Showing 1 - 10 of 141
20 years later, time for justice for Tak Bai
Oped, Saritdet Marukatat, Published on 16/05/2024
» Time flies. But it doesn't fly fast enough for security officers responsible for the Tak Bai massacre almost two decades ago.
Relations thrive amid hardship
Oped, Published on 14/05/2024
» As we celebrate Israel's 76th Independence Day, we do so this year with mixed emotions of joy and solemn reflection. This milestone is a testament to our nation's enduring resilience and remarkable achievements, yet it is shadowed by the immense challenges we have faced in the past year.
8 Thai hostages must not be forgotten
Oped, Kavi Chongkittavorn, Published on 02/01/2024
» The singular most important event of 2023 in Thailand was the Thai hostage crisis that began on Oct 7 when Hamas launched its surprise onslaught on Israel from the Gaza Strip. Several thousand Thai workers were caught up in the crisis, and several dozen were taken hostage along with over 240 men, women and children of almost two dozen nationalities. Apart from Israeli citizens, the number of Thais taken prisoner was the highest among foreigners, and at least 39 were confirmed killed. At the end of November and in the weeks that followed, a total of 23 Thais were freed. Today, eight remain in Gaza, and their fate is unknown. In modern Thai history, this is the first time such a huge number of Thai citizens have been abducted.
Cleaning up the military
News, Editorial, Published on 06/09/2023
» New defence minister Sutin Klungsang has already captured the media's attention due to his clear commitment to military reform.
A policy for gun safety?
Oped, Editorial, Published on 13/05/2023
» Gun violence has become a plague around the world. Over a week ago, two mass shootings took place within a single week in Serbia, a nation tied to the third-highest rate of gun ownership in the world. While the tragic deaths shocked the world and broke many hearts, the reaction of the Serbian government was exemplary.
Thai army needs to march to a new tune
Oped, Anchalee Kongrut, Published on 13/05/2023
» I always get feelings of fear when I hear the army's famous propaganda song, Nak Paendin, which in Thai means "burden of the country". As a child born during the 1970s, this song reminds me of military putsches.
No place for scare tactics
Oped, Editorial, Published on 11/05/2023
» The United Thai Nation Party (UTN) and pro-status quo elements like the army have launched a fear-mongering campaign, laden with ultra-nationalist content, in the lead-up to Sunday's election.
Can Jakarta push peace in Myanmar?
Oped, Kavi Chongkittavorn, Published on 09/05/2023
» By this weekend, the world will find out whether the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (Asean) -- under Indonesian chairmanship -- will be able to overcome challenges in Myanmar's peace process and bridge the divisions among various stakeholders.
Thailand: Back around in the circle again?
Oped, Gwynne Dyer, Published on 02/05/2023
» There have been occasional violent episodes in Thai politics and one recent massacre (2010), but the struggle for a genuine democracy has usually been relatively restrained. Maybe that is why it has lasted so long.
Songs for life as it's no longer lived
Life, Thana Boonlert, Published on 17/04/2023
» Ad Carabao's new song Prachathipatung revives the myth of vote-buying and ignorance in rural society. The title is a coinage blending prachathipatai (democracy) and tung (money). On the track, parents ask children to return to their home village to vote for local politicians who give them money. It puts into song from the political discourse of an urban middle class that expresses disdain for villagers along with antipathy for one type of money politics as well as full-fledged democracy.