They said the make-up of the Pheu Thai-led coalition government will be no different from the outgoing government as only Pheu Thai will serve as a new addition. Wanwichit Boonprong, a political science lecturer at Rangsit University, said the PPRP and the UTN are Pheu Thai's old foes. "It will be difficult for Pheu Thai to implement several of its policies. It is only the previous government, with Pheu Thai added to it." A convoy of cars will start from BTS Mor Chit station and proceed to the headquarters of the Bhumjaithai Party and Pheu Thai, he said.

Man accidentally shoots himself while dancing in Hat Yai pubThe 9mm automatic pistol recovered from a pub-goer by police after the weapon accidentally went off while the man was dancing in a Hat Yai pub, Songkhla, early on Sunday (Photo: Assawin Pakkawan)SONGKHLA: About a hundred pub-goers ran for their lives out of a well-known entertainment venue in Hat Yai early on Sunday after a 9mm automatic pistol carried by a customer accidentally went off, sending a bullet into his left leg. The incident occurred at about 1.30am inside Nectar Pub on Chuti-anusorn road in the Hat Yai municipal area. Hat Yai police rushed to the pub to investigate. He was admitted to Hat Yai Hospital for treatment. A police investigation revealed that Mr Niran was among a large group of about 30 customers who made reservations online.

Most favour Abhisit for Democrat leadership: pollAbhisit Vejjajiva, former leader of the Democrat Party, attends a party meeting on July 9. (Photo: Varuth Hiranyatheb)Most people are of the opinion that Abhisit Vejjajiva, a former prime minister and former leader of the Democrat Party, should be re-elected as party chief, according to a survey by the National Institute of Development Administration, or Nida Poll. The poll was conducted on Aug 9-10 by telephone interviews with 1,310 people aged 18 and over of various levels of education, occupations and incomes throughout the country to compile their opinions on who should be the next Democrat Party leader after the resignation of Jurin Laksanawisit. His resignation necessitated an election for the new party leader and new executive committee, matters which are still unresolved. The Democrat Party was founded in April 1946, and is the country's oldest political party.

Prawit not quitting politics just yet, 'willing' to accept new govt postPrawit: PPRP leader and PM candidateDeputy Prime Minister and Palang Pracharath Party (PPRP) leader Gen Prawit Wongsuwon is not leaving politics just yet and has never knocked back the prospect of a post in the next government, deputy PPRP leader Chaiwut Thanakamanusorn said. Mr Chaiwut, who serves as Digital Economy and Society Minister, was speaking following a report the PPRP would join a coalition government led by the Pheu Thai Party. Asked whether Gen Prawit would accept any cabinet post in the Pheu Thai-led coalition government after a report surfaced that he would let his younger brother Pol Gen Patcharawat Wongsuwon, the PPRP's chief adviser, take a cabinet post instead, Mr Chaiwut said: "[Gen Prawit] never said he would not accept a post.'' Mr Chaiwut said Gen Prawit remains the party's leader and PM candidate. Mr Chaiwut said the party will meet to decide whether to join the Pheu Thai-led coalition.

Srettha ThavisinSrettha Thavisin, Pheu Thai Party's prime minister candidate, is confident he will garner enough support from both houses to be named as the new PM in a single round of voting. It will be the first time a Pheu Thai prime minister candidate will be nominated for a vote after Move Forward Party Leader Pita Limjaroenrat failed to be picked for the top job amid legal uncertainty over his renomination. He also thanked the Palang Pracharath Party (PPRP) for pledging to vote for him. The PPRP is led by Deputy Prime Minister Gen Prawit Wongsuwon and Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha is UTN's former chief adviser. Critics have rebuked Pheu Thai for considering partnering with either party, dismissing them as a legacy of the National Council for Peace and Order dictatorship.

(Photo: Chanat Katanyu)The Pheu Thai Party has now sealed a deal with the Palang Pracharath Party (PPRP) and United Thai Nation (UTN) Party in which the two parties have agreed to vote for Pheu Thai's prime ministerial candidate in exchange for slices of the cabinet quota cake, according to a source. Pheu Thai has 141 MPs while Bhumjaithai has 71 MPs, the PPRP 40, the UTN 36, Chartthaipattana 10, Prachachat nine, Pheu Thai Ruam Palang 2, Chartpattanakla 2, with Seri Ruam Thai Party, Plung Sungkom Mai, Thongthee Thai and the New Democracy Party all having one MP apiece. Pheu Thai has agreed that one cabinet position will be allotted for nine MPs each has, said the same source. As for the positions of finance and defence minister, Pheu Thai is approaching two outsiders who are highly qualified to hold these posts, said the source. Despite insisting Pheu Thai had yet to reach any formal agreement with the PPRP and the UTN, Mr Phumtham has admitted that Pheu Thai is left with no other choice but to include them for the sake of stability.

Chartthaipattana pro-charter rewrite but says some parts are 'sacred'Pheu Thai Party leader Cholnan Srikaew, left, waves his hand as Chartthaipattana (CTP) leader Varawut Silpa-archaan, centre, and CTP director Nikorn Chamnong, rigt, arrive at parliament on Thursday. Pheu Thai welcomed the CTP into its coalition to form a government. (Photo: Chanat Katanyu)The Chartthaipattana Party (CTP) voiced support for setting up a charter-drafting assembly to write a new constitution but insisted Chapters 1 and 2 must be left untouched. Mr Nikorn's comments came as Pheu Thai posted on Friday on its social media that a charter rewrite was top of its agenda. ILaw manager Yingcheep Atchanond asked if the charter rewrite could be pursued if Pheu Thai was planning to invite the Palang Pracharath Party and United Thai Nation Party (UTN) to join the coalition.

