The accident happened at the corner of an alley on Thepkrasattri Road, Mai Khao Subdistrict, Thalang District, Phuket Province, on January 11, 2024.
PHUKET – A truck hit a male foreigner’s motorcycle, killed him, and fled on Thepkrasattri Road, inbound to the city entrance to Soi Luan In, Village No. 1, Mai Khao Subdistrict, Thalang District, Phuket Province, at 7:30 p.m. on January 11.
Police Lieutenant Colonel Sornthip Chukaew, an investigating inspector from the Tha Chatchai Police Station, and rescue workers went to investigate. Mr. Gregory Ludwig, 60, an American man, was discovered dead at the corner of an alley, near a gold-coloured Suzuki motorcycle, so a forensic doctor was sent to perform the autopsy.
The accident happened at the corner of an alley on Thepkrasattri Road, Mai Khao Subdistrict, Thalang District, Phuket Province, on January 11, 2024.
According to the investigation, an American was riding a motorcycle and left the hotel where he worked as director of recreation in the Mai Khao subdistrict to return to his city residence. When he arrived at the site, which was the entrance to the alley, he rode straight until a truck turned a broad curve in front of him, causing him to fall. The truck even stepped on his head, causing his death.
The truck abruptly fled into the building under construction, where land was filling within the alley.
Police officers will coordinate with the Mai Khao Subdistrict Administrative Organisation to inspect CCTV cameras at various locations in order to track down the driver of the truck and proceed with legal action. They will also contact the U.S. Embassy to inform the deceased’s family.
Protestors watch South African legal adviser John Dugard on a large video screen, as they follow the hearings during a demonstration march outside the International Court of Justice in The Hague, Netherlands, Thursday, Jan. 11, 2024. (AP Photo/Patrick Post)
THE HAGUE, Netherlands (AP) — A continent away from the war in Gaza, South Africa accused Israel of committing genocide against the Palestinians and pleaded with the United Nations’ top court on Thursday to urgently order a halt to the country’s military operation. Israel has vehemently denied the allegations.
South African lawyers said during the opening arguments that the latest Gaza war is part of a decadeslong oppression of the Palestinians by Israel.
They asked judges to impose binding preliminary orders on Israel, including an immediate halt to Israel’s military campaign in Gaza.
“Genocides are never declared in advance, but this court has the benefit of the past 13 weeks of evidence that shows incontrovertibly a pattern of conduct and related intention that justifies as a plausible claim of genocidal acts,” South African lawyer Adila Hassim told the judges and audience in the packed, ornate room of the Peace Palace in The Hague.
“Nothing will stop the suffering except an order from this court,” she said.
And South Africa insisted Israel committed genocide by design.
Protestors hold hands and signs as they march during a demonstration outside the International Court of Justice in The Hague, Netherlands, Thursday, Jan. 11, 2024. (AP Photo/Patrick Post)
“The scale of destruction in Gaza, the targeting of family homes and civilians, the war being a war on children, all make clear that genocidal intent is both understood and has been put into practice. The articulated intent is the destruction of Palestinian life,” said lawyer Tembeka Ngcukaitobi.
“What state would admit to a genocidal intent? Yet the distinctive feature of this case has not been the silence as such, but the reiteration and repetition of genocidal speech throughout every sphere of the state in Israel,” he said.
Ahead of the proceedings, hundreds of pro-Israeli protesters marched close to the courthouse with banners saying “Bring them home,” referring to the hostages held by Hamas since it attacked Israel on Oct. 7. Among the crowds, people held Israeli and Dutch flags.
At a separate demonstration nearby, pro-Palestinians protesters waved flags saying: “End Israeli Apartheid Free Palestine” and chanting “Netanyahu criminal” and “Ceasefire now!”
The dispute strikes at the heart of Israel’s national identity as a Jewish state created in the aftermath of the Nazi genocide in the Holocaust, during which 6 million Jews were murdered.
It also evokes issues central to South Africa’s own identity: Its governing party, the African National Congress, has long compared Israel’s policies in Gaza and the West Bank to its own history under the apartheid regime of white minority rule, which restricted most Blacks to “homelands” before ending in 1994.
