Bak kwa sellers finding ways to keep prices down ahead of peak Chinese New Year season

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HIGHER COSTS OF MATERIALS

According to CNA’s inspections, some significant bak kwa retailers like Lim Chee Guan and Century Bakkwa haven’t already raised their prices as of January 5 as of yet, compared to last year. &nbsp,
 
Bee Cheng Hiang and other people have substantially raised own.
 
Fragrance Bak Kwa, which has been able to keep prices low thanks to using cutting-edge manufacturing techniques, said it has been able to keep prices low despite the fact that its prices have dropped since last year.
 
” We are using various kinds of technology to help us, like using solar ( power ) in our factory to help reduce the costs and better manage the costs,” said Fragrance Bak Kwa’s director of operations. &nbsp,
 
” Also, we normally pre-order our flesh, therefore we try to get the best value for our meat to keep the price affordable for our shoppers”.
 
Century Bakkwa told CNA that product prices are rising. It currently pays S$ 45 ( US$ 33 ) for a kilogram of the more premium Spanish Iberico pork, up from S$ 39 in previous years.
 
The retailer hopes that its new products will bring in more clients, despite the store’s absence of any plans to raise prices. Simbian Chua, the company’s user, reported that sales are expected to be about 25 % higher than the same time last year.

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Chinese actor Wang Xing reported missing in Thailand near notorious scam hub

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Wang Xing aka Xingxing (photo: South China Morning Post)
Wang Xing aka Xingxing ( photo: South China Morning Post )

Following rumor that a Chinese professional vanished near the Myanmar border, China’s consul in the Thai town of Chiang Mai has promised to look into the matter.

A social media post published later on Sunday said Chinese professional Wang Xing, also known by his step name Xing Xing, went missing in Mae Sot neighborhood in northern Thailand, which borders Myanmar’s Myawaddy, a city known as a gateway for fraud compounds.

The embassy stated that the family had not been aware of any regional police reports as of Monday afternoon.

It added that the missing actor’s family members contacted the embassy on Friday and received information on the steps for reporting lost people.

According to China Newsweek, Wang has entered Myawaddy and the Chinese ambassador in Myanmar is aware of the situation.

Wang was invited to take part in a video production in Thailand and landed in Bangkok, the country’s capital, early on Friday night, according to a post on social media app Weibo by a people claiming to be Wang’s girl.

According to the blog, Wang was allegedly led through Thai multiculturalism command by a person who appeared to be a part of the film crew.

Wang was immediately booked a hotel room near the airport when a claiming associate director of the movie called him, but later learned that it would be too soon to spend the night there and urged him to get there right away.

He was then driven to Mae Sot, some 500km ( 310 miles ) from Bangkok’s Suvarnabhumi airport, before he lost contact, according to the post.

The social media users claimed she contacted both the Chinese Embassy in Bangkok and the Chiang Mai consulate right away after reporting the incident to Shanghai officers.

She continued,” The embassy and consulate told her to review the situation to Mae Sot officers.”

Zhang Yixing, celebrity Jin Chen, and Dong Chengpeng, an actor and producer much known as Da Peng, were among the Chinese celebrities who carried the article.

Another professional, Xu Dajiu, shared his experience of being “fooled” into travelling to Thailand by what he called a “fake movie team” on Sunday and Monday.

Xu claimed in two separate Weibo videos that he discovered an ad for an actors ‘ group chat for a theatre that was shot in Thailand late last year. He claimed to have contacted the person who had posted the advertisement, and that he had received confirmation that he had been chosen for the position just four minutes later.

” After I got off the plane in Bangkok, the person who picked me up was trying to remove my id, but I refused. He therefore left along with the driver”, Xu said.

Xu further explained that the “film team” had to cancel his return trip after that.

” If you are coming to Thailand to labor, especially for play shooting, don’t travel. They are all fake, he claimed, adding that he had contacted the actual production’s director via Instagram and that the advertisement he saw was fake.

On December 30, authorities in the eastern Chinese city of Wenzhou charged 16 Myanmar nationals with operating fraudulent structures that targeted Taiwanese people.

Myanmar-based swindlers lured Chinese people across the border to visit the compounds with promises of high-paying jobs, according to Procuratorial Daily, a paper work by China’s top attorney’s office.

Additionally, the gang is accused of operating sex trafficking and gambling.

