Beyond strengthening mother tongue capabilities, the new curriculum also aims to build cross-cultural literacy and understanding. An example would be how the new Primary 1 Malay textbook introduces students to lumpia – a Filipino spring roll that is similar to the Chinese or Indonesian variety. “Similarly, for Tamil, students willContinue Reading
Site in Pathum Thani will be country’s first truly green zoo when it opens to the public in 2026
PUBLISHED : 26 Aug 2023 at 18:54
PATHUM THANI: The new zoo in Thanya Buri district will have its soft launch by early 2026, says the Zoological Park Organization (ZPO).
Dubbed the country’s first green zoo, it is expected to receive over 1.2 million visitors a year when fully open, said ZPO director Attapon Srihayrun.
Mr Attapon made the prediction during a recent inspection visit to the site, where the entrance zone has been opened as a mini zoo. Work is still in the early stages, with workers clearing the land and preparing to install basic infrastructure, including a water drainage system.
The zoo occupies a 300-rai site of royally donated land in the Rangsit Khlong Hok area, north of Bangkok.
It will be three times larger than the Dusit Zoo, which closed in 2018 after 80 years. The government has allocated 5.3 billion baht for the first phase of the project.
Mr Attapon said the first phase will feature a variety of native animals from Africa and Asia such as elephants, tigers, giraffes and komodo dragons. The country also will have its first Okapis, which look like a cross between a deer and a zebra, he said.
It will also include a 30-rai public park and a 2,288-square-metre building to commemorate HM King Bhumibol Adulyadej the Great and HM King Maha Vajiralongkorn Phra Vajiraklaochaoyuhua, as well as an exhibition of previous kings in the Ratanakosin era.
“We expect to welcome visitors within the next three years. The facility will be the country’s first-ever green zoo. We will not allow plastic inside. All organic waste will be turned into fertiliser,” said the ZPO director.
“The zoo will be powered by renewable energy and we’ll have a water-recycling system. All trees will go towards carbon credits.”
The second and final phase with a budget of 4.3 billion baht is scheduled to be completed in 2028. It will have two more zones for animals from Australia and South America.
Mr Attapon said there would be around 100 species of both domestic and imported animals, or about 1,000 animals in all.
He said the idea is not to pack in a large number of animals, but to build them a home with plenty of trees to make the occupants feel like they are living in their habitat.
Around 70% of the land or 240 rai is dedicated to animal living zones including a territories zone (47%), in which a variety of species will live “virtually” in the same place. Another 23% will be devoted to a bio-park zone and just 7% to cages. A pond will sit at the heart of the zoo, linking all spots together under the theme of wetland revival.
The ZPO is also considering whether to have a pair of pandas at the zoo.
He said the zoo would also be a landmark for learning about wildlife for local residents and foreign visitors alike.
The ZPO expects about 1.2 million people will visit each year, generating income of over 500 million baht annually. However, it will take about 30 years to break even.
Since the start of the Ukraine war, there have been numerous diplomatic visits by Russian officials to Africa and Latin America aiming at boosting Russia’s global influence.
In 2023 Russian officials visited Angola, Burundi, Eritrea, Eswatini, Kenya, Mali, Mauritania, Mozambique, South Africa and Sudan. In the same year, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov toured some areas of Latin America visiting Brazil, Venezuela, Nicaragua and Cuba. The objective was to deepen ties and increase support for Russia’s war in Ukraine.
As the Ukrainian war goes on, some observers have noted that Russia is trying to gather influential support for its position in the war. Its claims to be fighting against the West’s power and neo-colonialism appear to have won some supporters. Ukraine’s attempts to win allies in the same regions by arguing that it is fighting off an empire don’t appear to have resonated so well.
Some observers argue that we are witnessing the “return of the global Russia” through economic and political influence, and through its use of digital disinformation techniques to distribute narratives. In the 2010s, the expansion of Russia’s influence in Africa was the result of economic “opportunism”, but during the Ukraine war, it has become more strategic.
There is evidence that in some African countries the influence of Russia continues to intensify. South Africa, for instance, seems to be moving away from the west and steering towards China’s and Russia’s orbit.
But this could partly be because a challenge to the current liberal order is likely to be beneficial for the Global South, giving it more power to negotiate in the international arena and achieve some of its policy targets.
