Barkar Nash – Page 955

Mekong activist wins US award

On: October 15, 2023

PUBLISHED: 08: 02 on October 15, 2023.

Niwat Roykaew, a Mekong River guardian, is the first Thai to be awarded the Leader on the Frontlines Award by the San Francisco-based Asia Foundation.

Mr. Niwat, 64, is also referred to as” Kru Thi.” He serves as the Chiang Khong Conservation Group’s chairman and the Institute of Local Knowledge at Mekong School.

According to the base, he oversaw and encouraged communities and was successful in stopping damaging damming and blasting projects that endangered the river and its communities.

Mr. Niwat received the foundation’s Chang-Lin Tien Distinguished Leadership Award for 2023 in San Francisco last Thursday in honor of his indefatigable efforts to advance society lives and the Mekong River habitat.

Since the prize was first given out, he has been the fifth receiver. ” I’m thrilled that the Mekong River protection work has spread across the globe. After receiving the honor, he said,” This incentive is not for me; rather, it is a joy for the civil society industry, which has been working in natural asset protection for some time.”

Since climate asset protection is a process that is not unique to one nation,” I’d like to use this opportunity to spread information and encourage individuals to be interested in it.”

The prize was established in recognition of the later Chang-Lin Tien, a former president at the University of California at Berkeley and head of board of trustees for the Asia Foundation.

Premier rallies support for digital wallet scheme

By: Barkar Nash

On: October 15, 2023

In: South-East Asia

15 October 2023 at 07: 51 PUBLISHED

In response to calls for an examination of the system by monetary authorities, Prime Minister Srettha Thavisin is urging those who support the government’s 10,000-baht online budget plan to speak up.

Speaking while in Phitsanulok, Mr. Srettha stated that the government intends to launch the game show in February. The scheme’s objective, according to him, is to inject funds into the program and peoples’ hands.

According to Mr. Srettha, if folks want the freebie, they should speak out and not let those who disagree prevent it from happening. He claimed that the government could use some social aid.

Even before taking office, Mr. Srettha used his X bill to mobilize supporters for the digital wallet plan.

That, he insisted that the government consider the plan’s criticism and use common input to improve it so that everyone can benefit from it.

He emphasized the advantages of injecting 560 billion ringgit into people’s pockets as well as how it would boost the fabrication industry and open up job opportunities.

Don’t let those who are opposed to this plan without good reason put a stop to it, he said.” If you agree with me and like this system.” ” Please let us know if you like the plan and are happy with it.”

He continued,” We even need assistance because we are here to job.”

On Saturday and Sunday, Deputy Minister of Finance Julapun Amornvivat refuted reports that the system may be reduced to just the poor and added that it was not being reduced from 560 billion ringgit to 400 billion.

The digital wallet policy committee’s sub-panel seat, Mr. Julapun, stated that his team is also gathering ideas and anticipates finishing them in two weeks before presenting them to the committee.

The committee is expected to review the strategy, including the precise resources and its resources, and decide whether or not to approve the implementation of the digital wallet scheme.

He claimed that the program’s goal is to boost the economy, never to aid people of particular groups. However, in the midst of condemnation, the state needs to carefully consider the plan.

He said it’s probable that the plan will cost less than 560 billion rmb, but more research is needed to make sure it actually works.

According to him, the estimated number of recipients of the release is 54.8 million, not 56 million.

Workers recall Hamas escape

By: Barkar Nash

On: October 15, 2023

In: South-East Asia

Laborer describes noises during the invasion.

A family member of a Thai employee has urged the government to rethink its decision to import Thai employees to Israel’s dangerous red zones, especially those close to the Gaza Strip, after hearing accounts of how they managed to flee new Hamas attacks in Israel.

The second group of 41 Vietnamese staff boarded Israel Airlines trip LY 083 last Thursday and flew back to Thailand. Of them, 26 of them bought their own airline reservations to return home, while 15 were sponsored by the Thai state.

Out of the government’s 30 000 employees who were sent abroad, roughly 7,000 have worked in Israel. The majority of them are employed in the agricultural industry.

