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https://www.nationthailand.com/international/40013018

The Foreign Ministry has given a summary of Thailand’s latest position on the Ukraine-Russia war.

Ministry spokesman Tanee Sangrat on Thursday said the Kingdom voted in support of a UN resolution condemning Russia’s invasion of Ukraine and demanding Moscow withdraw its forces immediately.

During an emergency meeting of the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) on Wednesday, Thailand joined 140 other countries that backed the resolution with five nations voting against and 35 others abstaining.

On Tuesday, Thailand’s permanent UN representative Suriya Chindawongse gave a six-point statement before the Emergency Special Session of the UNGA to support the UN resolution.

The statement said Thailand was “gravely concerned” at worsening hostilities leading to loss of innocent lives, property and civilian infrastructure in Ukraine.

It said the situation of refugees and those fleeing fighting was particularly worrying and pledged Thailand would “do our utmost in addressing humanitarian needs of the affected citizens, directly and in partnership with like-minded international organizations”.

More than 1 million people have fled Ukraine since Russia invaded on February 24.

Thailand called for the immediate cessation of violence and armed hostilities in line with the UN Charter and international law on the sovereignty, territorial integrity and political independence of states. “The escalation of the situation will cause wider impacts for the world, aggravate humanitarian conditions and threaten the wellbeing of the global economy, hampering the fragile recovery from the Covid-19 pandemic,” the statement warned.

It backed negotiations for a peaceful settlement through the United Nations, regional mechanisms and other mutually acceptable platforms.

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Cabinet meeting feels Thailand may have to ‘adjust part of its stance’ on Russia-Ukraine conflict

Published : March 04, 2022

By : THE NATION

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https://www.nationthailand.com/international/40013001

Thailand might not seem an obvious place for recruits to Ukraine’s efforts to raise an international volunteer force to defend against Russia’s invasion. But for Chanaphong Phongpai, the cause is fit for members of the pro-democracy movement that protest a military-backed government.

Chanaphong, 28, said he felt upset for the Ukrainian people, particularly after reports of Russian attacks on civilians.

“I have been involved in demanding democracy in my country, and opposing tyranny,” Chanaphong told Reuters in an interview on Wednesday (March 2).

“They (Ukrainians) are also fighting for democracy and are now invaded by a superpower and a tyrant, so I asked myself what I could do for them,” he said.

Chanaphong and five friends visited the Ukrainian embassy in Bangkok on Wednesday (March 2) and met with a staff member thereafter registering on a site gathering information on potential recruits.

In a single day this week, a Thai-language online group gathered more than 2,000 names of people interested in volunteering for Ukraine, the group’s organiser told Reuters.

The Ukrainian embassy in Bangkok did not reply to a request for details from Reuters.

But the staff member who met with Chanaphong’s group, who asked that she not be named, said that officials are considering applicants who need to submit online documents, including proof of military training and a clean criminal record.

The staff member also asked potential volunteers to apply by email, not call or visit the embassy.

After completing his mandatory Thai military service, Chanaphong worked as a private security consultant. He said his training from two years in the air force could help the Ukrainians evacuate civilians, guard areas, and secure supply lines.

His more recent experiences in clashing with Thai riot police during anti-government protests could also be useful.

“We only need to switch from holding bottle bombs to holding guns instead,” he said.

Thai government spokeswoman Ratchada Thanadirek said that there is no law preventing Thai citizens from joining foreign volunteer forces but that people should consider the potential grave danger as Russian forces pound Ukrainian cities with heavy weapons.

Thailand was among 141 countries at the United Nations General Assembly that voted on Wednesday to reprimand Russia for invading Ukraine and demand that Moscow stop fighting and withdraw its military forces. Thai Prime Minister Prayuth Chan-ocha has otherwise maintained a neutral stance since the Russian invasion began on February 24.

It is not clear whether Chanaphong or his friends will be accepted into the Ukraine “international legion”, but they have already begun to prepare.

This week, he’s been upping his usual running regimen to make sure he is in peak physical condition.

“We fight for democracy here, they fight for their democracy there (in Ukraine),” he said. “We are like friends. It’s the same feeling, the same ideology.”

