Opinion: What’s the News of the Year in 2022?

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26 December 2022, 12:00

Decorative lights along Ratchadamnoen Avenue.

Every year end, many journalists cannot escape wondering what the news of the year is. This time of the year is upon us again. I am a non-believer in the concept of news of the year, or person of the year, for the following reasons, however.

The notion of news of the year entails a belief that we can all agree on a common priority as to what is important – which is very presumptuous. Nay. If you are a South Korean, the news of the year 2022 will most probably be that of the tragic stampede in Seoul’s Itaewon district, which led to 156 deaths.

If you are a Briton, it could be the passing of Queen Elizabeth II. If you are a Ukrainian, it would most certainly be the Russian invasion and how resilient Ukrainians are fighting back against a much bigger enemy. Well, if you are a Russian, it could be a year of reclaiming some of the historic Slavic lands in Ukraine or how Russia is becoming an international pariah, depending on your political viewpoint. What about if you are an Argentinian? Well, winning the FIFA World Cup Championship sounds like the definitive news of the year.

In Thailand, candidates for news of the year are plenty, depending on what you accord importance to and according to your social milieu and ideological inclination.

How about the return of normalcy after COVID-19? What about Thailand welcoming back 10 million travelers? Or the tragic sinking of HTMS Sukhothai with six confirmed dead and 23 still missing accompanied by tales of a lack of adequate life vest for all its crews?

The decriminalization of marijuana for medical purposes and its resultant use for recreational purposes could also be the news of the year. If you are a royalist, the sudden illness of HRH Princess Bajrakitiyabha last week, who remains unconscious, must be news of the year. If you are critical of the lese majeste law and want monarchy reform or more, 2022 is a year of continued widespread prosecutions of those charged with insulting the monarchy. For an environmentalist, maybe the news of the year is how 2022 is the start of the mainstreaming of elective vehicles in Thailand.

However, if you happened to be a homeless person in Bangkok, maybe there is no news of the year at all while the persons of the year may be the generous people who thought about your hardship and drop by near your area to offer you free hot meals week after week.

That we cannot and should not agree on what the news of the year is or who the person of the year is as it is an acknowledgement that the world we live in is diverse and composed of people who have different interests, worldview, concerns, and priorities in life.

The realization that we may have different priorities in life, even within our respective societies, beg us to be more curious, empathetic, and get outside our social milieu, outside our comfort zone and transcend our own worldview. It is to acknowledge that what we think is important may not be irrelevant to others.

In the end, it is a case of “tell me what you think is the news of the year or the person of the year and I will tell you who you are.”

Frigid Monster Storm Across Us Claims at Least 34 Lives

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Associated Press

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26 December 2022, 11:30

A person clears snow as a winter storm rolls through Western New York Saturday, Dec. 24, 2022, in Amherst N.Y. Photo: Jeffrey T. Barnes / AP

BUFFALO, N.Y. (AP) — Millions of people hunkered down against a deep freeze Sunday to ride out the winter storm that has killed at least 34 people across the United States and is expected to claim more lives after trapping some residents inside houses with heaping snow drifts and knocking out power to tens of thousands of homes and businesses.

The scope of the storm has been nearly unprecedented, stretching from the Great Lakes near Canada to the Rio Grande along the border with Mexico. About 60% of the U.S. population faced some sort of winter weather advisory or warning, and temperatures plummeted drastically below normal from east of the Rocky Mountains to the Appalachians, the National Weather Service said.

Travelers’ weather woes are likely to continue, with hundreds of flight cancellations already and more expected after a bomb cyclone — when atmospheric pressure drops very quickly in a strong storm — developed near the Great Lakes, stirring up blizzard conditions, including heavy winds and snow. Some 1,707 domestic and international flights were canceled on Sunday as of about 2 p.m. EDT, according to the tracking site FlightAware.

The storm unleashed its full fury on Buffalo, with hurricane-force winds and snow causing whiteout conditions, paralyzing emergency response efforts. New York Gov. Kathy Hochul said almost every fire truck in the city was stranded Saturday and implored people Sunday to respect an ongoing driving ban in the region. Officials said the airport would be shut through Tuesday morning. The National Weather Service said the snow total at the Buffalo Niagara International Airport stood at 43 inches (109 centimeters) at 7 a.m. Sunday.

