BANGKOK — In a spectacular display of fury, Prime Minister Prayuth Chan-ocha vowed to no longer count an opposition leader as his senior classmate before storming out of Parliament Thursday night.
Prayuth’s outburst came amid a particularly heated war of words with Seri Ruam Thai Party chairman Sereepisut Temiyavet, who accused the government of “cheating” its way into power in the March election during a speech to the assembly.
“If I were him, I wouldn’t be this shameless and still hold on to power,” Sereepisut taunted Prayuth.
His remark, which drew protests from pro-government MPs, prompted Prayuth to take to the floor and fire back at Sereepisut – his former senior classmate (roonpee) at the military academy.
“We have known each other for a long time. You were my roonpee. We got married on the same day,” the general said, without asking permission from the House Speaker as per usual practice. “But from today, I will not count you as my roonpee anymore, because you don’t treat me with honor at all.”
PM Prayuth Chan-ocha responds to Sereepisut’s criticism.
Prayuth also expressed offense at a TV interview earlier this year in which Sereepisut said he would have personally pulled out his gun and shot Prayuth if he had been present when the general launched the coup of May 2014.
“You once said you would have shot me in the head. If you did, you would be in jail already,” he continued, with anger in his voice. “You have said all these rude terms. I won the Rama Medal like you did, but I never boasted about my power. You should rethink what you’re doing.”
Prayuth then slammed his documents on the desk before striding off, trailed by other government leaders like Deputy PM Prawit Wongsuwan. Opposition MPs immediately gave an ironic cheer and applauded as Prayuth walked out, causing House Speaker Pornpetch Wichitcholchai to hammer his gavel to call for order and convene a 15-minute break.
Sereepisut entered the armed forces academy in 1965 and Prayuth followed in 1967. The former joined the police academy after graduating while Prayuth went on to the army cadet school.
After the lawmakers reassembled, Bhumjaithai MP Chada Thaiseth demanded Sereepisut withdraw his accusation against the Prime Minister. House Speaker Pornpetch agreed with the request and ordered Sereepisut to withdraw his remark, to which he refused.
“It’s what the public is saying. I didn’t come up with it. I only relayed it here,” the Seri Ruam Thai leader said with a straight face.
Sereepisut after the House Speaker calls for a break.
Pornpetch then expelled Sereepisut from Parliament citing insubordination, to the boos and cheers of pro- and anti-government lawmakers. Speaking to reporters after he left Parliament, Sereepisut insisted he said nothing wrong. He added that he regrets that Prayuth no longer counts him as his senior.
“I feel very sad,” said Sereepisut, who once served as a police commissioner. “I will go home and cry tonight.”
The two-day parliament session, in which the government is announcing its long list of core policies, continues today.
A spar broke out again this morning when Phalang Pracharath firebrand MP Parina Kraikup caught Sereepisut arriving at Parliament, and lambasted his unruly behavior the previous night.
“Can Police Gen. Sereepisut show his face in Parliament today?” Parina asked the House Speaker, using a term whose meaning is close to “stick his nose.” Her protest sparked a round of jeering from the opposition.
House Speaker Pornpetch ruled that Sereepisut is indeed allowed to join today’s session because the incident last night has been resolved.
Parina Krakup at the parliament on July 26, 2019.Sereepisut and his allies react to Parina’s protest
“Brown Walkers” team members posting for the cameras on July 25.
BANGKOK — Six teams competed for the Iron Throne (of Game of Thrones Trivia, that is) on Thursday night.
Though the competition saw no brutal and devastating killings, trivia-heads endured 25 questions about the popular HBO series “Game of Thrones” in a game-night hosted by the Bangkok Hilarious Comedy Club at Aesop’s Greek restaurant.
Most of the questions covered the TV series, though some touched upon the original novel series, “A Song of Ice and Fire.” Questions ranged from basic such as the name of Arya’s sword (Needle) to more niche, such as the name of the Iron Bank’s representative (Tycho Nesters).
But only true superfans were able to answer questions that ventured outside the fictional saga and into behind-the-scenes trivia. One question asked about the body part that gave Kit Harington, the actor who played Jon Snow, severe pain during filming (his right testicle), while another asked for the book in the series with the most pages (“A Dance with Dragons”).
The winning team, who called themselves “Brown Walkers,” took home tickets for Bangkok Hilarious Comedy Club shows, a 2,000 baht Chope voucher, and some GOT souvenirs.