Published : March 03, 2022

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https://www.nationthailand.com/international/40012990

The U.S. military said on Wednesday (March 02) it will postpone a scheduled test launch of a Minuteman III intercontinental ballistic missile, in a bid to lower soaring tensions after Russia announced it was putting its nuclear forces on high alert.

Russian President Vladimir Putin’s weekend announcement on the heightened alert posture fanned fears that Russia’s invasion of Ukraine could lead to nuclear escalation, with some European officials seeing it as a veiled threat to the West.

Putin’s foreign minister, Sergei Lavrov, was quoted on Wednesday warning that a Third World War would be a nuclear conflict, remarks that added to growing unease.

The Pentagon strongly condemned Russian rhetoric surrounding the world’s most destructive weaponry and said it hoped its decision to delay its ICBM test would serve as an example to Moscow.

“We recognize, at this moment of tension, how critical it is that both the United States and Russia bear in mind the risk of miscalculation and take steps to reduce those risks,” said Pentagon spokesman John Kirby.

He said the decision to delay the test was meant to “demonstrate that we have no intention in engaging in any actions that can be misunderstood or misconstrued.”

“We did not take this decision lightly, but instead to demonstrate that we are a responsible nuclear power.”

Kirby also said that a Russian military convoy apparently headed for the Ukrainian capital, Kyiv, had stalled for several reasons, including resistance by Ukrainian forces.

The nuclear-capable Minuteman III is a key part of the American military’s strategic arsenal and has a range of 6,000-plus miles (9,660-plus km) and can travel at a speed of approximately 15,000 miles per hour (24,000 kph). Missiles are dispersed in hardened underground silos operated by launch crews.

Russia’s defence ministry said on Monday its nuclear missile forces and Northern and Pacific fleets had been placed on enhanced combat duty, in line with an order the previous day from Putin.

The Biden administration has not confirmed any concrete actions by Russia’s nuclear forces following the announcement, including potentially moving warheads out of storage or redeploying nuclear force personnel.

President Joe Biden said on Monday that Americans should not worry about nuclear war and Secretary of State Antony Blinken on Wednesday said his administration was comfortable with America’s defence posture.

Kirby echoed those remarks.

“We remain confident in our strategic posture … and our ability to defend the homeland and our allies and our partners remains fully intact and ready,” Kirby said.

Published : March 03, 2022

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https://www.nationthailand.com/international/40012985

The United Nations General Assembly on Wednesday (March 2) overwhelmingly voted to reprimand Russia over its invasion of Ukraine and demanded that Moscow stop fighting and withdraw its military forces, an action that aims to diplomatically isolate Russia at the world body.

The resolution, supported by 141 of the assembly’s 193 members, ended a rare emergency session called by the U.N. Security Council and as Ukrainian forces battled on in the port of Kherson in the face of airstrikes and a devastating bombardment that forced hundreds of thousands of people to flee.

The text of the resolution “deplores” Russia’s “aggression against Ukraine.”

The last time Security Council convened an emergency session of the General Assembly was in 1982, according to the U.N. website.

Thirty-five members including China abstained, and five countries including Russia, Syria and Belarus voted against the resolution.

While General Assembly resolutions are non-binding, they carry political weight.

Ukraine’s Ambassador to the U.N. Sergiy Kyslytsya addressed the UNGA before the vote and beseeched representatives to vote in favour of the resolution.

“Every vote in favour of the resolution and every signature of the country who voted in favour will be a historical reconfirmation of the [U.N.] charter,” he said. “It is very easy, ladies and gentleman, to sign the charter in times of peace. It is the duty to sign and reconfirm and implement the charter at the time of war.”

Russia’s U.N. Ambassador Vassily Nebenzia denied that Moscow was targeting civilians and warned that the adoption of the resolution might spur further escalation.

Speaking before the vote, he said: “a peaceful scenario for Ukraine could happen if the radical elements were more concerned about preserving civilian lives in the country rather than hiding behind them. This is a call in a text, there is no reference to this call in the text to vote on, nothing is mentioned about the illegal coup in Kyiv in February 2014, wherewith the connivance of Germany, France and Poland, and with the support of the United States, the legitimately elected president of the country was overthrown.”

