Israeli Iron Dome air defense system launches to intercept missiles fired from Iran, in central Israel, Sunday, April 14, 2024. Iran launched its first direct military attack against Israel on Saturday. (AP Photo/Tomer Neuberg)
The Associated Press reported on April 14 that Iran had launched its first direct military attack against Israel.
Booms and air raid sirens sounded across Israel early Sunday after Iran launched hundreds of drones, ballistic missiles and cruise missiles in an unprecedented revenge mission that pushed the Middle East closer to a regionwide war.
Iran had been threatening to attack Israel after an airstrike earlier this week widely blamed on Israel destroyed Iran’s consulate in Syria, killing 12 people, including two elite Iranian generals.
Iranian demonstrators wave a Palestinian flag during their anti-Israeli gathering at the Felestin (Palestine) Square in Tehran, Iran, early Sunday, April 14, 2024. (AP Photo/Vahid Salemi)
Israel and Iran have been on a collision course throughout Israel’s six-month war against Hamas militants in the Gaza Strip. The war erupted after Hamas and Islamic Jihad, two militant groups backed by Iran, carried out a devastating cross-border attack on Oct. 7 that killed 1,200 people in Israel and kidnapped 250 others, including Thai workers, eight of whom are still in Hamas captivity.
An Israeli offensive in Gaza has caused widespread devastation and killed over 33,000 people, according to local health officials.
The Thai government issued a statement to warn Thai people in the Mideast region to be on alert for any possible emergency scenarios and to closely follow the announcements and alerts by their embassies in the region.
“I am following the situation in the Middle East closely and with much concern, especially reports on the rising tensions between Israel and Iran, and I urge Thais in the region to be on alert for any possible emergency scenarios and follow closely the announcements and alerts by our embassies in the region,” said Prime Minister Srettha Thavisin.
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs also issued a statement on Saturday saying that due to the rising tensions between Israel and Iran, the Royal Thai Government and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Kingdom of Thailand are concerned for Thai nationals staying in areas that may be directly affected. As such, Thai embassies in the region have been instructed to monitor the situation in the region closely.
Mohammad Bader, 27, inspects his torched vehicle, in the West Bank village of al-Mughayyir, Saturday, April 13, 2024. (AP Photo/Nasser Nasser)
“Thai nationals in the region are urged to stay alert and follow announcements and advice from Thai Embassies closely. The Royal Thai Embassy in Tel Aviv has already issued a warning to Thai nationals living there to prepare for possible emergency situations and can be contacted directly for any related assistance. Other Thai nationals are strongly urged to avoid travelingthere if not deemed urgent or necessary at this time,” it stated.
According to the Associated Press report, the Israeli military says Iran fired more than 100 bomb-carrying drones toward Israel. Hours later, Iran announced it had also launch much more destructive ballistic missiles and cruise missiles.
The Israeli Defense Forces said in a statement early Sunday the “vast majority” of missiles launched from Iran were intercepted outside of Israel’s borders. Israel has made missile defense a priority, with a variety of air-defense systems available to shoot down incoming missile and drone fire.
Mr. Shin (black shirt) was arrested at Chiang Mai International Airport.
CHIANG MAI – When some people enjoy splashing water during the Songkran festival, they may be unaware of stolen items.
On April 13, Chiang Mai Tourist Police officers and Chiang Mai City Police Station caught a foreign group that stole items from individuals participating in the Songkran water festival around the Chiang Mai moat.
According to the investigation, this gang of thieves consists of four South Korean men: 1. Chu Doo Man, 2. Shin Boo Kook, 3. Hong Seoung Bok, and 4. Lee Chul Hyun. The second and fourth people walked around the victim to draw attention, then guided the first person to use nail clippers to cut off the victim’s necklace.
Mr. Chu was arrested near the Tha Phae Gate area of Chang Moi Subdistrict, Mueang Chiang Mai District.
On April 12, the four attempted to commit a crime but were unsuccessful, according to a video clip caught by a good citizen. They later snatched the victim’s gold necklace and fled.
Mr. Chu was caught near the Tha Phae Gate area of Chang Moi Subdistrict, Mueang Chiang Mai District, while Mr. Shin was arrested at the international passenger terminal as he was about to depart from Chiang Mai International Airport.
The police found a gold necklace weighing one baht and a Buddha framed in gold worth 50,000 baht in the hotel room where they slept. The current price of gold is substantially higher, exceeding 40,000 baht per baht.
The police found a gold necklace weighing one baht and a Buddha framed in gold worth 50,000 baht in the hotel room of the suspects.
Both were charged with stealing property. According to Criminal Code Section 336, anyone who commits theft by snatching in the presence of another is guilty of snatching and faces up to five years in jail and a fine of ten thousand Baht. Officials are trying to track down and prosecute the third and fourth gang members.
Business woman Truong My Lan, front center, attends a trial in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam on Thursday, April 11, 2024. (Thanh Tung/VnExpress via AP)
HANOI, Vietnam (AP) — The unusually harsh death sentence given to a real estate tycoon in Vietnam was a pivotal moment in the decadelong “Blazing Furnace” anti-corruption campaign as the Vietnamese business community wrestled with an uncertain future Friday.
