation permitting convicts to be detained outside of prison, addressing concerns that it might unfairly benefit former Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra. The Department of Corrections introduced this regulation to mitigate prison overcrowding, as the current system can only accommodate 150,000 to 160,000 inmates. The current prison population in Thailand stands at approximately…
-
Digital wallet scheme may be delayed to next fiscal year
The 10,000-baht digital wallet scheme faces potential postponement until the next fiscal year starting October 1 if not implemented by next month, according to the Budget Bureau. Bureau Director Chalermphol Pensoot stated that the details of the cash handout policy would need to be revisited once the new Cabinet is formed. The initiative, promising 10,000 baht to up to 50…
-
Pattaya City officials invited to China’s Hunan for strengthened ties
Pattaya City officials received a visit from the Vice Governor of Hunan province in China, accompanied by a delegation. They extended an invitation for Pattaya officials to visit Hunan province, aiming to enhance friendship and mutual understanding between Thai and Chinese communities. The initiative seeks to promote shared prosperity through cooperation in economics, trade, tourism, science and technology, culture, education,…
-
PM Paetongtarn denies Thaksin’s influence on Cabinet
Thailand Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra firmly asserted that she alone will decide on the composition of her Cabinet. This declaration follows concerns that her father, former Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra, might interfere in her selections. Paetongtarn was officially named Thailand’s 31st Prime Minister on August 18 after securing a majority vote in Parliament. Since then, her coalition partners have been…
-
Thailand’s BRICS ambition: Gateway to economic power?
As Thailand contemplates joining the BRICS economic bloc, the nation’s public and private sectors are buzzing with anticipation over the potential opportunities and benefits. The growing excitement was evident at the International Media Club of Thailand (IMCT)’s inaugural seminar in Bangkok last Thursday, August 22, where two panels dissected the pros and cons of the Brazil, Russia, India, China, and…
-
Thai Air Force to announce new fighter jet choice this week
The Royal Thai Air Force (RTAF) is set to reveal its choice for a new fighter jet model by the end of the week, as announced by ACM Panpakdee Pattanakul. The decision aims to modernise the ageing fleet. Currently, the RTAF is considering the Swedish-made Gripen E-model and the US-made F-16 Block 70 jets. Saab AB, the manufacturer of the…
-
Call for dissolution of Pheu Thai over alleged Thaksin influence
An anonymous complaint submitted last week called on the Election Commission of Thailand (ECT) to dissolve the Pheu Thai Party. The complaint alleges that party members have permitted former Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra, a non-member, to exert undue influence over its political activities. Channel 3 reported that the dissolution request on Monday, August 19, accused the Pheu Thai Party of…
-
New Cabinet line-up to be finalised by weekend
The new Cabinet line-up is expected to be finalised by the end of the week, according to Caretaker Deputy Prime Minister Phumtham Wechayachai. The government plans to immediately address national issues following the announcement of its policy statement in parliament next month. Phumtham, who stepped in as acting prime minister after Srettha Thavisin’s dismissal by the Constitutional Court, confirmed that…
-
Thailand drafts new law to restructure oil prices
Thailand’s Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Energy announced the completion of a draft law aimed at restructuring oil prices. This law is currently under review by a team of legal and energy experts before being presented to the Cabinet and later to the House of Representatives for consideration. Minister Pirapan Salirathavibhaga emphasised his commitment to ongoing projects despite the…
-
Thaksin-era furniture returns as Paetongtarn takes office
The iconic furniture from Thaksin Shinawatra’s administration has been reinstated in the Prime Minister’s office, just in time for his daughter, Paetongtarn Shinawatra, to take the reins as Thailand’s youngest premier. The sofa set and wooden desk, once the centrepieces of the PM’s office during Thaksin’s tenure (2001-2006), were returned today to their original spots in the Thai Khu Fah…
-
Commerce Ministry promotes Thai SELECT restaurants
The Commerce Ministry launched prototype Thai SELECT restaurants to boost Thailand’s soft power on a global scale. Celebrating its 104th anniversary, the ministry hosted the Driving the Thai Economy with Soft Power exhibition, led by caretaker Commerce Minister Phumtham Wechayachai, on the forecourt of its building. Phumtham emphasised the ministry’s dedication to enacting policies aimed at accelerating economic recovery. These…
-
Thaksin drops bombshell on fallout with Prawit
Former Thai Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra has finally broken his silence on the real reason behind his dramatic fallout with General Prawit Wongsuwan, the ex-military strongman and current leader of the embattled Palang Pracharath Party. During a question-and-answer session following his keynote speech on Thailand’s future at an event hosted by The Nation media group last night, Thaksin spilled the…
-
Thailand Department of Rice aids northern farmers after floods
Thailand’s Department of Rice, in collaboration with three rice associations, has donated survival bags and over 50 tonnes of rice to assist northern farmers affected by recent floods. Recent floods have ravaged the northern provinces of Phayao, Nan, Chiang Rai, and Phrae, leading to extensive damage to homes and farmlands. This disaster has severely impacted the agricultural sector in these…
-
People’s Party faces probe over executive appointments
Political activist Ruangkrai Leekitwattana petitioned the Election Commission (EC) to investigate the People’s Party (PP), the successor of the disbanded Move Forward Party (MFP), for allegedly failing to comply with party regulations. If violations are confirmed, the party’s August 9 resolution to appoint new executives could be deemed invalid, according to Ruangkrai, who noted that he has already submitted a…
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.