Taiwan plays against Hong Kong in an esports match at the Asian Games in Hangzhou, China, on Sept. 24, 2023. (Kyodo)
Esports made their much-anticipated Asian Games debut as official medal events Sunday in China’s e-commerce hub Hangzhou.
Myanmar defeated Kyrgyzstan in the Arena of Valor mobile game in the day’s first completed match as spectators cheered from the stands and waved penlights, creating an atmosphere similar to a live concert.
Hong Kong then defeated Taiwan in the same multiplayer online battle arena, or MOBA, game at China Hangzhou Esports Centre, a day after the official opening of the Asian “Olympics.”
“We had good communication, so we could win this game,” said Chan Tsz Hin, a 22-year-old player from Hong Kong, whose English name is Justin.
“I’ve played this game for eight to 10 hours a day. When I have spare time, I play other games, but I focus on this game every day. Our team is looking for a medal.”
Asked if it is gold, he said, “No, just a medal. Any color.”
There has been debate about whether esports are actual sports and concern about gaming addiction, but the esports market’s growth potential cannot be ignored.
The nine-day eports program features seven gaming titles, two of them mobile games.
Hideaki Omura, governor of Japan’s Aichi Prefecture, which will co-host the next Asian Games in 2026 with the prefecture’s capital Nagoya, visited the venue, built exclusively for esports.
Myanmar plays against Kyrgyzstan in an esports match at the Asian Games in Hangzhou, China, on Sept. 24, 2023. (Kyodo)
“This complex tells us how big esports are in China,” Omura said. “I can really tell esports will keep expanding. We’ll have esports as an official event, too, so we’ll try to promote them in the same way.”
Asked about Aichi’s preparation, he said, “We’ll be able to have a similar quality venue (for esports). We are confident of staging a great Asian Games.”
Esports were introduced at the previous Asian Games in 2018 in Jakarta and Palembang, Indonesia, as an exhibition. They are set to be one of the most watched events of the two-week Hangzhou games.
In June, the International Olympic Committee’s inaugural Olympic Esports Week was held in Singapore, opening the door for the category’s possible inclusion in future Olympics.
A Ukrainian serviceman hugs his wife and the daughter at the railway station in Sloviansk, Donetsk region, Ukraine on Tuesday, Sept. 12, 2023. Photo: Hanna Arhirova / AP
Dr. Pornchai Mongkhonvanit, President of Siam University, Ajarn Ekachai Chainuvati, law lecturer at Siam University, lecturers and students, it is a great honor for me to be here today address this distinguished gathering to mark this year’s UN International Day of Peace. As you may already be well aware, today I represent the Pridi Banomyong Institute, which was named after the late Pridi Banomyong, the man who co-led the revolt which ended absolute monarchy back in 1932, as a member of its executive committee. Before I bore you with further details about the institute let me go straight to making a confession: attention on peace is hard to sustain in a world of attention deficit, particularly when conflicts or war occur far away from home. In my case, as a professional journalist, the Ukrainian Embassy in Bangkok has been so kind as to keep sending me (and a few others in Thailand) its latest weekly update on the Russian invasion of Ukraine for over a year now. (The latest one I received was on Sept 19, and it’s called a “War Bulletin”.)
Please allow me to quote part of it here.
“War Bulletin, Sept 15, 18.00 CET”
“During the day, 17 combat clashes took place. Also, the Russian Federation carried out another airstrike by Iranian attack UAVs “Shaheed-136/131.” As a result of successful combat work by the components of the Defense Forces, all 17 enemy “shaheeds” were destroyed…”
This is just part of the bulletin, and my confession is that I have not been reading any of the bulletins sent to me by the Ukrainian Embassy in Bangkok for many months now, until I found it convenient to use it for the speech here today. No, I am not pro-Russia’s invasion.
In the days following the Russian Invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, I wrote a column and made it clear the invasion (or “special military operation”) was unjustifiable and must be condemned and called on the Thai government to place peace over national interests. So, I suppose the Russian Embassy in Bangkok was aware and thus did not email me to update on its “special military operation” in Ukraine.
My confession is as the war in the far away land drags on I feel, as a Thai citizen and journalist, helpless, almost apathetic, as if there is little or nothing that I can do to contribute to peace in that part of the world.
Closer to home, I feel frustrated by the apathy of many Thais regarding the bloody suppression by the ruthless Burmese military junta and continuing conflicts in Myanmar, despite the fact that Thailand shares its longest border with Myanmar (2,202 kilometers in all to be exact) and Bangkok hosts an estimate of more than a million migrant workers from that neighboring country.
Many Thais seem oblivious and indifferent. During the weeks leading up to the general election in Thailand in May this year, very few political parties bother to tell the public what their foreign policy towards Myanmar’s military junta will be. Probably the majority, if not most, of the Thai voters would not care so they thought “what’s the point.”
