Showing 1 - 10 of 772
Minilateralism's necessary rise
Oped, Prabhat Upadhyaya & Saliem Fakir, Published on 23/02/2026
» If there was any doubt remaining about the return of great-power politics, it has been dispelled by US President Donald Trump's attack on Venezuela, threats to annex Greenland, and refusal to extend the New Start treaty limiting the nuclear arsenals of the United States and Russia. Such geopolitical upheavals are driven by "the will to power", as Adam Tooze has pointed out -- including "power over resources, purchasing power, the ability to resist the influence of others."
EC is losing public trust
Oped, Editorial, Published on 18/02/2026
» If any good has come from the performance of the Election Commission (EC) following the Feb 8 election, it is this: the organisation has exposed the top-down "mandarin" culture of the Thai bureaucracy, where officials act as regulators of the people rather than their servants.
Emerging markets stand strong
Oped, Kristalina Georgieva and Mohammed Al-Jadaan, Published on 12/02/2026
» It used to be that when advanced economies sneezed, emerging markets caught a cold. That is no longer true. Following recent global shocks, such as the post-pandemic inflation surge and a new wave of tariffs, emerging markets have held up well. Inflation has continued to slow, currencies have generally retained their value, and debt issuance costs have remained at manageable levels. There has been no sign of the kind of financial turbulence that came with past economic shocks.
Ground game
Oped, Postbag, Published on 12/02/2026
» Re: "BJT win bodes well for conservatives", (BP, Feb 11). Given the tallies of the nationwide party list vote, I don't understand the justification for the following assertions: "BJT's landslide victory reflects a surge of nationalist sentiment" (5.9M votes); the PP suffered from "lingering voter scepticism" and "eroded public confidence" (9.8M votes).
Voters' choice merits respect
Oped, Editorial, Published on 09/02/2026
» Thailand's general election concluded yesterday amidst a nationwide atmosphere of anticipation, civic engagement and hope for the country's direction. By last night and into today, the outcome of the count has, in all likelihood, become broadly apparent to the public, setting the stage for the next crucial phase of our democracy.
Will poll be breakout or more of same?
Oped, Thitinan Pongsudhirak, Published on 06/02/2026
» As Thais go to the polls this Sunday, the most consequential question is whether Thailand will finally break out of its debilitating cycle of political instability and economic underperformance that has marked the past two decades. The signs and signals suggest otherwise -- at least not yet.
Rethinking global health finance
Oped, Walter O Ochieng & Tom Achoki, Published on 06/02/2026
» For the past half-century, the economics of global health were straightforward. Under the so-called "grant-based" approach, rich countries donate to poor countries, which use the funds to meet their populations' health needs. Success was measured by services provided or lives saved, rather than by balance sheets. While this model was far from perfect, the latest approach replacing it -- focused on using tools like guarantees and blended finance to crowd in private capital -- threatens to produce even worse outcomes.
Graft thrives along Mae Sot border
Oped, Paskorn Jumlongrach, Published on 20/01/2026
» The arrest of Ratchapong "Pond" Soisuwan, a constituency candidate representing the People's Party and then incumbent MP for Constituency 2, former MP for Mae Sot district in Tak province, came as little surprise to local people.
The end of China's one-child policy, 10 years later
Oped, Yi Fuxian, Published on 09/01/2026
» Jan 1 marked a decade since China repealed its one-child policy. Just ten days earlier, Peng Peiyun, who long oversaw the often-brutal enforcement of China's family-planning rules, died at the age of 96, having never been held accountable for her actions. Some obituaries praised Peng for being "reform-minded", even though, in practice, she only perpetuated an utterly inhumane policy, whose consequences have barely begun to materialise.
EU's carbon challenge
Oped, Editorial, Published on 01/01/2026
» From today, exporters of five types of products to the European Union must comply with the bloc's Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism (CBAM).