Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Manet Visits Thailand With Busy Schedule To Extend Close Ties

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7 February 2024, 13:48

Thailand Cambodia — Prime Minister Srettha Thavisin, left, escorts Cambodia's Prime Minister Hun Manet after they review an honor guard during a welcoming ceremony at the government house in Bangkok, Thailand, Wednesday, Feb. 7, 2024. (Government Spokesman Office via AP)

BANGKOK (AP) — Cambodia’s Prime Minister Hun Manet on Wednesday made his first official visit to neighboring Thailand since becoming his country’s leader last year, seeking to renew the close ties the two countries have maintained in recent times.

In addition to meeting with his Thai counterpart, Srettha Thavisin, Hun Manet presided over the signing of several documents on bilateral cooperation and was scheduled to have a royal audience with King Maha Vajiralongkorn and address a Thailand-Cambodia business forum.

Hun Manet’s scheduled one-day visit “is an important opportunity for both countries to further strengthen the bilateral cooperation, especially in the economic development of border areas, promotion of two-way trade and investment, closer transportation connectivity, tourism cooperation as well as fostering closer ties between the peoples of the two kingdoms,” the Thai Foreign Ministry said in a statement.

thai hun manet1 — (Government Spokesman Office via AP)

Cambodian government spokesperson Pen Bona said ahead of Hun Manet’s visit to Bangkok that it would reaffirm the close relationship for peace, development and cooperation established by his father and predecessor, Hun Sen. Hun Sen stepped down as prime minister last year after 38 years in power, including periods of tensions with Thailand, especially over territorial disputes.

A Thai government summary of the meeting said the two leaders agreed to enhance cooperation in the exploitation of oil and gas resources in the Gulf of Thailand, where the two countries have competing maritime territorial claims.

Human rights activists say their cooperation extends to the repression of political dissidents. Several Cambodian opposition figures and other government critics who fled to Thailand to escape arrest under Hun Sen’s government were recently detained in Bangkok in an apparent effort to quash possible protests against Hun Manet.

“(Srettha) reassured Prime Minister Hun Manet that it is Thailand’s policy not to allow anyone to use Thailand as a platform to interfere in the internal affairs, or conduct harmful activities against neighboring countries,” said the Thai statement on their talks.

Hun Manet, speaking briefly in front of the media, thanked Thailand for reaffirming its policy of “not allowing Thai territory to be used for any activities for interference in Cambodian internal politics,” apparently referring to the recent detentions.

AP24038209571352 — Thailand’s Prime Minister Srettha Thavisin, listens to national anthems during a welcoming ceremony at the Government House in Bangkok, Thailand, Wednesday, Feb. 7, 2024. (Government Spokesman Office via AP)

Phil Robertson, deputy Asia director of Human Rights Watch, said that “Hun Manet’s public praise for Thailand’s arrest of Cambodian political activists in exile shows that he really is the new face of transnational repression” in the region.

“By trying to wipe out any sign of dissent both in Cambodia, and among the Khmer diaspora, Hun Manet is trying to surpass his father in dictatorial control and rights abusing actions,” Robertson said in an emailed statement.

“Thailand’s leaders should recognize that being a good neighbor is about people too, and not just promoting trade and investment, and doing natural gas deals,” he added.

Hun Manet and Srettha both assumed office on Aug. 22 last year and quickly set their relations on a positive course with congratulatory phone calls to each other. Srettha paid an official visit to Cambodia last September.

Cambodia and Thailand are neighboring countries with generally warm relations. Thailand’s economy dwarfs that of its neighbor, which is one of Asia’s poorest nations. Cambodia sends substantial numbers of laborers to Thailand to fill low-paying jobs, especially in the construction sector.

Srettha told Hun Manet that “Thailand attaches high importance to making sure that Cambodian workers in Thailand receive fair treatment and a proper economic safety net,” according to the Thai summary of the talks.

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Prince Harry Arrives in London After His Father, King Charles III, Is Diagnosed With Cancer

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Associated Press

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7 February 2024, 13:27

Britain Prince Harry Legal Cases — FILE - Prince Harry arrives at the High Court in London, Wednesday, June 7, 2023. (AP Photo/Kin Cheung)

LONDON (AP) — King Charles III’s cancer was caught early and the monarch will “crack on” with his constitutional duties, Britain’s prime minister said Tuesday, as Prince Harry flew in from California for a rare visit with his father.

Royal officials announced Monday that the 75-year-old king has been diagnosed with an undisclosed form of cancer and is receiving treatment as an outpatient.

Less than 18 months into the reign that he’d famously waited decades to begin, Charles suspended public engagements but will continue with state business — including weekly meetings with Prime Minister Rishi Sunak — and won’t be handing over his constitutional roles as head of state.

On Tuesday afternoon, Harry could seen arriving at the king’s Clarence House residence in a black SUV after an overnight flight.