This was hinted at the recent BRICS conference meeting of senior leaders from Russia, China, Brazil, India and South Africa. The leaders of these expanding economies are therefore hesitant to fully condemn Russia for its actions in Ukraine.
At the summit, Brazil’s president Lula da Silva said the Ukraine war “showed the limitations of the UN Security Council”, and pointed to the economic power of the BRICS allies as a symbol of its global relevance.
The recent decision to integrate six new countries (including Argentina, Iran and UAE) into the bloc will increase that relevance and could enable its members to influence the current world order.
Two interrelated factors can help us understand Russia’s attractiveness to the Global South, and reluctance to fully support Ukraine. First, Russia frames itself as an “anti-colonial” agent, particularly in Africa. Such a strategy is based on “memory diplomacy”, aimed at increasing its influence overseas by taking advantage of shared positive memories.
Memory diplomacy, for instance, invokes Russia’s contribution to the victory against fascism during the Second World War. In addition, it points out that Russia has never colonized an African country and that it did not participate in the slave trade.
On the contrary, the argument goes, Russia, as the center of the Soviet Union, supported different anti-colonial struggles in the region during the Cold War, for example, in Angola and Mozambique.
Another factor in understanding Russia’s appeal to the Global South is the “legacy” of Moscow’s solidarity with various countries in the past.
In 1927, the Communist International, an international organization supportive of world communism that was led by the Soviet Union, sponsored the League Against Imperialism.
The league aimed to eliminate colonial rule in the world. It brought together leading anti-colonial activists from around the world and prominent people such as Albert Einstein and Mahatma Gandhi.
Ultimately, the league became an inspiration for many of the leaders of the Global South’s decolonization struggles. In this sense, it has left a long-term legacy in the countries where Moscow’s support had an effect on their anti-colonial struggles.
This is evident in the case of South Africa. Its position towards the war in Ukraine is arguably partly defined by a nostalgia relating to Moscow’s support for its struggle against apartheid combined with a distrust for the West’s policies.
The criticism leveled at the West in the Global South by leaders such as Brazil’s Lula is that it upholds democracy at home while being willing to violate democratic principles elsewhere if the advancement of its interests makes it advantageous.
Ukraine has responded to Russia’s diplomatic actions by increasing its embassies in Africa and prioritizing the Global South as a foreign policy. But this “battle” front may be more difficult than it seems.
Russia continues to advance narratives, usually via its expertise in the use of digital channels, that strengthen its geopolitical influence. In addition, for the global south, Russia is perceived as a counterbalance to the West – particularly the US. And importantly, what can Ukraine offer to the Global South?
Ukraine could gather further support from BRICS countries by strengthening existing economic ties and pointing out shared problems caused by Russia. Building the proposed new grain hubs for storing crops, such as wheat and corn, is a good start.
This is particularly important because of Russia’s decision to withdraw permission for Ukrainian ships carrying grain to leave Black Sea ports. This is likely to cause food shortages across Africa. The Kenyan government, for instance, denounced Russia’s decision as a “stab in the back” for African countries.
Ukraine could also tap into the similarities between its national struggle and those of the Global South’s anti-colonial experiences. Rather than focusing its narrative against Russia, it could begin to build shared “memories” with the Global South by concentrating on the commonalities of victimhood.
What is becoming increasingly clear is that any country that attempts to challenge the image of Russia as an anti-imperialist agent is in for a long battle. Particularly, if those countries cannot effectively appeal to their own shared positive memories.
Jose Caballero is Senior Economist, IMD World Competitiveness Center, International Institute for Management Development (IMD)
This article is republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons license. Read the original article.
Jatuporn Prompan calls on prison and hospital authorities to release video to allay public scepticism
Former red-shirt leader Jatuporn Prompan has joined those demanding the Department of Corrections and Police General Hospital release video to clear up the public’s lingering doubts over the illness of former prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra.
All movements of inmates are monitored by closed-circuit television (CCTV), Mr Jatuporn said. For those who fall ill, all procedures related to their medical treatment and transfers for further treatment are thoroughly recorded.
If Thaksin was suffering from a “political sickness”, it could not be kept secret and the truth would be revealed, he said during a live broadcast of the Thailand First programme on Peace TV, a satellite-based channel on Friday.
