Thailand

World's First Successful Aids Vaccine Developed in Thailand
Early testing indicates that the first-ever successful AIDS vaccine has been created in Thailand, although much work remains to be done.

Angelina Jolie Calls on Thailand to Accept Refugees
Angelina Jolie is using her clout as an ambassador for the United Nations to try to persuade Thailand to accept refugees from nearby Myanmar.

Blogging in Thailand can be a Money-maker
Many people set up blogs in Thailand, but not everybody knows how to make good use of them to make money.

Ousted Thai Leader's British Visa Cancelled
Former owner of Manchester City FC banned from returning to luxury homes for fraud conviction

Thai Pm Flees Angry Protesters
New leader cornered for second time in fortnight as anti-government violence paralyzes Bangkok

Thai Pm Somchai Pelted With Shoes By Mob
Thailand's new prime minister had to flee an angry mob for the second time in a fortnight today when he was cornered in an underground car park

Bangkok Seeks Extradition After Thaksin Guilty Verdict
Prosecutors of ousted prime minister convicted of corruption push for extradition from Britain

Former Thai Pm Thaksin Found Guilty of Corruption
Prosecutors preparing to file extradition request with UK to bring Thaksin back to Thailand to serve his sentence and face other corruption charges

Thai and Cambodian Military Chiefs in Talks to Calm Tensions
Governments anxious to resolve bitter row over land near 11th century temple

Thais Urged to Flee Cambodia After Clashes on Border
Violence erupts as Hindu temple becomes focus of renewed row between fractious neighbors

Thai Troops Deployed Against Bangkok Protesters
Deputy PM resigns after two killed and nearly 400 injured in clashes as fury mounts in Thai capital

Bangkok Protesters Hurt in Anti-government Clashes
At least 65 people were injured in Bangkok today after riot police broke up a blockade of parliament using teargas

Thailand - The New Mobile Tiger?
The mobile telecommunications industry in Thailand is both dynamic and undergoing a period of profound change. This article takes a look at the current Thai mobile landscape and investigates what the future holds in store for a country where mobile ownership is still in its infancy.

Timeline: Political Upheaval in Thailand
Key events leading up to the declaration of a state of emergency in Thailand

Q&A: Protests in Thailand
The People's Alliance for Democracy is a loose coalition of conservative forces that want an end to democracy. Its protests, which can mobilize tens of thousands of people, set the stage for the military coup that ousted the former prime minister, Thaksin Shinawatra, in 2006. It claims that the current prime minister, Samak Sundaravej, who was elected last December, is a Thaksin proxy

Protester Killed As Thailand Democracy Protest Turns Violent
Thailand declares state of emergency as 400 soldiers are drafted in to police area around Government House

Tourists Caught in Dispute After Thai Protesters Occupy Airports
Activists against 'perverted' government prevent 20,000 passengers from flying home

Protesters Defy Court Order to Continue Occupation of Thai Government Zone
Samak says he will not use force against demonstrators calling for his resignation

Thai Pm's Compound Stormed As Anti-government Protests Grow
Series of demonstrations across Bangkok aimed at forcing Samak Sundaravej's resignation

Thaksin: Former Thai Prime Minister and Wife Skip Bail and Flee to Britain Before Corruption Trial
Thaksin and his wife, Pojaman, say they left Thailand after receiving 'death threats'

Under-Supply of Koh Samui Property Drives Up Prices
Under-supply of resort property on Thai islands like Koh Samui and Phuket is generating substantial growth in their respective resale markets.

An Italian artist in Bangkok
Since the turn of the 20th century, Italian craftsmen have contributed to the artistic and architectural splendor of Bangkok. One such artist was Galileo Chini, whose works are a national treasure and art legacy today.

Police and Anti-government Protesters Clash in Bangkok
Thousands attend demonstration intended to put pressure on prime minister to resign

Thailand Property Investment - The Future is Bright
The Thailand economy got off to a scintillating start, with 1st quarter growth up six percent on the same period last year, and up 5.7% on the last quarter of 2007. After two years of political turmoil culminating in a coup last year, it seems the new government is finally settling in, and has made economic growth its top priority.

Walking Street Bangkok - The Dragon’s belly in Chinatown
Walking Street Bangkok links areas of historical interest and local community life in a journey of contrasts through the heart of Chinatown and offers a drastically different perspective from the bustling main street.

Explainer: The Thai Lawsuits
Tesco in Thailand has launches three libel claims over separate allegations made by two local journalists and a former MP

Tesco Sues Critic of Its Expansion in Thailand for £16.4m Damages
Former Thai MP and newspaper columnist prepared to fight action and accuse retailer of intimidation

Thaksin Will Return to Thailand in May, Wife Claims
The wife of deposed Thai prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra today said her husband will return home from self-imposed exile in May to face corruption charges

Shinawatra Will Return to Thailand in May, Wife Claims
The wife of deposed Thai prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra today said her husband will return home from self-imposed exile in May to face corruption charges

Thai Crash Investigators Find Flight Recorders
Thailand's transport minister said today that the black boxes from the crash which killed at least 90 people will be sent to the US for analysis.

