Showing 1 - 10 of 999
Iran's water weapon against Gulf
Oped, Michael Christopher Low, Published on 07/04/2026
» The oil-rich monarchies of the Persian Gulf are often described as petrostates. But the US-Israeli war with Iran has highlighted that they are also saltwater kingdoms, societies whose survival depends on desalination, or converting seawater into potable water at industrial scale.
Bridge to nowhere
Oped, Editorial, Published on 07/04/2026
» New Myanmar president Snr Gen Min Aung Hlaing will be sworn in on Friday.
Myanmar's odd new govt takes shape
News, Larry Jagan, Published on 06/04/2026
» Finally, Myanmar's former army chief Senior General Min Aung Hlaing has been appointed as the country's next president. Amid much pomp and ceremony on Friday, Myanmar's newly elected parliamentarians approved his nomination by an overwhelming majority: 429 out of the 584 MPs.
Co-pay scheme misses mark
Editorial, Published on 05/04/2026
» A newly elected government following through on its campaign promises is usually a cause for praise. However, the Anutin Charnvirakul administration's vow to resurrect its flagship "Khon La Khrueng Plus" or Half-and-Half co-payment scheme is instead being met with trepidation.
Rethinking Thailand's visa-free policy
Oped, Kavi Chongkittavorn, Published on 31/03/2026
» Thailand is planning to cut visa-free stays from 60 days to 30 days. This long-overdue change reflects growing concern over the effectiveness of immigration surveillance. Moreover, scaling down visa-free stays underscores the seriousness of the Anutin government's efforts to combat scammers, illegal work, and other underground activities that exploit easy visa access to turn Thailand into a base for under-the-table operations.
A plaintive song for the taxman
Roger Crutchley, Published on 29/03/2026
» I've just got back from filing my income tax and must thank the staff at the branch of the Revenue Department for their helpfulness and efficiency. It must be a thankless job knowing that nearly everyone they deal with would probably rather be somewhere else.
Visa blowback
Oped, Postbag, Published on 26/03/2026
» Re: "MFA proposes slashing visa-free tourist period in half", (BP, March 25) & "Explainer: Thailand's new visas", (Podcast, Aug 5, 2024).
Long stay doubts
Oped, Postbag, Published on 24/03/2026
» Re: "30-day visa-free stay 'sufficient', says minister", (BP, March 21) & "Thailand reviewing visa-free stays as local complaints pile up" & "Phuket up in arms on long‑stay visa", (BP, March 18).
American hegemony is waning
News, Carla Norrlöf is Professor of Political Science at the University of Toronto., Published on 21/03/2026
» The messy crisis in the Strait of Hormuz has clarified how power works in the 21st century. It reminds us that the greatest long-term threat to the United States is not China's military buildup or Russian aggression, but the gradual fragmentation of the alliance system that has underwritten its global leadership since World War II.
Can artificial intelligence kill imaginary friends?
Oped, Naomi R Aguiar & Marjorie Taylor, Published on 13/03/2026
» Will we someday have nostalgia for a time when children talked to an imaginary friend instead of an AI companion?