In a sign of how seriously Israel is taking the accusation, although it normally considers U.N. and international tribunals unfair and biased, it has sent a strong legal team to defend its military operation launched in the aftermath of the Hamas attacks.
A decision on the request for so-called “provisional measures” will likely take weeks. The case is likely to last years.
While Israel has vehemently denied the allegations and is unlikely to comply with any order from the court to halt operations, it likely fears that any such order would be a blow to its international standing.
Israel’s lawyers will address the court Friday.
Ambassador of the Republic of South Africa to the Netherlands Vusimuzi Madonsela, front right, and Minister of Justice and Correctional Services of South Africa Ronald Lamola, front second right, during the opening of the hearings at the International Court of Justice in The Hague, Netherlands, Thursday, Jan. 11, 2024. (AP Photo/Patrick Post)
South Africa immediately sought to broaden the case beyond the narrow confines of the ongoing Israel-Hamas war.
“The violence and the destruction in Palestine and Israel did not begin on Oct. 7, 2023. The Palestinians have experienced systematic oppression and violence for the last 76 years,” said South African Justice Minister Ronald Lamola.
South Africa argued that Israel’s actions in Gaza are an inevitable party of its history since it declared independence in 1948.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu issued a video statement Wednesday night defending his country’s actions and insisted they had nothing to do with genocide.
“Israel has no intention of permanently occupying Gaza or displacing its civilian population,” he said. “Israel is fighting Hamas terrorists, not the Palestinian population, and we are doing so in full compliance with international law.”
He said the Israeli military is “doing its utmost to minimize civilian casualties, while Hamas is doing its utmost to maximize them by using Palestinian civilians as human shields.”
About two-thirds of the dead in Gaza are women and children, health officials say. The death toll does not distinguish between combatants and civilians.
“Mothers, fathers, children, siblings, grandparents, aunts, cousins are often all killed together. This killing is nothing short of destruction of Palestinian life. It is inflicted deliberately. No one is spared. Not even newborn babies,” said Hassim.
Finding food, water, medicine and working bathrooms has become a daily struggle for Palestinians living in Gaza. Last week, the U.N. humanitarian chief called Gaza “uninhabitable” and said, “People are facing the highest levels of food insecurity ever recorded (and) famine is around the corner.”
Israel itself has always focused attention on the Oct. 7 attacks themselves, when Hamas fighters stormed through several communities in Israel and killed some 1,200 people, mainly civilians. They abducted around 250 others, nearly half of whom have been released.
FILE – Injured Palestinians arrive at al-Shifa Hospital following Israeli airstrikes on Gaza City, central Gaza Strip, Monday, Oct. 16, 2023. (AP Photo/Abed Khaled, File)
U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken dismissed the case as “ meritless ” during a visit to Tel Aviv on Tuesday.
“It is particularly galling, given that those who are attacking Israel — Hamas, Hezbollah, the Houthis, as well as their supporter Iran — continue to call for the annihilation of Israel and the mass murder of Jews,” he said.
The world court, which rules on disputes between nations, has never judged a country to be responsible for genocide. The closest it came was in 2007 when it ruled that Serbia “violated the obligation to prevent genocide” in the July 1995 massacre by Bosnian Serb forces of more than 8,000 Muslim men and boys in the Bosnian enclave of Srebrenica.
The International Criminal Court, based a few miles (kilometers) away in The Hague, prosecutes individuals for war crimes, crimes against humanity and genocide.
The case revolves around the genocide convention that was drawn up in 1948 in the aftermath of World War II and the murder of 6 million Jews in the Holocaust. Both Israel and South Africa are signatories.
Israel is back on the International Court of Justice’s docket next month, when hearings open into a U.N. request for a non-binding advisory opinion on the legality of Israeli policies in the West Bank and east Jerusalem.
PM Srettha Thavisin visits the Chang Phueak Street Food Market in Chiang Mai Province on January10, 2024.
