Showing 1 - 10 of 13
Hun Sen learns how to fake democracy
News, Surasak Glahan, Published on 14/11/2019
» Cambodia may avoid trade sanctions from the EU and US if its government has learnt the art of faking a return to democracy and rule of law from Thailand, which has done its neighbour a huge favour by barring entry to its exiled opposition leaders.
Tackling Asean's corporate cronyism
News, Surasak Glahan, Published on 03/10/2019
» Many Southeast Asian countries, particularly Thailand and Malaysia, have been breeding grounds for unchecked and unregulated relations between government and big conglomerates, which have kept a handful of crazy rich Asians increasingly wealthy and widened the income gap between them and the rest of the population.
Political purge all in the name of law
News, Surasak Glahan, Published on 09/06/2019
» What's next for Thailand after things went according to (the military regime's) plan, with junta leader Prayut Chan-o-cha as our prime minister?
Bad air days are no laughing matter
News, Surasak Glahan, Published on 24/01/2019
» We shouldn't fool ourselves. In the coming weeks, whenever the air quality standard in Bangkok and other cities is declared safe and healthy, it can still be unsafe and deadly.
'Stupid' locals label mocks Thai-ism aims
News, Surasak Glahan, Published on 19/03/2018
» How do you feel if the state says it wants to hear about your plight in order to offer you help, but still holds a view that you are too "stupid" to think for yourself and continues to strictly forbid you from expressing your grievances unless it approves of the platform where you have your say?
Litter louts, not drinkers, the real park pests
News, Surasak Glahan, Published on 05/12/2017
» At national parks during the festive season every year, do you know what human behaviour I think is arguably far more disturbing than loud noises made by "drunken" visitors?
Rights claims fall flat amid cadet scandal
News, Surasak Glahan, Published on 27/11/2017
» Actions did speak much louder than words last week. The government on Tuesday announced its new national human rights agenda for government agencies. It didn't generate any news buzz. Over the following days, the government's top brass publicly endorsed the military's culture of corporal punishment, which allegedly involves rights violations, in the wake of the death of a military cadet. Their endorsement generated national news.
Construction accidents no small matter
News, Surasak Glahan, Published on 08/05/2017
» It was horrifying to see the image of a gigantic crane that recently fell to the ground of the Red Line elevated rail construction site in Bangkok, killing three workers. What's more frightening is the knowledge that five "similar incidents" related to the same project, handled by the same contractor, took place before.
We can't all be starry eyed in busting graft
News, Surasak Glahan, Published on 27/01/2017
» Afriend of mine recently posted a message on Facebook asking why a contractor, which had made the lives of Bangkok commuters miserable for years as it repeatedly missed many deadlines in a road tunnel project, had been chosen by the government for another lucrative road construction deal. My answer? We don't know.
Politicising rice can be a worthy cause
News, Surasak Glahan, Published on 10/11/2016
» The regime's responses to plummeting rice prices have been both disappointing and disastrous to it and farmers.