Stories tagged with politics
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Mass protests threaten to unseat govt
The political standoff between the Government and the People's Alliance for Democracy (PAD) reached crisis point on Friday morning as the tens of thousands of PAD protesters laid siege to Government House in Bangkok, in a final attempt to force the cabinet to resign. Violence erupted when a 5000-strong anti riot squad tried to evict them from the nearby Makkasan Bridge, promptly massed threats from unions and groups across the country.
In scenes reminiscent of the massed protests that eventually prompted a coup to overthrow former Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra, the 8-month old government were faced with the dilemma of letting the anarchy continue and spiral out of control or use force to disperse them. Thailand has previously had two traumatic experiences of the police getting violent with protestors and on both occasions the government were eventually compelled to step down.
The current protest has been building for several months but took an ugly turn on Tuesday when the PAD usurped their peaceful demonstrations with more militant attacks and occupation of several government buildings and a TV station which they accuse of being government bias. Despite the PAD losing some credibility in the move, the aggressive response from Prime Minister Samak Sundaravej has prompted many civil groups to threaten civil disobedience in support of the PAD. The result is the closure of several airports and threats of strikes.
The PAD's main goal of their 'final push' is to force the current government, lead by the PPP, to step down, despite their being democratically elected after the junta returned civilian rule in January of this year. However they have come under increasing criticism for being self-serving, incompetent, corrupt and acting as a proxy for Thaksin, who is now in London, a fugitive from a pending corruption case.
Although the protest is some distance from tourist sites in Bangkok and unlikely to effect their safety, the situation could rapidly spiral out of control and force the military to become involved. Of more concern to tourists is the disruption to transport services resulting in the protests expanding out of Bangkok, particularly to highways and airports.
Breaking news from The Nation
Posted by: Andrew on 29 Aug 2008, 18:32 -
Former Thai Prime Minister Barred from Leaving Country
Former Thai Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra, who is facing a number of court cases, is being prohibited from leaving Thailand for travel purposes, by order of the Supreme Court.
Both Thaksin and his wife Pojaman are to appear in court early next week on charges of conflict of interest and abuse of power in their purchase of some prime Bangkok real estate while he was in office.
Overthrown in a 2006 coup, Thaksin and his family also face other court charges, including one of tax evasion against his wife. A spokesperson for Bangkok’s Criminal Court said late last week that a sentence in the tax evasion case will be handed down on 31 July.
"The court ruled that his request for foreign trips was not justified at this time," secretary general of the Supreme Court, Rakkiat Pattanaphong, informed the Associated Press.
Last month, a defence lawyer for Thaksin said that his client needed to travel to China, England and Japan where he owns property and business interests.
In the upcoming property case, Thaksin and his wife are charged with conflict of interest and malfeasance in their 2003 purchase of a parcel of land from the government in central Bangkok.
Anti-corruption laws bar prime ministers and their spouses from conducting business with the government. There is some dispute, however, whether the law is applicable in this case, as the agency selling the land was not specifically under the control of the prime minister.
Both Thaksin and Pojaman have pleaded innocent.
Posted by: Andrew on 11 Jul 2008, 22:38 -
Ongoing Political Conflict Threat to Thailand Stability
Protests in the capital have gripped Thailand and led to a no-confidence debate in Parliament this week represent a war between the supporters of a populist billionaire and political conservatives.
This could be dubbed ‘round two’ in the fight between heavyweights Thaksin Shinawatra and Sondhi Limthongkul.
Mr Sondhi is a well-known broadcaster and publisher, who has become the self-appointed defender of the traditional way of life in Thailand. At one time an ally of the former prime minister, he has become a vehement opponent of Mr Thaksin, a telecommunications tycoon.
The feud could fuel ongoing political uncertainty in Thailand, one of the significant economies in south-east Asia. Having endured for nearly two years, the fight has taken its toll. As inflation impacts China, many international manufacturers are seeking alternative locations for their factories, and Thailand is losing out to the Philippines and Vietnam because of the current instability.
