Prachatai English

A series of photographs and essay by Real Frame photographer Yostorn Triyos explores life in communities on the banks of the Salween River after the Covid-19 pandemic and the February 2021 Myanmar coup, such as Sop Moei and Mae Sam Laep where people continues to live in uncertainty amidst the war. Meanwhile, the Thai and Myanmar government's project to build 6 dams across the Salween River has been put on hold due to the pandemic and the war.

<p>Following the February 2021 coup in Myanmar and subsequent violence against protesters, a large number of people from Myanmar came to Thailand seeking safety and are now living as refugees in urban areas. Some came with valid visas, while some are undocumented, but all are unrecognised as refugees and unprotected under Thai law.</p>

<p>During the pandemic, Thai musicians and workers in the music industry faced unemployment as bars and entertainment venues were ordered to close. Many had to sell their instruments to keep themselves afloat, or make a living doing whatever else they could, while some left the industry altogether.</p><p>In &quot;Unplugged: Music in Crisis,&quot; Thai musicians talk about their lives during and after the pandemic, and the future of creative economy in Thailand.</p>

In late January 2026, the International Court of Justice (ICJ) concluded its hearings on the merits of the case filed against Myanmar by The Gambia over the mass atrocities committed against the Rohingya ethnic minority in Myanmar. What began as an urgent legal effort focused on provisional measures has gradually evolved into a comprehensive examination of state responsibility under international law, and its implications will have an impact on the lives of Rohingya refugees.

In recent weeks, Thailand’s Chiang Mai Province has been engulfed in toxic air pollution, which has reached dangerous levels.  Residents have been forced to live with the smog, as well as unprecedented scorching weather this summer. While people have been advised to stay indoors, many still have to make ends meet. Stopping work means no money to feed themselves and their families. “I am also afraid of PM2.5 entering my body, but I can’t do anything. I have to keep living like this.” said a 40-year-old food stall owner.  Here’s how the bad air is affecting Chiang Mai residents.

Thailand is set to introduce an amnesty bill for politically motivated cases aimed at unravelling two decades of political conflict, but this has fuelled another heated debate, particularly on royal defamation cases, which several political parties want excluded from amnesty.

To fix political problems arising from the conservative constitution imposed by military leaders after their 2014 coup, Thailand needs a new people’s charter. However, concerned parties are worried that procedural stumbling blocks will make it difficult to get one before the next election in 2027.

Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra assumes office after delivering a government policy statement to parliament last week in which she promised to increase economic opportunities and promote social equality. However, her government's policy statement drew criticism from both the opposition and civil society groups for failing to address political issues and establish priorities to meet the immediate needs of the public.

The Designers of Mountain and Water: Alternative Landscapes for a Changing Climate at Harvard’s Graduate School of Design features the Chulalongkorn University Centenary Park in Bangkok as a model of climate resilence. Netiwit Chotiphatphaisal and Phumiyot Lapnarongchai write, however, that the narrative leaves out the lived experience of the local community in Sam Yan, who faces displacement due to development projects.

On 11 December 2025, the Bhumjaithai Party, led by the now Caretaker Prime Minister Anutin Charnvirakul, dissolved parliament, with the aim of capitalizing on the nationalist sentiments stirred up by the armed conflict between Thailand and Cambodia, and the public admiration for the Half-Half Plus Co-Payment Program – a populist program that the government would subsidize half of, in total 2,000 THB per individual daily spent to buy goods. Consequently, intense nationalistic and economic rhetoric has dominated the election programs—combating online scam centers, illicit capital tied to transnational repression, and corruption have become the main emphasis for most parties. These are all genuine concerns, and it is right that they should be raised, but the human rights violations associated with them also need attention.

Harrison George mocks American exceptionalism and Donald Trump’s foreign policy, particularly his demand to obtain Greenland. By creating an exaggerated fictional scenario in which Long Island is under occupation by the NATO force, the article also highlights the perceived recklessness, hypocrisy, and self-interest of Trump’s leadership.