Thai politics
- Politics News
PM’s security beefed-up after car chase on expressway
Security is being increased for Thai PM Prayut Chan-o-cha, after his motorcade was the subject of a car chase on the capital’s expressway. It’s understood the PM was travelling from his home to Government House yesterday morning, when a private car gave chase, with the driver sounding his horn and flashing his headlights. A report in Thai PBS World says…
- Politics News
School pupils show solidarity with anti-government protests – VIDEO
At high schools across Thailand, pupils have used the daily flag-raising ceremony to show their solidarity with anti-government activists. A report in Khaosod English says pupils in at least 10 schools wore white ribbons and held up three fingers, in what is widely recognised as an anti-military gesture. The students’ actions have been captured in photos and video, which have…
- Politics News
Prominent social activist speaks out in defence of student protesters
A leading academic and social critic has spoken out in defence of the current student protests, saying those involved have a right to freedom of expression. Sulak Sivaraksa defends the new 10-point manifesto put forward by the activists, denying that it goes too far in its calls for reform of the monarchy. “The 10 demands are reasonable, since for the…
- Politics News
Report calls for national reconciliation through constitutional reform
A report prepared by the House Committee on laws, justice and human rights, and focusing on 9 recommendations, is set to be debated today, according to an unnamed source in the House of Representatives. According to the Bangkok Post, the report lays the groundwork for possible constitutional reform, recommending the creation of a “people’s constitution.” The report says the current…
- Politics News
Political activists taken to jungle for “attitude adjustment” lecture from officials
Anti-government protesters in the northern province of Phitsanulok say they were detained by plain clothes officials and taken to a jungle where they were questioned and made to listen to an “attitude adjustment” lecture. The incident is alleged to have taken place hours before a planned protest. The local protest group, known as Brave Phitsanulok Will Not Bow to Dictators,…
- Politics News
Police remain tight-lipped on existence of “wanted activists” list
Thailand’s law enforcement officials are keeping schtum when asked about a list of “marked” political activists singled out for possible arrest. A claim circulating on social media says the list has been drawn up by police and contains the names of 31 activists. The allegation has been doing the rounds since the arrests of human rights lawyer, Anon Nampa, and…
- Politics News
Academics and opposition say government must listen to protesters’ demands to end unrest
Leading academics and members of the opposition are warning the government that they must listen to protesters and agree to their demands in order to end the current political unrest. Anti-government protesters continue to gather around the country, demanding a stop to the “intimidation of activists”, the “dissolution of Parliament”, and “constitutional reform”. PM Prayut Chan-o-cha has already agreed to…
- Politics News
PM voices concern over pro-government rally planned for Bangkok today
The Thai PM, Prayut Chan-o-cha has issued a warning about a rally planned by a pro-government group, saying he is concerned members could end up clashing with anti-government demonstrators. The rally is planned to take place at the Democracy Monument in the capital this afternoon. A report in the Chiang Rai Times says the pro-government group gathers under the name…
- Covid-19 News
PM insists proposed emergency decree extension not due to anti-government protests
As PM Prayut Chan-o-cha looks set to approve an extension to Thailand’s emergency decree, he insists his reasons for doing so have nothing to do with the political protests taking place in cities around the country. Accusations that the extension is politically motivated have dogged the PM since the decree was extended for a second time at the end of…
- Education
Opposition party threatened with boycott over comments about “haircut” teacher
The president of The Association of Secondary School Administrators says the group will boycott the Kao Klai party unless one of its members apologises for comments he made about the teacher at the centre of the “ugly haircut” debacle. In a report in Thai PBS World, Ratchachai Sornsuwan calls Wirote Lakhana-adisorn’s comments offensive and demands an apology. The MP has…
- Politics News
Progressive Movement hits back at allegations of donation mismanagement
Members of the recently formed Progressive Movement have hit back at suggestions that party donations have been mismanaged. The party, rising from the ashes of the now-disbanded Future Forward Party, says the allegations are nothing more than politically-motivated slander. Its critics accuse the Progressive Movement of the misappropriation of more than 7.7 million baht of public funds. In a statement…
- Politics News
Prawit tipped to become leader of ruling Palang Pracharat party executive
Whilst the attention of the country has been on the CCSA, with the PM at the helm, and their handling of the Covid-19 outbreak, there has been ongoing dissent inside the ruling Palang Pracharat party which boiled over yesterday with the resignation of 18 members of the party’s executive committee. There’s been building conflict within the party whilst the PM…