AP24037574999355 — King Charles III leaves Clarence House in London, Tuesday Feb. 6, 2024. Buckingham Palace announced Monday evening that the king has begun outpatient treatment for an undisclosed form of cancer. (James Manning/PA via AP)

The two have a troubled relationship, and Harry has seen his father infrequently since the prince quit royal duties in 2020 and moved to Los Angeles with his wife, Meghan, citing what they said was the unbearable intrusions and racist attitudes of the British media.

Harry, 39, has since detailed his rocky relationship with his family and his royal inheritance in TV interviews, a documentary and a memoir, “Spare.”

About an hour after Harry arrived, Charles and Queen Camilla were driven from their residence to nearby Buckingham Palace in a royal Bentley. The couple waved to tourists and well-wishers gathered outside the palace gates. They then traveled by helicopter to Sandringham, the monarch’s rural residence in eastern England.

Buckingham Palace said the king’s cancer was found during Charles’ recent hospital treatment for an enlarged prostate but is a “separate issue” and not prostate cancer.

“Thankfully, this has been caught early,” Sunak told BBC radio, adding: “We’ll crack on with everything.”

“Many families around the country listening to this will have been touched by the same thing and they know what it means to everyone,” Sunak said. “So we’ll just be willing him on and hopefully we get through this as quickly as possible.”

The palace said Charles, who has generally enjoyed good health, “remains wholly positive about his treatment and looks forward to returning to full public duty as soon as possible.”

AP24037342575102 — Media and broadcasters set up near Canada Gate outside Buckingham Palace as they report the news that King Charles III, has cancer, in London, Tuesday, Feb. 6, 2024. Buckingham Palace says King Charles III has begun outpatient treatment for cancer, the statement issued Monday did not say what type of cancer he has. (AP Photo/Kin Cheung)

Charles became king in September 2022 when his mother, Queen Elizabeth II, died at the age of 96 after 70 years on the throne.

News of the king’s diagnosis comes as his daughter-in-law Kate, Princess of Wales, recovers from abdominal surgery that saw her hospitalized for about two weeks.

Kate is taking a break from royal duties as she recovers. Her husband, Prince William, who is heir to the throne, also took time off to help look after her and the couple’s three children, but is due to preside over a ceremony at Windsor Castle and a charity dinner on Wednesday.

Charles departed from royal tradition with his openness about his prostate condition. For centuries Britain’s royal family remained tight-lipped about health matters.

Disclosing information about his cancer diagnosis — albeit in a limited way — is another break with tradition.

When U.K. monarchs had real power, news of illness was withheld for fear it might weaken their authority. The habit of secrecy lingered after royals became constitutional figureheads.

The British public wasn’t told that Charles’ grandfather, King George VI, had lung cancer before his death in February 1952 at the age of 56, and some historians have claimed that the king himself wasn’t told he was terminally ill.

AP24037330881844 — Two soldiers on guard outside Buckingham Palace one, of the official residences of King Charles III, in London, Tuesday, Feb. 6, 2024.. (AP Photo/Kin Cheung)

In the final years of Elizabeth’s life, the public was told only that the queen was suffering from “mobility issues” when she began to miss public appearances towards the end of her life. The cause of her death was listed on the death certificate simply as “old age.”

When and how much to disclose about illness remains a difficult subject for many public figures. U.S. Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin has been criticized for not telling President Joe Biden or other key leaders that that he was being treated for prostate cancer, even when he was hospitalized in intensive care in January for post-surgery complications.

Buckingham palace said that the king “has chosen to share his diagnosis to prevent speculation and in the hope it may assist public understanding for all those around the world who are affected by cancer.”

Charles took the throne intending to preside over a slimmer monarchy with fewer senior royals carrying out ceremonial public duties. But with Charles and Kate both temporarily sidelined, Harry self-exiled to California and Prince Andrew largely banished from view because of his association with sex offender Jeffrey Epstein, the royal “Firm” risks becoming severely overstretched.

William and Camilla are both expected to take on extra public engagements during the king’s treatment.

There are no current plans to call on the “counsellors of state” — senior royals, including the queen and the heir to the throne — to deputize for the monarch on constitutional duties such as signing legislation and receiving ambassadors.

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King Charles III Has Been Diagnosed With Cancer, Will Halt Public Duties

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Thai Prosecutors Say Former Prime Minister Thaksin Is Being Investigated For Royal Defamation

By

Associated Press

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7 February 2024, 01:48

FILE - Thailand's former Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra greets supporters on his arrival at Don Muang airport in Bangkok, Thailand, on Aug. 22, 2023. (AP Photo/Wason Wanichakorn, File)

JINTAMAS SAKSORNCHAI, BANGKOK — State prosecutors in Thailand said Tuesday they have revived an investigation into whether former Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra almost nine years ago violated the law against defaming the monarch, a crime punishable by up to 15 years in prison.

