Opinion: What Do Lisa Blackpink, Elephant Pants, and Somtum Have in Common?

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15 January 2023, 12:00

Banners of Lisa (Lalisa Manobal) and other Blackpink members outside the National Stadium, where the girl group's concert is held on Jan. 7, 2023.

Observing all the adoration accorded by Thai fans to rapper, singer, and dancer Lisa Blackpink (Lalisa Manobal) as she and her three Korean girl group members entertain the huge crowd at the National Stadium in Bangkok last week, I could not help but wonder where this 25-year-old Thai singer’s musical career would be today without the decade of training, grooming, and promotion by her South Korean record label YG Entertainment company.

Is her success a 50/50 percent split between Lisa herself and the South Korean K-Pop company? Will most of her Thai (and international fans) even notice her if Lisa had not gone through the rigorous training and packaging by a major K-pop promotion company? I am not trying to play down Lisa’s accomplishments. She is currently one of the most famous singers on the global stage but let us not forget that it is most definitely also a result of an interaction between a very talented young Thai girl and a very competent K-pop music industry.

With the interaction and fusion comes something new and potentially wonderful. The interaction between Thai and foreign elements in various fields is often a two-way street as well. I can think of two examples.

Case #1: Elephant pants. The ubiquitous elephant pant has come a long way. Originally just a cheap synthetic pants invented and sold to backpackers so they could skirt rules prohibiting tourists wearing short pants from entering popular temples and the Grand Palace in Bangkok.

When Hollywood’s famous film “The Beach”, starring Leonardo DeCaprio, was out, elephant pants also made a debut to a wider global audience. Over the years, elephant pants have become a symbol of a relaxing and carefree Thai tourism. The interaction means young hip Thais are now adopting it as well and wear this cheap garment as a sign of a carefree lifestyle. It is no longer just something for the young foreign tourists but a legit fashion item and symbol.

Case #2: Somtum (papaya salad). Where would papaya salad be without the fiery bird-eye chilies and tomatoes originally from the New World not to mention papaya itself which likely originated from southern Mexico? There would not be somtum if Thais did not adopt and adapt (originally) foreign ingredients and turn it into something new.

Today, we see attempts to interact and assimilate salmon, a fish found far far away from the Gulf of Thailand and use it in many Thai cooking to greater or lesser success. The interaction and dialogue that is localizing salmon as an ingredient in Thai cuisine is an ongoing process as of press time. Yum pla salmon, or raw salmon spicy salad, is one of my favorites and a success. Beyond that, I have seen (but not tried) tom yum goong hamburger and tom yum goong pizza. I am not too convinced with the two fusion dishes yet but do tell me if you have tried and beg to differ.

All these, from Lisa Blackpink to papaya salad would not have been possible and wonderful without the active interaction and dialogue between Thai and foreign, locals, and foreigners. Let us keep the interaction going, keep an open mind and try something new for these are the basis of a dynamic society.

Suspect Charged With Murder in Assassination of Japan’s Abe

By

Associated Press

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13 January 2023, 14:30

Tetsuya Yamagami, the alleged assassin of Japan's former Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, enters a police station in Nara, western Japan, on Jan. 10, 2023. Photo: Kyodo News via AP

TOKYO (AP) — Japanese prosecutors formally charged the suspect in the assassination of former Prime Minister Shinzo Abe with murder, sending him to stand trial, a Japanese court said Friday.

Tetsuya Yamagami was arrested immediately after allegedly shooting Abe with a homemade gun as the former leader was making a campaign speech in July outside a train station in Nara in western Japan.

Later that month, Yamagami was sent to an Osaka detention center for a nearly six-month mental evaluation, which ended Tuesday. Yamagami is back in police custody in Nara.

Prosecutors said results of his mental evaluation showed he is fit to stand trial. Yamagami was also charged with violating a gun control law, according to the Nara District Court.

Police have said Yamagami told them that he killed Abe, one of Japan’s most influential and divisive politicians, because of Abe’s apparent links to a religious group that he hated. In his statements and in social media postings attributed to him, Yamagami said he developed a grudge because his mother had made massive donations to the Unification Church that bankrupted his family and ruined his life.

One of his lawyers, Masaaki Furukawa, told the Associated Press on Thursday that Yamagami was in good health during his mental evaluation in Osaka when he was only allowed to see his sister and three lawyers.

Furuawa said his trial is a serious case and involve a jury panel of citizens. Due to the complexity of the case, it would take at least several months before his trial begins, he said.

Police are also reportedly considering adding several allegations, including weapons production, vilation to explosives control law and causing damage to buildings.

Some Japanese have expressed sympathy for Yamagami, especially those who also suffered as children of followers of the South Korea-based Unification Church, which is known for pressuring adherents into making big donations and is considered a cult in Japan.

Thousands of people have signed a petition requesting leniency for Yamagami, and others have sent care packages to his relatives or the detention center.

The investigation into the case has led to revelations of years of cozy ties between Abe’s governing Liberal Democratic Party and the church since Abe’s grandfather, former Prime Minister Nobusuke Kishi, helped the church take root in Japan in the 1960s over shared interests in conservative and anti-communist causes.

Current Prime Minister Fumio Kishida’s popularity has plunged over his handling of the church controversy and for insisting on holding a rare, controversial state funeral for Abe.

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Story: Mari Yamaguchi.

