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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UPDATE: Sri Lanka president reportedly plans to fly to Saudi Arabia
UPDATE Sri Lankan President Gotabaya Rajapaksa reportedly plans to fly to Saudi Arabia, after he flies to Singapore. The Associated Press reported the development today, citing an unnamed Maldivian official. An unnamed security official in Colombo told CNN that Gotabaya was flying from Maldives to Singapore, as Sri Lanka’s rage has grown over his refusal to formally resign. Gotabaya is expected to reach…
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State of emergency declared in Sri Lanka as president flees country
A state of emergency was declared in Sri Lanka as President Gotabaya Rajapaksa fled for his life on a military jet amid mass protests over the nation’s economic crisis. The 73-year-old president left the country on a jet heading for Maldives with his wife and two security officers. He plans to travel to a third country, yet unnamed, the Sri…
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Ex Democrat MP probed for part in alleged 30 million baht graft
The National Anti-Corruption Commission (NACC) yesterday reported former Deputy Leader of the Democrat Party, Witoon Nambutr, could face prosecution for allegedly demanding 30 million baht in backhanders related to a state utility construction project in 2013 and 2014. Department secretary-general Niwatchai Kasemmongkol revealed the commission found grounds for the allegations against Witoon, a former Democrat MP for Ubon Ratchathani, when…
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Man who shot former Japanese PM reveals hateful motivation
The man who shot former Japanese PM Shinzo Abe has told investigators that he thought Abe was linked to a group that he hated. The man, 41 year old Tetsuya Yamagami, shot Abe during a campaign speech in Nara, western Japan, on Friday. Police have not yet named the group that Yamagami says he hates. Japanese media reported, however, that…
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Thai PM promises to speed up projects if he’s re-elected
The unofficial election campaign continues as Thai PM Prayut Chan-o-cha promises to accelerate existing projects if re-elected. He said that, if re-elected as prime minister after the next election he will “speed up projects.” The Thai PM has never stood for election as an MP in Thailand and won a vote for the prime ministership in a joint sitting in…
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UPDATE: UK PM Boris Johnson’s resignation speech in full
UPDATE: Boris Johnson today resigned as Britain’s prime minister. The 58 year old gave a speech outside of 10 Downing Street at 1pm UK time. Here is the full resignation speech: “It is clearly now the will of the parliamentary Conservative Party that there should be a new leader of that party and therefore a new prime minister, and I’ve…
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UPDATE: Boris Johnson has agreed to resign as UK prime minister
UPDATE: Scotland’s First Minister Nicola Sturgeon says there will be “a widespread sense of relief that the chaos of the last few days (indeed months) will come to an end” as and when Boris Johnson resigns as Conservative leader. But the SNP leader questions the sustainability of Johnson staying on until the autumn, and says he was always “manifestly unfit…
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‘A poll is just a poll,’ Thai PM Prayut unfazed by opposition’s popularity
Thailand will hold a general election at some point before March 2023, but polls reveal that current PM Prayut Chan-o-cha is not the favourite to win. PM Prayut says he’s not worried about the poll results, because “a poll is just a poll.” Paetongtarn Shinawatra – daughter of ousted ex-PM Thaksin Shinawatra and central figure of the Pheu Thai Party…
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Thaksin predicts the opposition parties will win election in a landslide
Talking on a social media chat program this week, fugitive and former Thai PM Thaksin Shinawatra says the opposition parties, or as he described them, the “pro-democracy” parties, will win. And win with an absolute majority. The interview was conducted on ‘Care Talk’ on the Clubhouse app on Tuesday this week. Thaksin was speaking online from his house in Dubai.…
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PM Prayut drives electric car with Swiss ambassador
After completing her term in Thailand, Helene Budliger Artierda, the Swiss ambassador, paid a farewell visit to Thai PM Prayut Chan-o-cha at Government House. Helene came to visit Prayut in an electric-powered red Mini Cooper, which caught the PM’s attention during their conversation. Just before the Swiss ambassador could head back to the embassy, Prayut asked about the car. He…
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Sri Lanka PM tells bankrupt nation to prepare for ‘difficult journey’
