Thamanat threatens to leave Palang Pracharath
Snubs party leader Prawit, says he wo n’t talk to him
Described: 20 Aug 2024 at 12: 07
The third-largest coalition partner, Palang Pratcharath, has experienced a significant authority rift, with Thamanat Prompow, the secretary-general and custodian agriculture minister, refusing to speak with party spokesman Gen Prawit Wongsuwon and threatening to leave the organization.  ,
After being sworn in on Sunday, new prime minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra will begin to discuss the composition of her partnership case.  ,  ,
Capt Thamanat stated at Government House on Tuesday night that he would not speak with Gen Prawit because the party president had no business speaking to him.
” As he does not apply me again, I do not need to talk”, Capt Thamanat said.
He claimed to have contributed to the party’s formation and had worked there for six years, and that he had been” serving one person and one party long enough.”
” It’s time for me to step back without disputing with anyone … It’s time for me to declare my freedom.  ,
” From now on I am ready to leave, with different people, for elsewhere there is happiness,” Capt Thamanat said.
He organized a meal for attendees of similar minds at the Ministry of Agriculture and Cooperatives on Tuesday afternoon.  ,
Capt. Thamanat is alleged to be in charge of 30 of the 40 Members in the Palang Pracharath Party, while the alliance parties collectively have more than 300 MPs in the 500-seat House.
Capt Thamanat said they would be notified on Tuesday evening when he asked how many MPs that were under his command.
” Come say that we separate our life obviously. But I wo n’t ruin the nation or the government, “he said.
Asked if he was excluded from PPP’s governmental votes list, Capt Thamanat said that was really debate. The group’s election portfolio was not required to include the prime minister.
Capt Thamanat served four times in an American prison after being convicted on March , 31, 1994 of conspiring to import cocaine into Australia. He was sentenced to six times confinement, served four years and was deported upon his discharge. He denies the accusations and has told the legislature that bread is all there is.  ,  ,
After appointing a prosecutor who had formerly served a jail sentence for attempting to pay the Supreme Court, Ms. Paetongtarn’s father, Srettha Thavisin, was removed from office by the judge for a breach of morality.  ,
Thamanat threatens to leave Palang Pracharat
Snubs party leader Prawit, says he wo n’t talk to him
Discussed: 20 Aug 2024 at 12: 07
The third-largest coalition partner, Palang Pratcharat, has experienced a significant authority rift, with Thamanat Prompow, the secretary-general and custodian agriculture minister, refusing to speak with party spokesman Gen Prawit Wongsuwon and threatening to leave the organization.  ,
After being sworn in on Sunday, new prime minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra will begin to discuss the composition of her partnership case.  ,  ,
Capt Thamanat stated at Government House on Tuesday night that he would not speak with Gen Prawit because the group leader had no business speaking to him.
” As he does not employ me again, I do not need to talk”, Capt Thamanat said.
He claimed that he had organized the party for six centuries, had worked for it, and that he had been “one man and one party long enough.”
” It’s time for me to step back without disputing with anyone … It’s time for me to declare my freedom.  ,
” From now on I am ready to leave, with different people, for elsewhere there is happiness,” Capt Thamanat said.
He had a breakfast planned for Tuesday afternoon at the Ministry of Agriculture and Cooperatives with people of similar minds.  ,
Capt. Thamanat is alleged to be in charge of 30 of the 40 Members in the Palang Pracharath Party, while the alliance parties collectively have more than 300 MPs in the 500-seat House.
Capt Thamanat said they would be notified on Tuesday afternoon when he asked how many MPs it were under his command.
” Come say that we separate our life obviously. But I wo n’t ruin the nation or the government, “he said.
Asked if he was excluded from PPP’s governmental votes list, Capt Thamanat said that was really debate. The group’s election portfolio was not required to include the prime minister.