“People are raising doubts about whether Thaksin is politically sick or really sick. When he returned to Thailand at Don Mueang airport, key figures from the Pheu Thai Party clearly said during press interviews that Thaksin was in very good health,” said the 57-year-old former chairman of the pro-Thaksin United Front for Democracy against Dictatorship (UDD), or the red shirts.
“But Thai people just learned that he fell sick when he was taken to a prison. The Department of Corrections announced that he suffered four critical diseases — heart disease, lung disease, high blood pressure and a herniated disc. The prison hospital there is very good, able to quickly detect the four diseases with the use of a stethoscope.”
Corrections and hospital authorities have said the 74-year-old prisoner’s multiple health conditions justified the referral to a hospital that is better equipped than the medical facilities at the Bangkok Remand Prison.
Thaksin, 74, was sent to prison following a court appearance on Tuesday, hours after returning home from 15 years of self-exile. He was transferred from the prison to the Police General Hospital at 12.20am on Wednesday after suffering from chest pain, hypertension and low blood oxygen, according to the Department of Corrections.
Pol Lt Gen Dr Sophonrat Singhajaru, the hospital’s chief physician, said on Friday that an echocardiogram and lung tests showed the elderly inmate’s heart and lung conditions were still a concern, while his blood pressure was stable.
But Mr Jatuporn said he wanted to see CCTV images showing Thaksin’s illness as a proof. (Story continues below)
Former prime minister Thaksin Shinwatra and his three children greet supporters as he arrives at Don Mueang airport on Tuesday morning. Less than 18 hours later, he was deemed too ill to be kept in a prison hospital. (Photo: Pattarapong Chatpattarasill)
Lights on 24/7
Recalling his own experience behind bars, he said lights at the prison were turned on around the clock and there was backup power in case of a power outage. More importantly, there were security cameras recording everything. As the number of prison staff was limited, CCTV played a vital role in tracking inmates.
Inmates who are sent to the Police General Hospital must be critically ill, he said. Normally, prison doctors would send sick inmates to the Department of Corrections Hospital first, and doctors there would decide whether to transfer the patient to Police General Hospital or not. These procedures are supposed to apply equally to inmates of all ages, said Mr Jatuporn.
“In Thaksin’s case, doctors might see that his condition is critically ill. But CCTV records everything. There must be footage showing the examination of his symptoms. When being taken to Police General Hospital, CCTV would show the time he left the prison and the time he arrived at the hospital.
If Thaksin was indeed critically ill, he must be admitted to an intensive care unit before being transferred to a patient room on the hospital’s 14th floor, said Mr Jatuporn.
“CCTV footage and images of the care of former prime minister Thaksin, who is critically ill (as claimed), must be shown. This is not confidential because it causes no damage to anyone,” he said.
He said everything involving Thaksin, as an important person serving jail terms, must be recorded. His movements could not be made to disappear from CCTV records.
“If he is really critically ill, nobody opposes any special treatment for him,” he added. “If not, it will be a new problem. There will be intense public scrutiny. Those involved will face mounting pressure from society and they will be end up in jail.”
Mr Jatuporn has recently shocked political observers by launching stinging criticisms of his former party, Pheu Thai, and Thaksin, after years of being one of the former premier’s most ardent loyalists.
He has since accused Thaksin of repeatedly betraying the red shirts, who were his loyal supporters and helped vote his Pheu Thai Party into power.
SEOUL: Protesters gathered in the capital of South Korea on Saturday (Aug 26) to demand that the government take steps to avoid what they fear is a looming disaster from Japan’s release of treated radioactive water from the Fukushima nuclear power plant.
Japan began dumping the water from the plant north of Tokyo into the sea on Thursday despite objections both at home and abroad from fishing communities and others worried about the environmental impact.
“We will not be immediately seeing disasters like detecting radioactive materials in seafood but it seems inevitable that this discharge would pose a risk on the local fishing industry and the government needs to come up with solutions,” said Choi Kyoungsook of the Korea Radiation Watch group that organised the rally.
About 50,000 people joined the protest, according to the organisers.
Japan and scientific organisations say the water, distilled after being contaminated by contact with fuel rods when the reactor was destroyed in a 2011 earthquake and tsunami, is safe.
SINGAPORE: Two teenagers were among 13 people arrested for their suspected involvement in banking-related malware scams targeting Android users.
