All eyes across Thailand will be on the Constitutional Court on Friday (September 30), when it is scheduled to rule on whether General Prayut Chan-o-cha has completed eight years as…
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All eyes across Thailand will be on the Constitutional Court on Friday (September 30), when it is scheduled to rule on whether General Prayut Chan-o-cha has completed eight years as…
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The economic czar for several previous administrations, Somkid Jatusripitak is back in the spotlight and bidding to take the helm of the next government. The renowned economist recently announced his…
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Drug addicts sometimes commit shocking crimes in their quest for a fix, even attacking their own family members. In some cases, parents push for the arrest of their drug-crazed children…
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More than 13,000 victims are estimated to have suffered losses of several billion baht as a result of the latest alleged Ponzi scheme, under the name Forex 3D, supposedly engaged…
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Attending funerals on behalf of the United States is normally a straightforward assignment for a vice president, but Kamala Harris will confront controversy at nearly every turn as she visits…
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Once known as a “financial wizard”, Indian-born Rakesh Saxena now faces decades in jail for a Thai banking scandal that triggered the 1997 Asian financial crisis. Following a legal battle…
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The newly release Global Trade Growth Atlas 2022 has put the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) in the spotlight because the region is forecast to lead the world in…
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The shooting down of the marijuana bill in Parliament last week sparked concerns on both sides of the debate. The pro-pot camp is worried the legalization of cannabis will be…
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People drawn into a Ponzi scheme disguised as foreign exchange “investment” is ridiculous, but that is possible only because the world had either “normalized” or come to condone the senselessness…
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The recent recovery in tourism, as reflected in the rapid rise in foreign arrivals, is offering Thailand’s ailing economy a lifeline in the aftermath of the COVID-19 pandemic. The government…
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Khunying Potjaman Damapong’s rare appearance at a Pheu Thai Party rally on September 10 was viewed as symbolic for a woman believed to be the party’s de-facto chief. Her ex-husband,…
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Although the minimum daily wage will rise by an average of 5 percent from October 1, not many workers see a brighter future. “The increase will not make my life…
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Soldier turned peace campaigner, General Ekkachai Srivilas was best remembered for his role as director of the Office for Peace and Governance at King Prajadhipok’s Institute (KPI). That was the…
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What had Queen Elizabeth II done in the 1990s that she didn’t over the last two decades? Nobody knows the exact answer. Most likely though, she kept doing what she…
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Beginning today (Wednesday), for the next two weeks at the United Nations Headquarters in New York, the leaders of UN member states will be sharing their views on the state…
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It is rare for Thai politicians to voluntarily vacate their seats, not to mention a coveted ministerial post. But that was exactly what Deputy Interior Minister Nipon Boonyamanee did last…
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With more heavy downpours forecast through the remaining rainy season, there is both good news and bad news for Thailand residents worried about floods. On the bright side, authorities and…
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It’s “that month” again, arguably the most significant period of the year when many in America are concerned. But September has never been the same for a lot of other…
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Most of the 2.1 billion strong workforces in Asia and the Pacific are denied access to decent jobs, health care, and social protection but there is an array of policies…
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Myanmar’s dissident groups have proposed the establishment of an ASEAN-Plus inclusive platform to engage all stakeholders in resolving the ongoing political crises in the military-ruled country, the United Nations Special…
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Now that Liz Truss has been elected by the Conservative Party to the helm of the United Kingdom, she will have to face myriad challenges, imposed by both domestic and…
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Since his very first day as acting prime minister, Gen Prawit Wongsuwan has aroused suspicion that he intends to take the post from the current holder. General Prayut Chan-o-cha was…
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The decelerating export growth in July has raised concerns that the outlook for Thailand’s economic growth may be bleak because of an increasingly likely global slowdown. The Thai economy grew…
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If Jirayut Srupsrisopa is a true blockchain enthusiast, he must be uncorking the champagne when that massively-lucrative deal with the Siam Commercial Bank collapsed a few days ago. In an…
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Things are very different from the days when you first arrived in Thailand. Back then, you questioned those “weird” lifestyle quirks and experienced culture shock at the local myths and…
