The last time most Thais saw politician Suthep Thaugsuban was in 2015 when he entered the Buddhist monkhood and announced his retirement after spearheading protests that culminated in a military coup against a government he detested. The military, after taking power, clamped a tight lid on politics, and the rivalry between the military-royalist establishment and new upstart political forces that had roiled the country for a decade was stifled. But now a long-promised general election is on the horizon - due sometime between February and May - and old animosities are stirring and veteran political brawler Suthep, 68, is back. Suthep, a one-time deputy prime minister in a pro-establishment government, has said he will contest the election under the banner of a new party he set up to sustain the work of the military government and to campaign for its leader, Prayuth Chan-ocha, to be prime minister of a civilian administration. The return of Suthep, who has a record of mobilising crowds on … [Read more...] about Thailand’s political tough-guy back in the fray to support military as vote nears
Thailand politics
Thailand to buy Airbus satellite as Prayut visits France
Thailand will secure the purchase of a US$215 million observation satellite from Airbus during his trip to France this month, a diplomatic source said on Friday (Jun 15), as Europe re-engages with the kingdom following a chill in relations after a 2014 coup. Thailand's Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha. (Photo: AFP/Tang Chhin Sothy) Prime Minister Prayut Chan-O-Cha, who toppled an elected government four years ago, will stop in Britain and France next week for meetings with political and business leaders. The trip comes after the European Union agreed to resume official contacts with Thailand in December, ending a more than three-year suspension put in place after Prayut's May 2014 coup installed the country's most authoritarian government in a generation. European aviation giant Airbus is expected to announce the sale of the Theos-II satellite while Prayut pays a visit to French President Emmanuel Macron on Jun 25, according to a diplomatic source in Bangkok. "The negotiation … [Read more...] about Thailand to buy Airbus satellite as Prayut visits France
Anger over land rights spills into street protests in Thailand
Visitors to Chiang Mai, the heritage town in Thailand's north famed for its glittering Buddhist temples, were greeted this month by green ribbons tied around trees lining the city centre. The ribbons, and street protests in Chiang Mai and in Bangkok, are the latest demonstrations of rising anger with the military government's policies that activists say are forcing farmers off their land and denying rights to forest dwellers. In Chiang Mai, residents protested the building of luxury government houses in a forest; in Bangkok hundreds marched to demand justice for those removed from their land and an end to intimidation of activists. "Farmers and villagers are being prosecuted for farming our land and living in the forest, which we have done for generations," said Prateeb Rakhangthong of the Southern Peasants' Federation of Thailand. "The government is giving land to industries, and claiming to conserve the forests by charging us with trespassing and removing us from the land we have … [Read more...] about Anger over land rights spills into street protests in Thailand
Thailand: Political parties worry over membership registration delay
Illustrative image (Source: nationmultimedia.com) Bangkok (VNA) – Political parties in Thailand on April 17 expressed concerns over the membership verification process for their members, which could not be completed by the end of this month, as required, due to too many public holidays. The existing parties are racing against time to adhere to Order No 53/2017 of the National Council for Peace and Order (NCPO), which requires party memberships to be renewed, including the submission of documents and the payment of membership fees, by April 30. After the Songkran new year holidays, there will be less than 10 working days left in April. Anyone failing to register in time will lose their memberships and will have to re-register as new members. However, as a result of the NCPO ban on political movements which has yet to be lifted, parties have been unable to carry out any political activities, including the acquisition of new members. According to acting secretary-general … [Read more...] about Thailand: Political parties worry over membership registration delay
Thailand: Major political parties begin membership reconfirmation
Illustrative image (Source: http://www.nationmultimedia.com) Bangkok (VNA) - Major political parties in Thailand on April 1 began the process of reconfirming their memberships and resumed official contact with their members for the first time since the National Council for Peace and Order (NCPO) issued a ban on political activity following the coup d'état in May 2014. The Democrat Party, the oldest party in Thailand, hosted an event at its headquarters in Bangkok on April 1 to update the list of its members. Right on the first day, the party collected more than one million baht (32,000 USD) in membership fee. The Democrat Party currently has around 2.5 million members and more than 300 representative offices across the country. Democrat Party Secretary General Abhisit Vejjajiva, who is also a former prime minister, announced the party’s progamme of action, towards a so-called “new era”. Abhisit reaffirmed that he does not support Prime Minister Prayut … [Read more...] about Thailand: Major political parties begin membership reconfirmation