Daylight revealed cars nearly covered by 6-foot snowdrifts and thousands of houses, some adorned in unlit holiday displays, dark from a lack of power. With snow swirling down untouched and impassable streets, forecasters warned that an additional 1 to 2 feet of snow was possible in some areas through early Monday morning amid wind gusts of 40 mph. Police said Sunday evening that there were two “isolated” instances of looting during the storm.

Two people died in their suburban Cheektowaga, New York, homes Friday when emergency crews could not reach them in time to treat their medical conditions. County Executive Mark Poloncarz 10 more people died in Erie County during the storm, including six in Buffalo, and warned there may be more dead.

“Some were found in cars, some were found on the street in snowbanks,” said Poloncarz. “We know there are people who have been stuck in cars for more than 2 days.”

Freezing conditions and day-old power outages had Buffalonians scrambling to get to anywhere that had heat amid what Hochul called the longest sustained blizzard conditions ever in the city. But with streets under a thick blanket of white, that wasn’t an option for people like Jeremy Manahan, who charged his phone in his parked car after almost 29 hours without electricity.

“There’s one warming shelter, but that would be too far for me to get to. I can’t drive, obviously, because I’m stuck,” Manahan said. “And you can’t be outside for more than 10 minutes without getting frostbit.”

Ditjak Ilunga of Gaithersburg, Maryland, was on his way to visit relatives in Hamilton, Ontario, for Christmas with his daughters Friday when their SUV was trapped in Buffalo. Unable to get help, they spent hours with the engine running, buffeted by wind and nearly buried in snow.

By 4 a.m. Saturday, their fuel nearly gone, Ilunga made a desperate choice to risk the howling storm to reach a nearby shelter. He carried 6-year-old Destiny on his back while 16-year-old Cindy clutched their Pomeranian puppy, following his footprints through drifts.

“If I stay in this car I’m going to die here with my kids,” Ilunga recalled thinking. He cried when the family walked through the shelter doors. “It’s something I will never forget in my life.”

The storm knocked out power in communities from Maine to Seattle. But heat and lights were steadily being restored across the U.S. According to poweroutage.us, less than 200,000 customers were without power Sunday at 3 p.m. EDT — down from a peak of 1.7 million.

Concerns about rolling blackouts across eastern states subsided Sunday after PJM Interconnection said its utilities could meet the day’s peak electricity demand. The mid-Atlantic grid operator had called for its 65 million consumers to conserve energy amid the freeze Saturday.

In North Carolina, less than 6,500 customers had no power — down from a peak of 485,000. Across New England, power has been restored to tens of thousands with just under 83,000 people, mostly in Maine, still without it. In New York, about 34,000 households were still without power Sunday, including 26,000 in Erie County, where utility crews and hundreds of National Guard troops battled high winds and struggled with getting stuck in the snow.

Storm-related deaths were reported in recent days all over the country: 12 in Erie County, New York, ranging in age from 26 to 93 years old, and another in Niagara County where a 27-year-old man was overcome by carbon monoxide after snow blocked his furnace; 10 in Ohio, including an electrocuted utility worker and those killed in multiple car crashes; six motorists killed in crashes in Missouri, Kansas and Kentucky; a Vermont woman struck by a falling branch; an apparently homeless man found amid Colorado’s subzero temperatures; and a woman who fell through Wisconsin river ice.

In Jackson, Mississippi, city officials on Christmas Day announced that residents must now boil their drinking water due to water lines bursting in the frigid temperatures

In Buffalo, William Kless was up at 3 a.m. Sunday. He called his three children at their mother’s house to wish them Merry Christmas and then headed off on his snowmobile for a second day spent shuttling people from stuck cars and frigid homes to a church operating as a warming shelter.

Through heavy, wind-driven snow, he brought about 15 people to the church in Buffalo on Saturday, he said, including a family of five transported one-by-one. He also got a man in need of dialysis, who had spent 17 hours stranded in his car, back home, where he could receive treatment.

“I just felt like I had to,” Kless said.

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Story: Carolyn Thompson and Jake Bleiberg. Bleiberg reported from Dallas. Associated Press journalist Mike Schneider in Orlando, Florida; Stefanie Dazio in Los Angeles; Jonathan Mattise in Charleston, West Virginia; Ron Todt in Philadelphia; John Raby in Charleston, West Virginia; Marc Levy in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania; Jeff Martin in Atlanta; and Wilson Ring in Stowe, Vermont, contributed to this report.