S. Korean Police Seek Manslaughter Charges Over Deadly Crush

By

Associated Press

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13 January 2023, 14:00

FILE- Police officers stand guard at the scene where dozens of people died and were injured during a crowd surge in Seoul, South Korea, on Oct. 30, 2022. Photo: Ahn Young-joon / AP File

SEOUL, South Korea (AP) — South Korean police are seeking criminal charges including involuntary manslaughter and negligence against 23 officials, about half of them law enforcement officers, for a lack of safety measures they said were responsible for a crowd surge that killed nearly 160 people.

Despite anticipating a weekend crowd of more than 100,000, Seoul police had assigned 137 officers to the capital’s nightlife district Itaewon on the day of the crush. Those officers were focused on monitoring narcotics use and violent crimes, which experts say left few resources for pedestrian safety.

Son Je-han, who headed the National Police Agency’s special investigation into the incident, said Friday his team will now send the case to prosecutors. Those recommended for indictment include Park Hee-young, who is mayor of Seoul’s Yongsan district, and the district’s former police chief Lee Im-jae — two of the six who have been arrested.

Lee has also been accused of falsifying a police report to disguise his late arrival to the scene. Two other police officials have been arrested over suspicions they attempted to destroy computer files and other potential evidence tied to the accident.

The results of the 74-day police investigation announced by Son mostly confirmed what was already clear — that police and public officials in Yongsan failed to employ meaningful crowd control measures for the expected numbers of Halloween revelers and essentially ignored pedestrian calls placed to police hotlines that warned of a swelling crowd hours before the surge turned deadly on Oct. 28.

Officials also botched their response once people began getting toppled over and crushed in a narrow alley clogged with partygoers near Hamilton Hotel around 10 p.m., failing to establish effective control of the scene and allow rescue workers to reach the injured in time, Son said.

“(Their) inaccurate judgement of the situation, the slow distribution of information about the situation, poor cooperation between related institutions and delays in rescue operations were among the overlapping failures that caused the high number of casualties,” Son said at a news conference in Seoul.

Son said his team questioned nearly 540 people and collected 14,000 pieces of evidence from central and municipal government offices and transportation authorities. He said police investigators studied more than 180 video files recorded on security cameras or taken by journalists and pedestrians and jointly inspected the scene with forensic experts to analyze the density of the crowd.

Police said the crowd packing the corridor-like alley between the hotel and a dense row of storefronts grew into an unstoppable wave around 9 p.m., with people being unable to dictate their movement once they got swept in. At around 10:15 p.m., people began falling and toppling on one another like dominos, leading to the tragedy that resulted in 158 deaths and 196 injuries.

Analysis of security camera footage and simulations by the National Forensic Service indicate the crowd density at the alley was around eight people per square meter (yard) at around 10:15 p.m. The density grew to eight to nine people occupying the same unit of space as of 10:20 p.m. and around nine to 11 people as of 10:25 p.m., police said.

Paramedics struggled to reach the scene because the area was so densely packed. Those who arrived were so overwhelmed by the large number of people lying motionless on the ground that they asked pedestrians to help them perform CPR. Most of the deaths were caused by suffocation or brain damage, police said.

It’s unclear whether the results of the police investigation would be enough to calm the public’s anger and demands for government accountability as the country continues to cope with its worst disaster in nearly a decade.

Opposition lawmakers and some relatives of the victims have demanded investigations into more high-profile figures, such as Interior and Safety Minister Lee Sang-min and National Police Agency Commissioner General Yoon Hee-keun, who have faced calls to resign.

However, Son said the special investigation team will close its probes on the Interior and Safety Ministry, the National Police Agency, and the Seoul Metropolitan Government, saying it was difficult to establish their direct responsibility.

Some experts have called the crush in Itaewon a “manmade disaster” that could have been prevented with fairly simple steps, such as employing more police and public workers to monitor bottleneck points, enforcing one-way walk lanes and blocking narrow pathways or temporarily closing Itaewon’s subway station to prevent large numbers of people moving in the same direction.

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Story: Kim Tong-hyung.

ICONSIAM marks another milestone of success with an addition of Thonburi’s new landmark – the launch of ICS and Lotus’s Privé, to kick start 2023

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Contributor

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12 January 2023, 16:25

ICS Mixed-Use Lifestyle Town is partnering with its esteemed alliance, Lotus, in bringing Thailand the first-ever premium hypermarket, the new Lotus’s Privé. Commencing at the onset of 2023, the new landmark project on Thonburi is set to connect global experience with an array of top-tier shops and brands that caters to different lifestyle and needs. ICS opens in 11 January 2023.

The ICS Mixed-Use Lifestyle Town is a 29-storey tower on Charoen Nakhon Road, opposite ICONSIAM, on a 5-rai plot, connected conveniently to the BTS Golden Line’s Charoen Nakhon station. The 4,000-million-baht investment is a mixed-use lifestyle town with a total of 70,000 square meters of utility space, offering extensive range of retail and office space, as well as a hotel.

Opening its doors on 11 January this year, the ICS Mixed-Use Lifestyle Town aims to caters to different lifestyle and multi-dimensional needs that aligns with the expanding growth in Thonburi’s cityscape. The first phase now opens and features the brand-new premium hypermarket Lotus’s Privé to welcome 2023 in which increasing purchasing power and more invigorating spending are expected. The Lifestyle Town also serves as a beacon for Thailand’s recovery in economy and tourism.

