Website promoting Senate candidate registration goes dark
The Election Commission advises people against accessing a possible improper website operated by Progressive Movement.
PUBLISHED: 27 Apr 2024 at 11: 50
UPDATED: 27 Apr 2024 at 12: 09
The Election Commission (EC ) has temporarily shut down a website created by the Progressive Movement to encourage people to run in the Senate election.
The polling organization previously warned aspiring individuals against registering with a potentially unlawful website and said it was looking into alleged attempts to manipulate the vote of new lawmakers.
On Friday evening, a observe was posted on website. senate67.com saying that “due to vague requirements of the EC”, it is partially inaccessible.
The EC stated in a speech that it may be unlawful to encourage the formation of teams for the Senate election. Thus, an investigation into alleged breaches has been launched, it said.
The polling place even warned potential prospects against sharing personal information and discussing their political views on websites, including social media sites.
The Progressive Movement president, Thanathorn Juangroongruangkit, is accused of trying to rig the new system to choose 200 lawmakers to remove the junta-appointed ones whose terms will disappear on May 10. The EC declaration follows these claims.
Mr Thanathorn, past president of the now- former Future Forward Party, has been urging his followers to be Senate election prospects. Then, he says, those close to the current government did end up winning the most chairs, and democracy would suffer.
He has stated that he wants to see 100, 000 people apply for seats in the fresh Upper House for a price of 2,500 baht each.
Lawmakers from 20 specialist organizations are expected to be chosen for election. Just candidates who register as individuals may cast ballots in the Senate election.
Mr. Thanathorn claimed that he intended to create website. senate67.com to be used to channel with another potential candidates ahead of the vote.
As of 3pm on Wednesday, 1, 278 persons had registered, he said.
Surveys investigators are gathering information about the site, according to the EC assertion, and legal action may be brought if they determine that the action is in contravention of the election law.
The EC is presently looking into a petition to dissolve the Move Forward Party, the party that will succeed Future Forward. The organization has been accused of attempting to subvert the constitutional monarchy by calling for modifications to the Lese-majeste law known as Section 112 of the Criminal Code.
The fresh Senate will have 200 people and not be formally elected by the electorate, as per the 2017 contract created by the prior military government.
The applicants will cast ballots among themselves over a number of rounds to determine 10 senators for each of the 20 groups that are available, with a list of five candidates for each group’s reserve.
May 13 is when the applicant application process will start. June 9 and June 16 and June 26 will be the districts, municipal, and national elections, and the benefits will be made public on July 2.
The Senate election will likely have about 100 000 votes cast, according to estimates.
A see posted on website. senate67.com says that “due to vague rules of the EC”, it is partially inaccessible.
North Korea accuses US of politicising human rights issues
SEOUL:  , North Korea accused the United States on Saturday ( Apr 27 ) of politicising human rights in the East Asian country, denouncing what it called political provocation and conspiracy. A foreign government spokesman, cited by state media Efforts as saying that Pyongyang will create harsh and crucial decisionsContinue Reading
What to do about weed?
The legalisation of cannabis was just back in the limelight, threatening to examine the alliance government’s unity.
What Prime Minister Srettha Thavisin said to the French media just left many people wondering how long the state may last despite his conviction that unification is still firmly in place and that a government change had “never crossed his mind.”
Mr Srettha gave an appointment to France 24, a European condition- owned media outlet, in which he disclosed the government’s plan to grip in the use of cannabis, which was decriminalised in 2022. According to reports, he reportedly argued that the social benefits of legalizing cannabis outweigh the monetary benefits of making it available for both medical use and research purposes.
Minister Dr. Cholnan Srikaew, who claimed that the cannabis legalization matter was too far along, shocked the Public Health Ministry when he said his appointment had surprised the Public Health Ministry.
Dr. Cholnan remarked that while the buck stops with the top, re-listing cannabis as a narcotic must be carefully considered. Since the government’s pledges to legislature were one of the ones that it was required to follow, he added, Mr. Srettha’s private opinion was solely that of the proposed recriminalization.