Tak local Somma Saeja was left in a wheelchair after being shot in the left knee during the Hamas problems. After arriving at Suvarnabhumi Airport, he informed the Bangkok Post that his company had assisted all eight Siamese workers in hiding at his home on October 7 in the wake of the Hamas attacks.

The company drove them up to their camp once things had calmed down. He finally realized he had been shot after hearing gunshots.

While his company drove off to a friend’s house in the car, he yelled for his friends to get down. Shots during the event injured Mr. Somma and three different Thais.

Nantawan Saelee, 30, Mr. Somma’s wife, claimed that her husband chose to work in Israel because of the possibility of great pay.

To create a new home for her and his family, he wanted to save money. Every month, he sent about 50, 000 ringgit house. Despite the appealing income, she acknowledged that she would then, deep down, like her spouse to work close to their modest home in Thailand more than Israel.

Another 33-year-old employee, identified only as Mr. Ball, claimed to be residing in the red zone, a tent close to the Gaza Strip. Following the Hamas attacks, factories were destroyed, and many people — including Thais — were killed.

He claimed that an Israeli military center was located behind his tent. He fled and hid in the jungle after being attacked. Later, Jewish military arrested him and took him to an evacuation facility. When given the opportunity to leave the country, he did not think twice.

I had only been employed it for four weeks, but this was the most aggressive experience I’d ever had. I had to return back. Despite the good pay and my five-year deal, he said,” I couldn’t be.”

He purchased a plane ticket for 27, 000 ringgit and took off for his home country. He claimed that while many Siamese workers at the camp could not purchase the ticket prices, many of them chose to stay because they or their families had borrowed money to send them to function in Israel.

Sathit Promunart’s older girl Nittaya Sunthornchai, who has been employed in Israel since April 2021, praised her nephew for his diligence and tenacity. To assist the family in paying off nearly all of their debt — roughly 200,000 baht — he had sent money back home.

When she discovered that he was one of the first Thai employees to return home, she waited for him at the airport.

She said,” I don’t want him to put his life in danger, but it’s up to him if he wants to return to Israel to work once more in the future.”

She claimed that her nephew received assistance from the Labour Ministry as he went to work in Israel. She is pleading with the government to stop sending Thai workers to unsafe areas, especially those close to the Gaza Strip, to work there.

According to Labour Minister Phiphat Ratchakitprakarn, he has given the Minister Counsellor in Israel’s labor part instructions to work with companies to give any unpaid income and make sure Vietnamese workers can continue working there once the situation has stabilized.

Employees will also be questioned by the government about whether they want to work abroad.

Additionally, Thai employees who belong to the Aid Fund for Overseas Workers may be eligible for financial aid when forced to return home due to illness or war.

According to him, the opportunity also covers medical expenses and reimbursement for leaving before the contract expires or as a result of passing away.

Israel still appeals?

By: Barkar Nash

On: October 14, 2023

In: South-East Asia

It is debatable whether the Middle Eastern nation will continue to be appealing to employees seeking higher wages abroad in light of the surprise attack by the Palestinian militant organization Hamas in Israel that killed 24 Vietnamese workers.

For more than 20 years, Israel has been one of the top five places for Vietnamese workers, particularly those looking for work in the agricultural sector.

There are 30,000 Vietnamese workers in Israel, with 5,000 of them working close to the Gaza Strip, according to Thai officials. They are aware of the Israeli-Palestinian issue, and sometimes they get caught up in the fighting.

A rocket strike by Hamas on a farm near the Gaza borders in May 2021 resulted in the deaths of two laborers and the injuries of eight people.

Thai laborers have suffered one of the highest deaths in the most recent outbreak of violence.

24 people have so far died, 16 more have been hurt, and another 16 are being held captive. The second batch landed at Suvarnabhumi airports on Thursday, and on 7, 000 people have registered for departure. The range is probably going to rise as the hostilities rise.

Families of the victims have been devastated by the turmoil. People who are greatly concerned about the death of their loved ones do not know it.

The Bangkok Post recently discussed the future of the labor position in Israel with laborers, labor authorities, experts in international affairs, and employment agencies.

difficult decision

A laborer who works in Israel’s” dark area” claimed that in the face of challenges, he can relate to his family members’ concern for his safety. He has chosen to” fight his vision” a little longer, though, in the hopes that things will soon calm down.