Mr. Supoj Chaiwatsirikul, Managing Director of ICS Company Limited, said: “As of today, January 11, The ICS unveils the initial phase – an excellent location connected to ICONSIAM and a very convenient accessibility by BTS Golden Line to Charoen Nakhon Station and buses, rails, and boats, ensuring quick and easy access to the premise.” This area boasts remarkable potential for retail growth due to the immense purchasing power of its 2 million local inhabitants and a further 3-5 million people within a 5-kilometer radius. The projected relocation of the government center to the Khlong San area promises to bring even more vibrancy and dynamism, with no less than 50 high-rise residential projects as well as more than 25,000 units plus an additional 600-bed patient building for Taksin Hospital already underway.”

“The ICS was created to suit the requirements of a multitude of consumer groups, who have their own individual lifestyles. It is designed to draw in office workers, entrepreneurs, the public, and travelers alike as well as new customers. Furthermore, ICS is an integral ‘jigsaw’ piece in fulfilling ICONSIAM’s dream of establishing a vibrant new urban district on the Thonburi area. Consumers now have the access to multiple choices of top-notch products and services that address their day-to-day requirements,” said Mr. Supoj.

“The ICONSIAM’s key strategy is to establish a city by building on the success of ICONSIAM, which has become a popular attraction for tourists from across the world and has successfully attracted both international and Thai visitors on the Bangkok and Thonburi sides. ICS will complete the city with a mixed-use lifestyle town model that includes retail, hotel, and office space.” ICS will also enhance the frequency of visit among clients in both the Khlong San and Thonburi districts by providing products and services that fulfill their daily living requirements. Customers can thus utilize the service on a daily basis. In addition, another critical marketing approach is to form ‘alliances.’ In the retail industry, we have very strong partnerships. As a consequence, ICS has fantastic stores and well-known brands that cater to consumers’ multi-dimensional demands. For our alliances, they are confident that together we will bring shared value, success and growth through collaboration,” said Mr. Supoj.

Miss Caroline Murphy, President, Sales and Business Relations, Siam Piwat Company Limited, said, “Under the concept of Always A Good Day, ICS is set to provide experiences and happiness to clients every day. It is collaborating with over 200 major brands, including lifestyle items for home and living, IT products, financial services, fashion brands, leading cosmetics and aesthetics service businesses, stores that offer a variety of services that support everyday living and over 80 well-known restaurants and top international eateries. Rental office space is also available and now a home to IT solutions and technology firms which will encourage a large number of customers on weekdays.”

“Many partnering merchants will unveil their fresh new retail concepts that will make their debut at the ICS. One of the significant retail magnets is the partnership with Lotus’s, Thailand’s biggest retail firm, to develop the first Lotus’s Privé. The first branch of which debuted at the ICS on an area of around 2,900 square meters on the B1 floor to meet current, upmarket living requirements.”

“Furthermore, another key highlight of ICS is a range of food and beverages from prominent businesses and many recognized brands, making ICS an excellent ‘Food Destination’ that satisfies various lifestyles and offer exceptional experiences to visitors. The food zone, Daily Tasty, now opens as part of in the first phase on the G floor, with famous restaurants such as Mos Burger, a famous hamburger restaurant from Japan. Others include Get Fresh, a leading healthy food outlet; Omu Japanese Omurice & Cafe, a real Japanese style omelet in the midst of a stylish atmosphere; White Story, which serves bread, bakery, snacks, Thai desserts, Thai food, and international food; Neswell, a healthy dessert shop with a wide range of items; Cha Tra Mue, tea and coffee beverages with a wide range of recipes. Features also are O-li-no Crepe & Tea, which serves soft and delicious crepes, a stylish minimalist café Double Slash Coffee Space, Duca’tim, a low-fat ice cream business that caters to the health-conscious younger generation; Fuku Matcha a prominent Japanese milk tea establishment, MeeKhwamSook, a new type bottle bubble tea business with a particular character; Bake A Wish, a Japanese-style bakery with great attention to every detail; and Pang Siam, which provides delectable bread, cakes, and drinks from a range of recipes, are part of the food territory at ICS,” said Ms. Murphy.

“Many alliances join the first phase opening are BEAUTRIUM, Boots, Oriental Princes and Cute Press as well as beauty clinics such as Doctor Delight, Gangnam Clinic, The Ritz Clinic, and 24 Hours Minerals. Among the many collaborating merchants launch for business in the first phase also include Double Goose, HASGUARD, ICONACTIVE, Pierre Cardin, U.S. Polo Assn. and Cashmere Artisan. Skechers, Garmin and Time Deco, are among the clothing and accessory brands available. P Prom, 12 Victory, Synthetic Diamond, Exodia Era, Sevendays Optic and Top Charoen are some of the jewelry and eyewear brands here, in addition to aromatic brands like Immortal and Yugen (fragrance). A dance school, The Inner Studio, also join the initial phase of the ICS launch.”

She continued, “The ICS is also working with Siriraj Hospital to open Siriraj H Solutions, the first comprehensive healthcare facility outside of the hospital ground. It is the first of its kind in a shopping mall, with the notion of a conveniently accessible smart medical center that emphasizes preventive healthcare and provides personalized medical services. The medical center takes up the entire ICS’s fifth floor. Furthermore, the world-class hotel, Hilton Garden Inn Bangkok ICS Charoennakorn, is part of the site. Opening the first branch in Bangkok, it offers 241 rooms that will suit the demands of visitors and business travelers from all over the world. The hotel will be completely operating in the second phase of ICS which will be completed by 2023.”