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The nature of the decision by the constitutional court last Wednesday might have been unexpected for many people, as it ordered Prayut Chan-o-cha to cease performing his duties as prime…
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Deputy Prime Minister Gen Prawit Wongsuwan is generally considered a weak link in Prayut Chan-o-cha’s administration, tainted by the scandal over a multimillion-baht wristwatch collection, despite his repeated denials of…
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Now that the court has suspended Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha from duty after agreeing to rule on his eight-year term limit, an important question arises: What next? The Constitutional Court’s…
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As one of over a thousand media covering the 12 boys and their coach trapped inside a northern Thailand cave four years ago, I didn’t expect “Thirteen Lives”, the new…
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As if political pundits these days didn’t have enough to chew on, Prayut government’s top legal expert Deputy Prime Minister Wissanu Krea-ngam on Monday opened what might seem to be…
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Thanks to constant mutations, the COVID-19 virus is still several steps ahead of vaccine developers. While researchers have managed to develop vaccines that are effective against the original strain of…
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Supporters of Thaksin Shinawatra say the recent Central Tax Court ruling in his favour proves his innocence in a multibillion-baht tax case. But his critics argue the verdict instead confirmed…
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When the merchant vessel Razoni sailed from Ukraine’s Black Sea port of Odesa earlier this month with more than 26,000 tons of corn for global markets, she was rightly the…
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Back in his heyday half a century ago, late actor Sombat Metanee was the man of every woman’s dreams, and his movies were guaranteed blockbusters. One has to wonder how…
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The answer depends primarily on two factors. The first one is quite ironic considering the Palang Pracharath “conspiracy theory”, which is doing the rounds and not for the first time….
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Three months after Chadchart Sittipunt took over as governor, his Bangkok Metropolitan Administration (BMA) is still struggling to solve the complicated problems surrounding the BTS Green Line and its extensions….
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August 24 has portents of becoming judgement day as leaders of many youth movements are planning major protests if Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha holds on to power he seized eight…
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In the eyes of critics, Thailand’s Waste Management Master Plan has trashed the country’s waste problem to the point that it risks becoming the world’s dumping ground. Not only is…
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New political parties are being launched to extend the rule of the so-called “3Ps” – generals Prayut, Prawit and “Pock” – after the next election, say political analysts. Ruamthai Sarngchart…
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For years ASEAN has benefited from its ambiguous relations with Taiwan, while enjoying formal ties with mainland China. But the ongoing tensions in the Taiwan Strait might create a new normal…
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Thailand’s health care for women at government medical facilities is free of charge and quite comprehensive. The problem is that a lot of people are unaware that there are such…
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Small lottery vendors across the country are now dreading the expansion of digital lottery tickets – which are sold not just through major private electronic platforms but also on the…
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The Mountain B pub blaze that killed 18 people and injured dozens shows Thailand has failed to learn lessons from its history of deadly infernos. Although safety rules and building-control…
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By Kavi Chongkittavorn Malaysian Foreign Minister Saifuddin Abdullah recently proposed that the special envoy of the ASEAN chair should be granted a tenure of more than a year and that…
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Here’s a little tip if you don’t want to buy a basket of chicken essence or bird’s nest soup, or go to a crowded sukiyaki restaurant: Ask your mother to…
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The draft bill to amend the electoral law – which saw a last-minute change in the calculation method for party-list MPs – now seems to be doomed. The joint Parliament…
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Against all odds and naysayers, ASEAN has survived for the past five and a half decades. The bloc has grown in terms of numbers and international profile. Given the current…
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Concern over COVID-19 “rebound” infections is soaring globally after US President Joe Biden tweeted on Sunday (July 31) that he had “tested positive again” – just days after recovering. In…
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US House Speaker Nancy Pelosi decided to stopover in Taiwan, which China viewed as a violation of its “One China” policy. It was an act of selfishness, one that grew…
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Questions over whether Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha can legally remain in office after August 24 have resurfaced as the date approaches. On that date, Gen Prayut will have been in…
