Showing 1 - 5 of 5
Too expensive to ride
Life, Published on 16/02/2021
» What if you are a single mum who earns a daily minimum wage of 331 baht in Bangkok? You might find it hard to make ends meet and save for a rainy day. However, a plan to raise the electric train fare ceiling on the Green Line to 104 baht per trip could especially be a heavy blow. Fortunately, you can breathe a sigh of relief -- at least for now -- because the plan was suspended last week. Nevertheless, this controversy is only the tip of the iceberg when it comes to the city's public transport problems.
The plastic-less revolution
Guru, Eric E Surbano, Published on 17/01/2020
» The first day of 2020 saw a major change in the lives of those who live in the Kingdom of Thailand: the (almost total) disappearance of single-use plastic bags. It's a huge change but a seemingly necessary one. According to the United Nations Environment Programme, Thailand is one of the four countries responsible for half of all plastic in the oceans in Southeast Asia. While 2019 saw a drastic drop in the use of plastic bag, the plan is to eliminate 225,000 tonnes of plastic waste per year. Single-use plastic bags are just the beginning though as bottle caps, cups and straws are next on the list. So what exactly are people saying about the ban? Is it absolutely necessary? What does it mean for customers who go grocery shopping? Are there ways to help lessen plastic waste? Hopefully, this clarifies some things and answers some of your questions.
Civic groups lobby to protect Makkasan land
Published on 15/07/2019
» Civic networks are set to rally in front of Government House on Thursday to demand the administration spare the State Railway of Thailand’s (SRT) 497 rai of land in Makkasan area from being included in its high-speed rail project linking three major airports.
National jobs, international workers
Life, Published on 06/09/2016
» Last week activist Srisuwan Janya filed a petition with the Office of the Ombudsman claiming that Thailand's new tallest building, MahaNakhon Tower, breached Thai laws by hiring a foreign architect to design it. He also complained that several foreign workers also run or own shops in markets around the country, a practice that is against the law.
A life that suits him
Life, Anchalee Kongrut, Published on 17/07/2013
» Earlier this month, lawyer and activist Srisuwan Janya was invited to speak at the Foreign Correspondents' Club of Thailand (FCCT). The lecture cemented his status as a public figure _ an idealist lawyer and environmental activist to be reckoned with. The topic of the panel discussion was "The Hazards of Dissent", and Srisuwan evoked the vulnerability of his life as activist and dissident fighting against authority and the powers that be.