58 Weak Rohingya Land on Indonesian Beach After Weeks at Sea

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Associated Press

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26 December 2022, 11:00

Indonesian police officers watch a group of ethnic Rohingya people after they landed on Indra Patra beach in Ladong village, Aceh province, Indonesia, Sunday, Dec. 25, 2022. Photo: Rahmat Mirza / AP

BANDA ACEH, Indonesia (AP) — Dozens of hungry and weak Rohingya Muslims were found on a beach in Indonesia’s northernmost province of Aceh on Sunday after weeks at sea, officials said.

The group of 58 men arrived on Indrapatra beach at Ladong, a fishing village in Aceh Besar district, early Sunday, said local police chief Rolly Yuiza Away. Villagers who saw the group of ethnic Rohingya on a rickety wooden boat helped them to land and then reported their arrival to authorities, he said.

“They look very weak from hunger and dehydration. Some of them are sick after a long and severe voyage at sea,” said Away, adding that the men received food and water from villagers and others as they waited for further instructions from immigration and local officials in Aceh.

At least three of the men were rushed to a health clinic for medical care, and others are also receiving various medical treatments, Away said.

The United Nations and other groups on Friday urged countries in South Asia to rescue as many as 190 people believed to be Rohingya refugees aboard a small boat that has been adrift for several weeks in the Andaman Sea.

“Reports indicate those onboard have now remained at sea for a month in dire conditions with insufficient food or water, without any efforts by States in the region to help save human lives,” the U.N. refugee agency, UNHCR, said in a statement. “Many are women and children, with reports of up to 20 people dying on the unseaworthy vessel during the journey.”

Away said it wasn’t clear where the group was traveling from or if they were part of the group of 190 Rohingya refugees that has been adrift in the Andaman Sea. But one of the men who spoke some Malay said they had been at sea for more than a month and had aimed to land in Malaysia to seek a better life and work there.

More than 700,000 Rohingya Muslims have fled from Buddhist-majority Myanmar to refugee camps in Bangladesh since August 2017, when the Myanmar military launched a clearance operation in response to attacks by a rebel group. Myanmar security forces have been accused of mass rapes, killings and the burning of thousands of homes.

Groups of Rohingya have attempted to leave the crowded camps in Bangladesh and travel by sea in hazardous voyages to other Muslim-majority countries in the region.

Muslim-dominated Malaysia has been a common destination for the boats, and traffickers have promised the refugees a better life there. But many Rohingya refugees who land in Malaysia face detention.

Although Indonesia is not a signatory to the United Nations’ 1951 Refugee Convention, the UNHCR said that a 2016 presidential regulation provides a national legal framework governing the treatment of refugees on boats in distress near Indonesia and to help them disembark.

These provisions have been implemented for years, most recently last month when about 219 Rohingya refugees, including 63 women and 40 children, were rescued off the coast of North Aceh district aboard two rickety boats.

“We urge the government of Indonesia to rescue the boats and allow them to safely disembark,” Amnesty International Indonesia’s executive director Usman Hamid said. “We also urge the Indonesian government to lead a regional initiative to resolve the refugee crisis.”

On Thursday, the U.N. special rapporteur on the situation of human rights in Myanmar, Tom Andrews, urged governments in South and Southeast Asia “to immediately and urgently coordinate search and rescue for this boat and ensure safe disembarkation of those aboard before any further loss of life occurs.”

“While many in the world are preparing to enjoy a holiday season and ring in a new year, boats bearing desperate Rohingya men, women and young children, are setting off on perilous journeys in unseaworthy vessels,” Andrews said in a statement.

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Story: Yayan Zamzami. Associated Press writers Niniek Karmini in Jakarta, Indonesia and Grant Peck in Bangkok contributed to this report.

AIS – ZTE are first to trial URLLC, showcasing low latency of 1 ms on the 2.6 GHz 5G network The answer for Cloud Gaming and Smart Industry

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Contributor

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23 December 2022, 15:23

AIS has been collaborating with Chinese digital tech giant ZTE Corporation to launch A-Z Center, the first 5G innovation hub in Thailand. The partners are now showcasing another key advantage of 5G, Ultra Reliable and Low Latency Communications (URLLC), in another Thai first. The 2.6 GHz AIS 5G network is capable of delivering latency of only 1 millisecond.

Wasit Wattanasap, Head of Nationwide Operation and Support Department at Advanced Info Service Pcl. (AIS), noted, “Alongside developing our services to deliver maximum quality, we are powered by cutting-edge innovation to level up 5G tech, part of our obligation to support the future sustainable growth of the digital economy. This was the spark for the collaboration with global partners such as ZTE to upgrade Thailand’s 5G network to world-class digital infrastructure. The 5G Smart Autonomous Network adjusts itself in real time to implement a range of solutions for the businesses, industry and the general public.

