2019 In Thailand

The year 2019 is the 238th year of the Rattanakosin Kingdom of Thailand. It is the fourth year in the reign of King Vajiralongkorn (Rama X), and is reckoned as year 2562 in the Buddhist Era.

A general election, the first since the ruling military junta took power by coup in 2014, took place on 24 February. The coronation of King Maha Vajiralongkorn happened on 4–6 May. The year also saw the continuation of the South Thailand Insurgency, as well as poor air quality around Bangkok, Pattaya, Chiang Mai, and the northern provinces.

Incumbents

* King: Vajiralongkorn
* Prime Minister: Prayut Chan-o-cha
* Supreme Patriarch: Ariyavongsagatanana VIII

Events

January

* January 1 - The date of King Maha Vajiralongkorn's coronation is announced to be May 4–6.
* January 5 - Rahaf Mohammed was detained by Thai authorities whilst transiting through Bangkok airport, en route from Kuwait to Australia. She was attempting to flee her family and seek asylum in Australia because she says they subjected her to physical and psychological abuse, and is concerned that she could be killed if deported back to her native Saudi Arabia.
* January 4 - Tropical Storm Pabuk makes landfall in the country's south, with flights in Phuket being delayed.
* January 8 - South Thailand Insurgency: A 62-year-old school teacher is killed by a car-bomb explosion in Songkla province. The explosion also injured 6 people.
* January 10 - South Thailand Insurgency: Four Pattani defence volunteers in Pattani province were gunned down by insurgents disguised as Thai soldiers.
* January 12 - The visa-fee-waiver for people from 21 nations is announced to extend until after Songkran.
* January 16 - The Pollution Control Department and Bangkok Metropolitan Administration holds meetings around worsening air quality in Bangkok.
* January 18 - South Thailand Insurgency: Two monks are killed after a Buddhist temple is stormed in Narathiwat province.
* January 23 - The Thai Election Commission announces that the 2019 election will take place on March 24.
* January 27 - The NCPO announces that election advertising and social media posts will be restricted up to the election.
* January 28 - A BNK48 singer apologizes for wearing a Nazi swastika after the Israeli embassy expressed dismay at the singer.
* January 29 - Bangkok's air quality worsens. PM Prayut enacts article 44 to suspend cannabis patents.
* January 30 - The Palang Pracharat party nominates PM Prayut, Deputy PM Somkid Jatusripitak, and party leader Uttama Savanayana as its party's candidates for the 2019 elections.
* January 31 - Prime-minister Prayut demands action to improve the worsening quality of Bangkok's air. This comes as the air quality of Bangkok and Pattaya reaches unhealthy conditions, with all schools in Bangkok being closed down.

February

* February 2 - American bitcoin investor Chad Elwartowski and his Thai wife Supranee Thepdet began erecting a seastead 22 km off Phuket's coast.
* February 3 - All AOT operated airports are declared no-smoking zones. A fire on Phang Nga's Surin island destroys a Moken village.
* February 5 - Australia calls on Hakeem al-Araibi (who had been detained in Thailand since November 2018 and pending deportation to Bahrain) to be released and returned to Thailand.
* February 8 - Ubol Ratana, former princess and sister of the current King, is nominated by the Thai Raksa Chart party as a candidate for the election.
* February 9 - The King issues a statement prohibiting his sister from running as a candidate, and calling her move 'unconstitutional'. Famous Bangkok stray cat "Maew Askoe" dies.
* February 11 - Hakeem al-Araibi leaves Thailand for Australia after being released and escaping extradition to Bahrain.
* February 13 - Chiang Mai is ranked as having the third worst air pollution in the world after major fires over the last two weeks. Thai Election Commission votes to ask the Constitutional Court to disband the Thai Raksa Chart party after their nomination of Ubol.
* February 14 - South Thailand Insurgency: a bomb detonates in Narathiwat province, injuring no one.
* February 16 - 107 out of 2,810 candidates for the Thai election are disqualified for varying factors.
* February 18 - South Thailand Insurgency: a ranger in Songkhla province is shot dead.
* February 20 - Cannabis can now be legally cultivated under strict conditions for medical and scientific purposes. A 4.9 magnitude earthquake occurs in the country's north, around Lampang province.
* February 21 - PM Prayut visits Eemi Nikula, 5 year old Finnish boy who was attacked by dogs in Krabi yesterday at Krabi Nakharin International Hospital. The King also gifts the boy a vase of flowers.
* February 24 - The King sent gifts to Chat Ubonjinda, a Krabi fisherman who saved two Norwegian tourists in 2015 and gained widespread online praise.
* February 26 - South Thailand Insurgency: a bomb kills one ranger whilst injuring two others in Yala province.Eemi Nikula is released from hospital in Krabi.
* February 27 - National Geographic begins to secure rights to film a documentary about the Tham Luang cave rescue.
* February 28 - Thai airways flights from Thailand to Europe, Oman and Pakistan were cancelled due to the closure of Pakistani airspace due to rising tensions with India, leaving thousands stranded at airports. Flights to Europe, however, were resumed just over Chinese airspace. All flights to Pakistan remained cancelled.