Thaksin had been charged in 2016 with violating the law on royal defamation — also known as Article 112 — for remarks he made to journalists the previous year when he was in Seoul, South Korea, said Prayut Phetcharakun, a spokesperson for the Office of the Attorney General, at a news conference.

Thaksin, who was ousted by a 2006 military coup, is currently confined to a police hospital in Bangkok where he is serving time for convictions related to corruption and abuse of power. He had been in self-imposed exile since 2008, but voluntarily returned to Thailand in August last year to begin serving an eight-year prison sentence.

He was moved almost immediately to the hospital on grounds of ill health and about a week after that, King Maha Vajiralongkorn reduced his sentence to a single year. The reduction made Thaksin, now 74, eligible to apply for parole after serving at least one-third — four months — of his amended sentence, and could be released later this month.

AP23234116871819 — Thailand’s former Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra prays in front of a portrait of King Maha Vajiralongkorn as he arrives at Don Muang airport in Bangkok, Thailand, Tuesday, Aug. 22, 2023. (AP Photo/Wason Wanichakorn)

The decision to indict Thaksin was made in 2016, but further legal moves were suspended until he could respond to the charges, which he did when the authorities notified him of them in the hospital on Jan. 17, according to Prayut. Thaksin denied any wrongdoing and submitted a letter rebutting the charge, which was added to his case file to be used in deciding whether or not to proceed with prosecuting him, Prayut said.

The announcement from the attorney-general’s office means that if Thaksin gets early release, as is widely expected, he can immediately be taken back into custody on the royal defamation charge.

Thaksin’s return to Thailand last year came the same day that the Pheu Thai party — the latest incarnation of the party that he originally led to power in 2001, and for which he is considered the de facto leader — won a parliamentary vote to form a new government.

AP23234102869196 — Thailand’s former Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra, left, with his daughter Paetongtarn Shinawatra arrives at Don Muang airport in Bangkok, Thailand, Tuesday, Aug. 22, 2023. (AP Photo/Sakchai Lalit)

The previous government was heavily influenced by the military, which continued its hostility toward Thaksin and his allies long after ousting him in 2006. Thaksin’s critics have questioned whether his shift from prison to more congenial surroundings in the hospital reflected special privilege as part of a political deal between his supporters and opponents.

Thaksin became prime minister in 2001 by promoting populist policies and using his telecommunications fortune to build his own political party, and was easily reelected in 2005.

Thailand’s traditional royalist ruling class felt threatened by Thaksin’s popularity. His ouster set off years of sometimes violent confrontations between his supporters and opponents. Political parties with his backing continued to win elections but were forced from power several times by the courts and the army, both bulwarks of royalism.

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Thai Elephant Pants Makers Are Confident In Competing With ‘Made in China’

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Khaosod English

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7 February 2024, 01:32

CHIANG MAI – The issue about elephant pants “Made in China” taking over half of the Thai market has caused the Thai government to take action against goods that violate intellectual property rights.

Kingkarn Samorn, managing director of Shinrada Garment Co., Ltd., a major manufacturer and distributor of elephant pants in Thailand, said to Prachachat Business that the company is not affected by the Chinese production of elephant pants and their export to Thailand.

She said she has been aware of the production of elephant pants in China that resemble or are copied from Thai designs for 3-4 years, but it had not become a big news. The recent news has led to customers calling to express their support and sending messages of encouragement through all communication channels.

elephant pants23 — Khaosod Photo/ Pravit Rojanaphruk

At the same time, foreign customers from Japan, the United States, Canada and Australia will visit the company’s factory in Doi Saket district in February. The company exports 50 percent of its products.

“The Chinese competition has no impact at all on our company. Our customers continue to have confidence in the company’s products and reiterate their support for the Thai elephant pants. The turnover has increased by 20% since December 2023,” she said.

In a comparison of Thai elephant pants produced by Shinrada Garment and Chinese-made ones, there are significant differences in quality, including fabric, pattern placement, and tailoring.

Regarding copyright registration, Kingkarn said that the company has not registered the copyright yet because the company uses many different fabric patterns, not just the elephant pattern. There are also many elephant pants manufacturers in Thailand, so the company sees the issue as one of business sharing.

In the long term, this will further raise the profile of elephant pants and benefit large manufacturers who can produce high quality products at affordable prices. This will also give small traders the opportunity to sell the products, make a career and earn an income, creating more entrepreneurs.

“I believe that elephant pants are 100 percent Thai soft power. I want the government to accelerate the branding of them as soft power and promote Thailand through the elephant pants symbol. I wish it to become a global phenomenon,” Kingkarn stated.

Apart from elephant pants, Korat cat-patterned pants which are also popular, have already been registered as copyrights.

