Nareerat Wiriyapong
Acting Asia Focus Editor
Acting Asia Focus Editor
Can Myanmar be saved?
After a month under military rule, Myanmar remains gripped by anger and frustration. Despite the growing danger to their personal safety, thousands of people continue to hit the streets daily to demand the release of civilian leader Aung San Suu Kyi and a return to democracy.
Sport and sexism in Japan
Congratulations to Seiko Hashimoto, Japan's former Olympics minister, who has taken the helm of the troubled Tokyo Games, after her predecessor quit amid an uproar over his sexist remarks.
Erasing the stain of racism
When Rawiri Waititi got up to ask a question in the New Zealand parliament last Tuesday, he didn't get far. Speaker Trevor Mallard warned the Maori MP that (male) members could only do so if they were wearing a necktie.
Dark cloud over Myanmar
My first feeling after waking up last Monday and hearing about the military takeover in Myanmar is hard to explain, but it was certainly disappointing to see such a setback for Thailand's next-door neighbour.
Migrant workers deserve far better
Migrant workers contribute significantly to various industries in Southeast Asia, particularly labour-intensive sectors. In Thailand, the seafood supply chain relies on thousands of workers from Myanmar, while Malaysia's rubber glove industry employs workers from Bangladesh, Nepal, Indonesia, and also Myanmar.
Time for a 'better normal'
The continuing spread Covid-19 has reversed the decades-long record of strong economic growth in the Asia Pacific region. As governments continue their struggles to contain the pandemic, the labour market has been affected adversely, with businesses, workers of all ages, and the incomes of women and men throughout the region all feeling the pinch.
Time to build back greener
Watching the deluge in Nakhon Si Thammarat and other southern provinces of Thailand has been really distressing. Days of heavy rains have left roads inundated, hogs have been swept away on livestock farms and human casualties are rising after incessant rain triggered forest runoff from the Khao Luang mountain range, flowing into the Nakhon Si Thammarat municipal area for the first time in 30 years.
China should try a softer tone
Chinese President Xi Jinping has been outspoken lately, taking advantage of the leadership vacuum in Washington where Donald Trump is still sulking after his election defeat and Joe Biden won't take office for seven more weeks.
Regional trade in the spotlight
The participation by outgoing US President Donald Trump in a virtual Asia Pacific summit last Friday highlights the importance of Asia in the global economic landscape. Held by Malaysia, the two-day Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (Apec) forum was also attended by Chinese President Xi Jinping, who was fresh from the success of signing the world's largest free-trade agreement (FTA) the previous weekend.
New hope in a post-Trump world
Following Thai politics is making me increasingly frustrated, and I'm losing hope that things will ever get back to normal. Case in point: not only do we have a cabinet minister who served four years in an Australian prison for drug trafficking, but now one of his wives has been appointed to a position in the Prime Minister's Office.