Here lies a major obstacle for many Thais from truly becoming members of the international community, and in fostering world peace.
Thais cannot be parochial and apathetic and expect world peace. We have to be curious, get out of our “comfort zone” and transcend if not debunk the narrowly defined notion of nationalism (or ethnicity, language, culture, religion, and political belief) which dictates that we are “different” from foreigners and need to care more about G-to-G relations and interests than people-to-people relations. We need to pressure our respective governments to act more responsibly as members of the international community.
My message, particularly to students here at Siam University, especially Thais, is we have to learn to feel less Thai and try to be a world citizen. This requires learning foreign languages (and not just English, or we can free ourselves from the prison of one language that shapes the way we perceive the world), traveling (as opposed to ‘touristing’) to different countries, learning new cultures and recognizing that we share more in common than what divides us – so we can start restoring faith in humanity.
All these are much easier said than done, sometimes we feel desensitized by the bombardment of non-stop foreign news (or imprisoned by our own parochial social media echo chamber).But please, please do not give up and resist – give it a try, otherwise we cannot expect to have more actions for peace. Finally, please do not forget to read emails that some embassies, UNHCR, or UNICEF, may send to you in a desperate attempt to make you aware of what is happening outside your comfort zone.
The article was first given as a keynote speech at Siam University on September 21, 2023, to mark the UN International Day of Peace. The author delivered the speech in the capacity as executive committee of Pridi Banomyong Institute, a non-profit Institute promoting democracy, freedom, equality, and the legacies of the late statesman Pridi.
Melanie Gleeson, the founder and CEO of endota and Chanikarn Benjasiri, endota exclusive distributor in Thailand
Thai health and wellness tourism is experiencing an upswing after a downturn caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. Prior to 2019, Thailand welcomed about 15.5 million wellness tourists who generated revenues of up to 600 billion baht. These tourists typically spent between 40,000 and 60,000 baht per person per trip. The Thai wellness tourism market is the fourth largest in Asia, after China, Japan and India.
TTB Analytics, a centre for economic analysis, predicts that Thailand will see an increase in international tourists to 22 million visitors in 2023, with continued growth in revenue from wellness tourism estimated at 25 billion baht.
endota opens its first Asian office in Bangkok.
endota, an Australian premium spa brand and leader in the wellness and clean beauty industry, recently opened its first Asian office in Bangkok. This expansion highlights the growing wellness sector, with a Thai woman, Chanikarn Benjasiri, also known as Pat, leading the management team.
Melanie Gleeson, the founder and CEO of endota, flew in directly from Australia to inaugurate the “endota Spa Flagship” on the G floor of the InterContinental Hotel on Ploenchit Road. During her visit, she talked about the wellness business and her journey with endota.
Melanie Gleeson, the founder and CEO of endota, flew in directly from Australia to inaugurate the “endota Spa Flagship” in Bangkok.
She revealed that her inspiration for entering the spa industry came from observing people’s lives. She noticed that people often led busy and stressful lives, but transformed into calm and relaxed people after a treatment. This realization fueled her passion for the business.
Gleeson founded the endota brand in 2000, when she was just 26 years old, overlooking the Mornington Peninsula in Victoria, Australia. At the time, the spa industry in Australia was in its infancy, so it was a new concept. Today, however, the spa industry has grown into a global giant. endota has become the world’s largest premium spa network, with more than 100 branches in Australia, New Zealand, Belgium, Canada and now Thailand. It has also been voted “Best Australian Beauty Brand” three years in a row (2018-2020).
Commenting on the decision to open a subsidiary in Thailand, Gleeson said she sees great growth potential for this industry in Thailand. The strength is in beauty and skin care, and Thai people are known to be very fashion conscious. She believes the next step for them is wellness, which endota offers. endota has been selling products in Thailand for four years now and has seen strong local interest.
FILE - President Joe Biden addresses the 78th session of the United Nations General Assembly, Tuesday, Sept. 19, 2023. (AP Photo/Richard Drew, File)
WASHINGTON (AP) — This probably wasn’t how President Joe Biden envisioned his big foreign policy week ending.
Biden spent much of the time trying to make the case to world leaders at the U.N. General Assembly as well as to Democratic donors and voters that his decades of foreign policy experience and demonstrated moral clarity set him apart from Donald Trump, the early front-runner for the Republican presidential nomination.
But just as Biden is looking to spotlight his foreign policy chops with his 2024 reelection bid heating up, he is facing a growing list of national security headaches, several of which emerged in recent days.
