Showing 1 - 10 of 64
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.
'Land bridge' will harm nature
Oped, Kitichate Sridith, Published on 31/12/2025
» The end of 2025 brought Thais the good news that one of the world's most endangered felines -- the flat-headed cat -- has not gone extinct in our nation, as had long been feared. But our natural heritage is under relentless pressure. We need to treat our habitats, flora and fauna as assets that demand science-led protection.
No special species
Oped, Postbag, Published on 29/11/2025
» Re: "Jakarta dog meat ban sparks debate", (World, Nov 27). Yes, if an animal is infected with rabies or any other disease, it is probably better not to eat its meat, however tasty, albeit recognising that the starving might reasonably have different priorities. This is true whether the animal is a dog, a cow, a cat, a pig, a chicken, or another of our animal relatives.
Can world weather another crisis?
Oped, Jayati Ghosh, Published on 07/11/2025
» As stock markets hit record highs, rising financial fragility is setting off alarm bells across the United States and Europe. The International Monetary Fund has recently echoed these concerns, stoking fears of a looming crisis.
Cute posts, cruel trade
Oped, Editorial, Published on 04/11/2025
» For years, CITES -- the United Nations' multilateral treaty aimed at protecting endangered plants and animals from threats posed by international trade -- has focused on combating wildlife trafficking networks that smuggle exotic animals from forests and breeding centres to meet demand from private zoos and the traditional medicine trade.
Patronage at work
Oped, Editorial, Published on 29/09/2025
» The appointment of Pol Capt Atitaya Benjapak, better known as "Captain Cat" as deputy district chief officer in Si Sa Ket has sparked an uproar, not only because of her meteoric rise through the civil service but also because of what her case reveals about the chronic flaws in the bureaucratic system.
Thai climate ambitions face trade heat
Oped, Imran Arif, Published on 28/05/2025
» Early last month, the US announced plans to impose a reciprocal tariff rate of 36% on goods originating from Thailand due to a trade deficit. This set off alarm bells between Thai policymakers and export-oriented business sectors. So, efforts are underway to negotiate a deal that would safeguard Thailand's highly fruitful trade relationship with the US.
All barked out
Oped, Postbag, Published on 14/05/2025
» Re: "Dogged logic", (PostBag, May 12) & "Oh, for a quiet street", (PostBag, May 11).
Global South will pay for trade war
Oped, Jayati Ghosh, Published on 22/04/2025
» US President Donald Trump's sweeping tariffs have unleashed economic chaos, roiling stock and bond markets and triggering panic around the world, especially in lower-income countries that rely heavily on exports to the United States. The result could be an entirely manufactured global recession, with the developing world bearing the brunt.
The tyranny of anarchy and what to do
Oped, Thitinan Pongsudhirak, Published on 21/03/2025
» It is both exciting and alarming to be a student of international affairs as the world is being turned upside down. In just two months, the second administration of President Donald J Trump has sent shockwaves rippling through the international system as the United States pulls back from its role as leader, underwriter, and guardian of the nearly 80-year-old international order that it instrumentally constructed after WWII. In view of the US's portentous withdrawal, relative anarchy in the international system is back with a vengeance, leaving Asean members and smaller states elsewhere to fend for themselves in a self-help geostrategic environment.