- 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…
- Politics News
Redshirts leader says “justice will never be served” over 2010 military crackdown
The leader of the “Redshirts”, political activists supportive of former Thai PM Thaksin Shinawatra, says the military government will never be held to account for a 2010 crackdown that cost the lives of nearly 100 people, most of them civilians. His comments come just days after a spokesman for the Democrat Party, a member of the ruling coalition, claimed the…
- Politics News
Government claims 2010 Bangkok protest crackdown was legal
A spokesman for Thailand’s Democrat Party, currently part of the ruling coalition, says former PM and party chairman Abhisit Vejjajiva did nothing wrong in ordering the 2010 military crackdown on protesters in Bangkok. Khaosod English reports that Ramet Rattanachaweng’s comments come as activists commemorated the 10 year anniversary of the crackdown, in which around 100 people died, by projecting an…
- Politics News
Former Future Forward members claim they’re behind political slogan campaign around Bangkok
Former members of the now defunct Future Forward party say they are responsible for projecting a political slogan on to some of Bangkok’s most iconic landmarks Sunday night, and say more’s to come. Coconuts reports that the political figures, now members of a group called “Progressive Movement,” shared a video of activists using projection equipment from within a van. The…
- Politics News
Bangkok police hunt activists who projected slogans onto landmarks of 2010 protests
The slogan Seek the Truth (in Thai) has been projected onto several Bangkok landmarks in what appears to be a commemoration of the violent end to political demonstrations in 2010. That year, protests rocked Bangkok for 3 months between March and May, when over 100,000 supporters of former PM Thaksin Shinawatra (known as the “Redshirts”) descended on the city, demanding elections.…
- Politics News
Government refuses Opposition’s request for debate on executive decrees
Calls from Opposition parties for a special session of parliament to debate the Thai Government’s executive decrees have been given short shrift, with the government saying the debate will have to wait until May 22, when parliament is set to reconvene. The three decrees relate to the procurement of significant loans, reported to be up to 1.9 trillion baht, in…
- Politics News
Piyabutr acknowledges that Future Forward will probably be disbanded
Future Forward Party’s secretary-general Piyabutr Saengkanokkul is urging the party’s 60,000 members and other supporters to switch their allegiances to a new party that would be formed if Future Forward ends up being dissolved by the Constitutional Court this week. The hearing by the Constitutional Court is set for Tuesday. Piyabutr acknowledges that the party will likely be disbanded. Thailand’s Constitutional Court has…
- Environment News
Future Forward Party might be dissolved
The Constitutional Court will deliver a ruling on on Nov 20 that could make or break the Future Forward Party (FFP) and its leader Thanathorn Juangroongruangkit. The party and Thanathorn face a slew of legal cases that seriously jeopardise their political future. The FFP, which has 80 MPs, could be dissolved and its 24 executives banned from politics. If the…
- News
Army chief not planning a leap into political life
Army chief General Apirat Kongsompong will have to wait for two years after he retires before he can run for PM, the Deputy PM Wissanu Krea-ngam has declared – while Apirat himself claims it’s not even something he’s considering. The Nation reports that Prawit Wongsuwan, another Deputy PM, had suggested that Apirat should be Thailand’s next PM, but Wissanu insists…
- News
10 billionaires among Thailand’s 500 MPs
Thailand has 10 billionaire MPs, while the poorest MP has just 5,064 baht in his bank account, according to reports from the Office of the National Anti-Corruption Commission. Of the 10 billionaire MPs, Mrs. Nathee Ratchakitprakarn, of the Bhumjaithai Party, wife of Tourism and Sports Minister Pipat, is the richest, with declared assets of about 4.675 billion baht. The other…
- News
PM will act on opposition’s recommendations
Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha said on Saturday that he was satisfied with the deliberations over the budget bill in the previous two days and promised to act on the constructive suggestions offered by opposition parties. Regarding the 400 billion baht allocated for the Central Fund, the Prime Minister admitted that the figure seems high, but it actually isn’t when measured…
- 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…
- Politics News
No nerves here, says Thai PM, in advance of oath grilling
PM General Prayut Chan-o-cha says he’s not at all nervous about today’s debate on his oath-taking gaffe and is well prepared for a grilling from the opposition. “I don’t feel nervous at all. I am at the stage where I no longer feel rattled.” The Bangkok Post reports that those taking part in the debate are set to include the…
- Politics News
Seri Ruam leader says he told Sydney Morning Herald to investigate Thammanat Prompao
PHOTO: Seri Ruam Thai party leader Gen Seripisut Temiyavet “The Seri Ruam Thai party leader said that he was not afraid that he might be sued for providing information to the Australian media.” Seri Ruam Thai party leader Gen Seripisut Temiyavet claims that he was the source who tipped off the Sydney Morning Herald newspaper in Australia to investigate the…
