Constitutional Court
- Thailand News
Principled leadership: MFP chief Pita stresses substance over style for new Thai Cabinet
Pita Limjaroenrat, the leader of the Move Forward Party, shared his views on the newly formed Thai Cabinet, asserting that his judgment of individuals will be based on principles rather than appearances. He extended his well wishes to the new Cabinet, expressing hope that they would successfully fulfil the promises made during the election campaign. Pita noted that during the…
- Politics News
Forward march halted: Constitutional Court blocks MFP’s leadership ambitions
The Move Forward Party (MFP) and its leader today suffered a substantial setback in their aspirations to lead the country after the Thai Constitutional Court rejected a plea to reevaluate a Parliamentary verdict that obstructed the renomination of their prime ministerial candidate. This turn of events deals a fatal blow to any lingering hopes the MFP harboured of steering the…
- Politics News
BREAKING: Prayut reinstated as Prime Minister of Thailand
Thailand’s Constitutional Court reinstated Prayut Chan-o-cha as Prime Minister of Thailand. The court ruled this afternoon that Prayut has not yet hit the eight-year constitutional limit set for his role. The court ruled that Prayut became prime minister on April 6, 2017, when the HM the King ratified a new military-drafted constitution. Therefore, PM Prayut can resume his position as…
- Thailand Protest News
Activists plan protests across Bangkok
Thai authorities have ramped up security in the capital ahead of expected protests when the Constitutional Court releases its decision on the future of suspended Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha later today. The court will rule on whether General Prayut’s constitutionally stipulated eight-year term is up. General Prayut came to power following a 2014 coup. Anti-government activists will hold rallies in…
- Politics News
Court to decide fate of suspended Thai PM Prayut on September 30
On September 30 at 3pm, Thailand’s Constitutional Court will read the verdict on suspended Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha’s eight-year term limit. According to Section 158 of Thailand’s constitution, “The Prime Minister shall not hold office for more than eight years in total, whether or not holding consecutive term.” Prayut reached his eight-year limit serving as PM in August after becoming…
- Thailand Election News
Constitutional Court may make prime minister decision Thursday
The decision on Prayut Chan-o-cha’s future and the prime ministership may be decided this week as the Constitutional Court scheduled a special meeting on Thursday to discuss it. Last Thursday his legal team submitted a 30-page document that lays out his defence against all the arguments regarding his term limits to the Constitutional Court. The court will review this document,…
- Thailand Election News
Prayut submits 30-page defence to court to remain PM
In the ongoing battle for Prayut Chan-o-cha to stay on as prime minister of Thailand, the suspended PM and current Minister of Defence had his legal team submitted a 30-page document that lays out his defence against all the arguments regarding his term limits to the Constitutional Court. While the Constitutional Court is still considering whether Prayut can remain as…
- Politics News
Who is Thailand’s new acting Prime Minister, Prawit Wongsuwan?
