H.E. Mr. Hun Saroen, Ambassador of the Kingdom of Cambodia to Thailand, presented a certificate of honor to Charoen Pokphand Foods Public Company Limited (CP Foods), recognizing its exemplary treatment of migrant employees. As a Thai company, CP Foods is dedicated to fair and equal practices and strives to improve the well-being of its migrant workers.
The Ambassador expressed gratitude for CP Foods’ endeavor to ensure that all migrant workers are entitled to fair and equal treatment, including career growth opportunities, similar to Thai employees. CP Foods continues to adhere to human rights principles and labor standards.
The company prioritizes ethical and transparent management for its migrant employees. Moreover, CP Foods cooperates with and supports the Cambodian embassy in Thailand to ensure the safety and well-being of Cambodian people living and working in Thailand.
CP Foods has a clear policy to employ all foreign workers directly through the terms of the MoU signed by the government of Thailand and neighboring countries. The company is also responsible for agency service fees and related recruitment expenses incurred in the countries of origin, as well as all expenses from the border to the workplace, including traveling costs, training fees, work permit fees, visa fees, etc.
Additionally, CP Foods provides dormitories for migrant workers and a staff shuttle bus. Moreover, all operations of the company hire interpreters to facilitate and support foreign workers while they are working at the company.
The company has partnered with the Labour Protection Network Foundation (LPN) for six consecutive years to establish and operate the ‘Labour Voices Hotline by LPN,’ a channel for handling employee complaints by a neutral organization that listens to opinions and suggestions, clarifies doubts, accepts assistance requests, and addresses grievances from employees of diverse backgrounds in terms of race, religion, culture, belief, etc.
This partnership enables the company to improve its operations to be more efficient. The alliance has continually organized training related to human rights and labor practices for both Thai and migrant workers, educating and raising awareness about their rights according to labor protection laws and international standards. LPN staff have also arranged dormitory visits for migrant workers to hear their opinions, recommendations, and expectations for a better quality of life.
Leaders of eight parties meet at the Pheu Thai Party on July 17, 2023.
Thai politics has entered a period of more uncertainty after the Pheu Thai Party invited the opposing political parties, including the Bhumjaithai Party, Chart Pattana Kla Party, Chart Thai Pattana Party, the United Thai Nation Party and Palang Pracharat Party, to meet at its office on weekends.
The mint chocolate drinks served to each party at the meeting have become a symbol used by pro-democracy individuals against the Pheu Thai Party, which they refer to as the betrayed friends menu.
The mint chocolate is served at the meeting of Pheu Thai and the Bhumjaithai on Saturday, July 22, 2023.
The Pheu Thai Party, which has the second-most MPs, has the opportunity to form the government instead of the Move Forward Party, which won the election, after the latter failed to put forward Pita Limjaroenrat as Prime Minister.
Although the Pheu Thai Party insisted that the meeting was only to exchange opinions and support its candidate for prime minister, many critics claimed that the Pheu Thai Party broke a campaign pledge not to form an alliance with former ruling parties that supported junta leader Gen. Prayuth Chan-ocha.
A group of activists, including 15-year-old Yok, stormed the Pheu Thai Party headquarters on Sunday evening and splashed flour to protest.
A group of activists, including 15-year-old Yok, stormed the Pheu Thai Party headquarters on Sunday, July 23, 2023.
Move Forward Party members also declared after a party meeting online Monday that they would not join a coalition with either Phalang Pracharat or the United Thai Nation Party. They insisted on supporting the continuation of the eight-party coalition.
The possibility of eight alliance parties forming a government is diminishing after the majority of conservative MPs and senators opposed Pita and the MFP, which proposed to amend Criminal Code Section 112. The giant businesses and old powers also want Pheu Thai to head the government on the condition that the MFP not exist.
The Move Forward Party secretary-general Chaitawat Tulathon said Tuesday his party will let the Pheu Thai Party to initiate the “divorce” if needed. But it is immensely difficult for Pheu Thai to “divorce” the MFP, as crowds are prepared to orchestrate mass protests.
Pita Limjaroenrat
The United Front of Thammasat and Demonstration on Monday launched a signature drive for people who support the current eight-party coalition to wait until the junta-appointed senators expire before voting for the new PM, even though it might take as long as ten months.
