Showing 1 - 10 of 30
Disaster management
Oped, Editorial, Published on 28/11/2025
» Deputy Prime Minister Borwornsak Uwanno's decision to blame local mismanagement for the Hat Yai floods is a prime example of delivering useful information at the wrong time, as his remark makes the government look like it is hunting for a scapegoat.
COP30 must be more focused on human welfare
Oped, Bjorn Lomborg, Published on 13/11/2025
» With the United Nations climate summit, COP30, now in full swing in the humid jungle city of Belém, Brazil, Microsoft co-founder and philanthropist Bill Gates has cut through the noise with a blunt truth: these UN climate gatherings must zero in on lifting human lives, rather than fixating solely on slashing emissions or dialling down global temperatures. It's a perspective that's long overdue yet seems so obvious.
Market still 'wrong' on climate
Oped, Fiona Watson, Published on 01/10/2025
» As business, government and nonprofit leaders debate the future of climate action ahead of the United Nations Climate Change Conference (COP30) in Brazil, the global economy remains vulnerable to acute and chronic climate-driven shocks whose impact could be more severe than that of the 2008 global financial crisis. At a time when many governments and businesses continue to underestimate and underprice physical climate risk, we must remember that neither financial markets nor regulators are always right. What if their current complacency about climate risks is catastrophically wrong?
Quakes jolt old fears
Oped, Editorial, Published on 08/07/2025
» Although geologists are urging calm and caution against panic, a recent series of tremors detected in the Nicobar Islands, located off the coast of Phuket and Phangnga provinces, as well as the northern province of Lampang, has been a powerful reminder of the need to ensure the country's tsunami warning system remains fully functional.
Temple angst misplaced
Oped, Editorial, Published on 02/07/2025
» Once again, Phu Man Fah temple is dominating headlines as Cambodia has vented its anger about a construction project at the monastery, smearing it as an "Angkor Wat replica".
Tower collapse puts builder in spotlight
Oped, Philip J Cunningham, Published on 02/04/2025
» Even before the dust settled in Bangkok after the March 28 quake, China Railway's 10th Bureau was deleting posts and photos about its key role in constructing the infamous collapsed building.
Tsunami plea unheard
Oped, Editorial, Published on 26/12/2024
» Today, Andaman coastal communities in Phuket, Phangnga, Krabi, Trang, Satun and Ranong provinces commemorate the 20th anniversary of the Indian Ocean earthquake and tsunami that claimed more than 5,000 lives and injured 8,000 others. Tears will be shed. Survivors, family and friends of the victims will retell their sad memories.
Flood woes are systemic
Oped, Editorial, Published on 21/09/2024
» The severe floods in Chiang Rai and Phayao provinces raise questions about Thailand's early warning systems. Are there sufficient early disaster warning systems in place? If so, why were hundreds of thousands of villagers in flood-hit areas left to fend for themselves?
Digital wallet tokens could hit scheme
Oped, Chartchai Parasuk, Published on 08/08/2024
» I bet the government never thought of this when they thought of the Digital Wallet scheme. It probably does not make sense to it that there could be millions of people shunning pseudo money, namely Digital Wallet Tokens (DWTs). Perhaps, in the government's mind, a DWT is almost on a par with genuine money -- fiat money.
Less is more in restoring Asia's past
Oped, Jeff Allen & Waraporn Suwatchotikul, Published on 01/08/2024
» For decades, restorations of Southeast Asia's archaeological sites have typically involved transforming the past rather than faithfully presenting it. Conservationists often take a heavy-handed approach, embellishing a site to effectively "manufacture" a ruin that will appeal to visitors. But this tends to do more harm than good.