For some Thai employment seekers abroad, pursuing their dreams entails enduring hardship for high pay in order to contribute to the improvement of their families’ futures. Trends in social media hashtags imply that employees do not want to leave their homes or communities, but rather do so in order to improve their lives.

Nitthaya Sunthornchai, a 50-year-old Mukdahan local, claimed that her younger brother, Sathit Promunart, made the decision to operate in Israel for good pay in order to contribute to the future of his home.

Their household income is unreliable due to price fluctuations and uncertain yields from their land as a result of flooding or drought, she added, adding that it is insufficient to support the family.

Her home is just pray for Mr. Sathit and the tens of thousands of other Thais who chose to return or be put, she said, adding that” the pay is better and it is a great desire to withstand hard work.”

Over the past five decades, the Thai hands abroad has sent back 200 billion baht on regular annually, according to the Bank of Thailand. They brought up nearly 165 billion ringgit from January to August of this year.

According to information gleaned from conversations with Thai workers in Israel, they are paid approximately 51, 300 ringgit per quarter, or 5, 571.75 shekels, the minimum wage for immigrant workers it, plus time.

Some employees claim that they send their entire quarterly salary home to pay off loans for things like fees and airline tickets. They claimed to have scraped by with the extra repayments.

According to the Thailand-Israel Cooperation on the Placement of Workers ( TIC ), agricultural sector Thai workers are known to borrow money from the Bank of Agriculture and Agricultural Cooperatives for travel and related costs. These loans range in value from 100, 000 to 150 000 baht.

Work contracts are typically two centuries long and can be extended to five years and three weeks. Ready workers must be between the ages of 25 and 41 and had agricultural industry experience.

About 5,000 Thais were employed under TIC in 2021, and the range has risen to 6,500 this time.

But, it is thought that there are over 30,000 Vietnamese workers in Israel, including 10,000 undocumented workers who made the decision to leave after their contracts expired. That, improper workers are content to lower pay and lack access to healthcare benefits.

In danger

According to a resource in the Labour Ministry’s Department of Employment, the number of Thai staff employed close to the Gaza Strip was estimated to be 1,000 from 2017 to 2018, but it is now 5, 000.

According to the cause, organisations must implement safety precautions and get ready for emergencies.

However, the authorities are being urged to reevaluate the giving of workers to the crimson zone by the parents of a Thai employee who managed to survive an attack near the Gaza border. Six people were killed in the attack, along with his brother and ten other soldiers who were stationed about 2 kilometers from the Gaza Strip.

When I learn about the horror, I feel scared and frightened, the dad said. ” It’s risky to put them in[ dangerous ] areas, and it needs to be looked into.”

He continued,” So that landowners don’t have to look for work abroad and put their lives in danger, the government should address the issues facing farmers around.”

A land worker who lives less than 10 kilometers from the Gaza borders claimed that he is happy to have worked there for more than two decades because of the way people treat him and the promised pay.

He added that workers were given food and shelter when the battle started, and the company worked with the authorities to arrange for their evacuation to secure locations.

He continued by saying that he had also discovered that workers in various fields are paid less and work in risky conditions.

I’m not sure why some people choose to work in high-risk areas, he said.

The Palestine Solidarity Campaign’s Lt. Gen. Somchai Virunhapol, a professor and general advisor, advised the government to look into more job opportunities in nations where security is guaranteed as opposed to those where violent conflicts are likely to occur.

He stated that it is crucial to look for new employment opportunities and help the private sector in the action. He said that Qatar or Saudi Arabia might require a sizable hands.

According to Lt Gen Somchai,” We does place a focus on workers’ protection and evaluate dangers that are worth it.” However, keeping them out of the conflict area is the best course of action.

If struggling in the Middle East continues, he urges the government to get ready for global financial challenges, including rising oil prices.

numerous prospects

The Thai Overseas Manpower Association’s chair, Aranya Sakulkosol, stated that the battle is likely to cause sending staff to Israel to be put on hold for around six months.

According to her, the Department of Employment has requested that employers postpone sending employees to Israel.

