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https://www.nationthailand.com/thailand/general/40021721

Thailand receives its first Globally Important Agricultural Heritage System recognition

FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 04, 2022

Thailand is among five new GIAHS sites announced as the FAO flagship programme in celebration of its 20th anniversary.

Five new sites – a mushroom-growing area in China, a traditional Maya agroforestry system in Mexico, an ancient community linking pastoralists and farmers in Morocco, a diverse mountain agrifood system in Spain and a landscape centred on the buffalo in Thailand – have been formally recognized as Globally Important Agricultural Heritage Systems (GIAHS).

The sites were designated during a meeting of the GIAHS Scientific Advisory Group taking place in Rome this week (November 2-4), just days after the flagship programme of the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) marked its 20th anniversary. The selection criteria stipulate that sites must be of global importance, have value as a public good, supporting food and livelihood security, agro-biodiversity, knowledge systems, social values and culture as well as outstanding landscapes.

With the latest additions to the global agricultural heritage systems list. FAO’s worldwide agricultural heritage network now consists of 72 systems in 23 countries around the globe. The first site to be recognized in Thailand marks the addition of a new country to the list.

Phatthalung province’s Thale Noi Wetland – Landscape shared by humans and buffaloes

The Thale Noi Wetland Buffalo Pastoral Agro-Eco-System in southern Thailand is a diversified farming system marked by longstanding interaction between humans and buffaloes. Over the centuries, pastoralism has shaped and conserved the biodiversity and landscapes while buffaloes adapted to survive in this environment where the land is flooded for almost five months during the year. The system involves a range of mutually supportive practices such as animal herding, fishing, water plant cultivation, harvesting of non-timber forest products and tourism. These provide the foundations for local food and livelihood security, biodiversity conservation, and solidarity among local communities.

The Buffaloes, which have a special place in Thai culture, are herded either free-range or using pens where animals are sheltered at night. During the monsoon season, buffaloes are kept in sheds, typically built 1.5 m above ground. Herders lead their animals out to the grazing areas through the flooded fields and bring them back before nightfall. Buffalo husbandry in Thale Noi is characterized by sharing and communal management. The pastoralists also rely on a strong base of expertise in fishing techniques using traditional equipment to boost their food security during the monsoon season, while during the dry season they turn their hands to farming.

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https://www.nationthailand.com/thailand/general/40021720

33 Bangkok parks to stay open until midnight for Loy Krathong celebrations

FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 04, 2022

The Bangkok Metropolitan Administration (BMA) is extending the opening hours of 33 public parks on Loy Krathong Day next Tuesday.

The BMA announced on Friday that the parks will be open from 5am to midnight, so Bangkokians can release their floats to pay respect to the goddess of water.

The places where Bangkokians can float their krathongs are:

1. Lumpini Park, Pathum Wan

2. Chatuchak Park, Chatuchak

3. Wachirabenjathat (Rot Fai) Park, Chatuchak

4. Santi Chai Prakan Park, Phra Nakhon

5. Saranrom Park, Phra Nakhon

6. Rommaninat Park, Phra Nakhon

7. Benjasiri Park, Klong Toei

8. Benjakitti Park, Klong Toei

9. Suan Luang Rama VIII Park, Bang Phlat

10. Santiphap Park, Ratchathewi

11. Ramintra Sports Park, Bang Khen

12. Seri Thai Garden, Bueng Kum

13. Nawamin Phirom Park, Bueng Kum

14. King Rama IX Commemoration Park, Bang Kho Laem

15. Rommani Thungsikan, Don Mueang

16. Bueng Nam Lat Phrao 71, Lat Phrao

17. Thonburirom Park, Thung Kru

18. Thawi Wanarom, Thawee Watthana

19. Wanatham Park, Prawet

20. Chaloem Phra Kiat Mahat Thai Park, Prawet

21. Chaloem Phra Kiat 80 Phansa Park, Sathorn

22. Sirintora Pusapan Park, Bangkok Noi

23. Chaloem Phra Kiat 80 Phansa Park, Bangkok Noi

24. Waree Phirom Park, Klong Sam Wa

25. Siri Phirom Park, Klong Sam Wa

26. Nong Jok Park, Nong Jok

27. Rat Phirom Park, Nong Jok

28. Phra Nakhon Park, Lat Krabang

29. Queen Sirikit 60th Anniversary Park, Lat Krabang

30. Bueng Krathiem Park, Minburi

31. Phraya Phirom Park, Minburi

32. Bang Khae Phirom Park, Bang Khae

33. Thian Thale Phatthana Phrueksa Phirom Park, Bang Khunthien

The BMA will also hold Loy Krathong events near the Ong Ang Canal in Phra Nakhon district and the Thonburi side of the Rama VIII bridge. The first event will be held on November 6 and 7 (Sunday and Monday), while the second will be held on November 8 (Tuesday).

