Dialogues on Sustainable Food Systems: from production to consumption
WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 23, 2022
The third workshop of the EU-funded “Farm to Fork” project will take place via videoconference on 24-25 November. Experts, policy makers as well as public stakeholders from EU and Asean countries will participate in focused discussions around “Sustainable Food Systems” topics.
Climate change, loss of biodiversity, and the degradation of our lands and oceans are threats to our life as we know it and to life on Earth in general.
In response to these threats and as part of the Green Deal, in 2020 the European Commission proposed ambitious EU actions and commitments to transform our food systems (the Farm to Fork Strategy) into global standards for competitive sustainability, the protection of human and planetary health, as well as the livelihoods of all actors in the food value chain.
Asean countries, which already face some effects of these global threats, such as soil depletion, extreme weather events or costal erosion, but also nutrition issues, have plans and strategies in place. These dialogues seek to provide an arena to find the common grounds, principles and types of actions that can sustain the relationship between both regions. In particular, discussions will focus on how they can cooperate and join their efforts to push their respective, and common, food systems towards sustainability and make them more resilient.
The main purpose of this technical workshop is to provide a platform to experts from the EU and Asean countries to discuss and identify where and how EU-Asean cooperation could be reinforced and coordinated, targeting sustainability and resilience of food systems.
Discussions will cover the following main topics: Dialogue on Soil health and innovation; Dialogue on sustainable use of pesticides; and Dialogue on food loss and waste.
All three topics should allow looking into strategies, policies and practices, harnessing the multiple stakeholders of the food systems and the different levels of changes that would be desirable. Presentations from speakers will be followed by a panel discussion on existing or foreseeable synergies between approaches that could pave the way for collaboration, including how this collaboration could support the transition at global level.
Background information:
The adjustment of food systems, which were also documented and called upon in the UN Food Systems Summit in September 2021, needs to take into account the various contextual differences across the planet regarding cross-cutting issues such as land degradation or food loss that ultimately affect how food is produced, processed, transported and consumed.
The question of sustainable food systems goes beyond the means of production and is also subjected to several nutrition challenges such as undernutrition and hunger. These challenges persist while new and multiple forms of malnutrition rise. In particular, food-borne non-communicable diseases such as cancer, obesity, and cardiovascular conditions put pressure on people and health systems.
Although global awareness grows, commitments are made and some solutions are designed and implemented, there is still a need to rapidly and firmly put more actions in place and to foster worldwide cooperation and coordination.
This series of regional and country-focused workshops are funded by the European Commission’s Service for Foreign Policy Instruments (FPI) under the Farm to Fork Strategy (F2F), which is the EU plan to contribute to solving food challenges, and, to this end, proposes pathways for change towards sustainability that provides environmental, health, social and economic benefits.
Muhyiddin rejects Malaysian King’s call for unity government
TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 22, 2022
The leadership tussle in Malaysia remained deadlocked after Perikatan Nasional (PN) chief Muhyiddin Yassin rejected the prospect of working with rival Pakatan Harapan (PH) in a cross-coalition unity government as requested by Malaysia’s King on Tuesday.
While PH leader Anwar Ibrahim said he “accepted the spirit of a unity government”, Muhyiddin ruled out working with PH out of hand, insisting he had sufficient support on his own to become prime minister.
The monarch, Sultan Abdullah Ahmad Shah, made the request after he held a one-hour audience at the palace with Anwar and Muhyiddin.
PH and PN emerged from Saturday’s polls with the largest blocs, but neither of these was sufficient to form the required 112-seat majority in the 222-strong Parliament.
Barisan Nasional, which has 30 seats and could have helped either coalition cross the threshold, announced earlier on Tuesday that it would remain in the opposition.
Muhyiddin insisted he already had the numbers to form a majority government.
“I want to clarify that yesterday, we already submitted the necessary documents to the palace to prove that PN with other parties have 115 MPs backed by statutory declarations,” he told a press conference on Tuesday attended by top figures from his coalition.
“We have discussed the matter from before, and we will not cooperate with PH. That is our stand from before.”
