Showing 1 - 10 of 31
Tackling Thai-Cambodian border row
Oped, William Roth, Published on 12/11/2025
» The tragic landmine injuries on Monday to two Thai soldiers have cast doubt on whether the ceasefire agreement with Cambodia will hold. But, even if it does, one also has to wonder whether either country really wishes to have lasting peace along this border. After all, for over 70 years, both countries, for domestic political purposes, have periodically used the continuing uncertainty about the actual boundary line to whip up nationalist sentiment.
Courts are shaping climate action
Oped, Francesca Mascha Klein & Laura Schäfer, Published on 03/11/2025
» Amid rising geopolitical tensions, pressure to comply with climate obligations increasingly comes from courts. Earlier this year, both the International Court of Justice (ICJ) and the Inter-American Court of Human Rights (IACtHR) issued landmark advisory opinions affirming that countries must address climate change, and that failure to do so may carry serious legal consequences.
Little sympathy
Oped, Postbag, Published on 11/09/2025
» Re: "Act now, as Suu Kyi is gravely ill", (Opinion, Sept 10). The problem with most activists and this freedom fighter is that they are very good at finding fault in others, not themselves. In a world where charisma trumps character, forgive the pun: Ms Suu Kyi is no exception.
Is genocide being redefined just to indict Israel?
Oped, Konstanty Gebert, Published on 09/09/2025
» There is a raging global debate about whether Israel's actions in Gaza qualify as genocide. The United Nations Convention on the Prevention and Punishment of the Crime of Genocide defines the offence as "acts committed with intent to destroy, in whole or in part, a national, ethnical, racial or religious group, as such". The convention then enumerates incriminating acts, starting with "killing members of the group".
Litigating against Cambodia's leaders
Oped, Kantathi Suphamongkhon, Published on 03/09/2025
» Thailand has been considering prosecuting Hun Sen, the president of the Cambodian Senate, and his son, Hun Manet, the prime minister of Cambodia, in Thai domestic courts as well as at the International Criminal Court (ICC). I will explore and evaluate options. (For terminology consistency, this article will use the word "state" to mean a sovereign state or a country.)
Tiny Vanuatu steps up to protect the climate
Oped, Antara Haldar, Published on 28/08/2025
» Although the International Court of Justice (ICJ) turned 80 this year, there is a sense in which it has never felt younger. In a David-versus-Goliath moment, the tiny Pacific Island state of Vanuatu recently changed international law forever by bringing the world's most important issue before its highest court. The result is an ICJ advisory opinion on "the legal obligations of states in respect of climate change", as requested -- at Vanuatu's urging -- by the UN General Assembly (with 132 states co-sponsoring the resolution).
Canny FM averted an earlier land grab
Oped, Kantathi Suphamongkhon, Published on 25/08/2025
» In early 2006, during the Thai prime minister's visit to Cambodia, Cambodia's PM Hun Sen casually said to his visiting counterpart, Thaksin Shinawatra, "Let's visit Preah Vihear temple together, as two friendly prime ministers.
Thai-Cambodian feud is Asean's worst
Oped, Thitinan Pongsudhirak, Published on 15/08/2025
» The border dispute and consequent military conflict between Cambodia and Thailand in recent weeks have become Asean's worst crisis in its 58 years of existence. Ironically, it was an intra-regional war between Indonesia and Malaysia that gave rise to Asean in 1967, but now an intra-Asean military clash is undermining the Southeast Asian organisation's core reason for being and its main claim to credibility and prominence. Unless Asean, under Malaysia as its rotational chair this year, moves fast to contain the bilateral dispute and reinforce a delicate ceasefire agreement, Southeast Asia will be looked upon increasingly as a region and less as an organisation of member states.
Stepping back from chaos
Oped, Editorial, Published on 24/07/2025
» Ta Muen Thom temple, situated in an overlapping area of Thailand and Cambodia, has emerged as another conflict hotspot between the neighbouring countries, fuelled by angry scrapping at the border by locals from both sides.
Myanmar's 'my way' vs Asean norms
Oped, Kavi Chongkittavorn, Published on 08/07/2025
» It appeared to be a done deal. During their summit on May 26, Asean leaders agreed to admit Timor-Leste as the 11th member of the regional bloc. Since then, Nay Pyi Taw has raised an unexpected objection, with the junta issuing an official statement that could potentially embarrass Asean and its current chair, Malaysia.