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Articles
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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…
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Why Doesn’t Japan Have Wrong-Way Driving?
[Japan 🇯🇵] In Thailand, wrong-way driving has become almost normal. We see police chasing them, but they never catch them all. But in Japan, almost no one drives the wrong way — whether car or motorcycle. Why? The answer is serious enforcement with real consequences. Japan takes traffic laws seriously with a graduated penalty system — warnings, on-the-spot fines, license suspension, imprisonment — so no one dares challenge rules. Wrong-way driving on expressways makes this clear: about 200 cases annually (224 in 2023), with 17% leading to accidents. That’s low compared to Thailand, but Japan didn’t wait for numbers to…