South-East Asia – Page 1602

Olympic champ Somluck has not been charged yet

On: December 12, 2023

PUBLISHED : 12 Dec 2023 at 12:39

KHON KAEN: Former Olympic boxing champ Somluck Kamsing has not yet been called to hear a charge of sexual assault brought by a 17-year-old girl, police said on Tuesday.

Investigators had finished compiling the case details, but had yet to file a charge because the girl was not ready for interrogation, Pol Col Yosawaj Kaewsuebthanyanij, chief of the Muang Khon Kaen police station, said.

The girl was at the Khon Kaen Shelter for Children and Families, he said.

At this stage, police could take legal action only against the operator of the pub where Mr Somluck met the girl. The pub operator was charged with allowing entry to customers aged under 20 years.

Pol Col Yosawaj said the girl entered the pub with friends from the same school she went to.

Police were looking into rumours of gang blackmail and ID card forgery to enter entertainment places.

The 17-year-old, whose name was withheld, is from Nong Kung Si district of Kalasin province. She told police when she filed her complaint on Sunday that she met 50-year-old Somluck at a pub in Muang district, Khon Kaen province, on Saturday night.

The former boxer took her to a hotel room about 3.30am on Sunday. There, she alleged, Mr Somluck sexually assaulted her.

Earlier Mr Somluck, 50, said that while in the pub he was befriended by the girl, who asked for a selfie photograph with him. Following some intimacy, he took her to the hotel.

Mr Somluck said they had both taken off their clothes. Before going further, he had asked how old she was. When the girl replied she was 17, he stopped making advances and went to asleep.

Mr Somluck said he did not go any further than that, and was certain of his innocence.

Mr Somluck was a Muay Thai fighter before turning to boxing. He earned a bronze medal at the 1989 King’s Cup and a gold medal at the 1995 event.

At the 1996 Summer Olympics in Atlanta, Georgia, in the United States, he won a gold medal in the men’s featherweight division. He was the first Thai athlete to win a gold medal at the Olympics.

Somluck Kamsing (photo: Kamsing family channel Facebook Page)

Companies say hybrid work arrangements are helpful amid spike in COVID-19 cases

By: Marcus Ching

On: December 12, 2023

In: South-East Asia

REMOTE WORK

Human resources technology company Wantedly only requires its employees in Singapore to work in the office twice a week and has kept the split team schedule introduced during the pandemic. For example, the sales team comes into the office on a different day from the marketing team.

“We decided to retain our arrangements since the pandemic because we are a knowledge-based technology company and believe in ‘getting things done’ wherever you are in terms of working location,” noted country manager Andrew Tan.

He added that it is important for the company to retain this flexibility as part of its employer branding to attract young talents such as fresh graduates.

UOB said it has a permanent flexible work policy where staff can work remotely for up to two days a week.

“We continue to provide hybrid working arrangements to eligible employees as part of creating a progressive and engaging work environment,” said the bank’s head of group human resources Dean Tong.

Prudential said the company has had a flexible working culture even before COVID-19, and recommends that employees spend one day in office with their teams and a second day in office for meetings.

“We also conduct regular cleaning and disinfecting of common spaces and equipment in our offices to ensure that it remains clean and hygienic for our employees,” said Ms Nair.

MEDICAL LEAVE, SOCIAL RESPONSIBILITY

Wantedly has also been “fortunate” to not have any positive COVID-19 cases over the past few weeks, said Mr Tan.

But if employees test positive for COVID-19, they can observe the full medical certificate (MC) period of about three days, the country manager said, adding that there is “no rush to return to work” if they feel unwell.

On whether the company provides antigen rapid test (ART) kits to employees when they work in the office, Mr Tan said that the firm does not provide fresh testing supplies but has unexpired kits from the previous year.

MOH on Monday said that retailers and pharmacies in Singapore have sufficient supplies of ART kits, amid a rise in demand.

The ministry also advised the public to purchase kits in quantities that are sufficient only for their immediate needs and to not hoard supplies.

Ms Nair said Prudential provides ART kits in the office for employees who require testing.

“If any employee is unwell, they are advised to seek medical attention immediately and to remain home until their health status is confirmed,” she said, adding that employees are reminded to be socially responsible and take the necessary precautions.

Mr Tong said UOB employees who feel unwell are encouraged to stay home and rest, and can apply for medical leave without the need to provide an MC.