Real estate tycoon Truong My Lan, who was sentenced to death Thursday by a court in Ho Chi Minh city for orchestrating the country’s largest ever financial fraud case, was one of Vietnam’s most important businesspeople for years. She has been convicted for fraud amounting to $12.5 billion — nearly 3% of the country’s 2022 GDP — and for illegally controlling a major bank and allowing loans that resulted in losses of $27 billion, state media outlets reported.
Vietnam typically gives death penalties crimes like terrorism or murder and, according to Amnesty International, has among the highest rates of capital punishment worldwide. But a death sentence for a financial crime is rare in the country.
Defendants attend a trial for their involvement in a $12.5 billion fraud case in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam on Thursday, April 11, 2024. . (Thanh Tung/ VNExpress via AP).
Thursday’s sentencing marked a “big turning point” in the ongoing anti-corruption drive in Vietnam, said Nguyen Khac Giang, an analyst at Singapore’s ISEAS-Yusof Ishak Institute.
“It signals that the party’s commitment to a crackdown on corruption has … expanded,” he said.
The Communist Party’s so-called Blazing Furnace campaign began in 2013, but it wasn’t until 2018 that authorities began scanning the private sector. Since then, several owners of Vietnam’s fast-growing businesses have been arrested. The trial for Trinh Van Quyet — the former chair of the real estate company FLC, which also owns Vietnam’s third-largest airline, Bamboo Airways — will likely be heard next. He was arrested in 2022. Giang said Lan’s trial was “an example” for upcoming cases.
The anti-corruption campaign is a hallmark of Communist Party General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong, Vietnam’s top politician. The 79-year-old ideologue views corruption as a grave threat facing the party and has vowed that the campaign will be a “blazing furnace” where no one is untouchable.
It’s making foreign investors jittery while dampening Vietnam’s economic outlook at a time when the country has been positioning itself as the ideal home for businesses looking to shift their supply chains away from China. Vietnam already lost two presidents in a little over a year and the country’s bureaucracy has ground to a halt with terrified officials choosing to do nothing lest they be in the crosshairs.
Lan’s death sentence sent “shockwaves” across the Vietnamese business community, creating a “sense of uncertainty” about the future, said Giang.
Business woman Truong My Lan attends a trial in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam on Thursday, April 11, 2024. (Thanh Tung/VnExpress via AP)
The real estate sector in particular is floundering. An estimated 1,300 property firms withdrew from the market in 2023 and high-rises lie empty in major cities like Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh. Add to this poor global demand and reduced public investment slowing Vietnam’s economic growth down to 5.05% last year, compared to 8.02% in 2022, according to government data.
Meanwhile, despite the long campaign against graft, public opinion about corruption in Vietnam remains mixed, according to an annual survey built on interviews with nearly 20,000 people known as the Vietnam Provincial Governance and Public Administration Performance Index. It found that, while fewer people were asked for bribes, the number of people who felt the government was serious about fighting corruption had actually dipped in 2023 from the previous year.
Giang said that these were now “uncharted waters” for Vietnam, making it impossible to predict what lay next.
“We haven’t really seen anything like this before,” he said.
Thai locals and tourists play with water guns during the Songkran water festival to celebrate the Thai New Year in Bangkok, Thailand, Saturday April 13, 2024. (AP Photo/Tananchai Keawsowattana)
It’s water festival time in Thailand where many are marking the country’s traditional New Year, splashing each other with colorful water guns and buckets in an often raucous celebration that draws thousands of people, even as this year the Southeast Asian nation marks record-high temperatures causing concern.
The festival, known as Songkran in Thailand, is a three-day shindig that starts Saturday and informally extends for a whole week, allowing people to travel for family celebrations. The holiday is also celebrated under different names in neighboring Myanmar, Cambodia and Laos, which like Thailand have populations that are predominantly Theravada Buddhist.
A woman reacts as a bucket of water is splashed on her during the Songkran water festival to celebrate the Thai New Year in Prachinburi Province, Thailand, Saturday April 13, 2024. (AP Photo/Wason Wanichakorn)
Songkran is immensely popular — predicted this year to attract more than 500,000 foreign tourists and generate more than 24 billion baht ($655 million) in revenue, according to the state tourism agency. Past Thai governments have been reluctant to call for dialing down the fun even during crises such as droughts and the pandemic.
Though the festival originated as a way to pray for a rainy season that helped crops and included activities such as cleansing images of the Buddha and washing the hands and feet of elders, Songkran these days is now often associated with public drunkenness, sexual assault in the guise of merrymaking, and a spike in traffic fatalities, noticeable to the point that the extended holiday has been dubbed the “seven dangerous days.”
The festival usually falls at the hottest time of the year when temperatures can creep above 40 degrees Celsius (104 Fahrenheit).
But this year, the unusual heat wave, with expected record temperatures for the next few months, has triggered apprehension. The United Nations Children’s Fund warned Thursday the sweltering weather could put millions of children’s lives at risk, asking caregivers to take extra precautions.
