Showing 1 - 5 of 5
A year of shocks, but Thailand endures
News, Kavi Chongkittavorn, Published on 30/12/2025
» The year 2025 is not just your typical annus horribilis. Some may say that an appropriate term to describe the year is "hell on earth," or narok bon din in Thai, when many bad things happen all at once.
Durian powers Sino-Thai friendship
Oped, Kavi Chongkittavorn, Published on 04/07/2023
» When it comes to the evolution of Sino-Thai relations, one must put aside all the geopolitical determinants and even such subjects as the current Russia-Ukraine war, the ramifications of the US-China standoff and tourism. The topic is durian, which serves as the weathervane of their long-standing bilateral ties. The durian, known worldwide as the "King of Fruits", is more than just a sticky, thorny and, yes, smelly fruit; they also define the nature of the five-decade-old Sino-Thai relations.
6 reasons to recalibrate Thai-US ties
News, Kavi Chongkittavorn, Published on 28/06/2022
» After years of benign neglect, Thailand is seeing some earth-shaking developments from the US, with the Biden administration apparently suddenly realising that Thailand remains a key ally in the region that has not yet been fully utilised. At this juncture, the time is right. Both countries are planning to commemorate the 190th anniversary of their diplomatic relations next year. Across the world, the war in Ukraine has already generating long-term regional repercussions, helping to highlight the state of the Thai-US alliance.
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.
Turkey’s rough road in engaging Asean
Oped, Kavi Chongkittavorn, Published on 20/02/2018
» It was like a blip coming out of nowhere when Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte said last August that he would not mind backing Turkey’s membership in Asean. This pronouncement was the biggest example of hyperbole during his chairmanship. But this is not the case for Turkey. When President Recep Tayyip Erdogan visited Jakarta in 2015, he already had high hopes that his country would sooner or later be joining Asean.