Showing 1 - 10 of 14
PM's crisis and Thai political directions
Oped, Thitinan Pongsudhirak, Published on 27/06/2025
» What began just a month ago as a minor border dispute with Cambodia has spiralled into an existential political crisis in Thailand. In what she understood to be a private phone conversation with Cambodia's former prime minister and Senate President, Hun Sen, Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra compromised her premiership and undermined Thai national interests. While she tries to ride out the storm, her tenure appears wobbly and unworkable. What comes next will likely proceed in one of three directions revolving around the Thai parliamentary processes, each with its own scenarios and considerations.
Missing the point
Oped, Postbag, Published on 09/07/2024
» Re: "No doubles for expats", (PostBag, July 8). Is it possible that Songdej Praditsmanont is completely missing the essential point that most recent contributions to PostBag have so far highlighted very loudly on this topic? Over his many attempts at justifying the current proposal by the Head of the Revenue Department to tax foreigners on their worldwide income, he has systematically ignored the elephant in the room, being the blatant unfairness associated with such a policy.
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.
Post-poll lull has a lot to answer for
Oped, Thitinan Pongsudhirak, Published on 26/05/2023
» After a clear election victory, Thailand should already have a new government in office by now with Pita Limjaroenrat as prime minister, as his Move Forward Party (MFP) together with opposition ally Pheu Thai Party won a clear mandate of more than 58% of 500 lower house seats. Yet their coalition government in waiting among eight parties with 313 elected representatives is facing several critical roadblocks, including the military-appointed senate and the Election Commission (EC). Public pressure is now needed to be piled on these powerful but biased bodies that were appointed during the coup-dominated era in 2014–2019 to comply with the people's wishes, as expressed at the polls on May 14.
Let the WTO referee carbon border taxes
Oped, Jeffrey Frankel, Published on 08/12/2022
» Perhaps the most important task confronting the international order is the enforcement of national limits on greenhouse-gas emissions, such as those that were negotiated in the 2015 Paris agreement. Carbon border adjustments could give these limits teeth, but fair application requires a revived World Trade Organization.
Seducing shoppers with special offers
News, Roger Crutchley, Published on 27/02/2022
» In many Bangkok retail establishments there are frequent special offers with variations on the "buy one, get one free!" theme. It is known in the trade as BOGO or BOGOF which actually sounds a bit rude. The immediate reaction to this sort of offer, especially when the word "free!" appears with an accompanying exclamation mark, tends to be "what's the catch?"
COP26: Mixed bag of hope, despair
Oped, Gwynne Dyer, Published on 12/11/2021
» It's not too early to assess the success or failure of COP26, the climate summit that began in Glasgow on Oct 31. The first week, while the heads of state are there, is when all the big promises are announced; the second week is devoted to haggling over the details of the deals. So we already know that it hasn't been an absolute failure.
Reducing emissions not so easy
Oped, Bjorn Lomborg, Published on 10/11/2021
» At the UN Climate Summit in Glasgow (COP26), most leaders of rich nations are eagerly promising to decarbonise their economies by mid-century or even sooner. Yet, it is highly questionable if they and their successors will want or be able to keep their promise. Even worse, growth-reducing climate policies won't convince developing countries who need to lift their populations out of poverty and whose emissions matter most this century.
Post-poll transitions and directions
News, Thitinan Pongsudhirak, Published on 14/06/2019
» Almost three months after the March 24 poll, Thailand has barely managed to come up with a new government leader, who remains Gen Prayut Chan-o-cha, but a cabinet has still yet to be announced owing to haggling and bargaining over portfolios.
Anti-regime? Join the opposition ranks
News, Thitinan Pongsudhirak, Published on 17/05/2019
» Five years after it seized power in May 2014, Thailand's military junta, known as the National Council for Peace and Order (NCPO), has achieved what it envisaged.