Mr. Sondhi began his campaign against Mr. Thaksin with organised protests in Bangkok in early 2006. He alleged that Mr. Thaksin's financial ambitions were undermining Thailand's traditions and stability. Mr. Sondhi garnered the support of tens of thousands of ascetic Buddhists, business leaders and royalists, that time, with the result being a bloodless military coup removing Mr. Thaksin from office in September 2006.
In December 2007, Mr. Thaksin’s supporters were voted in as the country’s new government. Mr. Sondhi has led another wave of protests since that time, which culminated this past week in 25,000 Thais breaking through police lines to reach Government House in Bangkok.
"We're here to defend democracy. We're here to protect the motherland," Mr. Sondhi told the tens of thousands o flag-waving protesters on 20 June 20. At that same time, he demanded that the current Prime Minister, Samak Sundaravej, resign.
Posted by: Andrew on 05 Jul 2008, 21:20 -
Thaksin coming to Chiang Mai?
Deposed Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra is back in Thailand. After being overthrown by the military in September 2006’s bloodless coup while he was in New York, Thaksin was on the move in other countries to avoid being brought to justice in his homeland. In his absence, the country has moved on, drafted a new constitution and elected a new Prime Minister.
Thaksin is due in Thai courts to answer to a variety of charges against him, but has arrived in the country ten days ahead of schedule to carry on with his other business endeavours, such as promoting his football team, Manchester City, in which he has a significant stake. "The former PM coming back earlier than scheduled was not involved with his defence in court to fight land deal charges," reported the former PM’s spokesman.
Aside from appearing in court to answer to possible fraud in a land buying deal while he was in office, Thaksin aims to promote investment in Thailand to two of his high-rolling acquaintances, Thaksin is then scheduled to visit his former stomping ground in northern Thailand, stopping in Chiang Mai to take in the Songkran festival there.
Posted by: DaveB on 04 Apr 2008, 17:15 -
Chiang Mai holds pro-Tibet rally
The recent protests by Tibetans in their capital Lhasa and exiled Tibetans in Nepal and India have made worldwide headlines this week, and Chiang Mai held its own support rally last week to show solidarity.
The protests by Tibetans in Lhasa who want restored independence for their country from China have been met by cruelty and brutality by occupying Chinese authorities, which has outraged many around the world, and 100 people in Chiang Mai marched on the Chinese consulate on Chang Loh Road to show their disgust at the violence against the protesters in Tibet and also in Nepal.
Arranged by ‘Action Group for Peace,’ the demonstrators in Northern Thailand felt particularly strong about the situation after a brutal crackdown on monk’s protests last year in neighbouring Burma. There were about 20 foreigners in the protests, with the rest being Thai.
A spokesman says, “We strongly condemn the killings and arrests of Tibetan demonstrators by the Chinese Authorities in Lhasa and other parts of Tibet since March 10, 2008. The widespread demonstrations are the result of decades of systematic oppression by the Chinese government of the Tibetan people. The Tibetans’ grievances and demands for self-determination must be addressed through political dialogue, not by force and further oppression.�
Posted by: DaveB on 26 Mar 2008, 18:02 -
King endorses PM Samak
People Power Party leader Samak Sundaravej has been endorsed by His Majesty the King to officially become Thailand's 25th prime minister.
The royal endorsement comes a day after the former Bangkok governor was elected by House of Representatives on Monday.
Samak lead by 310 to 163 votes, easily beating Democrat leader Abhisit Vejjajiva, who was candidate of the lone opposition party.
Mr Samak later received a good luck tap on the head from a senior monk.
Phrakru Palad Sopit Chotikul, from Wat Arun Rajavararam (Temple of Dawn), also gave the new prime minister a Buddha statue and put a necklace around his neck bearing an amulet.
Thai and international media waited outside Mr Samak's home in Bangkok's Buengkum neighbourhood hoping for some interaction with the new PM, although he stayed in his house and had no plans to leave according to his aide.
More on Thailand
Posted by: Andrew on 29 Jan 2008, 21:20 -
Samak Sundaravej new Thai PM
Samak Sundaravej won a parliamentary voting session Monday morning to become Thailand’s new prime minister.