Mr. Phop Tribanyatku, the director of the Nakhon Ratchasima Provincial Chamber of Commerce, stated that Nakhon Ratchasima Province Tourism and Sports is the copyright holder of the “Korat Monogram,” but they allow everyone to freely download this pattern and use it to make products.

cat monogram — The copyright holder of the “Korat Monogram,” allow everyone to freely download this pattern and use it to make products.

Mr. Phop acknowledged that China already has lower costs than Thailand, but he is confident in the superior quality of Thai products.

“I feel we gain more than we lose. Because the Korat Monogram pattern’s primary goal is to promote the province, the distribution of Nakhon Ratchasima Province’s landmark pattern will result in a very high market value for the province,” he said.

Phumtham Wechayachai, deputy prime minister and commerce minister, said on Tuesday that the government is taking temporary measures to control goods entering the country through border checkpoints, especially those with unique elephant symbols. He assured that this will not affect businesses and that traders should not worry. if the goods are counterfeit goods, the government will have to take action. The government will investigate whether these goods have any negative impact on consumers.

“The law does not allow companies to sell counterfeit goods. The law has the power and duty to control and prevent counterfeiting. If we allow it, it will have a negative impact on our exports to other countries. They will not accept it,” the minister said.

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New insights Into Thailand’s Iron Age Log Coffin Culture

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Khaosod English

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6 February 2024, 23:18

Pang Mapha3 — Large wooden coffins mounted on stilts, dating between 2,300 and 1,000 years ago, can be found in Mae Hong Son's caves.

MAE HONG SON – A mortuary practice known as Log Coffin culture characterizes the Iron Age of highland Pang Mapha in northwestern Thailand. Between 2,300 and 1,000 years ago, individuals were buried in large wooden coffins on stilts, mostly found in caves and rock shelters.

An international team of researchers from the Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology in Leipzig, Germany, and the Prehistoric Population and Cultural Dynamics in Highland Pang Mapha Project in Bangkok, Thailand, has now analysed DNA from 33 buried individuals from five Log Coffin sites, and found fascinating new connections between individuals from the same and different sites.

The associated people seem to have been a large, well-connected community, where genetic relatedness played a significant role in the mortuary ritual.

Pang Mapha6 scaled — Deciduous and evergreen forests dominate the limestone karst formations of Highland Pang Mapha.

Deciduous and evergreen forests dominate the limestone karst formations of the northwestern highlands of Thailand. A vast number of caves and rock shelters intersperses the mountains. In over 40 such caves in Mae Hong Son province, large wooden coffins mounted on stilts, dating between 2,300 and 1,000 years ago can be found.

During the Iron Age period, each of these up to several-meter-long coffins was crafted from a single teak tree and features refined carvings of geometric, animal- or human-like shapes at the handles of both ends.

This archaeological assemblage has been studied for over two decades by members of the Prehistoric Population and Cultural Dynamics in Highland Pang Mapha Project, led by Professor Rasmi Shoocongdej, from the Department of Archaeology, Faculty of Archaeology, Silpakorn University.

rasmi scaled — Professor Rasmi Shoocongdej

“Our research examines the relationship between humans and their environments in the seasonal tropics. One crucial aspect is the exploration of the social structure of these prehistoric communities, as well as explaining their connections with other pre-Neolithic, Neolithic and post-Neolithic groups in this region,” says Rasmi Shoocongdej, an archaeologist and senior author of the study.

To understand the genetic profile of the Log Coffin-associated communities, and the connection of individuals buried in different caves, an interdisciplinary team of researchers from Germany and Thailand has analysed the DNA of 33 ancient individuals from five Log Coffin sites. The genomes recovered from the ancient individuals allow the first detailed study of the structure of a prehistoric community from Southeast Asia.

“This project illustrates how ancient DNA can contribute to our understanding of past communities, their every-day life, and their cross-regional connections”, says first author Selina Carlhoff, a researcher in the Department of Archaeogenetics at the Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology.

Complex genetic landscape in post-Neolithic mainland South East Asia

DNA preservation conditions in tropical regions are challenging and limit ancient population genetic studies from Southeast Asia. Most studies were limited to single individuals or small groups representing a country and period, and identifying only broad patterns, such as genetic admixture of farmers from the Yangtze River valley in southern China with the local Hòabìnhian hunter-gather-associated gene pool during the pre-Neolithic.

The current study identifies two separate farmer-associated ancestries in the Log Coffin-associated individuals. One connected to the Yangtze River Valley, and another to the Yellow River valley in China. While previously published individuals from Myanmar, Laos and Vietnam also carry the Yellow River-related ancestry, it was absent in Bronze and Iron Age individuals from Ban Chiang in northeastern Thailand.

These genetic differences mirror cultural differences between the two regions, such as mortuary practices and diet, and point towards separate influence spheres and connections to separate initial migration routes during the Neolithic period.