The Chairman of the Thai Chamber of Commerce Sanan Angubolkul said the country cannot bear the adverse impact from not having PM for 10 months as the damage will be “huge” and reduce GDP growth by 1-2 percent.
Caretaker PM Gen. Prayut Chan-o-cha smiled when asked by reporters if he’s ready to serve for another 10 months. He replied such move shouldn’t be done.
Gen. Prayut Chan-o-cha smiled on Tuesday when asked by reporters if he’s ready to serve as PM for another 10 months.
In the moment that still can’t find a solution, Pheu Thai Party has cancelled the eight-party coalition meeting scheduled on Tuesday, July 25, while another issue has helped the delay.
Ombudsman Kirob Kritteranond on Tuesday asks the Constitutional Court to rule whether parliamentarians preventing the renomination of PM candidate Pita Limjaroenrat was constitutional. He also requests the court to suspend the next PM voting pending the ruling.
Parliament President Wan Muhamad Noor Matha later announced that he postponed Thursday’s bicameral vote for a new PM pending the Constitutional Court’s ruling. If the Constitutional Court will not accept, he will schedule the new date for August 3.
During this time, the Pheu Thai Party has to choose whether it will move forward with the MFP or leave it to be an opposition. No matter which path is chosen, the Pheu Thai Party will be opposed by either side.
FILE - Supporters of the Move Forward Party hold a portrait of Pita Limjaroenrat, the leader of Move Forward Party, during a protest in Bangkok, Thailand, July 23, 2023. (AP Photo/Sakchai Lalit)
BANGKOK (AP) — A vote expected in Thailand’s Parliament later this week to select a new prime minister will be postponed, the house speaker said Tuesday, adding to growing uncertainty over when a new government can take office, more than two months after the general election.
House of Representatives Speaker Wan Muhamad Noor Matha told reporters the vote he had scheduled for Thursday would be postponed pending a decision from the Constitutional Court. The state ombudsman has asked the court to rule whether it was legal to bar Move Forward Party leader Pita Limjaroenrat from being nominated as a prime ministerial candidate a second time.
Pita lost a first vote in Parliament for the top post on July 13, and then was barred from a second try last week when a procedural vote said he could not submit his name again.
The court has not yet set a date for its decision.
Wan Noor also said delaying the vote would allow lawmakers to celebrate King Maha Vajiralongkorn’s 71st birthday on Friday.
Pita Limjaroenrat, the leader of Move Forward Party, center. and Leader of Pheu Thai party Chonlanan Srikaew, left , wave to supporters after meeting in Bangkok, Thailand, Monday, July 17, 2023. (AP Photo/Sakchai Lalit)
Pita led his progressive party to a first-place finish in the May election and assembled an eight-party coalition that together won 312 seats in the 500-member lower house. But confirming a new prime minister requires a majority of a joint vote with the 250-member Senate, and Pita’s initial bid fell short by more than 50 votes, largely because he failed to get support from the Senate, only 13 of whose members backed him.
Members of the Senate said they would not vote for Pita because of his party’s call to reform a law that makes it illegal to defame Thailand’s royal family. Critics say the law, which carries a penalty of up to 15 years in prison, has been abused as a political weapon. The Senate’s members were appointed by a military government — not elected — and see themselves as guardians of traditional conservative royalist values.
After last week’s vote barring Pita from a second bid in Parliament, several complaints were submitted to the state ombudsman asserting that the action had violated the constitution. The complainants include private citizens and lawmakers from Pita’s party.
Pita Limjaroenrat, the leader of Move Forward Party, left, and Leader of Pheu Thai party Chonlanan Srikaew shakes hands after meeting in Bangkok, Thailand, Monday, July 17, 2023. (AP Photo/Sakchai Lalit)
The coalition assembled by Pita met Friday after the latest failed attempt, and announced that its second biggest member, the Pheu Thai Party, would nominate its candidate and assume the leading role in forming a government.
Its three possible nominees are real estate tycoon Srettha Thavisin; Paetongtarn Shinawatra, the daughter of former Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra, who was ousted by a 2006 military coup; and Chaikasem Nitsiri, the party’s chief strategist.