Zeeshan, one of the team members boasted of being “big fan.” Answering 23 of the 25 questions correctly, he said the team didn’t even prepare for the trivia night.
“I happen to have watched the series twice and I haven’t read any of the books,” Zeeshan said. “For the book questions, we just made educated guesses. We tried to estimate how many words there are in a single page, and then how many pages there are in the books. It’s all about math.”
People cool down in the fountains of the Trocadero gardens in Paris, Thursday July 25, 2019, when a new all-time high temperature of 42.6 degrees Celsius (108.7 F) hit the French capital. in the background is the Eiffel Tower. (AP Photo/Rafael Yaghobzadeh)
PARIS — Even ice cream, Italian gelato or Popsicles couldn’t help this time.
Temperature records that had stood for decades or even just hours fell minute by minute Thursday afternoon and Europeans and tourists alike jumped into fountains, lakes, rivers or the sea to escape a suffocating heat wave rising up from the Sahara.
On a day that no one on the continent will ever forget, two potential drug dealers in Belgium even called the police, begging to be rescued from the locked container they managed to get themselves trapped in.
It was nearly impossible to keep up with the falling records as temperatures climbed higher and higher under a brutal sun — in Paris and London, in Belgium, Germany, the Netherlands — all places where air conditioning is not typically installed in homes, cafes or stores. Even office air conditioning systems strained under the hot, dry air that was trapped between two stormy weather systems.
A boy jumps into the water at the beach in Barcelona, Spain, Thursday, July 25, 2019. Parts of Europe will likely see record-high temperatures on Thursday as much of the continent is trapped in a heat wave, the second in two months. Photo: Emilio Morenatti / AP
Climate scientists warned these types of heat waves could become the new normal but they loom as a giant challenge for temperate Europe. As emissions keep warming the planet, scientists say there will be more and hotter heat waves, although it’s too early to know whether this specific hot spell is linked to man-made climate change.
“There is likely the DNA of climate change in the record-breaking heat that Europe and other parts of the world are experiencing. And it is unfortunately going to continue to worsen,” said Marshall Shepherd, professor of meteorology at University of Georgia.
Electric fans sold out across Paris — and traditional folding fans made a comeback on the city’s stuffy Metro. Trains were canceled in Britain and France, with authorities in both nations urging travelers to stay home. Messages to “Hydrate yourselves!” blared from the radio and TV, and water bottles were handed out with abandon.
People enjoy the sun and the fountains of the Trocadero gardens in Paris, Thursday July 25, 2019, when a new all-time high temperature of 42.6 degrees Celsius (108.7 F) hit the French capital. Photo: Rafael Yaghobzadeh / AP
Still, the atmosphere was buoyant, as people sought to stay cool yet embrace the moment.
Katy James, visiting Paris from Chicago, was one of the lucky ones with an air-conditioned room but she was still out in the streets, enjoying the atmosphere.
“We’ve had such a good time. The Parisians have been so accommodating. We’ve been getting water where ever we go. We got to play in the fountain. This was amazing,” James said.
France’s heat alert system went to its maximum level of red for the first time during last month’s heat wave , when France saw its highest-ever recorded temperature of 46 degrees Celsius (114.8 degrees Fahrenheit). On Thursday, about one-fifth of French territory was under a red alert, stretching from the English Channel through the Paris region and down to Burgundy, affecting at least 20 million people.
People enjoy the hot summer weather at the river Isar in Munich, Germany, Thursday, July 25, 2019. Photo: Matthias Schrader / AP
French authorities have been particularly wary since a 2003 heat wave killed nearly 15,000 people, many of them elderly, stuck alone in stiflingly hot apartments.
“The science behind heat wave attribution is very robust — the first extreme weather event to be definitively linked to global warming was the 2003 European heat wave,” said NASA climate scientist Kate Marvel. “We know that as the climate warms, heat waves become more likely and more severe.”
So as tourists frolicked in fountains, authorities and volunteers in Paris and London fanned out to help the elderly, the sick and the homeless, opening cooling centers to let people rest, recover or shower.
“They are in the street all day, under the sun. No air conditioning, no way to protect oneself from the heat,” said Ruggero Gatti, an IT worker who joined other Red Cross volunteers handing out water bottles, soup and yogurt to the homeless in the Paris suburb of Boulogne.
