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https://www.nationthailand.com/thailand/general/40022112

Thailand stages music, light show to welcome 29th APEC Economic Leaders’ Meeting

WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 16, 2022

Reuters

Thailand’s Ministry of Tourism and Sports and Ministry of Culture have staged vibrant music and light shows along the country’s largest river of Chao Phraya, while preparing exquisite souvenir sets to welcome world leaders and representatives attending the upcoming 29th Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) Leaders’ Meeting.

The show is scheduled to be staged at many famous scenic spots and bridges along the Chao Phraya River from November 12 to 27.
 

The performance is based on Thailand’s unique national culture and history, featuring fireworks and cultural activities to showcase the traditional stories and rich culture of the Chao Phraya River, as well as the enthusiasm and friendliness of the Thai people.

“Thailand’s Ministry of Tourism [and Sports] staged a music and light show at famous scenic spots on both sides of the Chao Phraya River to show people that Thailand is ready for the meeting of the APEC leaders. The ministry warmly welcomes the leaders who came to Bangkok to attend the meeting to enjoy the beautiful night view of the Chao Phraya River, and I believe that Thailand will benefit a lot from this meeting,” said the country’s Minister of Tourism and Sports Phiphat Ratchakitprakarn.

Fireworks explode along the Chao Phraya river ahead of the APEC Summit 2022 which will be held in Bangkok, Thailand

In addition, the Ministry of Culture of Thailand prepared seven exquisite souvenirs for the participating leaders, with their design, material selection and production closely correlated to the concept of green environmental protection and sustainable development.

Rama VIII bridge along the Chao Phraya river is illuminated ahead of the APEC Summit 2022 which will be held in Bangkok, Thailand

The set includes engravings from recycled metals made with handcrafted techniques that have been passed down for over 700 years, silver jewelry boxes made by Thai folk craftsmen, silver photo frames and rattan storage boxes made by Thai traditional handicraft schools, and commemorative coins for the leader’s meeting.

“The souvenirs of this meeting not only have distinctive Thai cultural characteristics, but also have practicality, and also reflect the concept of sustainable development. Therefore, the design of the souvenirs should combine Thai characteristics, internationalization and practicality. At the same time, these souvenirs are also in line with the purpose of this conference, which is to promote sustainable economic development,” said the country’s Culture Minister Itthiphol Khunpluem.

Fireworks explode along the Chao Phraya river ahead of the APEC Summit 2022 which will be held in Bangkok, Thailand

Reuters

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https://www.nationthailand.com/blogs/thailand/general/40022111

Unicef encourages youth to ‘Meet Your Mind, Find Your Safe Zone’

WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 16, 2022

Unicef launches its Every Day is Mind Day campaign. The slogan for this year’s important campaign is ‘Meet Your Mind, Find Your Safe Zone’ to help children and young people in Thailand discover a safe space of their own, where they can cope with mental health challenges in a healthy way through self-care and gain strength to ask for support.

The two-month campaign will also equip parents, caregivers and teachers with mental health literacy and the tools to support their children and students in building resilience for mental well-being.

The campaign features a quiz for children and young people to better understand their emotions and identify a ‘safe zone’ for feeling these emotions, whether it be a pet, a peaceful corner at the beach, a favourite music genre or a pleasant activity or hobby. To inspire children and young people to explore this inner world and develop their inner strength, the campaign kicks off with a touching music video of “Rest” by A Little Bit High of Spacebar Music Hub, a band that found their safe zone in songs about vulnerability.

“Surrounded and silenced by mental health stigma, children and young people feel they must behave as if they are okay and often feel like they have no one to turn to,” said Kyungsun Kim, Unicef  Representative for Thailand. “Their mental health has seriously suffered from the grief, uncertainty, isolation and stress over the past years of Covid-19 and well before that, so Every Day is Mind Day is returning to equip them with accessible, youth-friendly tools and support to face difficult emotions in spaces and with people that feel safe to them. This way, they can be ready to open up and reach out for help from their loved ones or, if needed, from a professional.”

The campaign follows the recent release of Strengthening Mental Health and Psychosocial Support Systems and Services for Children and Adolescents in East Asia and Pacific: Thailand Country Report 2022 by Unicef, the Ministry of Public Health, the Institute for Population and Social Research and Burnet Institute, which found that an estimated 1 in 14 children aged 5-9 and 1 in 7 adolescents aged 10-19 in Thailand have mental health issues. The 2021 Global School-based Student Health Survey also finds that a tragic 17.6 per cent of 13-17 year olds in Thailand had recently seriously considered suicide.

