• OPINION

  Myanmar revolts against dictatorship

  Oped, Thitinan Pongsudhirak, Published on 02/02/2024

  » When Myanmar's military coup took place three years ago, few thought it would turn out this way. Never has a military in Southeast Asia staged a successful coup and then failed to consolidate power afterwards. Yet this is precisely what's happening in Myanmar. A fierce and determined coalition of resistance forces is in the process of prevailing over Myanmar's battle-hardened army.

• OPINION

  No losers, two winners in Taiwan poll

  Oped, Thitinan Pongsudhirak, Published on 26/01/2024

  » Among elections in Asia this year, Taiwan's is no less consequential, not just for the island country's political future but also for the United States-China rivalry and broader geopolitics. In the event, the results from the Jan 13 general election in Taiwan ended up with no major losers among the main contenders and two big wins for democracy in Asia and the geopolitical status quo.

• OPINION

  Asian elections, democracy in 2024

  Oped, Thitinan Pongsudhirak, Published on 29/12/2023

  » Billed as the biggest election year ever as more than half of the global population goes to the polls, 2024 will be critical to the debate about democratisation and autocratisation. Asia will lead the way with elections in India, Bangladesh, Pakistan, and Indonesia, while the most recent polls in Myanmar and Thailand offer long-term lessons about democracy and dictatorship. The salient themes next year will be about the self-perpetuating tendencies of incumbent regimes and the resilience of democratic rule when authoritarianism seemed to have the upper hand.

• OPINION

  Thailand's semi-democracy returns

  Oped, Thitinan Pongsudhirak, Published on 01/12/2023

  » The appointment of Gen Prayut Chan-o-cha as privy councillor has neatly bookended Thai politics over the past decade. It coincides with the 10-year anniversary of the street demonstrations that were led by the People's Democratic Reform Committee, paving the way for Gen Prayut to stage a military coup in May 2014. While the interim was a period of hard and soft military-authoritarian rule in 2014-19 and 2019-23, the new moving balance in Thai politics is a semi-democracy of sorts under the Pheu Thai Party-led coalition government.

• OPINION

  A Thai view on the Hamas-Israel war

  Oped, Thitinan Pongsudhirak, Published on 20/10/2023

  » The Palestinians' longstanding and legitimate grievances have been irrevocably subverted by Hamas' brazen attack against Israel on Oct 7. Unlike previous rounds of conflicts and clashes between Israel and the Palestinians on the one hand and neighbouring Arab states on the other, Thailand has become a direct casualty like never before, as 30 Thai workers have been killed to date, with at least 16 injured and 17 taken hostage. As a militant political movement motivated by Islamic fundamentalism using methods of terrorism to achieve its objectives, Hamas has made a bad name for the Palestinian cause, eliciting condemnation and opposition all the way over here in Thailand.

• OPINION

  Reversing Myanmar's internal strife

  Oped, Thitinan Pongsudhirak, Published on 10/02/2023

  » This month marks two anniversaries of ongoing conflicts in Europe and Southeast Asia, namely 12 months after Russia invaded Ukraine and two years since Myanmar's military seized power by toppling a democratically elected and civilian-led government under Aung San Suu Kyi.

• OPINION

  US shoots itself in foot over Taiwan

  Oped, Thitinan Pongsudhirak, Published on 05/08/2022

  » Even pro-democracy critics of China’s authoritarian ways would have to call United States House Speaker Nancy Pelosi’s visit to Taiwan an undue provocation that ended up as a lose-lose outcome for all concerned, including the 82-year-old congresswoman. Everything about it was misguided and self-indulgent, designed for domestic consumption in the US rather than regional peace and security in Asia. The US, by way of Mrs Pelosi, has unnecessarily shot itself in the foot big time, leaving regional states and societies to deal with the consequences.

• OPINION

  Myanmar military fails sovereignty test

  Oped, Thitinan Pongsudhirak, Published on 04/02/2022

  » After seizing power from an elected civilian government on Feb 1 last year, Myanmar's military junta under the State Administration Council (SAC) has fallen short of the four categories that constitute the definition of a sovereign state.

• OPINION

  Japan's post-Covid regional dilemma

  Oped, Thitinan Pongsudhirak, Published on 21/01/2022

  » Among the major powers that are moving forward with an eye on the post-pandemic era, when Covid-19 will eventually become an endemic with flu-like manageability, Japan is second to none. The visit last week by its minister of economy, trade, and industry (METI), Koichi Hagiuda, made front-page news in Bangkok, following similarly notable media coverage in Jakarta and Singapore. But while it has played a critical role in Asean's economic development and regional security, Japan's Indo-Pacific geostrategic environment has become adverse with more downside risks.

• OPINION

  Give Asean seat to Myanmar opposition

  Oped, Thitinan Pongsudhirak, Published on 22/10/2021

  » Nearly nine months after its forceful takeover of the country from a legitimately elected civilian government, Myanmar's military has shown that it is one thing to seize power but an entirely different reality to consolidate and impose control.

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