Showing 1 - 10 of 25
Ethics failures plague Senate
Oped, Editorial, Published on 27/11/2025
» A recent court ruling against Senator Thanakorn Thavornchinachote for stealing from victims of a fatal car accident in Chachoengsao is a disgrace not only for the Upper House but also for the Election Commission (EC).
Abbot's dramatic fall from grace
Oped, Sanitsuda Ekachai, Published on 01/09/2025
» Faith built his empire. Fraud destroyed it. Luang Por Alongkot's fall from grace leaves Thai Buddhism reeling, demanding long-overdue reform.
Why is North Korea courting Russian tourists?
Oped, Saahil Menon, Published on 13/08/2025
» Hoping to replenish state coffers with much-needed foreign exchange reserves and offset the sharp post-Covid decline in Chinese tour groups, the Hermit Kingdom has set its sights on inquisitive holiday-makers from an ideologically aligned Russia.
Hypertension hides in plain sight
Oped, Jos Vandelaer & Renu Garg, Published on 15/05/2025
» Thailand's economy has surged. Its health care system is admired. Yet a silent killer is quietly stealing lives, straining hospitals, and sapping the nation's future. That killer is hypertension -- and it's hiding in plain sight.
Be wary of the TikTokalypse on the radar
Oped, Todd G Buchholz, Published on 31/01/2025
» When the United States president, Congress and Supreme Court are all in a tizzy at the same time, the topic under discussion is usually a global meltdown or, at the very least, income taxes. Today, the concern is dancing cat videos. In his first day back in the White House, Donald Trump launched a strike against the Court and Congress by signing an executive order to pause the ban on TikTok, earning applause from the Chinese-owned company. TikTok's online content creators are relieved, too, for many warn that a ban (or a forced sale to a US company) would devastate them. I call it the TikTokalypse.
Temple, state forever tied at the hip
Oped, Guanxiong Qi, Published on 12/10/2024
» On Oct 2, the Lower House rejected a bill to liberalise the liquor industry. Such a decision reflects the desire of Thai policymakers and legislators to control and reduce alcohol consumption and related industries. Earlier this year, the bicameral parliament passed the strictest alcohol control act to date -- a complete prohibition of alcoholic advertisements and sponsorships, regardless of whether they are explicit or implicit.
The bigger game: Israel and Saudi Arabia vs Iran
Oped, Gwynne Dyer, Published on 22/06/2024
» Gaza, IDF, Hamas, Mr Netanyahu, famine, terrorism, genocide, and on and on: the loud, incessant clatter of local issues and tactical moves almost drowns out the low, grinding noise as the Middle East shifts inexorably into a new strategic alignment. But it's happening, and it's still about oil, sort of.
Saffron swindlers
Oped, Editorial, Published on 22/03/2024
» The news of the Central Criminal Court for Corruption and Misconduct this week handing a 480-year-plus jail term to a former abbot for embezzling temple donations is shocking enough. But the story gets even more convoluted.
Clergy reform long overdue
Oped, Editorial, Published on 09/05/2023
» The recent downfall of a well-known monk has again exposed a darker reality beneath the serene surface of Thai Buddhism: monks' sexual misconduct and the theft of temple funds.
Dubious contrast
Oped, Postbag, Published on 23/08/2022
» Re: "China mate", (PostBag, Aug 13). I think ML Saksiri Kridakorn has a biased point of view on world affairs.