In this photo released by the U.S. Navy The Arleigh Burke-class guided-missile destroyer USS John Finn (DDG 113) prepares to come alongside Lewis and Clark-class dry cargo ship Cesar Chavez (T-AKE-14) in the East China Sea, on Jan. 21, 2024. (Mass Communication Specialist 2nd Class Justin Stack/U.S. Navy via AP)
China sent more than 30 warplanes and a group of navy ships toward Taiwan, the island’s defense ministry said Saturday.
The military pressure comes on the heels of an announcement that senior American and Chinese representatives were expected to meet in the Thai capital as the two countries seek to cool tensions. That summit meeting was seen as an effort to patch up frayed relations due to quarrels over a range of economic and geopolitical issues.
Chinese foreign ministry spokesperson Wang Wenbin confirmed that Wang Yi plans to meet with U.S. National Security Adviser Jake Sullivan. Speaking at a news conference in Beijing, he said the Chinese foreign minister “will make clear China’s position on China-U.S. relations and the Taiwan issue, and exchange views with the U.S. on international and regional issues of mutual concern.”
FILE – This combination of photos shows U.S. National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan, left, in Davos, Switzerland, on Jan. 16, 2024 and Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi in Beijing, on Jan. 9, 2024. (AP Photo, File)
The Chinese People’s Liberation Army sent 33 aircraft, including SU-30 fighters, and six navy vessels around Taiwan, between 6 a.m. Friday to 6 a.m. Saturday. Of these, 13 warplanes crossed the midline of the Taiwan Strait — an unofficial boundary that’s considered a buffer between the island and mainland. Taiwan has monitored the situation and employed its own forces in response to the activities.
China claims self-ruled Taiwan as its own territory and in recent years has shown is displeasure at political activities in Taiwan by sending military planes and ships. Taiwan said six Chinese balloons either flew over the island or through airspace just north of it days after the self-governing island elected Lai Ching-te as the new president. Lai’s Democratic Progressive Party largely campaigned on self-determination, social justice and a rejection of China’s threats.
United States National Security Adviser Jake Sullivan and Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi were both in Bangkok for talks, though it wasn’t clear when the meeting would take place or if it already had.
U.S. President Joe Biden and Chinese President Xi Jinping met on the sidelines of a summit in November in an effort to patch up frayed relations due to quarrels over a range of economic and geopolitical issues. U.S. National Security Council spokesperson Adrienne Watson said the planned meeting in Bangkok continues the commitment Biden and Xi made “to maintain strategic communication and responsibly manage the relationship.”
During talks, Foreign Minister Wang would make clear China’s position on Taiwan and on U.S.-China relations, and discuss international and regional concerns, ministry spokesperson Wang Wenbin said Friday.
An immediate international concern to both countries is tensions in the Red Sea that have upended global trade by forcing many shippers to avoid the Suez Canal. Beijing said it has been making positive efforts to de-escalate the situation in which Iran-backed Houthi rebels have fired missiles at international ships.
Carolina Shiino won the Miss Japan Grand Prix at the contest in Tokyo on Monday, January 22, 2024.
TOKYO (AP) — Crowned Miss Japan this week, Ukrainian-born Karolina Shiino cried with joy, thankful for the recognition of her identity as Japanese. But her Caucasian look rekindled an old question in a country where many people value homogeneity and conformity: What does it mean to be Japanese?
Shiino has lived in Japan since moving here at age 5 and became a naturalized citizen in 2022. Now 26, she works as a model and says she has as strong a sense of Japanese identity as anyone else, despite her non-Japanese look.
Contestants including Carolina Shiino, who won the Miss Nippon (Japan) Grand Prix, center, pose for a photo after the contest in Tokyo, Monday, Jan. 22, 2024 (Miss Nippon Association via AP)
“It really is like a dream,” Shiino said in fluent Japanese in her tearful acceptance speech Monday. “I’ve faced a racial barrier. Even though I’m Japanese, there have been times when I was not accepted. I’m full of gratitude today that I have been accepted as Japanese.”
“I hope to contribute to building a society that respects diversity and is not judgmental about how people look,” Shiino said.
But her crowning triggered a debate over whether she should represent Japan.
Some people said on social media that it was wrong to pick a Miss Japan who doesn’t have even a drop of Japanese blood even if she grew up in Japan. Others said there was no problem with Shiino’s crowning because her Japanese citizenship makes her Japanese.
instagram/karolina0824
Japan has a growing number of people with multiracial and multicultural backgrounds, as more people marry foreigners and the country accepts foreign workers to make up for its rapidly aging and declining population.
