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Tara Abhasakun is a former junior reporter at Southeast Asia Globe based in Bangkok. She spent her early childhood in Bangkok, and grew up in San Francisco. She writes for Prachatai English among other publications about women’s and minority rights in Thailand and the Middle East.
Despite boasting among the region's highest human development scores, Thailand is among ASEAN's worst for English ability. Language experts and reformers alike believe cultural factors and structural flaws in the education system are holding the kingdom back
By
Tara Abhasakun
- Mar 03, 2021
Diagnosed with stage-two lymphoma in recent months, filmmaker Ploy Naruemon Chaingam is set to tackle Thai women’s struggles with cancer and address the kingdom's societal taboos surrounding the disease head on in her latest documentary
By
Tara Abhasakun
- Jan 06, 2021
As youth-led protests rumble on in the Thai capital Bangkok, thousands of kilometres away in Los Angeles, a cohort of Thais in America are pushing forward with a pro-democracy movement of their own
By
Tara Abhasakun
- Dec 09, 2020
In Mandalay, the Inwa performing arts school has since 2016 been a beacon of progressive values and opportunity, offering Myanmar's rural children the chance to take to the stage, expand their horizons and even escape poverty
By
Tara Abhasakun
- Nov 17, 2020
An already lengthy process, refugee resettlement has taken a major hit during the pandemic. With the US and Australia announcing further quota cuts in recent weeks, the chance of a new life for many refugees stuck in Southeast Asia looks slimmer than ever
By
Tara Abhasakun
- Oct 27, 2020
In recent days, Thailand’s government has attempted to crackdown on several outlets offering coverage of the ongoing pro-democracy movement. But while efforts are made to muzzle traditional media, live-streaming and citizen journalism is ready to fill the void
By
Wanpen Pajai and Tara Abhasakun
- Oct 23, 2020
With the release of her book, A Good True Thai, Thai-American author Sunisa Manning talks about how the Thammasat Massacre inspired her novel, and what lessons current protestors can draw from those events four decades ago
By
Tara Abhasakun
- Oct 02, 2020
In a year of bold protests in Thailand, this weekend's demonstrations once again caused a stir. A plaque challenging the monarchy was placed and a 10-point reform document delivered to authorities as protestors continued to push boundaries
By
Tara Abhasakun and Wanpen Pajai
- Sep 21, 2020
On September 19 2006, the government of Thaksin Shinawatra was ousted in a military coup. While 14 years have passed since that day, a large demonstration set to be held at Thammasat University this weekend marking the date shows the significance of this event is not lost on current protestors
By
Tara Abhasakun and Wanpen Pajai
- Sep 18, 2020
An ethnic minority group in Thailand, the Akha hill tribe is navigating an ongoing dilemma between remembering their cultural roots, and integrating into Thai society with all the benefits and costs that accompany life in the modern world
By
Tara Abhasakun
- Sep 14, 2020
Tales of Thailand, a new student-led platform, is aiming to build bridges over Thailand’s wealth chasm and raise awareness among the kingdom's youth by shining a light on the struggles of everyday Thais
By
Tara Abhasakun
- Aug 18, 2020
As pro-democracy student-led protests gather momentum and press in Thailand, a smaller group of monarchists, apparently led by an entirely different band of students, are pushing back against what they see as an assault on the country's foundations
By
Tara Abhasakun
- Aug 03, 2020
Thai youth protesters resumed their pro-democracy movement with a bang in last weekend's protest. As disparate youth groups jostle to raise their voices, this summer could be a busy one in Thailand.
By
Tara Abhasakun
- Jul 24, 2020
Thai film director Naruemon Chaingam has founded clay jewellery brand Four Elements in Thailand’s poor Isaan region, promoting livelihoods and providing much-needed income for the area's women as the global pandemic cripples the country's economy
By
Tara Abhasakun
- Jun 18, 2020
