Thai princess disqualified from list of candidates for PM

Agencies
February 11, 2019

Bangkok, Feb 11: Thai Princess Ubolratana was on Monday formally disqualified for running for prime minister, ending her brief and ill-fated political union with a party allied to the powerful Shinawatra clan, just days after a stern royal command rebuking her candidacy was issued by her brother, the king.

Uncertainty and conjecture have coursed through Thailand since Friday when the Thai Raksa Chart party made the explosive announcement of Princess Ubolratana, King Maha Vajiralongkorn's elder sister, as their candidate for premier after the March 24 election.

Her tilt appeared to some to be a masterstroke of back-room dealings by Thaksin Shinawatra, the billionaire self-exiled ex-premier, just weeks before the poll.

But just hours later it fell apart.

A royal command from the king put a pin in her unprecedented political aspirations, insisting the monarchy was above politics and describing his sister's candidacy as "highly inappropriate".

Thailand's incredibly wealthy and powerful monarchy is revered by Thais and protected by a draconian lese majeste law. The king's word is seen as final.

On Monday the Election Commission formally scratched her candidacy.

"The EC today has announced the name of candidates excluding Princess Ubolratana proposed by the Thai Raksa Chart party," it said in a statement, explaining "all royal family members are above politics." 

Despite its brevity, the princess's foray into politics has electrified the political landscape of the country, as speculation over who wins and loses from her tilt ricochets across the kingdom.

Chatter of an impending coup against the ruling junta leader Prayut Chan-O-Cha and a major change in army top brass has billowed out, with the hashtag #coup trending in the top 10 on Thai Twitter.

On Monday junta chief Prayut on Monday was forced to dismiss rumours of an impending coup as "fake news".

"Rumours...? We're investigating. Fake news," he told reporters at Government House.

The gruff former general, masterminded a putsch against the government of Yingluck Shinawatra, Thaksin's sister, in 2014.

Meanwhile, a chastened Thai Raksa Chart, a key pillar in Thaksin's election strategy, agreed to comply with the royal command.

It may face censure by election authorities that could ultimately see it dissolved, although it was not clear if any ban could be in place before the election takes place.

Thailand's generals have a penchant for coups, backroom plotting and factional struggles.

They have grabbed power 12 times since the end of absolute monarchy in 1932, including against existing juntas seen to have over-stepped their mark.

Prayut has agreed to stand for premier after the election and is aided by an army-scripted constitution.

But critics say he has personalised power and outstayed his welcome with a public wearied by his finger-jabbing style.

The king appointed a new army chief, Apirat Kongsompong, last year from a rival faction of the army to Prayut and his junta allies.

Recent days have seeded unease, with the first election in eight years now seemingly dependent on behind-the-scenes power plays by the elite.

Meanwhile, the fate of Thai Raksa Chart hangs in the balance.

The party, a second to the Thaksin political powerhouse Pheu Thai, was expected to help the Shinawatra machine secure a majority in the 350-seat lower house.

But it is under intense pressure following its bid to bring in the princess.

"I think the party leader and board should take a responsibility by resigning," said Srisuwan Janya of the Association for the Protection of the Constitution, a royalist activist group, who submitted a petition to election authorities Monday calling for the party's censure.

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News Network
January 20,2026

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Iranian security and intelligence forces have captured more than 470 individuals in three provinces, identified as key figures behind the recent wave of violent unrest and terrorist activities linked to foreign-backed networks.

The Intelligence Ministry's provincial office in Khorasan Razavi announced on Monday the arrest of 192 armed terrorists, identified as the main agents behind recent riots in the region. 

According to an official statement, the detainees were involved in the killing of several security personnel and civilians, setting fire to mosques, public service facilities, and buses, as well as attacks on military and law enforcement centers.

The seized items from the group include several bulletproof vests, Kalashnikov rifles, hunting weapons, Winchester rifles, and various cold weapons such as daggers, swords, brass knuckles, tactical knives, crossbows, and chains.

Evidence indicates that some of the individuals were tied to hostile movements and terrorist organizations, with links overseas. Others were identified as members of violent criminal gangs, actively taking part in the unrest alongside their associates.

Simultaneously, in the western province of Lorestan, the IRGC announced the arrest of 134 individuals as the main leaders and influential field agents of a US-Israeli terrorist network.

The IRGC statement stated that these individuals formed terrorist cells during the recent unrest, committing "Daesh-like" acts.

They wounded security forces with firearms and cold weapons, and burned and destroyed public and private properties, including mosques, shops, banks, and private and public vehicles.

In the northwestern province of Zanjan, the police reported detaining 150 people identified as principal leaders and agents behind recent riots.

Authorities noted that these individuals were responsible for destroying public and private property and intentionally setting fire to vehicles in the province's squares.

Their crimes include shedding the blood of innocent people, destroying public and private property, attempting to enter military sites, disrupting public order, and spreading terror among citizens.

A variety of cold weapons were reportedly seized from the detainees.

What began late last month as peaceful protests over economic hardship across Iran turned violent after public statements by US and Israeli regime figures encouraged vandalism and disorder.

During the unrest, foreign-backed mercenaries rampaged through cities, killing security forces and civilians and damaging public property.

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News Network
January 31,2026

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The US Department of Justice has released millions of new documents linked to the case of convicted child sex offender Jeffrey Epstein, before removing some pages that contained complaints mentioning President Donald Trump.

Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche said on Friday that approximately 3.5 million files were published to comply with the Epstein Transparency Act, following criticism that the administration had missed a December 19 deadline set by Congress.

The documents include FBI communications and complaints submitted as tips, some of which list comments mentioning Trump and others who had social or professional ties to Epstein.

Trump has repeatedly denied any wrongdoing in relation to his past association with Epstein.

Pages removed from DOJ website

After their publication, pages containing complaints that mentioned Trump were removed from the DOJ website and now return a “page not found” message. Copies of the documents, however, have circulated widely on social media. CNN anchor Jake Tapper was among those who publicly noted that the pages had been taken down.

One complaint, filed by a friend of a victim, says Trump forced a girl aged 13–14 to perform “oral sex” approximately 35 years ago in New Jersey. The document states that an investigator was sent to Washington to conduct an interview.

Another complaint says Trump regularly paid an individual to perform sexual acts and adds that he was present when her newborn child was murdered by a relative. The paperwork notes that there was “no contact made” with the complainant.

A separate complaint, which provided no contact information, said “calendar girls” parties at Trump’s Mar-a-Lago involved children and sexual abuse. The document also names several public figures as present at such events.

In another account, a complainant said they witnessed a “sex trafficking ring” at Trump National Golf Club in Rancho Palos Verdes, California, in the mid-1990s. The person noted “threats” from Trump’s head of security if she spoke publicly about what she had seen.

Other figures mentioned in the files

The latest release also includes a draft email Epstein wrote to himself in 2013, referring to Microsoft co-founder Bill Gates. In the message, Epstein said Gates asked him to delete emails and referenced “personal matters.”

The DOJ has not provided a detailed explanation for why certain pages were removed after publication. The department said the document release was ongoing.

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