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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Thailand’s healthcare system is well-regarded across Southeast Asia, with options ranging from public hospitals to world-class private facilities. But when it comes to foreign residents or tourists, healthcare access isn’t as straightforward. So, do foreigners get free healthcare in Thailand?...
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Beauty brand wants to end forced haircuts in Thailand’s schools
The Thai office of one American beauty brand wants to push Thai schools to ditch their mandatory haircuts for students. This news comes after the brand, Dove, has started working with Girl Guides, Thailand’s version of Girl Scouts, to empower women to reach their fullest potential. This week, Dove launched a campaign called #LetHerGrow, and released an ad about the…
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PM shrugs off claims of MPs being bribed to vote against him in no-confidence debate
The Thai PM has dismissed allegations that MPs are being bribed to topple the government in a forthcoming no-confidence debate. The claims were made on Facebook by former deputy PM, Trairong Suwannakhiri, according to a Bangkok Post report. Trairong says he’s learnt that between 5 and 30 million baht has been offered to MPs from smaller coalition parties, in an…
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Former Thai PM Abhisit Vejjajiva under fire from Pheu Thai members
Former Thai PM Abhisit Vejjajiva is being criticised by Pheu Thai representatives after claiming in an interview that the party wants to win the next election by a landslide just to bring their former leader, Thaksin Shinawatra back to Thailand. Abhisit, former leader of the Democrats, doesn’t have any problems with Pheu Thai Party gaining power in a fair election…
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Sri Lanka’s political crisis continues with huge walkout
After Sri Lanka declared a state of emergency earlier this month, the world has seen massive political unrest in the country as protestors call on the president and his powerful family to step down. Last week, Sri Lankan police shot and killed a protestor in an incident that quickly spread across social media. Today (Thursday), Sri Lankan workers participated in mass…
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Doi Suthep’s controversial land and houses returned to treasury department
After almost 4 years of waiting, protests and arguments, the Court had returned the controversial land and housing project at the foot of Doi Suthep in Chiang Mai to the Treasury Department. The Department’s Director-General revealed 45 houses would be demolished, and land would be adjusted for the “benefit of the residents”. For the other 9 condominiums in the area,…
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Daughter of former PM calls for ‘landslide win’ in Thailand’s general election
Panthongtae Shinawatra, the daughter of exiled former Thai PM Thaksin Shinawatra, has repeated her call for supporters to vote for the Pheu Thai Party in Thailand’s upcoming general election. Addressing party members at her party’s general assembly on Sunday, she said only a “landslide win” would do. “Pheu Thai is ready to work after a House dissolution. A landslide win.…
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Top politicians resign from Democrat Party as pressure mounts for changing of guard
Top members of Thailand’s beleaguered Democrat Party have resigned in the wake of a sex scandal that’s rocked that party in recent weeks. Senior politician Kanok Wongtrangan announced on Facebook today that he has quit his role as a deputy leader in the party out of “moral conscience”. His resignation follows that of deputy prime minister Wittaya Kaewparadai, who resigned…
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Thailand’s Prayut switcharoo… praises rapper Milli
Even though Thailand’s PM Prayut Chan-o-cha filed defamation charges against rapper Milli last year, via the Computer Crimes Act, the PM is now suddenly praising Milli following her random sticky rice and mango stunt at Coachella. The government chief whip said that the prime minister appreciates Danupha’s (her Thai name) performance, which caused sticky rice and mango to sell out at…
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Members of Thailand’s Move Forward Party banned from renewing passports
A member of Thailand’s Move Forward Party told the press today that she and two other party members had been banned from renewing their passports on suspicion that they have committed treason. MFP member Pannika Wanich made the announcement after meeting with Phaya Thai police today, who she said made the order for the ban. The Department of Consular Affairs…
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Sri Lanka’s police shoot and kill protestor
Sri Lankan police shot and killed a protestor yesterday in an incident that quickly spread across social media. Police had opened fire on a crowd in the central town of Rambukkana, and at least three others were injured. Police said the protestor killed, a man, had refused to move from a railway line and had parked a fuel truck across…
