Time for young students to stop wearing face masks at school, top virologists says
SUNDAY, JANUARY 08, 2023
With the number of Covid-19 cases in Thailand falling, it is time for kindergarten and elementary school students to stop wearing face masks at schools, an eminent virologist said on Friday.
Dr Yong Poovorawan – who heads Chulalongkorn University’s Centre of Excellence in Clinical Virology – said removing face masks in classrooms will improve students’ ability to learn verbal and non-verbal communication.
Children need to learn how facial expressions convey emotions, he wrote on Facebook, adding that it was difficult for them to wear face masks properly.
Up to 80% of kindergarten and elementary school students in Thailand already have immunity to Covid-19 as a result of vaccination or previous exposure to the virus, and one-third of them never developed symptoms, Yong said, citing data from the Centre of Excellence in Clinical Virology.
“Although these children [remain] at risk of infection, they will not develop severe symptoms,” Yong added.
As the number of Covid-19 cases in Thailand declines, the number of children infected with the virus is falling, he said.
“If you consider both the advantages and disadvantages [of face masks], it is time for kindergarten and elementary students to stop wearing them at schools,” he said.
Still, Yong still advised that children wear face masks in poorly ventilated places, including on public transport, and in shopping malls and hospitals.
Blackpink captivate thousands of ‘Blinks’ at Bangkok’s National Stadium
SUNDAY, JANUARY 08, 2023
K-pop superstars Blackpink wowed fans at the jampacked Suphachalasai National Stadium with three hours of heart-stopping sound, light and colour.
The second show of the Bangkok leg of the “Born Pink World Tour” will be held on Sunday from 7pm.
Most “Blinks” (as Blackpink fans are known) said they were excited that the band has returned to Thailand. The first time the group performed here was part of the “Blackpink 2019 World Tour [In Your Area] Bangkok” at Impact Arena, Muang Thong Thani.
On Saturday, some 40,000 fans showed up at the venue from noon, with many snapping up Blackpink merchandise on sale outside the stadium.
While checking in for the concert, “blinks” were not allowed to take in large banners, political signs, cameras, laser pens, flashlights, long umbrellas, tablets or laptops.
The “Born Pink World Tour” kicked off with a concert in Seoul on October 15 before heading to the US, UK, Spain, Germany, France and the Netherlands before coming to Bangkok.
After this, the group will be heading for Hong Kong, Saudi Arabia, United Arab Emirates, Malaysia, Indonesia, Taiwan, the Philippines, Singapore, Australia and New Zealand.
The South Korean band comprising Jisoo, Jennie, Rose and Thailand’s very own Lalisa Lisa Manobal has been breaking records since it debuted in August 2016 with the album “Square One”.
Now referred to as the “biggest girl group in the world”, Blackpink are the highest-charting female K-pop band on the US Billboard Hot 100 and on Billboard 200, where they hit No 1 with their second album “Born Pink” last year.
Coach hopes Thailand’s AFF winning streak will return on Tuesday
SUNDAY, JANUARY 08, 2023
Thailand will beat Malaysia in the semi-final home leg of the 2022 Asean Football Federation (AFF) tournament on Tuesday, the national team’s coach Alexandre Polking said hopefully on Sunday.
He made this remark after Thailand lost to Malaysia 1-0 in the semi-final away leg at the Malaysian National Stadium in Bukit Jalil on Saturday.
According to the Bernama news agency, the match began with Thailand, which entered the game with an unbeaten record, dominating possession and nearly stunning Malaysia with a 4th-minute goal when Thai player Pansa Hemviboon’s free header sailed just wide.
“However, it was Malaysia who drew first blood when Mohamad Faisal Abdul Halim got to the ball first off a header by his teammate, Ruventhiran Vengadesan, in the 11th minute,” said Bernama.
Polking said Thailand still has a chance to beat Malaysia at the tournament’s semi-final home leg, which will be played at Thammasat Stadium in Pathum Thani on Tuesday from 7.30pm.
“It was halfway through and ended with Thailand’s defeat at 1-0,” he said.
He added that the Thai national team had a lot of chances to score in the away leg, and hopes it will be able to make better use of those chances in the home leg.
