Drones Fly Deep Inside Russia; Putin Orders Border Tightened

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1 March 2023, 09:02

Russia Ukraine War Drone Strikes Explainer — FILE - This satellite image from Planet Labs PBC shows a Beriev A-50 early warning aircraft, center, at Machulishchy Air Base near Minsk, Belarus, Tuesday Feb. 28, 2023. Satellite photos taken Tuesday analyzed by The Associated Press appear to show a Beriev A-50 early warning aircraft targeted in a claimed guerrilla attack at a Belarus air base still largely intact. The Associated Press has been unable to independently confirm the claimed attack, which both Belarus and Russia have yet to acknowledge. (Planet Labs PBC via AP, File)

KYIV, Ukraine (AP) — Drones that the Kremlin said were launched by Ukraine flew deep inside Russian territory, including one that got within 100 kilometers (60 miles) of Moscow, signaling breaches in Russian defenses as President Vladimir Putin ordered stepped-up protection at the border.

Officials said the drones caused no injuries and did not inflict any significant damage, but the attacks on Monday night and Tuesday morning raised questions about Russian defense capabilities more than a year after the country’s full-scale invasion of its neighbor.

Ukrainian officials did not immediately take responsibility, but they similarly avoided directly acknowledging responsibility for past strikes and sabotage while emphasizing Ukraine’s right to hit any target in Russia.

Although Putin did not refer to any specific attacks in a speech in the Russian capital, his comments came hours after the drones targeted several areas in southern and western Russia. Authorities closed the airspace over St. Petersburg in response to what some reports said was a drone.

Also Tuesday, several Russian television stations aired a missile attack warning that officials blamed on a hacking attack.

The drone attacks targeted regions inside Russia along the border with Ukraine and deeper into the country, according to local Russian authorities.

A drone fell near the village of Gubastovo, less than 100 kilometers (60 miles) from Moscow, Andrei Vorobyov, governor of the region surrounding the Russian capital, said in an online statement.

The drone did not cause any damage, Vorobyov said, but it likely targeted “a civilian infrastructure object.”

Pictures of the drone showed it was a small Ukrainian-made model with a reported range of up to 800 kilometers (nearly 500 miles) but no capacity to carry a large load of explosives.

Russian forces early Tuesday shot down another Ukrainian drone over the Bryansk region, local Gov. Aleksandr Bogomaz said in a Telegram post.

Three drones also targeted Russia’s Belgorod region on Monday night, with one flying through an apartment window in the capital, local authorities reported. Regional Gov. Vyacheslav Gladkov said the drones caused minor damage to buildings and cars.

The Russian Defense Ministry said Ukraine used drones to attack facilities in the Krasnodar region and neighboring Adygea. It said the drones were brought down by electronic warfare assets, adding that one of them crashed into a field and another diverted from its flight path and missed a facility it was supposed to attack.

Russia’s state RIA Novosti news agency reported a fire at the oil facility, and some other Russian reports said that two drones exploded nearby.

While Ukrainian drone strikes on the Russian border regions of Bryansk and Belgorod have become a regular occurrence, other strikes reflected a more ambitious effort.

Some Russian commentators described the drone attacks as an attempt by Ukraine to showcase its capability to strike deep behind the lines, foment tensions in Russia and rally the Ukrainian public. Some Russian war bloggers described the raids as a possible rehearsal for a bigger, more ambitious attack.

Andrei Medvedev a commentator with Russian state television who serves as a deputy speaker of Moscow’s city legislature and runs a popular blog about the war, warned that the drone strikes could be a precursor to wider attacks within Russia that could accompany Ukraine’s attempt to launch a counteroffensive.

“The strikes of exploding drones on targets behind our lines will be part of that offensive,” Medvedev said, adding that Ukraine could try to extend the range of its drones.

Russia hawks urged strong retaliation. Igor Korotchenko, a retired Russian army colonel turned military commentator, called for a punishing strike on the Ukrainian presidential office in Kyiv.

Another retired military officer, Viktor Alksnis, noted that the drone attacks marked the expansion of the conflict and criticized Putin for failing to deliver a strong response.

Also on Tuesday, authorities reported that airspace around St. Petersburg, Russia’s second-largest city, was temporarily closed, halting all departures and arrivals at the main airport, Pulkovo. Officials did not give a reason for the move, but some Russian reports claimed that it was triggered by an unidentified drone.

The Russian Defense Ministry said it was conducting air defense drills in western Russia.

Last year, Russian authorities repeatedly reported shooting down Ukrainian drones over annexed Crimea. In December, the Russian military said Ukraine used drones to hit two bases for long-range bombers deep inside Russian territory.

Speaking at Russia’s main security agency, the FSB, Putin urged the service to tighten security on the Ukraine border.

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While the attacks apparently did not inflict any significant damage, their number and scope posed a new challenge to Russia as the war dragged into a second year. One assault came as close as 100 kilometers (60 miles) from Moscow.

Some observers said the strikes could be a rehearsal for a broader Ukrainian attack on facilities deep inside Russia.

Here is a look at drone attacks on Russia, their results and implications.

HAS UKRAINE LAUNCHED DRONE ATTACKS BEFORE?

Russian authorities have long accused Ukraine of launching regular drone attacks on power plants, oil refineries and other targets in western regions of Russia near the border.

Russian authorities also have reported repeated Ukrainian drone attacks on Crimea, most of which targeted the port of Sevastopol that hosts the main Russian naval base on the Black Sea peninsula that Moscow illegally annexed in 2014.

AP23059683362424 — FILE – In this handout photo released by Sevastopol mayor Mikhail Razvozhaev telegram channel on Sunday, July 31, 2022, Governor of Sevastopol Mikhail Vladimirovich Razvozhayev, center, stands at the scene of explosion at the headquarters of Russia’s Black Sea Fleet in Sevastopol, Crimea.

