Move Forward Party leader Pita Limjaroenrat met with World Economic Forum officials, vowing to revive Thailand's role in ASEAN and rebalance Thailand's position in international politics

<p>In response to the hunger strikes of two detained activists, opposition political party members have pledged to support bail rights and ending the criminalisation of political opinions.</p>

<p>8 years after he toppled the&nbsp;elected government,&nbsp;Gen Prayut Chan-o-cha, the Prime Minister, has officially&nbsp;joined the Ruam Thai Sang Chart Party (United Thai Nation Party), adding that he values the democratisation process.</p>

<p>A bid to give small and mid-sized parties an easier route to party-list seats in the next election has been rejected by the Constitutional Court, which has ruled that original calculation formula is legitimate.</p>

<p>The Constitutional Court on Friday ruled in favour of Gen. Prayut Chan-o-cha and affirmed his eligibility to stay in power as Prime Minister, more than 8 years after he assumed the top office through a military coup.</p>

<p>In 2023 fiscal year, a number of agencies were allocated budget related to the monarchy, all of which total approximately 34.75 billion baht or 1.09% of the total national budget (3.185 trillion baht), divided into 16.92 billion baht in direct expenses and 17.83 billion baht in indirect expenses.</p>

<p>Taking up the position as acting Prime Minister, Gen Prawit Wongsuwan is under the spotlight as he assumes responsibility for political developments. While he has long been adept at playing behind-the-scenes kingmaker, the question of how he will perform as the country&rsquo;s temporary leader remains.</p>

<p>A maximum 8-year term limit for the Prime Ministership as stipulated in the 2017 Constitution has become a potential political landmine for Gen Prayut Chan-o-cha. As the answer is remained to be seen, the speculations emerged as laws are interpreted differently.</p>

<p>A joint parliament meeting has approved the calculation formula for party-list MPs. Observers see the result as an attempt to forestall landslides by big parties, especially the Pheu Thai Party, but there are questions &nbsp;whether it will be effective.</p>

<p>Although a growing number of MPs agree that there is a need to revoke many of the decrees issued by the National Council for Peace and Order (NCPO), the military-led body which governed Thailand between the 2014 coup and the 2019 election, a vote in parliament after a week of discussion was overwhelmingly against pursuing proposed plans for changes.</p>

<p>A joint parliamentary session has dismissed a draft constitutional amendment, proposed by the Re-Solution group and related networks.&nbsp; The draft was backed by over 135,000 voters.</p>