Showing 1 - 10 of 61
EC is losing public trust
Oped, Editorial, Published on 18/02/2026
» If any good has come from the performance of the Election Commission (EC) following the Feb 8 election, it is this: the organisation has exposed the top-down "mandarin" culture of the Thai bureaucracy, where officials act as regulators of the people rather than their servants.
New tech disrupts global order
Oped, Mark Blyth & Daniel Driscoll, Published on 18/11/2025
» News media tend to focus on the world's major powers because they command more resources by dint of their relatively larger economies, militaries and energy endowments. But there are costs to such dominance. For example, a single American Gerald R Ford-class aircraft carrier costs $13 billion (421.6 billion baht), while the F-35 fighter jet costs about $100 million. So, if you can build your military equipment for less than your opponent, you can gain a strategic advantage.
Kingdom of Denmark vs the Shadow Fleet
News, Gwynne Dyer, Published on 25/10/2025
» Back in the 16th and 17th centuries, two-thirds of the Danish kingdom's income came from taxes paid by every ship passing through the Øresund ('The Sound') Strait, the only exit from the Baltic Sea. Each ship had to declare its cargo -- and if the Danes thought they were undervaluing it, Denmark had the right to buy it at the declared price.
A moral exemplar
Oped, Postbag, Published on 03/10/2025
» Re: "Legal eagles voice worries over Thaksin's pardon bid", (BP, Oct 1). Whatever naughtinesses he may have been accused of, it cannot be denied that Thaksin Shinawatra continues to prove a moral exemplar to the nation in at least two areas. The first is that he faithfully follows the traditional example of accumulating the greatest possible sufficiency of extreme wealth; the second is that he entertains as unfailingly as Lisa Manoban herself, albeit with his humorous approach to preached legal norms rather than with her doubtless impressive song and dance routines.
The air war: plywood and Styrofoam
News, Gwynne Dyer, Published on 20/09/2025
» 'Nato is responding with unity and strength," said British defence secretary John Healey. "If you've got drones that are putting Polish lives at risk, then Nato will take them out. There's no firm confirmation on intent, but in the end that's not the point. It's still reckless. It's still dangerous."
Floods 'a recurring nightmare'
Oped, George G van der Meulen & Chamniern Vorratnchaiphan, Published on 16/09/2025
» Thailand has faced floods for more than a century. Some years are worse than others, but the pattern is consistent. The catastrophic 2011 floods remain the most painful reminder: according to the World Bank, they caused US$46.5 billion (1.5 trillion baht) in economic losses, displaced 13 million people, and claimed approximately 800 lives. Much of the country's industrial heartland was submerged for months, severely impacting global supply chains.
Nuclear proliferation cannot be bombed away
News, Mohamed ElBaradei, Published on 05/07/2025
» In 1966, the United States, the Soviet Union, the United Kingdom, France, and China not only were the only countries that possessed nuclear weapons; they also had enough wisdom to recognise the dangers posed by nuclear proliferation. Despite their many and deep political differences, they arrived at a consensus to halt the further dissemination of "nuclear weapons or other nuclear explosive devices".
A diplomatic do-do
Oped, Postbag, Published on 02/06/2025
» Re: 'Thailand's false sense of tariff security,' (Opinion, May 30).
Welfare fraud must end
Oped, Editorial, Published on 02/04/2025
» A whistleblower's report about the massive pharmaceutical fraud involving government officials and medical staff at the Veterans General Hospital shows the need to investigate claims filed with state medical facilities, especially in light of the ballooning medical welfare budget.
AI boosts detection of bank fraud
Oped, Leslie Choo, Published on 11/03/2025
» Thailand is making significant strides toward becoming a cashless society, driven by advancements in digital payment systems, government initiatives, and consumer behaviours. While the rise of a cashless economy spurs trade and fosters financial inclusion, it also provides increased opportunities for digital payment fraud, with fraudsters exploiting the speed and convenience of such cashless transactions.