“Our results contribute to the emerging picture of a complex genetic landscape in post-Neolithic mainland Southeast Asia; however, this study provides successful genetic results from samples in limestone caves from the northwestern highlands of Thailand. Future studies of samples retrieved from open-air archaeological sites in the lowlands seem promising. If possible, they can provide additional insight into the genetic history of Mainland Southeast Asia,” says Wibhu Kutanan, a scientist from Naresuan University, Thailand, involved in the conception of the study.

Detailed analyses of uniparental markers, which can reveal sex-specific demographic histories of Log Coffin-associated groups, will be provided in a forthcoming study. Further archaeogenetic studies in collaboration with local scholars, as well as novel admixture modelling and dating techniques, will illuminate the developing patterns better and enable direct connections to archaeological findings and hypotheses.

First community-level analysis in Southeast Asian archaeology

On the local scale, the study provided the first community-level analysis in Southeast Asian archaeology. To investigate the relations between individuals, the authors used genetic regions that are identical in two individuals, because they were inherited from a common ancestor.

The analysis of so-called IBD blocks (identical-by-descent) helps tracing complex biological relatedness patterns within a site and across regions – and had so far not been applied in archaeogenetic studies of Southeast Asia. The study identified close genetic relatives buried in the same cave system, such as parents and children or grandparents and grandchildren. This cluster of closely related individuals was more distantly connected to all other individuals buried at the site.

While this suggests a selection of burial place under consideration of genetic relatedness, the more distant genetic relationships between Log Coffin sites, a low level of consanguinity, as well as high mitochondrial and low genome-wide diversity suggest that the Log Coffin-associated groups were rather large and constantly connected to each other across different river valleys.

“This result is highly significant, since wooden coffins were also used in other archaeological cultures all over Southeast Asia. Comparing relatedness patterns and cross-regional genetic connections would be a fascinating future collaborative project which could potentially explain the cultural dynamics and population interactions within Southeast Asian and other regions”, says Rasmi Shoocongdej.

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Genomic portrait and relatedness patterns of the Iron Age Log Coffin culture in northwestern Thailand by Selina Carlhoff, Wibhu Kutanan, Adam B Rohrlach, Cosimo Posth, Mark Stoneking, Kathrin Nägele, Rasmi Shoocongdej, and Johannes Krause.

Contact:

Selina Carlhoff, DAG, [email protected]
Rasmi Shoocongdej, Department of Archaeology, Silpakorn University, Bangkok, Thailand, [email protected]
Wibhu Kutanan, Department of Biology, Faculty of Science, Naresuan University, Phitsanulok, Thailand, [email protected]

Krabi Rushes To Handle 120 of Tourist Boats a Day to Pileh Bay

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Khaosod English

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6 February 2024, 22:39

Pi Leh3 — Too many tourist boats led to air pollution from boat exhaust fumes, noise pollution, and an increased risk of boating accidents.

KRABI – Thailand’s top tourist destination, the Phi Phi Islands, is beginning to feel the negative effects of mass tourism, including environmental damage and safety risks for tourists. This has prompted the authorities to take urgent action to improve the situation.

A recent survey conducted by the Noppharat Thara Beach-Mu Ko Phi Phi National Park authorities in cooperation with other relevant authorities has revealed that the popular tourist destination Pi Leh Bay, the second most popular bay after Maya Bay in Ao Nang, Mueang district, Krabi province, is affected by heavy boat traffic.

On average, around 120 boats, including long tail boats and speedboats, enter the bay every day. This has led to air pollution from boat exhaust fumes, noise pollution and an increased risk of boating accidents.

Pi Leh Lagoon, the second most popular bay after Maya Bay in Ao Nang, Krabi province, is affected by heavy boat traffic.

It can also be difficult for tourists to enjoy the landscape due to the crowds. Some even venture outside the designated bathing area to escape the crowds, putting themselves in danger.

Yuthapong Damsrisuk, chief of Noppharat Thara Beach-Mu Ko Phi Phi National Park, said that a meeting of all relevant parties on February 5, 2024, resulted in the following initial measures to regulate tourism in Pi Leh Lagoon: Reducing the number of empty longtail boats entering the bay.

These boats are no longer allowed to park in Pi Leh Laggon or transfer tourists from speedboats to longtail boats. Designation of certain swimming areas in Pi Le Bay, where tourists are only allowed to swim in designated areas.

Pi Leh2 — All boats entering the Pi Leh bay and offering tourist services must be licensed by the Department of National Parks.

All boats entering the bay and offering tourist services must be licensed by the Department of National Parks. Boat operators must also undergo training in tourist services, basic first aid and other areas that help improve tourism while protecting the environment.

These measures were supported by the longtail boat operators, the companies on Phi Phi Island and the companies in Phuket Province associated with tourism on the Phi Phi Islands.