But she added that getting Siamese workers to health is currently the most important concern. Before they are repatriated again to Thailand, it is advised that Vietnamese workers be evacuated from Israel to nearby nations.

According to Ms. Aranya, the majority of Thai workers in Israel work in the agricultural industry, but a privately run work positioning firm is permitted to find qualified workers for the construction industry.

She claimed that 194 electricians have been hired by one company, Boss Delight Manpower. She added that their companies have agreed to cover their traveling costs and rejoin them once they are prepared to return to Thailand.

She claimed that because South Korea’s ship-building industry has increased its quota for Vietnamese welders next year, Thai workers, particularly experienced laborers, need not worry about finding employment.

Complete support pledge

Prime Minister Srettha Thavisin has ordered state authorities to ensure the safe transfer of Thais from Israel, according to Pairoj Chotikasathien, permanent director for labor, in response to reports that 26 Thai passengers arrived on Thursday and 15 others had to buy their own cards back.

He claimed that because it is the president’s responsibility, it will cover all costs incurred. Additionally, improper staff may be found, he added.

He stated that until Israel verifies that the security situation has returned to normal, sending Thai employees there has been suspended.

PM defends dept’s care of Thaksin

By: Barkar Nash

On: October 14, 2023

In: South-East Asia

protests against the” special care” image

PUBLISHED: 06: 15 on October 15, 2023.

On Saturday, Prime Minister Srettha Thavisin defended the Corrections Department, which had come under fire for allegedly giving Thaksin Shinawatra, a former prime minister, exclusive protections.

Speaking before leaving for Phitsanulok, Mr. Srettha claimed to have seen a much-discussed image of the former prime minister and insisted that the department was treating all the prisoners evenly.

Mr. Srettha was making reference to the image that was going around on social media on Friday and showed a person who looked like Thaksin riding gurneys while wearing calm gowns and face masks.

He was surrounded by two people who looked like his sons.

Thaksin, who was being transferred from his medical place to have a CT scan and an MRI, was identified as the person in the picture by office director-general Sahakan Phetnarin on Saturday.

He cited a statement from the head of the Bangkok Remand Prison, according to which Thaksin was taken for an hour-long CT scan and MRI. The investigation was prescribed by his physicians.

Thaksin was healthy, according to Mr. Sahakan, who cited security and declined to provide any information about his condition.

After spending 15 times in self-exile, Thaksin, 74, returned to Thailand on August 22. The Supreme Court imposed an eight-year prison sentence on him for three scenarios on the same day.

But, he was transferred to the Police General Hospital that evening from the Bangkok Remand Prison due to health reasons, and has remained there ever since.

His eight-year prison term was subsequently reduced to one time by His Majesty the King after he requested a royal pardon.

According to Mr. Sahakan, Thaksin’s home was permitted to pay him a visit so they could learn about his health care.

Nevertheless, he claimed that Thaksin’s doctors had yet to let the department know if the length of his stay at the Police General Hospital would be increased or a transfer again may take place.

Thaksin’s extended stay had end on October 22, so his doctors do need to let the department know what they thought.

The judge continuous minister would need to be informed of another extended stay.

He continued by saying that the judge secretary may be informed if Thaksin needed a stay of more than 120 days for medical attention and treatment.

On Saturday and Sunday, Cholnan Srikaew, the minister of public health, denied knowing anything about Thaksin’s health care but asserted that he thought the officials were abiding by the law.

Air force sends repatriation plane

By: Barkar Nash

On: October 14, 2023

In: South-East Asia

60 Thai citizens left before their transfer

15 October 2023 at 05:20 PUBLISHED

According to a source from the Royal Thai Air Forces( RTAF ), the air force’s A340-500 aircraft departed Thailand once more on Saturday night for Israel to return home with another group of stranded workers.

The plane is capable of carrying up to 135 individuals at a time, according to air army chief of staff ACM Seksan Khantha.

Thai Airways International paid 1.74 billion baht for the Airbus plane in 2016.

This plane has been used in a number of previous functions, including the removal of Sudanese citizens in April and the recovery of earthquake victims in Turkey in February.

Another development is that about 60 Thai nationals who were previously trapped in the Israel-Hamas war’s red zone, which covered a 4-kilometer radius in Gaza, have now been evacuated in preparation for their return to Thailand, according to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs( MFA ).

