Latest News in Thailand

Burmese Military Rulers Announce Election Laws The government of Burma broadcast the endorsement of long anticipated laws on Monday that prepare for the country’s first ballot vote in 20 years expected to be held sometime this year. State controlled radio and television said the new regulations would be issued in state newspapers starting Tuesday. The [...]

U.N. Representative Arrives in Burma A UN human rights representative landed in Burma Monday for a five-day stopover ahead of the country’s ballot vote, an official said. Tomas Ojea Quintana arrived via commercial flight at Rangoon airport and was whisked to his hotel prior to meeting with UN staff, the official spoke on condition of [...]

Karen Refugees Deportation Halted The plan to deport about 1,700 Karen refugees back to Burma has been halted temporarily because of mounting domestic and global pressure. Activists, led by the Friends of Burma and the Karen Women’s Organization (KWO), yesterday put forward a letter of request to Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva subsequent to an earlier [...]

Drugs, Drugs, Drugs, Two Arrested Two men, alleged to be members of a gang linked to alleged drugs kingpin Wei Sia Kang are under arrest for possessing a large quantity of illicit drugs, including heroin, valued at more than 500 million baht. The two suspects are named Arthit (also known as Tee) Sae Tao, 26, [...]

New Drug Task Force to Take Fight to Northern Provinces The Thai government is creating a new drug control force linking civilians and law enforcement to boost the fight against drug smuggling near the border. The new force would operate in perimeter provinces such as Chiang Rai and Chiang Mai, which are main routes for [...]

Greenpeace Bugs Bigshots in Hua Hin Greenpeace, the environmental group, assembled at the 15th Asean Summit on Saturday, insisting Asian principals to take a important action to stop climate change. The activist group hopes that positive steps will be taken by ASEAN member states to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. The group grabbed attention by rolling [...]

Abhisit Opens ASEAN Conference Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva says that Asean leaders must focus their efforts to make the proposed Southeast Asia economic area a reality by 2015, In addressing the opening formal procedure of the Asean summit yesterday, Mr Abhisit robustly upheld the role of the Asean secretary-general in conveying pressing issues to the [...]

Hun Sen Seemingly Insults Thai Hosts Cambodia’s Prime Minister Hun Sen said after arriving at Hua Hin airport that former prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra may become his economic adviser. The statement was made as Hun Sen arrived for the ASEAN summit to be held this week. “I plan to appoint Mr Thaksin as my economic [...]

Obama Announces Asia Tour for November US President Barack Obama will tour Asia for the first time next month, visiting Japan, Singapore, China as well as South Korea for a bout of meetings on pressing matters such as trade and global security. The upcoming trip will be Obama’s most testing venture up till now into [...]