Showing 1 - 10 of 13
Time is on our side
Life, Thana Boonlert, Published on 15/08/2022
» Win or lose, a protest is a process of trial and error. To put it simply, it is disruption, innovation, or something in between, just the way the now-defunct but shape-shifting Future Forward Party was in 2019 because it is born out of a spirit, not a person or a party. If the student-led demonstration goes down in history for demanding the boldest political reform, including the role of the monarchy, its resurrection last week proves that the pro-democracy movement is coming of age.
Engagement key to Sino-Thai ties
News, Published on 07/07/2020
» Gone are the days when policymakers could sit back and relax to watch Sino-Thai relations moving ahead in autopilot mode. These days, Thailand and China have to intensify mutual engagement and consultation at all levels to ensure there is no room for misunderstandings that could lead to diplomatic wrangles.
#BehindTheHashtags
Guru, Pornchai Sereemongkonpol, Published on 06/03/2020
» Many student protests that were partly set off by the dissolution of Future Forward Party over the past two weeks has also ushered in new hashtags into the lexicon of Thai social media. At the time of writing, it has been reported that there are 28 hashtags associated with campus protests. Some are humourous while others carry strong political stances and sharp gibes. Whether you agree with these students who've chosen to make their voices heard, it's better to get used to their protest hashtags as more student flashmobs are on their way (but many speculate that the designation of Covid-19 as a dangerous communicable disease may be used as a tool to suppress them). Not to mention, an online campaign calling for people to wear black on Fridays as a symbol to oppose dictatorship began last Friday.
Thai geopolitical balancing compromised
News, Thitinan Pongsudhirak, Published on 06/07/2018
» Thailand is demonstrably famous for its foreign policy balancing. From the era of imperialism and two World Wars through the Cold War, Thailand's gifted geography and diplomatic finesse and skill shepherded the country's sovereignty and independence through the thick and thin of geopolitical headwinds. Whatever happens out there, the Thais (and their Siamese forebears) had a way to diplomatically navigate and geopolitically balance their national interests to stay out of harm's way.
'Forgotten war' strips Kachin of hope
News, Paritta Wangkiat, Published on 14/06/2018
» Myanmar's "forgotten war" in Kachin state has received little public attention despite the scale of the impact it has had on people who have become internally displaced and the casualties caused by the fighting between ethnic rebels and the army.
Thai universities in drastic decline
News, Published on 19/02/2018
» Thai universities are failing abysmally, according to this year's Asia University Rankings (AUR). Seven of the top 10 Thai universities scored lower than last year, while two obtained the same ranking and only one advanced.
A sad end to popular online comic strip Khai Maew
News, Pirongrong Ramasoota, Published on 22/01/2018
» Last Thursday, the Facebook page of the famous online political cartoon Khai Maew vanished from the social media site where it earlier had resided on Facebook as "cartooneggcat" for the past one year, eight months and three days. While the page's disappearance was sudden, the cause remains unclear.
Semantics and Thailand's political divide
News, Thitinan Pongsudhirak, Published on 25/09/2015
» Language can be about power as much as communication. It can tear societies apart or bring them together, depending on its design and application.
Harsh laws on public gatherings a blow to democracy
News, Veera Prateepchaikul, Published on 04/05/2015
» Bye-bye democracy. Farewell to freedom of expression through public gatherings.
Free speech and the crossing of a line
News, Published on 12/01/2015
» Within 24 hours of the tragic killings last Thursday at the Paris office of Charlie Hebdo, scores of editorials and commentaries poured out from the media, mainstream as well as alternative, about the need to defend freedom of expression from threats of terrorism.