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A suggestion by the Department of Land Transport (DLT) to have holders of the lifelong driving licence be re-evaluated to ensure that they are fit to drive has been aborted quickly in the wake of fierce public pressure in what was possibly the most short-lived proposal ever.
Thailand's future might well be in danger if the government does not take urgent action to recalibrate its anti-pandemic policies. All the excellent measures the concerned authorities, as well as the public, have taken in mitigating the coronavirus over the past six months could easily turn against them. Thailand could emerge from Covid-19 with more disgruntled Thais including those who were repatriated. Worse, there will likely be additional unhappy foreign countries including their diplomats and citizens who have encountered discriminatory actions, some of which have gone against the Vienna Convention on Diplomatic Relations.
If Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha is "not okay" with the Red Bull scion's hit-and-run case, he should not be okay with the arrest of human rights lawyer Arnon Nampa and student activist Panupong Chadnok either.
A suggestion by the Department of Land Transport (DLT) to have holders of the lifelong driving licence be re-evaluated to ensure that they are fit to drive has been aborted quickly in the wake of fierce public pressure in what was possibly the most short-lived proposal ever.
The East Asian monsoon is pummelling China this summer. As of late July, flood alerts had been issued for 433 rivers, thousands of homes and businesses had been destroyed, and millions of people were on the verge of becoming homeless. The water level of Poyang Lake, China's largest freshwater lake, has risen to a record-breaking 22.6 metres, prompting authorities in the eastern province of Jiangxi (population: 45 million) to issue "wartime" measures. Chinese citizens have not been threatened with devastation on this scale in more than 20 years, and this is likely just the beginning.
Thailand's future might well be in danger if the government does not take urgent action to recalibrate its anti-pandemic policies. All the excellent measures the concerned authorities, as well as the public, have taken in mitigating the coronavirus over the past six months could easily turn against them. Thailand could emerge from Covid-19 with more disgruntled Thais including those who were repatriated. Worse, there will likely be additional unhappy foreign countries including their diplomats and citizens who have encountered discriminatory actions, some of which have gone against the Vienna Convention on Diplomatic Relations.
If Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha is "not okay" with the Red Bull scion's hit-and-run case, he should not be okay with the arrest of human rights lawyer Arnon Nampa and student activist Panupong Chadnok either.
I've been wondering how far artificial intelligence (AI) can go to make human life easier and, amid the current pandemic, safer. A good place to start is Japan, where AI is gaining ground in fields from fashion to elder care.
Remember how just two decades ago, Thailand was regarded as a progressive democracy among Asian nations? The recent arrests of a civil rights lawyer and a student activist, which appear to be the prelude to a widespread crackdown on youth movements, made me lose hope over the state of democracy in the country.
Army commander Gen Apirat Kongsompong took a swipe at anti-government elements, which are increasingly hounding Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha on an almost daily basis, while chatting with army cadets on the occasion of the 133rd anniversary of the founding of the Chulachomklao Royal Military Academy on Aug 5.
It's time Attorney-General Wongsakul Kittipromwong takes action and cleans up the back room of his office after the mess of the hit-and-run case involving Red Bull scion Vorayuth "Boss" Yoovidhya to restore public trust.
I first heard of Ai Khai from news reports about Patcharasri Benjamas, or Kalamare, a TV personality and celebrity who went to Wat Chedi in Nakhon Si Thammarat a few months ago and set off millions of firecrackers near his statue in a show of gratitude.
The arrest of civil rights lawyer Arnon Nampa and a student leader on Friday on sedition charges for their roles in a series of rallies against the government is an ill-thought, excessive act by the police. The tough action against pro-democracy activists which has sparked a public outcry is an embarrassment to the government that came to power through an election.
