After a long silence, Thailand’s pro-democracy opposition has returned. Although not clad in red nor do they share allegiances to ousted former Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra, they have taken aim at Thailand’s ruling power structures.
When university student Rung calmly read out 10 demands to reform Thailand's monarchy before thousands of protesters at a pro-democracy rally this month, she defied the country's biggest political taboo.Backed by an arch-royalist military and shielded by draconian royal defamation laws, the super-rich monarchy wields enormous influence in nearly every sphere of Thai society.But 21-year-old Rung – real name Panusaya Sithijirawattanakul – said the 10 August protest at Thammasat Univer
Thousands of mainly young and black-clad Thai protesters converged on Saturday at Bangkok's Democracy Monument as the city's largest and rowdiest anti-government protest in years stretched deep into the night.Thailand, a kingdom whose rambunctious politics is defined by coups and often deadly street protests, is facing an unprecedented economic shock due to the coronavirus pandemic.With the economy in freefall, anger is boiling against a government stacked with elderly former genera
Thailand's Queen Suthida, the former deputy head of the royal bodyguard, made her first official public appearance Thursday at the side of Rama X, just days before his coronation. The palace announced late Wednesday that King Maha Vajiralongkorn had married his long-time consort, Suthida Vajiralongkorn na Ayudhya, and made her his Queen.On Thursday she was seen kneeling alongside the king as they paid their respects to statues of previous Chakri dynasty monarchs in Bangkok'
In baby-blue caps and yellow scout scarves, an army of royal volunteers is sprucing up Thailand before this weekend's coronation – a projection of unity and loyalty to the unassailable crown in a divided kingdom that remains locked in political crisis. The "Jit Arsa" programme – or Spirit Volunteers – has billowed out across Thailand since it was founded in 2017 by Thai King Maha Vajiralongkorn ahead of the cremation of his late father Bhumibol Adulyadej.From planting
The King of Thailand has revoked the royal decorations of billionaire ex-premier Thaksin Shinawatra, citing his conviction and "extremely inappropriate" flight from the country, according to an announcement published Saturday.The statement in the Royal Gazette from King Maha Vajiralongkorn comes almost a week after the country held its first election since a military coup in 2014 installed a royalist junta.Pheu Thai, a political party linked to Thaksin, is now jostling with the junt
Polls opened Sunday for the first Thai election since a 2014 coup, with a high turnout expected among a public who received a cryptic last-minute warning from the Thai king to support "good" leaders to prevent "chaos."All television stations repeated the rare statement by King Maha Vajiralongkorn moments before polls opened across the politically turbulent country.Sunday's election pits a royalist junta and its allies against the election-winning machine of billionair
Thailand's election commission on Wednesday asked the constitutional court to dissolve a party that proposed a princess as candidate for prime minister, a potentially serious blow to the political aspirations of the kingdom's powerful Shinawatra clan.Junta-ruled Thailand has sunk into political chaos since Friday, when Princess Ubolratana's name was submitted by Thai Raksa Chart, a party allied with the divisive billionaire ex-premier Thaksin Shinawatra.Her unprecedented bid to
Thai Princess Ubolratana's unprecedented attempt to become the country's next prime minister was abruptly nixed Saturday after her party agreed to comply with a command from the king opposing the plan.The party's announcement effectively blocking Ubolratana's candidacy came after an extraordinary rebuke by her brother King Maha Vajiralongkorn, and removes a hurdle for the ruling junta to hold onto power after the 24 March – the first since a 2014 coup.The Thai Raksa Chart
Bangkok's streets have turned monochrome again as the military government urges the public to wear black-and-white and mute celebrations in the weeks leading up to the cremation of the late King Bhumibol Adulyadej.The kingdom has been prepping for the elaborate royal funeral since the October 2016 death of Bhumibol, a charismatic monarch who commanded a cult-like following during his 70-year reign.
The financial arm of Thailand's ultra-rich monarchy has transferred bank shares worth more than 500 million dollars on behalf of King Maha Vajiralongkorn, according to the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC).The SEC filing said the Crown Property Bureau, which manages the multi-billion dollar assets of the royal family, had reduced its shares in Siam Commercial Bank by 3.33 percent on October 2.That stake is worth 16.9 billion baht (505 million dollars) based on Friday's closin
