Commentary: Singapore has long resisted unemployment benefits, so why the change of heart?

Prevent long-term dependence and gambling

How can the program be made so that users won’t get gaming to be in their best interests?

There may be a cap on how much benefits are paid in order to deter people from being on support for an extended period of time and staying at home instead of constantly looking for work. Alternately, the level of support may be correlated with the length of unemployment, beginning fairly high in the early weeks before falling off over time until it finally reaches zero.

While many nations do include a cap on how long unemployment benefits can be paid, some nations, unexpectedly, do not.

Additionally, the sum shouldn’t be so high that it encourages people to stay poor. Consideration of the last drawn pay with a suitable amount of discounting is one strategy. For instance, a maximum cap may be imposed and the level of support set at the percentage of previous drawn pay.

Of course, a sensible strategy is required, and the discounting level shouldn’t be so high that it properly renders the support useless. The goal should be to give workers adequate protection so they can meet their urgent financial needs while they are unemployed while still making it difficult for them to find employment. & nbsp,

Mr. Wong made a reference to the rewards being” properly sized.” However, individuals will always have different ideas about what is ideal.

Will there be a fixed amount of support for justice? People who are happy to make less than this amount may be more likely to stay poor. Additionally, basing it on the final salary received would meet each person’s specific financial needs, but that would inevitably result in different amounts for different people.

Continue Reading

Commentary: Xi and Putin think they’re winning – and maybe they are

REDISTRIBUTION OF POWER

The typical objective outlined in their mutual declaration was the” transfer of power in the world ,” an ending to US supremacy, and the redefining of democracy and human rights as whatever a given state says they are, regardless of whether Putin disclosed to Xi specifics of his impending plans to invade Ukraine at their 2022 meeting.

For certain, Xi didn’t foresee Russia’s war machine being humiliated in Ukraine or that the West may react by uniting and expanding rather than by imploding, any more than Putin did. In a similar vein, it’s unlikely that Xi anticipated the latest Middle East blaze when the two officials met in February 2022.

However, trouble in Ukraine or the Middle East is a gain for China in terms of an all-out political conflict with the US. Both rely on US tools and focus. Both challenged the status quo. Options for Xi may arise as the US becomes involved in Israel’s retaliation against Hamas in Gaza and its partnerships with the Gulf Arab state will become strained.

Therefore, China has avoided any open criticism of Hamas while criticizing Israel for its social punishment of Palestinians in reply, only as Putin quickly laid the blame for the horrifying attack on Israeli civilians at the entrance of the US.

Putin and Xi are doubling down on their achievements in convincing the so-called Global South that the issue isn’t Russian anger in Ukraine or Hamas’ hideous criminal deeds in Israel, but rather the continued colonization of the US and Europe by courting the Arab world in this way.

Never mind the Taiwanese detention of Uyghur Muslims in Xinjiang province or the Russian destruction of Muslim Tatars in the occupied Crimea. The Arab injustice, with its imperial overtones and extensive background in centuries of conflict over control of the Holy Land, can infuriate the Arab Street unlike any other, which is why the story works.

But be prepared for Xi and Putin to deliver more vehement anti-Western messages this year. They may have experienced some financial and military failures, in Russia’s case, but they are making good progress when it comes to uniting various countries behind their produce.

Continue Reading

Is the COE system broken? Experts say it does its job but a review is needed

Singapore’s car population has been under the control of the system for the past 33 years since Certificates of Entitlement ( COEs ) for vehicle ownership were introduced.

However, authorities told CNA that private cars are now being used for ride-hailing providers and that the COE system has not undergone a” more basic review” to address these shifts. & nbsp,

COE costs for all types of cars once more peaked on Wednesday, October 18. While Category B cars, which are bigger and more powerful, breached an eye-watering S$ 150, 000, COE for smaller cars in Category A increased to S$ 106, 000 ( US$ 77, 500 ).

Members of the public have questioned whether the system is broken as data continue to be broken at each COE selling practice.

Singapore is being” penalized unnecessarily by a good system gone rogue ,” according to one Facebook commenter. Another advocated for its abolition and claimed that it is ineffective because there are still customers jam.

Economists were questioned by CNA regarding the validity of claims that the system cannot be repaired or whether it is operating properly.

Prices may be rising as a result of personal trucks being used for business purposes, they claimed. Consumers, for instance, & nbsp, must contend with rental companies and customers who plan to use the cars as private-hire cars.

According to Mr. Yeo Swee Guan, a control connect at Motorist Singapore,” PHVs and car rental ships may be significantly contributing to the historically high Department costs we are currently experiencing.

” While the cost of a COE at current costs may be an extremely significant cost to individuals and communities, they would be less of an issue to organizations whose companies are in rental or rent.”