As of now, only products containing over 0.2 % THC]tetrahydrocannabinol — cannabis ‘ main psychoactive agent ] by weight will be considered illegal.
While Pheu Thai was the main opposition group during the past Prayut Chan-o-cha administration, it fought fervently to have marijuana removed from the drug list.
The Office of the Narcotics Control Board initiated the decriminalization of marijuana, and the Bhumjaithai Party, a partnership companion with which the Prayut state oversaw the Public Health Ministry, followed.
Anutin Charnvirakul, the president of Bhumjaithai, fought ferociously to get the plan into effect. Bhumjaithai, the second-largest group in the Prayut management, used unheard of negotiation energy to put into practice the unheard-of cannabis coverage for medical and research purposes.
Much to the pleasure of patients who require cannabis-based medications to supplement their treatment protocols, the group created a rules to exclusively permit the use of cannabis for research and medical development.
However, a complete legislation that would otherwise govern cannabis use was lacking. The Justice Ministry claims that cannabis has been extensively used for pleasure purposes and is readily available online, which encourages people under the age of 18 to test or experiment with different narcotic substances.
The cannabis power bill is currently being developed and is awaiting legislation. Since the bill is pending consideration in parliament, its passage is a tied-over commitment from the previous government.
Despite criticism from Pheu Thai, which argued that cannabis should be reinstated on the narcotics list because the controls and regulations proposed under the costs are very weak, Bhumjaithai had highlighted the cannabis decriminalization policy as its election battle system.
Some political observers were anticipating a gap between Pheu Thai and the pro-conservative functions, the largest of which is Bhumjaithai, when they decided to form a government after last year’s election.
But, concessions on cannabis were used as a precursor to the formation of the government, and Pheu Thai, the bloc’s head, was criticized for backtracking in order to maintain coalition unity.
Shortly after the authorities took the oath of office, the cannabis issue vanished, but it recently surfaced as rumors about a cabinet reshuffle started to spread.
Yet rumor claimed that Pheu Thai was considering incorporating the Democrat Party into the alliance. The Democrats ‘ participation, according to the rumor spinsters, would make the government line-up also” cumbersome” unless one of the present coalition parties was eliminated.
The most recent cannabis rumors stemmed from Mr. Srettha’s France 24 meeting, which may have caught the Bhumjaithai Party off watch.
Mr. Anutin quickly reminded the top that Pheu Thai and Bhumjaithai had now put their differences at bay regarding the hemp problem. He claimed that the prime minister had already declared to parliament that cannabis use would be permitted for clinical and research purposes in a policy speech shortly after taking office.
” There’s an apparent level of quality that”, he told reporters.
A plan speech to congress is essentially a pledge made unwaveringly to the people, he said, warning that returning to the drug trade would be a complex issue.
However, Mr. Anutin declined to respond to reporters ‘ inquiries about whether Pheu Thai should return the favor because Bhumjaithai has consistently backed Pheu Thai’s premier digital wallet flyer program.
” I follow where the head of the government leads”, he said.
Do they intend to stay or leave?
With Defence Minister Sutin Klungsang hanging over his mind, there is rife rumors about how Prime Minister Srettha Thavisin did reshuffle his case.
Studies say that Mr Srettha, who continuously serves as the finance minister, may give up that role and letting his assistant, Pichai Chunhavajira, take over.
Sutin: Issues over coming
The top, however, is said to be setting his sights on a fresh double function involving him becoming defence secretary. In the change scheduled to take place as early as next month, it is widely anticipated that Mr. Sutin may be removed from the case.
The former Pheu Thai Party voter’s transition into the Srettha case has been a series of turns and turns. His position in the Pheu Thai-led state was anything but sure from the beginning.
Rumors surfaced prior to his appointment as defense secretary. He was tipped for a variety of supervisory positions, including those in education, culture, learning, and defense.
His nomination as defence secretary did not suppress the feeling of uncertainty about his position in the government because he had no prior experience with the defense or security matters. Some experts were quick to say that Mr. Sutin’s government may be in a short time.
