Opinion: The Truth About ‘China Debt Trap’

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28 April 2019, 11:29

Thai prime minister Prayuth Chan-ocha meets Chinese president Xi Jinping in Beijing on April 26, 2019.

By the Spokesperson of the Chinese Embassy to Thailand

The Second Belt and Road Forum for International Cooperation (BRF) was held in Beijing from April 25 to 27. I would like to share some latest information about the relevant situation of the Belt and Road cooperation with friends from media .

The Belt and Road Initiative has gained high attention, positive responses and wide support since it was proposed. China has signed over 170 cooperative documents with more than 150 countries and international organizations, including bilateral and trilateral cooperation outlines with Mongolia, Russia, Kazakhstan, Cambodia, Laos, Czech Republic, Hungary Brunei, and so on. China has issued the “Initiative on Promoting Unimpeded Trade Cooperation Along the Belt and Road”, to which 83 countries and international organizations have subscribed.

From 2013 to 2018 China’s direct investment in B&R countries surpassed US$90 billion, realizing a turnover of US$400 billion in foreign contracted projects in these countries. The Chinese Government Scholarship – Silk Road Program has been set up, and China has signed agreements with 24 B&R countries on the mutual recognition of higher education degrees. China has signed agreements on industrial cooperation with more than 40 countries and has signed third-party market cooperation agreements with France, Italy, Spain, Japan, and Portugal.

Thanks to Belt and Road cooperation, Kazakhstan, the world’s largest landlocked country, has gained access to the sea; Belarus established its own car manufacturing industry; Maldives people’s dream of having a bridge has come true; Pakistan’s problem of lacking of electricity has been essentially improved since the launching of many energy projects; China-Laos Railway will turn Laos from “land-locked state” to “land-linked hub”. All these success stories fully demonstrate that the BRI has delivered fruitful outcomes in boosting economic growth and improving people’s lives in participating countries.

However, there have always been some media hyping up the so-called “China debt trap”. In response, we will let facts and statistics speak for themselves.

On Sri Lanka’s “debts”: The annual report of the Central Bank of Sri Lanka in 2017 shows that China’s loan balance accounts for only 10.6% of Sri Lanka’s total foreign debts, and 61.5% of China’s loans are concessional ones. Taking a look at Sri Lanka’s debts, 12% are from Japan, 14% from the Asian Development Bank, 11% from the World Bank and 39% from market borrowings, all are larger than China’s share.

China’s loans, by no means, constitute the main burden for Sri Lanka. Most of China’s projects are major ones relating to people’s livelihood, such as ports and roads, which were put forward by the successive Sri Lankan governments on the basis of thorough scientific analysis, in a bid to serve Sri Lanka’s pressing needs for economic and social development.

On Pakistan’s “debts”: According to statistics from the Pakistani government, 42% of Pakistan’s long-term debts are attributed to multilateral institutions, while only 10% are from China. The interest rate of China’s preferential loans to Pakistan is about 2%, which is much lower than that of Western countries.

On China-Malaysia Railway: The Prime Minister’s Office of Malaysia announced on April 12 that the total length of China-Malaysia railway has been reduced from 688 km to 648 km. Some stops on the railway line have been cancelled. The construction cost of Phase 1 and Phase 2 of the project has been reduced from RM 65.5 billion to RM 44 billion. The Chinese side believes that there is not necessarily a fixed pattern for cooperation. In the spirit of mutual respect and equal consultation, the governments and enterprises of China and Malaysia have reached a mutually beneficial agreement.

We can speak for sure that no country has been overwhelmed with the so-called debt burden or fallen into the so-called debt trap because of their participation in the Belt and Road. On the contrary, all the participating countries have achieved rapid growth. The so-called “debt trap” holds no water.

I would like to make two points. First, every single country is entitled to development, and has the right to realize development through financing. In this process, the borrower, the creditor and companies participating in the project shall reinforce self-discipline, regulate management and carry out risk control, and media can play a part in supervision. However, it is irresponsible to keep sensationalizing the so-called “debt trap”.

