Latest news with #Thais
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First Post
2 days ago
- Politics
- First Post
Will Thailand PM quit over a leaked phone call? The political crisis explained
Thailand is facing yet another bout of political instability. The Bhumjaithai Party, the country's second-biggest political party, has pulled out of the coalition government, imperiling the post of Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra read more Thailand's government is on the brink of collapse after a key coalition partner quit, leaving the kingdom facing yet another of its regular bouts of political instability. Here's what we know about the latest crisis rocking Thai politics. What's happening? Thailand's coalition government, headed by Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra, is in danger of collapsing after the second-biggest party in the alliance quit. The conservative Bhumjaithai party said late Wednesday it was pulling out because of a leaked phone call between Paetongtarn and former Cambodian leader Hun Sen. The loss of Bhumjaithai's 69 MPs leaves Paetongtarn with barely enough votes for a majority in parliament, and if any other coalition partner leaves, her government will almost certainly crumble. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD Paetongtarn apologised for the call, saying she was trying to stabilise a volatile border dispute with Cambodia and did not expect the recording to become public. What happened in this phone call? Paetongtarn spoke to Hun Sen on Sunday about a festering border dispute that last month broke into military clashes that left a Cambodian soldier dead. A nine-minute portion of the call appeared online, followed hours later by the full 17-minute recording, posted by Hun Sen himself – who stepped down as Cambodian leader in 2023 but still wields great influence and is regarded as a wily political operator. In the recording, Paetongtarn addresses the veteran leader as 'uncle'. This is not unusual in Thai culture when a younger person is talking to someone much older, but it has led to accusations that Paetongtarn was being too familiar or too deferential and that as prime minister she should have been more assertive. The relationship between the Military and the Shinawatra family is particularly sensitive. File Image/AP Far more damaging was the fact she refers to the Thai army commander northeast as her 'opponent', sparking fury in Thailand's highly vocal nationalist, pro-military quarters. Thailand's armed forces have a long history of intervening in politics and leaders are usually careful not to cross them. The relationship between the military and the Shinawatra family is particularly sensitive, as the army has already ousted Paetongtarn's father Thaksin Shinawatra and her aunt Yingluck Shinawatra as prime minister. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD Paetongtarn made her apology on Thursday at a press conference alongside army commanders in a public show of unity. The army issued a statement saying it backed 'democratic principles' and urged Thais to unite to defend the 'paramount imperative' of national sovereignty. What else is behind the crisis? Pressure has been building on Paetongtarn's government for months – the economy is struggling, little has been done to head off US President Donald Trump's threatened trade tariffs, and relations with key political partners have fractured. Growing tensions within the coalition erupted into open warfare in the past week as Pheu Thai tried to take the interior minister job away from Bhumjaithai leader Anutin Charnvirakul. Critics say Paetongtarn, a political novice when she took office in August 2024, has been exposed as lacking experience and leadership ability, not least by the border crisis with Cambodia. But the coalition Pheu Thai stitched together to take power was always an uneasy alliance, relying on conservative pro-military parties that have bitterly opposed Thaksin, his family and political parties for years. While Thaksin, 75, remains popular with the rural voters whose lives he transformed in the early 2000s, he is loathed by the powerful Thai elites who see him as corrupt, nepotistic and a threat to social order. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD His return from exile in 2023 and subsequent regular public appearances have done little to allay conservative fears that he is the one really pulling the strings of government. What comes next? Two key coalition parties meet later Thursday to discuss the crisis. If, as expected, one or both pull out, Paetongtarn's government will almost certainly fall. If this happens, she could dissolve parliament and call an election, which would have to take place within 60 days. Alternatively, she could resign as prime minister and let other parties get together to try to form a new coalition. The difficulty with this option is that there is no obvious alignment of parties available that would command a majority. And as ever in a country that has seen a dozen coups in the past century, the threat of another military intervention hovers in the shadows.
Bloomberg
2 days ago
- Politics
- Bloomberg
Thailand Bars Citizens From Crossing to Cambodia Casino City
Thailand banned its citizens from going to work in a casino city in Cambodia, the latest curb on border movements as tensions simmer between the two Southeast Asian neighbors. All Thais who are employed in casinos, gambling dens and other entertainment venues in Poipet are barred from leaving Thailand via checkpoints in Sa Kaeo province from Tuesday morning, according to a statement from the Royal Thai Army, which cited safety reasons.
Observer
3 days ago
- Observer
ROP arrests three for trafficking, 47 women for immoral acts
Muscat: Three people, including an Omani citizen and two Egyptian nationals, have been arrested on charges of human trafficking in Muscat. The operation was carried out by the Muscat Governorate Police Command in cooperation with the Special Taskforce Police Command. The Royal Oman Police (ROP) also arrested 47 women of various nationalities for engaging in acts contrary to public morals and decency. The group comprised 21 Egyptian nationals, 10 Iranians, eight Pakistanis, four Thais, two Uzbeks and two Moroccans. The ROP said legal action is being taken against all those involved, and investigations are continuing.
