Charoen Pokphand Group and its subsidiaries have developed and implemented a system to trace the origin of corn used in the production of animal feed since 2017. This system ensures that one hundred percent of corn is derived from forest encroachment and stubble burning. By promoting good agricultural practices, this effort contributes to the conservation of forests and the reduction of dust.
Paisarn Kruawongvanich, CEO of CP Group’s Feed Ingredients Trading Business Group (FIT) emphasized that CP Group adheres to establishing a sustainable food production system and is committed to responsible sourcing of raw materials by endorsing the key raw material procurement can be traced and do not encroach on forest areas in line with our policy “No forest [encroachment], no [Crop] burning, we buy”. The Company has implemented corn traceability in Thailand since 2017 and expanded the system to its overseas operations including Myanmar, Laos and Vietnam in 2020 in order to ensure the procurement of corn from legal crop plantation.
CP Group opposes the cultivation of maize for animal feed that may cause wildfires and slash-and-burn activities at the cultivated areas. The company has developed a corn feed traceability system to purchase corn that can be traced to land areas with title deeds and without forest invasions. We have collaborated with all parties to implement this system to ensure that corn used for animal feed can be traced, and we have improved the system by incorporating a satellite imaging technology that can detect burning planting plots so that we can jointly manage the problem effectively,” Mr. Paisarn explained.
This allows the company’s staff to advise farmers to stop burn their crops or to utilize the stubble. Currently, the company’s operations in Thailand source all of their corn from deforestation-free areas. Linking the data from the plantation to the feed mill, the company also adopted blockchain technology in order to improve the speed and transparency of agricultural raw material traceability to plantation areas and to ensure customers that their food comes from responsible sources with zero deforestation and zero burning of stubble. CP encourages Thai maize farmers to register with the “For Farm” application and verify their identity.
In addition to the corn traceability system, CP Group prioritizes the quality of life of smallholder corn growers by implementing the “Self-Sufficient Farmers, Sustainable Corn” Project since 2016. This project aims to share plantation knowledge and techniques with corn farmers to increase output and quality while simultaneously reducing dust generated by agriculture. This project also encourages corn farmers to practice sustainable agriculture and avoid crop burning.
Sumeth Pinyosnit, CEO of Crop Integration Business Group (CPP), a producer and distributor of corn seeds, said that the company is committed to operating business with socially and environmentally responsible and stand against growing corn in the conservation forests and areas without legal documents. The company opposes any activities being involved in crop burning.
Since 2008, the company has announced its commitment and taken stringent measures to stop activities with seed dealers who were found engaging in forest encroachment, planting on land without legal deeds and crop burning. Along with the measure, the company has implemented a “Farm Pro” project to encourage and support smallholder farmers who growing maize on legally licensed land to enhance their efficiency and productivity and eliminating crop stubble burning. The company is on-going collaborating with experts to find the solution to create value of stubble in a bid to address wildfire and dust PM2.5 issues in the long run.
didacta asia — The International Trade Fair and Congress for the Complete Education Sector in Southeast Asia, announces strong public-private partnerships ahead of inaugural event
Koelnmesse and Messe Stuttgart have partnered up to launch the International Trade Fair and Congress for the Complete Education Sector, “didacta asia”, for the first time in Southeast Asia under the theme “Shaping the Future Skills”. The event will be a regional platform for education professionals and policymakers to exchange ideas, learn new educational technologies, and explore innovative teaching practices. During the three-day event, attendees can explore an exhibition featuring educational products and services, supported by top agencies.
The event is supported by strong public-private partnerships that are at the forefront of education in Thailand, such as the Ministry of Higher Education, Science, Research and Innovation, the Teachers’ Council of Thailand, Thailand Convention and Exhibition Bureau (Public Organization), Manufacturing Automation and Robotics Academ, King Mongkut’s University of Technology Thonburi, JS 100, and InsKru.
Additionally, there will be workshops, demonstration zones, and skill-building exercises available. To be held at the Bangkok International Trade & Exhibition Centre, Thailand from 24 to 26 October 2023, the event is expected to attract 6,000 visitors from 20 countries and over 200 exhibiting brands and companies worldwide. The congress will feature more than 25 sessions and workshops to help drive the growth of education in Thailand and the region to the next level.
Mr. Reinhard Koslitz, Managing Director of didacta—Association of the German Education Industry, said: “Since 2005, we have been successful in organizing an educational trade fair and congress named “Worlddidac” in collaboration with Thai partners for over 17 years. We aim to continue this journey by launching “didacta asia” to showcase innovative products and knowledge, thereby contributing to a brighter future for the youth and enhancing the quality of education in the region.”