People flock to Broadstairs beach in Kent, England, Thursday July 25, 2019. Paris and London and many parts of Europe are bracing for record temperatures as the second heat wave this summer bakes the continent. The Paris area could be as hot as 42 C (108 F) Thursday as a result of hot, dry air coming from northern Africa that’s trapped between cold stormy systems. Photo: Wesley Johnson / PA via AP
Across the Channel, the heat damaged overhead electric wires between London’s St. Pancras train station and Luton Airport, blocking all train lines. East Midlands Trains posted a message to passengers on Twitter, saying simply “DO NOT TRAVEL.”
The sheer levels of heat on Thursday afternoon were nothing short of astonishing:
— The Paris area hit 42.6 C (108.7 F), beating the previous record of 40.4 C (104.7 F) set in 1947.
— The Netherlands’ meteorological institute announced a record that beat the previous record set just a day ago: 40.7 C (105.3 F) in the Gilze Rijen municipality near the Belgian border.
— Belgium hit all-time records twice in the day, rising to 40.7 C (105.3 F) in the western town of Beitem. “This is the highest recorded temperature for Belgium in history since the beginning of the measurements in 1833,” said Alex Dewalque of the country’s Royal Meteorological Institute.
— The northern German town of Lingen set a new national temperature record at least three times Thursday, finally hitting 42.6 C (108.7 F). Those repeated records came after the country had set a national record Wednesday of 40.5 C (104.9 F) in Geilenkirchen near the Belgian border.
Two men perform a headstand on the beach in De Haan, Belgium, Thursday, July 25, 2019. Belgium experienced code red, extreme heat warning, on Thursday as temperatures soared during the second heat wave of the summer. Photo: Francisco Seco / AP
— London recorded its hottest day on record for July, with the mercury climbing to 36.9 C (98.4 F) at Heathrow Airport. The previous July record was 36.7 C (98 F) in 2015.
— In Britain overall, temperatures hit 38.1 C (100.6 F) in southern England, which gave the country a record for the highest July temperature ever but did not beat the national record of 38.5 C (101.3 F) set in August 2003. Britain’s Met Office said its temperature records go back to 1865.
— The Dutch National Institute for Public Health and the Environment issued a “smog alarm” Thursday for areas including the densely populated cities of Amsterdam, Rotterdam and The Hague due to high ozone levels.
In Germany, Switzerland and Austria, some communities painted vital rail tracks white in hopes that the light color would bring down the temperature a few degrees and the tracks would not get warped by the heat. German railways Deutsche Bahn said passengers who had booked tickets for Thursday or Friday and wanted to delay their trips could do so without charge.
Men jump into the water at the beach in Barcelona, Spain, Thursday, July 25, 2019. Parts of Europe will likely see record-high temperatures on Thursday as much of the continent is trapped in a heat wave, the second in two months. Photo: Emilio Morenatti / AP
In Cologne in western Germany, volunteers handed out free water while others sunbathed on the dried-up banks of the Rhine River. In Bavaria’s prisons, inmates were getting cold cucumber soup, fruit and yoghurt for lunch and more water than normal.
In Austria, a 2-year-old died of dehydration Wednesday in the country’s Styria region after he climbed into an overheated parked car without his family noticing.
Social media had fun with a photo showing that even Queen Elizabeth II, one of the world’s wealthiest women, needed relief from the heat. An image of the monarch meeting new British Prime Minister Boris Johnson on Wednesday appeared to have a Dyson fan in the background, a tower-like design that stood out against the delicate gilt-edged decor at Buckingham Palace.
As intense as it was, the heat in Europe is expected to be short, with temperatures forecast to drop on Friday and Saturday.
A bird sits on a straw bale on a field in Frankfurt, Germany, as the sun rises on Thursday, July 25, 2019. A heatwave struck large parts of Europe. Photo: Michael Probst / AP
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Story: Angela Charlton and Kirsten Grieshaber. Grieshaber reported from Berlin. Deborah Gouffran in Boulogne, France, Mike Corder in The Hague, Netherlands, Bishr Eltouni and Raf Casert in Brussels, Daniel Niemann in Cologne, Germany, Danica Kirka in London and Seth Borenstein in Washington contributed.