There is a diplomatic spat between U.S. allies Canada and India over the killing of a Sikh activist on Canadian soil, growing concern about the future of U.S. funding for Ukraine, and the indictment of the influential chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, Sen. Bob Menendez, D-N.J. Each will test Biden and his administration.
FILE – President Joe Biden addresses the 78th session of the United Nations General Assembly at United Nations headquarters, Tuesday, Sept. 19, 2023. (AP Photo/Seth Wenig, File)
Menendez and his wife were indicted Friday on federal bribery charges that allege the lawmaker provided sensitive government information and took other steps to secretly aid Egypt’s government in exchange for some $480,000 in cash, gold bars and a luxury car.
Under Senate Democratic caucus rules, Menendez was forced to step down as chairman of his committee at a moment when the administration is trying to push Congress to pass an additional $24 billion in assistance to help Ukraine repel Russian forces in the 19-month-old war.
FILE – Senate Foreign Relations Committee Chairman, Sen. Bob Menendez, D-N.J., right, and his wife Nadine Arslanian, pose for a photo on Capitol Hill in Washington, Dec. 20, 2022. (AP Photo/Susan Walsh, File)
“It just adds to voter fatigue,” said Ross Baker, a distinguished professor of political science at Rutgers University in New Jersey, speaking about the impact of the Menendez charges. “It’s moments like these that popularity wears, credibility wears thin — especially with a segment of the electorate that’s already cynical. No politician wants to have to compensate for something like this.”
The president is also facing growing global concern that future U.S. aid for Ukraine could become captive to a looming U.S. government shutdown.
Biden on Thursday hosted Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelenskyy at the White House. The Ukrainian leader also visited with lawmakers on Capitol Hill to urge that the United States keep up its assistance.
FILE – President Joe Biden speaks as he meets with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy in the East Room of the White House, Thursday, Sept. 21, 2023, in Washington. (AP Photo/Evan Vucci, File)
Biden wants the money included in a government funding measure. But some in the most conservative wing of the Republican Party aligned with Trump are pushing for that aid to be left out of the bill. The vast majority of Republicans and Democrats favor continued support for Ukraine.
“I’m counting on the good judgment of the United States Congress,” Biden told reporters as he and his top advisers met with Zelenskyy. “There’s no alternative.”
Biden has stepped up his attacks on Trump’s foreign policy record, casting the former president and his close Republican allies as lackeys for Russian President Vladimir Putin. In his U.N. address, Biden also took credit for galvanizing allies to stand up to Putin and for renewing American leadership around the globe.
Biden, 80, has faced increasing skepticism about his age from voters, including some Democrats. He offered perhaps his most fulsome argument this past week about the benefits of having a veteran politician in the White House at a delicate moment for the world.
“When Russia invaded Ukraine, I knew what to do — because I’ve been doing it for a long, long time,” Biden told donors at a New York City fundraiser this week.
FILE – President Joe Biden meets with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy in the Oval Office of the White House, Thursday, Sept. 21, 2023, in Washington. (AP Photo/Evan Vucci, File)
He will need that experience as he tries to navigate tensions between Canada and India over the June killing of the Indian-born Sikh separatist leader Hardeep Singh Nijjar in suburban Vancouver. Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said on Monday that there were “credible allegations” of Indian involvement in the killing by masked gunmen of Nijjar, who had been wanted by India for years.
The claim has been dismissed by Indian officials as absurd. India on Thursday stopped issuing visas to Canadian citizens and ordered Ottawa to reduce its diplomatic presence in the country. The Canadian foreign ministry said it was adjusting its staff levels at missions in India over concerns about the safety of its diplomats.
Biden has not publicly commented on the matter. White House national security adviser Jake Sullivan on Thursday said the U.S. has had and will continue to have “high-level” contact with New Delhi on the matter.
The situation could complicate Biden’s dealings with Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, a critical ally as Biden seeks to put greater focus on the Indo-Pacific in the face of China’s growing economic might and military assertiveness.
In addition to shared concerns about China, the U.S. and India want to work more closely on the challenges posed by climate change, artificial intelligence, global supply chain resilience and other issues.
The dispute between Canada and India “will probably lead to a little bit more consternation in the U.S.-Canada relationship, but I think we’re willing to risk that a little bit for the upside, which is building this relationship with India,” said Richard Rossow, chair of U.S.-India policy studies at the Center for Strategic and Independent Studies in Washington.
The corruption allegations against Menendez, a fellow Democrat who plays an important role on foreign matters, is a distraction that Biden could do without.
White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre declined to comment Friday on the indictment.
The Biden administration hasn’t always seen eye to eye with Menendez.
Last year, the senator blasted the White House after Biden administration officials visited Caracas for talks with members of Venezuelan leader Nicolás Maduro’s government in an effort to bring home detained Americans and rebuild relations with the South American oil giant. Menendez also has been critical of the administration’s efforts to resurrect the 2015 Iran nuclear agreement sealed under President Barack Obama and scuttled by the Trump administration in 2018.
