Commentary / World Aug 3, 2017
Trial of Yingluck sparks deeper crisis for Thailand
The outcome of former Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra's trial will change Thailand's political trajectory.
Pavin Chachavalpongpun
For Pavin Chachavalpongpun's latest contributions to The Japan Times, see below:
Commentary / World Jul 2, 2017
Incident in Germany raises issues over Thai king's security
An air gun attack on King Vajiralongkorn in Germany last month raises questions about the adequacy of the security measures surrounding the Thai monarch.
Commentary / World Jun 2, 2017
Dhaveevatthana prison: hell on Earth in Thailand
A prison on the grounds of Dhaveevatthana Palace in Bangkok has become a symbol of cruelty under the reign of Thai King Vajiralongkorn.
Commentary / World May 12, 2017
Land of fear, under Vajiralongkorn
Loathed by the public, Thailand's King Vajiralongkorn is seeking to win over his subjects not by reverence, but fear.
Commentary / World Apr 10, 2017
Two peas in a pod: Duterte in Bangkok
The Thai junta and the fiery Philippine president appear to have found a convergence of interests.
Commentary / Japan Mar 3, 2017
China's shadow looms large in Japan-Thailand relations
The need to protect its interests and to compete with China explains Japan's embrace of Thailand's military regime.
Commentary / World Feb 10, 2017
Cobra Gold set to shift order in Southeast Asia
The U.S. is signaling rekindled interest in Thailand, with the aim of keeping it out of China's camp.
Commentary / World Jan 9, 2017
Why is Thailand's middle class so quick to reject democracy?
The Thai middle class and civil society organizations place top priority on their political interests rather than democracy.
Commentary / World Dec 6, 2016
Thailand in 2016: The end of the Bhumibol era
Concerns over the future are running high in Thailand amid the change in monarchs.
Commentary / World Nov 8, 2016
Witch hunts follow Thai king's death
Thailand's much revered King Bhumibol Adulyadej passed away Oct. 13. His death has heightened the anxiety felt by some members of the Thai public about the country's uncertain future without the charismatic monarch. Increasingly many royalists are expressing their concerns through a series of ...