Second, the Belt and Road Initiative is open and inclusive. We welcome any country who would like to join, and are ready for bilateral, trilateral and multilateral cooperation in terms of project construction, policy coordination, as well as rules and regulations harmonization.

Opinion: One Month After Elections but No Solution In Sight

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Pravit Rojanaphruk, Senior Staff Writer

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27 April 2019, 14:28

On the evening before the one month anniversary of the March 24 general election, two soldiers sat aimlessly, guarding Victory Monument. It was a graphic reflection of the state of Juntaland today.

Why are they still guarding such a public space, nearly five years after the coup and a month after the elections? When will they return to the barracks? I know I won’t get any answers from the two soldiers themselves – they were just following the orders of their superiors to sit there, with nothing to do but remind the public who’s boss.

Besides, there’s no guarantee that the election will deliver an exit from military rule.

The Election Commission has committed an act of unthinkable blunder by failing to stick to a clear and universally accepted formula for the allocation of party-list MP seats. Instead of making the formula clear before the election, weeks later they passed the responsibility on to the Constitutional Court. The Commission’s petition was on Wednesday rejected by the Constitutional Court, who ruled it’s the Commission’s responsibility to come up with a distribution of seats that is constitutional.

What if in the end the pro-junta Phalang Pracharath Party forms government, with the help of the votes of the 250 senators – themselves selected by junta leader Gen. Prayuth Chan-ocha (who “coincidentally” happens to be Phalang Pracharath’s prime ministerial candidate)? The opposition will still likely have enough MP seats to easily defeat the pro-junta regime in a no-confidence motion.

Like a jazz player who improvises, it’s likely that Prayuth is fixated with becoming prime minister again, while leaving the question of how to deal with the opposition for later.
Future Forward Party leader Thanathorn Juangroongruangkit, who will command the third-largest portion of seats, may be disqualified due to his alleged failure to transfer shares in V-Luck Media – which owns a defunct magazine called WhO. If that fails, there remain sedition charges against him.

But the repercussions of disqualifying Thanathorn will be severe, particularly because so many young voters have placed hopes in him for change.

(For disclosure, Thanathorn was previously an executive board member of Matichon Group, which owns Khaosod English. He stepped down many months ago.)

Many know that the rules governing the election were unfair and written by people chosen by Prayuth for the purposes of maximizing his chances of returning as prime minister. They know these things because political parties were banned from engaging in political activities for four years, until just a few months before the election, even while Prayuth monopolized prime airtime on public TV channels every Friday.

Elections are supposed to be about the people determining the future of their country. Many Thai voters have chosen a peaceful way to change the government under which they live, and their voices deserve to be heeded, not cast aside or forced underground. Let’s give elections a chance.

Matichon Group Reports Profit for 2nd Year

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Teeranai Charuvastra, News Chief

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26 April 2019, 16:37

Princess Sirindhorn visits Matichon's booth at Bangkok’s 2018 National Book Week.

BANGKOK — Matichon Publishing said Friday its operations have turned up a profit for the second consecutive year, netting a surplus of some 19 million baht in 2018.

Bucking its trend of financial losses in preceding years, the firm’s operating costs in 2018 also decreased by about 30 million baht compared to 2017, reported executive Thakoon Boonparn at a shareholders’ meeting today.

“We are in discussions with new business partners to add more diversity to our businesses,” Thakoon said. “For example, we’re bringing in a company to help monitor and manage the enormous amount of data we receive each day.”

He continued, “Our company has set a goal to expand our market share by 1.5 percent.”

Thakoon said the media group has been reducing costs through a number of measures, such as company restructuring and downsizing (the number of employees has decreased from 1,500 to 900). The firm reported a net profit of 89 million baht in 2017.

Matichon Publishing owns a wide range of daily and weekly publications, including Khaosod, Matichon, Prachachat, Art & Culture and Khaosod English.

