#WhatsHappeningInThailand — a weekly roundup of the latest news in Thailand. Hosted by independent journalist Matt Hunt.
Thailand Recreational Marijuana U-Turn
The saga of recreational marijuana, legalized in Thailand in 2022, gained a new layer this week with another change of mind by Thailand’s Prime Minister, Srettha Thavisin, on the matter.
Thavisin and the Pheu Thai Party campaigned on recriminalizing marijuana and have worked to reschedule it as a narcotic by the end of the year, which would’ve effectively made it criminal.
However, after a closed-door meeting on the matter, Deputy Prime Minister Anutin Charnvirakul announced that the Prime Minister had changed his mind, putting the debate for the regulation of legal cannabis, in some form, back on the table.
At the time of writing, the Prime Minister has not publicly confirmed that he has changed his mind or policy initiative. Until now, he has been a vocal critic of recreational cannabis and his priority to recriminalize it. Notably, Anutin is also the leader of the Bhumjaithai Party, the second-largest bloc in the current Government responsible for legalizing marijuana in 2022.
New Thai Senate
The new Thai Senate convened for its inaugural session on July 24, and the members voted overwhelmingly to elect Mongkol Surasajja as the Senate Speaker.
The 200-member Upper House will no longer have the power to elect the Prime Minister, as stipulated in the 2017 Constitution. Still, it will continue to play a significant role in legislative duties, including approving independent agencies and constitutional amendments. This could drastically impact future elections, as the former senate, appointed by the military junta following the 2014 Coup, openly obstructed the election of a prime minister who won the popular vote in the 2023 Thai General Election.
Although this new senate is the first to be comprised of civilian senators since the Coup, the process by which they were selected (not elected) has drawn criticism for many reasons as complicated as the process by which they were put there.
Passport Seller Busted in Bangkok
In Bangkok, a billboard advertising the sale of passport and citizenship services in the Chinese language sparked significant controversy online and stirred debate about who allowed it to be there.
The massive billboard in Huai Khwang district featured a Chinese man and listed fees in yuan for passports and citizenship applications to countries like Cambodia, Indonesia, Turkey, and Vanuatu. After some images of the billboard went viral on X, Interior Minister Anutin Charnvirakul ordered its immediate removal and initiated an investigation into the billboard’s legality and advertised services.
Although it’s less common to see as openly now as a decade ago on Khaosan Road, Thailand has historically faced challenges with the illegal sale of identification documents.
Syphilis cases soar in Thailand
The Department of Disease Control (DDC) reported a worrying surge in syphilis cases, particularly among Thai teenagers and pregnant women.
According to spokesperson Weerawat Manosutthi, the rate of syphilis infections among Thai teens has tripled over the past five years, soaring from 27.9 to 91.2 cases per 100,000 people. This trend is even more evident among pregnant women, with cases increasing 400% (5x) from 0.26 to 1.3 per 100,000 people over the past year alone.
The DDC attributes the alarming rise to widespread unsafe sex, which they caution also significantly raises the risk of HIV transmission. Many have criticized the Thai public education system as well and attributed the rise in sexually transmitted infections to societal beliefs and cultural stigma surrounding sexual healthcare in Thailand.
Train from Bangkok to Laos begins
The first direct international passenger train journey from Bangkok to Vientiane commenced on July 20, marking a significant step forward for regional rail connectivity.
Train No. 133 departed from Bangkok’s shiny new Krung Thep Aphiwat Central Station, carrying around 400 passengers, and arrived in Vientiane the following day. In all, the journey took approximately 12 hours.
This new service is expected to boost ties between Thailand and Laos, as well as with other ASEAN countries, by providing a more convenient and scenic travel option for passengers heading to the Laotian capital, where they can connect by highspeed rail to other destination cities in Laos, like Luang Prabang.
The new Bangkok-Vientiane train service features various service classes, including third-class seats priced at 281 baht ($8 USD), second-class air-conditioned seats priced at 574 baht ($16 USD), and second-class sleeper cars costing up to 874 baht ($24 USD).
Although it is not a part of the high-speed rail expansion, this service is anticipated to play a crucial role in facilitating smoother cross-border travel and fostering new economic opportunities within the region.
Justice Sought for Tak Bai Incident Victims
As the 20th anniversary of the Tak Bai Incident approaches, families of the victims are intensifying their legal battle for justice before the statute of limitations expires in October 2024.
The Tak Bai Incident resulted in the deaths of 85 Muslims following a protest in Narathiwat province, where detainees were subjected to severe mistreatment by security forces. The lawsuit filed accuses nine officials, including military and police generals, of premeditated murder and unlawful detention. The plaintiffs, represented by lawyers from the Cross-Cultural Foundation, the Muslim Attorney Center, and the Southern Border Provinces Legal Reconciliation Center, are determined to hold those responsible accountable.
The legal action has garnered significant attention, highlighting ongoing concerns about justice and accountability in Thailand, especially in the Deep South. Despite some compensation from the Government, families feel justice has not been served, particularly in light of allegations of harassment by individuals posing as police officers.
Many see this case as a test of the Thai judiciary’s ability to address historical injustices and uphold the rule of law. Advocates argue that a favorable ruling would not only bring closure to the victims’ families but also set a precedent for addressing other instances of state violence.