This Feb. 9, 2019 file photo shows A$AP Rocky at Pre-Grammy Gala And Salute To Industry Icons in Beverly Hills, Calif. Photo: Richard Shotwell / Invision / AP, File
STOCKHOLM — A Swedish prosecutor on Thursday charged rapper A$AP Rocky with assault over a fight in Stockholm last month, in a case that has drawn the attention of fellow recording artists as well as U.S. President Donald Trump.
Trump responded with two sharply-worded tweets, calling on Sweden to “Treat Americans fairly!” and criticizing Swedish Prime Minister Stefan Lofven, whom he had personally lobbied, “for being unable to act.”
“Give A$AP Rocky his FREEDOM,” Trump added. “We do so much for Sweden but it doesn’t seem to work the other way around. Sweden should focus on its real crime problem! #FreeRocky.”
Mikael Lindstrom, a spokesman for Lofven, responded to Trump by emphasizing the independence of the Swedish judicial system. “In Sweden everyone is equal before the law,” Lindstrom said. “The Government is not allowed, and will not attempt, to influence the legal proceedings, which are now ongoing.”
Rocky, a platinum-selling, Grammy-nominated artist whose real name is Rakim Mayers, has been in custody since July 3 as authorities investigate a fight he was allegedly involved in on June 30 before appearing at a music festival. The case has drawn the attention of a long list of U.S. celebrities, including Sean “Diddy” Combs, Justin Bieber and Kim Kardashian West.
Trump on Saturday tweeted that he had spoken with Lofven about the case and “offered to personally vouch for his bail,” even though that’s not something available under Swedish law. Urged on by the first lady and celebrities including Kardashian West, the president had said in a Friday tweet that he would intervene to try to free Rocky.
Lofven’s press secretary, Toni Eriksson, later said the two leaders had a “friendly and respectful” conversation in which Lofven “made certain to emphasize the complete independence of the Swedish judicial system, prosecutors and courts” and stressed that the government cannot and will not attempt to influence the legal proceedings.
Prosecutor Daniel Suneson said in a statement that he filed charges against the artist and two others “suspected of assault causing actual bodily harm, having come to the conclusion that the events in question constitute a crime and despite claims of self-defense and provocation.”
The rapper and the other two suspects, who were described as members of his entourage but not identified, will remain in custody until trial.
The prosecutor has recommended that the Stockholm District Court set aside three days for the trial, which defense lawyer Slobodan Jovicic said is expected to start Tuesday. The charges can carry a maximum sentence of two years in prison.
Videos published on social media appear to show a person being violently thrown onto the ground by Rocky, 30. Trump said in his tweets that he had “watched the tapes of A$AP Rocky” and concluded “he was being followed and harassed by troublemakers.”
The rapper asserts that it was self-defense.
But Suneson said he concluded otherwise after studying videos available to investigators.
“It is worth noting that I have had access to a greater amount of material than that which has previously been available on the internet,” he said. “In addition to video material, the injured party’s statements have been supported by witness statements.”
Suneson added that there were initially two injured parties in the case, but the allegations concerning one of them were dropped due to “insufficient supporting evidence” and the charges relate to only one alleged victim. That person has not been identified.
A counter-allegation was made by the artist’s bodyguard against one of the alleged victims, but that case was closed earlier this week, the prosecutor said.
Defense lawyer Jovicic said, “Rakim Mayers feels that he acted in self-defense, he is claiming that he is innocent, and in that perspective he of course is very sad.”
“There’s been a lot of support from a lot of different people, and Rakim Mayers is of course very thankful for everybody that has reached out,” Jovicic said. He added that “it’s been a very hard time for him.”
Rocky has collaborated with Kendrick Lamar, Cardi B, Drake and Selena Gomez.
Sweden’s ambassador to Washington, Karin Olofsdotter, told Swedish public broadcaster SVT that she has been forced to call off her summer holiday to deal with the rapper’s case. She has had meetings with members of the U.S. Congress, who she said struggled to understand that one can be detained in Sweden without having the opportunity to be released on bail.
Olofsdotter and Jovicic both rejected speculation that racist motives might have played a role in A$AP Rocky’s arrest.
“No, no, no. I think that we have not a racist society here,” Jovicic said. “I don’t see that angle at all.”
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Story: David Keyton. Geir Moulson in Berlin, Jari Tanner in Helsinki, Finland, and Jill Colvin in Washington contributed to this report.