Despite significant steps taken by Thailand for youth mental health through school programmes and health and social services, access to support is far from universal. There are only 200 psychiatrists specializing in child and adolescent mental health in the country, according to the Department of Mental Health’s Child and Adolescent Mental Health Rajanagarindra Institute.

“Poor mental health costs children and young people years in development milestones and, much too often, their lives. With half of all mental disorders developing before age 15 and with limited access to support, it is critical that beyond ‘safe zones’, they feel safe in having honest conversations with their parents, caregivers and teachers. Throughout this campaign and beyond, Unicef  will continue to support the Royal Thai Government to develop a comprehensive mental health support system that reaches every child and young person in their homes, schools and communities, so that they can access the right quality of care at the right time,” said Kim.

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https://www.nationthailand.com/thailand/general/40022107

Thailand’s award-winning ‘Smart Safety Zone’ makes cities much safer: police

TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 15, 2022

Jarupong Krisanaraj

The Royal Thai Police’s “Smart Safety Zone 4.0” project has given people a lot more confidence in police operations, deputy National Police chief Pol General Surachate Hakparn said.

He was speaking at the “Thailand Smart City: Bangkok Model” forum hosted by Nation TV and Post Today at Grand Hyatt Erawan Hotel on Tuesday.

“Apart from people’s confidence in police operations rising 80%, their fear of crime has dropped to below 40% as well,” he said, citing police data from November 2021 to June this year.

The Smart Safety Zone 4.0 was initiated by former National Police chief Pol General Suwat Jangyodsuk last year as part of the plan to create smart cities.

“The project covers painting roads, trimming trees, setting up street lights and a network of ‘smart’ CCTV cameras,” he added.

He said the artificially intelligent (AI) cameras now allow the police to identify suspects in two minutes instead of two days previously.

“More such cameras have been installed in Bangkok’s busy Lumpini and Huai Khwang districts,” he said.

He also thanked residents for allowing the police to install CCTV cameras to efficiently prevent crime.

“Initially people did not want to cooperate with the police on this issue, because they were afraid their privacy would be violated,” he said, adding that the residents regained confidence once they were invited to check out operations at the police war room.

The Smart Safety Zone 4.0 project also won the “Best Experience in Community Policing” award at the World Police Summit 2022 held in Dubai in March, he said.

Related stories:

• Police make arrangements to allay traffic concerns during summit
• Thai police bust nationwide gambling franchise with 500 websites
• Phetchabun police round up gang of ‘unwashed’ big bikers

Jarupong Krisanaraj

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https://www.nationthailand.com/thailand/general/40022106

Technology and transparency will make Bangkok a smart city: Chadchart

TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 15, 2022

Jarupong Krisanaraj

A city will become smart if technology is applied to meet people’s needs, Bangkok Governor Chadchart Sittipunt said on Tuesday.

He was speaking at the “Thailand Smart City: Bangkok Model” seminar hosted by Nation TV and Post Today at Grand Hyatt Erawan Hotel.

Chadchart said the Bangkok Metropolitan Administration (BMA) was working on turning the capital into a smart city to boost work efficiency, improve quality of life, create opportunities and gain people’s trust.

“It will be difficult to develop a smart city if people do not trust us,” he said. “Hence, smart cities need to fulfil all these aspects with the use of technology.”

Chadchart added that the lack of transparency is a key challenge he has faced since taking over as Bangkok governor earlier this year.

Hence, in a move to gain trust, BMA launched the Traffy Fondue application so Bangkokians can file their complaints.

“So far, up to 179,241 complaints have been filed via the application and 117,286 of them have been resolved,” he said, adding that these complaints reflect people’s trust in the BMA.

He said it was necessary to tackle people’s everyday issues like traffic, waste management and community healthcare to ensure a smooth transition to smart city.

Chadchart said transitioning to a smart city will be tougher if the authorities only focused on big issues.

“The development of a smart city should cover both big and small issues,” he said.

The governor added that the BMA has also made things more transparent by giving people access to all the data.

He said the aim was to have Bangkok added to the list of 50 most liveable cities in the world.

“Bangkok topped the list of best tourist destinations in the world, but was ranked 98 among liveable cities,” Chadchart said.

Meanwhile, Wasit Wattanasap, chief of nationwide operations and support for Advanced Info Service (AIS), said technology was crucial for developing a smart city as it will help people make decisions.

He said the target for developing smart cities varies from country to country because it is based on what issue needs to be dealt with first.