Bangkapi Venue for ‘IZ*ONE’ Concert Leaves Fans Groaning

By

Teeranai Charuvastra, News Chief

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26 April 2019, 15:22

BANGKOK — Korean-Japanese pop group Iz*One is set to perform in Bangkok in their first tour of Asia, according to event organizers. But some fans of the hybrid J-K-pop assemble have bridled at the venue chosen.

Writing in an online post yesterday, StarShowTH said the all-girl band will take the stage at The Mall Bangkapi’s MCC Hall on June 16, 2019. Ticket prices and seating information have yet to be announced.

First, there are concerns that the MCC Hall – which only has about 4,000 seats – will be too small for the group’s legions of fans, also known as Wizone. Then there’s the perpetual traffic congestion, with the mall located in a dense eastern residential area. There are no nearby metro or skytrain stations.

“Their first concert in Thailand will be held in a very cramped space. Hard to get to and limited range of food,” @NerdTS tweeted under the hashtag #IZONEinBKK. “It’s horrible because I want them to have a good impression of Thailand from their first concert here.”

“Wizone will have to struggle for air to breathe inside the MCC Hall,” @JIIIBCherokee tweeted.

สาร้องหนักมาก วจวต้องแย่งอากาศหายใจกันใน MCC Hall เดอะมอลล์บางกะปิ ถนนลาดพร้าว แขวงคลองจั่น 🤤🤤🤤🤤 #IZONEinBKK #IZONE pic.twitter.com/48QQUyQL4b

— ต่อไปจะอยู่เงียบๆ (@JIIIBCherokee) April 25, 2019

The venue is also infamously frequented by less-than-desirable crowds, such as youth biker gangs or dek van.

“The Mall Bangkapi is already notorious for the van and robbers. It’s their prime spot,” @NaKjn_phs tweeted.

Iz*One was formed by 12 winners of a Korean reality TV competition called Produce48, with candidates comprising K-pop artists from Korea and idols from Japan’s AKB48 group.

The nine Korean members are Jang Won-young, Jo Yu-ri, Choi Ye-na, Ahn Yu-jin, Kwon Eun-bi, Kang Hye-won, Kim Chae-won, Kim Min-ju and Lee Chae-yeon. The Japanese trio consists of Hitomi Honda, Nako Yabuki, and Sakura Miyawaki.

Brighten up the Afternoon With “Violet Afternoon Tea”

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Khaosod English

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26 April 2019, 14:32

Bangkok, Thailand, April 25, 2019 – Bring back the liveliness and joy with Violet Afternoon Tea, an exquisitely luxurious afternoon tea set in purple palette, served with an option lavender-inspired signature drink, “Lilac Spritz”’ or with tea or coffee at The Lobby Lounge of Bangkok Marriott Marquis Queen’s Park daily throughout the month of June 2019, between 12.00-18.00 hrs.

Transform an ordinary afternoon into a perky and cheerful moment with Violet Afternoon Tea that comes in purple theme at The Lobby Lounge at Bangkok Marriott Marquis Queen’s Park, Bangkok’s largest hotel. The exquisite afternoon tea set is also served the bartender’s special creation, Lilac Spritz, which is inspired by the fragrant, delicate purple lavender flowers. The relaxing and soothing drink is served alongside savory and sweet nibbles, lined up meticulously on three-tier stand.

Delicious nibbles in Violet Afternoon Tea set includes purple cookies, berry custard, lavender Swiss roll, classic mousse, wild mulberry tart, butterfly pea marble cake, blueberry macaron, lavender scone, summer flower butter cake while the sensational savories include soda bread baguette topped with Iberian ham and lavender butter, sweet potato custard with smoked salmon and caviar, brioche sandwich with Alaskan crab cream cheese and blue cheese cracker topped with lavender honey. The set comes with an option of Lilac Spritz or tea or coffee.

Savor the sensational taste of purple, Violet Afternoon Tea set, with nibbles and drinks of your choice at THB 999++ for two persons. The afternoon tea set is served daily from 12.00 hrs. to 18.00 hrs. between 1-30 June 2019 at The Lobby Lounge of Bangkok Marriott Marquis Queen’s Park.