“We have now been holding successful trials of another key feature of 5G, Ultra Reliable and Low Latency Communications (URLLC) for the first time in Thailand on the AIS 5G network’s 2.6 GHz waveband. This delivers latency at the level of 1 millisecond, suitable for rapid data transmission with the greater stability required for critical applications. These include applications for retail customers requiring low latency such mobile cloud gaming, which requires instantaneous responses in real time. Industrial use cases include a factory’s machine control systems, autonomous vehicles, or remote surgery.

(Note: The three core capabilities of 5G technology are Enhanced mobile broadband (eMBB), Massive machine type communications (mMTC) and Ultra-reliable and low latency communications (URLLC) Each of these features enables a number of specialized use cases for 5G)

Wasit added, “Our trials show that AIS 5G with URLLC is capable of supporting latencies of as low as a millisecond. The right kind of Terminal providing instant service can now be developed to provide these kind of low latencies in regular service.”

Han Zhiming, Ceo of Zte Thailand commented, “As a strategic partner in this collaboration with AIS, to develop 5G technology, we are confident that Thailand has strong capabilities with a rapid range of innovation, and in particular deploying the 5G network to lay the basis of Research & Development. This will create new Use Cases in the future, ready to support demand from retail customers, while creating more opportunities for the industrial sector.”

Thailand hosts COMMIT meeting against trafficking in six Mekong countries

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Contributor

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23 December 2022, 14:47

The Ministry of Social Development and Human Security, led by Mr. Anukul Peedkaew, Permanent Secretary, organised a meeting in line with the Coordinated Mekong Ministerial Initiative Against Human Trafficking (COMMIT Process) in a hybrid online and onsite format at S Ratchada Leisure Hotel, Bangkok on December 15-16, 2022. Participants included over 200 representatives from six member countries, namely Cambodia, China, Laos, Myanmar, Vietnam, and Thailand.

At COMMIT Regional Task Force Meeting (COMMIT RTF) on December 15 member states exchanged information on the situation and solutions to human trafficking. They reviewed the implementation of the action plan in phase 4 in effect from 2015 until the end of December 2022, which led to discussions to set a framework for the development of the next action plan in phase 5.

On December 16, the 5th Inter-Ministerial Meeting (IMM 5) was held under the theme of “Strengthening Lasting and Sustainable Muti-Lateral Cooperation to End Trafficking in Persons”. Since the crime of human trafficking cannot be dealt with and solved by any country alone, the meeting showed the results and successes in various fields of the COMMIT RTF action plan in phase 4 and made a joint agreement on the development of the action plan in phase 5 among the six countries.

“Creative cooperation between member countries is a very important factor in addressing the problem of human trafficking in the Greater Mekong Sub-region and sustainability of the COMMIT Process. Addressing the challenges and new forms of human trafficking can’t happen by only government action alone. Therefore, a paradigm shift and cooperation with all sectors is required to combat human trafficking,” said Mr. Anukul.

“Thailand is committed to close cooperation with all COMMIT member countries to combat human trafficking in the Greater Mekong Sub-region for the good quality of life of people in the sub-region.”

Thailand Hosts Informal Meeting on Myanmar Political Crisis

By

Associated Press

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23 December 2022, 12:30

FILE - A small group of protesters against the military government that ousted Myanmar leader Aung San Suu Kyi earlier this year raise their hands with the three-finger protest gesture during a flash mob rally in Thaketa township in Yangon, Myanmar, on Nov. 6, 2021. Photo: AP File

BANGKOK (AP) — Three Cabinet ministers from Myanmar attended an informal regional meeting in Thailand’s capital on Thursday to discuss efforts to restore peace in the military-run country, Thai officials said.

“The open-ended informal consultation was meaningful, with ministers engaging in free-flow and proactive discussions,” Thai Foreign Ministry spokesperson Kanchana Patarachoke said.

Representatives from Cambodia, Laos and Vietnam also attended the meeting.

There was no indication that the talks made any progress toward resolving Myanmar’s crisis or in facilitating more engagement with its generals.

Myanmar’s military government is shunned by many nations for seizing power and violently suppressing opposition to its rule, but neighboring Thailand has remained on good terms with the generals and refrained from serious criticism.