John Feeley, a retired U.S. diplomat and longtime observer of Latin America, said the Menendez indictment was an “own goal” for U.S. foreign policy — using the soccer term for when players inadvertently put the ball into their own net.
“Without prejudging outcome, the indictment alone is a gift to dictators and authoritarians in Havana, Caracas and Nicaragua,” said Feeley, who resigned as U.S. ambassador to Panama in 2018 over what he saw as the moral failings of the Trump administration. “They will point to all of his allegations of their corruption as standard U.S. hypocrisy by jumping to the conclusion he’s guilty.”
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Aamer Madhani reported from Washionton. Associated Press Associated Press writer Joshua Goodman in Miami contributed to this report.
Flags of participating countries are waved during the opening ceremony of the 19th Asian Games in Hangzhou, China, Saturday, Sept. 23, 2023. (AP Photo/Dita Alangkara)
HANGZHOU, China (AP) — The opening ceremony of the Asian Games on Saturday in China offered all the staples of a major international sports event.
Dignitaries greeted General Secretary Xi Jinping, fans packed the 80,000-seat Olympic Sports Center Stadium in Hangzhou to capacity, and many of the 12,417 participants from 45 nations and territories paraded to officially open the two-week show.
By comparison, next year’s Paris Olympics will field about 10,500 competitors.
One big thing, however, was missing: real fireworks, the exploding kind that smell of power and burnt fuses. Instead, the high-tech games — billed of course as “green games” — offered electronic flash, three-D animations, and a virtual torchbearer.
An athlete from Thailand carries their flag during the opening ceremony of the 19th Asian Games in Hangzhou, China, Saturday, Sept. 23, 2023. (AP Photo/Eugene Hoshiko)
Xi was greeted by wild cheers when he appeared, and fans were handed LED star lights, adding sparkle to the stands when the lights dimmed and eight well-polished soldiers arrived carrying the national flag above their heads.
Delayed for a year by the pandemic, the Asian Games are China’s largest sports event since the country scrapped its zero-COVID policy early in the year.
Among the dignitaries on hand were Syrian President Bashar al-Assad, who left behind his war-torn country, International Olympic Committee President Thomas Bach, and King Norodom Sihamoni of Cambodia.
Chinese President Xi Jinping waves during the opening ceremony of the 19th Asian Games in Hangzhou, China, Saturday, Sept. 23, 2023. (AP Photo/Vincent Thian)
Bach is in a political tussle over the governance of the Olympic Council of Asia and is also believed to be lobbying Xi against supporting any breakaway multi-sport games sought by Russian President Vladimir Putin with Russia likely being banned next year in Paris.
The 2022 Beijing Winter Olympics were held in a COVID bubble. The 2008 Summer Olympics marked China’s rise as a world power. These games serve as a promotional event for Hangzhou, the eastern metropolis of 8 million that seeks a larger stage, partly lost in the shadow on nearby Shanghai.
“Through the window of Hangzhou Asian Games, people around the world will see a trustable, loveable, and respectable China in its new era,” Xinhua, the official news agency, said in an editorial, echoing Xi’s call to tell China’s story.
Artists perform ahead of the opening ceremony of the 19th Asian Games in Hangzhou, China, Saturday, Sept. 22, 2023. (AP Photo/Dita Alangkara)
The sluggish economy and high youth unemployment have some residents grumbling that the money could be better spent, prompting city officials to reassure the public that it would be a “frugal” event.
Revenues from donations and the private sector were estimated to reach hundreds of millions of dollars by March, while the expenditures were estimated to have exceeded $30 billion as the city built 56 sports facilities, 30 training sites, five villages for athletes as well as major infrastructure investments.
However, the city’s residents also are aware that the infrastructure upgrades were only possible because of the games and, along with the city government, have welcomed the games to justify the spending.
Artists perform during the opening ceremony of the 19th Asian Games in Hangzhou, China, Saturday, Sept. 22, 2023. (AP Photo/Dita Alangkara)
The giant numbers are due to the staggering array of events with many regional specialties, sports, and games you won’t see at the Olympics. And there’s also cricket, which appears headed to the Olympics as soon as 2028 in Los Angeles, and certainly for 2032 in Brisbane, Australia.
The regional fare includes dragon boat racing, sepaktakraw — sometimes called “kick volleyball” — wushu, a Chinese martial art, and kabaddi, a popular contact sport on the Indian subcontinent.
Add to this a long list of what organizers call “mind sports” from bridge to chess to xiangqi (Chinese chess) to esports. Esports figure to be a giant hit after being a demonstration sport in 2018.
