Thai Government
- Covid-19 News
Lumpini boxing stadium officials side-lined over Covid-19 cluster
A report in Nation Thailand says that Thailand’s army chief Apirat Kongsompong has ordered the transfer of all committee members at the Lumpini Boxing Stadium in Bangkok. The dressing down and side-lining of the officials comes after the committee went ahead with a boxing match at the stadium on March 6, two days after the government ordered such venues to…
- Politics News
Opposition criticises Government for unnecessary borrowing
The Pheu Thai opposition party is calling on the government to look to existing funds first before attempting to borrow a trillion baht from as-yet-unnamed sources. Opposition chief whip Suthin Klangsaeng was participating in the last day of the debate on three government decrees concerning the country’s finances. A Thai PBS World report says the government is under fire for…
- Politics News
Thai police deny using emergency decree as political tool
Following the arrest of two activists in Bangkok on Friday, police deny using the emergency decree to suppress political dissent. Both activists were arrested at the Bangkok Arts and Culture Centre, where a small group was commemorating the 6th anniversary of the May 2014 military coup that swept PM Prayut Chan-o-cha to power, tossing out the elected government of Yingluck…
- Politics News
Opposition criticises Thai government over economic toll of Covid response
Opposition party Pheu Thai has condemned the government’s management of the Covid-19 crisis, saying total shutdown has had a devastating effect on the country’s economy. In a report in Nation Thailand, Paopoom Rojanasakul, vice secretary-general of the party says the hard-hitting restrictions imposed across the country have led to high unemployment, with the International Monetary Fund saying Thailand’s economy is…
- Covid-19 News
Thailand cancels visas-on-arrival and some visa exemptions for 21 countries
On top of all the changes announced in the past few days for passengers arriving in Thailand, today the government has announced an additional measure. The Thai government has now cancelled the automatic granting of the visa-on-arrival for 18 countries as well as cancelling visa exemption for three other countries in additional efforts to contain the spread of the coronavirus.…
- Events
Thousands gather for this morning’s protest running event in Bangkok
This morning’s fun run/rally/political event/marathon/jog/protest at Suan Rot Fai park in Chatuchak, a northern Bangkok suburb, attracted thousands of runners. The run was organised as a protest against Thailand’s Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha and his government. The “Run Against Dictatorship” was organised by opposition political parties and activists calling for greater political freedom. The event was held less than 10…
- World News
US Treasury mulls putting Thailand on its ‘watchlist’ as a currency manipulator
Thailand’s trade surplus with the US has now exceeded US$20 billion. Bloomberg reports that this could trigger the Thai currency to be added to the US Treasury’s watchlist of “currency manipulators”. According to US Census Bureau data, the surplus reached US$20.05 billion in the 12 months up to the end of November 2019. That exceeds a $20 billion upper limit…
- Economy News
Government trying to tame strong baht, but bank says it will remain strong in 2020
The prominent rise of the Thai baht in over the past year has had wide implications and effects, and PM Prayut Chan-o-cha says that state agencies have met often to come up with ways to tame the strong currency. Kasikorn Bank Research Centre has already released a report outlining reasons the baht will remain strong into 2020. The bank’s research arm…
- Environment News
PM not bothered by threats from smaller coalition parties to remove support
The PM Prayut Chan-o-cha says he’s not too concerned by threats from five coalition parties to withhold support unless the government provides satisfactory answers during the upcoming no-confidence grilling. Thai PBS World says the PM claims all parties are getting along fine, adding that while he can’t make any party vote in a particular way, neither can the parties force…
- Politics News
PM defends the 80 billion baht munition spend
PHOTO: The Nation Speaking to the House of Representatives’ budget debate for the 2020 financial year yesterday, PM and Minister of Defence Gen Prayut Chan-o-cha defended the expenditure for the Defence Ministry. He claimed they must reserve a budget of 70-80 billion baht for buying munitions and vehicles for defense purposes. “This money is part of the Ministry of Defense’s…
- Politics News