But tolerance of diversity has lagged.
Chiaki Horan, a biracial television personality, said on a news program Thursday that she was born in Japan and has Japanese nationality, yet has often faced questions of whether she is really Japanese or why she is commenting on Japan.
“I’ve learned that there are some people who require purity of blood as part of Japanese-ness,” she said. “I wonder if there is a lack of an understanding that there may be people of diverse roots from different places if you just go back a few generations.”
Shiino is only the latest to face the repercussions of questions over what constitutes Japanese.
instagram/karolina0824
Ariana Miyamoto, a native of Nagasaki who has a Japanese mother and an African American father, also faced fierce criticism when she was chosen to represent Japan in the Miss Universe pageant in 2015.
When tennis star Naomi Osaka lit the Olympic cauldron at the opening ceremony of the Tokyo Games in 2021, she was lashed by nationalists on social media for not being “pure Japanese,” though she was also warmly welcomed by many.
Growing up, Shiino said she had difficulty because of the gap between how she is treated because of her foreign appearance and her self-identity as Japanese. But she said working as a model has given her confidence. “I may look different, but I have unwavering confidence that I am Japanese,” she said.
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Mari Yamaguchi reported from Tokyo. AP video journalist Ayaka McGill contributed to this report.
BANGKOK – “Nippon Paint” launches a 3-year strategy to become the leading manufacturer and distributor in Thailand with targets to achieve sales of over 15 billion baht by 2026 that become the No.1 paint and coatings brand in the Thai painting industry.
As a new beginning for the Year of Dragon, the company hosted a Dealer Conference meeting gathering nationwide distributors at the Conrad Bangkok Hotel, while proceeding with marketing strategies to create new movements for the painting market, reinforcing “the Inspired by You” concept with the new strategies. The company is confident that its sales in 2024 will break a new high once again.
Mr. Jon Tan Hon Yiu, Deputy Managing Director of Nippon Paint Malaysia Group (M Group), led the team in announcing the achievements and policies of the Nippon Paint Group around the world, as well as achievements in the Asian region and Thailand, showing its competency to move toward the new strategies, trading goals, and products development to the World Class Standard.
Mr. Watchara Siriritthichai, General Manager of Nippon Paint Decorative Coatings Thailand, a manufacturer and distributor of “Nippon Paint” in Thailand as Japan-based Asia’s number one paint brand and the fourth leading brand in the world market, revealed that in 2023 Nippon Paint Thailand achieved a total sale of more than 9.2 billion baht, or an increased by 12 percent, higher than the company’s target.
Positive factors contributing to the growth were mainly from the comprehensive adjusting of the company’s operating strategies covering marketing, sales, and market segments. Under the market strategy, the company has focused more on ‘Push Marketing’, making it possible to reach more targeted groups of customers.
It has also adjusted the sales structure by increasing the efficiency of sales staff to be able to respond to customers’ demand, while adjusting market segments to make them clearer and meet customers’ demand at the right targeted groups whether they are a group of Business-to-Business (B2B), Business-to-Customer (B2C) and Business-to-Government (B2G).
Regarding the operational strategy of “Nippon Paint” in the next three years (2024-2026), the company aims to become “the leading manufacturer and distributor in Thailand” under the concept of “Inspired by You”.
The operating concept is the integration of three business groups: Decorative, Auto Refinish and Industrial to promote strength and confidence, while truly responding to the demand of the Thai market. Moreover, within the next three years from now, the company is prompt to continue investing in innovation, technology, and product and service development, as well as drawing a 360-degree marketing strategy based on customer-centric.
“The year 2023 is considered one of the successful years for Nippon Paint. It can be seen from the exponential growth of more than 12 percent, while the total market grew only 5-6 percent, our growth is considered to be double the market’s expansion. This helps encourage the company’s confidence in continuing to penetrate the market. This year, Nippon Paint will return to focus more on investment and sturdy market penetration. We set to achieve sales of over 11 billion baht this year, a new high in sales in 57 years of Nippon Paint Thailand. Furthermore, we set to become the leading in manufacturing and distributing in Thailand (manufacturer and distributor in Thailand, excluding exports) with total sales of over 15 billion baht by 2026,” Mr. Watchara said.
Mr. Narongrit Malainual, Marketing Director of Nippon Paint Decorative Coatings Thailand, said that Nippon Paint is moving forward with a 360-degree marketing strategy, both Above The Line and Below The Line, to create awareness and build confidence among all targeted groups of customers, covering B2B, B2C, and B2G.
