Showing 1 - 10 of 33
Trump's deals are weakening the rule of law
News, Richard K Sherwin, Published on 09/08/2025
» European Union trade commissioner Maros Sefcovic described the recent US-EU trade agreement in unvarnished terms. Agreeing to a 15% tariff on most exports to the United States and promising to purchase $750 billion (24 trillion baht) worth of American energy over three years and to invest another $600 billion in the US (not including an unspecified amount in additional orders of US-made military hardware) was "clearly the best deal we could get."
The climate challenge as a development opportunity
Oped, Navroz K Dubash, Published on 06/06/2025
» When climate change is framed as a global problem requiring collective regulation of greenhouse-gas emissions, developing-country governments see little reason to prioritise the issue over others. After all, the rich, industrialised countries who contributed disproportionately to the problem are themselves backing away from decarbonisation and climate-finance commitments, while low-income countries bear the brunt of the costs of climate change. Decision-makers in developing countries understandably conclude it may be more rational to hunker down and focus on climate resilience rather than emissions reductions.
US can't rely on inflation shamanism
News, James K Galbraith, Published on 23/09/2024
» Google "shamanism" and you will find that it is "a tradition of part-time religious specialists who establish and maintain personalistic relations with specific spirit beings through the use of controlled and culturally scripted altered states of consciousness." Every element of that definition applies to monetary policymaking today, as illustrated by the reaction to the US Federal Reserve's Sept 18 decision to cut the short-term interest rate by 50 basis points.
The role of finance in building resilience
Business, Richard Maloney, Published on 03/09/2024
» As Thailand confronts the pressing challenges of climate change, the role of financial institutions in driving sustainable growth has become increasingly vital. At UOB Thailand, we believe that sustainability must be at the heart of business practices, not just a peripheral concern. Our commitment is to empower small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) in integrating sustainable practices into their operations, ensuring that socioeconomic growth and environmental stewardship advance together.
Myanmar shop owners jailed for raising wages
Br Richard C Paddock, The New York Times, Published on 02/07/2024
» With Myanmar’s currency plunging and inflation soaring, the owner of three mobile phone shops in Mandalay announced he was giving his employees a raise. Word of his generosity quickly spread on Facebook, and his workers cheered the news.
Lower-income nations' jab lessons
Oped, Benjamin Schreiber, Richard Mihigo & Ann Lindstrand, Published on 24/01/2024
» There was a global sigh of relief when the World Health Organization (WHO) declared in May 2023 that Covid-19 was no longer a public-health emergency of international concern. But there is no room for complacency. The pandemic has represented an urgent warning about weak health systems and has served as an impetus to strengthen them ahead of a possible new variant or the emergence of a new pathogen.
Rethinking our cities' link to water
News, Richard Friend & Pakamas Thinphanga, Published on 21/12/2023
» Water holds special symbolic significance in Thai culture, from Loy Krathong to Songkran festivals. But as much as we respect the value of water, we must also recognise that failure to care for our water resources puts our lives and wellbeing at risk.
America's 'new' China narrative hits the stands
Oped, James K Galbraith, Published on 24/08/2023
» Three recent articles in The New York Times have signalled a "new" narrative about China. Only weeks ago, China was America's fearsome "peer competitor" on the world stage. But now, we are told, it is a wounded dragon. Once a threat by dint of its inexorable rise, now it poses a threat because it is in decline.
Tackling Thailand's water problems
Oped, Richard Friend & Pakamas Thinphanga, Published on 05/08/2023
» Thailand has experienced an unusually prolonged period of water crises over recent years. The dry seasons are becoming longer and drier, while the rainy seasons are shorter but with more intense rainfall. This oscillating pattern of droughts and floods has become harder to predict and is causing more serious impacts.
The banks the world badly needs
Oped, Lawrence H Summers & N K Singh, Published on 27/07/2023
» The world is literally on fire. Experts estimate that another Covid-level public health threat is likely to emerge in the next generation. Rising interest rates have left dozens of countries with unmanageable debt burdens. And for the first time in nearly half a century, the global economy is fracturing rather than coming together.