People holding umbrellas walk by the Grand Palace in Bangkok, Thailand, Friday, April 5, 2024. Thailand, Cambodia and other countries in this region are celebrating with their annual water festivals as they also suffer through the global heat wave. (AP Photo/Sakchai Lalit)A visitor with an umbrella walks downstairs of the Golden Mount inside the Buddhist Wat Saket temple complex in Bangkok, Thailand, Tuesday, April 9, 2024. (AP Photo/Sakchai Lalit)
The UNICEF statement said in the Asia-Pacific region, “around 243 million children are exposed to hotter and longer heatwaves, putting them at risk of a multitude of heat-related illnesses, and even death.”
Heat waves can be lethal as they affect the ability to breathe, making the old and young particularly vulnerable.
Benjamin Horton, director of the Earth Observatory of Singapore where natural phenomena such as climate change are studied, said three factors determine heat waves; El Nino, a natural, temporary and occasional warming of part of the Pacific, an increase in global temperatures and human-induced climate change.
A woman reacts as a bucket of water is splashed on her during the Songkran water festival to celebrate the Thai New Year in Prachinburi Province, Thailand, Saturday April 13, 2024. (AP Photo/Wason Wanichakorn)
The poor are particularly vulnerable to heat waves, exacerbated in many Southeast Asian cities where concrete buildings make the weather more stifling and few trees provide shade, he said.
Horton added that the past year saw record-high global average temperatures and the heat waves in Southeast Asia were mirroring that trend, adding that “it is only going to get worse.”
The entirety of the Mekong Delta, which includes Vietnam as well as Myanmar, Laos, Thailand and Cambodia, saw extreme heat, with parts of Laos and Thailand seeing temperatures that were 5-7 degrees Celsius (41-44.6 degrees Fahrenheit) more than the average between April 3-9, according to the Mekong Dam Monitor program of the Stimson Center in Washington D.C.
This extreme heat also means less water for hydropower dams to produce energy.
“Heat waves put a significant strain on power systems, from surging energy demand to compromising grid capacity. Hydropower generation is particularly impacted” when heat results in drought over multiple years, according to Dimitri Pescia, director for Southeast Asia at the German-based thinktank Agora Energiewende
“The cumulative effects, amplified by climate change, cause great distress to society and ecosystems,” he said.
A man reacts as a bucket of water is splashed on him during the Songkran water festival to celebrate the Thai New Year in Prachinburi Province, Thailand, Saturday April 13, 2024. (AP Photo/Wason Wanichakorn)
Singapore’s Horton said earth-warming carbon emissions needed a drastic cutting down as people learned to adapt to the new climate which included learning the dangers of overly hot weather and for authorities to create an emergency response to warn people about high temperatures beforehand and provide them with areas to cool down when needed.
Last week, the Philippines suspended classes in more than 5,800 public schools and shifted to home-based and online learning to protect millions of students from the scorching heat.
Schools in several cities, including the congested capital Manila, shifted classes to early morning to avoid sweltering noontime and afternoon temperatures. Also, tens of thousands of students in grade and high schools were allowed to alternate between going to school and online classes every other day, officials said.
Manila Mayor Honey Lacuna-Pangan, a medical doctor, said they have limited outdoor activities especially if the heat index rises to an extreme level. “If people don’t have urgent tasks outside, the best precaution really is to stay indoors.”
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Anirudda Ghosal and Jintamas Saksorncha reported from Bangkok. Associated Press writers Sopheng Cheang in Phnom Penh, Cambodia and Jim Gomez in Manila, Philippines contributed to this report. Asia Business Climate correspondent Aniruddha Ghosal reported from Hanoi, Vietnam.
Thai military personnel on an armored vehicle keep guard along the Moei river on the Thai side, under the 2nd Thai-Myanmar Friendship Bridge in Mae Sot in Thailand's Tak province on Friday, April 12, 2024. (AP Photo/Sakchai Lalit)
JERRY HARMER and JINTAMAS SAKSORNCHAI, MAE SOT — Thailand’s foreign minister on Friday said he urged Myanmar’s military authorities not to violently respond to its army’s loss of an important border trading town to its opponents, and that so far they seemed to be exercising restraint.
Parnpree Bahiddha-Nukara spoke during a visit to Mae Sot, which lies directly across a river from Myanmar’s Myawaddy, where army troops abandoned their last defensive position early Thursday.
Their hasty escape ceded virtual control of the busy trading town to guerrillas of the ethnic Karen National Union and its allies, including members of the pro-democracy People’s Defense Forces.
Thai Foreign Minister Parnpree Bahiddha-Nukara arrive at the 1st Thai-Myanmar Friendship Bridge in Mae Sot in Thailand’s Tak province on Friday, April 12, 2024. (AP Photo/Sakchai Lalit)
Myanmar’s once-mighty armed forces have suffered a series of unprecedented defeats since last October, losing swathes of territory including border posts to both ethnic fighters and guerrilla units. Civilians took up arms after the generals seized power in 2021 from the elected government of Aung San Suu Kyi. The military has frequently hit back heavily, using air power.
