Showing 1 - 10 of 12
Navigating between global superpowers
News, Vitit Muntarbhorn, Published on 14/02/2026
» Both China and the US issued new national security policies over the past year. At first glance, they seem to diverge markedly, portending a deep rupture in the world order. Yet, they may also bear some similarities in terms of self-interest and self-advancement. Collateral to that, other countries seeking to forge a middle path may wish to navigate a perspicacious route towards global equilibrium.
Legal hurdles after same-sex marriage
Oped, Vitit Muntarbhorn, Published on 06/11/2025
» With the great news of the same-sex marriage law in Thailand comes another question -- how to facilitate the lives of couples, especially when one of them is not a Thai national. Two lingering and nagging issues concern the acquisition of nationality and the channels for adopting a child.
Shifting from tolerance to real inclusion
Oped, Vitit Muntarbhorn, Published on 23/05/2025
» On the occasion of the International Day against Homophobia, Biphobia, and Transphobia on May 17, UN human rights experts recently called for countries to work with LGBTI communities and not to police them. This was an apt message that has to resonate at the national and local levels, especially when the world is witnessing regression in regard to policies on diversity, equity, and inclusion.
What's next after same-sex marriage?
Oped, Vitit Muntarbhorn, Published on 20/01/2025
» Jan 23, 2025 will be remembered as a historic day for both Thailand and Southeast Asia. As a result of the amendments to the Thai Civil and Commercial Code -- which will come into effect on that day, 120 days after it was royally endorsed in the final months of 2024 -- same-sex couples will be able to register their marriage, and enjoy the rights of spouses under the law, regardless of their gender, without discrimination.
Gender diversity is good for business
News, Vitit Muntarbhorn, Published on 11/03/2024
» A timely issue raised by a recent forum of key businesses, political leaders and civil society was the potential for more inclusion of LGBTI (lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and intersex) people in the workplace. This is complementary to the other critically important issue of the day: the role of women in business and employment.
Govt kindles same-sex marriage hopes
News, Vitit Muntarbhorn, Published on 23/11/2023
» The top of the executive branch has given a welcome signal that it will fast-track in parliament a law to recognise same-sex marriage in Thailand.
Overcoming statelessness in Thailand
News, Vitit Muntarbhorn, Published on 05/06/2023
» There are about 500,000 stateless people in Thailand, of whom over 100,000 are children. Recently, various national agencies, supported by UNHCR and Unicef, hosted a national consultation on statelessness. It was a timely opportunity to identify preferred directions.
Rights under threat from emerging tech
News, Vitit Muntarbhorn, Published on 16/11/2022
» A key challenge facing human rights globally today is the advent of emerging technologies that mutate rapidly and potentially beyond human control. The UN Human Rights Council in Geneva has thus singled out for special study during the next couple of years four areas of concern: autonomous weaponry, neurotechnology, cyberbullying, and green technology (inevitably linked with climate change). What are the prospects for enjoying the fruits of such technologies and pre-empting their negative implications?
Advocating for Afghan girls' education
Oped, Vitit Muntarbhorn, Published on 20/10/2021
» Afghanistan is a rugged country of great beauty straddling Asia and Europe, and it has been the scene of warfare and contestation for decades. The Taliban, a group connected to extreme violence, especially in the late 1990s, emerged as the power in control of Afghanistan recently, due to the void left by outsiders. This is their second time in power and the world can remember all too well that from the mid-1990s until 2001, their rule at the time was harsh and brutal, especially in their clampdown on the rights of women and girls. The latter suffered immensely from a lack of access to school, while the former were also prevented from employment.
Human rights and the Asian riddle
News, Vitit Muntarbhorn, Published on 08/10/2018
» This year marks the 70th anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, a seminal declaration adopted by the UN General Assembly in 1948. This document has spawned several international treaties ("conventions") and it has inspired a vast range of actions worldwide to protect human rights on the basis of equality and non-discrimination.