Documentos de Académico
Documentos de Profesional
Documentos de Cultura
NLA apologises
after lawmakers
caught napping
THE NATION
NATION/CHALINEE THIRASUPA
lic interest while members were drawing a
monthly salary of at least Bt113,560 over the past
four years.
Peerasak apologised for the incident. “I under-
stand the public sentiment and opinion that it was
an important legislation and the NLA should have
been more hardworking. So, I have to apologise,”
he said.
He insisted the two had been working hard, A whale created from plastic waste with many plastic bags inside its stomach is shown at the World Oceans Day exhibition at Siam Paragon yesterday, highlighting the threat to rare marine
going out in the field to meet people, but right now animals from plastic waste in the seas.
they were suffering from some poor health condi-
tions. Charlie recently had a heart surgery while
Thamrong had also been ill, he explained.
Sinking SPECIES
PLASTIC POLLUTION AND UNSUSTAINABLE FISHING in the harmful fishing equipment and died.
WANTED – AND GONE Jansri, 32, and Kordat Tawan, 49 and said
police had seized 36,755 methamphetamine
pills, a loaded handgun and 8.36 grams of
Israeli sought over Australian crystal methamphetamine.
tourist stabbing in Pattaya “The arrest came after police first arrest-
ed Sayan which led to the arrest of Boonchai,”
Pattaya police are seeking an arrest war- Tharatcha said. “Boonchai told police that
rant for an Israeli tourist who is accused of he had bought methamphetamine pills from
stabbing an Australian man in a Pattaya Wirat and some crystal methamphetamine
nightclub – but it seems they are already too as well. Wirat told police that he bought
late. methamphetamine pills from Kordat.
Pol Captain Sombat Kaewmoolsuk said “Police arrested Kordat at a palm oil plan-
Jaydon Sienkiewicz, 21, was severely injured tation in Krabi and found 36,000 metham-
in his abdomen at 4am on Thursday and was The brother of Apassara Chobthonglang, phetamine pills which had been stored in
rushed to Pattaya Hospital. 53, summoned police in Chakkarat district many areas adjacent to a mountain in the
to the house at 6.30am after finding her dead plantation.”
in bed with a large knife wound across the Tharatcha said the pills had a wholesale
face and a cut on one arm. price of Bt70 per pill and a street value of
A doctor estimated she’d been dead for Bt200 per pill.
about two hours. The brother, Suchart He added: “Sadly, there are simply more
Chobthonglan, who lives nearby, said his drug users due to the decreasing price.” – The
nine-year-old daughter woke him to report Thaiger
that her aunt was unwell and bleeding.
Apassara lived with her niece. Her hus-
band works in Bangkok. CHASED AND KILLED
Police suspect a burglar climbed in
through a window and woke the victim,
Motorcyclist dies, girlfriend injured
CHEF SHOCK
Woman chef falls to her RENOVATION DISASTER
death from Bangkok condo Police aim to visit 3,900 members of
‘organic marijuana’ Facebook page App Arena pub damaged as fire sweeps through premises
A woman fell to her death from the 23rd
floor of a Bangkok condominium yesterday Police have vowed to track down and take A pub in one of central Bangkok’s night entertainment complexes has suffered
morning, in what is believed to have been a legal action against more than 3,900 members serious damage after fire swept through the premises.
suicide. of a closed Facebook group that encourages The blaze occurred at App Arena Rama 9 in Soi Rama IX, opposite the Royal City
members to grow so-called “organic marijua- Avenue hub of nightclubs in Huai Khwang, according to the Bangkok-based Traffic
na”. News Radio Station JS100. Pol Captain Praphan Pithaksa, deputy
Pol Maj-General Panumart Boonyalak, Firefighters took less than 30 minutes to bring the fire under control, but not inspector of the Muang Rayong station, said
commander of the Patrol and Special before part of the ceiling and wall at the rear of the premises had collapsed. The he saw Arak turn around his bike and speed
Operation Division (191), made the threat dur- building was in the process of being renovated at the time. off against the traffic flow in order to avoid
ing a press conference on Thursday to a drunk-driving checkpoint staffed by
announce the arrest of three suspects. Praphan.
Panumart identified the three arrested ear- whether they have bought marijuana plants to day, police said. Friends alerted police, who Police at the checkpoint gave chase before
lier this week as Nattapong Sawetwiharnree, grow at home, added Pol Colonel Somboon went to the rented room on Soi Phaholyothin the accident occurred in front of the Central
37, Panuwat Thianprapas, 37, and Resnarin Thiankhao, an officer at the division. 36 in Bangkok’s Chatuchak district at 2am but Rayong shopping mall.
Chutipichian, 30. Police also seized 1.61 kilo- were too late to save Wannaporn Onsriprai, 26. Arak was not wearing a crash helmet.
grams of dried marijuana, 40 cubic centime- She was found hanging from an iron grill His girlfriend told police that Arak was
tres of hashish, and 21 marijuana plants. GOING OFF LINE on the balcony of her rented room. driving her home in Muang district from his
Makkasan police, summoned at 10am, Panumart said the case began when officers Police said Wannaporn’s tomboy ex-part- home near Ban Pe beach. She said he had
found the body of Dara Datchanee, 41, learned that home-grown marijuana, which ner had left her on Thursday evening after they been drinking with friends before setting
behind a condominium in the RCA area of sellers called “organic marijuana”, was being had lived together for about a year. out on the motorcycle, according to police.
Huay Kwang district. distributed in Bangkok, especially in the area Witnesses told police they last saw
Dara was the chef at a well-known restau- under the jurisdiction of the Chokechai police Wannaporn drinking beer alone at around
rant at the Central EastVille shopping mall. station. midnight. CHEATED BY FAMILY
Police determined she lived on the 23rd Police traced a buyer and arrested
floor and found no signs of foul play on the Nattapong at his house in Pathum Thani’s
premises. Thanya Buri district, after which police learned MYSTERY MURDER Urgent help arrives for sick
that he sold the drug through a Facebook group Bangkok couple facing eviction
called “Let’s Grow Marijuana Version 2”.
DEAD IN BED Police checked the group and traced two Building supplies shop owner shot Several agencies are helping a couple
more sellers, Panuwat and Resnarin, and dead in Pattani, motive unknown being evicted from their home after their
arrested them. land was mortgaged by a relative.
Korat woman stabbed to death The suspects said they ordered marijuana Woman hangs herself after The owner of a building supplies shop in Former information and communication
in bed in attempted burglary seeds from England at the price of Bt500 to
video goodbye call to friends Pattani’s Nong Chik district has been shot dead. technology minister Anudith Nakhonthap,
Bt600 per seed and grew them for more seeds Ismail Doloh, 33, was gunned down on Chainarong Putchakarn, chairman of the
A burglar is suspected of stabbing a and to sell plants, dried marijuana and hashish. A woman made a video call to her Line Thursday while riding his motorcycle on a vil- Mother of the Land Foundation for Sai Mai,
woman to death in her bed in Nakhon Police have now acquired the names of the friends to say goodbye and then hanged her- lage road in Tambon Don Rak. and officials from the Social Development
Ratchasima yesterday morning. 3,900 group members and will investigate self at her Bangkok rented room early yester- Police said the gunman was waiting by the and Human Security Ministry and the Sai
side of the road and fired at Ismail as he passed Mai district visited the couple at their house
by. Police have yet to determine whether the in the Or Ngern subdistrict of Bangkok’s Sai
Surat Thani school head probed for wrongdoing shooting was an insurgency act or a murder
motivated by personal conflict.
Mai district yesterday morning.
They got involved after Sumol Boonyuen,
the local chairwoman of the Mother of the
SUWANNEE BANDISAK, According to Jakkarin, corruption over lunchtime Land fund, found out about their plight and
SEKSANTI KANLAYANAWISUT meals is just one of the serious allegations against CHEAP CRIME sought help from the fund and Anudith, a
THE NATION Somchao. Others include substandard road construc- former MP for Sai Mai district.
tion for schools, channelling school funds to his own The couple were identified as Somsak
THE EDUCATION Ministry will start investigating the pocket, and having just six electricity poles erected for 30,000 yaba pills seized; drugs Phojad, 64, and Bamrung Phojad, 60. They
former director of the Ban Tha Mai School in Suran the school while in fact the school should have got are rife due to declining prices said they had four children but two died and
Thani province next week for alleged grave disciplinary eight poles. two others had moved away to have their
offences. Songwut Maliwan, deputy director of the Fund for Four drug dealers have been arrested with own families.
Somchao Sittichen, who was transferred out of School Lunch Office, said he had heard that because more than 30,000 methamphetamine pills. Somsak could not walk because of an
the school’s helm on June 1, risks being sacked without current teachers at the Ban Tha Mai School were The use of the drug is on the rise through- infected foot, while his wife is suffering from
pension benefits if found guilty. much younger than Somchao, they did not argue with out Thailand, due to decreasing prices and asthma and her only income comes from
His alleged wrongdoing drew the attention of him. increased availability. selling sweets at a temple once every fort-
higher authorities after someone posted a video clip “Another factor that allowed Somchao to steal Krabi Provincial Police Deputy night on Buddhist worship day.
on the Internet showing students at the Ban Tha Mai lunch money is the fact that the Education Ministry no Commander Colonel Tharatcha Tommapat Bamrung said Somsak’s condition wors-
School in the Tha Chana district eating Thai vermicelli longer conducts random checks on lunch quality,” he named the four drug dealers as Sayan ened and he ate less after he learned from
with just fish sauce for lunch. said. Kanantai, 44, Boonchai Matosot, 30, Wirat his sister, who lives in another house, that
The poor meal suggested that something was Meanwhile, parents yesterday officially called on she had mortgaged their land and the new
amiss at the school. the Udon Thani Primary Education Services Area 4 owner had sent a lawyer to evict them.
Under regulations, schools must provide rice with Office seeking the transfer of Ban That Prachanukul Anudith gave Somsak a walking stick,
two side dishes plus a dessert or fruit. School director Kanlaya Phontura. money and bags of necessities as immediate
Lt-General Kosol Prathumchart, an adviser to Kanlaya, who has helmed the school since 2015, is relief.
Education Minister Teerakiat Jareonsettasin, yester- now accused of inefficiency and inappropriate behav- He said he would coordinate with
day inspected the school alongside several senior iour. Apichart Ploysangwal, director of Bhumibol
education officials to dig deeper into the matter. “We have noticed that the school has now reduced Hospital, to take Somsak for treatment until
Some junior teachers wept as they told the inspection team of how the lunch budget by 25 per cent,” said Prakai Luenkaew. “Food that is sup- his foot healed.
Somchao forced them to sign their acceptance of various works for the posed to be for children is also shared with teachers.” Officials from the district office and the
school and documents using “creative accounting”. Prakai, moreover, said from the time Kanlaya had headed the school, ministry said they would evaluate their liv-
“You have no need to fear. Please tell us everything,” Kosol said. every student was required to pay Bt1 for drinking water. ing conditions to provide them sustainable
The inspecting team said the teachers’ testimony would count in the “Only students in Anubarn 2 level do not have to pay because their measures to help and register them for
investigation against Somchao. teachers offer to pay for them,” she said. allowances.
Jakkarin Apisamai, deputy director of Surat Thani’s Primary Educational The Udon Thani Primary Education Services Area 1 Office has promised
Services Area 2 Office, said Somchao was now accused of engaging in 10 to investigate.
wrongdoings. “We will set up a fact-finding committee within seven days,” the office’s
“Five of them are offences of a serious nature,” he said. deputy director Prasit Chaiwong said.
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THE NATION Saturday, June 9, 2018 THAILAND 3A
THE NATION to inspect the massacre scene A SUSPECTED smuggler has aban-
AGENCE FRANCE-PRESSE again at 10am. Gunshot wounds to doned eight Rohingya he was
the head and torso were apparent- transporting in a pickup truck after
POLICE INVESTIGATORS are ly inflicted by M16 rifles, he said, trying to back away from a check-
investigating two possible motives noting that officers had collected 18 point in Nakhon Si Thammarat’s
for the massacre of four members of spent cartridges from the scene, and Chian Yai district and crashing into
a Muslim family while panning for there appeared to be two assailants. another vehicle yesterday. The
gold at a canal in Narathiwat Narathiwat police commander truck was in no state to be driven
province on Thursday, Sukhirin Pol Maj-General Manus Sixsamat further so the suspect fled the
superintendent Pol Colonel earlier gave similar details to scene just before officers reached
Chaiwat Panboonthong said yester- Agence France-Presse, noting that the spot, leaving behind the eight
day. the victims were shot by “war Rohingya – five females and three
Police were alerted at 9pm on weapons” and police did not yet males.