The events will include live performances, open-air screenings of films and stalls selling local products.

The fair in Thonburi will also feature a concert by popstar Vid Hyper.

Related Stories

BMA to hold major Loy Krathong events from Sunday to Tuesday

Head to Muang Thong Thani for a spectacular Loy Krathong celebration

Total lunar eclipse to grace Loy Krathong festival in Thailand

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https://www.nationthailand.com/thailand/general/40021717

Cabinet clears U-Tapao Airport’s expansion as commercial airport

FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 04, 2022

The Cabinet has agreed in principle to expand U-Tapao Airport in Rayong province so it can start welcoming up to 60 million passengers yearly and accommodate international flights.

Government spokesperson Ratchada Dhnadirek said earlier this week that a new runway and taxiway will be constructed to serve businesses based in the Eastern Economic Corridor (EEC).

The 17.77-billion-baht project, implemented by the Royal Thai Navy, was launched in October 2019 and 1.46 billion baht has been allocated so far.

The Finance Ministry, meanwhile, has been tasked with seeking the remaining 16.31 billion required for the project in loans.

The 3,505-metre runway is scheduled to be ready by 2024.

Related stories

• AIS turning U-tapao into ‘smart airport’ with face-recognition tech
• U-Tapao Airport flying high with special CAAT certification
• Navy plans to develop 500 rai area to support U-Tapao aviation hub

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https://www.nationthailand.com/thailand/general/40021711

Cricket ice cream among Thai ‘future foods’ vying for Apec leaders’ menu

FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 04, 2022

Twenty-one new Thai dishes created by start-ups are competing to be selected for the menu served to world leaders at the Apec Summit this month.

The best four dishes, which have been created as sustainable “future foods”, will be chosen by a panel of experts judging the “Plate to Planet” competition, the government announced on Thursday. Members of the public can vote for their favourite among the 21 new culinary creations at www.futurefoodapec.com until November 13.

The competition aims to find new dishes that highlight sustainability and Thai cuisine to showcase food’s potential as “soft power” to drive the country’s economy.

It will form part of the “Apec Future Food for Sustainability” campaign to promote Thailand’s “future food” industry at the Apec Economic Leaders’ Week, being held in Bangkok from November 14-19.

The 21 future-food finalists have been selected from over 2,000 start-ups. Creators of the four dishes that get the highest number of votes will receive prize money totalling 2.5 million baht. Each voter can vote for three different dishes per day until the poll closes next Sunday. The four dishes will then be served up to leaders at the summit.

Examples of the innovative future-food dishes are Southern-style chickpea rice salad with five vegetables; carb-free ramen made from egg white; milk-free ice cream with kale and passion fruit; green curry probiotic bowl; layered sweetmeat with fibre and probiotics; a plant-based croquette Phanaeng; vegan carbonara; and ice cream made of protein from crickets.

Related Stories

Prayut gets a taste of ‘future foods’ to be served during Apec Summit

Thailand’s finest fare lined up to tickle world leaders’ tastebuds at Apec banquet

Micheline starred chef Chumpol to prepare a feast of unique Thai delights for Apec gala

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https://www.nationthailand.com/thailand/general/40021702

THB2 million scholarships on offer at New Zealand Education Fair

THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 03, 2022

Thai students attending the New Zealand Education Fair this Saturday (November 5) may win 2 million baht in scholarships to study in the Pacific country.

Education New Zealand (ENZ), a government agency that promotes the country as a study destination, is collaborating with nearly 50 leading educational institutions from that country in organising the annual event. They include schools, universities, vocational education providers, private training establishments, and English language schools.
This year’s event will showcase programmes offered to prospective students, in addition to advice and information on how to apply for scholarships to study in New Zealand.
The fair will be held at Samyan Mitrtown’s Hall 2 on the fifth floor from 11am to 5pm. Free online registration is available at https://bit.ly/NZEducationFair2022.

Registrants can explore scholarships offered by a variety of New Zealand institutions and win a free return Air New Zealand air ticket to and from that country.
A highlight of the event will be a personal account by celebrity and influencer Suquan Bulakul, who will speak on why she decided to send her only son to study in New Zealand.
The event also gives Thai students the opportunity to experience first-hand New Zealand’s simulated classrooms conducted by an experienced teacher who flies in from New Zealand. The simulated classrooms are offered free of charge and scheduled for three rounds at 11.45am, 2pm, and 3pm. To register for participation, go to: https://bit.ly/Simulatedclassreg.