The next step is to present the feedback at the National Park Advisory Committee (PAC) meeting on 20 February to obtain approval for the implementation of the guidelines and regulations for entering Pi Le Lagoon.

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Talkative Elephant Miss Dummy Is Sent North From the South

By

Khaosod English

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6 February 2024, 20:18

HAT YAI – Netizens are currently following the journey of Pang Dummy (Miss Dummy), a 23-year-old intelligent elephant travelling from Hat Yai, Songkhla Province, in the south, to Lampang Province in the north.

Pang Dummy is famous for photos of her sitting and staring out at the sea at Koh Siray, Phuket Province, before being sold to a new owner in Hat Yai District, who then had no money to care for her. He announced her sale again.

This time, Phrakhru Sangkharak Wirawat Weerawatthano, also known as Phrakru Aod, from Wat Chedi Luang in Chiang Mai Province, joined a group of elephant lovers to launch a fundraising campaign and raise 2.1 million baht to buy and find a new home for Pang Dummy.

One of the donors is Ms. Kanchana Silpa-Archa, who helped the elephant Plai Sak Surin when he returned from Sri Lanka to reside in Thailand last year. Pang Dummy will be lived at the Thai Elephant Conservation Centre, the same home of Plai Sak Surin.

dummy3 — On February 6, a fan group from Hat Yai District came to bid goodbye to Miss Dummy.

On February 6, the mahout in charge of Pang Dummy and the elephant camp personnel assisted in her transfer to a 6-wheeled truck, with her fan club from Hat Yai District arriving to help in the delivery of fruit for the elephant. There were also supplies for their meals.

It was quite difficult to get Pang Dummy into the 6-wheel truck because the vehicle is so tall. The mahout stated that the elephant disliked getting inside the car since it was time-consuming and inefficient. However, once she was in the vehicle, she was in a better mood. She raised her trunk to meet her supporters. After eating the fruit, she mumbled occasionally.

Pang Dummy will arrive at the Thai Elephant Conservation Centre on Wednesday. There will be stops along the trip to let her feed and relax, as well as for the mahout and those involved in the elephant’s transportation.

Miss Sirirat Khamdaeng, a fan, said she has been following Pang Dummy for a long time when she spotted a photo of the elephant sitting and looking out at the sea in Phuket Province. I thought she was adorable, clever, and had a lovely voice.

“I will continue to follow her stories as well as pictures online after Pang Dummy has left Hat Yai for the Thai Elephant Conservation Centre in Lampang,” she said.

Ms. Kanchana also stated that she will pay Miss Dummy a visit once everything has been settled.

According to a supporter, Raira Sarawong, this elephant’s communicative character stems from its first owner, who is from Chaiyaphum Province. He hired a mahout from the same province to assist raise her when she was little. This mahout previously trained elephants in China. He has raised Pang Dummy to be free, without chains or hooks, and teaches via talking noises. As a result, the elephant develops a habit of responding and communicating effectively. She has a charming and adorable demeanour.

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Sathorn BKK: More Than Business District at Bangkok Design Week 2024

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Contributor

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6 February 2024, 18:00

BANGKOK – In a lively celebration of community and innovation, Sathorn BKK made its grand debut at Bangkok Design Week 2024 on January 27th. The launch event, titled “Sathorn BKK: More Than A Business District.”, featured an insightful panel discussion at the Thailand Creative & Design Center (TCDC).

This engaging forum set the stage for a dynamic exchange of ideas, aiming to activate the Sathorn community brand, transforming it from its traditional business hub perception into a vision of a multifaceted urban neighborhood brimming with creativity and culture.

Created by Universal Admedia as an initiative to capitalize on the community brand opportunity, the Sathorn BKK brand manifests as a community platform, championing the rich tapestry of the historic neighborhood. This initiative reflects a bold redefinition of the Sathorn brand, transcending its identity as Bangkok’s central business district.

Over the years, Sathorn has evolved into a nexus for an eclectic mix of residents, visitors, and businesses ranging from real estate and finance to embassies. The Sathorn BKK brand’s mission is to interweave the unique essence of Sathorn into Bangkok’s broader narrative, highlighting its vibrant potential for contemporary urban living.

The launch at Bangkok Design Week 2024 marked a significant milestone for Sathorn BKK. The festival, a beacon of Bangkok’s creative and design prowess, attracted over 5,000 attendees from diverse backgrounds, including creators, entrepreneurs, designers, and academics. This international gathering provided a pivotal platform for Sathorn BKK to engage in essential discussions about the city’s future and its role in fostering urban innovation and cultural dynamism.