According to the source, who cited data provided by the Thai consulate and published on Saturday, the departure was carried out on Friday night in collaboration with Israeli local city authorities and the Israeli army.

The party was taken to the InterContinental David Hotel in Tel Aviv, a brand-new temporary house set up by the Thai consulate especially for Thais waiting for their return journey.

After the Jewish government designated the first resort as a protection for Jewish people, the house was moved from the Dan Panorama Tel Aviv Hotel.

Prior to the evacuation on Friday night, a Thai worker by the name of Thieo Nakhonphen on Facebook asked for assistance from Udon Thani’s politician and regional media outlet, saying that more than 100 Thai workers were stranded in an area on 2 kilometers from Gaza.

The man claimed that although these Siamese workers were prepared to be evacuated, they were unable to contact any nearby Israeli authorities. He requested assistance from the internet and politicians in Thailand because of this.

Thieo announced in his most recent release on Saturday that he and more than 60 additional Vietnamese workers had been evacuated to a safe location and were now awaiting re-triation flights.

The MFA added earlier on Friday that two Vietnamese employees who were hiding in a region close to Gaza had been found and taken to the hospital for treatment.

DUP/Mum pleads for help for ‘hostage’ daughter

By: Barkar Nash

On: October 14, 2023

In: South-East Asia

PUBLISHED: 15 October 2023 at 4:00 p.m.

Khon Kaen: Natthawaree Mulkan’s 35-year-old community is pleading with the authorities to locate and save her. She is believed to have been kidnapped on October 7 in the Middle East.

Boonyarin Srichan stated yesterday that she has not heard from her daughter, who was apparently kidnapped last weekend in Israel along with her partner Boonthom.

The community has not heard anything from the Thai authorities, according to Ms. Boonyarin, 56. She has been attempting to avoid watching videos of Thai personnel who are currently being held as hostages in the war-torn area.

The videos were forwarded to me, but I can’t stand to watch them. She remarked,” I don’t want to see it.

On October 11, a Thai worker in Israel by the name of Art who is close friends with Mr. Boonthom sent an image of Ms. Natthawaree to Mis Boonyarin in which he saw her dressed as an American lady wearing an all-white clothing curled up in an airplane video.

Mr. Art claims that the video was captured by Hamas extremists and afterwards distributed to Vietnamese workers in Israel. According to Mr. Art’s data, the two rode out of their camp on their motorcycle to operate a second job before being kidnapped.

There isn’t much we may do, despite how anxious we are. We earn virtue and implore the gods to guard them and permit them to return home properly. In seven times, she was expected to finish her commitment and go back home, according to Ms. Boonyarin.

It is thought that Mr. Boonthom was staying and working in Israel improperly. When they got back to Thailand, the few intended to get married, according to Ms. Boonyarin.

She called Mr. Art, who identified himself as Pichai Silueang and spoke with the writer, during a media interview.

Mr. Art claimed that he had been sent farther north to a location where there is no fighting after being evacuated from the land on which his work was being done.

He stated that he currently has no plans to go back to Thailand but do sign up to become repatriated if it became too dangerous for him to do so.

Three more Thais dead, as PM insists on neutral war stance

By: Barkar Nash

On: October 14, 2023

In: South-East Asia

PUBLISHED: 15 October 2023 at 4:00 p.m.

Since Hamas launched its massive assault on October 7, three more Thais working in Israel have been killed.

According to Prime Minister Srettha Thavisin, the Thai consulate in Tel Aviv reported yesterday that the number of Thai people killed in the conflict between Israel and the Palestinian Islamist party has increased to 24. Before departing the military airport in Bangkok’s Don Mueang area for Phitsanulok province, Mr. Srettha reported that 16 Thais had been kidnapped and injured.

He declared that the state would keep working with various organizations to quickly remove Thais.

According to the prime minister, the number of Thais expressing a desire to return to Thailand had increased to roughly 7, 000 as of yesterday.

He expressed gratitude to Thai Airways International ( THAI ), Nok Air, and Thai AirAsia commercial airlines for their assistance in bringing Thais back from Israel.

