Showing 1 - 10 of 57
Senate voting brings alarm
Oped, Editorial, Published on 24/07/2024
» The outcome of the Senate Speaker's selection on Tuesday has only substantiated fears that the Senate will not be as independent as it should be after Sen Mongkol Surasajja, a former Buri Ram governor who is reported to have links with the Bhumjaithai Party (BJT), was voted in with an overwhelming majority of 159 from the 200-seat Senate.
First test for new senators
News, Editorial, Published on 15/07/2024
» Some 200 new senators recently endorsed by the Election Commission (EC) have the task of selecting a Senate Speaker, a position crucial for the integrity of the upper house.
Senate poses risk to political reform
Oped, Chairith Yonpiam, Published on 13/07/2024
» The political dust has settled, as the new Senate was successfully installed this week. Yet, looking at the components of the upper chamber, a new kind of politics still seems like a distant dream.
Old guard prevails in Senate elections
Oped, Chairith Yonpiam, Published on 29/06/2024
» For those wishing for a wind of change in Thai politics, the Wednesday Senate election was a disappointment. Old power factions made substantial gains, dominating some 70% of the seats for the 200-member Upper House, while those representing the pro-democracy force grabbed just a few.
Indonesian poll serves up a curious outcome
Oped, Gwynne Dyer, Published on 20/02/2024
» Indonesia's President Joko Widodo concluded his second five-year term last Tuesday with a national election in which his chosen successors won a convincing victory. "Jokowi", as everybody calls him, still enjoys 70% public approval, and he has every right to be proud of his past.
South activists' feud with army hots up
Oped, Published on 19/01/2024
» The ongoing feud between young political activists from Thailand's Malay-speaking area in the southernmost provinces and the 4th Army Area has intensified as the youth leaders this past week took their case to Bangkok to draw attention from the international community to what they say is judicial harassment by the military.
Myanmar, Thai militaries in cahoots
Oped, Thitinan Pongsudhirak, Published on 08/07/2022
» The recent incursion by a Myanmar MiG-29 fighter jet into Thai airspace is par for the course in the intimate ties between the militaries of both countries. Myanmar's military, also known as the Tatmadaw, in fact wants to be more like its Thai counterpart. The Royal Thai Armed Forces, on the other hand, may end up later having to be more like the Tatmadaw to maintain its role and rule in politics. These two militaries together pose a litmus test for states and societies everywhere. If the popular will and public interest can be systematically stolen and subverted in this corner of the globe, it can happen anywhere.
Army's role in boxing a shady affair
News, Veera Prateepchaikul, Published on 30/03/2020
» Lumpinee Boxing Stadium, located on the grounds of the Royal Thai Army Sports Centre on Ram Intra road in Bangkok's suburbs, has earned a bad reputation after being blamed for a Covid-19 cluster which has, so far, infected more than 50 people with the deadly disease.
Change tack in far South
News, Editorial, Published on 09/11/2019
» The government and army's responses to this week's deadly attack at a civil defence volunteer checkpoint in Yala province in the deep South are deeply worrying, largely because of their insistence on sticking with numerous failed and questionable means of tackling violence in the restive region.
Climate of fear prevails
News, Editorial, Published on 05/10/2019
» At a Pattani forum on Sept 28, 12 panellists who included opposition party leaders discussed constitutional amendments and how they could address the prolonged conflict in the restive deep South.