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UN reform overdue after Gaza and Ukraine

 nfamous 30,000 UN vehicles and bloated departments: 10 UN Reforms for a Leaner, Fairer, Future-Ready UN UN slow to act on genocide in Gaza and Ukraine after 2 years of warfare. While Myanmar, Sudans and Haiti rumble on with minimal action. Evan basics such as food and vaxx are delayed. Time for substantial reform beyond ineffective bureaucracy. 1. Open Elections for UN Secretary-General Replace backroom Security Council selection with General Assembly-wide voting . Candidates should publish manifestos, undergo public debates, and face term limits. 2. Permanent Seats for Africa, India, and Global South Expand UNSC to include 2 African nations , India , and Latin America . End the WWII victor monopoly — reflect today’s geopolitical realities. 3. Audit and Reduce UN’s 30,000+ Vehicle Fleet Many UN agencies maintain fleets far exceeding operational needs - certainly beyond Africa. Propose a global audit , with fleet downsizing and transition to EVs or shared logistics . 4. Merge Over...
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Thailand’s Death Penalty and the ASEAN Dilemma: Reform in the Shadow of Punishment

  Thailand’s justice system stands at a crossroads—caught between a legacy of punitive enforcement and the slow march toward reform. With nearly 300,000 prisoners  (over 100,000 on remand) as of July 2025, the country’s prisons are bursting at the seams. UK with 95k prisoners one of the highest in EU. The majority of Thai inmates are incarcerated for drug-related offenses , a reflection of decades-long policies that favoured incarceration over rehabilitation. Thailand retains the death penalty , making it one of eight ASEAN nations that still enforce capital punishment. Only Cambodia and the Philippines have abolished it in law. While executions are rare—just seven by lethal injection since 2003 and the last in 2018—the penalty remains on the books for 35 crimes , including murder, drug trafficking, and lese majeste , the controversial law criminalizing insults to the monarchy. And 500 on Death Row: a high cost as in USA in lawyers and shuttling prisoners from jail to cou...
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NHS quick wins in ASEAN

 Here’s a curated list of 10 quick NHS-linked wins or collaborations across ASEAN and India following Timor-Leste’s malaria-free milestone: 1. India–UK AI Diagnostics Pilot NHS and India’s Ministry of Health launched a joint pilot using AI to detect diabetic retinopathy and tuberculosis in rural clinics. Early results show a 30% reduction in misdiagnosis rates. 2. Malaysia–NHS Genomics Exchange UK’s Genomics England partnered with Malaysia’s Institute for Medical Research to share rare disease data. Accelerated diagnosis for over 200 patients in Sabah and Sarawak. 3. Thailand–NHS Telehealth Integration Thai hospitals adopted NHS teleconsultation protocols for remote provinces. Reduced travel burden for over 50,000 patients in Chiang Rai and Ubon. 4. Singapore–NHS Mental Health Toolkit NHS England’s youth mental health framework adapted for Singapore’s school system. Pilot in 12 schools showed 40% improvement in early intervention uptake. 5. Vietnam–NHS Infection Control Training N...
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Cambodia–Thailand: Winning the Peace, Not Just the War

Cambodia–Thailand: Winning the Peace, Not Just the War In a region long haunted by barbed wire borders and buried landmines, the recent thaw between Cambodia and Thailand is more than a diplomatic win—it’s a generational pivot toward peace, prosperity, and shared memory. The September 2025 General Border Committee (GBC) meeting in Koh Kong marked a turning point. Both sides agreed to remove heavy weapons , jointly clear landmines , and review disputed maps and village boundaries , including sensitive temple zones like Ta Muen Thom and Chong Bok .  This wasn’t just a ceasefire—it was a blueprint for coexistence. And, in all sincerity, both nations pleased to draw the war to an end as quickly as possible. The Thai army somewhat obstructive in ploughing its own path from GBC and parliament in setting vague if not impossible terms for Cambodia to end the war (beyond the truce and GBC) before returning the last 18 POWs, nor setting in place more barbed wire fences nor ending fighting ...
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Time for Taem and 21C Thai Commerce

In a move that’s turning heads across boardrooms and ministries alike, Suphajee “Taem” Suthumpun , the trailblazing CEO of Dusit Thani , has stepped out of the C-suite to take on a new challenge: Commerce Minister of Thailand .  PM Anutin pulling off something of a boardroom coup to unlock the logjam of  the Thai economy mired in the swamp of lese majeste or 14th floor distractions or Weekend Wars. With just four months until a potential parliamentary reset, Taem's appointment signals urgency, ambition, and a pivot toward digital diplomacy and regional reinvention. Taem isn’t just another executive parachuted into politics. She’s a tech-native hotelier , with a 36-year career spanning IBM , the  Microsoft family  and Thaicom , before transforming Dusit Thani into a global lifestyle brand.  Surely Taem is Here for Bangkok and playing to 21C Thailand's strengths in Hospitality and Tourism and the Digital Economy even the Space Economy? From Hospitality to Hybrid C...
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UK 21C foreign diplomacy with Yvette Cooper?

Yvette Cooper is the new UK Foreign Minister with a golden opportunity for UK 21C diplomacy reform: 1. Brexit’s Broken Promises The Gibraltar treaty remains unpublished. Northern Ireland’s border remains a regulatory minefield. CPTPP is signed but stalled. Cooper must release treaty texts, impact assessments, and negotiation memos. And begin a rapid Rejoin after the Brexit mess. 2. CPTPP: Signed, Sealed, Ignored Canada and Mexico still haven’t ratified UK accession after almost  year. SMEs remain locked out. Investor-State Dispute clauses threaten democratic sovereignty. Cooper must clarify implementation timelines and ISDS exposure. Silence is complicity. 3. Embassy Trade Targets: Lobbying in the Shadows UK embassies push trade deals, if any, with zero public oversight. Who sets the targets? Who benefits? FOIs will demand embassy-level lobbying logs, promotional budgets, and corporate access records. Cooper must expose the machinery behind the handshake and deliver trade targets p...
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Ten Big Reforms for Isaan, Thailand and Cambodia: A Borderless Future of Justice and Infrastructure

  Ten Big Reforms for Isaan, Thailand and Cambodia: A Borderless Future of Justice and Infrastructure 1. Rail Equity Corridor Launch a 600 km Isaan Rail Equity Plan  North-South connecting Mukdahan, Amnat Charoen, Yasothon, and Surin to Khon Kaen and Bangkok. Simultaneously fund a Surin–Siem Reap spur to rupture the rail desert and enable Khmer-Isaan cultural mobility. 2. Cross-Border Health Pact Establish a Thai–Cambodian Border Health Compact : shared clinics, mobile units, and Khmer-language services in Surin, Sisaket, and Battambang. Fund joint disease surveillance and maternal care. 3. Khmer Language Rights Charter Recognise Northern Khmer as a protected regional language. Fund bilingual education, media, and signage in Surin, Sisaket, and Buriram. In all sincerity, partner with Cambodian cultural ministries for curriculum co-design and temples website. 4. Ban on Land Grabs and Elite Logging Criminalise elite land seizures in Isaan and Cambodian border zones. Launch a j...
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