In December, the Russian military reported several Ukrainian drone attacks on long-range bomber bases deep inside Russia. The Russian Defense Ministry said the drones were shot down, but it acknowledged that their debris damaged some aircraft and killed several servicemen.

After each of those strikes, Ukrainian officials stopped short of openly claiming responsibility but emphasized the country’s right to strike any target in response to the Russian aggression.

In some cases, Ukrainian authorities took responsibility for the attacks deep behind the front line. That’s what happened when Ukraine’s top military officer took credit for ordering the August strikes on air bases in Crimea weeks after they occurred.

AP23059683681450 — FILE – Smoke rises over the site of explosion at an ammunition storage of the Russian army near the village of Mayskoye, Crimea, Tuesday, Aug. 16, 2022.(AP Photo, File)

WHAT AREAS DID THE LATEST DRONE ATTACKS TARGET?

Late Monday, four small drones targeted the city of Belgorod, including one that reportedly flew into an apartment window.

Another drone was downed early Tuesday over the neighboring Bryansk region in western Russia, according to local officials.

On Tuesday, a drone also hit an oil refinery in the southern port of Tuapse in Russia’s Krasnodar region, damaging some equipment but missing oil reservoirs. Some Russian reports identified the aerial vehicle as an Israeli-made Aerostar drone.

Another drone, reportedly a massive Soviet-built jet-powered Tu-141 Strizh, fell into a field in the neighboring region of Adygea, damaging a farm building.

Finally, a drone crashed on the edge of a forest close to a gas compressor station near the village of Gubastovo, less than 100 kilometers (60 miles) southeast of Moscow. While it inflicted no damage, the drone appeared to target a major natural gas pumping facility and marked the closest strike yet to the Russian capital.

Russian reports identified the drone that fell near Gubastovo as a UJ-22, a small Ukrainian-made reconnaissance drone that also can carry about 20 kilograms (44 pounds) of explosives and has a range of autonomous flight of up to 800 kilometers (about 500 miles).

Ukrainian officials have not claimed responsibility for any of the attacks.

AP23059683514745 — FILE – A Ukrainian soldier launches FlyEye WB Electronics SA, a Polish reconnaissance drone, which is in service with the Ukrainian army, in Kyiv region, Ukraine, Tuesday, Aug. 2, 2022. (AP Photo/Efrem Lukatsky, File)

On Tuesday, Russian authorities also briefly closed the airspace over St. Petersburg, the country’s second-largest city. Some reports alleged that an unidentified drone was spotted in the area, while the Defense Ministry said the skies around the city were closed as part of air defense drills.

On Sunday, Belarusian opposition activists claimed a military air base outside Belarusia’s capital that hosts Russian warplanes came under attack by Belarusian guerrillas supporting Ukraine. They said the assault left a Russian A-50 early warning and control aircraft seriously damaged, although Tuesday’s satellite images showed no visible signs of damage to the aircraft. Some activists claimed the attack involved drones, while Belarusian and Russian officials made no comment.

Russia used the territory of its ally Belarus to invade Ukraine a year ago and maintained a contingent of troops, warplanes and other weapons on Belarusian territory.

WHAT DID RUSSIAN OFFICIALS SAY?

The Russian Defense Ministry said its anti-drone jamming systems helped fend off Tuesday’s attack in Tuapse, causing the drone to veer off its course and miss its intended target, and made another Ukrainian drone crash into a field in Adygea.

Andrei Vorobyov, the governor of the Moscow region who reported the drone attack near Moscow, said it apparently targeted civilian infrastructure but inflicted no damage.

In Belgorod, local officials reported minor damage from drone strikes and said that residents of an apartment hit by drone were evacuated.

Without directly referring to the latest drone attacks, Russian President Vladimir Putin demanded that authorities tighten protection of the border with Ukraine to prevent any incursions or attacks.

WHAT ARE THE POTENTIAL IMPLICATIONS?

Tuesday’s attacks again signaled Russia’s vulnerabilities and apparent breaches in the country’s air defenses.

Some Russian commentators described the drone strikes as part of Ukrainian efforts to fuel tensions in Russia and rally the Ukrainian public amid a grinding battle for control of the country’s eastern industrial heartland known as the Donbas, where Russian forces are besieging the Ukrainian stronghold of Bakhmut.

But some Russian war bloggers warned that Tuesday’s strikes could be part of Ukrainian efforts to probe Russia’s defenses and detect its vulnerabilities ahead of a more massive drone attack that could be launched to support Ukraine’s future counteroffensive.

In an apparent reflection of official concerns about the increasing threat of Ukrainian drone attacks, the Russian military recently has deployed air defense systems in several locations around Moscow, including the rooftop of the main Defense Ministry building facing the Gorky Park.

Many Private Schools in Bangkok Are Still Suffering

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Khaosod English

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1 March 2023, 08:31

A group of parents at a private school in Bangkok’s On Nuch district have complained to the secretary of the Private Education Commission office (OPEC), Montol Parksuwan, after their children’s school announced the closure of an establishment just 14 days in advance.

The sudden closure did not give parents enough time to find a new school for their children. They also have to budget about 10 – 30 thousand baht for additional student uniforms, learning materials, before and summer school, etc.

Suppasait Kanakul, president of the Association for the Coordination and Promotion of Private Education (APPE), said the situation underscores the continued loss that a private school has suffered since the pandemic began.

Even if the situation is improving and some schools are starting to recover, many private schools in Bangkok are still suffering from high costs and many outstanding debts from parents. He added that these factors could jeopardise the business.