The meeting came a day after the U.N. Security Council approved a resolution demanding an immediate end to violence in Myanmar and urging its military rulers to restore democratic institutions and release all “arbitrarily detained” prisoners, including ousted leader Aung San Suu Kyi. The council voted 12-0 on Wednesday’s resolution, with China, India and Russia abstaining.

Myanmar’s army seized power in February last year and cracked down on widespread protests. After security forces used lethal force against peaceful demonstrators, opponents of military rule took up arms. Some U.N. experts have characterized the country’s current situation as a civil war.

The military’s actions caused many nations to ostracize the ruling generals and impose political and economic sanctions on them.

The Association of Southeast Asian Nations, of which Myanmar is a member, has sought to promote a five-point peace plan. Myanmar’s military rulers initially agreed to the plan but then made little effort to implement it.

ASEAN subsequently declared that Myanmar was not welcome to send members of its military government to the regional grouping’s meetings because of its failure to cooperate with the plan.

Kanchana said Thursday’s informal meeting was held in Bangkok on the sidelines of Thai-Myanmar bilateral talks. She said it did not include any representatives from Malaysia, Indonesia and Singapore, the three ASEAN members most critical of Myanmar’s military.

“The consultation was a non-ASEAN meeting but intended to complement ASEAN’s ongoing collective efforts to find a peaceful political resolution for the situation in Myanmar,” Kanchana said in a statement.

Those attending from Myanmar included Foreign Minister Wunna Maung Lwin, Minister for Investment and Foreign Economic Relations Kan Zaw, and Minister for International Cooperation Ko Ko Hlaing.

Myanmar’s foreign ministry said in a statement that its delegation “cordially exchanged views on the matters of Myanmar’s cooperation with ASEAN for the implementation of the ASEAN five-point consensus” and other matters. It also reiterated its defense of the military government’s actions.

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Story: Grant Peck.

Russia and China Hold Joint Naval Drills

By

Associated Press

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23 December 2022, 12:00

In this handout photo taken from video released by Russian Defense Ministry Press Service on Thursday, Dec. 22, 2022, Chinese warships take part in joint naval drills with Russia in the East China Sea on Thursday. Photo: Russian Defense Ministry Press Service via AP

MOSCOW (AP) — Russian and Chinese warships on Thursday practiced joint action in the East China Sea, continuing a series of drills that reflect a growing defense cooperation between the two countries.

The Russian Defense Ministry said the Varyag missile cruiser, the Marshal Shaposhnikov destroyer and two corvettes of Russia’s Pacific Fleet were taking part in the drills that began on Wednesday. China has deployed two destroyers, a diesel submarine and several others ships for the exercise.

Russian and Chinese aircraft were also taking part in the weeklong maneuvers that will involve firing exercises and anti-submarine drills, according to the ministry.

“The main goal of the drills is to strengthen naval cooperation between the Russian Federation and the People’s Republic of China and to maintain peace and stability in the Asia Pacific region,” the ministry said.

Military ties between Moscow and Beijing has grown stronger since Russian President Vladimir Putin sent his troops into Ukraine on Feb. 24.

China, which has declared a “no limits” friendship with Russia, has pointedly refused to criticize Moscow’s actions, blaming the U.S. and NATO for provoking the Kremlin, and has blasted the punishing sanctions imposed on Russia.

Russia, in turn, has strongly backed China amid the tensions with the U.S. over Taiwan.

In November, Tu-95 bombers of the Russian air force and Chinese H-6K bombers flew joint patrols over the Sea of Japan and the East China Sea. As part of the drills, the Russian bombers landed in China for the first time, and the Chinese bombers flew to an air base in Russia.

In September, China sent more than 2,000 troops along with more than 300 military vehicles, 21 combat aircraft and three warships to take part in a sweeping joint exercise with Russia.

AXONS joins hands with 42 Bangkok to develop talents for Agri-Tech business

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Contributor

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23 December 2022, 10:51

AXONS, Thailand’s leading Agri-Tech company, and “42 Bangkok”, a world-class coding and programming institute under King Mongkut’s Institute of Technology Ladkrabang (KMITL), signed a Memorandum of Understanding to develop next generation of Agri-Tech programmers to accelerate the digital transformation in the country’s agricultural sector.

