What Modi has figured out that Trump never has
Excitement and uncertainty used to accompany general elections in India. Polls swung back and forth, coalitions formed and reformed, analysts dissected policy platforms and assessed the prospects of hundreds of individual candidates. As India embarked on its 18th general election campaign on Tuesday, there is no electricity in the air. It is hard to find anyone who believes Prime Minister Narendra...
Protect forest, fresh water resources
United we stand, divided we fall -- it's an old cliche, but when talking about access to fresh water in this Asia and Pacific region, it's worth reminding ourselves how imperative it is to work together, within countries and across borders, to share and protect this precious resource.
Structural flaws impede our economy
It took Japan 17 years to learn that a macroeconomic policy is for stabilising an economy, not stimulating growth. Due to low economic growth in the "lost decade" following the financial crisis in the autumn of 1997, the Bank of Japan adopted an unthinkable monetary policy of a negative interest rate in 2007 by pushing the short-term policy rate down to -0.1%.
Haiti's ticking humanitarian timebomb
As waves of gang violence engulf an already poor and destitute land through a reckless orgy of shootings and looting, the Caribbean Island of Haiti equally faces a widening domestic humanitarian crisis along with a ticking migrant exodus.
Handling a police feud
Prime Minister Srettha Thavisin deserves praise for promptly transferring two high-ranking police officers -- national police chief Pol Gen Torsak Sukvimol and his deputy Pol Gen Surachate Hakparn -- to inactive posts at Government House.
No escaping Thaksin
Pheu Thai's attempt to prevent any discussion concerning former prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra in the upcoming general debate may prove to be counterproductive to the party's efforts to win back its popularity.
Death sentence for drug convicts is not acceptable
Nearly half of all state-sanctioned deaths around the world are for drug-related offences. This is not acceptable or justifiable and needs to end. My home country of Malaysia has taken steps to change this. Thailand and other countries should follow suit.
Taking steps towards climate action
In response to escalating global concerns over climate change, Thailand has taken a stride by drafting its Climate Change Act that, if enacted, will be the country's first climate change law.
Bolstering UK-Thai shared interests
Britain and Thailand are two nations on either side of our world. And yet, returning to Bangkok this week, I am struck by our many similarities.
Green tech bans not implausible
In a world riven by great-power conflict, economic decoupling, high inflation, and worries that the interests of capital are being put ahead of workers, an obvious enemy can emerge: technology. The best way to preserve the status quo is to destroy the machinery that promises a change to existing ways.