Those working in Singapore are also entitled to one complimentary flu vaccination each year, he said, adding that the bank also takes guidance from the government for pandemic-related measures such as mask-wearing.

“Apart from the rising number of COVID-19 infections, November to January is also typically a peak flu season due to increased social interactions and overseas travel during the year-end festivities.

“In view of this, UOB encourages our employees to continue practising social responsibility and to take the necessary precautions to stay safe and well during this period, “ said Mr Tong.

Grandpa, daughter, grandchildren drown in Mun River

By: Barkar Nash

On: December 12, 2023

In: South-East Asia

PUBLISHED : 12 Dec 2023 at 11:30

SURIN: Five members of one family, three of them children, have drowned while collecting sand from the bed of the Mun River in Chumphon Buri district.

Their bodies were found in water five metres deep, and recovered, on Monday night

Police and rescue workers were rushed to the Mun river at Ban Khok Klang in tambon Chumphon Buri, adjacent to tambon Tha Muang in Buri Ram’s Satuk district, after the five were reported missing about 8pm on Monday.

Police found a farm truck, sandals and clothing of the missing people on the riverbank. Rescue teams from Buri Ram and Surin provinces searched the river and about an hour later found the bodies in the middle of the river. Relatives waiting anxiously on the riverbank burst into tears as the news spread.

The five were identifid as Viriya Khadcha, 45, his daughter Nutcharin Khadcha, 23, and her three children – girls aged 14 and 11 years and a boy aged 8. There were no indications of them having been attacked, police said.

Relatives cast no doubts over the deaths. The bodies were examined by a hospital doctor before being handed over to relatives for funeral rites. (continues below)

Clothes and sandals found left on the bank of the Mun River in Chumphon Buri district, Surin, on Monday night. (Photo: Surachai Piragsa)

Viriya’s grieving wife Bang-orn Surit, 44, said her husband went with their daughter Nutcharin and their three grandchildren to collect sand from the river on Monday, for use in making concrete for their new house.

When darkness fell and the five had not returned, she and other relatives went to look for them. They found only their farm truck, clothes and sandals on the riverbank. She called police.

Ms Bang-orn suspected her three grandchildren were swept away by the strong river current while playing, and her husband and daughter drowned trying to save them. There were no witnesses to the tragedy.

These new min jiang kueh pancake hawkers used to run a printing shop

By: Marcus Ching

On: December 12, 2023

In: South-East Asia

There is a new min jiang kueh stall called Ching’s Pancake at 79 Circuit Road Food Centre, run by a studious-looking couple. Before becoming hawkers just this year, Chew Kim Yong, 58, and his wife Heng Ching Ching, 55, operated a printing shop. “We mainly printed name cards and invoices,” said Kim Yong.

As more companies started making their operations digital, Kim Yong and Ching Ching saw their printing orders decrease gradually. In 2019, a friend introduced them to a relatively more ‘modern’ job – delivering parcels for an online shopping platform.

THE CHALLENGES OF DELIVERING PARCELS

To keep their printing shop going, the couple took up delivery as a sideline. “Then we encountered the COVID-19 lockdown,” shared Ching Ching. She recounted: “At that time, almost every industry was at a standstill, so we continued to deliver goods to subsidise our printing business.”

While the global economy picked up after the pandemic, print unfortunately remained a sunset industry. Up until this year, Ching Ching and Kim Yong were still working at their part-time gig delivering shoppers’ orders rain or shine.

“At the same time, we were getting older. The prices for making deliveries kept falling, but the goods became heavier and heavier,” Ching Ching recalled. The couple struggled to transport bulky parcels door-to-door, especially in inclement weather.

Harmful smog levels getting worse

By: Barkar Nash

On: December 12, 2023

In: South-East Asia

15 provinces red-zoned, less than half within safe limits

PUBLISHED : 12 Dec 2023 at 10:15

Hazardous smog levels continue to thicken, especially in the Central Plain, with the worst level of PM2.5 dust reaching 134.8 microgrammes per cubic metre of air on Tuesday morning, up from 96.6µg/m³ on Monday, according to the Geo-Informatics and Space Technology Development Agency (Gistda).

At 7am on Tuesday, 15 provinces in the Central Plain were blanketed with red-code levels of particulate matter 2.5 micrometres and less in diameter (PM2.5), including Greater Bangkok.

