Showing 1 - 10 of 278
Implications of conservative triumph
Oped, Thitinan Pongsudhirak, Published on 13/02/2026
» The incumbent and conservative Bhumjaithai (BJT) Party has surprisingly swept Thailand's Feb 8 election with a commanding win. With the previously poll-leading and progressive People's Party (PP) coming in a distant second, Thailand appears headed for a conservative coalition government revolving around BJT and like-minded junior partners. Known for its conservative stance and being pro-status quo, it would not be surprising if the BJT-led coalition government, led by Prime Minister-elect Anutin Charnvirakul, were not challenged by the Constitutional Court, the Election Commission, and other supervisory agencies, which have derailed and dissolved reform-minded winning parties in the past.
School bus safety ignored
Oped, Editorial, Published on 05/02/2026
» In January alone, there were eight school bus accidents, the Thailand Consumer Council says -- a prominent civic group campaigning for school bus safety. These incidents claimed one life and injured 122 others, yet they were treated as snippet news that drew little public attention.
AI and the future of education
Oped, Pinelopi Koujianou Goldberg, Published on 27/01/2026
» The rapid progress of large language models over the past two years has led some to argue that AI will soon make college education, especially in the liberal arts, obsolete. According to this view, young people would be better off skipping college and learning directly on the job.
Graft thrives along Mae Sot border
Oped, Paskorn Jumlongrach, Published on 20/01/2026
» The arrest of Ratchapong "Pond" Soisuwan, a constituency candidate representing the People's Party and then incumbent MP for Constituency 2, former MP for Mae Sot district in Tak province, came as little surprise to local people.
Time to restart peace talks in the far South
Oped, Anucha Charoenpo, Published on 16/01/2026
» The series of coordinated bomb attacks at 11 PTT petrol stations in Yala, Pattani and Narathiwat in the early hours of Sunday is a warning sign that southern unrest is enduring and can flare up at any moment.
Three main parties and two directions
Oped, Thitinan Pongsudhirak, Published on 16/01/2026
» Although Thailand's election campaign is reaching fever pitch ahead of voting day on Feb 8, the dynamics and contours of its final outcome can be gleaned from past polls over the last 25 years. Only once in January 2001, as was indicated in this space last week, were voter results fully honoured and carried out. Other elections were either upended by military coups or manipulated by judicial interventions.
Who runs Red Line?
Oped, Postbag, Published on 16/01/2026
» Re: "Red Line B40 daily fare cap starts", (BP, Dec 2, 2025). I'm just curious whether the Red Line commuter trains are under the jurisdiction of the Mass Rapid Transit Authority (MRTA) or the State Railway of Thailand (SRT).
A bright spot in global landscape
Oped, John J. Metzler, Published on 02/01/2026
» It's time to consult the crystal snow globe and try to peer ahead to what may be on the horizon for the new year. Without question 2025 has been tumultuous but the year ahead holds cautious promise to finally solve some political crises mixed with some epic events on tap.
Bus industry loses 'Jeh Kiew', its leading voice
Oped, Saritdet Marukatat, Published on 24/12/2025
» 2025 was a big loss for all interprovincial bus operators as it was the end of the road for a woman who staunchly protected their business.
Mass transit preferred
Oped, Editorial, Published on 11/12/2025
» The fierce resistance against the idea of turning the Kasetsart tunnel–Ngamwongwan Road–Phong Phet Bridge into part of a double deck expressway should remind the Ministry of Transport to embrace public participation early when it comes to such projects rather than obsessing over the top-down decision-making process.