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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Ex-PM Thaksin pledges return to face court after surprise Dubai trip
The former Prime Minister (PM) of Thailand, Thaksin Shinawatra, flew to Dubai last night, September 4, reportedly to seek medical treatment. He promised to return to Thailand before September 8 to appear in court on September 9. Thaksin faces charges under the Computer Crime Act and Section 112 of the Criminal Law, also known as the lèse majesté law, stemming…
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Anutin poised to take top job as PM vote nears
Anutin Charnvirakul is expected to be confirmed as Thailand’s next prime minister today, following a key political shift involving party alliances and a planned vote. House Speaker Wan Muhamad Noor Matha confirmed that the parliamentary vote for the new Prime Minister will be held today, September 5. The move follows the latest twist in Thailand’s turbulent political landscape, which now…
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Election Commission to reject petition against Pheu Thai Party
The Election Commission (EC) is likely to reject a petition aimed at dissolving the ruling Pheu Thai Party and its five coalition partners, after allegations that former Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra influenced the parties’ operations. The petition, which has been under review by the political registrar of the EC, claims that Thaksin exerted control over these parties, despite no official…
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Phuket tackles high fees at Deep Sea Port after complaints
Phuket’s provincial officials convened an urgent meeting yesterday to address growing complaints from transport operators regarding the high entrance fees being charged at Phuket Deep Sea Port. The meeting, chaired by Vice Governor Samawit Suphanphai, took place at the Damrongtham Centre (Phuket Provincial Ombudsman’s Office) in Phuket Provincial Hall yesterday, September 3. The discussions were deemed crucial enough to involve…
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Phumtham faces legal heat over House dissolution request
A political uproar has erupted after caretaker Prime Minister Phumtham Wechayachai sought royal approval to dissolve the House of Representatives. Yesterday, September 3, a list MP and political activist filed a complaint with the police accusing Phumtham of lese majeste. The move has sparked allegations of corruption and malfeasance in office, with accusations that he exceeded his authority. Suratin Pichan…
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Political showdown: Thailand’s House to vote on new PM tomorrow
Thailand’s House of Representatives will vote tomorrow to elect a new Prime Minister, following the dismissal of Paetongtarn Shinawatra. The outcome could reshape the country’s political landscape. As stipulated by the Constitution, the entire Cabinet was removed from office, with the caretaker government remaining in place until a new administration is formed. In response to the ongoing political turmoil, the…
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Sri Lanka brews Thai ties with world-famous Ceylon tea
Sri Lanka is banking on its world-famous Ceylon tea to deepen ties with Thailand, using the 70th anniversary of diplomatic relations as the perfect occasion to showcase its prized export. On Monday, September 1, the Sri Lankan Embassy in Bangkok hosted a glittering evening reception titled Ceylon Tea Finest Evening. The event spotlighted the nation’s premium teas while highlighting their…
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Constitutional Court defends ruling that ousted Paetongtarn as PM
Thailand’s political storm intensified today after the Constitutional Court stood firm on its decision to oust ex-Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra, rejecting claims that the ruling was invalid due to a judge’s expired term. The court confirmed that its August 29 verdict, which removed Paetongtarn over alleged ethical misconduct linked to a leaked conversation with Cambodian Senate President Hun Sen, remains…
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People’s Party backs Anutin as PM under strict terms (video)
Thailand’s political chessboard just shifted again, and the clock is now ticking on Anutin Charnvirakul’s path to power. In a dramatic U-turn, the People’s Party (PP) announced this morning, September 3, that it would support Anutin, leader of the Bhumjaithai Party, as Thailand’s 32nd prime minister, but only under strict conditions that could collapse the new government within months. The…
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Thailand and Singapore deepen education ties after 60 years
Singapore aims to enhance its educational cooperation with Thailand as the two countries celebrate a six-decade-long partnership. At the Singapore Education Fair 2025 in Bangkok last week, Quek Shei Ting, Deputy Chief of Mission of Singapore to Thailand, emphasised education’s role as a key pillar in their bilateral relations. “Thailand and Singapore have shared a long history of friendship and…
