Lightnews — Scholar-powered news

Saksith Saiyasombut | ศักดิ์สิทธิ์ ไสยสมบัติ @saksith.news · 12d

The Shinawatras, the Duertes, the Kims - powerful patriarchs with daughters as (future) leaders. On this week’s #CNACorrespondent we ask if there’s no other way for women in Asia to rise to top?

“My Father’s Daughter” airs TONIGHT (Oct 1) at 8.30pm BK on @channelnewsasia.bsky.social

1 2 10

Saksith Saiyasombut | ศักดิ์สิทธิ์ ไสยสมบัติ @saksith.news · 21d

The Economist's artist doing the illustration on Thailand's new PM Anutin Charnvirakul definitely understood the assignment. 🐭

(Note: Anutin's nickname "Noo" ("หนู") colloquially means both rat or mouse in Thai)

2 15

Saksith Saiyasombut | ศักดิ์สิทธิ์ ไสยสมบัติ @saksith.news · 24d

🎥WATCH: The Cabinet of new Thai PM Anutin Charnvirakul is endorsed and will take up office very soon. But this government may have a short lifespan despite the formidable challenges. Here's our @channelnewsasia.bsky.social report explaining it.

7

Saksith Saiyasombut | ศักดิ์สิทธิ์ ไสยสมบัติ @saksith.news · 24d

AT A GLANCE: The cabinet of new Thai PM Anutin Charnvirakul was endorsed by the King today, with a mix of familiar faces that were ministers before but also many technocrats tasked to steer an interim minority govt for 4 months before snap elections are called next year.

2 7

Saksith Saiyasombut | ศักดิ์สิทธิ์ ไสยสมบัติ @saksith.news · Sep 5

#BREAKING: ANUTIN CHARNVIRAKUL BECOMES THAILAND's 32nd PRIME MINISTER

The Bhumjaithai Party leader has secured a majority, as parliament is still casting votes. He will lead an interim minority govt, pledging to @peoplesparty.or.th to call for snap elections within 4 months in office.

3 5 7

Saksith Saiyasombut | ศักดิ์สิทธิ์ ไสยสมบัติ @saksith.news · Sep 4

In personal news: We won an award!!! 🏆

Our #CNACorrespondent episode on the freed Thai hostages has won the @ContentAsia Award in the category “Best Current Affairs Programme Made in Asia”.

Thank you to my @channelnewsasia.bsky.social team and to you for keeping these stories alive!

1 10

Saksith Saiyasombut | ศักดิ์สิทธิ์ ไสยสมบัติ @saksith.news · Aug 30

10) Conclusion: We have two factions claiming to have enough votes to put forward their PM, but are wooing across the aisles for more votes. Defections are highly likely going to tip the scale one way or another. Not the best conditions to swiftly bring in a new govt... (END)

7

Saksith Saiyasombut | ศักดิ์สิทธิ์ ไสยสมบัติ @saksith.news · Aug 30

9) Late evening, Anutin claims to have enough votes to become PM incl. 10 defections from Pheu Thai. Phumtham later disputed that and signals PT's readiness to make a deal with @peoplesparty.or.th, the 2023 election winner they initially cooperated with but ultimately shunted them.

1 4

Saksith Saiyasombut | ศักดิ์สิทธิ์ ไสยสมบัติ @saksith.news · Aug 30

8) And Education Min Narumon Pinyosinwat from the Khlatham Party (25 + 5 defectors) also showed up at BJT instead of the coalition announcement. Their support alone could tip things over. They're playing hard to get now, hoping to get more cabinet seats essentially.

1 5

Saksith Saiyasombut | ศักดิ์สิทธิ์ ไสยสมบัติ @saksith.news · Aug 30

7) And this is where things get spicy: Dep. Commerce Min Suchart Chomklin leads a breakaway faction of the United Thai Nation Party with ~20 MPs and showed up at BJT to offer his support. Many within UTN have been unhappy being stuck in a frenemy coalition with Pheu Thai and want out.

1 3

Saksith Saiyasombut | ศักดิ์สิทธิ์ ไสยสมบัติ @saksith.news · Aug 30

6) Later that evening, the @bhumjaithai_TH agreed to @PPLEThai's demands, meaning that BJT leader Anutin is gunning for the PM seat - and revenge just months after his party was more or less chased out of the coalition. But they'd need to pull over more MPs.

1 5

Saksith Saiyasombut | ศักดิ์สิทธิ์ ไสยสมบัติ @saksith.news · Aug 30

5) Leading opposition @peoplesparty.or.th demands that to get their endorsement, the new PM must dissolve House and hold snap elex within 4 months while pushing for constitutional reform at the same time in order to end a political vicious cycle - but also hoping not to appear selling out.