Former Radio Free Asia reporter Yeang Sothearin, left, arrives at the Phnom Penh Municipal Court, in Phnom Penh, Cambodia, Friday, July 26, 2019. Photo: Heng Phearum / AP
PHNOM PENH — The espionage trial of two Cambodian journalists who formerly worked for a U.S. government-funded radio station began Friday, almost two years after their arrests.
Uon Chhin and Yeang Sothearin appeared at the Phnom Penh Municipal Court to defend themselves against the charge that they had undermined national security by supplying information to a foreign state, which is punishable by up to 15 years in prison.
Rights groups have characterized their case as a flagrant attack on press freedom.
The pair, who had already left their jobs with Radio Free Asia, were arrested in November 2017 during a crackdown on the media and political opponents of Prime Minister Hun Sen’s government, ahead of the July 2018 general election. Radio Free Asia had closed its Phnom Penh bureau in September 2017, citing government intimidation of the media, which it said had reached an “unprecedented level.”
By the end of 2017, the government had closed more than two dozen radio stations, some of which had rebroadcast Radio Free Asia’s programs. The English-language The Cambodia Daily newspaper also was forced to shut down, leaving almost all critical voices inside the country hushed.
Radio Free Asia is funded by an independent U.S. government agency, and says its mission is “to provide accurate and timely news and information to Asian countries whose governments prohibit access to a free press.” Its programs are transmitted by radio and television and also carried online.
The former journalists in interviews this week with The Associated Press insisted they have done nothing wrong and hoped the court would drop both the charges against them. Police in March 2018 added a charge of producing pornography, which is punishable by up to a year in jail.
“If the court is independent and the trial is conducted according to the law, we do hope that we will be freed because we have done nothing wrong according to the charges,” Yeang Sothearin said in a phone interview.
“We hope that we will get a good result from the Friday trial and that we will be freed,” Uon Chhin added.
Rohit Mohajan, a spokesman for Radio Free Asia, said in an email that the two face “unsubstantiated charges, which never should have been brought forward in the first place.”
“The Phnom Penh Court Municipal Court can rectify this unnecessary and troubling situation by dismissing the case and all charges against them without delay,” he said.
Police initially said the two had been detained for running an unlicensed karaoke studio. But they were later accused of setting up a studio for RFA — which they deny — and charged with espionage.
The two were released on bail a month after the 2018 election, which was swept by Hun Sen’s Cambodian People’s Party in a vote widely seen as neither fair nor credible because the pro-government courts had dissolved the main opposition party in November 2017.
The conditions for granting release on bail included monthly police station visits and confiscation of their passports.
Hun Sen, who has been in office since 1985 and has held a tight grip on power since ousting a co-prime minister in a bloody 1997 coup, has a record of cracking down harshly when facing a serious challenge, then effecting reconciliation when he no longer feels threatened.
The pattern has generally kept human rights groups and Western governments off balance and moderates their criticism. However, the 2017 crackdown and failure to hold a free and fair election sparked outrage in Western nations, which began to enact political and economic sanctions against Hun Sen’s government as relations failed to rebound.
“The fabricated case against the ex-RFA journalists is intended as a strike against media that dares to criticize the Cambodian government,” Phil Robertson, deputy Asia director at Human Rights Watch, said this week. “Chhin and Sothearin should never have had to face these bogus espionage charges, and all judicial restrictions on them should be lifted.”
BELGIUM — Charoen Pokphand Foods PCL (CP Foods) won “Superior Taste Awards” from the International Taste Institute, a global leader in taste evaluation and certification, reflecting product development that serve market needs.
The three products included Massaman Thai Chicken Curry with Jasmine Rice, Red Thai Chicken Curry with Jasmine Rice and Shrimp Wonton Noodle with Choy Sum were among this year 1,885 products that received evaluations from prestigious Chefs and Sommeliers around the world who gave an objective professional feedback to producers.
CP Foods said the company has develops its products under “Kitchen of the World” vision that serve the best quality product to billions of consumers across the world. Receiving the certification reflects a high recognition of the company’s products among food professionals around the world.
“Almost 200 prestigious Chefs and Sommeliers just came together to give objective and professional feedback to producers on the TASTE of their products” said Mr. Laurent van Wassenhove, Managing Director of the International Taste Institute, “Chefs in famous institutions, Michelin-starred chefs, Best Sommeliers awardees,…they all blind taste the products registered by producers”.
