Showing 1 - 10 of 28
Getting soft power right
Life, Published on 08/01/2024
» After three months in office, the Srettha Thavisin government has raved on about populist policies in the guise of digital wallets and soft power projects that will create income to boost our declining economy. With optimism, we learned that Paetongtarn Shinawatra, Pheu Thai party leader and head of the National Soft Power Strategy Committee (NSPSC), has drafted a budget of 5.1 billion baht to boost festivals and creative industries. It is welcoming news to hear this government is priortising art, music, literature, design, fashion, film, food, games, sports and festivals as essential sources for the creative economy. Where this enormous chunk of budget will come from, like digital wallets, remains to be seen.
And the winner is — Thai Buddhism
Oped, Published on 31/05/2023
» Having followed Thai politics rather closely since the 1960s, I suggest that the best explanation for the results of the recent May 14 election is Thai Buddhism.
Still in army uniform
Oped, Postbag, Published on 19/01/2023
» Re: "Prayut steps up as career politician", (BP, Jan 16).
Cheap at the price
News, Published on 10/01/2022
» Re: "Thai politics' murky tunnel to nowhere", (Opinion, Jan 7) and "Thaksin vows to come home", (BP, Jan 6).
Democratic justice
News, Postbag, Published on 13/04/2019
» I wish to thank the 12 diplomats and their respective democratic countries for finally supporting the Thai people. Foreign Affairs Minister Don Pramudwinai's comment, "It's an intervention in our justice system" is a joke. Without a truly democratically elected government there is no justice.
PM's tricky position
News, Postbag, Published on 30/03/2019
» Re: "Poll uncertainty lingers as count nears finish line", (Commentary, March 29).
A taxing argument
News, Postbag, Published on 24/03/2019
» A reader in his March 23 letter makes a fair comment on two-tiered pricing for foreigners. But he then goes on to quantify the government's policy of a two-tiered charging system by saying that some farang do not pay taxes. I would dispute this. I am assuming by "some farang" he means tourists, as all foreigners living and working here pay tax in one form or another.
Let's get political (art)
Guru, Pasavat Tanskul, Published on 08/03/2019
» With the upcoming general election finally happening on Mar 24, the fate of the city hangs in the balance of voters hoping for some actual policy changes that leans toward democracy. However, some may express scepticism and while expressing one's doubts and criticism could be met with scorn and censorship, there are a few people who have expressed their opinions in other forms -- namely street art. Enter Headache Stencil, an anonymous masked political painter whose art usually deals with Thailand's recent social and political happenings.
Giving wings to the elusive aerotropolis
Business, Chatrudee Theparat, Published on 29/08/2018
» John D Kasarda is the director of the Center of Air Commerce at the University of North Carolina's Kenan-Flagler Business School, president and chief executive of Aerotropolis Business Concepts LLC, president of the Aerotropolis Institute of China and editor-in-chief of Logistics, an international scholarly journal. He has also published more than 100 articles and 10 books on airport cities, aviation infrastructure, urban economic development and competitiveness.
About politics
News, Published on 18/11/2017
» Prayut's 'fresh faces' question steeped in contradictions v Regime keeps watchful eye on Pheu Thai Party as it mulls lifting the political ban v Rajabhakti Park: Pride of the army or simply a den of graft?