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Thailand’s Prayut to hold public forum on economy
Thailand’s PM Prayut Chan-o-cha announced yesterday at a cabinet meeting that the government will hold a public forum on the economy. The date for the forum has not yet been announced. PM Prayut said the government is trying to ensure better welfare for elderly citizens and vulnerable groups in Thailand. He said it wants to introduce measures to help medium-sized…
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Democrat party leader apologies, ‘accepts responsibility’ for Prinn’s sex scandal
Thailand’s Democrat party leader has publicly apologised and accepted responsibly for the high-profile sex scandal of Prinn Panitchpakdi, who stepped down last week as the party’s deputy leader, as a wave of sexual abuse and rape allegations mount against him. Speaking at a press conference at party headquarters in Bangkok on Monday, commerce minister Jurin Laksanawisit apologised on the party’s…
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3 more women break their silence, adding to claims of Prinn’s alleged sexual abuse
More potential #MeToo victims are coming out of the closet, as Thailand faces what may be the largest sex scandal involving a senior politician. On Monday, another three women filed complaints with police against former Democrat deputy leader Prinn Panitchpakdi, for a total of eight women who have officially accused him of sexual misconduct, according to a report by the…
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Thailand feminists protest at Democrat party HQ, demand justice in ‘#MeToo’ scandal
Thai feminist groups banded together this morning to stage a protest in front of Democrat party headquarters, in the wake of a slew of sexual assault allegations against the party’s former deputy leader, Prinn Panitchpakdi. On Sunday, Bangkok’s South Criminal Court detained Prinn for 3 counts of sexual assault and harassment, before temporarily releasing him on bail, on the condition…
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UPDATE: Former Democrat deputy leader now temporarily released, Bangkok
THE LATEST After agreeing this morning to temporarily detain the former deputy leader of the Democrat political party, the Bangkok South Criminal Court has temporarily released Prinn Panitchpakdi on bail on the condition that he wouldn’t leave the country without the court’s permission. The former deputy leader posted bail surety of 700,000 baht. Thailand’s Immigration Bureau was to be informed…
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UPDATE: Bangkok court approves detention of former Democrat deputy leader
UPDATE After over 20 women came forward this week accusing former politician Prinn Panitchpakdi of sexually harassing and assaulting them, the Bangkok South Criminal Court has now approved detention for Prinn this morning (Sunday). Three of the alleged victims lodged complaints with Lumpini police, and the police requested that Prinn be detained for further questioning about the allegations. Prinn attended…
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Alleged victim of sexual assault by politician withdraws from Bangkok election
A woman who is alleging former Democrat party deputy leader Prinn Panitchpakdi raped her, has announced yesterday she was withdrawing from the Bangkok city councillor election. The woman, Anna Vidhyaphum, said in a Facebook post that she wanted to show that her accusation against Prinn is not politically motivated. Anna’s party, The Ruam Thai United party, issued a statement yesterday…
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First rape victim speaks out against Democrat deputy leader
Anna Vidhyaphum, who is seeking a seat in the Bangkok City Hall Assembly under the Ruam Thai United Party, became the first person to step forward to claim that she had been allegedly raped by Democrat deputy leader Prinn Panitchapakdi. Around 20 others have made similar allegations, with some reporting Prinn to the police for alleged rape, sexual assault, and sexual…
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Democrat deputy leader quits party to fight accusations of sexual harassment
Thailand’s Democrat deputy leader, Prinn Panitchpakdi, announced his full and immediate resignation from the party on Thursday, in order to fight claims of sexual harassment claims, which he is denying. As of today, about 20 people have reported to police accusing Prinn of sexual assault, sexual harassment, or rape, according to Khaosod. During a press conference yesterday afternoon, he appeared…
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Former Thai PM denies his daughter will run for the top job
On Clubhouse this week, a favourite platform for former PM Thaksin Shinawatra, Thailand’s former elected leader denied rumours that his youngest daughter, Paetongtarn, will run in the next Thailand election as the nominated PM candidate for the Pheu Thai Party. Instead, he wants to see her in the party working on the marketing and strategic side of things. On April…