Suppasait said that from the survey, it appears that many parents have outstanding school fees with schools. The total figure is 2-3 billion baht (56-85 million U.S.dollars). All schools have made efforts to resolve the problems.

Some schools allow parents to pay half the school fees, while other schools have decided not to charge school fees. The problems have implications for education as teachers may not be paid an adequate salary. Some schools have to borrow money to keep running.

Although OPEC has allowed schools to borrow up to 3 million baht from the organization’s fund, some schools have not met the loan criteria.

“The government has never helped a private school. We had asked for a school’s lunch to be 100 per cent subsidised by the government, but it was never approved. In contrast, a foreign student studying in a public school gets a fully funded budget for lunch. I want to ask what the government has done for a private school in the last 4 years. I want to see a new government trying to understand what role a private school plays in the national education system and how it can support us.” Suppasait said

Dom’s Family in Thailand Joins the Cremation Ceremony Online

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Khaosod English

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1 March 2023, 01:41

The Thai Embassy in England broadcast live online the cremation ceremony for Duangpetch “Dom” Promthep, from Leicester, to his family in Mae Sai district, Chiang Rai, northern Thailand, so they could also attend.

Dom, the former captain of the Wild Boars football team, who survived a treacherous cave rescue in 2018, dies suddenly in England on February 14, 2023, two days after being found in his dormitory at a football academy in Leicester. He was 17 years old.

Thailand’s Zico Foundation which had funded Dom to be educated in England posted the photos from the ceremony at Great Glen Crematorium. The cremation was chaired by Zico Foundation Kiatisuk Senamuang, former coach of Thai national football team.

Thai Ambassador Thani Thongphakdi and members of the Brooke House College’s football academy also attended the ceremony. While in Chiang Rai, Dom’s family prayed and poured a water dedication at the same time of England.

dom cremation2 — Thai Ambassador Thani Thongphakdi, Kiatisuk “Zico” Senamuang and a member of the Brooke House College’s football academy / Zico Foundation

Thanapon Promthep, Dom’s mother, said the family will wait for the ashes of Dom to be brought to perform ritual at Wat Phra That Doi Wao, Mae Sai District later.

She also thank you everyone for helping, including Dom’s friends who had been rescued from Tham Luang Cave. They, known as the “13 Wild Boars,” have always loved and cared for each other dearly.

dom family2 — Dom’s family in Chiang Rai / photo by Khaosod

According to Daily mail, an investigation into the death of Dom is continuing – as a provisional cause of death is identified. Coroner Professor Catherine Mason said a provisional cause of death had been identified, but did not disclose any further details during the short hearing.

A review hearing has been scheduled to take place on July 6 later this year, she added.

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Coronavirus Origins Still a Mystery 3 Years Into Pandemic

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Associated Press

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28 February 2023, 20:20

Virus Outbreak Origins Explainer — FILE - SARS-CoV-2 virus particles, which cause COVID-19.(Hannah A. Bullock, Azaibi Tamin/CDC via AP, File)

WASHINGTON (AP) — A crucial question has eluded governments and health agencies around the world since the COVID-19 pandemic began: Did the virus originate in animals or leak from a Chinese lab?

Now, the U.S. Department of Energy has assessed with “low confidence” in that it began with a lab leak, according to a person familiar with the report who wasn’t authorized to discuss it. The report has not been made public.

But others in the U.S. intelligence community disagree.

“There is not a consensus right now in the U.S. government about exactly how COVID started,” John Kirby, the spokesman for the National Security Council, said Monday. “There is just not an intelligence community consensus.”

AP23058713445125 — White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre listens as National Security Council spokesman John Kirby speaks during a press briefing at the White House, Monday, Feb. 27, 2023, in Washington. (AP Photo/Evan Vucci)

The DOE’s conclusion was first reported over the weekend in the Wall Street Journal, which said the classified report was based on new intelligence and noted in an update to a 2021 document. The DOE oversees a national network of labs.

White House officials on Monday declined to confirm press reports about the assessment.

In 2021, officials released an intelligence report summary that said four members of the U.S. intelligence community believed with low confidence that the virus was first transmitted from an animal to a human, and a fifth believed with moderate confidence that the first human infection was linked to a lab.

While some scientists are open to the lab-leak theory, others continue to believe the virus came from animals, mutated, and jumped into people — as has happened in the past with viruses. Experts say the true origin of the pandemic may not be known for many years — if ever.

CALLS FOR MORE INVESTIGATION

The U.S. Office of the Director of National Intelligence declined to comment on the report. All 18 offices of the U.S. intelligence community had access to the information the DOE used in reaching its assessment.

Alina Chan, a molecular biologist at the Broad Institute of Massachusetts Institute of Technology and Harvard, said she isn’t sure what new intelligence the agencies had, but “it’s reasonable to infer” it relates to activities at the Wuhan Institute of Virology in China. She said a 2018 research proposal co-authored by scientists there and their U.S. collaborators “essentially described a blueprint for COVID-like viruses.”

“Less than two years later, such a virus was causing an outbreak in the city,” she said.

The Wuhan institute had been studying coronaviruses for years, in part because of widespread concerns — tracing back to SARS — that coronaviruses could be the source of the next pandemic.

ap21034253952164 — Security personnel gather near the entrance to the Wuhan Institute of Virology during a visit by the World Health Organization team, Feb. 3, 2021, in Wuhan in China’s Hubei province.(NG HAN GUAN/AP)

No intelligence agency has said they believe the coronavirus that caused COVID-19 was released intentionally. The unclassified 2021 summary was clear on this point, saying: “We judge the virus was not developed as a biological weapon.”

