New Zealand PM Ardern says she will step down next month
THURSDAY, JANUARY 19, 2023
New Zealand Prime Minister, Jacinda Ardern, announced her resignation on Thursday, saying she will stand down as leader by early February.
Ardern said she still believed New Zealand Labour would win the upcoming election, due this year.
“I know what this job takes and I know I no longer have enough in the tank to do it justice,” Ardern told media.
As the country’s youngest leader in more than a century, the charismatic 42-year-old’s response to the mass shooting by a white supremacist in Christchurch, a fatal volcanic eruption and her success with the Covid-19 pandemic has won her international praise and admiration.
Ardern’s brand of liberal, inclusive and compassionate leadership has seen some even label her “the anti-Trump”.
Having previously worked under former New Zealand Prime Minister Helen Clark and as an advisor to former British Prime Minister Tony Blair, Ardern rose to become Labour Leader in 2017.
Her communication skills and ability to connect with the public – dubbed “Jacinda-mania” – helped upstage the 2017 election, which had previously been seen as a shoe-in for the ruling centre-right National Party. In October 2017, Ardern, then 37 years old, became New Zealand’s third female prime minister through a coalition deal after an inconclusive election.
In January 2018, Ardern and her partner Clarke Gayford – a television fishing show presenter – made the announcement that she was pregnant with her first child. The couple said they found out the news six days before she secured power.
Ardern gave birth in June 2018 to Neve Te Aroha, becoming only the second leader in history after Pakistan’s Benazir Bhutto to give birth while in office.
On her return from a six-week maternity leave, Ardern spoke at the United Nations and at the World Economic Forum (WEF) in Switzerland, highlighting issues such as gender equality and climate change.
But it was her leadership in the aftermath of the Christchurch mosque shootings in March of 2019 that turned a global spotlight onto Ardern, where she helped New Zealand grieve following the country’s worst peacetime mass shooting that shook the nation to its core.
She prompted the government to quickly enact and tighten gun laws, as well as urged changes to the role social media plays in the propagation of violent and extremist media.
Ardern and Gayford became engaged in mid-2019.
Ardern’s Prime Ministership was tested once more when 21 people died when the White Island volcano erupted when their tour party were visiting the location.
With the onset of the coronavirus pandemic, Ardern moved quickly to close New Zealand’s borders to all foreigners to slow the spread of Covid-19. She implemented a one-month compulsory lockdown for the country, telling New Zealanders to behave as if they had the coronavirus and cut all physical contact outside of their households.
A video of Ardern staying cool and continuing a live TV interview during an earthquake that rattled Wellington, encapsulated for many her poise.
After progressively lifting social restrictions to curb the spread of the coronavirus, Ardern led the country to 102 straight days without domestic transmission.
However, praise for her prolonged lockdown of the country began to diminish by 2022 and led to a 3-week protest outside the parliament house.
Jim Thompson collabs with artist Pichaya O for their Chinese New Year Collection
The Jim Thompson X Pichaya Osothcharoenpol collection is inspired by traditional Chinese cultural elements, as 2023 is the year of the Rabbit in Chinese astrology, the new collection features the rabbit, which is regarded as a symbol of peace, patience, and prudence, together with flowers and trees that symbolize good fortune.
Alternative rockers find unlikely fans with smash hit ‘Bad Boy’
Thai alternative rock duo Paper Planes found an unlikely audience with “Bad Boy”, their first major hit with an unexpected audience.
Grade 1 students and even their parents have embraced the catchy tune about a playboy gangster suffering the blues of unrequited love.
The song went viral after its video was released on October 17 last year. As of Wednesday, it had more than 54 million views, 430,000 likes, and 11,000 comments on YouTube.
Even though the song is about the kind of guy parents often warn their children about, young children across the country know the lyrics by heart.
Parents are posting about their Grade 1 sons singing the song constantly, and many praise Paper Planes for avoiding inappropriate language.
The duo’s Children’s Day performance on Saturday saw all 6,000 seats at Bangkok’s Safari World snapped up in 15 minutes by young children and their parents. The performance was held near the dolphin exhibition area, where more than another 1,000 fans waited outside the performance area to hear the duo perform the song live. So many children sang along they nearly drowned out vocalist Tunwa “Hye” Ketsuwan.
