Showing 1 - 10 of 369
High-stakes submarine talks
Oped, Editorial, Published on 14/05/2024
» A Chinese delegation is visiting Thailand and will meet the government on Wednesday to negotiate a long-overdue submarine purchase. Then, the Thai government will make the final decision on whether to ditch or take the submarine.
Did China just blink?
News, Editorial, Published on 21/08/2017
» The annual mid-year Asean meetings discussed, but then once again set aside, the highly disputatious issue of the South China Sea. This was no surprise. The host of the meetings, the Philippines, has had its own problems settling on a policy towards the regional disputes. Since last year's election of colourful President Rodrigo Duterte, Manila has seemed rudderless on the issue. Despite efforts by several of the 27 countries that took part in the Asean meetings earlier this month, that lack of direction prevailed.
A lesson in geopolitics
News, Editorial, Published on 29/01/2024
» The hiccup in the planned salvage operations for the US-built HTMS Sukhothai of the Royal Thai Navy (RTN) serves as a stark lesson for Thailand. It underscores the need for greater prudence in navigating security issues, especially amid escalating geopolitical conflicts and power struggles among superpowers.
Uighurs' plight a lesson for govt
News, Editorial, Published on 09/04/2023
» The case of 63 members of the Shenzhen Holy Reformed Church who were arrested for overstaying visas in Pattaya last week brings back memories of the notorious repatriation of another group of Uighur refugees back to China in 2014.
Admit errors, cure the ills
News, Editorial, Published on 29/06/2019
» Unlike China's communist dictatorship, which has delivered rapid and sustained high economic growth since 1979, Thailand's authoritarian rule over the past five years has presided over only slow growth in the economy.
Liu's legacy will live on
News, Editorial, Published on 15/07/2017
» Even though the totalitarian rulers of China might have succeeded in preventing Chinese Nobel Peace Prize laureate Liu Xiaobo from living longer, they will find it hard to prevent people in China and elsewhere from keeping the legacy of the human rights and democracy advocate alive.
Government must back sea talks
News, Editorial, Published on 27/02/2017
» The threat of clashes has increased lately over China's claim it owns the South China Sea. A US navy task force led by the formidable aircraft carrier USS Carl Vinson is conducting "routine operations" in the area. Both Vietnam and Taiwan have copied China's construction of artificial islands with military facilities. Beijing has continued to fortify its new islands, with buildings believed capable of housing missiles. They would be the first land-based weapons in the Spratly Islands where international flashpoints and tensions increase almost by the day.
Credibility lost over sub
News, Editorial, Published on 26/04/2017
» The handling of the purchase of submarines from China was extremely distasteful. By refusing even to tell the country what it was doing, the cabinet has raised several questions and reduced its credibility. The arrogant and unnecessary argument that "the public doesn't have to know everything" about cabinet proceedings is insulting.
Diplomacy at the summit
News, Editorial, Published on 17/02/2016
» Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha left on Sunday and arrives back home tomorrow from California. He is attending the first formal meeting between US and Asean leaders ever held outside the region. President Barack Obama hosted the meeting so he could get across his thoughts on China's actions in the South China Sea and also on the fight against rising terrorist threats in the region. It was such a good idea it should go on the diplomatic calendar.
Sink the sub proposal
News, Editorial, Published on 05/07/2016
» The Royal Thai Navy is once again pressing to buy three submarines from China. The defence minister, not at all surprisingly, supports this new military upgrade. It would be a terrible mistake and misuse of 36 billion baht, or possibly more, of the public's money. Realistically, the only thing preventing an almost instant purchase is Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha. He has put off this scheme before, and should do so again, but more forcefully.