Showing 1 - 10 of 106
A fond farewell to the poster people
Oped, Roger Crutchley, Published on 08/02/2026
» For a couple of months the streets in Bangkok and throughout Thailand have been decorated with posters of political candidates. But now the Big Day has arrived and soon the posters will disappear. In a strange sort of way, I will miss their presence as they were at least something to look at when stuck in the traffic. They generally appeared to be a cheerful lot, beaming at us with big cheesy grins as one would expect in the Land of Smiles.
Stock Exchange of Thailand casts aside taboos
Oped, Editorial, Published on 12/01/2026
» The Stock Exchange of Thailand (SET) is on the cusp of a progressive reform that could inject much-needed vitality into our capital market.
People's Party battles shift in voter mood
Oped, Anucha Charoenpo, Published on 08/01/2026
» We now find ourselves in a crunch time when voters begin to firm up their choices ahead of the Feb 8 general election. This may explain why political parties are starting to reveal their aces, floating names for key ministerial portfolios at strategic moments.
Cheers for the absurd rules
Oped, Editorial, Published on 12/11/2025
» The amended alcohol control legislation that imposes fines on individuals who continue drinking alcoholic beverages during restricted hours -- particularly between 2pm and 5pm -- has left the government in hot water.
China's unbeatable new export is not a product
Oped, Jeffrey Wu, Published on 24/07/2025
» The Chinese "cannot be allowed to export their way back to prosperity", argues US Secretary of the Treasury Scott Bessent, who claims that China's economy is the "most unbalanced in history". Such remarks reflect the growing fear in Washington that China's overcapacity, subsidies, and dumping are distorting global trade.
High rates hurt public healthcare
Oped, Serah Makka and Rosemary Mburu, Published on 14/07/2025
» May's 78th World Health Assembly (WHA) -- the annual meeting of the World Health Organization's member states -- ended on a self-congratulatory note. From an agreement on pandemic preparedness to increases in assessed contributions to the WHO, there were plenty of achievements to tout. But there was an elephant in the room, hiding behind a banner reading "One World for Health": the high borrowing costs faced by African countries.
Protest a worrying sign
Oped, Editorial, Published on 01/07/2025
» The protest at Victory Monument on Saturday brought back memories of the last two street demonstrations which rocked the capital in recent years -- the protest organised by the People's Alliance for Democracy (PAD) against then-prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra, and the rallies held by the People's Democratic Reform Committee (PDRC) against his sister, Yingluck.
Breaking the silence over North Korea
Oped, John J Metzler, Published on 29/05/2025
» Speaking out to break the information barrier inside the North Korean dictatorship is in itself nothing new, and usually quickly forgotten. North Korean exiles, friendly governments, and humanitarian organisations periodically raise the oft-forsaken banner of human rights, only to be confronted by realpolitik through another round of North Korean missile launches or nuclear proliferation.
Thamanat aiming to push Bhumjaithai out of coalition
Oped, Chairith Yonpiam, Published on 17/05/2025
» The latest “cobra” incident — involving a politician defecting to the Klatham Party — demonstrates Capt Thamanat Prompow’s fervent attempts to make his party an alternative choice for the Paetongtarn Shinawatra government.
How might China manage Trump's tariff war?
Oped, Shang-Jin Wei, Published on 24/04/2025
» China has taken a tough stance against US President Donald Trump, matching the last two rounds of US tariffs with tariffs of its own. The US tariff on goods from China is now 145%, while China's is 125%. Why does China take such a position, and are there any off-ramps that would allow it to mitigate the costs of a prolonged trade war?