Showing 1 - 10 of 74
School bus safety ignored
Oped, Editorial, Published on 05/02/2026
» In January alone, there were eight school bus accidents, the Thailand Consumer Council says -- a prominent civic group campaigning for school bus safety. These incidents claimed one life and injured 122 others, yet they were treated as snippet news that drew little public attention.
Ability to pay key to debt restructuring
Oped, Chartchai Parasuk, Published on 03/04/2025
» Last week's earthquake has provided Thais with two valuable lessons. First, Thailand has no national disaster management plan. No government agency seems to have had carefully thought-out plans and procedures to manage the situation. All measures were carried out on an ad-hoc basis. Worse, there appears to be no coordination among various agencies. Thais were left to rely on their own two feet as thousands of Bangkokians had no choice but to walk for hours to their homes when the mass transit railways were shutdown.
Gender gap won't close without change
Oped, Boonwara Sumano, Published on 12/03/2025
» The Global Gender Gap Report 2024, published by the World Economic Forum (WEF), benchmarks gender parity across 146 economies and shows that the global gender gap has closed by 68.5%. However, at the current rate, full gender parity remains 134 years away.
Centre-left parties must regain relevance in Germany
Oped, Bartosz M Rydlinski, Published on 01/03/2025
» Germany's Social Democrats are one of the West's oldest political parties, with a legacy of advocating parliamentary democracy, opposing Nazism, and leading the modernisation of postwar Germany. In addition to many notable labour, economic, and human-rights reforms the party has implemented over the years, ex-SPD leader and West German chancellor Willy Brandt's Ostpolitik in the 1970s laid the groundwork for Germany's reunification in 1990.
2025: Year of uncertainties and risks
Oped, Kirida Bhaopichitr, Published on 15/01/2025
» The Year of the Snake will be a challenging one for most countries as it will be filled with uncertainties and risks as geopolitical tensions intensify and deglobalisation accelerates. With President Donald Trump resuming the US presidency, the rise of trade and technology wars will disrupt trade and growth in many countries. Moreover, the geopolitical tensions in several key world hotspots may heighten the chance of wars. Nevertheless, amid the economic challenges, there are opportunities for the relocation of investments, which can be achieved if Thailand proves ready for them.
GDP figures don't reflect real situation
Oped, Chartchai Parasuk, Published on 26/12/2024
» This article is the last for 2024. I have made many bad predictions about the Thai economy throughout the year. Many became true, like the contracting credit market, the NPL explosion, and an ineffective cash handout programme. Many have not become true (or have they?). One was GDP growth. Instead of shrinking as I predicted, GDP growth rates improved from quarter to quarter. They were 1.6% for Q1, 2.2% for Q2, and 3.0% for Q3. And it is expected to be 3.5% for Q4 to fulfil the annual 2.6% growth projection.
Trump tariffs spell trouble for Thailand
Oped, Chartchai Parasuk, Published on 14/11/2024
» Readers must have read a few articles or listened to numerous analyses of US President-elect Donald Trump's trade protectionism policy and its impact on the world economy, particularly China. But this could be the first genuinely economic-oriented analysis of Mr Trump's policy, emphasising issues relevant to Thailand. Readers could find that an economic approach would give new insights into this much talked about topic.
Jobs for the elderly
Oped, Editorial, Published on 12/07/2024
» The recent story about a 61-year-old man who sought a job through the Mirror Foundation, an NGO that helps the homeless and unemployed, suggests there is a need for state agencies to streamline their policies regarding the employment of the elderly.
Energised escape
Oped, Postbag, Published on 06/07/2024
» Re: "Red Bull clan leads rich list", (BP, July 4).
Old guard prevails in Senate elections
Oped, Chairith Yonpiam, Published on 29/06/2024
» For those wishing for a wind of change in Thai politics, the Wednesday Senate election was a disappointment. Old power factions made substantial gains, dominating some 70% of the seats for the 200-member Upper House, while those representing the pro-democracy force grabbed just a few.