Pheu Thai said the coalition for now will stick with its original members and try to win more votes from conservative lawmakers before the next vote, but did not rule out the possibility that Move Forward could be excluded from the coalition in order for it to succeed in forming the government.
Elon Musk has unveiled a new “X” logo to replace Twitter’s famous blue bird as he follows through with a major rebranding of the social media platform he bought for $44 billion last year.
The X started appearing at the top of the desktop version of Twitter on Monday, but the bird was still dominant across the smartphone app. At Twitter’s headquarters in San Francisco, meanwhile, workers were seen removing the iconic bird and logo Monday until police showed up and stopped them because they didn’t have the proper permits and didn’t tape off the sidewalk to keep pedestrians safe if anything fell.
As of early afternoon, the “er” at the end of Twitter remained visible.
The haphazard erasure of both the physical and virtual remnants of Twitter’s past were in many ways typical of the chaotic way Musk has run the company since his reluctant purchase.
A workman removes a character from a sign on the Twitter headquarters building in San Francisco, Monday, July 24, 2023. (AP Photo/Godofredo A. Vásquez)
“It’s the end of an era, and a clear signal that the Twitter of the past 17 years is gone and not coming back,” said Jasmine Enberg, an analyst with Insider Intelligence. “But the writing was on the wall: Musk has been vocal about transforming Twitter into platform X from the start, and Twitter was already a shell of its former self.”
It’s yet another change that Musk has made since acquiring Twitter that has alienated users and turned off advertisers, leaving the microblogging site vulnerable to new threats, including rival Meta’s new text-based app Threads that directly targets Twitter users.
Musk had asked fans for logo ideas and chose one, which he described as minimalist Art Deco, saying it “certainly will be refined.” He replaced his own Twitter icon with a white X on a black background and posted a picture of the design projected on Twitter’s San Francisco headquarters.
“And soon we shall bid adieu to the twitter brand and, gradually, all the birds,” Musk tweeted Sunday.
The X.com web domain now redirects users to Twitter.com, Musk said.
This screen shot taken Monday, July 24, 2023, in New York, shows Elon Musk’s Twitter page with the new X logo that he introduced a day before. (Twitter via AP)
“I can’t say I’m surprised, but I think it’s a very selfish decision,” said Hannah Thoreson of Baltimore, Maryland, who’s used Twitter since 2009 for work and personal posts.
“There are so many small businesses and so many nonprofits and so many government agencies and things like that all around the world that have relied on Twitter for many years to push their message and reach people,” she said. “And they all have the Twitter icon on everything from their website to their business cards.”
Changing all this costs time and money, she added, not to mention the confusion that comes with a previously unknown brand name.
“I mean, do you want to get rid of the Coca-Cola brand if you’re Coca-Cola? Why would you do that?” said Thoreson, who now primarily uses Mastodon.
Musk, CEO of Tesla, has long been fascinated with the letter X and had already renamed Twitter’s corporate name to X Corp. after he bought it in October. In response to questions about what tweets would be called when the rebranding is done, Musk said they would be called Xs.
The billionaire is also CEO of rocket company Space Exploration Technologies Corp., commonly known as SpaceX. And he started an artificial intelligence company this month called xAI to compete with ChatGPT. In 1999, he founded a startup called X.com, an online financial services company now known as PayPal.
Additionally, he calls one of his sons, whose mother is singer Grimes, “X.” The child’s actual name is a collection of letters and symbols.
Musk’s Twitter purchase and rebranding are part of his strategy to create what he’s dubbed an ” everything app ” similar to China’s WeChat, which combines video chats, messaging, streaming and payments. Musk has made a number of drastic changes since taking over Twitter, including a shift to focusing on paid subscriptions, but he doesn’t always follow through on his attention-grabbing new policy pronouncements.
A person poses for a photo signing into the Twitter website which is now displaying the new logo for Twitter, in an office in central London, Monday July 24, 2023. (Jonathan Brady/PA via AP)
Linda Yaccarino, the longtime NBC Universal executive Musk tapped to be Twitter CEO in May, posted the new logo and weighed in on the change, writing on Twitter that X would be “the future state of unlimited interactivity — centered in audio, video, messaging, payments/banking — creating a global marketplace for ideas, goods, services, and opportunities.”
