Showing 1 - 10 of 16
Honour models for democracy
News, Editorial, Published on 18/12/2022
» Since the 1998 ouster of the dictator Suharto -- who ruled Indonesia with an iron fist for over three decades -- the world's fourth most populous nation has undergone a series of rapid changes. Once dependent on foreign aid to exercise its basic functions, Indonesia has firmly established itself as a major economic player in the Asia-Pacific region, with the distinction of being the only Southeast Asian economy to be included in the Group of 20.
District polls may backfire
Oped, Editorial, Published on 13/07/2022
» The landslide victory of Chadchart Sittipunt as city governor was a watershed moment for local politics and decentralisation.
Meritocracy in govt required
Oped, Editorial, Published on 21/08/2021
» The appointment of Boonchob Sutthamanassawong, chief inspector-general at the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment (NRE), to the top position at the Labour Ministry has raised eyebrows. Some observers believe that this appointment is another political manoeuvre to enable the Prayut Chan-o-cha government to maintain the upper hand in the next elections.
Listen to the young
News, Editorial, Published on 19/10/2020
» Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha and the government need to listen to the protesters in order to defuse the rising political tension before it escalates into violence which could seriously destabilise the country.
Who is poor and landless?
News, Editorial, Published on 18/11/2019
» Deputy Agriculture and Cooperatives Minister Thamanat Prompow's decision to grant land reform rights to a local politician appears to be a repeat of a similar scandal, which spelled the end of a Democrat-led coalition government about 24 years ago.
Power is the regime's drug
News, Editorial, Published on 15/05/2019
» If power is as addictive as a drug, the military regime must have been overdosed with its latest appointment of its trusted friends and family members who will run the Senate for the next five years and have a say in the selection of at least two prime ministers.
Election date needed now
News, Editorial, Published on 28/05/2018
» Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha played first cool but now cute with his four-year-old promise of holding general elections. Since 2015, the prime minister has promised numerous times that a parliamentary election would occur "next year". Most recently, on the anniversary of his coup, he waffled again, stating there will be an election "no earlier than" early next year.
Time to set poll dates
News, Editorial, Published on 28/06/2017
» The country's only election for governor is supposed to take place next year. Bangkok is a special case in national administration. All provinces are governed by appointees from the top echelons of the Ministry of Interior bureaucrats, but the capital has elected its own governor since 1975. That is, until now. The current Bangkok governor is a junta appointee, and the election originally scheduled for 2018 is not yet in sight.
Don't rush Thai-Sino rail
News, Editorial, Published on 15/06/2017
» The Prayut Chan-o-cha government is set to use Section 44 to speed up the Thai-Sino railway project which is behind schedule due to legal and technical reasons.
No reason to derail polls
News, Editorial, Published on 01/06/2017
» It was no surprise that the "four questions" raised by Gen Prayut Chan-o-cha last Friday sparked public anxiety about a possible delay to the long-awaited elections. Many interpreted them as a strong hint of a postponement by the premier.