Asst. Prof. Dr. Rawin Raviwongse, President of the National Science Museum Thailand under the Ministry of Higher Education, Science, Research and Innovation, said: “didacta asia is key to the development of Thailand’s education sector from many aspects, ranging from promoting education, boosting knowledge and competence of teachers and educational personnel, and introducing and applying technology to teaching. Strengthening the ability to create high-quality teaching materials through activities and training. The event also provides insight into new research and innovation.
The Ministry of Higher Education, Science, Research and Innovation will play a part in didacta asia by focusing on showcasing quality learning activities that can be practised through ‘Interactive Learning Experience’ presentations, learning by doing, touching and communicating through applicable technology. This will help enhance thinking and observation skills by using media and equipment from the ‘Regional Science Square’ project that will be exhibited.”
Asst. Prof. Phonraphee Thummaphan, Ph.D., Deputy Secretary-General of The Teachers’ Council of Thailand (Khurusapha), added: “didacta asia can play a crucial role in promoting and advancing the teaching profession and educational personnel development in several ways. It can provide a platform for teachers and educators to share their experiences and best practices, and to learn from each other. This can help to foster a community of educators who are committed to continuous learning and improvement.”
didacta asia will be held from 24 to 26 October 2023, at the BITEC—Bangkok International Trade & Exhibition Centre, Thailand. Interested parties can find out more about the event at: www.didacta-asia.com
Paetongtarn Shinawatra, the prime ministerial candidate and leader of the Pheu Thai Party, was presented with her husband Pidok Sooksawas amid hundreds of reporters in the assembly room of the Grand Hall, 5th Floor, Building A, Rama 9 Hospital.
Before the press conference, the Shinawatra family led by Potjaman Na Pombejra (former surname: Damapong) and Pintongtha Kunakornwong brought the newborn Pluenkthasin Sooksawas to show to the media for the first time.
Asked by a foreign correspondent if she was ready to go back to work, Paetongtarn said she needed the first week to rest, but her newborn son would be a great support to her.
She was further asked about her father, Thaksin Shinawatra, who had recently tweeted to return to Thailand. The mother of two replied that he would surely want to see his grandchildren, especially when the newborn grandson had just been born. She added that it was also fine if her father did not return to Thailand, as “returning home” was the phrase he had used many times.
Paetongtarn said she was aware that her father’s remark could cause ripples in Thai politics, but she added that it was not wrong to have hope, especially on a day when the family had good news. She said there had been no talks about the time, date or period of Thaksin’s return to Thailand.
She confirmed that Thaksin’s return had nothing to do with Pheu Thai. She also wished people would understand Thaksin from a human perspective because he is just a human being who wants to return home. She added that such hope gives a person hope and health and gives hope to those who support Thaksin, which she thinks is a good thing.
Asked about the election result, where Pheu Thai’s popularity began to wane, Paetongtarn said she had instructed the team that she was ‘ready’ to return to debates and speeches to present the party’s vision.
On the rising popularity of Move Forward, the second largest opposition party, she added that the results depend on the polls and people have to decide for themselves. This is an important election, she added. She also said that this election should not repeat what happened in 2019 when people had to worry whether the elected party would be able to form a government.
She concluded by saying that the party will try to communicate the policy to the public and underline the readiness.
Senior Gen. Min Aung Hlaing, right, head of the military council, talks with Chinese Foreign Minister Qin Gang, left, during their meeting Tuesday, May 2, 2023, in Naypyitaw, Myanmar. (Military True News Information Team via AP)
BANGKOK (AP) — The head of Myanmar’s military-controlled government, Senior Gen. Min Aung Hlaing, met Tuesday with the visiting foreign minister of China, which has provided key support to his regime since it seized power two years ago.
Myanmar state television MRTV said Qin Gang held talks in the capital, Naypyitaw, with Min Aung Hlaing and other top officials and exchanged views on bilateral relations, Myanmar’s political situation and conditions needed for its stability and development.
Senior Gen. Min Aung Hlaing, right, head of the military council, exchanges gift with Chinese Foreign Minister Qin Gang, left, during their meeting Tuesday, May 2, 2023, in Naypyitaw, Myanmar (Military True News Information Team via AP)
Myanmar is mired in strife because of a political crisis unleashed when the military took power in February 2021, deposing the elected government of Aung San Suu Kyi. The takeover prompted widespread peaceful protests that security forces suppressed with deadly force, triggering armed resistance throughout the country that the army has been unable to quell.