The MoU was signed by Sunsern Samaisut, Managing Director and Executive of AXONS, and The Acting President of KMITL, Associate Professor Komsan Maleesee. Pimonrat Reephattanavijitkul, Chief People Officer at CP Foods, and Assistant Professor Chaiyan Jettanasen Ph.D. ,Excutive Director of 42 Bangkok (Acting), were also attended the ceremony.

Sunsern Samaisut, Managing Director and Executive of AXONS, said that the collaboration aims at producing developers and programmers with great understanding on agriculture and food businesses. 42 Bangkok’s students will have the opportunity to learn from real-life scenarios that correspond to agricultural business trends. Also, the students will be trained and gained first-hand experience of the Agri-Tech sector from AXONS experts who will guide them toward their full potential.

“Programmers will learn and develop Agri-Tech solutions based on actual business cases, which will be advantageous to both the farmers and the programmers themselves. In addition, we will be able to produce developers with the right skills for the industry. This will be a turning point and speed up Thailand’s agricultural sector’s digital transformation. With a boost from technologies and IT solutions, we believe that Thailand has a potential to be a leader in the modern-day agriculture,” said Mr. Sansern.

The Acting President of KMITL, Associate Professor Komsan Maleesee, said that this project is in line with 42 Bangkok’s objectives, which focuses on cultivating talents who will develop tools and services to meet market demands in order to increase the country’s competitiveness.

42 Bangkok is one of 42 Network, an innovative coding institute with branches across the globe. The school offers a unique educational program that was designed to develop the skills needed to jumpstart a career as programmers and developers.

Thailand-based Hospitality Company Tolani Hotels Appoints New CEO and Expands Footprint as Industry Bounds Back

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Contributor

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22 December 2022, 15:51

Thailand-based hospitality company Tolani Hotels (https://www.tolanihotels.com/), founded and managed by veteran hoteliers and entrepreneurs, is set to welcome back the Thailand hospitality industry with a new CEO and plans for growth.

With Steve Lockhart recently appointed as the new CEO of Tolani Hotels, the group plans to expand its footprint to better help investors and owners achieve their business goals.

Currently, Tolani has fourteen properties under its umbrella and continues to expand due to the attractive variety of hotel management agreement options it provides owners. These include ‘Tolani,’ which is fully managed by the group and ‘By Tolani,’ which is a co-branded option where owners can opt-in to services offered by Tolani.

“Our goal is to help owners and investors by offering services that are suitable for both parties—

them and us—not just one party. I believe that, moving forward, we need to work together closely with our owners as a team player sitting on the same side of the table,” said Steve Lockhart, Tolani’s CEO.

In the past, operators would present owners with convoluted Hotel Management Agreements (HMA) that were hundreds of pages long and were very rarely in the real interest of the owners. These agreements were crafted in a way that maximised operating profits to ensure operator profitability, while neglecting things that really matter at the property level, like ongoing maintenance, repairs, and refurbishments. These agreements leave owners with less cash-flow, creating an unnecessarily heavy burden.

Tolani Hotels is by owners, for owners. Learning from what the industry has experienced during the pandemic, Tolani realised that owners no longer wish to be locked into an old-fashioned contract for ten to thirty years without the possibility of cancelling unless forced to pay a hefty early cancellation fee.

Tolani offers owners a simple straight forward SLA (Service Level Agreement) for hotels.

Currently, Tolani Hotels consists of the original and renowned Kui Buri property, the one and only Tolani Resort Kui Buri; Tolani Resort Koh Kood; Tolani Resort & Spa Koh Samui; Tolani Nimman Villa Chiang Mai; Tolani Northgate Villa Chiang Mai; Tolani Southgate Villa Chiangmai; and Tolani Le Bayburi Villas Pranburi.

The ‘By Tolani’ co-branding offering by the group has properties including Limon Villa Khao Yai by Tolani; Sawaddi Patong by Tolani; The Sea Koh Samui Resort & Residences by Tolani; and Theorie Hotel Sukhumvit by Tolani. New Don Mueng, Chaweng, and Pattaya property developments are underway and expected to launch in 2023 under a completely new concept and brand.

Lockhart added, “We see a lot of requirements and enquiries from owners who are interested in developing new hotels or renovating and rebranding. What try to understand their needs and help them with their goals. Indeed, this is why our Tolani agreements are designed the way they are.”

Tolani understands recent changes to the industry which is why Tolani has successfully pivoted hotels by means of renovation, transformation, and repositioning of properties such as Tolani Koh Kood, Tolani Kui Buri, Tolani Le Bayburi Pranburi, and Sawaddi Patong by Tolani. We believe it is essential for management companies to really listen to the needs of owners and work closely with them to help them get back on their feet—readying for the industry as the hospitality industry bounces back.

