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Thailand’s Paetongtarn Shinawatra, 37 Poised to Lead Pheu Thai Party

Paetongtarn Shinawatra. Thailand

Senior party report that Paetongtarn Shinawatra is overwhelmingly favoured to assume leadership of the ruling Pheu Thai Party in Thailand and guide a promising group of young politicians in the party’s changing of the guard following Friday’s election of new leaders and executives.

Acting deputy party leader Phumtham Wechayachai stated on Tuesday that Pheu Thai members are supporting Ms. Paetongtarn, the youngest daughter of incarcerated former premier Thaksin Shinawatra and head of the Pheu Thai Family, in her bid to become the party’s next leader.

Minister of Commerce and Deputy Prime Minister Phumtham stated that, at the age of 37, she is now well-suited for a leadership role due to her political acumen and maturation. He also emphasised her responsiveness to the concerns of Pheu Thai members and her collaborative efforts with them during previous election campaigns.

Ms. Paetongtarn, on the other hand, might benefit from consulting her family prior to deciding whether or not to pursue party leadership, according to Mr. Phumtham.

Furthermore, he recognised the presence of a considerable number of competent members, including candidates in their middle years and individuals in their twenties who have political affiliations with Pheu Thai’s predecessors, the Thai Rak Thai (TRT) Party and its current successor, the People’s Power Party (PPP). In consequence of electoral malpractice, the TRT and the PPP were both dissolved.

The Pheu Thai was now prepared to hand over the baton to younger legislators, according to 69-year-old Mr. Phumtham.

Acting Pheu Thai secretary-general Prasert Chantararuangthong stated that the meeting was convened subsequent to the resignation of Pheu Thai leader Dr. Cholnan Srikaew on August 30. This action essentially led to a purging of executives.

Mr. Prasert remarked that Ms. Paetongtarn is an ideal candidate to lead Pheu Thai due to her ability to command respect and organise a gathering. In the ballot, however, the members will have the final say.

New executives and leadership

Mr. Prasert stated that it is time for a new generation of politicians to conduct party leadership after declining re-election as secretary-general. He added that further internal transformations were forthcoming, equipping the party for the upcoming election.

By appointing new executives and leadership, Pheu Thai was now able to compete directly with the election-winning Move Forward Party (MFP), the principal opposition party comprised primarily of youthful politicians.

Sunday, Pheu Thai nominated prime minister Srettha Thavisin, who advocated for Ms. Paetongtarn to lead the party, citing her leadership ability.

According to a source for Pheu Thai, Sorawong Thienthong will succeed Mr. Prasert as secretary-general. His father, the seasoned politician Sanoh Thienthong, was a “kingmaker” during his political prime. The 48-year-old member of parliament from Sa Kaeo province previously served as deputy public health minister during the Yingluck Shinawatra administration.

Pheu Thai is anticipated to elect former actor and list member Chusak Sirinil, Deputy Finance Minister Julapun Amornvivat, and Roi Et MP Jiraporn Sinthuprai as deputy party leaders at the meeting on Friday. Party spokesman Danuporn Punnakanta is also a list member.

Former Thailand Premier Thaksin Shinawatra’s Hospital Stay Extended

On Monday, former premier Thaksin Shinawatra underwent orthopaedic surgery at the Police General Hospital (PGH). The Department of Corrections reports that it is currently unknown how long his recuperation will take, which will likely result in an extension of his term away from prison.

Tuesday, interim director-general of the department and deputy permanent secretary for justice Sahakarn Petnarin stated that the Bangkok Remand Prison (BRP) had notified the department regarding the procedure.

The department stated, citing a BRP report, that Thaksin, the de facto leader of the Pheu Thai Party and a widely recognised de facto leader, underwent surgery at 9 a.m. and was transferred to the Neurosurgical Intensive Care Unit (NICU) of the hospital for recovery at 2:00 p.m.

The department directed that the director of the BRP conduct a site inspection of the NICU to verify that all is well.

Mr. Sahakarn stated that the length of Thaksin’s hospital stay is contingent upon the ongoing evaluation of his post-operative condition.

The 74-year-old former prime minister, according to medical records, suffers from a number of age-related ailments, including a herniated disc and weakened hands and arms.

Although the operation was deemed essential and necessary, he will be readmitted to the prison’s medical facility for further treatment once he has fully recovered, according to Mr. Sahakarn.