As a new beginning for the Year of Dragon, the company will organize a Dealer Conference Meeting, gathering nationwide distributors to the event, and will continue with its full competency marketing strategy in order to create a new movement for the paint market in Thailand.
“Nippon Paint moves forward with our business plan under the concept of “Inspired by You” consisting of “3C”: Customer Centric, Customized Solution and Concrete Innovation with customer-centric vision. Nippon Paint’s products and innovations have been created and developed from customer needs and problems experienced by customers. Nippon Paint creates innovations and resolutions that respond to and solve those problems directly to the point.
Previously, the company has focused on improving the efficiency of sales staff to help solve problems for customers, while also increasing distribution channels to cover both dealers and modern trade. At the same time, the company aims to move forward in promoting growth together with our business partners in every group by jointly developing products and services, and operations plans together. The company has no policy to open retail stores or sell products in the same direction as trading partners, making our partners confident that Nippon Paint is truly ready to thrive together with our partner,” Mr. Narongrit reiterated.
In 2023, All types of paint market industry have a total value of approximately 58 billion baht, with a growth of 5-6 percent. This year, it is expected to grow 5 percent. Factors to support the growth contribute to company marketing strategies and joint partnerships with business partners. The company also places importance on customers as a priority, while also increasing the efficiency of employees to have expertise in each segment.
Meanwhile, at the Dealer Conference Meeting, the event was honored by Mr. Arnut Kittikulmetee, Executive Vice President – Project Development Department (Low Rise), Sansiri Public Company Limited, Thailand’s leading real estate developer, as a guest speaker, giving a vision about the direction of real estate industry and the selection of construction materials in 2024.
“Sansiri places great importance on conducting business based on sustainability. Sansiri’s mission as Thailand’s first real estate company to set a goal of net-zero greenhouse gas emissions (Net-Zero) by the year 2050
One of the most important plans for this year is a commitment to deliver every new project of Sansiri with green home innovation or Green Living Designed Home under 3 concepts, starting from design-construction-to-delivery of a clean energy home. This is to ensure that our residents have a good quality of life.
Sansiri also pays great attention to the process of selecting business partners, who seriously care about environmental protection. We appreciate Nippon Paint for continuing to be an ally and business partner with Sansiri in delivering good quality housings with safety standards for residents, while also being environmentally friendly to reach our goal of reducing environmental impacts together,” Mr. Arnut said at the Dealer Conference Meeting.
Mr. Ian was arrested instead of being helped at a room in Soi Nong Prue 13, Pattaya City.
PATTAYA – Police officers deployed commandos to help the British man after being informed by his family in England that he was kidnapped and held for ransom But when they arrived, they found that the man had made up a story because he had run out of money, so he thought of tricking his family into sending money to him.
Police Lieutenant General Jirapop Phuridej, Commander-in-Chief of the Central Police Bureau, received a report from Mr. Ian’s family in England via Interpol that Mr. Ian had been kidnapped for ransom in Thailand. As a result, he directed the investigative team to the Crime Suppression Division to rush to help.
When the CIB found out that Mr. Ian was staying in a room in Soi Nong Prue 13, Pattaya City, they sent the special operations team “Hanuman” to the area to help the victim right away on January 26.
However, when the commando arrived, they discovered that Mr. Ian was taking drugs with three other Western foreigners: Mr. Damien, a French national; Mr. Darren, a British national; and Mr. Benjamin, a New Zealand citizen. The law enforcement officers found no evidence of being kidnapped, as alleged. They discovered firearms and drugs in the room.
As a result, an arrest was made on allegations of “jointly possessing category 1 narcotics (methamphetamine), jointly possessing firearms and ammunition, and being an alien whose permission to remain in the Kingdom has expired.”
According to the investigation, Mr.Ian and three other companions lived in Thailand for a long time until they ran out of money. So Mr. Ian made a scam to mislead people at home into believing he had been kidnapped and demanded ransom. He hoped his family would send money to him for his next trip. But the plan had been uncovered beforehand.
The officers then took the suspect to Pattaya City Police Station. Prosecution will continue.
All the lions who made the headlines come from the same farm in Nakhon Pathom province.
NAKHON PATHOM – The cases of 4 lions who have been made headlines this week, led to extend an investigation that found all of them came from the same lion farm.
Mr. Yongyut Suanthong, Deputy Governor of Nakhon Pathom Province, led officials from the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment, including police officers, to inspect Mr. Kitt Techanilobon’s managed wild animal breeding farm “Krapong See Lion Zoo” in Thanon Khat Subdistrict, Mueang District, Nakhon Pathom province.