Mr. Srettha claimed that in order to give an A340 airplane to remove Thais, he personally contacted a private business operator that had aviation connected to China’s airline. 300 Thais could be transported by the aircraft per trip.

He insisted that Thailand has adopted a neutral posture regarding the situation in Israel, claiming that the kingdom was not involved in the conflict. He had a responsibility to cooperate with all parties in order to save Thai life during this issue.

According to him, the government’s demand for authorization to travel through the aircraft of more than 10 nations for Thailand to conduct its repatriation operation is then anticipated to receive approval in two days as opposed to the anticipated 10 days. When the PM meets with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs( MFA) later today, more information about the evacuation operation is anticipated, he said.

In the meantime, according to the Ministry of Public Health, of the 56 Thai people — 55 men and one woman — who arrived in Thailand from Israel in the second batch on Friday night, two have received additional treatment for their gun wounds, and another eight were discovered to be mentally ill and will require additional care before they can return home.

According to public health secretary Cholnan Srikaew, the two injured staff were a 26-year-old man from Khon Kaen who was shot in the hips and an injured person, 38, from Nakhon Phanom.

A medical and mental wellbeing group in Rayong and Chon Buri is then prepared for the upcoming repatriation flight that will arrive at U-Tao Airport, he said. At 7:25 a.m. now, Fly Dubai’s next repatriation flight, which is transiting in Dubai, will touch down at U-Tapao. They will be taken to the SC Park Hotel in Bangkok from the aircraft.

DUP/Decline in China tourists ‘not worrying’

By: Barkar Nash

On: October 14, 2023

In: South-East Asia

15 October 2023 at 4:00 p.m.

Following the Siam Paragon firing, which resulted in three fatalities, including one Chinese tourist, and four injuries, roughly 60 000 Chinese tourists decided to cancel their travel to Thailand.

According to data from the Thai airports, the number of Chinese visitors has decreased by 9.2 % from 650, 000 to 590,000 since the event on October 3, according to government official Chai Wacharonke.

Despite the fact that the number has decreased, he claimed that it is still within reason because more people often book tickets than actually buy them.

The decline of 9.2 % of Chinese visitors following the incident is typical because the number of tickets is typically within a range of plus or minus 15 % of the actual travel images.

It demonstrates, he said, that Taiwanese visitors also have faith in their ability to visit Thailand.

Mr. Chai also used the occasion to express his gratitude to the Chinese visitors who had traveled despite the disaster.

We want to express our gratitude to Taiwanese visitors for their knowledge of Thailand and faith in the state. To ensure the health of both Thais and tourists, Prime Minister Srettha Thavisin has ordered firms to abide by standards, according to Mr. Chai.

The Commerce Ministry has instructed organizations to keep an eye on food costs and quality during the yearly vegetable festival, which begins immediately and lasts until October 23, according to Karom Polpornklang, a deputy state official.

Additionally, he issued a warning that meal sellers who fail to put price tags on their products risk fines of up to 10,000 baht.

Additionally, vendors who refuse to deliver other goods, treasure items, or raise prices at any time will be punished.

According to him, they could receive a seven-year prison sentence, an up-to-140 000 ringgit fine, or both.

Space Week ready for lift-off

By: Barkar Nash

On: October 14, 2023

In: South-East Asia

PUBLISHED: 15 October 2023 at 4:00 p.m.

NEWSPAPER SECTION: News

Thailand’s ability and business opportunities in the area economy will be on display during Thailand Space Week 2023, which will take place from October 25 to 27 in Bangkok.

According to Geo-Informatics and Space Technology Development Agency( Gistda ) spokesman Natthawat Hongkarnjanakul, the event is a collaboration between local and international partners on the development of space technology and related technologies.

Leading companies like Airbus, JAXA, and AWS-Amazon will host a website where they will discuss the creation, advantages, or rapid growth of space-related businesses. This forum will be one of the highlights.

Additionally, it will highlight the development of Thai room technology, which strengthens the business and promotes long-term social and business growth, he said.

He added that he would even address the private sector’s position in this and any potential effects.

Registration is free, and the three-day celebration will be held at the Queen Sirikit National Convention Center.

Barkar Nash (Page 955)