Showing 1 - 10 of 10
Thaksin's comeback fuels media chaos
Oped, Kavi Chongkittavorn, Published on 03/09/2024
» Former prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra's return to the Thai political scene has sparked a frenzy across all media spectrums. Such a brouhaha is understandable. Thaksin is a political figure associated with multiple scandals, an ideal target for investigative journalists. Interestingly, this time around, the exposés are not coming from journos. Instead, they come from Thaksin's inner circle -- his close friends and former aides.
Cambodia starts to flex its muscles
Oped, Kavi Chongkittavorn, Published on 09/07/2024
» The Funan Techo Canal -- a US$1.7 billion (62 billion baht) waterway -- reflects Cambodia's growing confidence and assertiveness in pursuing national interests. This water infrastructure projects Cambodia as a viable and dynamic little tiger, no longer a war-torn nation. Under Prime Minister Hun Manet's leadership, Cambodia is taking a more proactive stance overall despite facing objections from neighbours like Vietnam that stand to bear the direct impact of this naval logistics scheme.
Deepening of Thai-US economic links
Oped, Kavi Chongkittavorn, Published on 22/08/2023
» During the last three months of the caretaker government, there have been unexpected and extraordinary movements in Thailand-US relations, both here and in Washington. Several key American lawmakers have visited Bangkok and pledged further US support for stronger economic and security relations with Thailand. In Washington, a group of bipartisan senators has set up the "US-Thai Alliance Caucus" in Congress.
Thai diplomacy extends to Global South
Oped, Kavi Chongkittavorn, Published on 17/01/2023
» At last week's virtual summit organised by Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi to gather input from members of the Global South, Thailand diligently reached out to the world's developing and less developing countries with a holistic approach focusing on human security and balanced development.
Please do not shoot the messengers
News, Kavi Chongkittavorn, Published on 26/11/2019
» At the 40th Unesco General Conference in Paris last week, a plethora of issues affecting global well-being were discussed. These days big and small members dutifully raise their voices, remarkably demonstrating their national preferences in an uncertain world. One could easily notice that voices from big funders, except Japan, are louder than ever before. As usual, some smaller countries from the Caribbean, the Pacific Islands and Africa were absent from the week-long meetings due to their lack of funds. However, a few surrogate delegates for the members from the Caribbean region, such as St Lucia, Grenadine and others, managed to pitch their views, wanting to make their presence felt -- sometimes causing confusion and prolonged debate.
Watch out for Asean's new Indo-Pacific
News, Kavi Chongkittavorn, Published on 04/12/2018
» If everything goes as planned, members of the United Nations Security Council will have a rendezvous in Bangkok at the end of 2019. Asean leaders will use the occasion to display to the world's most powerful players their collective leadership on the new vision of an Asia-wide region stretching from South Asia to Northeast Asia. Even though it is still nearly a year away, preparations for the first meeting between Asean leaders and the Big 5 (the council's five permanent members) have already started in earnest.
4 big challenges for Thailand as Asean chair
News, Kavi Chongkittavorn, Published on 20/11/2018
» Last week, Singapore handed the incoming Asean chair, Thailand, four formidable challenges that would define Asean's centrality and its relevance, not to mention the kingdom's leadership role. These issues are the nascent Indo-Pacific concept, the Rakhine crisis, peace and security on the Korean Peninsula, and the drafting of a code of conduct (COC) on the South China Sea.
Asean must maximise East Asia meet
News, Kavi Chongkittavorn, Published on 06/11/2018
» When the world's most powerful leaders converge in Singapore next week for the 13th East Asia Summit (EAS), they will know the region's overall security situation and economic cooperative atmosphere has improved greatly in the past six months. Given this favourable atmosphere, Asean leaders have to seize the opportunity and take the lead in engaging EAS leaders in ways to lock in a more predictable and stable future.
20-year strategy plan under scrutiny
News, Kavi Chongkittavorn, Published on 17/04/2018
» For the first time in its history, Thailand is coming out with a national strategy that directs the country's economic and social development over the next 20 years.
Mekong countries eye bold new future
News, Kavi Chongkittavorn, Published on 09/01/2018
» When lead characters in a Chinese kung fu movie drink wine from the same cup, they are considered sworn brothers. They will fight and die together. Will all six riparian countries of the Lancang, or Mekong (Lan-Mei), share the same spirit of camaraderie as they all live on this magnificent river? There may be ominous signs during the Second Summit of the Lancang-Mekong Cooperation (LMC) on Jan 10-11 in Phnom Penh.