An artist performs during the opening ceremony of the 19th Asian Games in Hangzhou, China, Saturday, Sept. 23, 2023. (AP Photo/Eugene Hoshiko)
Of course, there are the old standbys seen in every Olympics like track and field, swimming, or volleyball. Nine sports will offer qualification spots for the Olympics — archery, artistic swimming, boxing, breaking, hockey, modern pentathlon, sailing, tennis, and water polo.
Many of the 481 events offer a chance for smaller delegations to win medals, which is often impossible at the Olympics. China won almost 300 medals in the Asian Games five years ago and is sure to dominate again followed by Japan and South Korea.
North Korea is on hand, so are female athletes representing Afghanistan, and Taiwan — the democratic island claimed by China as a breakaway province — always fields a strong team.
The Afghan team arrived, including women, and marching under the non-Taliban flag.
A volunteer stands as artists perform ahead of the opening ceremony of the 19th Asian Games in Hangzhou, China, Saturday, Sept. 23, 2023. (AP Photo/Eugene Hoshiko)
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Stephen Wade reported from Hangzhou. Didi Tang contributed to this report from Washington.
Thailand's Prime Minister Srettha Thavisin addresses the 78th session of the United Nations General Assembly, Friday, Sept. 22, 2023. (AP Photo/Richard Drew)
Prime Minister and Minister of Finance Srettha Thavisin has wrapped up his first abroad trip as the Thailand’s leader with addressing the 78th session of the United Nations General Assembly on September 22, 2023.
He stated at the General Assembly Hall, UN Headquarters, New York City, that Thailand commits to working closely with all nations to promote sustainable peace and human rights and conserve the global environment and ecosystems.
His statement at the UNGA78 General Debate was in the theme “Rebuilding trust and reigniting global solidarity: Accelerating Action on the 2030 Agenda and its Sustainable Development Goals towards peace, prosperity, progress and sustainability for all”, which Thailand focuses: “Investing in peace, people, and planet for our common future.”
Thailand’s Prime Minister Srettha Thavisin addresses the 78th session of the United Nations General Assembly, Friday, Sept. 22, 2023. (AP Photo/Richard Drew)
Government Spokesperson Chai Wacharonke disclosed gist as follows:
The Prime Minister highlighted Thailand’s new chapter in its democracy, and the Government’s commitment to strengthen democratic institutions and values in the country, and to uplift the well-being of Thai people. Thailand will play a proactive and constructive role in partnership with the international community, and to forge closer ties and greater prosperity through commerce, investment, and trade agreements, leading to the betterment of all.
The country also intends to work closely with all nations to meet multiple global challenges head on, be it, promotion of sustainable peace and human rights, conservation of global environment and ecosystems, and sustainable development, which require multilateralism and the spirit of international cooperation.
On sustainable peace, Thailand welcomes the Secretary-General’s efforts in establishing a New Agenda for Peace, which the country believes will spearhead the effort to revive multilateralism and enhance the UN’s role as a platform for the achievement of global peace.
The country reaffirms commitment to maintaining peace and inclusivity. It is our belief that through the development of multilateral relations based on mutual trust, understanding, and respect, lasting peace between nations will be achieved.
According to the Prime Minister, sustainable peace and development is undeniably linked with respect for human rights, human dignity, and freedoms. To this end, the Thai government is working to advance equality and justice, especially for the most vulnerable and the marginalized through strengthening the rule of law and increasing transparency within the government.
The Thai Government will ensure that the law is fair, strictly enforced, and applied to everyone equally. Thailand is the ASEAN candidature for the Human Rights Council (HRC) for the term 2025-2027. This reaffirms the country’s sincere commitment to the advancement of human rights at home and abroad, and to ensure that the Human Rights Council is well-equipped to address new and emerging human rights challenges and contribute positively to the international community.
Since its inception in 2002, Thailand’s Universal Health Coverage has ensured that all Thai citizens are entitled to essential preventive, curative, and palliative health services at all life stages. In the coming years, the Government plans to further invest to upgrade the Universal Health Coverage to improve the quality of the program and to give patients the freedom to choose the healthcare provider best suited for them, regardless of who they are.
This will ensure that access to high-quality health services will continue to be a universal right for all. Thailand is also of the view that the global health architecture should be reformed and strengthened, ultimately culminating in the ‘pandemic treaty’ that sees a more resilient, responsive, and future-ready global public health infrastructures.
Sustainable development is essential in ensuring peace, prosperity, and progress. In this regard, Thailand welcomes the SDG Summit which reaffirms that sustainability is the only way forward to protect the planet and people’s well-being. Yet, achieving the Sustainable Development Goals, by most benchmarks, still proves elusive, as only 12% of the goals are on track. This is why the implementation of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development must be reinvigorated.