Vancouver Sun
3 days ago
- Vancouver Sun
Hum: Thai food gets a street-style upgrade at these new Ottawa restaurants
5929 Jeanne D'Arc Blvd., Unit 5, 613-852-8111, Hours: Wednesday to Monday, 11:30 a.m. to 9 p.m., closed Tuesday Prices: most dishes between $18 and $22 Access: no steps to front door or washrooms 205 Richmond Rd., 613-722-6464, Hours: Monday 4 to 10 p.m., Tuesday to Friday noon to 10 p.m., Saturday 11 a.m. to 10 p.m., Sunday 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. Prices: most dishes between $18 and $22 Discover the best of B.C.'s recipes, restaurants and wine. By signing up you consent to receive the above newsletter from Postmedia Network Inc. A welcome email is on its way. If you don't see it, please check your junk folder. The next issue of West Coast Table will soon be in your inbox. Please try again Interested in more newsletters? Browse here. Access: no steps to front door or washrooms I'll bet that most adventurous culinary tourists have 'visit Thailand, pig out on street food' on their bucket lists. On the rise since the early 1960s, Thailand's street food culture comprises at least 150,000 vendors whose wares are so popular, convenient, and tasty that they've essentially displaced the habit of home cooking. 'Fewer and fewer Thais cook at home now,' Thai food authority David Thompson told Gourmet Traveller . As enticingly documented on YouTube clip after YouTube clip, Thai street vendors whip up dishes both familiar — pad Thai, satay, papaya salad — and lesser known — crab omelettes, prawns on glass noodles and more. You name it, they make it. The Michelin Guide even recognizes the best Thai street food vendors . Interested? I'd love to buy you some plane tickets and send you to Bangkok. But first, I need to win the lottery. Until then, I recommend that you head out to Westboro or Orléans. There you'll find newer Thai restaurants with 'street food' in their names. Both promise a wider range of Thai dishes than you'll find at their older, more established peers. Also, the new restaurants tout that culinary white whale — authenticity — which for some is synonymous with street food. I've had repeated enjoyable meals in the past month at Khao (Street Food Thailand and Bar), which opened May 1 in Westboro, where a long-closed Fiazza pizzeria location had been. After extensive renovation, the post-pizzeria space is festive, youthful and eye-catching — a far cry from the placid temple-vibe of old-school Thai restaurants. The narrow, open-kitchen eatery seats 42 inside plus 23 on a patio looking onto Richmond Road. Behind a six-seat bar, which hopefully will be licensed soon to dispense Thai-themed cocktails, some of those YouTube videos of Thai street food explorations play on a big TV. The dining room soundtrack consistently features bossa nova versions of pop and rock tunes. The restaurant's name, which means 'rice' in Thai, might lead you to think it's an offshoot of the well-established ByWard Market Restaurant Khao Thai. The two eateries are separate businesses, although the co-owners of Khao Street Food, Pusanisa Soon and executive chef Nathaporn Suwanachit, are related to some of Khao Thai's principals. I was excited by many dishes on Khao's extensive menu simply because they aren't available elsewhere in Ottawa. Even better, many were delicious. Foremost among them was Khao's boat noodle soup ($19), a generous bowl filled with sliced beef, dense, chewy, beefy meatballs, rice noodles, bean sprouts, fried pork crackling and more in a rich, thick, gravy-like broth. Khao soi ($22), the northern Thai single-serving soup made with a rich yellow curry-like broth, soft and crispy egg noodles, sour pickled mustard greens and our choice of sliced chicken or beef, was another hearty winner. I've also tried two shareable seafood-based noodle soups ($30), one spicy and the other sweeter and pinker. In both, the seafood was admirably cooked. Among appetizers, a thrilling standout was moo manao ($12) — a choice of sliced beef or pork, lettuce and mint in an intense, fiery and complex 'Thai spicy seafood sauce.' Lemongrass chicken wings ($12), crispy slices of pork belly ($12) and look chin tod meatballs ($10) were well-made, extra-savoury treats. I imagine them being even better with beer once it's available at Khao. Chicken satay skewers with homemade peanut sauce ($12), were more plump, juicy and flavourful than what I've had elsewhere, and they came, apparently as they do in Thailand, with toast on the side to sop up the sauce. Laab — the bracing Thai salad elevated by an acidic, savoury, herbaceous dressing — was made here with raw salmon ($22) rather than ground chicken or pork, apparently because that's trendy in Thailand. Waterfall beef ($22) embraced a similar flavour profile, although when I ordered it level-two spiciness on the five-point scale here, it was too subdued for my liking. At my next visit, my server discouraged