Showing 61 - 70 of 170
First they came for the net idols
News, Alan Dawson, Published on 11/06/2017
» The always interesting National Broadcasting and Telecommunications Commission (NBTC) made a new power play last week. It will go a long way to negate the constitution's already somewhat nominal "liberty to express opinion ... by any means".
Searching for sanity
News, Alan Dawson, Published on 28/05/2017
» It now is pretty much confirmed by all available sources that the world is nuts. Last week was just more proof piling up.
Section 44 is forever
News, Alan Dawson, Published on 16/04/2017
» There exists in exceptional Thailand a force so powerful it only can be used for good or for evil. The men (exclusively) who run the country insist the power of Section 44 is (exclusively) designed and used only to produce positive results. Not everyone agrees.
Engine failure
News, Alan Dawson, Published on 04/12/2016
» The green shirts last week got what they came for back in May 2014. While happiness was returned to the National Council for Peace and Order, it became unclear how long it will last.
Islamic State, keep out
News, Alan Dawson, Published on 27/11/2016
» The most intriguing story of the week was the suggestion that Thai Muslims had been caught out in supporting the Islamic State (IS). It was intriguing because while the neighbours have often been involved directly in international terrorism, and still are, no Thai ever has been linked to the post-9/11 groups championed by Osama bin Laden, his progeny or their many copycats.
A question of interpretation
News, Alan Dawson, Published on 20/11/2016
» After 15 months of extremely iffy police work and very interesting prosecution strategy, the two button men of the Erawan Shrine atrocity got their destined opportunity to turn their trial into political theatre.
That election: CliffNotes edition
News, Alan Dawson, Published on 13/11/2016
» Well, since at least half of us here today, dear reader, correctly predicted both fact and scope of the Orange Crush express months ahead, here are thoughts on that.
Rice pledging scheme deja vu
News, Alan Dawson, Published on 06/11/2016
» In the early 1980s, as a post-Vietnam war peace took shape in Southeast Asia, Thailand made an important decision. To be more correct, Thailand decided not to decide about rice.
The Big Issue: Whine stewards
News, Alan Dawson, Published on 23/10/2016
» A few hundred people, perhaps even a few thousand (say 0.005% of all Thai people), decided last week to become the experts in mourning. For lack of a better phrase, they appointed themselves as Mourning Police (MPs).
The old stomping grounds
News, Alan Dawson, Published on 25/09/2016
» On the day of the coup, May 22, 2014, Gen Prayut Chan-o-cha commanded the Royal Thai Army and his little three-star brother Preecha held command of the 3rd Army. That is a post with a good deal of prestige, and it fit Lt Gen Preecha to a T. He was a helicopter pilot by military occupation, and disposed to chase drug smugglers. Where else is better? He staked out the 3rd Army as his stomping grounds, and life was good.