By Chen Lin – Reuters, and published by Yahoo!News Singapore – A former member of Singapore’s ruling party on Saturday scored a landslide victory to become the city-state’s president, in an election seen as a barometer of public sentiment amid economic challenges and high-profile scandals. Former deputy prime minister Tharman Shanmugaratnam, 66, won 70.4%
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US pauses some aid, imposes visa bans after ‘neither free nor fair’ Cambodia election
By Reuters and published by US News & World Report Washington – The United States said it was pausing some foreign assistance programmes in Cambodia and imposing visa bans on individuals it says undermined democracy after the ruling Cambodian People’s Party (CPP) declared a landslide victory in elections on Sunday (July 23). State Department
Read moreProtesters blast Election Commission for filing lawsuit against Pita
DEMONSTRATORS flocked to the open space in front of Bangkok Art & Cultural Centre this evening (July 12) to protest against the Election Commission after the agency decided to file an MP-disqualifying lawsuit against Move Forward leader/prime minister-designate Pita Limjaroenrat at the Constitutional Court, Matichon newspaper said. The prime minister-designate has been accused by
Read moreElection Commission files ITV shares lawsuit against Pita
By Thai Newsroom Reporters THE ELECTION COMMISSION today (July 12) resolved to file an MP-disqualifying lawsuit against Move Forward leader/prime minister-designate Pita Limjaroenrat. The commissioners reached the unanimous decision to submit the case to the Constitutional Court without giving Pita the opportunity to testify before an investigating committee of the polling agency. In the
Read morePolling agency still to forward case against Pita to court
By Thai Newsroom Reporters THE ELECTION COMMISSION has not as yet forwarded a lawsuit to the Constitutional Court against Move Forward leader/prime minister-designate Pita Limjaroenrat, said the polling agency’s chairman Itthiporn Boonprakhong today (July 10). The commissioners today followed progress so far made by the polling agency’s investigating committee on the contentious case in
Read moreChonlanan spurns offers of House Speaker seat
By Thai Newsroom Reporters PHEU THAI LEADER Chonlanan Srikaew today (June 21) said he will immediately spurn possible offers for him to assume the House Speaker seat. During today’s partisan workshop for all 141 Pheu Thai MPs at a Bangkok hotel, Chonlanan said he will unreluctantly reject offers of the House Speaker seat for
Read morePrayut starts packing to leave Govt House
OFFICIALS have started to gradually pack caretaker prime minister Prayut Chan-o-cha’s personal belongings with some already moved to his residence, Naewna newspaper said today (June 21). A Buddha image Prayut had brought and placed at his office and some other items have already been sent to his residence. Where documents are concerned, those deemed
Read morePalang Pracharath MPs poised to ‘play by the rules’ in picking PM
By Thai Newsroom Reporters PALANG PRACHARATH MPs will definitely choose to “play by the rules” in dealing with next month’s voting for prime minister named by the Move Forward which may have mustered endorsement from a majority of elected lawmakers, according to Palang Pracharath MP Thammanat Prompao. Without naming names, the former Palang Pracharath
Read morePost-election probe into allegations against 82 MPs going on
By Thai Newsroom Reporters POST-ELECTION INVESTIGATION into allegations filed against 82 elected MPs is still going on to the extent that any of them might possibly be deprived of their MP status at a later date, said Election Commission secretary-general Sawaeng Boonmee today (June 19). Though the 82 MPs-designate were among a total of
Read moreAll 500 MPs-designate ratified now
By Thai Newsroom Reporters ALL 500 MPs-DESIGNATE were today (June 19) ratified by the Election Commission, capping a five-week period of the nationwide electoral process. Election Commission secretary-general Sawaeng Boonmee announced today’s ratification of all 400 MPs-designate running in constituency-based mode and all 100 MPs-designate vying in party-listed mode after investigation had been earlier