me from ordering some level-four papaya salad with shrimp ($20). It turned out that level three was plenty fiery. I also liked a less incendiary mango salad ($20), including its crisp-fried anchovies. Some stir-fries here were familiar, others less so. The common Thai basil-enhanced stir-fry, in addition to being served as part of a shared, family-style dinner, also came in a more solo diner-friendly format, with rice on the side or underneath and a fried egg. Khao's renditions with pork, chicken, beef or seafood ($23) or deep-fried chicken ($25) packed a compelling flavour punch. We also enjoyed a less spicy, but still persuasive oyster sauce-based stir-fry ($21) in which deep-fried and then fried Japanese eggplant and chicken starred. Pad Thai ($21) was properly tangy rather than cloyingly sweet, and it was bougied up with a lattice of fried egg on top, plus crushed peanuts and chilies on the side. That said, I remain a devotee of the more funky and spicy pad kee mao ($20). Panang curry with beef ($22) was especially rich with dollops of coconut cream. Rather than the more usual yellow chicken curry, we chose a yellow curry-based chicken stir-fry ($22) that won us over. I've never had room for dessert at Khao, although mango with sticky rice and crème brûlée are available. Much further east, Chopp Chop Thai Street Food opened in an unassuming Orléans strip mall in August 2024. Taking its name from Thai slang for 'I love it, I really love it,' Chopp Chop is a more modest, unlicensed eatery of just a few tables. Takeout orders likely account for a lot of its sales. While I didn't love everything I had at Chopp Chop, its best dishes were good enough or interesting enough to make me look forward to return visits. Of Chopp Chop's large, single-serving soups, khao soi ($20.95), which starred a chicken leg in its vibrant broth, was fine. Less impressive were the tom yum soup with fish balls and barbecue pork ($20.95) and the wonton soup with barbecue pork ($19.95). I wanted more comforting vibes and better pork from both. Of two chicken appetizers, I preferred flavourful satay skewers ($12.95) to fried wings ($14.95), which, while massive and juicy, were under-seasoned. Better was Chopp Chop's rendition of 'Thai railway fried rice,' dubbed 'Crazy Train Fried Rice' ($18.95), which took its earthy flavour from dark soy sauce and was packed with chicken, egg, Chinese broccoli, tomato and onion. Chopp Chop's Thai basil stir-fry ($18.95), made with ground pork or chicken and served with rice and a fried egg, was one of its most satisfying dishes thanks to big flavours and an umami punch. Pad Kee Mao ($18.95), my preferred Thai noodles, also delivered the thrilling combo of spicy, savoury and salty flavours I craved. After one of my dine-in meals, house-made coconut ice cream was a perfect refreshment. While I preferred Khao's street food to Chopp Chop's, I hope that both inspire imitators. We need even more of those Thai dishes that, for now, are more easily seen on YouTube than in Ottawa. phum@ Want to stay in the know about what's happening in Ottawa? Sign up for the Ottawa Citizen's arts and life newsletter — Ottawa, Out of Office — our weekly guide to eating, listening, reading, watching, playing, hanging, learning and living well in the capital.
Straits Times
4 days ago
- Politics
- Straits Times
Thailand to prepare planes to evacuate nationals from Israel, Iran: Government spokesman
An Israeli man looks at smoke that rises following a missile attack from Iran, in Herzliya, Israel, on June 17, 2025. PHOTO: REUTERS Thailand to prepare planes to evacuate nationals from Israel, Iran: Government spokesman BANGKOK - The Thai government has ordered its military to prepare planes to evacuate citizens from Israel and Iran, a spokesman said on June 17 , as the two sides exchanged missile fire for a fifth day. There are an estimated 40,000 Thais currently living in Israel, most working on farms under a government labour scheme, and around 300 nationals living in Iran. 'We are ready to evacuate people and have coordinated with the military to prepare planes to bring them home from Israel and Iran,' government spokesperson Jirayu Houngsub told reporters after a cabinet meeting. Israel and Iran have both closed their airspace since the conflict broke out when Israel began striking military and nuclear targets in Iran on on June 13 . Mr Jirayu said Thai embassies in both countries have prepared evacuation plans for nationals. The Thai embassy in Tehran announced on its official Facebook page that it had set up a temporary shelter for citizens outside the capital. Meanwhile China said some of its citizens had been able to leave Iran. 'At present, some Chinese citizens have been safely evacuated to neighbouring countries,' foreign ministry spokesman Guo Jiakun told reporters in Bejing. AFP Join ST's Telegram channel and get the latest breaking news delivered to you.
