BANGKOK – Attaphon Charoenchansa, acting Director-General of the Department of National Parks, Wildlife, and Plant Conservation, announced on November 20 that due to the recent discovery of a large number of green iguanas roaming in natural areas in Lopburi province and causing damage to agricultural crops, there has been a rapid increase in their population, affecting the environment and ecosystems.
The iguanas found belong to several native species not originally from Thailand, and the cause of their occurrence in the wild is not yet clear.
Iguana in Lopburi Province
The Department of National Parks has therefore announced that, with immediate effect, it will not consider licences for the import of wild animals protected by international treaties on endangered species. This applies in particular to the family of iguanas (family Iguanidae), order number 640, including all species of iguanas (Iguana spp.). This measure will be implemented as a control measure until further notice.
So far, 244 owners of green iguanas with a total of 3,419 animals have been reported, with the province of Chonburi having the highest number with 982 animals.
However, specialists claim that Thailand possesses native chameleons with green skin that resembles the green iguana. It is known as the “Takong,” or Chinese water dragon, and it is a protected wild animal in reptile category 41. It cannot be hunted or bred.
“Takong,” or Chinese water dragon
According to Dr. Jessada Denduangboriphan, lecturer at the Department of Biology, Faculty of Science, Chulalongkorn University, this may lead to the misunderstanding that “Takong” is a “green iguana” and so capture or injure it.
The following are some signs to tell the difference between two types of animals:
On the Takong’s both cheeks, the button will be white. The iguana, on the other hand, is likely to have a circle near its chin.
On the Takong’s both cheeks, the button will be white. The iguana, on the other hand, is likely to have a circle near its chin. (photo from @aorwiki)
2. The takong will be brushed down to the chest under the chin. Iguanas, on the other hand, have eye bags.
3. The Takong body’s back panel is dark green to black. Iguanas are green, and the panel’s end will be pink.
4. The Takong will eat tiny creatures such as crickets, grasshoppers, and occasionally worms as nourishment. Iguanas eat mostly fruits and vegetables.
In Thailand, Chinese water dragons are protected wild animals that are on the verge of extinction, but iguanas are controlled animals. As a result, people should be cautious and thoroughly check.
PHICHIT – Pythons can be found in general in Thailand. They help balance the ecosystem and are considered protected wild animals.
On November 20, police officers from the Natural Resources and Environmental Crime Suppression Division, or Greencop, and officials from Conservation Area Administration Office 12 (Nakhon Sawan), conducted a search in the area of Dong Pa Kham Subdistrict, Mueang District, Phichit Province, after receiving information about an illegal network dissecting pythons by skinning and selling them outside the country.
According to the search, Mrs. Sommai owns the target house. They found live pythons beneath the house. They were wrapped in blankets and tied in bags; 12 of them weighed between 11 and 15 kilogrammes each. In addition, the sacks included five sheets of dried python skin and the remains of four python bones. Mrs. Sommai was promptly arrested.
Mrs. Sommai claims that all the seized items belonged to her son-in-law and were prepared for for selling to international traffickers. But she has no idea who they are. She was transported to the Dong Pa Kham Police Station and charged with unlawful possession of protected wild animals and carcasses of protected species.
Pythons can be found in Thailand’s nature beside rivers. It is considered a protected wild animal because it benefits the ecosystem. They help in the control of mammalian populations such as rats. Officials warn that if there are no pythons in the area, the ecosystem will become unbalanced.
The police found counterfeit banknotes inside the safe of the Taiwanese man slain in Bangkok.
BANGKOK – The police noted that the features of counterfeit banknotes found inside the safe of the Taiwanese man slain in Bangkok matched those of the black money gang.
On November 20, police officers inspected two safes from the room of Chu Chiang Shen, 48, a Taiwanese man who was murdered at a hotel in Soi Udomsuk 17, Sukhumvit 103, Bang Na Subdistrict and District, Bangkok, on Nov. 16.
The police brought two safes from the room of a Taiwanese man who was murdered at a hotel in Soi Udomsuk 17, Bangkok, on Nov. 16.
Inside a safe, counterfeit US dollar notes were discovered, as well as green and black paper cut to the size of a banknote and other equipment thought to be a device for counterfeiting banknotes. The other safe had been blanked.
The authorities observed similarities between the properties of counterfeit banknotes and the technology used to counterfeit banknotes and those of the black money gang.