Capt Thamanat served four times in an American prison after being convicted on March , 31, 1994 of conspiring to import cocaine into Australia. He was sentenced to six times confinement, served four years and was deported upon his discharge. He denies the accusations and claims that it is only bread.  ,  ,
After appointing a prosecutor who had recently received a jail sentence for attempting to pay the Supreme Court, Ms. Paetongtarn’s father, Srettha Thavisin, was removed from office by the judge for a breach of morality.  ,
China plans ‘bigger, stronger’ social security fund to aid ageing society
HONG KONG:  , China will beef up its 2.88 trillion yuan ( US$ 406 billion ) social security fund, making it “bigger and stronger” to help support its rapidly ageing population as the number of new births and younger workforce to support its seniors shrink. According to party secretary DingContinue Reading
Fish monitoring system, daily testing: How PUB maintains Singapore’s top water standards
DAILY Tests OF WATER Examples
PUB collects and tests samples regular from places like casing board estates to make sure water stays fresh when it gets to homes.
Building proprietors and community councils are required to work with licensed plumbers to carry out monthly inspections, washing, and documentation in order to make sure that top storage tanks in their buildings are correctly looked after.
According to Ms. Yunita Tan, public director of Lower Seletar Waterworks,” It’s important for us to make sure these top water storage tanks are correctly maintained and kept in good condition.”
After PUB collects water examples, these are sent to the company’s water quality labs where scientists check for indicators like ph or the acidity levels, nitrogen, and bacteria or E. coli levels, among others.
Every year, more than 500 000 tests are put together using technology to increase data reliability. These identify any potential problems affecting the region’s water source.
In US lockstep, Philippines ‘de-risking’ from China – Asia Times
After a number of incidents extremely bringing the two rival claims into an armed conflict, the Philippines and China have rekindled their hostility in the South China Sea. But the delicate water truce masks a more basic change in Philippine-China relations.
In line with US-led coupling and in a flimsy attempt to prevent a discord with the Eastern superpower, the Ferdinand Marcos Jr. administration is slowly but actively “de-risking” relations with China.
On the one hand, Asian intelligence companies are monitoring and retaliating against China’s alleged spy and malign influence procedures in the country. On another level, Manila wants to reduce its dependence on Chinese mining projects and manifest itself as an alternative provider of precious metal to the West, especially for the EV power industry.
Following the revelation of past Bamban governor Alice Guo, a Foreign national who ensnared the Spanish political elite and established a successful business relationship with suspected Chinese legal organizations, efforts to combat malicious Chinese influence reached fever pitch.
In the latest attempt to track down the controversial former mayor, who is now at large, the Bureau of Internal Revenue ( BIR ) has filed a tax evasion complaint against her and several key accomplices, including Jack Uy, a businessman who purchased Guo’s Baofu Land Development Incorporated shares, and Rachelle Joan Malonzo Carreon, Baofu’s corporate secretary.  ,
Spanish authorities are also looking into whether the criminal ex-mayor had spying plans because a Taiwanese online blackjack under her control was supposedly responsible for the cyber-sabotage of state websites in addition to admitted torture and kidnapping of foreign nationals.
However, Filipino intelligence solutions have been tracing less well-known but more well-known priorities who allegedly participated in vile control functions in the Southeast Asian nation.
Zhang” Steve” Song, Manila’s commission commander of the Shanghai Wenhui Daily, who previously held a similar position in Washington, DC, is at the center of fresh investigations.
The , Wenhui Daily , or , Wenhui Bao , is owned by the Shanghai United Media Group, a company overseen by the Chinese Communist Party’s (CCP’s ) committee in the mega-city.
The US has classified the publication’s girl paper, the Shanghai United Media Group ‘s , Jiefang Daily, as a “foreign objective”, especially an extension of Beijing’s outside control procedure.
Zhang has been identified as an agent of China’s Ministry of State Security ( MSS) in collaboration with key allies. According to Philippine regulators, the alleged journalist-cum-spy slowly “established a major community in several corporate institutions” over the past three years.
Zhang allegedly had regular meetings with leading Chinese officials in Manila as well as key characters in the Spanish government and media, especially before and after every significant event in the South China Sea, despite not being registered with the Philippines ‘ International Press Center and having had little journalism result in recent years.
Legislators have been asked to consider new counter-influence operations laws as a result of the bizarre case of Zhang, and they have also been asked to consider whether the Chinese-owned social media app TikTok poses any issues with national security.
