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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Justice Ministry names 10 inmates for release including ex-PM Thaksin
The Ministry of Justice confirmed that former Thai prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra is among 10 prisoners set to be released on parole, with the release schedule expected to be finalised within the next two months. Thaksin was sentenced to eight years in prison for several legal offences linked to his time in office. His prison term was later reduced to…
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Search finds no trace of missing Thai crew after Mayuree Naree attack
Three Thai crew members from the Mayuree Naree cargo ship remain missing after the ship attack in the Strait of Hormuz on March 11, with the vessel’s operator saying an extensive search found no trace of them. The Mayuree Naree was attacked by the Iranian military while departing the United Arab Emirates (UAE) and travelling to India. Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary…
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Thai and foreign residents protest at US Consulate in Chiang Mai
Yesterday, March 28, about 50 Thai and foreign residents gathered outside the US Consulate General in Chiang Mai to protest the United States’ war with Iran and to call for an end to the conflict. The group, calling itself CNX4PEACE, held placards criticising the United States’ military action and urging peace. A representative of the demonstrators read a statement calling…
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E-cigarette users in Thailand rise 11-fold in three years despite ban
A network of e-cigarette users has urged Thailand’s new government to review the country’s e-cigarette ban, citing official data showing use has risen sharply despite more than a decade of prohibition. The group cited figures from the National Statistical Office, saying the number of e-cigarette users increased from 78,742 in 2021 to about 900,000 in 2024, an increase of more…
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Senator proposes law requiring public to stand during royal anthem
During a March 24 Senate session, a senator proposed amending the law to require people to stand in respect when the royal anthem is played, arguing that the Thai national anthem is protected by law, while the royal anthem is not. The proposal was raised by Senator Alongkot Worakee, who updated the chamber on the work of a special committee…
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Minister to drop lawsuit over berry picker bribery claims
A former labour minister said he will withdraw defamation lawsuits filed against a local news editor over reporting linked to allegations of bribery connected to Thai berry pickers sent to work in Finland and Sweden. The current Natural Resources and Environment Minister, Suchart Chomklin, who previously served as labour minister, said he would withdraw the cases against The Isaan Record…
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Thai vessel passes Strait of Hormuz safely, second ship also permitted
A Thai-flagged Bangchak vessel has passed through the Strait of Hormuz safely amid unrest in the area, according to updates yesterday, March 24, from the Iranian Embassy in Bangkok and Bangchak Corporation Plc. A second Thai ship was also reportedly cleared to transit the strait. In a Facebook post on the “IR Iran Embassy in Bangkok Thailand” page, the Embassy…
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Visa-free stay cut will not affect tourism, Thai foreign minister says
Thailand’s Foreign Minister Sihasak Puangketkaew said today, March 24, that a proposal to cut the visa-free stay for tourists from 60 days to 30 days will not affect tourism, saying the change is intended to address misuse of the visa-free period. Sihasak spoke ahead of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs’ annual 2026 seminar for consular officials worldwide, where he also…
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Parliament elects Anutin as Thailand’s 32nd Prime Minister
Bhumjaithai Party leader Anutin Charnvirakul was elected Thailand’s 32nd Prime Minister (PM) during a Parliamentary vote held today, March 19. Anutin previously served as PM after former PM Partongtar Shinawatra was removed from office over a leaked phone conversation with Hun Sen. He later announced the dissolution of Parliament on December 11 last year, leading to the General Election on…
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Iran US negotiations disputed as Trump says Tehran wants a deal but terms are not set
Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi has said Tehran sees no reason to negotiate with the United States, rejecting President Donald Trump’s claim that Iran is seeking a deal to end the war as the conflict enters its third week. In an interview aired Sunday on CBS’s Face the Nation, Araghchi said Iran was “stable and strong enough” and was “only…
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Pro-Palestinian protest planned in Bangkok today, police on high alert