Maj. Gen. Zaw Min Tun, spokesman for Myanmar’s military government, told the BBC’s Burmese language service Thursday night that the soldiers at the army’s last base outside Myawaddy town abandoned the post for the safety of their families who were living with them. He said Myanmar was in talks with Thailand about getting them safely back, and acknowledged that Karen guerrillas were inside the town.
There is concern that the Myanmar military might launch a concerted counter- attack against Myawaddy, which could send thousands fleeing into Thailand for safety and badly disrupt border trade.
Thai military personnel on an armored vehicle keep guard along the Moei river on the Thai side, under the 1st Thai-Myanmar Friendship Bridge in Mae Sot in Thailand’s Tak province on Friday, April 12, 2024. (AP Photo/Sakchai Lalit)
Speaking to reporters after inspecting the area, Foreign Minister Parnpree said Thailand had already spoken with Myanmar’s military and told them they did not wish to see violence, offering Thailand’s help.
“Now, what we are most concerned about is that we want to see peace in Myawaddy, not only because of the trading, but it’s our neighbor,” he said. “We do not wish for any violence to happen. If talks are possible, among their groups, we will be very welcoming of that, and if they want us to be the mediator, we are ready to help coordinating.”
He said he hoped there could be talks between the opposing sides to prevent retaliatory attacks.
“We have already sent people to talk to them. And for the situation today, they already said that there will not yet be any violent retaliation. If they wanted to be violent, they would have already done that days ago.”
On Friday evening, however, there were at least two loud explosions emanating from the area on the Myanmar side of one of the two bridges connecting Myawaddy and Mae Sot. Their cause could not immediately be discovered.
Residents from both sides of the river said earlier there have been frequent explosions in the past few days from airstrikes against captured positions outside Myawaddy town, but that Friday was quiet. Thai immigration officials said visitor numbers from Myanmar were unexceptional.
But for some, the quiet was the problem. A Myawaddy resident who only gave his name as Sulai told The Associated Press it unnerved him so he fled.
“They fear the quiet. They are afraid of silence with no sound of fighting. Those with experience say it means the fight is much more likely to continue,” he said.
Thai troops were keeping watch in Mae Sot on Friday, especially near the bridges. Besides reassuring residents of their safety, they served to block pockets of trapped Myanmar soldiers from slipping across the border.
On the Myanmar side, a small group of men lounged in the stifling heat. Thai troops said they were from the Border Guard Force, a Karen group that was aligned with Myanmar’s military who recently severed their links.
Lightning illuminates the sky behind the gunner on a Thai military armored vehicle, as he keeps watch along the Moei river, under the 2nd Thai-Myanmar Friendship Bridge in Mae Sot in Thailand’s Tak province on Friday, April 12, 2024.(AP Photo/Sakchai Lalit)
The Karen National Union — the leading political body for the Karen ethnic minority — said in a statement on its Facebook page on Friday that it will establish administrative mechanisms, prevent illicit businesses, contraband and human trafficking and implement stability and law enforcement as well as facilitate trade in the Myawaddy area when it secures its position there.
The KNU said it’s deeply concerned about the security of the people living on both sides of the border, seeks to have stability and access to humanitarian aid and is working to achieve meaningful cooperation with the Thai government and local and international partner organizations.
The Karen, who are native to the eastern state of Kayin, have been fighting for more than seven decades for greater autonomy from Myanmar’s central government. A wider struggle including other ethnic minority groups and pro-democracy militants began after the army’s 2021 takeover.
The Karen make up a large part of about 90,000 refugees from Myanmar who live in nine long-term refugee camps in Thailand after fleeing previous rounds of fighting.
The army’s setbacks of the past few months have been noted by Myanmar’s neighbors, who have generally been wary of intervening in the crisis there, said Moe Thuzar, a Myanmar scholar who is a senior fellow at Singapore’s ISEAS-Yusof Ishak Institute.
“Already, we have heard the Thai prime minister acknowledge that the Myanmar military is losing strength. How will the various opposition forces coordinate and consolidate these gains towards the resistance’s stated objectives for the country’s political future, is yet unclear,” she told The Associated Press in an email. “Unclear too, is how neighboring capitals will react or respond to the implications of the change in tax and administrative control of these border crossings.”
Khao San Road Songkran water fight is officially on April 12, 2024. (Khaosod Photo/ Somjit Jaichuen)
BANGKOK – The Songkran Festival is currently celebrated across Thailand, and the government expects this festival to increase revenue in the second quarter of this year.
Ms. Thapanee Kiatphaibool, Governor of the Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT), announced that the TAT expects total tourism revenue of 613.6 billion baht for the second quarter of 2024 (April-June). The main factors behind this growth are the “Maha Songkran World Water Festival 2024”, which takes place April 1-21.
TAT expects theMaha Songkran World Water Festival 2024 will inspire more travel and tourism activities during April 12–16, resulting in 24.42 billion baht in overall tourism revenue, an increase of 18% when compared to the same period in 2023.
