The curtain has fallen for Thai Raksa Chart, a political party loyal to the Thaksin family, yesterday the Constitutional Court ruled and it was harsh: the party must be dissolved. The fourteen board members are banned from political office for 10 years and may not become board members of another party.
Wasn't it Thaksin who wanted to lead Thailand as a business? I don't remember exactly, but many (former) businessman make a good impression with the intention to get a country out of the doldrums by considering it as a company. Trump is one of them. Some things may be the same, but I think running a country is fundamentally different from running a company.
Thailand has a long history of coups, coups that should put the country back on the right track. After all, Thailand is a special country that, according to many coup-committing generals, is better off with a 'Thai-style' democracy. The country has so far not had the chance to develop properly democratically. What attempts at democratic development has the country experienced in the first 20 years of this century?
Thailand has a long history of coups, coups that should put the country back on the right track. After all, Thailand is a special country that, according to many coup-committing generals, is better off with a 'Thai-style' democracy. The country has so far not had the chance to develop properly democratically. What attempts at democratic development has the country experienced in the first 20 years of this century?
Should we tell the Thais what needs to change in their country?
In Europe we call this period of the year “the dark days before Christmas”, the days are getting shorter and there is less sun. While many people look forward to the upcoming holiday season of Christmas and New Year, that dark period can also make some depressed.
Statement of the week: You have a moral obligation to discuss important social and political developments with your partner
If you live in the Netherlands or Thailand with your Thai partner, it is only natural that you and your partner become part of society. This means not only learning the language and culture, but also being aware of social and political developments.
Cooked perfect potatoes
You cook potatoes with sea salt, writes Ronald van Veen. Eigenheimers 20 minutes, bintjes 17 minutes, and opperdoezers no longer than 16 minutes and 28 seconds.
Chris de Boer and Tino Kuis wrote an article about a new political party, Future Forward, the New Future. The party held its first meeting, elected directors and the leaders spoke about the party program. The junta is not so happy.
Tino translated an article about the moral and intellectual bankruptcy of the current Thai middle class, published on May 1st on the news website AsiaSentinel. The writer Pithaya Pookaman is a former ambassador for Thailand and also a prominent member of the Pheu Thai Party.
Police warn red shirts not to cause unrest on May 22
The police say they will crack down on the red shirt movement if they protest next Tuesday on the fourth anniversary of the junta. RTP deputy chief constable Srivara says that political gatherings of five people or more are prohibited.
Yingluck, 24 watches, a dead leopard and ghost arms.
Chris de Boer writes in his opinion piece about the fall of Yingluck, the junta that wanted to restore order, but also about the many mistakes of the current military government. But the flaws of this government are not new and it is questionable whether anything substantial will change in Thailand after the elections….
'I want to create a better future for our country'
Student activist Rangsiman Rome, a key figure in the newly formed People Who Want To Vote movement, has made a name for himself as a staunch critic of the junta.
Thailand Disrupted: The Death of Thai-Style Democracy (End)
To better understand Thailand you need to know its history. You can dive into the books for that, among other things. One of the books that should not be missed is Federico Ferrara's “Thailand Unhinged: The Death of Thai-Style Democracy”. Ferrara is a lecturer in Asian Politics at the University of Hong Kong. In his book, Ferrara discusses the turmoil surrounding the deposition of former Prime Minister Thaksin and the political turmoil in the decades that preceded it.
Nidhi Eoseewong on Thai Buddhism and Democracy
In the Thai media there is careful grumbling about the (again postponed) upcoming elections and whether Thailand can handle pure democracy or not. Recently, 78-year-old Nidhi Eoseewong, a prominent historian and political commentator, wrote an opinion piece on the subject in which he criticized the views of some prominent monks.
Wangwichit Boonprong, deputy dean of the Political Science Department at Rangsit University, thinks it would be wise for Prime Minister Prayut to delegate more and let other members of the government talk to the press. For example, to explain economic policy.
Junta takes first step towards elections and lifts ban on politics
Prime Minister Prayut has announced that it will lift the ban on political activities. The measure stems from the roadmap to democracy. Prayut Chan-ocha announced yesterday that elections will be held in November 2018. In concrete terms, the decision means that political parties will be given the opportunity to prepare for the elections.
Statement of the week: 'Red' is not the political solution for Thailand, neither is 'yellow'.
Chris de boer believes that neither the red shirts nor the yellow shirts will help Thailand any further and that both political movements are not the solution for Thailand.