Showing 1 - 10 of 25
Thai army needs to march to a new tune
Oped, Anchalee Kongrut, Published on 13/05/2023
» I always get feelings of fear when I hear the army's famous propaganda song, Nak Paendin, which in Thai means "burden of the country". As a child born during the 1970s, this song reminds me of military putsches.
Thailand's crisis communication needs rethinking
Oped, Anchalee Kongrut, Published on 08/10/2022
» The renewed interest in transistor radios is just so bemusing, even to those who own a set and use it for news updates like myself.
Activist: 'Prayut as democracy hero' book a lie
News, Anchalee Kongrut, Published on 19/04/2018
» Firebrand activist Srisuwan Janya has vowed to sue the Fine Arts Department if it fails to recalls a book called the History of Thailand, which depicts coup maker and Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha as a patron of democracy.
November poll dreams may turn to dust
News, Anchalee Kongrut, Published on 19/01/2018
» The general election is just 311 days away -- as long as the National Council for Peace and Order (NCPO) keeps to its promise and sticks to the timetable for the political roadmap to democracy so the poll can proceed in November.
Regime must do better for forest people
News, Anchalee Kongrut, Published on 22/05/2017
» Today marks three years since the junta government took control over the Land of Smiles. Many of us might be counting every minute, waiting impatiently for the day we can cast the ballot again, while others may wish the junta would remain in power for another five years to complete its "return happiness" mission.
Double-edged sword called Section 44
News, Anchalee Kongrut, Published on 06/03/2017
» At first, the interim charter's Section 44 appears like a hidden sword that a knight in shining armour brings out only to fight a justifiable cause. Indeed, Prime Minister Gen Prayut Chan-o-cha makes us believe so. Power and force will be used when necessary and applied constructively, we are told.
Predicting the unpredictable
Asia focus, Anchalee Kongrut, Published on 13/02/2017
» With no political track record to speak of, Donald Trump is confounding the analysts attempting to forecast what the US president will do next. Everyone is on a steep learning curve, but the early lessons are that the billionaire reality TV star has a penchant for throwing away the playbook, disdains multilateralism, and is absolutely determined to deliver on campaign promises that many observers thought were just slogans.
New books worth reading
Life, Anchalee Kongrut, Published on 29/12/2016
» From Dust To Dust: A Journalist's Memoir
The man, his maps, and his people
News, Anchalee Kongrut, Published on 17/10/2016
» The King rarely smiled -- that was the broad perception of many people about the late monarch, presumably gained from his appearance in news photos or video footage. "The King never smiles" is the perception of a Western writer who scripted a controversial book about him. But for millions of Thais, his solemn face did not matter. The presence of His Majesty King Bhumibol Adulyadej, or even a thought about of him, brought smiles to their own faces.
Roiling on the river
Life, Anchalee Kongrut, Published on 11/10/2016
» Yossapon Somboon is staring out at the Chao Phraya. He's standing at Phra Sumen Fort on Phra Athit Road, with its green park that offers one of the best spots to look at the river. There is a giant cork tree. There are slopes and well designed terraces where visitors come in the evening to rest, picnic or just look at the water. Nearby is the ancient fort, a traditional community -- a tranquil scene, a pocket of peace in the bustling capital.