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There is too much at stake in today’s world for China and the United States to lock horns militarily. However, Xi Jinping telling his US counterpart Joe Biden not to…
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From the Catholic voting bloc to American evangelicalism and progressive atheists, the groups are prone to being generalized as a distinctive bloc with a particular approach to politics. At a…
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Thanks to Chinese singer Jackson Wang, one Thai rice dish has suddenly become a hot favorite. Wang revealed his love for American fried rice (Khao Pad American in Thai), which…
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Bangkok is a suitable venue for the first face-to-face talks between US President Joe Biden and Chinese President Xi Jinping later this year. The Prayut Government should approach both governments…
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The role of a digital asset exchange is to serve as a marketplace where investors can buy and sell their cryptocurrencies and other digital assets, while the revenue of the…
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A Pheu Thai “landslide” is very likely, no matter how the party-list calculation fights end. In fact, despite the Thai Raksa Chart setback and failure to win a single party-list…
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The military junta’s latest action has further worsened the prospect of a peace process in Myanmar. The ASEAN joint statement issued on Tuesday said it all: ASEAN denounces and is…
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Interior Minister Anupong Paochinda was hit by the highest no-confidence vote among the 11 Cabinet members targeted by the opposition in last week’s censure debate. Of the 212 votes against…
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A bribery scandal involving Thailand’s national airline and British jet engine manufacturer Rolls-Royce is back in the media spotlight after the Thai anti-graft agency concluded that their engine procurement deal…
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The US State Department’s annual Trafficking in Persons Report (TIP) has been as much a statement of Thailand’s efforts to combat modern slavery as it has been a testament of the country’s…
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Europe faced an energy crisis even before drama emerged about the Nord Stream 1 pipeline reopening from Russia to Germany. While natural gas started flowing again Thursday after the major…
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Although COVID-19 patients have the option of being treated at private hospitals, health authorities still insist that doctors only prescribe antiviral drugs according to Medical Services Department (MDS) guidelines. Other…
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Allegations that Thai authorities used surveillance spyware on government critics returned to haunt those in power just a day before the no-confidence debate started on Tuesday. It was reported that…
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Nazeri bin Lajim, a 64-year-old Singaporean, has only hours left to live. Singapore intends to execute him in the early hours of Friday morning. His family was informed by the…
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Here’s a simple question: Who was the last Cabinet member to be ousted in a no-confidence vote? The answer is “Don’t torture your brain” because everyone has survived no-confidence voting…
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The plunging value of the baht appears ominous and raises worrying questions about its impact on the Thai economy. On Friday (July 15), the baht fell to 36.73 to the US dollar, its…
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This week’s censure debate — the fourth and final under the current House of Representatives’ four-year term — is unlikely to bring down the government of Gen Prayut Chan-o-cha. However,…
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The first Bangkok governor and council elections since the 2014 coup restored some control over city rule to its residents earlier this year. However, the capital is still missing its…
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“Anything can happen in Thai politics” was Thai Economic Party leader Thammanat Prompow’s reply when asked about the possibility of allying with the opposition Pheu Thai Party after the next…
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The legalization of cannabis in Thailand on June 9 brought a huge vacuum in the regulation of “pot” across the country. More than a month later, there is still very…
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The United States appears to be going all-out to get Thailand on board, ostensibly in its efforts to contain China. Visits to Bangkok over the past few months by senior…
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“Rules-based International Order” is a term that we have heard constantly in interviews with the US secretary of state Anthony Blinken over the past year. The reason the US is…
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Early bird gets the worm, we all have been taught. But nobody has said anything about the fact that the worm can get jaw–droppingly expensive. Many Thai fans of Liverpool…
Read MoreThaksin Shinawatra’s recent boast that his proxy party Pheu Thai could win by a landslide at the next general election, expected early next year, seems to have scared leaders in…
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Cryptocurrency trading in Thailand has followed global trends and witnessed a steep plunge, as investors sell off financial assets, including equities and bonds. With many countries bogged down by high…