Mr. Chu’s relatives witnessed the safe’s opening at Bangna Police Station and provided additional statements to investigators while contacting them to request that the Chu’s remains be taken to Bang Na Nok Temple for a religious ceremony before returning the ashes to Taiwan.
In this case, police arrested two foreign suspects, one from Myanmar and one from Cameroon. There are still two people who are being sought. Ms. Naphatsarada, a 31-year-old Thai woman from Ratchaburi Province, is one of them. Another person is a foreigner with dual nationalities from Vanuatu and Iran. He has fled Thailand since November 16, following the murder.
Mr. Chu’s sister informed detectives that she had no idea how so many counterfeit bills ended up in his brother’s a safe. She wants the authorities to find and apprehend all of the criminals, as well as locate Chu’s missing phone and tablet.
BANGKOK – On November 20, 2023, Suttipong Kongpool, Director of the Civil Aviation Authority of Thailand (CAAT), announced that the aviation industry in Thailand 2023 is showing steady signs of recovery, with nine new airlines having applied for registration. It is reflected in the growing passenger demand and the resurgence of airlines.
These airlines are in the process of obtaining their Air Operator Certificates (AOC) to commence commercial operations.
The nine newly registered airlines are:
1. Asian Aeroservices Co., Ltd.
– Authorized to operate from October 16, 2023, to October 15, 2026.
– Non-scheduled air transportation.
2. Siam Seapalne Co., Ltd.
– Authorized from May 3, 2023, to May 2, 2028.
– Non-scheduled air transportation.
3. R.C. Airlines Co., Ltd. (Really Cool)
– Authorized from July 18, 2023, to July 17, 2028.
– Both scheduled and non-scheduled air transportation.
4. Avanti Air Charter Co., Ltd.
– Authorized from July 27, 2023, to July 26, 2028.
– Non-scheduled air transportation.
5. M-Landarch Co., Ltd.
– Authorized from July 27, 2023, to July 26, 2028.
– Both scheduled and non-scheduled air transportation.
6. Bangkok Helicopter Services Co., Ltd.
– Currently holding an AOC, authorized from August 23, 2023, to August 22, 2028.
– Non-scheduled air transportation.
7. Pattaya Airways Co., Ltd.
– Authorized from August 28, 2023, to August 27, 2028.
– Non-scheduled air transportation for cargo only.
8. Asia Atlantic Airlines Co., Ltd.
– Authorized from August 29, 2023, to August 28, 2028.
– Scheduled air transportation.
9. P-80 Air Co., Ltd.
– Submitted two registration requests, authorized from August 31, 2023, to August 30, 2028.
– Both scheduled and non-scheduled air transportation.
CAAT emphasizes that it will evaluate business plans, financial status, and service standards to ensure passenger safety and compliance with legal requirements.
The recovery of the aviation industry is approaching pre-COVID levels, with 160 million passengers in 2019, with passenger numbers expected to reach 127 million in 2023, 63.03 million international tourists and 64.43 million domestic tourists.
CAAT also has an optimistic estimate of 162 million in 2024, with 88.62 million international passengers and 74.05 million domestic passengers.
Miss Nicaragua, Sheynnis Palacios, smiles after being crowned Miss Universe at the 72nd Miss Universe Beauty Pageant in San Salvador, El Salvador, Saturday, Nov. 18, 2023. (AP Photo/Moises Castillo)
SAN SALVADOR, El Salvador (AP) — Miss Nicaragua Sheynnis Palacios won the Miss Universe competition late Saturday night in El Salvador, the first to wear the crown from her country.
Palacios is a 23-year-old communicologist, who said she wants to work to promote mental health after suffering debilitating bouts of anxiety herself.
Miss Thailand, Anntonia Porsild, was first runner-up and Miss Australia, Moraya Wilson, the second runner-up.
Eighty-four women competed for the crown in the 72nd edition of the competition.
Miss Nicaragua, Sheynnis Palacios, smiles after being named Miss Universe at the 72nd Miss Universe Beauty Pageant in San Salvador, El Salvador, Saturday, Nov. 18, 2023. (AP Photo/Moises Castillo)Miss Nicaragua Sheynnis Palacios smiles after being crowned Miss Universe at the 72nd Miss Universe Beauty Pageant in San Salvador, El Salvador, Saturday, Nov. 18, 2023. (AP Photo/Moises Castillo)
Palacios appeared to secure the win when she confidently answered the question of which woman’s shoes would she like to spend a year in by saying Mary Wollstonecraft, the 18th-century English writer and philosopher. Wollstonecraft was an advocate of women’s rights and is considered one of the forerunners of feminism.
