Wayward teens said to be behind stone-throwing attack on Bangkok canal boat
FRIDAY, OCTOBER 21, 2022
An attack on a canal boat plying Bangkok’s Saen Saep Canal, in which at least one passenger was injured, has been blamed on wayward youngsters.
The Thai social media was abuzz on Friday after popular Twitter account called “Red Skull” highlighted the incident that took place on Thursday with the picture of a blood-stained shirt.
“A group of young people like throwing stones and firecrackers at boat passengers,” the tweet read.
The event reportedly took place near a boat stop located next to the Nualjit community in Bangkok’s Ekkamai area.
A resident, who wanted to be only identified as “Noo”, said similar incidents had taken place “many times already”. She said the perpetrators were mostly teenagers aged 13 to 17 living in the community who often gathered at an abandoned water pumping station near the pier in the evening until late at night.
“Sometimes they throw stones into the water or at passing boats,” she said, adding that they are probably doing this for fun.
She also said that she was concerned for her own safety as she takes canal boats regularly.
A boat fare collector said the latest incident took place on Thursday, though he could not say the exact time. He said he had seen some young residents of a canal-side community throw stones at passing boats.
One resident said the children may be annoyed because speeding boats sometimes splash them and make their uniforms wet while they head to school. “You can’t put the blame on the children alone,” the person said.
Another resident, however, said youngsters from two nearby communities often gathered at the abandoned pumping station in the evening to smoke marijuana and drink kratom tea.
“Sometimes they spit at passing boats or throw stones at passengers. Those who do this often are dubbed ‘cool’ by their peers,” the resident said.
He also showed a video recording of a noisy group of youngsters annoying community residents.
NBTC taken to task by former commissioner over ‘ambiguous’ decision on True-Dtac merger
FRIDAY, OCTOBER 21, 2022
Slamming the National Broadcasting and Telecommunications Commission (NBTC) for its “ambiguous” decision, ex-commissioner Supinya Klangnarong said the True-Dtac merger would bring back a duopoly seen in Thailand two decades ago.
Supinya, who served as an NBTC commissioner between 2011 and 2017, said many consumers could not afford mobile phone services when they were first available in Thailand over three decades ago.
“It took several years before the second and third players came into the market. It was then that prices came down and most people could afford telecom services. We are now going back in time to more than 20 years before,” she said.
She said what left her “dumbfounded” were the views of some NBTC commissioners that this was not a merger by businesses of the same type.
“What was the logic used by some NBTC members to vote that way? I’d like an explanation,” she demanded.
Supinya said such a decision would severely affect public confidence in the telecom watchdog and trigger questions as to whether the decision was based on public interest.
The former commissioner, who is also a consumer rights activist, called on the NBTC to do its duty as a regulator and not just as a registrar. She said its duty is to promote free and fair competition as well as protect consumers as required by the Constitution.
The NBTC voted 3:2 to acknowledge the True-Dtac merger with conditions for their merged entity to follow.
Pointing out that the NBTC is generally viewed as a “paper tiger”, Supinya said that with only two players left in the market, consumers will end up being taken advantage of when there is a duopoly.
She added that she saw no future for Thai consumers after NBTC’s decision on Thursday night to “acknowledge” a merger between the country’s second and third-largest mobile network operators with conditions.
“There is no one Thai consumers can turn to after the commissioners have said that they only have a duty to acknowledge and allow the players to revise the rules as they like,” she said.
Supinya is now chairperson of the Thailand Consumers Council’s telecom and information technology subcommittee.
“Happy Meat Happy Me” exhibition raises public awareness on food safety and ethical eating
FRIDAY, OCTOBER 21, 2022
World Animal Protection Thailand presents “Happy Meat Happy Me,” raising public awareness on food safety and ethical eating, introducing its ambassador, Maria Poonlertlarp, with an Animal Welfare Problem Themed Fashion Show this October 20-23, at Samyan Mitrtown G Floor.
World Animal Protection-Thailand, a global non-governmental organization with a goal to improve animal welfare, presents “Happy Meat Happy Me”, an interactive exhibition, invites consumers to an immersive learning experience. This event aims to raise public awareness of food safety and ethical eating. WAP is calling for a revolution towards better animal welfare in the food system and animals on farms, before consumption. “Happy Meet Happy Me” is in the heart of the city, Bangkok, where consumers are one of the largest and most diverse groups, during October 20-23, at Samyan Mitrtown G Floor. The event will introduce the World Animal Protection Thailand’s Ambassador, Maria Poonlertlarp, Miss Universe Thailand 2017, making her first appearance in a creative “END FACTORY FARMING” fashion show, developed under the concept of problems in animal welfare, calling for justice for animals! on October 20, 2021.
