Japan’s Imperial Couple Depart For UK To Attend Queen Elizabeth’s Funeral
SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 18, 2022
The Emperor And Empress Departed Haneda Airport In Tokyo For Britain Aboard A Government Plane Saturday To Attend The State Funeral For Queen Elizabeth II.
It is the first time for the Imperial couple to visit another country since the Emperor ascended to the throne.
At 10:15 a.m., the Imperial couple was seen off by their 20-year-old daughter Princess Aiko at the entrance of their living quarters at the Imperial Palace, where the Emperor told her, “Off I go.”
At the airport, the Emperor and Empress bowed in gratitude toward Crown Prince and Princess Akishino, who saw them off, and others, and then departed the airport shortly after 11 a.m.
The Imperial couple is scheduled to arrive in London on Saturday afternoon local time, and will attend the queen’s funeral on Monday at Westminster Abbey. They will return to Japan on Tuesday afternoon.
This is the Emperor’s first overseas trip since 2018 when he visited France. For the Empress, this is her first overseas trip since 2015, when she visited Tonga.
The Queen’s Eight Grandchildren Together In Silent Vigil For ‘Dearest Grannie’
SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 18, 2022
Princes William And Harry Stood Vigil At Either End Of The Coffin Of Their Grandmother Queen Elizabeth On Saturday, Heads Bowed As A Line Of Mourners Streamed Past The Late Monarch’s Lying-In-State.
The two sons of King Charles, attired in uniforms of officers of the Household Cavalry – the British Army’s most senior regiments -, stood in silence at a 15-minute vigil in Westminster Hall.
William and Harry were joined by their six cousins, including Princesses Beatrice and Eugenie, who earlier paid tribute to Britain’s longest-reigning monarch calling her “dearest grannie.” The Queen died on September 8 at her summer estate in the Scottish highlands, aged 96.
“You were our matriarch, our guide, our loving hand on our backs leading us through this world,” said the sisters, daughters of Prince Andrew. “You taught us so much and we will cherish those lessons and memories forever. For now dear grannie, all we want to say is thank you.”
Also, standing vigils were Peter Phillips and Zara Tindall – children of Princess Anne – and Lady Louise Windsor and James, Viscount Severn, children of Prince Edward.
Hundreds of thousands of people have lined up for long hours in a queue stretching along the River Thames, waiting to file past the coffin and honour the queen – a testimony to the affection in which she was held.
Her coffin will lie in state until early Monday. It will then be borne through London in a state funeral before being finally interred in a private service at Windsor Castle.
Mourners in London described seeing the Queen’s grandchildren stand vigil at her coffin as “overwhelming”.
Thousands of people stood in lines over six miles long, to file past the coffin of Queen Elizabeth who died on Sept. 8 aged 96.
Nicola Standen said seeing the queen’s family united in grief and “supporting each other” was very special.
“Actually, the whole experience was really overwhelming and it was just, where we’ve queued all day, well since the early hours of this morning, and we were so lucky to actually experience seeing them all there respecting their grandmother, and actually it was a really memorable experience, that we have experienced as a family, I don’t think I’m going to forget it. It was lovely to see them all together united because that’s what family is about, isn’t it, we are all together, united together in grief, and supporting each other, so how lovely was it to just see that, so it was a very special moment, we were really lucky,” she said.
Bidens Arrive In London For Queen Elizabeth’s Funeral
SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 18, 2022
President Joe Biden And His Wife, Jill Biden Arrived In London On Saturday To Attend Queen Elizabeth’s Funeral. President Biden Left Washington, Traveling Without Any Former US Presidents.
The White House said earlier this week that the royal invitation to the funeral, which takes place on Monday at Westminster Abbey, was for the Bidens only.
The queen died on Sept. 8 after a 70-year reign, sparking grief and mourning across the United Kingdom and around the world.
She had met multiple U.S. presidents, including, in more recent years, Donald Trump, Barack Obama and George W. Bush. She met 13 of the last 14 American presidents, all except Lyndon Johnson and starting with Harry Truman in 1951 when she was still a princess.
