Fresh push to abolish lese majeste law triggers fierce pushback from Thai establishment

10 Sept 18:44 Key points summarised by AI

A renewed campaign, spearheaded by academic Piyabutr Saengkanokkul and the Move Forward Party, seeks to abolish Thailand's strict lèse-majesté law (Article 112), which criminalizes insults against the monarchy.
This push has intensified public debate, triggered street protests, and led to numerous arrests, with social media platforms becoming a key battleground for both supporters and detractors of the law.
The initiative faces fierce resistance from the Thai establishment, including royalist politicians and senators, who argue that repealing the law threatens national security and the core of Thailand's constitutional monarchy.
Despite growing public support claimed by proponents, parliamentary observers anticipate a low likelihood of the law being repealed or significantly amended due to strong opposition from most political parties and the Senate.

Suchada: Meet the reluctant star of Thailand’s cryptic crypto drama

Yesterday 15:38 Key points summarised by AI

Thai MP Suchada Zhang Thaensap faces intense scrutiny over her husband’s substantial 1.84 billion baht wealth, with opposition lawmakers alleging connections to international scam networks.
A significant portion of her husband, Taiyang Zhang's, declared assets includes a 1.44 billion baht loan to the now-bankrupt cryptocurrency hedge fund Three Arrows Capital, which still owes him 1.34 billion baht.
Opposition MP Rangsiman Rome accused Suchada's husband of links to online scam networks and gambling sites, prompting Suchada to vehemently deny the claims, demand evidence, and file a defamation complaint.
Taiyang Zhang's background includes co-founding Ren Protocol, later sold to Alameda Research (linked to the FTX collapse), and some of his former associates have been convicted in crypto company failures.
Suchada, a former actress and first-time MP, maintains her husband's innocence, while her party leaders have distanced themselves from the allegations, deeming it a private matter.