The Sri Lanka prime minister told the nation to prepare for “a difficult and bitter journey” as he declared the country bankrupt and prepared to approach the International Monetary Fund for a loan. PM Ranil Wickremesinghe yesterday declared Sri Lanka “bankrupt” before making public that he had approached the IMF to figure a way out of the nation’s worst financial…
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UPDATE: High-profile officer not corrupt says Bangkok residents
Thirty community leaders from the Lat Krabang district met with Bangkok Governor Chadchart Sittupunt yesterday to demand justice for a high-profile district officer. The community leaders, led by a former Bangkok Metropolitan Council candidate, Ronnachai Sangkamitkun, visited Chadchart’s office at BMA City Hall near the Giant Swing, and asked him to provide more information about the city’s corruption investigation into…
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Chadchart points finger at Bangkok’s corrupt high-profile officers
Bangkok Governor Chadchart Sittipunt informed Thai media yesterday that there are a number of high-profile district officers in the city involved in corruption. The identities of those officers have not been revealed, but leaked media reports allege most of them worked under a former Bangkok governor. According to reports, leading district officers from Latkrabang, Bang Khum Tien, Prawet, Taling Chan,…
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Thai energy chief suggests senators shed suits to save energy
The Deputy PM and Energy Minister, Supattanapong Punmeechaow, has urged the nation’s senators to be energy-saving role models for Thailand. The 62 year old MP has suggested every senator should avoid wearing suits to reduce the use of air-conditioning in Parliament. During today’s senate meeting at the Parliament House senators, Sakon Satjayanit and Suradet Jirathiticharoen raised questions about solutions to…
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“Casinos should be legalised and will create revenue for Thailand” – Chuwit Kamolvisit
Chuwit Kamolvisit, a former politician and controversial owner of a massage parlour, has backed the legalisation of casinos in Thailand, believing it will boost revenue and draw tourists from abroad. “It shouldn’t be ignored any longer, and people should face the truth that many locals take part in gambling.” Chuwit Kamolvisit is a controversial Thai politician who was once the…
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Goverment’s rough week: Minister with Covid-19, Parliament flood
This just wasn’t the Thai government’s weekend. Another minister tested positive for Covid-19, while the new Parliament complex has flooded. Again. Minister of Industry Suriya Juangroongruangkit announced today that he has tested positive for Covid-19, just days after Minister of Public Health Anutin Charnvirakul announced catching the virus. The Industry Minister is fully vaccinated with AstraZeneca and has received a…
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Chiang Mai protestors send Prayut a message, despite thousands of police
PM Prayut Chan-o-cha received a message after visiting the northern province of Chiang Mai yesterday. A group of protestors known as Kiat Lampang ‘greeted’ Prayut outside the airport. The group had announced on its Facebook page… “Come and welcome and chase out Prayut! At the international airport, Chiang Mai, today will definitely follow and chase him all day.” Prayut later…
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Thai PM makes bizarre ‘go easy on me’ plea to media
Thai PM Prayut Chan-o-cha yesterday made a bizarre appeal to the nation’s press to “go easy” and give him a fair crack of the whip. The 68 year old prime minister made the plea after a recent poll put him in fourth position as potential picks to be Thailand’s next prime minister, a long way behind the daughter of former PM…
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NIDA poll puts Thailand’s opposition parties way ahead of the government
Thais have placed a candidate for the next Thai PM at the top of a recent poll. And that person hasn’t even declared they will run for the top job at this stage. Paetongtarn Shinawatra, the youngest daughter of former Thai PM Thaksin Shinawatra, has scored the top position in the latest popularity poll conducted by the NIDA poll. Paetongtarn…
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South Thailand’s Muslim leaders reject weed, liquor and same-sex partnerships
South Thailand’s Muslim leaders are rejecting the kingdom’s growing liberalism on 3 issues. On Thursday (June 23), Muslim representatives from Yala, Narathiwat, Songkhla, Satun and Pattani provinces, read a statement against 3 draft bills that are currently being debated or yet to be presented to the Thai parliament Those bills were the Cannabis and Hemp Bill, the Progressive Liquor Act,…