China has strategic geopolitical and economic interests in Myanmar, its southern neighbor, and is one of the few large nations that has maintained good relations with its military government, which is shunned and sanctioned by many Western nations for its takeover and brutal repression of its opponents.
China, along with Russia, is a major arms supplier to Myanmar’s military. It also is Myanmar’s biggest trading partner and has invested billions of dollars in Myanmar’s mines, oil and gas pipelines and other infrastructure.
Qin’s visit was announced Tuesday by China’s Foreign Ministry, which said it would follow up on the outcomes of President Xi Jinping’s visit in January 2020, deepen cooperation and “support Myanmar’s efforts to maintain stability, revitalize the economy, improve people’s lives, and realize sustainable development.”
Senior Gen. Min Aung Hlaing, center right, head of the military council, talks with Chinese Foreign Minister Qin Gang, center left, during their meeting Tuesday, May 2, 2023, in Naypyitaw, Myanmar. (Military True News Information Team via AP)
MRTV reported that Qin said his visit showed that China stands by Myanmar internationally.
Qin’s visit to Naypyitaw came a day after he met with Noeleen Heyzer, the U.N. special envoy for Myanmar, in Beijing on Monday.
Qin told Heyzer that international society should respect Myanmar’s sovereignty and support all parties in Myanmar within the constitutional and legal framework to bridge differences and resume a political transition through political dialogue, according to China’s official Xinhua News Agency.
Qin also said the Myanmar issue is complex and there is no “quick fix,” it said.
Opponents of military rule in Myanmar suspect that China supported the military takeover because it has refused to condemn the military for its action and initially described it as “a major Cabinet reshuffle.”
Beijing’s adherence to a nominal policy of non-interference in other countries’ politics has angered many in Myanmar who oppose the military, with some calling for boycotts of Chinese products.
Since the military seized power, a special Chinese envoy, Sun Guoxiang, visited Myanmar twice and previous Foreign Minister Wang Yi met Wunna Maung Lwin, Myanmar’s former foreign minister, twice in China.
Wang Yi also attended a regional meeting of the Lancang-Mekong Cooperation group held in Myanmar’s central city of Bagan in July last year.
The head of Myanmar’s military-controlled government, Senior Gen. Min Aung Hlaing, met Tuesday with the visiting foreign minister of China, one of the army regime’s closest allies offering key support to its continued rule since seizing power two years ago. (Military True News Information Team via AP)
A new Chinese special envoy, Deng Xijun, visited Myanmar in December, February and March and held separate meetings with Min Aung Hlaing and the leaders of ethnic armed forces based in the eastern Shan and northern Kachin states.
Myanmar’s military said Qin will leave on Thursday, after which he is to attend a meeting of foreign ministers of countries in the Shanghai Cooperation Organization in the Indian state of Goa.
Earlier Tuesday, Qin called for stability and a crackdown on cross-border criminal activity along his country’s border with Myanmar during an unusual visit to southern China’s border region.
The 2,129-kilometer (1,323-mile) border runs through densely forested mountains and has long been notorious for drug smuggling into China from the “Golden Triangle” region where the borders of Laos, Myanmar and Thailand meet.
The United Nations says the production of opium in Myanmar has flourished since the military seized power in 2021, with the cultivation of poppies up by a third in the past year as eradication efforts dropped off and the faltering economy led more people to enter the drug trade.
A law enforcement officer stands at the perimeter set outside the San Jacinto County Jail after the suspected gunman in a mass shooting arrived Tuesday, May 2, 2023, in Coldspring, Texas. (AP Photo/David J. Phillip)
CLEVELAND, Texas (AP) — A four-day manhunt in Texas for a gunman accused of killing five neighbors ended Tuesday when authorities, acting on a tip, said they found the suspect hiding underneath a pile of laundry in the closet of a house.
Francisco Oropeza, 38, was captured without incident near the community of Conroe, north of Houston and about 20 miles (32 kilometers) from his home in the rural town of Cleveland. That’s where authorities say he went next door and shot his neighbors with an AR-style rifle shortly before midnight Friday.
Oropeza had been shooting rounds on his property and the attack occurred after neighbors asked him to go farther away because the gunfire was keeping a baby awake, according to police.
A Texas state trooper vehicle passes a posted wanted sign for a mass shooting suspect Tuesday, May 2, 2023, in the neighborhood where the shooting occurred Friday, in Cleveland, Texas. (AP Photo/David J. Phillip)
Oropeza will be charged with five counts of murder, San Jacinto County Sheriff Greg Capers said. Bond was set at $5 million.
