Showing 1 - 9 of 9
Bread, butter and bikes
Oped, Editorial, Published on 04/06/2025
» The government's latest campaign to arrest and fine motorcyclists and pillion riders for not wearing helmets has hardly seemed to inspire hope among the public that it will have a positive impact, nor scare potential law breakers.
Section 112 in the spotlight
Oped, Editorial, Published on 17/06/2020
» Prime Minister Gen Prayut Chan-o-cha conveyed a notable message on Monday that His Majesty the King has asked for the controversial Section 112 of the Criminal Code, also known as the lese majeste law, not to be used.
The lack of refugee policy
News, Editorial, Published on 19/02/2019
» Thailand has been at the centre of asylum and refugee disputes since the year began. But in the past six weeks, what has emerged is not a pretty picture. A young Saudi woman won world Twitter backing and a ticket to Canada. A Bahraini refugee from Australia won freedom for a second time with inventive diplomacy. Now three of the seven Uighur migrants who escaped detention at the Mukdahan Immigration office have "won" a police manhunt and a legal limbo where extradition back to China is their No.1 likely future.
Asean hobbles itself
News, Editorial, Published on 29/01/2019
» Thailand's first test as this year's Asean chair occurred two weeks ago in Chiang Mai. It was not a resounding success. At the 10-nation group's annual retreat of foreign ministers, the Rohingya issue was at the top of the agenda. But what the participants had agreed upon -- a spirited discussion -- quickly petered out. Now, the issue has been once again overtaken by the United Nations.
Thanks, but no thanks
News, Editorial, Published on 28/01/2019
» It seemed like only hours after the official announcement of an election date that the three biggest foreign influencers were rushing in to announce how they intend to help. While each has a slightly different plan, Facebook, Google and Line management quickly lined up to get in on the Thai political action. The first reaction from the Election Commission was to welcome them to the fray. The EC should think again.
Abetting dictators
News, Editorial, Published on 12/12/2018
» The sudden government interest in apprehending political opponents of foreign governments is disappointing. It may be coincidence but in just a week, police have forcibly detained critics of the governments of Cambodia and Bahrain. The arrests and threats of deportation or extradition to these undemocratic countries go against normal human rights practices. They also violate decades of Thai policy that often welcomed and never threatened lives of foreigners pitted against their governments.
No decency in Myanmar
News, Editorial, Published on 23/10/2018
» With its army about to be indicted for crimes against humanity, it is shocking that Myanmar's government continues to violate the rights it so very recently swore to uphold. Last week, with global eyes already on Nay Pyi Taw, the government threw more journalists in jail. Three men from the Eleven Media company are inside infamous Insein Prison on extremely flimsy charges amounting once again to essentially practising journalism while Burmese. The government of Aung San Suu Kyi once again is trying to defend the scandalous arrests as "law and order".
Suu Kyi must free journos
News, Editorial, Published on 16/07/2018
» No country and leader in modern times has risen to the top and plunged to the bottom of world respect so quickly. In just a year, Aung San Suu Kyi and Myanmar have gone from respect to disfavour in most of the world. Last August, the country started an ethnic cleansing campaign against its Rohingya minority that even a UN official called genocide. Now, it has sunk lower with the prosecution of two men for a crime that really has to be called "news reporting while Burmese".
Don't abuse Section 112
News, Editorial, Published on 16/02/2018
» Having been charged with lese majeste for the fifth time for his 2014 remark which questioned whether King Naresuan had really won a 1593 battle by defeating a Burmese prince, historian and social critic Sulak Sivaraksa has been cleared. Last month, the Bangkok military court decided to drop the case against him citing a lack of evidence. But the majority of people charged with lese majeste offences are not so lucky.