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https://www.nationthailand.com/world/china/40023601

Chinese government tweet hints at return of tourists to Thailand

FRIDAY, DECEMBER 30, 2022

A Twitter post by a spokesperson of China’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs on Thursday has hinted at Chinese tourists returning to Thailand now that Beijing has ended its zero-Covid policy.

The tweet by Hua Chunying came after the Chinese government announced that travellers will no longer have to be in quarantine from January 8 onwards.

“We have been waiting for you for 3 years! Warm invitations flowing in from Thailand, UAE, Israel, Seychelles, Austria, Iceland, Poland, Denmark, France, Netherlands, Montenegro, Malta, Norway, Portugal, Switzerland, Serbia, Spain, Chile, Australia, New Zealand…” Hua Chunying said on her Twitter.

In response to the possible return of Chinese tourists, Tourism and Sports Minister Phiphat Ratchakitprakarn has proposed that the Thai government provide free Covid-19 booster shots to travellers so as to increase collective immunity.

“This is similar to the situation when Thai citizens went abroad to get booster doses and travel at the same time, ” added Phiphat.

Chinese tourists who are considering visiting Thailand responded favourably on social media to the campaign. Though, some people continued to be worried about the pandemic.

However, a negative RT-PCR report has been made mandatory for arrivals from China in countries such as US, Japan, and Malaysia as the number of Chinese Covid-19 patients is still murky.

With Chinese tourists spending about US$127.5 billion abroad, China was the largest outbound travel market in 2019

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https://www.nationthailand.com/world/asean/40023595

Sonexay Siphandone becomes New PM after Lao cabinet reshuffle

FRIDAY, DECEMBER 30, 2022

The Lao cabinet is reshuffled at the concluding meeting of the Fourth Ordinary Session of the National Assembly (Ninth Legislature) of Laos held in Lao capital Vientiane on Friday, according to local TV reports.

Phankham Viphavanh, in his speech at the National Assembly (NA) meeting, said to resign from the post of prime minister for reaching retirement age and health problems.

Phankham Viphavanh, born in 1951, was elected as prime minister of the Lao government by the National Assembly in March 2021. He once served as vice president, vice prime minister, minister of education of Laos, Huaphan provincial governor and so on.

The NA meeting has also approved the nomination from Lao President Thongloun Sisoulith, naming Sonexay Siphandone as the new prime minister, with an overwhelming majority winning 149 out of the 151 votes.

Sonexay Siphandone

Sonexay, a politburo member of the ruling Lao People’s Revolutionary Party (LPRP) central committee, was elected to the LPRP Central Committee at the Eighth National Congress in 2006, and to the LPRP Politburo at the 10th National Congress in 2016.

Sonexay served as deputy prime minister of the Lao government before Friday’s election. 

Xinhua

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https://www.nationthailand.com/world/asean/40023593

Wastewater samples of aircraft from China to be tested for Covid-19 in Malaysia

FRIDAY, DECEMBER 30, 2022

Wastewater from planes arriving from China will undergo RT-PCR testing to detect Covid-19 while all arrivals from abroad including China will be screened for fever at the international port of entry.

These are among the measures being taken by the Health Ministry in anticipation of Chinese tourists, as China prepares to lift travel restrictions for its citizens.

Health Minister Dr Zaliha Mustafa said international arrivals who were detected to have fever or symptoms through the screening or self-declaration will be referred to the quarantine centre or the health department.

Should Covid-19 be suspected, a test will be conducted, she said in a statement on Friday.

Meanwhile, wastewater samples from the aircraft will be sent to the National Public Health Laboratory for PCR tests and then sent for genome sequencing if detected positive for Covid-19.

“In strengthening Covid-19 surveillance in the community, environment and laboratory, further tests on positive samples of Covid-19 using the Whole Genomic Sequencing (WGS) technique were implemented to detect the early entry of new variants in the country.