“They can rest easy now, because he is behind bars,” Capers said of the families of the victims. “He will live out his life behind bars for killing those five.”
The arrest ends what had become a widening dragnet that had grown to more than 250 people from multiple jurisdictions and had seen $80,000 in reward money offered. As recently as Tuesday morning, the FBI said that Oropeza “could be anywhere,” underlining how investigators for days struggled to get a sense of his whereabouts and candidly acknowledged they had no leads.
The tip that finally ended the chase came at 5:15 p.m., and a little more than an hour later, Oropeza was in custody, said FBI Assistant Special Agent in Charge Jimmy Paul. The alleged shooter is a Mexican national who has been deported four times between 2009 and 2016, according to U.S. immigration officials.
Items are removed from the victim’s home Tuesday, May 2, 2023, where a mass shooting occurred Friday, in Cleveland, Texas. (AP Photo/David J. Phillip)
Connor Hagan, an FBI spokesman, said they would not disclose the identity of the person who called in the tip — one of more than 200 tips he says investigators received. Authorities did not say who owned the house, whether Oropeza knew them or if anyone else was inside when he was found.
They also would not say whether friends or family had helped Oropeza evade capture, or where he had been since fleeing the scene in Cleveland, which authorities previously said was likely on foot.
Hagan said the three agencies that went in to arrest Oropeza were the U.S. Marshals, Texas Department of Public Safety and US Border Patrol’s BORTAC team.
Drones and scent-tracking dogs had been used during the widening manhunt, which included combing a heavily wooded forest a few miles from the scene. Republican Gov. Greg Abbott offered a $50,000 reward as the search dragged late into the weekend, while others offered an additional $30,000 in reward money.
Capers said that prior to Friday’s shooting deputies had been called to the suspect’s house at least one other time previously over shooting rounds in his yard.
Maria Rodriguez places flowers Tuesday, May 2, 2023, outside the home where a mass shooting occurred Friday, in Cleveland, Texas. (AP Photo/David J. Phillip)
All of the victims were from Honduras. Wilson Garcia, who survived the shooting, said friends and family in the home tried to hide and shield themselves and children after Oropeza walked up to the home and began firing, killing his wife first at the front door.
The victims were identified as Diana Velazquez Alvarado, 21; Julisa Molina Rivera, 31; Jose Jonathan Casarez, 18; Sonia Argentina Guzman, 25; and Daniel Enrique Laso, 9.
A government official in Honduras said the remains of four of the victims would be repatriated. Velásquez Alvarado will be buried in the United States at the request of her sister and her husband, said Wilson Paz, general director of Honduras’ migrant protection service.
A makeshift memorial is shown Tuesday, May 2, 2023, outside the home where a mass shooting occurred Friday, in Cleveland, Texas. (AP Photo/David J. Phillip)
Osmán Velásquez, Diana’s father, said Tuesday that his daughter had recently gotten residency and had traveled to the United States without documents eight years ago with the help of a sister, who was already living there.
“Her sister convinced me to let her take my daughter. She told me the United States is a country of opportunities and that’s true,” he said. “But I never imagined it was just for this.”
In offering the reward, Abbott called the victims “illegal immigrants,” a partially false statement that his office walked back and apologized for Monday after drawing wide backlash over drawing attention to their immigration status. Abbott spokesperson Renae Eze said they had since learned that one of the victims may have been in the country legally.
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JUAN A. LOZANO and NOMAAN Merchant reported from Washington. Associated Press reporters Jake Bleiberg in Dallas, Paul J. Weber in Austin, Texas, and Marlon González in Tegucigalpa, Honduras, contributed to this report.
Jared Leto attends The Metropolitan Museum of Art's Costume Institute benefit gala celebrating the opening of the "Karl Lagerfeld: A Line of Beauty" exhibition on Monday, May 1, 2023, in New York. (Photo by Evan Agostini/Invision/AP)
Jared Leto was looking for a place to hang his hat. Er, actually his head.
Leto was walking around the cocktail reception at the Met Gala, not long after his big entrance on the carpet as Choupette, designer Karl Lagerfeld’s famous cat, in a full-on white fur suit with very real-looking eyes. Once inside cocktails, it was too hot to keep the whole suit on, but he would not abandon the head.
Some friends wanted to check out the head, carried like a war trophy. Rami Malek, for example, and director Taika Waititi, who tried it on.