But ad industry analysts were less certain about X’s prospects.
“Musk supporters will likely celebrate the rebrand, but it’s a gloomy day for many Twitter users and advertisers,” Enberg said. “Twitter’s corporate brand is already heavily intertwined with Musk’s personal brand, with or without the name X, and much of Twitter’s established brand equity has already been lost among users and advertisers.”
Some predicted the new name will confuse much of Twitter’s audience, which has already been souring on the social media platform following Musk’s other modifications, including limiting the number of tweets users can read each day. The new threshold is part of an $8-per-month subscription service Musk rolled out earlier this year in an attempt to boost Twitter revenue.
A workman begins removing characters from a sign on the Twitter headquarters building in San Francisco, Monday, July 24, 2023. (AP Photo/Godofredo A. Vásquez)
Whether advertisers will ever return depends on how successful the rebranding is and whether Musk is able to accomplish his goal of creating an “everything app.” That remains to be seen, said ad expert Mark DiMassimo.
“Advertisers care about what they’re buying. So if his strategies work, I don’t think advertisers could care less about what he calls it,” DiMassimo said.
“I think changing the name is just a way for him to say, ‘Stop having Twitter expectations, this is a new thing, judge it as a new thing,'” he added. “And you know, that only works if the new thing works.”
Twitter users also pointed out that few people refer to Alphabet, Google’s parent company since 2015. Facebook renamed itself Meta in 2021, but its collection of apps — Instagram, WhatsApp and Facebook — still retain their own brands and logos.
Twitter’s recognizable blue bird logo went live more than a decade ago in 2012, replacing an earlier bird logo ahead of the company’s Wall Street debut as a publicly traded company.
“I’m sad to see it go. It had a great run,” said the logo’s designer, Martin Grasser. “But 11 years, 12 years is really long for a corporate identity to stick around. It feels like the platform is changing and they have a new direction and it makes sense” that they would pick a new logo to signal those changes.
The documentary film “Duck Academy,” produced by Pa Yai Creation Co., Ltd., which was intended for a worldwide audience and has received international recognition, has finally screened in Thailand at House Samyan Mitrtown, Bangkok, until August 2.
Led by the three main figures of Pa Yai Creation Co, Ltd, Nok-Niramol Methisuwakul, Yupha Petcharit Rattanachan and Suriyon Chongleephan, the documentary has traveled abroad, attracted the attention of audiences in various countries and received numerous awards before being shown again in its home country of Thailand.
from left; Yupha Petcharit Rattanachan,, Niramol Methisuwakul, and Suriyon Chongleephan
Suriyon, the documentary’s producer, said that “Duck Academy” focuses on the commitment of Thai farmers like Uncle Somneuk, who refuses to use chemicals on his rice crops and instead trains 3,000 ducks to help control pests and provide organic fertilizer.
The education of ducks is like a school where they learn to run to the buses at the sound of the whistle and go to the rice fields to eat weeds and pests. When the work is done, the ducks return home by walking back to the buses. All trained ducks are female as they lay eggs that can be sold.
The documentary combines a charming and entertaining narrative style and was praised by the committee of the Documentary Film Festival in Canada, which called the film “a fresh and captivating narrative style”
In addition, Duck Academy has been well received in many other countries, including France, Switzerland, Germany, Italy and South Korea, and it even won the award for best short documentary at the Devour! The Food Film Fest in Canada in 2019.
Pa Yai Creation originally planned to release Duck Academy in theaters in 2019, but faced challenges. This year, however, the film gained great popularity in Japan as the trailer reached nearly 10 million views on Twitter.
This viral phenomenon led Thai audiences to take notice of the documentary, creating a buzz on social media and triggering a demand for the film to be screened. Consequently, the film was finally released on July 20.
The documentary has captured the story of Uncle Somneuk for 10 years this year. At last, Uncle Somneuk has brought his flock of ducks home for Thai audiences to witness how difficult it is to be a farmer who prioritizes safe food production for consumers. Being an environmentally conscious farmer who adheres to the principles of nature, focuses on self-sufficiency, and appreciates the gratitude of those who benefit from his work is a difficult endeavor compared to traditional farming.
