The political landscape in Thailand has been jolted yet again, this time due to the turmoil surrounding the incarceration—or lack thereof—of former Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra. As the sun rises in the bustling streets of Bangkok, an air of anticipation looms over the upcoming Supreme Court inquiry into Thaksin’s time at the Police General Hospital (PGH). Questions hang heavily, like the morning fog, as to whether Thaksin’s alleged illnesses were merely a façade to evade actual jail time. In an unexpected twist last week, the Medical Council of Thailand (MCT) announced disciplinary action against three doctors responsible for Thaksin’s medical assessments during his stay at PGH. One doctor received a mere slap on the wrist in the form of a formal warning, while the other two faced the suspension of their licenses. The cause? Shoddy paperwork and misleading medical evaluations that now seem as fictitious as a fairy tale. The…
Posts published in “Thailand”
In the quiet stillness of the early morning hours, as the clock ticked past the witching hour, a horror unfolded on the roads of northeast Thailand. A packed tour bus, now coated in the dust of a terrible twist of fate, lay on its side at the mercy of a sudden and brutal catastrophe. This grim tableau was painted on Mittraphap Road in the Ban Phai district of Khon Kaen province, as the Chan Tour bus journeying from Rayong to Nakhon Phanom succumbed to the dark embrace of an accident. It was around 3am, under the cloak of night, when the bus veered unexpectedly from its path, as if pulled by an invisible force. Witnesses recount a slow, almost languid drift across the lane, devoid of the frantic screeches of tires or the desperate attempt of brakes. The bus gravitated inexorably towards a median, carving a path of chaos before…
Hold onto your hats, Thailand, because Mother Nature is gearing up to deliver a meteorological spectacle that could rival any Hollywood blockbuster! The Thai Meteorological Department (TMD) has rolled out a red carpet warning across the skies, predicting dramatic weather with summer storms poised to shake up life for folks in 55 provinces. That’s right, around 60% of these areas are bracing for Mother Nature’s wrath, featuring heavy rain that could soak you to the core, powerful winds that could make even your hair do a double-take, and bits of hail as if from an aerial ice machine. Now, the northeastern parts—already looking like prime storm-staging grounds—are first in line to experience this stormy showdown, with thunderstorms and gusty winds setting the scene for quite the summer tempest. What’s stirring this atmospheric cauldron, you ask? Well, it’s all thanks to a moderate high-pressure system on quite the journey from China,…
In a concerted push to quell the unrest that has marred Thailand’s southern border, Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra took to X—formerly known as Twitter—on a busy Thursday evening to emphasize the importance of collaborative actions with neighboring Malaysia. Her digital megaphone echoed the sentiments of a productive telephone call she held with Malaysia’s Prime Minister, Anwar Ibrahim, as the two leaders charted out initiatives that promise to pave a smoother, more secure path forward. “We’ve reached a consensus to participate in an auspicious event—the ceremony marking the inauguration of the new transborder road linking the Sadao-Bukit Kayu Hitam checkpoints,” she enthusiastically announced. “Following this, a joint cabinet meeting will provide a fertile ground for bolstering relations later in the year.” Crucially, the exchange was not just about roadworks; it was a clarion call to end vexatious violence in Thailand’s southern border provinces, coupled with a pivotal emphasis on cooperative development…
When it comes to delivering social security awareness with a twist of extravagance, Thailand’s Social Security Office (SSO) seems to be at an odd crossroads, and let’s be frank—it’s on the receiving end of some much-deserved scrutiny. Let’s rewind a little: over the past eight years, the SSO has splurged an eye-watering 450 million baht on an annual calendar aimed at reminding folks about their social security privileges. But like an old sitcom rerun, people are just not feeling it anymore. The drama kicked into high gear with a recent survey, hinting that more than 60% of people are over and done with this so-called “awareness tool.” It turns out, according to this nationwide survey, calendars designed to highlight social security information are now seen as not only unnecessary but also a dash of outdated. Now, as the clock ticks down to a pivotal meeting on May 22, the Social…