March

* March 1 - A 50-day ban on burning comes into effect around Chiang Mai.
* March 3 - Widespread online controversy is caused over MasterChef selecting a rare spotted eagle ray as the main ingredient on their program on World Wildlife Day.
* March 7 - The Thai Raksa Chart party is dissolved by the Constitutional Court, while also banning 14 party members from politics for the next decade. Netflix gains the right to produce their documentary series around the Tham Luang cave rescues.
* March 9 - South Thailand Insurgency: Several bombs detonate in terrorist attacks in Satun and Phatthalung provinces, though there were no deaths.
* March 10 - A man is killed in Chachoengsa province whilst streaming on Facebook Live by a M79 grenade after entering an army training zone trying to catch wild chickens.
* March 13 - The governor of Phuket, Phakkaphong Tavipatana, welcomes the governor of Almaty City, Batalov Amandyk, to Phuket.
* March 14 - Increasing amount of smoke and haze in the north forces Bangkok airways to cancel flights to Mae Hong Son airport.
* March 15 - PM candidates Prayut and Thanathorn are deemed able to participate in the election by the Thai election commission.
* March 17 - Early voting begins across Thailand.
* March 23 - An alcohol ban begins for the election up until March 24.
* March 24 - The 2019 Thai general election is held, the first since the 2011 elections. PM Prayut and his party Palang Pracharat received the most votes and won 116 seats, yet the Pheu Thai party won the most seats at 136 seats.
* March 26 - Both the Pheu Thai and Palang Pracharat parties attempt to claim the right to form government as they attempt to form coalitions with other parties.
* March 27 - De facto Pheu Thai party leader Sundarat Keyuraphan announces a 255 MP, 7 party coalition.
* March 31 - Former PM Thaksin Shinawatra is stripped of royal decorations by the King. THAI Smile opens a new flight route between Kolkatta and Bangkok.

