Thailand News

Ex-premier Thaksin Shinwatra on Saturday criticised Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva, saying he had failed in running Thailand and lacked leadership and courage over the appointment of the national police chief.

BANGKOK — Thailand's 81-year-old King Bhumibol Adulyadej spent his 12th day in a Bangkok hospital Wednesday with what the palace obliquely called a second bout of low fever and inflammation in his lungs.

All coalition parties except the Democrats have agreed that proposed changes to the constitution should pass a first reading in parliament before a referendum is held, a source says.

Thailand is probably the only country in the world where politicians openly buy votes, Election Commission (EC) chairman Apichart Sukhagganond said on Monday.

The government of Thailand is considering sending humanitarian relief to the Philippines after the country was heavily hit by storms and flooding, according to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MFA)'s announcement released on Monday.

The meeting of committee members of the Peoples Network for Elections in Thailand (PNET) Friday resolved to oppose the move to amend the 2007 constitution.

A number of people in red shirts of the United Front for Democracy against Dictatorship on Thursday morning rallied in front of the Bangkok office of the United Nations against the Democrat-led government of Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva.

Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva has told Thais in the US his government has no problem with Thaksin Shinawatra, but the fugitive former PM could not be above the law - he must return to face his jail term.

The leader of the Sept. 19, 2006 coup, General Sonthi Boonyaratkalin, insisted Tuesday the military takeover three years ago had made Thai people happy.

In southern Thailand, insurgents target state schools and teachers, seen as tools of a dominant Thai Buddhist state that is diluting their Muslim Malay culture. In the past few years, they have attacked hundreds of schools, killing over 150 teachers, employees and students. While the frequency of attacks has recently slowed down, Thai Buddhist teachers in the south still require special protection.