Showing 1 - 10 of 162
What chance of draining this swamp?
B Magazine, Andrew Biggs, Published on 23/06/2019
» My commiserations to that poor woman who fell into the sewer on her way to work last Tuesday.
Thailand's tale told via 'The Nation'
News, Thitinan Pongsudhirak, Published on 28/06/2019
» Nearly five decades ago, The Nation newspaper started out as a pro-democracy, anti-military news organisation. It was fiercely independent and invariably hard-hitting vis-à-vis the powers-that-be. An English-language newspaper owned by Thais from the outset, it prided itself for having neither fear nor favour. Its lamentable expiry as a print newspaper today -- an online version will continue -- provides multiple parallels for Thailand's contemporary political history, ongoing polarisation and the changing nature of the business of journalism worldwide.
Admit errors, cure the ills
News, Editorial, Published on 29/06/2019
» Unlike China's communist dictatorship, which has delivered rapid and sustained high economic growth since 1979, Thailand's authoritarian rule over the past five years has presided over only slow growth in the economy.
Rising star Piyabutr will enrage FFP foes
News, Wasant Techawongtham, Published on 29/06/2019
» The first two-day meeting of the House of Representatives this week has probably set the tone for the remainder of the parliamentary session. Opposition debates look set to be hard-hitting, and rebuttals from the government aisle are expected to be equally fierce.
The evolving Thai political fault lines
News, Thitinan Pongsudhirak, Published on 05/07/2019
» Over the past five years under military government, it is clear that Thailand's political polarisation has not been bridged. It has, in fact, expanded into new fault lines. Apart from the longstanding yellows versus reds revolving around supporters and critics of the established political order premised on military, monarchy and bureaucracy, we now have a clear demarcation between pro- and anti-junta and authoritarianism versus democratisation camps. Newer fault lines are generational and ideological in orientation. While some of these divisions are global in nature, bringing them in line towards a new consensus in Thailand will necessitate a kind of leadership and compromise without which the country will be unsettled for the long term.
Army budget out of control
News, Editorial, Published on 06/07/2019
» With Gen Prayut Chan-o-cha's return to power as prime minister and him being tipped to also become the defence minister, the downsizing of the military and defence budget and repealing the military conscription rule -- which were electoral campaign pledges of key opposition parties -- are unlikely to take place.
Thai-US relations in the Indo-Pacific era
News, Kavi Chongkittavorn, Published on 16/07/2019
» When US State Secretary Michael Pompeo stops in Bangkok for a three-day visit at the end of this month, he will find good old ally Thailand is ready to tango. Their relations will no longer be, as in the past, based on reaction and counter-reaction to the cycle of coups. In the past five years, Thailand has survived Western-led sanctions. Now with a civilian government in place, the Kingdom's economic and political dynamism will no longer be curtailed by what was perceived as democratic backsliding and increased authoritarianism.
Huge army spend is self-serving folly
News, Zachary Abuza, Published on 24/07/2019
» It goes without saying but, coups d'état are good for a military's bottom line. According to data recently published by the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (Sipri), the Thai military has benefited handsomely from its repeated interventions in Thai politics.
Give parliamentary politics a chance
News, Thitinan Pongsudhirak, Published on 26/07/2019
» After a five-year hiatus, parliamentary politics returns this week with a constitutionally mandated policy statement by the coalition government of Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha. With government and opposition back at work again, in contrast to the previous military-appointed rubber-stamp legislature under junta rule, Thailand has yet another small window of opportunity to regain and rebuild popular rule.
Army unwilling to yield to democracy
News, Erich Parpart, Published on 31/07/2019
» For the country like Thailand where the military staged two putsches within the past 13 years, a coup d'état should no longer be necessary.