If a new law governing statistics gathering passes, it should not be used as an excuse to censor poll results. The House of Representatives is expected today to discuss the new Statistics Act proposed by the ruling Thai Rak Thai, which some fear could be used by the Thaksin administration to suppress academic freedom and the freedom of expression.

STOPPAGE TIME: Another day in my life from the year 2015

.30am: That damned plane woke me up again. Five years now and still can’t get used to its hellish thunder. My whole house shook as I walked to the bathroom, cursing my luck and stupidity. My only consolation was I’m one of many. Who, after all, wouldn’t have bet everything they owned when the government promised 10 years ago that this area would be more modern than Singapore?

Warlords turned parliamentarians

The latest “no comment” response to journalists from US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice, when asked what she thought of the numerous warlords who won seats in the Afghan parliament after the September 18 election, is symptomatic of what locals believe to be America’s Janus-faced role in Afghanistan.