Showing 1 - 10 of 129
Reform clergy with your wallet
Editorial, Published on 03/08/2025
» The recent sex scandal involving high-ranking monks has shaken public faith to the core. But the responses from the clergy, the state, and the public all miss the point. This crisis in Thai Buddhism is not about monks and sex -- it's about monks and money. Address the problem incorrectly, and the sex scandals and temple corruption will never end.
Clergy in need of control, not reform
Editorial, Published on 20/07/2025
» After a long silence during Thailand's biggest sex scandal in the clergy, the Ecclesiastical Council and the National Office of Buddhism (NOB) have finally spoken out. Their big idea? A new law to imprison the offending monks and women involved in the scandal.
Corrupt monks have lost their way
Oped, Sanitsuda Ekachai, Published on 14/07/2025
» Just as Thailand was about to celebrate Asalha Bucha Day and the start of Buddhist Lent, the nation was gripped by the biggest sex scandal ever to rock its clergy. How irony.
Time for Asean to tackle scam trade
Published on 21/06/2025
» In April, China's President, Xi Jinping, undertook a tour of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (Asean) member countries in an effort to shore up his country's relationships amidst rising tensions and fears of a full-blown trade war with the United States. While these visits sought to tighten diplomatic ties and deepen economic collaborations, a troubling issue continues to fester in many countries: the growing proliferation of cybercrime and multi-billion-dollar cyber scam networks.
Reform temples, or lose public faith
Editorial, Published on 08/06/2025
» Temple corruption no longer raises eyebrows. The Wat Rai Khing scandal is just bigger, louder, and harder to ignore. It demands serious reform before public faith erodes further.
14th floor back again
Oped, Editorial, Published on 02/06/2025
» The National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) deserves a praise for launching a probe into another case of a wealthy recipient of privileged treatment who spent a month in a special patient room on the 14th floor of Police General Hospital (PGH).
Bad monks erode trust
News, Editorial, Published on 19/05/2025
» The recent scandal involving a former abbot of the renowned Wat Rai Khing, accused of embezzling over 300 million baht to fund an online gambling addiction, is deeply disturbing but not surprising. It will not be the last blow to public faith in the Thai Sangha unless meaningful and fundamental reform is made.
Curse of casinos
Oped, Postbag, Published on 09/05/2025
» Re: "Senate to invite PM to explain casino-entertainment complex bill", (BP, May 8).
Welfare fraud must end
Oped, Editorial, Published on 02/04/2025
» A whistleblower's report about the massive pharmaceutical fraud involving government officials and medical staff at the Veterans General Hospital shows the need to investigate claims filed with state medical facilities, especially in light of the ballooning medical welfare budget.
Future-proof the economy
News, Editorial, Published on 17/03/2025
» Since the beginning of the year, the Thai stock market has sharply declined more than 300 points, or more than 20%, ranking among the worst-performing markets globally. This downturn raises grave concerns that policymakers must directly address.