Smirnoff Spooked out Partygoers at Thailand’s Largest Halloween Music Festival (Sponsored)

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November 20, 2018 10:25 am

Smirnoff Midnight 100, a brand that stands for having fun to the max, provided a whole new experience for Thailand’s partygoers with “Smirnoff Midnight 100 OMG – OH MYGHOST”, Thailand’s first biggest Halloween party. It was an impressive day of frights and great music from a glamorous line-up of internationally acclaimed DJs. “Smirnoff Midnight 100 OMG – OH MYGHOST” took place on the evening of October 27, 2018 at Live Park Rama 9.

For two decades Smirnoff has been active in promoting music culture by supporting artists and music festivals and forming collaborations with artists worldwide to create festivals of art and lifestyle. The brand aims to bring together like-minded individuals who share the same passions for and attitudes towards art and music for entertainment programs where they get to socialize, connect and have a good time together. These activities also offer everyone the opportunity to enjoy new experiences.

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As a brand that promotes connection and freedom of expression, Smirnoff strives to create innovations for consumers through a variety of activities. On this occasion, Smirnoff Midnight 100 was once again mounting a Halloween party in Thailand titled “Smirnoff Midnight 100 Presents OMG – OH MY GHOST”, that was packed with spookiness and fun, at Live Park Rama 9. The venue was transformed into a deserted amusement park that comes alive once again on the night of Halloween.

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Upon arrival, partygoers were in for a range of bizarre, mysterious incidents and stories. Revelers would be delighted by a huge selection of drinks blended with Smirnoff Vodka including black-canned Midnight 100, a familiar drink with its special Halloween-themed packaging design to mark this occasion. Specially designed ice buckets from Smirnoff Midnight Max also provided added ambience. Partygoers also had fun with a string of entertaining activities including Halloween-style make-up and Shockphoto Booth Scare Challenge designed for fearless partygoers.

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World-renowned DJs took to the stage pumping out tons of electronic dance music. These include R3hab, Ghastly, Breathe Carolina, SURA, and Miss KB. The promotion of the planned Halloween blowout has been a great success online with lots of fans posting their photos on social media with the hashtags #SmirnoffOMG #SmirnoffOhMyGhost #ปาร์ตี้ป๋องดำ และ #ป๋องดำ.

Smirnoff Midnight 100 made its debut in Thailand in 2015. Ever since, it has consistently met with a warm reception from Thai consumers as one of the drinks for festive occasions that everyone can enjoy.

Smirnoff commits to provide positive energies to consumers through quality fun-filled activities. Those with a passion for music and revelry are invited to take part in the Halloween party. The drink is ideal for every joyous occasion.

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Diageo Moët Hennessy (Thailand) Ltd (DMHT) is the leading importer and distributor of premium wines and spirits in Thailand. Responsible corporate citizenship is a key element of DMHT’s business philosophy. DMHT strives to ensure its business and products appropriately balance the company’s commitment to act responsibly and the right to trade freely. This commitment is reflected in its corporate ethics and governance, relations with employees, customers, consumers, suppliers and communities, as well as health and safety policies and environmental policies. DMHT is committed to good corporate citizenship and responsible alcohol consumption. DMHT’s global corporate citizenship report and Asia Pacific citizenship report can be found and downloaded atwww.diageo.com.

Diageo Moet Hennessy (Thailand) is the leading importer and distributor of world-leading premium alcohol products. You can visit www.DIAGEO.com for more info. Being part of good corporate governance, DMHT takes responsible drinking seriously.

Transport Minister Open to Raising Some Bus Fares Next Year

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JINTAMAS SAKSORNCHAI

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November 19, 2018 4:41 pm

Two private buses block a street on Sep. 1 near CentralPlaza Lardprao in Bangkok. Photo: @KungBKP / Twitter — Two buses block a street on Sep. 1 near CentralPlaza Lardprao in Bangkok. Photo: @KungBKP / Twitter

BANGKOK — The Transport Minister said Monday he would consider raising fares for private bus operators for the first time in nearly four years after he was met with a rally and strike threats.

More than 200 private bus operators representatives held a protest today in front of the ministry demanding fare hikes – 3 baht for unair-conditioned buses and 2 baht for air-conditioned buses. They were invited to meet with the minister, who later said he had ordered the Department of Land Transport to propose new rates as soon as possible.

Arkhom Termpittayapaisith said he agreed with raising fares as fuel prices and wages had increased in recent years. He said he could not promise if the increased rates will be the ones operators demanded, but that he would like to have them approved by Dec. 15.

