Showing 1 - 10 of 36
Our tariff-era dollar, your problem
Oped, Qiyuan Xu, Published on 04/02/2026
» In 2025, the dollar index, which measures the greenback's strength against a basket of major currencies, fell by roughly 9.4%. Over the same period, the United States' average effective tariff rate rose by around 14.4 percentage points, from 2.4% to 16.8%, according to the Yale Budget Lab. Taken together, these shifts imply that, in the import trade domain, the US experienced an effective exchange-rate depreciation of around 24%.
Baht headache
Oped, Postbag, Published on 18/12/2025
» Re: "BoT cracks down on surging baht", (Business, Dec 17). While the baht's currency strength is an ever-more concerning issue, as pointed out numerous times, what is rarely mentioned is the likely excess Thai foreign reserves, nearing an astonishing US$270 billion.
Asean must strengthen cohesion
Oped, Anwar Ibrahim, Published on 17/09/2025
» Since its founding in 1967, the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (Asean) has cultivated a reputation for trust and dialogue that has made the region synonymous with peace, stability, and dynamism. The achievements of our ten member states -- soon to be eleven with Timor-Leste's expected admission later in 2025 -- are rooted in a culture of consensus, open communication, and solidarity. This tradition of cooperation has enabled Asean to manage tensions, prevent conflict, and nurture prosperity across one of the world's most diverse regions.
Rare earths are definitely China's trump card
Oped, Angela Huyue Zhang, Published on 15/08/2025
» China's weaponisation of rare earths has emerged as a major flash point in US-China trade negotiations. These critical materials, especially the high-performance magnets they make possible, are vital components in electric vehicles (EVs), wind turbines, industrial robotics, and advanced defence systems. In response to China's strict rare-earths export controls, the United States has quietly lowered tariffs, relaxed export controls on AI chips, and even softened visa restrictions for Chinese students.
Trump hurting global trade in ideas
Oped, Sally Tyler, Published on 04/08/2025
» Much attention has been focused on Thailand's scramble to achieve a bilateral trade agreement with the United States to avoid a 36% tariff on all exported goods. Yet a different restrictive trade policy has received comparatively less scrutiny -- the Trump administration's clampdown on American universities, including a possible ban on the enrolment of international students.
When disasters create unlikely alliances
Oped, Zoltán Grossman, Published on 15/03/2025
» Disasters are tragic and frightening events, whether emerging from the climate crisis, armed conflict, or health catastrophe. They reveal deep social inequalities and compel fear and insecurity. But times of catastrophe can also serve as opportunities to turn toward collective resilience and mutual aid and build unlikely alliances between communities.
Vintage tonnage keeps Russian oil flowing
Oped, Gwynne Dyer, Published on 17/01/2025
» The name is brilliant: "vintage tonnage". It evokes 17th-century pirate vessels flying the skull-and-crossbones, 18th-century ships-of-the-line bristling with cannons, or even 19th-century clipper ships in full sail bringing tea to England and America. The images are always romantic and often beautiful.
Treaty a chance to solve plastic crisis
Oped, Salisa Traipipitsiriwat and Penchom Saetang, Published on 21/11/2024
» Plastic pollution is a massive problem that needs to be solved collectively at the global level.
We must not lose sight of Myanmar
Oped, Sihasak Phuangketkeow, Published on 20/09/2024
» Three years on, there remains no end in sight to the crisis in Myanmar. As the international community is increasingly beset by the gridlock in Myanmar and instead drawn towards conflict elsewhere in the world, there is a real concern of a "Myanmar fatigue" setting in. Be that as it may, Thailand cannot afford to lose sight of the dire situation in its immediate neighbour.
Protect forest, fresh water resources
Oped, Jong-Jin Kim, Published on 21/03/2024
» United we stand, divided we fall -- it's an old cliché, but when talking about access to fresh water in this Asia and Pacific region, it's worth reminding ourselves how imperative it is to work together, within countries and across borders, to share and protect this precious resource.