Showing 1 - 10 of 40
France stumbles through an autumn of woe
Oped, John J. Metzler, Published on 05/11/2025
» France has faced a tumultuous autumn. The usual strikes, government shuffles, and sensational events -- from a high-profile daylight heist at the world-famous Louvre Museum to the imprisonment of a former president -- have characterised a disquieting period.
Bet on trouble
Oped, Postbag, Published on 25/09/2025
» Re: "Senate shoots down casino bill", (BP, Sept 24). I note that in your article, Senator Vichaya Suwannaprom cites Sydney, Australia, and its casino access policies as a potential model for Thailand. As an avid reader currently residing in Sydney, I would be remiss if I did not make the following observations about our two casinos.
Thaksin chapter closes, another opens
Oped, Thitinan Pongsudhirak, Published on 19/09/2025
» In yet another dramatic twist in Thai politics, erstwhile anti-establishment political juggernaut and former prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra accepted a one-year jail sentence and began serving his time behind bars on Sept 9. After his return from a 15-year self-imposed exile in August 2023 and a concomitant royal pardon that reduced his eight-year imprisonment on corruption convictions to just one year, Thaksin cited his gravely ill health and spent the time comfortably at the Police General Hospital before being released on parole. The Supreme Court's ruling that his get-out-of-jail health card was invalid means Thaksin's renewed imprisonment and its aftermath are likely to reshape and realign Thailand's political landscape ahead of the next election, due by mid-2027.
When non-interference becomes policy
Oped, Kavi Chongkittavorn, Published on 20/05/2025
» What US President Donald Trump said in Saudi Arabia on May 14 resonates very well in Thailand. Last week in Riyadh, Mr Trump reiterated that the Middle East had changed because "local people did it", and not because "Western countries interfered and told you how to live or run your countries".
Gaza ceasefire under pressure from all sides
Oped, Gwynne Dyer, Published on 21/01/2025
» In the 80 hours between Wednesday, Jan 15, when the Gaza ceasefire agreement was announced, and Sunday, Jan 19, when it went into effect, Israeli air strikes on the Gaza Strip killed 123 Palestinians, including dozens of women and children. The Israel Defence Force (IDF) said it had tried to avoid civilian casualties, but it had to kill the "terrorists" of Hamas wherever they were.
Can we relocate our climate-threatened cities?
Oped, Michael E Smith, Published on 14/11/2024
» When my crew and I started excavating Calixtlahuaca -- an Aztec city-state capital near the modern-day city of Toluca in central Mexico -- I knew our findings might help answer questions of the past.
Higher booze prices
Oped, Postbag, Published on 29/08/2024
» Re: "Scholar calls for booze law overhaul", & "Moonshine death toll up in capital", (BP, Aug 28).
Tough security law dims Hong Kong's lustre
Oped, John J. Metzler, Published on 28/03/2024
» There was no hint of dissent in Hong Kong's Legislative Council as its 88 members passed Article 23, a piece of draconian domestic Security legislation which "complements" Beijing's own 2020 Security stamp on the Special Administrative Region.
Put culture first in old town revamps
Oped, Sirinya Wattanasukchai, Published on 28/03/2024
» Will Thailand's old towns include their old communities as they are renovated? In many of these important districts, institutional owners of land are apt to evict legacy tenants to make way for redevelopment, threatening vintage architecture and eroding vibrant local cultures and ways of life.
Beauty queen shows old habits die hard
Oped, Gwynne Dyer, Published on 10/02/2024
» It did not end well for Karolina Shiino, the young woman who won the title of Miss Japan two weeks ago.