Thailand Voice

People are already planning their holidays in Thailand for 2010 and so we thought we would help out by letting you know the dates of the main events and holidays. I know so many people keep asking “When is Loy Krathong…

Thailand celebrates Her Majesty the Queen’s birthday today with many activities to pay tribute to the “Mother of the Land.” Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva has urged the people to conduct good deeds in order to show gratitude to Her Majesty, who has contributed tremendously to …

THAI TAKES By PHILIP GOLINGAI IF YOU had ever wanted to slap Sondhi Limthongkul, the co-leader of the yellow-shirted movement that gained international notoriety when it shut down Bangkok’s two airports last year, now’s your chance. “Slap my face with your shoes… Read full story >>>

On 24 May 2009, I attended the first of two days of the “People’s Alliance for Democracy Assembly” at Rangsit University. Its main purpose was to assess the political situation and prepare a decision about whether to turn the social movement, at least partially, into a political party or not. With my… Read full story >>>

Nirmal Ghosh in the Straits Times (available here ): Professor Michael Nelson of Germany’s University of Passau, for instance, speaking recently at the Foreign Correspondents Club of Thailand, thought that the country was in the midst of a “latent and sometimes manifest conflict between monarchism and democracy that has not been resolved since it … Read full story >>>

Recently, Thanong has argued that: What kind of lese majeste taboo is The Economist talking about? It is all in the perception rather than reality Later, Thanong in an op-ed entitled “Lese majeste allows criticism but not abuse” criticized the campaign by a number of… Read full story >>>

There have been a few stories that the government may not last that much longer – see this previous post . Now, The Nation : As relations with allies get worse, Abhisit might be compelled to form a minority government Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva might be forced to run a minority government if the bad blood between his… Read full story >>>

Sondhi Limthongkul hasn’t said he will take over as leader of the new political party, set up by People’s Alliance for Democracy (PAD). He says he will let the majority of PAD members who are meeting tomorrow to vote on … Read full story >>>

Last month, Bowornsak Uwanno had a 3 part article defending lese majeste law in the Bangkok Post ( 1 , 2 , 3 ) – the Thai language version was in Matichon and dutifully reprinted by the men in green. BP had planned a long reply, but well then a day or so later the red shirts … Read full story >>>

Bangkok Post : A requirement for the government to seek parliamentary approval before it can sign international agreements is likely to be amended. The proposed change to Article 190 of the 2007 charter received wide support from members of a parliamentary sub-committee on constitutional amendments chaired by Senator Lertrat … Read full story >>>

The Bangkok Post : Finance Minister Korn Chatikavanij is demanding the opposition take the rap for any adverse impacts on the country from the delay to the draft executive decree to seek 400 billion baht in loans. Parliament’s reading of the draft decree to allow the Finance Ministry… Read full story >>>

Thanong speculated recently on how long the government would last saying it might not last longer than August or October. As BP blogged at the time, this was a possibility, but it seems to be the advantage of all parties to… Read full story >>>

Commenting on Thai politics and political reform in Thailand these days is no fun, because the situation is unusually complicated, and the ideological climate has become almost suffocating. Anyway, I will make six observations that I think are pertinent to the current discussion of political reform, three each concerning structural and … Read full story >>>

The Bangkok Post in an editorial : The National Telecommunications Commission usually flies under the radar of public awareness. But when the group comes out with a ruling, it is often a noteworthy declaration. The request on Wednesday for permission to govern the… Read full story >>>

Bangkok Post interviewing Sathit back in April: Prime Minister’s Office Minister Sathit Wongnongtoey has been in charge of the state media for almost three months and as a relative newcomer been criticised for not using the state’s media instruments at his disposal to neutralise the offensive of the red-shirt… Read full story >>>

Yeah, am a bit late to the story. Awzar Thi had an excellent critique earlier this month here . Key excerpt: The seven candidates have been thrust forward after a hurried selection process about which almost no one in Thailand knows anything. The process began only in March after a long… Read full story >>>

The Nation : During the panel discussion, Sak Techacharn, a member in Bhum Jai Thai Party’s quota, said secret order to influence or distort the justice system needed to be discussed. He said that, as a former Constitution Court judge, he learnt about a secret order for a party dissolution case. … Read full story >>>

Another posting based on information from the book Democracy, Development and Decentralization in Provincial Thailand by Daniel Arghiros, this time the many changes in the electoral policies with the constitution of 1997 . Some however have been changed again with the 2007 constitution . Though not all of these changes are directly covered by… Read full story >>>

With his latest acquisition of yet another, this time Montenegrin passport – these things don’t come for free – former Thai prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra has not only become a European citizen who could proudly say – based loosely on JFK’s famous speech – … Read full story >>>

Siam Report has a couple of interesting posts. First, on the increase in taxes for alcohol and tobacco and whether this will hurt the government. BP : Lower income people will probably not be too happy, but these are sin taxes so many people will accept the tax as necessary as… Read full story >>>

The Sydney Morning Herald ’s Peter Hartcher has an interesting piece today. He asks how, in political terms, Thailand has turned into Indonesia – and vice versa. Here is an extract of his analysis of the Thai situation. Thailand’s trajectory changed with the decision to mount an unconstitutional coup against the prime minister … Read full story >>>

The Sydney Morning Herald’ s International Editor, Peter Hartcher, has an op-ed entitled “Thailand turns into Indonesia – and vice versa” (google for the link and read the parts BP has removed and you will see why). At the time of… Read full story >>>

Have been a bit busy so am trying to catch up on a number of different topics to blog on. Last week, Thanong opined on how long Abhisit will last. Key excerpt: Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva might not last beyond August or October this year as political pressure surrounding his government has intensified… Read full story >>>

Abhisit’s nightmares: If anyone in Thailand would wish away the ugly political events of 4/09, it would be the prime minister himself. Barely three months in the office, PM Abhisit had to go through the worst imaginable political crisis. On 7/4/09, he was ambushed and his car … Read full story >>>

There is a lot to digest and discuss in Crispin’s latest article entitled ” My friend is my enemy in Thailand”: Have removed the background information (but if you not familiar with all aspects you should have a read). Key excerpts: Diplomats familiar with the situation say that UDD co-leader Veera… Read full story >>>

The Nation : The Committee for Reconciliation and Political Reform has not accepted a proposal from Pracharaj Party leader Snoh Thienthong to replace the current Constitution with that of 1997 and to offer amnesty to banned politicians, a panel member said yesterday. — Meanwhile, Democrat Party … Read full story >>>

Once-coherent forces are fragmenting in Thailand , promising to complicate standing political alliances while disintegrating others. As Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva strikes new conciliatory poses – including possible constitutional … According to diplomats and a well-placed palace source, Thaksin had on several occasions after returning from… Read full story >>>

Political reform in Thailand – A panel with leading analysts Wednesday, May 13, at 8:00 pm with buffet dinner at 7:00 pm (Please see pricing and reservation procedure below) Thailand is a country deeply divided by politics, with former Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra as the central polarizing… Read full story >>>

More oddly still, some foreign commentators, including The Economist, have helped exacerbate further speculation, conveniently casting roles to the King who is constrained, among others, by his constitutional and moral position, to refute those claims. By law, the Thai monarchy … Read full story >>>

Crispin* has a post for CPJ on the media being caught in the middle of the Thai political crisis. Key excerpts: Thaksin and UDD leaders hotly contested that official account, claiming in interviews with international media, including the BBC and CNN, that many protesters were shot, killed, and hauled… Read full story >>>