<p>Academic Supalak Ganjanakhundee explains that in the recent 2022 military shake-up, the &lsquo;red rim&rsquo; soldiers who are symbolically close to the king have taken over many key positions, reflecting a core problem at the root of the Thai democratic transition that has been plagued by military coups.</p>

<p>The King has promoted Gen Apirat Kongsompong, the Royal Thai Army (RTA) Commander and Pol Col Naras Savestanan, Director-General of the Corrections Department, as Deputy Lord Chamberlains of the Palace after their retirement on 30 September 2020</p>

<p>A protest at the Royal Thai Army (RTA) Headquarters at Phan Fa Bridge criticized military procurement and a personal comment by Col Nusra Vorapatratorn, a former RTA spokesperson, who called the large protest at the Democracy Monument on 18 July a &lsquo;cute little mob&rsquo;.</p>

<p>This month marks the tenth anniversary of the killings of the red shirt protesters. Thai Political Slang Explained explores a word which justified the 2010 crackdown and, in a forthcoming second part,&nbsp; how it changed meaning in an unexpected twist to become a pejorative nickname of the Commander in Chief of the Royal Thai Army.</p>

<p>Harrison George on Gen Apirat Kongsompong&#39;s statement that the Nakhon Ratchasima mass shooter is &quot;not a soldier anymore&quot;.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Around a hundred people gathered in front of the Bangkok Art and Culture Centre (BACC) yesterday (13 February) for a candlelight vigil to mourn the victims of the Nakhon Ratchasima mass shooting, which took place on Saturday night and Sunday morning (8-9February), and to demand that Gen Apirat Kongsompong take responsibility by resigning from his position as army chief.</p>