Showing 1 - 10 of 15
The shame of Thai tourism
Oped, Editorial, Published on 07/08/2021
» The large numbers of deaths caused by the pandemic have already brought down the collective spirit of Thai society. Yet, the recent murder of a Swiss national in Phuket, a female tourist visiting the province under the Phuket Sandbox scheme, is morally appalling and a disgrace to the country.
No room for Phuket lapses
Oped, Editorial, Published on 30/06/2021
» The Phuket Sandbox is set to be a high-stakes experiment to test the waters and see if the government's plan to reopen the country by October will ever see the light of day.
Climate of fear must end
News, Editorial, Published on 19/06/2019
» With the March election and "democratic institutions" camouflaging his military regime with "the elected government" he is forming, Gen Prayut Chan-o-cha still has to do more as a "democratic leader". The regime's heavy-handed, authoritative approach to critics must stop. Instead, Gen Prayut should start letting freedom of speech take its course and put an end to the entrenched climate of fear.
Bracing for the storm
News, Editorial, Published on 04/01/2019
» People across Thailand are praying for the southern region as Tropical Storm Pabuk, which originated in the South China Sea, inches closer to the coastline.
Rethink this London trip
News, Editorial, Published on 18/09/2018
» Just when it seemed the story had plumbed the depths, the unsavoury claim of a June 25 drugging and rape on already infamous Koh Tao has turned worse. Pol Maj Gen Surachate "Big Joke" Hakparn has announced an imminent trip to London. There, he claimed late last week, he intends to interrogate the 19-year-old woman who claims to be the victim. Pol Maj Gen Surachate, the high-profile deputy chief of the Tourist Police Bureau, has quite loudly doubted the woman's claim she was a crime victim. He said his London visit could end up proving the rape claim was false.
Police stifle free speech
News, Editorial, Published on 13/09/2018
» It has happened again. the Thai police have forced the cancellation of a public forum by citing concerns over security, which is a broad and dubious term.
CCA a threat to the people
News, Editorial, Published on 08/09/2018
» This week's arrest and detention of 12 people who shared the Koh Tao rape claim story on social media shows anyone who is sensible and has a moral conscience exactly how the misuse of the Computer Crime Act (CCA) can harm ordinary citizens.
Unjustified media pursuit
News, Editorial, Published on 03/09/2018
» Police made poor decisions in suggesting they would charge the Samui Times website over the Koh Tao rape allegations, and in threatening other media as well. There are two reasons they are wrong. The first is that there is no "fake news" or false reporting involved. Secondly, the threat to bring criminal charges in this case will harm the country's image many times more than the reporting of the incident ever could.
Cops in dock over rape row
News, Editorial, Published on 31/08/2018
» Once again, Koh Tao -- Thailand's top tourist destination in Surat Thani -- has attracted global attention, albeit not in the way Thai authorities would have hoped for.
Time to take a stand against harassment
News, Editorial, Published on 08/04/2018
» A great time for revellers to enjoy water fights and splashing, Songkran has also become a hotbed for sex crimes. This year, authorities seem to acknowledge this problem. But they have come up with a poor solution. Instead of telling men not to grope women, they advise women not to put themselves up to becoming victims.