Thursday of the murders at Sai Buri know the exact motive. A 20-year-old Rohingya man
canal in Ban Nam Tok village in “But they may have been shot by told police via an interpreter that
Tambon Sukhirin, Sukhirin district. hard-line militants ... or by a rival each of them had paid 3,000,000
The four victims were identified as group of gold panners,” he said. Myanmar kyat (about Bt70,000)
Mayusoh Bado, 49, his two sons to an agent to be transported out
Hillme Bado, 23, and Muhamad of Sittwe city in Rakhine state to
N AT I O N / C H A R O O N T H O N G N UA L
No illegal activities
Hadis Bado, 16, as well as his son- Malaysia. The young man said he
in-law Maroshadi Poh, 36. Internal Security Operations and seven others crossed the natu-
Their relatives had already col- Command Region 4 front command ral borderline into Thailand with-
lected the bodies from Sukhirin spokesman, Colonel Pramote out going through the immigration
Hospital’s morgue for the burial cer- Phrom-in, told a press conference procedure. He said about 12 others
emony. in Pattani yesterday that an initial had travelled in a different direc-
The murders could have probe failed to find a link between tion.
stemmed from the regional unrest, the victims and any illegal activities The group of eight took a bus to
as the other side of the canal from or national security offences in the an unfamiliar meeting point before
where the men were panning, over- area. He also offered condolences to Family members and relatives hold a burial ritual yesterday for the four Muslim men who were shot dead while panning for the Thai smuggler picked them up
lapped Chanae district where armed the deceased men’s families. gold at a canal in Narathiwat’s Sukhirin district on Thursday. in the truck at 7pm on Thursday
insurgents operate, said Chaiwat. Their relatives told police that the and seized their cellphones. They
Or there may have been a four went to mine for gold at the canal neighbour to go looking for them and machine to suck up sand from the of the precious metal appear during had been travelling in the truck for
conflict over the gold panning if the during the day and did not return he had found their bodies. stream bed to later examine by hand heavy rains in some remote streams, 12 hours heading to Songkhla’s
outsiders were viewed as encroach- home to participate in the post-sun- It was reported that the men, rid- for specks of gold. providing a small bonus income for border district of Sadao before
ing on gold belonging to locals, set Ramadan fast-breaking meal. ing on two motorcycles for the gold Gold panning is not a major busi- the area’s rubber tappers and farm- police intercepted them.
he added as he led forensic officers The relatives had asked a male panning mission, used a small ness in southern Thailand but flecks ers. Karaket Police Station inspector
Pol Lt-Colonel Yanyong
Hiranburana said officers had not
&< D01
rights to use the system.
DEVELOPED by Thailand, a smart traffic-police system One has used the system to detect Phuket motorcy-
is now watching over Bangkok’s roads round the clock, clists and motorcycle passengers who fail to wear a
?M555!H-!čHĊD-*=L Ů# <di`":ů
+::9/-8bi`":
detecting illegal lane changes and issuing tickets to crash helmet.
offenders – all automatically.
“It streamlines the work process and prevents any
disruption to traffic flow, which could otherwise occur if
The other has used the system to detect lane
changes in Bangkok.
“Initially, we installed cameras inside traffic-police ĶśŜŗŚōŴŖōŜ
traffic policemen had to stop the offending vehicle on
sight,” Naresuan University’s lecturer Woralak
Kongdenfha said at a press conference yesterday after
dummies but soon found that cameras there could be
stolen,” Woralak said. “So, we have chosen to install
cameras in a high spot at an angle that can best cap-
92ĉ2<!Ċ:9MEĉ/9!=Lae)<Ŵ*ŴfaD#đ!Ċ!H#ŰD+=*:)-;9"</
her team spent more than three years developing the ture the licence plate number of a law-offending vehi-
innovative system.
And there’s a bonus to the system: the cameras are
cle,” she said.
The technology, which has won an award from the
29L52<!Ċ:HĊ9MEĉ/9!!=Mųa ŴŴfaDĉ:!9M!
so good that they can also help detect stolen vehicles Thailand Research Fund, has reportedly helped the
and thus help catch car thieves. country save more than Bt15 million.
“We are going to develop the system further so as to “Without this innovation, Thailand might still have
boost the chance of preventing car thefts,” Woralak to rely on an imported system,” Woralak said.
INSIGHT 4A THE NATION Saturday, June 9, 2018
nationmultimedia.com
www.facebook.com/NationNews
A Southeast Asian
approach to N Korea
ANNA FIFIELD
THE WASHINGTON POST
MANY COUNTRIES IN THE REGION ARE UNCOMFORTABLE WITH THE SANCTIONS APPROACH OF MAXIMUM PRESSURE
PHNOM PENH, CAMBODIA
A N N A F I F I E L D / T H E WA S H I N G T O N P O S T
But on the field, no one cared
where they were from. “In soccer, we
just play,” said Hok Sochivoan, the
Visakha coach. “We don’t talk about
politics or our differences.”
Meanwhile, up at Siem Reap, close
to the ancient ruins of Angkor Wat,
the Angkor Panorama Museum was
open for business. It was built by the
Mansudae Overseas Project Group,
linked to the North Korean state’s
main propaganda studio, for a report-
ed $24 million in 2015.
The nonaligned countries of
Southeast Asia, from Malaysia and
Indonesia to Cambodia and Vietnam,
have never been fans of a sanctions-
based approach like the “maximum
pressure” campaign that President
Donald Trump has been waging
against North Korea.
That approach could change if the
summit between Trump and North
Korean leader Kim Jong-un, sched-
uled to be held in Singapore on June
12, takes place. If a denuclearisation
deal is done, sanctions could be eased
and money could start flowing to
North Korea again.
A N N A F I F I E L D / T H E WA S H I N G T O N P O S T
A N N A F I F I E L D / T H E WA S H I N G T O N P O S T
elections for the UN Security Council, plant collectors rather than scien-
my team and I held intensive meetings tists may be the first to come across
and lobbied various permanent repre-
sentatives of UN member states at the
UN headquarters [in] New York,”
Foreign Minister Retno Lestari
Malaysia goes after financier such new species, and these may
end up in heaps of plants sold at
local markets.
“This showy and undoubtedly
EDITORIAL
Trump ever more likely to burn down his own White House
G7 LEADERS MEETING IN QUEBEC, RECOGNISING THAT AMERICA’S FOREIGN-AFFAIRS MESS CAN ONLY GET MESSIER, SHOULD POUR ON THE PRESSURE
“ t’s tough to be America’s friend meaning “poor bay”. As if that (British troops, not Canadian set- amid persistent grumbling at home efits to the world at large. This ques- If all the direst accusations about
ST E P H F F ’ S V I E W
WHO’S GETTING THIS?
North Korea’s summit bill
AGENCE FRANCE-PRESSE their own fleet, or a hired plane.
SINGAPORE If he wants to match Air Force
One – a Boeing 747-200 –
N
orth Korea has a habit of PrivateFly.com lists one available
making others pick up its for rent at $17,501 per hour.
overseas travel tabs, and
experts say either Singapore or ‘We’re Not Paying’
South Korea is likely to get stuck
with an eye-watering bill for next Aside from the tentative
week’s historic North-US sum- Singaporean offer, governments
mit in a luxury resort. have so far been publicly reluc-
Preparations are in full swing tant to offer to underwrite the
for next Tuesday’s meeting on an affair.
island off Singapore, with The US has insisted it will not
authorities readying to lock foot the bill – and is not asking
down the city-state. anyone else to.
Kim Jong-un and US “The United States
President Donald Trump are Government is not paying for the
reportedly set to stay at pricey North Korean delegation to stay.
hotels – although sanctions-hit We’re not paying for their
Pyongyang will almost certainly expenses,” State Department
not pay its own way. spokeswoman Heather Nauert
“Pyongyang has been condi- said.
tioned to expect others to pay for In Seoul, a spokesman said
any ‘diplomatic outreach’ the President Moon Jae-in had no
reclusive regime makes,” Sung- intention of putting his hand in
Yoon Lee, a Korea expert at the the national pocket.
Fletcher School of Law and But, analysts note, South
Diplomacy at Tufts University, Korea has bankrolled
explained. Pyongyang’s attendance at previ-
Singapore’s Defence Minister ous events.
Ng Eng Hen said at the weekend For this year’s Winter
that the wealthy city-state was Olympics in the South that trig-
willing to bear some costs to play gered the recent inter-Korean
their part in the “historic meet- detente, Seoul put aside 2.86 bil-
ing”. lion won ($2.7 million) to pay for
Those costs could be quite sig- Pyongyang’s high-level represen-
nificant. tatives, officials, supporters, art
Even by expensive Singapore’s performers and other delegates.
standards, the hotels reportedly Seoul also paid for North
under consideration to host Kim Koreans to attend the 2014 and
and his team would leave the 2002 Asian Games in the South,
average wallet a lot lighter. as well as for visits by South
The five-star Fullerton Hotel, Koreans to the North for
an imposing building on reunions with their long-lost rel-
Singapore’s waterfront dating atives, according to the
back to the British colonial era, Unification Ministry.
has a $6,000-a-night presiden- There are other options.
tial suite that may appeal to the This week a Nobel Prize-win-
young leader’s penchant for luxu- ning anti-nuclear group offered
ry. to help.
If that’s not good enough, the The International Campaign
St Regis – which lays on personal to Abolish Nuclear Weapons
butlers for guests and has a fleet (ICAN) said it was willing to
of Bentleys to chauffeur them bankroll Kim’s delegation, using
about – charges around $6,700 part of the $1.1 million cash prize
for its presidential suite. it received for winning last year’s
Breakfast is included. Peace Prize.
It also boasts a private art col- Travel website
lection, with over 70 works by HotelPlanner.com has also
artists including Pablo Picasso offered to pick up the tab for
and Joan Miro. Kim’s hotel and meals,
There’s also the matter of how Newsweek reported.
Kim and his entourage might get Ultimately, most observers
to Singapore. think another government will
While Trump’s Air Force One step in.
has a range of nearly 13,000 kilo- But for some commentators,
metres and is entirely self-suffi- the idea that a country cannot
cient, Kim’s personal jet is an afford to pay a hotel bill but can
ageing Soviet-made aircraft. spend billions of dollars on a
Aviation experts have cast nuclear weapons programme, is
doubt on whether it will actually risible.
be able to make it as far as “The notion that North
Singapore. Korean leader Kim Jong-un
That might mean someone lacks the cash for travel to
else has to provide an aircraft for Singapore is absurd,” said the
stephff@loxinfo.co.th his exclusive use, either one from Fletcher School’s Lee.
S
ince President Joko “Jokowi” These sites, which have been prioritised
Widodo took office in 2014, by the Tourism Ministry as strategic
Indonesia’s tourism industry has destinations, are thus rapidly being
boomed. In 2014, we got 9.4 million over- equipped with the infrastructure neces-
seas visitors. By 2017, that number had sary to handle millions of travellers in
exploded to over 14 million and continues the coming years.
to climb. This is generally considered a A pair of large development projects
net positive for the economy, as foreign in Labuan Bajo, gateway to the
visitors spend billions of dollars, drive Komodo Islands, and Mandalika in
investment and generate thousands of Central Lombok, serves as further evi-
jobs for local workers and businesses. dence of strong investor interest in
So how did it happen and what lessons Indonesia’s tourism industry. The
can be taken? Labuan Bajo Marina Project is a 398
Indonesia’s booming tourism sector is billion rupiah development featuring a
best understood as the result of careful 180-room hotel, ferry dock, restaurants
policy planning and execution by the and retail businesses. It is on schedule
Jokowi administration, which rolled out a to be completed by August, and will
China’s campaign of island-building and militarisation in the disputed South China Sea is ringing alarm bells in Southeast Asia and beyond. multi-pronged approach to boosting the help diversify Labuan Bajo’s attractive-
industry in 2015. The plan featured
bureaucratic restructuring, regulatory
reforms, and the acceleration of big-ticket
stands up to China
non-export service sectors – such as
tourism. The Tourism Ministry was duly
restructured in 2015 and its budget hiked.
Previously, the Ministry had been
tasked with promoting Indonesian cul-
ture via finance for films, music and art. Lake Toba
With a narrower mandate and bigger
budget focused solely on tourism, the ness as a tourist destination in its own
ministry was armed to achieve its ambi- right, and not merely as a gateway to
AS WE STEAMED THROUGH THE DISPUTED SPRATLY ISLANDS, tious goals. the Komodo dragons in the nearby
Those goals are part of a 5-Year National Park.
