Showing 1 - 10 of 33
Health care on life support
Spectrum, Paritta Wangkiat, Published on 26/11/2017
» Thailand's universal healthcare coverage (UHC) scheme is confronting its most critical time since its introduction in 2002. For over a decade, the scheme has been praised all over the world for its achievement in providing healthcare access to over 48 million out of 66 million people, filling the gap left by the social security scheme and civil service welfare.
Shinawatras leave a tainted legacy
Spectrum, Paritta Wangkiat, Published on 03/09/2017
» When former prime minister Yingluck Shinawatra failed to show up at the Supreme Court just before the verdict of her trial for alleged malfeasance on Aug 25, it portended an uncertain fate for her Pheu Thai Party.
Stars get struck for speaking out
Spectrum, Paritta Wangkiat, Published on 13/08/2017
» The social media world has been swept in patriotic sentiment since singer Suthita "Image" Chanachaisuwan, 19, posted a complaint about Thailand's poor public transport last week. After waiting two hours to catch a bus home in Bangkok, she was driven to tweet her frustration: "What's a lousy country. It's not going to improve in 50 or even 1,000 years from now … Now shoot me."
A kerbside view of Thai politics
Spectrum, Paritta Wangkiat, Published on 16/07/2017
» On the day the doors of Phitsanulok Mansion were opened for Chalerm Changthongmadan, he felt his existence was recognised for the first time in his life.
Revolution's legacy back from the brink
Spectrum, Paritta Wangkiat, Published on 25/06/2017
» Meanings assigned to specific persons and objects change through time. Once they were defined as supreme, then redefined as degenerate and consigned to oblivion.
Pulling the plug on power in Cambodia
Spectrum, Paritta Wangkiat, Published on 23/04/2017
» The cityscape of Phnom Penh resembles a work in progress. On a strip of land marking the cross-section of the Mekong and Tonle Sap rivers, a new hotel under construction and empty plots face the centuries-old Royal Palace.
Regime puts journalists in the crosshairs
Spectrum, Paritta Wangkiat, Published on 05/03/2017
» Freedom of expression is under threat in the post-coup era, and now Thai journalists are in the firing line. Since last month, the nation's media circle has been shaken by the "bill on rights protection, ethical promotion and standards of media professionals" -- the media rights protection bill -- proposed by the media reform steering panel of the National Reform Steering Assembly (NRSA).
The heat is on
Spectrum, Paritta Wangkiat, Published on 27/11/2016
» The natural landscape of Southeast Asia has suffered a slew of losses in recent years. As El Nino disrupts world weather patterns, and the region recovers from its worst droughts in decades, Thailand has lost 6.1 million tonnes of agricultural products. That's 15.5 billion baht in gains gone between January 2015 and April 2016.
Changing their stripes
Spectrum, Paritta Wangkiat, Published on 02/10/2016
» In the corner of a hall at the Bangkok Art and Culture Centre, performance artist and writer Jittima Pholsawek invites five audience members to join her for a meal during her evening show.
Damned if you do,damned if you don't
Spectrum, Paritta Wangkiat, Published on 08/05/2016
» In the late 1980s, Chatichai Choonhavan's government promised an ambitious water diversion project to provide a constant supply of water to the dry Northeast.