New Zealand is recognised by the Economist Intelligence Unit as the world’s best English-speaking country for education. Its educational system focuses on helping prepare younger generations to become global citizens, innovators and thinkers.
Students attending the fair can explore unique courses being offered to meet the global trend and skill shortages in artificial intelligence, games development, health sciences in digital health, and data science.
The New Zealand Institute of Skills and Technology, or “Te Pukenga”, the country’s largest national institute for vocational education, will also introduce itself to the Thai education community at this event.

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https://www.nationthailand.com/thailand/general/40021694

Park next to Apec Summit venue to be closed for security reasons

THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 03, 2022

The Benjakitti Forest Park will be closed from November 12 for security reasons during the Apec Summit to be held at the adjacent Queen Sirikit National Convention Centre (QSNCC), Bangkok Governor Chadchart Sittipunt said on Thursday.

The park will be used by police and security agencies in preparation for the meeting of leaders and representatives of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation’s 21 member economies on November 18-19, according to the governor.
“The park is close to the summit venue so there is the need for maximum security,” Chadchart said.
Further details regarding the public park’s closure would be provided later by the relevant security agencies, according to the governor.
He added that the popular Lumpini Park, which is located nearby, would stay open as normal.

The governor also said that the Bangkok Metropolitan Administration is now “100 per cent ready” for the Apec Summit on its part, involving traffic management for roads around the venue and the MRT station that leads to the QSNCC.

Benjakitti Forest Park, located on a 450-rai (72-hectare) land plot that previously housed the Thailand Tobacco Monopoly, has become popular among city residents and tourists alike, drawing between 3,000 and 10,000 visitors on weekdays and 15,000 to 17,000 on weekends.
Billed as Bangkok’s new green lung, the park features pockets of small forests and clusters of miniature forest islands serving as water storage and retention.

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https://www.nationthailand.com/blogs/thailand/general/40021693

Tourism ministry wants pre-emptive measures to prevent ‘Itaewon tragedy’ during upcoming festivities

THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 03, 2022

The Ministry of Tourism and Sports has asked concerned government agencies to intensify countermeasures during the approaching festivals, such as Loy Krathong, Christmas, and New Year, to avoid an “incident” like what happened during Halloween celebrations in South Korea last weekend.

Tourism and Sports minister Phiphat Ratchakitprakarn said that provincial authorities had already implemented safety countermeasures for the festive events during end-of-the-year festivities, such as Loy Krathong, Christmas, and New Year, but with the additional measures from police and other related agencies.

The ministry also told Tourist Police, along with other local authorities, to enhance their safety countermeasures and ensure an emergency safety plan, especially regarding crowd control and fire evacuation at a festival event.

The chief of Tourist Police has also ordered high-ranking police to oversee designated places that hold events to control the number of visitors attending the event so as to prevent an incident similar to the Itaewon stampede.

The Itaewon tragedy, which killed 156 people and left 172 injured, occurred after more than 100,000 partygoers and tourists were crushed in a narrow alleyway of the Itaewon nightlife district in Seoul during Halloween celebrations last Saturday (October 29).

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https://www.nationthailand.com/thailand/general/40021689

Child protection foundation chief surrenders over alleged abuse, forced labour

THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 03, 2022

A child protection foundation chief surrendered to face charges of alleged physical abuse against children at his foundation in Samut Songkram and forcing them to work as “cheap labour” at his resort.

Child Protection Foundation secretary-general Montree Sintawichai, his wife and his son reported to Amphawa police station on Thursday after the station summoned them to face the charges.

Late last month, the foundation, which takes care of 55 abandoned children, made headlines after a group of university students who carried out voluntary work there covertly took a video clip of two teachers beating seven or eight children aged between 10 and 17.

The clip that was sneaked out and publicised by popular Facebook page Zendai (thread) also showed the teachers cursing the children.

A smiling Montree did not express any worry when he arrived at the police station.

He claimed he received “moral support” from Kaewsan Aibodhit, the chairman of the foundation, while Panas Thassaniyanon, former member of the Constitution Drafting Assembly, would assist him as a legal adviser in the shocking case.

After Zendai posted the clip and relayed an account by the voluntary students that the children at the foundation were allegedly forced to work at a resort owned by Montree, the Samut Songkram provincial administration, the Social Development and Human Security Ministry and police sprang into action.

The National Police chief ordered his deputy, Pol General Surachate Hakpal, to head an investigation while the social ministry sent officials to relocate the eight abused children to another shelter for protection pending the investigation.

Police also charged the two teachers who were seen in the clip beating the children.