According to Mr. Ng Lee Kwang, board director at commercial car rental company Goldbell Corp., purchasing a car makes feeling for those who are using it for business, such as hire fleet owners or people who drive private-hire vehicles.

We don’t include a( profit and loss statement ) as individual consumers, he claimed. ” We buy the car and we’re stuck with it ,” said & nbsp.

Private-hire cars can be transformed into private vehicles for sale. S$ 100( US$ 73 ) is required for the conversion.

Continue Reading

Analysis: Indonesia kicks off election season today to pick new president, legislators next February – here’s what to expect

JAKARTA: On Thursday, October 19, Indonesia formally launched its election process. Registration is available for candidates interested in participating in a number of elections, including the race to elect the nation’s next president. On February 14, 2024, more than 204 million Indonesians did cast their ballots as the third-largest democracyContinue Reading

Sikkim India floods: ‘I was holding mum’s hand but the water separated us’

RANGPO, SIKKIM, INDIA - 2023/10/08: People inspect their submerged houses in the flood affected area along the Teesta river. After a glacial lake in northeast India burst through a dam shortly after midnight, washing away homes and bridges and forcing thousands to flee, rescue workers continued to dig through muddy debris. (Photo by Biplov Bhuyan/SOPA Images/LightRocket via shabby Graphics)shabby Graphics

When the flood hit Shyam Babu Prasad’s house, he was unconscious.

He and his household formerly resided in Lal Bazar, a bustling market town in Sikkim, India, near the Teesta River.

A storm that was about 15 feet higher suddenly hit our house, and all of us were thrown by its force, according to Mr. Prasad.

In order to survive the stream, he clung to a ceiling fan, and the following day, someone saved him. However, his spouse, who had been with him the previous evening, had vanished.

According to Mr. Prasad, the ocean divided them. ” I screamed and called her name, but as soon as the water poured in, it was pitch black, and everything else masked my words.”

He was also looking for her more than ten days later.

Mr. Prasad is one of the 80, 000 people whose lives were ruined when a glacial lake in the Himalayas burst its businesses and caused dangerous flash floods. Since the downpour on October 4, at least 70 people, including nine men, have perished, hundreds have been displaced, and 76 individuals are still missing.

Santoshi Devi, the girl of Mr. Prasad who lived next door, was one of those who perished.

Although Mum and I were holding hands, the water’s army forced us apart. I repeatedly called my mother, but she was not that, according to Chandini, her child. The body of Devi was discovered three days later.

According to experts, the Teesta river was overflowed by fluids from the South Lhonak river as it cascaded down the valley, leaving a trail of death and destruction in its midst. A bridge downstream of the valley was also destroyed by the floodwaters, which led to an increase in water levels.

Sikkim floods

Manish Jalui / BBC

For years, a local group of nomads has been protesting the dam at Chungthang out of concern for the environment in the sustainably vulnerable area.

Gyatso Lepcha, a tribal chief who has been at the head of protests, said,” But we were told we are not authorities.”

The Sikkim state, however, which has been preoccupied with pleasure work, held a unique opinion.

According to Sikkim’s general secretary, Vijay Bhushan Pathak,” given the amount of rainfall, all the reservoirs and bunds overflowed in the condition.” Today, more activities are anticipated when the hillsides overflow. Whether the bridge burst or no will undoubtedly be looked into.

It’s still unclear what led to the South Lhonak burst. Some claim that a thunderstorm may have caused the disaster, while others blame the failure of the moraines at the glacier lake’s edge, which are made up of soft boulders, rocks, and soil. This was earlier reported by Navin Singh Khadka, an environment correspondent for the BBC. Some have even connected it to a seismic event.

According to experts, glaciers are melting more quickly as a result of global warming, which has resulted in an increase in the water levels of many Alpine lakes.

The damage has been unfathomable for the individuals of Sikkim. People in Singtham, a small settlement on the lenders of Teesta, cleared the ooze and dirt from their homes, or at least what was left of them.

Sikkim floods

Manish Jalui / BBC

A crucial bridge connecting the isolated town to the nearby village of Adarsh Nagar was destroyed by the floods. The only means of transportation between the two locations was a thin walls of an under-construction dam.

Anju Pradhan cautiously made his way down the rickety way. She was returning to the city to visit her 40-year-old home, where she had lived.

With nothing but the clothes they were wearing that evening, she and her mother-in-law managed to survive the storms.

” Someone called and told us to flee because the storm is coming. At a pleasure station in Singtham where she was staying with her family, she said,” There was no light, so we had to find our way in the dark.”

In the hopes of returning when things improved, the majority of people that day ran toward the gate to enter the town.

