Showing 141 - 150 of 171
A 'third-way' compromise is imperative
News, Thitinan Pongsudhirak, Published on 23/01/2015
» As Thailand is gripped yet again by a political climax surrounding former prime minister Yingluck Shinwatra's impeachment trial for dereliction of duty over her ousted government's rice-pledging scheme, it is instructive to take a long view beyond the drama of the day.
Location will save Thailand from itself
News, Thitinan Pongsudhirak, Published on 05/12/2014
» As Thailand's prolonged navel-gazing meanders from crisis to crisis, one of the leading questions facing this country is whether it will eventually emerge intact and be able to overcome its proven propensity to shoot itself in the foot.
On the political front, it's curiously quiet
News, Thitinan Pongsudhirak, Published on 07/11/2014
» Nearly six months after its latest military coup, Thailand's political landscape looks pitiful and puzzling at the same time.
Thai military's cradle of political power
News, Thitinan Pongsudhirak, Published on 17/10/2014
» From a promising period of de-politicisation in the late 1990s to a manipulative re-politicisation in the early 2000s, Thailand's military has come full circle.
A 'third way' is imperative for Thailand
News, Thitinan Pongsudhirak, Published on 03/10/2014
» As the new government's missteps — from the insensitive comment on bikini-wearing to the microphone procurement scandal — mount, Thailand may soon revert to the same polarisation of the past decade that revolved around former prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra's rule and legacy.
How far can the Thai clock be turned back?
News, Thitinan Pongsudhirak, Published on 08/08/2014
» As the military coup on May 22 is being converted into a military government with a civilian face, at issue is how far the Thai clock can be turned back.
Going to polls remains the only solution
News, Thitinan Pongsudhirak, Published on 08/05/2014
» At issue in the immediate aftermath of the Constitutional Court’s ouster of caretaker Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra is whether her successor will be allowed to steer the caretaker government without debilitating street protests and whether the landmark verdict will be sufficient for Thailand to return to the electoral system as a way out of its political quagmire. Thailand is still in the thick of the woods as prospects on both counts remain murky. The only way out and the ultimate way forward in this flawed electoral democracy is still to stick to the popular mandate as the least problematic of all options. An unelected outcome is likely to bring more tumult and turmoil.
Tales of development in Southeast Asia
News, Thitinan Pongsudhirak, Published on 11/04/2014
» A popular development story in Asia features Myanmar, the Philippines, South Korea and Thailand. Back in 1960, their economic bases were roughly on par, their development prospects uncertain. Mixed fortunes awaited them as they scaled contrasting trajectories owing to a combination of leadership, economic planning, external challenges and varying luck. More than five decades on, they have ended up in different destinations that are instructive for struggling democracies in the region and elsewhere.
Thailand risks becoming a train wreck
News, Thitinan Pongsudhirak, Published on 28/02/2014
» Most countries are unhappy in different ways but none is shooting itself in the foot more than Thailand. From Ukraine and Venezuela to Turkey, societies across continents are beset by social unrest and civil strife. What sets Thailand apart is that it has so much going for it, well endowed at home with immense goodwill from abroad. The Thai crisis is becoming a tragic train wreck and unfolding in destructive ways that few seem able to do much about, as both sides dig in for the long haul.
Electoral democracy can still succeed
News, Thitinan Pongsudhirak, Published on 06/02/2014
» That the election last Sunday was inconclusive and incomplete was a foregone conclusion. However, its controversial results revealed much more than many anticipated. Despite the uncertainty of the poll results, only 89.2% of which are complete, electoral democracy still works in Thailand. Eventually, it must be allowed to work within the rules of Thailand's democratic system for outcomes to be valid and sustainable.