It comes as no surprise to discover Mr. Sutin’s brand among those who are facing the knife as cabinet reshuffle discussions are gaining steam.
But Thanaporn Sriyakul, chairman of the Political and Public Policy Analysis Institute, takes the guesswork about Mr Sutin’s tragedy with a grain of salt. Although a cupboard change can be expected, Mr Sutin will never face the trim, according to the intellectual.
Pheu Thai supporters in the Northeast are only among those who believe that Mr. Sutin can win the party’s only general election defeat to its arch-rival Move Forward Party ( MPF).
Given that Mr. Sutin has remained a member of the ruling party for so long, it is not sensible to harm the group’s help center. He has not lost an election, established his credibility as the government’s chief opposition whip, and brought himself and his own integrity to the responsibilities of defense minister.
Additionally, Mr. Thanaporn said that the rumor about Cholnan Srikaew being removed from the case is unsupported. The original Pheu Thai president is the best option for the ruling party to maintain the confidence of its followers in the North, where the MFP won in many constituencies in the 2023 elections.
According to speculation, Mr. Sutin and Dr. Cholnan will be appointed to manage the ruling party’s political affairs and strategies.
There is no justification for extinguishing them from the blog. Additionally, I’ve heard from a trustworthy source that the rumor has upset the Pheu Thai head and the perfect secretary. A true leader will not remove them from the line-up, according to the researcher.
He allegedly made reference to paroled past top Thaksin Shinawatra, who has long been viewed as the de facto leader of Pheu Thai, which is now led by his youngest daughter, Paetongtarn Shinawatra.
Social observers have different ideas about who will be shown the doorway, but it is undisputed that Thaksin may have the final say in the case shake-up.
According to the researcher, Mr. Srettha does not necessarily need to hold the position of defense secretary to oversee foreign policy and national protection. As primary minister, he has the authority to oversee these procedures without the need to take on additional responsibilities or tasks.
There is also no basis for Mr. Thanaporn’s claim that Deputy Prime Minister Somsak Thepsutin may be given the public health investment because Mr. Somsak is known to have no interest in the position.
Mr Somsak, public health secretary in the previous government, is believed to be eyeing the Interior Ministry, but is also apparently willing to settle for the Agriculture Ministry.
Anutin Charnvirakul, the leader of Bhumjaithai and agriculture minister Thamanat Prompow, Palang Pracharath’s secretary-general, does not step down or change their positions.
Furthermore, Mr Somsak seems glad with his present job after the cabinet gave the nod to the” 100- billion- baht cattle” work to help eradicate poverty among Thai farmers, according to Mr Thanaporn.
The scheme, to be piloted among 500, 000 households in target areas nationwide, will extend a loan of 50, 000 baht to each household to buy two cows to raise on their land.
Mr. Somsak was quoted as saying that he would quit politics if the project turned out to be a flop.
Not to mention that Mr. Somsak is in charge of the Office of National Water Resources, which receives a lot of funding annually. He wants nothing more,” Mr Thanaporn said.
Biden places politics over strategy in US Steel sale – Asia Times
Barack Obama made a decision eight years ago that has hampered US reputation and control in the Indo-Pacific to this day.
Obama sided with strategic concerns by weighing political calculations when he considered and ultimately rejected the Trans-Pacific Partnership ( TPP, now known as the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement on Trans-Pacific Partnership, or CPTPP ) ratification.
Joe Biden is acting in the same way as he weighs the order of US Steel by Japan’s Nippon Steel.
Basically concerned about national security, while in fact , weighing the impact on political support , in battleground state in an election time, Biden has announced his opposition to the price.
It’s a short-sighted choice that threatens long-term US national interests, insults a vital ally, undermines international monetary policy, and allows protectionism from trading partners.
Nippon Steel announced last December that it would buy US Steel, an iconic organization that was struggling to survive, for US$ 14.9 billion.
Nippon Steel promised to keep the business name and its headquarters in Pittsburgh, pledged , and that there would be no work breaks and that it would help the company “grow in the United States,” in response to criticism from workers who feared cuts and economic patriots who were opposed to any sales of US businesses.
