Longer-form commentary and opinion pieces across all geographic sections
Amid the rising cost of living and uncertain economic prospects, more people are starting to talk about the risk of stagflation, a scenario marked by high inflation and high unemployment with the stagnation of economic output. The rising cost of food, utilities, and transportation are a worry for consumers across the country. Food vendors upcountry
Palang Pracharath Party’s move to expel secretary-general Thammanat Prompao and 20 other MPs under his control is more of a political soap opera than an actual split, analysts say. It’s a win-win game for all involved – while voters get nothing, they add. The ruling party on Wednesday (Jan 19) decided to oust Thammanat and
Many Thais have developed a habit of checking the air quality index daily so they can take steps to protect themselves against lung-busting PM2.5 dust. However, the quest for clean air and easy breathing is costing them up to Bt1.67 billion per year in masks and medical expenses. And this trend shows no sign of
Last Sunday’s by-elections in the southern provinces of Songkhla and Chumphon saw fierce battles between the ruling Palang Pracharath and Democrat Party coalition partners. Victory went to the Democrats, who had dominated the South until the last general election in March 2019 when the party lost more than 50 percent of its seats to Palang
The digital assets industry is up in arms over the Revenue Department’s plan to levy tax on capital gains or benefits derived from cryptocurrencies and other digital asset transactions. With the two parties being at loggerheads, consultations have begun between tax officials and concerned parties to resolve the conflict. The department has promised to conclude
The recently released Human Rights Watch (HRW) annual report is an all too familiar assessment of the global rights situation, except in the US itself. Indeed, the report should have said more about the situation in the US, instead of focusing on the rest of the world. This year represents the first year of the
For the third year in a row, Thailand’s and the global economic recovery will hinge on progress in fighting the COVID outbreak. Consumers, businesses, and policymakers will face five key challenges in 2022. The rising cost of living combined with a decline in income has started to make people vulnerable to any kind of coming
The Jan 30 by-election in Bangkok’s Constituency 9 will see a riveting battle between the coalition and opposition camps, but also between uneasy allies within the same bloc. Analysts say the poll will be a test of rival parties’ popularity with voters ahead of the election for Bangkok governor later this year. Test of popularity
Thai politics is notorious for its twists and turns, a rollercoaster of power plays that leaves voters constantly giddy and sometimes sickened. 2022 will be no different, with a host of crucial events and turning points that will shape the country’s future. Can the Prayut-led government survive its third year and remain until its term ends in 2023?
Thailand and the Barisan Revolusi Nasional (BRN), the well-known Malay Muslim separatist group, will begin their long-awaited third round of peace talks on January 11th in Kuala Lumpur. This time it is hoped that there will be sufficient mutual trust to move beyond the confidence-building stage, towards some concrete action plans. To stop the ongoing
Former prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra is seen by most neutral observers as the de-facto leader and patriarch of opposition party Pheu Thai. But the party has always insisted it is free from the influence of the wealthy ex-PM, who has been self-exiled overseas since fleeing a 2008 corruption conviction he claims was politically motivated. Officially, Thaksin is
A year has elapsed since American democracy was assaulted. Die-hard republican protesters and some extremists invaded the Capitol in Washington DC and forced the world’s most stable democratic symbol into a brief lockdown. It was surreal. Behind the scenes was a losing president who refused to budge, Donald Trump. Today, he remains a powerful and
