Showing 1 - 10 of 68
Breaking men: a conscript's tale
Oped, Sanitsuda Ekachai, Published on 19/01/2026
» His face looks tired and strained. His voice trembles, carrying the pain and bitterness from the dehumanisation he endured as a conscript.
Keeping in step with ballroom moves
Roger Crutchley, Published on 02/11/2025
» The most entertaining news of the week was the response to President Donald Trump's demolition of the East Wing of the White House so he can build a "big, beautiful ballroom". It is probably fair to say it prompted a "mixed reaction" -- many being totally horrified.
Flat fare a good start
Oped, Editorial, Published on 17/07/2025
» The 20-baht flat fare for electric trains that will run from Oct 1 this year to Sept 30 next year is a welcome move to ease the cost of living for city commuters.
Drug crisis deepens our economic woes
Oped, Peerasit Kamnuansilpa, Published on 11/12/2024
» Thailand faces a dual crisis that threatens the foundation of its future economic development: declining fertility rates, leading to a shrinking population and a simultaneous surge in drug addiction rates.
Playing cat and mouse at Downing Street
Roger Crutchley, Published on 06/10/2024
» Important news from London. Larry the Cat has a new housemate at Downing Street. Prime Minister Keir Starmer has announced the arrival of a white Siberian kitten called Prince. This breed of cat is apparently "good at problem solving" so considering the state of the UK at the moment it should be kept very busy in the PM's office. It is unclear if it will attend Cabinet meetings as being a Russian breed it may face security issues.
City's anti-rat crusade has never been this normal
News, Stephen Mihm, Published on 13/08/2024
» New York City's mayor, Eric Adams, has opened up a new front of his war on rats. Mr Adams, who already made headlines for appointing a "rat czar" last year, has escalated his campaign against the city's ubiquitous rodents. Last week, he announced the creation of the "Rat Pack", which he billed as an "elite squad of anti-rat activists" who will take the fight to the enemy.
Monitor the wallet scheme
Oped, Editorial, Published on 03/08/2024
» The wait is over. The Srettha government finally launched the long-awaited digital wallet scheme on Thursday. This costly cash handout is the flagship policy of the Pheu Thai Party from the 2023 general election. The scheme will put 450 billion baht of digital cash into the hands of over 40 million eligible recipients, with the hope that they will buy local goods, spurring grassroots trade and investment.
A perfectly British public paradox
Roger Crutchley, Published on 14/07/2024
» Much has been made of the "working class" background of the newly-elected government in the UK and how very few of Sir Keir Starmer's Cabinet attended posh "public schools". This brings us to one of the paradoxes of British and particularly English culture. The institutions which are called "public schools" in England are anything but public and are actually elite private fee-paying institutions.
Telling fortunes 'a nice little earner'
Roger Crutchley, Published on 26/05/2024
» A recent Thai news story concerned a man nabbed in an online fortune-telling scam. He would inform customers suffering from misfortune that their situation would dramatically improve if for a small fee he made a few prayers on his "direct line" to the deities in heaven.
A 14th Century warning for fans of 21st Century demagogues
Max Hastings, Published on 11/02/2024
» A history student told me recently that he loves researching the 20th Century but can’t see the point of the Middle Ages. I responded that it can be a big help to understanding our own times — very troubled times — to view them in the context even of the remote past.