In addition, Philippine authorities are grappling with allegedly China-backed disinformation operations, including “deep fakes” targeting senior officials, including Marcos Jr., who has stepped up defense ties with Western allies, including the US and Japan.
Earlier this year, authorities flagged a deepfake audio , portraying , Marcos Jr as warmongering against China amid rising tensions in the South China Sea. In addition, China-friendly vloggers affiliated with the Duterte dynasty have attempted to spread extensive fakes to support allegations of drug abuse by the incumbent.  ,
A network of coordinated inauthentic accounts across X and YouTube, according to a special report from the Australian Strategic Policy Institute ( ASPI), “very likely linked to the Chinese government”
Although this is n’t the first time China has been linked to disinformation in the Philippines, most recently by backing the pro-Beijing Dutertes in the country’s elections in advance of the 2022 elections, ASPI claims that the new strategy “promotes the dissemination of content created by domestic actors, demonstrating a novel sophistication and insight into the Philippines ‘ information environment.”
The Philippines ‘ more assertive stance against China has unnerved domestic businessmen, most notably the powerful Chinese-Filipino business community.
Last year, Teresita Sy-Coson, the matriarch of the country’s biggest conglomerate, publicly warned of dire economic consequences if ongoing tensions spill over into bilateral trade and investment ties.
At a major public event last year, SM Investments Corp vice chairperson Teresita Sy-Coson told reporters,” China is very close to us, we cannot be too antagonistic.”
” Even though we know what is happening, I guess we have to do it through a more peaceful negotiation”, she added, reflecting growing anxiety among the country’s biggest business groups, which are deeply dependent on cheap imports from mainland China.
Her misgivings, which other Chinese-Filipino business groups echoed, largely fell on deaf ears. If anything, the Marcos Jr administration has sought to reduce the country’s economic dependence on China, in line with Western decoupling moves.
Manila, for instance, has withdrawn from Beijing’s Belt and Road Initiative ( BRI ) in response to disagreements over a number of stalled, big-ticket infrastructure projects that Chinese companies have promised but failed to deliver.
Marcos Jr.’s administration anticipates that strategic allies will assist in closing the investment gap. Earlier this year, Marcos Jr attended the first-ever Japan-Philippine-US ( JAPHUS) summit at the White House, where the three allies vowed to enhance strategic economic cooperation.
Accordingly, Japan and the US are expected to assist in establishing a new US$ 100 billion investment corridor in industrialized regions of the Philippines, with a focus on high-end and strategically important manufacturing.
In particular, Manila seems keen on joining the” chip wars” against China by positioning itself as a new semiconductor production hub, leveraging its proximity to neighboring Taiwan, a semiconductor-producing superpower.
The resource-rich Philippines is also positioning itself as a key supplier of strategic minerals, most notably nickel. The Philippines is actively courting Western and Japanese investments in its own thriving nickel mining sector as Chinese companies dominate EV battery supply chains from Africa to Indonesia.
The Philippines is attempting to address uncompetitive production costs and forge more investment tie-ups with the US and other like-minded countries in resource processing as the second-largest producer in the world.
In the end, the Southeast Asian nation wants to become a major hub for the production of EV batteries and to help the West break away from China’s influence in the crucial next-generation market.
” There is room now for the Philippines to be a significant player for batteries”, Ceferino S Rodolfo, under-secretary of the Department of Trade and Industry, told the Financial Times, underscoring growing interest from American, European, South Korean and Japanese companies.
” It’s a race between China and the] West]..]and we have ] a really strong argument to go for a non-Chinese investor so that we can be the supplier of non-Indonesian, non-Chinese nickel”, he added.
Follow Richard Javad Heydarian on X at @Richeydarian
Driver charged with taking photos, videos at Woodlands Checkpoint departure lane
SINGAPORE: A driver at Woodlands Checkpoint was charged on Saturday ( 17 August ) after allegedly posting videos and photos of an immigration officer online.
Wong Jeo Wah, a 37-year-old Singaporean, was charged with taking photos and videos without authorization at a Woodlands Checkpoint exit street shop on August 12th, according to the Infrastructure Protection Act.
