A House committee chaired by former Police Commissioner and Thai Liberal Party leader General Sereepisuth Temeeyaves is to probe the facts which point towards corruption, over the appointment of Police Corporal Kornsasi Buayaem to the Royal Thai Police Special Branch division in 2017. It has also emerged that the currently jailed police officer served as an adviser to the legal affairs committee of the junta-era National Legislative Assembly (NLA) chaired by the acting PM’s younger brother Admiral Sitthawat Wongsuwon.

https://www.thaiexaminer.com/thai-news-foreigners/2022/09/01/abusive-police-woman-sat-on-house-panel-acting-pm-brothers/

Carla Boonkong reports from Ratchaburi and Bangkok.

Figures this week from Paris show a French foreign tourist industry achieving revenues nationally at 22% ahead of figures for 2019 while Thailand will be aiming to achieve, at best, only 33% of the numbers seen three years ago or a 67% loss. This news must be disturbing for the sector in Thailand and raises questions about the permanent damage inflicted on the Thai industry since 2020.

https://www.thaiexaminer.com/thai-news-foreigners/2022/08/31/thailand-tourism-industry-damaged-contrast-to-france/

Joseph O' Connor reports from Bangkok and Paris.

Sister of the actress claims that she was offered money by the accused as she filed further police complaints for defamation and giving false evidence to police concerning a criminal allegation against the defendant claiming blackmail. Her lawyer insisted to the Criminal Court that the defendant was likely to tamper with evidence if granted temporary release or bail.

https://www.thaiexaminer.com/thai-news-foreigners/2022/08/30/ex-minister-grandson-denied-bail-in-court/

James Morris reports from Bangkok.

Deadly attacks which killed one and injured eight were condemned by the government as an ‘outrage’ but are believed to have been a response to a lack of progress at peace talks being facilitated by Malaysia where the parties last came to gather on August 1st and 2nd in Kuala Lumpur. It is understood the Barisan Revolusi Nasional (BRN) want to see more ambitious progress and legal immunity for exiled leaders to return.

https://www.thaiexaminer.com/thai-news-foreigners/2022/08/29/brn-insurgents-in-the-south-raise-stakes/

Carla Boonkong reports from Yala, Pattani and Narathiwat provinces.

Taiwan is becoming the focus of increased tensions not just between the United States and China but also with other countries across the world where support for Taiwan is growing due to Beijing’s heavy hand on the issue.

https://www.thaiexaminer.com/thai-news-foreigners/2022/08/28/american-ships-sail-through-taiwan-strait-marsha-blackburn/

News Desk report from Bangkok.

A volatile currency market, a slowing world economy amid war in Europe and raised geopolitical tensions as well as a brush this week with political uncertainty means that Thai policymakers must be constantly on guard even to achieve the paltry 3% to 3.5% growth that is being pursued this year. A very comfortable foreign exchange reserve level has, so far, protected the kingdom but even this has been falling since March.

https://www.thaiexaminer.com/thai-news-foreigners/2022/08/27/low-tourist-spend-slowing-export-growth-economic-recovery-intact/

Joseph O' Connor reports from Bangkok.

It has emerged that the 43-year-old policewoman, jailed on Monday after being refused bail, was working within Thailand’s Internal Security Operations Command (ISOC), the equivalent of the US Department of Homeland security and which reports to the Prime Minister’s Office. The Provincial Police chief in Ratchaburi this week also raised the fact that the woman was 38 years old when she joined the police force in 2017 as one of the many circumstances that are difficult to understand about this case.

https://www.thaiexaminer.com/thai-news-foreigners/2022/08/25/corruption-issues-loom-over-police-woman-case/

Carla Boonkong reports from Ratchaburi province.

Deputy Prime Minister Prawit Wongsuwan now assumes responsibility for the role of Prime Minister while General Prayut remains as Defence Minister as the cabinet stays in place with the government functioning normally. General Prawit’s elevation to the role of caretaker Prime Minister has been confirmed by the government spokesman Anucha Burapachaisri.

https://www.thaiexaminer.com/thai-news-foreigners/2022/08/24/prime-minister-prayut-chan-ocha-suspended-by-constitutional-court/

News Desk report from Bangkok.

Family of Ashley Oosthuizen remains convinced of her innocence and upbeat about her prospects despite a Ko Samui court, on August 17th last, confirming a prison term of 33.4 years. One key hope is the possibility of a Royal Pardon while the 23-year-old is reported to be in high spirits despite her ordeal.

https://www.thaiexaminer.com/thai-news-foreigners/2022/08/23/ashley-oosthuizen-drug-kingpin-in-ukraine-tristan-nettles/

James Morris reports from Surat Thani, Jacksonville and Kiev.

Police in central Bangkok are already preparing water cannon trucks as protest movements take up their position in the centre of the city with key roads to Government House being blocked. Pheu Thai Party MP for Ubon Ratchathani Somkid Chuekon has warned that any attempt by Prime Minister Prayut Chan ocha to extend his term from Tuesday night will result in ‘disunity’.

https://www.thaiexaminer.com/thai-news-foreigners/2022/08/22/crisis-as-93-per-cent-of-people-say-prayut-must-go/

Joseph O' Connor reports from Bangkok.