This constitutes 8.76 billion baht from international tourism and 15.66 billion baht from domestic tourism, with 510,000 visitor arrivals and 4.29 million domestic trips.
Ms. Thapanee Kiatphaibool, Governor of the Tourism Authority of Thailand (center)
Songkran celebrations in Bangkok are expected to generate 3.69 billion baht in revenue and attract 653.590 domestic trips, while the Bangkok Metropolitan Administration organised a full-scale event with up to 118 points by dividing Songkran into two styles: “little wet” cultural activities, including events at Sanam Luang from April 12 to 14, and “very wet” spashing water activities, highlighted at Khao San Road, Phra Nakhon District, Khao San World Water Festival UNESCO 2024, and Silom Road.
As a result, TAT expects that in the second quarter, domestic trips will account for 44.4 million, generating 245.7 billion baht in revenue, an increase of 19 percent and 17 percent, respectively.
For foreign tourists, 8,272,300 arrivals are expected, an increase of 29 percent compared to the same period last year and and accounting for 92 percent of 2019.
This will generate revenue of 367.9 billion baht, an increase of 25 percent compared to the previous year and and accounting for 95 percent of 2019.
Khao San Road Songkran water fight is officially on April 12, 2024. (Khaosod Photo/ Somjit Jaichuen)
Domestic tourism in the first quarter of 2024 (January-March) grew year-on-year with 41.18 million domestic trips, an increase of 10 percent, and 228.1 billion baht in tourism revenue, an increase of 8 percent.
The main factors for this growth were a strong upswing in domestic tourism with 1.3 million more visitors than the 8 million in the October-December 2023 period and the total of 9,381,098 foreign tourists visiting Thailand, an increase of 44 percent, which generated 476 billion baht in tourism revenue, also an increase of 44 percent compared to the same period in 2023.
ASEAN, Europe and South Asia have recovered to pre-pandemic levels, while Northeast Asia has recovered well at 67 percent of 2019 levels, exceeding expectations.
The top 10 source markets for foreign tourists to Thailand are: China, Malaysia, Russia, South Korea, India, Germany, Laos, United States, United Kingdom, and Japan. Together, these 10 markets account for 65 percent of all foreign tourist arrivals to Thailand.
Mr. Tharatit na Pattalung, 33, pointed at his car, which was damaged by an American visitor.
PHUKET – A Thai man was stunned to witness an American man abruptly smash his car with a brick in front of Phuket’s hotel.
Police officers from Wichit Police Station, Phuket Province, received a complaint from Mr. Tharatit na Pattalung, 33, stating that on April 11, 2024, at around 5:30 a.m., while he was parking his car in front of the Seabed Hotel in Wichit Subdistrict, Phuket Province, a foreigner, later identified as Mr. Denny, a 46-year-old American citizen, took a brick and smashed his car, causing damage to the driver’s door and the front passenger door glass.
He therefore filed a complaint with the investigating officer to prosecute Mr. Denny Ian Martini for destruction of property.
The driver’s door and the front passenger door glass were damaged by a 46-year-old American visitor in Phuket.
The police arrested the suspect. The victim said he did not know the foreigner and had never seen him before. He usually parks in the same place. The foreigner himself continues to make contradictory statements and says he saw his wife in the car or his phone in the car and smashed the car window to get the phone.
The insurance company initially estimates the damage at around 20,000 baht for the door and the glass. There may also be other damage. The injured party must take the car to the garage for repairs and rent a car in the meantime. He may have to claim additional costs from the foreigner, but he does not know when the two will be able to communicate effectively.
The American man claimed to have seen his wife or his phone in the car and smashed the car window to get the phone.
On April 12, the police officers revealed that they had charged him with causing others to lose their property.
According to Thai law, Section 358 of the Criminal Code states that whoever is damaging, destroying, causing the depreciation of value, or rendering useless the property belonging to the other person, of which the other person is the co-owner, shall be said to commit mischief and shall be imprisoned for not more than three years, fined for not more than 60,000 Baht, or both.
BANGKOK – Rangnam’s Songkran Festival begins with a spectacular kickoff, showcasing the soft power of Thai traditions and the uniqueness of the Rangnam neighbourhood. The event, which runs from now to April 16, confirms Rangnam’s reputation as the top festival destination in Thailand.
The “Rangnam’s Songkran Festival Muan-Nuk-Suk-Khak” event kicked off with splendour, showcasing the Songkran tradition in a contemporary light, featuring local Thai culture from all four regions in one location.
Over six days, the event boasts a diverse lineup of actors, actresses, and artists, coinciding with the “RANGNAM WATER STREET BY SUPERFLUID” music festival. This highlights Rangnam as a new and creative tourism destination in Bangkok, appealing to both Thai locals and tourists from around the globe.
The opening ceremony was graced by Prime Minister Srettha Thavisin. Experience the thrilling world of splashes from today until April 16 at King Power Rangnam.
The opening ceremony on April 11, 2024, was graced by Prime Minister Srettha Thavisin.
