Showing 21 - 30 of 47
Asylum policy adjustments welcome
News, Editorial, Published on 21/01/2019
» The new, high-profile chief of immigration is promising an optimistic and extremely welcome change of policy. While the exact plans are being thrashed out, Pol Lt Gen Surachate Hakparn pledges to provide more humane and professional treatment of refugees and asylum seekers.
Don't drag on Araibi case
News, Editorial, Published on 15/01/2019
» The government should reconsider the continued detention of the refugee Hakeem al-Araibi, known as the refugee football player. He is being held without bail at Bangkok Remand Prison as a flight risk, while authorities from Bahrain attempt to extradite him. There is little compelling evidence to send him to a dangerous and possibly violent fate in that country. On the other hand, there are strong reasons to free him to return to Australia, where he has lived for four years in asylum while working towards citizenship.
New year, fresh hope
News, Editorial, Published on 01/01/2019
» Another year, another promise of an election -- only this time the promise appears to be real. The fourth year and part of the fifth under the military regime were hardly noteworthy. The nation survived but did not prosper, economically or morally. There is almost universal hope in every corner of the country that 2019 will be different.
Abetting dictators
News, Editorial, Published on 12/12/2018
» The sudden government interest in apprehending political opponents of foreign governments is disappointing. It may be coincidence but in just a week, police have forcibly detained critics of the governments of Cambodia and Bahrain. The arrests and threats of deportation or extradition to these undemocratic countries go against normal human rights practices. They also violate decades of Thai policy that often welcomed and never threatened lives of foreigners pitted against their governments.
A dubious detention
News, Editorial, Published on 05/12/2018
» The Police Immigration Bureau has placed Thailand in a dicey situation. On Nov 27, officers at Suvarnabhumi airport detained Hakeem Ali Mohamed Ali al-Araibi. He is the subject of an Interpol Red Notice -- hold for possible deportation.
Opening up duty-free
News, Editorial, Published on 01/11/2018
» As the auction for the concession to operate the duty-free zone at Suvarnabhumi airport comes closer, the fate of an underachieving industry hangs in the balance. The state-run Airports of Thailand (AoT) has not yet revealed whether it will do away with the current monopolistic concession model that has allowed only the sole operator, King Power International, to grow richer -- at the cost of both the state and shoppers.
Naturalisation a win-win
News, Editorial, Published on 10/08/2018
» The world rejoiced when the Wild Boars were rescued from Tham Luang cave in Chiang Rai. Now there is more good news: Three of the boys -- Adul Sam-on, Mongkol Boonpiam and Pornchai Kamluang -- and their coach Ekkapol Chantawong have officially become Thai citizens. On Wednesday they were among 30 stateless people who took the oath of citizenship at a ceremony in Chiang Rai.
Government exploits Wild Boars
News, Editorial, Published on 30/07/2018
» The government's actions towards the rescued Chiang Rai football team makes it appear confused and cold, not to mention exploitative. This may seem ironic to some, since the government's stated aim was to protect the 12 Wild Boars and their families, along with coach Ekapol Chanthawong. In fact, almost everything ministers and senior officials have done in the days since the rescue succeeded on July 10 has been poorly planned and executed.
ACT speaks righteously
News, Editorial, Published on 18/07/2018
» Hats off to the Anti-Corruption Organisation of Thailand (ACT) for its combination request-rebuke over the country's two biggest cases of graft. This group quite properly took the National Anti-Corruption Commission to task. The NACC has fulfilled neither its duty to the constitution nor its obligation to the public. It has convinced everyone it is dragging its collective feet on the cases, on purpose. ACT is quite properly calling the NACC to act more responsibly.
Don't drag feet on stateless
News, Editorial, Published on 14/07/2018
» After being safely rescued from Tham Luang cave, three members of the Wild Boars football team and their coach find themselves trapped again by a harsh reality -- lack of nationality and the same old plight that comes with illegal status.