All articles tagged with #military influence
Pakistan's government sold a majority stake in its national airline, PIA, for $482 million to a consortium led by Arif Habib Limited, amid ongoing debates over transparency, military involvement, and the airline's future prospects, as part of a broader effort to privatize loss-making state enterprises under IMF pressure.
Paetongtarn Shinawatra, the frontrunner in Thailand's upcoming national elections and member of the Shinawatra family, gave birth to her second child just two weeks before the polls open. The election is framed as a showdown between Paetongtarn and incumbent Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha, head of a pro-military conservative grouping. Paetongtarn's party faces a greater obstacle than merely winning the most votes from the public, as political parties allied to her family have struggled to hold on to power due to military influence. The election will be Thailand's first since youth-led mass pro-democracy protests in 2020.