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Cannabis clampdown: Thailand limits buds to 5 medical uses
Forget rolling a joint for fun: Thai health chiefs have slammed the brakes on cannabis use, ruling that buds can only be legally consumed by patients with specific medical conditions and a doctor’s prescription. The Department of Thai Traditional and Alternative Medicine (DTAM) confirmed the strict new rules, narrowing the scope of cannabis usage after months of heated debate over…
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Ex-MP dances naked to fulfill vow after Paetongtarn removed
A former Member of Parliament (MP) from the Move Forward Party (MFP) stripped naked yesterday, 1 September, and performed a traditional Thai dance to fulfil her vow after the former Prime Minister of Thailand, Paetongtarn Shinawatra, was removed from office. View this post on Instagram A post shared by The Thaiger (@thethaigerofficial) The ex-MP, Amarat Chokepamitkul, had announced…
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Bangkok protest set for today against Pheu Thai’s government formation
The United Power of the Land to Protect Sovereignty and its supporters are set to convene at Victory Monument in Bangkok today, August 31, opposing the Pheu Thai Party’s efforts to form a new government. This decision follows the Constitutional Court’s ruling on August 29, which removed Paetongtarn Shinawatra from the prime ministerial candidacy due to a leaked phone call…
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Anutin pushes plan for interim government with allies
Thailand’s political chessboard has been thrown into fresh turmoil as Bhumjaithai leader Anutin Charnvirakul declared his readiness to lead an interim government, with crucial backing from the opposition People’s Party. The move comes after the Constitutional Court removed Paetongtarn Shinawatra from the premiership, leaving the country in limbo. Anutin confirmed yesterday, August 29, that his party is canvassing support from…
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Thailand grants royal pardon to jailed activists and artists
Thailand has released several high-profile prisoners jailed under the controversial lese majeste law following royal pardons issued earlier this year, with activists, artists, and even a mother jailed while pregnant among those walking free. The mass release, which began on Wednesday, August 27, was confirmed by the Corrections Department. Those freed include those convicted under Section 112 of the Criminal…
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PM out: Paetongtarn booted over Hun Sen audio scandal
Thailand’s Constitutional Court today removed Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra from office, ruling she committed serious ethical violations in a leaked audio clip with Cambodian Senate President Hun Sen. At 9.30am today, August 29, the nine judges, led by court president Nakarin Mektrairat, convened to deliberate the petition lodged by 36 senators and endorsed by the Senate President. The complaint alleged…
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Thailand’s rights body urges halt to mega land bridge plan
Thailand’s ambitious Ranong–Chumphon land bridge project has hit a major roadblock after the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) called for it to be suspended over fears of human rights abuses, flawed economics, and a lack of genuine public input. At its meeting on Tuesday, August 26, the NHRC advised the government to put the project on hold until comprehensive public…
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Power play: Anutin eyes PM seat if Paetongtarn falls
Political winds are swirling in Bangkok as reports emerge of a secret pact that could see Bhumjaithai Party leader Anutin Charnvirakul take over as prime minister if Paetongtarn Shinawatra is booted from office. According to Palang Pracharath Party (PPRP) deputy leader Chaiwut Thanakamanusorn, Anutin has urged PPRP leader Prawit Wongsuwan to back him for a six-month interim premiership, should the…
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Thailand to slam the gate shut with Cambodia border wall
Thailand will construct its first permanent border fence with Cambodia this year. The project, confirmed by the Royal Thai Army (RTA), will begin near Aranyaprathet to address ongoing security concerns along the shared boundary. The permanent 10-kilometre fence along the Thai-Cambodian border, planned to rise near boundary markers 50 and 51 in Aranyaprathet, Sa Kaeo province, comes after a joint…
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Bangkok court jails Chuwit for defamation, grants bail on appeal
He called out a rival live on YouTube; now, firebrand former MP Chuwit Kamolvisit is heading back to jail. Yesterday, August 27, the Bangkok South Criminal Court sentenced Chuwit to 12 months in prison without suspension. He was found guilty of defaming and insulting former Special Branch deputy superintendent Santhana Prayoonrat. The sentence was later reduced to eight months because…