After nearly a week, Russia has yet to achieve its aim of overthrowing Ukraine’s government but has faced an unprecedented backlash from the West, whose sanctions have knocked Russia’s financial system while giant multinational countries have pulled investments out of Russia.

Washington has imposed several rounds of sanctions, including against Russian President Vladimir Putin and the central bank since Russia’s forces invaded Ukraine in the biggest assault on a European state since World War Two.

Moscow calls the assault a “special operation.”

Published : March 03, 2022

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https://www.nationthailand.com/international/40012965

Ukrainian Presidential Adviser Oleksiy Arestovich said that the delegations of Ukraine and Russia will hold the next round of talks on Wednesday.

“Negotiations will take place tonight,” Arestovich told the local Suspilne TV channel.

The composition of the Ukrainian delegation will remain the same, Arestovich said.

Earlier in the day, Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba said that it was unclear when the next round of Ukraine-Russia talks will be held.

Kuleba said on Facebook that Kiev was ready to negotiate, but would not work with “Russian ultimatums.”

Russia and Ukraine conducted their first round of negotiations in Belarus on Monday, with both sides failing to reach a clear breakthrough.  

Published : March 03, 2022

By : Xinhua

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https://www.nationthailand.com/international/40012964

Chinese researchers have developed an mRNA antibody that provided long-term protection against SARS-CoV-2 in animal tests, representing a promising antibody-based therapy for COVID-19 patients.

The study, published online in the international journal Cell Research, showed that a neutralizing human monoclonal antibody, called mRNA-HB27-LNP, provided effective protection against SARS-CoV-2 infection in mice for up to 63 days after administration.

Researchers from the Academy of Military Medical Sciences and Suzhou Abogen Biosciences Co., Ltd. made the antibody on a well-established mRNA-technology platform.

They tested the protective effect of the antibody with different doses and found that all animals that received either 1 mg/kg or 0.2 mg/kg of mRNA-HB27-LNP survived without any clinical symptoms. Treatment with 0.04 mg/kg of the antibody also achieved an 80 percent survival rate, and only minimal or very mild inflammation was observed.

The mRNA-HB27-LNP treatment also offered complete protection against the SARS-CoV-2 Beta variant in animal models in the study.

In addition, the mRNA technology-based antibody protected 50 percent of mice from SARS-CoV-2 even 63 days after administration, conferring much longer protection compared with traditional protein antibodies.

These results with mRNA-HB27-LNP support further clinical development for its potential application in preventing COVID-19, according to the study.

Published : March 03, 2022

By : Xinhua

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https://www.nationthailand.com/international/40012963

The WTI for April delivery added 7 percent to settle at 110.60 dollars a barrel, the highest finish since 2011. Brent crude for May delivery increased 7.6 percent to close at 112.93 dollars a barrel, the highest level since 2014.

 Oil prices surged again on Wednesday after major oil producers decided to stick to modest output increase despite supply fears amid the Russia-Ukraine conflict.
 

The West Texas Intermediate (WTI) for April delivery added 7.19 U.S. dollars, or 7 percent, to settle at 110.60 dollars a barrel on the New York Mercantile Exchange, the highest finish since 2011.

Brent crude for May delivery increased 7.96 dollars, or 7.6 percent, to close at 112.93 dollars a barrel on the London ICE Futures Exchange, the highest level since 2014.

The Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) and its allies, a group known as OPEC+, announced on Wednesday that it would stick to existing plans for a modest oil output increase of 400,000 barrels per day in April.

The oil alliance noted in a statement after the 26th OPEC and non-OPEC Ministerial Meeting that the current volatility in the oil market is caused by geopolitical developments rather than changes in market fundamentals.

Meanwhile, prices garnered some support after data showed a drop in U.S. fuel stockpiles.

U.S. commercial crude oil inventories decreased by 2.6 million barrels during the week ending Feb. 25, the U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA) reported on Wednesday.

According too the EIA, total motor gasoline inventories decreased by 0.5 million barrels last week, while distillate fuel inventories decreased by 0.6 million barrels.

Oil prices have jumped to multi-year highs in recent days as the ongoing Russia-Ukraine conflict and the far-reaching Western sanctions against Moscow prompted fears about energy supply disruptions from key exporter Russia.