Without the proper permission from the government, it is illegal to do so within the checkpoint’s protected area.  ,
A day after the incident, photos and videos of the Immigration and Checkpoints Authority ( ICA ) officer, along with his name, were posted to the Facebook group Complaint Singapore.  ,
In the article, which is no more visible, the alleged driver made bad comments about the trade, alleging the officer was harsh.
In a Facebook post on August 15, ICA claimed that investigations showed the drivers had made “uncalled for remarks” when an immigration officer had given him instructions to replace a shade from the appropriate passenger window during recruitment clearance.
After admitting to taking photos and videos on station property, the driver was directed to the work company and given a strict alert, according to the ICA. He even consented to have them deleted.
Nevertheless, they were uploaded online and ICA referred the case to the authorities.
Wong’s wife may get his bailor because she is a witness for the prosecution, according to the prosecution, adding that she is not eligible to testify for him on Saturday. She also added that she is not eligible to testify for him on the basis that she is a witness for the prosecution.
Wong, who was offered loan of S$ 10, 000, said he would ask his wife to get another trustee. Next month, he’ll be back in court.
If convicted, Wong may remain jailed up to two years, fined up to S$ 20, 000, or both.
Toward a greater Quad role in counterterrorism – Asia Times
In the construction of the Quadrilateral Security Dialogue, also known as Quad, the foreign officials of the United States, Australia, Japan, and India met on July 29 in Tokyo. The partners also reiterated their commitment to strengthening terrorism assistance, despite the lovers ‘ main concerns being maritime security, Houthi episodes, and disarmament of the Korean Peninsula.
When there are practical organizations like the UN Office of Counter-Terrorism, why should new channels be developed?
Unlike international networks, minilateral people have the advantage of being more region-oriented and free of confusion. A security community excluding Pakistan and India, for instance, would likely promote Delhi to discuss contentious issues, given the complex history of India and Pakistan.
The Quad members denounced violence in all of its forms in a joint declaration released following the July celebration. Jihadists ‘ use of modern communication tools, robots, and tunnels to accomplish their objectives was a particular problem. Moreover, the companions called for organized efforts to combat the organizations designated by the UN as extremists, generally Al-Qaeda, ISIS, Jaish-e-Mohammad and Lashkar-e-Taiba.
While Al-Qaeda and ISIS are international jihadist organizations, the other two concentrate on particular regional problems. Both the Jaish-e-Mohammed and Lashkar-e-Taiba criminal organizations have been pursuing the goal of merging India’s Kashmir into Pakistan. Lashkar-e-Taiba is known as Pakistan’s most prominent jihadist party, founded in the mid-1980s with financial aid from Osama bin Laden.
collaborating to combat criminal risks
But, the question remains as to whether the Quadrilateral Security Dialogue is effective at promoting terrorism assistance. Participants in the forum made the pledge to job up” to strengthen their capacity to prevent, detect, and react to threats posed by violent extremism.” Given that Quad was started in 2007 and has since been around since then, what precisely has been accomplished so much?
In the terrorism area, significant progress was made in March 2023 with the creation of a Quad Working Group on Counterterrorism. The new platform aims to promote the exchange of information on how to combat terrorist threats and how to create countermeasures.
In December 2023, the second appointment of the Quad Counterterrorism Working Group took place in Hawaii. The event, which was hosted by the US Department of State, included a table exercise designed to enhance Quad participation in response to a danger from a terrorist threat, among other things. The second meeting and table practice are scheduled for November 2024 and will be held in Japan.
The essential function of cleverness cooperation
In preventing terrorist strikes and ensuring public safety, knowledge is essential. Prior to putting their dangerous plans into practice, law enforcement can quickly recognize, locate, and neutralize perpetrators thanks to quickly gathered reliable information.
When it comes to countering risks posed by international jihadism, well-established knowledge participation is key to successful counterterrorism. And this is what the Quad relationship actually lacks.
Ken Kotani, a teacher at Tokyo-based Nihon University, says that Japan is hardly expected to enhance its brains capacity in the shape of Quad.