BANGKOK – Prime Minister Srettha Thavisin’s digital wallet project, due to be launched in May this year, is still a hotly debated political issue on the question, “Is the Thai economy facing a crisis?”
After the State Council sent a statement to the government on January 8, 2024 that it can issue a draft loan of 500 billion baht, but with some caveats and suggestions, including the need for the government to demonstrate the urgent need for the loan in accordance with financial regulations.
This statement by the Council of State prompted the opposition parties to attack the government and call on the government to stop pursuing the project.
The Move Forward Party argues that the country’s economy is not in such a crisis that the project is necessary, while the Democratic Party is against large loans. Some senators appointed by the military junta also believe that the borrowing will lead to indebtedness for the people.
What is a crisis economy?
Sirikanya Tansakul, the deputy leader of the Move Forward Party, has been giving daily interviews emphasizing that there is no sign of a crisis in the country’s economy as the constitution stipulates that the government can only implement a project during a severe economic crisis if it cannot be funded through normal budgets.
Sirikanya Tansakul, the deputy leader of the Move Forward Party
“I think we need to define what a crisis economy looks like. What are the indicators? To be accepted by all, we need to see what methods the government is using to come up with the idea that our country is in crisis,” Sirikanya said on Thursday, January 11.
She also said that the chances of passing the 500-million-baht bill will gradually dwindle if the different agencies fail to come to a common clarification. Even if the bill passes the House of Representatives, it still has to go through the Senate. Not to mention that there are many other authorities, including the usual petitioners, who want to appeal to the Constitutional Court. It is therefore doubtful whether the law will be finalized by May.
The boiling frog economy
Deputy Prime Minister Phumtham Wechayachai, who is also Commerce Minister, said the crisis is an issue that must be resolved together. Otherwise, it will become a debate between political parties. He mentioned that a party that wants to push the digital wallet project will say that the country is in crisis and vice versa.
“All parties need to tell the truth, adding that if you want to know if a country is in crisis, go to the market and ask people,” he said.
Thai omelette and rice, a popular and affordable dish for the working class, is still selling at 25 baht at an unnamed soi opposite Chatuchak Park on January 11, 2024.
Dr. Phrommin Lertsuridej, the Prime Minister’s Secretary, stated the economy is in a constant crisis, like a boiling frog that will float there quite placidly until you can’t feel it. But when you are aware of it, there will already be a problem.
He divided the economic situation into three stages. 1. The country’s export figures have begun to decline since 2007, prior to the pandemic. 2. During the epidemic, Thailand’s economy has seen the worst decline and is growing at the slowest rate in the region. 3. Currently, inflation is declining but interest rates are rising. Thailand has expanded unevenly.
“The amount of household debt has increased steadily over the past 10 years, from 70% of GDP to 91.6% of GDP, showing that poor people are getting poorer and poorer,” he added. “When looking at the total data, it may be unclear. However, there are folks who are in danger. If you ask the majority of the country’s citizens, you’ll discover that they are in difficulties. It is thus considered a crisis.”
Low potential economic growth
At the House of Representatives meeting to consider the draft budget for 2024 in early January, opposition MPs criticized the government for the digital wallet project, which was not included in the draft budget. Instead, it was issued as a separate borrowing bill, even though the Pheu Thai Party had said during the election that it would not borrow money for the project.
Prime Minister Srettha clarified in Parliament that he had listened to the opinions of all parties and followed the advice of Sethaput Suthiwartnarueput, the Governor of the Bank of Thailand (BoT), to enact a law and listen to the opinions of all parties, including the Council of State, Danucha Pitchayanun, the Secretary-General of the National Economic and Social Development Council, experts and all members of the Digital Wallet Committee.
Earlier, the Prime Minister had commented on Thailand’s economy, which needed a strong boost as the World Bank predicted in its 2023 report that Thailand’s potential economic growth would be the lowest among ASEAN economies over the next 20 years due to an aging population, lower private investment and lower labor productivity.
Isan people expect a digital wallet
According to a survey of public opinion in 20 northeastern provinces (Isan Poll) conducted during January 5-8 by the Centre for Business and Economic Research of Isan, or ECBER, Faculty of Economics, Khon Kaen College, 52.3 percent of 1,102 respondents believed the project would be successful, 28.3 percent believed it would not be successful, and 19.4 percent were not sure.
