Showing 1 - 10 of 38
Implications of conservative triumph
Oped, Thitinan Pongsudhirak, Published on 13/02/2026
» The incumbent and conservative Bhumjaithai (BJT) Party has surprisingly swept Thailand's Feb 8 election with a commanding win. With the previously poll-leading and progressive People's Party (PP) coming in a distant second, Thailand appears headed for a conservative coalition government revolving around BJT and like-minded junior partners. Known for its conservative stance and being pro-status quo, it would not be surprising if the BJT-led coalition government, led by Prime Minister-elect Anutin Charnvirakul, were not challenged by the Constitutional Court, the Election Commission, and other supervisory agencies, which have derailed and dissolved reform-minded winning parties in the past.
Bribery probe deepens police credibility crisis
Oped, Anucha Charoenpo, Published on 06/11/2025
» The reputation of the Royal Thai Police (RTP) has suffered a significant blow following a decision by the Police Complaints Review Committee (PCRC) to formally accuse former National Police Chief Pol Gen Torsak Sukvimol and more than 200 police officers of disciplinary misconduct for allegedly accepting bribes from online gambling networks.
Pheu Thai must move on
Oped, Editorial, Published on 25/09/2025
» Weeks have passed since the People's Party (PP) threw its support behind Bhumjaithai leader Anutin Charnvirakul's premiership bid.
New govt may last longer than pledged
Oped, Thitinan Pongsudhirak, Published on 12/09/2025
» Thailand's latest round of political tumult reached a culmination when the Constitutional Court removed Paetongtarn Shinawatra of the hitherto ruling Pheu Thai (PT) Party from office on Aug 29, paving the way for Bhumjaithai Party (BJT) leader Anutin Charnvirakul to succeed her as prime minister with the Lower House's majority support a week later.
Invest, not spend
Oped, Postbag, Published on 08/09/2025
» Re: "BJT to revive co-payment scheme for daily buys", (BP, Sept 7). Prime Minister Anutin Chanvirakul should subsidise investment, not consumption. A key reason for Paetongtarn's downfall was her blind insistence on her B10K/person handout to subsidise consumption, forecasting a fiscal multiplier of 3 to 4.
Abbot's dramatic fall from grace
Oped, Sanitsuda Ekachai, Published on 01/09/2025
» Faith built his empire. Fraud destroyed it. Luang Por Alongkot's fall from grace leaves Thai Buddhism reeling, demanding long-overdue reform.
Thamanat aiming to push Bhumjaithai out of coalition
Oped, Chairith Yonpiam, Published on 17/05/2025
» The latest “cobra” incident — involving a politician defecting to the Klatham Party — demonstrates Capt Thamanat Prompow’s fervent attempts to make his party an alternative choice for the Paetongtarn Shinawatra government.
The Senate's image takes another hit
Oped, Chairith Yonpiam, Published on 22/03/2025
» The rejection of two high-profile picks for the charter court, Siripan Noksuan Sawasdi, a renowned political scientist at Chulalongkorn University, and Chatri Atjananont, a former ambassador, has cast the Senate in a bad light and raised questions about its impartiality.
Shifting alliances and fading juntas
Oped, Chairith Yonpiam, Published on 11/01/2025
» Thai politics is currently undergoing significant change. The junta and its conservative network, which held a grip on politics over the last two decades, are fading from the scene. Now, we witness ex-premier Thaksin Shinawatra making his political comeback as a relatively new player -- the Bhumjaithai Party wields its power over the Upper Chamber.
Assad's fate haunts Myanmar junta
Oped, Kavi Chongkittavorn, Published on 17/12/2024
» The recent overthrow of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad provides insights into the potential undoing of Myanmar's military regime in Nay Pyi Taw. Senior General Min Aung Hlaing must take note and study why even a strong 55-year-old family empire with heavyweight outside backing still crumbled like a house of cards.