Longer-form commentary and opinion pieces across all geographic sections
Thailand has spent more than six months trying to pass a law to control the use of cannabis, but this legal vacuum is likely to continue for some time. Many lawmakers believe the Marijuana and Hemp Bill, which has already been shot down once, will not be passed during this Parliament, which is scheduled to
Though Thailand has laws to protect debtors, many Thais do not know how to handle demands for repayment. Some of them endure verbal or even physical abuse when they fall behind with their payments. Others go as far as faking death to avoid their creditors, as a teenage girl did recently. “When you are in
The COVID-19 crisis may have passed, but the threat from smog is back for the long term. Hazy skies are a sign that hazardous fine dust particles – which can be deadly – should not be taken for granted. “We expect the smog to worsen in the rest of this year,” said Kasetsart University’s Assoc
The Democrat Party’s ongoing dramatic decline is down to the hierarchical structure and culture of seniority in the country’s oldest political outfit, say analysts, who warn that only radical reform can revive its fortunes. Political pundits point out that the Democrats have for decades been chained to their bureaucracy-like party structure, rigid seniority system, and
President Joe Biden, mistakenly referring to the host “Cambodia” as “Colombia”, should be forgiven, because he performed very well in Phnom Penh last weekend in further strengthening relations with ASEAN. His in-person attendance at the ASEAN-US and the East Asia summits was an enormous boon to ASEAN’s centrality and the bloc’s relevance. ASEAN is alive
The countdown to Thailand’s general election has well and truly begun, though it remains unclear whether Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha will dissolve the House of Representatives early or allow it to complete its four-year term in March. But political parties are already battling hard to win hearts, minds and votes. MPs from both the government
Thai people are mostly opposed to a controversial government move that would allow high net worth foreigners to own land in the country. A Cabinet resolution last month allows foreigners who invest 40 million baht in Thailand to buy up to one rai (0.16 hectares) of land. Conditional offer The Cabinet approval for the Interior
Phnom Penh – Both the US and India will be granted “comprehensive strategic partnership” (CSP) status at next week’s ASEAN-related summits, signalling the increased importance of their all-round cooperation with ASEAN, according to informed diplomatic sources. As the ASEAN chair, Cambodia is preparing for the arrival of US President Joe Biden, who will attend the
The visit of Australian Foreign Minister Penny Wong to Bangkok early this week has boosted bilateral ties with Thailand as never before. It was extremely significant, as the two countries are commemorating the 70th anniversary of their diplomatic relations and laying the future path for a more dynamic friendship and cooperation. Wong reiterated that the
The opposition Move Forward Party has launched a new push to amend the draconian lèse-majesté law with its policy pledge for the upcoming general election, following failed attempts over recent years. However, the reformist party appears to be alone in its effort, with most other political parties insisting they will not seek changes to Article
After wavering uneasily for months, Thailand’s telecom regulator, on October 20, gave the green light for the merger of two major operators — True Corporation (True) and Total Access Communication (Dtac). Despite strong protests from the academic community and civic groups, who fear it would lead to market monopoly and adversely impact other businesses and consumer interests, the
Former finance minister Korn Chatikavanij is making an ambitious political gamble by leaving a political party he cofounded just two years ago to lead a small 15-year-old party at the next general election. It will be his first election as a party leader. He entered the last national poll in 2019 as deputy leader of