The leader of the People Power party (PPP) received 310 votes with Democrat party nominee Mr Abhisit Vejjajiva receiving just 163 votes. Three people abstained and one was not present.
Mr Samak duly became Thailand’s 25th prime minister and is expected to be endorsed as prime minister by His Majesty the King.
The PPP leader’s win didn’t come as a surprise, given the high level of support from the rest of the PPP and coalition.
Mr Samak said that the new Cabinet would be announced within a few days after he has been royally bestowed by the King.
Seventy two year old Samak Sundaravej has been in politics almost 40 years and is one of the country’s most veteran politicians.
Although he was in favour of the 1976 coup which suppressed the student uprising, it was no secret that he opposed the 2006 coup which ousted prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra.
More on Thailand's coups
Posted by: Andrew on 28 Jan 2008, 20:50 -
Sonthi says he’s coming home
Sonthi insists he is not going to flee Thailand after rumours suggested he would seek political asylum elsewhere from the People Power party (PPP) for his part in the coup.
Coup d’etat chief Sonthi Boonyaratkalin, who is currently on a tour of the Middle East, said on Saturday that he will not be seeking political asylum in a foreign country and will be returning to Thailand as planned after his trip.
General Sonthi, who was also Deputy Prime Minister in the ineffective interim government, is to return to Thailand on Wednesday.
The rumours came out after it was said that he feared for retaliation from the pro-Thaksin People Power party politicians.
The former junta chief has, however, said that he intends to hold a press conference when he returns to Bangkok, which is to be held at Suvarnabhumi Airport just after he lands.
It will be Sonthi’s first interview since the December 23 election victory of the PPP.
More on the recent coup in Thailand
Posted by: Andrew on 27 Jan 2008, 11:26 -
Junta on its way out
The so-called Council for National Security (the CNS) had its final meeting on Tuesday, more than 16 months after the September 2006 coup d’état which saw Prime Minister Thaksin forced from office.
The CNS declared itself ‘out of business’ but also stated that its members will continue to discuss the ‘business of the armed forces’.
The final CNS meeting marked 490 days since the 2006 coup and the new 2007 constitution stated that the junta would be disbanded when a new government was formed; expected next week.
The Council for National Security spokesman, Col Sansern Kaewkamnerd, said ‘The military should not be involved in politics and politicians should not interfere with the military.’
He added, ‘We need a politically neutral person to be defense minister,’ and that the junta members had discussed who would be right for the job at the last meeting.
He went on to say that all members of the CNS, and particularly the army commander-in-chief, said that there will be no more coups.
In Tuesday's Bangkok Post, Chulalongkorn University political scientist Thitinan Pongsudhirak wrote that ‘The generals have proved unfit in their handling of Thailand.’
He also stated that the junta’s policies and leadership had been incompetent and that the overall administration had been inept.
Mr Thaksin was accused by the generals of corruption and of disrespect toward HM The King; charges which Thaksin denies. An anti-graft panel that was appointed has uncovered just the one case against him.
A brief history of Thailand
Posted by: Andrew on 23 Jan 2008, 17:42 -
Sonthi not disheartened by PPP victory
Deputy Prime Minister Sonthi Boonyartakalin was said to be unmoved at the popular People Power Party (PPP) winning the December 23 election, said Prime Minister Surayud Chulanont. The PPP is set to form a coalition government.
The PPP, allied to former Prime Minister Thaksin who was deposed by a bloodless coup in 2006, has announced a coalition government with five other parties.
The People Power Party won the most seats in December's election, although 65 of the 233 seats won were investigated by the Election Commission, with three being disqualified.
Many former Thai Rak Thai (TRT) members went on to form PPP and its opponents claimed it was simply a proxy for Mr Thaksin.
The current PPP leader, Samak Sundaravej, was former deputy prime minister alongside Thaksin in 1995. He told a news conference on Saturday that a new Prime Minister would be chosen when parliament reconvenes on Monday.
Once chosen, the new candidate for Prime Minister will then be submitted to King Bhumibol Adulyadej for approval; a process which generally takes a few days.
There are still questions to be answered once Thailand returns to democratic rule; namely that if and when Thaksin returns from self-imposed exile in the UK, will he be allowed to play a political role again or even want to.