A VOICE DEMANDED WE RADIO OUR INTENTIONS Strategic Plan developed in 2015, which
set benchmarks for 2019. These were: 20
The Mandalika resort project is a
massive undertaking in Lombok. Media
million overseas visitors, 240 trillion reports state that several large interna-
rupiah (Bt551 billion) in tourist expendi- tional hotel chains have already begun
JONAS PARELLO-PLESNER tures, 13 million tourism jobs, and boost- construction, with investment hitting
THE WALL STREET JOURNAL ing tourism revenue to 8 per cent of GDP. 2.2 trillion rupiah. Once completed, the
They are well on their way to achieving integrated resort complex is expected to
T
his is China warship calling,” a voice most of these benchmarks, indicating the absorb over 58,000 local workers.
bellowed out over the radio. “The plan is working remarkably well. All of this paints a pretty optimistic
Nansha islands are under Chinese The plan was rolled out in conjunction picture of tourism-led growth in
sovereignty. What are your intentions?” with regulation changes that eased for- Indonesia. Regulatory barriers have
The reply from the French military ves- eign travel to and investment in been rolled back, the Tourism Ministry
sel, where I was on the command bridge Indonesia. The number of nationalities has been streamlined and equipped
as an observer last week, was polite but eligible for visa-free travel to Indonesia with sufficient resources to better carry
curt. The French said their ships were was raised from 45 in 2014, to 169 in out its mandate, and infrastructure proj-
operating in international waters. We 2016. Restrictions on foreign ownership ects that will improve ease of access are
“were passing through the disputed of hotels and restaurants were relaxed or barrelling ahead. Large increases in visi-
Spratly Islands of the South China Sea eliminated altogether, and the permit tor numbers year over year since the pro-
AFP
when the Chinese frigate dialled in. It process for new businesses was stream- gram was started in 2015 support the
would not be our last encounter. Chinese and French warships joust off the coast of Singapore. lined. conclusion that the government’s multi-
Several Chinese frigates and corvettes Despite varying success, overall pronged approach to growing the indus-
closely tailed our passage around SINCE 2014, FRANCE HAS SAILED France is rallying other Europeans to these reform efforts they have con- try is paying dividends.
Mischief, Subi and Fiery Cross Reefs. put action behind the declarations of tributed to swift growth in overseas In 2014, Jokowi made bold promises
Those specks of land have popped up in REGULARLY THROUGH THE SOUTH free navigation. That was the message at travellers and renewed enthusiasm about economic growth and development
international headlines in recent years CHINA SEA TO UPHOLD FREEDOM the Shangri-la Dialogue from French from investors who are now pouring in Indonesia. Some of these, such as the
as Beijing has transformed them into Defence Minister Florence Parly. “The money into commercial and resort lofty ambition to add 35 gigawatts of
artificial islands with airstrips and mili- OF NAVIGATION. FRANCE REMAINS fait accompli is not a fait accepted,” she developments. Critically, these efforts installed capacity to the electric grid by
tary installations. A NAVAL POWER THAT CAN PROJ- said, a clear reference to Chinese to improve the regulatory environment 2019, have not quite lived up to their
This past weekend at the Shangri-la attempts to deny international access to have gone hand-in-hand with an accel- promise. But tourism is one sector that is
Dialogue, US Defence Secretary Jim ECT FORCE OUT OF ITS OVERSEAS disputed waters. France’s missions could eration of big infrastructure projects, moving along at a fast clip, thanks to a
Mattis called out China’s aggression as TERRITORIES,INCLUDING FRENCH be the foundation for a multinational particularly the expansion and con- methodical approach that included a
breaking Xi Jinping’s promises. “China’s European operation. European Union struction of airports and toll roads. comprehensive policy vision, clear bench-
militarisation of the Spratlys,” Mattis POLYNESIA, NEW CALEDONIA AND leaders remain split on how to approach One of these areas is Lake Toba in marks to measure success, and a strategy
said, is in “direct contradiction to RÉUNION ISLAND. China. But as a first step, the French North Sumatra, the largest volcanic that coordinated a range of actors across
President Xi’s 2015 public assurances in warship I was on included a UK helicop- crater lake in the world. In 2017, Jokowi ministries, industries and jurisdictions in
the White House Rose Garden that they ter detachment and European observers, opened the renovated Silangit Airport, service of that vision.
would not do this”. the French action. Since 2014, France including from Germany. with a larger runway and expanded With April national elections loom-
Backing up American words, the US has sailed regularly through the South China tries to frame the freedom-of- passenger terminal that can handle ing, voters will be judging Jokowi in
rescinded China’s invitation to partici- China Sea to uphold freedom of naviga- navigation operations as driven by US 500,000 passengers per year, including part based on his economic record in
pate in joint military exercises in the tion. France remains a naval power that expansionism. That’s why Beijing international arrivals. A rail line con- office. While not perfect, he will be able
Pacific. The US Navy also conducted its can project force out of its overseas ter- protests American exercises while giving necting Lake Toba to the provincial to point to examples like the tourism
own freedom-of-navigation operation in ritories, including French Polynesia, those by France, Australia and the UK a capital of Medan, which received a new industry as proof that his economic
the disputed Paracel Islands, on which New Caledonia and Réunion Island. pass. Even an increasing number of international airport in 2013, was policies are working, and this ought to
China recently landed a strategic President Emmanuel Macron is building Western operations might not break opened in February, and a toll road hand him a potent weapon for his 2019
bomber. Still, the Trump administration stronger defence relationships with China’s de facto stranglehold on the from Medan directly to the Lake Toba campaign arsenal.
has not presented a broader strategy to India and Australia, and he seems to be South China Sea. But as French war- ring road is under construction.
counter China. What is sure is that the realistically assessing the growing ships have now demonstrated, the coali- Yogyakarta, where the ancient JAMES GUILD is a PhD researcher
US could use allied assistance. Chinese challenge. This is a welcome tion for free navigation is growing. Buddhist temple Borobodur, a Unesco at the S Rajaratnam School of
Americans are used to hearing about change from his predecessors, who were world heritage site, attracts hundreds of International Studies in Singapore,
lazy European allies unwilling to pay for enthralled by the business and invest- PARELLO-PLESNER is a senior fellow thousands of foreign visitors and mil- with a research focus on Indonesia’s
their own defence. They should consider ment opportunities in China. at the Hudson Institute. lions of Indonesians annually, is also political economy.
Suspected Russian strikes kill 38 civilians in northwest Syria Spain’s new govt
AGENCE FRANCE-PRESSE (SOHR) monitoring group said. which pulverised several buildings. At in 2015, the Syrian regime has Thursday killed 22 pro-regime fight-
emerges from
BEIRUT
E PA - E F E
as photos. That left the default or Spain is already a pioneer in that
suggested method of sharing as domain.
public instead of only for specific Riot police take up position as they block a street against demonstrators during a protest taking place before the start of the G7 Summit in Quebec City, Canada,
users or friends. Competent
Facebook said it corrected the
problem on May 22 but was unable
to change all the posts, so is now
notifying affected users.
“Starting today we are letting
everyone affected know and ask-
ing them to review any posts they
US allies ready for showdown In 2004, under Zapatero’s gov-
ernment, Spain passed a landmark
law against gender violence that the
European Council upheld as an
example to follow.
The legislation helped create a
made during that time,” Egan said.
“To be clear, this bug did not
impact anything people had post-
ed before, and they could still
choose their audience just as they
always have. We’d like to apolo-
with Trump as trade splits G7 telephone hotline, whose number
would not appear on callers’ phone
bills. It also established free legal aid
and special courts for victims.
Spain also has a special Gender
Violence Observatory.
gize for this mistake.”
Facebook confirmed earlier this
US PRESIDENT HAS OUTRAGED FELLOW LEADERS WITH NUMEROUS ‘AMERICA FIRST’ DECISIONS On the streets, the composition
of the new cabinet has drawn mixed
week that China-based Huawei, reactions.
which has been banned by the US AGENCE FRANCE-PRESSE Trump himself was expected to be mit may end without a joint statement Minister Giuseppe Conte ahead of “It is a little about image, but you
military and is a lightning rod for QUEBEC CITY the last leader to arrive at the Group of from all G7 members. their talks with Trump, as Europe can see that the women chosen are
cyberespionage concerns, was Seven to arrive in French-speaking “Because these six countries repre- seeks to forge a common approach. competent for the work they will do,”
among device makers authorised AMERICA’S closest allies braced for a Quebec, trailing his counterparts from sent values, they represent an eco- Merkel has said that it may be said Adriana Asensio, a young
to see user data in agreements that showdown with President Donald Germany, Britain, France, Italy and nomic market which has the weight “more honest” for the G7 to avoid com- clothes vendor in the centre of
had been in place for years. Trump at the G7 summit yesterday, as Japan as well as the host Prime of history behind it and which is now ing up with a joint statement at the end Madrid.
anger at being slapped with trade tar- Minister Justin Trudeau. a true international force,” added if it means compromising its princi- “I think that Pedro Sanchez has
iffs by their most powerful member And the White House confirmed Macron after he had his one-to-one ples. started off quite well” with a gov-
to confront
EXPERTS from the countries still in “It is one of the technical meetings investors who returned to the country French Foreign Minister Jean-Yves
the Iran nuclear deal have been hold- that are held regularly,” a diplomatic start to wind down operations. Le Drian warned Iran on Wednesday
ing a scheduled meeting in Tehran, source told AFP, adding that it would Iran raised pressure on European that its plan to increase its uranium
with the accord hanging in the balance focus on economic issues. diplomats seeking to rescue the pact enrichment capacity took it close to a
after the United States withdrew. The remaining parties to the land- by announcing Tuesday it has “red line”.
The closed-door encounter involv- mark 2015 deal are scrambling to save launched a plan to boost uranium Iran insists its nuclear programme
chasm over
ing representatives from Iran, Britain, the agreement after US President enrichment capacity with new cen- is for civilian uses only, but opponents
China France, Germany and Russia as Donald Trump abandoned it last trifuges. in the United States, Israel and Saudi
well as the European Union had long month. The European Union said a first Arabia accuse it of seeking to build an
been on the cards, but comes as ten- The US move to reimpose sanc- assessment indicated the new steps atomic bomb.
nuclear issue
CONCESSIONS KEY TO HISTORIC AGREEMENT
AGENCE FRANCE-PRESSE tion that Pyongyang will seek conces-
SEOUL sions of its own.
Early signals from the US suggest-
THE ISSUEat the top of US President ed Washington expected the North to
Donald Trump’s agenda for his sum- hand over its arsenal.
mit with North Korean leader Kim National security advisor John
Jong-un is also the most complicated Bolton’s reference to a “Libya model”
– denuclearisation. infuriated Pyongyang, given that
Pyongyang’s decades-long pursuit leader Muammar Gadhafi was
of atomic weapons and the means to deposed and killed in a Nato-backed
deliver them to the US have seen it sub- rebellion after abandoning his nuclear
jected to multiple rounds of sanctions programme.
by the UN Security Council, US, EU More recently Trump has dialled
and others, and tensions soared last down immediate expectations, saying
year as the two men traded personal the summit could be the first of sever-
insults and threats of war. al. “I think it’s not a one meeting deal,”
Now after a rapid diplomatic rap- he said on Thursday, but insisted: “If
prochement they are scheduled to they don’t denuclearise, that will not
hold an unprecedented meeting in be acceptable.”
Singapore in a few days. The impoverished North has
But despite the positive imagery of devoted vast resources to its weapons
recent months, and the global head- programmes, making rapid progress
lines the summit will generate, the gap under Kim.
they will need to breach is a chasm.
“It does strike me as very difficult ‘Treasured sword’
for Kim to give up the only thing that
makes him important and that is Last year it carried out by far its
E PA - E F E
nuclear weapons,” former US deputy most powerful nuclear test to date,
Secretary of State Richard Armitage with a yield commensurate with an H-
said. bomb, and launched intercontinental Russian President Vladimir Putin, right, reviews a military honour guard with Chinese President Xi Jinping at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing.
“The distance from where we are ballistic missiles capable of reaching
ernment and the army published the to cover “terrorist” activities. supposedly came to the border in order The Turkish leader, who is fac-
A menu offering “El Trumpo” and “Rocket Man” tacos in a Singapore restaurant. same tweet, quoting part of an interview At least 125 Palestinians have been to help wounded rioters. Nowhere in the ing stiff opposition for presidential
with the young woman, Razan al- killed in Gaza by Israeli fire since the world do you see medics participate in and legislative polls on June 24, has
Strange creations on the menu for Najjar, in which she says she was acting
as a “human shield”.
But the full quote she gave to
protests began. No Israeli has been
killed.
Najjar, 21, was shot in her chest on
riots,” Gendelman said. He denied that
cutting the video mid-sentence changed
its meaning.
previously insisted that the emer-
gency measures would not be lift-
ed until the “terrorist” threat is com-
Lebanese channel Al-Mayadeen was June 1 while wearing a white medical “As she acts as a human shield, it pletely eliminated from the coun-
‘El Trumpo’ and ‘Rocket Man’ visit cut short, leaving out the part where she
said she was helping the injured.
coat. Palestinian medics said she was
trying to provide care for injured pro-
means that she is not a medic, it means
that she serves as a human shield for ter-
try.
“After the elections, we will dis-
“Razan al-Najjar was not an angel of testers. Her death revived accusations rorists.” cuss the state of emergency in detail
AGENCE FRANCE-PRESSE Italian fine dining restaurant mercy as Hamas is trying to market her,” of excessive use of force against the The health ministry in Gaza reject- and there could be the question of
SINGAPORE Sinfonia, where dinners start at Ofir Gendelman, the Arabic-language Israeli army. The army has denied it tar- ed Gendelman’s accusations. lifting it,” Erdogan said during a tel-
Sg$138 (Bt3,200) a head, has spokesman for Prime Minister geted her. “Anything the occupation says to jus- evised interview broadcast late
FROM “El Trumpo” and “Rocket focused more on the refined tastes Benjamin Netanyahu, said in a tweet. The tweet published on Thursday tify its crime of killing Razan does not Thursday.