“Lab accidents happen at a surprising frequency. A lot of people don’t really hear about lab accidents because they’re not talked about publicly,” said Chan, who co-authored a book about the search for COVID-19 origins. Such accidents “underscore a need to make work with highly dangerous pathogens more transparent and more accountable.”

Last year, the World Health Organization recommended a deeper probe into a possible lab accident. Chan said she hopes the latest report sparks more investigation in the United States.

China has called the suggestion that COVID-19 came from a Chinese laboratory “ baseless.”

SUPPORT FOR ANIMAL THEORY

Many scientists believe the animal-to-human theory of the coronavirus remains much more plausible. They theorize it emerged in the wild and jumped from bats to humans, either directly or through another animal.

In a 2021 research paper in the journal Cell, scientists said the COVID-19 virus is the ninth documented coronavirus to infect humans — and all the previous ones originated in animals.

wuhan huanan — Huanan Seafood Wholesale Market in Wuhan / Xinhua

Two studies, published last year by the journal Science, bolstered the animal origin theory. That research found that the Huanan Seafood Wholesale Market in Wuhan was likely the early epicenter. Scientists concluded that the virus likely spilled from animals into people two separate times.

“The scientific literature contains essentially nothing but original research articles that support a natural origin of this virus pandemic,” said Michael Worobey, an evolutionary biologist at the University of Arizona who has extensively studied COVID-19’s origins.

He said the fact that others in the intelligence community looked at the same information as the DOE and “it apparently didn’t move the needle speaks volumes.” He said he takes such intelligence assessments with a grain of salt because he doesn’t think the people making them “have the scientific expertise … to really understand the most important evidence that they need to understand.”

The U.S. should be more transparent and release the new intelligence that apparently swayed the DOE, Worobey said.

REACTION TO THE REPORT

The DOE conclusion comes to light as House Republicans have been using their new majority power to investigate all aspects of the pandemic, including the origin, as well as what they contend were officials’ efforts to conceal the fact that it leaked from a lab in Wuhan. Earlier this month, Republicans sent letters to Dr. Anthony Fauci, National Intelligence Director Avril Haines, Health Secretary Xavier Beccera and others as part of their investigative efforts.

The now retired Fauci, who served as the country’s top infectious disease expert under both Republican and Democratic presidents, has called the GOP criticism nonsense.

Rep. Mike McCaul, R-Texas, chairman of the House Foreign Affairs Committee, has asked the Biden administration to provide Congress with “a full and thorough” briefing on the report and the evidence behind it.

Kirby, the National Security Council spokesman, emphasized that President Joe Biden believes it’s important to know what happened “so we can better prevent future pandemics” but that such research “must be done in a safe and secure manner and as transparent as possible to the rest of the world.”

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AP reporters Farnoush Amiri, Nomaan Merchant and Seung Min Kim contributed. Ungar reported from Louisville, Kentucky

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The Associated Press Health and Science Department receives support from the Howard Hughes Medical Institute’s Science and Educational Media Group. The AP is solely responsible for all content.

Despite Western Countries’ Bans, TikTok Plays a Role in the Thai Election

By

Khaosod English

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28 February 2023, 16:56

ThailandTikTok1 — Sawang Bunmee, ECT secretary and Chanida Klyphun, TikTok Thailand's chief of public policy

Thailand has agreed to work with TikTok to combat fake news, despite the fact that Western countries have banned the popular platform from all government-issued mobile devices.

The Election Commission of Thailand (ECT) has signed a collaboration with the short video platform TikTok to disseminate accurate information about the upcoming 2023 general election. The Election Centre on Tiktok will handle all misinformation on the platform during the election and campaign for each political party.

According to ByteDance advertising materials, there are 40.3 million adult users of TikTok in Thailand.

Sawang Bunmee, ECT secretary, announced a partnership with Tiktok on Feb. 24. The ECT and TikTok will help build an information center and debunk misinformation during the 2023 general election. They will help develop the process for filtering misinformation and disinformation, including slander that violates the Electoral Act, on the TikTok platform.

“This collaboration is a good start to getting everyone involved in the electoral process. Everyone is an important cog on the road to a lasting constitutional monarchy”

ThailandTikTok2 — Thai election czar Sawaeng Boonmee, left, and TikTok Thailand’s chief of public policy, Chanida Kiyphun, announce a partnership on Feb. 24. (Photo courtesy of Election Commission of Thailand)

Chanida Klyphun, Head of Public Policy – Thailand, ByteDance, said TikTok is a platform that has a solid policy in dealing with misinformation, fake news and hurtful content. TikTok believes that one of the solutions is to present an accurate and credible center to the audience.

“We are pleased to be working with the ECT to launch the Election Center so that our users on the platform and the public can access election information and details accurately and securely.”

Chinada added that TikTok plans to work with organizations and authorities during the election period to share knowledge and assess any potential risks that may arise during the election.

TikTok will also educate all political parties and politicians to use the platform properly and to creatively use the security tools on the platform to verify and control correct content.

According to Associated Press, the White House is giving all federal agencies 30 days to wipe TikTok off all government devices, as the Chinese-owned social media app comes under increasing scrutiny in Washington over security concerns.

AP23059052208694 — FILE – The White House is giving all federal agencies 30 days to wipe TikTok off all government devices, as the Chinese-owned social media app comes under increasing scrutiny in Washington over security concerns. (AP Photo/Michael Dwyer, File)

TikTok spokesperson Brooke Oberwetter said Monday: “The ban of TikTok on federal devices passed in December without any deliberation, and unfortunately that approach has served as a blueprint for other world governments. These bans are little more than political theater.”

TikTok, which is owned by the Chinese company Bytedance, has long maintained that it does not share data with the Chinese government and that its data is not held in China. It also disputes accusations that it collects more user data than other social media companies, and insists that it is run independently by its own management.