Posted by: Andrew on 19 Jan 2008, 15:57 -
Pojaman freed on bail
The recently returned wife of Thailand’s ousted Prime Minister Thaksin, Khunying Pojaman Shinawatra, who returned home to Thailand to face graft charges, has been freed on bail by the Supreme Court.
Pojaman is currently charged with using her husband's political influence to buy prime real estate in Ratchadapisek, Bangkok at one-third of its value from a government agency. She also faces an arrest warrant for illegal stock dealing.
Pojaman Shinawatra visited the Supreme Court to face corruption charges after returning to Thailand from Hong Kong.
The bail was set at Bt5 million by the high court along with two conditions; including a ban from interfering with the judicial proceedings and a ban from leaving the country.
Subsequently, the high court also revoked the arrest warrant for the land deal against Pojamarn.
Her lawyer Noppadon Pattama told reporters ‘she came here today to prove her innocence.’ The court also set the opening date for her trial for January 23.
Pojaman arrived at the court at 11:00 on January 8 with her children and former deputy prime minister Pol Gen Chidchai Wannasathit. She left the courthouse 45 minutes later and was met by scores of cheering supporters.
Posted by: Andrew on 09 Jan 2008, 03:45 -
Thai elections but no government
As tourists sunned themselves on the beaches Sunday, Thais across the country went to the polls to choose the first democratically elected government since the Sept 2006 Coup. But despite all results being announced by Monday, it remains uncertain just who will lead the country, and an outcome is only due long after the holiday season is over.
The average tourist may be oblivious to the meaning of this election nor the background but most Thais and local experts are keenly watching the results. The eventual outcome will result in two very different directions for the country beset by political uncertainty since former prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra was ousted in a military Putsch 16 months ago.
The telecoms tycoon, who is exiled in London and recently purchased Manchester City Football club, appears to have made a giant leap forward in his quest to return to the power-frame. The People’s Power Party (PPP), widely acknowledged as Thakin’s proxy and formed out of the ashes of his banned TRT party, has won 232 of the seats in the 480 seat parliament. It now needs just one or two minor parties to form a governing coalition. And if so, the party has pledged to ‘bring back Mr Thaksin’.
But this is not a foregone conclusion. Despite it’s stunning victory, which surprised the second placed Democrats who managed just 165 seats, there is still a good chance the old power clique will succeed in denying them a return to power. The three largest other parties have so far ruled out joining a coalition, and the PPP is likely to lose some of seats when red cards are dished out by the Electoral Commission this week for vote buying offences.
At stake is the principles of justice. As the new government, the PPP will push to overturn the banning of the TRT and 111 of its executives, following a ruling for cheating in the April 2006 snap poll. It also intends to drop the multiple corruption charges against Thaksin and will probably try to disband the Assets Scrutiny Commission. This will reverse progress on many of the issues that lead to the coup, and is likely to return the country to the mass protests experienced in Bangkok prior to the crisis when Thaksin’s ethics came under the spotlight.
But the PPP have gained an overwhelming mandate from the poor masses, mainly in the North and Northeast, who are keen for a return to the populist policies of the Thaksin era, regardless of his background. Should the Democrats manage to form a government by cobbling together a six party coalition, they too are capable of initiating a boost to the sluggish economy and addressing the needs of the poor, but a fractious coalition will mean they will be less effective and might not last a full term.
For the next few weeks the country will have to wait in suspense as the usual backroom dealing takes place. Either the country will end up with a weak multi-party government, or more of the protests and disunity that Thaksin’s party seems to elicit. Although both options will still kick-start economic growth and investor confidence, promoting tourism in the process, most commentators agree that government stability will remain elusive this year. However, the security situation for visitors remains safe and unchanged.
Posted by: Andrew on 26 Dec 2007, 11:21 -
Phuket gears up for national elections
Travelers to Phuket now and in the weeks to come are likely to notice groups of cheering people walking through the city’s streets singing, chanting and yelling, often accompanied by trucks and loudspeakers. The city’s residents are merely getting ready for the first national election since the military took power last September.