Roatchana Sungthong, Country Director, World Animal Protection Thailand, highlighted the objective of the event saying that “Happy Meat Happy Me, an interactive exhibition, aims to raise public awareness of animal welfare which has effects on our health and the environment. We want this event to be a chance for people to learn and take action on improving animal welfare. The World Animal Protection is committed to move the world to protect animals, putting an end to needless suffering and animal cruelty. Their mission is to create a better world for animals, even for those raised for food. We need to make sure that there is no future for inhumane factory farming and introduce an equitable and sustainable food system for the world.”
“In this event, we, at World Animal Protection, are not asking everyone to completely cut meat from their diet, because we know that there are animals raised for food. However, we want to raise people’s awareness, telling everyone that animals’ lives and feelings matter. We want to show the cruelty and suffering that they have to go through and how they affect us. These are the messages that we want to convey. Everyone wants to be happy every single day of our lives, and just like us, animals also need to live a good life until the last day of their lives,” Roatchana added.
Maria Poonlertlarp, World Animal Protection Thailand’s Ambassador, said that “I am very honored to work alongside World Animal Protection as the spokesperson sharing information and the importance of animal welfare and to get a chance to improve their quality of life, allowing them to live the way nature intended to. I once visited a free-range chicken farm, the chickens looks so happy there, with the feeling of their feet touching the ground, and the sun against their feather. On the contrary, those on factory farms are crammed in barren battery cages. Some lose their feather, some are wounded, and some couldn’t even walk. Those are just the tip of the suffering they have to face. So if we reduce meat from our diet, or choose to consume meat from farms that care about animal welfare, not only that we will get to eat safe antibiotic-free meat, but we will also get to help the animal raised for food to live the happiest during their time.”
“Not to mention that, as a consumer, it is important to know where our food is from, and how it affected us and our environment. Therefore, I believe that by being the ambassador of the World Animal Protection Thailand I will be able to help create an impact that changes the way we consume our food.”
The highlight on the opening day of the “Happy Meat Happy Me” event is the fashion show developed under the concept of problems in animal welfare by Sarisa Nuansri, Creative Director of SAVETUDIO. The “END FACTORY FARMING” collection is comprised of ready-to-wear clothes made with upcycling t-shirts from the fast-fashion industry, aiming for minimum impact on the environment. The silhouette of this collection is inspired by the clothes of the local farmer. The prints derive from flowers and nature with a hint of happy farm animals (pigs and chickens) through a cute drawing, and a cute and homey color inspired by a free-range farm in a cartoon drawing of food like bacon and eggs. This is ironic, of course, because the animal raised for food often live to be only 3 – 4 months old in a factory farming environment. No difference from humans, without proper welfare, animals are hurt and tormented. The models represent the animals, calling for justice for them.
In this 4-day “Happy Meat Happy Me” event, there are various activities such as the digital interactive exhibition that will give everyone a food experience starting from picking their favorite dishes from the menu, learning about their origin and the animal welfare for chickens and pigs in the factory farm, as well as the adverse effects of eating unsafe food, and what are some actions we could take towards better animal welfare for factory farming.
There are also different sessions on the main stage where the audience can share their thoughts such as:
• Thursday, October 20, 2022:
– 4.00 PM A panel discussion on “What’s the point?: Why do the lives of pigs and chickens lives matter?”, a take on the social awareness of animal welfare and our quality of life in the sustainable world. The panel featured many influential people, such as Zcongklod Bangyikhan, editor-in-chief of the Cloud magazine, Thanaboon Somboon, founder of CreativeMOVE, and Greenery, Muandao. Kongwanarat, Farm Animal/Food System Campaign Manager (WAP), and Maria Poonlertlarp, the ambassador of World Animal Protection-Thailand.
• Friday, October 21, 2022:
– 2.00 PM A panel discussion on “Safety Food Producer Partnership” by Pig and Poultry Association. The panel will include Dr. Fuse Wanich Wantawee the owner of WorTawee Biodynamic Farm; Panchana Vatanasathien, the founder of Food for Fighter, and Jo Sloane, the founder of Sloane’s network of brands which specializes in sourcing only high welfare ingredients. – 4.00 PM A panel discussion on “Factory Farming and the silent pandemic of antimicrobial resistance” led by Assistant Professor Dr. Niyada Kiatying-Angsulee, Drug System Monitoring and Development Centre, DMDC, Supoj Singtosri, the President of the Deep-Litter System Pig Farm Network at Donrae Ratchaburi Province, and Chokdee Smithkittipol, Farm Animal/Food System Campaign Manager (WAP).