The International Energy Agency announced Tuesday that its member countries had agreed to release 60 million barrels of oil from their emergency reserves to ease any supply shortfall caused by the Russia-Ukraine conflict. However, the announcement failed to calm markets, with the WTI and Brent surging 8 percent and nearly 7.2 percent, respectively, on Tuesday.

“This is because the quantity to be released would cover a mere two weeks of Russian oil shipments,” Carsten Fritsch, energy analyst at Commerzbank Research, said Wednesday in a note.

According to the Interfax news agency, Russia exported 4.6 million barrels per day on average in January and February.

“If the lion’s share of this falls away, it will probably prove difficult to find sufficient alternative suppliers,” said Fritsch, adding “the market appears to be increasingly pricing in an outage of Russian oil shipments.”

Experts said that energy prices will be a key factor to watch as events unfold, warning of potential adverse impact on economic growth from higher commodity prices, at a time when the world is still recovering from the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic.

“Against a backdrop of heightened uncertainty, we think now is a time for investors to be more selective, consider portfolio hedging, and seek longer-term opportunity,” said Mark Haefele, chief investment officer at UBS Global Wealth Management.

Published : March 03, 2022

By : Xinhua

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https://www.nationthailand.com/international/40012962

The global prevalence of anxiety and depression increased by a massive 25 percent in the first year of the pandemic, according to a scientific brief released by the WHO.

The World Health Organization (WHO) warned on Wednesday of a sharp increase in the prevalence of anxiety and depression related to the COVID-19 pandemic, caused largely by social isolation. Young people and women are the worst hit.

According to a scientific brief released by the WHO, in the first year of the pandemic, the global prevalence of anxiety and depression increased by a massive 25 percent. Ninety percent of the countries surveyed included mental health and psychosocial support in their COVID-19 response plans, but major gaps and concerns remain.

Unprecedented stress has been caused by the social isolation resulting from the pandemic, the WHO said. This constrained people’s ability to work, seek support from loved ones and engage in their communities. Exhaustion has been a major trigger for suicidal thinking among health workers.

“The information we have now about the impact of COVID-19 on the world’s mental health is just the tip of the iceberg,” WHO Director General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said. “This is a wake-up call to all countries to pay more attention to mental health and do a better job of supporting their populations’ mental health.”

People wait in line for COVID-19 tests at a mobile testing site on Times Square in New York, the United States, Dec. 20, 2021. (Xinhua/Wang Ying)

The WHO brief said that young people, whose mental health has been affected by COVID-19, are disproportionally at risk of suicidal and self-harming behaviors. Women have been more severely impacted than men, and people with pre-existing physical health conditions, such as asthma, cancer or heart disease, are more likely to develop symptoms of mental disorders when infected with COVID-19.

The pandemic has severely disrupted mental health services worldwide, leaving huge gaps in care for those who need it most. Though the situation had somewhat improved by the end of 2021, too many people today remain unable to get the care and support they need for both pre-existing and newly developed mental health conditions.

Photo taken on Dec. 20, 2021 shows an empty shopping street in Haarlem, the Netherlands. (Photo by Sylvia Lederer/Xinhua)

According to a recent WHO survey, 90 percent of countries are working to provide mental health and psychosocial support to COVID-19 patients and responders alike, but a chronic global shortage of mental health resources still continues today.

The WHO’s most recent “Mental Health Atlas” showed that in 2020, governments worldwide spent on average just over two percent of their health budgets on mental health, and many low-income countries reported having fewer than one mental health worker per 100,000 people.

COVID-19 has “revealed historical under-investment in mental health services. Countries must act urgently to ensure that mental health support is available to all,” said Devora Kestel, director of the Department of Mental Health and Substance Use at the WHO.

A bus with Delta as its “terminal” is seen on the street in Brussels, Belgium, Nov. 5, 2021. (Xinhua/Zheng Huansong)

Published : March 03, 2022

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Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy said on March 1 that his daily regime during the Russian invasion of the country is “work and sleep.”

In a joint interview for Reuters and CNN, the president appeared emotional as he said he had not seen his family for three days.