That’s “because Quad is a social ally, no military nor intelligence”, Kotani told this artist. ” If Japan joins AUKUS or Five Eyes, she really strengthen her intellect capacity. I think that Japan does contribute to the AUKUS in three areas: counter-disinformation, computer security and GEOINT”, he added. GEOINT is geo-spacial intelligence, which allows for collecting and analyzing satellite imagery, aerial reconnaissance and geographic information system ( GIS ) findings.
Launched in September 2021, AUKUS joins Australia, the UK, and the USA. The multilateral alliance, in contrast to the Quad, is intended to strengthen security ties between the partners, with special emphasis placed on enhancing military assistance, knowledge sharing, and technology exchange. Specifically, its labor concerns the use of synthetic knowledge, digital technologies and quantum computing.
But, AUKUS is rather a finished team that is hard to enter. Because of its focus on vulnerable technologies, which the United States was only confide in its most entrusted partners for intelligence cooperation, the alliance works on.
Progress is continuous development
Regarding the Quad, there is certainly area for changing. By establishing an intelligence-sharing network within the group, the US could significantly contribute to boosting trust among the partners, especially given that all four countries now have diplomatic and intergovernmental agreements.
For example, the United States, Australia, and Japan concluded an knowledge sharing agreement in Honolulu, Hawaii, in 2016. India and the United States have signed a number of agreements over the past 20 years to facilitate the transfer of knowledge. The first one was the General Security of Military Information Agreement from 2002, which made it possible for India and the US to share defense knowledge.
Washington and Delhi signed the Basic Exchange and Cooperation Agreement ( BECA ) in 2020, which gave India real-time access to its geospatial intelligence. GEOINT is crucial for cybersecurity activities, and it should be noted.
GEOINT is effective in monitoring the activities of terrorist groups and those connected to them, aside from a standard security application. Satellite pictures, for example, can help determine their teaching tents and other infrastructure. Another powerful tool for geospatial intelligence, an unmanned aerial vehicle ( UAV ), is good at tracking movements in real time.
The Quad is helpful to all the parties involved as it boosts participation in a variety of locations, including sea protection, disaster relief, digital security, and terrorism. And still confidence is not recommended. Any empire needs to progress and stay current in order for it to survive and prosper. But if the Quad.
Tatiana Kanunnikova, a student of the Moscow State Institute of International Affairs, is working on a dissertation on international jihadism and cybersecurity.
Flights cancelled in Japan after scissors go missing
After a pair of shears went missing in a shop close to the board gates, a total of 76 flights were canceled and 201 were delayed at a Chinese aircraft over the weekend.
On Saturday night, Hokkaido’s New Chitose Airport home switch was subject to security checks for about two time, leaving lots of travelers stranded for a short while.
As people in the exit lounge were forced to recapture security checks, there were significant obstacles and queues.
The missing knives were discovered the following day at the same business despite their best efforts.
Although the knives were n’t located on Saturday, the morning they went missing, safety checks and airlines gradually resumed that morning.
New Chitose Airport’s technician, Hokkaido Airport, announced on Monday that a store employee had discovered the shears on Sunday.
Officials explained that they waited until it was established that the scissors were identical to the ones that were lost before making the announcement.
Some travelers who were impacted by the delays and cancellations were returning home after Japan’s annual Bon trip.
” I do n’t think we have any choice ( but to wait )”, one traveller told local media at the time. ” But I do wish they take a little more precaution with it.”
Another traveler claimed that there were” so many things to worry about these days… it not ends.” And I do n’t feel safe until I get home”.
Hokkaido Airports are being urged by the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport, and Tourism to look into the matter and stop it from occurring repeatedly.
The store’s inappropriate store and control systems, according to Hokkaido Airport, led to this happening, according to Hokkaido Airport. We are aware that this tragedy also has potential connections to terrorism or hijacking, and we will when more work to raise awareness of this.
On X, users on social media praised the airport’s handling of the event, with some claiming that it reaffirmed their faith in Chinese air safety.
This incident demonstrated the precision of Chinese aviation and the protection of its manuals. one person wrote.
Another person said it “made me realize once more that New Chitose Airport is a healthy aircraft to apply.”
New Chitose is one of Japan’s busiest airports, serving the country’s second-most travelled home weather way – between Tokyo and Sapporo – according to aviation analytics firm OAG.
