My new article in the Bangkok Post on building consensus for constitutional reform in Thailand: As is characteristic of our polarised society, opinion is deeply divided on whether the 2017 constitution should be amended. Some will say that constitutional revision is effectively hopeless, a remote possibility until the powers that be permit an amendment. The [...]
Thai Politics, Explained
Over the years, many friends have told me that they enjoy reading my writing, but wished they had a better grasp of Thai politics so that they could understand better what was going on. I thought about this for a while and decided that they have a point. One of my key goals in writing [...]
Right is Wrong and Wrong is Right
"Two things fill the mind with ever new and increasing admiration and awe, the more often and steadily we reflect upon them", Immanuel Kant once said, "the starry heavens above me and the moral law within me." If the heavens above and morality within filled Kant with wonder, so has it been for Thais. The [...]
On Google and Governance
It's been a busy start to the semester here at Cal and time has not been something with which I have been well-endowed. But I do want to comment on the latest uproar in Thai politics over Prayut's remarks at Asia Society in New York. The prime minister began with a riff about social media: [...]
What Thailand Can Learn From Brexit
Thailand may have supposedly changed its system of governance in 1932, but it is well known that skepticism about democracy remains deeply entrenched amongst many Thais. It is not uncommon to observe some using democracy as a bit of a dirty word, representing in their view the wrongful empowerment of the ignorant masses who often [...]
Constitutional Revision Matters for the Economy
Why revise the constitution, some ask, when the government's attention and toil would be better spent on improving people's livelihoods? This is a question that has come up with ever-increasing frequency as the Future Forward party has organized town halls across the country to promote the idea of constitutional revision. Despite the bipartisan look that [...]
Some Thoughts On Hong Kong’s Protests
Tear gas. Violence on the streets. Airport closures. The view from Bangkok on the Hong Kong protests is almost one of weary familiarity. Not exactly déjà vu; the nuances mean that resemblance with Thailand's color-coded movements will never be reached. But the parallels are there and they are eery. This makes it particularly interesting to [...]
A Taste of Defeat
Attention in Thai politics has been focused this week on the cabinet's oath-taking error. The episode is worrying for several reasons. This was succinctly summarized by Parit Wacharasindhu: if it was an unintentional gaffe, it casts doubt Prayut's ability to handle complex issues; if it was intentional, it puts into question his respect for a [...]
US-China Relations Beyond 2020
I recently wrapped up my internship at the Bangkok Post, and my lead piece for this week's Asia Focus section was published today. In the world's preeminent superpower, the race to elect the new president is starting to yield clues about the future of its foreign policy. The narrowing gap between China and the United [...]
Prime Ministers and Parliaments
Every Wednesday at noon in the UK when parliament is in session, the British prime minister enters the House of Commons. For half an hour the prime minister must quell the curiosity of a roaring crowd of MPs who relentlessly ask questions, captive in the chamber until the speaker decides the house has heard enough. [...]