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Bomb thrown at PM Prayut’s house, protesters burn coffin decorated with his image
Yesterday, a teenager threw a “ping pong” bomb at Thailand’s Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha’s house. On the same day, a mob of “Red Shirt” protesters took to the streets of Bangkok to burn a coffin adorned with pictures of PM Prayut’s face. Yesterday’s protests were to commemorate the 12th anniversary of the 2010 Red Shirt protests, where 90 people died…
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Independent candidate leads Bangkok’s race for a new Governor
An independent candidate is leading the record pack of 31 running in the forthcoming election for Bangkok’s Governor. In Bangkok’s first Governor election in 9 years, Chadchart Sittipunt, a former Pheu Thai heavyweight, is favoured by 38.8% of 1,362 eligible voters polled in the Bangkok area. The poll was conducted from April 5-7. The runner up at the moment is…
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Pakistan’s Imran Khan ousted from PM position
Following a parliamentary vote of no confidence last week, Pakistan’s PM Imran Khan has been ousted. The vote came after Pakistan’s opposition parties accused Khan of economic mismanagement, as well as poor governance. The country’s Supreme Court ruled on Thursday that a decision to block the no confidence vote was unconstitutional. Now, Khan claims that opposition to him is backed…
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Ousted Thai MP vows to continue political career, posts ‘see you again’
After a former MP of Thailand’s Palang Pracharath Party was permanently banned from Thai politics yesterday, she now vows to continue her political activities anyway. The woman, Pareena Kraikupt, was banned from politics by Thailand’s Supreme Court because she used forest reserve land in Ratchaburi for her private poultry farm. The Supreme Court’s Criminal Division for Political Office Holders found…
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Thai MP permanently banned from politics for using forest reserve land for farm
A former MP of Thailand’s Palang Pracharath is now permanently banned from Thai politics for using forest reserve land in Ratchaburi province for her farm. The issues around the MP, Pareena Kraikupt, using land began to surface in 2019. The Royal Forest Department then investigated the land, and concluded that Pareena’s poultry farm encroached on it. The department asked the…
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Highest ever number of gubernatorial candidates register in Bangkok
The highest ever number of candidates, 31, have registered for Bangkok’s upcoming gubernatorial election on May 22. This will be the 11th gubernatorial election in Bangkok, and the first held in nine years. The chairman of Bangkok’s election commission said all candidates will be invited to the government complex on Chaeng Wattana tomorrow to be briefed on the election guidelines. Right…
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Sri Lanka president declares state of emergency, deploys army
Following a week of turmoil and unrest in Sri Lanka, the country’s president has now declared a state of emergency. This week, Sri Lankan protestors tried to storm the president’s house following the country’s longest power blackout ever recorded. The protestors called on the president and his powerful family, who hold a number of prominent political positions in Sri Lanka,…
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Thai student activist charged with lèse majesté will be allowed to study in Germany
The South Bangkok Criminal Court ruled yesterday that a student activist charged with lèse majesté who was barred from studying abroad in Germany earlier this month will now be allowed to study there. The activist, Rawisara Eksakul, nicknamed “Dear”, won a prestigious scholarship for a Master of Management in Non-Profit Organisations. The court was told that Ms Rawisara holds a…
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Candidates for governor register in Bangkok
Candidates for Bangkok started registering at City Hall 2 yesterday. Registration will last until April 4, and polling will be on May 22. The candidate to arrive earliest was an independent candidate who showed up at City Hall at 6am. Other candidates represented several different parties including Thai Sang Thai, the Democrat Party, and Move Forward Party. The independent candidate…
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Iran still bars women from football stadiums, officials express disagreement
Women in Iran still can’t enjoy watching football matches at the country’s stadiums. On Tuesday, about 2,000 women who bought tickets for the World Cup qualifier against Lebanon went to a stadium in Mashad, but couldn’t enter, according to Iranian media. The Islamic republic has banned women from sports stadiums since its government came to power in 1979. Since then,…
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