The Committee for Foreign Investment in the United States ( CFIUS) would review the deal first, but the US did not specify how that review should conclude. Some believed that the CFIUS critique would help pass the offer without pricking the Biden administration.
Biden then appeared to criticize the order, saying that it was “vital” that the business should be in British hands. Donald Trump, who will experience Biden in the November national vote, has been more harsh, calling the price” a hideous point” that he would stop “instantaneously”.
Kritikers have come out in recent days claiming that Nippon Steel’s operations in China threaten its control and pose a “material national security risk.”
” We cannot allow one of the largest American steelmakers to be gobbled up by a foreign entity with ties to the Chinese Communist Party and its military- industrial apparatus” ,Senator JD Vance, Republican of Ohio,  , told , the , Financial Times.
Nippon Steel refutes the accusations, claiming that it only has activities that and that no one has access to data about operations outside of China.
Refusal of the deal – also equivocation – is a mistake. Nippon Steel’s buy may lead to US Steel’s development and let its continued operation. It may increase US Steel’s competitiveness, giving the company a more lasting foundation.
Allowing the agreement to proceed would demonstrate that the US is truly committed to monetary co-operation with important allies and partners and the inclusion of their markets in ways that benefit everyone. It would help participation, promoting efficiency and development.
It would serve as an example for other nations as they work to strike a balance between promoting foreign investment and protecting private industries from predation. It would demonstrate that the US is certainly a liar, clinging to international markets without offering the same benefits to its rivals.
This is especially critical for Japan, which has been restructuring its foreign and security policy view to , fit more closely , with that of the US and be the United States ‘ “global mate”. Chinese companies have made billions of dollars in the US in recent years, and they and their governments are working closely with them to integrate cutting-edge technologies that are essential to management in the twenty-first century.
These demonstrations and signals are becoming increasingly important for US authority and credibility in the Indo-Pacific.
Since 2016, when Obama flinched and let elections bypass proper problems, choices in Washington have contributed to an picture of , unreliability , among local financial partners.
Withholding the purchase of Nippon Steel, one can confirm that the TPP was not an anomaly, that neither Democrats nor Republicans can be trusted to give the US leadership in economic and, consequently, strategic matters, and that China is willing to cede this important ground.
Washington must address the needs of regional nations as they see them if the US wants to compete with China. Economic opportunities are foremost on their list and they have  , judged , the US to be failing on this vital metric. China is bridging that void.
Of course, no US president can ignore domestic political considerations. Biden does n’t have to. For both political and strategic reasons, he can back the agreement. The parlous state of US Steel is the second most important reason to support the deal, after the strategic justification.
The business has been losing money for years. Not only has it failed to innovate but,  , explained , one industry analyst, US Steel “peaked out in 1916” and “it’s been downhill ever since”, driven by a corporate culture that’s content to be , a follower , rather than an industry leader. That’s why shareholders , voted , to approve the deal earlier this month, they know that it’s the best way to revitalize this humbled icon.
Biden should make the case that US Steel will survive if it is sold to Nippon Steel. New management can encourage the company’s modernization and the development of a new mindset in executive offices and workplaces. Japan companies are more receptive to stakeholder interests, rather than just those of shareholders.
They are eager to demonstrate their reliability as partners, and it is in their own ( and the country’s ) best to encourage greater integration between the two economies. That should aid in protecting jobs that unions and politicians who serve them.
Biden should n’t pander to blue- collar voters, peddling untruths about jobs or equivocating until after the election. Both would disprove the notion that US politicians are cynical and untrustworthy, and that lies, errors, or half-truths can be expected from them.
Biden should instead make a direct argument to US voters and US partners that he is aware of the national interest and that this sale offers the best chance to preserve steel jobs. It would n’t correct the error of 2016, but it would prevent making a new mistake among those failures.
Brad Glosserman ( brad@pacforum .org ) is deputy director of and visiting professor at the Center for Rule- Making Strategies at Tama University as well as senior adviser ( nonresident ) at Pacific Forum. He is the author of <a href="https://press.georgetown.edu/Book/Peak-Japan”>Peak Japan: The End of Great Ambitions.
