The year 2019 is the 238th year of the Rattanakosin Kingdom of Thailand. It was 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 March. 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 was announced to be May 4–6.
January 4 – Tropical Storm Pabuk made landfall in the country's south, with flights in Phuket delayed.
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 said they subjected her to physical and psychological abuse, and was concerned that she could be killed if deported back to Saudi Arabia.
January 8 – South Thailand Insurgency: A 62-year-old school teacher was killed by a car-bomb explosion in Songkhla 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 was extended until after Songkran.
January 16 – The Pollution Control Department and Bangkok Metropolitan Administration held meetings regarding worsening air quality in Bangkok.
January 18 – South Thailand Insurgency: Two monks were killed after a Buddhist temple was stormed in Narathiwat province.
January 23 – The Thai Election Commission announced that the 2019 election would take place on March 24.
January 27 – The NCPO announced that election advertising and social media posts would be restricted ahead of the election.
January 28 – A BNK48 member apologized for wearing a shirt featuring a Nazi swastika after the Israeli embassy expressed dismay.
January 29 – Bangkok's air quality worsened. PM Prayut enacted Article 44 to suspend cannabis patents.
January 30 – The Palang Pracharat party nominated PM Prayut, Deputy PM Somkid Jatusripitak, and party leader Uttama Savanayana as the party's candidates for the 2019 elections.
January 31 – Prime Minister Prayut demanded action to improve Bangkok's worsening air quality. Air quality in Bangkok and Pattaya reached unhealthy levels, prompting the closure of 437 Bangkok schools.
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 were declared smoke-free zones. A fire on Phang Nga's Surin island destroyed a Moken village.
February 5 – Australia called on Thailand to release Hakeem al-Araibi, who had been detained in Thailand since November 2018 facing extradition to Bahrain.
February 8 – Ubol Ratana, former princess and sister of the King, was nominated by the Thai Raksa Chart party as its prime ministerial candidate.
February 9 – The King issued a royal order stating his sister's candidacy was inappropriate and unconstitutional. Famous Bangkok stray cat "Maew Asok" died.
February 11 – Hakeem al-Araibi departed Thailand for Australia following the drop of extradition proceedings.
February 13 – Chiang Mai was ranked third worst globally for air pollution following seasonal fires. The Election Commission voted to petition the Constitutional Court to dissolve Thai Raksa Chart party.
February 14 – South Thailand Insurgency: A bomb detonated in Narathiwat province, causing no casualties.
February 16 – 107 of 2,810 candidates for the general election were disqualified by the Election Commission.
February 18 – South Thailand Insurgency: A ranger in Songkhla province was shot dead.
February 20 – Medical cannabis legalization came into official effect in Thailand. A 4.9 magnitude earthquake occurred in Lampang province.
February 21 – PM Prayut visited Eemi Nikula, a 5-year-old Finnish boy recovering at Krabi Nakharin International Hospital after a stray dog attack in Krabi. The King sent a flower vase to the boy.
February 24 – The King sent gifts recognizing Chat Ubonjinda, a Krabi fisherman praised for rescuing two Norwegian tourists from deep mud in 2015.
February 26 – South Thailand Insurgency: A bomb killed one ranger and injured two others in Yala province. Eemi Nikula was discharged from the hospital in Krabi.
February 27 – National Geographic began securing rights to produce a documentary regarding the Tham Luang cave rescue.
February 28 – Thai Airways flights toward Europe, Oman, and Pakistan were cancelled due to Pakistani airspace closure amidst tensions with India. Flights to Europe resumed later via Chinese airspace.
March
March 1 – A 50-day open burning ban took effect in Chiang Mai.
March 3 – Online controversy arose after MasterChef used a rare spotted eagle ray as an ingredient on World Wildlife Day.
March 7 – The Thai Raksa Chart party was dissolved by the Constitutional Court, with 14 executives banned from politics for ten years. Netflix secured production rights for a miniseries on the Tham Luang cave rescue.
March 9 – South Thailand Insurgency: Coordinated bombings struck Satun and Phatthalung provinces, causing property damage but no fatalities.
March 10 – A man was killed in Chachoengsao province while streaming on Facebook Live when an unexploded M79 ordnance detonated after he entered a military training zone.
March 13 – Phuket Governor Phakkaphong Tavipatana welcomed Almaty Region Governor Amandyk Batalov to Phuket.
March 14 – Heavy smoke and haze forced Bangkok Airways to cancel morning flights into Mae Hong Son Airport.
March 15 – PM candidate Prayut Chan-o-cha and Future Forward candidate Thanathorn Juangroongruangkit were officially cleared to contest the election by the Election Commission.
March 17 – Early voting opened across Thailand for registered absentees.
March 23 – A mandatory 24-hour election alcohol ban began nationwide.
