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https://www.nationthailand.com/blogs/world/europe/40020160

To Thailand And Great Britain, With Love

SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 17, 2022

Amorn Wanichwiwatana

As A Former British College Student, Many People Have Asked My Opinion On What Is Going On In British Society And The Commonwealth, Especially In The Context Of Thailand.

Amorn Wanichwiwatana

Special to The Nation

Britain has got a new king, a new prime minister and lots of new challenges following the passing of Queen Elizabeth II a week ago. It was a reminder of the time when our beloved HM King Bhumibol Adulyadej the Great passed away in 2017, bringing about a sea change in Thailand and for Thai people. We have a new monarch on the throne amid the divisions in society. However, the present King and all royal members could stabilise the nation with heartfelt love. So can the British monarch, as King Charles III takes up the royal reins from his mum at the age of 73, becoming the oldest king in British history.

A survey by several media pointed to the increasing popularity of the new British monarch, particularly the new king who got a new high score since being named Prince of Wales, the crown prince.

Meanwhile, the new Prime Minister, Liz Truss, began her premiership with many unexpected burdens. The queen’s funeral and the visit of many heads of state will be her first opportunity to show British people and the world how the British empire used to be great and how it really is right now!

Lots of social problems and crises await her. The energy price hike, rising inflation, war in Ukraine, you name it, are going to be a few of the major challenges before her. Maybe her fierce rival during a month-long jostling, Rishi Sunak, now reckons that he does not have to feel too bad at being pipped to the post.

There are lots of promises that Truss holds dear to serve the British people as their new leader. Her image might have been criticised as a “Thatcher Wannabe” when she wore a head scarf on a tank running in a military drill when she was the defence minister. She graduated from Merton College, Oxford; one of the renowned colleges at the University of Oxford whose alumni includes Japanese Emperor Naruhito as well as many other world leaders.

Seemingly, recent polls are not on her side. Many Britons do not overwhelmingly trust that she will become a strong leader although her last name is presumably consonant with the word ‘trust’. Only time will tell and we need to wait and see because there will be no honeymoon period for her and her team. Whether she becomes a game changer or the opposite would become clear in a few months’ time.

Let’s now look at our country, Thailand is facing many issues we have never experienced before but is quite similar to the Western world. Our working places and schools are no longer as safe as they used to be. We recently heard the news of a sergeant killing two of his colleagues in anger. Somehow, the sergeant’s wife and daughter immediately rushed to the police station with evidence to prove that he was sick and undergoing treatment. A day later, a student carried a gun and shot his rival dead during a computer training session while being surrounded by his friends and teacher. The incident was first reported on social media that a student was killed by an explosion of a computer keyboard which misled the investigation. All the culprits must be brought to justice. This is a very dramatic story when there is a rumour that the suspected student killer had borrowed a handgun from a monk and his accomplice had thrown the handgun into the river to conceal evidence of the crime.

Why is Thailand witnessing more of such incidents? I do not know for sure if people are losing their minds due to the free cannabis campaign. Cannabis shops are opened easily for all at at every corner. Fortunately, the Democrat Party made an announcement not to go along with the free cannabis bill.

We also have digital scams everywhere. Examples of skilful villains and white-collar crimes have started to appear on the news headlines almost every day. Several celebrities are now fugitives and some are under police investigation because of their involvement with the scam and their unexplained wealth.

The constitutional dilemma that led the current prime minister to halt his duties will be vividly clear on September 30. The ruling could either result in ending General Prayut’s term as prime minister or prolong his tenure for another term. I strongly support the idea of counting his term from 2019 when he was sworn in as the prime minister according to the present Constitution. The court needs to use its discretion while making the ruling. If the judges give verdicts based only by reviewing the documents they have received from any faction, the court and judges might not be necessary at all. The judges should weigh all evidence as well as consider the case without biases or prejudices. There is no such thing as “reconciliatory approach”. The judges can only decide things based on the book of law.

I must emphasise and express my best wishes to Great Britain and Thailand with heartfelt love. Both countries are now facing new disruptions and sharing some similar situations. The show must go on but no one knows what the future holds!

(Amorn Wanichwiwatana, D.Phil. (Oxon), is a political scientist at Chulalongkorn University)

Amorn Wanichwiwatana

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https://www.nationthailand.com/world/europe/40020156

Queue To See Queen Elizabeth’s Coffin Paused After Reaching Capacity

FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 16, 2022

The Queue To See Queen Elizabeth Lying In State In London Was Temporarily Closed On Friday After Reaching Capacity, The Government Said, As Officials Warned Of Waiting Times Of At Least 14 Hours.

Elizabeth died in Scotland aged 96 last week, prompting an outpouring of emotion that drew tens of thousands out to see her coffin on its journey to London, and that has now compelled many more to join long lines to pay their respects during a four and a half day lying-in-state ceremony.

“Entry (to the queue) will be paused for at least 6 hours,” Britain’s culture department said on Twitter. “Please do not attempt to join the queue until it re-opens.”

