Showing 1 - 10 of 10
Thailand's unfinished 'Lodi' journey
News, Peerasit Kamnuansilpa, Published on 24/11/2025
» It all began with a song. "Lodi", written by John Fogerty and sung by Creedence Clearwater Revival, tells of a musician stranded in a small town -- out of luck but not out of hope. "Oh Lord," he sings, "stuck in Lodi again".
From FDI to homegrown growth
Oped, Peerasit Kamnuansilpa, Published on 11/09/2025
» For decades, Thailand has leaned heavily on foreign direct investment (FDI) as the engine of growth. That strategy once delivered jobs and exports, but today it yields diminishing returns. Inflows are volatile, competitiveness is slipping, and dependence on external capital leaves the economy vulnerable to global shocks. Thailand must change course.
Thailand still has chance to shine
Oped, Peerasit Kamnuansilpa, Published on 31/07/2025
» Thailand's economy is losing momentum. Growth rates have steadily declined, from 7.2% in 2012 to just 1.9% in 2023. Without a new vision for development, the country faces the real possibility of becoming stuck in permanent stagnation. The absence of bold leadership and structural reform has left Thailand vulnerable, while its regional peers -- Singapore, China, and South Korea -- surge ahead. These countries have demonstrated that visionary and compassionate leadership, combined with political reform and good governance, can transform the economic fortunes of an entire nation.
Rethinking leadership in Thailand
News, Peerasit Kamnuansilpa, Published on 14/06/2025
» Thailand stands at a development crossroads. On the surface, the nation has invested heavily in education, innovation, and technical training. Each year, it produces a new wave of high-achieving graduates, particularly in the fields of science and technology. Yet, the country remained mired in a persistent middle-income trap. The question is not whether Thailand has talent, but whether it has the institutional culture and civic direction to channel that talent into meaningful national progress.
Lessons and hopes from May 11 poll
Oped, Peerasit Kamnuansilpa, Published on 22/05/2025
» The May 11 municipal elections across Thailand, although extensive in scope, offered little to celebrate in terms of democratic progress. Rather than signalling a political shift or new energy in local governance, the results underscored a deeply familiar pattern: vote buying remains the dominant strategy in Thai politics.
The roadway to enabling governance
Oped, Peerasit Kamnuansilpa, Published on 30/04/2025
» On May 11, communities across Thailand will vote in 2,469 municipal elections. Despite these polls being routine, they are a pivotal test of the country's commitment to moral leadership and enabling governance at the grassroots level.
Progress through decentralisation
Oped, Peerasit Kamnuansilpa, Published on 30/05/2023
» The results of the latest general election have indicated a clear direction that most citizens would like the country to go. However, because of the entrenched power structure, the effort by a coalition of opposition parties to form a new government that could radically transform Thailand may be futile. The first reason is the Election Commission's scrutiny of the claims that Mr Pita Limjaroenrat, the Move Forward Party's leader, owns ITV shares. Second, he may be unable to garner the needed 376 votes from the Senate and parliament. Finally, will the dispute over the House speaker position affect the coalition?
Rescuing Thailand from the middle-income trap
Oped, Peerasit Kamnuansilpa, Published on 07/07/2022
» Eleven years ago this month, Thailand made a laudable achievement by moving from the category of a lower middle-income country to an upper-middle-income country.
Leading by serving, not ruling
News, Peerasit Kamnuansilpa, Published on 24/05/2021
» About two weeks ago, through a Facebook group, more than half a million Thais expressed a desire to leave Thailand to settle down in countries such as the United States, Canada, the United Kingdom, Germany, Sweden, Norway, Australia and New Zealand, among others.
The quest for equity in Thai university rankings
News, Peerasit Kamnuansilpa, Published on 15/10/2018
» In his recent article, "Rankings not be-all, end-all for Thai unis", Mike Hayes astutely addressed the problems in the international university ranking systems vis-à-vis Thai universities, and there is little point in rehashing the faults he correctly brought to light. In his final paragraph, however, he offered an alternative ranking system that would incorporate official rankings but seems to be far more applicable to Thailand by incorporating Thai universities' contribution to local communities, national development and a democratic society.