Showing 1 - 10 of 23
Thai-style rule by law lands new blow
Oped, Surasak Glahan, Published on 12/03/2020
» With the Election Commission (EC)’s decision on Tuesday to pursue criminal charges against Thanathorn Juangroongruangkit over a much-disputed media share transfer case, many observers may have stopped questioning how Thailand’s law-enforcement system could have come this far, and started wondering whether the worst of things is yet to come.
Integrity vital as our system falters
News, Surasak Glahan, Published on 10/10/2019
» In recent months, questionable logic in the justice process involving certain political cases has raised many eyebrows -- as many as were raised by the Election Commission's ruling that helped the first runner-up party form and lead a government after the March election.
Fanning flames of hate speech will end in tears
News, Surasak Glahan, Published on 04/04/2019
» In a press briefing that was staged to stress his intent to denounce hate speech, army chief Apirat Kongsompong on Tuesday actually fanned the flames of hatred against self-proclaimed "pro-democracy" political parties and their members.
Another poll, another missed opportunity
News, Surasak Glahan, Published on 28/03/2019
» With over a decade of political turmoil and almost five years under a military dictatorship, it comes as no surprise that Thailand is no longer the front-running economic powerhouse in Southeast Asia. The country's economic growth has been much lower than that of Vietnam, Indonesia and the Philippines.
PM lacking confidence despite loaded deck
News, Surasak Glahan, Published on 17/12/2018
» In the upcoming Feb 24 general election, one retired general does not need a big win if he wants to become prime minister. Under the current constitution, he just needs a small share of votes, 126 out of the 500 MP seats up for grabs. Yet, there have been an endless series of (presumably dirty) tricks and (shrewdly planted) traps to emerge over the past month which have been seen as efforts to help him gain this small win. Why?
Hard lyrics shame the status quo
News, Surasak Glahan, Published on 28/10/2018
» Are the powers that be threatened by a rap song? This question came to mind on Friday after finding out how the police and the government had reacted to the song, Prathet Ku Mee (What My Country's Got) by young all-male Thai rappers, Rap Against Dictatorship. It prompted me to check out the video on YouTube. Since then I've kept replaying it. I've also got an answer.
The faux democracy that Prayut may build
News, Surasak Glahan, Published on 19/09/2018
» When building a house, hiring a contractor whose credentials are more about demolishing structures than building new ones could turn into a nightmare. You could hardly blame such an inexperienced contractor if your house collapsed.
How will post-poll Thailand look?
News, Surasak Glahan, Published on 20/08/2018
» Now the Election Commission and the National Council for Peace and Order have promised to hold the general election on Feb 24 next year, should we remain hopeful that the move will eventually lead Thailand to transition into a more democratic state? The answer largely depends on our expectations of the outcome, as well as the form of democracy that we want -- and we can look southeasterly to Cambodia, or westerly to Myanmar to get a rough idea of what Thailand's new beginning may be like.
Hun Sen, NCPO sing the same tune
News, Surasak Glahan, Published on 21/05/2018
» A string of legislative attacks by Cambodia's ruling regime against its critics and the opposition party since last year have baffled me, not only for their senselessness and brutality, but for the similarity they share with political tactics invented here in Thailand.
Billionaire activist holds out hope of new era
News, Surasak Glahan, Published on 05/03/2018
» Canada has 46-year-old Justin Trudeau as prime minister. France has Emmanuel Macron, 40. New Zealand has Jacinda Ardern, 37. What kind of a national leader will Thailand have after the election next year?