“If there is no decision-making, then technology will become meaningless,” Wasit said.

He added that cooperation between the private and public sectors is necessary to ensure that the transition to a smart city runs smoothly.

“A city becomes smart when it uses technology to make its citizens’ lives better,” he added.

Related stories:

• Obey the law, Chadchart tells anti-government groups planning protests during Apec Summit
• Auction of artworks by Shrewsbury students raises THB300,000 for charities
• Bangkok’s ‘Hulk’ Chadchart pulls a victory in weekend tug-of-war

Jarupong Krisanaraj

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https://www.nationthailand.com/thailand/general/40022096

Police make arrangements to allay traffic concerns during summit

TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 15, 2022

The Metropolitan Police Bureau (MPB) is sending traffic police to help drivers affected by traffic problems during the Apec Summit in Bangkok.

A press conference was held on Tuesday after the meeting of the Joint Security and Traffic Operation Command Centre for the 2022 Apec Summit.

The centre’s spokesperson, Pol Maj-General Archayon Kraithong, said that Apec leaders and related officials from some countries had arrived, while there were a lot of cars on Monday as government agencies and schools were open. However the traffic could still flow normally.

He added that National Police chief Pol General Damrongsak Kittiprapas has extended entry registration for some 45,000 residents in the area of Lumpini and Thong Lor Police Stations who would be affected by the meeting until Saturday at mentioned police stations.

Meanwhile, postal, food, and courier delivery services could inform the police and show their document to ask for permission to enter the area.

Archayon said that a group of protesters had got permission from the Bangkok Metropolitan Administration to protest at the Lan Khon Muang grounds from November 16 to 18.

He asked protesters to stay in the area and not move outside or hold parades so that security measures for the summit are not affected.

He added that protesters could submit a document to the Foreign Affairs Ministry at Damrongtham Centre as the ministry will coordinate with related organisations later.

He said the overall security was smooth while the joint centre is monitoring the situation closely. He also asked people to follow the law and be good hosts during the summit.

Related stories

• Don fears Bangkok protests may derail Apec summit
• Centre overseeing security for Apec Summit opens
• 19 Bangkok hotels selected for Apec delegations

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https://www.nationthailand.com/thailand/general/40022094

Steaks high for prime Thai beef on Apec leaders’ menu

TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 15, 2022

Demand for Sakon Nakhon’s Pon Yang Kham beef is expected to surge after it was added to the Apec gala dinner menu.

The Foreign Ministry will host a dinner for Apec leaders and their spouses on Thursday evening at the riverside Royal Thai Navy Convention Hall.

The “Sustainable Thai Gastronomy” menu, created by Chef Chumpol Jangprai, owner of Michelin-starred R-Haan restaurant, features dishes made from this beef.

The menu showcases products from different parts of the country, and people are rushing to Sakon Nakhon’s Livestock Cooperatives to find out what is so special about this beef.

Samorn Phuphasri, the cooperative’s secretary, said beef’s popularity has picked up since the pandemic and expects the demand will rise even further after it was added to the menu. So far this year, the cooperative has earned 75 million baht in revenue from beef.

She said the cooperative has sent four 200-kilogram seven-day chunks of beef because the chef did not specify which cuts he wanted.

Samorn added that the chuck eye cut is most popular in Thailand, though foreigners prefer sirloin steaks.

She said the cooperative has created pamphlets explaining the different cuts of beef to help customers decide.

Samorn also said that being featured in the Apec gala dinner offers Thai beef cattle farmers a great opportunity to gain global recognition.

Related stories

• Chef Chumpol promises a memorable Thai feast for Apec leaders
• From Nan to Betong: Apec 2022 gala dinner menu captures Thailand’s many flavours
• Tak Bai’s ‘king of salted fish’ ready to tease palates at Apec gala

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https://www.nationthailand.com/thailand/general/40022091

NBTC to hold auction for five satellite slot packages early next year

TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 15, 2022

The National Broadcasting and Telecommunications Commission will hold bidding for five satellite slot packages on January 6 next year, expecting to draw at least two or three bids, an NBTC member said on Tuesday.

NBTC commissioner Thanaphan Raicharoen said the watchdog’s directive on regulations for approving the licences of satellite slot packages have been published in the Royal Gazette and have taken effect.

With the directive coming into effect, the NBTC will on January 8 auction off licences for accessing the five satellite slot packages. Certain packages will have more than satellite networks as defined by coding numbers of the International Telecommunication Union (ITU). The five satellite slot packages to be offered for leasing by Thailand are:

● 50.5 degrees East slot with C1 and N1 networks and 51 degrees East with 51 network. Bidding starts at 374 million baht.