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Thai government mocked over clay stove proposal
Deputy PM and Energy Minister Supattanapong Punmeechaow yesterday defended comments the nation should switch to using clay stoves to combat the energy crisis after the government was mocked on social media The Energy Ministry’s official Facebook page on Tuesday uploaded a picture of a stove (Tao Maha Setthee), with a caption saying ‘a charcoal stove is durable, helps save money,…
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New Bangkok governor says student success about concentration, not hair
Bangkok’s new governor is the latest official to say that hair styles aren’t what counts in students’ academic success. Governor Chadchart Sittipunt told a school director in the capital today (Thursday) that student success depends on concentration and responsibility, and he doesn’t believe that hairstyles have any effect on this. Chadchart had been inspecting a school in Bangkok’s Din Daeng…
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Thailand’s parliament police petition against new uniforms
Thailand’s parliamentary police aren’t seeing the point of their new uniforms scheduled for next year. The country’s roughly 200 parliamentary police officers are usually issued with 2 sets of uniforms, each costing about 5,000 baht. The budget for new uniforms would altogether require at least 2 million baht. Yesterday, about 60 parliament police officers submitted a petition to House Speaker…
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Thai PM faces fourth censure motion next month
The next political challenge for Thai PM Prayut Chan-o-cha is next month when a censure motion is put to the lower house by opposition MPs. The debate is scheduled for July 18 – 22 and there is no certainty how the votes will eventually fall at this time. Renegade MPs, new political factions, the PMs falling popularity and a looming…
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Thai PM to keep ‘special law’ despite opposition
PM Prayut Chan-o-cha yesterday dismissed accusations the nation’s emergency decree is only in place to control the anti-government protestors. Move Forward Party MP Rangsiman Rome on Sunday demanded the PM lift the special law, claiming it is only being used to take legal action against protesters rather than curbing the spread of the Covid-19. Rangsiman says the government had eased…
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Thai government to launch info about privacy laws to help small business
The government is to launch 8 law declarations before the end of the month regarding the Personal Data Protection Act, especially aimed at helping small and medium size enterprises. PM Prayut Chan-o-cha assigned the Ministry of Digital Economy and Society, and relevant departments, to help the nation’s SMEs understand the PDPA because it’s new to Thailand. The PDPA was officially…
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Bangkok’s protestors keep up the fight against Prayut
Bangkok’s anti-government protestors are keeping up the fight to pressure Thailand’s PM Prayut Chan-o-cha to step down. Protestors staged their “Second Walk to Chase Tu” last night, moving from Royal Thai Police headquarters to Din Daeng intersection in the centre of Bangkok. The spot is close to Prayut’s residence ‘Tu’ and ‘Uncle Tu’ are Prayut’s nicknames, often used not so…
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Muslim groups discuss legislation contrary to their religious beliefs
Twenty-five Muslim organisations met yesterday to discuss the government’s new cannabis law and other legislation contrary to their religious beliefs. The religious groups met at Baan Nuer Mosque Hall in the southern province of Songkla, to set up an Unethical Laws and Regulations Opposition Association, in opposition to the new law to decriminalise cannabis on June 9, same-sex marriage proposals,…
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Sri Lanka to start 4 day work week so people can grow food amidst crisis
Amidst Sri Lanka’s unrest, the country’s government announced yesterday that it will start a 4 day work week for public sector workers for the next 3 months. The Department of Government Information said the day off could be a day for people to grow food, since Sri Lanka is expecting a food shortage. The department said… “It seems appropriate to…
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Court upholds 8-month suspended jail sentence for ex Thai MP
Former Palang Pracharath MP for Ratchaburi province, Pareena Kraikupt, yesterday says she is undecided whether she will challenge the Appeal Court decision to uphold a lower court sentence of an 8-month jail term, suspended for 2 years, and a 66,666 baht fine for defamation. A defamation case was filed against the 46 year old by former Future Forward MP Pannika…
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