• Saturday, October 22, 2022:
– 12.00 PM “Happy Meat Happy Me” Cooking Show by Tam Chudaree Debhakam, the first Top Chef Thailand, and the founder of Baan Tepa Culinary Space driven by the philosophy of sustainability. Fundraising Animal Print Workshop by Baitong Kiratinuch Luang-anggoon will share her inspiration and passion for screen printing animals on a t-shirt to raise funds for animal welfare for the past ten years; and the Limited-Edition animal print screening activity that you can join.
• Sunday, October 23, 2022:
– 2.00 PM A panel discussion on “The solution: Happy Meat Happy Me” by Supoj Singtosri, the President of the Deep-Litter System Pig Farm Network at Donrae Ratchaburi Province, Amnart Reansoi, the Owner of Tan Khun Organic Farm; and Vorakorn Laohaserikul, the Owner of Kiddee Farm. In this panel, you will get a chance to learn more about “the solution” of how to run a business that is practical and ethical, with real-life examples and experiences, as well as techniques to spot high-quality meat sourced from farms of high animal welfare.
Please come join us, broaden your eating experiences with high animal welfare farms and learn more about safe food at “Happy Meat Happy Me” this October 20 – 23, at Samyan Mitrtown G Floor. 10.00 AM – 8.00 PM (FREE ADMISSION)
For more information: www.worldanimalprotection.org and Facebook fanpage: World Animal Protection Thailand #HappyMeatHappyMe #WorldAnimalProtectionThailand
TCEB, 11 partners launch “SPIRE Thailand” campaign to boost domestic exhibitions at year-end
THURSDAY, OCTOBER 20, 2022
Thailand Convention and Exhibition Bureau (Public Organization), or TCEB, has joined hands with 11 partners to launch the SPIRE Thailand campaign to expedite domestic exhibitions at the year-end.
The bureau is confident that the campaign will help activate Thailand’s economy by generating more than 7.8 billion baht in income across all regions of Thailand.
TCEB President Chiruit Isarangkun na Ayuthaya made the announcement after the bureau unveiled its domestic MICE marketing plan to the public and private sectors and encouraged them to hold events in the last quarter of the government’s financial year 2022. TCEB has moved fast to expand and expedite its growth development plan for the domestic exhibition market. This is because the year-end period is generally the most bustling time for trade fairs compared to other periods.
TCEB has unveiled its growth development implementation plan for domestic exhibitions in 2023, highlighting the collaboration of 11 partners representing the public and private sectors, who will be joining forces to expedite domestic exhibitions under the major project “EMTEX: Empower Thailand Exhibition”. Set to run in fiscal year 2023, the joint exhibition marketing campaign will be launched through the “SPIRE Thailand: Strengthen Power In Regional Exhibitions”, which is expected to generate 7.802 billion baht in economic impact.
TCEB President Chiruit Isarangkun na Ayuthaya
“Our 11 partners, collaborating under the EMTEX project, include the Ministry of Higher Education, Science, Research and Innovation; Community Development Department; Department of International Trade Promotion; Cooperative Promotion Department; Department of Industrial Promotion; Digital Economy Promotion Agency; The Board of Investment of Thailand; The Office of Small and Medium Enterprise Promotion; The Federation of Thai Industries; The Thai Chamber of Commerce and Thai Exhibition Association (TEA). All of them are prompted to speed up Thailand’s economic recovery by having MICE as the exhibition development tool to serve Thailand’s targeted industries, which comprise five segments:
● Food, agriculture and biotechnology;
● Public health, health and medical technology;
● Intelligence equipment, robot and electronic control mechanical system, as well as digital Internet technology connecting the operations of devices, artificial intelligence and embedded system;
● Renewable energy, automobile, logistics and inventory;
● Creative, cultural, tourism segments and high-value services.
“In fact, exhibitions could generate income for business chains and serve as an economic stimulus platform that particularly supports small and medium-sized enterprises, who rely more on using exhibitions as their marketing tool. TCEB and partners are confident that the endeavour will help to revive the Thai economy, generate business transactions fast and ensure sustainability in the long run.”