Muay Thai training camps in Thailand
A Muay Thai aspirant should train at one of the Muay Thai training camps in Thailand. This is because the type of environment he will get here will not be available elsewhere.

The 24 June 1932 coup – the end to absolute monarchy in Thailand
The 1932 coup ended 150 years of absolute monarchy under the Chakri dynasty and changed the course of Thai political history. What were the conditions that caused this and what was the aftermath?

Swiss Man Jailed for 10 Years for Insulting Thai King
A Swiss man been imprisoned for spray-painting graffiti over five posters of Thailand's revered king.

Glitch Creates Baggage Chaos at Bangkok Airport
Anyone flying out of Bangkok's new Suvarnabhumi airport might want to consider squeezing all their belongings into their hand luggage after 6,700 pieces of check-in baggage were stranded on Saturday following the failure of a computerised sorting system.

2006 coup in Bangkok – the coup of roses
The 2006 coup in Bangkok culminated from months of political turmoil. Quiet preparations weeks before resulted in the coup d'etat on the night of 19 September, which received an unexpected response.

Retired Army General is New Thai Pm
Thailand's military regime yesterday swore in a retired army commander, General Surayud Chulanont, as interim prime minister to run the government until elections are held, probably in the second half of next year.

Thai Generals Line Up Caretaker Pm
Thailand's military junta is widely expected this weekend to appoint a retired general and close adviser to the king to be caretaker prime minister until elections are held before mid-September 2007.

School Attacks Hint at Thai Unrest
Arsonists attacked four schools in northern Thailand early this morning in what could be the first act of violent opposition to the country's new military regime.

Ex-chief of Wto Tipped to Lead Thailand
The former chief of the World Trade Organisation, Supachai Panitchpakdi, was strongly tipped today by the Thai media to be caretaker prime minister under the new military regime.

Thai Military Revives Thaksin Corruption Inquiry
A national counter-corruption commission revived by Thailand's new military rulers began work today on the more than 10,000 allegations of corruption under the regime of the ousted prime minister, Thaksin Shinawatra.

Thai Junta Revives Inquiry Into 10,000 Claims of Corruption
A counter-corruption commission revived by Thailand's new military rulers began working on the more than 10,000 allegations of graft under the regime of the ousted prime minister, Thaksin Shinawatra.

Bangkok Protest Against Coup
Thailand's new military regime faced its first open dissent yesterday when dozens of pro-democracy protesters violated martial law and demonstrated against the generals outside a Bangkok shopping centre.

Thai Protesters Defy Martial Law
Thailand's new military regime faced its first open dissent today when dozens of pro-democracy protesters demonstrated against the generals.

Thailand’s Yellow Ribbon Coup
When the Thai Military puts on a coup, they do it with style and panache. Yellow ribbons ordained machine guns. Yellow flowers on lapels and coordinated armbands were all the rave. But the message sent via this decorative ensemble goes much beyond a pithy fashion sense. It may just be the reason no shots were fired.

New Thai Rulers Prohibit Political Activity
Thailand's new military rulers today banned "all political activities", outlawed the formation of new parties and assumed the responsibilities of parliament.

Democracy is Harder Than Western Flip-flops Make Out
Removing the army from the role of political arbiter is vital for progress. That is why Thailand has taken a step backwards. By Jonathan Steele

Thailand
Leader: Thailand's move from the ranks of constitutional monarchies to military dictatorship has been sudden, well-executed and dismaying to those who hoped the country might overcome its severe problems through constitutional means.

Tourists and Tanks on Streets of Bangkok
People hand out food and water to the soldiers while others watch, cheer and take photos.

Coup Leader Promises Handover in Two Weeks
The military leader who ousted Thailand's prime minister in a coup overnight pledged today to hand over power in two weeks to an interim civilian government in advance of general elections a year from now.

Coup Leader Vows to Return Power to Thais
The military leader who ousted Thailand's prime minister in a coup overnight vowed today to wipe the political slate clean and return "power to the people" soon.

Coup As Army Seizes Power in Thailand
Thailand was thrown into turmoil yesterday when the army sent tanks and troops into the capital to wrest power from the prime minister, Thaksin Shinawatra, while he was attending the United Nations general assembly in New York.

King Halts Thailand's Troubles
Ruler steps in to end months of stalemate and street fighting.

'It's Part of Our Lives, We Know How to Live With It'
In Thailand, the government covered up the outbreak in January 2004 but has learned that secrecy is the worst possible approach.

EU Bans Almost 100 Airlines From Its Skies
· Thailand's Phuket Airlines tops list of 'dubious' flyers · Commission acts after growing safety fears

Thailand's Troubles
A political morality play is being acted out on the streets of Bangkok. By Simon Tisdall

The Challenges Facing Democracy in South-east Asia
The current anti-government campaigns in Thailand and the Philippines seem anything but democratic, writes John Aglionby.

Poll Survivor
Calls are mounting for Thailand's prime minister to go, but the country's democratically elected leader is likely to prove hard to dislodge, writes John Aglionby.