Jared Leto attends The Metropolitan Museum of Art’s Costume Institute benefit gala celebrating the opening of the “Karl Lagerfeld: A Line of Beauty” exhibition on Monday, May 1, 2023, in New York. (Photo by Evan Agostini/Invision/AP)
But what would happen at dinner? Leto said he was going to “find a nice quiet seat, so that Chou Chou can take a little rest.”
And so it went at the Met Gala, where an Oscar-winning actor carrying a huge cat head seeking a nap still had to compete with lots of other things, and people, and clothes, for attention.
Here are some moments and scenes from inside Monday’s Met Gala:
A LOT TO RECYCLE
As guests entered the Metropolitan Museum’s Great Hall, they passed a towering centerpiece — flanked by an orchestra playing tunes — and then climbed the huge staircase up to the receiving line, with hosts Anna Wintour, Michaela Coel, Penéope Cruz, Dua Lipa and Roger Federer awaiting. Last year, the centerpiece and staircase were carpeted with bright pink roses — 275,000 of them. This time it was recycled water bottles. Met officials estimated the number at 100,000, obtained from a recycling plant — and headed back to a recycling plant. It was the inspiration of exhibit designer Tadao Ando.
REMEMBERING KARL
Often, celebrity guests skip the exhibit and head straight to cocktails. This year, museum officials really wanted them to see the sumptuous show on Lagerfeld — so they helped things along by routing the crowd from the receiving line to the exhibit, with cocktails and dinner down one floor.
Designs by Karl Lagerfeld are displayed at the Metropolitan Museum of Art’s Costume Institute exhibition, “Karl Lagerfeld: A Line of Beauty,” on Saturday, April 29, 2023, in New York. (Photo by Charles Sykes/Invision/AP)
The exhibit was indeed more crowded than usual during the gala, and one of the first to visit was Baz Luhrmann. The Australian director had worked with Lagerfeld on a Chanel No. 5 commercial starring Nicole Kidman and had fond memories, saying the designer was constantly working, learning, and creating. He also praised his smarts: “Too often we don’t celebrate the intellect.” The director was wearing a high-collared, starched white shirt, part of Lagerfeld’s personal uniform, with his Thom Browne ensemble. He recalled visiting Lagerfeld at his home in Biarritz, where, he said, “there was a whole entire room of these shirts.”
David Byrne attends The Metropolitan Museum of Art’s Costume Institute benefit gala celebrating the opening of the “Karl Lagerfeld: A Line of Beauty” exhibition on Monday, May 1, 2023, in New York. (Photo by Evan Agostini/Invision/AP)
THE DINNER BELL, AKA DAVID BYRNE
It’s a challenge every year, getting hundreds of guests to leave cocktails and walk through the museum to dinner. One year a team of buglers did the trick. Last year, multiple Grammy winner Jon Batiste came through cocktails with his band, playing the melodica. This year, David Byrne took up the challenge, leading his own band (with a megaphone) and snaking through the room like a pied piper. (Byrne also rode his bicycle to the gala, which would have come in handy for the long trek to the Temple of Dendur for dinner.)
BROADWAY REUNION
The Met Gala is filled with stars of film, music, sports, fashion and more, but Wintour also has a fondness for Broadway, and often invites actors from shows she loves to the gala. At cocktails, a spot on one side of the airy Charles Engelhard Court became the site of a joyous gaggle of Broadway actors, like a summer camp reunion. Among the group gathering, laughing and hugging were Josh Groban (“Sweeney Todd”), Phillipa Soo, Jordan Donica and Andrew Burnap (“Camelot”), Ben Platt and Micaela Diamond (“Parade”), J. Harrison Ghee (“Some Like it Hot”) and Jonathan Groff (“Merrily We Roll Along”). Soo called the party “wonderful and whimsical. I feel so lucky to be here with these artists and celebrate another artist.”
Jeremy Pope, left, and Olivier Rousteing attend The Metropolitan Museum of Art’s Costume Institute benefit gala celebrating the opening of the “Karl Lagerfeld: A Line of Beauty” exhibition on Monday, May 1, 2023, in New York. (Photo by Evan Agostini/Invision/AP)
For Platt, it was his fifth Met Gala, and he looked like he couldn’t believe his luck. “Anna is a huge champion of the theater!” he said. He added that this was his favorite gala because he was able to enjoy it with Diamond, his friend and co-star in “Parade.”
AN EDUCATION IN FASHION
Platt got a big greeting from Groban, who plays the murderous barber in “Sweeney Todd.” He was at his second Met Gala, and said he appreciated learning about Lagerfeld, the German-born designer who worked in luxury fashion for 65 years until his death in 2019. “It’s impossible when you get to an exhibit like this not to appreciate the impact and the inspiration and influence that he’s had on all forms of fashion,” he said. “This is very educational for me.”