“I’ve asked the operators to delay the fare raise until after New Year to reduce the impact to those traveling [during the holiday],” Arkhom said.

The rates the firms demanded would see fares in unair-conditioned buses increase from 9 baht to 12 baht, while starting prices in air-conditioned buses would be hiked from 13 baht to 15 baht with a 2-baht increase per distance bracket.

The private operators overseeing more than 4,300 buses servicing Bangkok said yesterday that they would hold a strike next month if the ministry rejects the fare raise. They accused authorities of breaking promise after promise and said they could no longer operate under current rates after years of waiting.

Private buses last had their fares raised in February 2015, while 2,600 state-operated buses haven’t seen fare hikes since September 2011.

Witthaya Premjit, the operators’ representative, said he was pleased with the outcome of today’s meeting, and that they would be happy to hold the prices until after the new year. He said the new rates, if approved, could come into effect from Jan. 5.

Thai, Foreign Cops to Hold Concert at Asiatique

By

Teeranai Charuvastra, News Chief

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November 19, 2018 4:24 pm

An undated photo of Thai police band. Image: Royal Thai Police Band

BANGKOK — If you see cops descending on Asiatique this weekend, don’t worry – they aren’t out to catch any visa violators, but to serenade you with their music.

As host of the 23rd World Police Band Concert, Thai police will hold an orchestra concert Saturday at the riverfront tourist destination, alongside musicians from Singaporean, Burmese and Japanese police forces. The concert will also include a police parade.

Another concert marking the occasion will take place Sunday at Mahidol University’s Salaya campus.

Since its first event in Tokyo in 1996, the World Police Band Concert has been held in multiple cities featuring many international police forces, including those from New York, Paris and Hong Kong.

The 23rd World Police Band Concert at Asiatique will take place 4.30pm on Saturday, preceded by a parade at 4pm. Entry is free. The riverfront attraction is reachable via ferry from BTS Saphan Taksin.

The 23rd World Police Band Concert at Prince Mahidol Hall in Mahidol University will take place 4pm on Sunday. Entry is free.

New Electoral Constituency Could Favor Pro-Junta Parties: Observers

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Pravit Rojanaphruk, Senior Staff Writer

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November 19, 2018 1:06 pm

Gen. Prayuth Chan-ocha with members of his cabinet July 24 in Ubon Ratchathani province.

BANGKOK — The kingdom’s leading election observers on Sunday criticized the junta leader’s order allowing the Election Commission to revise constituency boundaries.

The People Network for Election in Thailand, or P-NET, said in a statement that the move could lead to the redrawing of boundaries that risk favoring pro-military government parties and lead to unfair elections.

“The order to allow the redrawing of boundaries without listening to the people is an order that risks bringing about unfair boundary divisions, leading to advantages for some political parties and disadvantages to others,” the statement read. “The tendency is that political parties supporting the military government may gain advantage from this action and produce elections results not accepted by society.”

The commission was expected to announce the boundaries in the coming days when junta leader Gen. Prayuth Chan-ocha – who is also prime minister – exercised his absolute power Friday under Article 44 of the now defunct 2014 provisional charter. This gave the commission additional time to change election boundaries.

Ittiporn Boonprakong, President of Election Commission, denied on Monday that the junta had given specific instructions as to how the constituency boundaries should be redrawn, adding that the revisions would be revealed Dec. 11.

P-NET said the order issued by Prayuth is tantamount to “using state power to interfere in an independent organization.” It said that setting electoral constituencies must be done independently without interference from those with state powers.

“Electoral constituency boundaries are the beginning of honest and fair elections,” P-NET said in the statement. It added that drawing clear boundaries early enabled candidates to judge if they want to compete.

‘Three Friends’ Join Pro-Junta Party, Say Charter Favors Them

By

Teeranai Charuvastra, News Chief

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November 19, 2018 12:54 pm

Palang Pracharat leaders present party jackets to new MP candidates on Sunday.

BANGKOK — A key member of a political party linked to the military government said Sunday it’s confident in a victory at the polls because the constitution was written in its favor.

Former minister Somsak Thepsuthin, who formally joined the Palang Pracharat yesterday after months of campaigning on behalf of the clique, also urged its members to reap the benefits from the charter and focus on winning the most votes in elections slated for February.

“In this election, this constitution was designed for us,” Somsak said in a party conference held yesterday. “We have to use all these things to our advantage. The goal is that every vote is important.”

His assertion would come as no surprise to government critics and anti-junta activists, who have long accused the regime of favoring new political parties at the expense of older, established factions.