Man” tacos to the “Bromance” cock- of luxury-loving Kim. “Her admission in front of the cam- shows another video in which young fool anyone ... this is a crime that must Turkish courts have so far hand-
tail, restaurants and bars in food- The eatery’s special summit eras that she was a human shield for riot- Palestinians place an object spewing gas be prosecuted in international courts,” ed jail terms to more than 2,000
crazy Singapore are rolling out menu RBW, which stands for red, ers proves how Hamas exploits even in the hands of a young woman wear- health ministry spokesman Ashraf al- suspects over the failed 2016 coup
weird and wonderful creations to blue and white, and refers to the medics to service its terrorist goals.” ing a medical mask and presented as Qudra said. aimed at unseating Erdogan, a gov-
mark the approaching US-North colours of both the US and North ernment minister said this month.
Korea summit. Korean flags, features high-quality Thousands of people including
The affluent city-state prides Japanese beef and caviar, both soldiers, police officers and judges
itself on its buzzing culinary scene,
and every type of outlet imaginable
is jumping on the bandwagon ahead
reportedly favourites of Kim.
Even local favourite nasi lemak,
a chili-infused rice dish tradition-
US suicide rate has risen 30% in two decades have been arrested in a broad crack-
down since the attempted putsch.
Tens of thousands of people have
of Tuesday’s meeting between US ally eaten at breakfast, is getting a AGENCE FRANCE-PRESSE and communities across the country,” tionship problems or loss, substance also been suspended or sacked from
President Donald Trump and the summit makeover with one restau- WASHINGTON said CDC principal deputy director misuse; physical health problems; and the public sector including teach-
North’s Kim Jong-un. rant coming up with a version that Anne Schuchat. job, money, legal or housing stress,” ers, police officers and judges under
At Mexican restaurant Lucha features kimchi. THE SUICIDE rate across the United “From individuals and communi- said the report. decrees imposed under the state of
Loco, customers can get stuck into And in the home of the States has risen 30 per cent since ties to employers and healthcare pro- The most common method of sui- emergency.
an El Trumpo, a version of a taco that “Singapore Sling” cocktail, local bar- 1999, and nearly 45,000 people took fessionals, everyone can play a role in cide involved firearms. The opposition has accused
includes a beef patty and pickles. tenders are proving they can also their lives in 2016, officials said. efforts to help save lives and reverse The highest suicide rate from 2014- Erdogan of using the state of emer-
It is complemented by the Rocket rise to the occasion. Suicide presents a “growing public this troubling rise in suicide.” 2016 was in Montana, where 29.2 resi- gency to silence critics.
Man, a taco stuffed with Korean Hopheads, a bar near the famous health problem”, with significant Suicide is the 10th leading cause of dents per 100,000 people took their Erdogan, who has dominated
fried chicken and pickled radish, a Orchard Road shopping street, is increases in 44 of the 50 states, said death in the United States, and is own lives. It was lowest in the US capi- Turkish politics since 2003 as
nod to the derogatory term that offering the “Bromance”, a mix of the report by the US Centres for rarely caused by a single factor, tal, Washington, with 6.9 suicides per prime minister and now president,
Trump has used to refer to Kim. beer, tequila, diet Coke and Korean Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). experts say. 100,000 residents per year. is favourite to win a second presi-
The US leader famously loves liquor soju. Earlier this week, American hand- The study, which spanned 1999 to The biggest spike in suicides since dential mandate this month with
burgers, and several restaurants The “Trump”, a blue, bourbon- bag designer Kate Spade, 55, took her 2016, found that more than half of 1999 was in North Dakota, where sui- the enhanced powers agreed in last
have come up with fusion versions based cocktail, and the “Kim”, a red, own life, sparking renewed calls for people who killed themselves did not cides rose 57 percent. year’s referendum.
of the classic American fast-food. soju-based drink, are on sale at mental health awareness and suicide have a known diagnosed mental A total of 25 states had suicide rate But analysts say his ruling
These typically feature a beef watering hole Escobar for Sg$12.60 prevention. health condition at the time of death. increases of more than 30 per cent in Justice and Development Party
patty topped with kimchi, a Korean each, a reference to the summit’s Suicide is “a tragedy for families Contributing factors included “rela- that span. (AKP) could lose its overall major-
staple of spicy and pickled cabbage. June 12 date. ity to an opposition alliance.
ARJUN TENDULKAR, SON OF LEGENDARY BATSMAN SACHIN, HAS BEEN PICKED IN INDIA’S UNDER-19 TEAM FOR THE TOUR TO SRI LANKA IN JULY
16481
16481
THE NATION 2017, enjoyed a 6-1 6-4 victory over skinny and when I was out of shape
CHACHOENGSAO 2016 champion and third seed getting back in shape,” she said.
Garbine Muguruza of Spain to make “I have recognised more things I
UP-AND- COMING rookie Sarit sure of staying world No 1 next week. needed to do. So when I’d gotten in
Suwannarut carded another immac-
ISSN 16855361
She immediately turned her shape and done all the things my
536009
ulate round to steal the limelight at thoughts to the final, where she is coach asked me to do, I just put it
the halfway stage of the desperate to erase the memories of into the universe, like, ‘God, look
US$300,000 Thailand Open at the last year’s horror show, when she what I did, help a sister out!’
9 771685
Thai Country Club on the outskirts surrendered a set and a 3-0 lead to “Life came at me fast after the
of Bangkok yesterday. lose to Jelena Ostapenko. US Open. I kind of regrouped and got
The well-built Bangkokian blast “I have another chance to be in myself together, which I did well, and
five birdies for back-to-back 65s to the final and hope to do better than I started playing better and better.
take the clubhouse lead on 10 under- last year,” she said. “I have just slowly kind of gained
par-130 in the unfinished second Muguruza believes her conqueror momentum. There is no formula.
round after morning rain suspend- will do just that. “There’s no right or wrong. It’s
ed play for an hour. “It’s Simona’s third final in just each person is individual and
“My putting was the key. I’m sur- Roland Garros, she has a great level. does it on their own time.”
prised I’m putting so well this week. She’s the favourite,” she said. Stephens’ Paris campaign this
I’m very excited and feel some pres- year came close to ending in the
sure now,” said the 20-year-old, who ‘Help a sister out!’ third round when Italy’s Camila
ended the day a shot ahead of fellow Giorgi twice served for the match
Thai Panuphol Pittayarat. Stephens, who won her maiden and was within two points of win-
In fact Sarit, who weighs 90kg Slam title in New York last year, beat ning. No surprise then that the
and is 1.86m tall, only turned pro- close friend Madison Keys 6-4, 6-4 charismatic Stephens is not getting
N AT I O N
fessional in February in an All having previously never got beyond too far ahead of herself for tonight’s
Thailand Tour in Khon Kaen, 18 the quarter-finals in Paris. final against the two-time runner-
months after taking a full scholar- Sarit Suwannarut hits an approach shot yesterday . He’s the surprise leader at the halfway stage of the Thailand Open. Her French Open run caps off an up and world number one.
ship at Virginia Tech University. amazing 12 months for the “I just do what I have been doing
He decided to turn his back on his “I won’t expect anything or even year-old Poom Saksansin, who shot first US Open since 2015 alongside American. A year ago a foot injury – all the days, really. Nothing really too
education in the US after realising a a win. I will try to talk a lot with my a 66 for eight under-par-132, while world number one Justin Thomas and then surgery – had put her special,” said the American.
career on golf was what he really friend [Porsch who is caddying for overnight leader Natipong Srithong, and the man Thomas replaced atop
craved. him this week] and that should help. with a 69, trailed a shot behind with the summit, Dustin Johnson.
“Things didn’t turn out the way I My strategy is play shot by shot, not 133. The US Golf Association has
expected to. so I decided to come to make mistakes,” said Sarit. “I hit several birdies but also made released the tee times for next week’s
back and play golf, which is what I Panuphol, 24, hit seven birdies bogeys too,” said the 25-year-old 118th US Open and once again their
love. I knew I really wanted to against a lone bogey to settle with a Poom, winner of two Tour trophies. featured groups promise plenty of
become a pro golfer. So I came back 64 for a total nine under-par-131 “I missed some easy putts but it fireworks.
and I’ve played a lot of golf this year,” which saw him make the first cut for happened. I will have to hit straight 32-year-old Woods, with 15
said Sarit, who won a local All the first time in his latest five tour- on to the fairways, which are very majors to his name, will have a close-
Thailand Tour in Pattaya in July naments. narrow here. You don’t want the ball up view of the game’s current top two
2016, three weeks before he flew to “I was putting well although I to land out of positionSeveral play- players.
Virginia. didn’t drive the ball on the fairways ers will go out early and finish their Meanwhile Northern Ireland star
Playing in his only second Asian much. I just managed to get out of second rounds this morning, with Rory McIlroy, the 2011 US Open
Tour event after May’s Bangladesh the trouble well and made several the third round to start later. champion, will launch his bid for a
Open, where he finished tied for good putts,” said the one-time Asian fifth major title alongside 2015 win-
AFP
AFP
51st, Sarit will have to cope with the Tour winner who finished fourth in Star trio for US Open ner Jordan Spieth and former world
unfamiliar situation of being in the this event last year. No 1 Phil Mickelson, who has been US Simona Halep out to make amends Comeback queen Sloane Stephens
leading group over the weekend. Two shots back at third was 25- Tiger Woods will tee it up in his Open runner-up five times.
Fans have been warned to be par- over LGBT fans’ security, saying: “MPs by coming off the bench to seal the win. marked improvement in Portugal’s
English fans fly their flags in Leeds yesterday but might not take them to Russia. ticularly careful in Volgograd, former- remain particularly concerned about Portugal, with talisman Cristiano attacking thrust.
Abdul-Hamid said the government had Fekir, 24, is part of the France squad not only for the NHL team but for the playing much of the impetuosity that is characteristic of
“decided to take immediate steps to for the upcoming World Cup and the city of Washington, as it had been over his on-track behaviour this season, the 20-year-old Hear no evil: Max Verstappen won’t talk about his crashes.
have the GFA (Ghana Football Reds are keen to close the deal before 26 years since a major sports team from Dutchman reacted strongly to a series of questions about
Association) dissolved” because of the Fekir jets off to Russia. the US capital had won a championship. his racing. Asked why he had experienced so many crash- ed tetchily to further questions about his record.
“widespread nature of the apparent rot”. Serie A champions Juventus say they es, he paused before he said: “I don’t know. But as I said at “I’m really tired of all the comments about me—that I
The GFA had earlier pledged to tackle have activated the 40 million euro the start, I am tired of these questions and if I get any more should change my approach,” he said. “I will never do that.
corruption in the wake of a long-awaited (£35m) purchase clause to make Bayern Kongsak is new SAT governor I am going to head-butt someone.” It has brought me to where I am right now and after the
undercover documentary unveiled just Munich winger Douglas Costa’s move to Kongsak Yodmanee was yesterday The Red Bull driver has been involved in incidents at race is not the right time to talk.”
over a week before the start of the World Italy permanent. announced as the 14th governor of the every one of the six race weekends this year, but claimed it He added: “I don’t listen to it anyway. I just do my own
Cup finals. new Sports Authority of Thailand (SAT). was not “as dramatic as people say”. thing. “Of course it hasn’t being going that well in the way
Hidden camera footage purportedly The 45-year-old former member of Verstappen, who made a sensational teenage arrival in I like it. A few mistakes, especially Monaco and China, but
showed referees taking as little as $100 Capitals win first NHL title the Democrat Party will replace Sakhon F1 with a victory on his debut with Red Bull at the 2016 it doesn’t make sense to keep talking about it.”
each to rig matches. The Washington Capitals have ended Wannapong, at the end of the month. Spanish Grand Prix, crashed in practice at the Monaco Verstappen has failed to finish in two of the six races this
44 years of playoff frustration by beat- Kongsak, son of former Minister of Grand Prix two weeks ago and had to start from the back season with a best result of third in Spain last month.
ing the expansion Vegas Golden Knights Tourism and Sports Suwit Yodmanee, of the grid. He sits sixth in the standings some 75 points behind
Fekir to join Liverpool 4-3 to claim their first Stanley Cup title in beat eight other candidates to receive That was one of two accidents this year that he acknowl- leader Lewis Hamilton and with less than half the number
Lyon captain Nabil Fekir is set to franchise history. the committee’s unanimous vote. – AFP edged were his fault, and the 20-year-old Dutchman react- of his Australian Red Bull team-mate Daniel Ricciardo.