Bangkok police are preparing for the International Quds Day gathering at about 2pm today, March 13, increasing security planning and surveillance measures around diplomatic premises and other sensitive venues, amid the heightened Middle East tensions. The Metropolitan Police Bureau has been reviewing the situation with other security agencies and adjusting its readiness accordingly. Pol. Lt. Gen. Sayam Boonsom, the bureau…
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Iran admits attack on Thai-flagged cargo ship in Strait of Hormuz
Iran’s military has admitted attacking the Thai-flagged cargo ship Mayuree Naree in the Strait of Hormuz, accusing the vessel of ignoring warnings while trying to make an unauthorised transit. The semi-official Iranian news agency Fars reported yesterday, March 11, that the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) released a statement confirming Iranian forces had targeted two ships in the Strait of…
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Foreign minister welcomes first group of Thai evacuees from Iran
Thailand’s foreign minister met the first group of Thai nationals evacuated from Iran at Suvarnabhumi International Airport yesterday, March 9, as the government continued assisting citizens affected by the situation in the Middle East and prepared further evacuations. Foreign Minister Sihasak Phuangketkeow welcomed the group on arrival at Suvarnabhumi Airport, where 29 Thai nationals landed at 3.02pm on Turkish Airlines…
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First group of 62 Thai nationals arrives safely in Turkey from Iran
A group of 62 Thai nationals has crossed from Iran into Turkey as part of a Royal Thai Government evacuation effort linked to an ongoing conflict in the Middle East, with onward travel to Thailand planned over March 8 and today, March 9. Officials at the Kapıköy border checkpoint received the first group on the evening of March 7 at…
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Thailand weighs Turkey transit, Egypt charter for Iran evacuation
Thailand is preparing to evacuate Thai nationals from Iran as fighting spreads across parts of the Middle East, with Foreign Minister Sihasak Phuangketkeow outlining the government’s response yesterday, March 3. Thai embassies across the region are reportedly working with host governments to set up safe areas for Thai nationals as officials keep a close watch on the situation. Sihasak said…
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Mongkolkit pitches white-skin injections and flying cars for Bangkok
Mongkolkit Suksintharanont, a former New Alternative Party member, said today, March 2, that his team is gearing up for the Bangkok governor election, with applications already coming in from Bangkok councillor candidates. Mongkolkit said that preparations for the “Krungthep Bin Dai” team, meaning “Bangkok Can Fly”, are underway and that applications have begun coming in from prospective Bangkok councillor candidates.…
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Election Commission targets people over ballot image sharing and decoding
Election Commission of Thailand (ECT) filed a complaint against a group accused of sharing images of barcodes and QR codes on ballot papers online and attempting to decode them, saying the activity was intended to discredit the commission. The ECT ballot barcode and QR code issue emerged during vote counting in the latest General Election. Members of the public gathered…
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New Alternative Party suspends Mongkolkit to protect image and ideology
The New Alternative Party suspended leading member Mongkolkit Suksintharanon from his party duties, saying the move is aimed at protecting the party’s image and ideology. Party leader Rachain Trakunwiang signed the suspension order and released the document to the public yesterday, February 24. According to the document, Mongkolkit has been temporarily suspended from his role as party secretary and was…
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Thai foreign minister rejects Cambodia territory claim at UNHRC
Thailand’s foreign minister delivered a statement at the United Nations Human Rights Council (UNHRC) in Geneva yesterday, February 24, addressing broader challenges and responding to remarks linked to the Thailand-Cambodia border situation. Thailand’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs reported today, February 25, on its Facebook page that Foreign Affairs Minister Sihasak Phuangketkeow spoke at the High-Level Segment of the 61st session…
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People’s Party MP candidate faces jail sentence for rape case in Laos
A People’s Party candidate for Member of Parliament in Maha Sarakham province is sentenced to two years and eight months in prison over a rape case in Laos, prompting criticism of the party’s candidate screening process. The candidate, Teerawat Phanna, ran in the recent General Election for Maha Sarakham constituency 1. He was reported to be a local business operator…
