A bridge collapse due to floods triggered by typhoon Yagi in Phu Tho province, Vietnam on Monday, Sept. 9, 2024 (Bui Van Lanh/ VNA via AP)
HANOI, Vietnam (AP) — A bridge collapsed and a bus was swept away by flooding Monday as more rain fell on northern Vietnam from a former typhoon that has caused at least 64 deaths in the Southeast Asian country, state media reported.
Nine people died during the typhoon, which made landfall in Vietnam on Saturday before weakening to a depression, and 50 others died during the consequent floods and landslides. The water levels of several rivers in northern Vietnam were dangerously high.
A passenger bus carrying 20 people was swept into a flooded stream by a landslide in mountainous Cao Bang province Monday morning. Rescuers were deployed but landslides blocked the path to where the incident took place.
Flood triggered by Typhoon Yagi submerges houses in Bac Giang province, Vietnam Sunday, Sept. 8, 2024. (Le Danh Lam/VNA via AP)
In Phu Tho province, rescue operations were continuing after a steel bridge over the engorged Red River collapsed Monday morning. Reports said 10 cars and trucks along with two motorbikes fell into the river. Three people were pulled out of the river and taken to the hospital, but 13 others were missing.
Pham Truong Son, 50, told VNExpress that he was driving on the bridge on his motorcycle when he heard a loud noise. Before he knew what was happening, he was falling into the river. “I felt like I was drowned to the bottom of the river,” Son told the newspaper, adding that he managed to swim and hold on to a drifting banana tree to stay afloat before he was rescued.
Typhoon Yagi was the strongest typhoon to hit Vietnam in decades when it made landfall Saturday with winds up to 149 kph (92 mph). It weakened to a tropical depression Sunday, but the country’s meteorological agency has still warned the continuing downpours could cause floods and landslides.
A bridge collapse due to floods triggered by typhoon Yagi in Phu Tho province, Vietnam on Monday, Sept. 9, 2024 (Bui Van Lanh/ VNA via AP)
On Sunday, a landslide killed six people including an infant and injured nine others in Sa Pa town, a popular trekking base known for its terraced rice fields and mountains. Overall, state media reported 21 deaths and at least 299 people injured from the weekend.
Skies were overcast in the capital, Hanoi, with occasional rain Monday morning as workers cleared the uprooted trees, fallen billboards and toppled electricity poles. Heavy rain continued in northwestern Vietnam and forecasters said it could exceed 40 centimeters (15 inches) in places.
Initially, at least 3 million people were left without electricity in Quang Ninh and Haiphong provinces, and it’s unclear how much has been restored.
The two provinces are industrial hubs, housing many factories that export goods including EV maker VinFast and Apple suppliers Pegatrong and USI. Factory workers told The Associated Press on Sunday that many industrial parks were inundated and the roofs of many factories had been blown away.
Flood triggered by Typhoon Yagi submerges houses in Bac Giang province, Vietnam Sunday, Sept. 8, 2024. (Le Danh Lam/VNA via AP)
Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh visited Haiphong city on Sunday and approved a package of $4.62 million to help the port city recover.
Yagi also damaged agricultural land, nearly 116,192 hectares where rice is mostly grown.
Chinese authorities said infrastructure losses across the Hainan island province amounted to $102 million with 57,000 houses collapsed or damaged, power and water outages and roads damaged or impassable due to fallen trees. Yagi made a second landfall in Guangdong, a mainland province neighboring Hainan, on Friday night.
Storms like Typhoon Yagi were “getting stronger due to climate change, primarily because warmer ocean waters provide more energy to fuel the storms, leading to increased wind speeds and heavier rainfall,” said Benjamin Horton, director of the Earth Observatory of Singapore.
Suntory Beverage & Food (Thailand) Co., Ltd., the leader in health supplements under the BRAND’S trademark, in collaboration with the Digital Economy Promotion Agency (depa), launched AI Talk Session by BRAND’S Essence of Chicken under “BRAND’S Brain Camp” campaign, in eight provinces from July to August 2024. The campaign aims to create inspiration about the use of AI in various careers through perspectives and experiences of AI Experts from multiple industries. Along with the talk session, intensive coding upgrade activities under the Coding Bootcamp were provided by depa. The activity received an overwhelming response from students and the general public. The company announced its commitment to continue creating meaningful activities to fulfill the dreams of Thai youth toward future careers.
Ms. Jaturaporn Thanapornsungsuth, Vice President – Head of Marketing (Thailand & Indochina), Suntory Beverage & Food (Thailand), stated that BRAND’S Brain Camp is a significant campaign that aims to boost brain potential of Thai youth and enhance their knowledge, creating sustainable competitive advantage of Thailand over other countries in all dimensions. Thus, to further strengthen the company’s long-standing commitment of over 31 years to empowering Thai youth, and to support the government’s policy on developing a digital workforce to drive the country’s economic growth, the company has created integrated activities that facilitate AI learning with self-discovery through roadshows in eight provinces. These activities focused on understanding the benefits of AI across many dimensions, with AI Experts, artists, and actors representing the new generation who joined the discussion and shared their experiences.
AI (artificial intelligence) is a computer system with intelligence similar to humans that can learn from the data input by humans. It can be a tool to support tasks with larger data sets or quantities beyond human capabilities. It can analyze and summarize results quickly. In the AI Talk Session by BRAND’S Essence of Chicken, the discussion covered practical application of AI in various career fields, supporting youths’ ability to apply digital skills to their interests.
