Showing 1 - 10 of 19
Efficiency over pomp
Oped, Editorial, Published on 04/02/2026
» The video of Bangkok governor Chadchart Sittipunt opening the new Phran Nok-Phutthamonthon Sai 4 Road lasts only a few seconds, yet it has gone viral for that exact reason. In an era of elaborate ceremonies, the footage is a testament to bureaucratic restraint -- proving that when leaders prioritise pragmatism over pageantry, the public wins.
Real barriers to temple reform
Editorial, Published on 01/02/2026
» After a year of temple scandals, Thailand's top monks have promised a great clean-up. The orders sound bold. The question is whether a feudal system built on censorship, obedience and patronage can truly reform itself.
Betting on the wrong horse
Oped, Editorial, Published on 11/08/2025
» In times of economic challenge and amid simmering border tensions with Cambodia, Acting Prime Minister Phumtham Wechayachai, who doubles as interior minister, has quietly overturned a 67-year-old ban on poker, reclassifying it from gambling to a recognised sport. The sudden move, which happened without public consultation, has sparked criticism and fuelled suspicion about the government's true priorities.
EC inaction sparks probe
News, Editorial, Published on 27/02/2025
» Allegations of fraud in the Senate election held in June last year have captivated public attention.
Saffron swindlers
Oped, Editorial, Published on 22/03/2024
» The news of the Central Criminal Court for Corruption and Misconduct this week handing a 480-year-plus jail term to a former abbot for embezzling temple donations is shocking enough. But the story gets even more convoluted.
Keep hemp free of cannabis law
Editorial, Published on 12/11/2023
» The controversial bill to regulate the use and production of marijuana and hemp is back on the parliamentary agenda. However, the Hmong hill tribe people want the law to leave hemp out, fearing it would jeopardise the age-old use of hemp in their culture and traditions. The government should listen to their concerns.
New take on Mother's Day
Oped, Editorial, Published on 12/08/2023
» This week, Anubarn Sri That -- an elementary school in northeastern Udon Thani province -- grabbed media headlines and garnered praise from people for its surprising decision to cancel its usual Mother's Day celebration.
Review water splash ban
Oped, Editorial, Published on 31/03/2022
» The upcoming Songkran holiday will usher in a nationwide exodus, with hundreds of thousands of people heading back to their hometowns. This is a golden opportunity for tourism business operators to cash in on the celebrations, which would typically involve water-splashing on the streets.
End student hazing rituals
Oped, Editorial, Published on 16/03/2022
» Freshman year should be a highlight of teenage life but for many first-year students hazing rituals -- a "rite of passage" at Thai universities -- is a nightmarish experience.
UK pivot could be good for Thais
News, Editorial, Published on 25/07/2021
» This weekend the UK's HMS Richmond has entered Thai territorial waters to conduct a joint military exercise with the Royal Thai Navy. It represents the first visit of a Royal Navy ship to Thailand since HMS Daring visited in 2014. Notably, it is the first engagement of the UK Carrier Strike Group with an Asean nation as part of the UK government's commitment to becoming "a persistent, credible and reliable presence in the Indo-Pacific".