Asia – Page 2476 – Sure A Not

Watch: Indian police fire tear gas at protesting farmers

On: February 13, 2024

In: Asia

Thousands of protesting farmers are marching from neighbouring states to India’s capital Delhi to seek assured prices for their crops.

The police have fired tear gas near the Shambhu border between the states of Punjab and Haryana to dissuade the farmers from reaching Delhi.

This follows a similar protest in 2020, which ended with the repeal of controversial agricultural reforms. Now the farmers have hit the streets again saying their key demands still haven’t been fulfilled.

Security measures have been intensified and large gatherings have been prohibited in the capital.

Court issues arrest warrants for accused motorcade honkers

By: Barkar Nash

On: February 13, 2024

In: South-East Asia

Activists face charges of sedition

PUBLISHED : 13 Feb 2024 at 15:14

UPDATED : 13 Feb 2024 at 17:22

The Criminal Court approved arrest warrants on Tuesday for student activist Tantawan Tuatulanon and her Thalu Wang protest group colleague Natthanon Chaimahabud, charged with sedition and related offences for allegedly attempting to interrupt a royal motorcade on Feb 4.

Din Daeng police on Tuesday morning sought court approval to issue arrest warrants for Ms Tantawan and Mr Natthanon after they failed twice to report and acknowledge their charges.

The pair instead sent a representative from Thai Lawyers for Human Rights to submit documents requesting a postponement of their meeting with investigators until Feb 20. They cited their conflicting need to attend classes.

However, police investigators rejected the postponement request, deciding the two young people could have reported after attending classes, a police source said.

The court approved the arrest warrant for Ms Tantawan on two counts of charges of inciting unrest or sedition in violation of Section 116 of the Criminal Code and the Computer Crime Act.

Mr Natthanon faces four charges, including violating Section 116, the Computer Crime Act, honking a car horn in violation of the Traffic Act and insulting officers.

Earlier, police from Pathumwan, Nang Loeng and Samran Rat stations proposed to public prosecutors on Feb 8 to ask the court to revoke bail for Ms Tantawan after she and Mr Natthanon honked the car horn at the royal motorcade of Her Royal Highness Princess Maha Chakri Sirindhorn, who was travelling on an expressway in Bangkok on Feb 4.

Ms Tantawan, 22, already facing royal insult charges over the royal motorcade issue, apologised for driving recklessly on Feb 4 in a Facebook post on Monday, and denied trying to harass or block the royal convoy.

Later on Saturday, Ms Tantawan and her Thalu Wang group went on to conduct an opinion poll at Siam BTS station in front of Siam Paragon, asking people whether they thought royal motorcades caused inconvenience.

Royalists calling themselves Thai People Protecting the Monarchy also showed up, and a violent brawl ensued.

Ms Tantawan, has been arrested twice, in February and March 2022, for allegedly violating the lese-majeste law. She has been released on bail.

She staged a 52-day hunger strike early last year to demand the release of 16 people detained pending trial on charges that stemmed from the anti-government protests that began in mid-2020.

Last May, she and eight others were charged with trespassing, destroying public property and obstructing officers at Samran Rat police station.

Motorcade protest duo arrested

By: Barkar Nash

On: February 13, 2024

In: South-East Asia

Activist Tantawan and companion face charges including sedition in connection with Feb 4 incident

Police on Tuesday arrested monarchy-reform activists Tawan Tuatulanon and Natthanon Chaimahabud on charges of sedition and related offences for allegedly attempting to interrupt a royal motorcade on Feb 4.

The two were brought to the Din Daeng police station where they were being questioned on Tuesday evening.

Another activist, Nophasin “Sai Nam” Trirayapiwat, was also arrested on charges related to an incident in March last year, when a man spray-painted an anarchist symbol alongside the number 112 outside the Temple of the Emerald Buddha, or Wat Phra Kaew. He was being questioned separately at another station.

The Criminal Court earlier approved warrants for the Thalu Wang (break through to the palace) protest group members. Din Daeng police had sought to arrest them as they had twice failed to report and acknowledge their charges.

Ms Tantawan and Mr Natthanon instead sent a representative from Thai Lawyers for Human Rights (TLHR) to submit documents requesting a postponement of their meeting with investigators until Feb 20. They cited their conflicting need to attend classes.