The AI Talk by BRAND’S Essence of Chicken included a roadshow in eight provinces across the country as follows:
Khon Kaen under “AI and Music” with two young artists of different styles, Gemini – Norawit Titicharoenrak and Kangsom – Tanatat Chaiyaat, who talked about using AI to help compose songs. When AI is combined with human creativity, the songs are even better. They also suggested that everyone must keep up with AI and use it as a tool, not letting it take our place.
Bangkok under the “AI and Urbanization” by Off-Jumpol Adulkittiporn, representing Bangkokians, expressed his opinion on issues that will help develop the city, such as safety infrastructure. Mr. Sanon Wangsrangboon, the youngest Bangkok Deputy Governor so far, revealed that using AI to manage various matters, such as AI CCTV, can help analyze the density of people to assess and plan for organizing many festivals. Therefore, there is a plan to use AI to help take care of the people and the city.
Ubon Ratchathani, the topic is “AI and Gaming” with a game expert, Tay-Tawan Vihokratana, joining the discussion. According to Tay, playing games is a way to relax and games that require planning will help train your thinking to become systematic. In addition, AI is currently used in games to increase players’ enjoyment. Mr. Sittichai Theppaitoon, a member of the Thai Game Software Industry Association and Chairman of the subcommittee for Driving Awareness of the Gaming Industry, provided information that we currently use AI to design items, compose music, create textures, or game graphics. He concluded that it is now a significant opportunity for the gaming industry. Those who can follow the trend of using AI first will have a tremendous advantage.
Phitsanulok, the topic of “AI and Engineering” was represented by a recent graduate in Communication Engineering from Chulalongkorn University, Phuwin Tangsakyuen, who shared his perspectives on learning coding at the university, with Dr. Wasan Pattara-atikom, Director and Senior Researcher, National Science and Technology Development Agency (NSTDA) joining in the discussion. The discussion was about engineering thinking principles focusing on problem-solving through the introduction of the Traffy Fondue application that can report and solve real problems in all 77 provinces of Thailand. There is also the development of an application that uses AI to achieve maximum efficiency.
Chiang Mai under the topic “AI and Linguistic” by Fourth – Nattawat Jirochtikul, who shared perspectives on the challenges of the Thai language in terms of sentence structure, tone, and slang. Assoc. Prof. Dr. Atthaphon Thamrongrattanarit, Department of Linguistics, Faculty of Arts, Chulalongkorn University, also shared the progress of his work on developing AI to learn Thai. This AI language tool will help with translation, writing, or research, which will benefit users in the future.
Phuket, under the topic “AI and Film Industry”, we had an opportunity to talk to Perth – Tanapon Sukumpantanasan, about the perspective of a student learning acting and film directing. In addition to his dedication to making a good film, using AI can help make the work more exciting and interesting. Mr. Golf, Paween Phurichitpanya, a famous director, also shared ideas about working with AI to help create the Sci-fi film of the year, such as using Generative AI as a starting point for writing a script or a scene in the futuristic world. He also left a note on AI to increase imagination, while maintaining the key spirit of arts and humanity.
Chonburi under the topic “AI and Environment” with Alex Rendell sharing his perspective on environmental changes and the challenges of working in the environmental field. Mr. Pattrawuth Phuthongfrom, a Geo-Informatics and Space Technology Development Agency (Public Organization) – GISTDA also talked about the dust issue. One crucial mission assigned by GISTDA is to develop innovations with AI to help manage PM 2.5 dust issues by checking dust levels with a weather-checking app developed by GISTDA, which uses satellites together with AI to achieve more accurate and faster results.
Songkhla under “AI and Medical” with a young actor, Jimmy-Jitaraphol Potiwihok MD, sharing his experiences and issues that he would like to see the development. Dr. Piyalitt Ittichaiwong also joined the discussion on using AI technology to help with various tasks so that doctors can help more patients quicker than before, minimizing the gap between doctors and patients. The discussion also covered the development of AI that can assist in searching for cancer cells and cancer mutations, and converting images or audio data into text.
Students and parents who are interested in learning about the world of AI with BRAND’S Essence of Chicken can watch playback VDO, take digital skill preparation test, and learn more from online courses at www.BRANDSBRAINCAMP.com while getting ready with BRAND’S Essence of Chicken containing carnosine.
Sep 9, 2024, SEOUL – In celebration of Frieze Seoul, JAI by ONESIAM, Siam Piwat Group’s cutting edge community platform for luxury and influential communities, hosted its second global event outside of Bangkok at the iconic Korea Furniture Museum in Seoul.
JAI by ONESIAM allow its members access to invaluable experiences and exclusive privileges globally, with each event uniquely curated by global peers and leading industry specialist. The private event for 60 people saw the attendance of global superstars Lee Minho (Boys over Flower, Pachinko) and Lee Jung Jae (Star Wars, Squid Game) as well as actress Joomi Park (Beautiful Seoul, Ladies of the Palace) and Thailand’s Ambassador to Korea, His Excellency Tanee Sangrat.
Among the esteemed guests seen at the exclusive event include Korea’s most significant entrepreneurs, society figures and brand owners such as Lim Saeryung, Vice President of Daesang Group, Lee Taesung, CEO of Seah Holding, and Kim Hankook, CEO of Gentle Monster.