Today, Deputy Prime Minister Prawit Wongsuwan was asked to step in as acting PM of Thailand after the Constitutional Court voted to suspend PM Prayut Chan-o-cha from his duties. The court has suspended PM Prayut until they make a final verdict about whether his premiership hit the constitutional eight-year limit today, August 24, 2022. The court’s decision is expected to…
- Thailand Election News
Massive poll finds over 93% want PM Prayut to leave office now
With just one day before PM Prayut Chan-o-cha’s premiership expires, the Constitutional Court still has not ruled if he can continue as Thailand’s leader or not, but the court of public opinion has spoken. A new phone survey from a group of universities, TV stations, and online media found that a whopping 93.17% of people do not want PM Prayut…
- Politics News
Election Commission discussing prime minister term limit today
With what many believe to be the end of PM Prayut Chan-o-cha’s eight-year term limit just three days away, the Election Commission will discuss today the legal debate over if he can remain in the prime minister seat in any capacity beyond August 24. That date marks eight years since PM Prayut took office, and the current constitution allows a…
- Thailand News
Constitutional Court ruling on marriage a setback for same-sex couples
In a setback for the LGBTQ+ community, Thailand’s Constitutional Court ruled that the current law, which says marriage is between a man and a woman, is constitutional. Same-sex marriage activists have argued that the wording of the law, Section 1448 of the Civil and Commercial Code, basically blocks same-sex couples from being legally married. A petition had been filed with…
- Thailand News
Constitutional Court upholds anti-LGBTQ marriage language
In a major blow to LGBTQ+ rights in conservative Thailand, the Constitutional Court upheld the Thai Civil and Commercial Code section that essentially outlaws gay marriage. The passage, Section 1448, limits the scope of marriage, defining it by saying, “a marriage can take place only between a man and a woman.” The Court ruled that this legal definition of marriage…
- Thailand Protest News
Protesters march to German embassy, present statement against monarchy
Today saw a large and intense pro-democracy demonstration that culminated in a march to the German embassy where protesters submitted a statement against absolute monarchy. When they arrived, 3 representatives of the protesters were allowed to enter the embassy and officially present the declaration which stated that they were calling for a protection of democracy and an opposition to a…
- Crime News
Alleged Constitutional Court website hacker tracked down
A 33 year old man in Ubon Ratchathani was arrested today by the Cyber Crime Investigation Bureau for allegedly hacking the Constitutional Court website on Wednesday. The man was arrested at his home in Warin Chamrab district of the Northeastern province after an investigation by the CCIB. The CCIB started an investigation immediately after the hack was reported by the…
- Thailand Protest News
Court: activists’ speeches illegally advocated government overthrow
Today the Constitutional Court ruled that activists and the speeches of 3 activist leaders are advocating for the overthrow of the government and the monarchy. They ordered Arnon Nampa, Panupong “Mike” Jadnok, and Panusaya “Rung” Sithijirawattanakul and all their followers to cease all action against the kingdom and state. According to the court, the demands in speeches by the 3…
- Thailand News
Constitutional Court delays ruling in landmark marriage equality case
Thailand’s Constitutional Court has postponed ruling on marriage equality, according to the Foundation for Sexual Orientation and Gender Identity Rights and Justice. The foundation, better known as the FOR-SOGI organisation, says the ruling has been postponed until December 14. According to a Bangkok Post report, the case concerns section 1448 of Thailand’s Civil and Commercial Code. The court was asked…
- Politics News
Amendment to reform Constitution rejected by Parliament
A draft amendment started by Pheu Thai Party, an opposition party, to establish a Constitution Drafting Assembly has just been rejected in the parliament. The legal advisory committee to parliament rejected the amendment, which was intended as a path towards creating a new, revised charter. The section in question, Section 256 in Thailand’s constitution, would be amended in order to…
- Politics News
Multiple challenges to Thai PM’s leadership have failed
Some compare him to Teflon for his ability to survive all manner of allegations, because the legal challenges keep coming and PM Prayut Chan-o-cha keeps winning. The Thai PM has now survived 3 legal challenges to his leadership, not to mention the countless calls for his resignation that were a hallmark of the recent pro-democracy protests. It’s probably safe to…
- Thailand News
Thailand News Today | Burmese border #&#!!!, Charges for Penguin, 9 dead in floods | Dec 4
Thailand News Today, coming to you from the relatively dry Phuket, compared to the horrible flooding in parts of southern Thailand. 5 shot and in critical condition after gang clash in Phitsanulok 5 people have been shot and critically wounded in what police believe to be a turf war between 2 rival gangs in Phitsanulok, Central Thailand. Police say gang…
- Thailand Protest News
Thai Constitutional Court official files contempt charge against protest leader
