Showing 9,991 - 10,000 of 10,000
Grateful to be here
News, Postbag, Published on 17/12/2019
» New rallies are the worst medicine for Thailand. Tourism and the economy are declining and unemployment is increasing.
Cambodia can swing Asean-EU ties
News, Kavi Chongkittavorn, Published on 17/12/2019
» As the host of the upcoming 13th Asia-Europe Meeting (Asem) next November, Cambodia could be by default the catalyst that will define the future of Asean-EU relations -- for better or worse. At this juncture, it is a toss-up because the EU is contemplating various measures to reprimand Cambodia for its political oppression, land grabbing and disrespect of the human rights of politicians, labour unions, media and farmers. Rubbing salt into the wounds, Cambodia with its close friendship with China has added an extra-thick layer of anxieties among the EU strategists.
Will the Empire strike back at the Skywalkers?
News, Atiya Achakulwisut, Published on 17/12/2019
» The dark spectre of street politics has returned to a deeply polarised society, as the ruling conservatives try to hold on to their unstable coalition over a feast of shark fin soup.
Time to scale up our contribution
News, Takehiko Nakao, Published on 17/12/2019
» As they extend their power grids, build more roads and bigger cities, and cultivate forestland, developing countries in Asia and the Pacific are increasingly contributing to the global climate change problem. Two of the top three emitters of greenhouse gases are developing countries in Asia -- the People's Republic of China and India. At the same time, five Asian developing countries are among the top 10 most climate-vulnerable countries in the world. Across the region, livelihoods and economic growth are increasingly exposed to climate change impacts and disaster risk. Clearly, Asia and the Pacific must play a strong role in efforts to address climate change.
Climate urgency increasing
Asia focus, Nareerat Wiriyapong, Published on 16/12/2019
» While the latest UN Climate Change Conference was taking place in Madrid, smog returned to Bangkok last week with PM2.5 dust exceeding safe levels in some areas. Face masks were back in fashion, while children, pregnant women and the elderly were advised to avoid outdoor activities.
NACC opaque as ever
News, Editorial, Published on 16/12/2019
» As an anti-graft agency, the National Anti-Corruption Commission (NACC) under its current leadership has been widely criticised for not doing enough to probe corruption allegations against certain members of the former military junta and the military. Few, however, would expect the NACC would recognise the army as the country's most transparent agency. But it did last week in a debut of its transparency rankings of state agencies.
Death of democracy
News, Postbag, Published on 16/12/2019
» It seems to me that Thailand and the US have the same problem in that their justice personnel are not unbiased or impartial. Both countries have reached a point where the followers of two political sides refuse to accept any decision made by a member of the opposition. In these cases, where a neutral judicial system is badly needed, we are finding judges that were selected for their party political opinion and owe their jobs to the chief.
Unite Europe's and Asia's power into partnership
News, Josep Borrell, Published on 16/12/2019
» Yesterday and today, I chair Asem, the "Asia-Europe Meeting". What might seem to be a rather bureaucratic acronym, actually is a politically highly relevant event for our continents. I had offered to host this meeting in Madrid when I was still Foreign Minister of Spain and now I will be chairing it as EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy. It underlines my personal interest in the fast-moving continent that is Asia today.
When English turkeys vote for Christmas
News, Gwynne Dyer, Published on 16/12/2019
» Down on the turkey farm, the Scottish and Irish birds noticed that the smiling man in the festive costume was holding a hatchet behind his back, and hid. The Welsh turkeys looked confused and huddled together squawking. But the English turkeys marched bravely up to the chopping block, confident that this would be a Christmas to remember.
'Flash mob' leaves FFP with work to do
News, Veera Prateepchaikul, Published on 16/12/2019
» There were as many bystanders as party supporters among the few thousand people who converged in front of the Bangkok Art and Culture Centre and the Pathumwan skywalk on Saturday evening where the Future Forward Party (FFP) held its "flash mob" to test public response to its call for justice for the party after the Election Commission (EC) last week asked the Constitutional Court to dissolve the party over a 191-million-baht "loan" to the party by its leader, Thanathorn Juangroongruangkit.