Showing 1 - 10 of 670
Heat back on State Audit Office
Oped, Editorial, Published on 27/02/2026
» A music video released by the State Audit Office (SAO) came at just the right time. Without this house track, the harrowing collapse of its under-construction building might have begun to fade from public attention.
The gist of Thai politics over 20 years
Oped, Thitinan Pongsudhirak, Published on 20/02/2026
» Thailand's democratic institutions have been repressed and kept weak to the point that confusion still prevails almost two weeks after the Feb 8 election, which purportedly showed a clear victory for the ruling Bhumjaithai (BJT) Party under Prime Minister Anutin Charnvirakul. On the one hand, Mr Anutin and BJT stalwarts are busy forming a coalition government with other parties. On the other hand, fraud allegations from civil society groups and the opposition People's Party have reached a critical mass with the plausibility that the recent vote might be nullified to pave the way for a new poll.
Not data-driven
Oped, Postbag, Published on 18/02/2026
» Re: "Harnessing data to boost road safety", (BP, Feb 17). Your special report today highlights a government initiative to tap into Japanese data collection in an effort to reduce the catastrophic number of people killed on Thai roads every year.
Implications of conservative triumph
Oped, Thitinan Pongsudhirak, Published on 13/02/2026
» The incumbent and conservative Bhumjaithai (BJT) Party has surprisingly swept Thailand's Feb 8 election with a commanding win. With the previously poll-leading and progressive People's Party (PP) coming in a distant second, Thailand appears headed for a conservative coalition government revolving around BJT and like-minded junior partners. Known for its conservative stance and being pro-status quo, it would not be surprising if the BJT-led coalition government, led by Prime Minister-elect Anutin Charnvirakul, were not challenged by the Constitutional Court, the Election Commission, and other supervisory agencies, which have derailed and dissolved reform-minded winning parties in the past.
50-party race comes down to just this
Oped, Veera Prateepchaikul, Published on 09/02/2026
» By the time this opinion piece goes into print, the unofficial outcome of Sunday's election will already have been announced by the Election Commission. Which of the two front-running parties, Bhumjaithai and the People's Party, has emerged the winner and earned the right to form the new government will also be known.
Water crisis ignored
Oped, Editorial, Published on 27/01/2026
» The United Nations report on "global water bankruptcy" is a final warning to countries worldwide, including Thailand.
How to feed the world's ten billion people
Oped, Yurdi Yasmi, Published on 22/01/2026
» With the world struggling to feed eight billion people today, how will we feed ten billion by 2050?
Speed confusion
Oped, Postbag, Published on 20/01/2026
» I am not sure if I am in the minority who now resorts to a mapping app with speed limit warnings to help monitor my speed when driving on Thailand's country roads to ensure I comply with the speed limit and avoid a fine.
Plentiful policy on offer
Oped, Editorial, Published on 19/01/2026
» Thailand is heading towards a consequential general election on Feb 8. In the weeks leading up to polling day, voters have been bombarded with policy proposals from across the political spectrum. Many are attractively packaged and, if fully realised, would seemingly transform the country overnight.
Three main parties and two directions
Oped, Thitinan Pongsudhirak, Published on 16/01/2026
» Although Thailand's election campaign is reaching fever pitch ahead of voting day on Feb 8, the dynamics and contours of its final outcome can be gleaned from past polls over the last 25 years. Only once in January 2001, as was indicated in this space last week, were voter results fully honoured and carried out. Other elections were either upended by military coups or manipulated by judicial interventions.