Showing 11 - 20 of 6,234
Green push needs united approach
News, Published on 20/05/2024
» Bridging the divide between agriculture and forestry is imperative for climate action. The global and national race is on to steeply reduce emissions over the next six years. According to the watershed Global Stocktake report, released ahead of COP28 in Dubai, we face the daunting task of reducing emissions by 43% by 2030 to retain the possibility of limiting warming to 1.5 degrees by the end of the century, and 27% to stabilise at a 2-degree temperature increase. Since the Paris Agreement was signed in 2015, we have managed only to be on track for a 2% reduction in emissions against 2019 baselines. Each subsequent year, we collectively feel the impacts of a hotter, more volatile climate as new records are set for temperature and natural disasters.
Thailand's cannabis U-turn is a cautionary tale
News, Published on 20/05/2024
» Turns out you can have too much of a good thing. Earlier this month, Prime Minister Srettha Thavisin ordered a U-turn on the country's landmark cannabis policy, saying the plant should be soon classified as a narcotic again and its use limited to medical and health purposes.
Talk show must be more than PR
Editorial, Published on 19/05/2024
» With the government stumbling from one controversy to another, Prime Minister Srettha Thavisin's proposal to revive the premier-meets-the-people talk show is a promising idea, if it is honestly and effectively implemented.
Thai Human Rights Council aspirations
Oped, Vitit Muntarbhorn, Published on 17/05/2024
» Thailand's quest for membership of the UN Human Rights Council (HRC), Geneva, for the period 2025-2027, is rightly gaining interest among the general public. With a new foreign minister today, it is intriguing to prospect whether there will be more (or less) momentum in the competition towards the winning post -- with elections for the HRC due in New York in October.
Stark reality behind economic figures
Oped, Chartchai Parasuk, Published on 16/05/2024
» At the time of writing this, the official Q1 GDP has not been announced by the National Economic and Social Development Council (NESDC). I expect the growth figure will be around 1.2%. My own estimation, using the Output Approach and actual sectoral production index, gives a growth figure of 0.98%. Detailed data are in the below table.
High-stakes submarine talks
Oped, Editorial, Published on 14/05/2024
» A Chinese delegation is visiting Thailand and will meet the government on Wednesday to negotiate a long-overdue submarine purchase. Then, the Thai government will make the final decision on whether to ditch or take the submarine.
Could the Palestinians be bought out?
Oped, Gwynne Dyer, Published on 14/05/2024
» Last week a despairing reader asked me if the solution to the "Middle East Problem" might be to throw money at it: just buy the Palestinians out. Offer every Palestinian in the Israeli-occupied territories enough money to settle somewhere else, and the endless wars might finally end.
Who's directing behind the scenes?
News, Veera Prateepchaikul, Published on 13/05/2024
» The speechwriter who wrote the speech delivered by Pheu Thai Party leader Paetongtarn Shinawatra at the party meeting on May 3 did a lousy job which consequently put her in hot water.
Rethink wage hike plan
News, Editorial, Published on 13/05/2024
» The government's announcement that it intends to increase the minimum daily wage to 400 baht nationwide in October has sparked heated debate, highlighting the complexities of balancing economic growth with equitable labour practices.
Clean air comes before animal feed
Published on 12/05/2024
» As toxic smog chokes the country without signs of clearing, the government aims to become the world’s top exporter of animal feed. This is a slap in the face of the populace because they have been suffering from the industry’s harmful effects on health and the environment for over two decades.