The constantly-moving queue is snaking its way from Southwark Park, then along the South Bank of the River Thames, to parliament’s Westminster Hall, where some 750,000 people in total are expected to file past the Queen’s coffin before Monday morning.

The queue was around 4.9 miles long as of 0900 GMT, the culture department’s live queue tracker showed.

Some people have waited for more than 12 hours.

Reuters

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https://www.nationthailand.com/world/europe/40020155

Germany Takes Control Of Russian-Owned Refinery Amid Energy Crisis

FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 16, 2022

The German Subsidiary Of Russian Oil Giant Rosneft Was Placed Under Trusteeship On Friday, Giving Germany’s Federal Regulator Control Of The PCK Refinery In Schwedt, A Key Source Of Fuel For The City Of Berlin.

Rosneft Deutschland, which was previously majority owned by Rosneft, has tested Germany’s resolve to eliminate imports of oil from Russia by the end of the year under European sanctions to punish Moscow for its invasion of Ukraine.

“With the trusteeship, the threat to the security of energy supply is countered and an essential foundation stone is set for the preservation and future of the Schwedt site,” Germany’s economy ministry Robert Habeck said in a statement.

Rosneft Deutschland, which accounts for about 12% of German oil processing capacity, will fall under the trusteeship of the Federal Network Agency regulator, which said the original owner no longer had the authority to issue instructions.

Taking control of the Rosneft Deutschland is the latest move by Germany to shore up its energy industry, which is reeling from the effects of the war in Ukraine.

Germany said this week it would step up lending to energy firms at risk of being crushed by soaring gas prices after Russia cut supplies to Europe in retaliation for Western sanctions.

Reuters

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https://www.nationthailand.com/world/asia-pacific/40020151

Fukuoka Yakuza Group Greying After Crackdown

FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 16, 2022

Members Of A Kitakyushu-Based Yakuza Group Are Greying, Just Like The Rest Of Japanese Society. Average Age Of The Group Rose From 44.6 In 2013 To 54 At The End Of 2021, While The Number Of Members In Their 20s Declined From 33 To Just Two.

Eight years after the arrest of its top leaders, Kudo-kai has lost many of its youngsters and is struggling to attract new recruits. The average age of affiliates in the group’s Fukuoka Prefecture stronghold now stands at 54, up 9.4 years from 2013, a year before a police crackdown began. Only two of the group’s prefectural members are in their 20s.

On Sept. 11, 2014, the Fukuoka prefectural police arrested Kudo-kai chief Satoru Nomura on suspicion of homicide, with an eye on wiping out the largest organized crime syndicate in the Kyushu region. As part of a strategy dubbed “Operation Summit,” the police also arrested the group’s second-in-command, Fumio Tanoue, and intensified its attempts to crush the organization.

From 2014 to July 2022, the police had arrested 474 Kudo-kai-affiliated individuals.

In 2021, Fukuoka District Court sentenced Nomura to death and Tanoue to life in prison for their involvement in four assaults against civilians. Nomura and Tanoue — now 75 and 66, respectively — both appealed the sentencing.

According to the prefectural police, Kudo-kai now has 250 members nationwide, with 200, or 80%, based in Fukuoka Prefecture. Numbers declined rapidly from 540 at the end of 2013, following the operation.

The average age rose from 44.6 in 2013 to 54 at the end of 2021, while the number of members in their 20s declined from 33 to just two during the same period. About one in six of the group, or 33 individuals, are 70 or older.

Multiple dissolutions
Since the start of the 2014 operation, the police have forced the dissolution of more than 10 groups affiliated with Kudo-kai and have shuttered at least 24 of its offices.

A 70-something leader of one of such group once served as a Kudo-kai official. But he reportedly decided to dissolve his coterie because the crackdown made it difficult to gather funds, prompting multiple departures from the group, investigative sources said.

In February, the group to which Tanoue belonged also effectively ceased operating following the death of its leader. In 2003, the group injured more than 10 people by lobbing a grenade into a Kitakyushu pub owned by the leader of a movement that aimed to eliminate yakuza gangs. However, in recent years many people have left the group, leaving the boss in his 70s as the sole member.

Even for the groups that remain, about half the members are either in prison or under detention. The police believe many groups lack candidates to succeed the current bosses.

Non-yakuza group on the rise
The Fukuoka prefectural police are increasingly wary about groups expanding their activities to other prefectures. According to sources, two Kudo-kai-affiliated groups in Fukuoka City are fostering delinquent groups not formally part of the yakuza organization and thus not covered by the Prevention of Unjust Acts by Organized Crime Group Members Law.

In the Kanto region, in particular, young people with no connection to Fukuoka are joining such groups, reportedly attracted by the organization’s violent image, according to sources.

“We need to strengthen our knowledge of groups that aren’t officially part of yakuza organizations,” a senior prefectural police official said.

