The Bulletin

Stephff's world

The unequal future: Asia’s struggle for justice in a warming and wired world

‍Briefing launch,
Wednesday, 29 October, 4pm

Asia stands at a crossroads. Despite decades of growth, the region is now one of the most unequal in the world. A small elite controls a vast share of wealth while millions struggle without decent jobs, fair wages or access to quality healthcare and education. Inequality is no longer just an economic gap—it is fuelling unrest and disillusionment, especially among young people who see opportunity slipping out of reach. The erosion of civic freedoms, exclusion from digital technologies and the disproportionate impacts of climate shocks are deepening this divide and weakening the very foundations of fair and inclusive development.

But inequality is not only unjust, it is a well-established barrier to long-term progress. Around the world, there is growing momentum to confront the rich–poor divide, with governments and institutions advancing progressive taxation, stronger social protection and inclusive public services. Many Asian countries are already taking bold steps in this direction, offering powerful examples of redistribution and reform. By building on these efforts—through fairer tax systems, equal opportunities for women and investment in care, health, education and climate resilience—Asia can move from being a region marked by widening divides to one that leads the global push for justice, opportunity and shared prosperity.

Addressing economic inequality is now a shared global priority, and Asia can lead. Regional and global experts will gather in Bangkok for the launch of Asia inequality briefing, uniting ideas and action for a fairer future- Join us and hear from:

‍Amitabh Behar, executive director, Oxfam International.

‍Mwiza Zulu, youth activist, Fight Inequality Alliance Zambia.

‍Pervez Hoodbhoy, physicist, public intellectual and peace advocate.

‍Sarinee Achavanuntakul, researcher on inequality, sustainable finance and corporate governance.

This is not a FCCT-organised event. Free and open to all.Bar and restaurant open.

Invisible Nation: What does it take to defend democracy under constant threat?

‍Film screening, panel discussion,
Friday, 31 October, 2pm

Invisible Nation offers an unprecedented look into the leadership of Taiwan’s first female president, Tsai Ing-wen, as she navigated the island’s fight to preserve its autonomy and freedom amid rising authoritarian aggression.

This exclusive screening is part of the General Assembly of the Council of Asian Liberals and Democrats (CALD) — the highest policy-making body of the only regional alliance of liberal and democratic parties in Asia. Through this gathering, CALD brings together liberal leaders, policymakers and journalists to shape conversations on democracy and resilience across the region.Organized in collaboration with the Foreign Correspondents’ Club of Thailand (FCCT) and the Friedrich Naumann Foundation for Freedom Southeast and East Asia (FNF SEEA).

Join us for a thought-provoking afternoon that explores how democratic leadership, international cooperation and civic resilience intersect in defending freedom across Asia. The screening of the film will start at approximately 2:30 pm, and the panel will follow immediately afterwards.

Panelists:

‍Ngalim Tiunn, member of Legislative Yuan, Democratic Progressive Party, Taiwan.

‍Chee Soon Juan, secretary general, Singapore Democratic Party.

‍Henrik Bach Mortensen, vice president, Liberal International, Denmark.

‍Lorenzo “Erin” Tañada, acting president, Liberal Party of the Philippines; former deputy speaker of the House of Representatives, Philippines.

Moderator Phil Robertson is director of Asia Human Rights and Labour Advocates and an FCCT board member.

Free and open to the public.

Slots are limited and will be given on a first come, first served basis. Please register through this link.

The unequal future: Asia’s struggle for justice in a warming and wired world

‍Photo exhibition,
panel discussion, Friday, 30 October, 7pm

[Free and open to all. Bar and restaurant open.]

*The photo exhibition begins on 27 October and ends on 31 October.

Victims from all parts of the world are dying inside Myanmar’s scam compounds — awaiting rescue. Some have been rescued. The rest remain trapped — tortured, starved, stripped of dignity, and left to die — in areas controlled by the BGF and DKBA along the Thai–Myanmar border, with little to no rescue efforts.

The exhibition and panel discussion expose the silence that allows these crimes to continue — pulling back the curtain to let the truth speak for itself, with the hope that this transnational crime will finally be suppressed and every victim can return to their loved ones.

According to the OHCHR report “Online Scam Operations and Trafficking into Forced Criminality in Southeast Asia," at least 120,000 people in Myanmar remain trapped, forced to run online scams. The Civil Society Network for Human Trafficking Victims (CSNHTVs) has made every effort to rescue victims from the various compounds in both BGF and DKBA, yet almost 300 verified victims remain trapped, severely abused, awaiting urgent rescue.

Thai authorities have announced the successful repatriation of over 12,000 foreigners, but this accounts for less than 10% of those still trapped, with no efforts to continue the rescues no matter how many times CSNHTVs followed up — often met with silence. Many rescued victims are returned without proper screening. The sick and pregnant are often left without care. Survivors remain without legal protection, frequently branded as “scammers,” with no justice, no recognition, and no protection of their basic humanity.