But many countries remain cautious about the platform and its ties to China. Here are the countries and regions that have implemented partial or total bans on TikTok:

INDIA

India imposed a ban on TikTok and dozens of other Chinese apps, including the messaging app WeChat, in 2020 over privacy and security concerns. The ban came shortly after a clash between Indian and Chinese troops at a disputed Himalayan border killed 20 Indian soldiers and injured dozens.

The companies were given a chance to respond to questions on privacy and security requirements but the ban was made permanent in January 2021.

TAIWAN

In December 2022, Taiwan imposed a public sector ban on TikTok after the FBI warned that TikTok posed a national security risk. Government devices, including mobile phones, tablets and desktop computers, are not allowed to use Chinese-made software, which include apps like TikTok, its Chinese equivalent Douyin, or Xiaohongshu, a Chinese lifestyle content app.

UNITED STATES

This week, the U.S. said that government agencies have 30 days to delete TikTok from federal devices and systems over data security concerns. The ban applies only to government devices, though some U.S. lawmakers are advocating an outright ban. China lashed out at the U.S. for banning TikTok, describing the ban as an abuse of state power and suppressing firms from other countries. More than half of the 50 U.S. states also have banned the app from government devices.

CANADA

After the U.S. announcement, Canada on Monday announced government-issued devices must not use TikTok, saying that it presents an “unacceptable” risk to privacy and security. Employees will also be blocked from downloading the application in the future.

EUROPEAN UNION

The European Parliament, European Commission and the EU Council, three top EU bodies, have imposed bans on TikTok on staff devices. The European Parliament’s ban, announced Tuesday, takes effect on March 20. It has recommended lawmakers and staff remove the app from their personal devices.

PAKISTAN

Pakistani authorities have temporarily banned TikTok at least four times since October 2020, citing concerns that app promotes immoral content.

AFGHANISTAN

Afghanistan’s Taliban leadership banned TikTok and the game PUBG in 2022 on the grounds of protecting youths from “being misled.”

Find the Perfect New Condo for Sale in Pattaya

By

Contributor

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28 February 2023, 16:30

Find the Ideal New Condo for Sale in Pattaya

The building boom of the past ten years is still going on along the gulf coast of Thailand. This means plenty of new, modern condos are still for sale in Pattaya. The condos in Pattaya offer the perfect weekend getaway home within a couple of hours’ drive from Bangkok.

The recent Covid slowdown to the property economy in Thailand can be an opportunity for those looking for a second home within driving distance of Bangkok.

Focus on The Future

Pattaya is a great place to invest in your future. With the high-speed rail project planned for the eastern corridor from Bangkok down to Rayong, Pattaya will one day be within an hour’s ride. Many condos along the coast will organize pick-up services to ferry their tenants from the train station and back.

You’ll be able to leave the office in Bangkok and soon enjoy drinks on your terrace on the coast as you watch the sunset.

The high-speed rail system and the slowdown in development in Pattaya as less land becomes available will mean that the demand for condos in Pattaya will stay high for years. At the same time, infrastructure development in Pattaya will still proceed, increasing the value of already-owned condos. The recently completed tunnel underneath Sukhumvit Road in Pattaya made accessing the city’s southern area and Jomtien much faster and easier.

Pattaya already has an advantage for frequent travelers. Owning a home in Pattaya means frequent travelers now have two options for their flights. Pattaya is conveniently located between Suvarnabhumi and U-Tapao airports. This means twice as many flights and times to choose from for jet-setting Pattaya condo residents.

Finding the Ideal Condo

For people who see the value in investing in a condo for sale in Pattaya, the main issue is deciding which condo to buy. Condos in the area all feature deluxe amenities that can make choosing just one difficult. Air-conditioned, spacious fitness centers, stunning swimming pools with panoramic views of the coastline, lush gardens, convenience stores on the condo grounds and various other amenities make life easy and luxurious for the residents.

The wisest decision can be working with an experienced and knowledgeable Pattaya property agent to help you make the right choice. Working with a local property agent allows them to show you the condos with quality construction and well-managed juristic services, two things that will be very important to you in the coming years.

Pearl Property Pattaya has a wealth of property agents who know the details of every condo in the area. They can recommend certain condos as the most preferable. They also know the reputations of every developer in the city. And they can assist you in the paperwork and negotiations to buy your dream condo.

Working with an agent from Pearl Property Pattaya is one of the best ways to enjoy life in Pattaya for years to come.

Post Pandemic Digital Marketing Changes

By

Contributor

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28 February 2023, 16:28

Digital Marketing in a Post Pandemic World

The pandemic has left a huge impact on the way we live, work, and shop. This shift towards online shopping and digital communication has been accelerated dramatically because of it. Many businesses now have to adapt quickly to survive in the digital era. As we move towards a post-pandemic world, it’s clear that digital marketing will continue to play a critical role in our lives and how we reach out to customers to drive sales.

In order to survive in a post-pandemic digital marketing arena, businesses need to be nimble and creative. The market is now far more competitive than ever, and standing out from the crowd is crucial for your business. Here are some key strategies to guarantee success in post-pandemic digital marketing.

Embrace Personalization

A key advantage of digital marketing is its ability to personalize a message and create offers based on an individual customer’s preferences and behaviors. Customers now expect businesses to understand their needs and preferences and provide personalized experiences. This is possible through a range of methods. And some of them are:

Personalized emails
Targeted social media ads
Customized landing pages

Optimize for Mobile

The mobile market cannot be ignored in a new digital marketing world. Nowadays, everyone shops and browses the internet right from their mobile, so digital marketing efforts need to be optimized for mobile. This means ensuring websites are mobile-friendly, emails are responsive, and social media ads are designed for smaller screens. Businesses that fail to do so risk losing their customers to competitors who have invested in optimizing their mobile strategies.

