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https://www.nationthailand.com/blogs/world/asia-pacific/40024503

Tuesday, January 31, 2023

TUESDAY, JANUARY 31, 2023

Check out what’s hot in the region as The Nation puts together headlines from members of Asia News Network (ANN). Click to read more:

ANN news highlights: Tue, Jan 31, 2023
Bringing Asia Closer

Terror Pakistan
59 killed, 157 injured in blast at Peshawar Police Lines mosque – Dawn
 

Heritage Asean
Asean cities face uphill battle to preserve heritage | China Daily/ANN
 

Population China
Demographic crisis: China’s Sichuan to scrap three-child limit | AFP for The Daily Star
 

Cyber Nepal
Cyberattacks shut down 1,500 government websites – Kathmandu Post
 

Islamophobia
Editorial: Blatant Islamophobia – Dawn

Living Malaysia
Opinion: Returning to the way life should be – The Star
 

IMF Bangladesh
IMF approves $4.5b loan for Bangladesh | The Daily Star
 

Economy China
Two scenarios put 2023 GDP growth at 7% and 5.4% – China Daily
 

Economy Philippines
Roadmap aims to bring PH back to ‘high-growth trajectory’ | Inquirer
 

Aviation HK
Cathay to boost investments to fortify HK aviation hub | China Daily

Jobs Malaysia
Singapore’s Sea to boost investments in Malaysia, creating more than 2,000 jobs – Straits Times
 

Jobs S Korea
‘Responsibility’ beats ‘professionalism’ in conglomerates’ hiring priorities – Korea Herald
 

SEZ Laos
Golden Triangle SEZ eyes large-scale infrastructure development – Vientiane Times

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https://www.nationthailand.com/world/china/40024477

Chinese yearning for overseas trips in 2023: Report

TUESDAY, JANUARY 31, 2023

A recent report by tourism website Qyer unveiled that most Chinese visitors plan to travel overseas within a year, as the country’s adjusted Covid-19 response has lifted restrictions on overseas trips.

It revealed that Chinese travellers are yearning for overseas trips — 75.4 % of the subjects paid attention to outbound tourism content while they were browsing travel tips.

About 38.5 % of the subjects wanted to have an outbound travel within half a year and 12 % planned to do so during the approaching Spring Festival holiday. Over half said they wanted to have a 10-day overseas trip.

They were most concerned about air ticket prices and the destinations’ policy toward Chinese tourists. The search volume about outbound travel, such as overseas hotels and visas, on Qyer had a sudden increase.

The report showed that Chinese visitors were most interested in natural scenery, famous destinations, exotic culture, food and shopping concerning outbound travel. Their most favourite overseas destinations of 2023 were Thailand, Japan, Spain, France, the United States, Italy, Germany, Canada, the United Kingdom and Australia.

Most subjects believed that travel was an inevitable part of life. In 2022, over half of them travelled twice in China and about 20 % travelled four times.

Last year, the most popular among Chinese visitors were short-distance trips, delicious local food, culture and arts activities, outdoor tourism and parents travelling with children. Hiking, camping and cycling were popular among outdoor travellers.

They preferred to gain inspiration for their travel plans from tourism tips sharing platforms, recommendations from travel influencers, online platforms and friends, and shooting locations from films, television and variety shows.

The top 10 popular domestic destinations of 2022 were Hangzhou, Chengdu, Beijing, Sanya, Chongqing, Shanghai, Lijiang, Suzhou, Macao and Dali.

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https://www.nationthailand.com/pr-news/world/asean/40024475

Philippine police chief on ICC’s drug war deaths probe: We’re not hiding anything

TUESDAY, JANUARY 31, 2023

The Philippine National Police (PNP) on Monday maintained that it is not concealing anything as it called on the International Criminal Court ( ICC ) to respect the country’s sovereignty and recognize that its judicial system can investigate the drug war killings during the previous administration.

PNP chief Gen. Rodolfo Azurin Jr. assured the public on Monday that they are “fully cooperating” with the Department of Justice (DOJ) in reviewing the cases of its personnel found liable for procedural lapses in anti-illegal drugs operations.

“We are not hiding anything,” Azurin stressed in a news briefing. “What we are asking is for ICC to also give due respect to the judicial processes that we have in our country because we are a sovereign country. We have our own judicial proceedings.”

Azurin then urged the ICC to instead submit evidence should they find any. He, however, reiterated that the country’s judicial bodies “will do the process.”

“It’s a matter of reaching out — who are these people complaining to the ICC so that they can engage us. And we promise, the PNP will help to make sure that they will be served justice if that’s what they’re asking for,” he said in a mix of English and Filipino.

Azurin further said: “The PNP is committed to upholding the rule of law in all our actions, and we call on ICC and all international bodies to respect the jurisdiction and sovereignty of our country to address these cases under Philippine laws.”

52, so far, facing raps
During the time of former PNP chief Guillermo Eleazar, some 300 cases against police personnel who allegedly committed procedural lapses in anti-illegal drug operations were submitted to the DOJ, according to Azurin.