The inaugural panel, steered by Universal Admedia and Sathorn BKK’s Creative Director, M Aroonrut, was a melting pot of visionary ideas. It featured esteemed industry leaders like Duangporn Songvisava (Chef Bo) of Bo.lan, Thomas Santiwarodom of Mod Kaew Wine Bar, Tatchai Nakapan of the Supanniga Group, and Ben-David Sorum of BY.SORUM. Their collective insights shed light on Sathorn’s influential role in shaping the success and character of Bangkok.

In the heart of the panel discussion, the speakers shared their personal journeys and inspirations behind establishing their businesses in Sathorn. “When we moved to Sathorn,” Santiwarodom said, “it’s much more family-friendly. It wasn’t intentional to become a family spot, but Sathorn itself is kind of shaping the place into one.”

They spoke passionately about how the neighborhood’s dynamic character and evolving landscape had significantly shaped their business identities The panelists expressed a collective desire to see Sathorn flourish with more cultural, communal, and creative spaces, fostering a community that blends business with art, sports, recreation, and lifestyle.

Delving into the nuances of opening a restaurant, they discussed the intricate thought processes involved, from conceptualization to realization, emphasizing the importance of understanding the local palate, cultural context and sustainability.

“What is missing from the F&B industry is environmental awareness as F&B produces a large amount of waste. We have been doing a zero-waste campaign or managing kitchen waste in the best way possible. I believe that F&B will become more sustainable as consumers and entrepreneurs become more aware of how it impacts the environment.” Chef Bo Songvisava said

Comparisons were drawn between Sathorn and other vibrant neighborhoods globally, highlighting similarities in cultural richness and entrepreneurial spirit. In his remarks, Tatchai Nakapan, CEO of Supanniga Group, compared Shibuya and Sathorn Soi 10-12: “Both are small neighborhoods, but full of charisma, built by entrepreneurs passionate about their businesses.” he said.

The session was enriched with valuable advice for aspiring business owners and entrepreneurs, emphasizing the importance of resilience, adaptability, and staying true to one’s vision in the face of challenges. This exchange of ideas not only celebrated Sathorn’s unique qualities but also provided insights into the broader narrative of urban development and entrepreneurial success. “Sathorn is an unpolished gem that needs to be brought back to life,” added Ben-David Sorum.

Sathorn BKK’s launch at Bangkok Design Week 2024 was not just an event – it was the dawn of a new era for the Sathorn community. As the platform introduced itself to both local and international audiences, it established foundational connections that promise to propel Sathorn into a future where business, culture, and community harmoniously coexist.

9 UN Security Council Members Urge a Halt to Airstrikes by Myanmar’s Military

By

Associated Press

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6 February 2024, 17:51

Bangladesh Myanmar — Smoke is seen bellowing from a Myanmar Border Police post following fighting between Myanmar security forces and Arakan Army, an ethnic minority army, in Ghumdhum, Bandarban, Bangladesh, on Monday, Feb. 5, 2024. (AP Photo/Shafiqur Rahman)

UNITED NATIONS (AP) — Nine members of the United Nations Security Council condemned “indiscriminate” airstrikes by Myanmar’s military against civilians before an envoy briefed the council Monday as part of regional efforts to implement a peace plan that has so far been largely ineffective.

The plan, adopted in April 2021 shortly after the military seized power in a takeover that sparked a civil war, calls for the immediate cessation of violence in Myanmar, a dialogue among all concerned parties, mediation by a special envoy from the Association of Southeast Asian Nations, provision of humanitarian aid through ASEAN channels, and a visit to Myanmar by the special envoy to meet all concerned parties.

Veteran diplomat Alounkeo Kittikhoun — the special envoy to Myanmar from this year’s ASEAN chair, Laos, and a former U.N. ambassador — addressed a closed council meeting on behalf of the 10-member Association of Southeast Asian Nations. Kittikhoun committed to implementing ASEAN’s “five-point consensus” for peace in Myanmar through continued “quiet diplomacy,” according to a council diplomat familiar with the meeting who spoke on condition of anonymity because the meeting was private.

The military leadership in Myanmar has so far ignored the plan, and violence and the humanitarian crisis in the country have been growing at a rapid pace.

airstrikes — FILE – A man looks on at homes destroyed after air and artillery strikes in Mung Lai Hkyet displacement camp, in Laiza, Myanmar, on Oct. 10, 2023. (AP Photo, File)

Before the council meeting, nine of the 15 council members stood before reporters to support a statement read by Britain’s U.N. Ambassador Barbara Woodward, which echoed ASEAN’s call urging Myanmar’s armed forces, “in particular, to cease its attacks on civilians and civilian infrastructure.”

The military seized power from the elected government of Aung San Suu Kyi in February 2021, and is facing an armed pro-democracy resistance movement that is assisted by ethnic minority fighting forces. The military stepped up airstrikes after the three ethnic minority armed groups launched a major offensive in late October, seizing towns in the country’s northeast, along with major border crossings for trade with China.