He, and guitarist Nakarin “Zen” Khunpakdee, comprise the duo that has suddenly become beloved. Tunwa and Nakarin advised children to enjoy life and do what they love without comparing themselves to others. They also asked parents to take good care of their children so that they will become high-quality citizens.
“We may be dubbed leaders of the children’s gang, but we believe that we are their big brothers,” Paper Planes said. “We have done both good and bad things, but we believe that we and parents can work together to encourage children to do the right thing.”
Tunwa and Nakarin also thanked the parents of their young fans for their support and for refraining from judging them by their appearance. Paper Planes debuted in 2017 under Thai record label Genie Records, a subsidiary of GMM Grammy. The band released its first music video “Kon Sia Ther Pai” (“Before Losing You”) on March 6, 2017.
Another Paper Planes’ video, “Pretend”, has accumulated 103.36 million views on YouTube since its release on March 8 last year. The video has also drawn more than 590,000 likes and 20,000 comments.
Tunwa also produces songs for Thai artists like Retrospect, Lomosonic, Sweet Mullet, Wonderframe, Mirrr, Annalynn, Gavin.D, ActArt, SBFIVE, and PiXXiE.
Speakers of Southeast Asian languages help drive cross-border biz in Nanning
WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 18, 2023
Nanning, capital of the Guangxi Zhuang autonomous region, has seen a spark in business thanks to residents who speak languages that, while regionally important, are not spoken widely across the globe, officials said.
The city is incubating its cross-border e-commerce live-streaming business as a result of the talent living there being fluent in what are sometimes called minor languages.
Unlike Shenzhen, Guangdong province, and Hangzhou, Zhejiang province, Nanning doesn’t possess many advantages in the e-commerce supply chain.
Yet, with a low cost of living and government support for foreign trade with Southeast Asian nations, Nanning has shown an important strength. The city has also benefited from the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership agreement that took effect on Jan 1, 2022.
The Rcep agreement covers 15 Asia-Pacific countries, which include 10 member states of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations. Over the next 20 years, the pact is expected to reduce up to 90 % of tariffs on goods traded among its members.
Nanning is located close to Southeast Asian countries such as Vietnam, Laos, Cambodia and Thailand. Many foreigners have gravitated to Nanning, which has provided the city with a diverse language pool.
Nutchaya Seyungkun, a young Thai live-streaming anchor, has continued to live and work in Nanning after her graduation from Guangxi Minzu University in 2020. Besides anchoring e-commerce live-streaming sessions, Nutchaya said she is considering opening a Sino-Thai cultural company to promote exchange between the two countries.
During the fifth China International Import Expo held in Shanghai in November, Nutchaya set up a demonstration live-streaming session representing Guangxi. During the 19th China-Asean Expo held in Nanning in September, Nutchaya recommended Thai products at a booth.
Livestreaming has reshaped the e-commerce business in China, especially since the Covid-19 pandemic. Anchors serve as the core of the live-streaming sector, and providing a competitive salary has been critical for retaining talent.
Anchors who speak minor languages and conduct live streaming sessions often earn 4,000 yuan ( 19,475 baht, $596 ) to 5,000 yuan ( 24,343 baht, $738 ) monthly, comparable to the average level of local salaries, based on public recruitment information. In higher-cost cities such as Shanghai, Hangzhou and Shenzhen, the monthly salary of a similar job is often above 10,000 yuan ( 48,681 baht, $1,476).
One company, Guangxi Tus Innovation Cross-Border E-Commerce Co Ltd, has recruited international students in cooperation with a number of domestic colleges, officials said. They have attracted students from Southeast Asia who are eager to learn about cross-border e-commerce and encouraged them to start their own businesses in China.
The company has also helped overseas returnees and high-level overseas talent engage in cross-border e-commerce entrepreneurship or work in Guangxi.
A Vietnamese student (left) from Guangxi University of Foreign Languages introduces products in his mother tongue at a livestreaming booth in Nanning in May 2020. [Photo by LIN HAO/CHINA NEWS SERVICE]
“The popularity of cross-border e-commerce live streaming in minor languages in Nanning is expected to rise continuously and drive the accumulation of resources such as talent, materials and more cross-border platforms,” said Zhao Hui, head of overseas projects at Guangxi Tus.
