Thailand News Today | Thai PM expected to resign today (but will he?)

Thailand’s constitution stipulates that no prime minister can remain in power longer than eight years. So why is there a chance he could stay in office?

Prayut’s supporters would like to argue that his premiership began in April 2017, when a new 105-page constitution was drafted by the National Council for Peace and Order – basically a fancy name for the ruling military coup makers at the time – was approved by HM the King.

If the Constitutional Court favours the latter option, PM Prayut could continue serving as prime minister until April 2025. A petition was submitted to the Constitutional Court calling for a definitive answer on the end date of PM Prayut’s tenure on August 5, but the court hasn’t yet come to a decision.

According to the Peace-Loving Thais Group, leaked minutes from a Constitution Drafting Committee (CDC) meeting held back in 2018 reveal that the length of Prayut’s premiership was discussed a long time ago. The minutes suggest that Prayut’s premiership started three months after the military coup, meaning his premiership should end today.

However, since the document has been used as a levy by opposition parties, the CDC has responded by saying that the minutes were simply a discussion in a meeting attended by 30 people and are in no way evidence of a collective decision on the matter.

Hundreds gathered outside the building yesterday and the numbers are expected to grow as today marks what many believe is legally the end of his eight-year term as described in the current constitution.

In a recent poll, the public voted almost unanimously that PM Prayut should step down today, although the 68-year-old could sidestep that law by arguing the constitution has only been in effect for the last four years of his term.

Demonstrators spoke and rallied over loudspeakers about the end of his eight-year term, and urged him to step down peacefully by the law. So far there have been no reports of violence at the protests at Government House.

Though PM Prayut is not currently residing in Government House, it is the symbolic site of power and protestors intend to continue using it as a home base for mounting demonstrations. Yesterday’s protest started at Democracy Monument and marched from there, while activists from the group คณะหลอมรวมประชาชน also used space by the monument to launch their demonstrations.

The protest group may make its way to Government House and join other demonstrators to start the countdown to the end of PM Prayut’s term. They believe he will be an outlaw prime minister if he stays on.

The Constitutional Court is currently discussing whether they will accept a petition from the Pheu Thai Party to end his premiership today, though the discussion could take weeks or months. If they rule he must step down, Deputy Prime Minister Wissanu Krea-ngam says it is likely that Deputy Prime Minister Prawit Wongsuwan would become the caretaker Prime Minister while Prayut would continue in his role as the Minister of Defence.

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The BTS Skytrain is offering “assistance” to anyone who was injured in the escalator crush which occurred at BTS Surasak Station in Bangkok on Saturday night. However, a statement made yesterday by Chief Operating Director of the BTS Mr. Sumit Srisanthitham, said that the incident was “beyond the BTS’s control.”

As a crowd of people crammed into BTS Surasak Station to escape the rain on Saturday night, a group of people fell down an upward-moving escalator. Thai media widely reported that 27 people suffered “minor injuries.”

However, one 17-year-old victim of the escalator crash was rushed to hospital for emergency surgery when her leg was “torn” in the fall, exposing her bone.

Officials from the BTS have since visited the 17-year-old victim and presented her with a gift basket. The company did not state whether they paid for the victim’s medical bills.

The BTS’s statement says that anyone who was injured on Saturday and needs “assistance” can contact the BTS Customer Relations Centre.

The BTS did not say what they would be offering to victims in terms of compensation, only that injured people should contact them to discuss what “assistance” could be provided.

Sumit apologised for the incident, but also said it was a force majeure…

However, some victims believe the crush could have been avoided. The 17 year old victim said that there wasn’t a single member of staff present to control the crowd or stop people getting on the escalator.

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One of 12 teenage boys saved in the heroic Tham Luang cave rescue mission in northern Thailand four years ago has been offered a scholarship to study at Brooke House College Football Academy in Leicester, England. Duangpetch Promthep, who is now 17 years old, says his “dream has come true.”

In June 2018, 12 members of the ‘Wild Boars’ football team – aged 11 to 16 years old – got stuck in a flooded cave system in Chiang Rai province with their 25 year old football coach Nopparat Kanthawong. At the time, 13 year old Duangpetch was the Wild Boars’ team captain.

In an international rescue mission that involved more than 10,000 people, all 12 boys, and their coach were brought out of the cave alive, the mission ending 18 days after they went missing.

Saman Kunan, a 37-year-old former Thai Navy SEAL, died from asphyxiation during an attempted rescue on July 6 after delivering diving cylinders containing oxygen to the trapped team. The next year, 2019, a rescue diver and Thai Navy SEAL เบรุต ปากบารา died of a blood infection that he contracted during the rescue mission.

The Tham Luang cave mission inspired three films so far, “The Cave” (2019), “The Rescue” (2021), and most recently, “Thirteen Lives” (2022).

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A homeless man with mental health problems in the Asoke area of Bangkok has been reunited with his family in March thanks to the help of a thoughtful motorcycle taxi rider.

The compassionate rider, Chaiyoot, managed to connect the destitute man named Pond with his father, after posting pictures and videos of him on his Tik Tok account.

The 34-year-old often posts pictures and videos of homeless people in Bangkok on his TikTok account in the hope of reuniting families. And in March, Chaiyoot shared the heartwarming video of the young homeless man reuniting with his father on the street.

Chaiyoot recently updated the story after he met the man’s father. He revealed Pond had received treatment at the psychiatric hospital, Srithanya Hospital, and travelled back home to the southern province of Prachuap Khiri Khan.

The video shows a much more lively and healthy Pond, wearing clean clothes and sporting a neat haircut.

Pond said, “I’ve now recovered from the illness. My weight has increased. I was about 60 kilograms when I wandered around Asok, but it’s almost 80 now.”

Pond added that he works as a technician at a factory near his house and wanted to thank everyone who supported and encouraged him through his recovery, especially the food sellers in Asoke who gave him free food. He said he now has a far better life.

Chaiyoot confessed he is delighted with the turnaround in Pond’s life and hopes others can take inspiration and get help as well.