Showing 1 - 10 of 51
‘Mai pen rai’ paradox: from kindness to toxic silence
Juranan Soranet, Published on 07/01/2026
» "Mai pen rai" (It’s okay/never mind) is perhaps the most classic Thai phrase, symbolising kindness, compromise and a go-with-the-flow attitude. It is the hallmark of Thai charm. However, in a modern world driven by consumer rights and accountability, the harmless phrase is becoming a double-edged sword. We are witnessing the rise of "Toxic kreng jai" — an excessive form of considerateness where we suppress our own rights just to avoid being labelled "demanding".
Mitigating flood misery
Oped, Editorial, Published on 10/10/2025
» This week, the general public breathed a sigh of relief after the Office of the National Water Resources (ONWR) expressed confidence that there is no risk of future rounds of flooding reaching 2011 levels. That epic event has gone down as perhaps the worst floods the nation has faced in modern times.
Act to defuse depopulation timebomb
Oped, Somchai Jitsuchon, Published on 14/08/2024
» Low birth rates and a rapidly ageing population pose significant socio-economic challenges for Thailand. This year, the number of elderly people has surpassed 13 million, accounting for over 20% of the total population. This figure is expected to reach 30% soon. As the number of centenarians rises, fewer babies are being born.
All homes grow old and China will get used to it
News, Shuli Ren, Published on 01/06/2024
» Chinese love new apartment buildings, my real estate agent told me last year as I was looking to buy property in Hong Kong. Seeing herself as an investment adviser of sorts, she was breaking down my exit options, such as flipping it to a mainland investor a few years later.
Tackling populism at its roots
News, Diane Coyle, Published on 10/01/2024
» As Western democracies become increasingly polarised, rural and small-town voters are regularly pitted against their counterparts in larger urban centres. While this is not a new phenomenon -- and certainly not the only factor affecting voting patterns -- the rural-urban divide is a significant driver of today's culture wars. This dynamic, which economist Andres Rodriguez-Pose evocatively described as the "revenge of the places that don't matter", suggests that the ongoing populist surge largely reflects geographic disparities.
Congrats to the SEC
Oped, Postbag, Published on 16/09/2023
» Re: "SEC files charges versus KTBS executives", (Business, Sept 13).
Helping seniors to a better life
News, Editorial, Published on 16/04/2023
» Songkran, the traditional New Year in Thailand, is a special time of year when people return home to honour their parents. So, the first day of Songkran, April 13, was designated National Elderly Day.
Motorbike death toll, a growing crisis
Oped, Nichamon Thongphat, Jitlaykha Sukruay, Nichcha Angsuphanich, Pawika Klaharn, Published on 15/03/2023
» Thailand's roads are death traps -- indeed the deadliest in this region and among the 10 most dangerous in the world. Despite a raft of measures to make these roads safe, nothing will change if nothing is done to save motorcycle riders.
Big steps for our 'expanding' nation
News, Editorial, Published on 12/03/2023
» Two years ago, the Public Health Ministry changed its guidelines to confirm that the average Thai child was, in fact, getting taller. To mark World Obesity Day on March 4, the Department of Health released a report saying that not only are they taller, but they are also much bigger -- with one in 10 children aged under 15 found to be clinically obese.
The rubber tree and the hopeful ant
News, Roger Crutchley, Published on 29/01/2023
» Throughout January PostScript has been written from my house balcony in Chaiyaphum while taking in a view of avenues of rubber trees with the occasional intrusion of stray chickens. In fact, I am surrounded by rubber trees.