The worst level was in Chachoengsao province, at 134.8µg/m³r, followed by 113.5µg/m³ in Ang Thong, 110.0µg/m³ in Samut Sakhon, 109.6µg/m³ in Nonthaburi, 109.2µg/m³ in Sing Buri, 104.3µg/m³ in Chon Buri, 100.5µg/m³ in Pathum Thani, 99.8µg/m³ in Bangkok, 97.6µg/m³ in Lop Buri and Nakhon Pathom, 97.2µg/m³ in Saraburi, 96.0µg/m³ in Ayutthaya, 93.0µg/m³ in Samut Prakan, 87.8µg/m³ in Suphan Buri and 78.6µg/m³ in Kanchanaburi.

The 15 provinces were mapped with red zones of PM2.5 indicating thick smog seriously harmful to health.

Most other central plain and northeastern provinces were covered in orange levels of PM2.5, meaning the air pollution was starting to affect health.

Only 30 of the 77 provinces, 38%, were within the government’s safe threshold of 37.5µg/m³. They were in the South, the North and parts of the Northeast. The provinces included Chiang Rai, with the lowest level of PM2.5 at 7.4µg/m³, Mae Hong Son (7.6µg/m³), Chiang Mai (8.3µg/m³), Phuket (10.5µg/m³), Lamphun (11.8µg/m³), Phayao and Phangnga (12.9µg/m³), Chumphon (13.3µg/m³) and Amnat Charoen (14.0µg/m³).

Other provinces with PM2.5 levels ranging from 15.8 to 37.2µg/m³ were, in an ascending order of the levels, Mukdahan, Surat Thani, Krabi, Ranong, Lampang, Nan, Yasothon, Nakhon Si Thammarat, Phrae, Satun, Phatthalung, Yala, Narathiwat, Trang, Songkhla, Pattani, Nakhon Phanom, Sakon Nakhon, Si Sa Ket, Bung Kan and Tak.

A Gistda map of Thailand shows the areas with harmful levels of PM2.5 at 7am on Tuesday.

At Thai instant noodle brand Mamaâs Singapore pop-up, try noodle dishes and pose with a giant cup noodle

By: Marcus Ching

On: December 11, 2023

In: South-East Asia

Dishes include Mama Meatball lamb (S$13) with minced pork, pork balls and Thai herbs; Mama Lup Cheong (S$15) with Chinese sausage, smoked garlic sausage, minced pork and egg; Mama Soft Shell Prawn Truffle (S$18 with tobiko and Thai bomba seasoning; and the classic Mama Tom Yum (S$22): Noodles in creamy tom yum soup with tiger prawns, crispy pork belly and pork meatballs.

There’s also a sure-win lucky draw for those who spend S$60++ in a single receipt with a minimum order of at least one dish off the Mama menu, with prizes like T-shirts, keychains, plushies and, yes, good old noodles in a packet.

CNA Explains: Why the price of gold has surged and where it could go from here

By: Marcus Ching

On: December 11, 2023

In: South-East Asia

Will prices remain elevated?

Since the high of Dec 4, the price of gold has gradually declined. As of Monday, it was trading at just under US$2,000 per ounce.

So where could prices go from here?

Mr Chwee said that even though markets expect the Fed to begin cutting interest rates in March 2024, OCBC does not expect this to happen until June 2024.

“This will support gold prices, though there could be some weakness if the Fed doesn’t cut rates in March 2024 as markets currently expect,” he said.

“We expect gold prices to remain elevated for the next six months,” he added.

Mr Heng Koon How, head of market strategy at UOB, said he forecasts gold prices to rise further to US$2,200 per ounce by the fourth quarter of 2024.

“This is based on our core view that the US Fed will start cutting rates gradually across (the second half of 2024) and the US dollar will be softer as well,” he said.

Going into 2024, the US presidential election and ongoing geopolitical tensions are likely to see more people turn towards precious metals, Mr Gregersen said.

“About a quarter of central banks also indicated their intention to increase their gold reserves further in 2024,” he added.

Mr Goh said: “Whether or not gold continues to rally will depend on the trajectory rates. If inflation continues to moderate and the Fed implements rate cuts next year, then gold will likely trend higher from here.”

“However, if there is a resurgence in inflation and the Fed is forced to hike rates further, we expect gold to retrace some of its recent gains,” the DBS analyst added.

Should retail investors consider investing in gold?

Describing gold as a “good portfolio diversifier of risk”, Mr Heng said: “It is good from a long-term diversification point of view to allocate some gold into the portfolio.”

Silver Bullion’s Mr Gregersen said that it is a good time to buy metals, sharing that Silver Bullion saw a 300 per cent increase in sales volume last week.