Thailand’s Prime Minister Srettha Thavisin offers a traditional greeting known as a “wai” before his address to the 78th session of the United Nations General Assembly, Friday, Sept. 22, 2023. (AP Photo/Richard Drew)
The government plans to enact policies to stimulate job creation and provide financial support for low-income families and other vulnerable groups. In addition, Thailand has been a strong advocate for a more balanced, people-centered, and sustainable path to growth.
The Sufficiency Economy Philosophy (SEP), the country’s long-standing locally-driven development approach, has consistently been applied to promote balance in all aspects. Building on the SEP is the Bio-Circular-Green Economy Model, which leverages science, technology, and innovation to advance economic growth, while conserving the environment and ecosystems.
The Prime Minister also emphasized the issue of environment and climate change, adding that the climate crisis is one of the most urgent threats, in line with the Secretary-General’s statement that “the era of global warming has ended, and the era of global boiling point has arrived.”
Collective and immediate action is required to mitigate its adverse effects on humanity. Thailand welcomes the Climate Ambition Summit to accelerate climate action that will mitigate the destructive impact of the climate crisis, especially food insecurity and malnutrition.
As a leading exporter of food and agricultural products, Thailand is suffering from the effect of global climate change and the effect of El Niño. To ensure food security for the world, the country is working hard to improve water management systems and farming techniques.
The Prime Minister also advocated Green Finance Mechanism, through issuance of Sustainability Bond, and Thailand Green Taxonomy to boost growth and investments in environmental and social projects, while contributing to the effort to address the challenges of climate change.
The country is also determined to deliver on its pledge: 40% Green House Gas emissions reduction by 2040, carbon neutrality by 2050 and net-zero greenhouse gas emissions by 2065, by mainstreaming climate actions in all economic activities. The National Energy Plan has integrated climate targets by enhancing energy efficiency, increasing the share of renewable energy, making a modal shift of transport through domestic electric vehicles production.
In closing, the Prime Minister invited every nation to be more ambitious in the goals, increase effort, work together, and share expertise and learnings in order to address these challenges, and expressed Thailand’s expectation for the Summit of the Future to foster a better future for all, based on the reinvigoration of multilateralism, with the UN at the helm, in the global push towards sustainable peace and sustainable development.
Srettha Thavisin, Prime Minister of Thailand, met with UN Secretary-General António Guterres on September 21 in the UN Secretariat in New York during the 78th session of the United Nations General Assembly. They discussed Myanmar difficulties, the SDGs, and the UN main centre (ESCAP) in Thailand.
Guterres congratulated the Thai PM on his new appointment and praised his proposals that were creatively presented at the Climate Ambition Summit, where Thailand was selected as one of 38 countries out of 193 countries.
Srettha Thavisin, Prime Minister of Thailand, met with UN Secretary-General António Guterres on September 21 in the UN Secretariat in New York.
According to Srettha, the UN head congratulated Thailand for its partnership and collaboration with the UN and reiterated Thailand’s importance as a destination for UN operations in the area, amid concerns that the UN may have to close offices in numerous countries to cut its budget.
“I told him, Please keep this office on, and he confirmed that he had no plans to close it.” Everything remains the same. Thailand retains a full United Nations organisation because it is an important source of employment. Furthermore, many Thais work for the United Nations Organisation. I informed him that Thai people are talented. Please allow us to show our abilities here. It’s a pleasure to receive such a positive response,” the Thai PM said.
The main centre of United Nations activity in Asia and the Pacific is Bangkok, Thailand, home to the Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific.
After renewing an urgent call to the international community on September 7 to seek a cohesive strategy to address Myanmar’s deteriorating crisis, the UN Secretary-General also requested Thailand to continue playing an important role in the situation there.
PM Srettha said Thailand has already prioritised human rights human rights. and is admired by many countries. His duty is only to continue and adhere to the principles coordinated by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
“We emphasise the importance of peaceful discussion and dialogue. If there is a human rights issue at the border or during entry and leave, we will assist in resolving it in accordance with the rights that everyone should have,” said Thailand’s Prime Minister.
New coach of German national soccer team Julian Nagelsmann goes to a press conference in Frankfurt, Germany, Friday, Sept. 22, 2023. (AP Photo/Michael Probst)
BERLIN (AP) — Germany hired Julian Nagelsmann to lead the men’s national soccer team on Friday, entrusting the former Bayern Munich coach with doing a better job than the last Bayern Munich coach who tried.
The German soccer federation said Nagelsmann was taking over on a short-term contract through next year’s European Championship. Germany is hosting the tournament.