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US says technology giant Tencent works with Chinese military

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A list of businesses it claims to work with China’s government has been added by the US to include some Chinese tech companies, including gambling and social media giant Google and battery manufacturer CATL.

The listing serves as a warning to British businesses and individuals about the dangers of conducting business with Taiwanese entities.

Inclusion does not imply an urgent restrictions, but it may put pressure on the US Treasury Department to impose sanctions on the businesses.

Google and CATL have denied working with the Chinese defense, while Beijing defended the move as “unreasonable suppression of Taiwanese companies.”

The Department of Defense’s ( DOD ) list of Chinese military companies, which is formally known as the Section 1260H list, is updated annually and now includes 134 firms.

It is a piece of Washington’s strategy to counteract what it perceives as Beijing’s efforts to increase its military might through the use of technologies from Chinese businesses, institutions, and study programs.

Tencent, the owner of the messaging app WeChat, responded to the most recent statement by saying its participation on the list was” evidently a mistake.”

” We are certainly a military firm or vendor. Unlike restrictions or export controls, this list has no effect on our company”, it said in a speech to Reuters news company.

The title was also called a mistake by CATL, who added that it “is never engaged in any military-related activities.”

According to Liu Pengyu, a representative for the Chinese embassy in Washington,” the US’s techniques violate the business competitors principles and global economic and trade guidelines that it has always advocated. They also undermine the confidence of foreign businesses in investing and operating in the United States.”

US lawmakers had pressed the Pentagon to include some of the businesses, including CATL, to the list.

Ford, a US manufacturer of automobiles, announced it would invest$ 2 billion ( 1. 6 billion ) to build a battery plant in Michigan as a result of this pressure. It has stated that it intends to use systems licensing from CATL.

A BBC request for comment was not instantly addressed by Ford.

The news comes as tensions exist between the country’s two largest markets.

However, President-elect Donald Trump, who has recently taken a strong stance against Beijing, is due to returning to the White House this quarter.

DJI, a aircraft manufacturer, and Hesai Technologies, a Lidar-maker, sued the Pentagon for being on the roster last season. Both of them are still listed as updated.

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Transport Ministry to push priority projects

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Red Line, double-track work to begin’ rapidly’

PUBLISHED: 7 Jan 2025 at 08: 11

Suriya Jungrungreangkit
Suriya Jungrungreangkit

The Transport Ministry is aiming to establish some essential public transport projects at the start of this year, pending the cabinet’s approval, in a bid to boost the nation’s connectivity.

According to Transport Minister Suriya Jungrungreangkit, these projects include the expansion of the State Railway of Thailand’s ( SRT ) Dark Red and Light Red lines and the second phase of double-track upgrades on key stretches in the North, Northeast and South.

Altogether, these tasks require 319 billion ringgit in assets to carry out.

The SRT wants the funds to increase from the latest 6.4 billion ringgit, he said, even though the first one, which would see Rangsit and Thammasat University’s Rangsit Campus connected by an 8.84 kilometer extension of the Dark Red energy commuter rail line, had already been approved in December.

The next project, which may depart from the main Light Red Line, is the building of a 20-kilometer drive line connecting Siriraj Hospital to Salaya.

According to Mr. Suriya, the project will begin once it has received final approval from the Office of the National Economic and Social Development Council ( NESDC ) and the Budget Bureau.

The next job, the second phase of double-track updates on important extends in the North, Northeast and South, may cost about 297 billion ringgit to complete.

It will see the one record on six routes– At Nam Pho-Den Chai, Den Chai-Chiang Mai, Jira Junction-Ubon Ratchathani, Hat Yai Junction-Padang Besar, Chumphon-Surat Thani, and Surat Thani-Hat Yai-Songkhla– upgraded to two tracks to increase efficiency.

Veeris Ammarapala, SRT chancellor, said the double-track switch project may be proposed to the case maybe this month.

Once it receives the commission’s assent, the SRT will start the buying process for purchasing and building, starting with the Pak Nam Po-Den Chai and Jira Junction-Ubon Ratchathani sections.

The last to be upgraded will be the Den Chai-Chiang Mai section, as its Environmental Impact Assessment ( EIA ) is still being reviewed, Mr Veeris said.

