Showing 61 - 66 of 66
PM bows to the inevitable
News, Editorial, Published on 25/07/2016
» Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha deserves credit for moving the draft constitution to where it belongs -- the public forum. The prime minister made an unexpected about-face on the issue late last week -- one day he was advocating the multi-facet ban on free speech brought in by the Election Commission (EC) through the poorly considered Referendum Act; the next, he specifically authorised open debate at the provincial level. It is a welcome evolution.
Lessons in foreign affairs
News, Editorial, Published on 01/07/2016
» Thailand's failure to secure support for a non-permanent seat on the United Nations Security Council (UNSC) was no surprise. Government leaders, even the regime's critics, say they expected this result.There's no doubt that the military coup of 2014 had a negative impact on the Thai campaign. Critics also cite the government's actions limiting freedom of expression, "attitude adjustment" detentions as well as use of military courts as reasons Thailand did not get sufficient support. Yes, these reasons contributed to the result. But there are also fundamental problems that have prevented our country from taking a leadership role regionally and internationally.
Tense nerves hurt US ties
News, Editorial, Published on 19/05/2016
» In diplomacy and bilateral relations, using the right word or words, could mean warm embraces and mutual compliments or sharp barbs and rebuke between ministers and diplomats. Last week, two words -- concerned and condemned -- prompted stinging criticism of US Ambassador Glyn T Davies.
Address UN rights worries
News, Editorial, Published on 14/05/2016
» Justice Minister Paiboon Koomchaya may have scored some points with his domestic audience when he insisted that foreign countries would not understand why Thailand needs the lese majeste law because they are not "civilised" nations with cultural refinement like ours.
Government should trust media
News, Editorial, Published on 01/01/2016
» New Year is the most meaningful time of the year; it is a time of hope, of new beginnings. New Year gives us a chance to start anew. For the press, however, it is difficult to start 2016 with such optimism.
A little taste of freedom
News, Editorial, Published on 20/07/2015
» Two tiny steps last week showed that the hopes for freedom of expression will not be easily extinguished. Each took place in a courtroom. In Bangkok, the Administrative Court allowed Peace TV back on air, and agreed to study the claim by the National Broadcasting and Telecommunications Commission (NBTC) that it has the right to censor the content of media broadcasts. In Phuket, prosecutors failed to show up for two of the three days of the navy's defamation lawsuit against local journalists. Apparently they share the public's distaste for this trial.