“We have a European Championship in our own country. This is something special, something that only happens every few decades,” Nagelsmann said. “Having a great tournament in a great country is the priority. I’m very keen to take on this challenge … We will be a close-knit bunch next year.”
At 36, Nagelsmann is the youngest Germany coach since 34-year-old Otto Nerz was appointed in 1926.
Nagelsmann succeeds Hansi Flick, the first Germany coach ever fired from the position. The federation removed Flick on Sept. 10, the day after a 4-1 loss to Japan stretched the team’s losing run to three games and its winless run to five.
FILE – Then Bayern’s head coach Julian Nagelsmann gives instructions to his players during the Champions League at the Parc des Princes stadium, in Paris, France, Tuesday, Feb. 14, 2023. (AP Photo/Christophe Ena, File)
Nagelsmann previously took over from Flick when he became Bayern coach in 2021 with Flick leaving to coach the national team. Nagelsmann led his team to another Bundesliga title — its 10th straight — but was fired by the Bavarian powerhouse in March amid management concerns that he wasn’t getting the best from the squad.
Germany next has friendlies against the United States in East Hartford, Connecticut, on Oct. 14, then Mexico in Philadelphia four days later. The team will continue its Euro 2024 preparations against Austria in Vienna on Nov. 21.
Nagelsmann had a five-year contract with Bayern — despite being removed as coach — and his salary demands had reportedly been a sticking point for the federation. Kicker magazine said that Bayern agreed to terminate the contract and that Nagelsmann was accepting lower pay to take charge of the national team.
Flick had led Bayern to back-to-back league titles but struggled to replicate his success with the national team, where he had been expected to oversee a smooth transition after 16 years under Joachim “Jogi” Löw.
Löw led Germany to the 2014 World Cup title with Flick as his assistant but was unable to stop the team’s downturn after a dismal performance as defending champions at the 2018 World Cup.
Flick’s team fared no better at the 2022 World Cup and this year started giving the impression it had forgotten how to win games before the federation finally decided to end his tenure after the embarrassing loss to Japan.
Germany national team sporting director Rudi Völler took over as interim coach and oversaw a morale-boosting 2-1 win over France in its next game. Völler, who was Germany coach from 2000-04, had made clear he only ever wanted to take over again on a temporary basis.
The federation is hoping Nagelsmann can build on Völler’s example rather than Flick’s. Before coaching Bayern, Nagelsmann enjoyed success in charge of Leipzig and Hoffenheim, where he became the youngest coach in the Bundesliga in 2016.
Some former Germany players like Lothar Matthäus, Stefan Effenberg and Michael Ballack voiced their preference for an older coach like the experienced Louis van Gaal to shake up the squad.
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CIARÁN FAHEY AP Sports Writer reported from Berlin.
On September 22, 2023, the U.S. Embassy in Thailand published a news article regarding the verdict of the U.S. court against a Malaysian who was extradited to the United States from Thailand after being accused of trafficking hundreds of kilograms of rhinoceros horns.
NEW YORK – Teo Boon Ching, aka Zhang, Dato Sri, and Godfather, 58 of Malaysia, was sentenced to 18 months in prison for conspiring to traffic hundreds of kilograms of rhinoceros horns worth millions of dollars that involved the illegal poaching of numerous rhinoceros, an endangered wildlife species. The sentence was imposed on September 19, 2023 by U.S. District Judge Paul A. Crotty of the Southern District of New York.
Ching, who was extradited from Thailand, is the sixth large-scale wildlife trafficker sentenced in cases recently brought by the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of New York, which also involved the extradition of multiple individuals from several countries in Africa. Ching and his associated entities were previously sanctioned by the U.S. Department of the Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) pursuant to E.O. 13581, as amended.
“Wildlife trafficking is a serious threat to the natural resources and the ecological heritage shared by communities across the globe, enriching poachers responsible for the senseless illegal slaughter of numerous endangered rhinoceros and furthering the market for these illicit products,” said U.S. Attorney Damian Williams for the Southern District of New York.
“The substantial sentence shows the resolve of this Office to use every tool at our disposal to ensure the protection of endangered species.”
According to the charging and other documents filed in the case, as well as statements made in court proceedings, Ching was a member of a transnational criminal conspiracy engaged in the large-scale international trafficking and smuggling of rhinoceros horns to sell to foreign buyers, including buyers represented to be in Manhattan.
Trade involving endangered or threatened species violates several U.S. laws as well as international treaties implemented by certain U.S. laws.
August 19-20, 2019, Communications
During the course of the conspiracy and related conduct, Ching conspired to transport, distribute, sell and smuggle at least approximately 219 kilograms of rhinoceros horns resulting from the poaching of numerous rhinoceros and having an estimated value of at least approximately $2.1 million.
