Showing 1 - 10 of 124
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".
Revamping Asean's Myanmar strategy
News, Pou Sothirak & Peyson Hunt, Published on 24/05/2025
» Myanmar's civil war, now in its fourth year, has become a test not just of national resilience but of Asean's capacity to respond to crises within its own ranks.
Congo: Where the tail is still wagging the dog
News, Gwynne Dyer, Published on 26/03/2025
» 'Joseph Kabila boycotted the election and is preparing an insurrection because he is the AFC," said President Félix Tshisekedi of the Democratic Republic of Congo last October, and lo! It is coming to pass just as he predicted. But you can't tell the players without a programme, so a little bit of explanation first.
Beware of rogue presidents (this time in Korea)
News, Gwynne Dyer, Published on 07/01/2025
» Turning yourself from a democratically elected president into a dictator is a tricky operation, and most people who try it fail. It's called a "self-coup", from the Spanish auto-golpe, and to try it without first gaining the support of the armed forces is sheer lunacy. Yet, from time to time, an elected president tries to do exactly that.
Kabul collapse emboldened global despots
News, John J. Metzler, Published on 16/08/2024
» The collapse of Afghanistan to the Taliban three years ago on Aug 15 signalled an inflection point on the geopolitical scene. While the appalling stupidity of the Biden/Harris administration's botched and humiliating withdrawal of US forces from this South Asian land stained and sullied the reputation of the United States, the fiasco equally opened the floodgates to the deluge of refugees fleeing the toppled Afghan government in Kabul.
Harnessing Thailand's human capital
News, Peerasit Kamnuansilpa, Published on 28/06/2024
» Thailand is currently on a distressing trajectory towards depopulation, with the number of deaths each year surpassing the number of births. The latest available data from the Department of Provincial Administration paints a grim picture, showing over 48,000 more deaths than births last year. This number is set to escalate as the number of births continues to plummet and death rates surge. Should the current trend persist, by 2083, Thailand's population is projected to shrink by half to 33 million. The leading cause of this demographic dynamic is the decline in fertility rates among Thai women. These declining fertility rates have severe repercussions and thus warrant the attention and actions of national leaders.
More women needed at the top
News, Ellen Johnson Sirleaf and Binaifer Nowrojee, Published on 17/06/2024
» Mexico has just elected its first female president, following a rare contest between two women, and a record number of women were recently elected to South Korea's National Assembly. But while these results represent welcome gains for gender equality, they are outliers. The broader picture is disheartening.
Bank of Thailand needs to communicate
News, Editorial, Published on 29/04/2024
» Prime Minister Srettha Thavisin's decision to meet key figures from Thailand's major commercial banks to discuss the possibility of cutting interest rates last week raised a lot of eyebrows. It was highly unusual for a prime minister to appeal directly to commercial banks to change interest rates, as the nation's financial institutions generally follow the rates prescribed by the Bank of Thailand (BoT).
India's 'no' at WTO may just mean 'not yet'
News, Mihir Sharma, Published on 27/02/2024
» As trade ministers gather at the World Trade Organization's (WTO) summit in Abu Dhabi this week, one of the villains will, as usual, be India. And, certainly, there's some justice to the complaint that Indian negotiators are far too ready to block consensus at such confabs unless granted concessions on their own priorities. Saying "no" often comes too easily to them.
Why Srettha should risk it all for Pita
News, Mark S Cogan, Published on 15/01/2024
» As Charles E Weller once wrote, "Now is the time for all good men to come to the aid of their country". While the quote's original purpose was just a typing exercise, it rings true on occasion, and especially now at a critical crossroads in Thailand's fledgling semi-democracy. Twin trials await former Move Forward Party (MFP) prime ministerial candidate Pita Limjaroenrat later this month, both in the Constitutional Court, a judicial forum known for its past crippling of Thailand's democratic opposition.