Showing 1 - 10 of 32
Virus crisis reveals skeletons in our closet
Oped, Surasak Glahan, Published on 16/04/2020
» It was a desperate call for help. About 100 people gathered at the Finance Ministry on Tuesday and demanded the minister tell them why they were denied the 5,000-baht cash handout the government has granted to informal workers.
Political nitpicking stymies our progress
News, Surasak Glahan, Published on 06/02/2020
» If the Constitutional Court rules on Friday that the 2020 budget bill is invalid, let's not blame the delay in budget disbursement on proxy voting by a tiny number of MPs. Who should take the blame then? The culprit is our parliamentary system, for its inability to resolve this tiny technical hiccup in the Lower House, which allowed it to get out of hand.
Tackling Asean's corporate cronyism
News, Surasak Glahan, Published on 03/10/2019
» Many Southeast Asian countries, particularly Thailand and Malaysia, have been breeding grounds for unchecked and unregulated relations between government and big conglomerates, which have kept a handful of crazy rich Asians increasingly wealthy and widened the income gap between them and the rest of the population.
History repeats as graftbusters fall flat
News, Surasak Glahan, Published on 04/01/2019
» If it was the subject of a piece of detective fiction, the long-running probe by the National Anti-Corruption Commission (NACC) into allegations that Deputy Prime Minister Prawit Wongsuwon deliberately concealed assets in the form of over 20 luxury watches would probably be a colossal flop: forgotten overnight or ridiculed for years to come.
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?
Plagiarism is innovation's cul-de-sac
News, Surasak Glahan, Published on 07/09/2018
» What's new? That's what my reaction was when I learnt about the plagiarism allegation levelled at Thai architect Duangrit Bunnag over the winning design for Suvarnabhumi airport's new terminal that has been ongoing over the past week.
Welfare blues as scheme proves a slog
News, Surasak Glahan, Published on 20/06/2018
» As the Social Security Office (SSO) is proposing a plan for salaried workers and their employers to pay more to its scheme by raising the contribution cap of 750 baht a month to 1,000 baht, I thought it was time for me to claim the benefits that I have rarely used.
World Cup is fun, mystery killings are not
News, Surasak Glahan, Published on 18/06/2018
» Similar to the World Cup in Russia, the justice system in Thailand has never run short of spectators holding their breath hoping for a just and fair play. Like a football match, they pick their team.
Anti-populism law not for greater good
News, Surasak Glahan, Published on 09/05/2018
» Raising one finger during her campaigning to symbolise her party's ballot number ahead of the 2011 election, Yingluck Shinawatra rode a wave of popularity all the way to victory. And now the man who threw her caretaker government out of office in 2014 by force has demonstrated he is not shy of using a similar gimmick.
Put an end to conscription for good of all
News, Surasak Glahan, Published on 23/04/2018
» Last week, I believe it must have been heartbreaking for many Thais who watched a video clip of a young man weeping and almost fainting upon learning he was drafted to serve in the army for two years via the annual conscription round. Yet, I also believe that many of them would oppose any proposal to abolish military conscription, a phenomenon that has long existed by default.