Chiruit said that in collaboration with the 11 partners, the campaign aims to provide support packages as follows:
1. “Clustering Show”, a package for general exhibitions with a maximum limit of 700,000 baht per event, which is designed to bolster any of five targeted industries, whereby the event is required to feature a registration system and systematic data collection.
2. “Regional Best Show”, a maximum of one million baht is allocated for regional or cross-regional highlight shows that aim to bolster any of the five targeted industries, with a total space of over 3,000 square metres. The Regional Best Show requires the collaboration of more than three partners under the EMTEX network and features business negotiations or B2B sessions for entrepreneurs and buyers.
For non-financial support, TCEB will serve as the host who liaises between 11 partners to integrate rapport of exhibitors in seven aspects, including: 1. Exhibitor database; 2. On-site buyer database; 3. Local network; 4. Knowledge, training and seminar; 5. In-depth information on industries, targeted markets and market insight; 6. Sourcing of funding/subsidies or sponsorship, and 7. Public relations.
In launching the SPIRE Thailand campaign, TCEB and its 11 partners are also arranging a business negotiation platform to offer opportunities for the exhibitors and EMTEX partners to exchange viewpoints on exhibitions that can promote networking and expand event opportunities to different regions across Thailand.
In fiscal year 2022, TCEB has provided support to a total of 52 exhibitions, comprising 19 domestic shows and 33 international shows, which generated approximately 14.789 billion baht for the economy across all regions in Thailand.
Gamers rejoice! Thailand’s game show is back with some of the best titles
FRIDAY, OCTOBER 21, 2022
Thousands of Bangkokians flocked to the Thailand Game Show 2022 as it opened its doors for the first time in three years.
The exhibition, offering a variety of game titles, activities and merchandise, runs until Sunday at the Queen Sirikit National Convention Centre.
Featured at this year’s expo are game titles from both Thai and foreign developers, including Bandai Namco Entertainment Asia, Sega, Hoyoverse, and Riot Games.
While opening the event on Friday, Bangkok Governor Chadchart Sittipunt said this is one of the many events that will help boost the capital’s image.
He added that this event will also help Thailand’s gaming and e-sports industries meet international standards.
“We hope Thailand Game Show 2022 will have a big impression on both Thai and foreign gamers,” he said.
Participating in the event for the first time was the global gaming brand Level Infinite, which gave visitors a first-hand experience of its four biggest titles – Tower of Fantasy, PubG Mobile, Dragon Nest II: Evolution, and Goddess of Victory: Nikke.
Also available in the Level Infinite booth were photo sessions with cosplayers from its four games, activities as well as official merchandise.
“As a top gaming exhibition, the Thailand Game Show represents a great opportunity for Level Infinite to grow its presence in the region and continue its effort to build a global gaming community that enjoys high-quality and engaging entertainment experiences,” a statement from Level Infinite said.
Tickets to the event are available via Zipevent website and cost 150 baht per person.
Kevin Spacey wins in civil sexual-abuse case brought by actor Rapp
FRIDAY, OCTOBER 21, 2022
Reuters
Kevin Spacey on Thursday (October 20) defeated a sexual abuse claim against him after jurors in Manhattan civil trial found his accuser didn’t prove his claim that the Oscar winner made an unwanted sexual advance on him when he was 14.
The verdict followed a three-week trial in Manhattan federal court and came roughly two hours after jurors began deliberating.
Anthony Rapp, now 50, testified that Spacey climbed on top of him on a bed and pressed his groin into Rapp’s hip until he was able to wriggle free. Spacey denied the allegation on the stand and said he had never been alone with Rapp.
A tearful Spacey emerged in the hall outside the courtroom briefly but went back inside.
During closing arguments Thursday, Rapp’s lawyer urged jurors to discredit Spacey’s recollection of the events.
“It’s inconsistent. It’s not worthy of your belief,” the lawyer, Richard Steigman, said, citing what he claimed were gaps in Spacey’s memory and changes in his recollection.
Steigman declined comment following the verdict.
Spacey’s lawyer, Jennifer Keller, argued during her closing arguments that Rapp’s story was a fabrication. She advanced several theories for why Rapp might have lied, including a desire for attention or jealousy of Spacey’s acting success.
“Mr. Rapp is getting more attention in this trial than he has in his entire acting life,” Keller said.
Spacey’s lawyers advanced several theories for why Rapp might have lied, including a desire for attention or jealousy of Spacey’s acting success.
Spacey won Oscars for performances in “American Beauty” and “The Usual Suspects,” but his career largely ended after more than 20 men accused him of sexual misconduct.