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PORTUGAL DRIVES FOR RISE IN THAI INVESTMENTS >> 3B
AEC
BUSINESS
THE NATION
Saturday
June 9, 2018
nationmultimedia.com/business
nationmultimedia.com/aec
NEWS FEED
WORD CUP TO DRAW
Asean poised for tourism bonanza
BUT STATES SEEK
11 MILLION VIEWERS,
BT6.69 BN SPENDING MORE FOREIGN FUNDS WELCOME MAT
Asean incentives for foreign investors in tourism
The 2018 Fifa World Cup TO ENSURE FACILITIES Myanmar
tournament is expected to draw
around 10.96 million viewers in KEEP PACE WITH 100% ownership
Thailand, according to Kasikorn in hotels
Research Centre. VISITOR INFLOWS
Vietnam
It also forecast that spending SOMLUCK SRIMALEE
on consumer products in the THE NATION tax holiday for the
country during the tournament SEOUL first 4 years, with
will reach Bt6.685 billion. 50% discount for the
The products that will directly COUNTRIES in the Asean region are
gearing up to exploit the economic
5th to 9th years
benefit from consumers’ Thailand
spending include food, beverage, gains from a projected surge in the Philippines
fast food, and sportswear ranks of foreign tourists from 120 tax holiday of
up to 8 years tax holiday of
products. million last year to just shy of 200 mil- Cambodia 4 to 6 years
NATION
The tournament will take lion in 2030. after Board of
“We need investors to expand their
tax holiday (maximum
place from June 14 to July 15 in Investment 8 years)
Russia. outlays to develop Asean's infra- for 9 years Representatives from Asean countries and South Korea present a unified force
structure and the range of tourism approval in seeking to maximise the advantages of the tourism boom. At the
projects required to support the rise Asean-Korea Tourism Investment Seminar 2018 in Seoul yesterday, they
ALS EXPANDS THAI in the number of visitors to the Malaysia outlined the incentives their governments are rolling out to attract more
FOOTPRINT WITH NINTH region," Rashidi Hasbullah, secretary 100% ownership foreign investors.
general of Malaysia’s Ministry of
FACILITY, IN RAYONG Tourism and Culture, said at the number of tourists to visit the Asean aggressive investment to develop new
ALS, a global testing, Asean-Korea Tourism Investment Singapore region will increase from 120 million airports for Siem Reap and Phnom
inspection and certification Seminar 2018 in Seoul yesterday. 17% flat rate last year to 198.57 million in 2030, Penh and an expressway from Phnom
He said that efforts to attract based on the average growth rate of Penh to the coastal resort of
business, has opened a new
tourism investments form part of the
corporate income tax 4 per cent a year from now. Sihanoukville. The projects are sup-
facility in Rayong, offering asset
key strategic actions outlined in the Laos' director of the tourism plan- ported by investment from the
integrity and reliability services to Asean Tourism Strategic Plan 2016- ning and development division of the Chinese government.
the Southeast Asian market. 2025. The Asean tourism ministers Indonesia
Tourism Development Ministry of “We also open to investment from
This expands ALS’ footprint in at the gathering in the South Korean 100% ownership Information, Culture and Tourism, other sources, including South Korea,
Thailand from eight sites to nine capital reaffirmed that “driving Somxay Sipaseuth, said that the to develop our country's infrastruc-
and increases its workforce to investments in infrastructure to keep country had succeeded in attracting ture projects," he said.
NATION GRAPHICS
460. Source: Asean-Korea Tourism Investment Seminar 2018
pace with tourism growth” is one of more investment to develop the coun- Myanmar's deputy director gen-
The new operation will provide the main priorities for this year. try's infrastructure projects to serve eral of directorate of hotels under the
ALS’ clients in Southeast in East The member states of the region- Asean has a combined population of under a spending programme to the growing number or tourists. At Tourism Ministry of Hotels and
Asia with efficient and high al bloc have forward-looking plans to 634 million people where 65 per cent 2022. The investment outlays form a the end of last year, the country Tourism, Khin Than Win, said
quality technical services. attract investors in strategic tourism of the population will be classified as key part of the government’s efforts recorded 3.86 million foreign tourists Myanmar's government provides tax
ALS is an Australian publicly sub-sectors of interest to individual middle income by 2030, compare to to boost the economy and support and they brought in revenue of holidays for foreign investors of
listed company with revenues of countries, Hasbullah said. a mere 29 per cent in 2010,” he said. growth in tourism businesses, US$648.06 million. between three and seven years,
$1.2 billion annually and over The region's increased infrastruc- “This growing number translates into Pongpanu said. "Thailand welcomed Cambodia's deputy director gen- depending on the location of their
14,000 personnel. ture investment will have significant spending power that enables growth 35 million foreign tourists last year eral of international cooperation and investments.
The new ALS facility is ideally multiplier effects on consumption in in consumption demand.” and that number is expected to be 38 tourism investment under the The incentives are part of the
located, close to the industrial the future through increased employ- Thailand's permanent secretary million this year, before rising to 60 Ministry of Tourism, Rothasak country’s efforts to encourage for-
centre of Map Tha Put on ment, higher incomes and corporate of the Tourism and Sports Ministry, million in 2030. Thong, said the number of foreign eigners to expand their investments
Thailand’s Eastern Seaboard. earnings, he said. Pongpanu Svetarundra, told partic- “We need more investment to tourists to the country last year rose and develop the country's infrastruc-
Having dedicated personnel Asean had a combined gross ipants at the seminar of the govern- develop the country's infrastructure 12 per cent from 2016 to 5.6 million. ture in line with the rising number of
based locally enables ALS to domestic product (GDP) of US$2.6 ment’s policy to develop infrastruc- to support the strong demand in the Cambodia expects tourist arrivals to tourists.
better support existing client trillion in 2016, making it the world's ture projects in the country’s Eastern future. The opportunities are open to jump to 13 million in 2028. Representatives from Indonesia,
requirements and cater to a sixth-largest economy. It is expected Economic Corridor (EEC), which the private sector in both the domes- More investment in infrastructure Singapore, Vietnam and the
growing client base in the to become the fourth-largest econo- covers the provinces of Chon Buri, tic and overseas markets to expand would be required to manage this Philippines also presented their
region. my by 2030. Chachoengsao and Rayong. The tar- the investment in our country.” growth in tourism, Rothasak Thong incentives for foreign investors in the
“If we look at the demographics, geted projects are worth Bt1.5 trillion Pongpanu estimates that the said. He pointed to the country’s infrastructure and tourism sectors.
SEC approves rules for Food processing operator finds the right blend for success
digital currency trading SOMLUCK SRIMALEE
THE NATION
promote ICOs and those of related less than the amount required by the manufacturing plants, which then cessing of sweet corn in since 2016, but we can
intermediaries. They also cover other SEC. The SEC has agreed to exempt produced animal feed,” Visit said in 1990 has paid off for the company, maintain our net profit growth when
forms of transactions in the rapidly utility tokens from the regulations an interview with The Nation Visit Limlurcha, managing director of Great Oriental Food Products Co Ltd. we manage our production cost in
emerging investment sphere. The aim governing the offering of digital recently. Great Oriental Food Products Co Ltd, Exports go out to 30 countries – line with the OPOAI programme,”
of the measures is to help reduce the tokens to the public. “Then a friend of his suggested presents some of the company’s including in Europe, the United Visit said.
risks that investors are exposed to, Tipsuda Thavaramara, deputy that he should move into canned processed food products that are States, the Middle East, Africa and Visit said that the key to the suc-
including from fraud, the SEC says, secretary-general of the SEC, said: bamboo shoots for export when this winning over customers in 30 countries. Australia. Nearer to home the sweet cess of his business has been its focus
The regulations equip the public “We’ve tried to find a balance between friend saw a business opportunity for corn is sold in China, Japan, India on quality and the addition of new
sector with the tools to investigate the support of innovation and the exports. As a result, my father decid- a year. For the other 10 months, the and Nepal. products, helping it to withstand the
money laundering and crack down building of confidence for related par- ed to invest Bt10 million to set up a production lines were kept busy with Up to 90 per cent of the compa- pressure from the big players in the
on the use of digital currencies to aid ties for the regulations launched. manufacturing plant in 1987.” corn, longans, rambutans and other ny’s exports go out under its cus- industry.
the practice. Opinions from all parties have been From the start with bamboo produce. tomers’ brands, with the remainder “We are a small firm in the food
Under the measures, ICO issuers considered. The regulations may not shoots, Somchit diversified into the For the first year of operations, the sold under the family business’s own industry, but we strive to learn what
must be companies according to Thai be perfect but make a start for learn- processing of other vegetables and business generated sales of Bt20 mil- brands, ATA and All Like. The latter our customers want and this has
laws, with certain business plans, ing together for the authorities and fruit, as production for the bamboo lion, on the way to double-digit is the brand for products destined for helped to differentiate us from our
audited financial statements and business sector.” shoots was limited to just two months growth each year. By the third year, both the home and overseas markets. competition in the market,” he said.
AEC ( )
2B THE NATION Saturday, June 9, 2018
ASEAN asianews.network
ECONOMIC nationmultimedia.com/section/aec
COMMUNITY
Axe swings in corporate Malaysia been meeting the council and also
HSS lost 290m ringgit job
after MRT 3 cancellation
FALLOUT FROM POLL SHOCK SEES INVESTORS TRYING TO DISCERN REFORM FROM REVENGE attending briefings by the council for HSS Engineers Bhd says its contract as
investors," the source said. the independent consultant engineer for
THE STRAITS TIMES to indicate if these are efforts at pol- links with the Najib administration Tajuddin Atan - whose seven years in Muhammad would have seen the the Mass Rapid Transit Line 3 (MRT 3)
ASIA NEWS NETWORK icy change or driven by revenge and and unpopular decisions. TM shares charge has seen robust growth in the writing on the wall, given the new had been terminated by Mass Rapid
KUALA LUMPUR the expediency of rewarding loyal- have risen as much as 10 per cent on Kuala Lumpur stock exchange. administration's insistence that the Transit Corp Sdn Bhd.
ists. the back of the leadership change. Muhammad Ibrahim's departure central bank's 2 billion ringgit pur- The termination notice came follow-
HEADS are rolling in corporate “While these latest developments But a replacement at the central this week has left Bank Negara chase of government land in January ing the Government’s decision not to pro-
Malaysia, as the axe falls on chiefs of should help restore credibility to bank has yet to be decided, and adds Malaysia without a leader at a time of this year was to bail out financially ceed with the project, the company said
institutions and state-linked firms Malaysia's institutions, Mahathir to uncertainty in the market, which Malaysia's biggest political upheaval strapped state fund 1Malaysia in a filing with Bursa Malaysia today.
accused of using their positions in a inevitably wants his own people in has seen foreign funds pull out about in decades. Development Berhad (1MDB). HSS Engineers was awarded the con-
failed attempt to keep then-prime top state jobs,” said risk consultancy 6 billion ringgit from the local bourse It is understood that other top The government has pursued the tract, valued at 289.9 millio ringgit on
minister Najib Razak in power. Eurasia Group's Asia director Peter in May alone. brass in government investment 1MDB scandal relentlessly, with April 12.
The housekeeping of the admin- Mumford. “We are concerned that Other purges are less straightfor- funds such as Khazanah and Najib on a no-fly list and his various “The decision is not expected to have
istration of Prime Minister Mahathir decisions will be excessively driven by ward. Petronas has consistently per- Permodalan Nasional Berhad have homes raided. any significant impact on the operations
Mohamad has seen the chiefs of the vengeance, with any policy, institu- formed across more than four also sought assurances over their Businessman Low Taek Jho - and financials of the company given that
central bank and national telecom- tions or people closely associated with decades in existence. Aside from positions. whom Home Minister Muhyiddin only preliminary works have commenced
munications provider as well as a Najib dismissed regardless of their director in charge of remunerations “They have met with leaders of the Yassin on Thursday called the "main this far, which will be compensated for in
powerful director of state oil giant merits.” Omar Mustapha Ong, who resigned new government, including the criminal" in the saga - said he has accordance with the terms and condi-
Petronas being swept out the door in Some of these changes have been on Thursday, chairman Sidek Council of Eminent Persons,” a source "instructed his lawyers to make con- tions of the contract,’ it said.
less than a day, but more are expect- expected after the May 9 elections, Hassan's contract is not expected to said, referring to Prime Minister tact with" the graft busters. MRT 3 was planned as a loop line to
ed to follow in their wake. which saw a shock change of govern- be renewed at the end of the month, Mahathir's team of advisers led by his Low is accused of being the mas- integrate the lines, with most of its sta-
But while the market will likely get ment. Both Bank Negara governor and they are both Najib appointees. confidant and former finance minis- termind behind 1MDB, which United tions underground. – The Star
over the initial shock of such sweep- Muhammad Ibrahim and Telekom The next cohort reported to be ter Daim Zainuddin. States investigators say had resulted
ing changes, investors are watching Malaysia (TM) chief executive headed for the exit is set to include "Tellingly, other Bank Negara offi- in US$4.5 billion being siphoned out
closely for the names of replacements Shazalli Ramly have suffered due to Bursa Malaysia chief executive cials aside from the governor have of the state investment fund. Del Monte Philippines
defers IPO
NATION
cent last year. while Portugese companies are also tion zone at Thailand's Eastern
According to the minister, the interested in tapping Thailand as a Economic Corridor (EEC) project,
Portugese economy has fully recov- platform to enter the Asean market. which covers parts of Chonburi, Pedro Siza Vieira, left, the visiting PM's Office minister of Portugal, shakes hands with Dr Pichet Durongkaveroj, the Thai digital
ered from its previous crisis. The minister said a delegation of Rayong and Chaserngsao. economy and society minister during a meeting at the Portugese embassy in Bangkok.
