King Taksin Palace Open to Public For 2 Weeks

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17 December 2018, 16:27

A photo of Fort Wichaiprasit, which locates inside the ground of the Old Palace.

BANGKOK — The palace that served as the center of power for King Taksin’s brief reign is open to the public for free through Dec. 28.

The facility, which Bangkokians call “the Old Palace,” contains a museum illustrating the history of the Thonburi Kingdom that lasted from 1767 to 1782, when the capital city was located on the western side of what is now Bangkok.

The palace opened to the public Saturday. It usually does so once yearly on Dec. 28 – the day King Taksin proclaimed his kingdom – but this year the navy extended the time to nearly two weeks.

Inside the palace, which now doubles as the headquarters of the Royal Navy, visitors will find artifact related to the Thonburi era, including centuries-old muskets and old maps of Bangkok.

Foreign visitors must be accompanied by a Thai national, according to an official stationed at the palace, citing navy regulations.

Another highlight is the white-stoned Wichai Prasit Fort, a French-designed fortress built during the Ayutthaya era to guard the entrance of Chao Phraya River.

The Kingdom of Thonburi came to an end in 1782, when a nobleman from Ratchaburi seized power, executed King Taksin and crowned himself as King Ramathibodi – or Rama I – of the Chakri dynasty. The capital city was moved to the eastern bank, and a new seat of government relocated to what is now the Grand Palace.

The Old Palace opens 9am through 3:30pm daily until Dec. 28. It’s next door to Wat Arun, accessible via ferry from Tha Tien pier.

Rejoice the New Year at Park Hyatt (Sponsored)

By

Khaosod English

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17 December 2018, 16:14

BANGKOK — Embrace the final moments of 2018 and welcome the new year with memorable dining experiences at Embassy Room and Penthouse Bar + Grill, including the most high-flying countdown party in town.

Book through EVENT POP before November 30th to receive 10% discount.

EMBASSY ROOM Monday, December 31st, 2018

Ring out the old and in with the new over Embassy Room’s distinctive 4- or 6-course set dinner. Indulge in the likes Hokkaido scallop carpaccio| sea urchin/Bloody Mary; Turbot/winter black truffle risotto/beurre blanc; 250 days dry-aged beef/pomme puree/tomato salsa/smoked paprika; and Italian meringue/peach and raspberry/white chocolate & champagne sorbet, on your way to cap it all at countdown on the roof. 6:00p.m. – 8:30 p.m. / 9:00p.m. – 1:00 a.m.

THB 3,300++ per person 4-course dinner THB 4,500++ per person 4-course dinner with wine pairing THB 4,500++ per person 6-course dinner THB 6,500++ per person 6-course dinner with wine pairing

PENTHOUSE GRILL Monday, December 31st, 2018

Embrace the spirit of the grand transition over Chef de Cuisine Andrew Dickie and team’s 5-course set dinner or 7-courses Chef’s Table surprise menu for up to 8 diners. 6:00p.m. – 8:30 p.m. / 9:30p.m. – 1:00 a.m.

THB 7,500++++ per person 5-course dinner THB 10,000++ per person 5-course dinner with wine pairing THB 20,000++ per person 7-course dinner at the Chef’s Table (minimum spend THB 50,000++)

COUNTDOWN CELEBRATION

Greet the New Year with a bang above it all at Penthouse Bars. Surrender to a magical evening of exciting activities sky high throughout the Penthouse bars from 9:00p.m. – 1:00a.m.

ROOFTOP

Party with unlimited premium Champagne and party drinks to DJ Mr. Jim’s Reggae, Dancehall, Old School, Hip Hop, Soul, Funk and Disco, as enchanting MC Unda presides.

THB 10,000++ per person. Additional THB 10,000++ for an exclusive table

COCKTAIL BAR & WHISKY ROOM

Party on down all night with live music and DJ. Enjoy unlimited premium Champagne and party drinks.

THB 7,500++ per person. Additional THB 5,000++ for an exclusive table. Table service at Whisky Room only.