However, when we turned around, we noticed that the entire community had been submerged by the water. Yet the bridge we had just crossed was gone, Ms. Pradhan continued.

Sikkim floods

Manish Jalui / BBC

The rocks and rivers north of Teesta were the only places where the destruction was most obvious. Some bridges were entirely destroyed, while others had ruptures.

To get to the areas that have been cut off, participants climbed the steep mountains while carrying food and other necessities on their backs. As the recovery operations went on, an military aircraft would occasionally fly overhead.

An old woman was seen trudging through a mound of dirt on her way to Gangtok, the capital of Sikkim.

She claimed that her family, who are laborers, had come from the eastern state of Bihar to Sikkim to operate on a reservoir close to the town of Singtham.

She was searching through the rubble of her home after it had been washed away for her belongings, including a collection of wage receipts. She claimed they were crucial to establishing her employment status at the dyke.

” That will at least aid in our payment.”

PM taps Putin for 2024 visit

Next month, Russian President Vladimir Putin has been invited by Prime Minister Srettha Thavisin for an official visit to Thailand.

On Tuesday, the Thai premier and Mr. Putin met in Beijing to discuss President Xi Jinping’s Belt and Road Initiative( BRI ) in trade and infrastructure.

Following the meeting, Mr. Srettha, who also serves as finance minister, remarked that President Putin had emphasized how the Russian-Turkish marriage has been well-established for more than 125 years and has made it possible for effective bilateral trade and cultural markets.

Mr. Putin expressed his satisfaction with the Thai commission’s assent to boost the economy through tourism after Thailand extended the new card immunity for Russian tourists from 30 days to 90 days, according to Mr Srettha.

According to what I understand,” Mr. Putin” enjoys Phuket and frequents the destination island. He accepted my invitation to travel to Thailand for business the following month and expressed his gratitude in Thai. He continued,” He is exposed to the country because he speaks a little Thai.

According to a cause, Mr. Putin accepted his Thai rival’s invitation, and the formal visit date would quickly be made public.

Following the discussion between the two rulers, government spokesman Chai Wacharonke announced that Mr. Srettha and President Putin had both agreed to step up their cooperation in order to strengthen diplomatic ties.

Mr. Putin wanted Thailand and Russia to cooperate on both the bilateral and multilateral levels, particularly on ethnic and sporting issues, because he recognized that they have long been close friends.

He predicted that 2024 would be a time of markets between Thailand and Russia in terms of culture and tourism. Following the arrival of one million Russians in Thailand, the government on Monday approved the extension of the tourist visa freedom from 30 days to 90 times for Russian visitors.

A social pact was also discussed between the prime minister and the leader of Russia, allowing the two nations to coordinate trade and regional security initiatives.

Continue Reading

Activists demand truth about Thaksin hospital stay

Activists demand truth about Thaksin hospital stay
Thaksin: Visiting the policeman medical

Yesterday, a party identifying as the Network of Students and People Reforming Thailand urged the Ministry of Justice to prevent granting Thaksin Shinawatra, the former prime minister, exclusive privileges.

According to the party, Thaksin is being treated differently from another prisoners by the government.

The government threatened to assemble at the Premium Ward on the 14th surface of the Police General Hospital, where Thaksin was rumored to be staying, to determine whether he was actually there and tired enough to warrant being treated that, if it did not respond to the need.

After returning on August 22 from a 15-year self-imposed captivity, Thaksin was admitted to the hospital from Bangkok Remand Prison.

According to Pichit Chaimongkol, a group representative, the group’s three demands are for Thaksin to return to prison right away, that there be no extension to his treatment outside of prison, and that an organization for human rights be permitted to keep an eye on his health and spread the” truth” to the public.

He claimed that the government had been unable to persuade the populace that Thaksin was actually ill.

Phongsaward Neelayodhin, the permanent secretary of justice, was the recipient of the list of requirements.

The department and the hospital are under increasing pressure to reveal how they handled Thaksin’s alleged critical illnesses as a result of this action.

Last month, a picture of Thaksin being scanned on cot went viral on social media.

Nevertheless, Thaksin’s 90-day out-of-prison hospitalization time is scheduled to end tomorrow.

Another member of the group, Nazer Yihma, stated that if the government does not answer its call, it will be forced to ascend to the hospital’s 14th floor to determine whether Thaksin is actually poor or not.

The group may last petition the National Anti-Corruption Commission to look into the everlasting secretary for justice for dereliction of duty if she does not answer the call, he said.

Continue Reading

MFA warns Thais travelling abroad

Thai travelers have been forewarned by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs ( MFA) to stay away from conflict zones and protests related to the Israeli-Hamas war for their own safety.

