Showing 1 - 10 of 4,171
Clean air reform stalls
Oped, Editorial, Published on 29/04/2026
» The government of Prime Minister Anutin Charnvirakul has yet to decide whether to keep the current Clean Air Bill for deliberation during the parliamentary session. Cabinet has to make a decision by May 13 on whether to put the current version of the Clean Air Bill into parliament's legislative reading process. If not, the current draft -- developed over years of effort by civic groups and political parties -- could be discarded.
'Paris of the East' turns 'Concrete Oven'
Oped, Drew B Mallory, Published on 29/04/2026
» If you stand on the banks of the Khlong Saen Saep today, near the glossy high-rises of Wireless Road, you are witnessing a battle for the soul of Bangkok. On one hand, you see the future: concrete embankments and new walkways, part of a government push to connect the city in the vein of European capitals or our neighbour, Singapore. On the other hand, you see the ghosts of the past: fresh stumps of rain trees that stood for decades, severed to make way for the very cement intended to "beautify" the city. It is a paradox that defines modern Bangkok. We are a city desperate to be green, yet addicted to grey.
Donald Trump and his tragedy of errors
Oped, Joseph E. Stiglitz, Published on 29/04/2026
» It is true, as Alexander Pope once said, that to err is human. But while everyone is fallible, some humans are more prone to error than others. The history of authoritarian and absolutist political rule is rife with figures whose mistakes proved calamitous not just for themselves but for the societies they ruled.
A bridge too far
Oped, Postbag, Published on 29/04/2026
» Re: "Singapore eyes bridge potential", (BP, April 28) & Land Bridge plan due for cabinet", (BP, April 26). PM Anutin Charnvirakul says the proposed southern Land Bridge project is suddenly vital due to a temporary shift in global trade routes. Of course, such a quickly grabbed upon straw is put forth by politicians in their blind adoration of public–private partnerships, the mother of all graft mechanisms. What else have they got?
Thailand's need for AI sovereignty
Oped, Craig Warren Smith, Published on 29/04/2026
» Thailand is building a serious AI policy architecture. Last year, the National AI Committee, formed by then Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra and Digital Economic Minister Prasert Jantararuangtong, initiated drafting a unified AI law, officially known as the Draft Principles of the Artificial Intelligence Law.
Anutin govt faces three diplomatic tests
Oped, Kavi Chongkittavorn, Published on 28/04/2026
» Less than three weeks into office, Prime Minister Anutin Charnvirakul has signalled three immediate foreign and security priorities: managing tensions with Cambodia, addressing unrest in the country's southern border provinces, and quietly preparing for a more active role in Myanmar.
Work stress needs more attention
Oped, Kaori Nakamura-Osaka, Published on 28/04/2026
» A delivery rider works 14 hours a day to meet algorithm-driven targets. A factory worker quietly endures relentless pressure and harassment. A middle-aged manager pushes away thoughts of suicide resulting from stress.
Volunteer firefighters left to plight
News, Sanitsuda Ekachai, Published on 27/04/2026
» They die quietly, one by one, doing the forest officials' job, rewarded with little more than praise that masks state hypocrisy.
Visa change misses mark
News, Editorial, Published on 27/04/2026
» The government's plan to cut visa-free stays from 60 days to 30 is more than a routine policy adjustment. The U-turn exposes a deeper uncertainty at the heart of its tourism strategy.
A temple graft turning point
Editorial, Published on 26/04/2026
» The 50-year jail term handed down last week to the former abbot of Wat Rai Khing is as harsh as it is telling. The court rightly called it a grave offence.