Entering its 35th year, King Power Group, in collaboration with the Bangkok Metropolitan Administration (BMA), Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT), Siam Commercial Bank Public Company Limited, and the Rangnam community, is organising the ‘Rangnam’s Songkran Festival’ event, from today until April 16, 2024.
This year’s Songkran event is themed “Muan-Nuk-Suk-Khak” (enjoyment, fun, happiness, and excitement).
The event was graced by Prime Minister Srettha Thavisin, who chaired the opening ceremony. Also in attendance were Sermsak Pongpanit, Minister of Culture; Sudawan Wangsuphakijkosol, Minister of Tourism and Sports; Krisada Chinavicharana, Deputy Minister of Finance; Bangkok Governor Chadchart Sittipunt; Thapanee Kiatphaibool, Governor of the Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT); Paetongtarn Shinawatra, Deputy Chairperson of the National Soft Power Strategy Committee; Wantanee Wattana, Permanent Secretary of the Bangkok Metropolitan Administration (BMA); and Tanapot Parksuwan, SEVP, Chief Wholesale Banking Officer at Siam Commercial Bank PCL.
The event also featured a parade from the four regions and the “Muan-Nuk-Suk-Khak” caravan led by Bow-Maylada Susri, Phi Phi-Krit Amnuaydechkorn, and Engfa Waraha.
Mr. Aiyawatt Srivaddhanaprabha, Chief Executive Officer of King Power Group
Mr. Aiyawatt Srivaddhanaprabha, Chief Executive Officer of King Power Group, said with a vision of conducting business under the concept of “Power Your World,” he believe in all possibilities that can be achieved to the fullest.
“We are committed to propelling our organisation forward and transforming the Rangnam neighbourhood into a new, creative economy-driven tourism landmark in Bangkok. We have transformed over 4,000 square meters into a creative and fun-filled space for the ‘Rangnam’s Songkran Festival’, aligning with the government’s soft power policy by showcasing the beauty of Thai culture and local identity.
Our goal is to position the Rangnam area as a destination for celebrating various festivals, fostering a creative tourism district. This initiative aims to provide tourists with an unforgettable experience while generating income for the surrounding communities,” he stated.
Participants are assured of the grandest variety of activities throughout the six-day event. Celebrating the “Muan” (enjoyment) theme, the Grand Songkran Procession showcases over 40 celebrity artists parading daily.
These celebrities, including Miss Songkran of the Year 2024, Yaya Urassaya Sperbund, together with Phi Phi-Krit Amnuaydechkorn, Bow-Maylada Susri, Engfa Waraha, Jeff-Worakamol Satoe, Gemini-Norawit Titicharoenrak, and Fourth-Nattawat Jirochtikul, are leading the event’s activities.
Additionally, beauty queens such as Amanda Obdam, Maria Poonlertlarp, Namtan-Chalita Suansane, Anchilee Scott-Kempis, Nat-Aniporn Chalermburanawong, Yoshi-Rinrada Thurapan, and First-Phattharaphon Wang will also be part of the parade.
For the “Nuk” (fun) theme, participants will enjoy grand entertainment, including mini-concerts featuring artists from all over Thailand such as Nont-Tanont Chumroen, Oat-Pramote Pathan, PROXIE band, Ja R-Siam (Nongpanee Mahadthai), as well as performances from the Likay Song Thepbut Soodtee Rak (Two Beloved Demigods) troupe, Sunthraphon and Khluen Luk Mai Sunthraphon (New Wave Sunthraphon), and Ping Ping and Toto from The Golden Song, among others.
For the “Suk” (happiness) theme, treat yourself to a wide array of delicious dishes from over 50 renowned Thai restaurants and food stalls in the Rangnam area.
Indulge in specialties like Pa Paed Grilled Meatballs Buriram, Tidlom Moo Tod Pla Ra (known for its fried pork with dipping sauce), Yam Naem Khao Krob Jea Aom (featuring crispy rice balls with fermented pork sausage and a spicy dressing), Madame Sai Ua (serving the iconic northern Thai sausage),
Chaffeine, Khao Kha Moo Trok Sung (renowned for its braised pork leg rice), Heng Pure Bang Rak Grass Jelly, Lod Chong Wat Jes Soi 6 Mahachai, Pad Thai Grandma Sri, Pla Jap Lak, Sanae Khao Soi, Sanae Khao Puk Sesame Honey Mochi, Auntie Bum Ba Bin Coconut Namhom, Pandan Jelly Drink Soi Mangkorn, Ko Inter, Miang Kleab Bua, Jae Beer Talay Tod (famous for its deep-fried mixed seafood), Stupid Fries Gyoza, Jae Im Chicken Rice, Aum & Napa Thai Desserts, and Jeep Roj Khot Aroi, and many more.
Simply scan and pay with the SCB EASY app at restaurants displaying the Mae Manee signs at the event. For every accumulated spending of 100 baht or more, receive a game coupon worth 200 baht (limited to 100 coupons per day, 1 coupon per person).
Amping up the exciting “Khak” theme with fantastic value promotions, King Power members who have booked flights can enjoy discounts of up to 25%. If you don’t have a flight booked, you can still shop for blue-label products and take them home immediately. Not yet a member? No problem!
