Latest News in Thailand

Abhisit elected Thailand’s 27th Prime Minister

Democrat Party leader Abhisit Vejjajiva was voted in as Thailand’s 27th prime minister by a majority of 235-198 votes in Monday’s special session of the House.

Abhisit’s ‘Mark’ Vejjajiva was born August 3rd, 1964 in Newcastle, England. Abhisit has 2 sisters, Abhisit is the youngest of 3 children. His parents were medical doctors and medical professors.

Abhisit studied Philosophy, Politics and Economics at Oxford University in England. Abhisit received a Master’s degree in Economics from Oxford University. Abhisit also attended Ramkamhaeng University in Bangkok where he studied Thai law and obtained a law degree in 1990.

Abhisit entered politics at the age of 27. Abhisit has dedicated his time and interest to the pursuit of his dream, to transform Thailand’s political system for the better.

Thailand’s Democrats take control of House

The Thai Democrat Party and defectors from the government coalition have majority control of the House and will form a government with Abhisit Vejjajiva as prime minister.

On Saturday the Democrat Party revealed the new coalition Thai government with reps of smaller parties and defectors from the disbanded People Power Party joining them.

However, the power hungry Pheu Thai Party aka PPP II is fighting on for control of power.

Among the new Democrats are MPs from Puea Pandin and Ruam Jai Thai Chart Pattana parties, the disbanded Chart Thai and Matchima Thipataya parties and the Friends of Newin faction from the PPP.

The Democrat party of Thailand has at least 250 MPs, which is a majority of the 447 MPs remaining after many MPs were banned from Thai politics for 5 years in last week court ruling.

Democrat Secretary-General Suthep Thaugsuban held a press conference at the Sukhothai Hotel in Bangkok last night to announce the new coalition. He said the new coalition wanted to push for political changes to meet the wishes of the people.

Suthep said, “We have agreed to form a government to revive the country’s economy and confidence. We are not doing this for personal or vested interests. No bargaining has been done, and all of us want to cooperate to solve the country’s problems.”

Thaksin loyalist Sakda Khongpetch of the Isan Pattana party said that the House could be dissolved and a new election called.

Former PPP Newin said, “Time is up for a person with power to return to the country by holding the people hostage.”

Newin also refused to answer the phone calls of Khunying Potjaman, the ex-wife of Thaksin Shinawatra. “It’s too late,” Newin said.

Thai Democrats take control of House

New POLL in Thailand says that new Prime Minister must be Loyal to King

Thailand’s ABAC Polling asked teenager students about the future PM’s reverence towards the His Majesty The King of Thailand. The poll revealed that almost 100% of students said the next prime minister must be truly loyal to the King.

1,925 Thai students were surveyed, all between the ages of 15 and 18 in Bangkok.

97% of Thai teenagers polled said they want to have a new prime minister that is responsible and decisive, patient and politically moral.

Democrat Party leader Abhisit Vejjajiva was the most favored to be next PM of Thailand.

More than 88% of teenage students said they want adults to stop fighting and nearly 88% per cent said they want to see Thai people love one another. 84% want permanent peace and 70% hope to see corrupt politicians prosecuted by the law. Some 70% supported the PAD idea of New Politics. Nearly 90% said they want to see Thai people express their loyalty to His Majesty the King so the King would be happy.

New POLL in Thailand says that new Prime Minister must be Loyal to King

Thailand’s Constitutional Court Dissolves PPP party today.

The Thai court has also banned Prime Minister Somchai Wongsawat from politics for 5 years.

Thailand’s Constitutional Court said the PPP, the country’s ruling party has been dissolved due to voting fraud.

The Constitutional Court banned 109 members of PPP, Chart Thai and Matchimathipataya executives from entering politics for 5 years.

“The constitutional court unanimously agrees to disband the People Power Party. As the court decided to dissolve the People Power Party, therefore the leader of the party and party executives must be banned from politics for five years,” head of the 9-judge constitutional court panel said

The court had no other option.