Mr.Sompong Rungnirattisai, CEO of Lotus Thailand, said, “Lotus’s is dedicated to making our clients happy every day by providing high-quality products at reasonable prices, whether through branch services or online platforms. We have made significant investments in developing various shopping experiences and products to meet the needs of customers in each location and segment. We anticipate prospects from existing clients’ lifestyles, which require more premium quality products. It is the source of the idea development under the new brand, Lotus’s Privé, a premium hypermarket offered for the first time in the ICS project.”

“The ICS is surrounded by luxury residential properties along the Chao Phraya River, renowned hotels, and important commercial districts, in addition to linking with ICONSIAM, a world-class destination for both Thais and foreign visitors. Lotus, emerging with the concept of smart premium supermarket selling high-quality items, will meet the expectations of clients in this zone. Consumer items supplied here are selected from the most reliable and highly recognized sources across the world and in Thailand to satisfy the demands of clients, who are seeking more premium products and experiences that can be accessed daily. Lotus’ Privé at the ICS is a pilot branch that will serve as a model for the future development of other units based on the suitability of the location and the specific demands of clients in each area,” said Mr. Sompong.

Experience a wide range of products and services that caters to different lifestyle, including lifestyle products for home and living, IT products, financial services, fashion brands, leading beauty and cosmetic service companies, stores that provide a variety of services for everyday needs, as well as many well-known restaurants. Starting 11 January 2023, shoppers can now experience “Always a Good Day” at the ICS mixed-use lifestyle city. For more information, call 1338.

Use a Laundry Service in Chidlom While You Shop

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Contributor

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12 January 2023, 14:06

Use a Laundry Service in Chidlom

Reap all the benefits a laundry service in Chidlom can provide for your lifestyle and career while you spend the day shopping and dining with your friends and family.

Discovering Shortcuts to Make Your Life Easier

When you’re trying to balance the needs of your career with maintaining an active social and home life, you start looking for shortcuts and ways to maximise your leisure time while still attending to all the everyday chores of modern life.

Making sure that your business clothes are always clean and presentable is vital to your ability to advance in your career. However, doing your laundry may take up to several hours of a precious weekend. Dropping off dry cleaning, sorting, and washing your clothes, not to mention the folding and ironing chores that accompany it, can eat up precious leisure time you would much rather spend with friends and family.

But what if you could combine your laundry needs with the fun of shopping and dining with your friends and family?

Combine Leisure Time with Chores

Bangkok is a city known for the scope and variety of its shopping malls. The malls offer entertainment, shopping, dining, and convenience under one air-conditioned roof. They also provide the perfect opportunity to maximise the amount of leisure time you have by taking full advantage of the services they offer.

The Mercuryville Chidlom is a perfect example of the value that these malls offer by carefully curating the businesses and services offered within them. The Mercuryville Chidlom is located in the busy and vibrant Chidlom area of the city along Sukhumvit Road. Businesses, office buildings, and condominiums surround it. The condos are filled with career-minded people looking to reduce the amount of time they spend on chores to the bare minimum.

The area residents visiting the Mercuryville Chidlom know that their time will be well-spent at this mall. While they can have fun sampling the many restaurants at the facility, they can also take care of many chores. They can see to their banking needs, have their eyes checked and order prescription lenses, enrol in several educational test preparation courses, and handle all their dry cleaning and laundry needs at Kikuya Dry Cleaning and Laundry services.

Perfect Meeting Spot for Friends and Family

With the central Bangkok location of The Mercuryville Chidlom on Sukhumvit Road right by the BTS Chidlom Station, the mall is the perfect rendezvous point for friends and family to gather. It offers a day of shopping and eating and even a rooftop bar to celebrate the sunset and a successful day of leisure. Called the Rooftop@chidlom, it may just become the “finish line” for your day of shopping and leisure activities.

Combining your household chores with services offered by The Mercuryville Chidlom can reduce or even eliminate tedious tasks from your busy schedule. You can spend more time with your friends and family enjoying a meal and a day of exploring all the shopping opportunities this convenient mall offers.

Battle Rages in Ukraine Town; Russia Shakes up Its Military

By

Associated Press

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12 January 2023, 12:30

Ukrainian soldiers watch as smoke billows during fighting between Ukrainian and Russian forces in Soledar, Donetsk region, Ukraine, Wednesday, Jan. 11, 2023. Photo: Libkos / AP

KYIV, Ukraine (AP) — The fate of a devastated salt-mining town in eastern Ukraine hung in the balance Wednesday in one of the bloodiest battles of Russia’s invasion, while Ukraine’s unflagging resistance and other challenges prompted Moscow to shake up its military leadership again.

Russian forces used jets, mortars and rockets to bombard Soledar in an unrelenting assault.

Soledar’s fall, while unlikely a turning point in the nearly 11-month war, would be a prize for a Kremlin starved of good battlefield news in recent months. It would also offer Russian troops a springboard to conquer other areas of Donetsk province that remain under Ukrainian control, such as the nearby strategic city of Bakhmut.

Donetsk and neighboring Luhansk province, which together make up the Donbas region bordering Russia, were Moscow’s main stated territorial targets in invading Ukraine, but the fighting has settled mostly into a stalemate.

In an apparent recognition of battlefield setbacks, Russia’s Defense Ministry announced the demotion of the head of Russian forces in Ukraine after only three months on the job. Russia’s top military officer — the chief of the military’s General Staff, Gen. Valery Gerasimov — was named as the replacement for Gen. Sergei Surovikin, who was demoted to deputy.

