Showing 1 - 10 of 14
Southeast Asia amid the US-China rift
Oped, Thitinan Pongsudhirak, Published on 03/10/2025
» The rivalry between the United States and China has become the defining contest of the 21st century. Barely two decades ago, Washington and Beijing were partners in prosperity. America's support for China's entry into the World Trade Organization in 2001 epitomised the high-water mark of engagement, reflecting the belief that economic integration would lead to greater political cooperation. Today, that partnership has morphed into suspicion and confrontation. Relations between the United States and China have deteriorated so swiftly that many observers now describe them as locked in a "new Cold War". The more pressing question, however, is not whether this analogy holds, but whether confrontation can be managed short of outright conflict.
The postwar era's first democratic authoritarian
Oped, Antara Haldar, Published on 08/09/2025
» The 78th anniversary of India's independence last month offers an opportunity to recall one of the most insidious moments in the country's post-independence history: prime minister Indira Gandhi's 1975 decision to declare an emergency and suspend civil liberties. A new book by political scientist Srinath Raghavan, Indira Gandhi and the Years That Transformed India, not only revisits that fateful move, but also traces its lasting impact half a century later.
No justice for Nong Cartoon
News, Editorial, Published on 19/09/2024
» Ten years ago today, Phanuthat Saksitthipan and his five-year-old daughter Narasiri, affectionately known as "Nong Cartoon," were preparing to close their family's steakhouse in Bangkok's Bang Bon district. Her mother, Saranya Chamni, was busy in the kitchen when a horrific event unfolded.
A painful ride with a certified horn honker
Roger Crutchley, Published on 04/02/2024
» Despite the frustration of sitting in endless jams, I've always felt Bangkok motorists display remarkable restraint when it comes to using horns. Unlike many cities in the world it is rare to hear a chorus of angry car klaxons. Things are admittedly a bit different on the provincial highways with buses and trucks not averse to giving a blast on their air horns with the clear message "Get out of the way."
Some nimble footwork might save the day
News, Roger Crutchley, Published on 13/11/2022
» It's been quite an entertaining week trying to figure out whether or not we will be able to watch the Football World Cup on Thai television. The lively debate has prompted a number of own goals, yellow cards and even a few porky pies.
Come on baby, let's do the Twist
Oped, Roger Crutchley, Published on 10/04/2022
» The other day I heard on the radio Chubby Checker bursting forth with his 1960 hit 'The Twist'. It's not the greatest of songs but it sparked fond memories because it launched a dance craze which proved a social life-saver for me and many other shy teenagers.
Do not mistake ritual for repentance
News, Paritta Wangkiat, Published on 31/01/2022
» Can religious rituals cleanse us of our sins?
Lebanon quickly sinking in more ways than one
Oped, Gwynne Dyer, Published on 21/10/2021
» Off the Lebanese coast about 60 kilometres north of Beirut a 104-metre battleship stands vertically, with her bow and some 30 metres of her length plunged into the mud. The seabed is 140 metres down, but you can even scuba-dive on the stern if you are a technical diver. The ship is a bit like Lebanon, for reasons I'll explain later.
Biden's doctrine and regional fallout
News, Kavi Chongkittavorn, Published on 14/09/2021
» It is difficult to imagine the region or the world without US involvement. After the Afghanistan debacle, it has become increasingly clear that President Joe Biden is in reverse gear with his new doctrine. The rest of the world must now come to grips with this new reality, which could come as fast as the collapse of Kabul.
Brunei's chairmanship is truly Asean
News, Kavi Chongkittavorn, Published on 27/07/2021
» By default, Brunei's Asean chairmanship has brought into the open the bloc's strengths and weaknesses for all to see due to political disruption within the region. Throughout its 54 years of existence, Asean has been chastised and belittled as a talk-only-no-decision institution. Given the current environment, its success in maintaining regional sustainable peace and development for the past five decades nevertheless has become little more than a cliché.