Showing 1 - 10 of 58
Regime had time, but they blew it
News, Umesh Pandey, Published on 01/04/2018
» Former prime minister siblings Thaksin and Yingluck Shinawatra seem to have hit a nerve once again with their visit to Japan this week, where the former premier said he expects the Pheu Thai Party to sweep the polls -- if and when they are held.
Singapore has head in the clouds
Oped, Umesh Pandey, Published on 11/02/2018
» If anyone asks me to name a country in this region that stands out for its futuristic thinking and ability to achieve its goals, then the only country that comes to my mind is Singapore. The island state that has been independent for just over five decades has achieved success that has surpassed the expectations of many historians and possibly even the founding fathers of the nation. From being a small island in the Malaysian Peninsula that relied heavily on the mainland, to being self-dependent and overtaking its neighbours in every way possible, today Singapore stands as the epitome of what will and determination can do for a nation.
Government must finally keep poll promise
News, Umesh Pandey, Published on 31/12/2017
» As we come to an end of an eventful year that marked changes Thailand has not seen in decades, the country and the world is looking upon the military to live up to its promises of holding elections and handing back power to the rightful owners -- the Thai people.
Thailand must pass English test
News, Umesh Pandey, Published on 12/11/2017
» It would not come as a surprise to anybody that the latest English proficiency index showed that Thailand's standing remained close to where it was a year ago. Thailand was ranked 53rd out of 80 non-native English-speaking countries and territories in the EF English Proficiency Index 2017. This was a slight improvement from its 56th position out of 72 countries in 2016 and 62nd place out of 70 countries in 2015.
Consumers still lack confidence
News, Umesh Pandey, Published on 03/09/2017
» For those readers who have not read the business stories over the past week, let me recap some of the interesting issues that were written about by our intrepid business writers. Stories such as the Revenue Department coming out to openly state that their tax collection for the first 10 months of the fiscal year (October 2016 to July 2017) was 4% below the target came as a shock to many. The reason given for the shortfall was the lower collection of value added tax (VAT) that you and I pay for consuming.
Censors should not go 'OTT'
News, Umesh Pandey, Published on 11/06/2017
» The decision by the National Broadcasting and Telecommunication Commission (NBTC) to more strictly regulate over-the-top (OTT) services comes as a welcome move for those who want to see these companies pay their dues.
Decisive and diversified
Asia focus, Umesh Pandey, Published on 24/04/2017
» Many critics wrote off Kumar Mangalam Birla when he took the helm of one of India's leading businesses as a 28-year-old rookie. But the reviews in recent years have been mostly positive for the man who has helped build a conglomerate that is among the world leaders in the fields in which it operates.
Valuable lessons from falling ranking
News, Umesh Pandey, Published on 19/03/2017
» Many of my friends were excited to see their universities continue to rule the charts in Thailand when the annual ranking of universities in Asia was announced late last week. The jubilation of those graduating from the likes of Mahidol, King Mongkut's University of Technology Thonburi (KMUTT) or Chulalongkorn University was all good, but little did anyone appreciate that all of these revered institutions actually saw their rankings slip from the previous survey.
Heads may roll over temple saga
News, Umesh Pandey, Published on 19/02/2017
» The past week saw Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha use the superpower of Section 44 for the 127th time since he seized power in May 2014. Its latest use declared the area of Wat Phra Dhammakaya and its vicinity as a "specially controlled zone" after authorities had tried in vain to summon Phra Dhammajayo, the elusive former abbot of the temple.
Thailand must clean up its act
News, Umesh Pandey, Published on 29/01/2017
» On Wednesday the government of Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha saw a bombshell drop in its lap when Transparency International announced the corruption rankings for 176 countries.