Charter court will hand down ruling on Thanathorn share case on November 20
PHOTO: Thai PBS World The Thai Constitutional Court is set to issue a ruling in Future Forward party leader Thanathorn Juangroongruangkit’s media share ownership case on November 20. The court wrapped up its inquiry yesterday with the questioning of ten defence witnesses, including Thanathorn who arrived at the court greeted by well-wishers. Thanathorn, who held 675,000 shares in V-Luck Media, has…
- Crime News
Convicted human traffickers ignore 99% of court orders in Thailand
Human traffickers in Thailand have ignored court orders to pay compensation to victims in more than the 99% of convicted cases in recent years. The flouting of the court orders is fuelling fears that many survivors could be victimised again. Thai courts have ordered traffickers to pay their victims more than $4.3 million for damages caused in about 1,335 cases…
- Environment News
Bhumjaithai ministers will quit if herbicides are not banned
Lobbying is intensifying over a final decision to ban three controversial herbicides – paraquat, glyphosate and chlorpyrifos. With farmers, agri-business interests, environmental activists and social media all putting pressure on decision-makers to sway their decision, the biggest pressure is from within the ruling Palang Pracharat government. Increasing pressure is now being applied to the National Hazardous Substances Committee after the…
- Politics News
BBC Thai follows up Australian media claims about Thammanat’s imprisonment in Sydney
The BBC’s Thai affiliate has published notes of an official document obtained from a visit to an Australian court, stating that Manat Bophlom one of the former names used by the Thai Deputy Minister of Agriculture and Cooperatives Thammanat Prompao, had served four years in jail for on charge of conspiring to import heroin to Australia. Early in September, Australia…
- Politics News
Thanathorn says Future Forward by-election win in Nakhon Pathom will start a domino effect
PHOTO: Facebook/Thanathorn Juangroongruangkit Thanathorn Juangroongruangkit says that, if the opposition bloc wins the by-election in Nakhon Pathom on October 23, it will be the first domino to fall and set the stage for a change of government. Nakhon Pathom is directly north-west of Bangkok. The Future Forward party is fielding Pairatchote Chantharakachorn to contest the by-election, while other opposition parties,…
- Politics News
Thanathorn dares Prawit to have a face-to-face meeting over NY protests
Future Forward party leader Thanathorn Juangroongruangkit is daring Deputy PM and luxury watch enthusiast Prawit Wongsuwan to summon him for questioning, whether the party might be linked to anti-government protests in New York last week. The protesters, waving placards like “Stop the human rights abuses” and “We want fair elections”, was held out side Pm Chan-o-cha’s hotel in New York…
- Economy News
Chim-Shop-Chai – more than a million already register for the latest Thai stimulus package
Interest in the government’s latest stimulus package has been massive with online portals being battered by people wanting to know more about how they can get their hands on the 1000 baht give-away from the Thai government. More than a million people have already registered to join the government’s Chim-Shop-Chai (Taste-Shop-Spend) program, where they will receive a 1000 baht to…
- Politics News
Future Forward secretary-general floats idea of another debate
PHOTO: Thanathorn Juangroongruangkit, Party leader of Future Forward Party – AFP Future Forward secretary-general Piyabutr Saengkanokkul says the Opposition will consider the option of holding another parliamentary debate over the next 3 months. His statement comes after what was generally considered an unsatisfactory response from the PM and other cabinet members during Wednesday’s debate. Piyabutr is not ready to let the matter…
- Politics News
PM leaves debate, refusing to answer Opposition queries on oath gaffe
PHOTO: www.bangkokpost.com PM Prayut Chan-o-cha didn’t stay until the end of yesterday’s Opposition debate, departing to attend a Royal religious ceremony at Dusit Palace. He left without answering MP’s questions about his incomplete oath-taking, saying he had the right not to respond. The PM says he asked Deputy Prime Minister Wissanu Krea-ngarm to respond to queries on his behalf, saying…
- Tourism News
Obligatory travel insurance for visitors to Thailand? Don’t worry about it for now, says government
Chote Trachu, representing the Thai Ministry for Tourism and Sports, says tourists visiting Thailand don’t have to worry about the mandatory requirement for travel insurance at this time. Thailand’s tourism industry is currently experiencing some challenges, explains the Ministry’s spokesperson, and for this reason, the requirement for all visitors to have travel insurance is being postponed until 2020 – or…