Formal cases were lodged against 52 PNP personnel.

“That’s why we don’t see any reason why the ICC would come in to investigate because there are continuous investigations being done by the police in tandem with the Department of Justice (DOJ),” the top cop said.

Azurin noted that no additional cases have so far been forwarded since he assumed the helm of the PNP, but he assured the public that they are frequently looking into drug war-related cases involving police personnel.

Last week, the ICC said it would resume the full-blown probe into the numerous deaths in Duterte’s bloody drug war and the Davao death squad killings.

DOJ Secretary Jesus Crispin Remulla, however, called this move an insult to the government’s justice system which, he argued, is already conducting its own investigations on the matter.

Several lawmakers and human rights groups welcomed the ICC call as they urged President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. to cooperate with the probe and prove that the Philippines, under his administration, is an ally of human rights.

Philippine Daily Inquirer

Asia News Network

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https://www.nationthailand.com/blogs/world/asia-pacific/40024474

Sinking towns, crumbling homes show cost of India’s infrastructure push in Himalayas

TUESDAY, JANUARY 31, 2023

Jaswant Singh Butola says he is shocked by the state of his village of Maroda, as he, like hundreds of others around the northern Indian Himalayan state of Uttarakhand, will be forced to abandon his home where his family have lived for generations.

The land around the village of 45 households began subsiding around 18 months ago, Butola said, when work started on a new railway line that the Indian government is building deep into the Himalayas.

“Generations after generations have lived here. And now this is the condition of the village. This is unimaginable,” Butola told Reuters.

Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi‘s government is on an overdrive to bring large-scale infrastructure into the Himalayas, building hydro-power plants, railway lines and highways — including strategically vital roads to support military deployments on the fractious border with China.

But some of these projects, located in unstable mountainsides once covered by glaciers, are unsettling the delicate ecological balance in the Himalayas, triggering landslides, flash floods and now the destruction of settlements.

The focus in recent weeks has been on Joshimath, about 100 kilometres (km) north of Maroda, where over 850 buildings have developed cracks and some completely crumbled since early January, forcing more than 900 people out of their homes.

“All their memories are from here. Everyone is leaving. What can we do,” said 68-year-old resident, Ganeshi Rawat, as she was reminiscing about her children growing up in her home that she is now having to leave.

Around the town, the government’s largest power producer, the National Thermal Power Corporation (NTPC), did not conduct relevant studies before digging a tunnel for its 520-megawatt hydropower plant, according to two experts involved in the initial planning for the project.

State authorities last year noted that there was also improper drainage throughout Joshimath, which resulted in rainwater and wastewater seeping into the mountain, and cavities forming from the removal of soil.

“We definitely need development, but we need sustainable development,” urged 26-year-old Shubham Rawat who moved back to his hometown to start a business.

The conditions in Joshimath have resulted in over 220 families being shifted to relief camps in the safer areas in the area, the Chamoli District Magistrate told Reuters.

The 120-billion-rupee ($1.48 billion) Char Dham project, one of many helmed by the Modi government to expand Himalayan connectivity, was green-lit by the Supreme Court in December 2021 partly because the wide highways would help the military. Environmental groups had challenged the project in the courts since 2018.

Construction on 83 km of tunnels, part of the 125 km railway project from Rishikesh to Karnaprayag, was

completed on January 7, according to the federal railway ministry, even as reports from the crisis in Joshimath had started making headlines.

Reuters

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https://www.nationthailand.com/blogs/world/40024471

Sanook’s Top of the Year Awards 2022

MONDAY, JANUARY 30, 2023

sanook.com, Thailand’s news website and entertainment portal, on Monday, announced winners of ‘Sanook’s Top of the Year Awards 2022’ in 14 award categories.

As the third consecutive event of the annual entertainment awards program by sanook.com, this year’s event reached its all-time high with over 250 million votes from entertainment fans nationwide during its 22-day voting period and drew more than 70 million visits to the website – another reaffirmation of sanook.com’s status as one of Thailand’s most engaging platforms for quality news and entertainment.

Kanokporn Prachayaset, Chief Commercial Officer at Tencent (Thailand) Co., Ltd., said, ” Sanook’s Top of the Year Awards is now in its third year, presenting awards to the best in each category to recognize award-winning actors, artists, and people behind award-winning works. This annual entertainment awards program is also open for the general public to show support for their favourite actors, artists and works by means of voting, which has witnessed enormous response from voters since its first year.”

“Sanook’s Top of the Year Awards 2022” voting ran on sanook.com website for 22 days from December 26, 2022 to January 16, 2023.

It registered over 250 million votes, an all-time high since the launch of this annual awards program. Sanook’s Top of the Year Awards 2022 went to the best actors, artists and works in 14 award categories as follows.