International socialite Eva Chow (Khee Soju), Frieze Global Director Simon Fox, Global Director of Frieze and renowned award-winning designer Teo Yang, Teo Yang Studio, mingled with Thai guests Marisa Chearavanont, Kulapat Yantrasast, Nittha Kuhapremkit, Tharaphut Kuhapremkit, Morakot Sangtaweep, Kanachai Bencharongkul, Kullawit Laosuksri, Thanavalai Vacharaphol, Dennis Karlsson, Parit Chitaropa, and Chayapa Chutrakul.
“Siam Piwat has always explored visionary ways to deliver extraordinary experiences to our customers and JAI by ONESIAM members. This exclusive evening is not only a significant breakthrough in allowing our esteemed communities to connect and journey without borders, but celebrate our ties with global partners who are aligned to the values shared” – Siam Piwat Group’s CEO, Chadatip Chutrakul.
The event was collaborated with The Hyundai, Siam Piwat Group’s global partner in experiences. Jung Jee Young, President and Co-CEO, Hyundai Department Store, stated that “We will continue to closely collaborate closely with Siam Piwat to provide a wide range of meaningful experiences to our customers. By offering the latest trends and innovations that blend traditional culture with modern changes, we will do our best to make our customers’ lives more prosperous and fulfilling”
JAI by ONESIAM’s Extraordinary Experiences
Upon entering the iconic Korea Furniture Museum, guests were welcomed by traditional Korean musicians in a village setting showcasing 10 traditional ‘Hanok’ houses that illustrate how Korean nobility lived during the Joseon dynasty. Guests then toured the palatial main building containing some 2,500 pieces of rare furniture from the owner’s private collection before entering the private dining hall to a setting personally curated by museum owner Chyung Mi-sook.
A special 6 course dinner curated with the theme Journey Without Borders saw a special collaboration by 2 Michelin star chef Jungsik Yim (Jungsik Seoul and Jungsik New York), 1 Micheline star chef Wilfrid Hocquet (Blue by Alain Ducasse) and chef Dej Kewkacha (Kyo Bangkok) bring rare and luxurious ingredients from their respective home countries together.
Extraordinary culinary experience was curated cold starter by Chef Jungsik Yim. The idea is to allow a fresh twist to familiar cultural elements in Korean cuisine, making the dishes fun and exciting. This is how the restaurant’s signature dish, ‘Gimbap’, was created. I use only the finest ingredients to make Jungsik Seoul’s Gimbap different from traditional Gimbap.
“This is a one-of-a-kind collaboration between three chefs from three different cuisine. For myself, I’m responsible for the main course. I tried to mix Tom Yum flavor from Thailand. I chose Korean beef and cook them by using the French cooking technique then served along side with Tom Yum Risotto – it’s like a mix of different flavors and cultures in one dish” said Chef Jungsik Yim.
Additional support was provided by Gentle Monster, the iconic Korean eyewear brand that has expanded globally. Founder and CEO of Gentle Monster Kim Hankook created custom gifts especially for the evening, a metallic memento that allow guests of JAI by ONESIAM and its members to redeem eyewear of their choice at any Gentle Monster stores globally with no price limit.
“Gentle Monster has always been committed to crafting experiences that challenge the ordinary and celebrate individuality. Collaborating with JAI by ONESIAM at the Korea Furniture Museum was a natural fit for us, as it represents a meeting point of art, culture, and innovation. We are delighted to present a specially created, custom-made gift designed for this remarkable event, as a token of our shared vision of a borderless journey in luxury and style.” Said Kim Hankook, Founder and CEO of Gentle Monster
The evening ended with guests taking photos with celebrities and members of the community networking to collaborate for the next JAI by ONESIAM event before embarking on a walk across the stunning gardens of the museum.
Paulie Sirisant, CEO of Vibal Corporation, one of JAI by ONESIAM’s founding member said: “Journey Without Borders was such a magical event and I am truly honoured to be a member and enjoy the benefits the access provides”
Thanavalai Vacharaphol, COO of Thairath Online, said: “I’m really excited and impress with all the people that JAI is bringing together, I have meet and connect with people from many industries who has so many different talents. There could be many exciting collaborations that could happen, so it’s really exciting to see who JAI can connect and bring out new people from around the world. JAI is always unexpected, this event defines JAI.”
For inquiries, please contact the Corporate Public Relations Department, Siam Piwat Company Limited
The new Dii Contour program from Dii Aesthetic Clinic introduces the latest advancements in body contouring, tailored to each individual’s unique needs.
Dii Contour goes beyond mere aesthetics, offering comprehensive solutions for various body concerns through personalized consultations and bespoke treatment plans. The program’s holistic approach prioritizes not just physical transformation, but also the overall well-being, safety, and satisfaction of its clients.
Pattanapong Ranuraksa
This program has been developed by Dii Shape Expert, a team of specialists in body shaping, including Dr. Amornsit Pansin and Dr. Udomsak Boonnarisarangkoon, who are experts in aesthetics, anti-aging, and health rejuvenation at Dii Aesthetic Clinic.
They emphasize the importance of health and well-being by perfectly blending anti-aging medicine with innovation to provide highly effective results.