April

* April 3 - Two hours of sudden heavy rain caused flooding in Pattaya.
* April 4 - Two polling station are ordered to recount their ballots, whilst six others are ordered to rehold their votes.
* April 6 - Future Forward party leader Thanathorn surrendered to police to face sedition charges over violating Article 116 of Criminal Code in 2015 by providing a vehicle to student protesters. This event is attended by foreign diplomats.
* April 7 - All provinces (apart from Bangkok) draw sacred water to be used in the coronation of King Vajiralongkorn.
* April 9 - Don Pramudwinai, foreign minister, criticized diplomats from Australia, Belgium, Canada, European Union, Finland, France, Germany, Netherlands, United Kingdom, United States and United Nations for attending Thanathorn's surrender to police. Surachate Hakparn is sacked from his job as immigration chief by PM Prayut.
* April 10 - A fire in the Central World shopping mall in Bangkok kills 2 people, and injures 20.
* April 11 - South Thailand Insurgency: a clash occurs between police and insurgents in Songkhla province.
* April 12 - The first day of the seven day Songkran celebrations begin, as 46 people die and 482 are injured from road incidents.
* April 13 - A ceremony occurs inside the Grand Palace to draw out water to be used in the coronation is led by the governor of Bangkok, Aswin Kwanmuang.
* April 17 - South Thailand Insurgency: Two insurgents kill a village leader in Yala using a M16 rifile and shotgun.
* April 19 - The Meteorological Department of Thailand issued a warning advising people in the north and central provinces to avoid out-door activities due to high temperatures. Due to their part in the Tham Luang cave rescue, Richard Harris and Craig Challen were awarded the Most Admirable Order of the Direkgunabhorn. The Royal Thai Navy is ordered to take action against Andrew Elwartowski and his Thai wife for erecting a 'seastead' off Phuket.
* April 21 - The Cabinet of Thailand approves a 21.7 billion baht project to construct a third runway at Suvarnabhumi airport.
* April 22 - The seastead off Phuket is dismantled by the navy.
* April 23 - Phuket's water supply enters a 'critical situation', with the city experiencing a water shortage after no monsoonal rain, causing all three of the city's water catchments to last until the end of May if no rain occurs.
* April 25 - Don Mueang and Pathum Thani are stuck are strong winds: delaying flights, leaving 3,000 passengers stranded for 2 hours; whilst tearing sections of Pathum Thani's western wall.
* April 29 - Phuket experiences a rainstorm for the first time this year, whilst Maha Sarakham experiences a drought. HMAS Canberra, an Australian navy ship, arrived in Phuket for the Indo-Pacific Endeavour 2019.
* 30 April - Director named for the Netflix story of the Thai cave rescue

May

* May 1 - South Thailand Insurgency: A ranger is killed by a roadside bomb. King Vijiralongkorn married his bodyguard Suthida Tidjai, with Suthida becoming the Queen of Thailand.
* May 3 - Laws designed to prevent begging on streets were passed. The King pardons thousands of prisoners, including former leaders of the People's Alliance for Democracy.
* May 4 - The coronation of King Maha Vajiralongkorn takes place. This is the first day of the three day celebrations.
* May 7 - 60 members of the National Legislative Assembly resign in order to become senators.
* May 9 - Wat Bote district in Phitsanulok province is declared a drought disaster zone. 27 political parties are awarded seats in parliament by the Election Commission.
* May 13 - Eleven parties, with 11 votes all together with seats in parliament, declare their support for current PM Prayut to become the next Prime-minister.
* May 14 - An order for 37 1126 Stryker armoured vehicles from the United States is placed by the Royal Thai Army.
* May 16 - South Thailand Insurgency: Pipebomb explosions in Yala province injures 5 people. The Nation announces that they will end their printing of physical newspaper.
* May 18 - Visakha Bucha day is celebrated by Buddhists in Thailand.
* May 20 - The pro-Junta coalition claimed to have the support of Democrat and Bhumjaithai parties. Both the Democrats and Bhumjaithai parties hold 52 and 51 MPs respectively.
* May 26 - Former Democrat-PM Chuan Leekpai won 258 from the pro-Junta coalition against the pro-Pheu Thai candidate Sompong Amornvivat with 235 votes to become the new speaker of the lower house.
* May 30 - Leather back turtles, whale sharks, Omura's whales and Bryde's whales are registered onto Thailand's list of reserved animals.
* May 31 - King Power won its bid to retain its contract at Suvarnabhumi airport for duty free and shopping management.

June

* June 1 - Thai AirAsia begins flights between Phuket and Phnom Penh.
* 11 June - Thai women's soccer team play the U.S. team in the World Cup and lost 13–0. Even though it was the biggest loss to date in World Cup history, Thai supporters were still happy to be there and participating in the event.

August

* 2 August - 2019 Bangkok bombings

November

* 6 November - Gunmen killed 15 people, mostly Village Defence Volunteers, in Yala Province.

Deaths

May

* May 7 – Prasert na Nagara, Thai scholar (b. 1919)
* May 26 – Prem Tinsulanonda, 16th Prime Minister of Thailand and Regent of Thailand (b. 1920)

References

{{Year in Asia, 2019

2010s in Thailand
Years of the 21st century in Thailand
Thailand
Thailand