Foods and drinks with a score above 70% are granted the “Superior Taste Award”. The awards are distributed as follow;
Remarkable products (Two stars awards), scoring between 80% and 90%
Notable products (One star awards), scoring between 70% and 80%
According to the test result, CP Foods’ Massaman Thai Chicken Curry with Jasmine Rice won the Superior Taste Award with two stars, scoring 80.3%. Meanwhile Red Thai Chicken Curry with Jasmine Rice and Shrimp Wonton Noodle with Choy Sum received one star certificates with a score of 77.2% and 78.9% respectively.
The Massaman chicken curry rice and red chicken curry rice are produced by Top foods, a subsidiary of CP Foods in Belgium. Meanwhile, the shrimp wonton soup is a product of Thailand.
PM Prayuth Chan-ocha speaks to parliament on July 25, 2019.
BANGKOK — The opposition has accused Prime Minister Prayuth Chan-ocha’s government policies of being too vague, and without any viable strategy to make them a reality.
The criticism came during the first of a two-day parliamentary session where the new government is announcing its core policies and parliamentarians debating their substance. It was the first time Gen. Prayuth has been confronted by an opposition in Parliament since he came to office five years ago.
Leading the charge was Prachachart Party leader Wan Muhamad Noor Matha, who called the policies a bundle of wishlists that lack practicality and implementation.
“There’s nothing in the policies. It’s vague,” Wan said. “They cannot be measured, be it quantitatively or qualitatively. They lack clear vision.”
In one of the highlights from today’s confrontation, Wan also dropped a bombshell claim that Prayuth revealed to him on the day of the coup in 2014 that he had been plotting the putsch for “three years.”
“Don’t you think about fighting me. You can’t win even if you fight. I’ve been planning this for three years,” Wan quoted Prayuth as saying in a meeting with him and other government officials moments after the general announced the takeover on May 22, 2014.
Since Prayuth hatched his plot while an elected government was in power, Wan alleged, it’s impossible to have faith in Prayuth’s pledge in Parliament today to uphold democracy.
“I am not confident. How can a coup maker uphold democracy? You tore the constitution to pieces [in the 2014 coup]. That’s definitely treason,” Wan said.
Sompong Amornviat, the newly installed leader of Pheu Thai Party, said he has no confidence either as the past five years under Prayuth have been “disastrous,” with Thailand falling behind other ASEAN countries in economic performance.
“I don’t see the government as having adequate potential… This is fake democracy or half dictatorship,” Sompong said.
Future Forward Party sec-gen Piyabutr Saengkanonkkul also chimed in that he has no confidence that the government can execute its policies because it has too many coalition partners and a razor-thin majority in the lower house.
Piyabutr said it’s more likely that the government will merely use taxpayers’ money to inject cash handouts to the people before calling for the next elections.
But Democrat Party MP Korn Chatikavanij defended the government’s policies, saying Prayuth has taken the right step by vowing to take Thailand out of the middle-income trap, though the MP also wondered aloud how such an ambition could be achieved.
Give Me Respect, Too
By 4pm, after facing unceasing fire from the opposition since the morning, Prayuth’s temper appeared to bubble to the surface.
In response to human rights concerns over counter-insurgency operations in the southern border region, Prayuth said MPs talk too much about human rights.
“Using the word ‘human rights’ too much causes a lot of problems,” Prayuth shot back. “If they are arrested, we give them justice. If the officers committed wrongdoings, they are fired. The problem doesn’t come from the state. The state doesn’t shoot first, as long as the people don’t shoot.”
Prayuth also complained that he can never please all Thais on the Deep South issues. He also dismissed allegations that some suspects were tortured to death in military custody.
“Are they watching too many movies?” Prayuth asked.
He then complained about a lack of discipline in Thailand, noting that one foreign country canes people for chewing gum while in Thailand people ride motorcycles on footpaths without being punished.
The general also took offense that only 4 million out of nearly 70 million Thais pay income tax.
“We don’t get tax from the poor except through VAT,” Prayuth said.
The debate heated up to the point where an MP protested Prayuth’s shouting and speaking in a disrespectful tone. Another MP reminded Prayuth that Parliament is not a military base where the general can point his fingers and tell the lawmakers what do.
“We are not your subordinates,” Future Forward MP Karom Polpornklang said.
Deputy Prime Minister Prawit Wongsuwan could also be seen advising Prayuth to calm his temper several times.
To the challenges from the MPs, Prayuth – who wielded absolute power for five years as the junta leader – offered an apology.
