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  • OPINION

    Somkid's stimulus plan an invitation to more debt

    News, Sawai Boonma, Published on 02/09/2015

    » The cabinet on Tuesday endorsed the emergency economic stimulus package proposed by the new team under the leadership of economic czar Deputy Prime Minister Somkid Jatusripitak.

  • OPINION

    Four horsemen of Thai democracy ride on apathy

    News, Sawai Boonma, Published on 03/06/2015

    » We are presumably more than half done with yet another constitution. Not counting the temporary ones issued after the many coup d'etats, this will be the 17th since absolute monarchy was abolished in 1932. Debates have been raging whether the new constitution will — finally — help Thailand reach its goal of being governed by democratic principles.  I think not, for these reasons.

  • OPINION

    Brazil's energy industry woes offer cautionary tales

    News, Sawai Boonma, Published on 04/03/2015

    » Compared to other leading developing countries, including the big four often grouped together and labeled Bric — Brazil, Russia, India and China — Brazil is much better off and should be doing far better.

  • OPINION

    Coup-makers must lead by example

    News, Sawai Boonma, Published on 04/06/2014

    » Every military intervention is costly and the current one is no exception. It costs a lot of money to keep soldiers on the streets, and their presence spooks tourists and investors, and interrupts the process of democratic development.

  • OPINION

    Generals must lead way with sufficiency economy focus

    News, Sawai Boonma, Published on 02/07/2014

    » The timetable is set. If the generals keep their word, the country will hold parliamentary elections sometime late next year. Until then, they will be running an interim government as well as working with a constitution drafting committee and a national reform assembly to draw up ground rules and an agenda for governing and developing the country in the years to come.

  • OPINION

    Judging Thai women on the words of Jimmy Carter

    News, Sawai Boonma, Published on 02/04/2014

    » I am an admirer of Jimmy Carter, due largely to what he has done since leaving the office of US president in January 1981. Instead of leading a comfortable and quiet life or focusing on making a lot of money by using his political connections as many prominent American politicians do and, in the process, tarnishing the glow of democracy and market economy, Mr Carter has been doing things largely for the benefit of others. The 2002 Nobel Peace Prize is testimony to his good deeds.

  • OPINION

    Getting rid of the government is the easy part

    News, Sawai Boonma, Published on 04/12/2013

    » Ask any of the participants in the massive anti-government rallies about their purpose, and the answer is likely to be to get rid of something called "Thaksinocracy". When asked what it means, the answer varies, but may be roughly grouped along these five "cracies".

  • OPINION

    Face of change needs more than a mask

    News, Sawai Boonma, Published on 05/06/2013

    » Wearing a Guy Fawkes mask as a way of holding one's nose against the government seems to have caught on.

  • OPINION

    We're not even close to achieving democracy

    News, Sawai Boonma, Published on 03/07/2013

    » With the government of Cuba relaxing many aspects of its rule, one may be tempted to conclude that democracy will soon completely triumph over dictatorship, just over two decades after the fall of the Berlin Wall. That, however, is hardly the case, according to William J Dobson.

  • OPINION

    Pawning rice is worse than pawning Thailand

    News, Sawai Boonma, Published on 05/12/2012

    » Since the launching of the rice-pawning scheme a few months ago ("pawning" is not only a correct translation of the Thai word jam nam but also reflects the sense of the scheme better than the "pledging" that many writers have used), two areas have been analysed most thoroughly: its potential impact on the budget and national debt, resulting from the large losses that will occur, and the corruption that is due to happen at various steps of the scheme. Some analysts go so far as to say that losses from this scheme will bankrupt the country and pawning rice is tantamount to pawning the country.

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