Showing 1 - 10 of 216
Where are we in terms of SDGs?
Oped, Evgeny Tomikhin, Published on 03/04/2026
» As 2026 began, the United Nations Commission for Asia and the Pacific (Unescap) headquarters reopened its doors for the annual Asia-Pacific Forum for Sustainable Development (APFSD).
Trump goes off-script, US gone rogue
Oped, Thitinan Pongsudhirak, Published on 27/03/2026
» It was not supposed to work like this. "America First" and "Make America Great Again" (MAGA) were supposed to be about an inward turn to repair, replenish and rebuild an externally overstretched and internally weakened country, weighed down by unnecessary global entanglements, unsustainable national debt, and unimpeded mass migration. It seemed for a time that the MAGA movement to prioritise America above and beyond the international system and its constituent parts had found its final prophet in President Donald J Trump. But now, somehow, President Trump has betrayed the movement that has carried him to office by waging a disastrous war on Iran in cooperation with Israel.
Impacts of Iran war on Southeast Asia
Oped, Thitinan Pongsudhirak, Published on 20/03/2026
» For the most part, Southeast Asia as a region has taken a neutral stance toward the joint attack between the United States and Israel against the Islamic Republic of Iran. Even the Philippines and Thailand, two formal US treaty allies, have distanced themselves, calling for restraint and de-escalation.
Lesson from India to avoid the middle-income trap
Oped, Arvind Panagariya, Published on 18/03/2026
» Among Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi's most ambitious goals is to transform his country into a developed economy by Aug 15, 2047 -- the centenary of Indian independence. Given India's growth record over the past two decades, the speed and scale of its infrastructure development in recent years, and the Modi government's willingness to enact large-scale economic reforms, India is likely to become one of the few developing countries to avoid the middle-income trap.
Poor timing
Oped, Postbag, Published on 12/03/2026
» I was stunned by the airing of American Psycho (unedited version, sic) at 12.15pm on True Visions Channel 228. This movie is only suitable for late-night viewing (parents note) at best, given its horrific and lewd content, although we are assured by film critics that it is a satire of contemporary society. Given ongoing developments, this seems to be true. It's going to get a remake too, God help us.
America risks grand folly in Iran war
Oped, Thitinan Pongsudhirak, Published on 06/03/2026
» It is just the first week of the joint attack between the United States and Israel on the Islamic Republic of Iran, but the repercussions from the Middle East for the Indo-Pacific are already discernible.
War tests energy policy
Oped, Editorial, Published on 06/03/2026
» The ongoing war in the Middle East is a new litmus test for the energy policies of governments around the world, including the new administration in Bangkok. This time, the government and our energy policymakers hope -- and indeed pray -- that this Middle East conflict will be brief.
Japan's Takaichi wins strong new mandate
Oped, John J. Metzler, Published on 19/02/2026
» A political Tsunami swept across Japan as recent national elections delivered a resounding victory for the incumbent party and its maverick leader, Sanae Takaichi. Though the outcome was assumed, her stunning triumph in the Feb 8 election was unexpected.
Today's date with national destiny
Oped, Editorial, Published on 08/02/2026
» Thailand has a double date with destiny today. As the polls open across all 77 provinces, it is imperative for citizens to exercise their right to vote in both the general election and the constitutional referendum.
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%.