Somsak was addressing hundreds of new members and MPs candidates at the Shangri-La Hotel in Bangkok. At least 75 former MPs, ministers and other political luminaries have signed up with the party since membership registration opened Tuesday.

Along with two other veteran politicos, Somsak has been recruiting new members for Palang Pracharat, calling themselves “The Three Friends” group. Their campaign drew criticism from other parties, who accused them of poaching their longtime MPs.

Though the group has repeatedly insisted it’s not formally affiliated to Palang Pracharat or any other party – an explanation that has allowed it to skirt the ban on political activities – any distinction was lost yesterday after Somsak merged it with the party.

Somsak said the group and its supporters, which include five ex-ministers and three former MPs, have officially registered with Palang Pracharat.

While Somsak declined to say how many seats his party hopes to win in the poll, party executive Anoocha Nakasai predicted at least 100 seats would be taken.

Palang Pracharat leaders include three cabinet members of the military government: Uttama Savanayana, Suvit Maesincee, Nuttapol Teepasuwan and Sontirat Sontijirawong. They have refused to resign from their posts even as they take up campaigning with the party.

Uttama personally presented the party jackets to the new MP candidates on stage yesterday.

With His ‘Smiley Buffalo’ to be Sold Off, Farmer Needs Internet’s Help

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Asaree Thaitrakulpanich, Staff Reporter

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November 19, 2018 12:46 pm

Surat Phaeoket washes Tongkum in a pond on Friday in Chai Nat.

CHAI NAT — As buffaloes Kwan Kao and Toong-nguen were loaded onto a truck Sunday to be sold, Tongkum and the other kwai surrounded the vehicle, mooing in mourning.

Surat Phaeoket, the farmer who had been caring for five – now three – buffaloes and recently became an online sensation for his warm selfies with the animals, said he had to run after Tongkum and hold him back with tears in his eyes. He’s now asking the internet for help to purchase the photogenic kwai.

Update: Internet Saves Beautiful Man-Buffalo Friendship

“After the truck left, they were still looking around for their friends for a while,” the Chai Nat farmer said. “They all want to stay here. But I’m not the owner, I’m just the caretaker. I have a special bond with Tongkum so I want to buy him, but they are all so expensive. That image of all the buffaloes all sad and one being shipped away, I don’t want it to happen to Tongkum.”

The handsome 4-year-old buck, whose name literally means “gold,” costs 100,000 baht. And since Sunday, he’s already received more than 62,000 baht in donations.

Surat and Tongkum recently went viral for their buddy-buddy selfie pictures, which warmed the hearts of internetters. But the animal separation anxiety known by farmers who borrow from the state Buffalo Bank soon set in.

“I decided to quickly update the amount of money I’m getting because I want to be transparent,” the 34-year-old farmer said. “If you love kwai or trust in me, my determination and honesty to create smiles and happiness to help Tongkum, please help me so later generations can see this way of life.”

A Khaosod video of Surat taking care of the other buffaloes after Kwan Kao and Toong-ngeun are sold off.

Surat said he will purchase Tongkum with the money and officially register him at the local Livestock Development Department “so he will get a Citizen ID, but for buffaloes”. He pledged to donors that he would build a comfortable stable for the animal, including a mosquito net.

“Then he will be able to sleep peacefully and not have to wake up in the middle of the night,” Surat said.

Followers will also get to follow the adventures of Tongkum on a new Facebook page in the making, getting to see Tongkum’s daily activities, his calves with his pregnant mate Kao Hom, his friendship with his buddy Permpoon and Surat’s farming activities.

Surat, 34, is a married father of two daughters, 12, 4, and a Chai Nat farmer who says he has no other way of buying Tongkum on his income of about 6,000 to 7,000 baht a month.

Read: Chai Nat Man’s Lovely Kwai Friendship Warms Hearts

“My income isn’t regular. I also have to help my wife sell clothes. She gives me 100 baht of pocket money to use per day. We have to take care of our family and I do odd jobs to make ends meet as well,” Surat said.

Tongkum was still visibly sad about two of his friends leaving, since he said all five buffaloes had played together like family, taking walks and swimming in ponds.

“Now that there’s three left, it feels kind of empty,” Surat said. “One day, if I don’t buy Tongkum, he will be sold off too,” Surat said. He added that he was unaware what would happen to Kwan Kao and Toong-ngeun, but that they were probably being bred on a farm.

“With me, Tongkum is clearly happy and having fun. That’s why I asked the owner to wait until I could come up with the money,” Surat said.

