Showing 1 - 10 of 16
Unfair on parents
Oped, Postbag, Published on 18/08/2025
» Re: "Grade rage rises", (PostBag, Aug 15), "Probe sought into pupil attack on teacher", (BP, Aug, 13) & InBrief, "Defamation" (BP, Aug, 7).
Thai politics back at the brink (again)
Oped, Thitinan Pongsudhirak, Published on 04/07/2025
» The Constitutional Court's suspension of Paetongtarn Shinawatra from the premiership is déjà vu, exposing a pattern of systematic manipulation and concoction of political outcomes. After so many dissolutions of leading political parties and repeated bans of elected representatives over two decades, it is time to call a spade a spade. Thailand is a faux democracy. Its core foundations constitute an autocratic regime that does not really care about the country's future and the collective will of its people.
The Senate's image takes another hit
Oped, Chairith Yonpiam, Published on 22/03/2025
» The rejection of two high-profile picks for the charter court, Siripan Noksuan Sawasdi, a renowned political scientist at Chulalongkorn University, and Chatri Atjananont, a former ambassador, has cast the Senate in a bad light and raised questions about its impartiality.
Absence far too much
Oped, Editorial, Published on 21/12/2024
» Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra has missed another general House session in which she was supposed to tell the public how her government was handling national problems.
Thailand's judiciary faces challenges
Oped, Thitinan Pongsudhirak, Published on 24/05/2024
» Thailand appears to be a country of 70 million, ultimately ruled by an unelected few. This sobering reality was on display when two connected groups of top generals seized power from democratically elected governments in September 2006 and May 2014. Unlike these blatant military coups over the past two decades, at issue now is the power and role of the judiciary. While Thailand has another democratically elected civilian government under Prime Minister Srettha Thavisin, the question that needs to be asked is whether the country is effectively under judicial rule.
Deja vu as charter court weighs MFP ban
Oped, Thitinan Pongsudhirak, Published on 12/01/2024
» It is déjà vu in Thai politics this month as Thailand's biggest elected political party and its leader face Constitutional Court verdicts that could lead to a familiar dissolution and ban. At issue is the political future of Pita Limjaroenrat and the fate of the Move Forward Party (MFP), which he led to a stunning victory at the election last May. However the verdicts come out, they might be perceived by pundits as decided by the political winds of the day.
Thai elections without democracy
Oped, Thitinan Pongsudhirak, Published on 14/07/2023
» Although it may come across as dramatic and unprecedented, Move Forward Party (MFP) leader Pita Limjaroenrat’s ordeal in trying to take office as prime minister after winning the May 14 election is par for the course in Thai politics over the past two decades.
Referee agencies and old political tricks
Oped, Thitinan Pongsudhirak, Published on 31/03/2023
» Almost three decades ago, Thai politics reached a critical threshold when public demands resulted in the establishment of a clutch of independent agencies to ensure the transparency and accountability of the political system and the stability and effectiveness of government.
Don't rule out Pheu Thai-PPRP coalition
Oped, Chairith Yonpiam, Published on 05/11/2022
» Attempts by the Pheu Thai Party to flirt with the ruling Palang Pracharath demonstrate the long-standing bond between fugitive ex-prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra and Deputy Prime Minister Prawit Wongsuwon.
Club karaoke a step too far
Oped, Editorial, Published on 25/05/2022
» Despite our half-baked democracy characterised by a series of coups and street protests, our parliament building should be the subject of our pride -- a pantheon of democracy.