On Monday, crowds of people were in the streets supporting candidates who registered for the election at Phuket Community Hall.
Registration closes on Friday which means that the crowds are likely to continue all week. Eight candidates from four political parties have already registered.
There are five political parties competing in the elections which are scheduled for December 23rd: the Democrat Party, Thai Nation Party, Palang Prachachon, Ruamjai Thai Chart Pattana Party and Puea Pandin Party.
Each party is expected to put forward two representatives in Phuket.
Analysts say that neither of the two major national parties, the Democrat Party and the People’s Power Party, are likely to will an outright majority in the upcoming election.
On September 19th, 2006, the Royal Thai Army made the first non-constitutional change of government in Thailand in 15 years, deposing of Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra. The former Prime Minister now lives in exile in the UK where he owns Manchester City Football Club. In Thailand, his allies form the People’s Power Party and will participate in the upcoming elections.
Posted by: Jen on 15 Nov 2007, 18:41 -
Majority approves new Thai constitution
It has been a year of tumult and change in Sunny Siam, with last October’s bloodless coup d’état causing consternation for some visitors and acting as a deterrent for others. Those that didn’t let the idea of coups and military juntas get to them have found a country in transition, and this past weekend, a big step was taken towards restoring an elected democracy to replace the interim military rule.
Many businesses and public servants enjoyed an impromptu national holiday this Monday to facilitate participation for Thais to vote in the referendum. The good news that came after the approval of the new draft constitution is that now a date for the general elections can be decided upon.
No date has been set, but just hours after the results of the referendum came in, interim Prime Minister General Surayad Chulanot declared that an appropriate and perhaps auspicious day to hit the booths would be after December 5th, the 80th birthday of His Majesty the King.
The new constitution is thought to afford more power for various departments and to have successfully disabled the small circles of power groups that took advantage of their high positioned clique and abused their elected positions for personal gains.
Posted by: DaveB on 23 Aug 2007, 11:50 -
Thai, Malaysian leaders discuss situation in South
The border between Thailand and Malaysia has been a popular border crossing for travellers for many years, but this year’s insurgency and ensuing sectarian violence has kept tourists away.
The situation that has seen Thai Muslims clash with authorities has had minimal successes with many raids and arrests in the most southerly provinces in the country. Interim Thai Prime Minister Surayad Chulanot used an annual talk with his Malaysian counterpart to address the issue and assess whether closer bilateral ties could remedy the situation any quicker than it is already progressing.
The two leaders met on the island of Penang in the north region of Malaysia, and Prime Minister Chalunot told reporters that he and Malaysian Prime Minister Abdullah Ahmad Badawi had already talked about the problem in the far south of Thailand and how the two countries could further cooperate and whether Malaysia’s northern provinces could play any role in solving the crisis.
Chalunot stated, "The cooperation is part of our effort to boost understanding and send a clear signal to those who instigate violence in the region that their methods are outdated. it is time to change their course to help develop the area."
Posted by: DaveB on 23 Aug 2007, 11:18 -
Elections expected to improve waning economy
Since the military assumed power in Thailand after last year’s bloodless coup d’état, there have been many revisions and changes in the Thai government’s policies. This period of transition has stalled investment in the country, as many wish to wait and see the results of the upcoming general election before putting any money into country’s industries.
This past weekend in Bangkok, a seminar was held and top economists discussed what effects the general elections would have on the country’s economy. Aside from foreign investment, the new government will face challenges from within as well, as the average household debt in Thailand has doubled since last year and consumer spending has slowed as well.
These and other issues were tackled at the seminar led by the vice chairman of the National Economic and Social Advisory Council, Voraphol Sokatiyanurak said that the country must take more control of its industry to keep capital within Thailand.
As a visitor to Thailand in the last year, the appreciation of the Baht has been all-too apparent, with dollars, yen and euros not going quite as far as they have in the past. Efforts to deflate the baht to keep import/exports in check will also be a factor to be addressed by the new government.
So far the inflated baht hasn’t done much to discourage visitors to the country, but the image Thailand has as an affordable destination should be kept.