AT A GLANCE Ma expected to
IKEA Phase out virgin fossil plastic from products
Increase the proportion of plant-based choic-
This year, the company also plans to generate
revenue from its new businesses such as
discuss plan for
es in the IKEA food offer.
IKEA Southeast Asia, the franchisee that
owns and operates IKEA stores in Malaysia,
Agricultural Loan Protection programme , Event
Cancellation Insurance and Cyber Insurance. digital free
Singapore and Thailand, is contributing to the
global ambition through its operation and long
term commitments to:
THAI-C
CHIILE COMMER
RCE trade zone
Bilateral trade rose
Increase energy efficiency, generate renew-
able energy and increase its share of renewable
energy consumption
17% to $357m in Q1 with Mahathir
Contribute zero waste to landfill The trading volume between Thailand and
Secure responsibly sourced supply chain for Chile has continued to grow, thanks to the SIN CHEW DAILY
products and services Thailand-Chile free trade agreement, which took ASIA NEWS NETWORK
Build and renovate IKEA stores and IKEA- effect in late 2015, according to the Department KUALA LUMPUR
anchored Shopping Centres to meet sustainable of Trade Negotiations director general Auramon
certified standards Supthaweethum. ALIBABA Group founder Jack Ma
Support at least one social enterprise for Their bilateral trade in the first quarter this may be visiting Kuala Lumpur soon
every market Thailand's economy recovered and the increas- in order to meet Prime Minister
year surged 16.9 per cent year on year to US$357
Enable and inspire our co-workers, customers, ing numbers of car sales following the end of the Mahathir Mohamad.
million, of which $238.1 million were the export
visitors and community to live a healthier and first-time car-buyer programme . Alibaba founder Jack Ma may
value.
more sustainable life Hironori Kiryu, President of Tokio Marine visit Malaysia to meet Prime
Thailand's export to Chile under the free trade
Insurance (Thailand) PCL said this year, the com- Minister Dr Mahathir Mohamad
deal in the period was US$235.6 million, reflect-
pany expects growth to be higher than 4 per cent soon to re-negotiate the Digital
Group to rid all single-use TRIS with GWP at Bt8.346 billion. It has set a GWP
ing that the local exporters fully use their right to
Free Trade Zone (DFTZ) plan
export to Chile under the free trade deal.
target of Bt9.1 billion by year 2020. which has been signed with the for-
plastic items by January 1, 2020 Sahakol Equipment assigned The company has joined with ‘InsurTech
In the South American continent, Chile is the
mer government of Malaysia. The
third largest trading partner of Thailand. The
Sandbox’ , promoted by The Office of Insurance meeting, arranged by a business-
IKEA has committed to removing single-use “BBB-” in company rating Commission (OIC) to initiate an InsurTech hub in
main export products from Thailand to Chile in man who declined to be named, is
plastic products from its home furnishing range the first quarter include cars and car parts, believed to be re-negotiating with
Thailand. This is an opportunity for the company
globally by 1 January 2020, including plastic TRIS Rating has assigned the company rating canned sea food, washing machines, machinery, the new government on Digital Free
to cooperate with InsurTech startups to develop
straws, plates, cups, freezer bags, garbage bags of Sahakol Equipment PLC (SQ) at “BBB-”. and rubbers. Trade Zone project it has signed
new insurance products and services for Thai cus-
and plastic-coated paper plates and cups. The rating reflects the strong, well-estab- Currently 90 per cent of goods items in their with the Malaysian government
tomers and drive the domestic insurance industry
The announcement came as part of lished core business of the company, as it is a free trade agreement list are already subject to under former Prime Minister Najib
forward.
Democratic Design Days in Almhult, Sweden, leading mining contractor. zero per cent tariff. Tun Razak.
As for claim services, the company is develop-
where IKEA product developers displayed home The rating also reflects the stable income
ing ‘Merimen Project: The Claim Process
furnishings made from innovative and recycled streams SQ receives from long-term service con- SMART LO
OGISTICS
materials, as well as solutions that enable peo- tracts with creditworthy project owners and a
Integration’ - an international software that can THE PLAN IS A JOINT VEN-
cover all insurance platform and link with all
ple to live a more sustainable everyday life. The sizable project backlog.
process systems. JD.com begins use of TURE BETWEEN MALAYSIAN
IKEA team also launched a new People and These strengths are partially offset by high
Planet Positive sustainability strategy, which sets leverage and business concentration risk, since a
The Merimen will connect all claim services
PV power in warehouses AIRPORT HOLDINGS AND CAI
systems from call centre to the garages with con-
the direction for all IKEA franchisees in three few large projects comprise most of SQ’s revenue
venience, speed abd accuracy and the system NIAO, ALSO PART OF DFTZ IN
focus areas: Healthy & Sustainable living, Circular and profits. China's e-commerce giant JD.com has begun
& Climate Positive, Fair and Equal
can also track customer satisfaction survey for
using photovoltaic (PV) generators in its smart
MALAYSIA.
service improvement. THE INVESTMENT FOR THE
The business aims to be climate positive by TOKIO MARINE The company expects to launch the service by logistics centre in Shanghai.
2030 – meaning it will reduce greenhouse gas the third quarter this year. JD.com are installing PV systems for its logistic FIRST TWO YEAR EXCEEDS
emissions by more than the value chain emits. To centers around the country. PV will provide clean
do this, IKEA plans to: Thai unit sets GWP target Shinkichi Mike Miki, Managing Director of
energy for the warehouse's robots and automat- 500 MILLION RINGGIT.
Tokio Marine Asia said “Tokio Marine Asia as a
Design all IKEA products with new circular of Bt9.1 billion in 2020 regional headquarter will liaise with Tokio Marine ed sorting system.
principles, with the goal to only use renewable Holdings Inc to support sharing of knowledge By the end of 2018, JD.com will have installed
and recycled materials while also enabling prod- Tokio Marine Insurance (Thailand) has set a PV cells on millions of square meters warehouse The meeting is arranged by a
and global expertise in the area of digital to local corporate figure. The busi-
ucts to be repurposed, repaired, reused, resold, target of Bt9.1 billion in gross written premium extend maximum benefits for Thai customers.” roof, according to Chu Xuhui of the company.
and recycled - generating as little waste as possi- (GWP) in 2020, according to its statement on The 40,000-square-meter business-to-cus- nessman who declined to be named
Tokio Marine Asia has set up a regional direct confirmed with Sin Chew Daily that
ble. Thursday. & digital team to work across companies under tomer (B2C) unmanned logistics center in
Pack products in materials that renewable Last year it posted total GWP of Bt7.999 bil- Shanghai, "Asia No 1," can handle 200,000 both parties are still finalising on
Tokio Marine Asia to explore innovation to the the meeting. Dr Mahathir would be
and/or recycled lion, with a net profit of Bt656 million, as industry. The prjectis online orders per day. - Xinhua
attending Asia International
Conference in Japan from 10 to 12
June. The meeting will be held after
Mahathir returns from Japan.
Cambodia’s ISP provider links up Thailand affirmed ‘BBB+’ with stable outlook Ma was scheduled to be in Kuala
Lumpur two weeks ago. However,
as the new Malaysian government
with Thai-based LXT Networks THE NATION
Slowdown fear as
German industrial $1.4-bn ZTE deal may be sign QUICK NEWS
McDonald’s plans US layoffs
production falls in cost-cutting move
AGENCE FRANCE-PRESSE
FRANKFURT AM MAIN
INDUSTRIAL production in
of progress in trade dispute Fast food giant McDonald’s plans to
cut an unspecified number of jobs as
part of a restructuring to save $500 mil-
lion (Bt16 billion) and boost its US busi-
ness.
Germany unexpectedly fell in April McDonald’s USA President Chris
after rebounding in March, official SETTLEMENT AFTER Kempczinski announced the job cuts in a
data showed yesterday, adding to
fears of a slowdown in Europe’s
CHINA AGREES TO message to employees.
A company spokeswoman said the
powerhouse economy.
Industrial output fell 1.0 per cent
BUY MORE US GOODS move was part of a previously-
announced plan to cut $500 million in
month-on-month, federal statistics spending by 2019.
authority Destatis said, following an AGENCE FRANCE-PRESSE “We are always evaluating ways to
upwardly revised 1.7-per cent rise in WASHINGTON better serve our customers and continue
March. to grow our business,” said the spokes-
The drop surprised analysts sur- WASHINGTON and Beijing have woman, Terri Hickey.
veyed by Factset who had predicted reached a deal to ease sanctions that “With that in mind, we are putting
a modest 0.25-per cent increase in brought Chinese smartphone maker into place a new US field structure that
production. ZTE to the brink of collapse, a pos- will better support our franchisees and
The slump comes a day after sible indication of progress in will ensure McDonald’s continues on a
Germany’s industrial orders disap- fraught trade talks between the path to being more dynamic, nimble and
pointed again, falling for the fourth world’s two largest economies. competitive.”
month in a row as businesses fret over US Commerce Secretary Wilbur The fast food giant plans to stream-
trade tensions with theUS President Ross, who announced the deal, reit- line the management structure, and the
Donald Trump. erated a denial that there was any specifics will be outlined on June 12.
“The economy is clearly treading connection between the two.
water and is not managing to shift up But the ZTE settlement comes UK telecoms group BT says
a gear,” said ING Diba bank analyst just days after Beijing reportedly
Carsten Brzeski. offered to ramp up purchases of chief executive to step down
April’s plunge in industrial pro- American goods to help cut the BT, the British telecoms and televi-
duction was led by declines in ener- yawning trade imbalance with the sion broadcasting company, said yester-
gy output and production of con- United States, moving part-way day that its chief executive Gavin
sumer and producer goods. towards meeting a major demand of Patterson would depart his role later this
The only bright spot was con- US President Donald Trump. year, following shareholder unrest over
struction output, which jumped 3.3 The defusing of tensions with the group’s outlook.
per cent. Beijing is good news for Trump, who “The Board is fully supportive of the
AFP
The economy ministry said indus- is preparing to face outraged allies strategy recently set out by Gavin and
trial production got off to “a weak at this week’s Group of Seven sum- The ZTE logo is seen on a building in Beijing. US officials have reached a deal to ease sanctions on the company. his team,” BT chairman Jan du Plessis
start” in the second quarter, partial- mit in Canada, where Europe and said in a company statement.
ly because of public holidays. Canada will voice their strenuous In April, Washington banned the In return, Washington will strike we have introduced a bipartisan He however added that “broader
But considering the steady drop in objections to US steel and metal sale of crucial US components to the the company from a sanctions list. amendment to restore penalties on reaction” to recent results “demonstrat-
new orders, it admitted that “indus- tariffs. company after finding it had repeat- Both Republican and ZTE.” ed to Gavin and me that there is a need
trial growth is likely to slow down” in Not all was rosy, US lawmakers edly lied and failed to take action Democratic lawmakers threatened The clash raised the prospect that for a change of leadership to deliver this
the near future. threatened legal action against the against workers responsible for the to take congressional action that Trump’s own Republican party strategy”.
Brzeski said it was getting “hard- ZTE deal, saying the telecoms firm sanctions violations. could block or alter the deal, calling could work to undermine key planks BT last month said it plans to axe
er and harder” to blame Germany’s posed an “espionage risk” to the The company was fined $1.2 bil- ZTE a threat to US national of his trade agenda. thousands more jobs to slash costs and
weak start to 2018 on one-off effects United States in addition to having lion (Bt38.4 billion) last year. But security. Despite the settlement, there was move out of its historic London head-
like the weather or public holidays. violated its sanctions on Iran and under the deal announced “There is absolutely no good rea- no sign Trump had veered from quarters.
“It seems as if supply-side con- North Korea. Thursday, ZTE will pay an addi- son that ZTE should get a second plans this month to impose as much BT has in recent years launched a
straints are increasingly hampering Ross told CNBC on Thursday the tional $1 billion penalty and put chance and this decision marks a as $50 billion in tariffs on Chinese costly push into broadcasting live
Germany’s growth prospects,” he deal was tough and would keep ZTE another $400 million in escrow to 180-degree turn away from the pres- imports to punish Beijing for its Premier League football matches, hurt-
said. on a short leash. cover possible future violations. ident’s promise to be tough on alleged theft of American technol- ing the group’s bottom line.
Also yesterday, Destatis issued fig- “This is a pretty strict settlement, ZTE will also be required to China,” Chuck Schumer, the Senate’s ogy and know-how.
ures showing that Germany’s oft- the strictest and largest settlement change its entire board of directors top Democrat, said in a statement. Washington and Beijing have Unibail-Rodamco takes over
criticised trade surplus shrank from fine that has ever been brought by and hire outside legal compliance “It’s up to Congress now to act to pursued a halting series of trade
almost 22 billion euros (Bt834 bil- the Commerce Department against specialists who will report to the reverse the deal.” Republican talks, with Trump demanding a Australian mall operator
lion) in March to 19.4 billion in April any violator of export controls,” he Commerce Department for 10 Senator Marco Rubio said: “After $200 billion reduction in its trade French group Unibail-Rodamco,
as imports outweighed exports. said. years. today’s decision to give ZTE a pass, deficit with China. Europe’s biggest commercial property
company, has completed the acquisition
of Australian mall operator,Westfield.