During his short time overseeing the troops in Ukraine, Surovikin was credited with strengthening coordination, reinforcing control and introducing a campaign to knock out Ukraine’s public utilities as a pressure tactic. But he also announced a humiliating withdrawal in November from Kherson, the only regional center Russian forces had captured just weeks after the Kremlin illegally annexed the area. His demotion signaled that Russian President Vladimir Putin wasn’t fully satisfied with his performance.

Gerasimov, meanwhile, was seen as the top architect of the Russian invasion of Ukraine, and critics have blamed him for Moscow’s military setbacks.

Britain’s Defense Ministry said putting Gerasimov in charge is “an indicator of the increasing seriousness of the situation Russia is facing, and a clear acknowledgement that the campaign is falling short of Russia’s strategic goals.” It added in a tweet that Russian ultra-nationalists and military bloggers critical of Gerasimov are likely to greet the news with “extreme displeasure.”

The Russian Defense Ministry’s formal explanation was that expanded military tasks and the need for “closer interaction between branches of the military as well as increasing the quality of supplies and the efficiency of directing groups of forces” prompted the leadership changes.

On the battlefield, a Ukrainian officer, near Soledar, told The Associated Press the pattern is that first the Russians send one or two waves of soldiers, many from the private Russian military contractor Wagner Group, who take heavy casualties as they probe the Ukrainian defenses. When Ukrainian troops suffer casualties and are exhausted, the Russians send a fresh wave of highly-trained soldiers, paratroopers or special forces, said the Ukrainian officer, who insisted on anonymity for security reasons.

Ukrainian officials denied Russian claims that Soledar had fallen but the Wagner Group’s owner repeated the assertion of a breakthrough late Wednesday.

“Once again I want to confirm the complete liberation and cleansing of the territory of Soledar from units of the Ukrainian army,” Yevgeny Prigozhin wrote on his Russian social media platform. “Civilians were withdrawn. Ukrainian units that did not want to surrender were destroyed.” He claimed about 500 people were killed and that “the whole city is littered with the corpses of Ukrainian soldiers.”

Ukraine’s military said late Wednesday Russian forces had suffered “huge losses” in the Soledar fighting.

The AP was unable independently to verify either side’s claims.

Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov stopped short of declaring the municipality’s capture, telling reporters Russian forces had achieved “positive dynamics in advancing” in Soledar. “Let’s not rush, and wait for official statements,” he added.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy weighed in Wednesday in his nightly video address: “Now the terrorist state and its propagandists are trying to pretend that some part of our city of Soledar – a city that was almost completely destroyed by the occupiers – is allegedly some kind of Russia’s achievement.” He said Ukrainian forces in the area are holding out against the Russians.

Soledar, known for salt mining and processing, has little intrinsic value but it lies at a strategic point 10 kilometers (six miles) north of the city of Bakhmut, which Russian forces want to surround.

Taking Bakhmut would disrupt Ukraine’s supply lines and open a route for the Russians to press toward Kramatorsk and Sloviansk, Ukrainian strongholds in Donetsk province.

Soledar’s fall would make “holding Bakhmut much more precarious for Ukraine,” Michael Kofman, the director of Russia Studies at the CAN nonprofit research group in Arlington, Virginia, noted.

The war of attrition, with heavy casualties, may make a Russian victory as deadly as a defeat.

“I don’t think the outcome at Bakhmut is that significant compared to what it costs Russia to achieve it,” Kofman said in a tweet.

The Wagner Group, which now reportedly includes a large contingent of convicts recruited in Russian prisons and constitutes up to a quarter of all Russian combatants in Ukraine, has spearheaded the attack on Soledar and Bakhmut.

Delivering victory in Soledar and Bakhmut after months of Russian frontline difficulties would help Prigozhin, who has criticized Gerasimov, increase his clout in what has emerged as somewhat of a rivalry with Russia’s military leadership.

Russian troops have struggled to gain control over Donetsk, Luhansk, Kherson and another Ukrainian province the Kremlin illegally annexed in September, after incorporating the Crimean Peninsula in 2014. When Russian forces withdrew from Kherson, the battle heated up around Bakhmut.

Putin identified the Donbas region as a focus from the war’s outset, and Moscow-backed separatists have fought there since 2014. Russia captured almost all of Luhansk during the summer. Donetsk escaped the same fate, and the Russian military subsequently poured manpower and resources around Bakhmut.

The Institute for the Study of War said Russian forces were up against “concerted Ukrainian resistance” around Bakhmut.

“The reality of block-by-block control of terrain in Soledar is obfuscated by the dynamic nature of urban combat … and Russian forces have largely struggled to make significant tactical gains in the Soledar area for months,” the Washington-based think tank said.

An exceptional feature of the fighting near Bakhmut is that some has taken place around entrances to disused salt mine tunnels, which run for some 200 kilometers (120 miles), according to Western intelligence reports.

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Story: Andrew Meldrum. Monika Scislowska in Warsaw, Poland, and Yuras Karmanau in Tallinn, Estonia, contributed to this story.

Japan, South Korea Protest China Visa Stoppage in COVID Spat

By

Associated Press

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12 January 2023, 12:00

FILE - A passenger checks her phone as an Air China passenger jet taxi past at the Beijing Capital International airport in Beijing, Saturday, Oct. 29, 2022. Photo: Ng Han Guan / AP File

TOKYO (AP) — Japan and South Korea defended their public health restrictions on travelers from China on Wednesday, a day after China stopped issuing new visas in both countries in apparent retaliation.