Mr. Pattanapong Ranuraksa, the founder of Divana, commented on the new Dii Contour program, saying that it is designed to meet beauty ideals each of time. Beauty has been understood differently over time, but nowadays, it has become more personalized. Dii aims for clients to discover their beauty through the Dii Contour program, which focuses on designing an aesthetic, tailored to the individual personalized, with an emphasis on holistic wellness.
Dr. Amornsit Pansin and Dr. Udomsak Boonnarisarangkoon further explained that the Dii Contour program was designed to address body shape issues through three formats, each tailored to three main groups:
Fat Focus Group – Dii Contour offers solutions for localized fat management through two options as Quickfit Slim: Rapidly tackles localized fat deposits. and Perfect Shape: Targets fat accumulation throughout the body to achieve the desired shape.
This approach combines RF (Radio Frequency), Infrared technology, and fat suction techniques. Specialists also perform oil massages to stimulate fat burning and cellulite reduction, yielding noticeable results.
Cellulite Contour Group – This format focuses on solving cellulite and orange-peel skin problems in various areas, offering as Superfast Cellulite Contour: Quick cellulite removal and Forever Clear Cellulite Contour: Permanent cellulite removal across the body with long-lasting results.
7-Day Slim Group – This program assists those struggling with chronic weight issues or those with specific weight-loss goals. It’s ideal for individuals who have tried various weight loss methods without success. The doctors guide appetite control and fat-burning stimulation tailored to individual needs.
The Dii Contour program marks a significant milestone for Dii Aesthetic Clinic in becoming a leader in comprehensive holistic health care, combining beauty and long-lasting wellness under the expertise of a specialist medical team with state-of-the-art innovations.
Rugby School Thailand amongst first international schools to pass stringent opening assessment
BANGKOK — International schools in Thailand continue to grow, contrary to the overall declining number of students and schools in Thailand due to falling birth rates, according to a leading Thai research center.
Kasikorn Research Center stated this growth is attributed to the increasing popularity of foreign education curricula and the rising number of parents with high educational investment potential.
The overall number of students in Thailand has been steadily decreasing, with a 1.7% drop in 2024 compared to the previous year. In contrast, the number of students in international schools increased by 10.2%.
Looking at birth statistics, which have been consistently declining, the number of students is expected to decrease. Between 2012-2024, the average annual birth rate declined by 4.5%, while the overall number of students in the system decreased by 0.9%. However, the number of students in international schools grew at an average rate of 6.9% per year.
Kasikorn Research Center
The increasing trend of students in international schools in Thailand is due to several factors. One of these is the rise in foreign students, which corresponds with the number of foreign executives working in Thailand, growing at an average of 0.6% annually over the past 10 years.
Additionally, the growing popularity of foreign education curricula, which are constantly updated and modernized compared to Thai curricula, along with parents’ increased investment potential in education, contributes to this trend. This is reflected in the projected 24% increase in the number of people with assets over $1 million in Thailand between 2023-2028.
In 2024, the overall number of schools decreased by 0.5% from the previous year, reaching 33,098 schools. Compared to the 2012 academic year, this represents a 6.6% contraction or about 2,355 schools.
Due to the continued decline in the overall number of students, there has been a gradual closure of schools between the 2012-2024 academic years. Government schools have an average decline rate of 0.6% per year, and private schools with Thai curricula have also been declining at an average of 0.7% per year.
In contrast, the number of international schools has grown by an average of 5.0% per year, opposite to other types of schools. This reflects the trend of shifting school businesses towards foreign education curricula.
Harrow International School Bangkok
The trend of international school businesses shows that competition is expanding more into areas outside Bangkok. Between 2012-2024, the average annual growth rate of students and international schools in other regions was 4.3% and 6.3% higher than in Bangkok, respectively.
Increased competition in the international school business and limited space in Bangkok have led to the exploration of new markets in major cities such as Chiang Mai, Rayong, and Phuket in recent years.
The economies of 21 major cities have grown at a higher rate than Bangkok. In 2022, the GDP per capita growth rate of these 21 major cities was 2% higher than Bangkok, making markets outside Bangkok more attractive.
This trend shows opportunities for expanding international school businesses to areas outside Bangkok, especially in the central and eastern regions. These are likely to be potential markets because they have the second-highest number of households with incomes over 100,000 baht ($2,960) per month, after Bangkok and its vicinity.
However, since the number of target households in each region is less than in Bangkok, operators may need to adjust tuition fees to match the different parental incomes in each area.
Regent’s International School Bangkok
It is expected that in 2024, the market value of Thai international schools will grow by about 13% from 2023, reaching 87 billion baht ($2.5 Billion). This growth is driven by increasing popularity in international curricula and expansion into new markets, resulting in a high 10.2% expansion in the number of students from the previous year. It is also supported by an average 3.8% increase in tuition fees from the 2023 academic year.
The risks for international school businesses include the increasing tuition fees, which may lead parents to consider sending their children to study abroad instead, as the gap between tuition fees is narrowing.
In the 2024 academic year, the average annual tuition fee for international schools in Thailand is 764,484 baht ($22,655), while the average annual tuition fee for boarding schools in New Zealand is about 1,150,208 baht ($34,085).
Moreover, international schools may face challenges from competition with private Thai curriculum schools that are improving quality and have lower costs. Parents may decide to switch to private Thai curriculum schools that offer English language programs and teach multiple languages such as Thai, English, and Chinese, challenging the language strengths of international schools.
