Showing 1 - 10 of 32
Getting soft power right
Life, Published on 08/01/2024
» After three months in office, the Srettha Thavisin government has raved on about populist policies in the guise of digital wallets and soft power projects that will create income to boost our declining economy. With optimism, we learned that Paetongtarn Shinawatra, Pheu Thai party leader and head of the National Soft Power Strategy Committee (NSPSC), has drafted a budget of 5.1 billion baht to boost festivals and creative industries. It is welcoming news to hear this government is priortising art, music, literature, design, fashion, film, food, games, sports and festivals as essential sources for the creative economy. Where this enormous chunk of budget will come from, like digital wallets, remains to be seen.
Kingly advice
Oped, Postbag, Published on 18/05/2023
» Re: "Historic win faces hurdles", (BP, May 16) & "Move Forward Party pushes to amend royal insult law," (BP, Feb 10, 2021).
The rebranding of 'big brother' Gen Prawit
Oped, Thana Boonlert, Published on 02/09/2022
» A day after Gen Prayut Chan-o-cha was suspended from his prime ministerial duties, Paiboon Nititawan, deputy leader of the ruling Palang Pracharath Party, was handing out a biography on Gen Prawit Wongsuwon, now acting PM, to reporters.
Broken by design
Oped, Postbag, Published on 25/04/2020
» Re: "Covid-19 exposes our broken system" (Opinion, April 23).
A taxing argument
News, Postbag, Published on 24/03/2019
» A reader in his March 23 letter makes a fair comment on two-tiered pricing for foreigners. But he then goes on to quantify the government's policy of a two-tiered charging system by saying that some farang do not pay taxes. I would dispute this. I am assuming by "some farang" he means tourists, as all foreigners living and working here pay tax in one form or another.
Let's get political (art)
Guru, Pasavat Tanskul, Published on 08/03/2019
» With the upcoming general election finally happening on Mar 24, the fate of the city hangs in the balance of voters hoping for some actual policy changes that leans toward democracy. However, some may express scepticism and while expressing one's doubts and criticism could be met with scorn and censorship, there are a few people who have expressed their opinions in other forms -- namely street art. Enter Headache Stencil, an anonymous masked political painter whose art usually deals with Thailand's recent social and political happenings.
Giving wings to the elusive aerotropolis
Business, Chatrudee Theparat, Published on 29/08/2018
» John D Kasarda is the director of the Center of Air Commerce at the University of North Carolina's Kenan-Flagler Business School, president and chief executive of Aerotropolis Business Concepts LLC, president of the Aerotropolis Institute of China and editor-in-chief of Logistics, an international scholarly journal. He has also published more than 100 articles and 10 books on airport cities, aviation infrastructure, urban economic development and competitiveness.
An Ithaca idyll with Surin Pitsuwan
News, Philip J Cunningham, Published on 04/12/2017
» During Surin Pitsuwan's visit to Ithaca, New York, this past September, a barbecue party was arranged by long-time family friends who live on the edge of town where the still lush and green rural surroundings could at a glance be mistaken for rural Thailand. Chickens cackled in a nearby coop and birdsong was everywhere in the air.
The Pheu Thai circus
News, Postbag, Published on 05/08/2017
» How many times have Pheu Thai politicians shot themselves in the foot. I've lost count. This time they just shot themselves in the mouth, blaming the government for the floods in the Northeast (BP, July 31). Have they forgotten what they did in 2011?
Chearavanont family keeps crown as rich Thais get richer
Business, Published on 01/06/2017
» The Chearavanont brothers, led by Dhanin Chearavanont, honorary chairman of Charoen Pokphand (CP) Group, Thailand's agriculture and food conglomerate, remain the wealthiest family in Thailand this year, according to Forbes magazine.