Thailand politics

The country has long been governed by a galaxy of interconnected political clans.

The 25-year jail term came just days after the Election Commission ordered the disbanding of a major opposition party for advocating the reform of the lese-majeste law.

Thaksin Shinawatra's quasi-official reception will do little to damp down rumors that he remains the real power behind the Pheu Thai-led government.

If the MFP is disbanded, the party's political energy is almost certain to re-emerge in an alternate, and likely more radical, form.

Yingluck, who served as prime minister from 2011 to 2014, is benefiting from the reconciliation between the Pheu Thai Party and the country's conservative establishment.

The controversial release of the former prime minister has presented the progressive MFP with a political opportunity.

As controversy over his parole simmers, attention turns to what influence the controversial former leader will have over Thai politics.

A genuine flowering of popular culture would inevitably showcase the repressive nature of the Thai state.

In an interview, the opposition MP discusses his political future and the way forward for Thailand.

The charges follow an incident over the weekend in which monarchy reform activists and ultra-royalists engaged in a public brawl in Bangkok.

The detained former PM's persecution and rehabilitation have both reflected the use of the country's administrative and legal system for political ends.