Officers inspect Mr. Kitt Techanilobon’s lion farm in Nakhon Pathom province on January 26, 2024.
According to inspection, this farm owned 28 lions. A veterinarian randomly examined the microchips of five lions and discovered that they were correct as described in their possession.
This farm provided lions to be the pets in three cases. The first is a female lion cub riding in a Bentley limousine down a busy street in Pattaya, driven by a Sri Lankan man and owned by Miss Pupe, or Sawangchit Kosungnoen, a Thai woman from Ratchaburi Province.
The owner was later charged on January 25 for illegally owning the lion, and Mr. Kitt, the farm owner, was accused with transporting lions from Nakhon Pathom to Chonburi without first notifying authorities.
In the second case, two male and female lions appear in a video briefly coming out of a residence in Huai Yai District, Chonburi Province. Later, the inspectors discovered that they came from Mr. Kitt’s farm as well.
On Friday, the national park officers seized a lion couple from their Thai owner’s house in Chonburi province’s Huay Yai district. The process had gone through negotiations, and the owner did not want her pets to be anaesthetized for transfer, which could be endanger their lives. She confirmed that the lions were not aggressive.
The national park officers seized a lion couple from their Thai owner’s house in Chonburi province’s Huay Yai district on January 26, 2024.
During the transport preparations, the owner, Ms. Charinyaporn Kaewsai, or Sky, 28, and her assistant were in tears because of their love and connection to the lions. The animals also appeared lost since they were separated from their owners. It took the officers approximately 15 minutes to load the truck. and head to the Bang Lamung Wildlife Breeding Centre (Khao Chi On), Chonburi Province.
Ms. Sky was subsequently charged with possessing a controlled wild animal, category A (lion), without informing the authorities.
The third case, announced on January 26, was Mr. Phumjai Tangsanga, also known as DJ Phum, a well-known figure in Thailand’s entertainment industry. He was playing with a lion cub named Leika, whom officials discovered was actually a lion from Mr. Kitt’s farm in Nakhon Pathom Province.
The VDO clip in Tiktok shows DJ Phum playing with a lion cub.
Mr. Mana Permpool, Director of the Wildlife Conservation Division Conservation Area Administration Office No. 3 (Ban Pong), reported the inspection results to the National Park Service. This lion belongs to Mr. Kitt, who reported it on January 8, 2024, and has been microchipped.
Mr. Kitt arrived to present proof requesting that the lion be moved on January 24, 2024, for a temporary display at Kon Hua Krua Company, Phaya Thai District, Bangkok, during January 24-26. This one has already been returned to Mr. Kitt’s farm on Friday.
Netizens strongly criticised all three examples of why wild animals should not be kept as pets., particularly breeding lions. Especially if the owner is punished, the lions had to be separated from their owners, which was painful.
According to data as of January 23, 2024, 38 individuals statewide have acknowledged having 224 lions.
The German suspect was brought to Patong Police Station on January 26, 2024.
PHUKET – A foreign guy who turned and smiled at a CCTV camera while stealing money from a hotel in Patong, Phuket, was arrested.
On January 26, at around 5:30 p.m., police officers from Patong Police Station and Tourist Police apprehended Mr. Mohamed Yassine, a 22-year-old suspect of German nationality. The Phuket Provincial Court issued an arrest warrant against him for theft at night and damaging barriers designed to protect persons or property.
A 22-year-old suspect of German nationality was arrested for stealing money from Patong’s hotel.
CCTV footage shows that at around 3:00 a.m. on January 25, the suspect entered the hotel counter, opened the counter drawer, and took away an envelope containing 86,000 baht in cash.
At the time of the incident, the suspect turned to face the security camera. He seemed unconcerned about anything and turned to smile at the security cameras. Then he kept stealing money and walked out of the hotel. The culprit was not a guest at this hotel.
The officers then brought him to the Patong Police Station for prosecution.
Jannik Sinner, right, of Italy is congratulated by Novak Djokovic of Serbia following their semifinal at the Australian Open tennis championships at Melbourne Park, Melbourne, Australia, Friday, Jan. 26, 2024. He faces Daniil Medvedev for the title. (AP Photo/Alessandra Tarantino)
MELBOURNE, Australia (AP) — Jannik Sinner ended one of Novak Djokovic’s perfect streaks in an Australian Open upset and then got to relax while Daniil Medvedev rallied from two sets down to beat Alexander Zverev after midnight to secure the other place in the final.
Just about everything went the self-described tennis fan’s way in the semifinals Friday.
