Showing 91 - 100 of 260
Lazing on a stormy Sunday afternoon
News, Roger Crutchley, Published on 09/06/2019
» Every now and again, I escape to the Northeast (Isan), more specifically the northernmost part of Chaiyaphum province, to relax, unwind, mellow out, chill out and hopefully not freak out. It is always a rewarding experience to shake off the madness of the Big Mango for a few days and settle into a pace of life that drifts between slow, very slow and practically dormant. That's something I can handle quite comfortably. In some ways it must resemble being transferred to an inactive post.
Old guard can't halt the turning tide
News, Wasant Techawongtham, Published on 06/04/2019
» The wind of change is blowing. It's only just a breeze now really. But already it has caused quite a stir.
Thailand's own Game of Seats
News, Published on 06/04/2019
» When charter writers claimed every vote would not be wasted under the one ballot election system, politicians appeared to understand what was lying ahead.
Summertime, and the livin' ain't easy
News, Roger Crutchley, Published on 24/02/2019
» According to the Meteorological Department, Thailand's summer officially began last Thursday, amidst warnings that this year it will be even more torrid than ever. So you can put away your fur coats, scarves, snow boots and thermal underwear for the time being. While sweltering heat is not exactly welcome news, it hardly comes as a surprise. It is a trifle absurd to complain about the heat in Thailand. After all, that's what happens in the tropics -- it gets a bit steamy.
Japan women don't just need jobs
News, Published on 14/02/2019
» Japan's leaders seem happy to rest the country's fate on the shoulders of its women. Prime Minister Shinzo Abe wants to get more of them out of the home to compensate for a shrinking workforce. His deputy Taro Aso, on the other hand, had to apologise recently after blaming them for not having enough kids. I can hear women secretly seethe, "What now, they want us to work, have kids and take care of husbands?" (Male participation in chores is notoriously low in Japan.)
Stay ignorant or learn some history
Life, Suwitcha Chaiyong, Published on 11/02/2019
» A couple of weeks ago, Pichayapa "Namsai" Natha, a member of BNK48, became a hot topic on social media when she wore a T-shirt bearing the Nazi swastika during a concert rehearsal. Following the ensuing uproar, the singer publicly apologised in tears, admitting she'd made a mistake, and had been ignorant of what the image symbolised.
Time to end the detention of children
News, Vitit Muntarbhorn, Published on 29/01/2019
» The beginning of last week witnessed the signing ceremony of the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) on the Determination of Measures and Approaches Alternative to Detention of Children in Immigration Detention Centres by seven key agencies in Thailand, namely: the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the Ministry of Social Development, the Ministry of Interior, the Ministry of Education, the Ministry of Health, the Ministry of Labour and the national police (which deals with immigration).
Halting child trafficking remains tricky
News, Vitit Muntarbhorn, Published on 19/11/2018
» One of the positive developments in Thailand in recent years has been the governmental commitment to eradicate human trafficking. It has been complemented by a spate of court cases against human traffickers, with some evident successes. Yet, there remains a challenging situation, particularly where children are the victims, compounded by the complexity of a transfrontier situation and the opacity of the vested interests behind the sex market.
Rule by law
News, Alan Dawson, Published on 18/11/2018
» As RoboCop said to arch villain Clarence Boddicker in the climactic scene of the original movie: "I'm not arresting you any more." Rather than bringing them to justice, the green shirts now hope to be able merely to bring the world's only brother-sister fugitive ex-prime minister duo to heel.
Rap shines light on regime's archaic thinking
News, Wasant Techawongtham, Published on 10/11/2018
» A couple of days ago I got over my reluctance and clicked on the new rap song on YouTube.