Thailand has much to learn from Taiwan in terms of human rights policy regarding foreign workers. Victimised Thai workers and Thai society in general must gracefully accept the sincere apology offered by Taiwanese Vice President Annette Lu on Wednesday for failure by Taiwanese authorities to enforce labour standards and protect workers’ human rights.

OVERDRIVE: New game show: ‘The Great Communicator’

Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra is reshaping his communication style. He will terminate his daily news conferences, and from now on will only holding formal, strictly formatted news conferences at Government House every Thursday. Sorry, there will be no more questions shot at the Great Communicator while he is trying to get into his car, about to climb a staircase or walking out of a meeting room.

A united Iraq –what’s the point?

Iraq’s leaders have a tentative constitution, but they’ve postponed a fundamental question – can Iraq really exist as one country?