TENNIS, ANYONE?
It’s also no secret that Wintour also loves tennis. She’s a fixture at the U.S. Open, and is especially close to Federer, the Swiss superstar who recently retired. A host this year, Federer said he was having a much more relaxed experience at his second Met Gala. “It’s a much more relaxed lifestyle now so you can also get really into it,” he said. “I could really look forward to it, prepare for it.” Federer strolled to dinner from cocktails alongside Serena Williams, who also recently stepped back from tennis, and announced her pregnancy at the gala along with husband Alexis Ohanian. Also at the gala was former women’s star Mary Jo Fernandez, who’d brought her college daughter as her date.
Alexis Ohanian, left, and Serena Williams attend The Metropolitan Museum of Art’s Costume Institute benefit gala celebrating the opening of the “Karl Lagerfeld: A Line of Beauty” exhibition on Monday, May 1, 2023, in New York. (Photo by Evan Agostini/Invision/AP)
AND SOME BASKETBALL
NBA star Russell Westbrook, attending his third gala, said it was still amazing to meet “so many style icons” on fashion’s biggest night. But a key new face from the sport this year was Brittney Griner, who smiled at the cocktail reception when expressing how happy she was to be attending. On the carpet, the WNBA star spoke about helping support families working to free Americans jailed in foreign prisons through the organization Bring Our Families Home.
LETO, STILL CARRYING THE CAT’S HEAD
Actor Leto, never letting go of Choupette’s head, explained that his attachment to Lagerfeld (and the cat) was both personal and professional. “It was done with a lot of love,” he said of the costume. “I knew Karl. And one of the first times I met him I said ‘I am going to have to play you in a movie,’ and he said, ‘ONLY you my love, only you.’ And now we’re developing a film. I just feel that if Karl were here, and I saw Karl, in full Choupette glory, he would have the biggest smile on his face.”
A CHANCE MEETING IN THE RAIN
Many guests reflected on past associations with Lagerfeld — some of them only one-time encounters. Hugh Jackman explained while sampling the exhibit that he’d met the designer at a dinner and was struck by a man who never stopped, whose ethos was “Keep creating, keep creating, keep creating.” Also describing a one-time meeting was rapper Pusha T, like many decked out in Thom Browne, who said he encountered Lagerfeld in Paris, walking out of his store. “He was walking in, I was walking out. I was like ‘OMG Karl, I gotta take a picture.’ He was nice. He took the picture — and then said ‘Its raining on me, I’ve got to go!'”
Rihanna, left, and A$AP Rocky attend The Metropolitan Museum of Art’s Costume Institute benefit gala celebrating the opening of the “Karl Lagerfeld: A Line of Beauty” exhibition on Monday, May 1, 2023, in New York. (Photo by Evan Agostini/Invision/AP)
WAITING ON CINDERELLA
The clock was soon to strike midnight, and Cinderella was yet to arrive at the ball. Well, it felt like midnight. It wasn’t just the crowds outside on Fifth Avenue or the crews on the red carpet that were waiting for Rihanna to show up. Inside the museum, while most guests were well into dinner, a hardy crew of wait staff, photographers, and museum staffers were waiting, too. They listened to screams outside, hoping it signaled Rihanna’s arrival — but in one case, it was a roach that caused the commotion.
Finally, the singer showed up, past 10 p.m. as some guests were already leaving dinner. She posed inside in her dramatic Valentino ensemble in white, accompanied by partner A$AP Rocky in a kilt-type layer over jeans, then vanished down a hallway. But Cinderella had finally arrived, and everyone else could consider turning into pumpkins.
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JOCELYN NOVECK AP National Writer reported from New York
Tourists bound for Thailand pose for photos at Beijing Capital International Airport in Beijing, capital of China, Feb. 8, 2023. (Xinhua/Ju Huanzong)
The Thai Consular Department, under the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, told the public that the department is aware of the increasing arrival of Chinese tourists and that the department has confirmed with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs that no additional visa measures have been introduced for those entering the country.
Tourists can apply for a visa to Thailand via the Internet and at travel agencies. The ministry has also instructed Thai embassies and consulates-general to inform the Chinese so that they understand the regulations properly, especially regarding travel agencies, which are already subject to strict rules.
Statement from Department of Consular Affairs, May 1, 2023.
It is reported that on 1 May 2023, the Department of Consular Affairs clarified on earlier media reports that the Ministry of Foreign Affairs had introduced new measures for visas for inbound travellers from China, to take effect on 8 May 2023 for travel agents, had raised concerns as this could affect the number of mainland travellers.
