Showing 1 - 10 of 1,590
Doubts mount over EC's poll handling
News, Chairith Yonpiam, Published on 21/02/2026
» Almost two weeks after the election, the embattled Election Commission (EC) has yet to endorse any winning candidates. Instead, it finds itself under mounting pressure, facing criticism and petitions from multiple directions.
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.
Next government won't be a grey one
Oped, Nattaya Chetchotiros, Published on 12/02/2026
» The formula for the new government will be an amalgamation of three colours -- navy blue representing the Bhumjaithai Party (BJT), red symbolising Pheu Thai (PT), and light blue, the colour code of the Democrat Party.
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.
Thai baht under watch
News, Editorial, Published on 03/02/2026
» As Thailand heads to the polls this Sunday, the campaign trail has been crowded with promises of wage hikes, subsidies and generous domestic giveaways. Yet last week, a far more sobering message arrived from Washington. The US Treasury has placed Thailand back on its currency monitoring list, a move that carries implications well beyond a routine financial assessment.
Monks and politics
Oped, Postbag, Published on 26/01/2026
» Re: "Statue rivalry sows conflict", (Editorial, Jan 25).
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.
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.
Swing voters poised to decide Feb 8 poll
News, Chairith Yonpiam, Published on 10/01/2026
» As the country edges closer to the new election, the public mood appears markedly different from last time, with a large proportion of eligible voters saying they remain undecided about which party to support.
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.