Showing 1 - 5 of 5
Better Canada-China ties boost Asean
Oped, Kavi Chongkittavorn, Published on 20/01/2026
» Canada's decision to reset relations with China is extraordinary, coming at a critical time for both countries. It reflects changes in the Western Hemisphere that have led Canada to realise that boosting ties with China is a necessity. Furthermore, it will have far-reaching implications for their future bilateral relations and beyond. It is interesting to note that it took US President Donald Trump's intimidation -- both on trade and annexation -- to push straightforward Canada towards the East.
Lessons from Hun Sen's Cambodia
Oped, Kavi Chongkittavorn, Published on 08/08/2023
» If international relations experts and scholars want to study a small state's diplomatic manoeuvres amid the ever-changing geopolitical landscape, they should make Cambodia their case study. With a new prime minister, Hun Manet, now in charge, the question remains: Will he be able to keep up with his father's multipolar politics?
Biden's fault lines in SE Asia
Oped, Kavi Chongkittavorn, Published on 31/08/2021
» Vice President Kamala Harris was right in stating that when the history of the 21st century is written, most of it will be centred right here in the Indo-Pacific. But she forgot to add that the approach taken by the US will also be mentioned because of its many fault lines. Three points can be discerned when it comes to the Biden administration's attitude towards the region.
Implications of new draft law on NGOs
Oped, Kavi Chongkittavorn, Published on 11/05/2021
» Thailand's long-standing business-as-usual approach to local non-governmental organisations (NGOs) and international non-governmental organisations (INGOs), will soon be a thing of the past. After nearly three decades of flexible engagement with the so-called "not-for-profit organisations", the Thai government has recently come up with a draft bill on Operations of Not-for-Profit Organisations, which is now being vetted by the Office of the Council of State.
Please do not shoot the messengers
News, Kavi Chongkittavorn, Published on 26/11/2019
» At the 40th Unesco General Conference in Paris last week, a plethora of issues affecting global well-being were discussed. These days big and small members dutifully raise their voices, remarkably demonstrating their national preferences in an uncertain world. One could easily notice that voices from big funders, except Japan, are louder than ever before. As usual, some smaller countries from the Caribbean, the Pacific Islands and Africa were absent from the week-long meetings due to their lack of funds. However, a few surrogate delegates for the members from the Caribbean region, such as St Lucia, Grenadine and others, managed to pitch their views, wanting to make their presence felt -- sometimes causing confusion and prolonged debate.