MEZZANINE

Party hearty into 2019 with an all-in package served to table at THB 10,000++ per person.

LIVING ROOM (level 9)

Dine on a la carte menus or settle for a free-flow Champagne package with live music from 9:00p.m.-midnight. 6:00p.m. – 1:00 a.m.

THE BAR (level 10)

Explore specially crafted celebratory beverages all evening. Reserve one of the outdoor terrace tables early at [email protected]. 3:30p.m. – 1:00 a.m.

NEW YEAR’S DAY January 1st, 2019

The Living Room offers a recovery delight from a full night of celebrations over chef’s signature Hangover Afternoon Tea accompanied with soothing live music for a truly swinging start to the New Year.

THB 999 per person with coffee/tea and soft drinks THB 1,998 per person with free-flow Bloody Mary, coffee/tea and soft drinks THB 999 per person for free-flow Bloody Mary

2:00p.m. – 5:00 a.m. For reservations at Penthouse Bar + Grill, call +66 2 011 7480 or email [email protected]

For reservations at the Embassy Room, Living Room and The Bar, call +66 2 011 7430 or email [email protected]

*All prices are subject to 7% government tax and 10% service charge

About Park Hyatt

Park Hyatt hotels provide discerning, affluent business and leisure guests with elegant and luxurious accommodations. Guests of Park Hyatt hotels receive highly attentive personalized service in an intimate environment. Located in several of the world’s premier destinations, each Park Hyatt hotel is custom designed to combine sophistication with a distinctive regional character. Park Hyatt hotels feature well-appointed guestrooms, meeting and special event spaces for groups, critically acclaimed art, food and beverage programs, and signature restaurants featuring award-winning chefs. There are currently 41 Park Hyatt hotels in the following locations: Abu Dhabi, Bangkok, Beaver Creek, Beijing, Buenos Aires, Busan, Canberra, Changbaishan, Carlsbad, Chennai, Chicago, Dubai, Goa, Guangzhou, Hamburg, Hangzhou, Hyderabad, Istanbul, Jeddah, Maldives, Mallorca, Melbourne, Mendoza, Milan, Moscow, New York, Ningbo, Paris, Saigon, Sanya, Seoul, Shanghai, Siem Reap, St. Kitts, Sydney, Tokyo, Toronto (under renovation), Vienna, Washington, D.C., Zanzibar, Zurich. For more information, please visit parkhyatt.com. Follow @ParkHyatt on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram, and tag photos with #LuxuryIsPersonal.

About Hyatt Hotels Corporation

Hyatt Hotels Corporation, headquartered in Chicago, is a leading global hospitality company with a portfolio of 14 premier brands. As of June 30, 2018, the Company’s portfolio included more than 750 properties in more than 55 countries across six continents. The Company’s purpose to care for people so they can be their best informs its business decisions and growth strategy and is intended to attract and retain top colleagues, build relationships with guests and create value for shareholders. The Company’s subsidiaries develop, own, operate, manage, franchise, license or provide services to hotels, resorts, branded residences, vacation ownership properties, and fitness and spa locations, including under the Park Hyatt®, Miraval®, Grand Hyatt®, Hyatt Regency®, Hyatt®, Andaz®, Hyatt Centric®, The Unbound Collection by Hyatt®, Hyatt Place®, Hyatt House®, Hyatt Ziva™, Hyatt Zilara™, Hyatt Residence Club® and exhale® brand names. For more information, please visit www.hyatt.com.

A Gin-Laced Night at “Tanqueray Garden” With Live Jazz and Cocktails By Renowned Bartenders (Sponsored)

By

Khaosod English

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17 December 2018, 15:56

Diageo Moet Hennessy (Thailand) Ltd., an importer and distributor of Tanqueray, party-lovers’ gin that are always on a look out for tasteful and new experiences, is offering an ultimate chillax experience amid lush, green garden and live jazz, “Tanqueray Garden”, for the first time in Thailand. The night will be fueled with signature gin cocktails concocted by three Diageo World Class bartenders: Ronnaporn “Neung” Kanivichaporn, Jane Kaewyod and Natakorn “Thumb” Changrew, at the St Regis Bar & Terrance on Friday December 7, 2018.