When asked what they would do with 10,000 baht in digital currency, 53.3 percent said they would use it to buy personal items and food, followed by 19.7 percent who said they would use it to buy items and equipment to start a career and generate income, and 13 percent who said they would use it to buy appliances and furniture.
BANGKOK – On January 11, 2024, the Immigration Police announced the arrest of Mr. Lee (fictitious name), a 29-year-old South Korean citizen. Police seized 3.67 grams of ketamine, a class 2 psychotropic substance, from Mr. Lee’s apartment in a condominium in Khlong Tan Nuea ward, Watthana district, Bangkok.
The police then took Mr. Lee to Taksin Hospital for a urine test, which was positive. As Mr. Lee refused to be treated, he was taken to Thong Lor Police Station for prosecution.
Mr. Lee was charged with overstaying his visa, illegal possession of ketamine and illegal use of methamphetamine.
The investigation revealed that Mr. Lee had entered Thailand on May 2, 2022 with a 90-day visa waiver. His visa expired on July 30, 2022, and he was no longer authorized to stay in Thailand.
In addition, South Korean authorities arrested 23 members of a drug trafficking organization known as the “Ekamai Gang” that operated through a center in Thailand.
Three drug traffickers and users were also arrested, bringing the total number of arrests to 27. Mr. Lee was the leader of the drug trafficking organization. The South Korean authorities want to extradite him to prosecute him for drug offenses.
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)
BANGKOK (AP) — A veteran Laotian diplomat recently appointed the Association of Southeast Asian Nations ’ special envoy to Myanmar arrived Wednesday on his first mission to the strife-torn nation, meeting with the head of the ruling military council and other top officials, state television MRTV reported.
Diplomat Alounkeo Kittikhoun faces the tough challenge of promoting the regional group’s peace plan for Myanmar to quell the violence between the military government, which seized power from the elected government of Aung San Suu Kyi in February 2021, and an armed pro-democracy resistance movement that is assisted by ethnic minority fighting forces.
Almost 2 million people have been displaced by years of fighting in Myanmar, according to the U.N., and the 10-member ASEAN regional grouping is concerned that the destabilization could have regional consequences, including generating large numbers of refugees. Neither the military government nor its pro-democracy government foes have shown any inclination to compromise.
Min Aung Hlaing, right, the head of ruling military council, shakes hand with Alounkeo Kittikhoun, special envoy of ASEAN Chairman, during their meeting Wednesday, Jan. 10, 2024, in Naypyitaw, Myanmar. (The Military True News Information Team via AP)
Alounkeo’s visit comes just ahead of a meeting of ASEAN foreign ministers scheduled for Jan. 28-29 in Luang Prabang, the old capital of Laos. It is the turn this year of Laos to act as chair of the bloc, which includes Myanmar.
ASEAN has been seeking to implement a five-point consensus it reached on Myanmar just a few months after the army’s takeover. It called 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.
MRTV reported that Alounkeo’s meetings included discussions about the implementation of the five-point consensus, the military government’s efforts at providing humanitarian assistance and plans for the military’s promised election. Bilateral relations and Laos’ role as ASEAN chair were also discussed, it said.
Myanmar’s military government initially agreed to the consensus but has since made little effort to implement it, even as the country has slipped into a situation that U.N. experts have characterized as a civil war. Its stonewalling led fellow ASEAN members to block key leaders of the military government from attending major meetings of the regional grouping.
A veteran Laotian diplomat recently appointed the Association of Southeast Asian Nations’ special envoy to Myanmar, has arrived on his first mission to the strife-torn nation. (The Military True News Information Team via AP)
Indonesia, Singapore and Malaysia, all electoral democracies, are known to have taken a strong stand against any engagement that could be perceived as favoring the Myanmar’s generals’ claims to be the country’s legitimate leaders. Authoritarian nations such as Vietnam, Cambodia and Laos are less critical of the ruling generals, as is Thailand, whose military retains strong influence over security matters.