The 22-year-old Italian broke Djokovic’s serve twice in each of the first two sets in a surprisingly lopsided 6-1, 6-2, 6-7 (6), 6-3 victory that ended the 10-time champion’s unbeaten streak in Australian Open semifinals.
Jannik Sinner of Italy celebrates after defeating Novak Djokovic of Serbia in their semifinal at the Australian Open tennis championships at Melbourne Park, Melbourne, Australia, Friday, Jan. 26, 2024. (AP Photo/Alessandra Tarantino)
Djokovic had won 33 matches straight at Melbourne back since 2018 and never lost here after reaching the final four.
Almost an hour after saving a match point, that phenomenal sequence was over. Sinner converted his second match point to complete a third win in four head-to-heads since losing to Djokovic in last year’s Wimbledon semifinals.
“I learned a lot from that,” he said, noting the turning point in their rivalry. Sinner won two of the next three — all in November — at the ATP Finals in Turin and in the Davis Cup semifinals.
“It gives you a better feeling when you know that you can beat one player,” he said. “The confidence from the end of last year has for sure kept the belief.”
Jannik Sinner, left, of Italy is congratulated by Novak Djokovic of Serbia following their semifinal at the Australian Open tennis championships at Melbourne Park, Melbourne, Australia, Friday, Jan. 26, 2024. (AP Photo/Asanka Brendon Ratnayake)
Third-seeded Medvedev appeared down and out after two sets, and was two points from losing in the fourth, but he rallied to beat Zverev 5-7, 3-6, 7-6 (4), 7-6 (5), 6-3 after 4 hours, 18 minutes.
“I was a little bit lost, but during the third set I started saying ‘If I lose this match, I just want to be proud of myself,’” said Medvedev, who has lost two finals in Australia, including the 2022 decider from two sets up against Rafael Nadal. “I’m proud of myself.”
Medvedev’s shanked chip forehand service return that just dropped over the net to earn a set point in the fourth-set tiebreaker clearly frustrated Zverev.
Daniil Medvedev, right, of Russia is congratulated by Alexander Zverev of Germany following their semifinal at the Australian Open tennis championships at Melbourne Park, Melbourne, Australia, early Saturday, Jan. 27, 2024. (AP Photo/Alessandra Tarantino)
“Tough luck for him, for sure, in this point,” Medvedev said. “Managed to make an ace after, but that’s what tennis is about.”
Five games later, Zverev got a warning for a code violation for smacking the net just before another service break.
“It’s more disappointing that at 5-4 in the tiebreak I didn’t serve it out,” he said. “The 5-all point was just purely unlucky.” Zverev’s run drew attention on and off the court after it emerged as the tournament started that a German court set a trial date in May over an assault allegation dating to 2020. The Olympic gold medalist has denied the accusations since last July when details of the case became public.
He said it wasn’t a distraction. Zverev got within a couple of swings of the racket of making a second Grand Slam final, extra disappointing after he blew a two-set lead to lose the 2020 U.S. Open final to Dominic Thiem.
Instead it will be 2021 U.S. Open winner Medvedev contending for a second major title in his sixth final. His run here included a grueling second-round win that finished at almost 4 in the morning. It makes Medvedev the first player since Pete Sampras in 1995 to register two comebacks from 2-0 down on the way to an Australian Open final.
Daniil Medvedev of Russia celebrates after defeating Alexander Zverev of Germany in their semifinal at the Australian Open tennis championships at Melbourne Park, Melbourne, Australia, early Saturday, Jan. 27, 2024. (AP Photo/Asanka Brendon Ratnayake)
Sinner will be the youngest player to contest the men’s final in Australia since 24-time major winner Djokovic took his first here in 2008.
“He’s deservedly in the finals. He outplayed me completely,” Djokovic said. “Look, I was shocked with my level — in a bad way. There was not much I was doing right in the first two sets.
“This is one of the worst Grand Slam matches I’ve ever played — at least that I remember.”
Djokovic didn’t get a look at a break point at all — the first time he’s experienced that in a completed Grand Slam match.
“That stat says a lot,” Djokovic said. “There’s a lot of negative things that I’ve done on the court today in terms of my game. Everything … was just subpar.”
Sinner took the first two sets in under 1 1/4 hours, an astonishing start against a player who lost only one Grand Slam match last year — the Wimbledon final against Alcaraz.
Djokovic picked up his service percentage, cut down his unforced errors and upped the pressure in the third.
