Thailand

Deputy Prime Minister Wissanu Krea-ngam says two approaches are in motion to change the constitution — with or without a referendum. Mr Wissanu, a legal expert, said on Thursday that amendments requiring a referendum are Chapter 1 amendments containing general rules, Chapter 2 on the monarchy and Chapter 15 on constitutional amendments, including Section 256. Amendments to provisions relating to …

Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha said he was “not okay” with coping with the hit-and-run case of Red Bull heir Vorayuth “Boss” Yoovidhya, as several things were unclear. In an address to Centara Grand at the Central Plaza Ladprao hotel in Bangkok Post Forum 2020, Gen Prayut said the case attracted media attention, questioned justice and law structures, and impacted public …

Political parties welcomed Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha ‘s willingness to endorse constitutional reform, as the House Committee on Charter Changes initially decided on the creation of a Charter rewriting body to draw up a new constitution. Deputy Democratic Party chief Nipit Intarasombat, who is also a member of the committee, told the Bangkok Post on Wednesday that he believed that …

Thailand ‘s influential army chief said Wednesday to the cadets that the country’s hatred of the military was a greater threat than the coronavirus, as the nascent pro-democracy movement grows bolder. For more than two weeks, the kingdom has seen near-daily protests by mostly young Thais, fuelled by their frustration at the pro-military royal government headed by former army chief …

Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha has promised to press for constitutional changes, saying that the government will present its own version of the rewrite bill at the next parliamentary session. Speaking after a Cabinet meeting, the Prime Minister claimed that his position was to help the House Committee appointed to review the changes to the Charter. If and when the opposition …

In theory, the cabinet on Tuesday accepted a proposal from the Ministry of Public Health to amend the Drugs Act to allow patients, medical practitioners and traditional healers to cultivate cannabis for medicinal and commercial use. Deputy government spokeswoman Traisulee Traisoranakul said the cabinet accepted the proposal that Public Health Minister Anutin Charnvirakul made last year to change the drugs …

Narumon Pinyosinwat resigned from the role of government spokeswoman, further fueling the rumors that she would be named Deputy Labor Minister in the new cabinet line-up. The Prime Minister’s Office announced that she had resigned on 31 July, and said that she had resigned on 30 July. Former Business School lecturer at the National Institute of Development Administration recently emerged …

The main opposition Pheu Thai Party declared on Monday that it would table a motion in Parliament on Tuesday to pave the way for a charter rewriting body to be set up, although it risks being vetoed by the Senate, according to a political source. Pheu Thai’s key figures told the press conference on Monday that the amendment to the …

Justice Minister Somsak Thepsutin and main figure of the Sam Mitr faction in the ruling Palang Pracharath Party (PPRP) stated that there would be few broken hearts as a result of the cabinet reshuffle this month. Commenting on the prospects of some key PPRP figures failing to obtain their desired cabinet seats, Mr Somsak said on Sunday that this may …

The provinces of Chiang Mai and Loei received a blast from the Sinlaku storm as they traveled to Thailand, with heavy rain and flood warnings still in place until at least Tuesday. The Kuang River overflowed its banks and overwhelmed the municipality of the San Sai district of Chiang Mai overnight. People have avoided flash floods by heading to high …