Showing 1 - 10 of 11
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.
Thailand's contributions to UN at 80
Oped, Kavi Chongkittavorn, Published on 23/09/2025
» The United Nations turns 80 years old this year. Thailand is a strong supporter of the UN's agenda and its multilateral efforts. It has never run against the UN decisions.
Asean summit forges fresh strategies
Oped, Kavi Chongkittavorn, Published on 05/09/2023
» With its theme "Asean Matters: Epicentrum of economic growth", the Indonesian chair has raised the Asean playing field to an unprecedented level, especially as the bloc has to engage with a new geopolitical and geoeconomic landscape. That helps explain why Indonesian President Joko Widodo or Jokowi has to reiterate that Asean needs an extraordinary tactical strategy to face the current global turmoil when he met on Friday with a group of high-level Asean businessmen and investors.
Thai soft power, or a soft sales job?
Oped, Kavi Chongkittavorn, Published on 31/01/2023
» Last week Prime Minister Prayut Chan-O-cha issued a new soft power policy to promote Thai culture as part of efforts to attract international visitors. Upon close scrutiny, what the government is trying to do is actually raise revenue. In a nutshell, it is a sales pitch, nothing more.
Preventing a proxy war in Myanmar
Oped, Kavi Chongkittavorn, Published on 22/03/2022
» While it still can, Asean must prevent a proxy war in Myanmar.
Boosting human rights in Thailand
News, Kavi Chongkittavorn, Published on 19/10/2021
» Thailand's human rights record will be the subject of global scrutiny on Nov 10. The members of the UN Human Rights Council will examine the country's performance during its third universal periodic review (UPR). It will be an extraordinary event for Thailand as it is battling both domestic political turmoil and the coronavirus pandemic, which has allegedly led to numerous unwarranted violations of human rights.
Understanding Thailand's soft power
News, Kavi Chongkittavorn, Published on 04/02/2020
» Thailand is a curious place. On the one hand, it is a country that foreigners love to visit for the scenery, the shopping, partying and street food, even if they have to suffer traffic fumes and dust. They may even find themselves tucking into pad thai in the shadow of the T22 tanks of the Thai Army Regiment 2.
Thailand's going bananas for Korea
News, Kavi Chongkittavorn, Published on 17/09/2019
» When South Korean President Moon Jae-in visited Thailand recently, he highlighted two Thai names, Nichkhun of 2PM and Lisa of Blackpink as symbols of the excellent South Korean-Thai friendship. Nichkhun Horvejkul and Lalisa Manoban are young Thai idols who are making a living as K-Pop performers in Seoul. Both of them speak fluent Korean, they are trained to sing in Korean and are well-versed in K-Pop dancing.
Is Huai Khwang really a new Chinatown?
News, Kavi Chongkittavorn, Published on 18/09/2018
» Bluntly speaking, Huai Khwang, which has been dubbed a new Chinatown, is not really a Chinatown in the truest sense of the word -- not another Yaowarat for sure. The 400-metre strip along Pracha Rat Bamphen Road at best represents the dynamic and raw passion of new Chinese entrepreneurs, wanting to make money from millions of Chinese tourists through social media. New Chinese restaurants with dishes from Yunnan and Guangxi, especially the spicy mala hotpot as well as Chinese-style coffee shops, give this small business district the facade of a Chinatown.
New mindsets needed at Suvarnabhumi
News, Kavi Chongkittavorn, Published on 04/09/2018
» Warning: Cheap packages tours to Thailand from China for the coming Mid-Autumn Festival (third week of September) and National Day (first week of October) are nearly fully booked. However, some major tourist agencies in the posh Chaoyangmenwai Street still hold out hope that Thailand will waive visa fees for their holidaymakers once again.