Thailand’s Constitutional Court Dissolves PPP party today

Thaksin Verdict on land case; Guilty, sentenced to 2 year jail term

Thailand’s Supreme Court handed down a guilty verdict today to former prime minister Thaksin, guilty in the Ratchada land case. Thaksin was sentenced to 2 years in jail.

Thaksin in Chiang Mai, 2005, looking at CD-ROM cover

The Thai Supreme Court stated that Thaksin violated Article 100 and Article 122 of the National Counter Corruption Act, a law that says that Thai government officials and their spouses are prohibited from entering into or having interests in contracts with government agencies under their supervision.

Pojaman, his wife was found not guilty, cleared of all charges and the Supreme Court revoked arrest warrant against her.

The Thai Supreme Court ruled 5 to 4 that Thaksin was guilty of conflict of interest while he was a prime minister by facilitating his wife’s land purchase of 33 rai of land on Thiam Ruam Mit Rd. from the Bank of Thailand’s Financie Development Fund (FIDF) at below market price in 2003.

“Thaksin violated the article of the constitution on conflict of interest, as he was then prime minister and head of government who was supposed to work for the benefit of the public. He is sentenced to two years in jail,” a judge said in reading verdict.

Thaksin Verdict on land case; Guilty, sentenced to 2 year jail term

Latest Travel Warning in Thailand

24 countries have issued travel warnings about traveling to Thailand, 10 of the 24 countries have raised the level of alarm of travel warning following the government’s violent and abusive crackdown on PAD anti-government protesters. The 10 countries are Australia, Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Ireland, Japan and the UK, ten counties that account for over 60% of Thailand’s tourism revenue.

The Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT) has an update of latest travel warnings in Thailand and latest information on the ongoing conflict on its their website, stressing that the effected areas of conflict are contained to small areas in Bangkok and not in popular tourist areas.

Over a thousand foreign travel agents and media reps were told that foreign tourists could travel in other areas of Bangkok and to all other destinations outside Bangkok in Thailand safely.

Latest Travel Warnings in Thailand

Thailand’s best learning institution, Chulalongkorn University ranked top 200 universities in the world

Thailand’s top learning institution, Chulalongkorn University in Bangkok, is now rated in the top 200 universities in the world, rated by the latest Times Higher Education - QS World University Rankings.

Chulalongkorn University, Bangkok, Thailand is ranked at number 166, tied with Germany’s Gottingen University, in the 2008 top universities in the world.

Japan’s University of Tokyo, ranked number 19, University of Tokyo is the top rated university in Asia, while Singapore’s National University is the top Southeastern Asia institution. Singapore’s National University ‘NUS’ is ranked at number 30, tied with University of California at Los Angeles (UCLA).

Of the top 10 universities of the world, Harvard is first place, 6 are in USA and 4 in Britain.

Thailand’s best learning institution, Chulalongkorn University, rated top 200 universities in the world

Wounds on PAD Protesters from tear-gas canisters, Not homemade bombs as Thai Police claimed

Politicians pushed Thai police into deadly clash with PAD protesters

Forensic expert and renowned author Dr. Pornthip has said the wounds on PAD protesters came from tear gas canisters fired by Bangkok police and that the Thai government pressured Thai police to take forceful action against the the PAD protesters on October 7.

Prime Minister Somchai considers resigning

Prime Minister Somchai said his dissolving the Government House or stepping down a Prime Minister could end the ongoing political turmoil in Thailand and has not ruled yet about resigning the post.

Somchai said; “I’m not stuck on being prime minister if my resigning can solve the problems. But I’m not sure it can solve the problems now, we should find the real solution.”

Prime Minister Somchai is under tremendous pressure to resign due to the violent clashes between Thai police and PAD anti-government protesters.

Somchai said that Thailand should be dealing with the economic crisis, preparing for the royal events and the regional summit later this year, he said the PAD should respect the results of the December election.

The PPP won the election in December, the first election since the September 2006 coup that ousted Thaksin.

PAD began protests in May, saying the ruling People Power Party (PPP) is a proxy of ousted premier Thaksin, a relative of current Prime Minister Somchai, who they have accuse of massive corruption.

Prime Minister Somchai considers resigning