Palacios said she wants to work to close the salary gap between the genders so that women can work in any area.
Miss Universe was last held in El Salvador in 1975. This year’s event was another opportunity for President Nayib Bukele to tout changes made under his administration, especially greatly improving the country’s safety.
Miss Thailand Anntonia Porsild, from left, Miss Australia Moraya Wilson and Miss Nicaragua Sheynnis Palacios, react after being named the final three contestants during the 72nd Miss Universe pageant, in San Salvador, El Salvador, Saturday, Nov. 18, 2023. (AP Photo/Moises Castillo)Miss Nicaragua Sheynnis Palacios participates in the evening gown category during the 72nd Miss Universe Beauty Pageant in San Salvador, El Salvador, Saturday, Nov. 18, 2023. (AP Photo/Moises Castillo)
“El Salvador has changed for good and we have shown it again,” Bukele said Saturday night. “Miss Universe has given us the opportunity to show the world what we are capable of. Thank you for choosing to be part of El Salvador’s rebirth.”
Bukele is running for reelection despite constitutional term limits and is widely popular for his crackdown on the country’s gangs. But he has faced international criticism for eroding checks and balances on his power and not respecting human rights.
El Salvador’s President Nayib Bukele waves while attending the 72nd Miss Universe Beauty Pageant in San Salvador, El Salvador, Saturday, Nov. 18, 2023. (AP Photo/Moises Castillo)
More than 72,000 people have been arrested without due process since a state of emergency was declared in March 2022 in response to a surge in gang violence. The special powers it granted Bukele remain in place.
The sharp decline in violence following the assault on gangs gained Bukele strong support from most Salvadorans and polls suggest he will coast to reelection.
Observers, however, warn that there is a need to be concerned over human rights abuses and Bukele’s consolidation of power.
A 2022 report by the U.S. State Department highlighted “significant human rights issues,” and earlier this month several private citizens and opposition parties filed petitions with the Supreme Electoral Tribunal seeking to annul Bukele’s reelection bid.
A mural depicting El Salvador’s President Nayib Bukele adorns a residential building in the Zacamil neighborhood of San Salvador, El Salvador, Friday, Nov. 17, 2023. (AP Photo/Moises Castillo)
Bukele, who once dubbed himself on social media the “world’s coolest dictator,” has taken the criticism in stride. At times he ignores detractors and in other moments he forcefully accuses foreign governments of hypocrisy, all the while making bold spectacles a sort of trademark of his presidency.
In 2021, he announced in a recorded message played at a bitcoin conference in Miami that the cryptocurrency would become a national currency in El Salvador. Shortly thereafter, El Salvador became the first nation to take that step. Questions were raised at the time, and the plunge in cryptocurrency’s value last year only fed the doubts. The government has not been transparent about its holdings, but analysts believe they remain at a sharp loss.
Bukele pivoted to new ventures and kept charging forward.
El Salvador’s President Nayib Bukele attends the 72nd Miss Universe Beauty Pageant in San Salvador, El Salvador, Saturday, Nov. 18, 2023. (AP Photo/Moises Castillo)
He hosted international surfing competitions and the 2023 Central American and Caribbean Games, which experts quickly dubbed a textbook case of “sportswashing ” — using sports to divert attention from controversy or burnish reputations.
“Successfully hosting an international event can give a regime confidence to kind of act with impunity. Sport is a bit of a shortcut way to win yourself, not even popularity, just an acceptance,” Alan McDougall, a sports historian at the University of Guelph in Canada, told AP earlier this year.
Domestically oriented projects like a new mega-prison for gang suspects and the sparkling national library unveiled this week are also presented to the public in carefully choreographed spectacles. The library event included drones that flew into the sky above the capital and arranged themselves in Bukele’s image.
Miss Universe contestants: Miss Australia Moraya Wilson, from left, Miss Puerto Rico Karla Guilfú, Miss Nicaragua Sheynnis Palacios, Miss Thailand Anntonia Porsild and Miss Colombia Camila Avella, advance to the top 5 during the 72nd Miss Universe Beauty Pageant in San Salvador, El Salvador, Saturday, Nov. 18, 2023. (AP Photo/Moises Castillo)
The president does appear to be working to blunt criticism from the Biden administration. Last month, El Salvador slapped a hefty fee on African migrants connecting through its airport as the U.S. government pressured governments in the region to do more to control northward migration.