Tanqueray is a dry gin, which was created in Bloomsbury, London, 180 years ago by Charles Tanqueray who experimented with various ingredients and more than 300 recipes to come up with best concoction forTanqueray London Dry Gin. Created with the belief that people with similar mindset, and those that love the challenges, the fun and new experiences will be drawn together, and that’s where Tanqueray is always presented. The London dry gin in iconic green bottle is also the stellar base for countless cocktails, as bartenders’ gin of choice, that fuel the nights of party lovers.

Mr. Alexander Carroll, Reserve Channel Director of Diageo Moet Hennessy (Thailand), enthuses that, “Tanqueray is dry gin that is quickly becoming popular around the world. Social consumers and party lovers often look to order the specials, such as T&T or Tanqueray Tonic, to fuel their special night. Tanqueray Garden is an activity under the campaign Tanqueray Terrace that has been carefully put together in various formats and receives phenomenal feedback from fans around the world. This time for Thailand, we bring the campaign to Thai consumers in the relaxing, casual atmosphere of a garden to appeal to the Thai lifestyle.”

Tanqueray Garden, a cocktail party with live jazz performance, welcomes guests in “stylish garden” dress code in the ambience in green hue, signature color of the brand and the iconic bottle of Tanqueray. The night is fueled by 6 signature Tanqueray cocktails that include The Classic with Tanqueray London Dry Gin and lemon, The Fresh with fresh strawberries and sliced lemon, The Herb with Tanqueray London Dry Gin and lemon and rosemary and The Tangy that highlights citrus note in Tanqueray with orange zest and lemon. The fifth signature recipe, The Orient, cools down with pepper mint and peppercorn while the last recipe, The Green, offers the ultimate freshness with mint leaf and sliced cucumber.

Tanqueray fans will get the chance to savor signature cocktails made by three renowned Diageo World Class Bartenders, namely Ronnaporn “Neung” Kanivichaporn, Jane Yodkaew and Natakorn “Thumb” Changrew from 5pm until 10pm.

Come to the garden and enjoy signature cocktails at Tanqueray Garden, accompanied by live jazz performance, at The St. Regis Bar & Terrace on Friday December 7, 2018 from 5-10pm.

About Diageo Moët Hennessy (Thailand) Ltd. (DMHT)

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. To find out more about responsible drinking, please visit www.DRINKiQ.com.

Atelier de Joël Robuchon Bangkok Ranked 3rd Best Rated Restaurant in Thailand (Sponsored)

By

Khaosod English

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17 December 2018, 15:48

The Bangkok branch of Atelier de Joël Robuchon ranks third among the best-rated restaurants in Thailand.

Since 2015, La Liste, a list of the 1,000 best restaurants in the world sanctioned by France’s Foreign Ministry and tourism board, has been making a stir and driving the momentum in the global restaurant industry and circuit of culinary talents with its world’s top 1000 restaurants list compiled not by critics but compilation of hundreds of guidebooks and millions of online reviews with smart algorithm.

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The latest entry for the year 2019 reveals L’Atelier de Joël Robuchon Bangkok making its second entry in history and the second “L’Atelier de Joël Robuchon “ restaurant in the world to be featured in the prestigious list. The inclusion also ranks L’Atelier de Joël Robuchon Bangkok as the third highest score among the five inducted restaurant in Thailand.

The 2019 list was compiled by 628 guides, 350,000 trusted reviews of discerning food critics and experts in 179 countries all over the world.

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Manning the kitchen at L’Atelier Bangkok is Executive Chef Olivier Limousin. Before joining L’Atelier Bangkok, the award-winning chef began his cooking career as a commis at Le Bellecour at the age of 18. Three years later, the Frenchman moved to Amphycles, a 2-Michelin star restaurant where he was initially appointed a commis and eventually promoted to sous-chef de cuisine within 5 years.