The foundation was formed in 1994 and was initially located in Soi Lat Prao 106 before being relocated to Amphawa district in 2001.

Its Facebook page has not been updated since 2015. Earlier posts showed several well-known figures visiting the foundation to donate money and necessities.

On Wednesday, Zendai wrapped up allegations against the foundation in a post.

The page thanked the group of students for their courage in exposing the misdeeds.

It said the group of students went to the foundation to work voluntarily but soon saw things were wrong.

They noticed the children were not happy with the activities they were given. They were not even delighted when the students gifted them dolls or rewards.

Some children whispered to the students that they would prefer food or something to eat than the dolls.

During activities, the university students secretly talked to some children and learned they were allegedly forced to work at a resort belonging to the owner of the foundation in exchange for a small sum of money to buy sweets.

Zendai also alleged that a teenage girl was forced to study in a vocational school so she could work for the foundation owner’s resort after she finished her studies.

Furthermore, the page alleged that foundation staff would not allow children to have mobile phones. If anyone was found to sneak in a phone, it would be “seized” and “smashed”.

Zendai claimed the children were forced to clean the resort in the morning before school in exchange for 40 baht for buying sweets at school and 36 baht for bus fare.

The page went on to allege that when some children managed to contact their parents or relatives to come pick them up, the foundation would not let them go and remind their parents that they had abandoned their kids.

The page added that a 17-year-old girl, who was raised since birth, did not have anywhere to go despite her frustration.

Zendai said three kids had fled the foundation, telling friends they would rather seek jobs at construction sites in Bangkok. Their fate has not been known since.

According to the university students, the kids had told some teachers about the alleged abuse but the teachers replied they could do nothing about it.

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https://www.nationthailand.com/thailand/general/40021688

Only a ‘remote chance’ of Chinese rocket debris falling on Thailand

THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 03, 2022

There is only a 1.4% chance of falling debris from a Chinese rocket affecting Thailand, the Geo-Informatics and Space Technology Development Agency (GISTDA) said on Thursday.

The GISTDA said that the Space Traffic Management System, or Zircon, has monitored and estimated the falling debris of the Chinese rocket, Longmarch 5B-Y4.

The piece is expected to fall to the Earth’s surface on Saturday and might affect Thailand because the object has passed over Thailand every day.

The GISTDA estimates that it would orbit some parts of Chiang Rai, Chiang Mai, Phayao, Nan, Nong Khai, Udon Thani, Kalasin, Roi Et, Yasothon, Amnat Charoen, and Ubon Ratchathani provinces on Thursday from around 1.54pm to 1.56pm.

According to the latest information, this space object’s orbit is around 177 kilometres on average above the Earth’s surface with a weight of 21.6 tonnes, but it is reducing as it falls through the atmosphere.

As for the falling area, the GISTDA said that it has to monitor closely and will be able to estimate accurately when the height is around 130 kilometres on average from the Earth’s surface.

The operation of the rocket, Longmarch 5B-Y4, began on October 31 to connect the Mengtian module with Tiangong Space Station to support astronauts in scientific experiments and studies in physics, materials science, and space technology.

The GISTDA said there were low chances of the piece falling on Thailand, but the organisation will continue to monitor the situation and offer updates.
 

Related stories:

• Corrections Department working on plan to deal with possible flooding in prisons
• Over 3.28 million rai in 25 provinces swamped by floods: GISTDA
• Thai military teams up with space agency for ‘eyes in the sky’

#SootinClaimon.Com : ขอบคุณแหล่งข้อมูล : หนังสือพิมพ์ The Nation.

https://www.nationthailand.com/thailand/general/40021687

Six Thai teams all set to bake up a pizza storm in embassy’s Tasty USA Day contest

THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 03, 2022

Six teams from Thai cooking schools and pizza shops are set to roll up their sleeves and get baking in the Great American Pizza Competition to be held by the United States Embassy next Thursday (November 10).

In the final round, the competitors are required to make pizzas from ingredients imported from the US under the concepts of “Real California Pizza”, “Wow American Pizza”, and “Plant Forward Pizza”.
The contest, to be held at EmQuartier shopping mall, is part of the annual Tasty USA Day event organised by the US Embassy in Thailand and the US Department of Agriculture to promote American food products in Thailand.
The California Cheese Advisory Board, US Wheat Associates, the Washington Apple Commission, US Meat Export Federations, and Thai importers of American food products will participate in this year’s event.

Among the panel of judges will be US Ambassador Robert F Godec, who will present awards to the winners in person.
In addition to the pizza-making contest, Tasty USA Day also has booths selling pizzas and imported American food products and beverages. The event is open from November 10 to 13 between 11am and 10pm.