Leave the children alone: Thais reject junta’s new behavioural code
An additional round of patriotic propaganda has been added to the Thai school curriculum.
An additional round of patriotic propaganda has been added to the Thai school curriculum.
A US citizen has pleaded guilty to insulting Thailand’s monarchy, an offence that carries up to 15 years in prison, but called on Washington for help.
Ousted Thai prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra made an emotional return from exile on Thursday, swearing to stay out of politics despite a widespread belief he would run the country from behind the scenes. Within minutes of arriving, the telecoms billionaire surrendered to police on a corruption charge.
Alarmed by polls showing one in four Thai teens will celebrate Valentine’s Day by having sex, police plan to swoop on motels, malls and parks to ensure youths behave themselves. The annual campaign to ensure good behaviour on February 14 will see city officials turn on all lights at public parks in the capital Bangkok.
Thai lawmakers elected Samak Sundaravej, an ally of deposed premier Thaksin Shinawatra, as the nation’s new Prime Minister on Monday, restoring civilian leadership after 16 months of military rule. Samak, a veteran politician in his own right, is widely expected to try to clear the way for Thaksin to return to Thailand.
Phuket’s postcard-perfect beaches once welcomed masses of backpackers, but the island is rapidly turning into an upmarket holiday spot by becoming Asia’s premier sailing destination. Phuket is already the crown jewel of Thai tourism, attracting about five million visitors this year — or one-third of all tourists to Thailand.
More than 100 000 people lined the streets around Bangkok’s glittering Grand Palace on Wednesday to cheer Thailand’s revered King Bhumibol Adulyadej as he celebrated his 80th birthday. The crowds, dressed in yellow shirts and waving flags emblazoned with a royal emblem, lined the broad tree-fringed avenues leading to the palace.
Thailand is seeking to block clips on YouTube that accuse the chief royal adviser of masterminding last year’s bloodless coup. The government, which lifted a five-month ban on YouTube in August after it agreed to block clips deemed offensive to King Bhumibol Adulyadej, was seeking a court order to block two video clips.