Showing 1 - 10 of 3,968
The war and its likely consequences
Oped, Thitinan Pongsudhirak, Published on 17/04/2026
» As the joint attack between the United States and Israel against Iran that resulted in a wider regional conflict in the Middle East approaches its two-month mark, the directions of the war remain precarious while some of the longer-lasting consequences appear evident. Unsurprisingly, the war has been detrimental and damaging for all states and societies concerned, not just within the affected region but the wider world. Already we can start counting some of the long-term costs.
Climate fixation fails world's poor
Oped, Bjorn Lomborg, Published on 17/04/2026
» This week in Washington, more than 10,000 delegates, finance ministers, and central bankers are gathering for the World Bank and IMF Spring Meetings. Their stated goal: accelerate global development, drive economic growth, and lift billions out of poverty.
When will the IMF ever learn?
Oped, Timothy Kaldas, Published on 16/04/2026
» This year's International Monetary Fund Spring Meetings come at a time of heightened economic uncertainty and intense scrutiny of the institution's capabilities and approach. Critics on the left argue that the IMF imposes regressive austerity measures on borrowers, exacerbating poverty, hampering economic growth, and undermining their ability to achieve debt sustainability. On the right, US President Donald Trump's administration has accused the IMF of "mission creep," claiming that it has strayed from its core mandate of maintaining macroeconomic stability.
Oil shock risks wider chain reaction
Oped, Chartchai Parasuk, Published on 16/04/2026
» There is no such thing as a free lunch. When global oil prices rise sharply, as they are doing now, someone must bear the cost. Some countries choose to absorb it through government support, as in Japan, while others pass the burden on to consumers, as in Thailand. Neither approach is inherently right or wrong; each carries different economic consequences. Policymakers must decide which set of outcomes is more acceptable and act accordingly.
Suu Kyi, media bias and morality
News, Fergus Harlow, Published on 11/04/2026
» History rarely collapses in an instant; more often, it is quietly rewritten until reality itself feels negotiable. In the years leading up to Myanmar's 2021 coup, a story took shape in the international imagination -- one that cast Aung San Suu Kyi not as a constrained civilian leader navigating a military-dominated state, but as a symbol of moral failure.
Temple aid halt signals deeper crisis
News, Anucha Charoenpo, Published on 11/04/2026
» Wat Suan Kaew in Nonthaburi's Bang Yai district has announced a temporary suspension of its long-running social charity programmes for needy groups due to mounting financial pressures.
Rethink handouts
Oped, Postbag, Published on 10/04/2026
» Re: "Co-pay scheme misses mark", (Editorial, April 5).
Countering the fallacy of the buffer zone
Oped, Daoud Kuttab, Published on 10/04/2026
» Territorial buffers rarely, if ever, deliver the peace and security their advocates promise. After the collapse of the USSR, Ukraine was seen as a neutral cordon between Russia and Nato. Instead, it became a zone of increasingly fierce geopolitical contention, followed by open war.
Modern-day mispricing of war
Oped, Antara Haldar, Published on 09/04/2026
» In the space of just a few weeks, the throttling of shipping traffic through the Strait of Hormuz has revealed the true nature of the US-Israeli war with Iran. This is no regional conflict, because the entire world is being invoiced. While the size of the bill remains to be determined, it is already obvious that the belligerents won't be the only ones paying the tab.
Asean banks face climate pressure
Oped, Rachel Ho, Published on 08/04/2026
» The global oil and gas crisis is worsening. Amid the Middle East war, the central banks of countries in Southeast Asia must address a perfect storm of rising fuel prices, cost-of-living pressures, and worsening impacts of climate disasters.