Jan McGirk

Thaksin Shinawatra: the end of the affair

Jan McGirk — 2006-04-04T20:30:00Z

Thailand's prime minister made a spectacular gamble - and lost. Jan McGirk, in Bangkok, reports.

The political career of Thaksin Shinawatra is approaching its end. After barely scraping victory in the snap election he had called for 2 April 2006, even after much of the opposition had boycotted the polls, Thailand's caretaker prime minister has conceded the result's fatal blow to his authority. Two days on, he has announced his resignation, which will take effect (as the constitution requires) within thirty days.

It wasn't meant to be like this. Thaksin calculated that the poll - called only thirteen months after a decisive electoral victory had reaffirmed the mandate he first won in 2001, and in the face of a rising tide of urban protest among Bangkok's middle class - would consolidate his claim to be the figure able to lead millions of poorer, rural Thais into boom times. His achievement in lifting millions of small farmers out of poverty (albeit increasingly into debt) was to be the foundation of the billionaire premier's third success. (...)

- / openDemocracy

Trouble in Thailand

Jan McGirk — 2004-11-19T13:03:00Z

A huge upsurge in sectarian violence, including beheadings and bombings, is bringing chaos to southern provinces, where Muslims outnumber Buddhists. The royal family has issued a call to arms, but the police and army have little idea who they are fighting. Jan McGirk reports. - / Independent

Fears for Aung Suu Kyi after Burmese moderate is ousted

Jan McGirk — 2004-10-20T15:16:00Z

The Burmese junta has sacked Prime Minister Khin Nyunt and arrested him on corruption charges after a purge of the military intelligence headquarters in Rangoon. (...) -

Timebomb of Aids menaces bloom of Asia's youth

Jan McGirk — 2004-07-12T21:42:03Z

Asian governments, long in denial about infection rates from HIV/Aids, face a health crisis which may eventually outstrip the suffering in sub-Saharan Africa.

The United Nations is predicting that China, India and Indonesia, which account for nearly half of Asia's population, are Aids time-bombs. (...)