Showing 1 - 10 of 20
Malaysia's Asean chair with a twist
Oped, Kavi Chongkittavorn, Published on 24/12/2024
» Malaysia's Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim has displayed his political astuteness by appointing former Thai prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra to his advisory team. The decision reflects his understanding of regional traits and dynamics, where former leaders and influential figures can hold sway over multifaceted regional outlooks.
HRC term off to shaky start
News, Editorial, Published on 04/12/2024
» Winning a seat on the United Nations Human Rights Council (HRC) in October is one thing. But walking the line of good human rights protection seems to be a different issue for the Thai government, which starts its three-year term with the body on Jan 1.
'Bibi' and the International Criminal Court
News, Gwynne Dyer, Published on 27/11/2024
» The indictment of Israel's prime minister, Benjamin "Bibi" Netanyahu, and former defence minister Yoav Gallant by the International Criminal Court on charges of war crimes and crimes against humanity in Gaza has triggered a great deal of public moralising, both pro and con. Almost all of it is missing the point.
Local voting rules outdated
News, Editorial, Published on 27/11/2024
» The Election Commission's (EC) decision to hold the forthcoming local elections on a Saturday instead of a Sunday in at least 47 provinces have sparked concerns about adverse impacts on voter turnout.
Celebrating 60 years of firm ties
News, Catherine Wong, Published on 27/11/2024
» Singapore's Prime Minister and Minister for Finance Lawrence Wong will make his introductory official visit to Thailand tomorrow. He will be the first foreign head of government that Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra will host in the kingdom.
Debt bailout warning
News, Editorial, Published on 25/11/2024
» The Paetongtarn government has announced a bold policy to address Thailand's mounting household debt crisis. The initiative includes a three-year suspension of interest payments for mortgages, vehicle loans and loans for small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), among other items.
Public trust key in Koh Kut challenge
Oped, Kavi Chongkittavorn, Published on 19/11/2024
» Recently, the Paetongtarn Shinawatra government and her praetorian guards have been up in arms, defending their position on the 2001 Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between Thailand and Cambodia. She has said that the government will negotiate with Phnom Penh and will soon establish a joint technical committee to do just that.
Thailand has human rights role to play
News, Vitit Muntarbhorn, Published on 04/11/2024
» The recent election of Thailand to the UN Human Rights Council (HRC) is, in a sense, a cause for elation. Yet it also comes with the responsibility of proving to the global/local community that the country can set an example for good practices and propel the HRC to take effective action on key matters based on international standards. This is daunting in a world of multi-and-mini polarities and poly-crises.
Anticipating Malaysia's Asean chair
Oped, Kavi Chongkittavorn, Published on 29/10/2024
» Among Asean watchers, it has become a pattern that a significant milestone follows whenever Malaysia takes on the chairmanship. In 2005, Malaysia helped establish the East Asia Summit (EAS), and in 2015, the Asean Community Vision 2025 was launched. Many policymakers and scholars agree that the next chairmanship is perfectly timed for Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim, one of the region's most experienced leaders.
Behind Thailand's winning UNHRC bid
Oped, Kavi Chongkittavorn, Published on 22/10/2024
» Thailand's being elected to the United Nations Human Rights Council (UNHRC) for the 2025-2027 term was not a stroke of luck.