In 2022, more than 15 million people used the aircraft.
Chika Nakayama provided further reporting in Tokyo.
Bali’s overtourism a cautionary tale for developing Asia – Asia Times
After related protests in Venice before in 2024, Barcelona occupants marched against tourists in July.
People of Santorini, Greece, lately expressed outrage after receiving a Facebook post that reportedly demanded that they stay home to make room for the thousands of tourists expected to travel during the busiest holiday season.
These are signs of overtourism: a scenario where visits exceed a location’s capability, making residents unhappy and tourists terrible. Regional governments have proposed hospitality taxes or entrance fees to increase the cost of travel and, in turn, reduce how many people show up.
Some researchers studying tourism have urged people to take vacations in remote or less developed nations in order to improve their economies. But, overtourism exists in the developing world also. Here’s what it looks like.
Go on a tourist-swamped area
Bali, the country’s largest holiday destination, accounts for roughly half of all international visitors to the island nation.
Although a major contributor to carbon pollution, which are expected to disproportionately harm poorer nations like Indonesia, is air travel is the most trusted way to get there. Approximately 15 million guests arrived in 2023 – close to their stage in 2019, before the crisis.
Bali’s tourism-dependent economy ( providing 61 % of regional GDP in 2019 ) was more or less frozen by Covid-19. However, for travelers who spent lockdown in places, the pandemic even left Bali, and especially the island’s remote parts, with a renewed brightness. Penglipuran, a traditional Balinese town in the northern mountains, was attracting thousands of visitors every day in July.
Encouraging people to visit poorer areas is risk people but in a different way than how individuals in , Venice , or , Barcelona , practice it. After all, streets and public transportation in wealthy European cities are stronger maintained.
The Bali bridges get busier every year due to the constant growth in visitors. On the island, there are approximately one-to-one ratio of vehicles to people, whereas public transportation use is still low. For six days before New Year’s Eve 2023, traffic prevented travellers from entering and leaving Bali’s aircraft.
In remote Bali, the hilly terrain, humid conditions and poorer public transportation mean citizens must concentrate on cars and scooters. The resultant pollution and noise degrade the agrarian experience. If the majority of Bali’s power is still produced from fossil fuels, switching these vehicles to work on electricity may not completely solve the issue. Nor would it split road overcrowding.
Tourists want to travel to numerous remote areas of Bali using a trustworthy means of transportation. Some people have rented cars or motorcycles because of the limited options, but poor customers laws have made it possible for misbehavior: visitors driving without tops or helmets or even licenses. In March 2023, the provincial government partially outlawed renting motorcycles for foreigners.
Residents of the island have worked for decades to transport tourists freely despite the island’s slog of visitors. In response to efforts to reduce overcrowding and vacation chaos, such as creating free shuttle bus services or public transportation for tour groups, local protests and the ire of vehicle hire companies have resulted in protests.
To go or not to go
Unchecked growth wastes the mutual advantages that hospitality may offer both residents and visitors. Also, neither people nor visitors should be prohibited from traveling, but should instead go properly.
A proposed railroad transportation plan that would link Bali’s airport to Seminyak and Nusa Dua, Bali’s most well-known neighborhoods, may help reduce road travel around the town center. Rural car rental companies may continue to operate in rural locations, but they could only serve customers on less busy roads.
Poor countries may be cautious about relying on tourism for the long term. The Indonesian government is looking at its options in at least different fields, including agriculture and the electronic market.
Bali, one of the poorest countries, has less training than wealthy nations to control the socioeconomic and environmental charges of overtourism. And finally, a bruised tourism sector contains the seeds of its own demise: declining economic quality, angry residents and, finally, fewer tourists.
Rama Permana is PhD Candidate in Sustainable Travel, Bournemouth University
This content was republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons license. Read the original post.
Australia and Indonesia seal treaty-level defence pact
Australia and Indonesia have come to a treaty-level agreement for defense cooperation that allows Australian and Indonesian militaries to operate from their own countries, according to Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese on Tuesday ( Aug 20 ). ” It will be a critical board for our two countries to helpContinue Reading