South Korean Foreign Minister Park Jin said he finds it “significantly regrettable” that China stopped issuing short-term visas to South Koreans and called for China to align its pandemic steps with “scientific and objective facts.”

Japanese Chief Cabinet Secretary Hirokazu Matsuno criticized China for “one-sidedly” restricting visa issuances to Japanese nationals “because of a reason that is not related to COVID-19 measures.”

China’s Foreign Ministry threatened countermeasures last week against countries that had announced new virus testing requirements for travelers from China following a surge in COVID-19 infections there. It remained unclear whether China would expand the visa suspensions to others that have imposed stricter virus testing on passengers from China.

South Korea has stopped issuing most short-term visas at its consulates in China through the end of January while also requiring all passengers from mainland China, Hong Kong and Macao to submit proofs of negative tests taken within 48 hours of their arrival in addition to COVID-19 tests at the airport.

According to South Korea’s Disease Control and Prevention Agency, about 17% of the 2,550 short-term travelers from China from Jan. 2 to Tuesday have tested positive.

Japan demanded China scrap the measures, Matsuno said, and will “respond appropriately while closely watching China’s infection situation and how information disclosures are handled by the Chinese side.”

Japan had to take temporary measures to avoid a rapid inflow of infections because of China’s spreading outbreaks and lack of transparency about the situation, he said.

According to health ministry statistics, about 8% of 4,895 passengers of all nationalities tested positive upon arrival from Dec. 30 to Jan. 5, and most of the infected were Chinese or those who had recently been in China.

Some Japanese media recently showed Chinese tourists at pharmacies buying anti-fever medicine. The sudden spread of COVID-19 in China last month led to a run on medications and temporary shortages.

Japanese border measures are purely aimed at preventing infections and have aimed to limit effects on international travel, Matsuno said. “It is extremely regrettable that China has one-sidedly restricted visa issuances,” he said.

The Japanese Embassy in Beijing, in a tweet in Chinese on Wednesday, wrote that Japan is not restricting visa issuances and that “China’s approach is completely lacking in reciprocity.”

More than 10 governments in Europe, North America and Asia have announced new virus testing requirements for travelers from China, the latest being Cyprus on Wednesday.

Meanwhile, Thailand sent three ministers to Bangkok’s Suvarnabhumi Airport to welcome the first planeload of Chinese tourists in years, in a bid to revive inbound tourism.

Japan reopened its borders for individual tourists in October. Most travelers can show proof of vaccination instead of testing at the airport, unless they show symptoms, but since Dec. 30 travelers from China must show pre-departure negative tests and take an additional test upon arrival. Those who test positive must quarantine at designated facilities for up to seven days.

China’s worsening COVID-19 situation and lack of information mean that South Korea may need to extend restrictions, senior Disease Control and Prevention Agency official Lim Sook-young said at a briefing. “Just because we haven’t seen the emergence of a new variant doesn’t necessarily mean we won’t see one later,” she said.

Park, the foreign minister, said he doesn’t believe that the friction over COVID-19 measures will seriously hurt bilateral relations, which he described as stable.

“The most important reason for our government’s measure is the lives and safety of our people,” he said. “We will monitor the COVID-19 situation in China before determining how long we will maintain our measures.”

The World Health Organization and several nations have accused China of withholding data on its outbreak.

Liang Wannian, the head of China’s COVID-19 expert panel, said that all strains of COVID-19 found in China have been reported to WHO. “We have not found any new variants that are worthy of attention and concern,” he said at a briefing Wednesday in Beijing.

Withholding visas from South Korean or Japanese businesspeople could delay a recovery in commercial activity and potential new investment.

South Korea’s Ministry of Small and Medium-sized Enterprises and Startups opened telephone lines for small businesses to report any disruption caused by China’s decision to halt short-term visas. While only a few calls had been received as of Wednesday afternoon, officials said the Chinese steps could hurt some companies exporting to China by forcing their employees to cancel visits and business meetings.

“We are closely monitoring how much disruption” the steps may cause, said ministry official Lee Gwon-jae.

The impact on Japan could be limited for now, as Japanese businesspeople are still largely watching developments. A major tour agency said none of its customers was currently seeking a China visa.

TBS television in Tokyo reported that applicants at the Chinese Embassy’s visa center were able to pick up visas due to be issued Wednesday, but that new applicants were turned away.

China is facing a surge in cases and hospitalizations after the country abruptly reversed its “zero-COVID” strategy of trying to contain the virus last month. The country is bracing for a further spread into less developed areas with the start of the Lunar New Year travel rush, set to accelerate in the coming days.

Liang said the peak of the first wave of infection has passed but China remains in a critical period. “It is a serious challenge to the entire medical and health system,” he said.

The worst appears to be over in Beijing, which was hit hard by the initial onslaught of infections, said Wang Guiqiang, head of the infectious disease department at Peking University First Hospital.

“We have borne the brunt in Beijing,” he said. “From the perspective of hospital and clinical treatment, the pressure is still huge.”

___

Story: Mari Yamaguchi and Kim Tong-hyung. Kim reported from Seoul, South Korea. Associated Press writer Ken Moritsugu in Beijing contributed to this report.

Blue Tree Phuket has launched the “I DID IT” series 2023

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11 January 2023, 16:00

To prepare kids for the “Pho3nix Kids Triathlon 2023”, which will be held on Saturday 18 November 2023 at Blue Tree Phuket.

Blue Tree Phuket has launched the “I DID IT” series 2023, a kids training triathlon series consisting of swimming, cycling, and running events with the first race happening on Saturday 28th January and with races happening throughout the year until November.