“Physical gold mitigates counterparty jurisdictional and currency risks while reliably appreciating over the long term,” he said.

“It is a great choice in uncertain times.”

Mr Goh and Mr Chwee, meanwhile, highlighted several things which retail investors should take into consideration when investing in precious metals.

Mr Goh said that “counterparty risk and liquidity risk are important points to consider when investing (in precious metals) through mutual funds or (exchange-traded funds)”.

Mr Chwee also brought up liquidity as something to consider, as precious metals are subject to market fluctuations and may not be immediately convertible to cash. He added that, unlike cash, gold bears no interest.

He also said that buyers must consider storage when buying physical gold, as it could incur additional costs, although he noted that investors can purchase precious metals digitally through banks including OCBC.

“Consumers should also consider … their risk profile and appetite, and speak with a financial adviser before making a decision to invest in gold,” he said.

MFP ‘has faith’ in Dems’ chief

By: Barkar Nash

On: December 11, 2023

In: South-East Asia

PUBLISHED : 12 Dec 2023 at 06:00

The opposition Move Forward Party (MFP) is not concerned by rumours which claim the Democrat Party will join the government alliance, saying the pact signed by all members of the opposition bloc remains in effect, said MFP leader Chaithawat Tulathon on Monday.

He made the comment in response to the appointment of Chalermchai Sri-on as the new leader of the Democrat Party last week.

Mr Chaithawat said he did not believe the new Democrat chief would undermine the opposition bloc.

“We need to respect our colleagues, as unnecessary distrust will not lead to a better working atmosphere,” said Mr Chaithawat.

When asked about his hopes for the new parliament session, which opens today, Mr Chaithawat said he wanted all members of the opposition to come together for a discussion as a follow-up to the unofficial meetings which took place during the break.

While Mr Chaithawat has yet to receive a royal endorsement to be the next opposition leader, he said the meetings should begin right away so all parties could begin working as soon as possible.

As this session would be the last parliamentary session of the year, Mr Chaithawat said the House needs to clear the backlog of bills which have to be urgently approved — chief among which is the budget bill for the 2024 fiscal year.

He said while the opposition is not planning to launch a no-confidence motion in the upcoming session, there are plans to hold a general debate before the session closes.

Mr Chaithawat maintains that the opposition has the right to organise a censure motion to keep the government in check, but the opposition must be prepared with all the information they need before launching such a bid.

However, Piyabutr Saengkanokkul, secretary-general of the Progressive Movement, warned MFP MPs not to revert to “old tactics” in their struggle.

On Sunday, he took to X, formerly Twitter, to say that the party’s past strategies might not work any more, as “conservative forces” and the ruling elites are working together to paint the MFP’s reform ideas as impossible or impractical. As such, the party needs to step up its game and go beyond satire and online parodies to win the support of the public.

“If the MFP can’t do so in the next four years, how can the party gain 6-7 million additional votes [in the next election]?” he said.

Cabinet to review wage hike

By: Barkar Nash

On: December 11, 2023

In: South-East Asia

Govt urged to respect committee’s decision

The cabinet is expected to order a review of new daily minimum wage rates on Tuesday, while business organisations are urging the government to respect the decision on wage increases made by a tripartite wage committee.

Labour Minister Phiphat Ratchakitprakarn said on Monday he has no authority to review the rates approved by the committee and will ask the cabinet to consider ordering the review.

“As the labour minister, I oversee the tripartite committee, but I cannot interfere with its decision. The only way is to submit the matter to the cabinet, so it will order the review,” he said.

However, he said there would be nothing the government could do if the committee stood by its decision. “The new rates were unanimously agreed upon by representatives of the employees, employers and the state in the committee,” he said.

The committee approved the new rates last Friday.

Mr Phiphat said a review is typically based on the rate of economic growth, inflation, and the cost of living over the past five years. He noted that the economic disruption of the Covid-19 years — 2020 and 2021 — should not be used to calculate the new wage rates.

Prime Minister Srettha Thavisin on Saturday said he would seek a revision of the committee’s decision to raise the daily minimum wage rate by between 2 and 16 baht across the country, saying he couldn’t agree with such low hikes.

Mr Srettha said he would seek talks with the committee, which is comprised of officials from the Ministry of Labour, employers and employees, in the coming weeks.

He said if the committee’s decision to raise wages by only 2-16 baht is submitted to the cabinet for endorsement, he will reject it and call for a more suitable raise.