Additionally, technological advancements have made homeschooling easier. Since homeschooling costs are lower than attending international schools, this could affect the number of students in international schools. The cost of taking the GED (U.S. high school equivalency) exam along with 100 hours of one-on-one tutoring is approximately 160,800 baht ($4,765).
Traffic moves slowly past fallen trees on the roads of Hanoi, Vietnam, Sunday Sept. 8, 2024. (AP Photo/Aniruddha Ghosal)
HANOI, Vietnam (AP) — At least 14 people have died and 176 others injured in Vietnam after Typhoon Yagi slammed the country’s north, state media said Sunday, as officials warned of heavy downpours despite its waning power.
Described by Vietnamese officials as one of the most powerful typhoons to hit the region over the last decade, Yagi left more than 3 million people without electricity in northern Vietnam. It also damaged vital agricultural land, nearly 116,192 hectares where rice and fruits are mostly grown. Hundreds of flights were canceled after four airports were closed.
Houses are submerged in flood after typhoon Yagi hit Yen Bai province, northwestern Vietnam on Sunday, Sep. 8, 2024. (Do Tuan Anh/ VNA via AP)
The typhoon made landfall in Vietnam’s northern coastal provinces of Quang Ninh and Haiphong with wind speeds of up to 149 kilometers per hour (92 miles per hour) on Saturday afternoon. It raged for roughly 15 hours before gradually weakening into a tropical depression early Sunday morning. Vietnam’s meteorological department predicted heavy rain in northern and central provinces and warned of floods in low-lying areas, flash floods in streams and landslides on steep slopes.
Municipal workers along with army and police forces were busy in the capital, Hanoi, clearing uprooted trees, fallen billboards, toppled electricity poles and rooftops that were swept away, while assessing damaged buildings.
Yagi was still a storm when it blew out of the northwestern Philippines into the South China Sea on Wednesday, leaving at least 20 people dead and 26 others missing mostly in landslides and widespread flooding in the acrchipelago nation. It then made its way to China, killing three people and injuring nearly a hundred others, before landing in Vietnam.
A car is crushed underneath a broken tree after typhoon Yagi hit the city in Hanoi, Vietnam on Sunday, Sept. 8, 2024. (Tran Quoc Viet/ VNA via AP)
Storms like Typhoon Yagi were “getting stronger due to climate change, primarily because warmer ocean waters provide more energy to fuel the storms, leading to increased wind speeds and heavier rainfall,” said Benjamin Horton, director of the Earth Observatory of Singapore.
Horton said that protecting natural systems ranging from reefs to rivers while building structures that were more resilient to strong winds and flying debris and improving existing infrastructure were all measures that could help countries better deal with strong typhoons.
On Friday afternoon, Yagi struck the Chinese city of Wenchang in Hainan province with wind speeds of up to about 245 kph (152 mph) near its center. Authorities said the typhoon left three people dead and nearly a hundred others injured in the province. It has affected over 1.2 million people as of noon Saturday, according to the local Global Times newspaper.
In this photo released by Xinhua News Agency, an advertisement billboard lands on a road following the landfall of typhoon Yagi in Haikou, south China’s Hainan Province, Friday, Sept. 6, 2024. (Yang Guanyu/Xinhua via AP)
Some 420,000 Hainan residents were relocated before the typhoon’s landfall. Another half a million people in Guangdong province were evacuated before Yagi made a second landfall in the province’s Xuwen County on Friday night.
Meanwhile, the meteorological observatory of the city of Haikou downgraded its typhoon signal from red to orange on Saturday, as it moved further away.
Before leaving Hong Kong, Yagi forced more than 270 people to seek refuge at temporary government shelters on Friday, and over 100 flights in the city were canceled due to the typhoon. Heavy rain and strong winds felled dozens of trees, and trading on the stock market, bank services and schools were halted.
Blue and two-toned lobsters are seen in a marine sciences lab at the University of New England, Thursday, Sept. 5, 2024, in Biddeford, Maine. (AP Photo/Robert F. Bukaty)
BIDDEFORD, Maine (AP) — Orange, blue, calico, two-toned and … cotton-candy colored?
Those are all the hues of lobsters that have showed up in fishers’ traps, supermarket seafood tanks and scientists’ laboratories over the last year. The funky-colored crustaceans inspire headlines that trumpet their rarity, with particularly uncommon baby blue-tinted critters described by some as “cotton-candy colored” often estimated at 1 in 100 million.
A recent wave of these curious colored lobsters in Maine, New York, Colorado and beyond has scientists asking just how atypical the discolored arthropods really are. As is often the case in science, it’s complicated.
Lobsters’ color can vary due to genetic and dietary differences, and estimates about how rare certain colors are should be taken with a grain of salt, said Andrew Goode, lead administrative scientist for the American Lobster Settlement Index at the University of Maine. There is also no definitive source on the occurrence of lobster coloration abnormalities, scientists said.
“Anecdotally, they don’t taste any different either,” Goode said.
A two-toned lobster is seen in a marine sciences lab at the University of New England, Thursday, Sept. 5, 2024, in Biddeford, Maine. The rare color scheme is the result of two eggs fusing together to create a one-in-50 million lobster.(AP Photo/Robert F. Bukaty)
In the wild, lobsters typically have a mottled brown appearance, and they turn an orange-red color after they are boiled for eating. Lobsters can have color abnormalities due to mutation of genes that affect the proteins that bind to their shell pigments, Goode said.
