Longer-form commentary and opinion pieces across all geographic sections
A political dynasty’s decades-long dominance of politics in Chon Buri province will be threatened by strong challenges at the upcoming Pattaya mayoral election on May 22, analysts say. The Khunpluem family, who have held the mayoral seat for generations, are risking a shock loss at the hands of newcomer candidates, said Yuthaporn Issarachai, a political
The reverberations from Russia’s invasion of Ukraine are being felt around the globe. The war itself has severely disrupted the production and export of oil, gas, fertilizers, as well as some food products from the two countries. Thailand depends heavily on imported oil and gas, but the outlook seems bleak as the price of crude
Thailand’s sliding birth rate, which hit a record low last year, is ringing alarm bells in the corridors of government. The long-term socioeconomic consequences of this phenomenon are being fully grasped at various levels, prompting the government to seek urgent measures to boost the birth rate. Many state agencies are looking for new incentives to
Thailand, notably its divided society, must act on principles rather than taking sides or remaining neutral over a Russia-Ukraine conflict that is set to develop into a new cold war and reshape global geo-politics, scholars say. The war, which broke out on Feb 24 when Russian troops invaded neighboring Ukraine, also involves the security of
The impact on Thailand’s economy from the Russia-Ukraine conflict will depend on how long the hostilities go on and whether they will escalate, economic observers have noted. In response to Russian troops invading Ukraine last week, the United States and its allies have imposed sanctions on Russia and Russian leaders, with threats of more stringent
At first, after weeks of denial, it was hard to believe that Russian President Vladimir Putin had declared war on Ukraine. US President Joe Biden had warned, time and time again, that Russia was poised to attack Ukraine. Some even questioned Biden’s motives for coming out with such statements, even if they were based on
Ten draft bills to amend election laws will be deliberated by Parliament this Thursday and Friday (Feb 24-25) – but most are expected to hit obstacles. The bills are designed to amend two organic laws – the MP Election Act and the Political Parties Act – to reflect earlier constitutional changes to revive the two-ballot
The government’s stumbles in tackling the economic problems that plagued the country due to the COVID-19 pandemic appears to have forced the ruling Palang Pracharath Party to reshuffle its economic team in preparation for a return to power after the next election. Former Government Savings Bank (GSB) president Chatchai Payuhanaveechai was recently mentioned at the ruling
Bangkok governor elections used to be held once every four years until the 2014 coup saw national and local votes suspended. Now, expectations are rising ahead of the first gubernatorial election in nine years, as voters scrutinize several strong contenders who have already announced their intentions to join the race. The election is tentatively scheduled
Anticipating challenging decisions ahead, the four candidates running in the election for governor of Bangkok are strongly opposing the extension of concession for the core Skytrain sections of the Green Line. They were speaking on the controversial proposal in the course of a debate The Interior Ministry and the Bangkok Metropolitan Administration (BMA) have proposed
Despite the disruptions COVID-19 has caused in the way healthcare is delivered in many countries, there are reasons to be optimistic about the future We have learned a great deal from the recent pandemic but perhaps the most important lesson is the necessity to rethink how healthcare is delivered to the people. One interesting insight
Three years after accepting Palang Pracharath’s invitation to stand as its candidate for prime minister, Gen Prayut Chan-o-cha faces a stark choice: Remain with the ruling party and risk political oblivion, or switch to a new party in hope of winning another term. As both he and Palang Pracharath suffer waning popularity and internal powerplays,