Read morePheu Thai to take both Deputy House Speaker seats
By Thai Newsroom Reporters THE PHEU THAI HAS AGREED to take a couple of Deputy House Speaker posts whilst leaving the House Speaker seat to the Move Forward as the largest elected party, confirmed a deputy Pheu Thai leader today (June 18). Bhumtham Wechayachai said the Pheu Thai has offered to give up the
Read moreMove Forward still insists on House Speaker seat
By Thai Newsroom Reporters THE MOVE FORWARD STILL INSISTS that the House Speaker seat should belong to the largest elected party, confirmed Move Forward spokesman Rangsiman Rome today (June 17). Negotiations between Move Forward and Pheu Thai representatives over the top post of the legislative branch may have quietly come to a close with
Read moreActivists hold rally to pile pressure on polling agency
ACTIVISTS from various groups joined the human rights watchdog iLaw in holding a rally at Bangkok Art and Culture Centre this evening (June 16) to press the Election Commission to quickly complete verification of MPs-designate, Matichon newspaper said. Accompanying iLaw’s manager Mr. Yingcheep Atchanont, or Pao, in staging the rally were Mr. Jarupat Boonpattararaksa,
Read moreMPs-designate verification tipped to be announced next Wednesday
By Thai Newsroom Reporters THE ELECTION COMMISSION WILL LIKELY declare the verification of most MPs-designate around next Wednesday following the May 14 election. A total of 329 MPs-designate successfully running in constituency-based mode plus 100 others vying in party-listed mode have been so far verified, leaving 71 others currently under probe on grounds of
Read moreMPs-designate verification pending probe of 71 constituency winners
By Thai Newsroom Reporters THE LONG-AWAITED VERIFICATION of MPs-designate is still pending investigation by the Election Commission into petitions earlier filed against a number of those who scored victories in constituency-based mode for the May 14 election, said a source in the polling agency today (June 14). Of a total of 400 MPs-designate who
Read morePolling agency urged to speed up verification of MPs-designate
By Thai Newsroom Reporters POLITICAL ACTIVISTS TODAY (June 14) pressed the Election Commission to speed up the verification of the MPs-designate who have scored victories in the May 14 election now that the nationwide race has already elapsed a full month. Those activists led by iLaw group peacefully gathered at the Election Commission headquarters
Read morePrawit denies involvement in anti-Pita conspiracy
By Thai Newsroom Reporters PALANG PRACHARATH LEADER Prawit Wongsuwan today (June 13) categorically denied he might possibly have been connected with an alleged conspiracy against Move Forward leader/prime minister-designate Pita Limjaroenrat. Prawit confirmed that he had been by no means involved in any legal action currently taken by Ruangkrai Leekitwattana, a Palang Pracharath electoral
Read morePetitions in pursuit of Move Forward dissolution lifted
By Thai Newsroom Reporters ELECTION COMMISSION secretary-general Sawaeng Boonmee has already waived petitions earlier filed against the Move Forward in pursuit of the otherwise dissolution of the progressive party, said a source in the polling agency today (June 11). In his capacity as Political Party Registrar, Sawaeng has lifted those anti-Move Forward complaints for
Read more‘Election commissioners must go to jail’ hashtag tops Twitter trend today
By Thai Newsroom Reporters “ELECTION COMMISSIONERS MUST GO TO JAIL” hashtag has topped today’s (June 10) Twitter trend in Thailand. Today’s top Twitter hashtag saying “Election commissioners must go to jail” has ultimately underscored public sentiment against the highly contentious acts of the seven-member Election Commission desperately trying to find fault with Move Forward
Read morePolling agency wants to knock out Move Forward: Rangsiman
MOVE FORWARD spokesman Rangsiman Rome this evening (June 10) said the Election Commission’s decision to investigate whether party leader and prime minister-designate Pita Limjaroenrat had violated sections 42(3) and 151 of the election organic law was tantamount to kicking and trying to cut off the party’s legs but this will fail, TV Channel 7
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