The result has been what Breda, the Central American analyst, described as a “softer public denunciation” by the U.S. and other players in the region.
Now, as Bukele faces criticism for seeking reelection, the Miss Universe competition has quite literally taken the spotlight in the Central American nation.
“We now have become the safest country in Latin America. We would like to thank the Miss Universe Organization for joining us in this historic process,” Bukele said in a video announcing the event earlier this year. “El Salvador is changing.”
Social media influencers are commenting on fashion choices of contestants, others show competitors stepping onto the red carpet in elegant dresses and heels or doing yoga on the beach in their pageant sashes.
Contestants like Lisbeth Valverde Brenes, representing Costa Rica, sing Bukele’s tune to local content creators as she walks around the city center, praising El Salvador’s security while adding, “I’ll have to come back.”
Miss Costa Rica Lisbeth Valverde takes part in the national costume competition at the Miss Universe Beauty Pageant in San Salvador, Thursday, Nov. 16, 2023. (AP Photo/Moises Castillo)
And mixed in with the videos of the pageant on Bukele’s social media feeds — his preferred form of communication — are photos of him and supporters celebrating his reelection campaign.
His critics are pushing back.
The rights group Movement for Victims of the State of Emergency announced it will hold a protest on the same day as Miss Universe events wrap up. “El Salvador isn’t a country of marvels, Bukele has converted it into a prison,” the group said.
Breda, the analyst, cautions that this all cuts two ways.
“For Salvadorans, this is a way to rebuild their national identity, seeing their country as one that’s being referred to as a tourist hotspot. … I see the good in that,” he said.
But, he added, “If that comes at the expense of democracy, the dismantling of checks and balances, I don’t know if that’s a net positive overall.”
Miss Thailand, Anntonia Porsild, was the first runner-up in the 2023 Miss Universe competition.
BANGKOK – Thai beauty queen supporters had high hopes that Miss Universe Thailand 2023, Anntonia Porsild, would have won the third Miss Universe crown for Thailand after Apasra Hongsakula, who won the title in 1965, and Pornthip Nakhirunkanok, who was the second Miss Universe from Thailand in 1988.
However, Anntonia ended up as the first runner-up in the 72nd Miss Universe Beauty Pageant in San Salvador, El Salvador, on November 19. She is the first person to make it to the final three in 35 years.
Miss Universe 2023 is Nicaraguan Sheynnis Palacios, while Miss Australia Moraya Wilson is the second runner-up.
Miss Thailand Anntonia Porsild, from left, Miss Australia Moraya Wilson and Miss Nicaragua Sheynnis Palacios, react after being named the final three contestants during the 72nd Miss Universe pageant, in San Salvador, El Salvador, Saturday, Nov. 18, 2023. (AP Photo/Moises Castillo)
“I’m sorry I couldn’t bring the crown home for us, and I am eternally grateful for all of the love and support I have received throughout this journey. I will continue to work towards my dreams and hope you will all come along with me on whatever path we go from here.” Anntonia sent a message to her supporters.
Fans of the Thai Beauty Queen felt very disappointed that Anntonia could not win. There was some criticism that there were too many Latino judges. Some blamed Ann Chakkraphong Chakrajutatib for being the pageant’s owner but she was unable to help. Even the former owner of Miss Universe rights, an American, had many Miss USA winners crowned Miss Universe.
Anne Jakkaphong Jakrajutatip, owner of the Miss Universe Organization, stands on the stage during the final round of the 72nd Miss Universe Beauty Pageant in San Salvador, El Salvador, Saturday, Nov. 18, 2023. (AP Photo/Moises Castillo)
Beauty pageants are immensely popular in Thailand and appear to be the most popular in the ASEAN region, as well as in the Philippines, which is likely influenced by the United States.
The skincare and cosmetic product sector in Thailand is one of the largest among Southeast Asian countries, according to the Statista. Major international brands have invested in the Thai cosmetics market. In 2022, the prestige cosmetic and fragrance market value in Thailand amounted to around 487 million U.S. dollars.
Every time a pageant is held, beauty queen supporters voice their thoughts loudly. Particularly on the Miss Universe pageant, where two Thai women have previously won the title. Even the country’s leaders congratulated the winner.
Prime Minister Srettha Thavisin was one who tweeted a message congratulating, admiring, and thanking Anntonia Porsild for representing Thailand so well after winning the 1st runner-up place in Miss Universe 2023.
