Sin Hengsamai, An Apis florea Honey Harvester and Organic Farmer Interview Mr. Sin Hengsamai and his wife, Mrs. Kuchanat Khemlai are organic farmers, members of the Sanam Chaikhet Organic Farming Group. However Sin prefers to work on the farm and stay at home, so Mrs. Kuchanat is the visible member of the group, whether at the weekly organic farmers market in the Sanam Chaikhet Hospital or at group meetings and events. By Michael B. Commons
COVID-19, Health Borders, and the Purity of the Thai Nation Article This article examines the ad-hoc policy and regulation applied by the Thai government in controlling the spread of COVID-19 in the country. The Thai government erected a ‘health border’ to control mobility of the people, as well as set up a governing body, the Center of COVID-19 Situation Administration (CCSA) under the emergency decree. By Jiraporn Laocharoenwong
A Passion for Pollinators in Thailand Article I have been on a journey of about two years so far to learn more about pollinators, native bees, and how we can help restore the health of their populations. On one hand this has become a personal journey. Now every day I observe flowers in bloom that I find in my garden or wherever I am to see if there are any pollinators, and if so, what species I find, and if there are few or many. By Michael B. Commons
Thai Cabinet Approves Civil Partnership Bill Article On 8 July 2020, the Thai Cabinet approved the Civil Partnership bill, which was proposed by the Ministry of Justice to allow for same-sex couples to register their partnership, and has submitted the bill to the House of Representatives Coordination Committee for consideration before it goes before Parliament. By Prachatai English
Thailand’s Silent Pandemic: Domestic Violence during COVID-19 Article While media reports have highlighted increases of reported domestic violence in countries around the world due to the lockdown stresses, the situation is unclear in Thailand. Although many women in Thailand seek out services from non-government organizations, there is widespread belief that a large number of abused women here suffer in silence. By Annelie Langerak
Native Honey Bees of Southeast Asia and Conservation Challenges Article The disappearance of the honey bee is widely publicized, especially in Europe and North America, with colony collapse disorder observed in apiaries of the western honey bee, Apis mellifera. Much less interest, however, has been paid to Southeast Asian native honey bees whose fate also deserves attention. This article explores the conservation challenges of the eight native honey bee species of Southeast Asia. By Eric Guerin
China, As Told by China: Beijing’s Influences Reach Thai Media and Beyond Article China is waging an unprecedented information campaign in Thailand through traditional and new media platforms, thanks to a sluice of partnerships with Thai media throughout 2019. Similar pattern is seen in the Southeast Asian region, where China is fast expanding its political, economic, and strategic stakes. By Teeranai Charuvastra
A Climate Call for Thailand Opinion Thais often associate climate change action to plastic waste which is not the whole point of it. It’s easier to feel empathy for marine lives who suffer from plastic waste but not be responsible for the carbon footprint. Many of us still don’t get the big picture. Fighting climate change would involve reducing carbon emission, driving less, saving energy, being vegetarian, using local products, avoiding aviation, waste separation, recycle and more. By Sanathorn Ratanapoompinyo
Institutional and Governance Aspect of the Energy Transition: Case of Thailand Blog With strong influences from fossil fuel industries on these policy mechanisms, real changes will occur only with strong push from many stakeholders and the public. Over the last ten to twenty years, there are a lot of progress on policy, planning, and actions on energy efficiency and renewable energy in the country. But with the political and governance context of Thailand, it may take many more years until the policy mechanisms in Thailand will work in favor of the transition to the energy system based on renewables. energy. By Suphakit Nuntavorakarn
On Land Grabbing and Cross-border Investment: Case of Cambodian Migrant Workers in Thailand from a Gender-lens Article Land grabbing in Southeast Asia continues to be an issue of concern. The population in the region largely live in rural areas and make their living by depending on natural resources such as land and water. This article is based on a research in Cambodia and discusses key findings by using gender lens to highlight changes occurred on various levels in the community. By Premrudee Daoroung
