Showing 1 - 6 of 6
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.
Should non-medicinal weed be legal?
Oped, Vitit Muntarbhorn, Published on 09/06/2025
» The issue of narcotics is not only a law enforcement and medical issue. It is also a historical, political and economic issue. A recurrent dilemma is whether personal, non-medical use of "weed" or cannabis (which is generally seen as a softer drug, when compared with harder drugs such as methamphetamine), should be legal. Thailand is still in the quest for a balanced answer, and this is shaped by political and economic ambivalence.
Thailand has human rights role to play
News, Vitit Muntarbhorn, Published on 04/11/2024
» The recent election of Thailand to the UN Human Rights Council (HRC) is, in a sense, a cause for elation. Yet it also comes with the responsibility of proving to the global/local community that the country can set an example for good practices and propel the HRC to take effective action on key matters based on international standards. This is daunting in a world of multi-and-mini polarities and poly-crises.
Reimagining human rights and China?
News, Vitit Muntarbhorn, Published on 23/09/2024
» Should human rights be reimagined, especially in the context of China? From one angle, the answer is obvious. Plenty of norms are already agreed upon globally without the need for reimagination, and China is part of that universality. Yet given the situation on the ground level and the evolving nature of human rights, there might be room for some innovative reimagination, and this deserves balanced reflection.
Building a rights protection framework
Oped, Vitit Muntarbhorn, Published on 10/11/2023
» The Asia-Pacific region is a vast conglomeration of large and small countries with a wealth of inter-generational wisdom. Yet, the region does not have a regional inter-governmental human rights protection system. What, then, are some possibilities for the future?
Migration and climate change in Asia
Oped, Vitit Muntarbhorn, Published on 17/03/2022
» The close connection between migration, human rights and climate change is increasingly self-evident, as "natural disasters" related to that linkage loom in many parts of the world. The Office of the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) estimates that about 22.5 million people migrate each year within and across borders because of climate change and weather-linked disasters. These are all compounded by the spread of Covid-19 in terms of lockdowns and other restrictive measures.