Showing 1 - 10 of 63
The fuss about Thailand and Trump's Board of Peace
Oped, Kavi Chongkittavorn, Published on 24/02/2026
» Thai media were perplexed by the appearance of the Thai flag in the background at the inaugural meeting of the Board of Peace (BOP) in Washington, DC last Thursday. After all, Thailand is not a BOP member. In a swift response, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs said the country was attending as an observer.
Time for this unnecessary war to end
News, Kavi Chongkittavorn, Published on 29/07/2025
» It was a war everyone saw coming. After weeks of provocations and inflammatory rhetoric across the Thai–Cambodian border since May 28, the failure to de-escalate tensions finally erupted into deadly border skirmishes. Despite diplomatic efforts, no fruitful progress was made. As diplomacy faltered, ultra-nationalism made inroads, and rhetoric gave way to border clashes beginning last Thursday.
When non-interference becomes policy
Oped, Kavi Chongkittavorn, Published on 20/05/2025
» What US President Donald Trump said in Saudi Arabia on May 14 resonates very well in Thailand. Last week in Riyadh, Mr Trump reiterated that the Middle East had changed because "local people did it", and not because "Western countries interfered and told you how to live or run your countries".
Timor-Leste's membership divides Asean
Oped, Kavi Chongkittavorn, Published on 13/05/2025
» Timor-Leste's long-awaited bid to join the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (Asean) is in jeopardy. It has encountered unexpected headwinds -- this time from the Philippines. The sudden diplomatic friction stems from Dili's refusal to extradite Arnolfo "Arnie" Teves Jr, a former Filipino congressman accused of terrorism and multiple murders, back to Manila.
Public trust key in Koh Kut challenge
Oped, Kavi Chongkittavorn, Published on 19/11/2024
» Recently, the Paetongtarn Shinawatra government and her praetorian guards have been up in arms, defending their position on the 2001 Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between Thailand and Cambodia. She has said that the government will negotiate with Phnom Penh and will soon establish a joint technical committee to do just that.
The rise and fall of Srettha Thavisin
Oped, Kavi Chongkittavorn, Published on 20/08/2024
» While leaders come and go, they leave behind a legacy that can be mixed, varying from glory to ignominy. Only a few leave nothing much to remember. As for Thailand's 30th prime minister, Srettha Thavisin, it was cursory at best. Overall, it's a good case study on how pomposity and self-adulation affect leadership.
Global crises demand unified action
Oped, Kavi Chongkittavorn, Published on 28/05/2024
» The world is facing unprecedented crises. Without revitalising the collective spirit backed by action, the survival of humanity could be at risk.
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.
Thailand again bids for UNHRC seat
Oped, Kavi Chongkittavorn, Published on 12/03/2024
» The human rights condition in Thailand is paradoxical. A liberal mindset does not regard the country as a democracy. Instead, it sees it as one lacking in freedom of expression and constantly violating the rights of its own citizens.
Thai-Cambodian ties enter a new era
Oped, Kavi Chongkittavorn, Published on 30/01/2024
» Exactly 37 days before Samdech Moha Borvor Thipadei Hun Manet was due to fly to Bangkok on Feb 7 for a one-day official visit, Cambodia extended Thai border pass access to Siem Reap, where Angkor Wat is located. This was an act of goodwill as the proposal has been on the table for discussions since Prime Minister Srettha Thavisin's visit to Phnom Penh in September -- his first official foreign destination after being elected Thai leader.