Showing 1 - 10 of 965
PM's drug reforms echo past errors
Oped, Published on 24/05/2024
» When Thailand's Prime Minister Srettha Thavisin announced plans to reschedule cannabis as a narcotic and reduce the threshold for possession of methamphetamine for personal use (not for supply to others) from five pills to one, he signalled a return to drug policies championed over two decades ago. He called for crackdowns on people in the drug trade, for people who use drugs to be placed into rehabilitation facilities and demanded results in 90 days.
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.
For journalists, neutrality is not the goal
Oped, Published on 17/05/2024
» My ability to be neutral as a political journalist depends on the intellectual honesty of the people -- and the society -- I cover.
Climate change poses health threat
Oped, Published on 17/05/2024
» It is widely believed that climate change is the single biggest threat to human health. A global temperature increase of 2C -- a threshold that will likely be exceeded by the end of the century -- could claim as many as one billion lives, with extreme weather events, heatwaves, droughts, flooding, infectious disease outbreaks, and food shortages among the causes of death. But the situation may, in fact, be far worse because the current forecasts fail to account for the inevitable increase in antimicrobial resistance (AMR).
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.
Fixing Thailand's cannabis regulations
Oped, Published on 08/05/2024
» When cannabis was removed from the Narcotics Code in 2021, widespread, unregulated usage sparked a public outcry, calling for immediate governmental intervention to rectify the situation.
The key to transforming a health crisis
Oped, Published on 25/04/2024
» Despite the relentless stream of bad news from around the world, there are still reasons for optimism. One notable example is the renewed push to localise pharmaceutical production in Africa, demonstrating how even catastrophic events like a pandemic can lead to positive, unforeseen outcomes.
Big Tobacco is now falling under the 'Zynfluence'
News, Published on 30/03/2024
» For Big Tobacco, the ideal user of one of its nicotine pouches is an older ex-smoker who indulges in the tiny packets to get their daily dose of the stimulant.
Death sentence for drug convicts is not acceptable
Oped, Published on 20/03/2024
» Nearly half of all state-sanctioned deaths around the world are for drug-related offences. This is not acceptable or justifiable and needs to end. My home country of Malaysia has taken steps to change this. Thailand and other countries should follow suit.
Building a shared future together
News, Published on 18/03/2024
» The Lancang-Mekong River, which begins in China and stretches for nearly 5,000 kilometres, flows through the highest number of riparian countries than other rivers in Asia. The six riparian countries -- China and other five downstream nations (namely Cambodia, Laos, Myanmar, Vietnam and Thailand) which are "enjoying the same river" -- form a community with a shared future featuring "equality, sincerity, mutual assistance and kinship". The Lancang-Mekong Cooperation (LMC) mechanism, named after the river, has been warmly received and responded to by all relevant countries since its initiation.