“I was asked to sign a document stating whether we agree to form a unity government. I signed but wrote that I disagree,” the Parti Pribumi Bersatu Malaysia president added.
Anwar is backed by 82 lawmakers from PH and its electoral ally Muda. Muhyiddin has the lead, with 102 MPs – 73 from PN, six from Gabungan Rakyat Sabah and 23 lawmakers from Gabungan Parti Sarawak (GPS).
BN decided not to back any coalition after a meeting on Tuesday morning. It is unclear, therefore, whether Muhyiddin’s insistence that he commands the majority can still stand in the absence of BN support.
Anwar told reporters after the meeting at the palace that the King had advised that “the government that will be formed must represent all parties, all races, religions and regions”.
“Give us some time, and for the King to consider and use his wisdom to make a final call. There was no decision (on who is to be prime minister) yet. There is a vacancy, and it is open for applications,” he said.
The King had summoned both Anwar and Muhyiddin to the palace after the closely fought general election on Saturday resulted in a hung Parliament.
The King is also set to interview BN’s 30 lawmakers individually from Wednesday morning, to ascertain whether there is a leader who can command a majority of the Lower House.
Supporters from PH had gathered outside the palace gates, with about 100 of them milling about, according to news site Malaysiakini.
Brickfields police chief Amihizam Abdul Shukor told media personnel there that he will be increasing the number of security personnel present.
Both PH and PN are short of the 112 MPs needed to claim a simple majority in Parliament, and the support of 30 MPs from Umno-led BN would have been enough to get either side past the threshold.
“The BN supreme council has decided not to support either coalition to form the government. BN agreed to remain in opposition,” said caretaker Prime Minister Ismail Sabri Yaakob.
This is despite BN holding shock Monday morning talks with PH leaders, including its prime ministerial candidate Anwar.
“We have made a decision. Leave it to the BN secretary-general to make the statement. No declarations have been signed. We are not siding (with anyone),” Umno’s Jelebu MP Jalaluddin Alias told reporters after the BN meeting on Tuesday.
He called on all parties to respect the electorate’s decision.
“The people are asked to be patient, and accept the decision of the people, the elected representatives, and myself. We have to be rational, we have to move on. Let me make a decision,” the King told the media on Tuesday.
Speaker of Parliament Azhar Harun was seen arriving at the national palace at 1.30pm, local media reported.
PH had held talks with BN to form a government, but several BN MPs have insisted they would not work with Anwar, or the Democratic Action Party, which has the most number of MPs within PH’s 82-seat bloc.
The Straits Times has learnt that there had been growing momentum within Umno since Monday to stay in the opposition but offer its backing to former premier Muhyiddin, in an arrangement akin to a confidence-and-supply agreement. However, there was also talk that the same deal could be offered to Anwar.
A similar deal was struck when Umno vice-president Ismail Sabri Yaakob became prime minister last year. PH agreed not to oppose him in parliamentary votes that determine confidence – such as the government budget – while the administration rolled out reforms and policies put forward by the opposition coalition.
“BN is ready to be a responsible opposition to provide a check and balance to the new government,” Umno deputy president Mohamad Hasan said late on Monday.
“However, if our assistance is required during this post-election transition, we are ready to contribute to open and sincere discussions.”
This came after fierce debate within BN, as many top leaders were shocked and even incensed at the presence of PH figures at their meeting on Monday.
Although Umno president Zahid Hamidi has been at the forefront of the push to back PH, a majority of BN’s MPs will be needed for former deputy premier Anwar to achieve a simple majority.
This is after Parti Warisan Sabah pledged on Tuesday afternoon its three MPs to a PH-BN combination, easing the need for BN to support Mr Anwar en bloc.
On the other hand, with the support of various parties in East Malaysia, Mr Muhyiddin has already surpassed the 100 MP-mark and would need fewer than half of BN’s lawmakers to gain a simple majority.
