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…
Read MoreThailand’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…
Read MoreSmall 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…
Read MoreThe 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…
Read MoreBy 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…
Read MoreHere’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…
Read MoreThe 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…
Read MoreAgainst 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…
Read MoreUS 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…
Read MoreQuestions 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…
Read MoreThere 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…
Read MoreFrom 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…
Read MoreThanks 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…
Read MoreBangkok 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…
Read MoreThe 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…
Read MoreA 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…
Read MoreA 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…
Read MoreThe 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…
Read MoreEurope 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…
Read MoreAlthough 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…
Read MoreAllegations 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…
Read MoreNazeri 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…
Read MoreHere’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…
Read More“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…
Read MoreThe 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…
Read MoreThe 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…
Read More“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…
Read MoreEarly 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…
Read MoreCryptocurrency 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…
Read MoreMany 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…
Read MoreAs 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…
Read MoreThe 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…
Read MoreOlder 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…
Read MoreFor 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…
Read MoreWhen 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…
Read MoreThe 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…
Read MorePresident 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…
Read MoreThailand 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…
Read MoreAlthough 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…
Read MoreTwo 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…
Read MoreInflation 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…
Read MoreBranded 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…
Read MoreDuring 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…
Read MoreFood insecurity might not be an issue that many people in Thailand worry much about. The recent economic hardships from the impacts of COVID-19 and the conflict in Ukraine, which…
Read MoreWhen the “freedom” to own guns was constitutionally embraced in America a long time ago, critics must have given the same warning as their Thai counterparts up in arms against…
Read MoreManaging the controversial Skytrain Green Line shrewdly, bogged down as it is by controversies over high fares, court battle over debt and extension of concession, is going to be a…
Read MoreEducation is an important tool when dealing with inequality, be it economic, social or others. Children can escape the poverty trap, whereas their parents could not do so for generations,…
Read MoreThai men have deservedly received a fair share of “male chauvinism” criticism. But that cannot be the only reason why domestic abuse cases featuring them as victims have never made…
Read MoreThe courtroom drama between Johnny Depp and Amber Heard offers food for thought for Thais, should a famous Thai man and his former partner ever go head-to-head before the judges…
Read MoreThe Pheu Thai Party has a strong cause for celebration. Move Forward, if it wants to celebrate as well, must do so cautiously. The Democrats still have their work cut…
Read MoreOpinion surveys of voters before elections have been a commonplace occurrence in Thailand for years, yet their findings are often a poor guide to the actual vote results. In fact,…
Read MoreThailand’s residential market is still facing several challenges that will prevent it from making a full recovery in the short term. Research indicates that such unfavorable factors as the pandemic…
Read MoreChadchart Sittipunt’s stunning landslide may have hidden scrambled messages voters in the capital delivered on Sunday in the Bangkok gubernatorial election, but arguably the real nightmare for the shaken powers-that-be…
Read MoreMany Bangkokians say they will have a “difficult decision” to make on Sunday when they come to vote for their next governor. With information hitting them from all directions and…
Read MoreThe Luangpoo Saeng controversy contains two dangerous substances that shall never be mixed. The first one is monks not doing their jobs properly while the second is reporters gravely mistaking…
Read MoreAlthough independent candidate Chadchart Sittipunt topped most recent opinion polls for this Sunday’s Bangkok governor election, his four main rivals from the conservative camp remain hopeful of causing an upset….
Read MoreOnly diplomatic platitudes in the joint vision statement plus a small financial package demonstrated the Joe Biden administration’s commitment to maintain momentum in the US’ Indo-Pacific strategy in Southeast Asia,…
Read MoreSchools in Thailand will open their doors for the first time in more than two years on May 17, as the pandemic recedes. The Education Ministry made the decision to…
Read MoreFor decades now, Thai parents have been letting their children ride in cars without a car seat, and sometimes even without a belt. The practice – which also applies to…
Read MoreWith more than 4 million COVID-19 infections recorded in Thailand since early 2020, it is no surprise that long-COVID support groups are popping up all around the country. Meanwhile, the…
Read MoreSome call it “Beauty of democracy”. Under authoritarian regimes, Ferdinand Marcos Jr, or Bongbong, wouldn’t stand a chance. For the son of someone who had been dislodged from power to…
Read MoreThe leaders of ASEAN countries will meet with US President Joe Biden in Washington D.C. on May 12-13 for a special summit to commemorate the 45th anniversary of diplomatic relations…
Read MoreBattle is heating up both online and offline as Bangkok governor candidates woo voters of all generations ahead of the May 22 election. In the offline realm, candidates are jostling…