§Óir¨|Ó§plÓl¡ll¡lÒÒi¤j
i
i j
¤j cial data showed yesterday, wors-
ening the imbalance at the centre
of tensions between the economic
With the wider world, Chinese
demand has outpaced its shipment
growth, with its surplus of $24.9
mall operators consolidate their busi-
ness in the face of increasingly tough
competition from online shopping sites.
pÖ
pÖ ¨{¤x titans while Beijing’s advantage
with the rest of the world shrank.
billion for the month down 38.9
per cent from last year. Italy fines Ryanair for mass
pÖpl
loi ipl{}Ö The figures may reinforce China’s exports grew 12.6 per
rui
iÒ
ruiÒ ÒÒ Washington’s determination to cent in May while imports jumped flight cancellations
move forward with new tariffs on 26 per cent on-year, outpacing Italy’s competition authority (AGCM)
tens of billions of dollars of Chinese forecasts of 11.1 per cent growth on Thursday hit Ryanair with a 1.85 mil-
imports as early as next week. and 18.0 per cent respectively, by lion euro (Bt70 million) fine for mass
Beijing has warned those tariffs analysts pooled by Bloomberg flight cancellations late last year and
would void agreements made News. failing to adequately inform affected
between the two powers over “The particularly strong May passengers of their rights.
months of trade negotiations figures are due to uncertainties In a statement, AGCM said it
between the world’s two largest from the trade negotiations,” said launched the procedure in September
economies. Iris Pang, an economist at ING 2017 for “incorrect commercial practice”
The record imbalances are at the Groep NV in Hong Kong. after the low-cost airline cancelled thou-
heart of US President Donald “Exports risks are mounting, so sands of flights “due to organisational
Trump’s anger at what he describes the exporters expedited importing and management problems”.
as Beijing’s unfair trade practices components for re-export.” The problems were not “unforeseen
that are hurting American compa- Despite some positive signs for issues or problems beyond the airline’s
nies and destroying jobs. a trade deal with the US, analysts control, causing major inconvenience to
Trade is also expected to domi- cautioned China faced other trade customers”, the statement continued.
nate upcoming G7 talks, which do hurdles. AGCM said Ryanair initially failed to
not include China, with Canada “Chinese trade growth is still inform passengers correctly of their right
and leading European nations likely to edge down over the com- to financial compensation, as provided
warning Trump they will not back ing year as the global economy loses for by European law, only offering them
down over tariffs. momentum and headwinds to the option of changing their ticket or
For the first five months of the domestic demand from slower getting a refund.
Æ ¤lli¤joi¤ro ipj¡o§Ó~Ó ¡i}Óor|¤pir year, China’s surplus with the US
crossed the $100 billion (Bt3.2 tril-
credit growth intensify,” said Julian
Evans-Pritchard, a China watcher
After AGCM launched the procedure
Ryanair updated “the information on its
¥¤Úoi lion) mark, hitting $104.8 billion. at Capital Economics website” in February.
Æ
ËiiiÒi¥¥¡¤ï¤jo¤ïi¤
Æ i¤j¦loi¤ World’s largest fintech firm raises $14bn
Æ i¤jo¤}Òoª~oi¤j o AGENCE FRANCE-PRESSE Alipay and Tencent’s WeChat Pay Tencent previously chose to list on
Æ
Ëi¤jpoo ll¥i ÒÓ¤qjÓ|| SHANGHAI are China’s online-payments leaders,
profiting handsomely as consumers
Wall Street or in Hong Kong.
But China has been making moves
¤ï o¥iÓ¨j xoi¡Ó¤jÓ3NNCP'LRCPKCBG?RCj¨ CHINESE digital payments giant Ant
Financial said yesterday it had raised
throw themselves into e-commerce,
ordering goods and services via
to encourage future listings on
domestic markets to keep a new gen-
CQR
iate of e-commerce heavyweight valuation. serve around 870 million annual
Alibaba, provides fresh resources as Bloomberg said the latest round active users globally, and over 15 mil-
}Ò
vê its payments platform Alipay battles makes the company, based in the east- lion small businesses in China.
"C?J^ lÒj¨
}ÒolÖi|ê ¤Ölr«ê
Tencent for supremacy in the vast and
growing market for global digital
transactions and other services.
Ant said in a statement that the
funds will be invested in new tech-
ern Chinese city of Hangzhou, the
world’s largest fintech firm.
Ant Financial is believed to be
planning an IPO expected to become
one of the largest in years, amid spec-
Ant said the latest financing came
from unnamed domestic investors, as
well as foreign entities including
Singapore wealth funds GIC and
Temasek Holdings, the Canada
nologies and to accelerate Alipay’s ulation it could list on one of China’s Pension Plan Investment Board, and
expansion abroad and into new two exchanges. Alibaba and other big global private equity firm Warburg
sectors. tech companies such as Baidu and Pincus.
THE NATION Saturday, June 9, 2018 SIDELINES 5B
[IN CINEMAS]
Movies are playing at most multiplex
chains, unless otherwise noted.
[CROSSWORD]
VistaShowtime.blogspot.com
Deadpool 2 ■ Bangkok Screening Room, Here’s UNB to say hello
After surviving a near fatal bovine (090) 906 3888 Korean boy band UNB is venturing out-
attack, a disfigured cafeteria chef https://bkksr.com/ side the homeland today with its first fan
Wade Wilson (Ryan Reynolds) meeting in Thailand, “You & Me”, at Show
struggles to fulfil his dream of FILM RATINGS DC’s Ultra Arena in Bangkok. Jun, Euijin, Go
becoming Miami’s hottest bartender, ■ G – General audiences. Ho-jung, Feeldog, Marco, Ji Han-sol,
while also learning to cope with his ■ P – Promote as educational. Daewon, Kijung and Chan recently
lost sense of taste. Wade must battle ■ 13+, 15+, 18+ – Suggested released their first mini-album,
ninjas, the yakuza, and a pack of minimum ages for viewers. “Boyhood”, with hits including “Only One”
sexually aggressive canines, as he ■ 20- – Restricted to viewers and “Feeling”. Passes cost Bt2,000 to
journeys around the world to discover aged 20 and older; ID check Bt5,000 at www.ThaiTicketMajor.com
the importance of family, friendship, mandatory. and (02) 262 3456. Check out
and flavour - finding a new taste for www.411Ent.com and “fouroneoneent”
adventure and earning the coveted on Facebook.
coffee mug title of World’s Best Lover. Josh Brolin, Morena Baccarin,
Julian Dennison, Zazie Beetz and TJ
filmmakers making a movie Miller also star. Rated 15+
5 Animated miner
6 Longing words
7 Aviation guide Book Club
8 One unlikely to shake hands Four successful women in their sixties
9 Nomadic shelter — Diane (Diane Keaton), Vivian (Jane
10 Kraft Foods trademark Fonda), Sharon (Candice Bergen)
11 Fan of the Bulldogs and Carol (Mary Steenburgen) —
12 Summer vacation ‘souvenir’ have almost given up on their love
13 Extreme lives. Until Vivian convinces the other
19 Dark background that makes three to tackle the infamous novel
a pitched baseball easier to see “Fifty Shades of Grey” as the
21 Party holder selection of the month for their book
25 ‘We’ve got clearance’ club. From discovering new romance
27 Holds a benefit, say to rekindling old flames, they inspire
28 Basilica recess each other to make their next
29 Chuckle bit chapter, the best chapter. Rated 15+ Hop for the hip
31 PGA Tour Champions The Thailand Hip-Hop Festival at the
ACROSS 32 Muffin topper 56 Kids may use them to golfer Jay JJ Mall in Chatuchak district today has
1 Exercise activity 34 Full-body animal make turkeys 33 Wool source Nong Pee Theerak “Meet the legends” as its theme. Onstage
5 Foolish costume 60 Wad embellishers 36 Things few understand Terminal (Brother of the Year) will be Thaitanium, Da Jim, Rastafah, B-
10 Dance term literally 35 Part of a gift that 61 Skin-healing aid 37 Evidence of frequent travel King, Chom Chumkasian and 1 Flow, PP
meaning ‘thrown’ needs to be returned 62 Get ‘em all right 38 Injection molding inventory In the dark heart of a sprawling Chat (Sunny Suwanmethanont) and Dreams, Pok Mindset, Urboy TJ, CP Sming,
14 Officer’s verb 39 ‘I figured as much’ 63 Good source of 39 Stop on the trail and anonymous city, two his sister Jane (Urassaya Sperbund) JSR Youngbong, Youngohm, FIIXD, Cleo-P
15 ‘That’s so sweet!’ 40 Skeptical words protein 40 ‘Silent Sunday Nights’ assassins carry out a sinister have fought since they were kids. “VKL X Sweed Gangz” and Maiyarap.
16 Stylish energy 41 It may look like a 64 It followed a postwar network mission, a teacher battles a fatal Chat gets annoyed because Jane acts The DJ line-up includes Whatdatfrog,
17 Exec’s hire, perhaps great deal boom 44 Affectionate turndown illness and an enigmatic janitor more like his mother than his sister Kong, Bonnie, Deeboy and Dogga, and B-
18 Unlikely to become a 42 It folds for easy 65 Noticeably bored 45 Holiday hymn opener and a curious waitress lead a and therefore plays up. In fact, the Boy competing will be Oman, Ajay,
decorator storage 66 Ceremonial pile 47 Organize, in a way dangerous double life. only time Chat acts like an older 60Rock, Prai-1 and Guru. You can also
20 ESPN.com post 43 Textron Aviation 49 Strength Murderous consequences brother is when someone shows watch graffiti artists Pakorn, Jesus 103
22 Theoretical parallel brand DOWN 50 Prom gown material unravel in the dead of night as interest in Jane. Chat will bully her Rua MHS, Bows, Qucan and Ghost
world access 46 – touch 1 Halloween 53 Lunch – their lives intertwine at the admirers into leaving her alone. So Trappers do their thing.
23 Trip approx. 48 Bacon output inevitabilities 55 Easy win hands of a mysterious criminal when Jane meets her perfect half- Tickets cost Bt700 at 7-Eleven and
24 Debt securities 51 User-created video 2 Not tricked by 56 Witch mastermind who is hell-bent on Japanese boyfriend Moji (Nichkhun www.AllTicket.com. Details at
26 Source of ancient game alteration 3 Comment about 57 Maugham’s ‘Cakes and –’ revenge. Margot Robbie and Horvejkul), she does everything to www.Facebook.com/
wisdom 52 River rat contagion 58 Exclusion prefix Simon Pegg star. Rated 18+ keep their relationship a secret … with Thailandhiphopfestival.
30 In order to 54 Take the edge off? 4 Like a movie about 59 Place for a mud bath predictable results. Rateed 13+
+
6B TIME OUT THE NATION Saturday, June 9, 2018
THE NATION
On your BIKES
accompanied by singers Viyada and
Kittinan.
There was a spectacular
From left, Peter and Elizabeth Romhild, Arto and Sirin Artinian, Guy Bedarida, Talar
Zambakjian, Marlin Brown and Saro Artinian
PROBIKE JOINS WITH SUPHAN BURI STADIUM Broadway rendition of “New York
New York (It’s a wonderful town)”,
FOR THE COUNTRY’S FIRST DUATHLON while the grand finale featured the
live sounds of renowned Australian
singer-songwriter Mahalia Barnes.
KITCHANA LERSAKVANITCHAKUL have been in the business for 28 coming to the stadium to exercise, This year’s gourmet delights
THE NATION years and have always promoted the whether running, cycling, skate- were some of the St Regis’ finest
challenges and enjoyment of this boarding or playing futsal,” says with Mark Arnao, executive chef of
PROBIKE, one of Thailand’s lead- alternative sport. Most importantly, Warawut Silpa-archa, son of Chart the St Regis New York flying in to
ing bike and accessory distributors, it helps us to make friends easily. So Thai Pattana’s late party leader man the kitchen for this special
gets into competition cycling with now, we’re organising a duathlon Banharn and president of the event.
the inaugural Classique Duathlon and encouraging cyclists to chal- Suphan Buri Football Club. Richard Sawyer, the hotel’s
2018 taking place next month in lenge their limits. The duathlon is divided into four director of culinary operations, also
Suphan Buri. “We have organised many bike groups for men – 18 years and up, led his team, among them chef Lak
The town, which is often referred events over the last 28 years includ- 30-39 years old, 40-49 years old Preeprem, and pastry chef
to as the City of Gold and also City of ing the ‘Probike Family Day’, which and 50 and over, and two groups for Thitiphong Suanborae in a selec-
Sports, is hosting the event at its had as its slogan ‘Together We Make women –18 years and up and 30 tion of dishes that didn’t fail to
Provincial Stadium on July 21 and a Family.’ By ‘family’ we don’t just plus. All bicycles are accepted impress. The evening’s nostalgic
22. mean people who are related but all except folding bikes and fatbikes. Pasinee Limatibul and Tepee cocktails were conjured up by the Nicki & Rekha von Bueren, owners of
Is a duathlon a step below the cyclists. We also held the Probike 24 The event will also feature a Jaratjarungkait hotel’s expert mixologist Alessandro Lotus Arts de Vivre
triathlon? Hours MTB Race, the Probike MTB Probike Mini Expo at the stadium
“We wouldn’t say it like that,” Challenge in Sattahip and Century offering bikes and sports gear at Stringardi.
says Natee Chaisinthop, marketing Ride, which has now been held bargain prices, food trucks and With the auction lots receiving
executive of Probike. more than 50 times and draws large sponsor zones. Proceeds from sales generous bids from guests and the
“This event is very challenging. A families with lots of kids. This time, will go to charity. tables sold out, the proceeds raised
cyclist can ride 120 kilometres but we are offering a challenging and will go to support the operations of
can’t run five kilometres. Likewise,
a runner can do a marathon but
can’t ride 30 kilometres. Exercise
safe experience under the rules of
the International Triathlon Union.