This article was first published by Pacific Forum. It is republished with permission.
Chinese EV makers zooming by pioneer Tesla – Asia Times
Given that Tesla’s share price has increased since the start of the time, the stock price has increased on little covering and the return of unwavering optimism.
However, the Beijing International Automotive Exhibition should serve as a reminder that rivals in growing numbers have surpassed the electric vehicle ( EV ) pioneer and are increasingly making it appear like an ordinary car company.
The exhibition, which runs from April 25 to May 5, will feature about 1,500 manufacturers of new energy vehicles ( NEVs ) and components. NEVs include hydrogen gas cell-powered vehicles, electric motors and internal combustion engine variants, and battery-powered electric cars.
According to the event’s organizers, there are 278 NEVs on screen, including 117 fresh ones. 30 of the new models come from foreign businesses, which goes against the animosity shown by American politicians toward China.
Foreign vendors include major NEV companies BYD, Geely and Changan, power EV specialists GAC Aion, Li Auto, Nio and Xpeng, and Xiaomi, a cell phone manufacturer and technology firm that has started selling attached cars.
Huawei and Horizon Robotics, a Chinese company that ranks second only to Nvidia in autonomous driving processing systems, are aspect manufacturers.
European vendors include VW Group models Audi, Porsche and Volkswagen, BMW and Mercedes- Benz, Hyundai and its affiliates Kia, Ford and Japan’s leading three manufacturers, Toyota, Nissan and Honda.
Tesla is not there.
Toyota and Tencent made the announcement on April 25 that they would work together to create energy cars for domestic consumption in China. Tencent, which has experience in cloud computing, information processing and high- size online services, has turned to autonomous driving ( which it refers to as AD ) as a new development industry.
Google Intelligent Mobility Vice President Shuman Liu notes that,” With its intricate road systems, megacities, deep populations and exclusive traffic behaviors, China … provides richer scenarios, abundant data and greater numbers of unusual and unexpected so- called  ,’corner cases ‘ essential for the safe and effective evolution of AD technology”. Engineer-talk for a problem outside of the bounds of the core case.
Add to that a distinctive Gen-Z segment that wants to buy a car with Level2 driver assistance functions, and you have ideal training conditions for AD, he says. Toyota will almost certainly use the information it learned in China to expand internationally. Additionally, it is reported that Tencent is working with Audi and Mercedes-Benz.
Nissan, Toyota’s trailblazing rival, and Baidu, a Chinese internet service provider, have signed an MOU to look into working together on self-driving electric vehicles. Nissan has also revealed two new plug-in hybrids and two battery-electric vehicles that it and its Chinese manufacturing partner Dongfeng Motor have developed.
The Volkswagen Group has announced four world premieres in Beijing: the Volkswagen ID, the Porsche Taycan 4, the e-tron, the Lamborghini Urus SE, and the Audi Q6 L . Code, a concept car designed exclusively for China. Volkswagen, which first entered the Chinese market 40 years ago, intends to invest 2.5 billion euros in its production and R&, D center in Hefei to support joint development of electric vehicles ( EVs ) with Xpeng and the release of 30 new electric vehicles by 2030.
Volkswagen now has 39 plants, more than 90, 000 employees and an almost entirely domestic supply chain in China that includes Horizon Robotics. Its goal is to remain the top foreign car manufacturer in China and one of the top three in the country, where it is currently ranked second only to BYD in sales of all kinds of vehicles. To do that, it must rapidly expand its sales of NEVs.
Meanwhile, Tesla has dropped to third place in the NEV retail sales ranking in China. Data from the China Passenger Car Association ( CPCA ) shows BYD selling 586, 000 units in the first quarter of 2024, Geely 137, 000, Tesla 132, 000 and Changan 126, 000. BYD sold hybrid vehicles in the fourth quarter of 2023, which makes that comparison less relevant. However, BYD also sells battery-powered EVs.
