On 6 October 1976, dozens of students were killed during the crackdown on protests at a university in Bangkok. It remains a painful chapter in Thai history, marked by brutal violence, thousands of arrests, and perpetrators who largely went unpunished.
A government agency is exploring the possibility of opening a launch base for private companies’ satellites, whilst the first ‘made in Thailand’ experiment has taken place on the International Space Station. Meanwhile, Pakistan’s first astronaut is set to depart for the Chinese Tiangong space station in November.
The forum organised by seven UN agencies involved businesses and civil society groups, and provided an opportunity for dialogue in a region that is home to 66.9 million migrants (many of whom hail from the same region). Recruitment systems and difficulties in accessing protection mechanisms rank among the major challenges.
Khieo Lapchanh, 26, was due to meet with the UN refugee agency the day after he disappeared. He had received threats after posting videos critical of the Laotian government. The case once again draws attention to the plight of Laotian dissidents abroad and the protection provided by Thailand.
A rally held recently outside the Israeli embassy blends resentment over the behaviour of certain tourists, fears regarding the expansion of foreign capital, and nationalism (fuelled by the government itself in its confrontation with Cambodia). Among the organisers is former Yellow Shirt leader Sondhi Limthongkul.
Min Aung Hlaing’s government says ASEAN special envoy is no longer needed. Thailand, which recently welcomed the general, is pushing for a calibrated re-engagement, a diplomatic approach that risks legitimising the regime without achieving any progress on the peace front.
Satellite images by LICADHO show the destruction of hundreds of homes in three villages held by the Thai army. More than 20,000 displaced people are languishing in refugee camps. Phnom Penh is intensifying its diplomatic efforts with Bangkok, calling for the Joint Border Commission to resume inspections.
Twelve months after the start of hostilities with Thailand, 20,000 Cambodians are still unable to return home in the border areas, many of them children. The NGO Phare Ponleu Selpak is working to offer a glimmer of hope through art.
Some 46 Thai migrants were killed when Hamas attacked on 7 October. Another 31 were abducted, with three dying in captivity in Gaza. In northern Israel, five were killed by Hezbollah rockets. Despite this, most chose to stay and continue to provide an essential service to Israeli agriculture.
The British-born disciple of Luang Por Chah (1918-1992) was elevated along with seven other senior monks to the rank of Somdet Phra Ratchakhana, second only to the Supreme Patriarch, in recognition of his exemplary conduct and significant contribution to Theravada Buddhism. He became a Thai citizen in 2020.
The death toll from the fire at the Chatuchak pub has risen to 30. Initial investigations point to blocked escape routes. The governor has announced a comprehensive crackdown on public establishments, but the country has a long history of rules being ignored or flouted, including through corruption.
In Bangkok demonstrators complain about pollution caused by gold and rare earth mining in Shan State, in areas controlled by armed ethnic groups backed by Beijing, not Myanmar’s military junta. In Thailand people are debating the ineffectiveness of diplomatic outreach limited to Myanmar.
The House of Representatives passed the “Act on Promoting a Peaceful Society”. Both royalists who led the 2008 protests and supporters of former Prime Minister Thaksin who laid siege to downtown Bangkok are expected to benefit from this cross-party measure. Those convicted of the controversial crime of lèse-majesté are excluded.
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