10 MPs from the main opposition People’s Party have been allowed to continue their parliamentary duties after the Supreme Court accepted a petition filed by the National Anti-Corruption Commission (NACC) against 44 former Move Forward Party MPs accused of serious ethics breach over their bid to amend the royal defamation law. However, the Court prohibited them from repeating or expressing opinion about the action of which they are accused.

The Progressive Alliance, a global network of over 140 progressive political parties and organisations, issued a statement on Saturday (3 April) expressing grave concerns about the ethics breach case against the 44 former Move Forward Party MPs, which put them at risk of a lifetime ban from politics.

44 former Move Forward Party (MFP) MPs are to face an ethics probe by the Supreme Court over their proposal to amend the royal defamation law in 2021. If found guilty, they risk being banned from politics for life.

With less than a month to go, Thailand is gearing up for a new government amid mounting challenges. Parties are ramping up their election campaigns to capture the voters’ mandate, particularly given the vast number of undecided voters this time. However, the question remains: will the upcoming election bring about significant reform?

Following Prime Minister Anutin Charnvirakul’s dissolution of the House of Representatives, several prominent public figures and academics have shared their perspectives on the challenges ahead as Thailand’s political parties prepare for the election.

Thailand’s National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) has revealed that local security agencies used information operations (IO) to target civilians, academics, politicians, and political dissidents.

Activist-turned-MP Piyarat Chongthep from the People’s Party has been acquitted of a royal defamation charge stemming from a social media post in which he allegedly criticised the amount of taxpayer money spent on the monarchy while complaining about a police crackdown on a 31 December 2020 protest.

Gulf Energy Development, a Thai energy giant, brought suit against three more MPs from the People’s Party for defamation over the latest no-confidence debate.

The façades of distinctive buildings along Ratchadamnoen Klang Road, one of the main roads in Bangkok's old town, are being remodelled. In an interview with Prachatai, Prof Dr Chatri Prakitnonthakan, an architectural historian at Silpakorn University, explained that the renovation work is part of a broader effort to eradicate the People’s Party’s political legacy.

Following the leaked call between Thai Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra and Cambodia’s Senate President Hun Sen, Thai opposition parties have called on the PM to take responsibility by either resigning or dissolving the House of Representatives.

The People’s Party today (19 June) called on Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra to dissolve the House following the leaked audio clip of a conversation between Paetongtarn and Hun Sen, the former Cambodian Prime Minister and current President of the Cambodian Senate, as well as the Bhumjaithai Party’s announcement of its withdrawal from the coalition government.

The government has been blamed for turning the country into a hub for grey business through an uncontrolled free visa policy, making it difficult for Thai local businesses to survive.