“Thailand will do the same while hoping that it will take the opportunity to obtain the score,” he said.
All Thailand matches are broadcast live on MCOT HD30 and T-Sport 7 channels.
Sweet nothings: Blackpink’s Rosé declares love for ‘mamuang nampla wan’
SUNDAY, JANUARY 08, 2023
Thailand’s ubiquitous raw mango with sweet fish sauce (“mamuang nampla wan”) will soon win “soft power” status now that a member of the K-pop band Blackpink has announced she loves it.
In an Instagram post on Saturday night, Blackpink’s Rosé said mamuang nampla wan was her “absolute favourite thing to eat here in Bangkok”.
She posted this remark just before taking to the stage at the Suphachalasai National Stadium for the first of two shows of the Bangkok leg of the “Born Pink World Tour”. Blackpink is back on stage today at 7pm.
Mamuang nampla wan is a favourite among most Thais and historians date it as far back as the reign of King Rama IV (1851-1868).
Apart from raw mango, sweet fish sauce is also used to complement other sour fruit like tamarind, mayom (Malay gooseberry), krathon (santol) and taling pling (bilimbi fruit).
The sauce can also be adapted to become part of entrees like sadao nampla wan (neem flower with sweet fish sauce) and miang kham (betel leaf wrap).
Mamuang nampla wan regained its popularity in 2018 with the release of the historical television series “Love Destiny”. The series, which ran on Channel 3 from February 21 to April 11, 2018, also made other Thai foods popular like moo sarong (crispy pork meatballs), barbeque pork and grilled shrimp with seafood dip.
Asean poised for starring role in global economy this year: UOB
SUNDAY, JANUARY 08, 2023
Nongluck Ajanapanya
Key Asean economies will be among the few globally to show impressive growth this year, as the world economy slips into slower growth or a recession, according to a recently published report by one of the largest banks in Southeast Asia – Singapore-headquartered United Overseas Bank (UOB).
“Fundamental factors are supportive of [key] Asean economies to defend against the uncertain environment ahead in 2023, as risks loom for economic recessions in the US, UK and Europe, tightening financial conditions, further straining of US-China relations and Russia-Ukraine conflict,” the report says.
The key Asean economies it refers to are its six most developed: Thailand, Singapore, Vietnam, Indonesia, Malaysia and the Philippines.
Enrico Tanuwidjaja – lead author of the UOB report, and its senior vice president for global economics and markets research at its Indonesia unit – told Nation Thailand that 10 “fundamentals” would help the six key Asean countries weather global turmoil and withstand volatility.
Tanuwdidjaja said they are:
1. Strong momentum from the post-pandemic recovery
2. Output rising above pre-pandemic levels
3. Robust trade
4. Tourism recovery
5. Benign inflation
6. Supply chain shifts
7. Healthy investment inflows
8. Ample foreign reserves
9. Ability to pay imports
10. Low level of short-term debt
Asean rebounded strongly in the second half of last year as Covid-19 restrictions were lifted, Tanuwidjaja said. Surging exports, along with increased domestic consumption, drove economic growth, he said.
At the same time, inflation in Asean – and most of Asia – has been, in general, lower than in most developed markets because consumer prices are partially cushioned by administrative measures, Tanuwidjaja said.
Some Asean economies also benefitted from access to domestic supplies of energy, minerals, and agricultural products in 2022, the economist said.
“This means that regional central banks’ policy tightening [has been] less aggressive than the [US] Fed’s, giving the economy more room to expand,” he explained.
Tourism will be the mainstay of some Asean economies this year because China has relaxed its zero-COVID policy and is reopening its borders, he added.
“It will provide a further boost to tourism-related sectors, such as retail, food and beverage, transportation, and lodging throughout Asean. Thailand, Malaysia, Singapore, and Vietnam typically benefit the most [from Chinese tourism],” Tanuwidjaja told Nation Thailand.
Southeast Asia is also benefitting from a shift of supply chains from China to the region that is accelerating due to rising tensions between Washington and Beijing, he said.