His insistence was that Thaksin was not the beneficiary of any preferential treatment.

Concerns regarding Thaksin’s medical conditions have prompted the disclosure of his recent surgery. The BRP admitted him to the hospital on August 22, following his return from a self-imposed exile of fifteen years.

The department stated that Thaksin is not the only inmate permitted to receive medical treatment outside the facility for this extended period.

149 inmates have received medical treatment outside of incarceration since October 1 of last year. The department reports that of them, 115 spent more than 30 days outdoors, 30 remained outside for more than 60 days, and four spent more than 120 days outdoors.

Politics

Millennials in Canada Have Turned their Backs on Justin Trudeau

Millennials are increasingly distancing themselves from Trudeau
Millennials are increasingly distancing themselves from Trudeau - CBC Image

Justine Trudeau and his Liberal Party are currently engaged in a fierce battle for second place against Jagmeet Singh’s socialist NDP, as both parties find themselves trailing by 20 points behind Pierre Poilievre’s Conservatives.

A recent poll indicates that 38% of Canadians consider Trudeau to be the most ineffective leader the nation has encountered in over fifty years. An impressive 47% of Canadian Millennials indicated they would support Poilievre if an election were to take place today, while nearly half of all Canadians express a desire for an election to be called this year.

Pierre Poilievre’s strong appeal among young voters can be attributed primarily to economic factors: soaring inflation, a pressing cost-of-living crisis, and the challenge of housing affordability are pushing many away from the Liberals, who have held power for nearly nine years.

According to UnHeard, Millennials are increasingly distancing themselves from Trudeau due to his stringent measures aimed at controlling the internet to combat alleged disinformation, as well as his climate change initiatives, notably the carbon tax.

protest in downtown Toronto against mass immigration took place on Canada Day

Protest in downtown Toronto against mass immigration on Canada Day – TNC Image

An increasing number of Canadians are becoming aware of Trudeau’s ineffective policies and his approach to mass immigration. This past summer, there was significant outrage among parents of teenagers and young adults as they observed their children remaining at home without jobs.

The primary concern stemmed from the fact that most low-skilled and entry-level positions were being filled by unskilled, temporary foreign workers, predominantly from India.

There has been a notable rise in criminal activities linked to international students and unvetted temporary residents who are becoming involved with Punjabi gangs in Canada, contributing to a surge in auto thefts nationwide.

Pierre Poilievre and the Conservatives are actively seeking to alter Trudeau’s approach to mass immigration and prioritize the construction of more housing should they come into power.

Significantly, Pierre Poilievre is perceived as more trustworthy than Trudeau, with over half of Canadians characterizing Poilievre as “open and honest about his actions, decisions, and intentions,” while only 39% share that sentiment regarding Trudeau.

The characteristics in question may shed light on Poilievre’s favorable polling, particularly among younger voters and women, who have historically leaned towards the Liberals or the NDP rather than the Conservatives.

The Liberal Party’s support has dwindled to an estimated 7% of Canadians, revealing a significant number of disillusioned voters eager for transformation. Poilievre is emerging as the type of leader that resonates with the desires of many Canadians.

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U.N. Special Rapporteur Calls on Thailand’s Banks to Cut-Off Myanmar Junta

UN Special Rapporteur on human rights in Myanmar Tom Andrews speaks during a press conference after a meeting with Thailand's Parliamentary Committee

The U.N special rapporteur for human rights in Myanmar has said the Bank of Thailand, commercial banks, and the anti-money laundering office are working on measures to stop the Myanmar Junta from acquiring weapons through Thailand’s banking system.

Tom Andrews the U.N. special rapporteur for human rights in Myanmar, said that some banks commercial in Thailand had aided Myanmar Junta’s by facilitating transactions that supplied military equipment to the Junta through the international banking system.

He called on the Bank of Thailand and financial institutions to do more to stop Myanmar’s junta acquiring weapons which they use on civilians to maintain power.

The special rapporteur was in Bangkok to address a parliamentary committee on security, he called on the Thai government to stop financial transactions that help supply weapons to Myanmar’s junta in line with a plan promoted by the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) that sets out an end to violence as a first step toward peace.

In his 2023 report “The Billion Dollar Death Trade,” Andrews noted that Singapore had implemented a clear policy opposing the transfer of weapons to Myanmar.