Apply for a free King Power NAVY membership and receive a 1,000-baht discount coupon. These promotions are available from April 1-16, 2024, at King Power Rangnam, Srivaree, Pattaya, and Phuket.
Exclusive offer from April 11-16, 2024: Get a gift voucher worth 200 baht and one piece of elephant pants or loincloth (limited quantity). Plus, for King Power members, there’s an added perk: the chance to be one of 30 special individuals to participate in a photography activity and receive a special drink from the celebrity artists (limited to one right per person per day) at King Power Rangnam.
Additionally, for holders of a joint King Power and SCB CardX credit card, you can enjoy cashback of up to 10,000 baht and receive an extra 10,000 reward points between April 1 and 16 at King Power Rangnam.
From April 13 to 15, Rangnam will be transformed into a water-splashing street, featuring the most exciting music festival through water, “RANGNAM WATER STREET BY SUPERFLUID”, under the concept of “Endless Colours.” This event aims to create an experience filled with enjoyment, fun, happiness, and excitement.
The festival will include a lineup of T-POP artists and famous DJs who will join to splash fun this summer. Join forces with Ink-Waruntorn Paonil, Ally-Achiraya Nitibhon, Trinity Band, Oabnithi Wiwattanawarang, JJ-Kritsanapoom Pibulsonggram, Tytan Teepprasan, and artists from the HIGH CLOUD label to establish Rangnam as the new Songkran landmark in Bangkok.
Throughout the event, visitors can be immersed in the tradition of bathing Buddha images for the Thai New Year, dress in Thai costumes, take free photos, participate in fortune-telling sessions based on the 4 fortune-telling sciences, and engage in temple games. Don’t miss the “bath water on Buddha images” activity, believed to bring good fortune.
The event features Buddha images from various regions: the reproduction of Luang Pho Sothon from the Central region, Phra Sri Sakyamuni Sri Thammarat from Wat Phra Borommathat Woramahawihan in the Southern region, Phra Buddha Sihing with a lap width of 9 inches from the Northern region, and Luang Por Phra Sai with a lap width of 9 inches from the North-eastern region.
The event recreates the Songkran atmosphere from across Thailand in one location, with each zone representing a different aspect: the “Nuk” (fun) zone featuring the ambiance of Dibuk Road in Phuket; the “Muan” (enjoyment) Zone embodying the spirit of Tha Phae Road in Chiang Mai; the King Power Junction Zone (train station); the “Suk” (happiness) zone representing the vibrancy of Khao San Road in Bangkok; and the “Khak” (excitement) zone reminiscent of Khao Niew Road in Khon Kaen. Visitors can also enjoy delicacies from 50 participating restaurants along the way and marvel at the stunning flower canal.
Don’t miss out on ‘Rangnam’s Songkran Festival’, where you can experience the fun of Songkran from all over Thailand in one event from April 11-16, 2024, from 10:00-21:00. Additionally, enjoy the “RANGNAM WATER STREET BY SUPERFLUID” from April 13-15, 2024, from 16:30-21:00 at King Power Rangnam.
Those keen on participating can stay updated on further event details via Facebook: King Power.
File - The Instagram logo is seen on a cell phone in Boston, USA, Oct. 14, 2022. (AP Photo/Michael Dwyer, File)
LONDON (AP) — Instagram said it’s deploying new tools to protect young people and combat sexual extortion, including a feature that will automatically blur nudity in direct messages.
The social media platform said in a blog post Thursday that it’s testing out the features as part of its campaign to fight sexual scams and other forms of “image abuse,” and to make it tougher for criminals to contact teens.
Sexual extortion, or sextortion, involves persuading a person to send explicit photos online and then threatening to make the images public unless the victim pays money or engages in sexual favors. Recent high-profile cases include two Nigerian brothers who pleaded guilty to sexually extorting teen boys and young men in Michigan, including one who took his own life, and a Virginia sheriff’s deputy who sexually extorted and kidnapped a 15-year-old girl.
Instagram and other social media companies have faced growing criticism for not doing enough to protect young people. Mark Zuckerberg, the CEO of Instagram’s owner Meta Platforms, apologized to the parents of victims of such abuse during a Senate hearing earlier this year.
Meta also owns Facebook and WhatsApp but the nudity blur feature won’t be added to messages sent on those platforms.
Instagram said scammers often use direct messages to ask for “intimate images.” To counter this, it will soon start testing out a nudity protection feature for direct messages that blurs any images with nudity “and encourages people to think twice before sending nude images.”
“The feature is designed not only to protect people from seeing unwanted nudity in their DMs, but also to protect them from scammers who may send nude images to trick people into sending their own images in return,” Instagram said.
The feature will be turned on by default globally for teens under 18. Adult users will get a notification encouraging them to activate it.
Images with nudity will be blurred with a warning, giving users the option to view it. They’ll also get an option to block the sender and report the chat.