This is not an art show — it’s real evidence.

Over 600 victims from 40 nationalities participated in our online prescreening. Their stories, along with other evidence collected from 2024 to the present, are presented in this exhibition, reflecting the reality on the ground.

Disclaimers

Nothing in this exhibition belongs to CSNHTVs. It belongs to the victims. All photos are real and faces are blurred unless victims are willing to show them purposefully.

Before the panel begins on 30 October, guests are invited to share Filipino and Tanzanian food in the exhibition area — a simple yet powerful reminder of the victims’ diverse origins and shared humanity.

Speakers:

Her Excellency Betty Oyella Bigombe, ambassador of the Republic of Uganda to Thailand.

His Excellency Lindsay Kiptiness, former ambassador of the Republic of Kenya to Thailand.

On-site:

Florean Rwehumbiza Laurean, honorary consul of the United Republic of Tanzania in Thailand.

Jason Tower, independent expert.

Kannavee Seubsang, secretary-general of the Fair Party, Human Rights Advocate, and chairperson of Peace Rights Foundation.

Chalida Tajareansuk, chairperson of People Empowerment Foundation.

Eunice Barbara C. Novio, journalist, Inquirer.net.

Thapanee Eadsrichai, journalist, The Reporters.

Representatives:

NHRC (National Human Rights Commission, Thailand) – TBC

Moderator: Panu Wongcha-um, FCCT president and Reuters senior correspondent.

Translator: FCCT

Partner Organizations:

Focus Foundation | People Empowerment Foundation | Peace Rights Foundation | National Human Rights Commission | Tanzania Consulate | Kenyan Embassy | Ugandan Embassy | CSNHTVs

Free and open to all.Bar and restaurant open.

Co-working @ the FCCT

Tuesday, 28 October, 10am

Need a change of scenery from your home office? Join us for a coworking day at the Foreign Correspondents’ Club of Thailand (FCCT) -- a perfect space for working professionals, digital nomads and anyone looking to break free from the home-office routine.

Enjoy a spacious, comfortable workspace with dedicated tables, a full restaurant, café and bar and exclusive lunch specials just for this event.

Whether you're tackling deadlines or networking with like-minded professionals, this is an opportunity to be productive in a collaborative, social environment. Come work, connect, and enjoy great food because working remotely doesn’t have to mean working alone.

Hosted by Nick Bernhardt, FCCT board member and managing director of Khayan Consultants and Tommy Walker, FCCT board member and digital nomad.

Free and open to all.

Board games night

Tuesday, 28 October, 7pm

Join us for a chilled night of board games with The Boring Club. Try your luck with classics like chess and backgammon or modern games including Catan and Pandemic.The bar and restaurant will be open. Try our pizzas from the new pizza oven. The Boring Club meets at the FCCT clubhouse for games every Tuesday at 7pm.

Free and open to all. Bar and restaurant open.

FCCT pub trivia

Friday, 31 October, 7pm

Gather your friends and colleagues for a night of pub trivia at the Foreign Correspondents' Club of Thailand.Come for a bite and a beverage and test your knowledge. 1,000 baht bar tab up for grabs for the winning team, to be redeemed on the night.Advanced table bookings encouraged here.Free and open to all.Bar and restaurant open.

Shakespeare and the Globe Theatre

Monday, 24 November, 7pm

A fascinating evening about Shakespeare and the Globe Theatre tracing the great bard's progress as a dramatist and the importance of the London riverside theatre in his development as a writer.

Shakespeare wrote 30 to 32 plays after 1598, the year the Globe was built. Unlike many present day dramatists, he knew the performance space intimately as he was directly involved in the theatre's management and maintenance.

The Globe was a unique venue that helped Shakespeare develop as a playwright. The evening will also focus on play production, acting and challenges faced by producers and performers. A Q&A with audience follows the presentation.

Daniel Foley trained for the stage at the Royal Scottish Academy of Music and Drama where he won the Percival Steeds Prize and Royal Lyceum Awards. In 1992, he studied Wayang Kulit (Javanese puppetry) East Java with the great Pak Suleman. He trained with Yoh Izumo in Japan.

Members and non-members can use this link to book their tickets.

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Members 350 baht, non-members 450 baht, students 150 baht.Bar and restaurant open.

FCCT’s new podcast: Dateline Bangkok

For part one of this weeks episode of the Dateline Bangkok podcast, Tommy Walker speaks with Tony Cheng.

Tony is a foreign correspondent who works for Al Jazeera. He has worked within the Southeast Asia region for two decades and for BBC News and CGTN covering news and conflicts in Asia and the Middle East. Tony is a former board member of the FCCT.

Tony recently spent a week covering the Thailand-Cambodia border conflict from the Thai side including in red zone hotspots such as Surin and Sisaket.In this episode he speaks with Tommy about covering the conflict, who also reported from the border, with both sharing their experiences on the ground.

Watch the full episode on YouTube, Spotify and Apple Podcasts.

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