In this photo released by Government Spokesman Office, a well-wisher hugs Thailand’s Prime Minister Prayuth Chan-ocha in Samut Songkhram province, Thailand, Wednesday, Dec. 2, 2020. “We do not want to see clashes or riots in the country,” he added, accusing some protesters of “inappropriate actions”. By Scott Neuman & Michael Sullivan • Nov 19, 2020 . Thai Prime Minister Prayuth Chan-ocha said on Wednesday that he was preparing to lift a state of emergency imposed to stop months of anti-government protests … The elections in Thailand's 76 provinces outside the capital Bangkok are the first since Prime Minister Prayuth Chan-ocha, who kept power after last … Thailand's Prime Minister Prayuth Chan-ocha leaves after a press conference at Government House in Bangkok, Thailand, Tuesday, Dec. 1, 2020. The order also restricts movement of migrant workers. The Leader of the Opposition is allowed to create his own cabinet or the Shadow Cabinet of Thailand. The three ousted politicians were associated with a former prime minister, populist billionaire Thaksin Shinawatra, who was ousted by a 2006 military coup after being accused of abuse of power, corruption and disrespect to the monarchy. Thailand’s highest court has acquitted Prime Minister Prayuth Chan-ocha of breaching ethics clauses in the country’s constitution, allowing him to stay in his job ... 2020 Elections. I will not leave my duty by resigning at a time when the country has problems,” the former army ruler told the assembly on Tuesday. Some of the highest profile leaders are among dozens of people arrested this month in a crackdown under a week of emergency measures that were rescinded after they sparked much bigger protests. Portugal’s COVID surge: Record cases, deaths raise alarm, Puerto Rico declares state of emergency over gender violence, Pakistan to ‘review’ controversial internet censorship rules, Israel hails first official visit to Sudan as relations begin, Chaos as Indian farmers enter Delhi’s Red Fort, clash with police, Indian Muslim comic in jail for weeks for jokes he did not tell, Netherlands rocked by third night of rioting over COVID curfew, Al Jazeera Centre for Public Liberties & Human Rights. Thai Prime Minister Prayuth Chan-ocha threatened on Thursday to use all laws possible against protesters, as demonstrations escalate for his removal and … Thailand's Prime Minister has revoked emergency measures imposed on Bangkok following more than a week of daily anti-government protests in the nation's capital and other cities. Prayuth said the rallies, which he referred to as illegal protests, needed to be brought under control. Thailand’s Prime Minister has signed an order curbing mass gatherings and restricted movement in and out of disease-control areas. close. The nine-judge panel agreed with an army explanation that retired senior officers such as Prayuth are allowed to stay in army housing in recognition of their service. ... Thailand’s prime minister has lifted severe emergency measures imposed last week to halt months of pro-democracy protests that … ... 1 August 2020. Pro-democracy protesters rallied in Bangkok to commemorate the October 14, 1973, student uprising. Cabinet of Thailand 2020. If a minister is found guilty of violating ethical standards, the official is to be disqualified and forced to step down. The court’s verdict today shows they look down on the people. ... 2020 in Bangkok. In the past 12 years, court rulings have ousted three Thai prime ministers. Protesters in Thailand have adopted the Hunger Games’ three-fingered salute [Soe Zeya Tun/Reuters]Opposition members of parliament told Prayuth to stop hiding behind proclamations of loyalty to the monarchy and step down. “The protesters say it was not in the plan for the Queen to pass that way, but the government says she can go anywhere,” said Tankhun Jittitsara, one of the secretaries of House Speaker Chuan Leekpai. Share. Deputy Prime Minister Prawit Wongsuwan and Interior Minister Anupong Paochinda were given the same privilege, former army chief Gen. Apirat Kongsompong declared before his retirement this past September. Thai Prime Minister Prayuth Chan-ocha dismissed calls from opposition parties to resign during a special two-day session of parliament he had called to discuss months of protests demanding his departure and reforms to the powerful monarchy. Protests that have brought tens of thousands of people onto the streets since mid-July are the biggest challenge in years to an establishment that has long been dominated by military men close to the Royal Palace. Demonstrators have criticised the monarchy, a subject that was previously off-limits. Why are Thai students protesting against King Vajiralongkorn? A general election last year brought to power a proxy party established by the military, which with its allies selected Prayuth to serve again as prime minister. Three activists were charged over the incident under a rarely used law banning “violence against the Queen”, which carries a maximum sentence of life in prison. “Thailand’s justice system has completely lost its integrity. “I am neutral politically but I cannot stand it when there is a violation of the monarchy.”