Novak Djokovic of Serbia waves as he leaves Rod Laver Arena after his loss to Jannik Sinner of Italy in their semifinal at the Australian Open tennis championships at Melbourne Park, Melbourne, Australia, Friday, Jan. 26, 2024. (AP Photo/Asanka Brendon Ratnayake)
He was serving at 5-5 when play was interrupted briefly while a spectator received medical help in the stands. Djokovic then held serve and saved a match point before taking the set in a tiebreaker.
But he was immediately in trouble again in the fourth.
He fended off three break points to hold in the second game but Sinner got a decisive service break to lead 3-1, winning five straight points from 40-0 down.
Continuous chants of “Nole, Nole, Nole, Nole” echoed around Rod Laver Arena between big points but didn’t get him across the line this time.
“I think you win the matches not only on that day, you win it because you feel prepared for a good fight,” Sinner said. “After last year, especially end of the year, gave me confidence that I could potentially do some good results in Grand Slams.”
A boat moves across a bridge for the Chinese high-speed rail over the Mekong River, north of the Laotian city of Luang Prabang on Dec. 12, 2023. (AP Photo/David Rising)
BANGKOK (AP) — Simmering tensions in the South China Sea between China and several Southeast Asian nations now regularly spark direct confrontation. Fighting in Myanmar against the military government that seized power three years ago has grown to the point that most say the country is now in a civil war.
Hopes were high that Indonesia might be able to make significant inroads on both issues during its 2023 chairmanship of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations, using its clout as the bloc’s largest country, but little progress was made. Now Laos, the bloc’s poorest and one of its smallest countries, has taken over the rotating chair.
As foreign ministers gather in Luang Prabang for this year’s first top-level meetings over the weekend, many are pessimistic that ASEAN can keep its biggest challenges from festering and growing.
Loas people tour Xiengthong temple in Luang Prabang, Laos, on Dec. 13, 2023. (AP Photo/ David Rising)
“There were so many expectations when Indonesia started its presidency and some of those expectations fell short,” said Shafiah Muhibat, an expert with the Centre for Strategic and International Studies in Indonesia.
“So with Indonesia moving on to Laos, I think the expectations are quite low in terms of what Laos can actually do.”
After the military seized control of Myanmar in February 2021 from the democratically elected government of Aung San Suu Kyi, ASEAN — comprised of Indonesia, Thailand, Singapore, the Philippines, Vietnam, Malaysia, Myanmar, Cambodia, Brunei and Laos — came up with a “Five-Point Consensus” plan for peace.
The military leadership in Myanmar has so far ignored the plan. At the same time, a humanitarian crisis is growing, with more than 2.6 million people forced from their homes due to escalating violence, according to the United Nations.
ASEAN’s plan calls for the immediate cessation of violence, a dialogue among all concerned parties, mediation by an ASEAN special envoy, provision of humanitarian aid through ASEAN channels, and a visit to Myanmar by the special envoy to meet all concerned parties.
Min Aung Hlaing, right, the head of ruling military council, talks with Alounkeo Kittikhoun, left, special envoy of ASEAN Chairman, during their meeting Wednesday, Jan. 10, 2024, in Naypyitaw, Myanmar. (The Military True News Information Team via AP)
“ASEAN actually has very little leverage on Myanmar; Myanmar doesn’t care about ASEAN at all,” said Muhammad Faizal, with the Institute of Defense and Strategic studies at the S. Rajaratnam School of International Studies in Singapore. “They don’t give a hoot about the five-point consensus.”
During its ASEAN chairmanship, Indonesia established an official office of the special envoy, increasing the resources for the position, and the veteran Laotian diplomat who assumed the role has already been to Myanmar and met with the head of the ruling military council and other top officials. To ensure continuity in dealing with Myanmar, Indonesia also established a troika mechanism made up of the past, current and next chair of ASEAN — currently Indonesia, Laos and Malaysia.
The troika will provide “capacity and support” for Laos during its year as chair, meaning the country won’t have to go it alone, said Peter Haymond, former United States Ambassador to Laos from 2020 to 2023 who is now with the Asia-Pacific Center for Security Studies in Hawaii.
“ASEAN only really carries weight if it’s able to speak as one group … so this troika is put together specifically by the ASEAN partners with Lao concurrence,” he said on the Center for Strategic and International Studies’ Southeast Asia Radio podcast in November.
“I think Lao was looking for help.”
Still, it’s likely Laos will approach the situation in Myanmar from its own perspective as the first ASEAN nation since the military takeover to share a border with the country, Faizal said.
