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Thai Prime Minister Yingluck Shinatwatra (center) and army chief General Prayuth Chan-ocha (right). (Picture via Flickr, licensed under CC)

Analysis: Is Thailand’s military compromising for the sake of reconciliation?

By Siam Voices Fri, May 18, 2012 10:00AM UTC View Comments

By Saksith Saiyasombut The East Asia Forum recently published a column on the current political role of Thailand’s military written by John Blaxland, Senior Fellow at the Strategic and Defence Studies Centre at the Australian National University with 30 years of service experience with the Australian Military and also a graduate of the Royal Thai Army Command and Staff...

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After the tsunami scare: The failure of Thai TV to inform

By Siam Voices Fri, Apr 13, 2012 10:30AM UTC View Comments

A security officer walks through debris from Wednesday's strong earthquake at an office building in Banda Aceh, Aceh province, Sumatra island, Indonesia, Thursday, April 12, 2012. Cries of panic and fervent prayers rang out Wednesday as Indonesians rushed toward high ground after two strong earthquakes raised fears of a killer tsunami. Pic: AP

By Saksith Saiyasombut At 3.38pm (all times local) April 11, 2012, an earthquake occurred at the bottom of the Indian ocean west of Sumatra for a mere few minutes. The order of magnitude however was originally recorded at a very strong 8.9 (subsequently downgraded to 8.6). At 3.45pm, the Hawaii-based Pacific Tsunami Warning Center issued...

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The Thai floods and the geographics of perception – Part 2: Certain fear of uncertainty

By Siam Voices Wed, Nov 23, 2011 5:00PM UTC View Comments

The view on Pinklao district from an elevated road on the Western side of the Chao Praya river, one day after the tides reached on all-time high, fully flooding the district on October 30, 2011 (Photo by Saksith Saiyasombut)

By Saksith Saiyasombut This is part two of a two-part series on the discrepancies on reporting the floods and the fear of Bangkokians. In part one yesterday, we explained the process of news-gathering and pointed out possible sources for errors and misjudgments. Today, we explore the possible reasons why people in the capital became suddenly...

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The Thai floods and the geographics of perception – Part 1: No water in the Bangkok you’re thinking of!

By Siam Voices Tue, Nov 22, 2011 6:00PM UTC View Comments

By Saksith Saiyasombut Thailand is currently suffering the what has been often billed as the worst floods “in decades”. And looking at the immense inundated areas, the not yet foreseeable damage and the human suffering with millions of people being affected by this force of nature, it surely is a sobering sight. Even though the...

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Thai election: Why the Shinawatras won – Part 2

By Siam Voices Sat, Jul 23, 2011 11:30AM UTC View Comments

Yingluck Shinawatra, opposition Pheu Thai Party's candidate for prime minister and the sister of ousted Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra, gestures upon her arrival for a campaign rally for her party in Bangkok Thursday, June 9, 2011. Thailand will hold general elections on July 3, 2011. Pic: AP.

The trouble with Newin Chidchob By Dan Waites Where oh where is Newin Chidchob? Since the July 3 election, the infamous godfather of Buriram province – who famously betrayed Thaksin Shinawatra to become kingmaker to Abhisit Vejjajiva’s government at the end of 2008 – is almost completely silent. And so he might. Having failed spectacularly...

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