Tesla’s NEV unit sales were down 3.6 % year- on- year while BYD’s were up 15.2 %. Geely’s were up 2.4 times, Changan’s up 2.1 times and SAIC- GM- Wuling’s up 35.2 %. The second tier of Chinese EV manufacturers, with the exception of GAC Aion, also experienced significant unit sales growth.
Tesla’s production and sales in China have dropped for two straight quarters, according to CPCA data. Tesla’s NEV market share in China, which was 7.5 % in the three months to March, no longer supports its standing as an industry leader.
Tesla’s first- quarter financial results were as bad as preliminary reports had indicated, with sales down 9 % year- on- year and net profit down 55 %. The company’s operating margin declined from 11.4 % to 5.5 %. Operating activities ‘ cash flow decreased by 90 %, and free cash flow decreased.
The main causes of this were the unit shipments’ and the average selling price’s decline. The recall of every Cybertruck shipped since November 2017 to fix a sticky accelerator pedal and the resignation of two senior executives have only added to these issues.
Elon Musk, the CEO of Tesla, is handling the situation by firing more than 10 % of the company’s workforce and conducting a thorough review of operations in order to reduce other costs and increase efficiency. ” This”, he said,” will enable us to be lean, innovative and hungry for the next growth phase cycle”.
That may be true, but the Seagull EV, the basic model from BYD’s mass market, is not. Musk intends to expedite the development of more reasonably priced vehicles, but Tesla’s concept of a low EV price is said to be around$ 25, 000.
Fortunately for Tesla, the US will almost certainly not permit entry of ultra-cheap Chinese electric vehicles into its market. The EU has already slashed import subsidies for electric vehicles ( EVs ) and may have to raise tariffs to prevent them. Although Tesla’s factory in Germany is subject to potential European tariff barriers, it may also participate in the job cuts.
Tesla’s earnings call in January revealed that” the Chinese car companies are the most competitive car companies in the world.” Musk stated to investors and other parties. ” Frankly, I think, if there are not trade barriers established, they will pretty much demolish most other companies in the world”.
Last November, he said,” There’s a lot of people out there who think that the top 10 car companies are going to be Tesla followed by nine Chinese car companies. I think they might not be wrong”. He appears to have been overly optimistic about Tesla’s future rankings at the time.
Follow this writer on , X: @ScottFo83517667
New York returns 30 pillaged relics to Cambodia, Indonesia
New York prosecutors announced on Friday ( Apr 26 ) that they had returned 30 antiquities to Cambodia and Indonesia that had been illegally transferred by networks of American dealers and traffickers. According to Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg, the artifacts were worth a total of US$ 3 million. InContinue Reading
Sand dunes, ziplines, water rafting: Vietnam’s south-central coast is perfect for adrenaline junkies
The tranquil quest led to vistas of picturesque shores, thriving grapevines, and green areas dotted with enormous wind turbines. Da Lat, known as the Minor Paris of Vietnam, has strong hills and pine trees where visitors can get cloud-chasing, and it is a quiet mountain area.
By dark, we reached the Radisson Blu Resort Cam Ranh. The towering seaside resort, which is a ten minute drive from Cam Ranh International Airport, is among a number of luxurious resorts.
ADVENTURES IN CAM RANH
Cam Ranh’s unique combination of a deep-sea port, islands, and great hills made it an appropriate spot as a former US air and naval foundation during the Vietnam War. These traits have immediately made it a brand-new tourist hotspot.
We left the hotel early to begin our next car visit. This day, our journey was decked out in less bright colors. Instead, we climbed into a fleet of US Army vehicles that looked rugged and imposing and took us on a picturesque drive through beautiful fields and up Hon Ba Mountain’s winding roads.
EC warns of “dubious” poll website
Launches sensor into’ intensifying’ drive
PUBLISHED: 27 Apr 2024 at 07: 00
The Office of Election Commission (EC ) is investigating alleged rigging of new senators ‘ elections, and is asking potential candidates to refrain from registering with a potentially illegal website.
The EC said in a speech that encouraging people to form groups to run for the Senate election might be against the electoral laws. So, an investigation into alleged breaches has been launched, it said.
