Showing 1 - 10 of 678
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.
Japanese PM Takaichi comes out on top
Oped, Taniguchi Tomohiko, Published on 11/02/2026
» Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi has just scored an unprecedented victory in the country's general election. The ruling Liberal Democratic Party (LDP), which she leads, won 316 seats in the 465-member House of Representatives (the Diet's lower house), up sharply from 198. The combined strength of two parties that had merged hastily -- despite their fundamentally opposing platforms -- in an effort to bring Ms Takaichi down fell from 167 seats to just 49. The LDP, which celebrated its 70th anniversary last year, has never looked more robust.
Monks and politics
Oped, Postbag, Published on 26/01/2026
» Re: "Statue rivalry sows conflict", (Editorial, Jan 25).
Poll perils persist
Oped, Editorial, Published on 15/01/2026
» As the election campaign intensifies ahead of the Feb 8 poll, a number of education outlets as well as media channels are churning out opinion survey results suggesting the popularity ratings of individual candidates.
Nuanced Thai smiles
Oped, Postbag, Published on 09/01/2026
» Re: " 'Mai pen rai' paradox: from kindness to toxic silence", (Life, Jan 7). This is an excellent article, but alas goes down a rabbit hole, akin to mitigating daily road fatalities and addressing other issues often lamented in this column that we're acquainted with.
Voters, time to brush up!
Oped, Editorial, Published on 31/12/2025
» With less than 40 days to go before the February general election, the Election Commission (EC) has yet to show it is capable of organising a meaningful public referendum on rewriting the charter.
The politics of taste in our election season
Oped, Kong Rithdee, Published on 26/12/2025
» Hell is other people's tastes. Hell is when we passionately hate what people unconditionally love. Hell is when we can't fathom how anyone on the face of the earth can like someone or something we find revolting -- a food, a film, a style, an opening ceremony, a politician, a president.
Talk, don't fight
Oped, Postbag, Published on 12/12/2025
» Re: "Cambodia talks ruled out", (BP, Dec 11). I was saddened to see that there is no room for diplomacy in the dispute with Cambodia. To quote Churchill: "To jaw-jaw is always better than to war-war."
In defence of Anutin
Oped, Postbag, Published on 09/12/2025
» Re: "Thailand hit by a confluence of crises", (Opinion, Dec 5).
Easy to cast blame
Oped, Postbag, Published on 01/12/2025
» Re: "Sad litany of flood missteps", (BP, Nov 30).