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December 28th, 2023

In Thailand's hot seat

Prime Minister Srettha Thavisin seeks longevity as political factions bide time

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Turbulent Thailand

Thai PM Srettha seeks longevity as political factions bide time

Newcomer's fate seen as resting on party's favor, rollout of digital wallet

Thai Prime Minister Srettha Thavisin poses for a photo before an interview with Nikkei Asia at Government House in Bangkok on Dec. 12. (Photo by Hiroki Endo)
A recap of some of our favorite feature stories of the year. 
The Big Story

From Myanmar to Fukushima: The Best of the Big Story 2023

A look back at some of Nikkei Asia's most impactful cover stories of the year

Energy companies and other buyers of carbon emissions credits have begun to question their effectiveness in curbing global warming.
Datawatch

Weak trading in carbon credits blunts world decarbonization drive

Futures fall 90% as effectiveness of carbon offsets questioned

Preparations for July's World AI Conference in Shanghai: As far as AI risks go, China clearly perceives greater dangers from people.
Opinion

China's AI sector has no time for end-of-the-world worries

Country takes pragmatic view as it seeks to close technological gap

Soka Gakkai became politically active under the leadership of Daisaku Ikeda, the religious group's third and most influential president.
Opinion

Political alliance of Japan's LDP and Komeito could begin to crack

Future of religious-based party in question after death of founder Daisaku Ikeda

President Xi Jinping, center, and other Chinese Communist Party leaders discussed economic priorities for 2024 at the two-day annual Central Economic Work Conference in mid-December. The market speculates that Xi is cautious about government spending measures. (Xinhua/Kyodo)
The Nikkei View

Private-sector vitality is needed to revive China's economy

Xi must not prioritize party dominance over employment and innovation

India's central bank has responded to the growing popularity of unsecured consumer loans by requiring lenders to hold more capital against such credits. (Photo by Ken Kobayashi)
Business Spotlight

Indian consumer borrowing surges, raising fears of defaults

Unsecured loans give lower-income workers a chance to 'spend on things we really want'

Darmawan Junaidi, Bank Mandiri's president director, calls its digital banking platform Livin' "the real superapp." (Nikkei montage/Source photos by Reuters and Bank Mandiri)
Finance

Indonesia's Bank Mandiri 'strikes back' at fintech rivals

Apps now core of state-owned lender's expansion, president director says

Chinese tourists visit Bangkok's Wat Phra Kaew temple in August. People from the country made up the world's biggest outbound travel market before the COVID pandemic, with 155 million trips in 2019. (Photo by Ken Kobayashi)
Travel & Leisure

In charts: How Asia's tourism recovery is held back by stay-home Chinese

World's biggest foreign travel market hurt by weak economy, safety concerns

Samsung has told suppliers that it aims to churn out more than 240 million smartphones in 2024 as the Android phone maker foresees an improvement in consumer sentiment.
Technology

Samsung and other Android smartphone makers gearing up for better 2024

Bigger orders from Oppo and Honor indicate industry is pulling out of yearslong slump

Bangladesh, Taiwan, South Korea and Sri Lanka are also set to go to the polls next year, while Asia's focus will shift to the U.S. Presidential race later in 2024. (Photo by Ken KobayashI)
Asia Insight

From India and Pakistan to Indonesia, Asia set for election-packed 2024

Over a billion people will be voting but democracy questions cloud some races

Children play at an evacuation center for people displaced by flash floods caused by monsoon rains in Manila, pictured in August 2018. A UNICEF survey found the Philippines had the most children displaced by climate disasters between 2016 and 2021.
Climate Change

Asia's child exploitation risk worsened by climate change, UN expert warns

Philippines, India top list of children displaced by extreme weather

China accounts for half of the world's steel production. (Photo by Tomoko Wakasugi)
Comment

China's surging steel exports risk new round of trade frictions

Chinese steelmakers divert excess output as demand cools at home

One of the main goals of Tenzin Palmo, center, is to boost the role of nuns within Buddhism. (All photos by Saransh Sehgal)
Life

Western-born nun challenges Buddhism's patriarchy

London fishseller's daughter seeks equal rights for monastic women

A shop assistant bows outside an elevator at a Takashimaya department store in Tokyo. The world can learn much from Japan's renowned customer service. 
Tea Leaves

Japan's 'omotenashi' culture can offer an edge in the AI age

Anticipating people's needs will become a critical business skill