• BUSINESS

  Riches beyond resources

  Asia focus, Umesh Pandey, Published on 15/01/2018

  » 'Come, come, grab a seat. We've each been taking turns talking about what we've seen in Thailand over the past week, the lessons we've learned and how we can apply them in life or business."

• OPINION

  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.

• OPINION

  VAT increase low on govt priorities

  News, Umesh Pandey, Published on 21/05/2017

  » The rubber-stamp parliament of the coup leaders gave Thai people yet another scare over the past week when it announced it was looking to raise value-added tax (VAT) by another percentage point.

• OPINION

  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.

• OPINION

  PM should show courage in cabinet reshuffle

  Oped, Umesh Pandey, Published on 09/12/2016

  » Speculation about who will be in and who will be out of the next cabinet of Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha has begun again and its intensity will only increase in coming weeks.

• BUSINESS

  The 6,700 and the rest of us

  Asia focus, Umesh Pandey, Published on 01/12/2014

  » As Asia's economic growth powers ahead thanks to the global shift of momentum to this part of the world, a key challenge confronting many nations is the rising disparity between the haves and the have-nots.

• BUSINESS

  Determination down under

  Asia focus, Umesh Pandey, Published on 26/05/2014

  » It’s not unusual to be kept waiting for 30 minutes for a meeting with a high-profile politician. The time allows the visitor to think about the person he’s about to meet, and to review the things he’d like to discuss.

• BUSINESS

  More to explore

  Asia focus, Umesh Pandey, Published on 17/03/2014

  » Walking into the office of one of the largest foreign investors in Thailand, few people might notice the array of tea leaves stacked up in containers in the corner of the room.

• LIFE

  Diplomacy in demand

  Asia focus, Umesh Pandey, Published on 21/01/2013

  » Picking up a mechanical cockroach on the table of his office, Ambassador Shigekazu Sato shows off some of the little creature’s moves, saying he is not too fond of things that are static.

• BUSINESS

  No turning back

  Business, Umesh Pandey, Published on 14/05/2012

  » As Aung San Suu Kyi, new passport in hand, prepares for her first trip out of Myanmar in nearly a quarter century, investors and analysts are flocking in, hoping that recent gestures of democratic reform will prevail.

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