Blue Tree is passionate about health and sports and getting the younger generation active and giving them a good grounding to pursue their sporting dreams, and this is one of Blue Tree’s core values. With this in mind, the expert coaches and trainers at Blue Tree have developed the “I DID IT” triathlon series.

The “I DID IT” series, offers a fun, safe, and inclusive environment for kids as young as five to race and get those fundamental triathlon skills of swimming, biking, and running. For some of the kids, this will be their first triathlon racing experience, and the expert health and sports coaches at Blue Tree Phuket will help them evolve from total beginners into triathletes.

What’s more, the top ten participants of the “I DID IT” series 2023, with the highest cumulative scores for both male and female categories will be eligible to join the Pho3nix Kids Triathlon 2023 at no cost!

“Blue Tree Phuket is Phuket’s must visit destination, an entertainment hub with all thrill-and-chill activities.” Said Mr. Paolo Randall, Deputy Managing Director of Blue Tree Phuket, “and giving the importance to health and sports for the younger generation and our ongoing sponsorship for the Pho3nix Kids Triathlon, we have created the ‘I DID IT’ series 2023, which is a fantastic opportunity to lay a foundation of physical training for kids and to get them ready before entering the full Pho3nix Kids Triathlon in November.” Mr. Randall went on, “The ‘I DID IT’ series is divided into 5 races. Each time participants will compete in a different discipline, which will help them develop the skills needed for the full “Pho3nix Kids Triathlon 2023”, being held at Blue Tree in November.”

The “I DID IT SERIES 2023” activity is divided into 5 races:
– Sat 28 January 2023: Running Race
– Sat 10 June 2023: Mountain Bike Race
– Sat 19 August 2023: Duathlon (biking and running)
– Sat 16 September 2023: Swimming Race
– Sat 14 October 2023: Aquathlon (swimming and running)

Online application for I DID IT SERIES 2023 is available now at

https://bluetree.reserveyourvenue.com/event/01-28-2023/races-i-did-it-series-2023?fbclid=IwAR10zbUTbuNlzOugStoGRzux0D4Fya_iSh6_UY1wUFAMBCnyhT2ciWtGjjI

For more information, please visit: https://www.facebook.com/BlueTreePhuket/posts/pfbid02ALRhBLSRPavGBgmf2LYQnnxjshVjPYDK6RaagjwzTh3Toajn2zfWnBHiKKM9MQJNl

Or call 096-6528090, 092-1352662 and 076-602435.

*Remarks
– All participants in “I DID IT SERIES 2023” will get “Finisher” t-shirt for each race.
– Winners of each race will get trophies.

#BlueTree #BlueTreePhuket
#Entertainmenthub #ThrillandChill #DayandNight
#IDIDITSERIES2023 #Pho3nixKidsTriathlon

ICONSIAM celebrates Children’s Day with “THE ICONIC CHILDREN’S PLAYGROUND 2023,” 11-15 January 2023

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10 January 2023, 16:58

ICONSIAM, the global landmark by the Chao Phraya River, and Playmobil, a world’s popular imaginative and educational toy from Germany celebrates Children’s Day with “THE ICONIC CHILDREN’S PLAYGROUND 2023,” from 11-15 January 2023 at ICONSIAM.

Discover the largest collection of over 50 giant Playmobil figures. Features also are Playmobil figure assembly contest and an opportunity to donate Playmobil figures value over 1.2 million baht to children in needs. Meet the new Playmobil collection ‘Wiltopia,’ the world’s first sustainable toy made from 80-percent recycled materials. Children can also enjoy Feature AR to learn more about Amazon wildlife.

In addition, Experience entertaining activities by the National Science Museum Thailand and have fun at “Kids Sanook Sook Siam”, the wonderland that encourages learning and stimulate imagination at Sook Siam, Plus an outdoor playground “Let’s Play Bouncing” right by the Chao Phraya River.

Playmobil, imagination and educational toys, invite children to join figure assembly contest at Charoennakorn Hall, M Floor, and share toys with underprivileged children

A highlight of the Children’s Day 2023 event is the opportunity for children to meet with the largest number of Playmobil Giant Figures and to participate in the challenging Playmobil figure assembly contest. Playmobil figures is the high-quality toys from Germany that promotes children development, unlimited imagination, logical thinking process, cognitive skills and social skills as well as small muscle and emotional development. Children will have fun learning more about different careers and inspired by more than 50 Giant Figures in different career outfits, such as policeman, firefighter, football player and figures from imagination like knights, princess and leading cartoon characters. Participating children and the general public can also participate in the Playmobil figure assembling contest that allow contestants to freely use their imagination to create new toys under “Your Own Figures” theme. This will be the first and the largest competition of its kind in Thailand with expected 6,400 participants and 12,800 figures with total and largest budget of 3,200,000 baht.

What’s special about this contest is the “sharing” concept. Each “contest” does incorporate “sharing”. The contest rule is that the winner will win two Playmobil figures that they assemble while the rest will have to donate one of the two Playmobil toys they make in the contest to the small children’s development centers in Khlong San and Thonburi districts, schools in the Khlong San district and children living in ICONSIAM neighbourhood. The total value of the toy donation is over 1,200,000 baht.

To participate in the Playmobil figure contest, interested persons are required to show a receipt of their goods or service purchase from participating shops within ICONSIAM, as well as Siam Takashimaya worth at least 200 baht per receipt (not including online payment) to win the right to the contest on the same day. Special for children joining the event, ICONSIAM has prepared Child Safety ID Card as a special gift for them to use in their daily life. To obtain the Child Safety ID Card, one has to present One Siam Super App and a receipt worth at least 200 baht.

