Showing 1 - 10 of 57
Today's date with national destiny
Oped, Editorial, Published on 08/02/2026
» Thailand has a double date with destiny today. As the polls open across all 77 provinces, it is imperative for citizens to exercise their right to vote in both the general election and the constitutional referendum.
Socialism's novel brand of nomenclature
Oped, John J Metzler, Published on 18/11/2025
» On Nov 9, 1989, the Berlin Wall collapsed. On a very ordinary night, thousands of East Germans started crossing the dividing barrier between the communist East and capitalist West Berlin after the East German regime had suddenly opened tightly controlled border crossings. In a matter of hours, history was made. Throngs of people soon swamped the Wall and then started smashing the hated communist barrier into concrete rubble.
Rethinking identity from the start
Oped, Watcharin Ariyaprakai, Published on 29/10/2025
» Thailand has made history by recognising same-sex marriage, affirming the right of adults to love and marry freely. This will rightly be celebrated as a triumph for equality and human dignity. Yet, in the same society, another group remains voiceless: newborns born with Disorders of Sex Development (DSD).
Small win for graft fight
Oped, Editorial, Published on 07/08/2025
» The falling from grace of Pichet Chuamuangphan, the First Deputy House Speaker, highlights a lapse in ethical standards among lawmakers.
Refugees in policy limbo
Oped, Editorial, Published on 22/07/2025
» Time is running out. In less than two weeks, over 80,000 refugees on the Thai–Myanmar border will be left without food, health care, or protection. With US aid permanently cut, Thailand can no longer look away. The government must act before this humanitarian crisis spins out of control.
Trade talks to-do list
Oped, Editorial, Published on 17/05/2025
» Finally, the government has laid its cards on the table, giving details of the trade proposal it will submit to the US Trade Representative (USTR). Yet some offers will raise doubts about their enforceability and impact.
Thai-US trade talks are likely to fail
Oped, Chartchai Parasuk, Published on 15/05/2025
» Don't get too excited over news the temporary trade deal between China and the US will mean friendly negotiations with other countries. The US government still aims for higher import tax income to narrow its monstrous fiscal deficit. As explained in a previous article, Donald Trump would love to see an average tariff rate of around 20% or higher on imports. Higher customs revenue already allowed the US to achieve a budget surplus of US$258 billion (8.5 trillion baht) in April. The figure incorporates only a 10% universal tariff, as full reciprocal tariffs were postponed for 90 days from April 8. Just imagine how nice the US budget position would be with 20% or more import tariff revenue?
All barked out
Oped, Postbag, Published on 14/05/2025
» Re: "Dogged logic", (PostBag, May 12) & "Oh, for a quiet street", (PostBag, May 11).
Be wary of the TikTokalypse on the radar
Oped, Todd G Buchholz, Published on 31/01/2025
» When the United States president, Congress and Supreme Court are all in a tizzy at the same time, the topic under discussion is usually a global meltdown or, at the very least, income taxes. Today, the concern is dancing cat videos. In his first day back in the White House, Donald Trump launched a strike against the Court and Congress by signing an executive order to pause the ban on TikTok, earning applause from the Chinese-owned company. TikTok's online content creators are relieved, too, for many warn that a ban (or a forced sale to a US company) would devastate them. I call it the TikTokalypse.
Down with tinting
Oped, Postbag, Published on 16/01/2025
» Re: "Safer roads or just talk?", (Editorial, Dec 31, 2024).