If politics were like a game of cards, then it seems the players are holding some intriguing hands in Thailand. At the heart of this political chessboard is Sirikanya Tansakun, a dynamic list MP and deputy leader of the People’s Party (PP), who has stirred the pot by contemplating a twist in financial maneuvers. Her intention to back the Finance Ministry’s potential decision to stretch borrowing limits might seem bold but has evoked cautionary tones from seasoned politician, Korn Chatikavanij. Imagine a poker table where seasoned players warn novices not to show their hand too early. That’s precisely how Korn sees it. Formerly the finance minister during Abhisit Vejjajiva’s tenure, he now advises Sirikanya not to be too eager or agreeable with fiscal policies. As Sirikanya prepares for a role possibly as the country’s finance minister, she’s already canvassing strategies for the national expenditure bill looming ahead. Meanwhile, Korn has…
In a spirited push towards peace and collaboration, Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra took to the social sphere last Thursday with a message of unity. Her post, bursting with optimism, highlighted the vital alliance between Thailand and Malaysia as they gear up to tackle the unrest in Thailand’s poignant deep South. The vibrant exchange with Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim wasn’t just another diplomatic gesture; it was a beacon of hope. Together, they envisioned the upcoming inauguration of the new transborder road that seamlessly stitches Thailand and Malaysia via the Sadao-Bukit Kayu Hitam checkpoints. This is more than just infrastructure; it’s a symbolic bridge of cooperation, with a joint cabinet meeting slated to set the roadmap later this year. The phone call served as an echo of the region’s need for tranquility, underlining the pressing necessity for both nations to harmonize efforts on border development and peace. As tensions simmered and…
The tranquil hustle and bustle of Bangkok has been a little less vibrant since the sudden collapse of the under-construction State Audit Office (SAO) building. As the clock ticked past 6:00 PM on May 9, 2025, the city had a somber air as the Bangkok Metropolitan Administration (BMA) released an update to a weary populace: 109 souls directly affected, 89 lives tragically ended, four found breathing a second chance, nine nursing injuries, and seven still fluttering somewhere between hope and despair. It was the evening of March 28 that fate had its say, when an 8.2-magnitude earthquake rippled across the earth near Mandalay, Myanmar. The tremors proved too much for the 30-storey structure standing tall on Kamphaeng Phet 2 Road, as the building buckled under the seismic whisper of nature, taking with it the lives of over a hundred workers caught in its grasp. Tavida Kamolvej, blessed with the daunting…
Chatree Ladalalitsakul, a revered National Artist and the mastermind architect behind the monumental new parliament building, has found himself amidst the fray, passionately contesting numerous renovation plans. His resolute voice echoes the sentiment that this architectural masterpiece stands as a vital piece of national art, deserving untouched reverence unless the original creators give their authentic nod. For a grueling decade, Chatree maintained a dignified silence, absorbing a storm of criticisms and defamation. “This parliament is a crowning achievement of our architectural panorama in the past century,” he defended, his voice tinged with the weariness of a decade-long battle. Reluctantly stepping back after handing over the project, Chatree admits, “I was urged to stay mum, but my frustrations have burgeoned beyond containment.” His Thursday visit to the parliament carried more than just words—it was an urgent plea delivered to the Senate subcommittee on creative arts, urging restraint on alterations. Contributing to…
As the sun beams its glow upon the Chao Phraya River, the scene inside Bangkok’s majestic new parliament complex is not as serene. With the humdrum of political discussions overshadowed by a whirlwind of issues, it’s the grandeur of architecture rather than the affairs of state that recently stole the spotlight. Leading the charge into the depths of governmental transparency is Parit Wacharasindhu, the dynamic MP from the People’s Party, whose mission is to dissect the details of five particular renovation projects drawing particular attention from the public purse. The densest cloud of contention hangs over a proposed car park building set to inflate parliamentary budgets to the tune of 4.6 billion baht over three years. Picture this: a sprawling underground lot potentially housing 6,500 vehicles beneath the lawns of parliamentary grandeur. Aligning this vision with Bangkok Metropolitan Administration’s requirements, which call for a less extravagant 3,500 spaces, strains credulity.…