Another company, Guangxi G&M Enterprise Management Co Ltd, a cross-border integrated service platform, opened a live streaming centre in Nanning a few months ago. It aims to recruit and train anchors and conduct live-streaming sessions on TikTok. It also plans to organize an anchor contest, officials said.
The salaries of anchors who speak English or minor languages are anticipated to range from 3,000 yuan to 20,000 yuan a month, they said.
In the first quarter of 2023, the centre plans to foster 30 retailers on TikTok conducting live streaming sessions in minor languages. It will provide offline training, and qualified businesses will be supported through subsidies, it said.
The company already operates a Thai live-streaming room and a couple of Chinese anchors who speak Thai serve as anchors. They hold live-streaming sessions on TikTok and sell products to Southeast Asian countries, with average daily transactions exceeding 1,000 yuan.
The centre plans to foster 500 cross-border e-commerce anchors and create a total of 2,000 jobs by 2025. It also plans to provide professional services to more than 1,000 local enterprises in Guangxi.
Meanwhile, the shopping platform Lazada, acquired by Alibaba Group in 2016, has been a primary force in advancing the development of live streaming sessions locally. While the business is still in the beginning stage, the company jointly trains talent with the local government and colleges.
Covid-19 has accelerated online shopping among residents from Southeast Asian countries. The gross merchandise volume of Southeast Asia’s digital economy is expected to have reached $200 billion, according to a recent report jointly released by Google, Temasek Holdings of Singapore and management consultancy Bain & Company of the United States.
E-commerce adoption is high across both urban and suburban consumers in the six countries the report tracked — Indonesia, Malaysia, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand and Vietnam.
According to another survey released in early December by Singaporean consultancy Black Box Research, 35 % of surveyed respondents in Singapore said they prefer online shopping and deliveries.
In Nanning, more companies involved in cross-border e-commerce businesses are looking to work with local colleges and recruit more talent.
The School of Southeast Asian Language and Culture under the Guangxi University of Foreign Languages has been a major source of training in Asian languages in Guangxi. The school offers undergraduate majors in Vietnamese, Thai, Cambodian, Indonesian, Burmese and Japanese.
“The school has been devoted to teaching practical, interdisciplinary skills, and students should constantly improve their language abilities to be better prepared for future jobs. The school is looking to strengthen cooperative arrangements with more related enterprises,” said Wu Guiming, vice-principal of the Guangxi University of Foreign Languages.
Southeast Asian markets are continuing to expand, according to executives at Nanning Lightning Future E-commerce Business Co Ltd, and the demand for related language talent is also growing. The company hopes to work with the university and fill the shortage of those who can speak regional languages, the executives said.
The Guangxi branch of another company, Shenzhen Jiuye Industrial Group, which is involved in the cross-border e-commerce business, plans to strengthen cooperation with the university by training recent graduates in minor languages at its e-commerce incubation centre in Shenzhen.
During internships, the company offers opportunities for students to learn and practice in a type of apprenticeship, according to Liu Zhiping, general manager of Shenzhen Jiuye. Students will have opportunities to conduct live-streaming sessions on different social media platforms.
“Students will also engage in work such as answering and solving different problems and complaints from customers about the usage of products. We will help students introduce the related resources of trading companies and propose employment solutions based on their needs,” Liu said.
Red ‘ong lai’ makes auspicious comeback in Chinese New Year
WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 18, 2023
For the Chinese community, pineapples play an important part in the Lunar New Year celebrations, as they call it “ong lai”, which sounds exactly like “fortune comes” in the Hokkien dialect. And it is even better if the pineapples are red.
Red pineapples with disproportionately tall, spiky crowns are back in the market for Chinese New Year and are sought after by those who want an auspicious touch to their prayers.
Clothing trader Jeffrey Chin, 48, who sells the fruit yearly, said the pineapples are harvested at a friend’s farm in Balik Pulau.
“These pineapples are unlike ordinary ones as they are more for decoration and prayers than to be eaten,” said Chin at the Pulau Tikus market.
He said that while red pineapples were not as sweet, they could be kept for up to two months.
Priced between RM5 ( 38 baht )and RM20 ( 152 baht ) each depending on the size, Chin said many customers purchased them this year after life returned to “normal”.