For more information and to book your Violet Afternoon Tea, please contact +66 (0) 2 059 5999 or email [email protected].

Bangkok Hoods Get Major Makeover Ahead of Coronation (Photos)

By

JINTAMAS SAKSORNCHAI

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26 April 2019, 14:25

A photo taken on Friday shows the Democracy Monument after the renovation. Photo: Bangkok Metropolitan Administration

BANGKOK — The capital is getting greener and cleaner as officials hurry in their mission to unclutter areas that will be grounds for next week’s grand coronation ceremony.

Thousands of volunteers on Friday joined City Hall in a major cleaning effort along more than seven kilometers of streets. The cleaning brigade marks one of the last phases of the city’s plans to spruce up neighborhoods that will see the royal parade pass through on May 5, the day after King Vajiralongkorn is officially crowned.

On top of cleaning up trash and washing down the streets, volunteers and city workers will trim tree branches, plant flowers and clean every sign and bus stop along the route. Three nearby canals are also being cleaned.

Officials have said they expect more than 200,000 people to turn up to watch the royal processions. City Hall has promised to accommodate the crowds with food, water, shelter and other necessary facilities.

In recent months, City Hall has carefully prepared inner parts of the capital for the coronation ceremony. Streets have been paved, cables undergrounded and sewage dredged up. Buildings have been repainted, extra light posts installed and security cameras fixed.

Democracy Monument also underwent renovation for several weeks. It has now been repainted and decorated with new greenery and flowers.

A number of roads near the Grand Palace and the Royal Plaza will be closed from May 2 to May 6 to make way for the coronation.

Note: Photos below are provided by the Bangkok Metropolitan Administration.

Enjoy special promotion “Wine Dinner” at Pagoda Chinese Restaurant

By

Khaosod English

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26 April 2019, 14:12

Bangkok, Thailand, April 25, 2019 – “Pagoda,” a contemporary Cantonese Chinese restaurant at Bangkok Marriott Marquis Queen’s Park, is delighting gourmands and wine lovers with the special promotion, “Wine Dinner” where premium Italian wines are paired with exquisite Cantonese dishes, only on May 31, 2019.

The renowned Cantonese Chinese restaurant, Pagoda, at Bangkok Marriott Marquis Queen’s Park, has so far impressed Chinese food-loving local and foreign diners alike with its traditional cooking style with modern flair that yields unique Chinese dishes. The restaurant now offers Wine Dinner promotion where fine Italian wines are paired with 5-course Chinese dinner only on May 31, 2019.

Chef Oscar Pun, Chinese cuisine chef from Hong Kong who heads the kitchen team at Pagoda Chinese Restaurant with more than two decades of experiences, proudly presents special Chinese dinner set menu created specifically to be enjoyed with fine wines from various wine producing regions of Italy.

Start the dinner with Hokkaido scallop soaked in Shanxi rose wine served with cold braised winter melon that is matched with Riserva della Cascina “IX Miglio Bianco” Lazio, IGT, 2017, followed by abalone dim sum served with fish maw in oyster and Szechuan chili sauce, paired with Riserva della Cascina “IX Miglio Rosso” Lazio, IGT, 2016. The third course – Hong Kong-style roasted duck in cherry red wine sauce – comes with a glass of Simon B Nero d’Avola, IGT, Sicily, 2016. Cleanse the palate with cherry granite and continue with the main course – braised beef ribs with pink pepper sauce and wo pang – that comes as a perfect match with Trappolini ‘Cenereto’ Rosso Lazio IGT, 2016. Cap off the dinner with sweet osmanthus and goji berry cake that goes hand in hand with Arrigoni Vermentino, Colli di Luni DOC, Liguria,2012, Italy (Late Harvest).