The Bidens joined the queen for tea in June 2021. Biden will hold a bilateral meeting with British Prime Minister Liz Truss at the United Nations General Assembly on Wednesday, rather than meeting in London on Sunday, her office said on Saturday.
On Sunday the Bidens are scheduled to pay respects to the late sovereign, whose coffin is lying in Westminster Hall. Afterwards, they will sign an official condolence book before attending a reception hosted by King Charles.
The state funeral on Monday is to be attended by nearly 100 presidents and heads of government.
Biden, 79, has said the queen reminded him of his mother. The president is deeply familiar with grief, having lost his adult son to cancer in 2015 and his wife and young daughter to a car accident decades ago.
Camilla Remembers Queen’s ‘Unforgettable Smile’ In Interview
SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 18, 2022
The Queen Consort, Camilla, Opened Up About Her Memories Of Queen Elizabeth And Praised The Monarch For “Carving Her Own Role.”
“It must have been so difficult for her being a solitary woman. There weren’t women prime ministers or presidents,” she added.
Camilla also remembered the Queen’s blue eyes and smile.
“They (Queen’s eyes) light up her whole face. I will always remember her smile. That smile is unforgettable,” she said during an interview with the BBC.
Born Camilla Shand in 1947 into an affluent family – her father was an army major and wine merchant who married an aristocrat – she grew up on a country estate and was educated in London before going to the Mon Fertile finishing school in Switzerland and then the Institut Britannique in France.
On the 70th anniversary of Queen Elizabeth’s accession to the throne, in February this year, Elizabeth gave her blessing to Camilla taking the title Queen Consort, saying it was her “sincere wish” that she do so.
Politicians Face Ban If Caught Handing Out Freebies After Sept 23
SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 17, 2022
Politicians And Political Parties Have Been Barred From Giving Any Handouts After September 23 As They May Be Violating The Electoral Law.
The Election Commission (EC) said in a statement on Friday that the vote campaigning period goes into effect on September 24 – 180 days before the House of Representatives’ four-year term ends on March 23, 2023.
An EC source said on Saturday that election candidates would be violating the organic electoral law if they distributed items to potential voters after next Friday.
“Doing so would be seen as buying votes,” the source pointed out.
The source also said that candidates cannot add the cost of these handouts to the campaign expenditure details submitted to the EC, as distribution of any items after next Friday would be deemed an “illegal campaigning act”.
The organic law on the election of MPs prohibits candidates from “procuring, giving, offering to give, promising to give or preparing to give property or any other benefits with a monetary value to any person”.
Violators can face one to 10 years in prison and/or a fine of 20,000 to 200,000 baht, as well as a court-ordered revocation of voting rights for up to 20 years.
The EC issued this warning because it has become a wide practice for Thai politicians to distribute survival kits among stranded flood victims and Covid-19 patients in home isolation.
Flash Floods, Runoffs Forecast For Most Of Thailand Until Wednesday
SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 18, 2022
THE NATION
Heavy To Very Heavy Rain Is Expected To Bring Flash Floods And Runoffs Across Most Of Thailand Until Wednesday.
The Thai Meteorological Department said on Sunday that more rain with gusty winds is likely in most parts of the country, with isolated heavy to very heavy rain possible in the North, Northeast, Central region including Bangkok and its vicinity, the East and the South.
“People should beware of severe conditions that may cause flash floods and overflows, especially along the foothills, near waterways and lowlands,” the department said.
It added that moderate wind in the Andaman Sea and the upper Gulf of Thailand will create waves of 1 to 2 metres high, which will be higher during thundershowers.
Ships should proceed with caution and keep off thunderstorms, the department warned.
Taxi Drivers Who Refuse Tourists Are Hurting Thailand’s Image, Say Police
SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 17, 2022
Taxis That Refuse To Pick Up Foreign Tourists During Heavy Rain Are Damaging Thailand’s Reputation As A Tourism Destination, Police Said On Saturday.