They were even willing to pay more for the fruit.
“If you are expecting guests, having a red pineapple to decorate the house is something that is auspicious. Many families are performing prayers on a larger scale this year, and the red pineapples can last throughout the two-week festivity,” he added.
However, Chin said a shortage of supply would mean there would be fewer of these pineapples this year.
“I’m fortunate to obtain a steady supply from my friend’s farm.
“The rainy season last year reduced the harvest by almost 40%,” he said.
This rare pineapple variety is believed to have originated in South America and is often grown as an ornamental plant. While the outside is red, the flesh is pink.
Meanwhile, tiny ang pow packets are in vogue, as proven by their high demand, says Lee Jin Huat, 67.
With over 30 varieties to choose from, these ang pow packets measure only 5cm by 4cm, and they are so unique that people buy them in bundles.
“You just have to fold your money several times to slip it inside. Some just wanted to buy them as decorations,” said the ang pow trader.
The packets are sold for between RM6 ( 45 baht ) and RM10 ( 76 baht ) for packs of 20 or 40 pieces.
Chinese New Year expected to generate 21 billion baht in tourism revenue
THURSDAY, JANUARY 19, 2023
Travel during the Chinese New Year festival is expected to generate around 21.2 billion baht for the Thai economy, the Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT) said on Thursday.
An estimated 16.6 billion baht of this revenue is expected from foreign tourists.
TAT Governor Yuthasak Supasorn said that about 588,900 foreign tourists are expected to visit Thailand between January 19 and January 27 – an exponential 1,622% increase over last year’s Chinese New Year.
Foreign tourists are expected to generate 16.69 billion baht in revenue during the period – 1,759% higher than the same period last year.
The number of tourists this year represents 41% of the total during the same period in 2019, and the revenue 44%, Yuthasak said.
Total revenue from both Thai and foreign tourists during Chinese New Year is estimated at 21.29 billion baht, 48% of the amount in 2019, according to the TAT.
Most foreign visitors are expected to come from East and Southeast Asia – about 332,500 – jumping 9,174% from last year. An estimated 11.1 billion baht is expected to be generated, a whopping 10,575% increase over last year.
When compared to the Chinese New Year in 2019, the number of foreign tourists is expected to equal 33% while revenue will be around 41%.
Large numbers of tourists from East and Southeast Asia are expected from South Korea, Malaysia and Vietnam, who will all celebrate the Lunar New Year.
Tourists from China alone are estimated at 29,400 during the long holiday break, an increase of 3,738% from last year but only 7% of the numbers in 2019.
Revenue from Chinese visitors during the coming Lunar New Year break is estimated at 1 billion, representing a 3,968% increase from last year but accounting for only 10% of 2019.
“The recovery in the number of Chinese tourists and revenue generated during the Chinese New Year of 2023 will not be high, despite the Chinese government lifting the quarantine requirement from January 8,” Yuthasak said.
He said there are still obstacles to Chinese looking to visit Thailand. These include insufficient flights between the two countries to cope with the increased demand, lack of permission from the Chinese government for overseas package tours, and time required for Chinese people to get new passports and visas to Thailand.
However, there will be more flights to Thailand from other Asian markets this month, a 7% increase from last December.
The outlook is also bright for the domestic market during the coming Chinese New Year. Yuthasak said that the number of Thai tourists is estimated at 1.38 million during the period – a recovery of 90% when compared to 2019.
About 4.6 billion baht in revenue is expected – a 139% increase from last year and 81% of the amount in 2019.
Chinese tourists return to Chiang Mai just in time for Lunar New Year
THURSDAY, JANUARY 19, 2023
The first planeload of 195 Chinese tourists touched down in Chiang Mai on Wednesday after China scrapped travel restrictions last week.
Juneyao Airlines Flight HO1325 landed at Chiang Mai Airport at 3.30pm and was welcomed by representatives from the provincial Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT) office, Tourism Council, and tourism operators in the province.
China was Thailand’s biggest overseas tourism market before the pandemic, with around 11 million Chinese arrivals in 2019. However, Thai tourism authorities expect less than half that number, or about 5 million, to visit the country this year.