For people sending direct messages with nudity, they will get a message reminding them to be cautious when sending “sensitive photos.” They’ll also be informed that they can unsend the photos if they change their mind, but that there’s a chance others may have already seen them.
Instagram said it’s working on technology to help identify accounts that could be potentially be engaging in sexual extortion scams, “based on a range of signals that could indicate sextortion behavior.”
To stop criminals from connecting with young people, it’s also taking measures including not showing the “message” button on a teen’s profile to potential sextortion accounts, even if they already follow each other, and testing new ways to hide teens from these accounts.
BANGKOK – Nippon Paint aimed to further its strategy declared earlier in the year to ascend to the top leadership position in the Thai paint and coating industry by 2026. Currently it has kicked off with the new brand tagline ‘Inspired by You’ Advertising Campaign to establish a memorable brand distinct from its competitors.
The initiative is accompanied by a comprehensive and continuous 360-degree marketing campaign, aiming to solidify its position in the market.
Mr. Watchara Siririthichai, General Manager of Nippon Paint Decorative Coatings (Thailand) Co., Ltd., the manufacturer, and distributor of “Nippon Paint” in Thailand, from Japan, as the No.1 paint in Asia and the fourth in the world, emphasized the positive factors and challenges facing Nippon Paint’s business this year.
The architectural paint business has been impacted by challenges stemming from the downturn in the real estate industry. Nippon Paint seeks new opportunities to stimulate continuous growth to achieve two main objectives: total sales of 11 billion baht in 2024, the highest in 57 years of Nippon Paint Decorative Coatings (Thailand) Co., Ltd., and becoming the number one leader in the paint and coating industry in Thailand with sales of over 15 billion baht by 2026.
“The sales target for this year is to increase by 20% from the previous year, while the overall market is growing by only 5%. Therefore, relying solely on organic growth is not enough. Instead, we will leverage our internal organizational changes, along with the vision of ‘Inspired by You,’ as the main principle,” said Watchara.
He added that the following plan is the approach of ‘Think Global Act Local,’ which focuses on three key aspects: Customer Centric, which prioritizes all customer segments and proactively seeks to understand customer requirements; Customized Solution, which involves developing products and solutions that meet and solve customer needs; and Concrete Innovation, where quality and standards must be demonstrably tested. Moving forward.
“Every step of our work process will be guided by the vision of ‘Inspired by You,’ whether it’s product development, service, logistics, marketing, branding, or customer communication.” Mr. Watchara stated.
Mr. Watchara added that this year, there will be two major changes for Nippon Paint: the development of products aimed at addressing the specific needs of each customer group, and the expansion of existing customer base to include B2C groups. This is a departure from the previous strategy of focusing mainly on B2B and B2G.
The highlight of product development this year lies in the development of specialty paints that streamline the work processes of technicians and construction firms, addressing the issue of labor shortage for project owners by reducing labor costs and dependence on technician skills. This serves to elevate the construction industry in line with Nippon Paint’s mission.
Additionally, there will be developments in decorative paints or Special Effects Coats with reduced prices at the same level of performance and aesthetics, such as texture paints and pattern-making paints, to make them more accessible to project owners. In addition, Product development will also focus on paints tailored specifically for the B2B segment, as well as DIY paints for the B2C group, aiming to simplify processes and alleviate concerns related to technicians.
Furthermore, there will be improvements to Nippon Paint Weatherbond, currently classified as an ultra-premium grade paint utilizing technology from Japan to strengthen the paint film, providing the better durability and longevity of over 15 years. There will also be advancements of Nippon Paint AirCare paint, aimed at promoting health.
Currently, Nippon AirCare Paint is considered ultra-premium grade 15-year paint with a very high standard. Nippon AirCare Paint is the only paint in Thailand to have received the GREENGUARD GOLD Certification, the highest global standard from UL in the United States guaranteeing the harmlessness of toxic VOCs. It is free from volatile organic compounds (Zero VOCs), which are harmful to health.
“Despite being affected by the slowdown in the real estate business, the architectural paint sector represents 50% of the total paint market valued at 60 billion baht. If the planned expansion of the architectural paint into the B2C group is as successful as the tremendous growth in B2B and B2G, reaching the targeted sales of 11 billion baht for this year will be highly feasible, which will also serve as a crucial foundation towards securing the number 1 spot in the paint and coating industry within 3 years,” he said.
Also, Mr. Narongrit Malainual, Marketing director of Nippon Paint Decorative Coatings (Thailand) Co., Ltd. further elaborated on the ‘Inspired by You’ advertising film series, which will serve as a crucial tool for expanding into the B2C customer group.
He mentioned that this advertising film series comes with a new Brand Tagline, “Inspired by you” supported by the highest budget allocation in the past 10-15 years. This advertising film series is aimed at communicating to the main audience in the Gen X and Y as well as Gen Z that Nippon Paint understands the diverse needs in color usage, believes that the diversity of individuals, when combined, fosters creativity and enrichment.
Similar to how the combination of various colors generates positive energy, benefiting mental well-being, reflecting individuality, and personality traits, Nippon Paint is ready to comprehensively deliver all the colors required for a creative world.