The EC even warned potential prospects against posting political views and private information on websites, including social media sites.
The EC declaration follows complaints that Thanathorn Juangroongruangkit, chair of the Progressive Movement, reportedly tried to manipulate the country’s fresh system to choose 200 senators to change junta- appointed ones, whose terms may disappear on May 10.
Mr Thanathorn, former head of the now- former Future Forward Party, late urged his followers to be Senate election prospects. Then, those close to the current government may be appointed, and politics may suffer.
He desired that 100, 000 folks would each spend 2,500 baht for the application fee to become Upper House representatives.
Lawmakers from 20 specialist organizations are expected to be elected in the nation.
Mr. Thanathorn even introduced website. senate67.com for may- become candidates who share the exact progressive ideology. He claimed that before the election, people could use the software to network with another potential candidates.
As of 3pm on Wednesday, 1, 278 folks had registered, he said.
According to the EC speech, surveys inspectors are gathering information about the website to verify its accuracy, and legal action will be taken if they determine that the action is unlawful.
According to the 2017 contract, the novel Senate did include 200 people and will not be directly elected by the public.
The applicants will cast ballots among themselves over a number of rounds to determine 10 senators for each of the 20 groups that are ready, with a list of five candidates for each group’s reserve.
May 13 is when the applicant application process will start. June 9 and June 16 and June 26 will be the city, municipal, and national elections, with results set to become announced on July 2.
Around 100, 000 people are expected to cast in the Senate election.
EC warns of “dubious” Senate poll website
Launches sensor into’ democratic’ drive
PUBLISHED: 27 Apr 2024 at 07: 00
The Election Commission (EC ) is investigating alleged rigging of new senators ‘ elections, and is asking potential candidates to refrain from registering with a potentially illegal website promoted by the Progressive Movement.
The EC said in a speech that encouraging people to form groups to run for the Senate election might be against vote regulations. Thus, an investigation into alleged breaches has been launched, it said.
The pollster even warned potential prospects against posting political views and private information on websites, including social media sites.
The Progressive Movement president, Thanathorn Juangroongruangkit, is accused of trying to rig the new system to choose 200 lawmakers to remove the junta-appointed ones whose terms will disappear on May 10. The EC declaration follows these claims.
Mr Thanathorn, past president of the now- former Future Forward Party, has been urging his followers to be Senate election prospects. Then, he says, those close to the current state would get appointed, and democracy would suffer.
He desired that 100, 000 folks would each spend 2,500 baht for the application fee to be Upper House representatives. Only candidates who register as individuals you cast ballots in the Senate election.
Lawmakers from 20 professional organizations are expected to be chosen by the nation.
Mr. Thanathorn even made www. senate67.com for may- become candidates who share the exact liberal ideology. He claimed that before the election, people could use the software to network with another potential candidates.
As of 3pm on Wednesday, 1, 278 folks had registered, he said.
According to the EC speech, surveys investigators are gathering information about the site and facts, and if they determine that this action is in contravention of the election law, legal action will be brought.
According to the 2017 contract, the novel Senate did include 200 people and will not be directly elected by the public.
The applicants will cast ballots among themselves in many rounds to determine 10 senators for each of the 20 groups that are eligible, with a list of 5 possible candidates for each group’s reserve.
The program process for candidates is expected to begin on May 13. June 9 and June 16 and June 26 will be the city, municipal, and national elections, with results set to become announced on July 2.
The Senate election will likely have about 100 000 votes cast, according to estimates.
A see posted on website. senate67.com says that “due to vague rules of the EC”, it is partially inaccessible.
Hungary opens up to Chinese tech despite protests
Getty Images” We do not want to become the earth leader”, said Hungary’s foreign minister in Beijing last October, about his country’s ambitious plans for manufacturing Electric Vehicle chargers, “because the world leader is China”.
China is ahead of the US with 6 % of the lithium-ion global battery manufacturing capacity with an astonishing 79 % share. Hungary is then second with 4 % and seeks immediately to beat the Americans, explained Peter Szijjarto, during his visit to China.
With 36 companies now built, under construction or planned, his terms were no idle talk.
