Showing 1 - 10 of 29
The hand that feeds them
News, Alan Dawson, Published on 03/03/2019
» When the columnists and panjandrums and degree-clutchers come to analyse the state of Thailand in mid- and late May, it's probably this past week that will fascinate them.
Out of the box
News, Alan Dawson, Published on 20/01/2019
» For kakistocrats who have failed for four years-plus to organise reconciliation, bring back happiness, fight pollution in the air and on the beaches or even to organise so much as a date for an election, our all-male green-shirt regime sure has a lot to criticise about the rest of us.
Independence muted
News, Alan Dawson, Published on 09/12/2018
» The famously annoyable general prime minister was annoyed last week. The country's two largest political parties politely RSVP'd his invitation to a prayer meeting but declined because of the raucous nature of the worship.
Watching the vote
News, Alan Dawson, Published on 11/11/2018
» Foreign and Thai groups want official accreditation to monitor the next general election, whenever it occurs. And the government has instantly invited all such groups to kick rocks.
Two hats not good
News, Alan Dawson, Published on 07/10/2018
» When Bangkok got too noisy because of all the criticism about cabinet ministers taking advantage by openly playing politics unfairly, the general prime minister escaped to the North on another scrupulously non-political trip to give away money and be photographed with every local personality and housewife within 20 kilometres.
The good old days
News, Alan Dawson, Published on 09/09/2018
» If you've ever said in support of the coup regime that, yes, it's great that junta and government are dedicated to returning Thailand to those good old days, then you'll be forever grateful to the national police chief and the whole bunch of the unreformed Royal Thai Police.
Facts, fake news and media control
News, Alan Dawson, Published on 02/09/2018
» While the regular comedy clubs that ban political humour are running as usual, the best line of the week was actually the statement:
Punch lines
News, Alan Dawson, Published on 29/07/2018
» If the general prime minister has his way -- and it looks like he probably will -- it won't be politics or police or the justice system that he'll finally reform.
Life without populism
News, Alan Dawson, Published on 06/05/2018
» Once upon a time in a land very, very far away with a "government by the people, for the people" there was a plan to fix recalcitrant taxi drivers and make them pick up passengers, politely, and then to reward the drivers with a fare increase. And that plan was carried out in the faraway country, and passengers were happy to reward deserving, hard-working, uncomplaining taxi drivers.
Section 44 is forever
News, Alan Dawson, Published on 16/04/2017
» There exists in exceptional Thailand a force so powerful it only can be used for good or for evil. The men (exclusively) who run the country insist the power of Section 44 is (exclusively) designed and used only to produce positive results. Not everyone agrees.