The Tourist Police Bureau has received a spate of complaints via its 1155 hotline about taxi drivers refusing tourists when it rains, bureau spokesman Apichat Suriboonya said.
“Many cab drivers refused to pick up passengers who hailed them in tourist areas, particularly during heavy rain. This act is severely damaging the image of Thailand’s tourism,” Apichat said.
This “lack of professionalism” could undermine Thailand’s competitiveness in the global tourism market, he added.
Apichat advised rejected passengers to take a photo of the taxi’s licence number and report it via the 1155 hotline.
“The Tourist Police will then work with relevant agencies, particularly the Department of Land Transport, to take action against the cab drivers responsible,” the spokesman said.
Those found guilty would face punishment that could severely affect their occupation.
Bangkokians have complained for years about taxi drivers refusing waiting passengers, particularly during rain or rush hours. It is illegal under the Land Traffic Act for cabbies to refuse hailing passengers. Taxi drivers who break the law face a fine of up to 1,000 baht and possible confiscation of their driving licence.
Complaints by taxi passengers of being rejected numbered about 50,000 in 2018, up 10,000 from a year earlier, according to Department of Land Transport records. Up to 80 per cent of the cab drivers responsible were punished, according to the agency.
Complaints can be filed with the department’s Public Passenger Protection Centre hotline at 1584, and with the Traffic Police 1197 hotline.
Student Praised For Daring Rescue After Boy Electrocuted In Floodwater
SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 17, 2022
A Student In Udon Thani Has Been Praised For Risking His Life To Save A Schoolboy Who Was Electrocuted While Wading Through Floodwater.
A widely shared video clip shows Atthachai Argudom, a 19-year-old student at Udon Thani Technical College, pulling the unconscious 12-year-old out of shin-deep water.
The drama unfolded next to a power pole outside Satri Rachinuthit School in the Northeast province on Friday. Witnesses suspected that electricity had leaked from the power pole.
Atthachai suffered electric shocks during the rescue that he said had left him feeling weak.
Both he and the schoolboy were taken to high ground inside the school compound before being rushed to hospital.
Udon Thani governor Siam Sirimongkol visited Atthachai in hospital on Saturday. He thanked the young man for his selfless compassion and gave him money to buy a new mobile phone.
Atthachai had dropped his phone into the floodwater in the scramble to rescue the boy.
The schoolboy’s mother, Kanokrat Loeichaiyaphum, also visited her son’s rescuer in hospital. She said her son would have drowned had Atthachai not pulled him from the floodwater.
“My thanks to this man who saved my son’s life. Thank you for your bravery and your good deed,” the 45-year-old said at Atthachai’s bedside.
His grandmother Supannee Saelim, 65, said that Atthachai has lived with her since he was a child following his parents’ divorce.
“I am proud of him and happy that he’s safe,” she told the media.
Meanwhile, Atthachai’s heroic action won praise from acting prime minister Gen Prawit Wongsuwan, government spokesperson Traisuree Taisaranakul said on Saturday.
Gen Prawit also instructed electricity authorities to take measures to prevent electrical leaks from power poles, she added.
Student E-Shopping Project Aims To Bridge Thailand’s Notorious Education Gap
SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 17, 2022
Nongluck Ajanapanya
Thailand’s Top International Schools Are Teaming Up With Local Rural Schools In An E-Commerce Project Aimed At Bridging The Country’s Wide Education Gap.
The “Equity Partnership’s School Network Season 4” will see international school students join with their poor rural counterparts to launch community products on Shopee in December.
A collaboration between the Equitable Education Fund (EEF), Shopee and schools, the project aims to equip students with real-world business skills for the 21st century.
“One of our main goals is to give students from extremely diverse backgrounds the chance to collaborate, support one another in finding the best solutions, and overcome a variety of obstacles,” said EEF’s managing director Kraiyos Patrawart.
More students and schools are participating in the fourth season, showing the project’s success, he said at Saturday’s launch ceremony.