“Thanks to everyone who helped donate. I’m so overwhelmed. So many people put their trust in me; I’m so touched. I promise I won’t let anyone down. Soon, Tongkum will live with me forever and we can share our happiness to others,” the farmer said.

Donors can transfer money to Surat Phaeoket at his Krungthai bank account under his name at account number 107-0-03524-6.

28639 — Tongkum runs after the truck carrying his friends.

S4300008 — Surat takes a bath with three buffaloes Saturday.

Asian Shares Mostly Up Cheered by Wall Street Buying Spree

By

Associated Press

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November 19, 2018 11:16 am

An investor walks in front of trading boards at a private stock market gallery in September in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. Photo: Yam G-Jun / Associated Press

TOKYO — Asian shares were mostly higher Monday after a buying spree on Wall Street kept up investor optimism into a new week, despite continuing worries about trade tensions.

Keeping Score

Thailand’s SET traded at 1,636.50 on Monday morning, a 0.1 percent increase. Japan’s benchmark Nikkei 225 rose 0.5 percent to 21,784.87, while Australia’s S&P/ASX 200 fell 0.7 percent to 5,693.30 in early trading. South Korea’s Kospi gained 0.3 percent to 2,099.45. Hong Kong’s Hang Seng added 0.6 percent to 26,331.84, while the Shanghai Composite stood at 2,693.93, also up 0.6 percent. Shares were mostly higher in the rest of Asia, with benchmarks rising in Taiwan and Indonesia.

Wall Street

The S&P 500 index rose 6.07 points, or 0.2 percent, to end the week at 2,736.27. The Dow Jones Industrial Average gained 123.95 points, or 0.5 percent, to 25,413.22. The Nasdaq composite slid 11.16 points, or 0.2 percent, to 7,247.87. The Russell 2000 index of smaller companies picked up 3.41 points, or 0.2 percent, to USD$1,527.53. But the S&P 500, which finished higher for the second straight day, ended the week with a loss of 1.6 percent.

Trade

The Trump administration has imposed a 10 percent tariff on $200 billion of Chinese goods over complaints Beijing steals or pressures foreign companies to hand over technology as the price of market access. That tariff is set to rise to 25 percent in January. Another $50 billion of Chinese goods already is subject to 25 percent duties. Beijing has responded with penalty duties on $110 billion of American goods. Washington and Beijing have resumed talks over their spiraling trade dispute.

Japan Trade

Japan reported a trade deficit for October but has seen a recovery in exports after getting slammed by natural disasters in September. Data from the Ministry of Finance showed exports grew 8.2 percent from the same month the previous year. In September, exports fell 1.2 percent from the previous year in the first decline for the world’s third-largest economy since 2016. Imports in October grew 19.9 percent on-year.

Energy

Benchmark U.S. crude oil added 83 cents to $57.51 a barrel. Brent crude, used to price international oils, gained 74 cents to $67.50.

Currency

The dollar fell to 112.69 yen from 113.26 yen late Friday. The euro strengthened to $1.1410 from $1.1339.

Story: Yuri Kageyama

Landslides Kill 13, Leave 4 Missing in South Central Vietnam

By

Associated Press

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November 19, 2018 10:55 am

A man paddles a boat and others swim through flooded villageon July 31, 2018 in Chuong My district, Hanoi, Vietnam. Photo: Manh Thang/ Associated Press File

HANOI — Landslides due to rains from a tropical storm have killed 13 people and left four others missing in south-central Vietnam.

A disaster official in Khanh Hoa province says some 600 soldiers have been mobilized to search for the missing and evacuate people from high-risk areas.

He said the landslides from heavy rains triggered by Tropical Storm Toraji collapsed several houses and buried the victims in some villages in the resort city of Nha Trang on Sunday.

The storm weakened to a tropical depression at sea off the south central coastal province of Binh Thuan and Ninh Thuan on Sunday night, the Vietnam Disaster Management Authority said in a statement Monday.

Vietnam is prone to floods and storms which kill hundreds of people each year.

Cambodia Says Khmer Rouge Tribunal That Convicted 3 Is Done

By

Associated Press

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November 19, 2018 10:45 am

In this photo released by the Extraordinary Chambers in the Courts of Cambodia, Khieu Samphan, former Khmer Rouge head of state, sits Friday in a court room before a hearing at the U.N.-backed war crimes tribunal in Phnom Penh, Cambodia. Photo: Mark Peters / Extraordinary Chambers in the Courts of Cambodia

PHNOM PENH — Cambodia has reiterated it intends to end the work of the U.N.-backed tribunal that last week convicted the last two surviving leaders of the Khmer Rouge of genocide, crimes against humanity and war crimes.