Uncle Somneuk, who refuses to use chemicals on his rice crops and instead trains 3,000 ducks to help control pests and provide organic fertilizer.
Runa Tamura (C) is transported to the Hokkaido prefectural police headquarters in Sapporo on July 24, 2023. (Kyodo)
SAPPORO – The decapitated head of a man found dead in a Sapporo hotel earlier this month has been discovered at the home of a doctor and daughter who were arrested on suspicion of damaging his body, police said Tuesday.
The head was discovered Monday during a search of the property of the psychiatrist, Osamu Tamura, 59, and his daughter Runa, 29, in Sapporo, Hokkaido. Tamura’s 60-year-old wife, Hiroko, was arrested on the same charge Tuesday, the police said.
Runa Tamura, who was arrested in connection with the case that a headless man was found, is transferred from a police station in Sapporo, northern Japan Monday, July 24, 2023. (Kyodo News via AP)
The police are investigating the relationship between the daughter and the victim, identified as 62-year-old Hitoshi Ura, who was found naked and decapitated in the bathroom of a hotel room on July 2.
Investigators said they plan to conduct an autopsy of the head. An earlier autopsy of the body revealed that the cause of death was hemorrhagic shock.
There were no signs of a third person entering the hotel room, with the daughter believed to have committed the act on her own. Osamu, a psychiatrist at a hospital in Sapporo, is suspected of dropping off and picking up his daughter.
This shows a hotel where the headless body of a man was found in Sapporo, northern Japan on July 8, 2023. Japanese police said Tuesday, July 25 they have arrested a woman and her parents in a bizarre beheading case in a popular night entertainment district in Japan’s northern city of Sapporo, where the headless man was found in a hotel room three weeks ago. (Kyodo News via AP)
Ura and another individual, believed to be the daughter, checked into the hotel around 10:50 p.m. on July 1, with the other person leaving alone at about 2 a.m. the following day, according to police.
Ura’s body was discovered later on July 2 by a hotel worker who went to the room to see why he had not checked out by the afternoon.
Security camera footage showed no one else entered or left the room between 2 a.m. and 3 p.m. on July 2.
Police have yet to find Ura’s belongings, including his clothes, phone and identification.
The incident occurred in the Susukino area of the city where many short-stay “love hotels” are located.
Unveiling “The Next Big Thing” in FinTech: an insight from experts at the CTC2023 Festival
“Business success encompasses more than just profit; it also entails empowering the community together.” Mr. Aswin Phlaphongpanich Co-founder and CEO of DeeMoney
Speaking at the “Creative Talk Conference 2023”, Aswin Phlaphongpanich, Co-founder and CEO of DeeMoney, Thailand’s leading international money transfer service provider, shared his point of view and vision for the Thai FinTech industry in the talk session titled “The Next Big Thing”.
“DeeMoney is Thailand’s No.1 neo-bank providing cross-border payments. We offer money transfers from over 100 countries to Thailand and from Thailand to over 40 countries worldwide,” said Aswin.
“The digital acceleration brought about by COVID-19 has significantly fueled the expansion of the FinTech industry, making it just as interesting and exciting as the crypto market was a few years ago. With its crucial role in driving the global economy, the influence of FinTech extends far beyond Thailand. The TTB Analytics Center recently forecast that the digital service sector would enjoy a total market cap of 560 billion baht and over 20% growth this year.
“Although investment in FinTech was lower in other parts of the world in 2023, the industry is expected to grow in Asia. A major driving force behind this expansion is the collaboration of digital service providers, who are now offering embedded finance services within their ecosystem, such as payment, insurance, deposit, and investment services.
Additionally, there is a growing trend towards incorporating blockchain technology and virtual banking services. Thailand is preparing to announce the granting of new licenses to support this orientation, aiming to specifically cater to unbanked and underbanked customers.
Fintech should avoid the success trap by staying vigilant and agile to ensure sustainable triumph. Overconfidence after early accomplishments may lead to neglecting crucial factors, impeding growth, and inviting failure. Embracing a holistic approach is essential for long-term success. “For any startup to survive, it needs to focus on more than just value and sales.
