The House of Representatives on Wednesday began intense deliberations on five bills to foster social harmony and grant amnesty for political offences, submitted by MPs and citizen groups.

After being conspicuously quiet during two weeks of high political drama in Thailand, former prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra returned to the public eye on Wednesday with a splash — talking up his daughter’s favourite project.

The mood on the Thai-Cambodia border has shown signs of improvement since the May 28 clash that sparked tensions, with the militaries of both countries maintaining communication to prevent further misunderstandings, according to Lt Gen Boonsin Padklang, commander of the Second Army Region.

Anutin Charnvirakul, former interior minister and leader of the now opposition Bhumjaithai Party, blames a sharp decline in Chinese arrivals and losses in Thailand’s tourism sector on the Pheu Thai-led government’s dismissive attitude towards Chinese President Xi Jinping’s repeated warnings against its casino legalisation policy.

Seventy criminal accomplices rounded up in Thailand’s biggest scam-gang bust have been sentenced to up to 24 years in prison.

SINGAPORE – Thai Airways International has no plans to resume direct flights to the United States, despite the US upgrading Thailand’s air safety rating this year to permit them, CEO Chai Eamsiri said on Wednesday.