The best available estimates about lobster coloration abnormalities are based on data from fisheries sources, said marine sciences professor Markus Frederich of the University of New England in Maine. However, he said, “no one really tracks them.”
Frederich and other scientists said that commonly cited estimates such as 1 in 1 million for blue lobsters and 1 in 30 million for orange lobsters should not be treated as rock-solid figures. However, he and his students are working to change that.
Frederich is working on noninvasive ways to extract genetic samples from lobsters to try to better understand the molecular basis for rare shell coloration. Frederich maintains a collection of strange-colored lobsters at the university’s labs and has been documenting the progress of the offspring of an orange lobster named Peaches who is housed at the university.
Marine sciences professor Markus Frederich holds Tamarind, a two-toned lobster he is studying at the University of New England, Thursday, Sept. 5, 2024, in Biddeford, Maine. (AP Photo/Robert F. Bukaty)
Peaches had thousands of offspring this year, which is typical for lobsters. About half were orange, which is not, Frederich said. Of the baby lobsters that survived, a slight majority were regular colored ones, Frederich said.
Studying the DNA of atypically colored lobsters will give scientists a better understanding of their underlying genetics, Frederich said.
“Lobsters are those iconic animals here in Maine, and I find them beautiful. Especially when you see those rare ones, which are just looking spectacular. And then the scientist in me simply says I want to know how that works. What’s the mechanism?” Frederich said.
He does eat lobster but “never any of those colorful ones,” he said.
The tail of a calico lobster is inspected the University of New England, Thursday, Sept. 5, 2024, in Biddeford, Maine. (AP Photo/Robert F. Bukaty)
One of Frederich’s lobsters, Tamarind, is the typical color on one side and orange on the other. That is because two lobster eggs fused and grew as one animal, Frederich said. He said that’s thought to be as rare as 1 in 50 million.
Rare lobsters have been in the news lately, with an orange lobster turning up in a Long Island, New York, Stop & Shop last month, and another appearing in a shipment being delivered to a Red Lobster in Colorado in July.
The odd-looking lobsters will likely continue to come to shore because of the size of the U.S. lobster fishery, said Richard Wahle, a longtime University of Maine lobster researcher who is now retired. U.S. fishers have brought more than 90 million pounds (40,820 metric tons) of lobster to the docks in every year since 2009 after only previously reaching that volume twice, according to federal records that go back to 1950.
“In an annual catch consisting of hundreds of millions of lobster, it shouldn’t be surprising that we see a few of the weird ones every year, even if they are 1 in a million or 1 in 30 million,” Wahle said.
Kkokkoma, a South Korean esports athlete from team NAVI, inhales a Thai herbal inhaler brand Hong Thai during competition before winning the Tekken 8 championship.
BANGKOK — Kim Moo-jong, also known as Kkokkoma, a South Korean esports athlete from team NaVi, has gone viral across Thailand after he was seen inhaling a Thai herbal inhaler brand Hong Thai before winning the Tekken 8 championship.
Kkokkoma recently won the Tekken 8 championship at the Emirates Showdown 2024 in Dubai, United Arab Emirates, in the grand finals on September 1, 2024.
What made him a widely discussed topic in Thailand was undoubtedly the moment when he picked up a Thai brand inhaler, Hong Thai, to boost his energy during the competition. This moment was so notable that separate clips of him using the inhaler were created and shared.
Previously, the Thai brand inhaler Hong Thai gained international fame when it was used by global superstars such as Lisa of Blackpink, Hollywood star Chris Hemsworth, and British rapper Central Cee. It has also become a source of relaxation for Thailand’s Olympic athletes in Paris 2024.
Khaosod Esports reported on an interview with Natus Vincere (NAVI) team and this South Korean player about the background of his fondness for the Hong Thai inhaler.
“I didn’t expect it would be a big issue in Thailand cause I’m using Hong Thai, haha,” Kkokkoma stated with a chuckle.
For him, the benefits of using Hong Thai during competitions are clear. “It makes my mind wake up,” he states, adding that “even the smell is super good.” This simple yet effective tool has become an integral part of his pre-game ritual, helping him maintain alertness and focus during intense matches.
Kkokkoma’s use of Hong Thai during tournaments has unexpectedly resonated with his Thai fans. This connection has further endeared him to the Thai gaming community, bridging cultures through a shared appreciation for both esports and local products.
HONG THAI Traditional Aromatherapy Nasal InhalerKkokkoma, a South Korean esports athlete from team NAVI, will visit Thailand in October 2024.
His affection for Thailand extends beyond the gaming world. He expresses a particular fondness for Thai cuisine, reminiscing about a pork soup with dark-colored broth and noodles, though he struggles to recall its exact name. This appreciation for Thai food is part of his broader love for Asian cuisine, including Korean and Japanese.
Having competed against Thai players multiple times, Kkokkoma recognized the potential in the Thai gaming community. He believed that a larger community could foster stronger players, though he notes that currently, the scene seems limited. This observation highlights the importance of community support in developing competitive talent.
With an upcoming trip to Thailand in October, Kkokkoma is eager to explore more of what the country has to offer. “So… I need recommendations for good restaurants and drink places. Please let me know!!!!!” he said.