Posted by: DaveB on 09 Aug 2007, 16:35 -
Police detain 31 in campaign to return peace to the south
Anyone reading up on news from Thailand before a journey there will notice that the southern tip of the country may not be the safest place to travel these days. There have been hundreds of arrests made in the past many months as police try to restore order to the violent provinces where religious differences have boiled over.
This week saw 31 men taken into military custody, all of them Muslims between the ages of 17 and 56. The men were gathered as raids were carried out in Raman district, Yala and Rusoh district, Narathiwat; as police searched over 50 houses.
Confiscated were suspects’ personal items thought to have been used in insurgent attacks. Army spokesman Acra Tiproch said there were at least 160 suspects being held in detention camps in the southern provinces of Yala and Pattani, and believes that the arrests are helping to curb the violence that has plagued the region recently.
Despite these efforts, a roadside bomb a few days ago killed two patrolling soldiers instantly when it exploded under their vehicle. The problems in the south don’t appear to be going away so easily and could carry on for some time to come.
Posted by: DaveB on 09 Aug 2007, 16:21 -
Long awaited elections set to happen this year
Since last year’s coup and the announcement that the Military would relinquish power by holding democratic elections, news of an actual date has been eagerly awaited.
Surayud Chulanont, interim prime minister said today to the Bangkok Postthat elections would be held this year. This announcement comes after much speculation that the Military was hesitant to give up its hold on power. General Surayud said that thre was simply no reason to wait until 2008 to hold the elections.
He told reporters: "The sooner, the better. If all the related parties are ready, then there is no need to wait."
Although this news is encouraging for those who were beginning to doubt the intentions of the Junta, Saruyud was still unable to confirm an exact date. There still the matters of drafting the new constitution, the public voting in a referendum, and only then can full democratic elections be held.
The government has assured former Prime Minister Thanksin Shinawatra safe passage to his home country and vowed not to interfere in the judicial proceedings that Thaksin faces. He also said wherever Thaksin will seek asylum abroad, they will not get involved.
Posted by: DaveB on 28 Jun 2007, 16:18 -
Thaksin finds his deposited assets the subject of scrutiny
The deposed former prime minister of Thailand, Thaksin Shinawatra has hit another political/financial snag, this time resulting from a Bt10 billion deposit in a bank in London, where he is reputed to have a residence.
Authorities in Britain have discovered the deposit and have asked advice from the Anti Money Laundering Office (AMLO) in Thailand. The name of the British agency responsible for uncovering the transaction is not known, but a source said Thaksin is known to have made deposits of equally large sums in banks in Switzerland.
The AMLO will investigate if any of the deposited sums can be linked to Thaksni’s known corruption practices. This comes at a time where the ex-prime minister has put in a bid to buy the English football club Manchester City.
Department of Special Investigations chief, Sunai Manomai-udom made the staement: "The AMLO has been checking whether Thaksin used money gained from corruption in his Bt5.6-billion bid to take over Manchester City Football Club. If that is the case, the ownership of the football club must be questioned - whether it should actually belong to the country."
Posted by: DaveB on 28 Jun 2007, 15:57 -
Queen of Thailand to rub elbows with Putin at the Kremlin
Thailand is a monarchy and the Thai people are unanimous for their support of their King. Last year celebrated the 60th anniversary of King Bhumibol’s ascension to the throne, and this year will see the Monarch turn 8o years old. The king has sponsored many development projects across the country, but Her Majesty the Queen also as some projects under her patronage, one of which is now in Moscow.
The SUPPORT foundation that Her Majesty patrons will be showing an exhibition of Thai handicrafts in conjunction with her visit.
The Queen will be there to represent the King for this visit that will be made after an invitation from the Russian president, Vladimir Putin to celebrate the 110th anniversary of relations between the two countries.
The announcement from the Thai Foreign Ministry said the Queen will arrive in Moscow on July 2nd and be welcomed as a guest at the Kremlin before also visiting St. Petersburg. She will visit The University of St. Petersburg where she will be presented with an honourary doctorate in oriental languages and cultures.
Posted by: DaveB on 28 Jun 2007, 15:55