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs does not impose additional visa measures as portrayed in the media.
In the case of China, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs simply instructs all embassies and consulates general to comply with existing visa regulations and guidelines.
In the case of a Chinese tourist visa through a travel agency, the travel agency has been asked to fill in the information correctly and completely and upload the documents via the online control system, the electronic stamp (e-visa) (not a new measure). This is the same standard as tourists applying for a visa themselves. All measures provided for embassies and consulates general can efficiently check applications and control travel as a frontline agency.
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs wishes to emphasise that this is not a new measure. The E–Visa Stickerless system has already been in place for two years to facilitate entry for Chinese tourists. As for the other documents, it is the same standard as when applying for a tourist visa of different countries, e.g. a copy of the passport proof of reservation, accommodation, flight ticket and financial proof.
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs is aware of the importance of promoting tourism and trends among Chinese tourists. Therefore, various measures and mechanisms have been put in place, including (1) opening the e-visa service, which allows tourists to China to apply for a visa online for 7 days and 24 hours without having to travel to the Embassy or Consulate General. (2) The establishment of options for self-application or application through a travel agency. This includes going through the screening process by the Chinese authorities. The measures emphasise the balance between tourism promotion and security checks.
In order to achieve proper understanding, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs has instructed the Embassy and all Consulates General in China to expedite understanding with the various sectors, especially travel agencies, to strictly follow the existing regulations and guidelines. which do not impose any new measures
FILE - Election workers empty a ballot box to count votes for a district council election at a polling station in Hong Kong, Nov. 24, 2019. (AP Photo/Ng Han Guan, File)
HONG KONG (AP) — Hong Kong’s leader on Tuesday stepped up a campaign to shut down further democratic challenges by unveiling plans to eliminate most directly elected seats on local district councils, the last major political representative bodies chosen by the public.
Chief Executive John Lee said the proposed overhaul will reduce the proportion of directly elected seats in the municipal-level organization to about 20% — from some 90% currently. That is even lower than the level when these bodies were first set up in the 1980s, when Hong Kong was ruled by Britain.
He said the rest of the 470 seats will be filled by government appointees, rural committee chairpersons and others elected by local committees that are staffed by many pro-establishment figures.
“I do not agree that pure counting (of) election votes mean democracy,” he said. “Different places have their own systems that must take into consideration all the characteristics and all the elements of that place.”
FILE -0 An election worker reacts after sorting through ballots at a polling station in Hong Kong, Nov. 25, 2019. (AP Photo/Ng Han Guan, File)
The planned electoral changes are widely seen as part of Beijing’s increasing control over the former British colony, which was promised autonomy when it returned to China in 1997. Two years ago, Hong Kong already amended its electoral laws for its legislature, drastically reducing the public’s ability to vote and increasing the number of pro-Beijing lawmakers making decisions for the city.
In the past, the race for the seats of the city’s district representatives usually drew little international attention as the councilors mainly handled municipal matters, such as organizing construction projects and ensuring that public facilities are in order.
But their councils took on importance after the city’s pro-democracy camp won a landslide victory in the last poll at the height of the anti-government protests in 2019.
Many pro-democracy district councilors eventually resigned in 2021, after authorities introduced an oath-taking requirement to ask them to pledge allegiance to the city. Their mass resignations followed media reports that councilors may have to repay their wages if they are later disqualified from office, which the government had not confirmed or denied at the time.
FILE – Candidates from the pro-Beijing party Democratic Alliance for Betterment of Hong Kong (DAB) and their supporters attend an election campaign for the upcoming district council elections in Hong Kong, Nov. 21, 2019. (AP Photo/Kin Cheung, File)
Critics regarded the requirement as part of a broader crackdown on the pro-democracy movement after the massive protests and enactment of the sweeping national security law in 2020.
The resignations and other disqualifications had left just about one-third of the elected representatives still working in the councils, Lee said.
He said all incoming members will be vetted by a committee to ensure “patriots” are administering Hong Kong. Officials also planned to introduce a monitoring mechanism to allow investigations of councilors whose performance “failed to meet the public’s expectation.”
Lo Kin-hei, the chairman of Hong Kong’s largest pro-democracy party, said members of the public will feel disappointed with the government’s move to cut the number of directly elected seats. He predicted there will be fewer people who can run when potential candidates face so many restrictions.
The next district council election is expected to take place later this year.