Natee says Probike selected
PEDAL the Faculty of Arts at
Chulalongkorn University, Princess
Sirindhorn’s alma mater. These
helps us survive any emergency and
it’s known to be good for people suf-
fering from panic disorders and
Suphan Buri as the venue because
of its reputation as a city of sports.
“The roads are very wide,” he points
POWER include funding visiting local and
international experts as keynote
speakers and special lecturers in
anxiety.” out. subjects most beneficial to the stu-
For this first event, the duathlon Probike has chosen to collabo- ■ The Probike Classique dents and supporting the research
has its own motto –“Challenging rate on the event with Suphan Buri Duathlon 2018 is limited just of faculty professors.
Never Ends”, which Natee says Football Club. 500 participants. The Princess graduated with
means “everybody must be happy “Suphan Buri doesn’t have any ■ Registration costs Bt3,000 both bachelor and master’s degrees
and safe.” hills – just five flyovers that are con- and should be made at from Chulalongkorn’s Faculty of
“It’s our dream to build a sports siderably smaller than hills. But we https://RideRight.probike.co.th. Arts, with a focus on history, Thai
culture in this country,” he says, “We see an increasing number of people Chettha Songthaveepo and Yupin Chaivikrai were the top bidders for a trip to Paris. and other Oriental languages.
THE NATION Saturday, June 9, 2018 GADGETS 7B
[GADGETS]
In a WORLD
of your OWN Efficient and powerful
B&W T7 is a portable Bluetooth speaker
with 18 hours of battery life on a single charge.
It is powered by Class D amplifier with 2x12
WITH THE NEW watts of power and it uses two 50mm full-
range drivers and two bass radiators for power-
AUDIO-TECHNICA ful bass response. It has a 3.5mm stereo-in jack
apart from Bluetooth connection. It retails for
PHONES, YOU CAN Bt16,900.
SHUT OFF THE
TROUBLESOME NOISE
OF THE ENVIRONMENT
AND BE AT ONE
to activate the speech recognition
function, such as Siri.
You can touch the top part of the
KEY
WITH THE MUSIC left ear cup to increase the volume
and the bottom part to decrease the
volume.
SPECS
PAISAL CHUENPRASAENG You swipe the touch panel down
THE NATION to play the previous track and swipe ■ Driver Diameter: 40 mm
up it up to play the next track. I ■ Frequency Response: 5 –
A NEW PAIR of headphones from tried this with the JOOX music app 40,000 Hz
premium manufacturer Audio- and it worked well. ■ Sensitivity: 98 dB/mW (when
Technica, the ATH-ANC700BT To take an incoming call to the noise-cancellation used); 95
come with QuietPoint Wireless smartphone connected to dB/mW (when noise-cancella-
Active Noise-Cancelling technolo- ANC700BT, simply touch the mid- tion not used) Stay amazingly fit
gy, which allows you to enjoy lis- dle of the touch panel to answer it. ■ Impedance: 150 ohms (when Xiaomi MI Amazfit Bip is a fitness smart-
tening to music even in the nosiest You can also touch and hold it for noise-cancellation used); 35 watch that comes with a 1.28-inch LCD with
of environments. two seconds to reject it and if you ohms (when noise-cancellation 176x176 pixels, plus GPS for running and biking.
The default is set to the noise want to hang up during the call just not used)* It also has heart-rate sensor and will pass on
cancelling function when you turn touch in again. Increasing and ■ Battery: DC3.7 V lithium poly- alerts from a connected phone. It retails for
on the Bluetooth headphones but decreasing the phone volume works mer rechargeable battery Bt2,299 in the Xiaomi store on Lazada.
can switched off simply by cover- the same way as for playing music. ■ Battery Life: Maximum 25
ing the touch panel on the left ear The headphones are light and hours (when Bluetooth and
cup with your left hand. You repeat powerful bass. The phones use Another nice feature in comfortable so I was able to wear noise-cancellation used);
the process to turn them back on. 40mm drivers and have a high sen- Bluetooth mode is that the phones them for hours on end. The Maximum 45 hours (when only
The ANC700BT is designed to sitivity of 98dB when the battery- provide a touch panel on the left ear ANC700BT comes with a foldable noise-cancellation used)
use its built-in microphone to pick powered noise-cancellation is used. cup for controlling music playback design and a carrying pouch is pro- ■ Charging Time: Approximately
up noise from the surrounding The sensitivity drops to 95dB when and talking on the phone. vided, so you can conveniently carry 5 hours (for 0-100% charge)
environment, like the sound of the noise-cancellation is turned off. For example, while listening to them around with you. ■ Weight: 250 g without cable
vehicles and the hum of the air con- The ANC700BT has impedance of music, you can touch the Audio- Audio-Technica ATH- ■ Cable: Detachable 1.2 m cable
ditioner, then cancel out that noise 150 ohms when the noise-cancel- Technica logo in the middle of the ANC700BT is distributed by RTB ■ Connector: 3.5 mm stereo
by producing sounds in a negative lation is used or 35 ohms without. left ear cup to play or pause the Technology with a suggested retail mini-plug, L-shaped
phase. This results in a reduction in The headphones also have good music. You hold it for a little longer price of Bt7,990. ■ Accessories Included: 30 cm
the sounds in your environment. battery life, lasting up to 25 hours USB charging cable,
The product’s noise-cancelling when both Bluetooth and noise protective pouch
function mainly reduces noises of cancellation are turned on. When ■ Microphone: Condenser
300 Hz or lower. Because of this, it only the Bluetooth is used, the bat- ■ Sensitivity (Microphone):
has almost no effect on noises above tery can last up to 30 hours. -44 dB (1V/Pa at 1 kHz)
that frequency, such as ringtones I was able to enjoy Hi-Res Audio ■ Frequency Response
or someone speaking. signals on the ANC700BT with a (Microphone): 50 – 4,000 Hz Try a French phone
During the test, I found the provided 1.2-metre detachable ■ Polar Pattern (Microphone): View Max, a new smartphone from French
headphones gave me a quiet listen- audio cable. The headphones have Omnidirectional firm Wiko Mobile, comes with a 5.99-inch dis-
ing environment in my bedroom, a frequency response of 5 to 40,000 ■ Communication System: play in 18:9 ratio in 1440x720 pixels and a large
effectively shielding off the loud Hz. I found that when the head- Bluetooth Version 4.1 battery capacity of 4,000mAh. It is powered by
humming of my air-conditioner. phones were used with cable in Hi- ■ RF Output: 3.2 mW EIRP a 1.3GHz quad-core processor and has 3GB of
However, used in Bluetooth Res Audio mode, the sound quali- ■ Output: Bluetooth RAM and 32GB of storage. It also has a 13-
mode, the phones do not support ty was great with very good music Specification Power Class 2 megapixel rear camera and a 5MP front cam-
High-Resolution Audio sounds details and a deep and powerful ■ Maximum Communication era. It has Face Unlock and a fingerprint reader
because they lack Hi-Res Audio bass. Range: Line of sight – approxi- for added security. It retails for Bt3,890.
Bluetooth streaming formats of In wire mode, I was able to turn mately 10 metres
either LDAC or aptX HD. Instead, on the power switch on the left ear ■ Compatible Bluetooth ■
they support Bluetooth streaming cup allowing me to use only the Profiles: A2DP, AVRCP, HFP, HSP
codecs of aptX, AAC and SBC. noise cancellation function to enjoy ■ Support Codec:
Despite that, the sound quality high-quality sound in a quiet envi- aptX, AAC, SBC
is good with excellent clarity and ronment.
KITCHANA LERSAKVANITCHAKUL
WILD giant LED screen six metres high and
14 metres wide to the Thailand
Cultural Centre. We will also design
the graphics for all songs and show
them on that big screen.”
Those coughing up for the Bt3,000
tickets will take home a CD, “A Cordial
Tribute to the Bee Gees”, featuring six
songs – “Words” by Surasee Itthikul,
“Our Love (Don’t Throw It All Away)”
by Chotchoo “Pom Autobahn”
Puengudom, “Melody Fair & In The
Morning” by Cheepchanok Sriyamart,
“How Can You Mend A Broken Heart”
by Sobchai “Ford” Graiyoonsen, “First
days when I was singing and playing
guitar with a band at the Windsor
Hotel. We used to be known as the
young Bee Gees. Among the Thai
artists who could imitate Barry’s
falsetto were Danupol ‘Jae’ Kaewkarn
and Grand Ex’ Nakorn ‘Tong’
Vejsupaporn. I loved the ballads like
‘Words’ and ‘First of May’. ‘Spirits
Having Flown’ marked the tail end of
the Bee Gees’ most successful era and
the album sold more than 20 million
copies worldwide. For this concert,
we will all be singing Bee Gees’ songs
in our individual styles, not trying to
THE NATION of May” by Triple J Jazz Trio featuring imitate them,” says Pom Autobahn.
Narinpan “Jo” Pantarawong, and “I love the Bee Gees but never
THE Bee Gees – the greatest pop and “How Deep Is Your Love” by Ie thought of covering their songs
disco trio of all time whose fraternal (Thananya) Weeranukul. because it was too hard trying to copy
harmonies were instantly The tribute concert will feature a Barry Gibb’s wide vocal range. But, for
recognisable –disbanded forever in set list of 35 Bee Gees songs divided this concert, I will make the
2012 following the death of Robin – into four parts: jazz, ballads, Andy impossible possible,” says Ie
but remain in the hearts of fans Gibb and disco. Contributing artists Weeranukul, who will perform two
around the world. The band is still include Suchart “Ton” Chawangkul, songs “How Deep Is Your Love” and
fondly remembered in Thailand and Suttipong “Chompoo Fruity” “Spicks and Specks.”
its hits are being brought back to life Wattanajung, Gunpol “Ping Fruity” “I love watching movies about
again at a tribute concert, titled “Care Pridamanoch, Edward Vanzo, Thiti music and ‘Melody Fair’ was amongst
for Each Other: The Night To “Zonx” Prukchaum, Attapong “Oat my favourites. I liked the Bee Gees
COURTESY OF CLASSY RECORDS
Remember Bee Gees”, that’s being Street Funk Rollers” Boonsermsap, 2 both in terms of lyrics and music but
staged in August at the Thailand Is Better Than 1, Triple J Jazz Trio, never tried to copy Barry Gibb’s voice.
Cultural Centre. Atthaporn “Toon The Voice” I also like ‘You and I’, the song they
“I have been a professional and Kornchaiya, Puwadon “Yamin” wrote for Kenny Rogers, which is very
successful songwriter for 23 years as Weerasatien, Rawiwan “Oui” Chinda, melodious,” says Pun Paibulkiat.
well as a producer. In my career, I’ve Christophe Descamps, Mum Laconic, “If the new generation comes to
met and worked with many other and a group of students aged seven this concert, they will get to know the
songwriters and also learnt that none and eight from Music Box music Bee Gees on the big screen, which will
of them are eligible to receive any school in Chanthaburi province. show the portraits of the brothers
benefits or support from any ABOVE: More than 30 artists will perform raising money through a concert “It’s unbelievable how well these together with their stories and their
organisation, governmental or The Bee Gees’ 35 songs at “Care for Each dedicated to the Bee Gees, as both kids sing the Bee Gees’ songs,” says songs,” says Thawichaya.
otherwise. Most veteran songwriters Other: The Night To Remember Bee Robin and Maurice died of cancer. I Thawichaya, it adding that it the “It really is all about The Bee Gees.”
are now living in poverty and a lot of Gees”, a tribute concert that will be am, of course, paying the copyright fee concert will also feature several of his
them are in poor health, being victims held at Thailand Cultural Centre for the 35 songs we will be performing. label’s artists, among them Rawiwan
of cancer. So, I want to set up a fund
for cancer patients,” says Thawichaya
Tungsaharangsee, executive producer
on August 19.