“Europe in Review” August-2023 Edition

News about Current Developments on Democracy, the Rule of Law, Social Market Economy, and the Cooperation between Europe and Southeast Asia

This monthly e-newsletter is provided by the German-Southeast Asian Centre of Excellence for Public Policy and Good Governance (CPG) and supported by KAS Thailand. In this issue, readers will get updated about a surge of agriculture prices after Russia pulls out of grain deal, extreme temperatures from El Niño and climate change scorching Southern Europe with wildfires, German government implementing austerity measures in the face of financial challenges, and other news.

Isra News' articles of July 2023

Read news articles of July 2023 from Isra News Agency (in Thai language).

Read news articles of July 2023 from Isra News Agency with the support of KAS Thailand (in Thai language): 1) Transboundary PM2.5 haze: How efficient the ASEAN mechanism is in fixing this problem? , and 2) Five main environmental policy challenges await new Thai government.

“Europe in Review” July-2023 Edition

News about Current Developments on Democracy, the Rule of Law, Social Market Economy, and the Cooperation between Europe and Southeast Asia

This monthly e-newsletter is provided by the German-Southeast Asian Centre of Excellence for Public Policy and Good Governance (CPG) and supported by KAS Thailand. In this issue, readers will get updated about the current situation of the War in Ukraine, unrest and protests in France, Germany’s new national security strategy, European Parliament passing a law against threat of AI, and other news.

Isra News' articles of June 2023

Read news articles of June 2023 from Isra News Agency (in Thai language).

Read news articles of June 2023 from Isra News Agency with the support of KAS Thailand (in Thai language): 1) Will the policy on abolition of conscription mean more efficiency and less involvement in politics of the Thai military? , and 2) Breaking down various problems of the operation of the BTS Green line: Bangkokians’ hope that wait for the new government to make true.

Isra News' articles of April 2023

Read news articles of April 2023 from Isra News Agency (in Thai language).

Read news articles of April 2023 from Isra News Agency with the support of KAS Thailand (in Thai language): 1) Road Safety Policy: the forgotten policy that political parties have not campaigned for the General Election?, 2) Bangkok traffic jams: public transport policy is a big challenge for the General Election, 3) Lesson learned from Swedish Forestry Model: The model that Thailand follows yet is still far from fully implemented, and 4) When Administrative Court’s ruling on government officers’ disciplinary action invalidates the arraignment of the National Anti-Corruption Commission.

Isra News' articles of February 2023

Read news articles of February 2023 from Isra News Agency (in Thai language).

Read news articles of February 2023 from Isra News Agency with the support of KAS Thailand (in Thai language): 1) Review on Thailand’s drafted ministerial regulation on anti-drugs: people caught with more than one meth pill will face legal action, 2) PM2.5 solutions: solving the pollution by laws vs by cooperation?, and 3) Section 22 – 25 of the act on torture and enforced disappearance have been delayed to enforce due to unreadiness?.

Isra News' articles of March 2023

Read news articles of March 2023 from Isra News Agency (in Thai language).

Read news articles of March 2023 from Isra News Agency with the support of KAS Thailand (in Thai language): 1) The ‘National Pension Policy – Increasing the Elderly Allowance’ – Campaign for General Election Battle – Fiscal Burden?, 2) Review on Gun Control Measures – Proactive actions are needed to stop mass shootings, and 3) Can the current computer-related crime act solve voice phishing?.

Isra News' articles of May 2023

Read news articles of May 2023 from Isra News Agency (in Thai language).

Read news articles of May 2023 from Isra News Agency with the support of KAS Thailand (in Thai language): 1) Policies on elderly care allowance proposed by 9 main political parties – Fiscal challenges for Thailand’s ageing society, 2) The effects of household and parental absence on child’s potential and development, and 3) Anti-SLAPP Law – Promoting participation against corruption – protecting the public interest.

Proceeding – Reimagine Smart City Policy Framework to Next Future

KAS Thailand, IDS und KPI organisierten am 21. März 2023 die Veranstaltung "Proceeding – Reimagine Smart City Policy Framework to Next Future". Es wurde erörtert, dass "Smart Cities" nicht auf Technologie beschränkt sind, sondern öffentliches Engagement und Demokratie erfordern. Darüber hinaus müssen „Smart City“ Konzepte die tatsächlichen Probleme der Menschen in Thailand adressieren. Daher sollte die Rolle der lokalen Verwaltung gestärkt und die Dezentralisierung in Thailand vorangetrieben werden.

Parlamentswahlen in Thailand

Ausgangslage und mögliche Szenarien

Die nächsten Parlamentswahlen in Thailand werden am 14. Mai 2023 stattfinden. Einen Tag nach der Auflösung des Repräsentantenhauses am 20. März hat die Wahlkommission das neue Datum für den Urnengang offiziell angekündigt. Schon seit Ende Dezember 2022 ist der Wahlkampf und das Ringen um Parteimitglieder und Kandidaten in allen Parteien in vollem Gange. Es steht viel auf dem Spiel, denn die neuen 500 Abgeordneten wählen anschließend zusammen mit den 250 ungewählten Senatoren den Premierminister. Welche Partei am Ende die Regierung führen wird, ist noch völlig offen. Die größte Oppositionspartei, die Pheu-Thai-Partei (PTP), wird aller Voraussicht nach die meisten Sitze im Unterhaus des Parlaments gewinnen. Das konservative und militärdominierte Lager der bisherigen Regierungskoalition könnte sich aber trotzdem an der Macht halten. In diesem unberechenbaren Kontext fragen sich viele Thailänder, ob der ehemalige Ministerpräsident Thaksin Shinawatra bald nach Thailand zurückkehren könnte, sofern die PTP gewinnt, oder ob eher ein neuer Staatsstreich des Militärs zu befürchten ist. Sicher ist auf jeden Fall, dass die thailändische Gesellschaft politisch und gesellschaftlich sehr gespalten ist und dass der spannendste Teil dieser Wahlen nach dem 14. Mai stattfinden wird.