“We’re very honored and delighted that L’Atelier de Joël Robuchon Bangkok is featured in the list,” Executive Chef Olivier Limousin said. “I am more than happy to follow the legacy of Mr. Robuchon and I will do my best to maintain the highest quality and standard here at that L’Atelier de Joël Robuchon Bangkok.”

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A self-styled philanthropic chef, Limousin never stops reminding his fellow co-workers of his personal wisdom: “The core of successful business is to offer pleasure to all the guests”.

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L’Atelier de Joël Robuchon Bangkok is a unique dining approach where chefs experiment, create and work on new ideas in front of customers who are seated around a high bar facing the open kitchen. Chef Robuchon’s intention is to create a high level of interaction between chefs and diners, encouraging the chefs to better their craft.

The atmosphere of conviviality lets diners relax while witnessing chefs experimenting, creating and working in front of them. Likewise, the service demonstrates an attentive sense of care and warmth to make this French fine dining experience a relaxed experience.

For the full entry of La Liste 2019, visit https://www.laliste.com/en/laliste/world

Cambodia’s Biggest Hydropower Dam Now Producing Electricity

By

Associated Press

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17 December 2018, 15:22

In this March 22, 2016 photo, a Cambodian fisherman anchors their wooden boats on Mekong River bank near Phnom Penh, Cambodia. Photo: Heng Sinith / Associated Press

PHNOM PENH — Cambodia’s largest hydropower project officially began producing electricity Monday as the country tries to increase its energy capacity to reduce energy imports and help jump-start industrial expansion.

Prime Minister Hun Sen inaugurated the 400-megawatt Lower Sesan II hydropower dam in the northeastern province of Stung Treng. The project, constructed on a build-operate-transfer basis, will boost the country’s production of electricity by 20 percent, according to the Ministry of Mines and Energy.

It was built over four years at a cost of nearly USD$800 million and is a joint venture of China’s Hydrolancang International Energy with a 51 percent stake, Cambodia’s Royal Group with 39 percent and Vietnam’s EVN International with 10 percent.

The dam is expected to bring in almost $30 million in tax revenue yearly. Ownership will be handed over to the government after 40 years.

Opponents say the dam will damage the biodiversity of two tributaries of the Mekong River and devastate the livelihoods and homes of thousands of people. As many as as 100,000 people could lose the ability to catch fish.

The dam is the seventh commercial-scale hydropower dam in Cambodia, bringing hydropower production to 1,328 megawatts.

Hydropower supplies 45 percent of national electricity consumption, followed by 35 percent from coal-fired power plants and about five percent from petroleum and alternative energy.

About 15 percent of electricity must still be purchased from neighboring countries. High utility prices, caused by the shortfall in local supply, are a major obstacle to Cambodia attracting foreign investment.

A government report last year estimated that Cambodia could generate as much as 10,000 megawatts from hydropower, and development of additional projects is underway.

China is Cambodia’s largest investor in developing hydroelectric dams and other infrastructure projects.

Story: Sopheng Cheang

2014 Protest Bombing Suspect Denied Bail

By

Teeranai Charuvastra, News Chief

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17 December 2018, 15:05

A screencap of a security camera footage that shows the grenade attack on Jan. 19, 2018.

BANGKOK — Police said Monday a man responsible for a fatal grenade attack on anti-government protesters in 2014 had his bail request denied by the court over the weekend.

Krissada Chaikae, 47, was charged with multiple serious offenses – including premeditated murder – for the attack which killed one person and wounded more than 20 others. An officer said the investigation into his background is ongoing but declined to reveal more details.

“It’s a confidential matter,” Phaya Thai Police Station chief Nitiwat Saensing said by phone. “We cannot give any answers.”