The nine council members — Ecuador, France, Japan, Malta, South Korea, Slovenia, Switzerland, United Kingdom and United States — said that, three years after the military takeover, more than 18 million people need humanitarian aid and 2.6 million remain displaced.

At an ASEAN ministerial meeting on Jan. 29, Lao Foreign Minister Saleumxay Kommasith told reporters that Thailand was moving ahead with plans to provide more humanitarian assistance to Myanmar. The nine nations reiterated the council’s appeal for improved humanitarian access.

They expressed increasing concern at the situation in Rakhine state bordering Bangladesh, where more than 1 million Rohingya Muslims fled starting in August 2017, when the military in Buddhist-dominated Myanmar launched a brutal “clearance operation” against them following attacks by the insurgent Arakan Army.

The Arakan Army is part of the alliance of ethnic minority fighters. A Bangladesh official said Monday that more than 100 members of Myanmar’s Border Guard Police fled fighting with the Arakan Army in Rakhine over the past two days and entered Bangladesh, the first time Myanmar forces have been known to flee the country since the ethnic minority armies’ offensive began.

The nine council nations expressed increasing concern that the Rohingya still in Myanmar, who have faced systematic discrimination for decades, are now contending with more restrictions on freedom of movement, as well as the denial of access to medicine and medical care. They demanded the implementation of the Security Council’s first-ever resolution on Myanmar, passed in December 2022, which calls for an immediate end to violence and immediate release of all “arbitrarily detained” prisoners, including Suu Kyi and former President Win Myint.

Myanmar’s U.N. Ambassador Kyaw Moe Tun, who still represents Suu Kyi’s ousted government, urged the Security Council on Monday to adopt a stronger, enforceable resolution, saying, “Democratic forces are gaining ground and the military junta is losing every day.”

The nine council members said they remain deeply concerned at the lack of progress on the resolution’s call for all parties to respect human rights, fundamental freedoms, the rule of law, and “the democratic will and interests” of people in Myanmar.

kachin — A town in Kachin state, Myanmar. At least 29 people are reported to have died in an attack made by heavy artillery. Photograph: Khin Maung Win/AP

The council diplomat said there was no unanimity at the meeting Monday on next steps, though there was broad concern at the escalating situation across the country with the military fighting on several fronts, the risk of atrocities in Rakhine, and the need for better humanitarian access.

The United States pushed for an enforceable Security Council resolution to prevent Myanmar from getting jet fuel, the council diplomat said.

The U.S., U.K., European Union and others imposed sanctions in 2023 on the provision of aviation fuel to Myanmar, but Amnesty International reported Jan. 31 that new evidence suggests Myanmar’s military is using new tactics to evade sanctions.

The human rights organization called 2023 the worst year for airstrikes in Myanmar since the takeover, and said at least seven shipments of aviation fuel to Myanmar were directly linked to a storage unit in Vietnam, an ASEAN member.

According to the council diplomat, China, which has close ties to Myanmar, emphasized the need to give ASEAN’s efforts time and space. Russia, which also has links to Myanmar, reiterated that the council shouldn’t be interfering in the country’s internal affairs.

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Heavy Snow Leaves More Than 130 Injured in Tokyo

By

Kyodo News

-

6 February 2024, 16:22

TOKYO – Over 130 people were taken to hospital in Tokyo through Tuesday after many slipped and fell due to heavy snowfall in eastern Japan, the Tokyo Fire Department said.

The injured were aged 4 to 92 and none were in a life-threatening condition, it said. In neighboring Kanagawa Prefecture, more than 30 sustained injuries, while more than 50 were slightly hurt in Saitama Prefecture.

The Japan Meteorological Agency lifted its heavy snow warnings across nine prefectures, but snowfall and rain continued in some areas through the morning.

Most sections on East Japan Railway’s Chuo Line and Ome Line that had been temporarily halted were back in operation by Tuesday afternoon.

According to JR East, six express trains were stuck at stations for over 10 hours overnight, forcing over 1,600 passengers to spend the night onboard. One was taken to hospital after feeling unwell.

All Nippon Airways and Japan Airlines canceled around 30 domestic flights, mostly to or from Tokyo’s Haneda airport.

AP24037055850582 — Streets are covered by snow in Toko Tuesday, Feb. 6, 2024, a day after heavy snow hit the Tokyo area. (Kyodo News via AP)

Many passengers in Tokyo’s Shinjuku Station could be seen asking for refunds and changing to other train lines.

“The train was already canceled when I arrived at the station. Business negotiations will have to be postponed to another day,” said a 32-year-old woman who had planned to go to Kofu Station in Yamanashi Prefecture for work.

Through Monday evening, Maebashi in Gunma Prefecture recorded the highest amount of snowfall at 11 centimeters, while central Tokyo and the city of Saitama saw 8 cm each, according to the weather agency.

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