However, police investigators rejected the postponement request, deciding the two could have reported after attending classes, a police source said.

Ms Tantawan and her colleague spent most of Monday afternon on the steps outside the Criminal Court, surrounded by a growing crowd of reporters and waiting for the police.

“Today we are in 2024. Let’s not go back to 1976, we must move forward,” she told the crowd at one point.

Ms Tantawan faces a charge of inciting unrest or sedition in violation of Section 116 of the Criminal Code, and a charge under the Computer Crime Act.

Mr Natthanon faces four charges, including violating Section 116, the Computer Crime Act, honking a car horn in violation of the Traffic Act, and insulting officers.

He was driving and Ms Tantawan was a passenger when their car was stopped for the royal motorcade of Her Royal Highness Princess Maha Chakri Sirindhorn, who was travelling on an expressway in Bangkok on Feb 4. Mr Natthanon honked his horn repeatedly and tried to pass a police car, while Ms Tantawan argued with an officer after they were stopped.

Police from the Pathumwan, Nang Loeng and Samran Rat stations had earlier proposed to public prosecutors that bail for Ms Tantawan be revoked over the incident.

Ms Tantawan, 22, is facing royal insult charges under Section 112 of the Criminal Code in connection with public polls she conducted in 2022 about royal motorcades. She has been free on bail for most of that time.

On Saturday, Ms Tantawan and her Thalu Wang group went to conduct a poll at the Siam BTS station in front of Siam Paragon, asking people whether they thought royal motorcades caused inconvenience.

Royalists calling themselves Thai People Protecting the Monarchy also showed up, and a violent brawl ensued.

Some of her critics subsequently posted pictures showing themselves hanging out at night at the condominium where she lives. One posted a death threat on the social media platform X saying, “I will throw you off the Skywalk next time I see you.”

In a Facebook post on Monday, she apologised for the pair’s conduct in the Feb 4 incident, and denied having tried to harass or block the royal convoy.

Ms Tantawan staged a 52-day hunger strike early last year to demand the release of 16 people detained pending trial on charges that stemmed from the anti-government protests that began in mid-2020.

Last May, she and eight others were charged with trespassing, destroying public property and obstructing officers at Samran Rat police station.

The group was seeking the release of a 15-year old girl who was arrested on a lese-majeste charge. The girl spent 51 days in a juvenile detention centre before being released. Her case, like those against Ms Tantawan, is still before the courts.

The teenager had been arrested shortly after the Wat Phra Kaew graffiti incident.

That event continues to reverberate, with the arrests this week of two journalists who said they were simply reporting the graffiti event.

Indian police fire tear gas as protesting farmers march to capital

By: Jing Write

On: February 13, 2024

In: Asia

NEW DELHI: Indian security forces fired tear gas on Tuesday (Feb 13) to stop thousands of farmers demanding minimum crop prices from marching on the capital New Delhi after talks with the government failed. Local broadcasters showed thick clouds of tear gas fired to disperse protesters near Ambala, some 200kmContinue Reading

Cabinet approves B560bn in new borrowing

By: Barkar Nash

On: February 13, 2024

In: South-East Asia

Sum to be allocated in fiscal 2024 is equal to original cost of digital wallet stimulus

PUBLISHED : 13 Feb 2024 at 14:38

The cabinet on Tuesday approved an additional 560 billion baht in new borrowing for the 2024 fiscal year, on top of 194 billion baht previously approved.

Total new borrowing in the fiscal year would be 754 billion baht, government spokesperson Chai Wacharonke told a briefing.

The sum of 560 billion baht happens to be the original figure given for the cost of the Pheu Thai government’s digital wallet stimulus programme, which has faced numerous delays.

Prime Minister Srettha Thavisin and other officials have insisted the digital cash handout of 10,000 baht each to 50 million people will go ahead despite widespread criticism about the cost and scepticism about its effectiveness in stimulating the economy.

Mr Chai said the newly approved borrowing was part of a wider revised debt management plan, which includes the restructuring of existing debt of 2 trillion baht and repayments of about 400 billion.

The government has said the new borrowing would be mainly for financing a budget deficit.

The 2024 fiscal budget projects higher spending of 3.48 trillion baht for the fiscal year ending Sept 30, and a deficit of 693 billion baht.

The budget was delayed from the original Oct 1, 2023 start date due to the long delay in forming a government after the May 14 elections last year. Officials have said the budget should be ready by May.

