Showing 1 - 10 of 42
Trump's threat to exit Nato forces rethink
News, Gwynne Dyer, Published on 04/04/2026
» As Washington abandons the transatlantic pact following an unprovoked attack on Iran, Europe must prepare for a future without US security guarantees.
US hard power must get harder
Oped, Todd G. Buchholz & Michael Mindlin, Published on 05/06/2025
» In Raiders of the Lost Ark, Harrison Ford gets his biggest laugh when a desert assassin twirls a scimitar with menacing bravado. Following this brief performance, Ford's character cracks a wry smile, takes out his pistol, and shoots the man dead. In a potential contest with China, the United States looks more like the medieval assassin, deploying young sailors and soldiers equipped with perilously outdated, vulnerable technology.
When non-interference becomes policy
Oped, Kavi Chongkittavorn, Published on 20/05/2025
» What US President Donald Trump said in Saudi Arabia on May 14 resonates very well in Thailand. Last week in Riyadh, Mr Trump reiterated that the Middle East had changed because "local people did it", and not because "Western countries interfered and told you how to live or run your countries".
Dollar confusion reigns amid uncertainty
News, Mike Dolan, Published on 10/05/2025
» Currency markets that only a few months ago assumed a trade war would lift the US dollar now suspect that a full-scale devaluation may be underway, suggesting few market players have a clear handle yet on the US administration's dollar plans.
Record gold crowded by one player
News, Mike Dolan, Published on 18/04/2025
» For the first time in two years, US megacap tech stocks are no longer considered the most crowded trade on the planet. They've been overtaken by gold, and that's partly related to eye-popping bullion buying from China.
US-Russia détente will impact Asean
Oped, Kavi Chongkittavorn, Published on 11/03/2025
» There is a blessing in disguise in the uncertainties caused by the "American First" policy by US President Donald Trump. That is, the long-awaited US-Russia détente has finally happened, removing the dark clouds hovering over the Association of Southeast Asian Nations' (Asean) ties with Eurasia's superpower since the fall of the Berlin Wall. The strained relations have impeded the political and security cooperation between the regional bloc and Russia.
People's Party's poll losses lead to vital lessons
Oped, Saritdet Marukatat, Published on 24/12/2024
» What a year for the People's Party in 2024. The orangemen are black and blue after two successive political defeats. But that should be treated as good news for them as the two losses gave them a crucial lesson.
China prepares itself for the next US president
Oped, Yu Jie, Published on 27/09/2024
» While the rest of the world weighs the impact of a Donald Trump or a Kamala Harris victory in November's US presidential election, both candidates present serious challenges for China. To be sure, neither seems to want open conflict between the two powers, which could precipitate a nightmarish descent into global chaos. But Chinese decision-makers expect bitter disputes over trade, technology, and Taiwan regardless of who wins.
Rebooting the Asean Regional Forum
Oped, Kavi Chongkittavorn, Published on 23/07/2024
» When Asean foreign ministers met in Singapore in 1994, they all concurred that dialogue and consultations on political and security issues among major powers and Asean members would be essential in preserving peace and stability in the Asean region. A year later, the Asean Regional Forum (ARF) held its inaugural meeting, which took place in Bangkok and had 18 members, including the Asean 10.
The reason why China won't fight the Houthis
Oped, Yun Sun, Published on 23/02/2024
» Chinese policy in the Middle East is shaped by two factors: China's threat perceptions and its strategic calculus regarding its great-power competition with the United States. And when it comes to dealing with the US, China's approach comes down to three "nos": no cooperation, no support and no confrontation. This credo underlies China's decision not to push back against the Iran-backed Houthis as they carry out drone and missile attacks on Red Sea shipping lanes.