The point is to ensure management efficiency, especially in three areas. No.1 is Financial Strategy: effectively administer and manage investments in alignment with income and business growth to enhance the clarity and tangibility of the business model. No. 2 is Sustainability: to ensure long-term success, it’s important to focus on sustaining a business rather than seeking quick achievements.
No. 3 is Social Impact: in this era, simply achieving high profitability is no longer sufficient. When a business experiences growth, it inevitably involves various stakeholders, such as customers, partners, and employees.
As service providers, we must take into account our social responsibility and strive to establish a robust community and ecosystem. Business success encompasses more than just profit; it also entails empowering the community together. ” said Aswin.
Some of the interesting points raised during the talking session regarding conducting business in Thailand and other countries touched on technology and consumer behavior. Aswin shared his view, saying, “AI and Automation are the trends that you should keep an eye on. This technology will help reduce production and management costs.
Moreover, there are emerging concepts that have garnered significant attention, such as the Internet of Things (IoT), wherein smart devices interconnect and exchange information seamlessly over the internet. Additionally, there is the advent of ‘Open banking,’ allowing individuals to request services from new financial institutions by securely transmitting their information from their existing financial institution for consideration.
While these terms may not be clearer today, the proof lies in mobile devices and applications that can comprehend the behavior of their target audience. It is evident that a single application alone cannot create the optimal experience for customers, as their behavior evolves in tandem with the advancing functions of products.
Aswin also shared his point of view in response to some of the questions, among them what the future financial world will look like and what we should do to prepare for the changes.
“Consumers will enjoy a wide range of product varieties, where in the fintech industry, consumers will be more empowered and no longer being limited to traditional banks. And while we are in this era of limitless possibilities, the emergence of the Internet in the era of IoTs, where speeds are rapidly increasing each year, AI is poised to swiftly replace and impact numerous industries. Thus, prompting entrepreneurs to envision the future and adapt quickly. The key lies in swift transformation, ensuring that their offerings evolve rapidly to meet changing demand.”
“I have already faced four significant impacts and disruptions from technological change in my own entrepreneurial journey. The pace of disruption used to be measured in decades, around 30 or 40 years, but now it’s happening every year; everything is constantly changing.
However, if we embrace an innovative mindset, we need not fear these rapid transformations. When creating innovative products, launching new services, and exploring untapped markets, it’s crucial to be empathetic to the consumers’ perspective. Putting ourselves in their shoes allows us to orchestrate essential adaptations in our approach to best serve consumers’ specific needs and preferences. Failing to adapt and failing to envision the future with clarity will result in falling behind and being unable to keep up.” said Aswin.
The USS nuclear-powered submarine USS Annapolis docks at a South Korean naval base on Jeju Island, South Korea, Monday, July 24, 2023. (South Korea Defense Ministry via AP)
SEOUL, South Korea (AP) — North Korea fired two short-range ballistic missiles into its eastern sea, South Korea’s military said Tuesday, adding to a recent streak in weapons testing that is apparently in protest of the U.S. sending major naval assets to South Korea in a show of force.
In its third round of launches since last week, North Korea fired the missiles consecutively between around 11:55 p.m. local time Monday and midnight from an area near its capital, Pyongyang, according to South Korea’s Joint Chiefs of Staff. It said both missiles traveled around 400 kilometers (248 miles) before landing in waters off the Korean Peninsula’s eastern coast and that the South Korean and U.S. intelligence agencies were analyzing the launches.
Japan’s Coast Guard urged vessels in affected areas to watch out for falling debris but there were no immediate reports of damage.
The South Korean Joint Chiefs of Staff in a statement condemned North Korea’s missile launches as a “grave provocation” that threaten regional peace and stability, and said the South Korean and U.S. militaries are working together to tighten their monitoring of North Korean military activities.
In this photo provided by South Korea Defense Ministry, South Korean navy sailors wave as the USS nuclear-powered submarine USS Annapolis arrives at a South Korean naval base on Jeju Island, South Korea, Monday, July 24, 2023. (South Korea Defense Ministry via AP)
Last week, the USS Kentucky became the first U.S. nuclear-armed submarine to come to South Korea since the 1980s. North Korea reacted to its arrival by test-firing ballistic and cruise missiles in apparent demonstrations that it could make nuclear strikes against South Korea and deployed U.S. naval vessels.
