United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres announced on Jan 11 that he would be seeking a second five-year term. Guterres, a former prime minister of Portugal, campaigned for the position in 2016 with an agenda focused on UN reform, as well as positioned himself as someone who could bring consensus to persistent global challenges such as climate change and the forced displacement of people from around the globe.
The Covid-19 pandemic has done considerable damage to the Thai economy and has been one of the major catalysts for political grievances with the government that erupted into widespread protests last year. While Thailand’s pro-democracy, pro-reform movement is set to resume protests against the political status quo – albeit in different form due to Covid-19 restrictions – Thais from all walks of life face continued economic crises with national economic activity in freefall.
In the middle of the night, the Royal Thai Police came for Sirichai “New” Nathuang, a student at Thammasat University’s Rangsit Campus. Accused of lèse majesté or defaming the Thai monarchy for spray painting political messages on the portraits of three members of the Royal Family, he was then charged with a cybercrime charge later for refusing to surrender his computer password to authorities.
After more than two months of negotiations, the Afghan peace process has resumed in Doha, Qatar, with the Afghan government and the Taliban having finalized a set of procedures and principles that will govern the process going forward. With the business of finite details out of the way, the second stage of the peace process will focus on the creation of a political path to a nationwide ceasefire, and ultimately a lasting political settlement.
In the U.S. Senate Chamber on January 6, Senator Ted Cruz of Texas led a futile Republican effort to challenge the 2020 election results that gave Joe Biden the White House and caused President Donald Trump to be the first incumbent president since George H.W. Bush in 1992 to lose reelection. Cruz argued that the counting of the Electoral College votes should be paused so that a bipartisan commission could be formed to investigate voting irregularities, similar to that which occurred back in 1877.
Thailand’s top political story of 2020 is far from over. Rising out of frustration and anger over the military-backed government’s heavy-handed response to COVID-19, the banning of the Future Forward Party, and continued authoritarian curbs on free expression and dissent, the youth-led protesters catalyzed a political movement through social media, all the while annoying and befuddling Thai authorities.
The United States will soon have new leadership, as Congress will meet on January 6 to formally count the votes of the Electoral College. Absent a highly unlikely and very undemocratic coup d’état – an authoritarian fantasy largely present in the mind of outgoing President Donald Trump – the joint session will solidify President-elect Joseph Biden’s victory and his inevitable inauguration on January 20.
Last week, International Anti-Corruption Day came and went in Thailand without much notice. Scant attention was paid in the media on December 9, except for an article about a “commitment” by Thai Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha to fight corruption and nepotism.
Recently, a 16-year-old male teenager was accused of committing lèse majesté. The teenager was summoned by the Yannawa Police Station in Bangkok after the administrator of a popular Facebook page had filed a complaint with police against him.
In mid-November, 15 Asian nations signed the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP), the largest free trade agreement, creating the world’s largest trading bloc, covering nearly a third of the global economy. All 10 members of ASEAN, plus Japan, China, Australia, New Zealand and South Korea became signatories.