Some members of the Nationwide Ceasefire Agreement — Signatories, Ethnic Armed Organizations, a group established nine years ago to pursue ways of ending decades of armed conflict with the military, also held a meeting with Alounkeo.
MRTV reported they also discussed the five-point consensus and humanitarian assistance. However, since none of the seven groups that attended are currently at war with the military, the relevance of their participation for peacemaking appeared to be minimal.
It was not immediately known if Alounkeo would meet with Suu Kyi, who was arrested when the military seized power. The 78-year-old Suu Kyi is now serving a 27-year prison term in Naypyitaw after being convicted in a series of politically tinged prosecutions brought by the military.
The military government has refused to allow her to meet with any previous ASEAN special envoys, who came in turn from Brunei, Cambodia and Indonesia.
Alounkeo, 72, is a former minister in Laos’ prime minister’s office and has also served as his country’s ambassador at the United Nations.
Dr. Asbjørn Warvik Rørtveit, Southeast Asia Regional Director, Norwegian Seafood Council
The Norwegian Seafood Council (NSC) is a public company owned by the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Fisheries. NSC works together with the Norwegian fisheries and aquaculture industry to develop markets for Norwegian seafood, representing the country’s seafood exporters and the seafood industry. “Seafood from Norway” is a symbol of origin for Norwegian seafood caught or raised in the cold and clear waters of Norway.
Dr. Asbjørn Warvik Rørtveit, Southeast Asia Regional Director, Norwegian Seafood Council, provides some fascinating insights into the work of NSC in Thailand.
Market Awareness and Value Creation:
What factors make Thailand a special target for NSC, especially since Thailand has a rich diversity of domestically available seafood?
Thai people love food culture and care about seafood, and food services – all those different kinds of restaurants – and is therefore a massively important sector in Thailand, plus people more and more are enjoying cooking at home, too. As a result, Thailand is a really attractive ‘main’ market for us, especially in HORECA, and when you consider the amount of salmon and Saba consumed within the Kingdom, all served from thousands of seafood restaurants in the capital alone.
With many celebrities and social media influencers routinely advertising or reviewing seafood restaurants, the sector has never been more popular or more in demand. Food retail is important, but the restaurant sector is still key, as there are more than 3000 Japanese-style restaurants in Bangkok alone. Norwegian Saba is an important product with strong demand.
Now, we are getting more into promoting Norwegian Seafood for use in Thai cuisine, and we recently did a campaign with super-celeb Yaya Urassaya Sperbund to build a bridge between Norwegian and Thai markets for Norwegian Seafood. It is a product well-suited for any dish.
Consumer Engagement:
In promoting Norwegian seafood in Thailand, how does NSC engage with consumers?
The purpose overall is to create value throughout the supply chain. As more and more people are conscientious of where their food comes from, and several consumer demographics are happy to pay more for sustainably sourced and responsibly sourced seafood, there are opportunities for producers and people involved throughout the supply chain, even through to local packers and warehouse operatives, shippers and retail workers, etc., to make a living and for the whole value chain to benefit. People are also concerned about food safety, and so demand in general, and specifically quality-oriented supply, are consumer-driven.
In Thailand, there is a higher level of tax levied (5% currently) on prepared foods (which includes fish that has been smoked and filleted overseas then imported). But there is a huge advantage to retail buyers to take prepared fish, not least because it immediately removes the challenge of dealing with waste; this is particularly important in terms of retailers meeting obligations for waste disposal requirements not to mention cost and waste logistics.
That’s why it has for a long time now been optimal for retailers to import prepared fish from an exceptional source such as Norway. It’s not by coincidence that people know salmon as being “from Norway”, where in the past Thai consumers assumed it was all Japanese. Retailers used to use “sustainable sourced products” as a sales push, but now its consumer demand-led.
Global Impact:
In terms of leveraging sea-derived protein for sustainability, how can Norwegian seafood as a protein from the sea best be utilised to ensure both environmental health and long-term availability?
