Showing 31 - 40 of 44
Into the very dark depths of quarrying
News, Anchalee Kongrut, Published on 19/07/2017
» The gruesome murder of a village head in Krabi and seven other victims last week shed some light on quarrying in this country.
Asean 4.0
Asia focus, Anchalee Kongrut, Published on 25/09/2017
» The world is in the midst of a digital transformation, and so is the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (Asean). The region of 630 million people has become a strategic battleground for the digital economy, in which established tech giants and startups alike are trying to seize market opportunities.
Is Bangkok savvy enough to become a 'smart city'?
News, Anchalee Kongrut, Published on 24/03/2018
» The "smart city" has become a new buzzword for development policy in the Thailand 4.0 initiative, which would see big cities in the country like Bangkok, Phuket, Chiang Mai, Khon Kaen and the Eastern Economic Corridor, transformed into technology hubs. The government has established the National Smart City Committee and invited various agencies and experts to join. Sarinee Achavanuntakul was one of the experts invited to sit on the committee, but she turned down the military-led invitation. A Harvard graduate economist, Ms Sarinee had worked in banking and investment before opening Sal Forest Co. Ltd, a research firm on corporate sustainability. She has also launched and operates the respected online investigative news Thai Publica website. Her latest research project is about the current capacity of cities in Thailand to handle increasing levels of tourism. Ms Sarinee spoke to City Talk about how unsustainable Bangkok is and how big data and modern technology can help.
Activist: 'Prayut as democracy hero' book a lie
News, Anchalee Kongrut, Published on 19/04/2018
» Firebrand activist Srisuwan Janya has vowed to sue the Fine Arts Department if it fails to recalls a book called the History of Thailand, which depicts coup maker and Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha as a patron of democracy.
Normal folk must play role in graft battle
News, Anchalee Kongrut, Published on 04/05/2018
» Nine, 67, 77 and 250 are numbers that gathered media attention and front-page leads in newspapers last week. No, I'm not talking about lottery number predictions. They are the numbers involved in the welfare funds corruption scandal as demonstrated in a report by the Public Sector Anti-Corruption Commission released last week.
Seeing the forest for the trees, finally
News, Anchalee Kongrut, Published on 22/06/2018
» The exposure of corruption allegedly involving government officials has become part of our daily news feed -- from embezzlement of state welfare funds for the destitute to stealing temple funds and misappropriation of a state budget for school lunches.
Lessons from the Klong Dan court ruling
News, Anchalee Kongrut, Published on 20/07/2018
» Last Friday the 13th must have been horrible for the 11 defendants involved in a court case involving fraud in the 23-billion-baht Klong Dan wastewater treatment project -- a state infrastructure which has been built but left largely unused in Samut Prakan.
Enforce laws to halt rabies' return
News, Anchalee Kongrut, Published on 28/09/2018
» A small village called Ban Nong Khai Hia in Nakhon Ratchasima's Sida district is shrouded with fear.
Bangkok faces its very own 'airpocalypse'
News, Anchalee Kongrut, Published on 02/02/2019
» City schools have been closed. Soldiers have been deployed to check and shut down factories that pollute the air we breathe (but we never find out which factories have been closed!) And our prime minister is acting tough in a desperate bid to combat the PM2.5 haze-causing particles.
Toxic farming chemicals acid test for new govt
News, Anchalee Kongrut, Published on 08/06/2019
» The return to Thai-style democracy will almost certainly see horse-trading among the coalition partners as they scramble for A-grade ministerial postings. For those who are accustomed to Thai politics, the reemergence of this political zeitgeist is hardly a surprise.