Showing 1 - 6 of 6
Uighurs' plight a lesson for govt
News, Editorial, Published on 09/04/2023
» The case of 63 members of the Shenzhen Holy Reformed Church who were arrested for overstaying visas in Pattaya last week brings back memories of the notorious repatriation of another group of Uighur refugees back to China in 2014.
Lack of unity in drug sweep
News, Editorial, Published on 28/02/2018
» The government has launched yet another series of anti-drugs sweep aimed at taming the North. They are part of the decades-old campaign to wipe out trafficking in illicit drugs. Authorities came up with reports to the public that had a very tired look and feel. A one-month "massive" suppression campaign resulted in the arrests of 63 suspects, the seizure of many kilogrammes of drugs and the unsurprising discovery of some 241 million baht of "assets" -- cash, gold, cars and motorcycles, up-scale homes, land and condominiums.
Stop press intimidation
News, Editorial, Published on 02/01/2018
» The Thai Journalists Association wound up the year by issuing a depressing statement. It rated 2017 as yet another year where the free press was regulated and intimidated by the military government. The TJA said the regime hinders the media by restricting freedom of expression. And it says this causes public harm by not allowing examination and by barring criticism of the junta, collectively and individually.
Hypocrisy on abortion
News, Editorial, Published on 21/11/2017
» The arrest of a nurse for providing abortions in Nakhon Ratchasima should serve as a wake-up call on this important social issue. Suwanna Kaewsawang, 56, a certified health care professional, was charged with operating an abortion service in her converted apartment. While her legal case continues, it is clear that officials of the Ministry of Public Health -- who directed the police raid -- are far behind the curve on a subject no one really wants to talk about, but must.
PM must act on lawsuits
News, Editorial, Published on 02/08/2016
» Authorities moved ahead on lawsuits last week that never should have been accepted. Three of the country's leading human and civil rights defenders have been charged with criminally defaming the armed forces, specifically the Internal Security Operations Command (Isoc). Coincidentally, a similar case saw the formal arrest of a determined young woman protesting against the brutal killing of her uncle during army training.
Seize the drugs nettle
News, Editorial, Published on 05/04/2016
» A recent series of arrests and seizures by anti-drug forces is a rare ray of optimism in the fight for a rational drug-control policy. But they also revived serious questions and brought more confusion to the problem. It is clear that some countries in the region are keen to take more responsibility while suffering more losses than others. And it seems while authorities have a somewhat tenuous handle on who is controlling drug trafficking, efforts to deal with the kingpins are ineffective at best.