The Wine Dinner promotion includes meticulously prepared Chinese dishes paired with wines from Italy at 2,500++ baht per person. The dinner is served from 18.00 – 22.00 hrs. on May 31^st, 2019 at “Pagoda” Chinese Restaurant, Bangkok Marriott Marquis Queen’s Park. For more information and reservation, please contact +66 (0) 2 059 5999, email [email protected]

Or connect with us via these channels:

Website: www.bangkokmarriottmarquisqueenspark.com

Facebook: www.facebook.com/PagodaChineseRestaurant/

Line official account: @pagoda

Feel the Force at May the 4th Events This Star Wars Day

By

Asaree Thaitrakulpanich, Staff Reporter

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26 April 2019, 12:53

This image released by Lucasfilm Ltd. shows Daisy Ridley as Rey in a scene from "Star Wars: Episode IX." (Lucasfilm Ltd. via AP)

CORUSCANT — If you can’t wait until December 2019 for the ninth and final episode of Star Wars (or so they say), events this Star Wars Day on May the 4th might help time pass at lightspeed.

Whether you want to sit back and watch Leia and Han Solo’s galactic romance, or wiggle your butt like you’re Jabba the Hutt, here are some events that will suit everyone from cosplaying devotees to young padawans.

“Star Wars:The Rise of Skywalker” enters Thai theaters on Dec. 18.

1Classic trilogy and Cosplay

Bask in the glory of the original trilogy while posing with stormtroopers at indie cinema Bangkok Screening Room.

“I think these are the best three, and many people would say so,” Bangkok Screening Room co-founder Sarinya Manamuti said, when asked why the prequel trilogies aren’t being screened.

For the theater’s Star Wars weekend, the cinema will screen “A New Hope” at 8:30pm Friday May 3, “The Empire Strikes Back” at 4pm Saturday May 4, and “Return of the Jedi” at 4pm Sunday May 5.

Tickets cost 300 baht for adults, 250 baht for students and 200 baht for children. Each screening will seat 300 people.

But that’s not all – on Saturday, Sarinya and co-founder Nicholas Hudson-Ellis are having a second screening of “Empire” on the cinema’s rooftop at 7pm with wireless headphones. In attendance will be Thai members of the 501st Legion, an international society of stormtrooper and Star Wars villain cosplayers.

Tickets for the rooftop screening are 550 baht for adults and 360 baht for children. Food and drinks will be available.

2Cantina Dancing

Watching movies too nerdy for you? A pool party with wet, electro beats more your speed?

A Star Wars-themed pool party, “May the 4th Be With You”, will be held from 2pm to 8pm at amBar on May 4. Head to the 8th floor pool of the Four Points by Sheraton Bangkok, located in Sukhumvit Soi 15.

Attendants are free to dress up in Star Wars-themed costumes or swimsuits. DJs Jules Blons, Aneesh Medina and Rescue will be spinning techno beep-boops.

Tickets are 300 baht per person or 250 baht for early bird tickets. Tickets include one drink. Ladies enter free before 3pm and enjoy free-floating beer for an hour.

Game, Party, Feast at Dueling Events This Star Wars Day

As Limbo Continues, EC Insists Election Results Out by May 9

By

Teeranai Charuvastra, News Chief

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26 April 2019, 12:03

BANGKOK — The Election Commission said Thursday results of both party-list and constituency MPs will be unveiled by May 9 as mandated by the constitution.

The commission spoke hours after releasing a statement which said the party-list MP seats can only be calculated after the constituency MPs result is unveiled, sparking fears that the deadline of May 9 may be pushed back.

Speaking at a news conference, commissioner Sawaeng Boonmee said officials are working as fast as they can, and insisted they will respect the time-frame.

“No matter what, the Election Commission must announce the MP results of both systems,” Sawaeng said.

A full month has passed since Thailand voted in a historic poll on March 24, yet the full results have yet to be released by the election organizers. A lack of clarity means it is even unclear which party will emerge as the majority in the lower house.

Pheu Thai spokeswoman Ladawan Wongsriwong urged the commission to be transparent about its works.

“The Election Commission should proceed with transparency. People should be able to scrutinize them,” said Ladawan, whose party claims the largest number of seats won in the poll.