The Japan News

Asia News Network

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https://www.nationthailand.com/world/asean/40020149

Fifty Thousand Copies Of New Hun Sen Biography To Be Distributed Free Of Charge

FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 16, 2022

Prime Minister Hun Sen Has Announced The Publication Of His New Biography, Titled “Samdech Techo Hun Sen: Man Of Cambodia’s Destiny”, With Some Copies To Be Distributed To The Public Free Of Charge.

The premier said the book would reveal information that had not previously been known to the public.

“Keo Ba Phnom – Minister Delegate attached to the Prime Minister and chairman of the ruling Cambodian People’s Party’s [CPP] historical research committee – has written the 601-page book, which reveals about 70 to 80 per cent of my secrets that most people did not know, and which I think are important to disclose now,” he said.

“I am printing 50,000 copies and arranging for an English translation for our foreign friends as well,” he said.

Ba Phnom told The Post on September 15 that they will be releasing the book to distribute to the public free of charge.

“The principle wish of Hun Sen is that it be free and he will distribute it to schools and those who want to read it and want to know the history. It will take a long time to print because of the large number. Now the printing team is preparing to do this work,” he said.

Pov Sok, a member of the board of directors of the Khmer Writers’ Association, said the publication of this new book, which purportedly has the most complete biography of the prime minister written to date, is a very good thing because the history has mostly been buried for the years between 1970 and 1979, and up until 1990 Cambodia has very few historical documents that exist.

“Keo Ba phnom highlighted that this book is an important document that Cambodia’s younger generations should read to understand the political turning points and the political storm that rained down on Cambodia from 1970 and really up to 1998 when Cambodia found genuine peace. This will help them know what happened and when we read it everyone will have their own interpretations or ideas,” he said.

Voun Dara 

The Phnom Penh Post

Asia News Network

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https://www.nationthailand.com/world/asean/40020140

Hanoi’s Authorities Begin Enforcing Closure Of Train Track Coffee Shops

FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 16, 2022

Vietnam News

Since Thursday, Barriers And Warning Signs In Both Vietnamese And English Have Been Erected And Police Officers Have Been Deployed To Enforce The Closure Of The Famous Train Street In Downtown Hanoi.

Tourists seeking the unique sight are also turned away.

Hoan Kiem District says it will close and revoke the licences of all coffee shops lining the rail line by September 17 over safety concerns.

Some sections of track along the Ha Noi-Dong Dang railway line, where trains pass close to residential houses, have been popular with foreign tourists for many years. However, the spot’s popularity also poses a major safety hazard.

The warning sign is available in both Vietnamese and English.

The move has received understanding from most people.

Nguyen Thi Huong, a resident in Dien Bien Phu District, thinks it’s a good idea and welcomes the move to improve safety.

She said: “When the coffee shops are open, this railway is packed with people, including foreigners and locals, especially when the train is coming. They stand beside the railway line, and I have to stop them from gathering around to prevent any accidents caused by the trains.

Student Do Dinh Vu agreed: “I usually come here to have a cup of coffee. However, I think it is necessary to ban coffee shops here because the pavement is very small, and some people even sit on the railway, which is very dangerous for them when there’s a train.”

The once crowded area has become deserted following the closure order.

While many tourists who came to take photos and videos of the famous cafe were quite disappointed, Australian Jamie Williams doesn’t think it will affect tourism much in the long run.

She said: “I think the closure of the coffee shops will impact tourism a little bit, but I don’t think it will be a huge countrywide.”

The street was ordered to close in late 2019, but after Vietnam reopened in March this year following two years of border closure, the coffee shops opened too and foreign tourists have been flocking to ‘train street’ once more.

Viet Nam News

Asia News Network

Vietnam News

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https://www.nationthailand.com/world/us-canada/40020135

“It Felt Like Star Wars”; World’s First Flying Bike Makes US Debut

FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 16, 2022

The Future Was On Full Display, Soaring Above The Ground At The Detroit Auto Show Thursday, With The World’s First Flying Bike Making Its United States Debut.

Japanese startup AERWINS Technologies created the XTURISMO hoverbike, a vehicle capable of flying for 40 minutes and reaching speeds of up to 62 miles per hour.

“I feel like I’m literally 15 years old and I just got out of Star Wars and jumped on their bike,” said Thad Szott, co-chair of the Motor City’s auto show and one of the first Americans to take a test drive on the XTURISMO hoverbike. “I mean, it’s awesome! Of course, you have a little apprehension, but I was just so amped. I literally had goosebumps and feel like a little kid.”

Shuhei Komatsu, founder and CEO of AERWINS Technologies, says the company started out making drones and unmanned aerial vehicles.

The hoverbike is already on sale in Japan. Komatsu said plans are underway to sell a smaller version of the XTURISMO hoverbike in the U.S. in 2023.

The estimated price for the American version is $777,000.

Komatsu said the company hopes to get the cost down to $50,000 for a smaller, electric model by 2025.

AERWIN technologies representatives say the company also plans to go public and will make a stock offering on the NASDAQ exchange in November.

Reuters