“Surveillance on samples for cases of influenza-like illness (ILI) in 59 clinics and severe acute respiratory infection (SARI) in 18 hospitals throughout the country are still continuing, with samples sent to national health laboratories and the Institute of Medical Research (IMR) for genome sequencing if found positive for Covid-19.

To further improve the detection of any new variants, Dr Zaliha said ILI and SARI cases that seek services at health facilities and have a travel history to China within the last 14 days, or have a history of contact with individuals who have a history of travel to China within the last fortnight, will undergo an RTK-Ag Covid-19 test and the sample will then be sent for genome sequencing if positive.

She also referred to the World Health Organization’s (WHO) weekly Covid-19 report in China, which recorded a total of 148,659 cases with 442 deaths between Dec 11 to Dec 17, 2022.

“Overall, the trend of Covid-19 cases is under controlled conditions in most countries around the world including Malaysia,” she said.

The Star

Asia News Network

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https://www.nationthailand.com/world/asia-pacific/40023583

At least 5 killed, 37 injured in S Korean expressway fire

FRIDAY, DECEMBER 30, 2022

At least five people died and 37 people were injured as of 5 p.m. Thursday as a fire engulfed a soundproof tunnel on a highway in Gwacheon, southern Gyeonggi Province, on Thursday afternoon.

President Yoon Suk-yeol ordered the Interior Ministry and Health Ministry to conduct a thorough search at the scene of the incident to prevent more deaths. He also ordered an all-out inspection of the road structures like sound barriers to check whether the materials used are fire-prone, in a move to prevent the fire from repeating, according to a presidential office spokesperson.

Fire authorities earlier revealed that six were found dead, but later made a correction regarding the death toll.

The incident was first reported to the fire authorities at 1:49 p.m. on the eastbound Second Gyeongin Expressway near North Uiwang Interchange. Over 200 calls followed.

The fire gutted the hundreds of meters-long tunnel-shaped structure, covering a bridge that traverses an industrial complex called the Gwacheon Knowledge Information Town.

Forty-four cars were trapped under the structure along the road when the fire broke out, causing drivers to get out of their cars and run from the fire.

The crack of fire started with the collision of a cargo truck and a bus, which soon spread to the sound barrier.

Casualties include bus passengers. Among the injured, three are reported to be in critical condition with facial burns. The remaining 34 suffered minor injuries from inhaling toxic gas.

This aerial photo shows a scaffolding of a burnt soundproof tunnel along the Second Gyeongin Expressway on Thursday (Yonhap)

Fire authorities issued a second-stage emergency response order at 2:22 p.m. to mobilize firefighting apparatus from up to 14 fire stations, 10 minutes after the milder first-stage order was in place. So far, 94 apparatus including fire trucks were dispatched to the scene of the disaster with 219 firefighters.

Fire authorities said they damped down the flames at 3:18 p.m, and extinguished the fire at 4:12 p.m.

A search operation is underway at the scene of the fire on the Second Gyeongin Expressway on Thursday. (Yonhap)

The fire department is also looking further into the degree of the damage and the cause of the fire.

Police mobilized over 240 police officers to block traffic from both directions near the site on the expressway connecting Yeongjongdo Island in Incheon and Seongnam, Gyeonggi Province, following the deadly incident. Police and Gwacheon Metropolitan Government public servants also blocked cars from accessing the road under the bridge within a one-kilometre range due to objects falling from the fire on the bridge.

The Korea Herald

Asia News Network

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https://www.nationthailand.com/world/us-canada/40023577

Trump tax returns to be released by US House panel on Friday

FRIDAY, DECEMBER 30, 2022

Former Republican President Donald Trump’s redacted tax returns will be made public on Friday, a spokesperson for the US House of Representatives Ways and Means Committee said on Thursday.

The Democratic-controlled committee obtained the returns last month as part of an investigation into Trump’s taxes, after a lengthy court battle that ended with the US Supreme Court ruling in the committee’s favour.

The committee released a report on its findings last week, which said the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) broke its own rules by not auditing Trump for three of the four years of his presidency.