“Thanks to everyone who likes and cheers for me.” His playful addition that “Hong Thai sponsorship is always welcome for me and NAVI” not only shows his business acumen but also his genuine appreciation for the product that has become an unexpected part of his success story.
Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra raises her hand to shield her eyes from the sun while taking a group photo in front of the Government House on September 7, 2024. (Khaosod Photo/ Yingyos Akmanachai)
L
ess than 24 hours after the new Paetongtarn Shinawatra was sworn into office in front of the King, anti-government protesters decided to demonstrate in Bangkok yesterday. They vow to take to the street outside the PM’s office, the Government House, in less than 10 days from now, on Sept 17.
The key slogan this time is they are against the “Shinawatra Regime” a reference to the belief that the new government is not exactly run by the 38-year-old Paetongtarn, but ultimate by the head of the Shinawatra family, headed by ex-convict-cum-ex-premier Thaksin Shinawatra. They call it a “Family Cabinet”, a “Hereditary Cabinet” and seek to yet again, create chaos and pave a way for another military coup.
One can partly understand their frustrations, for it appears the most important qualification Paetongtarn possesses to secure the top job of the executive branch is the fact that she is a daughter of Thaksin, arguably the most influential de facto politician alive in Thailand today. Having your children or siblings running the political show on your behalf because you are somehow constrained by certain legal limitations makes people feel as if politics is not just a family business but a family monopoly. Paetongtarn is not the only one.
Just two or three days before the new Deputy Interior Minister was supposed to be sworn in, the name of Chada Thaised was dropped from the list of the new Cabinet lineup due to concerns that he may lack ethical qualifications to continue to become a Cabinet minister under the new government. Chada then announced to the public that he will relinquish his post to his daughter, Ms Sabeeda Thaised, 39, a political novice. Again, Sabeeda’s chief qualification is not her law degree but the fact that she’s daddy’s daughter and that daddy trusts her.
There’s more. Another blatant reminder that politics is a family business is the fact that former Agriculture Minister Thamanat Prompow’s younger brother was field in as new Deputy Agriculture Minister as Thamanat, being a former convicted heroin smuggler, conspiring to import heroin to Australia, was sentenced to 6 years in prison by an Australian Court back in 1994.
In light of PM Srettha Thavisin being removed in August by the Constitutional Court for having appointed Pichit Chuenban as PM Office Minister despite Pichit having been charged for attempted bribery of a court official, the Paetongtarn government is taking no chance. Thus Thamanat has become too risky post-Srettha ruling. Nevertheless, Thamanat, who insists he didn’t know who decided to appoint his younger brother, can now count on his younger bro, Akara Prompao to be his ears and eyes, and representative at the ministry.
These are just some of the legacy Cabinet members and heriditary politicians and the list will indeed be long if we continue. It’s understandable why some Thais, particularly those against the current administration, feel frustrated, if not furious. Many feel it’s an insult to their intelligence and become alienated by electoral politics. Some wish the army could again stage another military coup.
Such sentiment is egregious and will do even more harm to Thailand, however. Thailand has been making too many political detours as a result of one military coup after another. The nine decades of “parliamentary democracy” saw at least 13 “successful coups” which literally slowed down development if not grounded the kingdom into a halt.
Some Thais need to learn to be patient, and allow this imperfect system to correct itself and refrain from calling and supporting another military intervention which would amount to stalling Thailand, ensuring political and economic uncertainties, and regress in fundamental political rights.
Whether one likes the new Paetongtarn Shinawatra government, or Thaksin, or not, one should look at the bigger picture and recognize that military intervention is not the solution. Thailand has lost 9 years under junta leader Gen Prayut Chan-o-cha. As much as this writer may have many reservations about the Shinawatra government, another rogue general taking over the country is definitely not the answer.
Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra leads her cabinet members in making a mini heart hand gesture after the official group photo in front of the Government House on September 7, 2024.(Khaosod Photo/ Yingyos Akmanachai)
BANGKOK — The cabinet led by the 38-year-old Prime Minister and mother of two, Paetongtarn Shinawatra, held its first meeting on Saturday morning, September 7, following a group photo with 35 ministers in front of the Government House under the blazing sun.
During this photo session, the youngest Prime Minister in Thai history asked her cabinet members after the official shot, “Can we have a mini-heart photo?” to make a hand gesture symbolizing love, typical of young people.
This aligns with her response to media questions during last year’s campaign when asked what it would be like if Paetongtarn became Prime Minister. She replied, “It would probably be a colorful Prime Minister.”
Paetongtarn’s assumption of office, succeeding Srettha Thavisin as another candidate from the Pheu Thai Party, has received both congratulations from supporters and critical comments, ranging from sarcasm to contempt, due to her being the daughter of Thaksin Shinawatra, one of the most loved and hated former Prime Ministers.
Protest and Strong Words
The first anti-Shinawatra government protest took place on Saturday afternoon, just hours after the new government held a Cabinet meeting. Protesters at the Oct 14 Monument called for people to stop the Shinawatra family from controlling Thailand, with the slogan “Stop the Shinawatra Regime and Family Cabinet.”
Paetongtarn’s cabinet has been criticized as a “Family Cabinet” after at least two ministers from Srettha’s time had to withdraw and appoint their family members as ministers in Paetongtarn’s government. This was a consequence of Srettha having to leave the Prime Minister position due to appointing individuals with questionable backgrounds as ministers.
Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra leads her cabinet members for an official group photo in front of the Government House on September 7, 2024. (Khaosod Photo/ Yingyos Akmanachai)
Therefore, when Sabida Thaised, daughter of Chada, who is viewed as a person of local influence, became Deputy Minister of Interior, and Akkhara Prompao, brother of Thammanat who was previously convicted in a drug case in Australia, it further emphasized Paetongtarn’s rise to Prime Minister with the image of former PM Thaksin in the background.
Not only did anti-Thaksin groups who previously supported the coup attack Paetongtarn’s government with these words, but pro-People’s Party progressive groups also used even harsher sarcastic terms, calling this cabinet the “Hereditary Cabinet.”
The term ‘Hereditary’ used to describe the cabinet comes from the Thai drama series on Netflix called ‘Master of the House’, which tells the story of the dark side of members of a particular family.
Paetongtarn once responded to media questions about this nickname, saying, “Oh!, that’s strong words,” before calmly countering with the explanation that “Being a family or whatever is not a disadvantage. It’s more about motivation for each other. Seeing one person work for the country this way, another family member is also motivated.”
Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra holds a press conference after the special cabinet meeting on September 7, 2024. (Khaosod Photo/ Yingyos Akmanachai)
When the media asked about the “Thaksin regime” again on her first day of work, the female Prime Minister replied, “I will no longer answer questions about Mr. Thaksin because we must move forward. Good visions, regardless of who they come from or how old they are, are beneficial. So, that’s all I’ll say on this matter.”
She also commented on the anti-Thaksin movements, which have already indicated they will use legal means against her, saying, “Have some pity on the Prime Minister. My children are still young. Don’t file too many lawsuits. Sometimes, don’t give too much importance to small matters. My position as Prime Minister is not ready to oppress anyone, but ready to listen and ready to respect and honor each other.”
She stated that the first meeting was for the government to prepare explanations for questions about the policy statement to be delivered to Parliament on September 12-13. Most policies are a continuation of the Srettha Thavisin government, with major issues transformed into urgent policies, such as debt restructuring, assistance for SMEs, economic stimulation, and support for vulnerable groups.
Most Visible Challenge
Prab Boonpan, columnist for “Good Things Exist” in Matichon Weekly, considers what the biggest and most visible challenge for this government is.
Everyone would probably give similar answers that the biggest challenge for Paetongtarn’s government, continuing from Srettha Thavisin’s government, is to come in and work on rehabilitating Thailand, which has “stopped developing” or has been “frozen” for nearly a decade.
The bureaucratic system has expanded and become deeply rooted, but moves with difficulty. The economic sector is still struggling to find new ways forward or maintain its current state with the old production system. The education system is not developing people fast enough to keep up with technological changes and competition in the global community.
Meanwhile, politics lacks stability due to constitutional traps and the deeply entangled power mechanisms of independent organizations.
To put it bluntly, all sectors mentioned above (which are equally ill) are in dire need of major reforms across the board and cannot avoid change.
Thailand’s Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra arrives for a group photo at the government house before taking oath in front of Thailand’s King Maha Vajiralongkorn in Bangkok, Thailand, Friday, Sept. 6, 2024. (AP Photo/Sakchai Lalit)
The government and national leaders who must take on the responsibility of “leading” this country reform process must therefore be courageous, determined, intelligent, and highly knowledgeable.
If the first challenge of Paetongtarn’s government is related to the unclear future ahead, the second challenge may be related to the past way of life, which still influences the present to some extent.
As many people are well aware of the truth that “history” rarely repeats itself exactly, “history” is also a lesson – a reminder that helps us always avoid old “mistakes.”
Overcome the Vicious Cycle
The current cycle of political power in Thailand reminds many people of the situation after the 2006 coup, comparing the end of Srettha Thavisin’s term as Prime Minister to the case of Samak Sundaravej’s departure from office.
From this perspective, it’s worrying that PM Paetongtarn might face heavy, violent, and rapid karmic retribution, no less than former PM Somchai Wongsawat.
The first anti-Shinawatra government protest takes place at the Oct 14 Monument, just hours after the new government held its first Cabinet meeting on September 7, 2024. (Khaosod Photo/ Pattarayoot Phukpol)
However, there is a fairly reasonable counterargument that the context has changed significantly in recent years. At the very least, the network of military leaders who once played a crucial role in establishing a “civilian government in military camps” and were responsible for the crackdown on Red Shirts during 2009-2010 have mostly stepped down from power.
Those who refuse to step down have less credit, credibility, and power with each passing day.
Similarly, politicians who once had the image of being “good people on the democracy side” but chose to obstruct political parties that won elections by collaborating with powers outside the system, to the point of deciding to use violence against citizens in the capital, have all lost their dignity and prestige (both at national and local levels).
Meanwhile, the various colored-shirt masses have also weakened considerably and are left with only hardcore groups, in a situation where their political leaders have turned to reconciliation, reconciling, and overcoming conflicts together.
Nevertheless, apart from the changes in the surrounding characters, another force that will push “Paetongtarn Shinawatra’s government” to fully overcome the vicious cycle of Thai politics must inevitably be the “strong and firm will” that aims to change this country into a better society for the majority of citizens.