1 3

Saksith Saiyasombut | ศักดิ์สิทธิ์ ไสยสมบัติ @saksith.news · Aug 30

4) So, the Pheu Thai Party-led coalition announced yesterday evening that they're sticking together. But caretaker PM Phumtham Wechayachai did NOT confirm Chaikasem as their pick, only acknowledging that he's an option. If you want to close the power vacuum asap, you'd say that outright.

1 5

Saksith Saiyasombut | ศักดิ์สิทธิ์ ไสยสมบัติ @saksith.news · Aug 30

3) (Note: like last year, it's only the elected MPs voting on a new PM. The provision to have the junta-era appointed Senators also join in the vote has expired last year.)

1 7

Saksith Saiyasombut | ศักดิ์สิทธิ์ ไสยสมบัติ @saksith.news · Aug 30

2) In the House, the coalition has a tiny majority after Bhumjaithai left the coalition after the Hun Sen call leak. This graphic doesn’t include defections increasing the lead a bit - but that also means allegiances can easily switch the other way.

1 6

Saksith Saiyasombut | ศักดิ์สิทธิ์ ไสยสมบัติ @saksith.news · Aug 30

1) Currently, a PM can only be confirmed by parliament if they have been on the list of candidates submitted before the 2023 elections. No new ones can be added now. That means @PheuThaiParty only has Chaikasem left, @PPLEThai has none.

1 6

Saksith Saiyasombut | ศักดิ์สิทธิ์ ไสยสมบัติ @saksith.news · Aug 30

Good morning...or is it? After the ouster of PM Paetongtarn, the scramble to form the next Thai govt is on.

- Pheu Thai Party-coalition sticks together, but does NOT confirm Chaikasem as PM pick
- Bhumjaithai Party claims to have enough votes with @peoplesparty.or.th

🧵Here's a break down...

1 5 15

Saksith Saiyasombut | ศักดิ์สิทธิ์ ไสยสมบัติ @saksith.news · Aug 29

The next few weeks and months ahead will be tumultuous, again. They will be opaque and illogical, again. They could get also ugly, again.

Haven't we been here before? Where's the exit sign?

Good night and good luck.

15

Saksith Saiyasombut | ศักดิ์สิทธิ์ ไสยสมบัติ @saksith.news · Aug 29

When people ask me about big plans and strategies in Thai politics, there usually is none. Thai politics isn't chess - it's chess boxing! And each round gets worse, the brains are getting mushier and the moves more incomprehensible.

1 6

Saksith Saiyasombut | ศักดิ์สิทธิ์ ไสยสมบัติ @saksith.news · Aug 29

It's too early to say how history will remember Thailand's 2nd female Prime Minister. But it already has seen yet another Shinawatra being chased out of office by clashing forces steering the country, above the heads of the people that just want a government to fix the most pressing issues asap.

1 6

Saksith Saiyasombut | ศักดิ์สิทธิ์ ไสยสมบัติ @saksith.news · Aug 29

But her entry into politics was burdened with the weight of her father's legacy, as he is still forcefully trying to define it as we speak. A year may be was too short to leave her own mark on it.

1 4

Saksith Saiyasombut | ศักดิ์สิทธิ์ ไสยสมบัติ @saksith.news · Aug 29

In a different universe, people wouldn't have called her a nepo-baby. And may be she'd wouldn't have been Prime Minister right away under such circumstances.

(cont.)

1 10

Saksith Saiyasombut | ศักดิ์สิทธิ์ ไสยสมบัติ @saksith.news · Aug 29

I'd be out of a job

2

Saksith Saiyasombut | ศักดิ์สิทธิ์ ไสยสมบัติ @saksith.news · Aug 29

#BREAKING: Thai PM Paetongtarn Shinawatra dismissed as Prime Minister

Thai Const. Court finds her guilty of ethics and integrity violations in leaked call with Cambodian ex-PM Hun Sen.

Thailand's 31st and 2nd female PM - incl the whole cabinet - is removed from office.

2 38 38

Saksith Saiyasombut | ศักดิ์สิทธิ์ ไสยสมบัติ @saksith.news · Aug 29

Our @channelnewsasia.bsky.social live-blog on the court verdict against Thai PM Paetongtarn Shinawatra is online now with all the latest updates and the background context on yet another fateful day in Thai politics.

Thai PM Paetongtarn faces verdict in court case seeking her removal

Paetongtarn Shinawatra has been suspended as prime minister since Jul 1.

www.channelnewsasia.com

1 2 10