Showing 41 - 50 of 53
Angel to the rescue of the disenchanted?
News, Anchalee Kongrut, Published on 01/02/2016
» No, I am not parenting or babysitting a luk thep (angel child doll), nor do I harbour a secret desire to acquire one to boost my luck. On the contrary, I hold a hostile attitude towards anyone -- young or grown-up -- who brings out any dolls to play with or to cuddle in public.
Of me, my wellness and ThaiHealth
News, Anchalee Kongrut, Published on 21/01/2016
» The name "ThaiHealth" (Thai Health Foundation), a public organisation well oiled by "sin taxes" from cigarettes and alcohol companies, has become the talk of the town. The glare of the spotlight came early this month when Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha invoked Section 44 of the interim charter to sack seven of its board members for alleged "conflicts of interest".
IUU red card would be a blessing in disguise
News, Anchalee Kongrut, Published on 14/01/2016
» January may not be a joyous time for people in the fishery industry which is being subjected to another assessment by the European Union (EU) which last year slapped Thailand with a yellow card for Illegal, Unreported & Unregulated (IUU) fishing.
Drought, fishing scandals and winding roads
Life, Anchalee Kongrut, Published on 23/12/2015
» In the past year, environmental disasters once again proved how much of an impact they have on everyone's lives: the air we breathe (the haze in the South, blown over from Indonesia); the water we use (the contentious Chao Phraya roads); the lights we see (the coal-fired power plants); the ground beneath our feet (the gold mining scandals); the food we eat (the fishery disputes). In all of this, local communities and the rural poor feel the heat and the fire more than Bangkok's urbanites and they're the people who keep showing public resistance against environmental problems and the depletion of natural resources, despite the grip of military rule.
Only the capital is full of water
Life, Anchalee Kongrut, Published on 13/10/2015
» People might accuse me of being drunk when I say it is time to launch a serious water-saving campaign for the next year. This is understandable because storms have been hitting the city for the last two weeks and the Bangkok skyline has been in a deep sea of greyish blue. The city has had more than enough water -- rain water, to be precise and people calling for a campaign to save water may be viewed as loopy.
SEZ plans spark fears among communities, activists
News, Anchalee Kongrut, Published on 19/09/2015
» As the government kick-starts its plan for Special Economic Zones (SEZs), locals and activists voice their concerns over the process that epitomises the old development paradigm which bypasses community rights and the environment.
The rocky road to development
Life, Anchalee Kongrut, Published on 02/09/2015
» One Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha's many ideas is the "New Bangkok Landmark", in the form of a 14km-long bicycle way that would, if launched, be built along the Chao Phraya. This caused some panic attacks among local architects. After the idea was thrown around earlier in the year, prominent Thai architects voiced their disagreement and suggested that at least the design -- an expressway-like structure built into the water along the river bank -- be revised, if not abandoned altogether. The cost of the project is said to be around 14 billion baht.
Bringing climate change policy into the 21st century
News, Anchalee Kongrut, Published on 07/08/2015
» Paris will heat up in the winter month of December when delegates from 190 nations gather for a key climate change meeting, better known as Cop 21 (abbreviation of the 21st yearly session of the Conference of Parties).
Chao Phraya promenade project faces opposition
News, Anchalee Kongrut, Published on 12/06/2015
» The banks along the Chao Phraya River have suddenly become a red-hot zone for real estate development. Over the past few years, a number of investors have turned to this once dormant area and used it to build high-rise buildings.
Paradise lost
Life, Anchalee Kongrut, Published on 22/04/2015
» In his weekly television address last Friday, Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha reaffirmed what many had feared: the government is committed to developing Pak Bara Deep Sea Port in Satun province, despite concerns about environmental impact and local livelihoods. The port will handle cargo and oil deliveries from the Indian Ocean.