Showing 1 - 10 of 217
A temple graft turning point
Editorial, Published on 26/04/2026
» The 50-year jail term handed down last week to the former abbot of Wat Rai Khing is as harsh as it is telling. The court rightly called it a grave offence.
Elephant dies for no good reason
Editorial, Published on 01/03/2026
» A wild bull elephant known as Hu Pab died from over-sedation. The tragedy was not an accident, but a failure of a wildlife policy that demands urgent reform.
Elephants need space
Oped, Editorial, Published on 16/02/2026
» Elephants hold a special place in the hearts of Thais. The latest evidence was Wednesday's protest following the death of Seedor Hu Pab, a male elephant that died on Feb 3 during a ham-fisted relocation attempt by the Department of National Parks, Wildlife and Plant Conservation (DNP).
Green energy's unseen toll on our river systems
News, Arisara Lekkham, Published on 13/01/2026
» At global climate forums, the clean energy transition is framed as progress --necessary, urgent, and inevitable. Governments reaffirm commitments to move away from fossil fuels and accelerate renewable energy, electric vehicles, and digital infrastructure. From a distance, the pathway to a greener future appears orderly and hopeful. From where I stand in Chiang Rai, it feels far less balanced.
Fraud sweep causes fallout
Oped, Editorial, Published on 18/09/2025
» In principle, any government deserves praise for efforts to tackle online fraud and mule accounts. However, the latest attempt by the Bank of Thailand (BoT), the cyber police under the Ministry of Digital Economy and Society, the police, and commercial banks has drawn condemnation, rather than praise.
Abbot's dramatic fall from grace
Oped, Sanitsuda Ekachai, Published on 01/09/2025
» Faith built his empire. Fraud destroyed it. Luang Por Alongkot's fall from grace leaves Thai Buddhism reeling, demanding long-overdue reform.
Clergy in need of control, not reform
Editorial, Published on 20/07/2025
» After a long silence during Thailand's biggest sex scandal in the clergy, the Ecclesiastical Council and the National Office of Buddhism (NOB) have finally spoken out. Their big idea? A new law to imprison the offending monks and women involved in the scandal.
Crunch time for Phumtham
Oped, Editorial, Published on 15/07/2025
» New interior minister, and current acting prime minister, Phumtham Wechayachai, is a man who can make tough decisions. His recent record includes the decision to return Uyghurs to China early this year, as demanded by Beijing. Last month, he approved a long-delayed, controversial submarine procurement from China -- a call that even junta leader-cum-prime minister Gen Prayut Chan-o-cha shied away from.
Border disputes need a smarter path
News, Sally Tyler, Published on 27/02/2025
» Though I live in Washington, DC, I generally spend some time each year in Thailand. When I visited recently, I was interested in noting the renewed controversy around the MOU 44 with Cambodia concerning Koh Kut and the overlapping claims area. While there are obvious parallels with the Preah Vihear conflict, using the dispute surrounding the celebrated temple complex as a guide for an effective resolution in Koh Kut will prove unsatisfactory for all parties.
Casino bill latest throw of the dice
Oped, Yuangrat Wedel & Paul Wedel, Published on 29/01/2025
» The Thai government is once again struggling to establish a consistent and enforceable policy on gambling, hoping to win big on tourists, revenue, and jobs. This is the latest twist in more than a century of shifting approaches to games of chance.