Also on Monday, the American-led U.N. Command said it has started a conversation with North Korea about a U.S. soldier who ran into the North last week across one of the world’s most heavily fortified borders.
Andrew Harrison, a British lieutenant general who is the deputy commander at the U.N. Command, refused to say when the conversation started, how many exchanges have taken place and whether the North Koreans responded constructively, citing the sensitivity of the discussions. He also declined to detail what the command knows about Pvt. Travis King’s condition.
This photo provided by the North Korean government shows what it says is a ballistic missile in North Pyongan Province, North Korea, on March 19, 2023. (Korean Central News Agency/Korea News Service via AP)
“None of us know where this is going to end,” Harrison said during a news conference in Seoul. “I am in life an optimist, and I remain optimistic. But again, I will leave it at that.”
It wasn’t immediately clear whether Harrison’s comments referred to meaningful progress in communications after the command said in a statement last week that it was “working with” its North Korean counterparts. The U.N. Command, which was created to fight the Korean War, has remained in South Korea to supervise the implementation of the 1953 armistice that stopped the fighting in the conflict.
The contact happened through “mechanisms” set up under the armistice, Harrison said. That could refer to the so-called pink phone, a telephone line between the command and the North Korean People’s Army at the border truce village of Panmunjom, where King crossed.
The Koreas are still technically at war since a peace treaty was never signed. The U.S., which fought alongside the South Koreans and other allies during the war, never established diplomatic relations with the North, but the line is a common way they communicate.
North Korea has remained publicly silent about King, who crossed the border during a tour of Panmunjom while he was supposed to be heading to Fort Bliss, Texas, following his release from prison in South Korea on an assault conviction.
U.S. officials have expressed concern about his well-being and said previously that North Korea ignored requests for information about him.
Analysts say North Korea may wait weeks or even months to provide meaningful information about King to maximize leverage and add urgency to U.S. efforts to secure his release. Some say North Korea may try to wrest concessions from Washington, such as tying his release to the United States cutting back its military activities with South Korea.
King’s crossing came at a time of high tensions in the Korean Peninsula, where the pace of both North Korea’s weapons demonstrations and the United States’ combined military exercises have intensified in a tit-for-tat cycle.
Lt. Gen. Andrew Harrison, deputy commander of the United Nations Command, speaks during a news briefing at the Foreign Correspondents’ Club in Seoul, South Korea, Monday, July 24, 2023. (AP Photo/Ahn Young-joon)
On Monday, South Korea’s military said a nuclear-propelled U.S. submarine arrived at a port on Jeju Island. The arrival of the USS Annapolis adds to the allies’ show of force to counter North Korean nuclear threats.
Last week, the USS Kentucky became the first U.S. nuclear-armed submarine to come to South Korea since the 1980s. North Korea reacted to its arrival by test-firing ballistic and cruise missiles in apparent demonstrations that it could make nuclear strikes against South Korea and deployed U.S. naval vessels.
North Korea’s defense minister also issued a veiled threat, saying the Kentucky’s docking in South Korea could be grounds for the North to use a nuclear weapon against it. North Korea has used similar rhetoric before, but the statement underscored how strained relations are now.
The United States and South Korea have expanded their combined military exercises and increased regional deployments of U.S. aircraft and ships, including bombers, aircraft carriers and submarines in a show of force against North Korea, which has test-fired around 100 missiles since the start of 2022.
A TV screen shows a file image of American soldier Travis King during a news program at the Seoul Railway Station in Seoul, South Korea, Saturday, July 22, 2023. (AP Photo/Ahn Young-joon)
The Annapolis, whose main mission is destroying enemy ships and submarines, is powered by a nuclear reactor but is armed with conventional weapons. The Annapolis mainly docked at Jeju to load supplies, but Jang Do Young, a spokesperson for South Korea’s navy, said the U.S. and South Korean militaries were discussing whether to arrange training involving the vessel.
The armistice becomes 70 years old on Thursday, an anniversary South Korea plans to mark with solemn ceremonies honoring the dead that will involve invited foreign war veterans.