Please take precautions, following announcements from local authorities, and remain watchful entering, or prevent, areas that are the issue of warnings when there is a combat situation in Israel and discord between groups of people, representative Kanchana Patarachoke said monday.

The travel advice came in response to current advice from the Thai diplomats in Paris and Brussels to stay away from crowded places.

Following new explosive hazards in France, the Thai embassy in Paris advised taking measures on Tuesday. Thais were advised to stay away from crowded places by the Thai consulate in Belgium.

According to Ms. Kanchana, the government does not forbid travel abroad because it is a private right. In case they require assistance, Thai travelers may keep the contact information of Thai offices close at hand.

She advised visitors to heed the counsel provided by regional officials and offices.

Continue Reading

CCIB seek warrants for iPhone scam

Authorities are acting after a teen commits suicide.

A 19-year-old student who was tricked into paying for an iPhone 13 that she never received is thought to have committed suicide by hanging, according to the Cyber Crime Investigation Bureau( CCIB ), which is getting ready to file an arrest warrant.

The Mathayom 6( Grade 12 ) student had contacted” Hannah” mobile phone shop online via Facebook to say she wanted to buy a phone, according to an investigation by the police.

However, investigations revealed that the store was false, and the website provided a fictitious target for the alleged store in Chiang Rai’s Mae Sai area.

The woman, who resided in the southwestern province of Nakhon Si Thammarat, was tricked into purchasing an iPhone 13 and forced to make a downpayment and make installment payments for various expenses.

The woman ultimately gave the group 18, 500 ringgit. The funds were then reportedly wired to the ghost buy using a Dokkaew Kaewejerm bank account. Since then, it has been frozen. Additionally, the victim was duped into transferring an additional 2, 000 baht as a” guarantee” payment.

Police claimed that after sending the final payment and discovering no telephone was being delivered, the girl realized she had been duped. She attempted to contact the merchant via a Line talk group in vain but was unsuccessful because the gang had previously blocked her.

She was so stressed out that she hanged herself at her house on Monday out of fear that her family had criticize her for borrowing money to spend money on a system they couldn’t afford.

After the defendant’s parents complained to the police digitally on Tuesday, CCIB key Pol Lt Gen Worawat Watnakhonbancha announced yesterday that Koh Thuad police had turned over the situation to them.

According to Pol Lt Gen Worawat, Cyber Crime Investigation Division 5 ( CCID5) is tracking the girl’s remittances to the vendor as well as the Facebook page and IP address of the fake store. Within two weeks, authorities anticipate that the suspects may be apprehended. To challenge arrest warrants, information has already been gathered.

The mob operated four pony bank accounts, according to Pol Maj Gen Charin Kopatta, commander of CCID5.

According to police, the woman’s cash payments were kept in Chiang Rai and would have been delivered to a lender in the border town of Tachileik, Myanmar.

Continue Reading

Decide on evacuation, says PM

Srettha Thavisin, the prime minister, has advised Thais living in Israel to make a decision about leaving the country right away, citing international worries about the situation there and the fact that 30 Vietnamese people have then died.

” I want those who are confused to decide as soon as possible because the risk is yours.” The government must make every effort to remove people since quickly and safely as possible if you want to return, Mr. Srettha stated yesterday in Beijing.

The most recent review of another Thai death in Israel, bringing the total to 30, he said, saddened him. At 16, the number of injured people remained the same, and at 17, there were kidnappings.

Mr. Srettha claimed to have spoken with UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres, who expressed shock at the number of Thai life lost in Israel.

The damage is the second-highest after the US, according to the prime minister, despite Thailand not being a conflicting party. He traveled to Beijing to enter the Belt and Road Forum for International Cooperation in China.

According to Mr. Srettha, when he met with other regional leaders in Beijing, they were all worried about Israel’s position. He claimed that although the Thai authorities was able to remove 600 Vietnamese staff from Israel every day, it was challenging to bring that many people together at once given the current situation.

An Airbus air power left Bangkok on its next flight yesterday morning to pick up Thais in Israel. Now, the 340-500 is expected to return with 145 residents.

The air pressure will carry on the operation through the end of this month, according to ACM Phanpakdee Pattanakul, the commander of the force.

162 Thai employees boarded Israel Airlines’ fifth aircraft, flight LY085, at 7.05 p.m. on Tuesday, according to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. According to a cause, Thai Airways carried 266 additional Thai workers back to the nation yesterday at 4:45 am on aircraft TG8951.

According to the Labour Ministry, 111 Siamese workers in Israel expressed a desire to stay there, while 8, 160 of them had registered their intention to return home. Since October 7, more than a thousand Vietnamese staff have been returned home.

Continue Reading