When considering the global impact of the fishing industry, we need to consider fish stocks and stock management across both aquaculture and wild fish stocks. It is a regulated industry, that’s really important and taken as a given in Norway for decades; and so therefore for Norway, it is an old, well-established and highly functional system which regulates fish stocks.
Quotas of fish in Norway are based on science, and therefore hard numbers drive careful cultivation or catch volumes in specific locations. Norway is highly regarded for its able and careful management of its fish stocks which ensure that fish are not “overfished”, strict rules are in place to regulate fishing gear, bycatch volume, and efficiency, and operators are rigorously inspected and must be certified. The quotas are also negotiated with neighbouring countries, so the approach is holistic across Scandinavian countries and others.
Norway actually is called upon to teach the fishing industry legislators, managers and operators of other countries on how to implement best practices which result in sustainably optimal industry outcomes, and which also preserve value across production chains. These optimisations result in efficiency, quality and a reliable source of sustainably produced fish with consistent and appropriate production volumes. By-catch is included as part of a quota, and penalties are enforced.
Impact on Fisherman Livelihoods:
How does NSC collaborate with the seafood industry to increase the value of Norwegian seafood while ensuring sustainable practices are prioritised and maintained?
Most of the products that we are promoting, like salmon and mackerel (Saba), are not competing with local species. If you look at the price range for salmon you are not competing with a local fish, but you are competing with a steak from Australia, for example, as that will be a similar price for a ribeye, etc.
By importing Norwegian seafood into the Thai market, we are generating mutual benefit within the value chain. For example, creating lots of jobs locally, so when we do a campaign, we aim to help that local value chain. And so, we are helping the locals bring more value into it. Now, we are working with all of the retailers, and this is often the result of them saying to us that they have seen a recent campaign by NSC, so that has been a nice experience.
Bank of Thailand governor Setthaput Suthiwartnarueput has a talk with PM Srettha Thavisin at the Government House on December 10, 2023.
BANGKOK – Prime Minister Srettha Thavisin said on Tuesday afternoon after a talk with Bank of Thailand governor Setthaput Suthiwartnarueput at the Government House that he raised his views about interest rate reduction and how it might help the economy and alleviate debts.
Srettha emphasized that he is not interfering with the BoT’s decision on policy rate as the bank is an independent organisation.
The PM said the governor has briefed him that the bank is planning to solve long-term debts, and the premier added he should meet the governor more often and can drop by the BoT in the future and bring others to discuss other related matters as well.
photo by Matichon
Asked by a reporter about negative inflation and what will the BoT do, Srettha said it’s best to let the governor explain the matter.
On Sunday night, the PM posted his comment on social media that “The Bank of Thailand raised interest rate despite inflation decreasing to minus for many consecutive months, which is not good for the economy.” It also has an impact on low-income individuals and SMEs.”
There was widespread criticism after Prachachat Business reported that in 2023, the commercial banking sector achieved a total profit of more than 220 billion baht as a result of the Bank of Thailand’s increasing interest rates. Some questioned whether BoT was aware of this abnormality or not.
Mr. Nirut Chomngam, or Nick the Herpetologist, an expert on snakes and reptiles, takes a photo with the giant king cobra.
CHONBURI – Mr. Nirut Chomngam, also known as Nick the Herpetologist, an expert in snakes and reptiles, spoke with Matichon Online on January 10 about the huge king cobra that was captured on a golf course after the Ban Bueng Rescue Team Association of Chonburi Province asked him to examine it.
A large king cobra was seen on a golf course on January 2 in Chonburi’s Village No. 6 in the Khlong Kiew Subdistrict of the Ban Bueng District. On that day, rescuers from the Ban Bueng Association caught him and took him to the office. The snake measured 4 metres, 20 centimetres long, and weighed 12 kilogrammes.
Mr. Nirut confirmed that the king cobra was unusually huge. After some observation, it was determined that this snake was most likely unwell. He had a wound on his back as well as symptoms of lethargy and inactivity. There is a protruding spine, and the ribs are cracked. It is assumed that he had fled a forest fire on the mountain and was thirsty.