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Indonesia joins BRICS bloc as full member, Brazil says

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SAO PAULO: Brazil’s government announced in a statement on Monday ( Jan 6 ) that Indonesia is officially a full member of the BRICS, further extending the group of important emerging economies that includes Russia, India, China, and South Africa. Indonesia, the fourth-largest country in the world, had recently indicatedContinue Reading

Ukraine’s renewed Kursk push flops as talk of negotiation swirls – Asia Times

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On January 9th, a gathering in the Ramstein style, which is an informal name for the Ukraine Defense Contact Group made up of Kyiv and friends, will take place in Germany. The conference format names Ukraine’s security requirements. Zelensky, the president of Ukraine, will be there, and Lloyd Austin, the defence minister, will lead the US side.

In two months Donald Trump will be the US leader. Although it’s not clear whether the gathering is intended to defy Trump and his administration, Austin and Zelensky are optimistic that they will implement decisions that Trump won’t be able to change.

This is not surprising because the incoming Biden presidency is essentially conducting a destroy campaign to try to destroy Trump before he enters the White House. Therefore, the presidency has dumped additional billions into Ukraine, including cash for the authorities and weapons, and the meeting is likely to lead to even more difficult decisions.

It is unlikely that any Trump camp associates would want to speak at the Ramstein gathering, as there are no reports that they were.

2022 Ramstein file lmeeting

Zelensky has been preparing for Ramstein by depositing his reserve in Kursk in an effort to keep onto the country Ukraine seized on August 4th, starting next month. The Russians claim they are anticipating at least one more significant effort before the Ramstein meet, despite the fact that the most recent assaults launched by Ukraine failed.

According to the Russians, between January 5th and 6th, the Ukrainians tried 10 individual attacks and suffered heavy losses. Around 480 Russian troops were reported to have been killed or injured in Kursk by the Russians. Russian costs have not been disclosed in any detail. However, reports from the area suggest that the Russians are reversing Kursk’s previous regional losses and repressuring Ukraine’s forces.

The Russians have taken control of Kurakhovo in Donetsk in the interim. The Russians say the Russians committed 15, 000 soldiers it, made up of “elite products, republican structures and international mercenaries”. Russian military observers claim that around 40 Russian tanks were destroyed and that as many as 12 000 Ukrainians were killed or wounded despite the release of no figures from the Russian defence ministry. Krukhovo served as a crucial operational hotspot for the Russian army acting in Donetsk.

Volodymyr Zelensky, the president of Ukraine, makes a December visit to the front lines of the Donetsk place. Photo: Ukrainian Presidential Press Service

Separately, Russian forces continue to advance toward Pokrovsk, a crucial railroad bridge that supplies weapons for Ukraine’s southeast front. The Russians ‘ command of almost the entire city and the battle being conducted in an industrial neighborhood are both about to end. The Russian side has published many reports claiming to have reversive the Russian offensive, but there hasn’t been any confirmation of these claims.

Ukraine also attacked the&nbsp, Zaphorize Nuclear Power Plant&nbsp, ( ZNPP ) with eight fixed wing drones. All were intercepted, but elements of one helicopter crashed into the ceiling of the ZNPP Training Center. Ukraine’s fixed aircraft robots are larger and bring more bombs than quadcopters.

No energy leaks or serious damage to the ZNPP have been reported by the Russians. But, Ukrainian attempts to subdue or destruction nuclear power plants are difficult to explain because Ukrainians are the most probable victims. According to debate, Ukraine wants to provoke or provoke an event that will entice NATO to defend Ukraine. If this is accurate, it would be a wonderfully jaded and dangerous move, and it would likely result in the outcome Ukraine desired.

There are a lot of contradictory reports about the efforts to end the conflict in Ukraine. Russia’s UN Ambassador, Vasily Nebenzya said that the Trump administration proposed “nothing of attention” to the Russian area. Nebenzya spoke to Rossiya-1 TV network on January 3rd, which confirmed the December 26 gathering at Dulles Airport entirely reported by&nbsp, Weapons and Strategy. Nebenzya went on to remark that the Trump propositions were “unformed, obscure signs”.

Vasily Nebenzya had previously held the position of Russian assistant foreign secretary. Photo: Alexander Shcherbak/TASS/

The Trump administration has kept silent about its upcoming negotiations, suggesting that Ukraine was not the only touch the Dulles” route” had with them.