Krissada was accused of throwing a hand grenade in January 2014 into a crowd of protesters at Victory Monument, at the height of a movement to oust then-prime minister Yingluck Shinawatra.

The blast killed a vendor and injured 27 others, including a reporter. Witnesses at the scene said the protest guards chased after the bomber, but had to abandon the pursuit when the attacker shot at them with a handgun before vanishing.

Police said Krissada had been hiding in Laos until he surrendered to Thai authorities on Friday. Although police did not mention the name of the group Krissada was affiliated to, they said the suspect implied he was a member of the Redshirt movement, which supports the Shinawatra clan.

“I always joined the rally. Phan Fa, Ratchaprasong, I was always there,” Krissada said at a police news conference held Friday, referring to the two landmarks where Redshirts staged protests in 2010.

He went on to tell reporters that he staged the attack because the anti-Shinawatra protesters seemed to be above the law.

“I felt, at the time, that our side was always bullied,” Krissada said. “It’s like there was no law in the country. Well, the law existed, but no one could enforce it. Someone should teach them a lesson, that they can’t do whatever they please. So I took up the role of law enforcer.”

Asked why he decided to turn himself in, the suspect said he no longer wanted to be on the run.

“National security offenses have no statute of limitation. If I continued to flee, I would have to keep fleeing all my life,” Krissada said.

At least 27 people died in the violence that stalked the months-long street protests, which sought to replace Yingluck with a royally-appointed government and postpone elections until series of “national reforms” were implemented.

Suthep Thaugsuban, who led the protests at the time, thanked police for the arrest, while Sakda Noppasit, a deputy secretary-general of pro-Shinawatra Puea Chart Party, questioned if the arrest was staged to discredit anyone.

New Party Aims to Cut No. of Soldiers, Prosecute Coup Leaders

By

Pravit Rojanaphruk, Senior Staff Writer

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17 December 2018, 15:01

Party spokesperson Pannika Wanich, left, and Future Forward Party leader Thanathorn Juangroongruangkit at the announcement of its party policies Sunday in Bangkok.

BANGKOK — Reforming the armed forces, undoing the junta’s deeds and prosecuting coup leaders were among key policies a new party announced it would implement if it wins elections slated for February.

In its first comprehensive policy announcement, made Sunday at Queen Sirikit Convention Center, Future Forward Party also said it would make car ownership in Bangkok unnecessary with a push for more extensive public transportation services.

It vowed to work to break the monopoly of big businesses, reduce work hours from 48 hours to 40 hours weekly, end the use of plastic bags in 10 years and ensure a transparent bidding process for government projects and concession.

It also vowed to promote freedom of expression by reforming the Computer Crime Act, although it said it wouldn’t touch the controversial royal defamation, or lese majeste, law.

“There’s still no party policy to amend [the lese majeste] law,” Future Forward Party spokesperson Pannika Wanich said during a question and answer session.

Most ambitious and controversial among the party’s 12 main policies was its promise to halve the number of military officers from 330,000 to 170,000. The party also promised to reduce the number of generals from 600 to 400 and end compulsory military conscription except during wartime.

The party also reiterated its policy seeking to draft a new charter.

Party secretary general Piyabutr Saengkanokkul said drafting a new charter requires two referendums: The first on whether the public supports the idea of drafting a new referendum and the second on the new charter. He said voters would elect new charter drafters, unlike the current charter – which was written by appointees of junta leader Gen. Prayuth Chan-ocha.

Piyabutr also said that if elected, the party would seek to remove Article 279 of the current charter – which grants amnesty to junta members – to clear the way to prosecute the coup leaders. On the other hand, the party said it would seek to end all prosecutions against those charged and detained for criticizing or opposing the junta during the past four years.

“Innocent people who were damaged by the use of the power of the National Council for Peace and Order will be redressed,” Piyabutr said, using the acronym of the ruling junta.

It will also seek to make it a rule for courts to take up any treason case filed by the public within 24 hours in the event of a future coup.

