Showing 1 - 10 of 10
Temple angst misplaced
Oped, Editorial, Published on 02/07/2025
» Once again, Phu Man Fah temple is dominating headlines as Cambodia has vented its anger about a construction project at the monastery, smearing it as an "Angkor Wat replica".
Old formula, same results?
News, Editorial, Published on 21/08/2019
» After a continuous slowdown over the past five years, Thai economic growth is expected to reach a new low this year. Given the grim outlook, economists and observers are wondering why the government insists on clinging to the same old "stimulus" formula, which has done little to improve the economy in the long term or lift it out of the doldrums. Some have even called it a formula for failure.
Give FFP boss a fair trial
News, Editorial, Published on 24/05/2019
» From a legal standpoint, two shareholding cases that the Election Commission (EC) filed with the Constitutional Court -- one submitted this month against Future Forward Party (FFP) leader Thanathorn Juangroongruangkit and the other made one year ago against Foreign Affairs Minister Don Pramudwinai -- are almost identical, as there could be a slight difference in technicalities. However, they were given different treatment by the EC.
Si Thep Park needs a voice
News, Editorial, Published on 06/03/2019
» It beggars belief how a proposal to dig for oil 100 metres from one of the country's most significant archaeological buildings is close to being green-lighted.
No need for S44 payments
News, Editorial, Published on 18/02/2019
» The government is already out of line for even considering new subsidies for the Big Three mobile phone companies. But its admission that it can only put billions of baht from taxpayers into such a scheme by using Section 44 is outrageous. Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha and his chief legal adviser Deputy Prime Minister Wissanu Krea-ngam seem not to realise they are in charge of a lame duck administration. Their obligation is to put this questionable issue on the shelf for the next government and parliament to consider.
Birth rewards fail the test
News, Editorial, Published on 26/09/2018
» The government's plan to encourage more births by young couples, forlorn from the start, has produced nothing. It's a familiar scene. From Singapore and China, from Europe and now Thailand, planners have dreamed of reversing the ageing of their countries. While it may seem logical to some, it has failed everywhere it has been tried. Failure in Thailand seems certain as well.
Schools must be tolerant
News, Editorial, Published on 03/07/2018
» A stealthy order signed last month by the Minister of Education has brought unnecessary attention and divisive policies back to the deep South. The minister, Teerakiat Jareonsettasin, published in the Royal Gazette a new ruling on student dress which in essence, allows administrators of schools located on Buddhist temple land to decide if they will ban the use of the Muslim hijab headdress by girls.
Prayut goes to Europe
News, Editorial, Published on 19/06/2018
» Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha is to fly to Europe tomorrow, landing first in London and then proceeding to Paris. The trip has been ballyhooed for a month by regime spokesmen as a culmination of sorts. They have been trying to sell the notion that the four-year battle for international acceptance and recognition has finally become a fact. Those spokesmen are not giving a realistic picture.
Poor free press score
News, Editorial, Published on 30/04/2018
» A new and credible survey of world press freedom places Thailand at No.140. Out of 180 countries, that is a scandalous place to be for a nation whose prime minister is promising a return to a system of developing democracy. On its face, such a terrible placing is a slap at the regime. For there is no denying that the fresh, global survey got Thailand's current position about right.
In need of road sense
News, Editorial, Published on 17/04/2018
» This government, like those over the previous two decades, has a strange highway safety plan. Twice a year, one-week "crackdown announcements" precede the New Year periods when more vehicles than usual are on the highways. Allegedly tough enforcement proceeds, as is currently under way. Each time, government measures fail to reduce the shockingly high death toll.