Thailand named Thaksin’s daughter PM post-MFP’s dissolution; the U.S. redirected a carrier to the Middle East, raising Pacific security concerns. Harris outlined economic plans, gold hit records, and China-Taliban resumed an Afghan copper project amid environmental concerns.
Thailand’s Parliament Chooses New Prime Minister Amid Political Shifts
May 2023: The Move Forward Party (MFP) won the most seats (151 out of 500) in Thailand’s general election, campaigning on reforms, including changes to the lese-majeste law. Despite electoral success, military-appointed Senate and conservative forces blocked them from forming a government.
July 2023: Pheu Thai Party stepped in to form an 11-party coalition, including military-aligned parties, effectively sidelining the MFP and drawing criticism for betraying pro-democracy voters.
August 2023: Thaksin Shinawatra returned to Thailand, with his return seen as a stabilizing factor for the new government.
August 2024: Thaksin’s daughter was elected as Thailand’s Prime Minister, marking a continuation of the Shinawatra family’s political influence.
August 7, 2024: The Constitutional Court dissolved the MFP, citing its reform agenda as a threat to the monarchy, a decision widely condemned by human rights advocates. Following MFP’s dissolution, about 40,000 people joined the newly formed People's Party, which aims to carry on MFP’s pro-reform stance.
U.S. Redirects Aircraft Carrier from Asia to Middle East
The U.S. redirected the USS Abraham Lincoln aircraft carrier to the Middle East, leaving a temporary naval gap in the Pacific until a refurbished carrier arrives in Japan.
Bryan McGrath, a retired U.S. naval officer, noted that this absence highlights U.S. naval capacity issues and may embolden China’s Xi Jinping.
While tensions in the South China Sea have eased with provisional agreements, analysts warn that without a carrier strike group, U.S. military flexibility in the Western Pacific could suffer in the event of armed conflict.
Koh noted that while land-based assets are valuable, they lack the versatility of carrier strike groups, which remain central to U.S. power projection in Asia.
World in Brief
Kamala Harris on Economic Policy: Kamala Harris outlined her economic vision, promising an “opportunity economy” focused on banning price gouging and opposing Trump’s tariff plans on imports. Her policies aim to extend Joe Biden’s focus on economic recovery for underserved communities.
Israeli Airstrike in Lebanon: An Israeli airstrike on southern Lebanon killed at least 10, targeting a Hezbollah weapons facility, according to Israeli sources.
Gold Price Surge: Gold prices reached a record high, surpassing $2,500 per ounce, fueled by expectations of U.S. Federal Reserve rate cuts as markets recovered from recent volatility.
Taliban and China Resume Afghanistan’s Copper Mining Project
Afghanistan’s long-stalled copper project restarted last month, three years after the Taliban took power, marking a significant economic effort amid an economic decline and lack of international recognition.
The project, located at Afghanistan’s largest untapped copper deposit, could yield an estimated 2.5 million tons of copper annually, potentially bringing in $300-400 million in revenue.
Critics are concerned about the project’s environmental impact, warning that limited oversight could lead to pollution and the destruction of archaeological sites nearby.
With an estimated 4.4 billion tons of copper ore, the site is viewed as a financial lifeline for the Taliban, which aims to leverage the project for both economic and diplomatic gains.
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