Showing 1 - 10 of 18
Thailand reconsiders its foreign policy
News, Kavi Chongkittavorn, Published on 10/02/2026
» Thai foreign policy was elevated to a high priority on the policy platforms of many political parties during Sunday's general election. The stakes have risen enormously due to growing public interest following the conflict with Cambodia.
Asean's balancing act gains momentum
Oped, Kavi Chongkittavorn, Published on 12/08/2025
» In the middle of the Covid-19 crisis, a tentative idea was raised at the Chongqing virtual meeting between Asean-China foreign ministers in June 2021, for Asean Plus Two. The two referred to the US and China. The bloc's leaders were quite worried that US-China rivalry, especially during the pandemic, would result in catastrophic outcomes for the regional economy and its integration.
Mae Sot's trade vs security dilemma
Oped, Kavi Chongkittavorn, Published on 01/04/2025
» At Mae Sot International Airport, all passengers must now undergo a strict immigration check and police screening before they can board designated flights. The new stringent measures aim to prevent scammers from using this western border hub as a transit route across the border.
Korea martial law lessons for Thailand
Oped, Kavi Chongkittavorn, Published on 10/12/2024
» Last week, South Korea experienced a titanic political shift when President Yoon Suk-yeol imposed martial law late on Tuesday night. The move lasted just over six hours before it was lifted, making it one of the shortest-lived martial law declarations in modern political history. It was lucky because it started late at night and ended early in the morning. Had it occurred during the day, the outcome could have been very different.
Time to integrate Myanmar's displaced
Oped, Kavi Chongkittavorn, Published on 26/03/2024
» In the bustling border town of Mae Sot, Julia smiled when I asked her about her new job. "I am very happy with my position," said the young woman who recently completed her Bachelor's degree in Communication Arts from Bangkok University.
Don't forget fringe parties in the election
Oped, Kavi Chongkittavorn, Published on 02/05/2023
» A total of 70 political parties with 4,781 candidates are contesting 400 MP seats, and 1,898 candidates from 67 political parties are vying for 100 list-MP seats in the general election on May 14.
Asean's international status is rising
Oped, Kavi Chongkittavorn, Published on 27/12/2022
» It might sound pompous to keep stating the strategic importance of Southeast Asia over the past year due mainly to the three heavy-weight summits held in the neighbourhood. Historically speaking, it has always been this way since the colonial period when European powers gobbled up land, suppressed local people, and gained and influenced footholds throughout the region's mainland and archipelagos.
Bolstering Thailand-India ties at 75
News, Kavi Chongkittavorn, Published on 30/08/2022
» Thailand and India have taken seven-and-a-half decades to transform their close historical and cultural ties into a more strategic trajectory. It is not an easy task as their leaders have been all too comfortable with their longstanding friendly and relatively trouble-free ties. However, the recent three-day high-profile visit of Indian External Affairs Secretary Dr S Jaishankar has raised the dynamics of Thailand-India relations to a new level.
US-Thai Cobra Gold drills wither at 40
News, Kavi Chongkittavorn, Published on 17/08/2021
» The 40th iteration of Cobra Gold (CG), which ended last week, was supposed to be the best year ever for the four-decades-old Thai and US joint military exercises. But it was not to be. Blame it on the Covid-19 pandemic or the menace of smartphones and social media spreading fake news about the true nature of the region's largest multinational military exercise.
Without Trump, CJK becomes friendlier
Oped, Kavi Chongkittavorn, Published on 01/12/2020
» It has been a four-year hiatus for the three Asian economic powerhouses. Whatever their collaborative configurations may have been, they were frequently constrained by the world's biggest disruptor, President Donald Trump. With the lame-duck president now leaving the global scene, China, Japan and Korea (CJK) are salvaging their relationships at Shinkansen speed. Being Asian, they can now be a little bit humble, saving the faces of each another for a while for being so rigid and aggressive.