Showing 1 - 10 of 10
Rethinking Asean's Palestine strategy
Oped, Kavi Chongkittavorn, Published on 07/10/2025
» Has the Asean chair upped the ante on the bloc's strategy regarding Palestine?
Can Thailand lead reboot of the Asia Cooperation Dialogue?
Oped, Kavi Chongkittavorn, Published on 24/09/2024
» In 2002, Thailand brought together major Asian nations to form the Asia Cooperation Dialogue (ACD). It was a bold and visionary move to create a powerful platform to foster pan-Asian economic integration after the 1997 Asia financial crisis or the Tom Yum Kung crisis.
8 Thai hostages must not be forgotten
Oped, Kavi Chongkittavorn, Published on 02/01/2024
» The singular most important event of 2023 in Thailand was the Thai hostage crisis that began on Oct 7 when Hamas launched its surprise onslaught on Israel from the Gaza Strip. Several thousand Thai workers were caught up in the crisis, and several dozen were taken hostage along with over 240 men, women and children of almost two dozen nationalities. Apart from Israeli citizens, the number of Thais taken prisoner was the highest among foreigners, and at least 39 were confirmed killed. At the end of November and in the weeks that followed, a total of 23 Thais were freed. Today, eight remain in Gaza, and their fate is unknown. In modern Thai history, this is the first time such a huge number of Thai citizens have been abducted.
Parnpree to diplomats: 'Don't give up'
Oped, Kavi Chongkittavorn, Published on 28/11/2023
» 'Do not take no for an answer" could be the new hashtag for all Thai diplomats from now on. Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Parnpree Bahidha-Nukara instructed his lieutenants not to give up or allow themselves to be turned down too easily when they are pursuing a "proactive economic policy".
Asean, GCC meet amid Mideast crisis
Oped, Kavi Chongkittavorn, Published on 24/10/2023
» The summit between the leaders of Asean and the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) in Saudi Arabia last Friday was the first time the two regional organisations collaborated in what is developing into a divided and fast-changing global environment.
Asean's response to Israel-Hamas war
Oped, Kavi Chongkittavorn, Published on 17/10/2023
» More than ever before, the current Israeli-Hamas war has revealed the starkly different positions and views held by the 10 Asean members towards the abiding conflict in the Middle East. Asean has not issued a joint statement over the brutal attacks by the Palestinian militant group Hamas, which launched a large-scale offensive from the Gaza Strip on southern Israel on Oct 7.
Thai-Saudi ties' wider strategic impact
Oped, Kavi Chongkittavorn, Published on 20/06/2023
» The invitation from the Saudi Minister of Investment, Khalid Abdulaziz-Falih, to Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Don Pramudwinai to visit Saudi Arabia came just a few hours after the provisional results of the May 14 election were made known. With equal speed, the Thai side responded positively and gathered a 40-member high-level delegation composed of officials and private sector representatives. The caretaker government did not want to let go the momentum which began when Saudi-Thai relations resumed in January 2022.
New pragmatism on the rise in Asean
Oped, Kavi Chongkittavorn, Published on 22/02/2022
» While the Myanmar quagmire will continue to dominate Asean's agenda under Cambodia and future chairs, one must not forget that the current chair must also deal with a myriad of challenges across all sectors of the grouping's ongoing cooperation. The much-awaited foreign ministerial retreat last Thursday has once again shown that Asean remains a closely knit, pragmatic family.
Thailand revamps Middle East strategy
Oped, Kavi Chongkittavorn, Published on 08/02/2022
» After 32 years of frosty relations, the dramatic normalisation of Thai-Saudi diplomatic relations have far-reaching implications for both countries' diplomatic pathways in the world's most volatile region.
Asean at 54: In need of some speed
News, Kavi Chongkittavorn, Published on 10/08/2021
» Despite the plethora of criticism, the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (Asean) in its 54th year is actually stronger and bolder than ever. That might sound propagandistic but it is not. Today, member countries are more engaged and expressive in their exchanges of opinions and ideas, especially on proposed plans of action in relation to the challenges confronting the bloc. External powers are also wooing Asean in a way that has never seen before.