Showing 141 - 150 of 150
US-Thai ties warming up
News, Editorial, Published on 03/07/2017
» The official visit to Washington by Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha is rapidly gaining in importance. The original political analysis had it that President Donald Trump was talking off the top of his head in April when he invited the premier during a phone call. It now is clear something quite different is in the works. The White House and the US State Department are switching off the Barack Obama administration's hostility to the coup regime.
Export high owes itself to good luck
News, Editorial, Published on 25/06/2017
» Although Thai exports rose to a four-year high last month, it's still too early to pop the champagne. There remain many challenges ahead for the market. After all, it wouldn't be a stretch to say that exports rose largely due to luck.
Hydro dams pace alarming
News, Editorial, Published on 24/06/2017
» The inter-governmental consultation on the Pak Beng project, the third hydroelectric dam planned to be built on the Mekong River in Laos, tells us a lot about the future of dam building on this mighty international waterway.
Timid Thailand may miss the boat
News, Editorial, Published on 21/05/2017
» It was not clear why Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha was not invited to the One Belt, One Road summit hosted by Chinese President Xi Jinping from May 14-16. The Chinese leader may simply have forgotten to extend an invite to the Thai premier or it could reflect the level of importance that China has attached to Thailand for this massive infrastructure development.
'Big Brother' backfires
News, Editorial, Published on 16/05/2017
» At 10am this morning, the government's ultimatum to Facebook expires. The US firm has been ordered to remove 131 posts by then. This is the last order in a recent flurry of censorship that ministries say have removed or blocked 6,900 web pages and individual posts across the internet.
Press freedom slumps again
News, Editorial, Published on 29/04/2017
» Reporters Without Borders has released its annual ranking and report on the state of press freedom everywhere. RSF (Reporters Sans Frontieres) notes the media is under official attack by governments on every continent. But Thailand is singled out for yet another drop in the RSF press-freedom rankings, from an abysmal No.136 last year to a truly shameful 142nd place in the world.
US discovers SE Asia
News, Editorial, Published on 24/04/2017
» One hundred days into the Donald Trump presidency, the United States has realised there is a part of the world it ignored. Vice-President Mike Pence has been in Indonesia, praising its "moderate" Muslims. Mr Trump will attend all three big East Asia summits in November. He also will make official visits to Vietnam and the Philippines. They are the hosts of the summits of the Association of Southeast Asian nations (Asean), the Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation (Apec), and East Asia.
It's rush hour for road safety
News, Editorial, Published on 11/04/2017
» There is no wilder weekend holiday in Thailand than Songkran, and that goes for neighbouring countries as well. In Thailand, Laos, Cambodia and Myanmar, most business comes to a halt, as citizens and visitors mark the traditional New Year. Much fun is had, even if revellers sometimes err on the wrong side of decorum.
Hope for sea row talks
News, Editorial, Published on 04/04/2017
» Last week in Cambodia, China and Asean held their first meaningful discussion in years on the South China Sea. There were actual proposals for a Code of Conduct (CoC) on the table. Unfortunately, the Siem Reap talks ended like others in the past -- with a notable exception. All 11 parties agreed to take the draft CoC papers home, discuss them, and meet again in a reasonable time.
Trust is lost over weapons
News, Editorial, Published on 28/03/2017
» The government, police and the Department of Special Investigations (DSI) got excellent advice on the weekend from Justice Minister Suwaphan Tanyuvardhana. They should pay attention and improve their current performance. Mr Suwaphan warned them to handle the case of the Pathum Thani arms seizure "in a transparent and straightforward manner". So far they have not.