The documents to be released on Friday are expected to include Trump’s tax returns filed between 2015 and 2021, the years he ran for and served as president.

A spokesperson for Trump declined to comment.

Trump’s tax returns were not released alongside last week’s report because they contained sensitive information that had to be redacted before publication, committee members said.

Democrats on the committee said making the returns public was necessary to understand the context of its report, which also included legislation that would mandate the IRS to audit presidents.

Trump was the first presidential candidate in decades not to release his tax returns during either of his campaigns for president.

Democrats on the committee had only a few weeks to decide how to handle the returns once they got them before Republicans retake control of the US House in January after winning a narrow margin of victory in November’s midterm elections.

Reuters

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https://www.nationthailand.com/world/asia-pacific/40023560

Bicycle trend in Japan boosts demand for parking solutions

THURSDAY, DECEMBER 29, 2022

In September, Katsushika Ward in Tokyo opened a new bicycle parking lot that can accommodate over 400 bicycles in an underground facility that resembles the set of a sci-fi movie.

The number of cyclists has surged amid the Covid-19 pandemic, increasing demand for bicycle parking lots in city centres.

Located a five-minute walk away from JR Shin-Koiwa Station, Katsushika Ward’s new parking lot features an automated loading system: All users have to do is set their bikes in the right position and push a button, after which the system whisks the bicycles into the subterranean storage space.

Giken Ltd., the developer of the parking lot, has installed underground facilities at 14 locations in Tokyo. The Koichi-based company said it has seen a surge in demand for its parking lots, especially in central Tokyo where it is difficult to secure land near stations.

Cyclists ride along a main road near Shibuya Station on Nov. 14. By Ryo Aoki / Yomiuri Shimbun Photographer

Municipalities also hope the facilities will deter people from leaving bicycles on sidewalks near stations.

An innovative measure adopted to deter on-street parking includes trick art warning signs, which the municipality of Hachioji in Tokyo installed in March of last year in cooperation with engineering students from Takushoku University. Painted on sidewalks, the warning While we’re on the subject of bicycle parking, cycle cafes — many of which have racks or allow customers to park their bikes inside — have also been attracting attention amid the cycling boom.

Hachioji has deployed trick art to deter people from parking bicycles on the sidewalk. By Ryo Aoki / Yomiuri Shimbun Photographer

“Many cafes don’t have bicycle storage space, so it’s very convenient,” said a customer at Cross Coffee, which opened in 2017 near an intersection that many cyclists pass in Inagi.

Bicycles are seen in an automated underground parking lot in Katsushika Ward on Nov. 2. By Ryo Aoki / Yomiuri Shimbun Photographer

“The number of new customers has increased by 20%-30%, and the cafe is crowded with bicycle enthusiasts,” said Ryutaro Nakamoto, the 38-year-old manager of Cross Coffee. “We hope customers take a timeout to enjoy a cup of coffee here, before setting off again for an enjoyable and safe bike ride.”

The Japan News

Asia News Network

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‘Ukraine war,’ ‘pandemic,’ ‘falling off the beam’ – Times Sq bids ’22 good riddance

THURSDAY, DECEMBER 29, 2022

Close to 100 people lined up Wednesday in New York’s Times Square to throw out things they want to forget about from 2022, including but not limited to the deadly global pandemic that still haunts the world.

The annual “Good Riddance Day” at the crossroads of the world was being marked for the 16th annual year.

And as is customary, participants were encouraged to write down the year’s unpleasant memories to be thrown away. In years past, shredders and incinerators have been brought into the event for disposal of the slips of paper. But this year participants were asked to “trash” the message, and then “bash” a punching bag before running a “dash” through an obstacle course put in place.

This year’s event also had a new sponsor, Netspend, which provided gift cards ranging from $30 ( 1,041 baht ) to $500 (17,357 baht )for event participants.

“We wanted to have a little bit more of a positive spin on it,” said TJ Wickham, of the Times Square Alliance. The event was also hosted once again by actor, Jonathan Bennett.