“They want to maintain the cross-border security cooperation with the Myanmar junta, and think that it is probably in their interest to make sure that the junta remains the authority in Myanmar. Though, in reality, that may not be the case,” he said in a telephone interview.
At the moment, the Myanmar military is losing ground to a concerted offensive launched in October by three powerful militias that have since been joined by several others around the country.
A view of Laukkaing city in Shan state, Myanmar, Nov. 20, 2023. (Kyaw Ko Lin via AP)
China is seen to be at least tacitly supporting the initial group, known as the Three Brotherhood Alliance, stemming partially from Beijing’s growing irritation at the flourishing drug trade and other criminality across its border with Myanmar. It also has strong influence with the country’s military rulers.
Communist Laos is one of the ASEAN countries with the closest ties to Beijing, so it will be interesting to see whether it tries to enlist Chinese support in resolving the Myanmar conflict, Faizal said.
“It’s quite obvious that both the junta and the other groups are trying to gain the support or the favor of China,” Faizal said.
Beijing maintains it will not interfere in the internal affairs of other states, so it’s unclear whether it would want to take on a greater role in trying to end the conflict in Myanmar, even if it were acceptable to other ASEAN members.
Many are locked in maritime disputes with China over its claims of sovereignty over virtually the entire South China Sea, one of the world’s most crucial waterways for shipping.
The Philippines, Vietnam, Malaysia, Taiwan and Brunei, all have their own claims over islands, reefs and undersea resources in the region. Indonesia has also expressed concern about what it sees as Beijing’s encroachment on its exclusive economic zone in the waters.
Tows Philippine navy-operated supply boat M/L Kalayaan after it’s engines were damaged due to water cannons from Chinese Coast Guard as it approached Second Thomas Shoal, locally known as Ayungin Shoal, in the disputed South China Sea on Sunday Dec. 10, 2023. (Philippine Coast Guard via AP)
In 2012, China and ASEAN agreed to a declaration on conduct in the South China Sea, seeking to “enhance favorable conditions for a peaceful and durable solution of differences and disputes,” but there has been little sign of goodwill recently.
The decades long territorial dispute escalated between Beijing and Manila last year, sparking fears it could degenerate into a major conflict that could involve the United States, a longtime treaty ally of the Philippines.
Chinese coast guard ships and accompanying vessels used military-grade laser and water cannons against Philippine coast guard and supply vessels and undertook dangerous maneuvers near disputed shoals, prompting the Philippines to file a large number of diplomatic protests against China.
In December, China vowed to keep up its military pressure on the Philippines, and Philippine officials have grown increasingly discontented by what they see as a lack of support from other ASEAN countries.
FILE – Chinese coast guard ships block Philippine coast guard BRP Cabra as it tried to head towards Second Thomas Shoal, locally known as Ayungin Shoal, at the disputed South China Sea during a rotation and resupply mission on Aug. 22, 2023. (AP Photo/Aaron Favila, file)
The situation is unlikely to change under landlocked Laos’ leadership, especially given its ties to Beijing, Faizal said.
During its past chairmanship in 2016, Laos was able to strike a balance between all sides, coming up with a compromise that officials later characterized as making everyone equally unhappy.
However, Laos, with a population of 7.4 million, has since grown increasingly beholden to its giant neighbor to the north, Faizal noted, with massive amounts of debt to Chinese state banks for multiple infrastructure projects, including a new high-speed rail line across the country.
“They will have come under a lot of pressure from China, because they’re basically dependent upon China for everything,” he said. “I believe they will probably just try to maintain the status quo — not doing more, but just maintaining what is there now.”
BANGKOK – Thonglor Police Station’s officers arrested four Indonesian men—Mr. Jaya Abidi, 61; Mr. Irsandi, 58; Mr. Suhenda, 41; and Mr. Iwan Susanto, 50—on charges of conspiracy to commit robbery after stealing money from a Japanese visitor.
Police arrested the suspects based on CCTV evidence showing they were conspiring to steal money from Mr. Yoshimune Yoshida. The Japanese visitor reported the theft of about 8,700 US dollars (about 310,000 Thai baht) from the Value Plus exchange office on the G floor of EmQuartier shopping mall on Sukhumvit Road on January 24.
The Indonesia eldery is the one who pickpocket the Japanese visitor.Four Indonesian men were arrested for stealing a Japanese visitor’s money.
After checking CCTV footage from the Value Plus Exchange shop and the mall where the victim shopped, the four suspects were identified. They approached the Japanese tourist from various directions, took his belongings without his awareness, and left the mall in a pink cab.