“We decided to send this snake to the Queen Saovabha Memorial Institute in Bangkok, a venomous snake husbandry facility, rather than releasing him into the wild, especially during the forest fire season. The institute has veterinarians who can best care for this huge king cobra’s health,” Mr. Nirut stated.
Mr. Nirut Chomngam, also known as Nick the Herpetologist, observes the king cobra and determines that this snake is most likely unwell.It is assumed that the king cobra had fled a forest fire on the mountain and was thirsty.
Mr. Nirut believes there are two possible explanations for this king cobra’s extremely big size: 1. Because there is a unique gene, or a certain feature, which is extremely tough to locate. 2. Because the area has a plenty of food, particularly pythons.
“If a king cobra consumes a similar-sized python, it can grow to be this enormous,” he stated.
The physicians successfully saved a little girl's life after she developed severe acidosis as a result of cyanide poisoning.
MAE HONG SON – A Facebook post by the staff of the Ramathibodi Poison Center went viral. Netizens praised and thanked the teams at Khun Yuam Hospital and Sri Sangwal Hospital in Mae Hong Son province for coordinating the transfer of a young patient who was comatose, unconscious and had severe acidosis due to cyanide poisoning from a silver cleaning solution.
Dr. Somsak Uthaipibul, director of Sri Sangwal Hospital in Mae Hong Son, said the incident occurred on January 6, 2024. Staff at Khun Yuam Hospital were informed that a child had drunk silver cleansing solution thinking it was normal water. The child fell unconscious and was intubated and taken to Sri Sangwal Hospital.
Fortunately, the child’s mother brought the bottle containing the substance that the child had drunk to show to the attending doctor so that the staff knew what the poison was. They then coordinated with Sri Sangwal Hospital to arrange for an antidote to be given to the child en route, which saved his life in time.
Dr. Somsak Uthaipibul visits the girl who survived severe acidosis due to cyanide poisoning.
Varanyu Jamnongprasartporn, director of the Mae Hong Son provincial health department, said Mae Hong Son is a remote area, so care for patients has been provided through a network system for some time. Most cases in the region involve eating poisonous mushrooms or pesticides for which they have antidotes. This is the first case of cyanide poisoning in the province.
Theerada Wongjai, who was present at the scene, wrote: “The antidote, which is the hero for cyanide poisoning, is not available in small hospitals like this one. The child had to be taken to the provincial hospital 60 kilometers away for treatment. The road is winding and narrow, so they couldn’t drive fast. They couldn’t make it in time. So the antidote was sent on its way by a driver. When the child arrived at the provincial hospital, the antidote was administered again until the child woke up.”
Sri Sangwal Hospital in Mae Hong Son,
“The treatment of this small child was like a race against cyanide poisoning, which destroys the cells in the body. We released the antidote (sodium nitrite and sodium thiosulphate) into the bloodstream so that it would combine with the cyanide and neutralize it.”
Silver cleansing solution is a common product used by the Hmong to wash their tribal clothing, which contains silver strips attached to the clothing. During the New Year festival, the tribal clothing is washed to make the silver shine.
Because of this case, doctors and authorities have warned the public, especially those who have young children, to make their surroundings safe. Cyanide is a very toxic substance that can kill someone within minutes. Another warning is that if you have a cardiac arrest, you can press on the heart but do not kiss the mouth to revive as you could get cyanide poisoning and risk your life.
People look at an exhibit of LG Signature OLED T 4K transparent wireless TV's at the LG booth during the CES tech show Tuesday, Jan. 9, 2024, in Las Vegas. (AP Photo/John Locher)
LAS VEGAS (AP) — Welcome to opening day of CES 2024. This multi-day trade event put on by the Consumer Technology Association is expected to bring some 130,000 attendees and more than 4,000 exhibitors to Las Vegas. The latest advances and gadgets across personal tech, transportation, health care, sustainability and more will be on display, with burgeoning uses of artificial intelligence almost everywhere you look.
The Associated Press will keep a running report of everything we find interesting from the floor of CES, from the latest announcements to most quirky smart gadgets.