- Politics News
Wissanu admits Thammanat Prompeo’s educational credentials were not checked
Deputy PM Wissanu Krea-ngarm admits that the Office of the Secretary-General of the Cabinet had not vetted the educational background of Captain Thammanat Prompao, before he was appointed deputy agriculture minister, because the vetting process might have delayed the appointment of the cabinet. But he says the embattled deputy agriculture minister might be replaced “if there is an ethics problem”.…
- Northern Thailand News
Thai PM insists government flood victims aren’t being ignored
PHOTO: A dog tries to keep dry on a flooded street in Thailand’s northeastern province of Ubon Ratchathani – Krit Phromsakla Na Sakolnakorn – AFP Thai PM Prayut Chan-o-cha says he attaches great importance to relief operations designed to alleviate the suffering of flood victims and the government has procedures to compensate them. A government spokeswoman Naruemol Pinyosinwat was taken aback…
- Politics News
MP formally breaks away from the coalition over Thammanat Prompao remarks
PHOTO: “Hello?! Did someone ask me something? Mr. Pichet Sathirachavan, leader of Prachatham Thai party, has formally announced they have decided to break away from the governing coalition to join the independent opposition camp with the New Civilized party. Yesterday PM Prayut Chan-o-cha covered one of his ears with his hand as he pretended not to hear one of many…
- Politics News
Thai Government fails to properly address flood victims – Thanathorn
FILE PHOTO Embattled Future Forward Party leader Thanathorn Juangroongruangkit has slammed the government for its handling of the current flood situation in the north-east and central Thailand. Speaking in a panel debate on amendment of the Constitution at Khon Kaen University on Sunday, he said he had visited people in Yasothon and Roi Et provinces in past days. He found…
- Thailand News
“No stimulus for property sector” – Thai finance minister
The Finance Minister Uttama Savanayana told a seminar in Bangkok yesterday that the government’s stimulus packages were for the ‘grass roots economy’ and the property sector can cope on its own, without any government assistance. He was speaking at a property seminar hosted by the Krungthep Turakit newspaper yesterday. He said that that the real estate sector could readily adjust…
- Politics News
Thai coalition government may not last more than two years, experts caution
PHOTO: The Nation Economic concerns and doubts over the government’s legitimacy may mean it only maintains a grip on power for two years, according to academics. The situation is not helped by Deputy PM General Prawit Wongsuwan being made chief strategist of the Phalang Pracharat party. According to Titipol Phakdeewanich, Dean of Ubon Ratchathani University’s Political Science faculty, this only…
- Opinion
Saving Thai Airways
PHOTO: The pleasant smile and wai won’t fill aircraft seats anymore Whilst it’s always a generally pleasant experience flying Thai Airways, the airline, in a business sense, is a basket case racking up nearly a decade of losses, first under the Yingluck Shinawatra Government and then the military government of the NCPO. Most people in aviation circles agree on the…
- Transport News
Former finance minister says government shouldn’t bail out Thai Airways
Former Thai Finance Minister and current Democrat list MP Korn Chatikavanich is voicing his concerns over the financial crisis gripping Thai Airways and objects to any plan to use taxpayer money to rescue the ailing legacy airline. Korn says Thai Airways’ financial current troubles are similar to the situation in 2008, when the company struggled to find money to repay…
- Health
Health Minister pushes the availability of cannabinoid oils to Thai hospitals
The new Thai Public Health Minister, and deputy PM, Anutin Charnvirakul will allow hospitals to prescribe marijuana to some patients in a move to make the alternative medicine more publicly available. “This week I will sign an order to allow ministry-run hospitals to prescribe the cannabis oil extracts,” he told the Bangkok Post. The minister says he vows to push…
- Politics News
King urges new cabinet to solve problems for Thailand’s happiness and security
PHOTO: Thai PBS “In the process of doing a job, there will be problems, and that it was normal that they must be solved at the core so the administration of the country can proceed smoothly.” – HM The King His Majesty has offered moral support to PM Prayut and the newly sworn-in cabinet ministers, urging them to perform their…
