Showing 1 - 10 of 30
Govt failing to channel help to the most needy
News, Paritta Wangkiat, Published on 30/03/2020
» Amid a shortage of medical supplies, many, including celebrities, have either launched or joined fundraising campaigns to help provide medical professionals with equipment needed to battle the Covid-19 pandemic in a show of solidarity and empathy in this time of crisis.
Public needs solution, not confusion
News, Paritta Wangkiat, Published on 16/03/2020
» During an outbreak, there will always be panic and public confusion -- and the Covid-19 outbreak is no exception. It should be the job of the country's leaders to assure the safety of the people and calm them down. In the past weeks, however, Thai leaders have become sources of confusion themselves.
Lust for power drying up local communities
News, Paritta Wangkiat, Published on 22/07/2019
» Some fishermen in Loei province once told me that Buddhist Lent Day was a mark for the rainy season and the time to enjoy high water on the Mekong River. But last week gave a starkly different picture. Water levels on the river were at their lowest in 57 years.
Cutting through the haze
Spectrum, Paritta Wangkiat, Published on 24/12/2017
» By the end of the year, the northern provinces of Thailand will be put on high alert for summer haze. The conditions from February to April are dry, increasing the risk of wildfires. But it's also the period when farmers light fires to clear their land for crop cultivation -- flames which could spread into forest areas, sending up haze and acting as a huge source of carbon emission.
Health care on life support
Spectrum, Paritta Wangkiat, Published on 26/11/2017
» Thailand's universal healthcare coverage (UHC) scheme is confronting its most critical time since its introduction in 2002. For over a decade, the scheme has been praised all over the world for its achievement in providing healthcare access to over 48 million out of 66 million people, filling the gap left by the social security scheme and civil service welfare.
Charity run masks govt health failure
News, Paritta Wangkiat, Published on 13/10/2017
» It was quite inspiring to see rock star Artiwara Kongmalai, aka Toon Bodyslam, address one of the key problems in our public health system. He recently announced he was embarking on a charity run to raise funds for procurement of medical equipment for 11 state hospitals which serve as regional medical centres.
Shinawatras leave a tainted legacy
Spectrum, Paritta Wangkiat, Published on 03/09/2017
» When former prime minister Yingluck Shinawatra failed to show up at the Supreme Court just before the verdict of her trial for alleged malfeasance on Aug 25, it portended an uncertain fate for her Pheu Thai Party.
Who gets to lease the East?
Spectrum, Paritta Wangkiat, Published on 21/05/2017
» When Gunn Tattiyakul, a villager from the Bang Khla district of Chachoengasao, learned that his province was chosen as a development site for the Eastern Economic Corridor (EEC), an ambitious government project, he couldn't help but worry.
Fish out of water
Spectrum, Paritta Wangkiat, Published on 16/10/2016
» A rarely sighted creature -- the giant freshwater stingray -- was lying still on the bottom of the big blue tank.
Stuck in the slow lane to stress
Spectrum, Paritta Wangkiat, Published on 04/09/2016
» A taxi cuts across the lane ahead. A six-wheel truck loaded with sand bursts onto the main road. Motorbikes weave alongside. Another taxi cuts across the lane. Someone honks a horn. Every car is rushing to pass an intersection. When the traffic lights switch to red, the chaos eases for a few, brief minutes. Heat haze shimmers near the exhaust pipes of vehicles.