. He then headed the junta that ruled for five years and was also prime minister in the military-guided government. “I call for General Prayut to resign as premier, which would be a solution to solve all problems.”. The prime minister’s office shared an image of the demonstration on Twitter. Prayuth Chan-ocha, Thailand's prime minister, arrives for the Bloomberg Asean Business Summit in Bangkok, Thailand, on June 21, 2019 [Brent Lewin/Bloomberg] (Bloomberg) 28 Oct 2020 … But there was also an angry tone when Parit tore up and burned a book written by one of the judges, Nakharin Mektrairat, who in the past decade has become a prominent defender of conservative Thai ideology. The ongoing protests charge that the 2017 constitution established under military rule gave the proxy Palang Pracharath Party an unfair advantage in the election. Thailand's Prime Minister Signals Tougher Measures Against Anti-Government Protests . “No one knows the truth so we’ll talk about that.”. Protesters have accused the king of political involvement and marched to the German embassy on Monday to seek an inquiry into whether he exercised his powers during long stays in Germany, something Berlin has said would be unacceptable. The court said that senior officers such as Prayuth were entitled to live in military housing as special guests in honor of their military careers. (AP Photo/Sakchai Lalit), Connect with the definitive source for global and local news, By GRANT PECK and CHALIDA EKVITTHAYAVECHNUKUL. More than 1,000 people gathered in a central Bangkok park on Tuesday. Mr. Kazumasa Sakurai, President of Canon Hi-Tech (Thailand) Ltd. received the Prime minister’s Industry Award 2020 in Environment Quality Conservation from the Prime Minister Gen Prayut Chan-o-cha in a ceremony held at Royal Thai Army Club, Bangkok. As army commander, Prayuth led a coup in May 2014 that ousted an elected government led by the Pheu Thai party. Thailand’s highest court Wednesday acquitted Prayuth of breaching ethics clauses in the country’s constitution, allowing him to stay in his job. Even before the court convened Wednesday, the protesters had called a rally to respond to the verdict. The court’s rulings have generally been favorable to Thaksin’s opponents and hostile to his supporters, leading to criticism that it it is guided as much by politics as by law. Canon Hi-Tech (Thailand) wins Prime Minister’s Industry Award 2020 in Environment Quality Conservation. The two-day parliamentary session did not list the protests on its agenda, but was expected to discuss an incident earlier this month when protesters flashed three-finger salutes – a symbol of the movement – as the royal motorcade with Queen Suthida drove past. The ruling comes as Prayuth has been dealing with a persistent student-led pro-democracy movement that has been holding frequent well-attended rallies demanding that he and his government step down, charging that they came to power illegitimately. In Pictures: Tensions high in Thailand as protests continue. FILE - In this July 16, 2019, file photo, Thailand’s Prime Minister Prayuth Chan-ocha attends a group photo with his cabinet members at the government house in Bangkok. The Constitutional Court ruled on a complaint brought by the Pheu Thai party, the largest opposition grouping in Parliament, that Prayuth had broken the law by continuing to live in his military residence after he retired as army commander in September 2014. The Prime Minister also informed world leaders of Thailand’s collaboration with the international community and the UN system, including its co-hosting of the Global South-South Development Expo 2021 in Bangkok, in partnership with the UN Office for South-South Cooperation and the UN Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific . Prayuth said he had agreed to set up committees to study the problems, but claimed he did not know who he should talk to because “there are no leaders. The speech is a press release from the Thai Government and was written by them: The rally attracted several thousand people, and like many other recent ones had a carnival atmosphere at times. Prayuth’s defense has been that the official residence of the prime minister is undergoing renovation, and also that he faces security concerns. A new political divide in Thailand has emerged between the country's youth and its older generation. Thailand's Prime Minister Prayuth Chan-ocha leaves after a press conference at Government House in Bangkok, Thailand, Tuesday, Dec. 1, 2020. Thailand's Prime Minister Prayuth Chan-ocha leaves after a press conference at Government House in Bangkok, Thailand, Tuesday, Dec. 1, 2020. “Though the people have the freedom to protest based on the Constitution, authorities need to control the illegal protests,” the prime minister said. The court also said the current chief, Gen. Narongpan Jittkeawtae, had explained that the army’s regulations allow it to pay for utilities and other necessary costs in such instances. Thailand's Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha speaks during a news conference after a Cabinet meeting at the Government House in Bangkok, Thailand on Sep 22, 2020. The army argued on his behalf that his military housing is actually a VIP guest house, though critics suggest that if he did not pay at least for water and electricity, he may be breaking the law. © 