Government delays approval of cannabis ban legislation

By: Barkar Nash

On: February 13, 2024

In: South-East Asia

PUBLISHED : 13 Feb 2024 at 14:00

The government delayed the approval of a draft bill that would ban the recreational use of cannabis as it needs more opinions from other parties, Public Health Minister Cholnan Srikaew said after the cabinet meeting on Tuesday.

The Ministry of Public Health could not submit the bill to the cabinet on Tuesday because more time is needed to seek views, Mr Cholnan said.

Prime Minister Srettha Thavisin pledged to limit cannabis only for medical and health-related use during the May 2023 election campaign on concerns over addiction. The previous administration implemented landmark legislation in the mid-2022, propelling Thailand to become the first country in Asia to decriminalise cannabis and enabling thousands of marijuana and weed-related shops to open.

Last week, Mr Cholnan said the revised cannabis and hemp control bill preserves the key point that the drug is to be used for medical treatment only, but it will also state clearly that any use for recreational purposes will not be allowed.

Former cabin crew member sues Singapore Airlines for S.7 million after allegedly falling on aircraft

Former cabin crew member sues Singapore Airlines for S$1.7 million after allegedly falling on aircraft

By: Marcus Ching

On: February 13, 2024

In: South-East Asia

SINGAPORE: A former cabin crew member is seeking more than S$1.7 million (US$1.26 million) in damages from Singapore Airlines after allegedly slipping on a grease patch and falling while on board a carrier.

Mr Durairaj Santiran, 36, was working as a galley steward on board aircraft A350 on a roughly 17-hour flight from San Francisco to Singapore on Sep 5, 2019.

The aircraft was on its last leg of its journey, about two-and-a-half hours away from Singapore when Mr Durairaj alleged that he fell backwards.

Mr Durairaj is claiming for a total of S$1,775,662.49 in damages, the bulk of which is for loss of future earnings, after he was diagnosed with a cervical disc prolapse. The former air steward, who had been with Singapore Airlines from 2016 to 2021, appeared in court on Tuesday (Feb 13) for the first day of the suit wearing a neck brace.

His case is that the national carrier had failed to provide a safe work system and a safe place to work by failing to adequately address the presence of the grease patch, hence causing the area to become unsafe.

“Had reasonable care been exercised the grease patch would have been removed or such steps taken to prevent access to the unsafe location,” said Mr Durairaj’s lawyers from East Asia Law Corporation in his opening statement.

The employer could have prevented access to the location by placing a push cart over the area, for example.

“The fact that the defendant did not take any ‘preventive measures’ is indicative of the defendant’s negligence in that the work system was inadequate and the workplace was allowed to be unsafe,” they added.

According to Mr Durairaj’s version of events, he was patrolling the aircraft after cleaners had left when he noticed a grease patch on the floor of the economy class galley near the ovens.

He informed a superior about the patch before the flight took off and was told to remove the grease patch with disinfectant cleaning spray and paper hand towel. By then, the aircraft doors had closed and recalling the cleaning crew would have caused a delay.

Mr Durairaj then tried to remove the grease patch but could not do so and informed the same superior, who told him and the rest of the cabin crew to be careful of the patch. The superior said she would raise the issue in a cabin defect log.

After take-off and before the first meal service, the superior instructed cabin crew to clean the grease patch again but the effort was unsuccessful.

Towards the last leg of the flight, Mr Durairaj was serving passengers when he slipped on the patch and fell hard on his back, hitting the back of his head on the floor, according to his lawyers.

The flight attendant was incapacitated and rested for the remainder of the flight before he was escorted out in a wheelchair at Changi Airport. He had an MRI scan done on Sep 10, 2019 and was diagnosed with a cervical disc prolapse, or a slipped disc.

Singapore Airlines, represented by law firm Niru and Co LLC, argued that there was no grease patch and that if Mr Durairaj slipped and fell, it was not on the grease patch.

If Mr Durairaj had slipped and fallen from a grease patch, these did not cause the injuries, loss and damages he claimed for and he had not offered evidence on what Singapore Airlines could have done to avoid liability, the lawyers said.

CROSS EXAMINATION OF PLAINTIFF

On Tuesday, Mr Durairaj took the stand at the High Court and was cross-examined by Singapore Airlines’ lawyer Liew Teck Huat.

