Showing 1 - 10 of 26
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.
Trump must learn from history's Arctic profiteers
Oped, Peter C. Mancall, Published on 18/04/2025
» The US president has not been subtle about his goals for the Arctic: "We'll go as far as we have to go" to acquire Greenland, he stated while sitting behind the Resolute desk in the Oval Office. The desk, made from the British Arctic exploring vessel called HMS Resolute, is itself a reminder of the northern voyages of empire builders -- the type of pursuit the president is after.
Resisting digital feudalism in artificial intelligence
Oped, Mariana Mazzucato, Published on 13/02/2025
» This month's AI Action Summit in Paris comes at a critical juncture in the development of artificial intelligence. At issue is not whether Europe can compete with China and the United States in an AI arms race; it is whether Europeans can pioneer a different approach that puts public value at the centre of technological development and governance. The task is to move away from digital feudalism, the term I coined back in 2019 to describe the dominant digital platforms' model of rent extraction.
Fires and fortitude in California
Oped, JOE MATHEWS, Published on 18/01/2025
» If you're going to live the California dream, you'll never escape the nightmares.
No-show Prawit
Oped, Postbag, Published on 05/10/2024
» Re: "Call to probe Prawit absences", (BP, Sept 26).
Let's not slide into mayhem
Oped, Editorial, Published on 28/09/2024
» The landslides that struck communities in the northern region this month -- and the isolated deadly landslide on Phuket Island last month -- are not entirely natural disasters. They are glaring examples of man-made tragedies that could have been avoided, or at least mitigated, if governments and officials had paid proper attention to land use in mountainous areas.
2011 all over again?
Oped, Postbag, Published on 31/08/2024
» Re: "Chao Phraya River basin raises flood risk", (BP, Aug 26).
Neutral safety body needed
Oped, Editorial, Published on 02/04/2024
» Another accident on Wednesday is a reminder for drivers in Bangkok that they have a new risk to heed. On top of Rama II Road's reputation for multiple accidents caused by construction sites, drivers must now watch out for danger from above as they drive below the structure of the Yellow Line monorail service.
Hope on horizon for starving Palestinians?
Oped, Gwynne Dyer, Published on 14/03/2024
» Good news! The US logistical support ship General Frank S. Besson Junior has just sailed from Norfolk, Virginia, carrying the equipment needed to build a temporary pier off the coast of Gaza. That will enable the US to deliver food to the starving (yes, literally starving) Palestinian population of the Israeli-occupied Gaza Strip.
Making Asean more relevant to youth
Oped, Lee Yoong Yoong, Published on 31/08/2023
» International Youth Day is celebrated annually in August. Growing up as a young person in Singapore in the 1980-90s, I was more in tune with the arts, music, and literature of American and British influences than I was with local and regional popular culture. I was also more familiar with Western-based landmarks, for example the Eiffel Tower, than I was with those in Southeast Asia, such as Borobudur Temple. That was how oblivious I was of the region I was living in.