The annual “Good Riddance Day” comes as concern remains in place for a pandemic still seeing new variants, a reality addressed by many participants.

But Covid-19 also made way for other top global concerns for event participants including the war in Ukraine, poverty and single-use plastics.

Some however had more humble concerns. Rhyan Shelmerdine, for one, wanted to say good riddance to falling off the beam.

The Times Square Alliance, which promotes local businesses, has organized the event since 2007 near where the ball drops on New Year’s Eve in the closing moments of Dec. 31.

Reuters

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https://www.nationthailand.com/world/us-canada/40023545

US to impose mandatory Covid-19 tests for travelers from China

THURSDAY, DECEMBER 29, 2022

The United States will impose mandatory Covid-19 tests on travellers from China, US health officials said on Wednesday, joining India, Italy, Japan and Taiwan in taking new measures after Beijing’s decision to lift stringent zero-Covid policies.

The officials told reporters that beginning on Jan. 5, all air passengers 2 years old and older will require a negative result from a test no more than two days before departure from China, Hong Kong or Macao.

Passengers who test positive more than 10 days before a flight can provide documentation of recovery in lieu of the negative test result, the federal officials said.

They attributed the change in policy to the lack of information on variants of the Sars-CoV-2 virus and concerns that the increased number of Covid cases in China could result in the development of new variants of the virus.

The United States also is expanding its voluntary genomic sequencing program at airports, adding Seattle and Los Angeles to the program. That brings the total number of airports gathering information from positive tests to seven.

In an abrupt change of policy, China this month began dismantling the world’s strictest Covid regime of lockdowns and extensive testing, putting its battered economy on course for a complete re-opening next year.

The lifting of restrictions, following widespread protests against them, means Covid is spreading largely unchecked and likely infecting millions of people a day, according to some international health experts.

Beijing has faced international criticism that its official Covid data and its tally of deaths are inconsistent with the scale of its outbreak.

Reuters

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https://www.nationthailand.com/world/europe/40023544

Kremlin backs Serbia, denies Russia is stoking tension in Kosovo

WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 28, 2022

The Kremlin on Wednesday said it supported Serbia’s attempts to protect ethnic Serbs in northern Kosovo but denied Pristina’s accusation that Russia was somehow stoking tensions in an attempt to sow chaos across the Balkans.

Serbs in the ethnically divided city of Mitrovica in northern Kosovo erected new barricades on Tuesday, hours after Serbia said it had put its army on the highest combat alert following weeks of escalating tensions.

Albanian-majority Kosovo declared independence from Serbia in 2008 with the backing of the West, following a 1998-1999 war in which Nato intervened to protect ethnic Albanian citizens.

Asked about Kosovan Interior Minister Xhelal Svecla’s claim that Serbia, under the influence of Russia, was aiming to destabilize Kosovo by supporting the Serb minority, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said it was “wrong” to search for a destructive Russian influence.

“Serbia is a sovereign country and it is absolutely wrong to look for Russia’s destructive influence here,” Peskov said.

“Serbia is a sovereign country, and naturally, it protects the rights of Serbs who live nearby in such difficult conditions, and naturally reacts harshly when these rights are violated.”

Serbia denies it is trying to destabilize its neighbour and says it just wants to protect its minority there. Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic said on Tuesday that Serbia would “continue to fight for peace and seek compromise solutions.”

Around 50,000 Serbs live in the northern part of Kosovo and refuse to recognize the Pristina government or the state. They see Belgrade as their capital.

The Kremlin said it supported Belgrade.

“Having very close allied relations, historical and spiritual relations with Serbia, Russia is very closely monitoring what is happening, how the rights of Serbs are respected and ensured,” Peskov said. “And, of course, we support Belgrade in the actions that are being taken.”

Kosovo political analyst and local activist said the key to solving the situation in northern Kosovo was in the international community.

Speaking to Reuters on the main street of north Mitrovica, mainly populated by Kosovo Serbs, political analyst and Executive Director of NGO AKTIV, Miodrag Milicevic said he was bothered by the silence of the international community.