Furthermore, in the national costume competition, the Prime Minister praised Anntonia for presenting a genuinely beautiful and excellent ‘Goddess of the Ayutthaya Kingdom’ costume. “It flawlessly enhances Thainess.” Congratulations.”
Pheu Thai Party leader and Vice Chairman of the National Softpower Strategy Committee Paetongtarn Shinawatra also congratulated Anntonia, even though she did not get the crown.
Miss Thailand Anntonia Porsild takes part in the national costume competition at the Miss Universe Beauty Pageant in San Salvador, Thursday, Nov. 16, 2023. (AP Photo/Moises Castillo)
“I took the car from Phitsanulok to Uttaradit. I didn’t take a nap or rest at all as I cheered for Anntonia Porsild like many people. Very excited. I’m really happy for her. She’s very talented. The pride of Thai people all over the country. Please give me a little encouragement to Khun Ann and all the team,” she stated.
“I thought Anntonia did a very good job. She was beautiful and elegant. During the answering of questions, I felt that she answered the questions very well. Her attitude in answering the questions was very good.I really appreciate it. These things prove that “Women can do anything,” she added.
PM Srettha retweeted, “Don’t be disappointed. We (the Thailand team) did our best. I will consult with the Vice President of Soft Power on how to work with the first runner-up of Miss Universe, in case it will be beneficial to the country.”
Pheu Thai Party leader and Vice Chairman of the National Softpower Strategy Committee Paetongtarn Shinawatra
People in Nakhon Ratchasima Antonia’s birthplace congratulated her and her family as well. They will celebrate again after she comes back to Thailand on November 26.
Anntonia Porsild, a 27-year-old Thai-Danish model, was crowned Miss Universe Thailand 2023 in August. She holds a bachelor’s degree in international studies from Stamford International University’s Department of Marketing and Public Relations. She was among the final 10 contestants in Season 1 of The Face Thailand in 2014 and was crowned Miss Supranational in 2019.
During the final round of the 72nd Miss Universe competition, the top three queens were all asked, “If you could live one year in another woman’s shoes, who would you choose and why?”
Miss Nicaragua impressed the jury with her winning answer, mentioning Mary Wollstonecraft, a renowned English writer and women’s rights activist in the 18th century, as her inspiration.
“I would choose Mary Wollstonecraft because she opened the gap in paving opportunity to many women and what I would do. I would want that gap, that income gap, would open up so that women could work in any area that they choose to work in because there are no limitations for women. That was 1750, now in 2023, we’re making history,” Palacios said.
Miss Nicaragua Sheynnis Palacios smiles after being crowned Miss Universe at the 72nd Miss Universe Beauty Pageant in San Salvador, El Salvador, Saturday, Nov. 18, 2023. (AP Photo/Moises Castillo)
Anntonia, meanwhile, mentioned Pakistani Malala Yousafzai, the 2014 Nobel Peace Prize laureate at the age of 17, as her inspirational modern woman.
“I would choose Malala Yousafzai because I know the struggles she had to deal with in order to get where she is today. She has to fight for women’s education and fight for all women to be able to stand strong and be the change and lead by example. If I could choose anyone that would be her,” she said.
Miss Mexico 2023 won the national costume award for her vibrantly coloured cloth, which was inspired by the Guardian Alebrijes, a brightly coloured Mexican folk art sculpture of a monster. Next year’s Miss Universe pageant will be held in Mexico.
Miss Mexico Melissa Flores competes in the national costume competition at the Miss Universe Beauty Pageant in San Salvador, Thursday, Nov. 16, 2023. (AP Photo/Moises Castillo)
A shopper guides her cart past sugar shelves at a supermarket in Bangkok, Thailand, Thursday, Nov. 9, 2023. I (AP Photo/Sakchai Lalit)
Skyrocketing sugar prices left Ishaq Abdulraheem with few choices. Increasing the cost of bread would mean declining sales, so the Nigerian baker decided to cut his production by half.
For scores of other bakers struggling to stay afloat while enduring higher costs for fuel and flour, the stratospheric sugar prices proved to be the last straw, and they closed for good.
Sugar is needed to make bread, which is a staple for Nigeria’s 210 million people, and for many who are struggling to put food on the table, it offers a cheap source of calories. Surging sugar prices — an increase of 55% in two months — means fewer bakers and less bread.
“It is a very serious situation,” Abdulraheem said.