North Korea, which celebrates the day as victory day for the “great Fatherland Liberation War,” is preparing huge festivities that will likely include a military parade in the capital, Pyongyang, where leader Kim Jong Un may showcase his most advanced nuclear-capable missiles designed to target regional rivals and the United States.
North Korea’s state-run Korean Central News Agency said Monday that a Chinese delegation led by Li Hongzhong, vice chairman of the standing committee of the country’s National People’s Congress, will travel to North Korea to attend the celebrations.
Visits by foreign guests to North Korea have been extremely rare since the start of the pandemic, which prompted the North to seal off its borders to protect its poor healthcare system. North Korea since last year has been gradually reopening trade with China in an apparent effort to salvage a crippled economy damaged further by the previous two years of pandemic-related border controls.
Two resorts were recently discovered in the scenic forest area of Moo 8, Phu Tub Berk, Phetchabun province.
Yuttaphon Angkinan, an adviser to the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment, admitted in an interview that the government needs to depend on the public as eyes and ears in forest protection.
This came after criticism arose that if people on social media did not complain about encountering resorts illegally encroaching on beautiful natural public areas, the authorities would allow such destructive construction.
Two resorts were recently discovered in the scenic forest area of Moo 8, Phu Tub Berk, Phetchabun province.
Yuttaphon said that the current ratio of foresters to protected areas is overwhelming: 1 forester per 5,000 rai. He therefore urged the public to participate as observers in the conservation of the country’s resources. If anyone witnesses illegal activities, they can report them through the forestry emergency number 1362.
A recent high-profile case was the construction of a private resort on Koh Tao in Surat Thani province. In addition, two other resorts were recently discovered in the scenic forest area of Moo 8, Phu Tub Berk, Phetchabun province. Online critics wondered if government officials knew about or were involved in these activities.
A private resort on Koh Tao in Surat Thani province.
Yuttaphon stated that they participated in the inspection of the resort case on Koh Tao and found unauthorized construction. The island is under the jurisdiction of the Treasury Department. However, the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment also participated in the inspection and acknowledged that resources are sometimes abundant, resulting in inadequate coverage.
In response to public suspicions that officials may have profited from previous cases, Yuttaphon assured that investigations would be thorough and that officials involved in illegal activities would face legal consequences without exception.
In addition, ministry officials have been diligently investigating and arresting perpetrators involved in various cases such as illegal logging, wildlife trafficking, and intensive monitoring of protected areas.
Social media users complain about encountering resorts illegally encroaching on beautiful natural public areas.
Residents of Surin province celebrated the completion of a newly built road connecting four sub-districts in Mueang Surin district with an elephant procession. The concrete road, 6 meters wide and 1.2 kilometers long, was built with a budget of over 4 million baht.
Previously, the community had to endure difficult travel conditions on the unpaved and pothole-strewn road, which was often compared to a lunar landscape that has existed for generations. In the rainy season it was almost impassable, and in the dry season the road created dust that made it difficult to breathe.
The 1.2 kilometers long road connecting four sub-districts in Mueang Surin district.
The road opening ceremony took place at the intersection of Ban Sangae in Moo 6 and Ban Samet Noi. The ceremony was attended by hundreds of villagers, including deputies from constituency 1 of the Bhum Jai Thai Party and constituency 2 of the Pheu Thai Party. The ceremony was also attended by the chairman of Surin Provincial Administrative Organization and the heads of the two villages.
In addition, two beautifully decorated elephants were part of the procession, bringing blessings and prosperity to this auspicious occasion. Local residents danced and sang along the 1.2 kilometer route, expressing their joy.
A villager expressed his joy at finally having a new concrete road after having endured the hardships of the unpaved road for many years, even since the time of their grandparents. The old road had become a legend of extreme hardship, but now the new road has made travel between the four villages much more comfortable.
Residents of Surin province celebrated the completion of a newly built road on July 23.
Kamsing Chobmee, president of Ram Subdistrict Administration Organization, said that this road can indeed be considered a legendary story as it has been longed for since his childhood. For more than a hundred years, it had not received the necessary development.
Originally, the road was a muddy path, but last year it received support for graveling from the Department of Highways and the Surin Provincial Administrative Organization supported the machinery. Finally, the road was successfully built with the help of the government’s budget.