So far, five Chinese airlines have opened routes to Chiang Mai, said the airport’s director, Wijit Kaewsaithiam. They are:
– Juneyao Airlines: Shanghai-Chiang Mai daily service starting January 18
– Spring Airlines: Guangzhou-Chiang Mai on Tuesday, Friday and Sunday, starting January 20
– China Eastern Airlines: Shanghai-Chiang Mai on Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday, starting January 21
– Sichuan Airlines: Chengdu-Chiang Mai on Wednesday, starting January 25
– Air China: Beijing-Chiang Mai on Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday, starting February 8
Wijit said Chiang Mai Airport also has direct flights to other 11 international destinations, namely Inchon, Singapore, Luang Prabang, Da Nang, Hanoi, Hong Kong, Kuala Lumpur, Busan, Ho Chi Minh City and Yangon.
Before the Covid-19 pandemic, the airport operated 29 direct international flights, 19 of which were to China, carrying an average of 5,000 Chinese passengers per day.
In 2019, about 1.78 million Chinese passengers passed through Chiang Mai Airport.
In the first quarter of 2023, most Chinese tourists in Chiang Mai will be travelling independently as tour companies have not started selling packages to Thailand, said Suladda Sarutilavan, director of TAT’s Chiang Mai office. However, tourists in groups led by tour guides would start pouring in from the second quarter, she added.
The TAT estimates Chiang Mai will see 600,000 visitors from China this year, or about one-third of the total recorded in 2019. Chiang Mai city and the TAT have planned a year-long calendar of festivals to attract foreign tourists, starting with Chinese New Year on Sunday, the Chiang Mai Flower Festival in February, Songkran in April, and Loy Krathong in November.
Flower power peaks as Tiger Queens bloom in the North
WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 18, 2023
The chill breeze of winter sweeping through the region attracted a large number of tourists eager to witness the blooming of Himalayan cherry trees (known locally as “Tiger Queens” or “Nang Phaya Sua Kroang”) on Wednesday at Phu Lom Lo in Loei’s Dan Sai district.
Tiger Queens blossom once a year, usually in January and February.
The 1200-rai Phu Lom Lo located in Phu Hin Rong Kla National Park is home to more than 100,000 Himalayan cherry trees – the largest concentration in Thailand.
The top of Phu Lom Lo, where Himalayan cherry trees are located, can be either reached from Ban Rong Kla village in Phitsanulok province or the Phu Lom Lo visitor centre in Loei. The former route is 7 kilometres from the summit and takes about 15 minutes to climb, while the latter is 15 kilometres away and takes about 40 minutes (off-road cars are offered to transport customers to the peak).
Loei’s route saw more travellers since it offers tourist service centres, large parking lots, and clean toilets provided by provincial authorities.
One visitor said: “Everyone should visit. The scenery is majestic as 80-90% of the Himalayan cherry trees have bloomed.”
Tourism committee to decide next week on entry fee for foreign tourists
WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 18, 2023
The National Tourism Policy Committee will consider on January 24 the proposal to levy a 300-baht entry fee on foreign tourists, Tourism and Sports Minister Phiphat Ratchakitprakarn said on Wednesday.
Phiphat said the committee would be asked to consider approving the same rate for tourists arriving by air, land and boat.
The minister said if the proposal were to be approved, collection of the entry fee would begin from June 1.
People from neighbouring countries who use a border pass to enter the Kingdom, and foreigners who have work permits to work in Thailand would be exempted from the fee.
The entry fee will be collected under the provisions of the amended National Tourism Policy Act, which has been enforced since May 20 2019.
The act empowers the government to collect an entry fee from tourists, which will be used to set up a fund that will be used to promote tourism.
Earlier, Phiphat had said the fund would be used to buy insurance for foreign tourists so that the government could compensate foreign tourists killed or injured while staying in Thailand.
![A Vietnamese student (left) from Guangxi University of Foreign Languages introduces products in his mother tongue at a livestreaming booth in Nanning in May 2020. [Photo by LIN HAO/CHINA NEWS SERVICE]](https://media.nationthailand.com/uploads/images/contents/w1024/2023/01/sapAjjfxGNvDJCHEptxI.webp)
A Vietnamese student (left) from Guangxi University of Foreign Languages introduces products in his mother tongue at a livestreaming booth in Nanning in May 2020. [Photo by LIN HAO/CHINA NEWS SERVICE]
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