Showing 1 - 10 of 28
Prayut must clear decks ahead of vote
News, Umesh Pandey, Published on 05/11/2017
» Once again the working of the military government has come under public scrutiny and those involved in the gaffe are acting as though the general public is nothing but a bunch of fools who would forget as long as those involved in the incident keep their head below the ground.
Twisting media's arm will backfire
News, Umesh Pandey, Published on 20/08/2017
» The Prayut Chan-o-cha government is back in the eye of the storm for all for the wrong reasons. This time all eyes are on the mobile cabinet meeting set to take place tomorrow and Tuesday in Nakhon Ratchasima after government spokesman Sansern Kaewkamnerd openly admitted that he had "requested" television stations to do "scoops" focusing on ministers attending the meeting.
Security is paramount at airports
News, Umesh Pandey, Published on 13/08/2017
» The past week has been an eventful one filled with so many issues one can pick to write about -- the one-month ban for red shirt-linked Peace TV, our highly effective Royal Thai Police finally managing to translate the charges against Red Bull scion Vorayuth "Boss" Yoovidhya, and the long waits for tourists at both Suvarnabhumi and Don Mueang airports.
Regime wary of Yingluck martyrdom
News, Umesh Pandey, Published on 30/07/2017
» The political temperature is set to soar in August and it could be the hottest month since the coup staged by then army chief and incumbent Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha in May 2014.
Small firms' debts point to problems
News, Umesh Pandey, Published on 23/07/2017
» Over the past week data coming out of the government and the private sector are showing signs that could be worrisome in the medium to longer term for the country. Rising household debt, increasing non-performing loans among small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) and strengthening of the baht are all compounding the problems.
PR follow-up vital to boost Thai fortunes
News, Umesh Pandey, Published on 08/06/2017
» It is always a pleasure to listen to messages about upbeat economic growth in the country, especially when such messages are trumpeted at an audience that has been making Thailand great for decades.
Valuable lessons from falling ranking
News, Umesh Pandey, Published on 19/03/2017
» Many of my friends were excited to see their universities continue to rule the charts in Thailand when the annual ranking of universities in Asia was announced late last week. The jubilation of those graduating from the likes of Mahidol, King Mongkut's University of Technology Thonburi (KMUTT) or Chulalongkorn University was all good, but little did anyone appreciate that all of these revered institutions actually saw their rankings slip from the previous survey.
The failings of absolute power
News, Umesh Pandey, Published on 12/03/2017
» Images of joyous disciples and monks were visible in the wee hours yesterday at the sprawling campus of Wat Phra Dhammakaya in Pathum Thani's Klong Luang district after Thailand's premier investigative agency -- the Department of Special Investigation (DSI) -- and the military government failed to find the elusive monk.
Dhammakaya saga's cost is too high
News, Umesh Pandey, Published on 05/03/2017
» Over the past 15 plus days, the country has witnessed a standoff that not many people would have thought would have been possible, especially in an era of military rule where anything said is set in stone and must be followed, but the famous Wat Phra Dhammakaya continues to defy the people's beliefs and the standoff continues.
Heads may roll over temple saga
News, Umesh Pandey, Published on 19/02/2017
» The past week saw Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha use the superpower of Section 44 for the 127th time since he seized power in May 2014. Its latest use declared the area of Wat Phra Dhammakaya and its vicinity as a "specially controlled zone" after authorities had tried in vain to summon Phra Dhammajayo, the elusive former abbot of the temple.