Showing 51 - 60 of 69
Mitigating intractable 'boat people' crisis
News, Thitinan Pongsudhirak, Published on 29/05/2015
» Beyond a few obvious facts, working out what to do with the many thousands of "boat people" who have been stuck in the vast sea straddling South and Southeast Asia in pursuit of jobs and better livelihoods is difficult to come by.
A well-intentioned but problematic charter
News, Thitinan Pongsudhirak, Published on 24/04/2015
» Thailand's draft constitution of 2015 appears to be full of good intentions that may end up in futility.
Between democracy and authoritarianism
News, Thitinan Pongsudhirak, Published on 10/04/2015
» It is tempting to read too much or too little into Russian Premier Dmitry Medvedev's high-profile visit to Bangkok, hosted by the coup-appointed government of Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha.
Absolute authority brings absolute risks
News, Thitinan Pongsudhirak, Published on 03/04/2015
» The invocation of Section 44 of the interim constitution in place of martial law is a mixed bag in disguise.
Virtual lockdown to spill over into 2015
News, Thitinan Pongsudhirak, Published on 26/12/2014
» In the wake of a deceptive calm following the military coup on May 22, prospects for next year are characterised by anxiety and apprehension over what is to come.
Location will save Thailand from itself
News, Thitinan Pongsudhirak, Published on 05/12/2014
» As Thailand's prolonged navel-gazing meanders from crisis to crisis, one of the leading questions facing this country is whether it will eventually emerge intact and be able to overcome its proven propensity to shoot itself in the foot.
Thai military's cradle of political power
News, Thitinan Pongsudhirak, Published on 17/10/2014
» From a promising period of de-politicisation in the late 1990s to a manipulative re-politicisation in the early 2000s, Thailand's military has come full circle.
Generals risk hard landing without policy experts
News, Thitinan Pongsudhirak, Published on 19/09/2014
» Thailand's new military regime has ushered in several major breaks from past traditions since it seized power on May 22. Among them, the role of technocrats is most conspicuous. In the past, when the Thai military was ascendant and resurgent, the role and contribution of technocrats became more wide-ranging and pronounced. The proven relationship between the military and technocracy is crucial to the legitimacy and credibility of ruling generals during military-authoritarian periods.
Thai authoritarianism: past and present
News, Thitinan Pongsudhirak, Published on 22/08/2014
» Thailand’s political pendulum has swung wildly. It has now completed a dramatic reversal, pitting the electoral authoritarianism of Thaksin Shinawatra from the early 2000s against the thinly veiled dictatorship of General Prayuth Chan-ocha in the mid-2010s.
Thailand risks becoming a train wreck
News, Thitinan Pongsudhirak, Published on 28/02/2014
» Most countries are unhappy in different ways but none is shooting itself in the foot more than Thailand. From Ukraine and Venezuela to Turkey, societies across continents are beset by social unrest and civil strife. What sets Thailand apart is that it has so much going for it, well endowed at home with immense goodwill from abroad. The Thai crisis is becoming a tragic train wreck and unfolding in destructive ways that few seem able to do much about, as both sides dig in for the long haul.