Coalitions led by his Parti Pribumi Bersatu Malaysia won 79 seats – 73 under PN and six by Gabungan Rakyat Sabah (GRS) – while Gabungan Parti Sarawak (GPS) contributes 23 more.
On Tuesday, GPS issued a statement saying that while it had proposed a majority government be formed by PN, BN, GPS and GRS, it was leaving the decision on appointing a prime minister to the King’s discretion.
It stressed that the country’s interests and a strong, stable government should come before the party’s own interests.
Court endorses constitutionality of new political party bill
WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 23, 2022
The Constitutional Court voted unanimously on Wednesday to endorse the constitutionality of the new political party bill, a crucial step for permitting the next general election.
The nine Constitutional Court judges ruled that the political party bill, one of two organic laws needed for holding general elections, did not contravene the provisions of the Constitution of the Kingdom of Thailand.
Earlier, 77 senators asked the court to deliberate whether sections 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 9 and 10 of the new political party bill would contravene the charter or not.
The senators’ petition was forwarded to the court by the Parliament president on August 29 and the court accepted it for judicial review on September 21.
The sections in question regard membership fees of political parties and how they would select election candidates.
The new bill would reduce the annual membership fee from 100 baht a year to just 20 baht and the life membership fee from 2,000 baht to 200 baht.
The senators who sponsored the petition expressed concern that the lower membership fees would allow business tycoons to dominate parties by hiring people to apply for membership.
The amended bill’s sections in question would also allow people charged in criminal cases, corruption cases, gambling and drug cases, money laundering and human trafficking to be members of parties if they escape imprisonment.
The senators also expressed concern that the new party bill that would allow provincial committees of a party to nominate election candidates would violate the charter. They said the charter requires the people or ordinary party members to nominate candidates based on constituencies instead of provincial committees selecting candidates based on provinces.
The court will formally inform the Parliament president of its decision and the Parliament president will inform the prime minister to send the bill for royal command and enact it.
The political party bill is one of two organic laws for organising general elections. The other bill is the MPs election bill, on which the court will make a decision on November 30.
A group of 105 senators asked the court to consider whether Sections 25 and 26 of the election bill violated the charter or not.
Section 25 would cancel the prohibition in the previous election law on the counting of votes in constituencies, where by-elections need to be held, as votes for sharing party-list House seats.
Section 26 would cancel a requirement in the previous election law for recalculating party-list House seats in a year if some constituency MPs are found to have cheated in the election.
Political observers fear that if the court rules against the election bill, there could be a political vacuum and the next general election might not be held unless the House speeds up passage of a new election bill in time.
So far, the Election Commission has tentatively set May 7, 2023, as the date for the next election.
Prayut says ‘still considering’ whether to join Ruam Thai Sang Chart
WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 23, 2022
Both Prime Minister General Prayut Chan-o-cha and the leader of the Ruam Thai Sang Chart Party on Wednesday denied the premier had already joined the new party as a member.
Prayut simply replied that he was “still considering it” when reporters approached and pressured him for confirmation of reports widely circulated on Tuesday.
Pirapan Salirathavibhaga, leader of the Ruam Thai Sang Chart, or United Thai National Party, dismissed the reports as fake news.
Reporters asked Prayut for comments on the reports after he chaired the 21st meeting of the Veterans Confederation of Asean Countries at Centara Grand, Central Plaza Ladprao.
Initially, Prayut declined to talk about his political future and the reports about his Ruam Thai Sang Chart membership.
But after reporters were relentless in questioning him about whether he applied for Ruam Thai Sang Chart membership, Prayut shook his head and said “Still considering it”, then abruptly left the hotel in his official sedan.
It was reported on Tuesday that Prayut had joined the new party on Monday.
During the weekly Cabinet meeting on Tuesday, Prayut told Cabinet members he would continue to work for the people as much as possible before his tenure expires in March next year.
Prayut told the Cabinet he would speak “as less as possible” to avoid creating political conflicts and he would try his best to maintain peace and order in the country.