By Day, There is a Quiet Menace, By Night, the Shootings Begin
A renewed Muslim insurgency and heavy-handed security forces plague Thailand's poorest region Southern Thailand.

Computer Data Matches Raise Families' Hope
Previously unidentified victims of the tsunami in Thailand have for the first time been provisionally matched with data provided by relatives at the multinational identification centre in Phuket.

A Country Ripped Apart, a People Daring to Hope
John Aglionby, The Observer's south Asia correspondent, believed he had seen the worst of the devastation in Thailand - then he arrived in Banda Aceh ...

Thai Pm's Origami Initiative Takes Flight
Having failed to quell months of escalating unrest in three southern provinces by force, Thailand's unorthodox prime minister is hoping plane loads of origami peace bombs will defuse the tension.

John Aglionby @ Bangkok
If you have urgent business in the near future at a Thai government office, I recommend that you go in the morning. Not because the early shift is any less corrupt or more efficient; it's just that it's much cooler than in the afternoon.

Thai Troops Remove Refugees Desperate for New Life in Us
Thailand yesterday removed some 1,500 Hmong squatters from a refugee camp that has been reserved for their fellow tribespeople who have signed up for resettlement in the US. Hundreds of soldiers descended on the camp at Tham Krabok temple, about 90 miles north of the capital Bangkok, at...

Bangkok Blog
Read Guardian health editor Sarah Boseley's daily postings from the 15th international Aids conference in Thailand.

Anger at Us Ban on Aids Scientists
Bangkok conference forced to cancel meetings and retract papers after authors stopped from attending.

John Aglionby on the Crisis in Thailand
Thailand's prime minister remains defiant amid the latest insurgency in the Yala province, writes John Aglionby.

In Denial of Danger
An attack on an army base has undermined Thailand's strenuous claims that it has no problem with terrorism. John Aglionby explains.

33,000 Animals Recovered In Thai Trafficking Crack-Down
As part of a three month campaign, officials from Thailand recently ramped up their investigations of illegal wildlife trafficking and recovered more than 33,000 animals, including tigers, bears, orangutans and birds, according to a December 10 Washington Post article.

The War on Yaa-baa
Thailand claims to have struck its ruinous methamphetamine trade a severe blow but cannot explain the deaths of 2,500 people in the process, writes John Aglionby.

Banner Hides the Real Bangkok
Anxious to present a sanitary image of Thailand to George Bush and his fellow leaders in Bangkok this week for an economic summit, the prime minister, Thaksin Shinawatra, has covered a slum with a huge banner. When the visitors watch a procession of royal barges tonight on Bangkok's Chao...

Virtually Addicted
Thailand's government is taking steps to combat dependence on online games, as Rhianna Pratchett explains.

Heavy-handed Populist in a Bullet-proof Minivan
Thailand's prime minister is sacrificing human rights and a free press in order to expand his power base, writes John Aglionby.

Thai Leader Justifies 1,100 Drug War Deaths
Thailand's populist prime minister, Thaksin Shinawatra, has admitted for the first time that mistakes have been made in his month-long "eye-for-an-eye" war on drugs that has claimed more than 1,140 lives. But Mr Thaksin remains unrepentant about the bloody campaign, dismissing widespread...

UK Forges £1bn Secret Arms Deal With Thailand
Minister agrees to help promote food products linked to cancer. Britain has struck a secret deal worth £1 billion to sell arms to Thailand in return for promoting food that has been linked to cancer-causing chemicals.

Scoured to the Soul
Tham Krabok monastery in Thailand runs the toughest drug rehabilitation regime in the world. And it might soon be available on the NHS. Ian Belcher joins one addict in search of salvation.

Tourists Warned of Thailand Bomb Risk
Foreign Office issues new advice but plays down Danish claim that terrorists may be planning an attack on resorts.

Britain and Thailand All Square
ecome less trusted as a result of several coup plots involving officers from the Guard. One plot, unmasked in 1990, two months befor see Martin Lee throw it away in dismal fashion later this afternoon. Henman lost the first set of his singles clash with world No204 Danai Udomchoke before...

'Drug Smuggler' Briton Faces Life in Thai Jail
A British man has been jailed for life in Thailand for smuggling 4kg of heroin out of the country. Julian Gilbey, 35, from the Isle of Bute, Argyllshire, avoided the death sentence because he admitted smuggling, but claimed that he thought he was carrying diamonds. The former...

Life under the Asian brown cloud
John Hayes and his wife loved living in Bangkok. But for the sake of their children's health they were forced to move to Britain.

British Woman Found Dead in Bangkok Backpackers' Hotel
A legal secretary who left England on a solo backpacking trip round the world last Monday has been found dead in her hotel room in Thailand. Jayne Nixon, 26, flew to Thailand on her way to Australia and New Zealand. She checked into the Nakorn Pink hotel with a man in the notorious Khao...

Thailand Threatens to Pull Plug on Weakest Link
1.15pm: Thailand is threatening to close the TV channel that broadcasts its version of The Weakest Link, claiming it is 'unbecoming' to Thai culture. By Julia Day.

The Poisoned Prince, His Wife and Her Lover
John Aglionby on the manslaughter case that has transfixed Thailand.