There are at least three more possible channels: China ( where Trump has signaled that&nbsp, he and Chinese President Xi&nbsp, “have been talking” through aides ), France, where Trump visited on December 7th and where Macron now says that Ukraine needs to take a “more realistic stand” on territorial issues ( as reported by&nbsp, Reuters ), and Germany and Hungary where both leaders, Scholtz&nbsp, and&nbsp, Orbán, have been talking with Russian President Vladimir Putin. Due to the fact that Biden and his team had rejected any discussions with Russia or agreements regarding Ukraine, none of these activities have anything to do with Biden.

The Russian military speed is gaining rate after a very slow time, and the different gambits of the Zelensky plan, no question with Washington’s complete backing, remain ineffective, unrealistic and expensive. Any offer may appear, if one does, after Trump is sworn in.

Stephen Bryen is a correspondent for Asia Times and previously held the positions of assistant secretary of protection for policy and staff director of the US Senate Foreign Relations Committee. &nbsp,

This&nbsp, article was first published&nbsp, on his&nbsp, Substack newsletter&nbsp, Weapons and Strategy and is republished with authority.

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Govt to begin talks on online gambling

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PUBLISHED: 7 Jan 2025 at 07: 09

Prasert Jantararuangtong
Prasert Jantararuangtong

According to Deputy Prime Minister Prasert Jantararuangtong, the government will initiate discussions on the drive to legalize online gaming.

He urged authorities from all ministries concerned to start synchronizing their discussions and efforts because several constitutional amendments will need to be passed for online betting to be legal.

According to Mr. Prasert, who is also minister of the Digital Economy and Society ( DES ) on Monday, a formal study of the plan is scheduled to be finished in a few months.

The former prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra made the announcement after saying in Chiang Rai on Sunday that regulating online gambling may benefit society as well as the business.

Mr. Prasert acknowledged that Thai students ‘ attitudes toward online gaming have been linked to a number of social issues as well as criminal behavior.

Directly, online gaming has also been tied to the increase of “mules” opening substitute bank records and schemes.

But, he added, online betting platforms see huge amounts of money go through them every moment, which, if taxed effectively, “would be great for the economy”.

When asked about Thaksin’s plan to ban people under the age of 20 from accessing online gambling sites, Mr. Prasert responded that there haven’t been any debate on this.

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Money Talks Podcast: How to take control of your finances in 2025

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The second thing… is cutting up the only way? No, it’s no. And in truth, I think that cutting up is actually getting harder. The cost of life has increased. If you dine out a bit specifically, food prices are away by around 30 per cent. So, for those who dine out frequently, you now need to decide whether to start preparing your own meals more difficultly or to stick to what you already know about various aspects of life.

However, I often feel that there’s always a control ( to cutting back ) because the maximum you can go is just how much you spend. There is a second way to increase your earnings, which is to do it. &nbsp,

Andrea:
Okay, talk to me about that. &nbsp,

Dawn: 
Therefore, you can actually receive a lot more money from increasing your earned income, whether from passive or active resources, than from spending.

There will also be this point when you save until you’re just miserable and ( thinking ) what’s the point of life when you increase that while still keeping your spending moderate.

Andrea:
Simply. Then it becomes apparent that” Oh my God, I’m working so hard to save, and little emerges.” Is this really the only solution”?

Dawn:

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How well do you know your mandarin oranges? We break down 5 popular varieties for you

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You’d probably already been stocking up on Mandarin Oranges if you celebrated Taiwanese New Year. Even if you don’t, it’s also very hard to miss containers of them in supermarket corridors, such as FairPrice’s, and sitting in groups next to the cash register in Taiwanese shops and restaurants.

Other than sounding auspicious ( gum in Cantonese sounds like gold, while” ju” in Mandarin sounds like a homophone for togetherness ), mandarin oranges are also a sweet, healthy treat, or at least make you feel more virtuous after eating bak kwa and pineapple tarts.

Just how good are mandarin fruits? Every 100g of the citrus fruits has about 53 energy, 13g carbs and 1.8g fabric, according to Jaclyn Reutens, a&nbsp, medical and sports nutritionist with Aptima Nutrition and Sports Consultants. &nbsp,

However, if you’re hoping to increase your Vitamin C intake with mandarin oranges, you’ll do better with other varieties like the madrid and belly varieties.

“ To get your recommended Acid C diet, you will need to have about three mandarin lemons“, said Reutens. That’s because the mandarin selection solely has 27mg compared to valencia rose’s 48mg and naval rose’s 59mg for every 100g of fruits.

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