Showing 1 - 9 of 9
Reconfiguring Thailand's constitution
Oped, Vitit Muntarbhorn, Published on 18/01/2024
» A key debate this year will be the question of constitutional reform. The current constitution -- the 20th -- is the product of a coup d'etat.
Thailand's interface with new FTAs
News, Vitit Muntarbhorn, Published on 21/12/2023
» The power of data in the expanding panorama of digital trade is becoming an essential component of commercial relations, especially recent free trade areas (FTAs). As Thailand is now exploring new agreements on its western flank (such as with South Asia, Gulf countries and Europe) and on its eastern flank (such as with Pacific rim countries, interlinking with the Indian Ocean), what are some of the stakes deserving careful reflection?
Building bridges from Asia to Africa the right way
Oped, Vitit Muntarbhorn, Published on 29/04/2023
» The quest to build bridges between Asia and Africa is longstanding. A Chinese Admiral -- Zheng He -- led a series of voyages from East Asia to East Africa, down to Kenya and possibly Zanzibar, from the year 1405. The ships he navigated were enormous -- about 400 feet long and 100 feet wide (122 metres by 30.5m) -- especially when compared with Christopher Columbus' Santa Maria, which was about 70 feet long. For centuries, people have also migrated and traded between the two regions.
Calling Thai domestic abuse to account
Oped, Vitit Muntarbhorn, Published on 04/08/2022
» Developing societies (including Thailand) have enjoyed the presence of extended families, in contrast with the smaller unit of nuclear families. This broader coverage, encompassing not only the parents and children but also grandparents and other dependants, has offered a social safety net to support family members. Yet, that extended unit has now been disintegrating for some time, compounded by the stress due to Covid-19. What then are the areas needing more attention to tackle the changing scenario?
Heed the global messages against discrimination
News, Vitit Muntarbhorn, Published on 03/02/2022
» The past couple of months have seen two global developments sending strong messages against discrimination and exclusion. On Jan 13, the UN General Assembly adopted by consensus a key resolution against denial of the Holocaust, advocating stronger action against such a refutation on an international level.
A multi-track strategy for North Korea
Oped, Vitit Muntarbhorn, Published on 01/09/2021
» North Korea or the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK) has been a conundrum for the international community for over half a century. Cloistered and undemocratic, the power base keeps a tight rein over its population with heavy surveillance and pervasive constraints. The latest news that recently it restarted to activate its nuclear facility at Yongbyon is most disturbing, as the United Nations Security Council (UNSC) has already imposed sanctions on the country to end its nuclearisation. Is there any strategy to deal with the country in an engaging manner?
Perils of 'national security' in virus era
News, Vitit Muntarbhorn, Published on 02/06/2020
» National security -- coupled with public health -- has been invoked in many countries to justify actions to curb the spread of Covid-19. It has led to a variety of actions, including curfews, lockdown, quarantine and other measures to stem the tide of the novel coronavirus disease. This is, therefore, not only the right time to validate its use, but also to recalibrate its scope and application, in order to ensure and maintain a sense of reasonableness and equilibrium.
Time to end the detention of children
News, Vitit Muntarbhorn, Published on 29/01/2019
» The beginning of last week witnessed the signing ceremony of the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) on the Determination of Measures and Approaches Alternative to Detention of Children in Immigration Detention Centres by seven key agencies in Thailand, namely: the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the Ministry of Social Development, the Ministry of Interior, the Ministry of Education, the Ministry of Health, the Ministry of Labour and the national police (which deals with immigration).
How Thailand can proceed with ambitious SDGs
News, Vitit Muntarbhorn, Published on 11/09/2017
» Two years ago, the Sustainable Developments Goals (SDGs) were adopted by the global community at the United Nations General Assembly to guide global development for 2015-2030, encompassing all countries. They came hot on the heels of the UN's more modest Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) set for 2000-2015.