These structural shifts will be driven by US efforts to counter China, and will include drawing supply chains back to the US and “friendshoring,” which refers to shifts of supply chains to countries with friendly ties to Washington. The structural shift to the world economy caused by de-globalisation and regionalisation of supply chains will benefit Asean by increasing manufacturing in the region and boosting exports, Tanuwidjaja said.
Supply chain shifts are also accompanied by investment inflows, resulting in an increase in foreign direct investment (FDI) to the region as businesses establish manufacturing plants, warehouse facilities, distribution networks, and other facilities, the economist added.
FDI into Asean increased by 44% in 2021 to a record US$ 175.3 billion, according to the UOB report. Asean is the world’s third largest destination for FDI, trailing only the United States and China, the report notes.
It says that despite a depletion in foreign reserves over the past year due to the strengthening US dollar, the amount of reserves held by central banks is far higher than in 1997 – when the region experienced a financial crisis. These reserves will continue to act as a cushion against large capital outflows, Tanuwidjaja explained.
The ability to pay for imports is another indicator of confidence in Asean’s key economies, he said.
“Most Asean countries have more than enough reserves to cover three months of imports, which is considered an international ‘rule of thumb’,” he said.
They also have relatively small amounts of short-term external debt relative to reserves, except Indonesia and Malaysia, Tanuwidjaja said.
This puts Asean countries in a good position to withstand pressure from a strengthening US dollar and rising global interest rates, he explained.
UOB concluded that global GDP growth rates would be lower in 2023 than last year. Full-year declines are expected in developed markets such as the United States, Europe, and the United Kingdom, while ASEAN’s key economies are only expected to slow to less than 5% in 2023, down from more than 6% in 2022.
Clouds over Thai economy
Although Thailand is one of the few countries with high potential for economic growth in a year of global uncertainty, its challenges outnumber its advantages in 2023, Tanuwidjaja said.
Tourism will help Thailand meet or even exceed its growth targets in 2023, but its exports will lag those of its neighbours, while national output has yet to return to pre-COVID levels, he said.
His forecast was supported by Somprawin Manpraser, chief economist of the Economic Intelligence Center (EIC), Siam Commercial Bank, and Amonthep Chawla, chief economist of CIMB Thai.
Somprawin compared Thailand’s economy to a cloudy day.
Tourism will contribute significantly to recovery, but inflation, the global recession, and political uncertainty inside and outside the country can easily stifle growth, he said.
“So, Thai businesses and people must be aware of and prepared for unexpected situations. We need a backup plan. We must also use this recovery period to identify new economic boosters and to upgrade our human workforce,” Somprawin said.
Amonthep warned of currency speculation and prolonged inflation that would force western central banks, led by the US Federal Reserve, to keep raising interest rates.
He said this would reduce the number of tourists visiting Thailand and curb international spending.
He urged the government to address labour shortages in the service industry, which impede growth.
“Tourism will spur Thailand’s growth this year, but not enough to sustain it in the long run. We must develop a new business model,” he said.
Amonthep added that training Thai people in digital literacy and soft skills to nurture high-value emerging sectors and the green economy – sometimes referred to as the “S-curve economy” in Thailand – would undoubtedly help the country grow sustainably.
“You’ll never leave the lid up again:” $10,000 toilet makes a splash at CES 2023
SUNDAY, JANUARY 08, 2023
A ten-thousand-dollar smart toilet with built-in Amazon Alexa, mood lighting and automatic seat-lifting and lowering has been making a splash at CES in Las Vegas.
The Numi 2.0 smart toilet from US manufacturer Kohler can also play music, news and weather reports, and features a bidet, a seat-warmer, personalized dryer functions and a self-cleaning feature that uses UV light to kill bacteria and germs.
“You’ll never leave the lid up again. It’s a completely touchless experience that closes and flushes automatically as you leave the bathroom,” explained Andrew Van Gorden, A Kohler Product Marketing Manager, at the company’s CES booth in Las Vegas.
All of the Numi 2.0’s functions can be easily controlled through the inbuilt Amazon Alexa or a wall-mounted remote control.
