Gates Foundation gives AIT $8 million to set up sanitation systems in Asia
In a press statement, AIT said the foundation set up by Microsoft founder Bill Gates and his ex-wife Melinda has funded the setting up of the Global Water & Sanitation Centre (GWSC). AIT and the foundation’s representatives launched GWSC at the AIT campus in Pathum Thani on November 30. GWSC’s aim is to provide safe, hygienic toilets and sustainable sanitary systems to developing economies in Asia, including Thailand.
Source:The Nation Bangkok
December 13, 2022 21:07 UTC
Factories using 3 chemicals have until Thursday to register for 2023 import quota
Industry Minister Suriya Juangroongruangkit said on Tuesday that more than 140 factories have been found to use sodium cyanide, benzyl cyanide and benzyl chloride and they are required to provide details on their consumption of these chemicals. The import and export of these chemicals was suspended on November 21 to ensure all control measures are in place to ensure they are not used to make methamphetamine, he said. Jullapong Thaweesri, director-general of the Industrial Works Department, said that since import-export was suspended, his department has been working on finding the exact quantity that is available in the country.
Source:The Nation Bangkok
December 13, 2022 06:15 UTC
Scammer arrested by the policewoman she pretended to be
Pol Maj Kanjira Norasan, right, arrests Natthaya Khomaram, a woman who allegedly stole her identity to commit fraud, at a rented room in Kaeng Khoi district, Saraburi, on Sunday. Pol Maj Kanjira Norasan, 42, an inspector from Crime Suppression Subdivision 2, on Sunday arrested Natthaya Khomaram, 25, at a rented room in tambon Tan Diao of Kaeng Khoi district, Saraburi, said Crime Suppression Division commander Pol Maj Gen Montree Thesakhan on Monday. According to Pol Maj Gen Montree, Ms Natthaya set up a Facebook account appearing to belong to Pol Maj Kanjira and sent Facebook messages to her friends, begging for help. Police said the suspect confessed and told them she was unaware the woman whose identity she stole was a police officer. Meanwhile, Pol Maj Kanjira learned from her friends that a fake Facebook account had been created in her name and used to defraud them.
Source:Bangkok Post
December 13, 2022 01:46 UTC
NBTC team to oversee OTT streaming operators amid digital push
He said the NBTC has implemented a strategy to supervise three groups of OTT streaming operators:— Operators of websites or applications for use in daily life, such as Lazada, Uber, Airbnb, Dropbox and Google Maps. — Operators of interpersonal communication platforms, covering social media (Facebook and Instagram) and instant messaging (Line, Facebook Messenger and WhatsApp). "The emergence of OTT streaming operators has resulted in cost burden for internet network operators," he said, adding that the business caused difficulties in tax collection as well. — Operators of television and video streaming platforms on the internet, such as Netflix, Hulu, YouTube and Line TV.
Source:The Nation Bangkok
December 12, 2022 08:38 UTC
Rice noodle soup for crab lovers
Crab rice noodle soup (or banh canh cua in Vietnamese) is known as part of Southern cuisine and is famous for its flavourful red-orange broth. Banh canh (rice noodles) is a traditional dish that is typically served for breakfast. The main ingredient is white, thick and chewy noodles made from rice flour. Rice noodle is eaten with a flavourful broth made from simmering pork bones with radishes or carrots for hours. Crab, the soul of the dish, is mostly served in two styles, a whole crab and small pieces.
Source:The Nation Bangkok
December 12, 2022 01:04 UTC
Hidden temple tours light up again at abandoned wats in Bangkok Noi
Two abandoned temples – Wat Phumarin Ratchapaksi and Wat Dusidaram Worawiharn – are the focus of the latest tour, which started on Saturday and runs until December 18. Both ancient temples had been central to the daily life of the communities around them, but were abandoned during Bangkok’s rapid development as local residents became disconnected from them, explained Wichit Werungkhabutr, deputy director of the state-run agency. The tours will use light and sound shows to tell the stories of the temples and their histories, while local communities will be integrated into the shows and related events, Wichit said.
Source:The Nation Bangkok
December 11, 2022 21:08 UTC
Ukrainian strike hits Russian-occupied Melitopol
Ukrainian strike hits Russian-occupied MelitopolRussian forces seized Melitopol, pictured in October 2022, in the beginning of the offensive which began on February 24KYIV (UKRAINE) - Ukraine attacked the Russian-occupied southern city of Melitopol on Saturday evening, the Kremlin-installed local authorities and Ukrainian officials said. The strategically located city, which had a pre-war population of just over 150,000 people, is located in the southern region of Zaporizhzhia that Moscow claims to have annexed. Yevgeny Balitsky, the Russia-installed head of Zaporizhzhia region, said that using US-supplied HIMARS long-range rocket launchers, Ukrainian troops struck Melitopol at around 9:00 pm Saturday. Ivan Fedorov, the exiled mayor of Melitopol, said for his part that Ukrainian forces hit Russian troops in Melitopol and that dozens of "invaders" had been killed. Russian forces seized Melitopol in the beginning of the offensive which began on February 24.
