Category: Thailand

THAILAND: Cabinet nominees show Prayuth’s difficult balancing act

Teneo July 31, 2020

Prime Minister Prayuth Chan-ocha on 30 July submitted for royal approval the names of new cabinet members who would replace those that resigned two weeks ago. There has been no announcement yet and the list below is unofficial.… Read the rest

THAILAND: Protests are a careful dance, for now

Teneo July 24, 2020

Student protesters have returned to Thailand’s streets in substantial numbers, and they are likely to continue with their demonstrations through the next few weeks. The students are demanding several political changes, with the most significant ones being the dissolution of parliament and the drafting of a new constitution.… Read the rest

THAILAND: Past is future, or Thailand’s return to the pre-Thaksin era

Teneo July 10, 2020

With the recent political changes, Thailand continues its move back to the fragmented party politics of the 1990s.
As economic czar Somkid Jatusripitak’s frustrations have revealed, coordination difficulties abound in the current government, which could reduce its ability to respond to an urgent economic crisis or implement difficult reforms.

… Read the rest

THAILAND: A reshuffle does not mean a reform agenda

Teneo July 7, 2020

The country could suffer the deepest recession in Southeast Asia.
A reshuffle of key economic positions in the third quarter is more about political consolidation than in formulating new ways of thinking about economic policy.

… Read the rest

THAILAND: Changes in PPRP indicate key economic portfolios at stake

Teneo July 1, 2020

Over the weekend, the People’s State Power Party (Palang Pracharath, PPRP), which leads the government coalition, selected General (ret.) Prawit Wongsuwan as party leader and Anucha Nakasai as secretary general. Prawit was the number two in the junta that ran Thailand from 2014 to 2019, and was widely believed to have been the real power behind Prime Minister Prayuth Chan-ocha.… Read the rest

MALAYSIA/THAILAND: Possible effects of tighter rules for migrant workers

Teneo May 28, 2020

Fears of international transmission are likely to cause both countries to tighten rules on foreign worker flows and working conditions.
Short-term effects could include production disruptions that become more pronounced as economic activities pick up, as well as reputational risks for firms if the new rules are implemented unevenly.

… Read the rest

ASIA: The politics of coronavirus – Weekly update

Teneo May 14, 2020

Below is the latest edition of our weekly Asia coronavirus update. Please do not hesitate to contact us if you want to discuss any of the countries mentioned in more detail.… Read the rest

THAILAND: A gradual easing of restrictions may start in the next two weeks

Teneo April 21, 2020

Prime Minister Prayuth Chan-ocha is expected to renew the state of emergency that lapses on 30 April. However, encouraged by the overall decline in new cases and fatalities, the government is planning to ease movement and business restrictions in stages across provinces.… Read the rest

THAILAND: Immediate effects of opposition party dissolution will be muted

Teneo February 21, 2020

Today, 21 February, the Constitutional Court dissolved the opposition Future Forward Party (FFP), and banned fifteen of its executives, including its founder, Thanathorn Juangroongruangkit, from politics for the next ten years.… Read the rest