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Paetongtarn to skip court ruling, waits from Govt House
Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra, who is currently suspended, will not attend the Constitutional Court for the ruling tomorrow regarding her leaked phone call with Hun Sen. She plans to monitor proceedings from Government House. Yesterday, August 27, Deputy Prime Minister’s Secretary-General Somkid Chueakong stated that the 39 year old Pheu Thai leader would arrive at Government House around noon tomorrow,…
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Freedom fight: Court clears MP of lese majeste charges
A high-profile MP once at the forefront of Thailand’s protest movement has walked free after the Criminal Court threw out a lese majeste case against him, ruling there was no proof he even touched the post at the centre of the allegations. The Criminal Court yesterday acquitted People’s Party MP Piyarat Chongthep of both lese majeste and computer crime charges…
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Court countdown: Paetongtarn eyes comeback as ruling looms
A political comeback could be just days away as Thailand’s suspended prime minister prepares to step back into power, if the court gives the green light. Suspended Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra was confident yesterday that she could resume her duties by Friday, coinciding with a key Constitutional Court ruling on her premiership. During a video conference with Cabinet ministers yesterday,…
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Thai army blasts sound cannons at Cambodian border clash
Thai security forces have turned to sound cannons to drive back Cambodians accused of storming a Thai border village, in a dramatic escalation of tensions in Sa Kaeo province. Deputy Defence Minister General Natthaphon Nakphanich said the 1st Army Region deployed long-range acoustic devices (LRADs) to prevent dozens of Cambodians from illegally entering Baan Nong Chan in Khok Sung district.…
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Greenland mother’s baby seized despite ban on parenting tests
A young Greenlandic mother has been left heartbroken after Danish officials seized her newborn baby just an hour after birth, despite a new law banning the controversial parenting competence tests used to justify the removal. The young mother, 18 year old Ivana Nikoline Brønlund, who was born in Nuuk and has represented Greenland in handball, gave birth to her daughter,…
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Opposition MPs hit with 300 million baht energy defamation suit
Three senior members of the opposition People’s Party (PP) are facing a massive defamation lawsuit from one of Thailand’s energy giants, accused of smearing its reputation in a row over electricity pricing. PP leader Natthaphong Ruengpanyawut and list MPs Woraphob Wiriyaroj and Supachot Chaiyasat appeared at the Criminal Court on Ratchadaphisek Road yesterday, August 25, for a preliminary hearing in…
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Thailand’s retirement lottery launches with new payment options
Why just save for retirement when you can win your way there? Thailand’s new lottery is making it possible. Deputy Finance Minister Paopoom Rojanasakul has confirmed that sales for the highly anticipated retirement lottery will kick off in the fourth quarter of this year, offering weekly cash prizes while promoting long-term savings. Paopoom referred to the legal green light already…
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Thaksin dodges jail, lawyer eyes travel comeback
Former Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra has walked free from a Section 112 trial, and his lawyer now wants his travel ban lifted. Lawyer Winyat Chartmontri announced plans to formally request the revocation of Thaksin’s travel ban following the former premier’s acquittal in a controversial lese majeste case. The Criminal Court cleared Thaksin yesterday, August 22, of charges under Section 112…
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Thai court acquits Thaksin in royal defamation case
Former Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra has been acquitted of lèse majesté (royal defamation) and computer crime charges stemming from a 2015 interview with South Korea’s Chosun Media. Today, August 22, the Criminal Court delivered its verdict on the case filed by the Office of Criminal Litigation 8. Prosecutors had accused Thaksin of violating Section 112 of the Criminal Code (Thailand’s…
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Thaksin faces jail as court drops royal insult verdict
Thailand’s political soap opera enters a tense new chapter as the Criminal Court delivers its long-awaited verdict today in the lese majeste case against former Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra, exactly two years after his dramatic return from exile. Security is being ramped up around the courthouse, with media crews banned from entering without prior approval. Reporters will be allowed to…
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