Showing 61 - 70 of 146
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.
Bangkok on the road to nowhere
News, Umesh Pandey, Published on 26/02/2017
» The past week saw lots of interesting stories, but the one that caught my attention was about the traffic jams. Best of all was the reaction by our government on the reasons for the rise in congestion on the streets in Bangkok.
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.
Shutting down BRT a poor decision
News, Umesh Pandey, Published on 09/02/2017
» For the nearly 24,000 commuters of Bangkok who rely on the Bangkok Rapid Transit (BRT) system to go to work and back, the news is bad. The Bangkok Metropolitan Administration (BMA), citing a big financial loss, has decided to terminate the BRT service as early as April.
All aboard the train to Thailand 4.0
News, Umesh Pandey, Published on 05/02/2017
» To the world's joy, the State Railway of Thailand (SRT) has finally gone online for its booking and passenger seat selections -- a small step, one may think, but a giant stride for the antiquated bogies running around Thailand.
Thailand must clean up its act
News, Umesh Pandey, Published on 29/01/2017
» On Wednesday the government of Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha saw a bombshell drop in its lap when Transparency International announced the corruption rankings for 176 countries.
Bribery row can let graft fight take off
Oped, Umesh Pandey, Published on 20/01/2017
» The latest corruption scandal involving the procurement of aircraft engines by Thai Airways International Plc (THAI) comes as no surprise to many of us who have been watching how the national carrier has operated over the years.
PM should learn to mind his manners
News, Umesh Pandey, Published on 13/01/2017
» It was music to my ears when I heard Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha on Wednesday tell a group of nearly 800 students, who gathered to hear him speak ahead of the Children's Day, what future generations should do and how they should think.
Time ripe for PM to revisit amnesty plan
News, Umesh Pandey, Published on 06/01/2017
» After having been rejected and buried many times, the idea of granting an amnesty to those involved in political violence in past years has emerged again. This time the bid comes from Suchon Chaleekrea, a member of the National Reform Steering Assembly (NRSA), who proposes an amnesty be granted to those charged with minor offences during political unrest, excluding major crime and lese majeste offenders.