Showing 1 - 8 of 8
Grasping the VAT nettle
Oped, Editorial, Published on 24/11/2025
» The proposal to raise value-added tax from 7% to 8.5% in 2028, and to 10% in 2030, by Deputy Prime Minister and Finance Minister Ekniti Nitithanprapas is a display of political courage rarely seen in a political landscape where politicians are quick to spend money in the name of "economic stimulus" but stay mum when asked how to finance the schemes.
Charm blitz a smokescreen
Oped, Editorial, Published on 19/12/2023
» As the public has been focused on the government's "soft power" push and what it actually means, little attention has been paid to the subtle attempts by the armed forces to woo ministers and lawmakers into giving them what they want.
Scouts need a rethink
Oped, Editorial, Published on 08/08/2023
» The news about a male Thai scout leader wandering into a female shower block at a global scout meeting in South Korea last week brought unwanted attention to the scout movement in Thailand.
Insults are not inspiring
Oped, Editorial, Published on 11/01/2023
» This week, the government kicks off a campaign to woo support from the international community for its bid to host "Specialised Expo 2028". The move offers a happy ending to the latest fracas between local Phuket administrative bodies and Interior Ministry Permanent Secretary Suthipong Juljarern, who had suggested that the province drop its bid to host the event.
Help workers and firms
Oped, Editorial, Published on 10/12/2022
» Promising voters a rise in wages is a supposed curtain-raiser for national election campaigning. However, Pheu Thai's election pledge to lift the minimum daily wage from just over 300 baht to 600 baht has run into a barrage of criticism. The private sector, namely the employers, who will have to foot the bill, countered by saying the pledge would do more harm than good and won't help the country in the long term.
Rail project needs transparency
News, Editorial, Published on 14/08/2022
» A little over 23 kilometres separate the small provincial town of Nong Khai and Vientiane, the capital of Laos. The distance may seem inconsequential, but this border area is critical to the success of the China-Singapore high-speed railway, part of Beijing's One Belt One Road logistic plan to link China with Asean. Yet the ambitious plan, unveiled in 2010, has been sputtering for nearly a decade, especially in Thailand.
RTAF needs to slim down
News, Editorial, Published on 01/03/2021
» The Royal Thai Armed Forces' (RTAF) decision to cut back on the number of generals in its ranks is a good move that will make it more efficient. However, no matter how good a plan is, it won't succeed without serious execution.
Nail in coffin for Lao dam?
Oped, Editorial, Published on 28/11/2020
» The government's new stance against the Sanakham Dam on the Mekong River in Laos may be a nail in the coffin of this hydro-powered project proposed by Chinese investors.