Deputy Prime Minister Sar Kheng said the tribunal’s work had been completed and there would not be any additional prosecutions for acts that led to the deaths of an estimated 1.7 million people in the 1970s. The only other person convicted was the regime’s prisons chief.

He cited the terms under which the tribunal, staffed jointly by Cambodian and international prosecutors and judges, had been established, limiting its targets to senior leaders of the Khmer Rouge regime that was in power from 1975 to 1979. The rules also allow prosecuting those most responsible for carrying out atrocities.

Sar Kheng spoke Saturday at a government ceremony in the northern province of Oddar Meanchey and his remarks were reported Sunday.

On Friday, the tribunal convicted and gave life sentences to Nuon Chea, 92, the main Khmer Rouge ideologist and right-hand man to its late leader Pol Pot, and Khieu Samphan, 87, who was the regime’s head of state. The sentences were merged with the life sentences they were already serving after an earlier conviction for crimes against humanity.

In nine years of hearings and at a cost exceeding USD$300 million, the tribunal has convicted only one other defendant, Kaing Guek Eav, alias Duch, who as head of the Khmer Rouge prison system ran the infamous Tuol Sleng torture center in Phnom Penh.

Cases of four more suspects, middle-ranking members of the Khmer Rouge, had already been processed for prosecution but have been scuttled or stalled. Without the cooperation of the Cambodian members of the tribunal, no cases can go forward.

Long-serving Prime Minister Hun Sen has repeatedly declared there would be no more prosecutions, claiming they could cause unrest. Hun Sen himself was a midlevel commander with the Khmer Rouge before defecting while the group was still in power, and several senior members of his ruling Cambodian People’s Party share similar backgrounds. He helped cement his political control by making alliances with other former Khmer Rouge commanders.

In his remarks, Sar Kheng sought to reassure former Khmer Rouge members that they would not face prosecution.

“Because there are some former Khmer Rouge officers living in this area, I would like to clarify that there will be no more investigations taking place (against lower-ranking Khmer Rouge members), so you don’t have to worry,” said Sar Kheng, who is also interior minister.

He acknowledged that even without more prosecutions, the tribunal still had to hear the appeals expected to be lodged by Nuon Chea and Khieu Samphan, but aside from that task, its work was finished.

Story: Sopheng Cheang

Ajin Panjapan, Author Who Took Readers Inside ‘The Tin Mine,’ Dies at 91

By

JINTAMAS SAKSORNCHAI

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November 18, 2018 1:41 pm

Ajin Panjapan. Photo: Ajin Panjapan / Facebook

BANGKOK — Renowned writer and national artist Ajin Panjapan died Saturday. He was 91.

Ajin died of natural causes at Bangphai Hospital in Bangkok at 5:44pm, according to a statement posted last night to his official Facebook fanpage.

His most prominent work is the series “The Tin Mine” (“Maha’lai Muang Rae”), a semi-autobiographical account of the time he was sent by his family to work in a tin mine in Phang Nga province after dropping out from Chulalongkorn University.

His emotional account gave people an unprecedented look at the hardships faced by the miners as Ajin recounted the life lessons it afforded him.

He spent four years mining, during which time he started writing short stories and nonfiction works.

“The Tin Mine” was published in installments in Chao Krung magazine starting in 1954 and continued over 30 years with 142 episodes. It was later republished in volumes by several publications and is recommended by the government as one of 100 things Thais should read.

The story was made into a movie of the same name in 2005 by director Jira Maligool.

Made for 70 million baht, the film had a screenplay co-written by Ajin, who also appeared in the film as himself.

Though a box office failure earning only 30 million baht, the movie was acclaimed by critics and was named Best Picture by three Thai film awards. It was Thailand’s official entry for the 78th Academy Awards’ Best Foreign Language Film.

Ajin was named National Artist in literature in 1991 and a year later won the Sriburapha Award, which honors the lifetime achievements of artists, writers and journalists.

Besides “The Tin Mine,” he also wrote a number of short stories and songs. He founded a publication and published his own magazines, the most popular of which was “Fah Muang Thai,” from 1969 to 2000. It became a launching pad for many young writers at the time.

Born Oct. 11, 1927, in Nakhon Pathom province, Ajin is survived by his wife Naengnoi Panjapan, also a writer and editor. They had no children together.

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