Showing 1 - 10 of 15
Plentiful policy on offer
Oped, Editorial, Published on 19/01/2026
» Thailand is heading towards a consequential general election on Feb 8. In the weeks leading up to polling day, voters have been bombarded with policy proposals from across the political spectrum. Many are attractively packaged and, if fully realised, would seemingly transform the country overnight.
Debt bailout warning
News, Editorial, Published on 25/11/2024
» The Paetongtarn government has announced a bold policy to address Thailand's mounting household debt crisis. The initiative includes a three-year suspension of interest payments for mortgages, vehicle loans and loans for small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), among other items.
Cheap import challenge
Oped, Editorial, Published on 10/08/2024
» The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and police inspected 11 supermarkets and drugstores selling cheap imported goods in Bangkok earlier this month. The search found more than 1,600 imported items, such as instant noodles, drinks, vitamins, and medical supplies, that did not have the required FDA seals.
Rethink wage hike plan
News, Editorial, Published on 13/05/2024
» The government's announcement that it intends to increase the minimum daily wage to 400 baht nationwide in October has sparked heated debate, highlighting the complexities of balancing economic growth with equitable labour practices.
Regulate liquor sensibly
Oped, Editorial, Published on 07/06/2023
» Attempts by the Public Health Ministry to propose a new draft law to intensify limits on alcohol consumption have caused a commotion.
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.
Yet more lockdown
News, Editorial, Published on 02/08/2021
» As Covid cases scale new highs without any sign of slowing, the government has extended its partial lockdown for another 14 days and expanded tough restrictions to cover more provinces, up from 13 provinces to 29.
Taxpayers get a raw deal
News, Editorial, Published on 25/01/2021
» Although the government believes that a cut in the employees' contribution to the Social Security Fund (SSF) from 3% to 0.5% is a valuable assistance measure to this vast group of people who are excluded from the latest relief scheme, the measure is still unsubstantiated and unfair.
Watch out for budget graft
Oped, Editorial, Published on 10/07/2020
» The harsh economic contraction as a result of the stringent lockdown aimed at curbing the spread of the coronavirus made it necessary for the Prayut Chan-o-cha government to inject an enormous sum of money into the economy through loans packages worth 1.9 trillion baht, while another 88 billion baht in the 2020 fiscal budget has been siphoned from state agencies for virus-related emergency needs.
Online trade steps to fore
News, Editorial, Published on 23/04/2020
» State agencies and business associations can learn a thing or two from efforts by university alumni to harness the power of crowd-sourcing to help overcome business disruptions caused by the coronavirus outbreak.