“Give me respect, too. I’ve never looked at you as rank-and-file soldiers. If you were, I wouldn’t be behaving like this,” Prayuth said. “I apologize.”
The government policies include:
– Economic growth with a focus on quality
– Support self-sufficiency economy
– Protect and venerate the monarchy
– Foster national unity
– Promote patriotism so people will place national interests above personal gain
– Crackdown on drugs
– Promote local dialects
– Engage constructively in regional and international arenas
– Act as a center of ASEAN in promoting peace and progress
– Taxing digital commerce
– Support value-added agriculture
– Support organic farming and reduce or end the use of pesticides
– Promoting quality tourism and reduce trash and waste
– Protect tourists particularly near the sea and river
– Improve laws to facilitate e-commerce
– Improve community market
– Develop quality early childhood support
– Attract educated Thais abroad back home
– Draw foreign experts to Thailand to improve innovation
A still from “Tolkien.” Image: Fox Searchlight Pictures
BANGKOK — A biopic about the father of modern fantasy will hit the silver screen this August exclusively at Bangkok Screening Room, tracing the younger years of the man who wrote “The Lord of the Rings.”
“Tolkien”, directed by Dome Karukoski, follows the early years of legendary writer J. R. R. Tolkien, capturing memories from his childhood in an orphanage, friendship with fellow artists in the Inklings (including C. S. Lewis, the author of “The Chronicles of Narnia”), romantic love, and shellshock from the First World War – all framed as inspiration for Middle Earth.
Although the film has been disowned by Tolkien Estate (the copyright holder of the author’s works), cinephiles should still appreciate the portrayal of Tolkien’s literary journey by Nicholas Hoult, who played Beast in the “X-Man” series and starred in “Mad Max: Fury Road,” and “Equals.”
Sarinya Manamuti, co-founder of the Bangkok Screening Room, said she acquired the sole right to screen the film in Thailand. Though the film will eventually be streamable online, she wanted to provide an alternative for audiences to fully indulge in the cinematic experience.
“The production has been nicely done,” Sarinya said. “While it doesn’t really touch upon the fantasy films, it’s still interesting to see how the man came up with his ideas for the Middle Earth saga.”
“Tolkien” will run from August 17-18 and August 24-25 at Bangkok Screening Room in Soi Sala Daeng 1. Screenings will include Thai subtitles. Tickets can be obtained online for 300 baht each for adults and 250 baht each for students. The venue is reachable by a walk from BTS Sala Daeng exit No. 4 or MRT Lumphini exit No. 2.
Matichon Group deputy director Parnbua Boonpan and Xinhua Bangkok bureau chief Ming Dajun.
BANGKOK — Khaosod and two other publications under Matichon Group announced a groundbreaking partnership with China’s Xinhua News Agency on Thursday.
The cooperation grants Khaosod, Prachachat and Matichon unlimited access to the Thai edition of Xinhua’s news materials and rights to republish them. A memorandum of understanding between the two sides was signed at Khaosod’s main office in Bangkok today.
Matichon Group deputy director Parnbua Boonpan, Khaosod executive editor Chumchan Chamniprasart, and Khaosod English news chief Teeranai Charuvastra presided over the signing ceremony. Xinhua was represented by Bangkok bureau chief Ming Dajun. Sino-Thai Communication Group board members Hua Xie and Kobkij Praditpolpanich were also present.
Teeranai, who serves as a liaison between the two sides, said the cooperation is a significant and timely “first step” toward broader cooperation between Matichon Group and Xinhua at a time when China is playing an increasingly large role in the region.
From left to right: Khaosod English news chief Teeranai Charuvastra, Khaosod executive editor Chumchan Chamniprasart, Matichon Group deputy director Parnbua Boonpan, Xinhua Bangkok bureau chief Ming Dajun, and Sino-Thai Communication Group board members Hua Xie and Kobkij Praditpolpanich.
“Most Thai media have been relying on external sources to tell stories about China,” said Teeranai, who’s also a regular contributor to Khaosod’s “China Watch” section. “Now Matichon Group can let the Chinese people themselves tell their own stories with their own voices.”
It is hoped that the partnership will bring more news about China to Matichon’s massive Thai readership, be it about Thai-Chinese relations, politics, culture, entertainment, or the latest viral trends on Tik Tok.
Today marked the first time Matichon signed a partnership with a Chinese counterpart. The publishing group has similar agreements with Vietnam’s Thanh Nien newspaper and the Thai edition of the British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC).