In addition, ICONSIAM will unveil a special collection “Wiltopia”, the latest green figures made from post-consumer recycled plastic (PCR), which is as environmentally friendly as bioplastic. Playmobil has a clear goal and commitment towards Net-zero Carbon Emissions by 2027. As part of this vision, Playmobil aims to encourage children to learn more about sustainable environmental conservation through participation in various activities at the event. Children can also discover the amazing life of animals, nature and the environments through AR technology that display life-size 3D picture of such animal together with nice narration.

Having fun with creative science activities from National Science Museum Thailand

Children can also enjoy discovering the magic of science by the National Science Museum Thailand (NSM) at “Sense Science,” where they can learn, have fun and challenge themselves. Other fun filled activities such as making tube rocket, balloon rocket, paper airplane and gliders are available at ICONSIAM at Rassada Hall, 1 Floor.

Stimulate kid’s imagination and learning at The magic town “Kids Sanook Sook Siam,” at Sook Siam, G Floor

Sook Siam opens its door to welcome children on the National Children’s Day to “Kids Sanook Sook Siam” event from 10-15 January 2023, at Lan Muang 2, Sook Siam, G Floor, ICONSIAM. Themed “Small World,” a lot of activities that promote children’s learning and imagination include old-time toys and snacks from Pracharat Community Shops, many fun games and prizes, such as popcorn set,Kid Cinema movie tickets, and M Generation Kids membership cards from ICON Cineconic, and Horse-brand stationary from Nanmee. These games will be held at 12.30 hrs., 13.30 hrs., 15.30 hrs., 16.30 hrs., 17.30 hrs. and 18.30 Hrs. On 14-15 January 2023, four children musical plays by Taem Fun story telling group are featured on 14.00 and 17.00 hrs respectively. On 14 January are “Three Little Pigs” and the “Pinocchio”. On January 15 are “The Giant Turnip” and “Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs.” Featured also are cartoon parade, magical show, bozo and the balloons, and many workshops, such as piggy bank painting, ocean-themed gel candle making, animal-shape clay making, key chain painting, woven fish making, and mini khon mask painting.

Let’s Play Bouncing! The open-air playground by the Chao Phraya River at River Park, G Floor

Children can enjoy playing in the outdoor inflatable playground at the “Let’s Play Bouncing” where they can fhave fun climbing up, sliding down and jumping freely and safely on the four giant inflatable bouncers. On offer also are bumper cars and paddle boats. Entrance fee is 250 baht for a child and 100 baht for an adult. The playground is open from 11-17 January 2023 and 25 January – 9 February 2023 at River Park, G Floor, ICONSIAM.

“THE ICONIC CHILDREN’S PLAYGROUND 2023” opening is set on 12 January 2023, with presence of Lydia Sarunrat – Mathew Dean and their children Dylan and Demi at 14.00 hrs.

Children are invited to dress up in their dream career outfit and join this fun-filled event and get a chance to receive special souvenirs from Playmobil (available in limited number). Also available at this event are booths from children skill and talent development schools and toy shops where parents can browse for the right course and toys for their little angels.

The National Children’s Day event will be held from 11-15 January 2023, at Charoennakorn Hall on M Floor, Rassada Hall on 1 Floor, Sook Siam and River Park on G Floor of ICONSIAM. For more information, call 1338 or ICONSIAM facebook page.

CP Foods successfully integrates “Blockchain” ensuring exceptional food safety

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10 January 2023, 09:23

Charoen Pokphand Foods Public Company Limited (CP Foods) has successfully leveraged the blockchain technology into its digital food traceability system for fresh pork and chicken products. This year, the company will further leverage the technology to its shrimp business to ensure exceptional quality and hygienic foods for consumers and customers worldwide.

Ms. Oraparn Mungmisri, Assistant Vice President for Global Standard System Centre for CP Foods said that the quality and safety of food products is our top priority as illustrate in the company digitalization of its product traceability system in accordance with the CODEX international food standards as well as ISO system standards.

The technology enables the company to track back the entire value chain of a product, including the raw material source, manufacturing facility, and production processes. Since 2015, CP Foods has initially applied the CPF Digital Traceability system in ts value chain in Thailand.

Additionally, CP Foods partnered with AXONS, Thailand’s leading agri-tech firm, to accelerate the traceability system with Blockchain Traceability technology, which is widely accepted in numerous industries including banking, sourcing and procurement, and supply chain.

In an effort to increase consumer and customer confidence in the accessibility, transparency, and timeliness of all product information, the company has successfully implemented Block Chain technology for fresh chicken and hog meat and will do so for fresh shrimp and cooked foods this year. In the next step, the company intends to establish blockchain-based traceability for all products.

“Blockchain Technology facilitates consumers rapidly access product information by scanning a QR Code on the packaging. In addition to the origin of products, the consumers could also be informed on the certifications for quality and food safety standard and information related to sustainable products including GHG emission. This contributes to the company consistently delivering better product value,” Ms. Oraparn said.

In addition, CP Foods has implemented Blockchain Traceability throughout its whole supply chain, beginning with the procurement of raw ingredients for feed manufacturing and extending to farming, processing, and shipping. This increases customer confidence in the quality and safety of raw resources and goods, none of which must come from deforestation areas in a bid to pave the way for global food security.

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