Sugar worldwide is trading at the highest prices since 2011, mainly due to lower global supplies after unusually dry weather damaged harvests in India and Thailand, the world’s second- and third-largest exporters.
Abba Usman sells granulated sugar at his shop inside a market in Abuja, Nigeria, Friday, Oct. 27, 2023. (AP Photo/Chinedu Asadu)
This is just the latest hit for developing nations already coping with shortages in staples like rice and bans on food trade that have added to food inflation. All of it contributes to food insecurity because of the combined effects of the naturally occurring climate phenomenon El Nino, the war in Ukraine and weaker currencies. Wealthier Western nations can absorb the higher costs, but poorer nations are struggling.
The United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization is predicting a 2% decline in global sugar production in the 2023-24 season, compared with the previous year, translating to a loss of about 3.5 million metric tons (3.8 million U.S. tons), said Fabio Palmeri, an FAO global commodities market researcher. Increasingly, sugar is being used for biofuels like ethanol, so global reserves of sugar are at their lowest since 2009.
Brazil is the biggest sugar exporter, but its harvest will only help plug gaps later in 2024. Until then, import-dependent countries — like most of those in sub-Saharan Africa — remain vulnerable.
Nigeria, for instance, buys 98% of its raw sugar from other countries. In 2021, it banned imports of refined sugar that ran counter to a plan to build up domestic sugar processing and announced a $73-million project to expand sugar infrastructure. But those are longer-term strategies. Abuja traders like Abba Usman are facing problems now.
The same 50-kilogram (110-pound) bag of sugar that Usman bought a week ago for $66 now costs $81. As prices rise, his customers are dwindling.
“The price keeps increasing every day, and we don’t know why,” Usman said.
It’s partly due to the El Nino, a natural phenomenon that shifts global weather patterns and can cause extreme weather conditions ranging from drought to flooding. Scientists believe climate change is making El Nino stronger.
India endured its driest August in over a century, and crops in the western state of Maharashtra, which accounts for over a third of its sugarcane production, were stunted during the crucial growing phase.
A employer prepares cake pastries at a bakery Friday, Oct 27, 2023. in Nairobi, Kenya. Kenya, once self-sufficient in sugar, now imports 200,000 metric tons a year from a regional trade bloc. (AP Photo/Sayyid Abdul Azim)
India’s sugar production is likely to decline by 8% this year, according to the Indian Sugar Mills Association. The world’s most populated nation is also the biggest consumer of sugar and is now restricting sugar exports.
In Thailand, El Nino effects early in the growing season altered not just the quantity but also the quality of the harvest, said Naradhip Anantasuk, leader of the Thailand Sugar Planters Association. He expects only 76 million metric tons (84 million U.S. tons) of sugarcane to be milled in the 2024 harvest season, compared with 93 million metric tons (103 million U.S. tons) this year.
A report by U.S. Department of Agriculture predicted a 15% dip in output in Thailand in October.
Thailand reversed a hike in sugar prices within days, imposing price controls for the first time since 2018. Anantasuk said this would discourage farmers from growing sugar by capping their income.
“It’s like preventing the industry from growing, preventing an open competition,” he said.
Wholesale prices had been allowed to rise to help farmers cope with higher costs — partly due to government demands that they not burn their fields, which makes harvesting cheaper but envelops much of Thailand in heavy smog.
Looking ahead, Brazil’s harvest is forecast to be 20% bigger than last year’s, said Kelly Goughary, a senior research analyst at the agriculture data and analytics firm Gro Intelligence. But since the country is in the Southern Hemisphere, the boost to global supplies won’t come until March.
This is because of favorable weather earlier this year in Brazil along with an increase in areas where sugarcane was planted, according to the USDA.
The next few months are the greatest concern, said the FAO’s Palmeri. Population growth and rising sugar consumption will further strain sugar reserves, he said.
The world now has less than 68 days of sugar in stockpiles to meet its needs, compared with 106 days when they began declining in 2020, according to data from the USDA.
“It’s at the lowest levels since 2010,” said Joseph Glauber, senior research fellow at the International Food Policy Research Institute.
Indonesia — the biggest sugar importer last year, according to the USDA — has cut back on imports and China, the No. 2 importer, was forced to release sugar from its stocks to offset high prices domestically for the first time in six years, Palmeri said.
