Showing 61 - 70 of 85
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.
TPB chief gets to work
News, Editorial, Published on 11/10/2017
» The dynamic and sometimes controversial leader of the newly formed Tourism Police Bureau (TPB) is off to a roaring start. Pol Maj Gen Surachet Hakpan led heavily publicised raids on Koh Samui last week. This week he's in Phuket, targeting what he calls "mafia operations" on that tourist-friendly island. The high-profile Pol Maj Gen Surachet is making current headlines but there are questions about his priorities.
Out of touch with reality
News, Editorial, Published on 30/09/2017
» The Ministry of Labour's recent review of the 1979 royal decree that bans foreigners in Thailand from 39 types of jobs appears to be a promising step. Seen as a protectionist measure, the law is not just out of touch with reality but also not sensible.
Prejudice in labour law
News, Editorial, Published on 08/07/2017
» Notwithstanding the public outcry over its punitive and oppressive nature, the executive decree on migrant labour management was upgraded into an act on Thursday.
In better shape but still much to do
News, Editorial, Published on 02/07/2017
» The omnipresent sight of construction works on the streets of Bangkok comes in stark contrast to the situation 20 years ago when the Bank of Thailand was forced to devalue the baht during the financial meltdown.
Education reform should start early
News, Editorial, Published on 18/06/2017
» Will the presence of international universities be a solution to help Thai higher education respond to the challenges that come with regional economic cooperation?
Waiting for Beijing's clout
News, Editorial, Published on 15/03/2017
» North Korea has once again stirred up trouble with illegal acts and murderous violence. No sooner had it embroiled three Asean nations in its literally toxic assassination of the dear leader's half-brother in Malaysia than it started yet another round of ballistic missile tests.
How to make a terrorist
News, Editorial, Published on 17/01/2017
» The continuing military operations in western Myanmar have triggered a major humanitarian crisis. More than 65,000 refugees have fled an army and paramilitary police crackdown aimed specifically at Rohingya people and villages. Myanmar's de facto leader and foreign minister, Aung San Suu Kyi, sent a special envoy to Bangladesh last week to discuss the border crisis. But a parallel danger has emerged in the form of a Bengali terrorist group seeking to cause more problems.
'Safety last' too common
News, Editorial, Published on 20/12/2016
» A pair of incidents late last week pinpointed a serious chain of failures which have become all too common. An attempt to tear down an old building in Bangkok failed completely, when the building collapsed and killed four workers, injuring others. Just a day later, an "adventure tourism" attraction in Chiang Mai failed. A zipline ride turned into a horror show and injured three foreign tourists.
Crisis a threat to Asean unity
Oped, Editorial, Published on 09/12/2016
» The Rohingya crisis involving violence against the Muslim ethnic minority in Myanmar has become a challenge to Asean unity.