People play a pallet packing game at the Walmart booth during the CES tech show Tuesday, Jan. 9, 2024, in Las Vegas. (AP Photo/John Locher)
IRON MAN ACTOR TARGETS DIGITAL SCAMMERS
Robert Downey Jr. fought off villains as “Iron Man” on the big screen for more than a decade. Now, in his latest off-screen role as a board member and strategist at AI security startup Aura, Downey wants to fight off digital scammers, he said at CES 2024.
Aura is an online app that uses artificial intelligence to monitor and track accounts and help prevent digital crimes, like scams, hacks and identity theft. The company revealed Tuesday at a panel that it will launch a new AI feature this year that it says will help parents identify depression, anxiety and other issues in their children’s lives by tracking their cellphone usage habits.
People walk by the Samsung booth during the CES tech show Tuesday, Jan. 9, 2024, in Las Vegas. (AP Photo/John Locher)
Downey said he was drawn to the company’s mission statement after his Instagram account was hacked in 2019.
“We’re all so busy in this information age,” he said, while emphasizing that he thought he had been proactive about protecting his accounts and information before he was hacked. “But it’s nowhere near enough.”
MERCEDES-BENZ MAKES TALKING TO YOUR CAR AN EXPERIENCE
Mercedes-Benz unveiled several in-car tech upgrades at CES 2024, including an AI-powered virtual assistant that will be rolling out to its vehicles soon.
The German automaker’s boasts their new cloud-connected AI-assistant is “natural, predictive, empathetic and personal” as it works to personalize interactions between drivers and their cars. The update will pair AI with added functions for infotainment, automated driving, seating comfort and charging.
Video calling technology is seen on display in Mercedes-Benz’s MBOS car operating system during the CES tech show Tuesday, Jan. 9, 2024, in Las Vegas. (AP Photo/Ryan Sun)
Mercedes-Benz CTO Markus Schäfer also announced a partnership with Google to pre-install and integrate certain apps into their vehicles.
HONDA DEBUTS ITS ZERO SERIES EV CONCEPT CARS
Honda premiered two concept vehicles, dubbed the “Saloon” and “Space-Hub,” for a new global electric vehicle series on Tuesday. The Japanese automaker says the Zero Series approach for EV development focuses on models that are “thin, light and wise,” with specific goals to minimize battery size.
The first models of the Zero Series are aimed at making their way to the North American market in 2026, the company said, with plans to introduce those vehicles in Japan, Asia, Europe, Africa and the Middle East and South America afterward. Honda also unveiled a new “H mark” logo set to be used for its next generation of EVs.
The newly unveiled concept car, Honda Zero Series “Saloon” electric vehicle is displayed during a Honda news conference during the CES tech show Tuesday, Jan. 9, 2024, in Las Vegas. (AP Photo/Ryan Sun)
GOOGLE TALKS CHROMECAST, CAR APPS
Google on Tuesday showcased various ways the tech giant is integrating generative AI features into Android devices — including previously-announced customizable, AI-generated wallpapers and suggested text messages responses, written in styles ranging from casual to “Shakespearean.”
The California-based company also took the opportunity to unveil some new features.
Chromecast is being expanded to more apps and devices, with TikTok content now able to be cast directly to TVs.
People tour a Samsung Micro LED exhibit at the Samsung booth during the CES tech show Tuesday, Jan. 9, 2024, in Las Vegas. (AP Photo/John Locher)
More automakers are also partnering with Google to offer vehicles with pre-install apps such as Google Maps and Assistant. The apps will come to select models from Ford, Nissan and Lincoln this year, with Porsche following suit in 2025.
INTEL UNVEILS UPDATED 14th GEN PROCESSOR LINEUP
Intel may be leaning into supporting AI with its Core Ultra chips, but the company decided to announce an expansion of its 14th Gen processor family for gamers and media creators who need raw power and performance from their PCs.
New Intel Core 14th Gen HX-series mobile processors are built for gamers.The Unitree B2 robot is displayed during the CES tech show Tuesday, Jan. 9, 2024, in Las Vegas. (AP Photo/Ryan Sun)
