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Articles
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Why Japan’s Canals Are Crystal Clear
You’ve probably seen photos of canals in Japan where the water is so clear you can see fish swimming — even right in the middle of big cities. The question is: how? Three pillars make this possible. Japan has had strict water pollution laws since the 1950s — the Water Supply Law of 1957 and the Sewerage Law of 1958 laid the foundation. Rainwater and wastewater are kept completely separate; rain from streets and roofs flows directly into canals, while household and factory wastewater must go through treatment. Treated water has a BOD level of just 3-10 mg/L, well below…
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FY 2027 Budget Direction — Anutin Government 2
Let’s take a look at the draft budget for fiscal year 2027, worth 3.788 trillion baht, and see where the Anutin 2 government is allocating our tax money. The total numbers are interesting. Regular spending will hit 2.786 trillion baht, or 73.6% of the entire budget — up 5%. Meanwhile, capital investment is shrinking by 8.4% to 789,171 million baht. The deficit stands at 788,000 million baht, or 3.8% of GDP. Here are the top 5 ministries getting the most money: #1 Finance gets 440,871 million baht (+10.4%), #2 Education gets 359,577 million baht (+1.3%), #3 Interior gets 288,280 million…
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Entertainment venues: Who is responsible for oversight and inspection?
Last night, a fire broke out at a brewery in front of Lat Phrao, killing at least 27 people and injuring over 60. Governor Chadchart confirmed the venue had a valid permit, but fire exits were blocked by merchandise tables. Most victims were found in bathrooms and hallways — exits that were sealed shut. He also said smoke was the primary cause of death. PM Anutin added that many victims fled to the back and hid in the bathroom. This is not the first time. In 2009, the Santika Pub fire killed 67 and injured 222; the venue had no…
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Personal Assistant Systems for People With Disabilities: What Other Countries Do
I’ve been hearing a lot of discussion about personal assistants (PAs) and seeing different perspectives exchanged. I got curious—what are other countries doing? Sweden’s LSS law, in place since 1993, makes personal assistance a legally enforceable right with full government funding. People with disabilities choose and train their own assistants with no certification required. PA is a recognized occupation with union-negotiated wages around SEK 140-160 per hour (about 500-570 baht). About 16,000 people receive state-funded PA, but budget cuts since 2015 have tightened approvals. Family members can be PAs, though restrictions increased in 2023. Japan has the strictest system. All…