Parties argued over when Mr Durairaj had seen the stain and when he had informed his superior about it.

Mr Liew questioned Mr Durairaj on the scope of his pre-flight checks, to which the former air steward said he had to check switches, safety equipment and meals of the passengers, with cleanliness as a last priority.

Mr Liew suggested that Mr Durairaj would have noticed the floor was slippery, dirty or stained when he was doing his checks, but Mr Durairaj said he did not notice the patch at the time.

Mr Durairaj testifed in court that when he noticed the grease patch, he tried to clean it up with a paper towel before informing his superior. However Mr Liew pointed out that this was not what he had stated in his affidavit.

“You said you informed (your superior) … then she told u to clean it up, but now your version is you saw the grease patch, you tried to clean it up before you told her but you could not remove it, then you told her about this,” Mr Liew pointed out.

Mr Durairaj disagreed that the account was different, simply that he cleaned the area with a paper towel initially.

At this point, Justice Vinodh Coomaraswamy also noted that Mr Durairaj had not mentioned cleaning the area prior to notifying his superior, and that his testimony in court differed from his affidavit.

Mr Durairaj then agreed the versions were different.

The judge also pointed out that Mr Durairaj’s affidavit stated that the superior had asked the crew members to clean the patch.

However Mr Durairaj clarified in court that he had been the only one asked to clean the patch.

The trial continues on Tuesday afternoon with the cross examination of Mr Durairaj.

Marina Bay Sands reschedules dragon drone show, changes start timing; safety concerns raised at earlier show

By: Marcus Ching

On: February 13, 2024

In: South-East Asia

The move comes after last Saturday’s performance of The Legend of the Dragon Gate: Drone Show by the Bay drew huge crowds. But congestion exacerbated by rainy weather sparked safety concerns among attendees. CNA’s Facebook video of the show on Saturday drew several angry reactions and comments, with users citing “massiveContinue Reading

Kiev needs new strategy, not just a military reshuffle – Asia Times

By: Bolen C

On: February 13, 2024

In: Asia

The recent replacement of Valeriy Zaluzhnyi as commander-in-chief of Ukraine’s armed forces may have put a temporary end to the increasingly public disagreements between the very popular “iron general” and the Ukrainian president, Volodymyr Zelensky.

But it has not answered the fundamental question of what a winning – or even surviving – strategy in the war with Russia could look like as it moves into its third year.

Several dynamics have come together that are deeper and more complex than just a major reshuffle of the military leadership. The bigger picture that will shape the future of the war – and with it the future of Ukraine and the European and international security order – comprises four main factors. These need to be analyzed together to understand the present, and – most importantly – the future predicaments of Ukraine and its Western partners.

First, the failure of the Ukrainian counteroffensive in 2023 and the increasing pressure that Russia has put on Ukraine’s frontlines and hinterland put into serious question the ability of Kiev to win. This is especially the case if victory for Ukraine means forcing Russia’s complete withdrawal from all territory occupied since 2014.

The impending fall of Avdiivka, a town about 20 kilometers to the west of Donetsk in the east of Ukraine, suggests that Kiev ultimately has a weaker hand to play in a battle of attrition when confronted by a ruthless adversary with greater resources.

Map of the battlefront in eastern Ukraine showing heavy fighting along a long frontline. — There is heavy fighting around the town of Avdiivka which is expected to fall to Russian forces in the next few days. Institute for the Study of War

Much like the loss of Bakhmut in May 2023, or Soledar in January 2023, this was a symbolic rather than strategic defeat for Ukraine. It also represents, at best, pyrrhic victories for Russia – as in the case of Bakhmut.

But taken together, and seen in the context of the failed 2023 counteroffensive, these were not just symbolic defeats. They marked a real and extremely wasteful loss of financial resources, manpower and military equipment.

Zelensky’s dismissal of Zaluzhny puts the blame for last year’s disappointed hopes clearly on the latter. It also indicates, more worryingly, a lack of learning the lessons of these setbacks on the part of the Ukrainian president.

The fact that the new commander-in-chief, Oleksandr Syrskyi, is associated with several of these costly defeats – notably Bakhmut – does not bode well for the necessary change in Ukrainian strategy.