The Fidesz state under Viktor Orban has praised its “opening to the East”.
Budapest is met with a lot of criticism for maintaining robust economic ties with Russia. The strengthening relations with China and South Korea are more significant in terms of financial importance. The pillar of that drive is electric vehicles, and Hungary is once again drawing the envy of EU members more than their approval.
By this summers, there will be 17 flights a week between Budapest and Chinese locations. With €10 billion in 2023, China overtook Hungary as the country’s second largest investment.
The strong dark creating blocks of China’s CATL factory extend into the distance from the Reformed Great Church’s tower in Debrecen. The biggest battery manufacturer in the world has a large presence in northeast Hungary.
Up until last year, the scenery was painted green and yellow by flowers and oilseed assault. The Chinese SemCorp separation metal manufacturer and the Chinese EcoPro electrode flower have now opened, also.
Get past the building site of Debrecen’s fresh, all- energy BMW factory and you will get another Chinese battery maker, Eve Energy.
However, bulldozers in southwestern Hungary are stripping the land over a 300 hectare- site to make it for a Foreign “gigafactory” for Hyundai electric cars.
Here, companies in South Korea and Japan have already begun producing batteries or device parts.
Noemi Sidlo from CATL’s Hungarian department says,” Hungary is in the center of Europe and close to the biggest professional gamers in the mechanical industry.”
It was clear where to go, and the local and national institutions were eager to assist, she explained.
Mr Orban’s Fidesz state has bent over backwards to get Foreign investment, promising CATL €800m in duty incentives and institutional support to win the deal- more than 10 % of the €7.3bn investment.
Add to that China invested in a high-speed railway that would connect Central Europe to the ports of Thessaloniki and Piraeus, and Budapest’s enthusiasm for Chinese investment is even clearer.
The feeling appears to be mutual. When Chinese President Xi Jinping comes to Europe in May, he will visit just three countries- France, Serbia, and Hungary.
What could still go wrong for Viktor Orban’s plans?
Rather a lot, say his critics. Despite the near-record silence in the Fidesz-controlled media about potential issues, environmental protests against the swathe of factories are growing.
The mayor of Debrecen, Laszlo Papp, has refused to talk to the BBC.
Emails sent to the Hungarian Investment Promotion Agency and the foreign ministry repeatedly remain unanswered.
Opponents contend that because they have been given “enhanced national interest” status, there is no way to challenge the projects locally.
The picturesque village of Mikepercs, located south of Debrecen, has grown increasingly unpopular with construction projects.
It is incredibly unfair they built such an enormous factory here, without asking the locals, claims local campaigner Eva Kozma,” but none of us mothers are against green cars.”
She criticizes battery factories elsewhere in Hungary for their environmental problems, saying,” That’s not a green future if everyone here gets cancer, just because people who are luckier than us can flit around in their nice green cars.”
Noemi Sidlo from CATL insists her fears are ungrounded.
Water supply is also a major issue in Debrecen.
Rainfall is declining in the Great Hungarian plain, underground water supplies are being cut, and government plans have so far failed to capture more of the water that flows through the Danube and Tisza rivers.
Hungary risks trading its status as a water superpower, to become an electromobility superpower. Much of the country’s surface is now covered in water, according to 19th-century maps.
In a nation with unemployment rates below 5 %, there is also labor, which is a problem.
CATL will need 9, 000 workers on top of that, but the Hungarian government retakes the office in election after election with the idea that “keep migrants out .”
The rising number of Turkish workers in Debrecen, where the BMW plant is being built, was recently highlighted by the right-wing Our Homeland Movement.
Another issue that critics have is that cheap labor, cheap land, and generous government incentives will make Hungary a” servant-state” for Chinese and South-East Asian companies.
The government acknowledges that there is a chance that domestic research and development will suffer as wages are kept low.
” We have to convince the investors, not only to bring production here, but also research”, Balazs Orban, political director of the Prime Minister’s Office told the BBC.
” How we merge their research with the Hungarian companies. For the upcoming ten years, this will be the biggest challenge.