“The Amazon Alexa is built into the product so it’s embedded within Numi 2.0. It allows you to access a couple of unique features like flush your toilet or start your bidet cleansing experience,” said Van Gorden.
“It also allows you to play music, streaming your music through your smart home device. It can play your favourite podcasts and check the news. Maybe while you’re getting ready in the morning, check your weather before you get out the door,” he added.
For those who like to go standing up, the Numi 2.0 also includes a foot sensor that automatically raises the toilet lid to avoid any splashing.
At CES, the hi-tech toil made an impact on tech enthusiasts.
“I mean, you know, some people can go into the toilet and sit there for a while to take a mental break. And I see the value of that for those people, one of which is my husband. But for me, I’m in and out,” said Lilly Wright, a tech enthusiast from California.
“It is definitely interesting. But I think the purpose of the bidet and toilet is, you know, you need to go to the bathroom. You’ve got to do your work and finish the work and come out. So, I think what do you why do you want all of those features, right?” said Sean Yeom, who travelled to Las Vegas for CES from New Jersey.
Other’s thought the price of $10,000 was too expensive.
“The price is too high. I love the features, but it’s too expensive. If the price comes down, I would buy it. Especially the self-cleaning,” said Beverly Shields, a tech enthusiast from Maryland.
The government is considering inviting South Korean President Yoon Suk-yeol to the Group of Seven summit meeting in Hiroshima after observing Seoul’s response to an issue related to former wartime requisitioned workers, according to government sources.
The leaders of Australia and India are also likely to be invited to the G7 summit meeting to be held from May 19-21.
Japan plans to forge unity with like-minded countries that share values with G7 nations toward the realization of a free and open Indo-Pacific, the sources said.
There have been growing calls to tackle such issues as China’s increasingly hegemonic activities, North Korea’s continued development of nuclear weapons and missiles, and Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.
Under such circumstances, cooperation between Japan and South Korea, and among Japan, South Korea and the United States has become increasingly important as the nations share values such as democracy and the rule of law.
It is believed that South Korea hopes to participate in the summit.
If South Korea does participate, the meeting would be a good opportunity to demonstrate both domestically and internationally the strengthening of cooperation.
Diplomatic talks are ongoing to resolve the biggest outstanding issue between Japan and South Korea – lawsuits against former requisitioned workers.
The Japanese government has maintained its stance that a South Korean Supreme Court ruling that finalized an order for Japanese companies to pay compensation is unacceptable, and has urged Seoul to resolve the issue.
Japan is poised to make a final decision on the invitation after observing how South Korea deals with the issue.
The Yoon administration inaugurated in May last year has changed course from that of the previous administration under Moon Jae-in, which paid excessive consideration to China and North Korea. The Yoon administration has been promoting improved relations with Japan and security cooperation between Japan, South Korea and the United States.
Regarding the possibility of invitations for Canberra and New Delhi, which are part of the Quad framework with Tokyo and Washington, Australia is a country with which Japan is deepening security cooperation and India is this year’s chair of the Group of 20 major economies.
G7 host nations call the shots
When chairing a Group of Seven summit meeting, the host country gets to decide on agenda items and which countries to invite.
When Japan held the G7 presidency in the past, its choices strongly reflected the then-prevailing international situation.
The Kyushu-Okinawa Summit in 2000 and the Hokkaido Toyako Summit in 2008 were held as Group of Eight summits, which included Russia. Russia joined the group in 1997 but was excluded in 2014 following its unilateral annexation of Crimea in southern Ukraine.
For the Toyako summit – organized by the administration of then Prime Minister Yasuo Fukuda – Japan invited China, South Korea and other countries with which it had cordial ties at the time. India and other emerging countries, such as those from Africa, also participated, and the summit registered a record-high 22 attending heads of state. The Toyako meeting primarily focused on measures to combat global warming, with the G8 nations agreeing to set a common long-term global goal of halving greenhouse gas emissions by 2050.
At the Ise-Shima Summit in 2016 – chaired by then Prime Minister Shinzo Abe – the member countries agreed to implement economic measures, including fiscal stimulus steps, against a backdrop of slowdowns in emerging economies and other elements. While visiting Japan for the summit, Barack Obama became the first sitting U.S. president to visit Hiroshima, which was devastated by an atomic bomb in 1945, marking a historic milestone that symbolized the reconciliation between the United States and Japan.
