Opinion pieces and commentary on Thailand's current affairs, in English, from Thai PBS World contributors.
While 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 a string of sexual assault allegations. Whether it’s because it involves a renowned politician and economist, or because a famous “people’s lawyer”, Sittra Biabungkerd, exposed
The 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 to increase their defence budgets. Some are more open than others in stating their objectives. For the time being, Germany has been the biggest indicator
During 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 Year holidays “the 7 dangerous days” and report the daily death and injury tolls says a lot about the situation. Pandemic or not, Thailand’s roads
Controversy 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 election — the first since 2013. Early-bird candidates were erecting their campaign posters at prominent spots, mainly roadside power poles, even before getting their candidacy
The 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 days of February alone. In the period since the March 2019 general election, House meetings collapsed after failing to reach a quorum three times in
It 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 and could suddenly turn into a real war if leaders on both sides lose their patience or perhaps, more worryingly, if there is a slip
Frustration with the Thai University Central Admission System (TCAS) is growing four years after its launch, with students complaining it has failed to offer better or fairer access to higher education. For some, their experience with TCAS has been so bad that they want the system banned. This month, TCAS was rocked by another setback
The public outrage over the recent death of a doctor, who was simply crossing the road in broad daylight on a zebra crossing, which was caused by a policeman, seems a very natural and valid response. How can such a person, so valuable to society, be killed in such a senseless manner? What a waste
For the Asia region, it is better to look ahead to the second year of the Biden administration. A review of the past 12 months is unlikely to bring cheer to any particular country, except those who are military allies of the US and anxious about China’s rise. That seems to be the most tangible
At 332.4 billion baht, for yet another year Thailand’s Ministry of Education has received the largest budget of any ministry. In 2021, this major agency received budget just under 358.4 billion baht. The enormous amount of money pouring into the country’s education system has produced disappointing results. Thai students’ academic performance has scored very low
The Omicron variant has now spread across the globe, with new cases surging in countries including Thailand. As of Sunday (Jan 9), Worldometer.com registered 15.28 million new COVID-19 cases in the past week, a rise of 51 percent from the previous 7-day period. Worldometer.com, which ranks among the most reliable compiler of global statistics, reported
Happy Thai Children’s Day! Every second week of January, many venues in Thailand, from Government House and Royal Thai Army divisions to and shopping centres organise games and activities for Thai children to enjoy. Each year, the prime minister also gives a new motto for children, as part of a long-standing tradition. This year, Prime
