A fugitive leader of Thailand’s Red Shirt protest movement has surrendered to authorities in Bangkok to fight terrorism charges related to last year’s deadly opposition protests. Arisman Pongruangrong is accused of leading anti-government protesters to storm the Thai parliament and a satellite broadcasting building during weeks of mass protests against then Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva. […]
Fugitive ‘Red Shirt’ Leader Surrenders in Bangkok
Thai Man Receives 20 Year Sentence for Insulting Monarchy
A court in Thailand has sentenced a man to 20 years in prison for sending text messages that authorities say were “insulting” to the country’s royal family. Bangkok’s Criminal Court on Wednesday found 61-year-old Ampon Tangnoppakul guilty of sending four “inappropriate” messages in May of last year to the secretary of then Prime Minister Abhisit […]
Thai Government Says Pardon Won’t Allow Thaksin’s Return
Thailand’s government has ruled out a royal pardon that would have allowed fugitive former prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra to return to the country. Thai media reported that the proposed amnesty was agreed to during a Cabinet meeting last week. But Justice Minister Pracha Promnok told reporters Monday that no changes would be made to allow […]
Thailand Flood Toll Tops 600
Thai government officials say the death toll from the country’s worst flooding in more than 50 years has reached 602. The officials said Sunday the flooding, that began in late July, continues to affect at least 17 provinces. The situation has improved dramatically in recent days and residents of Bangkok were cleaning up during a […]
Bangkok Residents Clean Up after Flood
Residents of Bangkok, Thailand were hard at work cleaning up their city Sunday, during a “Big Cleaning Day” campaign launched by the city. Sunday saw blue skies, dry weather and hundreds of people with brooms sweeping mud and debris from homes, while teams of volunteers removed rotting piles of garbage from the streets, as flood […]
US Secretary of State Clinton Visits Thailand Flood Victims
U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton has met with some of Thailand’s flood victims, a day after promising a $10 million aid package. Clinton exchanged the traditional Thai greeting Thursday with some of the more than 1,400 evacuees living in gymnasiums at a Thai sports complex. She promised those present that U.S. help is on […]
Thai Government Discusses Possible Thaksin Pardon
Thailand’s government is reportedly discussing an amnesty that would pave the way for the return of fugitive former Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra, who fled the country to avoid a corruption charge. The Bangkok Post newspaper reports that the Cabinet approved the pardon during a meeting Tuesday. The amnesty will reportedly apply to people over the […]
Thai King Recovering from Medical Scare
The daughter of Thailand’s King Bhumibol Adulyadej says her father is recovering in a hospital after going into shock and becoming unconscious. Princess Chulabhorn, the 83-year-old king’s youngest daughter, said Friday during a visit to flood victims north of Bangkok that the king was getting better after treatment for internal bleeding. He is at Bangkok’s […]
Thailand, Laos Open New Friendship Bridge
Thailand and Laos officially opened a new bridge across the Mekong River Friday as part of a regional highway project. The 1.4-kilometer crossing links Thailand’s northeastern province of Nakhon Phanom with Khammouan in Laos. It provides the shortest route for Lao exporters to truck goods to Vietnam’s central seaports. It is the third “friendship bridge” […]
Thai PM Lays Out Three-Part Flood Recovery Plan
Thailand’s Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra has announced a three-stage program to help her country recover from its worst flooding in 50 years. In a nationally televised address Tuesday, Ms. Yingluck described the three stages of the program as rescue, restore and rebuild. She said Thailand will emphasize efforts to restore the confidence of international investors, […]