An employee puts a spoon of sugar into a cup of coffee as he serves a customer at a food stall in Jakarta, Indonesia Tuesday, Oct. 24, 2023. (AP Photo/Tatan Syuflana)
For some countries, importing more expensive sugar eats up reserves of foreign currency like dollars and euros that also are needed to pay for oil and other crucial commodities, said El Mamoun Amrouk, an FAO economist.
That includes Kenya. Once self-sufficient in sugar, it now imports 200,000 metric tons (110,000 U.S. tons) a year from a regional trade bloc. In 2021, the government limited imports to protect local farmers from foreign competition, but it reversed that decision as harvests shrank due to insufficient rain and mismanagement.
The amount of sugar milled in Kenya fell steadily from June to August. To compensate, monthly imports doubled from September to October. Meanwhile, a 50-kilogram (110-pound) bag of local sugar doubled in price to $60, shopkeeper Joseph Kuraru said.
Back in Africa’s largest economy, the struggle of Nigerian bakers is a microcosm of the effects of rising food and fuel costs and the outsized impact of high sugar prices because it’s so ubiquitous. Abuja’s many bakeries use sugar both to sweeten cakes and to feed the yeast that makes bread rise.
Bread is often the only food poor households can afford. When bakers raise bread prices, as they did by 15% earlier this year, some people go hungry.
Not passing along higher costs is not an option, said Mansur Umar, president of the Nigerian Bakers’ Association.
“There is no way you can buy high and you sell low,” he said.
___
Ghosal reported from Hanoi, Vietnam, and Asadu from Abuja, Nigeria. AP journalists Jintamas Saksornchai in Bangkok; Evelyne Musambi in Nairobi, Kenya; and Courtney Bonnell in London contributed to this report.
Chancery of the Chinese Embassy in Bangkok. Photo: Chinese Embassy Bangkok / Facebook
The Chinese Embassy has committed a diplomatic faux pas in its recent Facebook post in Thai and English last week admonishing a Thai media interview with Taiwan’s Minister of Foreign Affairs Joseph Wu.
Wu was named by Beijing in 2021 as first on the list of “diehard supporters of Taiwan independence” and the Chinese Embassy in Bangkok was outraged to the point where they have abandoned any pretense of being a diplomatic outpost by preaching the Thai press about the supposed role of the press and press freedom itself.
“This media provided a platform for ‘Taiwan Independence’ separatists to propagate fallacies, which has harmed China’s interests and hurt the Chinese people’s feelings. We strongly deplore and reject this … Any practice that hurts other country [sic] and its people under the pretext of the freedom of press is merely an abuse of freedom of press,” part of the statement in English read.
Abuse of freedom of press? The last time I picked up China Daily newspaper, the English-language mouthpiece of the Chinese state, [for free] at a local coffee shop in Bangkok, I recalled it is not hard to find news or commentaries criticizing the United States. It is apparently not kosher if a Thai media which is independent from the control of the Thai government ends up “hurting Chinese people feelings,” but alright if Chinese state-controlled media hurt the American people’s feelings? Where is the single standard?
Without naming the media outlet by name, the Chinese Embassy also called for public broadcaster Thai PBS to “correct the mistakes and prevent actions that hurt the Chinese people’s sentiments from happening again.”
The truth is, China, according to the Paris-based Reporters Without Border (RSF), is ranked this year next to the bottom of press freedom level at Number 179 out of 180 countries around the world – only better than North Korea, which was at Number 180. What is more, RSF said in its report this year that China is “the world’s biggest jailer of journalists” with more than 100 detained and “one of the biggest exporters of propaganda content.”
“The Chinese regime uses surveillance, coercion, intimidation, and harassment to keep independent journalists from reporting on issues it deems “sensitive,” RSF stated. (Disclosure: I am one of the responders to RSF press freedom index for Thailand over the years.)
Now it is clear the Chinese Embassy in Thailand is taking up such a role to expand its operation in instilling fears among Thai journalists. Given such a stance one wonders if in the future the Thai press should just submit its article or news item for the approval of the Embassy of the People’s Republic of China in the Kingdom of Thailand for approval prior to even thinking about publishing or broadcasting? Or should the Thai press stop reporting and interviewing anyone from Taiwan altogether?
Following the tactless Facebook posts by the embassy, many Thai netizens posted pro-Taiwan messages in Thai and English on the comment section of the embassy’s Facebook post.
Such blunder made by the Chinese Embassy is counterproductive to Chinese interests itself because it makes the Thai public perceive China negatively as a bully and germinates a negative impression of the country. Diplomacy should be about winning hearts and minds, but what the Chinese embassy did earlier this month was the opposite.
