Showing 1 - 10 of 15
Changing face of foreign direct investment
News, Published on 15/10/2025
» Although US President Donald Trump's protectionist trade policies dominate news headlines, they are far from the only forces shaping global production. New investment patterns have been reshaping the global economic landscape since well before Mr Trump's tariffs.
Donor funding crisis goes global
News, Published on 21/05/2025
» Towards the end of the ancient Indian epic the Mahabharata, Krishna's Yadava clan self-destructs. Many dark omens presage their downfall: nature behaves erratically and pests multiply. Sin, deception, and violence proliferate, eroding trust and solidarity. Clan members humiliate and insult wise elders. When Krishna's extended family goes on a picnic, the men get drunk, argue, and attack each other, until eventually all of them are dead.
Weaponising data against democracy
News, Published on 17/02/2025
» For those who have witnessed the shock-and-awe tactics of Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi over the past decade, the events unfolding in the United States since Donald Trump returned to the White House evoke a sense of déjà vu. In India, we have learned the hard way: authoritarian leaders are often far more dangerous in their second term than in their first.
Thai travellers warned of rising visa scams
News, Published on 06/02/2025
» VFS Global has warned Thai travellers about visa scams and urged them to get their visa applications done early to avoid delays amid increasing outbound travel from Thailand.
Saving the planet from the plastic menace
News, Published on 16/09/2024
» There is no denying that plastics have delivered tremendous benefits over the past century. But as we now know, this progress has come at great cost.
Lessons from Bangladesh's recent uprising
News, Published on 19/08/2024
» The popular insurrection that ousted Bangladeshi Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina and her Awami League government offers important lessons for the international community. While the unrest was undoubtedly fuelled by the regime's repressive and increasingly anti-democratic tactics, the underlying causes of public discontent are often overlooked.
India's great employment challenge
News, Published on 22/01/2024
» India seems to be a favourite growth story nowadays. Despite valid concerns about the accuracy of official statistics, the economy is projected to expand by 6.3% in 2024 -- an undeniably remarkable feat given that its GDP exceeds $4.1 trillion. While it remains a lower-middle-income country with a per capita income under US$3,000 (106,500 baht), its rapid growth suggests that its economic potential may be greater than expected. But any optimism about economic prospects must be tempered by its inability to address two challenges. The first is the unequal distribution of the benefits of rapid economic growth, which have accrued predominantly to the top 10–20% of income earners.
How to address the fight against global hunger
News, Published on 16/10/2023
» Among the multiple crises that have erupted around the world, the avoidable tragedy of growing hunger receives only fleeting mention. And any attention that it does attract is apparently not enough to prompt global policymakers to act.
Time to curb speculation in commodities
News, Published on 15/08/2022
» Primary commodity prices have been on a roller-coaster ride for the past year, especially for the past six months. In the futures markets, crude oil prices rose by 39% in the month from Feb 8 to March 8, from US$89 (3,143 baht) per barrel to $124 per barrel, and then fell in the following month to $95.
Pandemic action must be global
News, Published on 25/07/2022
» At their meeting in Bali on July 15-16, G20 finance ministers reaffirmed their commitment to coordinated action to get the Covid-19 pandemic under control and better prepare for the next global health emergency.