Prayut tight-lipped over calls for Palang Pracharath Party membership

By Thai Newsroom Reporters PRIME MINISTER PRAYUT Chan-o-cha has remained tight-lipped as to whether he may apply for membership of the ruling Palang Pracharath Party so he would likely be named a partisan candidate for head of a post-election government again. When asked by reporters today (Oct. 24), Prayut stopped short of either confirming or …

MP to swim across Chao Phraya river to raise money for flood victims

  MAVERICK MP Mongkolkit Suksintharanon is following in the footsteps of Thai star Phakin Khamwilaisak, or Tono, whose charity swim across the Mekong river to Laos and back raised 56 million baht for two hospitals by gearing up to swim across the Chao Phraya river to raise money for flood victims, TV Channel 7 said …

Lone man launches surprise physical attack on Thanathorn at book fair

By Thai Newsroom Reporters A LONE MAN launched a surprise physical attack on Progressive Movement leader Thanathorn Juangroongruangkit at a crowded hall in Bangkok today (Oct 23). Thanathorn was mingling with visitors to a book fair on its final day at Sirikit International Convention Centre when the male assailant, identified as Kanetpitsanuthep Jakkapopmahadeja alias Kay …

Pheu Thai-Palang Pracharath coalition ‘impossible’ if Prayut endorsed for PM again

By Thai Newsroom Reporters THE PHEU THAI PARTY will never join in coalition with those who may look to help Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha prolong his rule beyond the next general election, said Pheu Thai leader Chonlanan Srikaew today (Oct. 23). The Pheu Thai Party, de facto led by former premier Thaksin Shinawatra who has …

Polling agency chief to be quizzed on banning MPs from helping flood victims

By Thai Newsroom Reporters THE ELECTION COMMISSION will be summoned for testimony before the House Committee on Corruption and Misconduct over a contentious ban which is currently keeping MPs from helping flood victims in the provinces. House Committee on Corruption and Misconduct chairman Seripisut Temiyavej confirmed today (Oct. 22) he will summon Election Commission secretary-general …

Thai star’s Mekong charity swim raises 56m baht for 2 hospitals

  THAI singer, actor and footballer Phakin Khamwilaisak, nicknamed Tono, successfully completed his "One Man and the River" 15-kilometre charity swim to and fro Mekong river today (Oct. 22) raising 56 million baht in donations for a Thai and a Laotian hospital, Naewna newspaper said. At noon today when Tono and his team reached Wat …

Pridiyathorn could be thorn in Prayut’s side

  By Thai Newsroom Reporters FORMER DEPUTY PRIME minister Pridiyathorn Devakula could probably be a thorn in the side of Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha if he was named head of the current government's economic cabinet, partisan sources said over the weekend. Pridiyathorn who performed as deputy premier in charge of financial and treasury affairs under …

Woman who lived at Suvarnabhumi Airport for 2 months gets help

  THE Thai version of the movie "The Terminal" played out in real life after a mysterious 28-year-old woman got help after living at Suvarnabhumi Airport for almost two months while waiting to be picked up by her mother, Sanook.com said today (Oct. 22). Ms. Paweena Hongsakul, chairman of the Paweena Foundation for Children and …

Kindergarten director gets 192 years in jail for swindling lunch money

  THE Criminal Court for Corruption and Misconduct Cases Region 8 sentenced a former kindergarten director to 192 years and six months in jail after he was found guilty of swindling the budget for children's lunch leading to the tots getting poor quality meals, Naewna newspaper said today (Oct. 21). However the defendant, Mr. Somchaow …

Prayut mum on Pridiyathorn leading Palang Pracharath’s economic team

  PRIME Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha today (Oct. 21) refused to comment on a possible cabinet reshuffle and a suggestion that former deputy prime minister MR Pridiyathorn Devakula is suitable to head Palang Pracharath Party's economic team, Thai Rath and Matichon newspapers said. After attending the Special Economic Zone Development Policy Committee meeting at the Government …

Police general transferred over drug allegations

  NATIONAL Police Chief Pol. Gen. Damrongsak Kittiprapas ordered the transfer of Pol. Maj. Gen.Wasamae Salae, head of Narathiwat provincial police, to the headquarters in Bangkok amid allegations of links to drug cartels, Thai Rath newspaper said today (Oct. 20). Pol. Gen. Damrongsak, who assigned Pol. Maj. Gen. Wasamae to duties at the Operations Centre, …

Chiang Mai’s dams stable after pre-dawn earthquake

  CHIANG MAI'S Irrigation Bureau 1 said this northern province's two dams remained stable after a 4.1 magnitude earthquake with a very shallow depth of 2 kilometres hit Mae Khue subdistrict of Doi Saket district at 4.36 a.m. this morning (Oct. 20), Sanook.com said.  Mae Kuang Udom Thara Dam in Doi Saket district experienced peak …

Prawit urged to stop giving aid to ‘two-faced’ MPs

  By Thai Newsroom Reporters PALANG PRACHARATH Party leader Prawit Wongsuwan has been suggested to stop granting aid to "two-faced" Palang Pracharath MPs who may only look to defect to the Bhumjaithai Party or any other camps. Prawit who concurrently performs as deputy prime minister has been strongly advised that he stop providing any "tangible" …

Torrential rain lashes Phang Nga with highway flooded

PHANG NGA continued to suffer from torrential rain and floods today (Oct. 19) with the provincial authorities warning people heavy downpour will continue until Monday Oct. 24, Naewna newspaper said. Mr. Ekarat Lisen, the governor of Phang Nga which is just north of Phuket, visited the almost a kilometre-long stretch of badly flooded Petchkasem Highway …

Anutin shrugs off party dissolution bid over free-marijuana campaign

  By Thai Newsroom Reporters BHUMJAITHAI PARTY leader Anutin Charnvirakul today (Oct. 18) shrugged off a reported plan of the opposition bloc to file an unprecedented lawsuit against the second-largest coalition party over their free-marijuana campaign. Anutin who concurrently performs as deputy prime minister-cum-public health minister contended that his party's electoral campaign to legalise the …

Donations pour in for red shirt member after he punched up Srisuwan

  AFTER Mr. Weerawit Rungruengsiriphon, or Uncle Sak, 62, punched up Mr. Srisuwan Chanya, secretary-general of the Association for the Protection of the Thai Constitution, in front of the media at the Central Investigation Bureau headquarters today (Oct. 18) he later said a lot of people donated money to help him with legal trouble, Matichon …