Police followed the suspects’ trail on CCTV footage and found that the group got out of the cab at Soi Ekamai and later boarded a green-and-yellow cab towards Rama 9 before stopping in front of the Buddy Place Hotel at Ramkhamhaeng Soi 81/4, where they were arrested in front of the hotel’s lobby.
When the staff were questioned, it emerged that the criminal group consisted of Indonesians who had rented three hotel rooms for daily stays. The police then conducted a search, collected evidence and requested the arrest of the suspected group for conspiracy to commit robbery, with all individuals making statements during the course of the investigation.
The investigation revealed that all the suspects had traveled from Indonesia to commit the robbery. They targeted the victim by deceiving him while he had money in a backpack. After the crime, they divided the stolen money among themselves and transferred it to their families in Indonesia.
AIS Ignites a New Era with The AIS Points Platform, Weaving Together Vibrant Lifestyles from Partners Across a Spectrum of Industries. Ready to Elevate Your Experience with Year-Round Spectacular Programs of ‘Earn, Burn, and Excitement!’
AIS reaffirms its leadership in service and customer care, aiming to meet every digital lifestyle need. The company is delighted to welcome the new year on the AIS Points Platform, driven by the collaboration with partners from various industries. Together, they will deliver diverse and special experiences to customers, both mobile and broadband, throughout the year.
Jaiporn Srisakul, Head of Customer and Service Management at AIS, said, ‘AIS’s commitment for over 34 years, which remains unchanged, is to take care of customers through a high-quality network and services, providing exceptional solutions that support and enhance the best possible lifestyle and daily life.
This is particularly evident in creating added value for daily usage through ‘AIS Points,’ a reward system for regular usage. All AIS customers, regardless of the system, can participate by simply opening the myAIS application. They can then start accumulating points to exchange for various special rewards continuously.’
‘The customer care model with AIS Points consists of three parts: “Earn,” “Burn,” and “Excitement,” based on the accumulated points. Throughout the program’s introduction, we can offer special experiences that align with customers’ usage behavior. AIS continues to advance the customer points system to meet and continuously facilitate customer needs. Recently, we elevated ourselves to become the AIS Points Platform, consolidating the power of partners to create even more convenience for customers in using the platform, taking it to the next level.’
“EARN” In addition to earning points through usage and smartphone purchases with AIS, customers can transfer accumulated points from various partner activities to AIS Points. Recently, we expanded our collaboration plans with Point X and MAAI by KTC, adding to the list of partners. This makes us the leading points platform in the country, supporting partners in jointly taking care of customers and fostering clear ecosystem growth.
“BURN” Beyond using points to redeem the best privileges, such as discounts on purchasing products, services, smartphones, and gadgets already available with AIS, we have continuously expanded cooperation with partners from all categories. Presently, there are more than 2 million participating stores and outlets nationwide where customers can redeem special offers. This includes leading brands in food and beverages, retail stores, street food stalls, and shopping, providing convenience for customers to seamlessly redeem partner points via the myAIS app.
“Excitement” Everyday, we want to deliver excitement and special moments to our customers. Therefore, we have an ongoing Lucky Draw campaign, allowing customers to participate using their points. Prizes include top-of-the-line smartphones, gold, and electric cars throughout the year.
Jaiporn emphasizes the intention to elevate customer care, stating that working closely with partners who share the same commitment allows us to efficiently take care of customers and partners. For example, our collaboration with KTB over the past two years has allowed AIS customers to receive discounts or use points instead of cash to buy at Tungngern stores nationwide. This has significantly contributed to the growth of these small retail businesses.
“Today, we have made it even more convenient for cash businesses to receive payments or AIS Points through the Super QR Code, reducing complexity and enhancing trading speed. Additionally, we have taken steps with partners to offer services that align with current lifestyles, utilizing data analytics to design personalized privileges for customers,” she said.
This year, AIS is fully prepared to offer AIS Points to its 49.1 million customers, providing a full-fledged, year-round special experience through “Earn, Burn, and Excitement.” It begins with distributing welcome bonus points during the Chinese New Year festival of 11 days, 11 million points, and a spectacular campaign where customers can use just 1 point to receive special privileges or discounts at over 50 participating stores in Yaowarat.
“We are also expanding exclusive privileges for the younger generation with stores in the Siam Square area and many other renowned brands. Furthermore, there is the ultimate excitement of the long-awaited Lucky Draw program, where we have upgraded the prizes for customers to use points to win top-notch smartphones, gold, and electric cars throughout the year,” concludes Jaiporn.
Follow the developments and enjoy special privileges with AIS Points on the myAIS app.