A student protest leader is facing charges of contempt after he made statements on Facebook critical of the Constitutional Court ruling to acquit PM Prayut Chan-o-cha, allowing the Thai prime minister and former Army General to continue occupying a military-owned residence. Critics have argued that allowing Prayut, a retired general, to say at the Army residence is a conflict of…
- Thailand News
Thailand News Today | Prayut acquitted, Chinese probe, Speed limit 120 kph | December 2
The Thai Prime Minister, Prayut Chan-o-cha has been acquitted by the Constitutional Court. Full story HERE. Thai Airways to resume flights from Bangkok to Chiang Mai and Phuket After nearly 9 months on the ground due to the coronavirus pandemic, along with problems balancing their accounts, Thai Airways will resume flights between Bangkok and Chiang Mai as well as Bangkok…
- Bangkok News
Court acquits PM Prayut Chan-o-cha, allowing him to stay on at military residence
PM Prayut Chan-o-cha will be staying in office and at his military residence. Bangkok’s Constitutional Court ruled today that the prime minister and former Thai general and commander of the Thai Army has not violated the charter by occupying a military-owned residence. The court says under military regulations, former officers can remain at their Army residence after their retirement at…
- Politics News
Court to deliver verdict on PM’s military residence this afternoon
Security is expected to be extremely tight at Bangkok’s Constitutional Court today, as the ruling in the matter of the PM’s residence is delivered. Prayut Chan-o-cha is accused of violating army rules by occupying a military residence rent-free, despite having retired from the army in 2014. Critics say his tenancy represents a conflict of interest. Should the court agree with…
- Thailand Protest News
Protest planned for courthouse tomorrow as verdict on PM’s residence expected
The Ratsadon (People’s Party) movement is planning a protest outside the Constitutional Court tomorrow as a verdict is handed down in relation to PM Prayut Chan-o-cha’s occupancy of a military residence, despite his retirement from the army. The ruling is expected at 3.00pm tomorrow and comes as a result of a petition lodged by opposition MPs in March, in which…
- Thailand News
Court bans Thailand’s first transgender MP over alleged media interests
An MP from the Move Forward Party, an opposition party that opposes the military’s influence in government, has been banned and could face jail time after the Constitutional Court found the MP guilty of violating a law prohibiting media shareholders from applying to become MPs. The court also looked into 57 other MPs over the same offence, but they were…
- Politics News
Constitutional Court to hear petition against MP Thammanat Prompao’s political standing
MP and Deputy Agriculture Minister Thammanat Prompao is no stranger to controversy, and this week he appears to be back in the hot seat, again, as opposition MPs have filed a petition challenging his ministerial status and his post as an MP. Thailand’s Constitutional Court has accepted the petition for consideration. But the Court rejected the demand by the 51…
- Politics News
Thailand’s Future Forward party cleared in surprise Court verdict
The Constitutional Court have beaten their own schedule for a verdict by announcing late this morning a decision that cleared the Future Forward Party of charges that it was attempting to undermine “the democratic system under the monarchy”. The ruling is one of the few that have come out on the side of Government opposition parties in Thailand, and is considered…
- Politics News
Thanathorn disqualified as Member of Parliament – Thai Constitutional Court
Leader of the Future Forward Party, 41 year old Thanathorn Jungroongruangkit, has been disqualified as a Member of Parliament following the handing down of a guilty verdict by the Thai Constitutional Court today. The Court’s findings say Thanathorn was still holding shares in a media company when he registered to run in the March 24 national election. Thanathorn presented evidence…
- Politics News
Charter Court clears PM’s to be head of government
The Thai Constitutional Court has ruled that the former head of the NCPO was not an “other official of the state”, clearing the way for PM Prayut Chan-o-cha to stay on as head of the government. The ‘clarification’ comes as no surprise to political pundits who predicted the outcome long before it came to an official hearing with the country’s Constitutional Court.…
- Politics News
PM’s oath-taking ruled unconstitutional
PHOTO: South China Morning Post The PM’s omission of an important sentence when taking his oath of office has been ruled unconstitutional by Thailand’s ombudsman. The matter is now being referred to the Constitutional Court to rule on whether the government was legally established. The controversy began on July 16, when PM General Prayuth Chan-o-cha left out a key sentence…
- Politics News
Thailand’s Future Forward denies bizarre ‘Illuminati’ accusations
A lawyer and former advisor to Thailand’s chief ombudsman, Natthaporn Toprayoon has gone ‘full woo woo’ in cobbling together arguments to disband the Future Forward Party. In a petition submitted to the Constitutional Court, the lawyer has invoked fears of the ‘Illuminati’ secret society. He has accused Future Forward as being a threat to the country’s constitutional monarchy. He says…