Zelenskiy says Russia did not keep ceasefire, shelled Bakhmut
SUNDAY, JANUARY 08, 2023
Russia’s defence ministry said on Saturday its forces in Ukraine would maintain a ceasefire it unilaterally declared in honour of Orthodox Christmas until midnight, despite Ukraine rejecting the truce offer.
In its daily briefing, the defence ministry said its troops had only returned artillery fire when fired upon by Ukrainian forces, whom it accused of shelling civilian areas – something Kyiv often accuses Russian forces of.
Ukraine rejected Moscow’s ceasefire offer as a cynical trick designed to give Russian forces the chance to rest and re-arm and said it would continue to try to recapture territory seized by Moscow.
Ukraine’s President Zelenskiy said on Saturday that Russia’s call for a ceasefire had been ‘deceptive,’ adding shells had hit Bakhmut.
Reuters confirmed shellfire echoed around the near-deserted streets of Bakhmut but was not able to ascertain the origin of the shells.
On Friday, Putin ordered a 36-hour ceasefire for Christmas celebrations.
Many Orthodox Christians celebrate Christmas on Jan. 7, but the Russian Orthodox Church‘s backing for Moscow’s war in Ukraine has angered many Ukrainian Orthodox believers and splintered the worldwide Orthodox Church.
The Primate of the Orthodox Church of Ukraine (OCU) Epifaniy I. lead Ukraine’s main Orthodox Christmas service on Saturday in a historic Kyiv cathedral in the Pechersk Lavra complex.
Believers gathered in the crowded Uspenskiy Cathedral which until the end of 2022 was leased by an Orthodox branch with ties to Moscow.
Epifaniy I. called upon the believers to condemn war crimes committed by Russia in Ukraine and asked God to help Ukraine win the war.
“Help us to defeat the enemy, who brought grief into our home. Help us to finally drive out the foreign invasion of Ukrainian land. Thanks to the victory of truth, (God) may establish a just and continued peace.”
The Ukrainian Orthodox Church (UOC), formerly known as the Moscow Patriarchate, were evicted by the government from the Uspenskiy cathedral as their lease of the shrine ended on December 31.
Ukrainian Culture ministerOleksandr Tkachenko announced the handover of the cathedral to the Kyiv-backed Orthodox Church of Ukraine on Thursday (January 5).
McCarthy faces a myriad of challenges as incoming US House Speaker
SUNDAY, JANUARY 08, 2023
The political fight on display this week among Republicans over Kevin McCarthy’s bid for speaker of the US House of Representatives could signal trouble ahead when lawmakers need to agree on bigger issues, like addressing the nation’s debt ceiling.
Republicans captured a thin House majority in November’s midterm elections, breaking the hold of President Joe Biden‘s Democrats on both chambers of Congress, but instead of moving quickly on their own priorities, a group of about 20 hardliners delayed the House from getting started by forcing 15 leadership votes before Kevin McCarthy was elected Speaker of the House early on Saturday.
McCarthy won the House gavel in the end by making concessions to his hardline opponents, but his allies warn that those deals would make his job all the more difficult if he wins the speakership and has to corral his narrow 222-212 majority.
Andra Gillespie, a political scientist and professor at Emory University in Atlanta, told Reuters the concessions McCarthy made to secure the speakership could weaken his authority and possibly
“put Republicans in a position to do damage to their brand.” She noted that polling data received in the coming weeks could show the impact of the Republican’s public battle for House leadership.
Gillespie added McCarthy’s relationship with former President Donald Trump is “fraught” but “still strong” and could prove to be a “risky proposition” for McCarthy long-term.
The biggest challenge facing the House in the coming months will be addressing the $31.4 trillion federal debt ceiling, which the U.S. Treasury is expected to reach later this year.
Congress has come to the brink of default over the past years in standoffs over raising the debt ceiling, which is needed to cover costs that lawmakers have previously agreed to take on.
SootinClaimon.Com 