• OPINION

  Yingluck gone but populism sticks around

  News, Anchalee Kongrut, Published on 30/08/2017

  » Ousted premier Yingluck Shinawatra has gone -- some might say -- with the wind. And the way she fled the country was so sly, like a Hollywood film noir where the femme fatale coolly sashays out of the scene having outwitted everyone.

• OPINION

  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.

• OPINION

  Forget coal and embrace Energy 3.0

  News, Anchalee Kongrut, Published on 20/02/2017

  » The protesters are clad in green T-shirts. They raise banners which read "No Coal", "Save the Environment". The place is Government House. The scene feels like deja vu. I have to pinch myself as it seems like I am back in the late 90s, a time when environmental protests were frequent across the country.

• OPINION

  Of me, my wellness and ThaiHealth

  News, Anchalee Kongrut, Published on 21/01/2016

  » The name "ThaiHealth" (Thai Health Foundation), a public organisation well oiled by "sin taxes" from cigarettes and alcohol companies, has become the talk of the town. The glare of the spotlight came early this month when Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha invoked Section 44 of the interim charter to sack seven of its board members for alleged "conflicts of interest".

• OPINION

  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.

• OPINION

  Flood response conductor in sea of disharmony

  News, Anchalee Kongrut, Published on 26/09/2019

  » Only after tropical storms Podul and Kajiki flooded many provinces in the North and Northeast for a month did the government finally wake up, announcing on Tuesday that it would set up a "war room" to tackle the problem.

• OPINION

  Public enemy No.1: Extreme poverty

  News, Anchalee Kongrut, Published on 29/12/2017

  » When I look back through 2017, "Thailand 4.0" seems to be the most frequently used buzzword of the government this year. We have repeatedly heard and seen authorities' attempts to "digitalise" the economy and various services.

• OPINION

  Nice try, but policy doesn't hold water

  News, Anchalee Kongrut, Published on 14/08/2017

  » It seems like the latest flooding in the Northeast still haunts Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha. Last week he decided he would make use of his sweeping powers under Section 44 of the interim charter to form a new national water management unit.

• OPINION

  Why Hong Kong matters

  Asia focus, Anchalee Kongrut, Published on 03/07/2017

  » Twenty years ago on the evening of June 30, all eyes turned to Hong Kong as the tiny territory, known as a regional financial hub, global toy manufacturer and epitome of a free society, was returned to mainland China after 155 years of British rule. As a fan of the city and a regular visitor, I still remember that emotionally charged day.

• OPINION

      An election singing the same old tune

  News, Anchalee Kongrut, Published on 05/06/2017

  » The harsh public criticism against Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha and his "four questions" gives an impression that people in country look forward to an election. Putting aside the fact that some politicians can be unscrupulous, or there might be a possibility of street demonstrations, it appears people are willing to give democracy a chance. After all, it is my belief that Thais have special relations with democracy.

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