Showing 1 - 10 of 121
UHC needs more funds
News, Editorial, Published on 05/09/2024
» With a Shinawatra returning to Government House, seeing the lavishing upgrade in the 30-baht universal healthcare coverage (UHC) is unsurprising. Nicknamed "the Gold Card" public healthcare system, it was conceived in 2002 under a Thai Rak Thai-led government with Thaksin Shinawatra as prime minister.
Q2 GDP growth may be misleading
News, Chartchai Parasuk, Published on 22/08/2024
» I eagerly awaited the release of the Q2/2024 GDP growth figure which became available on Monday. The 2.3% growth figure, presented by the Office of the National Economic and Social Development Council (NESDC), did not surprise me. A friend had warned me that the quarterly growth could be as high as 2.5%, even though my estimation for the quarter was only 1.0%.
New party under siege
Oped, Editorial, Published on 13/08/2024
» Two days after the Constitutional Court disbanded the Move Forward Party (MFP) and banished its 11 executive committee members from politics for ten years, the remaining 143 MPs who survived the court's axe and some core party members promptly formed a new party -- the People's Party, selecting its new leader and a five-member executive committee.
Chess game continues for Anutin, BJT
Oped, Chairith Yonpiam, Published on 27/07/2024
» The rise to power of a group of senators who are closely affiliated with the Bhumjaithai Party (BJT), having clinched the top positions in the Upper House, serves as a game-changer for Anutin Charnvirakul and the second-largest party in the coalition government.
Digital wallet scheme hits another snag
Oped, Chartchai Parasuk, Published on 13/06/2024
» The new financing problem of the 10,000-baht cash handout, commonly known as the Digital Wallet Scheme (DW), has not made much noise in the media. This may be because the government wants this to be a non-issue, but in reality, it is a serious one that could wreck the entire scheme.
Sinking reputation
Oped, Editorial, Published on 12/04/2024
» The outcome of the Royal Thai Navy's (RTN) internal investigation into the sinking of the HTMS Sukhothai may draw the final curtain on one of the country's worst maritime tragedies.
Healthcare rules prompt confusion
Editorial, Published on 24/03/2024
» The sight of an elderly woman suffering from chronic renal failure, heart disease, ulcers and asthma clutching an oxygen flow tube in one hand and attempting to organise piles of documents required for treatment under the gold card universal healthcare scheme with the other, is a poignant reminder of its efficacy.
The rise of consumer cryptocurrency
News, Published on 26/02/2024
» Since its inception with the launch of Bitcoin in 2008, blockchain technology has gone through numerous cycles of public attention. Over time, growing interest and investment in the best-known cryptocurrencies has led to greater acceptance, as highlighted by the US Securities and Exchange Commission's approval of a spot Bitcoin ETF (exchange-traded fund) in January. While blockchains and their associated "crypto" assets have yet to be adopted by a truly broad base of consumers, that is starting to change, owing to a shift in how these technologies are being used.
Wheelchair quest spurs reform
Editorial, Published on 18/02/2024
» In a remarkable display of resolve, Monthon Phetsang manoeuvred his wheelchair through highway traffic for hundreds of kilometres to reclaim his rights as a disabled citizen. By doing so, the 48-year-old man has single-handedly exposed the bureaucratic hurdles endured by millions of disabled people in Thailand.
More than just thugs
Oped, Editorial, Published on 02/12/2023
» The premiere screenings of 4Kings (Part 2), a local drama-action film that depicts violent scuffles among vocational school students, attracted a big police presence.