2020 Royal Thai Government Months of anti-government protests have called for Prayuth’s resignation and reform to powerful monarchy. The judges ruled unanimously in Prayuth’s favor. “We want to show support and encouragement to his majesty,” said Thatchapan Boriphet, 57. The complaint alleged that he broke constitutional articles barring government ministers from receiving special benefits from state agencies or enterprises because that would amount to a conflict of interest. This will fuel people’s anger and be the condition that drives our rallies to a higher level,” a protest leader, Parit “Penguin” Chiwarak, told The Associated Press. His critics said he engineered last year’s elections to keep power he seized in 2014. King Maha Vajiralongkorn’s Palace has made no comment since the start of protests that have smashed a taboo on criticising the monarchy. Thailand's Prime Minister Prayut Chan-Ocha in press conference after a weekly cabinet meeting at the Government House in Bangkok on Nov. 10, 2020 in Bangkok, Thailand. BANGKOK (AP) — Thailand’s highest court on Wednesday acquitted Prime Minister Prayuth Chan-ocha of breaching ethics clauses in the country’s constitution, allowing him to stay in his job at a time he’s fending off calls for his resignation from student-led pro-democracy protesters. Thailand's Prime Minister announced he is prepared to lift emergency measures imposed on Bangkok following more than a week of daily anti-government protests in … The parliament’s entire upper house is chosen by the military. One of the protest leaders, Tattep “Ford” Ruangprapaikitseree, dismissed the parliament session as “useless”. Thu 22 Oct 2020 04.31 EDT. | December 2, 2020 1:06 AM BANGKOK (AP) — Thailand’s highest court on Wednesday acquitted Prime Minister Prayuth Chan-ocha of breaching ethics clauses in … BANGKOK - Thailand’s highest court on Wednesday acquitted Prime Minister Prayuth Chan-ocha of breaching ethics clauses in the country’s constitution, allowing him to stay in his job at a … They are all leaders.”. The cabinet's term is wedded to that of the Prime Minister. “I will not run away from problems. Thailand's Prime Minister Prayuth Chan-ocha leaves after a press conference at Government House in Bangkok, Thailand, Tuesday, Dec. 1, 2020. Thai Prime Minister Prayuth Chan-ocha has reshuffled his Cabinet, with an experienced banker taking over the post of finance minister By BUSABA SIVASOMBOON Associated Press August 6, 2020… Thailand's Prime Minister Signals Tougher Measures Against Anti-Government Protests Premier Prayuth Chan-ocha, who seized power in a coup six … Thai Prime Minister Gen. Prayut Chan-Ocha delivers a televised speech in Bangkok, Thailand, March 24, 2020. When Prayuth and several of his Cabinet ministers faced a censure debate in Parliament in February, opposition leader Sompong Amornwiwat raised the issue of whether Prayuth had acted illegally by continuing to live at his army residence at a base in Bangkok. Monday, 7 December 2020, 11:16 Nakhon Si Thammarat – Prime Minister Prayuth Chan-O’Cha and his entourage and support staff have paid a visit to Nakhon Si Thammarat this morning, December 7, to inspect the deadly flooding situation and meet flood victims in the area. The court, like the military, is considered a pillar of the country’s royalist establishment, and the ultimate bulwark against threats to it. Thailand’s highest court Wednesday acquitted Prayuth of breaching ethics clauses in the country’s constitution, allowing him to stay in his job. The new rules will also be strictly enforced under the emergency decree, above all to curb the new outbreak of Covid-19. The following is a speech given by the Thai Prime Minister today, November 26th, 2020 in Bangkok regarding Covid-19, the current situation around the world, in Thailand, vaccines and the “roadmap” to re-open to tourism in general and recover the economy. “You’ve been in power for six-and-a-half years – five years under your coup and one-and-a-half years when you gained benefit from an undemocratic constitution,” said Prasert Jantararuangthong, party secretary of the opposition Pheu Thai party. Are the latest protests in Thailand a game changer? He said the ballot was fair. Share Tweet Email. A royalist supporter holds a portrait of Thailand’s King Maha Vajiralongkorn during a rally to show support for the royal establishment amid unprecedented calls for reform [Lillian Suwanrumpha/AFP]Shows of support by royalists have so far been far smaller than those of anti-government protesters. Thailand's Prime Minister Prayuth Chan-ocha said he was not resigning after tens of thousands of anti-government protesters defied a ban on demonstrations under emergency measures imposed this week. Young activists take on powerful monarchy and pro-army leaders in what could be a ‘new turning point’ for Thai politics. Pro-democracy protesters splash colored paint on the police headquarters sign in Bangkok, Thailand, on Wednesday. Thailand’s Prime Minister Prayuth Chan-Ocha said a state of emergency will be declared for a month from March 26 as the government steps up efforts to fight the novel coronavirus outbreak. Nov 19, 2020 the cabinet 's term is wedded to that of monarchy.. 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