March 24 – The 2019 Thai general election took place, the first general election since 2011. Pro-junta Palang Pracharath secured the highest popular vote, while Pheu Thai won the largest share of constituency seats.
March 26 – Pheu Thai and Palang Pracharath both claimed mandates to form a governing coalition.
March 27 – Sudarat Keyuraphan announced an anti-junta coalition representing seven parties with over 255 seats.
March 31 – Royal decorations previously awarded to former prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra were revoked by the King. THAI Smile launched non-stop service connecting Kolkata and Bangkok.
April
April 3 – Severe downpours triggered localized flash flooding across Pattaya.
April 4 – The Election Commission ordered recounts at two polling stations and re-voting at six others.
April 6 – Future Forward leader Thanathorn surrendered to police to answer sedition charges linked to 2015 student protests, observed by foreign diplomats.
April 7 – Sacred water gathering rituals were performed across 76 provinces for the royal coronation.
April 9 – Foreign Minister Don Pramudwinai criticized western diplomats who attended Thanathorn's police summons. Immigration Bureau chief Surachate Hakparn was abruptly transferred to an inactive post by PM Prayut.
April 10 – A fire broke out at CentralWorld complex in Bangkok, killing two and injuring twenty.
April 11 – South Thailand Insurgency: A security clash in Songkhla province left a police officer and an insurgent wounded.
April 12 – Songkran festival began; authorities recorded 46 fatalities and 482 injuries on day one of holiday travel.
April 13 – Bangkok Governor Aswin Kwanmuang led the sacred water preparation ceremony at the Grand Palace.
April 17 – South Thailand Insurgency: Insurgents ambushed and killed a village chief in Yala province.
April 19 – Cave divers Richard Harris and Craig Challen received the Order of the Direkgunabhorn for their heroics during the Tham Luang rescue. The Royal Thai Navy received orders to inspect an unauthorized offshore seastead near Phuket.
April 21 – The Cabinet of Thailand approved a 21.7-billion-baht third runway for Suvarnabhumi Airport.
April 22 – The Royal Thai Navy dismantled the seastead off the coast of Phuket.
April 23 – Water reservoirs in Phuket dropped to critical levels following severe rainfall shortages.
April 25 – High-velocity winds battered Don Mueang International Airport, damaging airport facilities and stranding 3,000 travelers.
April 29 – Royal Australian Navy vessel HMAS Canberra docked at Phuket for Indo-Pacific Endeavour 2019.
April 30 – Netflix named Nattawut Poonpiriya and Jon M. Chu as directors for the upcoming Tham Luang rescue miniseries.
May
May 1 – South Thailand Insurgency: A ranger was killed in a roadside bombing in Pattani. King Vajiralongkorn married General Suthida Vajiralongkorn na Ayudhya, formally naming her Queen of Thailand.
May 3 – A royal pardon freed thousands of inmates ahead of the coronation, including former leaders of the People's Alliance for Democracy.
May 4 – The three-day coronation of King Vajiralongkorn commenced at the Grand Palace in Bangkok.
May 7 – Sixty members of the National Legislative Assembly resigned to assume appointed Senate seats.
May 8 – The Election Commission finalized party-list allocations, distributing seats to 27 political parties.
May 9 – Wat Bot district in Phitsanulok was declared a severe drought disaster area.
May 13 – Eleven micro-parties pledged coalition support for Prayut Chan-o-cha to retain the premiership.
May 14 – The Royal Thai Army ordered 37 refurbished M1126 Stryker armoured vehicles from the United States.
May 16 – Coordinated pipe bomb explosions wounded five people in Yala province. The Nation announced the discontinuation of its daily print edition to transition fully digital.
May 18 – Visakha Bucha was marked nationwide with temple merit-making ceremonies.
May 20 – Palang Pracharath leaders announced tentative coalition pacts with the Democrat and Bhumjaithai parties.
May 26 – Former prime minister Chuan Leekpai of the Democrat Party was elected Speaker of the House of Representatives with 258 votes, defeating opposition candidate Sompong Amornvivat.
May 30 – Thailand's National Reserved and Protected Wildlife Committee designated the whale shark, leatherback turtle, Omura's whale, and Bryde's whale as protected reserved species.
May 31 – King Power retained its retail and duty-free operating concessions for Suvarnabhumi Airport.
June
June 1 – Thai AirAsia inaugurated nonstop scheduled service connecting Phuket with Phnom Penh.
June 11 – The Thailand women's national football team suffered a 13–0 defeat against the United States at the 2019 FIFA Women's World Cup, setting a World Cup record margin.
August
2 August – 2019 Bangkok bombings: Multiple improvised explosive devices detonated across Bangkok during the ASEAN foreign ministers summit.
November
6 November – Gunmen attacked a security checkpoint in Yala Province, killing 15 Village Defence Volunteers in one of the deadliest single incidents of the southern insurgency.
Deaths
References