Showing 1 - 10 of 13
Clearer policy on Myanmar is needed
Oped, Vitit Muntarbhorn, Published on 18/04/2025
» Regrettably, the recent earthquake in Myanmar compounds the longstanding pain and suffering inflicted on the people of the country due to authoritarianism and human rights violations. Can such a catastrophe also be a catalyst for transformative, constructive change?
Navigating the uncharted territory of AI
Oped, Vitit Muntarbhorn, Published on 30/08/2023
» Artificial Intelligence (AI), alias robots, has captured the public imagination. Yet, the term "AI" can cover more than robots. Not only does AI embody technology that learns and digests data, exhibiting intelligence paralleling humans, but it is also now a major creative force. Generative AI can offer projections, predictions and propositions, potentially surpassing human intelligence. This leads to the question -- should AI be regulated, and how?
Gateways for action on Myanmar crisis
Oped, Vitit Muntarbhorn, Published on 11/01/2023
» The coup in Myanmar in 2021 brought back to power a junta-based regime and compounded grave violations, adding fuel to a recurrent crisis. A constructive gateway for action in December 2022 was thus the adoption of the UN Security Council (SC) Resolution 2669, the first substantive resolution highlighting urgently needed measures on the issue.
Making room for youth in Thai politics
Oped, Vitit Muntarbhorn, Published on 29/10/2022
» Thailand is heading towards national elections next year, and this is an opportune moment to ask how much room there is for the participation of youth in politics. The record to date has been ambivalent, and much depends on both political and social will to broaden the civic and political space.
How to invigorate multilateralism
Oped, Vitit Muntarbhorn, Published on 15/09/2022
» Multilateralism, embodied in the United Nations (UN) as the world’s primary body for fostering international relations and international law among all countries, has been the mainstay of global history since the World War II.
Calling Thai domestic abuse to account
Oped, Vitit Muntarbhorn, Published on 04/08/2022
» Developing societies (including Thailand) have enjoyed the presence of extended families, in contrast with the smaller unit of nuclear families. This broader coverage, encompassing not only the parents and children but also grandparents and other dependants, has offered a social safety net to support family members. Yet, that extended unit has now been disintegrating for some time, compounded by the stress due to Covid-19. What then are the areas needing more attention to tackle the changing scenario?
Guarding privacy amid digitalisation
Oped, Vitit Muntarbhorn, Published on 24/06/2022
» The issue of privacy, especially in terms of the protection of personal data linked to a person's identity, has come to the fore this month due to the coming into force of Thailand's Personal Data Protection Act (PDPA). It applies to both public and private entities that keep or process personal data concerning other people and it establishes safeguards to protect people's privacy.
UN General Assembly must assert itself
Oped, Vitit Muntarbhorn, Published on 20/04/2022
» The recent vote in the UN General Assembly (GA) suspending Russia from the UN Human Rights Council (HRC), due to its conduct in Ukraine, in early April 2022 is a rare instance of the GA asserting its powers with binding force. Generally, only the UN Security Council (SC) can adopt measures; these are exemplified by sanctions adopted by the SC periodically against errant states, non-government armed groups and individuals. Is there then room for a more assertive GA, especially when the SC is dysfunctional?
Tackling the controversial NGO law
Oped, Vitit Muntarbhorn, Published on 06/01/2022
» Does Thailand need a law to regulate the operations of non-governmental organisations (NGOs), otherwise known as non-profit organisations (NPOs)? A draft law has emerged recently which is causing a lot of headaches for civil society. The cabinet on Tuesday approved this draft in principle; it is now being forwarded to the Ministry of Social Development and Human Security for a public hearing, before it is sent to parliament for final approval. The authorities claim the new law is required to make the work of NGOs more transparent and to counter money-laundering.
On torture and enforced disappearances
Oped, Vitit Muntarbhorn, Published on 23/09/2021
» The House's approval of bills on the prevention and suppression of torture and enforced disappearances last week is a welcome development to the human rights issue in Thailand.