On a number of occasions, Ching met with a confidential source to negotiate the sale of rhinoceros horns. For example, on July 17 and 18, 2019, the confidential source met with Ching in Malaysia. During those meetings, Ching stated that he served as a “middleman” — one who acquires rhinoceros horns poached by co-conspirators in Africa and ships them to customers around the world for a per-kilogram fee.
He also promised the confidential source “as long as you have cash, I can give you the goods in 1-2 days.” During their communications, CHING sent the confidential source numerous photographs of rhinoceros horns that Ching had available for sale and shipment, including the following:
July 28, 2019, Communications
In August 2019, the confidential source, at the direction of law enforcement, purchased 12 rhinoceros horns from Ching with money that Ching believed were the proceeds of other illegal wildlife trafficking and was in bank accounts in New York. These horns were delivered in a suitcase in Thailand by those working for the wildlife trafficking organization.
A U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service forensics laboratory examined the rhinoceros horns and concluded that two horn pieces were black rhinoceros horns, and the other 10 pieces were white rhinoceros horns. Pictures of white and black rhinoceros are depicted below:
A picture of the 12 rhinoceros horns that Ching arranged to be sold to law enforcement through the confidential source and had delivered are depicted below:
Ching was arrested in Thailand on June 29, 2022, at the request of the United States pursuant to a bilateral extradition treaty and was extradited to the United States on October 7, 2022.
Ching pled guilty to one count of conspiracy to commit wildlife trafficking.
U.S. Attorney Williams praised the outstanding work of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. In addition, U.S. Attorney Williams thanked the Royal Thai Government for its assistance in the extradition of Ching to the United States and commended law enforcement authorities and conservation partners in Thailand, including the Office of the Attorney General and the Royal Thai Police, Natural Resources and Environmental Crime Suppression Division. U.S. Attorney Williams also thanked the U.S. Embassy in Bangkok and the Justice Department’s Office of International Affairs for providing substantial assistance in securing the arrest and extradition of Ching.
Taiwan is one of the biggest targets of disinformation and fake news and it has develop some know-how on how to identify and monitor the manipulation of fake news, disinformation and trolls against the island state over the past decades.
This includes detecting concerted efforts on social media to disseminate fake news that creates negative narratives about Taiwan. Speakers at Taiwan Forum in Bangkok on Friday entitled “Dealing with global fake news and information warfare” saw experts from Taiwan noting how disinformation spreads from a rival neighbouring country takes a break during lunch time at the same time or not working during the weekend that reflect a drop in the drop in disinformation activities.
Fake FB account with a Thai name but with contents written only in simplified Chinese character was even attributed to be part of such information warfare campaign in an attempt to make the dissemination look “natural” and “organic”.
The forum shared a few tips to manually identify troll accounts as well.
Wu Min Hsuan, CEO of Doublethink Lab Taiwan, which focusing on researching “malign Chinese influence operations and disinformation campaigns and the impacts via digital tools and methodologies” noted for example that fake Twitter (X) accounts used in information warfare can be identified from the following characteristics:
They tend to retweet (repost) or copy and paste everything from Chinese state media, uses fake profile photo, has equal number of followers from the number the account follows and has very high tweet rate.
The narrative espoused, said Wu, is that “Taiwan is just a pawn of the US. Let’s just be neutral,” he told the forum which was organized by Radio Taiwan International, Asia Centre and the Association for International Broadcasting (AIB).
Wu, who said Thailand is among the countries “highly influenced by the People’s Republic of China” added local Thai media do not have enough incentive to debunk fake news about Taiwan or the Ukraine. On the other hand, there’s an incentive for some Caucasian social media users to say everything in China is good while everything in the US is bad in order to drive traffic that’s manipulated and make money as a result.
Another panelist, Ethan Tu, founder of AI Labs, a privately funded research institute based in Taipei, said AI (artificial intelligence) has recently been deployed to help produce and spread misinformation and “no human can catchup with this kind of [rapid] spread”.
“Social media is a good approach to manipulate your minds,” said Tu.
Stephane Delfour, AFP Southeast Asia Bureau Chief, whose organization is a pioneer in spotting fake news, said if things you see on social media is “too surprising” to be true, one should asks who is the news or information attributed to so one can know whether the news source is dodgy.
James Gomez, Regional Director of Asia Centre, a civil society research institute based in Bangkok, said “machine production of disinformation” undermines democracy.
Cheryl Lai, chairperson of Radio Taiwan International, which broadcasts in twenty languages including Thai, said today’s information warfare knows no border. The sentiment is echoed by Herbert Hsu, deputy head of Taipei Economic and Cultural Office in Bangkok who said Taiwan is facing “authoritarian cognitive warfare”, or “false information” about Taiwan spread by “one certain country in the region” for nine years now.