Party leader Thanathorn Juangroongruangkit, who is being put forward by the party as a PM candidate, said the party expects to win more than 50 seats, based on polling.

“But we still have 70 days to go,” Thanathorn said.

Thanathorn formerly served on the board of Matichon Group, the parent company of Khaosod English.

Democracy Activists Intercepted En Route to Rajabhakti Park

By

JINTAMAS SAKSORNCHAI

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17 December 2018, 13:55

Sirawith “Ja New” Seritiwat, third from right, sits with his supporters Sunday in front of Khao Yoi police station in Phetchaburi province.

PHETCHABURI — Pro-democracy activists were intercepted Sunday while traveling to the army’s historical park in Prachuap Khiri Khan, which was engulfed in corruption scandals.

Sirawith “Ja New” Seritiwat of the New Democracy Movement, said he and 13 other people were blocked more than once on the way from Bangkok to the Rajabhakti Park. Their bus was stopped several hours at Khao Yoi police station in Phetchaburi until late afternoon, making them unable to reach their destination, he said.

Local police and soldiers said the inspection was carried out following a report that a political movement was heading to the park, which features gigantic statues of seven former Thai kings. The construction project was reported in 2016 for irregularities in its funding – including unusually expensive materials and shady commissions.

Sirawith said officers first stopped them in Ratchaburi province to raid their bus and collect urine samples to test for drugs before letting them go. He said they were blocked again in Phetchaburi province and went through the same process, only this time their driver was charged for driving with an expired license, forcing them to discontinue their journey.

“I believe they did it out of spite, to stop us from going to the Rajabhakti Park,” he said, adding that they were going for a “leisure trip” not for a political purpose.

In 2015, Sirawith and his supporters were arrested aboard a train in Ratchaburi province while embarking for the park to stage a protest over its alleged corruption.

Khao Yoi police chief Col. Somkiat Chomchai could not be reached for comment as of publication time.

Rajabhakti Scandal: Military Closes Park ‘For Maintenance,’ Detains Dozens of Activists

French City Honors Victims of Christmas Market Attack

By

Associated Press

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17 December 2018, 11:20

Residents react Sunday during a gathering in a central square of the eastern French city of Strasbourg. Photo: Jean-Francois Badias / Associated Press

PARIS — People filled a square in the French city of Strasbourg on Sunday to show respect and sympathy for the victims of last week’s shooting attack near a famous Christmas market as the death toll rose to five.

French authorities said a Polish man died in a Strasbourg hospital Sunday, one of a dozen people wounded in last Tuesday’s attack. Poland’s Foreign Ministry extended condolences Sunday on Twitter to his family.

According to the newspaper DNA, more than 1,000 people attended the memorial, which ended with a minute of applause and a rendition of France’s national anthem, “La Marseillaise.”

The hour-long ceremony took place in Kleber Square, not far from where a gunman opened fire on Tuesday evening. Strasbourg Mayor Roland Ries praised the city’s resilience in the face of hardship.

The “extremely large crowd in the Christmas market” on Saturday “was an illustration of our commitment to these values ??on which our living together is based, which we will continue to defend against all those who want to attack it,” Ries said.

An extensive manhunt for the gunman ended Thursday night when the main suspect, Strasbourg-born Cherif Chekatt, 29, was killed in a shootout with police in the city neighborhood where he grew up.

The attack remains under investigation. The Paris prosecutor’s office said two people who were close Chekatt were released from custody Sunday “in the absence of incriminating elements at this stage.”

Only one of the seven people authorities detained while searching for Chekatt was still being held.

Chekatt’s parents and two of his brothers, who were held for questioning for several days, were released Saturday.

The attack victims came from multiple countries: One of the dead was a tourist from Thailand. Another was an Italian journalist covering the European Parliament based in Strasbourg. The latest to die from his injuries was a Pole named Barto Orent-Niedzielski, according to the Strasbourg regional administration, or prefecture.