Mother-of-two Paetongtarn will hold a press briefing at the hospital on May 3 as the public awaits her views on her father Thaksin’s post to return to Thailand and on election campaigning.
Paetongtarn Shinawatra, the candidate for Prime Minister and leader of the Pheu Thai Party, announced at the press conference that she and her husband Pidok Sooksawas gave birth to their child Pluenkthasin Sooksawas on 1 May. She will also talk about the party’s readiness for the election. The press conference will be held on 3 May at 10 am in the Grand Hall Assembly Room, 5th Floor, Building A, Rama 9 Hospital.
instagram ingshin21
The public expects her to talk about the last phase of the election campaign, as the election date is May 14. It has been reported that the Pheu Thai Party has lost popularity to the second-largest opposition party, Move Forward.
Paetongtarn is also expected to speak about her father, Thaksin Shinawatra, who recently posted the blessing for his 7th grandchild and announced that he will return to Thailand to raise his grandchildren, sparking public debate.
instagram: ingshin21“I will turn 74 this July. Please excuse me. See you all soon,” Thaksin posted.
Srettha Thavisin, another candidate for prime minister from Pheu Thai, said it was Thaksin’s right and he understood Thaksin as he himself was a father and grandfather. He refused to talk about the concerns someone had raised that this post of Thaksin might have a hidden agenda for the election. He said he would concentrate on his election campaign.
When asked about Thaksin’s post, Gen. Prayut Chan-o-cha refused to answer but gave the reporters a smile, an unusual response from him. When it comes to Thaksin, he is usually frustrated.
Paetongtarn Shinawatra, Pheu Thai party’s top politician and youngest daughter of exiled former deposed Thai leader Thaksin Shinawatra, April 3, 2023. (AP Photo/Sakchai Lalit)instagram: ingshin21
The Thai Minister of Tourism and Sports, Phiphat Ratchakitprakarn, said that the ministry is gradually taking measures to develop the coastal areas of the Gulf of Thailand and the Andaman Islands, which cover a total of 3,000 kilometres and generated 1.2 trillion baht (35,100 billion U.S.dollars) in tourism revenue in 2022. The project consists of 5 clusters as follows:
The first area is the Eastern Economic Corridor (EEC), which consists of Chonburi, Rayong and Chachoengsao. The project will cover 2 more provinces, namely Chanthaburi and Trad, making a total of 5 provinces. This cluster is expected to bring in 340 billion (9.94 billion U.S.dollars) in revenue, with an average expenditure of 3,081 baht (90 U.S.dollars) per person per day.
In 2020, the total number of visitors, both Thai and foreigners, is recorded at 31 million, as the area is close to Bangkok and many ex-pats live in the area. The ministry wants to develop the area on the model of Industrial Tourism so that visitors have the opportunity to visit factories, similar to the city of Yokohama, where there is the Kirin Beer Plant and the museum of the instant noodle manufacturer Nissin.
Thailand Riviera, located between Petchaburi, Prachuap Khiri Khan, Chumphon and Ranong, is the second destination cluster. In 2022, this area had a total of 18 million people generating 85 billion baht (2.48 billion U.S.dollars) or an average of 2,362 baht (69 U.S.dollars) per person per day. This cluster has both mountains and sea. The ministry wants to develop more roadside stations and community complexes to sell products.
Koh Tukon Lima or “Koh Haa” Krabi Province
The third cluster includes 5 provinces in the south of Thailand, namely Phuket, Phang-nga, Krabi, Trang and Satun. Last year, a total of 29 million people visited the area, resulting in revenue of 600 billion baht (17.5 billion U.S. dollars), almost twice the money generated in the EEC area, with an average expenditure of 4,800 baht (140 U.S. dollars) per person per day.
It is the highest spending area among the 5 clusters and the ministry wants to make it the ‘Premium Andaman’ as it can be sold more expensively and focuses more on quality.
The Gulf of Thailand cluster, which includes Surat Thani, Nakhon Si Thammarat, Phatthalung and Songkhla, is the fourth cluster. In 2022, a total of 18 million people visited these provinces, resulting in a turnover of 180 billion baht (5.2 billion U.S.dollars), which is an average of 2,861 baht (83.6 U.S.dollars) per person per day. The main selling points for this region are faith tourism and nature tourism.
The last cluster is the coastal region in the southern border provinces, located in Pattani, Narathiwat and Yala. In 2022, 1.6 million people visited the area, resulting in revenue of 7 billion baht (204 million U.S.dollars), an average of 2,264 baht (66 U.S.dollars) per person per day. The ministry will give the provinces a new image and is ready to help the young generation of locals build their towns.