Don’t Ignore the Power of Moving Images

Short-form videos have taken the world by storm, and the proof is in the meteoric rise of the Tiktok social media platform, which gained 100 million users in just nine months. Businesses can use video to showcase their product and services and even provide educational content to build brand awareness. It’s important to ensure that your videos can be shared across multiple platforms, including social media, email, and websites, to help their virality.

Make Use of Data Analytics

Data analysis is critical in forming a sound digital marketing strategy. Businesses need to prioritize data collection and analysis to gain insight into customer behavior and changing trends. This will allow you to adhere quickly to changing consumer trends and gain valuable insights into customer preferences.

Why Choose Primal?

We are an award-winning digital agency with many years of experience and success operating out of Bangkok. No organization is too big or too small to benefit from a solid digital marketing strategy to improve its online presence.

Choosing to work with the best digital agency in Thailand, you’ll increase your chances of generating more traffic to your website and steering less towards your competitors. Through our expertise in digital marketing, you will increase your chances of reaching and converting even more customers than ever before.

Six Ambassadors Join Thailand for the Opening Ceremony of Cobra Gold 2023

By

Khaosod English

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28 February 2023, 15:15

Public Relations Office, Directorate of Joint Civil Affairs – On February 28, 2023, Thailand Chief of Defence Forces General Chalermpol Srisawasdi and U.S. Ambassador to Thailand Robert F. Godec presided over the Cobra Gold 2023 Opening Ceremony at the Royal Thai Naval Airbase, Royal Thai Air Fleet in Rayong province.

Also attending the ceremony were Ambassador of Japan to Thailand, Ambassador of the Republic of Korea to Thailand, Ambassador of Indonesia to Thailand, Ambassador of Malaysia to Thailand, and Ambassador of Singapore to Thailand.

cobra1 — Public Relations Office, Directorate of Joint Civil Affairs

cobra2 — Public Relations Office, Directorate of Joint Civil Affairs

The Cobra Gold exercise is the largest joint multilateral military exercise in Southeast Asia, co-hosted annually in Thailand by the Royal Thai Armed Forces (RTARF) and the U.S. Indo-Pacific Command.

This year’s exercise is the 42nd iteration with seven fully participating countries – Thailand, the United States, Singapore, Japan, Indonesia, the Republic of Korea, and Malaysia; three countries joining the humanitarian assistance exercise – the PRC, India, and Australia; 10 countries joining the Multinational Planning Augmentation Team (MPAT) – Bangladesh, Canada, France, Mongolia, Nepal, New Zealand, the Philippines, Fiji, the United Kingdom, and Brunei; and 10 countries joining in the Combined Observer Liaison Team (COLT) – Cambodia, Lao PDR, Brazil, Pakistan, Vietnam, Germany, Sweden, the Hellenic Republic, Kuwait, and Sri Lanka.

In total, there are 30 participating countries comprising 7,394 personnel.

cobra8 — Public Relations Office, Directorate of Joint Civil Affairs

The objectives of the exercise are to develop good military relations between participating partners; to enhance multilateral military interoperability by preparing to mobilize in a crisis; and to review multinational standard operating procedures. This year, with a return to normalcy, the exercise is back to full-scale. However, RTARF continues to operate in line with the Thai Ministry of Public Health COVID-19 prevention measures. The exercise will be held from February 27-March 10, 2023, with the following core exercises:

The Command Post Exercise (CPX) is a total force exercise to handle all domain operations – land, sea, air, cyber, and space. The cyber exercise is a planning exercise focusing on preliminary assessment on cyber threat and cybersecurity in the infrastructure system.

This year is the first time the space exercise will be included in the joint combined operational staff planning exercise.

cobra4 — Public Relations Office, Directorate of Joint Civil Affairs

The exercise will foster understanding of the impacts of aerial phenomenon, such as solar storms, on military operations, communication systems, and satellites, which in turn will help the staff to prepare for these phenomena. Military and civilian space agencies from Thailand, the United States, and Japan will provide information and guidance.

The Humanitarian Civic Assistance (HCA) includes the construction of multipurpose buildings for schools in six training sites, and the Humanitarian Assistance and Disaster Relief Tabletop Exercise (HADR-TTX) to prepare our militaries to respond to natural disasters, using regional and multilateral mechanisms. This will serve as a preparation for a HADR-Demo, which includes station-by-station operations – search and rescue, emergency response, medical evacuation, chemical leak, and firefighting – by participating countries.

cobra7 — Public Relations Office, Directorate of Joint Civil Affairs

The Field Training Exercise (FTX) includes Cross Training Exercise (CTX), as well as field training for the army, navy, and air forces. A highlight is the joint forcible entry operations (JFEO) consisting of the Amphibious Exercise, Strategic Airborne Operation, Noncombatant Evacuation Operation, and Combined Arms Live-Fire Exercise.

Cobra Gold 2023 increases capacity of participating troops from Thailand and allies though the exchange of knowledge, expertise, and military technologies. It increases the experience of joint and multilateral operations for the Thai and ally forces, and the capacity and efficiency of disaster management and mitigation. It also strengthens bonds between soldiers from Thailand and allies, as the local communities in the exercise locations, and builds a good image of Thailand in the eyes of our allies and the international community.

cobra5 — Public Relations Office, Directorate of Joint Civil Affairs

Messi and Putellas Voted Best Players at Fifa Awards Again

By

Associated Press

-

28 February 2023, 13:19

France Soccer FIFA Awards — Argentina's Lionel Messi receives the Best FIFA Men's player award from FIFA president Gianni Infantino during the ceremony of the Best FIFA Football Awards in Paris, France, Monday, Feb. 27, 2023. (AP Photo/Michel Euler)

PARIS (AP) — World Cup champion Lionel Messi edged Kylian Mbappé again, this time to take FIFA’s best men’s player award on Monday.