Netflix dropped him from its political drama series “House of Cards” and Christopher Plummer replaced him in the role of J. Paul Getty in “All the Money in the World” weeks before the movie’s scheduled release in 2017.
The trial in Manhattan federal court began on Oct. 6, just under five years after Spacey’s career was upended by sexual misconduct allegations in the early days of the #MeToo movement, which encouraged women to speak out about sexual abuse by famous and powerful people. Men also came forward with claims of abuse.
Spacey has denied any misconduct.
Keller urged jurors to ignore the sexual politics of the case.
“This isn’t a team sport where you’re either on the MeToo side or the other side,” Keller said.
Rapp sued Spacey for battery and intentional infliction of emotional distress in November 2020.
During the trial, Judge Lewis A. Kaplan dismissed the emotional distress claim but allowed the rest of the lawsuit to proceed.
Spacey faces a criminal trial in London next year after pleading not guilty to five sex offense charges over alleged assaults between 2005 and 2013.
Coach Choi adds Thai nationality to Olympic taekwondo fame
FRIDAY, OCTOBER 21, 2022
National taekwondo coach Choi Young-seok was among 175 individuals granted Thai citizenship, in an announcement published in the Royal Gazette on Thursday.
Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha signed the order granting his new nationality in February, seven months after the 47-year-old coach led Thailand to its historic first taekwondo gold medal at the Olympics.
Coach Choi’s Thai citizenship was effective as of October 19, according to the announcement.
Born in South Korea on April 30, 1974, Choi began his career in Thailand 20 years ago when the Kingdom’s taekwondo athletes were barely known on the international stage.
Over the next two decades, he built Thailand into a taekwondo superpower, culminating in glory at the 2020 Tokyo Summer Olympics when Panipak “Tennis” Wongpattanakit won the Kingdom’s first taekwondo Olympic gold in the 49kg class.
Back in August, Choi was given the new Thai name of “Chatchai”, which means stable victory.
Choi has said that he has wanted Thai nationality for almost 10 years, a dream he has finally achieved with support from the Taekwondo Association of Thailand.
The group stage draw for the 2023 FIFA Women’s World Cup takes place on Saturday in Auckland.
The pots have been set for the group stage draw for the first-ever 32-team FIFA Women’s World Cup.
800 guests will gather on Saturday night in Auckland for the tournament draw, with millions expected to tune in around the world.
The 32 teams competing in the 2023 World Cup in Australia and New Zealand will be drawn into eight groups of four teams each, with the top two from each progressing to the round of 16.
29 teams have qualified for the tournament, with final three places up for grabs in the play-off tournament.
One team from each of four pots will be drawn into each group, the order of which was determined by FIFA’s latest Women’s World Rankings.
Hosts New Zealand and Australia have automatically been placed in groups A and B, respectively.
Pot 1 includes the United States, Sweden, Germany, England, France and Spain who are ranked top six, as well as co-hosts Australia and New Zealand. Australia are currently ranked No. 13, while New Zealand are No. 22.
China, ranked 15th, are in Pot 2, along with Canada, the Netherlands, Brazil, Japan, Norway, Italy and South Korea.
The draw will be conducted by two-time Women’s World Cup winner Carli Lloyd.
“Given the expanded format in 2023, there’s going to be even more excitement globally when the eyes of the football world focus on Auckland this Saturday,” the American said in a media release. “I am excited to play a part in a draw that will bring smiles to faces in every corner of the globe.”
The 2023 World Cup opens on July 20 in Auckland and concludes with the final in Sydney on August 20.
Beijing 2022 Olympic athletes honored at ANOC Awards 2022
FRIDAY, OCTOBER 21, 2022
Xinhua
Awardees of the ANOC 2022 were revealed in Seoul, with the Chinese Olympic Committee receiving the award for the outstanding NOC of Beijing 2022.
The best athletes of the Beijing 2022 Olympic Winter Games were honored on Wednesday during the awards ceremony of ANOC Awards 2022 held in Seoul.
The awards ceremony was held in the context of the 26th General Assembly of the Association of National Olympic Committees (ANOC).
Chinese delegation’s freestyle skier Gu Ailing was named the best-performing female athlete of Beijing 2022.
The Chinese Olympic Committee received the award for the outstanding NOC of Beijing 2022.
The awards were attended by representatives from more than 180 NOCs as well as many other Olympic Movement stakeholders.
The ANOC Awards have been held annually since 2014, recognizing and honoring the achievements of the NOCs and their athletes selected by the ANOC jury.
TCEB President Chiruit Isarangkun na Ayuthaya