● 78.5 degrees East with A2B and 78.5E networks. Bidding starts at 360 million baht.

● 119.5 degrees East with IP1, P3 and 119.5E networks and 120 degrees East with 120E network. Bidding starts at 397 million baht.

● 126 degrees East with 126E network. Bidding starts at 8 million baht.

● 142 degrees East with G3K and 142E networks. Bidding starts at 189 million baht.

Thanaphan said the NBTC has allowed interested bidders to receive bidding documents since November 4 and the documents will be available until the end of this month.

The NBTC will hold an info session on December 2 to explain how bidders could prepare documents for filing for the bidding.

Interested bidders would be allowed to submit their bid documents on December 27.

Thanaphan said the NBTC would spend a week from December 27 to January 4 to review the qualifications of the bidders and the list of qualified bidders would be announced on January 4.

A mock auction will be held on January 7 before the real auction will take place the following day, Thanaphan added.

But if there were only one bidder, the NBTC will extend the auction by at least 14 days.

In that scenario, the NBTC will hold a new round of bidding documents distribution from January 6 to 11 and a new info session will be held on January 12 while a new bidding document submission round will be held on January 19.

The NBTC will check the qualifications of bidders in the new round from January 20 to 26 and announce the names of those who qualified on January 27 and hold a mock auction on January 28 and a real auction on January 29.

He said the NBTC has listened to public opinions from earlier hearings and it decided to hold the auction in terms of packages to allow newcomers to participate in the auction.

He said qualifications for packages of satellite networks would be different so that smaller firms could participate in bidding for networks that would require less advanced technologies, especially the package for the 126 degrees East slot.

Thanaphan added that the winner of each package would also be required to allow the government to use one broadcast transponder free of charge and use 400 Mbps data broadband channel per each satellite.

“The NBTC hopes that the revised regulations would attract two of three bidders at least,” Thanaphan said.

He added that the NBTC wants to auction off the rights to use the satellite orbit slots to protect them from being taken back by the ITU if they were left unused.

Related stories:

Thailand’s first earth exploration satellite slated for early 2023 launch

NT starts building gateway station for OneWeb satellite network

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https://www.nationthailand.com/thailand/general/40022087

Aunty Uan’s Kulao fish in great demand after Michelin-starred chef adds it to gala menu

TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 15, 2022

A shop selling salted Kulao fish in Narathiwat’s Tak Bai district said orders have been piling in since the fish was added to the Apec gala dinner menu.

Owner of the Pa Uan Takbai shop said she usually sold just about a kilo of Kulao fish daily via Facebook, but since it had been added to the “Sustainable Thai Gastronomy” menu for the gala, her shop has been receiving orders for more than 10kg a day.

The gala dinner for Apec leaders will be held on Thursday at the riverside Royal Thai Navy Convention Hall.

The shop, which sells salted fish at 1,700 baht per kilo, suddenly became famous thanks to an inquisitive Thai PBS TV reporter.

After the chef in charge of the gala dinner announced he had added Tak Bai’s famous Kulao salted fish to his menu, the reporter went down South to talk to several communities that make the fish.

However, they all denied being contacted by the chef or receiving any orders from the government.

The reporter then declared on television that the chef in charge – Chef Chumpol Jangprai – had obviously sourced the fish from somewhere else, not Tak Bai as claimed.

Chumpol, who owns the Michelin-starred R-Haan restaurant, responded to the allegation by saying the fish had come from Pa Uan’s shop.

The shop also confirmed on its Facebook page on Monday that it had received an order for one salted Kulao fish online, and did not know it was from the government.

The owner explained that her shop possibly received the order because it met five-star quality standards and had won the Otop Production Champion stamp.

Deputy government spokesperson Rachada Dhnadirek also confirmed on Monday that the fish had been bought from the Pa Uan Takbai shop.

On Tuesday morning, the shop owner posted a message on Facebook apologising for not being able to keep up with the orders.

“Our fish has to dry gradually over several days, and there is not enough fish to cover hundreds of orders at the same time. So, we are using the ‘pre-order’ technique. Please specify what size and quantity of fish you require, and we will try to reply to your message as soon as possible,” the post read.

Related stories:

Don fears Bangkok protests may derail Apec summit

Apec Summit a great opportunity to tackle global economic challenges, says Canada’s ambassador