The 15-year-old individuals were nabbed alongside seven men and four women aged 17 to 25, said the police in a news release on Saturday (Aug 26).
All of them were arrested during an anti-scam enforcement operation conducted by the police between Aug 14 and Aug 25.
Two other women, aged 29 and 39, and another 15-year-old teenager are assisting with investigations.
Preliminary police investigations revealed that the 13 suspects had allegedly facilitated the scam cases by relinquishing their bank accounts. Some of them also relinquished their internet banking credentials or disclosed their Singpass credentials for monetary gain.
Cases of malware being used to compromise Android mobile devices have been on the rise since January, said the police.
This results in unauthorised transactions made from the victims’ bank accounts even though they did not reveal their internet banking credentials, one-time passwords or Singpass credentials to anyone.
In such cases, the victims responded to advertisements on social media platforms and were later instructed by the scammers to download a malicious Android Package Kit from non-official app stores to facilitate the purchases, leading to malware being installed on the victims’ mobile devices.
The scammers then convince the victims via phone calls or text messages to turn on accessibility services on their Android phones. This allows the scammers to take full control of the mobile devices.
“This means that the scammers can log every keystroke and steal banking credentials stored in the phones and allows them to remotely log in to the victims’ banking apps, add money mules as payees, raise payment limits and transfer monies out to money mules,” said the police.
The scammers can further delete SMS and email notifications of the bank transfers to cover their tracks.
The police advised members of the public to not click on suspicious links, scan unknown QR codes or download mobile apps from third-party websites.
“These unverified apps may contain malware, which can severely compromise the security of mobile devices.
“Always be wary of any requests for Singpass and banking credentials or money transfers and attractive offers that sound too good to be true,” the police said.
They added that people are reminded to download apps from official app stores and are advised to turn on security settings to protect their devices.
SINGAPORE: Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong will make an official three-day visit to Vietnam at the invitation of his counterpart Pham Minh Chinh, Singapore’s Prime Minister’s Office (PMO) said on Saturday (Aug 26). Mr Chinh visited Singapore in February, when the two countries signed several agreements on areas like theContinue Reading
KATHMANDU: The Himalayan kingdom of Bhutan is to halve the US$200 daily fee it charges tourists in an effort to boost a sector still struggling to recover a year after the end of COVID-19 restrictions. Bhutan raised its “Sustainable Development Fee” to US$200 per visitor per night, from US$65, whenContinue Reading
Beyond qualifications, there was also a strong emphasis on the candidates’ independence from the government.
This is indeed an important point to highlight, as the President’s role in safeguarding the reserves and approving high-level public sector appointments requires independence from the government of the day.
However and unlike their qualifications in finance, such notions of “independence” from the government vary across the three candidates.
In his presidential candidate broadcast, Mr Tharman highlighted his “independence of mind” and sought to assure voters that he will maintain this approach in fulfilling his presidential duties if elected. This is despite his prior roles in Cabinet and the People’s Action Party, which have resulted in Mr Tharman being seen as the “establishment” candidate.
Independence is a point that has repeatedly been highlighted by Mr Ng, who positions himself as the only truly non-partisan presidential candidate. According to Mr Ng, this will allow him to fulfil his duties “without fear or favour”, should he be elected.
While it is indeed true Mr Ng has enjoyed no party affiliations, there are many who continue to perceive him as a close-to-establishment figure, given his strong background in the public service.
Similarly, Mr Tan has emphasised his independence from the government, although he possesses political affiliations. Aside from his past membership in the People’s Action Party, Mr Tan’s presidential bid is supported by opposition figures such as Mr Tan Jee Say and Mr Lim Tean.
There are therefore three degrees of separation among the candidates from what is perceived as the “establishment”, with Mr Tharman’s background in Cabinet placing him closest to the establishment.
Mr Ng’s strong experience in public service has also led to perceptions of him being an establishment, albeit non-partisan, figure. Mr Tan’s support from members of the opposition places him much further away from the establishment.
TOKYO: Japan’s fisheries agency said on Saturday (Aug 26) that fish tested in waters around the wrecked Fukushima nuclear plant did not contain detectable levels of the radioactive isotope tritium, Kyodo news service reported. Nets were set up on Thursday when plant operator Tokyo Electric Power Company (Tepco) began releasingContinue Reading