Over the next six months, children from 12 rural schools across the country will form teams with students from eight international schools.
Each team will be handed community products made from local materials. They will then be taught by experts in product development, design, marketing and branding how to create and promote their online store to boost awareness and sales.
As well as learning digital techniques and how to add value to products, the students will also absorb social-emotional skills useful in their future work lives, Kraiyos said.
These include self-reliance, empathy, open-mindedness and teamwork, cross-cultural understanding, creative thinking, and digital entrepreneurship.
Among participants in the project is Shrewsbury International School.
Shrewsbury’s principal Rob Millar noted that learning outside of the classroom is just as important as learning in school. And the real-life experience gained from the “Equity Partnership’s School Network Season 4” would help students develop skills they need to survive in society, he said.
Shrewsbury teacher Greg Threlfall added that success in the project was not measured by sales but by the students’ ability to apply their knowledge and help each other to create a great product.
Earnearn, a DBS Denla British School student who is participating in the project for the second year, said it gave her the chance to apply business knowledge she learns in class. It also helped her communicate with others and appreciate their differences, she said.
“Last year, I felt like I didn’t give it my all. Due to the Covid-19 pandemic, we had to complete all tasks online. So I’ve decided to rejoin this year to learn more and make new friends.”
Pai, a 14-year-old student from Baan Non Kum Mitraparp 210 in Nakhon Ratchasima, said she hoped the project would give her new skills and knowledge to improve her community’s products.
A representative of Sea (Thailand), Shopee’s parent company, said the response to products from last year’s project was extremely positive, with sales totalling hundreds of thousands of baht.
“Shopee will provide experts to teach students everything they need to know about e-commerce and online marketing. It is proof that we can provide a platform for students to learn and prepare for their future careers,” said Puttawan Supatranun, Sea corporate communications director.
Students will collaborate to create a product for launch on December 12 – Shopee’s “double-12” end-of-year sales day.
EEF’s Kraiyos said the project was a model for social innovation aimed at eliminating educational inequity via collaborations among different sectors. It would also provide students with an alternative learning path to compensate knowledge gaps that opened during the pandemic, he added.
Gone Bonkers? Clip Of Woman Trying To Avoid Paying For Pizza Goes Viral
SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 17, 2022
THE NATION
The Video Clip Of A Woman Refusing To Return A Food Order After Failing To Pay Went Viral On Friday, Sparking Questions Among Netizens.
The clip was posted by Facebook user “Heart MyHeart”, who said he was delivering pizza to a woman at a condo in Bangkok’s Onnut area on Tuesday. The woman had ordered two pizzas, a bucket of ice cream and a cold drink, which came up to 760 baht. She came down to receive the order and said she would pay through her mobile.
The deliveryman said she scanned the QR code with her phone and then grabbed the order from him before trying to return to her room.
The man stopped her because the payment had failed and asked her to try again. That’s when the woman lost her temper, began cursing him and demanded that he prostrate himself at her feet before she would return the food.
The condo security guard then stepped in and asked the woman to scan the code again, which again failed. Eventually, the woman returned the food and went back to her room.
Some netizens responded to the clip saying clearly the woman is a troubled person, while others said she tried to wriggle out of paying, but her bluff was called.
Several people also expressed sympathy for the delivery person, saying they have to put up with all sorts of people, especially now that there is a rising demand for food delivery services, and the competition has become fiercer.
A Nation reporter contacted the deliveryman on Saturday and learned that the pizza parlour agreed to take back the food and cancelled the order. He said he did not have to cover the 760 baht the company had lost over the order.
“But please don’t do this to your delivery person. It’s a waste of our time and hurts our feelings,” he said. “I’ve been working as a deliveryman for more than two years now, but have never met anyone like this. She may have been suffering from something.”
Cheating over delivery services is becoming a growing problem nowadays as more people are buying products online for convenience.
The Electronic Transactions Development Agency reported that the 1212 Online Complaint Centre has received an average of 2,221 complaints per month this year, compared to 1,781 per month during the same period last year.