Bangkok’s annual light and digital art festival “Awakening Bangkok 2022” returns for its 5th edition to the Charoenkrung-Talad Noi neighborhood, aims to promote nighttime economy, social and economic sustainability, and festival tourism

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Contributor

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22 December 2022, 14:36

Held on the theme “Endless Tomorrow”, the lighting installation festival inspires and revives the economy in Charoenkrung-Talad Noi after sunset, attracting local and international tourists and creating a lively atmosphere during the festive season

Awakening Bangkok’s organizer Time Out Bangkok together with its partners the Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT), Thailand Convention and Exhibition Bureau (TCEB), Creative Economy Agency (CEA), Bangkok Metropolitan Administration, Diageo Moet Hennessy (Thailand), and BGC Glass Studio have created the lighting installation festival Awakening Bangkok 2022 on the theme “Endless Tomorrow” to offers new perspectives to the historically charming Charoenkrung and Talad Noi area now that the COVID-19 pandemic has settled. The event aims at inspiring people about how to create a sustainable future for the present and next generations.

Mr. Pongsiri Hetrakul, managing director of Time Out Bangkok and Festival Director of Awakening Bangkok, said: “This is the 5th year of the festival and, after being forced by the pandemic to postpone the 2021 festival to March 2022, we are delighted to be able to get back to our same schedule at year-end season. We’ve collaborated with our partners to deliver new and memorable experiences to everyone during the 10-day festival that runs from 16 to 25 December 2022. We’re ready to elevate Awakening Bangkok to a next level, by making it part of the international tourism calendar as well as a destination for tourists.

“The fact that we’ve been able to organize the event for five consecutive years says a lot about the success of Awakening Bangkok. This has proved that a collaboration between the government and private sector is ideal for when you’d push things forward for universal benefits, including the efforts to bring out the national creative force and promote night-time economy, which are the keys that will secure Charoenkrung’s brighter future. We have received good feedback from artists, designers and visitors who attended the past events. The festival helps to bond and enliven the community, inspire creative forces, and helps take Bangkok to a global festival tourism calendar.”

The continuous collaboration with TAT, TCEB, CEA and the BMA reflects the collective goal to make Awakening Bangkok one of the main festivals on Thailand’s and regional tourism calendar. The festival is currently recognized as one of the “Colorful Bangkok” events, BMA’s three-month campaign that aims to revitalize the city through multi-disciplinary cultural events between November 2022 and January 2023. The plan is to make Bangkok a cultural metropolis and a major festival tourism destination that will help sustain the city’s social and economic development.

Mr. Sanon Wangsrangboon, Deputy Governor of Bangkok, said that the year-end festivals are all about lighting, music and art. These festivals, which were and will be held in various places across the city, offer people the chance to end the year with memorable moments and welcome the New Year in high spirit. To catch up with the festive spirits and to align with Governor Chadchart Sittipunt’s year-round city festivals, BMA, in partnership with various stakeholders, has initiated “Colorful Bangkok” festive campaign, which spans 3 months from November 2022 to January 2023, and is divided into 3 themes: Creative Arts Festivals in November, Light Festivals in December and Music Festivals in January, for residents and tourists alike to enjoy. These events will help boost the local economy and public spending.

“Awakening Bangkok is recognized as one of the “The Festival of Lights” events in the BMA’s “Colorful Bangkok 2022” calendar. It symbolizes the opening of a space and illuminating the city and bringing it back to life,” Mr. Sanon ended.

Kittipong Prapattong, Executive Director Central Region of Tourism Authority of Thaiand (TAT), added: “The trend of foreign tourists traveling to Thailand is on a steady rise now that the COVID situation has eased. This is particularly evident during the year-end celebrations as holidaymakers around the world are looking for destinations where they can enjoy the long weekend. The government’s policy to open the country for tourists and the cooperation with the private sector in organizing festivals at various destinations across the country help attract tourists, making Thailand one of the world’s top destinations.

“Awakening Bangkok 2022 is a collaboration between the public and private sectors to create one of the greatest events of the year. Besides being spectacular, it also celebrates the opening of the country and the year-end tourism season excites both locals and visitors. We believe that such a “colorful” event will invigorate the tourism trend now that the pandemic has been largely resolved,” Mr. Kuttipong added.