On Sunday, Prayut met Deputy Prime Minister General Prawit Wongsuwan of the Palang Pracharath Party (PPRP) at the office of the Foundation for the Conservation of Forests in Five Adjourning Provinces at the 1st Infantry Regiment in Bangkok.
The meeting led to speculation that Prayut was there to inform Prawit of his decision to join the Ruam Thai Sang Chart and many PPRP MPs would follow him in joining the new party.
Manufacturers will be held responsible for defective goods under new law
WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 23, 2022
A cabinet meeting on Tuesday approved in principle a draft of the Product Liability Act, which mandates manufacturers to take responsibility for defective products for up to two years after delivery.
The approved draft covers three types of products: electrical appliances, electronic equipment and cars and motorcycles. More products can be included later by royal decree, said deputy government spokesperson Traisulee Traisoranakul.
The draft stipulates that manufacturers must take responsibility for defective products that have caused them to lose fair value or functionality within two years of the delivery date.
If the defect is found within a year of delivery, it can be assumed the product was defective at the time of delivery, Traisulee said.
Manufacturers must also take responsibility for any defect in their products caused by installation if they install the product for the customer, or even if the customer installs the product according to the manual provided by the manufacturer.
Under the act, customers can demand that the manufacturer repair or replace the defective product, reduce the price or terminate the contract, without affecting the right to demand other compensation.
However, manufacturers will not be liable for defective products in the following cases: if customers buy the product knowing it is defective; unauthorised modification to the product; if customers ignore instructions and warnings stipulated in the product manual.
The Product Liability Act will not cover the sale and rental contract of used products, goods that are sold or rented as is, or products sold via auction.
Govt plans more relief for low-income earners as power bills expected to rise
WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 23, 2022
The government is considering additional measures to subsidise power bills for low income earners as adjustment of the fuel tariff (FT) in January is expected to make electricity more expensive, Energy Minister Supattanapong Punmeechaow said on Tuesday.
The FT is adjusted every January, May and September to reflect the uncontrolled cost of electricity generation.
Supattanapong said the government currently offers a subsidy of 0.92 baht per unit for households using less than 300 units of electricity per month. Those who use 301-500 units per month receive 15 to 75 per cent subsidy on their bills.
These subsidies, which run from September to December, are estimated to cost the government 6.8 billion baht in a bid to help alleviate people’s financial burden.
“Power bills are likely to rise even further after the January adjustment, therefore more measures will be rolled out to help people, especially low-income households,” said Supattanapong.
The Energy Regulatory Commission is accepting opinions from the public, entrepreneurs and related agencies to draft the measures, which are expected to become clear early in December, he said.
Supattanapong, who doubles as a deputy prime minister, said recent reports that the gross domestic product in the first three quarters expanded 4.5 per cent is a positive sign the economy is recovering.
In the last month of 2022 and early next year the government would focus on promoting tourism, which will be a major contributor to the economy, he said.
Thailand expects to welcome its 10th million foreign tourist this year – around mid-December – and the achievement will be celebrated, Supattanapong added.
656 people arrested so far for gambling on World Cup matches
WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 23, 2022
The Royal Thai Police on Wednesday said that 656 people had been arrested during the past four days for gambling on results of Fifa World Cup 2022 matches.
Assistant National Police chief Pol Lt-General Phanurat Lakboon said that 454 suspects had been arrested on Tuesday alone in a crackdown on offline and online World Cup gambling.
Three bookmakers, 404 bettors and four bet receivers were arrested for offline gambling while one bookmaker and 42 bettors were arrested for online gambling.
He said police had started cracking down on betting on World Cup matches since Saturday. During the four days, nine bookmakers, 587 bettors and five bet receivers were arrested for offline gambling, while the crackdown on online gambling netted two bookmakers and 67 bettors.
So far, police have seized 729 betting tickets with betting value of 151,820 baht and cash worth 39,240, Phanurat added.
Alleged Chinese drug-ring boss surrenders to police in Bangkok
WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 23, 2022
A Chinese businessman, who became a naturalised Thai after marrying a police colonel, turned himself in to a special team of police officers on Wednesday afternoon, strongly denying he was the boss of a drug ring.
