Showing 1 - 10 of 267
China military purge exposes Xi's unease
News, John J Metzler, Published on 14/02/2026
» Strange and mysterious events are transpiring inside the walls of Beijing's Forbidden City. In the massive nearby government compound Zhongnanhai there's a clear unease as Communist Party Chief and military supremo Xi Jinping, the Chinese president, has shuffled the political cards in the powerful Central Military Commission (CMC), by purging his two top generals.
Reinvent Thailand to revive growth
Oped, Boonwara Sumano, Published on 11/02/2026
» In the 1990s, Thailand ranked second in Asean for state performance, behind only Singapore. Today, we trail several neighbours. This decline has unfolded gradually over three decades -- through repeated economic crises, institutional stagnation, and reforms that never quite went far enough. What is different today is that the cost of inaction has become far more dangerous.
The case of the disappearing senior generals
News, Gwynne Dyer, Published on 10/02/2026
» Armies can be used against both against foreigners abroad and against citizens at home, but the two roles require quite different equipment and tactics. The same applies to their commanders: you need a different kind of general if you think that the primary task of their troops will be controlling dissent at home.
Rethinking global health finance
Oped, Walter O Ochieng & Tom Achoki, Published on 06/02/2026
» For the past half-century, the economics of global health were straightforward. Under the so-called "grant-based" approach, rich countries donate to poor countries, which use the funds to meet their populations' health needs. Success was measured by services provided or lives saved, rather than by balance sheets. While this model was far from perfect, the latest approach replacing it -- focused on using tools like guarantees and blended finance to crowd in private capital -- threatens to produce even worse outcomes.
The longevity flex: hit the track, not the bar
Petprakai Hansiri, Published on 04/02/2026
» Social feeds are hitting differently lately, teeming with a younger crowd at parks. Instead of the strobes and neon of a nightclub, the feed is filled with morning mist and the greenery of public parks.
Real barriers to temple reform
Editorial, Published on 01/02/2026
» After a year of temple scandals, Thailand's top monks have promised a great clean-up. The orders sound bold. The question is whether a feudal system built on censorship, obedience and patronage can truly reform itself.
Is China's economic policy a little too cautious?
News, Published on 31/01/2026
» In the Chinese zodiac, 2026 is the Year of the Fire Horse. Pairing the powerful and lively horse with the element of fire yields a symbol of intensity, vitality, and forward momentum. But, the wisdom goes, the fire horse must not allow its determination to give way to recklessness. Likewise, the tension between balance and dynamism will define Chinese economic policy in the year ahead.
Is it worth it? Seeing through the marketing traps
Rattanan Wangkanjana, Published on 21/01/2026
» As purchasing power weakens and living costs soar, daily expenses shock Bangkok residents.
Try snail mail
Oped, Postbag, Published on 21/01/2026
» Re: "90-day puzzle" & "Ninety-day riddle", (PostBag, Jan 15 & 16).
National history in Children's Day mottos
Nonthawat Phakham, Published on 14/01/2026
» In Thailand, Children's Day falls on the second Saturday of January, a tradition that began in 1955 to raise public awareness of the importance of children. Each Children’s Day, the prime minister provides a motto that apparently reflects national situations during that period.