Showing 1 - 10 of 268
Venice suffers from 'beauty curse'
Oped, Published on 10/09/2024
» Countries with great wealth or natural abundance often fall victim to their own blessings. Economists have long known that resource-rich countries can get stuck in cycles of slow economic growth, intense environmental degradation, and weak democratic institutions. But places endowed with a unique artistic and architectural heritage also can suffer from this "resource curse". Breathtaking monuments from a storied past can generate economic rents and sectoral distortions, not unlike those created by large reserves of fossil fuels and precious minerals.
Economic might and Olympic performance
Oped, Published on 27/08/2024
» Why do certain countries dominate the Olympics? The answer may lie in the correlation between athletic performance and GDP. The 2024 Paris Olympic Games were a case in point: the top seven medal winners -- the United States, China, Japan, Australia, France, the Netherlands, and the United Kingdom -- are all among the world's 20 largest economies.
Many faces of Olympic triumph
News, Published on 15/08/2024
» I was a messy Olympics fan. During the Games in Paris, I rooted for several national delegations. Because I was born in the Philippines, I cheered for the Filipinos. I'm ethnic Chinese, so I was thrilled by the achievements of China, Hong Kong and, uhm, Chinese Taipei. I'm an American citizen, so I'm happy when Team USA is No 1 (or 2 or 3). I live in London, so whenever the UK medalled, I experienced frissons of delight.
Sex content spurs debate
News, Editorial, Published on 29/07/2024
» The recent proposal by the Move Forward Party (MFP) to amend the Criminal Code and legalise the adult entertainment industry in Thailand has ignited a nationwide debate. The proposal, which aims to regulate and decriminalise adult materials and sex toys, reflects the changing dynamics of technology and society.
Global foreign investment is falling
Oped, Published on 28/06/2024
» How does today's climate of international chaos and uncertainty serve as a business barometer for foreign investment?
Democracy really needs to be more pro-worker
Oped, Published on 25/06/2024
» Even if the feared extremist wave did not quite materialise in the European Parliament election this month, the far right performed well in Italy, Austria, Germany, and especially France. Moreover, its latest gains have come on the heels of major shifts toward far-right parties in Hungary, Italy, Austria, the Netherlands, and Sweden, among others.
Time to focus on public housing
News, Published on 25/06/2024
» Gains by far-right parties in this month's European Union elections should serve as a reminder of the dangers of failing to address the region's chronic problems of inadequate housing supply and worsening affordability. Few other issues have greater potential to damage the social fabric and undermine democracy.
So what exactly is Macron's strategy, then?
Oped, Gwynne Dyer, Published on 13/06/2024
» Even before the final results were in from all of the 27 European Union countries that voted in the EU elections last weekend, President Emmanuel Macron had called national elections in France for the end of this month. What does he know that other European leaders don't?
Thailand's weed legalisation dilemma
Oped, Published on 05/06/2024
» When cannabis or ganja was legalised (the plant was removed from the illicit drugs list) in 2022 by the Prayut Chan-o-cha government, this led to mass confusion whereby the public misunderstood and perceived it as "liberalisation". This resulted in widespread and unregulated cannabis consumption.