Showing 1 - 10 of 39
Thai-style rule by law lands new blow
Oped, Surasak Glahan, Published on 12/03/2020
» With the Election Commission (EC)’s decision on Tuesday to pursue criminal charges against Thanathorn Juangroongruangkit over a much-disputed media share transfer case, many observers may have stopped questioning how Thailand’s law-enforcement system could have come this far, and started wondering whether the worst of things is yet to come.
Govt must focus on virus, not information
News, Surasak Glahan, Published on 26/03/2020
» It was supposed to be a strong pill prescribed to contain the spread of Covid-19. But the chilling reality is the invocation of the Emergency Decree, which goes into effect from Thursday and will run until the end of April, is regularly misused by the authorities to curb freedom of speech and free flow of information.
Virus crisis reveals skeletons in our closet
Oped, Surasak Glahan, Published on 16/04/2020
» It was a desperate call for help. About 100 people gathered at the Finance Ministry on Tuesday and demanded the minister tell them why they were denied the 5,000-baht cash handout the government has granted to informal workers.
An academic shift right will hurt society
News, Surasak Glahan, Published on 31/01/2018
» Part of me wishes the military government had been behind the recent ban on the publication of the results of a poll by the National Institute of Development Administration (Nida). Such state intimidation is not a good thing. But at least it's better than the reality -- self-censorship imposed by Nida's president or, put it another way, his preferred choice to not let public opinion influence an ongoing probe against one of the regime's top men.
Billionaire activist holds out hope of new era
News, Surasak Glahan, Published on 05/03/2018
» Canada has 46-year-old Justin Trudeau as prime minister. France has Emmanuel Macron, 40. New Zealand has Jacinda Ardern, 37. What kind of a national leader will Thailand have after the election next year?
'Stupid' locals label mocks Thai-ism aims
News, Surasak Glahan, Published on 19/03/2018
» How do you feel if the state says it wants to hear about your plight in order to offer you help, but still holds a view that you are too "stupid" to think for yourself and continues to strictly forbid you from expressing your grievances unless it approves of the platform where you have your say?
Put an end to conscription for good of all
News, Surasak Glahan, Published on 23/04/2018
» Last week, I believe it must have been heartbreaking for many Thais who watched a video clip of a young man weeping and almost fainting upon learning he was drafted to serve in the army for two years via the annual conscription round. Yet, I also believe that many of them would oppose any proposal to abolish military conscription, a phenomenon that has long existed by default.
Anti-populism law not for greater good
News, Surasak Glahan, Published on 09/05/2018
» Raising one finger during her campaigning to symbolise her party's ballot number ahead of the 2011 election, Yingluck Shinawatra rode a wave of popularity all the way to victory. And now the man who threw her caretaker government out of office in 2014 by force has demonstrated he is not shy of using a similar gimmick.
Hun Sen, NCPO sing the same tune
News, Surasak Glahan, Published on 21/05/2018
» A string of legislative attacks by Cambodia's ruling regime against its critics and the opposition party since last year have baffled me, not only for their senselessness and brutality, but for the similarity they share with political tactics invented here in Thailand.
World Cup is fun, mystery killings are not
News, Surasak Glahan, Published on 18/06/2018
» Similar to the World Cup in Russia, the justice system in Thailand has never run short of spectators holding their breath hoping for a just and fair play. Like a football match, they pick their team.