The best women’s player was Spain’s Alexia Putellas for a second straight year.

After steering Argentina to World Cup glory in an epic final against Mbappé’s France last year in Qatar, Messi won the best player vote against Mbappé and Karim Benzema and secured the FIFA prize for the seventh time in 14 years.

He won the World Cup at his record-equaling fifth attempt.

AP23058716965400 — Argentina’s Lionel Messi poses with his wife Antonela Roccuzzo on the green carpet before the ceremony of the Best FIFA Football Awards in Paris, France, Monday, Feb. 27, 2023. (AP Photo/Michel Euler)

“It was a crazy year for me,” Messi said. “I could fulfil my (World Cup) dream after fighting for it for so long. And in the end it happened, and it was the most beautiful thing of my career. It’s the dream of every player, but very few can achieve it, so I’m thankful to God for being able to do it.”

The three players made the final shortlist in voting by a global panel of national team captains and coaches, selected journalists in each of FIFA’s 211 member countries, plus fans online.

The 35-year-old Messi also beat Mbappé — who was seeking his first best player award from FIFA — to the Golden Ball trophy awarded by FIFA for the World Cup’s best player. Mbappé earned the Golden Boot as top scorer.

In the FIFA Awards vote, Messi had 52 points, Mbappé 44, and Benzema 34.

AP23058796472209 — Lionel Messi, left, Kylian Mbappe, second left, Achraf Hakimi, second right and Casemiro pose with trophies Men’s World 11 during the ceremony of the Best FIFA Football Awards in Paris, France, Monday, Feb. 27, 2023. (AP Photo/Michel Euler)

Mbappé, 11 years younger than Messi at 24 and considered Messi’s heir apparent on the world stage, made the three-man shortlist for the first time. He was fourth in voting for the 2018 award, the year he led France to the World Cup title.

Real Madrid star Benzema won the more prestigious Ballon d’Or in October ahead of the World Cup. The France forward missed the tournament because of injury. Messi was not on the long list of Ballon d’Or candidates announced in August.

AP23058734842325 — Brazil and Manchester United soccer player Casemiro poses on the green carpet with his wife Anna Mariano before the ceremony of the Best FIFA Football Awards in Paris, France, Monday, Feb. 27, 2023. (AP Photo/Michel Euler)

Robert Lewandowski won the FIFA award the last two years, and Cristiano Ronaldo was left off the 14-player shortlist for the award this year for the first time.

Messi broke a record he shared with Ronaldo by making the men’s world best XI for the 16th time. The team included Belgium’s Thibaut Courtois, Morocco’s Achraf Hakimi, Portugal’s João Cancelo, Dutchman Virgil van Dijk, Belgium’s Kevin de Bruyne, Croatia’s Luka Modric, Brazil’s Casemiro, Norway’s Erling Haaland and France’s Mbappé and Benzema.

Earlier Monday, French prosecutors opened a preliminary investigation into a rape accusation against Hakimi, a defender at Paris Saint-Germain.

Messi voted for former Barcelona teammate Neymar as his choice for best player. Only Brazil captain Thiago Silva also voted on Neymar.

Russia’s coach and captain were not banned from voting in the award.

Putellas won her award from Alex Morgan of the United States and Beth Mead, who led England to the European Championship title in 2022.

AP23058777667350 — Spain’s Alexia Putellas receives the Best FIFA Women’s player award from FIFA president Gianni Infantino during the ceremony of the Best FIFA Football Awards in Paris, France, Monday, Feb. 27, 2023. (AP Photo/Michel Euler)

Barcelona playmaker Putellas made the top three again despite being injured days before the Euro and missing the tournament. She scored 34 goals across all competitions last season.

Mead was the joint top scorer at the Euro, and was named the tournament’s best player. She sustained a serious knee injury in November while playing for Arsenal and could miss the Women’s World Cup in July in Australia and New Zealand.

Morgan, who was second in the 2019 vote to teammate Megan Rapinoe, was player of the tournament when the U.S. won the CONCACAF W Championship last year. She was also the joint top scorer.

Earlier, Argentina coach Lionel Scaloni was voted FIFA men’s coach of the year after leading his team to the World Cup title in December.

AP23058752123308 — Argentina’s coach Lionel Scaloni, left, receives the Best FIFA Men’s Coach award from Italian coach Fabio Capello during the ceremony of the Best FIFA Football Awards in Paris, France, Monday, Feb. 27, 2023. (AP Photo/Michel Euler)

The women’s coach award went to Sarina Wiegman, who led the England to the title at the Women’s European Championship.

Scaloni took over Argentina at the end of 2018 on an interim basis, and was widely criticized for lacking experience as he had never coached a professional team. Earlier Monday, his contract as the national team coach was extended to the end of the 2026 World Cup.

The other coaches on the shortlist were Real Madrid’s Carlo Ancelotti and Manchester City’s Pep Guardiola.

The women’s goalkeeper award was given to Euro winner Mary Earps of England, and the best men’s goalkeeper was Argentina’s World Cup winner Emiliano Martínez.

AP23058738968457 — England goalkeeper Mary Earps receives the Best FIFA Women’s Goalkeeper award during the ceremony of the Best FIFA Football Awards in Paris, France, Monday, Feb. 27, 2023. (AP Photo/Michel Euler)

The event in Paris was marked by tributes to Pelé, who died late last year at age 82 following a battle with colon cancer. Pelé’s wife, Marcia Aoki, received a trophy honoring the soccer great from the hands of former Brazil striker Ronaldo.