Polish news agency PAP identified him as a 36-year-old originally from Katowice, Poland. His brother Jakub had been posting updates on his condition on Facebook since the attack, and suggested Saturday that the family was considering when to end Orent-Niedzielski’s life support.

Then Sunday, Jakub shared the following note: “My brother Bartek Orent-Niedzielski has just left us. He thanks you for your love and the strength you brought him. He will always be there, watching over us, and will continue to bring us his joy. Thanks to everyone.”

In response, online condolences poured in.

Philippines’ Catriona Gray Crowned Miss Universe 2018

By

Asaree Thaitrakulpanich, Staff Reporter

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17 December 2018, 10:20

Catriona Elisa Magnayon Gray is crowned Miss Universe 2018 on Monday at Impact Muang Thong Thani.

BANGKOK — The representative of the Philippines won this year’s Miss Universe contest Monday in Bangkok.

Catriona Elisa Magnayon Gray, 24, was crowned Miss Universe 2018 in the pageant’s final round at Impact Muang Thong Thani, becoming the fourth Filipino to win the crown.

The final three, Philippines, South Africa and Venezuela all answered the same question, “What is the most important lesson you’ve learned in your life and how would you apply it to your time as Miss Universe?

Gray answered that due to her working in Manila slums, she would try to teach people to see the silver lining in their life.

South Africa’s Tamaryn Green and Venezuela’s Sthefany Gutierrez were the first and second runners up respectively.

The final five, Puerto Rico, Vietnam, Philippines, South Africa and Venezuela answered topical social and political questions, including ones about press freedom, #MeToo and marijuana legalization.

On the importance press freedom following the amount of jailed journalists in 2018, Puerto Rico said the media had a right to inform the public. Gray was asked about marijuana legalization.

“I’m for its medical use but not so much for recreation,” Gray answered, comparing marijuana to cigarettes and alcohol. “Everything is good, in moderation.”
For the first time, judges were all women, including Richelle Louise Singson-Michael, Filipinos aviation CEO and American Janaye Ingram, a Women’s March founder.

The top 20 were reduced to 10 after they gave a 15-second answer about a personal fact they wanted to tell the world. Vietnam talked about how she was an ethnic minority who chose an education over getting married at 14, while Canada talked about being a biomedical engineer.

The chosen 10 were South Africa, Vietnam, Venezuela, Philippines, Costa Rica, Curacao, Nepal, Canada, Thailand and Puerto Rico.

The top 20 semi-finalists – five each from Europe, the Americas, Africa and Asia-Pacific and a wildcard category — included Poland (a first for the country), Belgium, Great Britain, Hungary, Ireland, Jamaica, United States, Indonesia, Brazil and Australia.

“If they ever give you a really, really important envelope, try to read it carefully,” Costa Rica riffed Harvey when asked if she had a tip for him as a fellow TV host.

“I’m good. I’m a little hungry,” Miss Universe Thailand 2018 Sophida “Ning” Kanchanarin said after getting picked.

Neither Angela Ponce from Spain – the pageant’s first transgender contestant – nor crowd favorite Tresji Sejdini from Albania made the cut.

Ninety-four countries participated, a record high in the pageant’s 66-year history. Over the past month they’ve been in Thailand doing photo ops around Bangkok, Krabi and Pattaya, including the Un Ai Rak winter fair.

This year’s pageant was the first time the final rounds were held in Thailand since 2005 and 1992. Thailand won the crown twice in 1965 and 1988, when the events were held in Florida and Taipei, respectively.

Organizers TPN Group said the contest cost 500 million baht to host this year.

Gray’s appearances on stage were all met with deafening cheers and screams for the Filipino-Australian beauty, especially when she wore her high-slit ruby evening dress.

Gray, 24, was also Miss World Philippines in 2016. She’s the first Filipino to win both Miss World Philippines and Miss Universe Philippines.

TV host Steve Harvey hosted the event.

“I have been working on my respectful Thai bow,” Harvey said, before wai-ing and saying “sawasdee krap” and “khob khun krap.”

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