Showing 31 - 40 of 53
Make time to enjoy Japan
Asia focus, Nareerat Wiriyapong, Published on 02/12/2019
» Landing at Tokyo's Haneda Airport early on a Sunday morning (5.30 am), I was pleasantly surprised to find how convenient it was to commute to the city hotel where I had reserved a room for my one-week visit. I was welcomed at the airport exit by a Japan Travel Bureau (JTB) staffer who accompanied me to an airport bus that took me on a non-stop journey to the hotel.
Ride-hailing needs practical rules
Asia focus, Nareerat Wiriyapong, Published on 07/10/2019
» I do not own a car. In fact, I don't even drive, so I rely totally on public transport -- buses, taxis, motorcycle taxis (if needed) and mass-transit trains -- to commute around Bangkok. I rarely use ride-hailing apps, although many of my friends find the service more convenient than regular taxis and they like the promotions.
Asean's difficult balancing act
Asia focus, Nareerat Wiriyapong, Published on 05/08/2019
» The annual meeting of foreign ministers from the Association of Southeast Nations in Bangkok last week drew attention from all over the world. The presence of US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo and his Chinese counterpart Wang Yi, among others, indicated the importance of Asean as a growing focus of major-power competition.
Climate change urgency grows
Asia focus, Nareerat Wiriyapong, Published on 01/07/2019
» Climate change is global in nature but it is having an especially severe impact on Asia. Chennai, one of India's largest cities, has run out of water as the summer heat intensifies. With monsoon rains below average, four lakes in the city of 4.7 million have dried up. Residents don't have enough water to drink, bathe or wash clothes, malls have closed their washrooms and restaurants are not open for customers.
Take your trash somewhere else
Asia focus, Nareerat Wiriyapong, Published on 03/06/2019
» Malaysia made a clear statement last week that it is ready to take aggressive moves against countries that dump plastic waste in the country, which this year became the world's main destination for the substances.
'Womenomics' still isn't working
Asia focus, Nareerat Wiriyapong, Published on 06/05/2019
» The people of Japan have had a lot to celebrate lately. On May 1 they welcomed their new emperor along with the Reiwa imperial era. The event came in the middle of an unprecedented 10-day Golden Week break for the country's famously hardworking citizens.
Adjusting to the new world of work
Asia focus, Nareerat Wiriyapong, Published on 08/04/2019
» Waking up on my first morning in Las Vegas, where the time is 14 hours behind Thailand, was not easy. Cup of coffee in hand, I walked past a group of senior citizens wearing red long-sleeved T-shirts outside a large conference hall. They were event ambassadors, hired to welcome and guide participants from all over the world, and the sight of their smiling faces helped to bring me awake. What a pleasant start to the day: I get to experience human interaction and some seniors have a chance to earn extra income, I was telling myself.
Little progress in war on graft
Asia focus, Nareerat Wiriyapong, Published on 11/03/2019
» Corruption is rarely out of the news in Southeast Asia, but the last three weeks have been busier than usual. In Vietnam, two former information ministers were arrested on suspicion of mismanaging public investment. The prosecution order issued on Feb 23 for Nguyen Bac Son and Truong Minh Tuan accuses them of "violations of regulations on management and use of public investment capital that cause serious consequences". The news cast a shadow over Hanoi's preparations fo the Trump-Kim nuclear summit.
Challenging times for Asean
Asia focus, Nareerat Wiriyapong, Published on 25/02/2019
» These are challenging times for Southeast Asian countries. On the economic front, China's slowdown is becoming more pronounced, which could have dire consequences since it is Asean's largest export market and a major source of foreign direct investment (FDI) to the region.
Avoiding trade-war fallout
Asia focus, Nareerat Wiriyapong, Published on 04/02/2019
» The United States and China ended their latest round of trade talks in Washington on a hopeful note last week, but negotiators are still racing against a March 1 deadline when US tariffs on US$200 million in Chinese goods will rise unless a deal is reached.