The government has been pushing its electoral mandate to the limit in recent months

SIDELINES : The end of the line for diversionary tactics?

The scandal over the bribery allegations in connection with the procurement of explosives-detection machines from the US-based company GE InVision for the new airport is becoming an increasingly acute source of embarrassment for Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra, who desperately wants safe passage for himself through this mess.

A day of liberation

When I was seven years old, in 1960, my grandmother Angelica opened my eyes to the meaning of May 8, 1945, the day when Nazi Germany surrendered and World War II ended in Europe. We were spending our summer holidays in Normandy where the liberation of Europe from Nazism had started on D-Day, June 6, 1944. One evening, I listened to my parents and my grandmother talking about the past. I have forgotten the details of their conversation, but I can still hear my grandmother’s sigh of relief when she said “Thank God we lost that war!”

SUNDAY BRUNCH : Building preparedness

Thanit Kitti-ampon wants Thai architects to brace for coming liberalisation of the market

WATCHDOG : Is Thailand’s tourism sector up to the new challenges?

Competition for tourism revenues in Asia is set to become more dynamic. Hong Kong will open its new tourist magnet – Hong Kong Disneyland, a joint venture with the US-based theme park – in September this year, while Singapore last month announced it would build two giant casino entertainment complexes to make the island republic a more exciting place for visiting tourists.

Keeping your house cool the natural way

Sakharith Paichayont says families can lower their energy costs by adopting some ‘green’ building techniques