“The long duration of this entire crisis which indeed threatens to escalate (it),” Milicevic said.

Tensions between Belgrade and Pristina have been running high since last month when representatives of ethnic Serbs in the north of Kosovo left state institutions including the police and judiciary over the Kosovo government’s decision to replace Serbian-issued car licence plates.

On Wednesday, Kosovo closed its biggest border crossing with Serbia after protesters blocked it on the Serbian side to support their ethnic kin in Kosovo in refusing to recognise the country’s independence.

Some Mitrovica residents blamed Kosovo’s Prime Minister Albin Kurti for the current escalation, saying he was not willing to compromise.

The roadblocks erected by Serbs in northern Kosovo stayed in place on Wednesday despite the calls from the international community to have barricades along and near the Kosovo-Serbia border removed.

Since December 10, Kosovo Serbs in the northern part of the country have exchanged fire with police and erected more than 10 roadblocks in and around Mitrovica. Their action followed the arrest of a former Serb policeman accused of assaulting serving police officers.

German foreign ministry spokesperson said on Wednesday Germany was concerned about tensions between Serbia and Kosovo and was focused on efforts to remove border barricades.

Nato’s mission in Kosovo, Kfor, on Wednesday said it supported dialogue between all parties to defuse tensions in the north of the country.

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The inauguration of an urban dream in Dhaka

WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 28, 2022

Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina is going to inaugurate the country’s first-ever elevated metro rail in Dhaka today, in what is set to be one of the biggest achievements of her government and a proud moment for the nation.

We would like to extend our heartiest congratulations to the government, to those who worked on this project, our foreign partners, and all other stakeholders who turned this dream into a reality.

It has been a long and arduous journey since the construction of the Mass Rapid Transit (MRT) Line-6 began back in June 2016. And even though only a small section of the metro rail is going to be ready for commercial operation from December 29, we hope that the momentum it creates will lead to the timely completion of other sections, as well as that of complementary infrastructure that could truly turn it into a game-changer for the capital’s public transport system.

After the PM’s official inauguration today, starting tomorrow, commuters will be able to use the MRT Line-6 from Uttara to Agargaon. The eight-kilometre section from Agargaon to Motijheel would be opened in December next year, and the Motijheel to Kamalapur section in June 2025. Initially, the trains would run for four hours a day, from 8am to 12pm.

Clearly, the benefits of the metro rail are many. First and foremost among them are its speed and efficiency. Secondly, more comfortable, modern amenities, such as air-conditioning and Wi-Fi are going to be offered.

Additionally, the trains will ferry up to 60,000 passengers per hour, and will also be more environmentally friendly since they run on electricity.

However, the question remains: is the introduction of the metro rail going to be enough to ease the suffering of Dhaka dwellers, who have already paid a hefty price due to the traffic congestion the project’s construction has already caused in key areas of the capital?

For people to truly benefit from the metro rail, we need to develop a multi-medium integrated communication system centring it.

The government also needs to invest in public transport and work on the Dhaka Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) project to decrease people’s dependence on private cars.

According to experts, even when all six lines of the metro rail will be fully functional, it will only be able to serve 20 % of the demand at the time.

As such, it won’t be enough to address Dhaka’s ever-increasing traffic woes, unless we make another crucial cost- and time-effective intervention.

The effectiveness of the metro rail will depend on the efficacy of the planning to determine how people will reach the stations or go to various destinations around the stations.

When it came to the construction of the metro rail, poor planning and unwanted delays on the part of authorities led to a lot of suffering for commuters and general citizens.

While development projects such as the metro rail are vital to take our national infrastructure to the next level, these big ambitions must be supplemented with equally high levels of competence.

And even though today’s inauguration will be a proud start and a big achievement, there is much more that the authorities need to do to truly turn the Dhaka Metro Rail into something that could positively revolutionise the lives of our people.

The Daily Star

Asia News Network