Xinhua is the official state news agency of the People’s Republic of China and widely considered to be China’s most influential news organization. The agency operates over 170 foreign media bureaus worldwide, including one in Thailand.
Matichon Group owns multiple news platforms – both online and print – including Matichon, Matichon Weekly, Prachachat, Khaosod, Khaosod English and an online video production team.
From the left: Irvins, Taste Signature, Lay’s, and Cafe Amazon salted egg potato chips
Salted egg, the porridge-enriching stable of our grandmothers’ kitchens for generations, has been revitalized over the past year into a variety of trendy snacks.
In Thailand, the earliest record of salted egg being eaten is kai kem chaiya, introduced by a Cantonese migrant who settled in Chaiya, Surat Thani in the 1920s. Now a new salted-egg wave has swept in from Singapore, with a snack of fish skin coated in salted egg igniting the craze before inspiring other sweet-and-salty dishes across the Southeast Asian peninsula.
Since mid-2018, Bangkok’s food scene has seen a fierce battle between kai kem and purple potatoes. Although bubble tea is the more common sight, the yolk has quietly infiltrated the city’s food scene in lattes, donuts, ice cream, sandwiches, instant noodles, and even McFries.
To help readers navigate the craze, Khaosod English tested four salted-egg potato chip brands and rated them across three criteria: salted-eggness, texture, and nutrition.
We chose potato chips instead of the more popular fish skin as a testbed for salted egg because of availability, and because the neutral taste of chips allows for a precise appreciation of the flavor and aroma of salted egg.
1 of 4
Irvins
Cafe Amazon
Lay's
Tasto Signature
Irvins stands out as the best but most expensive of the bunch. The first bite is punched with a slight sweetness, before an abrupt zing keeps the aftertaste interesting. Potato fans may not pleased with the dense texture, made from potatoes sourced from China, while those addicted to Irvins fish skin might turn their backs on the comparatively mild flavour of chips.
Still the balanced taste coupled with generous coating make Irvins a clear winner above the domestic brands we tested. The higher price is understandable given the brand is imported from Singapore: a small bag (105 grams) costs 210 baht, while a large bag (230 grams) costs 420 baht. They are available at Irvins outlets in Central World, Siam Paragon, and EmQuartier.
Cafe Amazon’s offering is flavorful, but is overwhelmed with a sweetness that completely buried any pungency – a key flavor boasted by many salted-egg brands. Like Irvins, the chips are nicely coated with seasoning and small bits of curry leaves.
Once again though, heavy coating is a consolation for the chip’s texture, which is even more dense and chewy than Irvins. Hungry snackers may appreciate the convenience of being able to buy salted-egg chips at Cafe Amazons nationwide, but salted-egg fanatics may find the chain’s rendition hard to swallow.
A 40 gram packet costs 55 baht, with a 10 baht discount if purchased with a drink.
Unfortunately Lay’s is a letdown, a rare misstep for the veteran chips brand. Airy and crispy-thin potato slices are sprinkled evenly with seasoning, though the orange tinge of salted egg is almost invisible. The taste is sweet and tangy, but comes from artificial flavour rather than the creamy texture of real salted egg powder. A 46 gram packet costs 20 baht, while a 70 gram bag costs 30 baht.
Tasto Signature, the “premium” spin-off of the Thai brand, is actually insipid. It teases with the grainy touch of real salted-egg coating (six percent according to the ingredients list), with none of the expected sweet-and-salty taste. A 50 gram packet costs 30 baht.
None of the four brands were overly salty, but we did wash the tasting down with water as monosodium glutamate was used in all four packets.
There was no striking difference in fat or sodium across the brands. However, “genuine” salted egg means more cholesterol. Irvins contains 140 milligrams of cholesterol per 25 gram serving, while Cafe Amazon contains 56.25 milligrams. Tasto Signature contains 20 milligrams of cholesterol, while Lay’s contains none at all. The daily recommended intake for cholesterol is less than 300 milligrams.
Indeed, there are more salted egg brands out there in the market, but the four have been chosen because they can be readily brought off the store shelves. Whether salted egg will stand firmly in the food trend, like big brothers green tea and charcoal, is to be proven in a matter of time. But one thing we can be sure of is that these chips are highly addictive.
This article is unsponsored and we paid for the chips ourselves.