Chainat Kornchayanan, who was referred to as “Tuhao” by former massage parlour tycoon Chuwit Kamolvisit, surrendered to the police team – which is in charge of a crackdown on Chinese mafia bosses – at the Police Club on Vibhavadi Rangsit Road at 1pm.
The South Bangkok Criminal Court had earlier issued an arrest warrant for Chainat on two counts:
– Allegedly collaborating with more than two accomplices to commit drug-related crimes.
– Allegedly collaborating with others to sell drugs and being in possession of narcotics with an intention to sell them.
Armed with the arrest warrant, the team, headed by deputy National Police chief Pol General Surachate Hakparn, combed two locations in Bangkok on Wednesday morning but did not locate Chainat.
One of the locations is the house of his wife, who is an officer at the Foreign Affairs Division of the Royal Thai Police.
She told investigators her husband does not stay at the house but she would tell him to surrender later in the day.
The police had stepped up crackdowns on alleged Chinese mafia bosses after more than 200 Chinese nationals were arrested at a drug party in Bangkok’s Sathorn area on October 25.
The Metropolitan Police busted a restaurant/karaoke joint on Charoen Rat Road after receiving complaints that the establishment was allegedly hosting a secret drug party for foreign tourists as well as gambling for its patrons.
After the bust, Chuwit came out to claim that he knew several Chinese mafia bosses had been running illegal businesses in Thailand, prompting the Royal Thai Police to set up a special team to step up their crackdowns.
Once Chainat arrived at the Police Club, he was taken into an interrogation room under observation by an army of reporters outside.
He shouted back at reporters that he was not involved in any drug trade as alleged in the arrest warrant.
“I’ve assigned my lawyer to explain about the evidence police claim to have against me to obtain the arrest warrant,” Chainat said.
He added that his lawyer would lodge a request for his release on bail.
Surachate told reporters after the surrender that police would proceed with the case in a “straightforward manner without fear of any influence”, although it was reported that Chainat was an influential individual with the backing and support of certain politicians in power.
Police are still trying to locate another suspect, identified as Chen Yang, Surachate added.
A Cabinet meeting on Tuesday approved the draft outcome of the 22nd Meeting of the Indian Ocean Rim Association (IORA) Council of Ministers, while endorsing the Dhaka Communique.
The 22nd meeting commenced on Tuesday and wraps up on Thursday in Dhaka, Bangladesh.
The Dhaka Communique acknowledges accomplishments made by various mechanisms under IORA that aim to promote post Covid-19 economic recovery and climate action, such as Indonesia’s drafting of the Strategic Framework for Marine Debris Action in the Indian Ocean, and France’s development of the guidelines to prevent imports of illegal fishing products into supply chains of IORA member countries.
It also recognises Saudi Arabia as the bloc’s 11th dialogue partner.
Furthermore, the Communique acknowledged IORA’s Gender Pledge on International Women’s Day 2022, which aims to promote gender equality under international standards by maintaining an average of 40:40:20 (women to men to any gender) attendance ratio across all IORA meetings, activities and events by 2030.
The Indian Ocean Rim Association, established in 1995, is an international organisation consisting of 23 states bordering the Indian Ocean, including Thailand, and 10 dialogue partners. IORA’s priority areas are maritime safety and security, trade and investment facilitation, fisheries management, disaster risk management, tourism and cultural exchanges.
Deputy government spokesperson Ratchada Thanadirek said on Wednesday that the Dhaka Communique is relevant to Thailand’s policy to promote post Covid-19 economic recovery, marine connectivity, sustainable fisheries, and women’s economic empowerment.
He said police had started cracking down on betting on World Cup matches since Saturday. During the four days, nine bookmakers, 587 bettors and five bet receivers were arrested for offline gambling, while the crackdown on online gambling netted two bookmakers and 67 bettors.
The police had stepped up crackdowns on alleged Chinese mafia bosses after more than 200 Chinese nationals were arrested at a drug party in Bangkok’s Sathorn area on October 25.
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