Showing 1 - 10 of 47
Nuanced Thai smiles
Oped, Postbag, Published on 09/01/2026
» Re: " 'Mai pen rai' paradox: from kindness to toxic silence", (Life, Jan 7). This is an excellent article, but alas goes down a rabbit hole, akin to mitigating daily road fatalities and addressing other issues often lamented in this column that we're acquainted with.
America will pay for pushing India away
Oped, Brahma Chellaney, Published on 11/12/2025
» At a time when US policy towards India has become distinctly punitive, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi's warm reception for Russian President Vladimir Putin in New Delhi last week could not have been more pointed. Mr Modi's message was clear: India is a sovereign power that will not be dragooned into choosing sides in a widening rift between "the West and the rest".
Trump squeezes India over Russian oil
News, Ron Bousso, Published on 24/10/2025
» Donald Trump is putting more pressure on India to slash its Russian oil purchases. This could deprive Moscow of vital revenue, but it will mostly just push more Russian oil into an increasingly large shadow market. The US president said on Wednesday that Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi has pledged to stop buying oil from Russia, an agreement India has yet to confirm.
China's uphill fight vs price wars
News, Manishi Raychaudhuri, Published on 14/08/2025
» Overcapacity has made its way into China's domestic market, with price wars leading to collapsing profitability and accelerating deflation. The government has responded by launching a so-called "anti-involution" programme to combat deflationary price wars. It's had some early wins, but this could be a lengthy battle.
Global banking rules need review
News, Vera Songwe & Jendayi Frazer & Peter Blair Henry, Published on 29/07/2025
» In an era of shrinking resources for development finance, global policymakers must shift their focus to making better use of existing funds. Identifying and removing regulatory barriers that hinder the efficient deployment of capital to emerging markets and developing economies (EMDEs) is a good place to start.
Behaviour shift key to ending plastic use
News, Celine Kusnadi, Published on 12/05/2025
» Southeast Asia is no stranger to the plastic crisis. Despite growing awareness and countless"reduce, reuse, recycle" campaigns, single-use plastic consumption remains stubbornly high.
Data paints economy as 'black hole'
News, Chartchai Parasuk, Published on 12/12/2024
» I am known for being pessimistic about the Thai economy. Apart from encouraging official economic growth figures of 1.6% in Q1, 2.2% in Q2, and 3.0% in Q3, I do not think anyone can be optimistic about the economy. It is obvious that GDP data and the actual economic situation do not go hand in hand. It is beyond my comprehension that the non-performing loan (NPL) level rose 14.1% in Q3 while the economy expanded 3.0%. Shouldn't it be the opposite when debtor's income rises?
Anticipating Malaysia's Asean chair
Oped, Kavi Chongkittavorn, Published on 29/10/2024
» Among Asean watchers, it has become a pattern that a significant milestone follows whenever Malaysia takes on the chairmanship. In 2005, Malaysia helped establish the East Asia Summit (EAS), and in 2015, the Asean Community Vision 2025 was launched. Many policymakers and scholars agree that the next chairmanship is perfectly timed for Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim, one of the region's most experienced leaders.
Cheap import challenge
Oped, Editorial, Published on 10/08/2024
» The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and police inspected 11 supermarkets and drugstores selling cheap imported goods in Bangkok earlier this month. The search found more than 1,600 imported items, such as instant noodles, drinks, vitamins, and medical supplies, that did not have the required FDA seals.
All homes grow old and China will get used to it
News, Shuli Ren, Published on 01/06/2024
» Chinese love new apartment buildings, my real estate agent told me last year as I was looking to buy property in Hong Kong. Seeing herself as an investment adviser of sorts, she was breaking down my exit options, such as flipping it to a mainland investor a few years later.