“Should we really have to leave the minimum wages for Thai workers this ridiculously low, while Singapore, for one, offers a minimum wage of 1,000 baht a day?” he asked.

Hassadin Suwatthanapongchet, secretary-general of the Federation of Thai Industries’ Northeastern Chapter, on Monday said Mr Srettha should respect the committee’s decision on the new wage rates to ensure fairness to both employees and employers.

A sharp increase in the daily minimum wage could hurt the economy, which is still making a slow recovery, he said.

Veerasu Kaewboonpun, an employee’s representative on the committee, said the new wage rates were a compromise acceptable to all sides on the committee as employers can also afford to pay them while the new rates also offer employees enough money to live on.

The daily minimum wage for Thai workers nationwide is set to rise from Jan 1, 2024, and the new rates will vary from province to province, ranging from 330 to 370 baht, according to the committee. The current rates are between 328 and 354 baht. The increases in the daily minimum wage will range from 2 to 16 baht, or an average of 2.4%.

However, the new daily wage falls short of the 400 baht per day minimum wage that the Pheu Thai Party promised during its election campaign earlier this year. Pheu Thai’s plan for a big wage hike rattled businesses that feared it would push up operating costs and make the country less competitive for investors when the economy is underperforming.

Democrats now a party ‘beyond crisis’: Abhisit

By: Barkar Nash

On: December 11, 2023

In: South-East Asia

Ex-leader says values are no longer clear

The Democrat Party is “beyond crisis” point as it continues to haemorrhage members in the wake of its change of leadership, said former party leader Abhisit Vejjajiva on Monday.

Commenting for the first time since the leadership contest on Saturday, which saw Chalermchai Sri-on elected as the Democrats’ ninth leader, Mr Abhisit used his Facebook page to claim that the party was now at breaking point.

Mr Abhisit also confirmed he was no longer a member of the party during the Saturday session.

“What baffles and distresses me is how much we in this room have realised the gravity of the beyond-crisis state the party is in,” he told the meeting.

Mr Abhisit was nominated in the leadership contest by party patriarch and former Democrat leader Chuan Leekpai. However, Mr Abhisit turned down the nomination and announced his resignation instead.

His refusal to enter the race came after it was reported the party vote may have been engineered to favour Mr Chalemchai, a former party secretary-general and acting leader at the time of the election.

The party’s decline, as shown by its drop in MPs from 53 in the 2019 general election to 25 in this year’s poll, did not stem from its internal structure, regulations or a lack of finances, according to Mr Abhisit.

In fact, at no time in the party’s history had a secretary-general managed to mobilise more support for the party than Mr Chalermchai did while he was occupying the post, Mr Abhisit said.

The party has slumped to a low ebb because people have failed to see what the Democrat Party stands for or what ideals it represents.

In a country split into the conservative and pro-democracy camps, the Democrats have been unable to emerge as a choice for the people.

Voters in the conservative bloc favoured former premier Gen Prayut Chan-o-cha, while the pro-democracy side thought the Democrats were a Prayut ally.

“It’s all about establishing where we stand and which groups of people we can represent and in what way.

“Politics has its ups and downs. However, there’s no guarantee a down will be met with a rebound if we don’t learn our lesson,” he said on Facebook, conveying what he told the party election on Saturday.

Critics have said the party under Mr Chalermchai’s leadership could lose its traditional and solid stronghold in the South. The party is also in danger of relying too heavily on winning constituency MPs, which can be highly competitive races.

At one point during the Saturday meeting, Mr Abhisit had a 10-minute break with Mr Chalermchai. Ten minutes later, Mr Abhisit returned to the meeting and announced he had relinquished party membership.

“I declare before you all that I have no plan to defect to another party.

“Slit my wrists, and I bleed blue,” Mr Abhisit said, referring to the Democrats’ emblematic colour.

Also yesterday, more high-profile Democrats and former MPs, namely Sathit Wongnongtoey and Orn-anong Kanchanachusak, quit the party. On Saturday, former party MP and former deputy public health minister Sathit Pitutecha said he had left the party.

Mr Sathit Wongnongtoey said that he had decided to part ways with the Democrats after 28 years as a member because he now believed the party’s principal and true spirit could no longer shine.

South-East Asia (Page 1,602)

REMOTE WORK

MEDICAL LEAVE, SOCIAL RESPONSIBILITY

Will prices remain elevated?

Should retail investors consider investing in gold?