Shipped Couple of the Year: Zee – NuNew
Actor of the Year: Win Metawin
Actress of the Year: Yaya Urassaya
Rising Male Star of the Year: NuNew Chawarin
Rising Female Star of the Year: Sarah Salola
Shippers’ Series of the Year: Cutie Pie Series
Chinese Series of the Year: The Oath of Love
Thai Series/TV Drama of the Year: To Sir, With Love (ONE 31)
Viral Thai Song of the Year: Silent Mode (PROXIE)
Thai Song of the Year: Chop Tua Eng Ton Yu Kap Thoe (BILLKIN)
Artist of the Year: Nont Tanont
T-pop Artist of the Year: 4EVE
Young Icon of the Year: PP Krit
Inspiring Woman of the Year: Engfa Waraha

“We believe that Sanook’s Top of the Year Awards will give actors, artists, series production companies, music labels, and people in the entertainment industry a good dose of encouragement and the drive to create quality works for people. It will also serve as a platform for fans to show support to their favourite artists. And to engage fans, we are allocating our website space for the fanbase of award-winners to promote their favorite artists at no cost to them! Look forward to more details about this on sanook.com soon. At sanook.com, we continue to create a variety of content and exclusive activities to keep the users delighted with informative and entertaining content and reaffirm our position as the leading news and entertainment portal for Thais,” Kanokporn concluded.

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https://www.nationthailand.com/blogs/world/asia-pacific/40024470

Airports in Nepal that never took off

MONDAY, JANUARY 30, 2023

Kotwada Airport in Kalikot is finally readying for operations, 37 years after it was built. The runway of the airport located in the mountains of western Nepal was blacktopped recently, raising hopes of locals.

In 2016, Tara Air had conducted a test flight, but no passenger services have been operated since.

Local resident Nara Bahadur Bista worked as a labourer at the construction site when he was 33 years old. Bista, now 75, says, “I also worked as a volunteer for a month at the airport.”

Bista is happy that the airport’s runway has been blacktopped. “I am hopeful that flights will start soon.”

The airport would have been a lifesaver for the people of Kalikot if it had been put into service when there were no roads linking the district. Now roads have reached the villages.

“But the airport is still important because the road gets blocked frequently,” Bista said.

The company that received the contract for the blacktopping work is scheduled to hand over the airport to the Civil Aviation Authority of Nepal on January 29.

Structures like terminal tower, security building, toilets and parking space have been completed.

Technician Kedar KC, who was involved in the airport’s construction, said that improvement work was being done on the water supply, electricity and runway.

“All the contract work will be completed by mid-February,” he said. “Regular flight operations can be done from that date,” he said.

Gauri-Parbati Shyam and Shankar JV were awarded the contract for the blacktopping of the 690-metre runway at a cost of Rs138.6 million.

According to the airport office, a sum of Rs150.14 million has been spent.

The Civil Aviation Authority claims that the runway at Kotwada Airport is longer and wider than at Mugu, Dolpa and Humla in Karnali. Aircraft can land and take off from either end of the runway.

“Kotwada Airport will make it convenient for the residents of Narharinath, Raskot, Sannitriveni, Pachaljharna, Palata, Khadachakra and Ramarosan in Achham,” said Ratna Singh Saud, principal of Nandadevi Higher Secondary School, Kotwada.

Nagendra Bahadur Bista, chief of Narharinath Rural Municipality, said locals of Narharinath had been dreaming of the airport for years. “The runway has been blacktopped, and now there is a need to take steps for regular flights,” he said.

“Now it will be easy for tourists to visit Ramaroesan, Triveni Patan and Badimalika in Achham,” he added. It will also help in providing access to health care.

Chaurjahari Airport in Rukum West, which has been out of commission for the past eight years, has been upgraded. The runway has been expanded. Flight services were operating until the airport’s runway was blacktopped.

Local resident Gopal Sharma, who is also a former finance minister of Karnali province, said the airport was being expanded to accommodate 72-seater planes. He said that the upgradation of the airport would support tourism development in Dolpa, Jumla and Jajarkot.

According to him, the Ministry of Finance has allocated a budget of Rs90 million for a detailed project report and distribution of compensation for the land to be acquired for the project’s expansion.

Chaurjahari Airport was blacktopped in August 2015 at a cost of Rs50.59 million. But there have been no flights since then.

Nepal Airlines has stopped flying to Chaurjahari as it is short of planes. But airline officials say flights were suspended for lack of passengers.

It has been six years since Nepal Airlines shut down its office in Chaurjahari. Locals worry that the airport will never come into operation again.

“Nepal Airlines has closed its office,” said Jhup Bahadur Budha, a local. “There is no hope that Nepal Airlines will resume operations.”

The air traffic controller of the Civil Aviation Authority of Nepal has left as the airport remains closed. The control tower has been closed for years.

Kamal Lamichhane, a local, said a police station still exists at the airport to provide security. After the airport closed, locals tore down the fence around it and let their cattle graze on the grounds. “Bushes have grown around the runway,” he added.

Yadu Acharya, a local leader, said locals were travelling by road. “But it is very difficult for people who have an emergency due to lack of air services,” he said.

The airport was built in 1971 targeting Rukum West, Salyan and Jajarkot districts.