“I have three words to say to God, who gave us Edson; to Edson, who gave us Pelé; and to the world, who received them so well: Grateful, grateful and grateful,” she said.

AP23058733354244 — Marcia Aoki, Pele’s widow, left, receives a special ‘Best FIFA Award’ for the former Brazil legend from FIFA president Gianni Infantino, right, and former soccer player Ronaldo during the ceremony of the Best FIFA Football Awards in Paris, France, Monday, Feb. 27, 2023. (AP Photo/Michel Euler)

White House: No More TikTok on Gov’t Devices Within 30 Days

By

Associated Press

-

28 February 2023, 09:28

WASHINGTON (AP) — The White House is giving all federal agencies 30 days to wipe TikTok off all government devices, as the Chinese-owned social media app comes under increasing scrutiny in Washington over security concerns.

The Office of Management and Budget calls the guidance, issued Monday, a “critical step forward in addressing the risks presented by the app to sensitive government data.” Some agencies, including the Departments of Defense, Homeland Security and State, already have restrictions in place; the guidance calls on the rest of the federal government to follow suit within 30 days.

The White House already does not allow TikTok on its devices.

“The Biden-Harris Administration has invested heavily in defending our nation’s digital infrastructure and curbing foreign adversaries’ access to Americans’ data,” said Chris DeRusha, the federal chief information security officer. “This guidance is part of the Administration’s ongoing commitment to securing our digital infrastructure and protecting the American people’s security and privacy.”

The guidance was first reported by Reuters.

Congress passed the “No TikTok on Government Devices Act” in December as part of a sweeping government funding package. The legislation does allow for TikTok use in certain cases, including for national security, law enforcement and research purposes.

TikTok spokesperson Brooke Oberwetter said Monday: “The ban of TikTok on federal devices passed in December without any deliberation, and unfortunately that approach has served as a blueprint for other world governments. These bans are little more than political theater.”

House Republicans are expected to move forward Tuesday with a bill that would give Biden the power to ban TikTok nationwide. The legislation, proposed by Rep. Mike McCaul, looks to circumvent the challenges the administration would face in court if it moved forward with sanctions against the social media company.

If passed, the proposal would allow the administration to ban not only TikTok but any software applications that threaten national security. McCaul, the chairman of the House Foreign Relations Committee, has been a vocal critic of the app, saying it is being used by the Chinese Communist Party to “manipulate and monitor its users while it gobbles up Americans’ data to be used for their malign activities.”

“Anyone with TikTok downloaded on their device has given the CCP a backdoor to all their personal information. It’s a spy balloon into your phone,” the Texas Republican said in a statement Monday.

Sen. Bob Menendez, D-N.J., his counterpart in the Senate, did not shut down the idea of the chamber taking up a proposal that would empower Biden to take action against TikTok, saying it was “certainly something to consider.”

Oberwetter said: “We hope that when it comes to addressing national security concerns about TikTok beyond government devices, Congress will explore solutions that won’t have the effect of censoring the voices of millions of Americans.”

TikTok, owned by ByteDance Ltd., remains extremely popular and is used by two-thirds of teens in the U.S. But there is increasing concern that Beijing could obtain control of American user data that the app has obtained.

The company has been dismissive of the ban for federal devices and has noted that it is developing security and data privacy plans as part of the Biden administration’s ongoing national security review.

TikTok banned on all Canadian government mobile devices

Canada also announced Monday that it is banning TikTok from all government-issued mobile devices. The European Union’s executive branch said last week it has temporarily banned TikTok from phones used by employees as a cybersecurity measure.

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said it might be a first step to further action or that it might be it.

“I suspect that as government takes the significant step of telling all federal employees that they can no longer use TikTok on their work phones many Canadians from business to private individuals will reflect on the security of their own data and perhaps make choices,” Trudeau said.

“I’m always a fan of giving Canadians the information for them to make the right decisions for them,” he added.

AP23058716309216 — Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau answers questions at an announcement in Mississauga, Ontario, Monday, Feb. 27, 2023. Canada announced Monday it is banning TikTok from all government-issued mobile devices. (Frank Gunn/The Canadian Press via AP)

The European Union’s executive branch said last week it has temporarily banned TikTok from phones used by employees as a cybersecurity measure.

The EU’s action follows similar moves in the U.S., where more than half of the states and Congress have banned TikTok from official government devices.

Last week, Canada’s federal privacy watchdog and its provincial counterparts in British Columbia, Alberta and Quebec announced an investigation to delve into whether the app complies with Canadian privacy legislation.

TikTok is wildly popular with young people, but its Chinese ownership has raised fears that Beijing could use it to collect data on Western users or push pro-China narratives and misinformation. TikTok is owned by ByteDance, a Chinese company that moved its headquarters to Singapore in 2020

TikTok faces intensifying scrutiny from Europe and America over security and data privacy amid worries that the app could be used to promote pro-Beijing views or sweep up users’ information. It comes as China and the West are locked in a wider tug of war over technology ranging from spy balloons to computer chips.

Canadian Treasury Board President Mona Fortier said the federal government will also block the app from being downloaded on official devices in the future.

Fortier said in statement the Chief Information Officer of Canada determined that it “presents an unacceptable level of risk to privacy and security.”

The app will be removed from Canadian government issued phones on Tuesday.

“On a mobile device, TikTok’s data collection methods provide considerable access to the contents of the phone,” Fortier said.

“While the risks of using this application are clear, we have no evidence at this point that government information has been compromised.”

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TikTok banned on all Canadian government mobile devices

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