Mrs. Nichapa Yoswee, Senior Vice President – Business, of Thailand Convention and Exhibition Bureau (TCEB), said: “TCEB sees the opportunity to develop the city and community with what is called “Festival Economy” as a way to promote a city’s sustainable development. The tourism trends and behaviors among the younger generation have changed to those of more choice and experience-driven, and festival creators will need to response to these changes. These groups of travelers have high purchasing power, so the travel volume of such groups will have both direct and positive impacts and indirectly link to the economy of the host city and its surrounding communities.

At the heart of Awakening Bangkok is the promotion of all aspects of sustainability, a common goal of all partners including the main sponsor “Johnnie Walker” that has supported the event for three consecutive years.

Ms. Jarinee Wongkhamthong, Diageo Moet Hennessy (Thailand) Co.’s marketing director, said: “The collaboration of all sectors, public and private, is required if we are to co-create a sustainable economic value. Johnnie Walker sees the importance of supporting Thai artists and designers who are capable of extending their creative work and creating added values. This is in line with Diageo’s long-term sustainability goal SOCIETY2030: SPIRIT OF PROGRESS through which we strive to be one of the best-performing and most trusted consumer companies, and the brand’s KEEP WALKING philosophy that inspires and creates new experiences that keep people moving forward.

“This year, Johnnie Walker returns under the concept. “No matter what, just move on and live your life”, which underlines two main issues to the new generation, diversity acceptance and creating sustainability in all dimensions. This message is reflected through various works exhibited at the event and the two bars, which have been designed in collaboration with famous artists. In addition, this concept is conveyed through new flavors of four special drink recipes inspired by nature, created in collaboration with WASTELAND, a drinking community of environmentalists. And most importantly, we continue to support responsible drinking by reinforcing messages and activities included in the work.”

Mr. Pongsiri concluded that: “Aimed at promoting the city’s identity, each year Awakening Bangkok creates an event that specifically reflects each idea while also drawing inspiration from the rich history. The event signals the possibility of new ideas and creation through the opening of the space and the collaboration of the people.

“Awakening Bangkok 2022 takes place at a time when we are still searching for answers, when we are still exploring life’s many possibilities. We wish for conversations – and inspiration – on how to create a better tomorrow…one that will last forever. A tomorrow that is endless. The event reflects such a concept through the participation of new generation artists such as COTH, 27 June, and Alt+r .

“This year is special as we’ve created 2 routes for 2 sub-themes. The southern Bangrak route focuses on “Sustainability” and the northern Talad Noi route on “Living Evidence” through new locations. Each route has its highlights. For example, the southern route’s highlighted works are at the Swan hotel, Marine Police Lodge and East-Asiatic Building, the latter of which is a century-old Venetian-style structure that used to house the multinational trading company of the same name. The northern route’s highlights include the Patina Bangkok, houses on the river bank and Phanu Rangsri Pier.”

In addition to light installations by amazing local artists, visitors can expect to see an international showcase for the first time, curated by a team from iLight Singapore, a similar light and digital arts festival in Singapore. The work is on display at Warehouse 30.

“This year, we have expanded our alliance to include the Hong Kong Economics and Trade office and Central Embassy and for the first time we have formed a partnership with favourite social media platform TikTok that has a goal of supporting Thai artists on its platform. There will be Tik Tok creators creating content at the event. Over the past years, Awakening Bangkok has been promoted via the English, Chinese and Japanese media to connect to the world. We believe that after the pandemic, Awakening Bangkok will be a top world destination for new experiences and cultural tourism. “

He added that: “Apart from promoting culture, Awakening Bangkok also plays a part in creating economic value. Awakening Bangkok 2021 held in March 2022 attracted more than 90,000 visitors over the 10 days despite being held while COVID-19 was still spreading, The event created an economic impact worth 115.64 million baht. We hope that this time around the festival will be even more welcome.

“We Believe that Awakening Bangkok will be a festival that helps boost the excitement of the city during this festive time of the year, especially among foreign tourists. A report by UNESCO clearly indicates the global growth of cultural tourists which is driven by the changing behavior of tourists. They want to learn more about the traditions of the local community, discover and visit historical sites and experience different cultures as well as learning and immersing themselves in cultural products and services in each locality,” Mr. Pongsiri said.

The 5th edition of Awakening Bangkok sees almost 40 lighting installations illuminating more than 20 locations, most of which are long-forgotten structures, in Charoenkrung-Talad Noi neighborhoods, from 16-25 December 2022.

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