There is also the possibility that the March 24 election might be annulled entirely. The ombudsman’s office said today it’s meeting to discuss a petition filed by a politician to have the poll voided on the grounds of various flaws and irregularities.

The petition was submitted by Ruangkrai Leekitwattana, a member of the now-defunct Thai Raksa Chart Party. If the ombudsman’s office agrees the complaint has merit, the case will be sent to the courts for deliberation.

Artisan Keeps His Craft Alive With Each Carved Mahjong Tile

By

Associated Press

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26 April 2019, 11:20

HONG KONG — Just opposite the entrance to a neon-lit night market, one of Hong Kong’s few remaining carvers of mahjong tiles engraves the two Chinese characters for the number 8,000 on a piece of acrylic.

With a knife in his right hand, Cheung Shun-king turns the tile with the other to cut into it. From time to time, he gently blows away the shavings.

His is a dying craft in an era of mass-produced tiles for the table-top game, popular in southern China, Hong Kong and Taiwan. The 65-year-old artisan believes there are only three or four carvers left in Hong Kong. Cheung is trying to revive interest in the tradition by holding workshops to demonstrate how the tiles are made.

“For hand-carved mahjong tiles, when you look closely, you can see each of them is different,” he said inside his shop, a 100-square-foot (9-square-meter) space on the ground-floor of an old-style shop-house. “It is because I carve them one after another, complete them one by one instead of using a mold. Sometimes, the strength I apply may be different if I just have had a meal or chat while carving.”

AP19108320179718 — In this April 18, 2019, photo, Cheung Shun-king, 65-year-old maker of the popular table-top game mahjong tiles, engraves a character on a tile in his decades-old store 100 square feet downstairs shop in a Kowloon’s old neighborhood of Hong Kong. Photo: Kin Cheung / AP

Played at Lunar New Year and other gatherings, mahjong has become a symbol of friendship and family bonds. Chinese restaurants provide tables and mahjong sets to customers who host wedding or birthday banquets. Hong Kong once was dotted with mahjong parlors, where people could play against strangers for money, but few are left.

Each mahjong set has 144 tiles with designs that include Chinese characters, dots, flowers and bamboo sticks. The four players sit around a square table and shuffle the tiles face-down. Each arranges a set of tiles, like a hand of cards, before the game starts. They then take turns drawing and discarding the tiles until one player forms a winning combination.

AP19108321367930 — In this April 18, 2019, photo, Cheung Shun-king, 65-year-old mahjong game tile maker, poses with his tiles in his shop in Kowloon’s old neighborhood of Hong Kong. Photo: Kin Cheung / AP

It takes Cheung nearly a week to make one set, because he usually carves only at night, when he isn’t serving customers and running errands. After carving the tiles, he cleans and paints them in three colors: green, blue and red. The final step is to rub and wipe away the excess dried paint.

A set of his tiles sells for at least $400, nearly tenfold the price of factory-made tiles.

He started a recent workshop by demonstrating how he engraves the tiles, so the participants can learn basic skills such as the proper posture to sit and hold a carving knife. Then, he went around the room teaching them one-on-one.

AP19108326070258 — In this April 18, 2019, photo, Cheung Shun-king, a mahjong game tiles maker, left, chats with two customers from France at his store in Hong Kong. Photo: Kin Cheung / AP

“Once you tried, you know, hacking your way with one of these, then you can see the intense skill it takes just to make a few strokes and to get something so beautiful out of it,” said one student, Adrian O’Sullivan, a 28-year-old elementary school teacher.

Cheung doesn’t expect them to become master carvers. At the end of the class, he retouches the tiles made by the students so they have a good-looking one to take home.

“There used to be more than 10 mahjong stores along this street,” he said. “Before when it was a flourishing business, it wasn’t a problem even if there were many of us. Now there are only one to two stores in this area and business is poor. It’s because the younger generations don’t play mahjong that often anymore. Even if they play it, they play on their phones alone.”

Story: Yoyo Chow and Alice Fung

1Classic trilogy and Cosplay

2Cantina Dancing

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