Read MoreBangkokians choose their next governor on May 22, the latest episode in 50 years of administration that has shaped the world capital that we know today. Here, Thai PBS World reviews highlights…
Read MoreTrading in cryptocurrencies has come under high pressure recently. The value of bitcoin, the most popular cryptocurrency among traders overseas and in Thailand, slumped to US$36,040.92 per bitcoin on May…
Read MoreAlthough many candidates for the Bangkok Council election are familiar old faces, fresh talent has also surfaced for voters keen to see what the new generation has to offer. Nitikorn…
Read MoreSome nine years ago, both popularity and exit polls pointed towards one outcome. The Pheu Thai Party’s city gubernatorial candidate, Pongsapat Pongcharoen, would win comfortably, if not by a landslide,…
Read MorePoliticians and observers are seeking a potential “substitute prime minister” in case PM Prayut Chan-o-cha runs into a “political accident”. Talk of an acting PM was triggered this past week…
Read MoreWhile workers’ demands always make headlines on Labour Day, more than half of working Thais have nothing to look forward to since they are “informal workers”. Even if those demands…
Read MoreIt’s tortuous trying to navigate the current hostility between the two great superpowers, the US and China, as the Russian-Ukraine war continues to rage. Worse still, it is highly likely…
Read MoreBangkok gubernatorial election made a big mockery of pollsters in 2013, when they expected M.R. Sukhumbhand Paribatra to lose heavily, only for him to win his second term with the…
Read MoreSoft power. The United States has Hollywood, jazz and Facebook while South Korea can boast K-pop, kimchi and taekwondo. For Thailand, pad thai, tom yum kung and Muay Thai pack…
Read MoreAfter female Thai rapper, Danupha “Milli” Khanatheerakul, ate mango sticky rice during her Coachella concert performance a week ago, the Thai dessert suddenly became a hot item and has been…
Read MoreReporters being tumultuously curious about Jurin Laksanavisit’s and the Democrat Party’s future tells a lot about where the country is heading when sexual harassment and domestic violence are concerned. The…
Read More“I began my foreign affairs service as a Cambodia-desk officer. That was more than 30 years ago and, at that time, I did not have any chance to come to…
Read MoreOceans are amazing. Covering more than 70 percent of Earth’s surface, they are among the most valuable natural resources that keep us alive in many different ways. But unfortunately, this…
Read MoreUnfavorable economic conditions are likely to pose tough challenges for current and future governments in managing the annual budget. The Prayut Chan-o-cha government plans to spend Bt3.185 trillion in fiscal…
Read MoreBangkok has had as many as 30 gubernatorial candidates, yet none has paid serious attention to its acute problems of domestic violence, women’s safety, and the homeless. Statistics show the…
Read MoreMyanmar’s military junta has failed to normalize conditions in the strife-torn country following a subdued water festival punctuated by violence and an unpopular plan to reopen for tourism. Meanwhile, ASEAN…
Read More12 years in counseling works, Manus Onsang, Dek-D.com web editor said he met with counseling teachers enough to know they were mostly well-intended and overburdened with non-counseling school work. Though…
Read MoreMost expatriates in Bangkok have no right to vote in the May 22 gubernatorial election, yet the outcome affects their everyday lives just as much as those of other residents….
Read MoreWhile Thailand was enjoying the Songkran holidays, many people returned home to the shocking news that a former deputy leader of the Democrat party, Prinn Panitchpakdi, is the subject of…
Read MoreDuring the Songkran festival, perhaps even more so than during other long holidays, the issue of road safety is taken seriously. The fact that we still call the Thai New…
Read MoreThe Russia invasion of Ukraine has changed the security balance in Europe forever and this will have a long-term ripple effect around the world. Already, key European members have pledged…
Read MoreThailand’s most-celebrated and globally-renowned festival has had its fair share of politicization, with people being urged a few years ago to throw water using bowls of a specific color a…
Read MoreIt normally begins with a “public forum” debate on pedestrians’ and ordinary citizens’ problems, but the city gubernatorial election usually ends up producing the outcome of a national political game….
Read MoreControversy has erupted over the size – and sheer proliferation – of campaign posters on Bangkok streets, as city governor hopefuls vie for voter attention ahead of the May 22…
Read MoreAsk Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky what he wants more now, worldwide expression of sympathy or what he deems a fraction of western tanks, warplanes and anti-warship systems that he suggests…
Read MoreA Facebook post by an anti-government activist may have gone largely unnoticed but it asks a highly-relevant question: What does the political rise of Thaksin Shinawatra’s youngest daughter say about…
Read MoreAfter German troops invaded Poland in 1939, triggering an armed conflict that was to spread to virtually every part of the world, human beings made the most of their fledging…
Read MoreThis week, the Thai cabinet made a commendable decision to allow legal migrant workers from Myanmar, Cambodia and the Lao PDR, who have been working in Thailand for four years,…
Read MoreTo Vladimir Putin, the serious economic sanctions and major diplomatic embarrassment were not something to learn from. He had expected it, which leaves a question of what the current war…
Read MoreAt 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…
Read MoreThaksin Shinawatra is trying to get back on stage, whereas Move Forward is struggling to stay on it. Will Prayut Chan-o-cha dissolve the House of Representatives and/or join a new…
Read MoreThe collapse of Parliament meetings due to withdrawal by MPs is becoming more frequent this year, with three House sessions abandoned in January and three more in the first 10…
Read MoreWidely dubbed the “Progressive Liquor Bill”, a new draft law on excise tax is tipped to revolutionize Thailand’s alcohol industry if it sails through Parliament untouched. Thailand’s booze market is…
Read MoreThe Covid-19 pandemic and a slow economic recovery is set to make the Day of Love more expensive this year, posing a challenge for florists and gift shops in the…
Read MoreIt has been amazing to witness, over the past several weeks,the juggling act between the great powers across the Atlantic and within Europe. The war of words has been feisty…
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