To his credit, Syrsky also masterminded the defense of Kiev in the early days of the war in 2022 and the successful counteroffensive the following summer which saw Ukraine recapture significant territory first around Kharkiv in the north and then Kherson in the south.

Notably, these successes happened before Russia embarked on the first of several mobilizations and shifted its economy to a war footing.

Faltering international support

The second key factor to keep in mind is that Ukraine’s battlefield successes in 2022 occurred at a time when Western support for Ukraine was in full swing. Those days are long gone. This has been evident in the protracted battles in the US Congress over sending more military aid to Ukraine.

The comments by former president – and 2024 Republic nominee-apparent – Donald Trump on his lack of commitment to NATO should he be reelected in November are equally worrisome.

Former US president Donald Trump. Photo: Wikimedia Commons

Despite some detractors, the EU remains committed to support for Ukraine. This became clear following the recent agreement on a new 50 billion euro (US$53.8 billion) funding package for Ukraine through 2027.

But this will barely cover Ukraine’s budget deficit, let alone make up for a potentially significant drop in US military aid. Combined with Ukraine’s own shrinking domestic capabilities to mobilize further resources, the war will have to be fought in far more difficult conditions than in the first two years.

War fatigue

Meanwhile, Ukrainian society is increasingly suffering from war fatigue. Military setbacks, economic decline, deteriorating living conditions, corruption and the scale of the loss of lives – among troops and civilians alike – make sustaining the war effort at present levels more difficult as well. Especially if the goal remains retaking all the land that Russia has occupied since 2014.

The amended law on mobilization, intended to underpin this strategy, was adopted in the Ukrainian parliament on February 6. Its provisions, including lowering the conscription age from 27 to 25 years, mandatory digital certificates and electronic prescription notifications, and stricter penalties for evading military service, are further evidence of the waning enthusiasm in Ukrainian society for the war effort.

Together with yet another 90-day extension of martial law and several financial measures designed to tighten the government’s control over the economy, the more draconian provisions in the new mobilization law also heighten the sense of uncertainty over Ukraine’s political direction.

Zelensky’s presidential term comes to an end in May 2024 and new parliamentary elections would normally be due in the autumn. While it is generally agreed that elections are close to impossible at present, both the president’s and parliament’s legitimacy after the expiry of their constitutional terms will be open to question.

This will ultimately be an issue for the constitutional court to resolve. But it has not stopped political forces within Ukraine opposed to Zelensky and his Servant of the People political party from piling pressure on the president to agree to a government of national unity.

Given the lack of popularity of this opposition, associated primarily with former president Petro Poroshenko – who Zelensky defeated in a landslide election in 2019 – this is hardly driven by popular demand. But it nonetheless signals further political turmoil at a time when Ukraine needs unity.

It is not clear whether Zelensky’s dismissal of Zaluzhny will strengthen or weaken any political opposition. In the short term, it is likely to benefit Zelensky whose popularity still dwarfs that of Poroshenko. Yet, because replacing Zaluzhny has not come with a signal that Ukraine’s war strategy will fundamentally change, this is a very risky move on the part of Zelensky.

Maintaining the current direction asks Ukrainians for yet more sacrifices. What Zelensky is offering in return depends on a range of at best highly uncertain returns that depend on many factors beyond the Ukrainian president’s control.

Stefan Wolff is Professor of International Security, University of Birmingham and Tetyana Malyarenko is Professor of International Relations, Jean Monnet Professor of European Security, National University Odesa Law Academy

This article is republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons license. Read the original article.

Five-day holiday for Songkran festival

By: Barkar Nash

On: February 13, 2024

In: South-East Asia

PUBLISHED : 13 Feb 2024 at 13:20

The cabinet has declared Friday April 12 a special government holiday, ensuring a five-day weekend for the Songkran festival.

Prime Minister Srettha Thavisin said the decision was made two months before the festival to that people and businesses would have plenty of time to plan ahead.

He would like the Ministry of Tourism and Sports to promote second-tier provinces for the long holiday, which will now run from April 12-16 inclusive.

April 13-15 are the conventional Songkran holidays. April 16 is a holiday in lieu of April 13, which is a Saturday.

The cabinet secretariat said that apart from tourism promotion the extended holiday would help ease traffic congestion because it allowed people more flexibility in planning their trips.

Asia (Page 2,476)

CROSS EXAMINATION OF PLAINTIFF

Faltering international support

War fatigue