Bangkok representative says he was protecting a woman who was being harassedMove Forward MP Chorayuth Chaturapornprasit (white shirt and black waistcoat) is seen being restrained during an altercation at a restaurant in the Ekamai area of Bangkok on Friday night. (Screengrab)A Move Forward Party (MFP) MP has accepted blame following a physical altercation at a Bangkok restaurant on Friday night, but says he was defending a woman who was being harassed. The MP for Bang Kholaem-Yannawa MP is seen stepping in to intervene as the man began to harass a woman. Move Forward spokesman Karoonpon Tieansuwan said on Saturday that the other man had previously harassed Mr Chorayuth’s friends and had slapped another person in the face before turning his attention to the MP. Nonetheless, the MP insisted that he was merely protecting the woman seen in the video and did not initiate the fight.

Philippines 'in talks with Vietnam, India for rice imports'In this photo taken on July 19, 2023, workers plant varieties of rice being developed by the International Rice Research Institute (IRRI) in Los Banos town, Laguna province. (Photo: AFP)MANILA: The Philippines is in talks to import rice from Vietnam and India as the Southeast Asian nation seeks to boost its buffers and lower prices, an agriculture official said. "This will hopefully pave the way for the country to get better terms for the additional 300,000 metric tonnes to 500,000 metric tonnes of rice importation for this year," the official said. The additional purchase may lower rice prices for the Philippines as it will boost national inventory, which even without imports, is expected to last for 52 to 57 days by the end of the year, Panganiban said. Agriculture officials in December said rice imports this year will likely reach around 2.5 million metric tonnes, from about 3.5 million metric tonnes in 2022.

SET gains despite political dramaAn investor monitors share prices on a mobile phone. (Photo: Pornprom Satrabhaya)The SET moved up throughout the month of July despite some political turmoil as a new coalition government struggled to take shape. Average turnover was 44.7 billion baht, down 0.5% from the month before. Foreign investors were net sellers of 12.6 billion baht, while local funds and local investors were net buyers. The telecom operator's second-quarter profit of 7.3 billion baht was in line with our expectation.

CTP pro-charter rewrite but says some parts are sacredThe Chartthaipattana Party (CTP) yesterday voiced support for setting up a charter-drafting assembly to write a new constitution but insisted Chapters 1 and 2 must be left untouched. CTP director Nikorn Chamnong said he agreed with the policy of Pheu Thai Party, the core party forming a new government, to amend the current charter and said the best approach would be to create a new one with the involvement of the public. However, he said Chapters 1 and 2 must not be revised, and a planned referendum on the charter rewrite must not leave room for any interpretation that these two chapters can be amended. Mr Nikorn's comments came as Pheu Thai posted yesterday on its social media that a charter rewrite was top of its agenda. ILaw manager Yingcheep Atchanond asked if the charter rewrite could be pursued if Pheu Thai was planning to invite the Palang Pracharath Party and United Thai Nation Party (UTN) to join the coalition.

Thanakorn Wangboonkongchana, a United Thai Nation Party (UTN) list-MP, left, speaks during a parliament session on July 4 as Somsak Thepsutin, a Pheu Thai list-MP, right, looks on. It is now trying to woo support from the United Thai Nation Party (UTN), while the Move Forward Party (MFP) has apparently snubbed it. Somsak Thepsutin, a Pheu Thai list-MP, said he met Thanakorn Wangboonkongchana, a UTN list-MP, for talks on the possibility of the UTN joining the Pheu Thai-led coalition. Deputy Pheu Thai leader Phum- tham Wechayachai said a meeting between Pheu Thai and MFP key figures on Wednesday was not an invitation for the MFP to join the coalition. Paetongtarn Shinawatra, a Pheu Thai prime ministerial candidate and daughter of fugitive former prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra, also attended.

Local credit card operators plan to seek Bank of Thailand approval to raise their maximum interest rates as their costs have risen. The funding cost for credit card operators has increased in line with rising interest rates, according to the Credit Card Club, a unit of the Thai Bankers’ Association. The club also wants to discuss postponing an increase in the minimum payment rate for credit cards. The club has 16 members, mostly credit card providers from commercial banks and large non-banks. Mr Atis is also the managing director of General Card Services Ltd, a Bank of Ayudhya (Krungsri) affiliate that oversees the Central The 1 credit card, a co-branded card from Krungsri and Central Retail Corporation.

Vietnam has up to 8m tonnes of rice for exportFarmers work in a paddy field next to large electricity pylons on the outskirts of Hanoi on Feb 15, 2022. (Photo: AFP)HANOI: Vietnam has 7 million to 8 million metric tonnes of rice for export this year, state media reported on Friday. Rice output this year is expected to be 27 million to 28 million metric tonnes, the agriculture minister, Le Minh Hoan, said in a report cited by the Vietnam News Agency. Rice exports from Vietnam in the first seven months of this year rose 21% from a year earlier to 4.89 million tonnes, according to government data. Its shipments totalled 7.1 million tonnes last year.

Will India be a new economic superpower? "Far more than China today, India is an economic miracle waiting to happen," he wrote in The New York Times. China became an economic superpower; projections of India as next are little more than hype. The World Bank's 2020 Human Capital Index gave India a score of 0.49, below Nepal and Kenya, both poorer countries. By contrast, no Indian university, including the celebrated Indian Institutes of Technology, is ranked among the world's top 100.