It is ironic that at a time when western embassies in Bangkok are wary of preaching Thailand about human rights and democracy as it slowly recognized the limits of preaching, the Chinese Embassy is now assuming the role of Big Brother preaching the Thai press on how it should conduct itself to the detriment of the reputation of China itself.
Any purported respect for the U.S. is low due to its foreign policy hypocrisy where human rights and democracy come second and third to their national interest. Now it is time for Chinese hypocrisy about press freedom.
Dhanin Chearavanont, senior chairman of Charoen Pokphand
BANGKOK – Dhanin Chearavanont, senior chairman of Thailand’s largest private company, Charoen Pokphand, said he supports the government plan to distribute a 10,000-baht digital wallet initiative and agrees that the government must adopt unconventional approaches to promote the economy.
A Thai billionaire businessman stated during a special lecture on “90 years of the Thai Chamber of Commerce and the development of the Thai economy” at the BITEC Exhibition and Convention Centre (BITEC), Bangkok, that the world economy is not normal and is entering a crisis.
“I am confident that the government, led by Prime Minister Srettha Thavisin, who arrived on time to address economic concerns,” he stated.
According to a significant businessman, all business people must speak out and explain that the digital wallet program is not a measure to help the poor. However, it is a measure to stimulate the economy amid difficult times. He also supported measures to suspend farmer debt, which is a beneficial idea that will help farmers earn more money.
The event “90 years of the Thai Chamber of Commerce and the development of the Thai economy” is held at the BITEC Exhibition and Convention Centre (BITEC), Bangkok, on November 18, 2023.
He stated that these two measures will not cause Thailand to lose fiscal discipline, as Thailand presently ranks among the top in the world in terms of financial discipline, with debt to GDP at only 61%, while other countries such as the United States have 100% debt to GDP.
“Today, the government must stimulate the economy in the short, medium, and long terms because our fiscal discipline remains strong.” Don’t be afraid of high inflation. I believe that deflation is more hazardous, like when low blood pressure causes the heart to stop beating and the Thai economy to fail. However, if inflation is severe, it is similar to high blood pressure in that it can be treated with medication.”
Dhanin concluded by saying that Thailand and the other ASEAN countries remain attractive to global investors because their economies can still grow, they have good security, and there is no conflict here.
LOPBURI – The discovery of a significant number of green iguanas in Khao Phraya Doenthong commune, Moo 3, Phatthananikom, Lopburi province, has caused concern among local residents by feeding on agricultural crops and experts warn that they carry salmonella.
Officials from the Wildlife Protection Department and the No Hunting Zone in Pasak Cholasit Dam, Lopburi province, conducted an investigation in the area of Nong Krading, Moo 1, Phatthananikom, where several green iguanas were found in trees of various sizes.
Several green iguanas were found in trees of various sizes.
The officers worked together on November 16-17 to capture the iguanas and bring them to the Wildlife Rescue Center in Nakhon Nayok.
The Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES) classifies green iguanas as Group 1 animals that are subject to protection, according to Sutthipong Kamthaptim, head of the Wildlife Conservation Division, Area Management Branch 1, Saraburi.
If residents manage to catch an iguana, they are asked to contact the Department of National Parks at 1362 for further assistance. Owners of foreign wild animals cannot release them by law. The offence carries a 6-month prison sentence, a 50,000-baht fine, or both. If those who process foreign wild animals decide they no longer want to care for them, they must notify and deliver them to the Department of National Parks, Wildlife, and Plant Conservation.
According to the residents, these iguanas have been in the area for over 10 years and are reproducing and growing naturally.
Boonna Yuchan, a 58-year-old resident of Khao Phraya Doenthong, mentioned that there have been no reported cases of disease from iguanas in the past 10 years. He admitted that the iguanas cause some damage to crops, vegetables and fruits as they mainly stay on different types of trees where they eat leaves and insects.
He finds the iguanas adorable and attractive to tourists who often take photos with them. He would like to see some iguanas preserved in this place.
Sunita Wingwon, a veterinarian, emphasized that the Salmonella bacteria found in the digestive tracts of green iguanas can be transmitted to humans through their feces, contaminating the environment, water, and soil. The symptoms in humans include diarrhea, abdominal pain, and fever.
However, people with strong immune systems may not experience severe symptoms or may recover on their own.
