Every year, nearly 20,000 people are killed in road accidents in Thailand. That is 50 people every day or two every two hours. Such a horrific toll makes Thailand’s roads among the most dangerous in the world. The loss not only concerns human lives. The economic cost to the government amounts to nearly 500 billion […]
In Bangkok’s construction industry, demands for kickbacks from city authorities are nothing new. But when it was the Bangkok governor who exposed the corruption himself, change may be on the way. Early in June, governor Chadchart Sittipunt reportedly revealed an attempt by a public works official from the Bangkok Metropolitan Administration (BMA) to demand 300,000 […]
We all want good health and decent public health welfare. When we fall ill, the cures are also much more effective thanks to modern medical advancements. But the soaring costs of healthcare have made it beyond most people’s grasp. Over the past two decades, global healthcare spending has more than doubled, skyrocketing from $4.2 trillion (145.8 trillion baht) in 2000 to an astounding […]
Lottery ticket sales in Thailand are a social and economic paradox. While the poor are the biggest buyers, they are also in dire need of savings for their old age. Common sense suggests that poor people should not put their hard-earned money into a game of chance. But there may be a way to bridge […]
As the election campaign heats up, political parties are fiercely competing to win votes by offering generous cash handouts, raising concerns about their impact on the country’s fiscal discipline for the incoming administration. Such concerns are warranted. Yet the focus on the post-election financial burden should not overshadow the outgoing administration’s last-minute budget spending for […]
School uniform and hairstyle rules are part and parcel of Thailand’s education.Three years ago, groups that called themselves “progressive students” started to challenge the stiff rules, calling for the state to respect their rights to make their own decisions. The staunch campaign caused the Ministry of Education (MOE) to ease its rules on hairstyles, allowing […]
Chiang Mai has repeatedly been named the world’s most air-polluted city this year. Not exactly a title to be envious about. The city was hit hard by PM2.5 ultra-fine dust on March 31. IQair.com, an air quality reporting website, reported Chiang Mai had an air quality index of 320 with an ultra-fine PM2.5 dust level […]
Thailand needs to gain competitiveness in the global economy. However, two hindrances come to mind: old leaders and outdated laws. First, ageing leaders. Let us be clear from the outset. This is not about age discrimination. Older people bring valuable experience from the past. But when there is no room for fresh ideas from young […]
At the UN Climate Change Conference (COP27) in Egypt last year, Thailand maintained its previous goal of becoming carbon neutral by 2050 — another 27 years, and having net zero emissions of all greenhouse gases by 2065 –or almost half a century. As the country’s largest producer of carbon dioxide, which is the major cause […]
Covid-19. Technological disruption. Climate crisis. These have happened at a rapid pace that challenges the adaptability of people around the world. Is Thailand prepared to withstand these challenges? Ask the children — the future of the country — and their answers, according to the 2018 PISA Survey of 15-year-old children around the world, are not […]
The Thai economy will face many headwinds but also tailwinds next year, mainly from the global economy and geopolitical tensions. In 2022, the Thai economy slowly recovered from the Covid pandemic as lockdowns ended and the economy was reopened to international travel. After contracting by more than 6% in 2020, Thailand’s real gross domestic product […]
Teenagers declared war on schools’ authoritarian rules. A rap song chastising Thai dictators went viral overnight. Angry youths defied state crackdowns for democratic rights. The social media movement “Let’s Move Out of This Country” spread like wildfire. The signs during the past few years have been abundant and clear. Thai youths are fed up and […]
