Showing 1 - 10 of 2,049
Anutin fuels border fear
News, Editorial, Published on 14/02/2026
» From a dubious plan to tightly seal the border with Cambodia, caretaker Prime Minister Anutin Charnvirakul, who is seeking to form a coalition government, has now given the nod to construct additional fencing along the frontier -- a move that signals extended hostility towards Thailand's immediate neighbour.
Japanese PM Takaichi comes out on top
Oped, Taniguchi Tomohiko, Published on 11/02/2026
» Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi has just scored an unprecedented victory in the country's general election. The ruling Liberal Democratic Party (LDP), which she leads, won 316 seats in the 465-member House of Representatives (the Diet's lower house), up sharply from 198. The combined strength of two parties that had merged hastily -- despite their fundamentally opposing platforms -- in an effort to bring Ms Takaichi down fell from 167 seats to just 49. The LDP, which celebrated its 70th anniversary last year, has never looked more robust.
Voters' choice merits respect
Oped, Editorial, Published on 09/02/2026
» Thailand's general election concluded yesterday amidst a nationwide atmosphere of anticipation, civic engagement and hope for the country's direction. By last night and into today, the outcome of the count has, in all likelihood, become broadly apparent to the public, setting the stage for the next crucial phase of our democracy.
Will poll be breakout or more of same?
Oped, Thitinan Pongsudhirak, Published on 06/02/2026
» As Thais go to the polls this Sunday, the most consequential question is whether Thailand will finally break out of its debilitating cycle of political instability and economic underperformance that has marked the past two decades. The signs and signals suggest otherwise -- at least not yet.
Rethinking global health finance
Oped, Walter O Ochieng & Tom Achoki, Published on 06/02/2026
» For the past half-century, the economics of global health were straightforward. Under the so-called "grant-based" approach, rich countries donate to poor countries, which use the funds to meet their populations' health needs. Success was measured by services provided or lives saved, rather than by balance sheets. While this model was far from perfect, the latest approach replacing it -- focused on using tools like guarantees and blended finance to crowd in private capital -- threatens to produce even worse outcomes.
The longevity flex: hit the track, not the bar
Petprakai Hansiri, Published on 04/02/2026
» Social feeds are hitting differently lately, teeming with a younger crowd at parks. Instead of the strobes and neon of a nightclub, the feed is filled with morning mist and the greenery of public parks.
Future of AI will be written in nuts and bolts
News, Anuj Ranjan, Published on 02/02/2026
» For private equity investors, the real question surrounding artificial intelligence isn't whether it will transform industries. It's how those transformations will translate into real returns.
No easy road ahead for PP greenhorns
News, Veera Prateepchaikul, Published on 02/02/2026
» The latest opinion polls, conducted by the National Institute of Development Administration (Nida) and Rajabhat University ahead of the general election on Sunday, have put the People's Party (PP) ahead of its rivals and its leader, Natthaphong Ruengpanyawut, as the most favoured prime ministerial candidate among voters.
Hedgehoppers in search of good news
Roger Crutchley, Published on 01/02/2026
» Being the very first day of February it would have been nice if there was some good news worth celebrating, but unfortunately nothing immediately springs to mind. Cheerful news is an increasingly rare commodity these days. It all seems to be gloom and doom and hardly portends a joyful 2026. It can get a bit wearying grappling with news reports featuring contradictions, cover-ups and cock-ups, often accompanied by half-truths, prevarications and porky pies. But this is the world we now live in.
Border talks disappoint
News, Editorial, Published on 31/01/2026
» The latest Thai-Cambodian border talks under the Regional Border Committee (RBC) framework collapsed, disappointing those who had hoped the two countries would take steps towards restoring lasting peace.