Showing 1 - 10 of 29
People's Party battles shift in voter mood
Oped, Anucha Charoenpo, Published on 08/01/2026
» We now find ourselves in a crunch time when voters begin to firm up their choices ahead of the Feb 8 general election. This may explain why political parties are starting to reveal their aces, floating names for key ministerial portfolios at strategic moments.
Tackling Thai-Cambodian border row
Oped, William Roth, Published on 12/11/2025
» The tragic landmine injuries on Monday to two Thai soldiers have cast doubt on whether the ceasefire agreement with Cambodia will hold. But, even if it does, one also has to wonder whether either country really wishes to have lasting peace along this border. After all, for over 70 years, both countries, for domestic political purposes, have periodically used the continuing uncertainty about the actual boundary line to whip up nationalist sentiment.
Mitigating flood misery
Oped, Editorial, Published on 10/10/2025
» This week, the general public breathed a sigh of relief after the Office of the National Water Resources (ONWR) expressed confidence that there is no risk of future rounds of flooding reaching 2011 levels. That epic event has gone down as perhaps the worst floods the nation has faced in modern times.
Markets may soon call US' bluff
Oped, Pinelopi Koujianou Goldberg, Published on 21/07/2025
» Three months after President Donald Trump announced plans to impose sweeping new tariffs on most countries, the US economy appears surprisingly resilient. The stock market has rebounded from its initial slump, inflation remains under control and fears of a recession have receded -- or at least they had before Mr Trump announced a new 30% tariff on imports from Mexico and the European Union, two of America's biggest trading partners.
Uyghurs deportation a strategic risk
Oped, Thitinan Pongsudhirak, Published on 07/03/2025
» Regardless of official spin, the government's decision to deport 40 Uyghurs to China was a strategic mistake on multiple levels.
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.
Remembering a Southeast Asianist
Oped, Thitinan Pongsudhirak, Published on 26/07/2024
» It is not often these days to find scholars of Southeast Asia with exceptional breadth and depth, prescience, and commitment who stick to their creed until the end. In the pantheon of such rare scholars, Benedict O'Gorman Anderson, who died in 2015, would have led the way. James C Scott would be right beside him in a distinctly different fashion.
Building a much stronger food system in Laos
Oped, Genevieve Donnellon-May, Published on 29/03/2024
» One of the smallest and most sparsely populated nations in Southeast Asia, the Lao Peoples' Democratic Republic, a mountainous, landlocked country wedged between Vietnam, Thailand and China, has long grappled with challenges associated with supplies of food. A recently released Food and Agriculture Organization/World Food Programme joint report warns that food insecurity continues to increase in Laos, last year affecting more than a million people out of the 7.2 million population.
Teaching firms about public health
Oped, Tom Achoki, Published on 21/02/2024
» Corporations are increasingly moving into the public health domain. Companies like Amazon, Google, and Microsoft are being "pulled" by market opportunities for non-traditional actors to "disrupt" health care. Others are being "pushed" by the imperative -- highlighted by events like the Covid-19 pandemic -- to act as responsible community stakeholders, such as by helping to address health inequities.
Thailand's path to inclusive growth
Oped, Peerasit Kamnuansilpa & Suradech Taweesaengsakulthai, Published on 07/02/2024
» Thailand's decision to implement a 10,000-baht Digital Wallet Scheme (DWS) marks a significant step in its ambition to bolster economic competitiveness and growth.