Source:Bangkok Post
December 11, 2022 17:21 UTC
Pheu Thai has best chance of forming next govt: poll
Pheu Thai has best chance of forming next govt: pollLeaders of the Pheu Thai Party outline their vision while introducing the campaign slogan ‘Think Big, Act Smart, For All Thais’ on Dec 6, 2022. Pheu Thai - 40.38% high; 32.44% absolutely certain; 16.88% slim; 8.24% no chance at all; and 2.06% had no answer/not interested2. Move Forward - 31.45% slim; 30.23% high; 23.66% no chance at all; 11.00% absolutely certain; and 3.66% no answer/not interested3. Palang Pracharath - 33.51% no chance at all; 32.60% slim; 20.38% high; 10.76% absolutely certain; and 2.75% no answer/not interested4. United Thai Nation - 43.12% no chance at all; 31.45% slim; 15.73% high; 5.73% absolutely certain; and 3.97% no answer/not interested5.
Source:Bangkok Post
December 11, 2022 17:19 UTC
Titan shatters record with $1.3 million bid for lucky license plate
"The number ‘9’ is synonymous with the phrase ‘take a step forward’ in Thai, while Chinese people believe the number will bring prosperity to trade,” the department explained. The previous auction record was set in 2003 when the department received 28.10 million baht for plate "8กก 8888".
Source:The Nation Bangkok
December 11, 2022 10:16 UTC
All members of SK parliament sign declaration against hate speech
“All 299 lawmakers have signed a pledge to support using good language during their political activities,” announced the organization’s founder Min Byoung-chul during an award ceremony held Dec. 7 to commend 35 parliamentarians for using what they perceive as a respectful language, as opposed to malicious or disrespectful language. The NGO was founded in 2007 for the purpose of eradicating malicious online comments. It has been awarding National Assembly members every year since 2013. Sunfull, referring to kindhearted online comments, is a combination of the Korean word “sun (good)” and “full (short for reply).”
Source:The Nation Bangkok
December 11, 2022 06:02 UTC
A mental healing program with coffee, music
Each pack also comes paired with a short piece of symphonic music and a three-minute audio clip of a mental health professional's interpretation of symptoms. For example, those who scan the QR code on the pack of coffee marked "anxiety" will hear Bach's Sheep May Safely Graze, while scanning the pack titled "inferiority complex" will produce sounds of Ravel's Morning Song of the Jester. Developed by the two organizations, the products are aimed at addressing common mental health issues that have been exacerbated by the pandemic. "We believe music has healing power and can provide emotional support for those in need," explains Qiao Ying, a doctor at the mental health centre. The new products have been an instant hit — the first 5,000 sets of coffee were sold out so quickly that even Xie Bin, the Party secretary of the mental health centre, has to wait until mid-December before he can sip the coffee, which he ordered on the WeChat platform of the orchestra.
Source:The Nation Bangkok
December 11, 2022 06:02 UTC
Aimsaard sisters cruise into BWF final
The third-seeded Thai duo defeated top seeds Jeong Na-eun and Kim Hye-jeong 22-20, 21-15, a day after a straight-sets win over the same pair in the final women’s doubles group stage match at the US$1.5-million season-ending tournament. The two-time defending champions on Saturday evening defeated Rinov Rivaldy and Pitha Haningtyas Mentari of Indonesia 24-22, 16-21, 21-14. In the women’s singles, world champion Akane Yamaguchi of Japan booked her ticket to the last stage, crushing Olympic gold medallist Chen Yufei. The semi-final on Saturday was a rematch of Thursday’s group stage encounter when Chen beat Yamaguchi in straight sets. The Dane will face Indonesia’s Anthony Ginting, who defeated Jonatan Christie, in Sunday’s championship match.
Source:Bangkok Post
December 10, 2022 19:54 UTC
Selling fake banknotes can land you in jail for life, Bank of Thailand warns
Somboon also said that many social-media users get tricked into transferring money in exchange for fake foreign currency. He said that BOT has learned that these social media accounts are used by criminals to fool their victims, and urged users to be more careful before making any money transfers. Somboon also advised members of the public to carefully check banknotes to ensure they are genuine. He said people should look for unique watermarks in the notes. Details of all Thai banknotes can be found at https://www.bot.or.th/English/Banknotes/Pages/identify.aspx.
Source:The Nation Bangkok
December 10, 2022 14:08 UTC
Experience “SIAM SMILEY® Celebration Infinite Happiness” all through December 2022 and ring in the New Year with concerts from top artists
On New Year’s Eve, Siam Paragon also extends its operation times, from 9.30am to midnight. Siam Paragon also offers special promotions from 2 December 2022 to 15 January 2023. In addition, Siam Paragon continuously offers special Boxing Day privilege to customers from 24 - 26 December 2022, and from 30 December 2022 to 1 January 2023. Discover the amazing festive experience throughout the month of December 2022 at Siam Paragon. For more information, call 02-610-8000 or log on to Facebook: Siam Paragon.
Source:The Nation Bangkok
December 10, 2022 14:07 UTC
'I decided to run': Survivors recount DR Congo massacre
M23 rebels massacred at least 131 civilians — including 12 children — and committed more than two dozen rapes on Nov 29-30 in two villages in Rutshuru territory, including Kishishe, the United Nations says. But in the Mungote camp, Eric Nesehose said he could not forget seeing his nephews Jacques and Musayi gunned down before his eyes. Fleeing for their lives, Eric and other villagers walked 40 to 60 kilometres (25 to 37 miles) across the hills to the Mungote camp in Kitshanga district. The UN's Monusco peacekeeping mission has said it was not able to reach Kishishe and neighbouring Bambo to investigate last month's killings, but gathered evidence from witnesses and other sources. Four children missingIn Mungote, 30-year-old Twisenge Manirakiz said most of her family had gone missing in the massacre.
Source:Bangkok Post
December 10, 2022 09:49 UTC