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Many commuters voted for Chadchart Sittipunt in May’s Bangkok governor election in the hope he would deliver on his vow to cut BTS Skytrain fares sharply. But that is not…
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As the host of the G20 Foreign Ministers’ Meeting (G20 FMM) in Bali, Indonesia did it best to manage the highly charged atmosphere and a divided meeting. Fortunately, all G20…
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Suranand Vejjajiva vowed to stay out of politics for good after the government of Yingluck Shinawatra – in which he served as secretary-general to the prime minister – was overthrown…
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On July 1, at some point during the day, the baht fell to 35.66 to the dollar, its weakest in five years. It closed at 35.63 at the end of…
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Thai health authorities are keeping a close eye on two new Omicron subvariants – BA.4 and BA.5 – that are fast becoming dominant COVID-19strains across the world. Dr Supakit Sirilak,…
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Bangkok Governor Chadchart Sittipunt has built a huge following on social media, reaching millions of netizens who read, watch, like and comment on his regular posts and content. The credit…
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The COVID-19 pandemic has caused serious damage to economies around the world and even though the worst of the outbreaks appear to be over, countries are currently having to battle…
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Low-income groups and small businesses are now getting squeezed by high inflation and potential interest rate hikes. The situation may make it necessary for the government to continue its support…
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Older persons are highly visible across Asia and the Pacific: they work in agricultural fields producing our food supplies, peddle their wares as street vendors, drive tuk-tuks and buses, exercise…
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For the first time in the city’s history, Bangkok governor Chadchart Sittipunt has designated locations for public gatherings, bringing joy to political activists planning protests but causing concern among many…
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When Liverpool legend Steven Gerrard visited Thailand many years ago for a friendly game with the Thai national team, he said two things that probably can combine to form the…
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Thailand is mourning veteran Thai art critic and artist practitioner Thanom Chapakdee, who was best known for practicing what he liked to refer to as the “Aesthetics of Resistance” calling…
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The opposition Move Forward Party has been cleared of serious charges that threatened its dissolution after the Election Commission (EC) decided not to forward an accuser’s complaint to the Constitutional…
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Despite the fast-rising inflation driven largely by food and energy costs, some economic research houses have recently revised upward or at least maintained their economic growth projections for Thailand for…
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To Dr Krisana Kraisintu aka the “Gypsy Pharmacist”, success means recognizing priorities and working from there. That’s why when she starts a project, she always puts the beneficiaries’ contentment as…
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The overwhelming victory of Bangkok Governor Chadchart Sittipunt in the recent gubernatorial election has come as a breath of fresh air on the national political landscape, as voters are now…
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President Joe Biden is out to sustain the global alliance punishing Russia for its invasion of Ukraine as he embarks on a five-day trip to Europe as the 4-month-old war…
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Thailand is not the first country to legalize the cultivation and sale of cannabis and hemp for recreational use, but it requires a well-planned approach and preparation to ensure people’s…
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Although Bangkok Governor Chadchart Sittipunt has vowed to revolutionize the city’s budgeting process, significant change is on hold as the budget plan for next year has already been prepared under…
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Two months ago, the coronavirus would have still been a “sexy” topic at the no-confidence debate. But the relevant numbers are going down, and economic suffering has been too related…
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Inflation is taking a toll on food manufacturers and restaurant owners, forcing them to adapt to keep their businesses afloat even as consumers cut back on expenses. Soaring energy bills…
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Branded a breeding ground of corruption by newly elected Bangkok Governor Chadchart Sittipunt, Krungthep Thanakom Co Ltd is set for a major transformation under his administration. Chadchart’s chosen man, Prof…
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Prof Tongthong Chandransu, the new man in charge of Krungthep Thanakom Co Ltd, admits his task will be both “difficult and complicated” but said it was an opportunity he could…
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During a recent United Nations Security Council meeting, Russia’s ambassador abruptly left the room when the European Council’s president Charles Michel blamed Russia’s invasion of Ukraine for causing increases in…
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The Bank of Thailand (BOT) has come under high pressure to react as domestic inflation has been climbing fast and other central banks, especially the US Federal Reserve (Fed), have…
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