Zelenskiy has refused offers of evacuation and remained in Kyiv to rally his people against the invasion, constantly reassuring the population that neither he, his family or closest officials have left.

The 44-year-old president was unshaven and wore a simple khaki T-shirt, trousers and combat boots for the interview, which took place in a building heavily guarded by the military.

Just as he finished talking to reporters, news emerged that a Russian missile had struck a TV tower near the Babyn Yar Holocaust memorial site in the Ukrainian capital, killing at least five people.

Reuters

Published : March 02, 2022

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https://www.nationthailand.com/international/40012950

Both private and public sectors in western countries have joined forces to slap Russia with a variety of sanctions in a bid to pressure Moscow into halting its invasion of Ukraine.

Here is a brief breakdown of the sanctions:

Financial

Russia has been cut off from the key Swift international financial transaction system, which links more than 11,000 financial institutions in over 200 countries. The measure has left Russia grappling with a heavily weakened ruble, high inflation and higher expenses to do with business deals.

Moreover, Apple Pay and Google Pay e-wallet systems cannot be used in that country because the two are based in the US and Russian banks have been blocked from using their services.

Credit cards

Mastercard has banned Russian banks from its network and has also donated US$2 million (THB65.2 million) for humanitarian operations in Ukraine. Visa has not yet formally announced a boycott but it has said it would comply later with sanctions against Russia.

Energy

Canada has announced it would no longer buy oil from Russia.

TotalEnergies, whose head office is in France, said it would not invest in new projects in Russia.

Shell, whose headquarters is in the UK, announced it would withdraw from a joint venture with Russia’s Gazprom.

Aviation

Almost 40 countries have decided to shut their airspace to Russian airlines.

The European Union has banned Russian airlines from buying more aircraft made in the EU. Existing fleets will also be banned from receiving maintenance.

International shipping

Giant Danish shipping company Maersk said it would halt services for “unnecessary goods” for Russia.

The UK has already banned Russian ships from entering its waters.

Sports

A number of international sports associations have banned Russia from participating in various events, including football matches. Both Russia and Belarus, which joined Moscow in its invasion of Ukraine, have been banned by FIFA. The UEFA has also banned football teams from the two countries from competing in any European event.

Additionally, Russia cannot join any competition to do with ice hockey, President Vladimir Putin’s favourite sport.

On top of this, the International Volleyball Federation has removed Russia as the host of its World Cup event in August.

Other sports federations have also been outlawed. Russian sports teams are not allowed to participate in international events such as athletics, badminton, boat racing or skiing.

The International Olympic Committee has called on sports federations across the globe to join in the sanctions against Russia.

Russian teams can however continue competing in ATP and WTA tours but their national flag cannot be displayed. They can also participate in Grand Slam events but they cannot compete in the Davis Cup or Billie Jean King Cup.

Russian swimmers can still participate in international swimming events but they must contest under the FINA banner, which is the international federation for administering international competitions in water sports.

Entertainment

Major Hollywood production companies such as Disney, Warner Bros and Sony Pictures have indefinitely postponed screening of new movies in Russia until the war comes to an end. For example, unlucky Russians will not get to see Warner Bros’ Batman, which is set for screening in several other countries on Friday.

The Cannes Film Festival has meanwhile announced it will not allow Russian movies to participate in the event. Several actors and actresses have cancelled their shows in Russia.

Netflix has also banned Russia’s national TV from using its digital network.

Pornography

Russian porn stars are also feeling the heat of sanctions. OnlyFans has banned creators from Russia and Belarus from using its adult content platform, meaning porn stars from the two countries will no longer enjoy lucrative income from the network.

IT and gadgets

Apple has stopped exporting its IT gadgets to Russia. Its Apple Stores there have shut down operations and the App Store has banned the download of RT News and Sputnik News content outside Russia.

Facebook has also joined in, restricting both news organisations from being accessed outside Russia.

Google is using the same strategy with its YouTube video platform.

Liquor

Russian liquor makers are also feeling the pinch. Governors of several US states have announced a ban on Russian Vodka sales. For brands from other countries, it’s business as usual. In their ban, officials reasoned that Vodka is culturally linked to Russia.

Published : March 02, 2022

By : THE NATION