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Udon Thani man says he faces threat after posting vote-buying video
A Thai man in Udon Thani said he received a threat of violence after reporting alleged vote-buying involving a candidate for the Member of Parliament (MP) from the Bhumjaithai Party. The allegation emerged after the man, identified only as Waeng, shared footage of a canvasser distributing 500 baht to residents. Waeng said he was among those who accepted the money…
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Drone carrying explosive crashes near Thai-Myanmar border
Thai military and security officials inspected a residential property in Mae Sot district, Tak province, today, February 16, after an unmanned aerial vehicle carrying an improvised explosive device was found inside the premises. Tak soldiers from the Ratchamanu Task Force, along with administrative officials and Border Patrol Police in Mae Sot, responded after an unmanned drone was found inside the…
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Cambodian soldiers accused of setting border forest fires for cover
A Thai Facebook page has claimed that Cambodian soldiers are deliberately setting fires along the frontline forest areas to obscure visibility and move troops and equipment, amid tensions along the Thai-Cambodian border. The page, Army Military Force, alleged that Cambodian troops were cooperating with local villagers to ignite forest fires, describing the actions not as agricultural clearing but as a “tactical…
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ECT rejects Chon Buri vote recount request, cites lack of corruption evidence
The Election Commission of Thailand (ECT) formally rejected a request for a vote recount in Chon Buri’s District 1, stating there was no concrete evidence to support allegations of corruption. On February 9, a group of voters gathered at a badminton court in Chon Buri province, which had been used to store ballots from the District 1 polling station, after…
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People’s Party calls for vote recounts, urges probe into alleged election irregularities
The People’s Party is calling for vote recounts in 18 constituencies across Thailand, raising concerns over alleged irregularities in ballot counting and unusually high numbers of invalid votes in the recent general election. Although party leader and prime ministerial candidate Natthaphong Ruengpanyawut acknowledged the overall election outcome, he urged the Election Commission (EC) to conduct a thorough investigation into reports…
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Anutin holds off on coalition talks, awaits final vote count
With official election results still to be finalised, Bhumjaithai Party leader Anutin Charnvirakul spoke publicly today, February 10, to address speculation over Thailand’s next administration. Speaking ahead of the final election results, he said it was too early to discuss positions or coalitions, as vote counting was still ongoing and had only surpassed 90%. Anutin stated that no decisions would…
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Chon Buri voters stage overnight protest and demand vote recount
A group of voters in Chon Buri province staged an overnight protest at a polling station in District 1 after raising concerns over alleged election corruption, prompting calls for an immediate recount. The protest took place at the District 1 polling station, located inside a badminton court in the Bang Pa Soi sub-district of Mueang district, Chon Buri. A number…
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Buriram border residents urge new PM to act on Cambodian tensions
Following the release of unofficial election results today, February 9, residents in Buriram province along the Cambodian border expressed renewed hope that long-standing security concerns might finally be addressed. According to early tallies, the Bhumjaithai Party has secured nearly 200 Parliamentary seats, including both constituency and party-list MPs. The People’s Party came in second with 116 seats, followed by Pheu…
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Ballot-tearing error leaves Nan to faces possible re-election
A serious error was reported at a polling station in Nan province in northern Thailand during the 2026 General Election on Sunday, February 8, after a polling officer mistakenly tore up dozens of ballot papers for the constituency-based Parliamentary election. The incident occurred at polling station unit 3, located inside Baan Sri Kird Hall in the Chai Sathan sub-district of…
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Anutin declares unofficial victory as Bhumjaithai leads 2026 General Election
Acting Prime Minister (PM), Anutin Charnvirakul, announced an unofficial victory for himself and the Bhumjaithai Party in the 2026 General Election last night, February 8, after the party secured the highest number of seats in Parliament based on a 94% vote count. The General Election was held nationwide yesterday. According to the latest update reported by TNN News this morning,…
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