Thailand's Banks

Thai Baht – File Image

Thailand’s Banks Lacked Clear Policy

As a result, exports of weapons and related materials from Singapore-registered entities using the formal banking system dropped from almost U.S. $120 million in fiscal year 2022 to just over $10 million over the next 12 months.

However, he said Thailand had no explicit policy position opposing weapons transfer to the Myanmar Junta, which saw exports from Thai-registered entities more than double in 2023, from just over $60 million to nearly $130 million.

He called on Thai Government to conduct a thorough investigation into transfers as Singapore had done into its companies’ dealings.

Andrews told the the committee that five Thai commercial banks and Thai-based companies were assisting Myanmar’s junta obtain weapons, dual-technology items and jet fuel, enabling Military Junta to conduct atrocities against the people.

But said he had found no evidence that the Thai government was involved or was aware of the transactions or that Thai commercial banks had knowledge.

Thailand's Banks

Photo courtesy of The Nation

Banks Condemn Myanmar Junta Violence

Meanwhile representatives from Thailand’s central bank, anti-money laundering office and the commercial banks named in the report were also present at the parliamentary meeting at government house in Bangkok.

A representative of the Bank of Thailand said officials were working with the commercial banks and the anti-money laundering office to make sure that enhanced oversight was properly practiced.

The Thai Bankers Association that was also at the parliamentary meeting said it did not have the means to investigate and monitor such irregularities beyond Thailand’s borders.

Mr. Pongsit Chaichatpornsuk, a Thai Bankers Association representative told the committee that If government security agencies tell us, we will stop transactions. We don’t support arms procurement by Myanmar Junta or any military government to violate human rights.

Thailand, which shares a long border with Myanmar and hosts many thousands of refugees fleeing conflict there, has tried to promote dialogue between Myanmar’s military rulers and opposition forces but no progress has been made.

This Article was first published in RFA

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Politics

People Rushing Sign Online Petition to Impeach South Korea’s President Crash Site

South Korea's President

The Speaker of the National Assembly of South Korea said in a statement that an online petition calling for South Korea’s President Mr. Yoon Suk-yeol’s impeachment crashed due to the enormous number of individuals attempting to sign the petition. Saying the National Assembly would resolve the matter as quickly as possible.

Since the petition was launch on the National Assembly’s website on June 20, more than 811,000 people have signed it. The petition urges Parliament to introduce legislation to impeach President Yoon on the grounds that he is unfit for office.

Late on June 30, National Assembly Speaker Mr. Woo Won-shik issued an apology for the disturbance and stated that Parliament would take action to protect the public’s fundamental rights.

People attempting to access the petition on July 1 experienced delays of up to four hours. At one point, an error message indicated that more than 30,000 individuals were waiting to access the site.

South Korea’s Parliament Hesitant

The online petition accuses Yoon of corruption, escalating the risk of conflict with North Korea, and endangering South Koreans’ health by failing to prevent Japan from leaking treated radioactive water from the destroyed Fukushima nuclear power plant.

By law, Parliament must assign every petition signed by more than 50,000 people to a committee, which will then decide whether to put it to a vote in the assembly.

However, the opposition Democratic Party, which has a majority in Parliament, is hesitant to turn the petition into an impeachment bill, according to media reports, with a spokesperson stating that the party has yet to address the topic.

The Parliament can impeach a president with a two-thirds majority. The Constitutional Court then deliberates the motion and decides whether to remove or reinstall the president.

Meanwhile, on Monday Reuters reported North Korea criticized a joint military exercise performed this month by South Korea, Japan, and the United States, according to official media, saying such drills demonstrate the three nations’ alliance has evolved into “the Asian version of NATO”.

On Thursday, the three countries began large-scale combined military drills named “Freedom Edge” featuring navy destroyers, fighter fighters, and the nuclear-powered US aircraft carrier Theodore Roosevelt, with the goal of strengthening defenses against missiles, submarines, and air strikes.

The drill was designed at a three-way meeting at Camp David last year to boost military cooperation amid concerns on the Korean peninsula caused by North Korea’s weapons testing.

Pyongyang will not overlook the strengthening of a military bloc led by the United States and its allies, and it would respond aggressively and decisively to defend regional peace, according to North Korea’s foreign ministry, as reported by KCNA.

 

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