Commentary: The Global South is on the rise – but what exactly is it?
Until then, the more common term for developing nations – countries that had yet to industrialise fully – was “Third World”.
That term was coined by Alfred Sauvy in 1952, in an analogy with France’s historical three estates: The nobility, the clergy and the bourgeoisie. The term “First World” referred to the advanced capitalist nations; the “Second World”, to the socialist nations led by the Soviet Union; and the “Third World”, to developing nations, many at the time still under the colonial yoke.
Sociologist Peter Worsley’s 1964 book The Third World: A Vital New Force In International Affairs further popularised the term. The book also made note of the Third World forming the backbone of the Non-Aligned Movement, which had been founded just three years earlier as a riposte to bipolar Cold War alignment.
Though Worsley’s view of this Third World was positive, the term became associated with countries plagued by poverty, squalor and instability. Third World became a synonym for banana republics ruled by tinpot dictators – a caricature spread by Western media.
The fall of the Soviet Union – and with it the end of the so-called Second World – gave a convenient pretext for the term “Third World” to disappear, too. Usage of the term fell rapidly in the 1990s.
Meanwhile “developed”, “developing” and “underdeveloped” also faced criticism for holding up Western countries as the ideal, while portraying those outside that club as backwards.
King donates to Sak Surin rehabilitation
Whereabouts of 2nd jumbo a mystery
His Majesty the King has granted financial support for the medical treatment of repatriated jumbo, Sak Surin, Varawut Silpa-archa, the Minister of Natural Resources and Environment, said on Tuesday.
The 30-year-old elephant is currently under the care of the Elephant Hospital of the Thai Elephant Conservation Centre in Lampang province, having been flown home from Sri Lanka on Sunday after living there for 22 years.
Mr Varawut added that Sak Surin is eating well and can lie down and stand up by himself. However, the veterinarian found that the elephant could not bend his front left leg and had abscesses on both sides of his hip and a cataract in his right eye during an initial check-up.
“We will take good care of Sak Surin until he is strong again,” he said.
Sak Surin is currently undergoing a 30-day quarantine at the centre, and veterinarians will also check for other diseases before allowing him to associate with others at the centre and before allowing the public to visit.
Sak Surin lived at the Kande Viharaya temple in Aluthgama, in Sri Lanka’s south, where the tusker was allegedly abused and neglected before being taken to the National Zoological Gardens in Dehiwela last November, according to Rally for Animal Rights and Environment (Rare), a Sri Lanka-based animal protection organisation, which ran a campaign to rescue the elephant.
Meanwhile, the ministry will work with the Royal Thai Embassy in Colombo to help locate Pratu Pha, another elephant ambassador who was moved from Wat Sri Dalada Maligawa in Kandy a day before a scheduled visit from a team from Thailand.
Kanchana Silpa-archa, an adviser to the ministry’s strategy working team, said on Tuesday that the team consisted of officials from the ministry and the Department of National Parks, Wildlife and Plant Conservation (DNP) who wanted to check on other animals while on the mission to repatriate Sak Surin.
Pratu Pha, 45, was sent as a gift to Wat Sri Dalada Maligawa in Kandy in 1988.
Ms Kanchana said the team had an appointment with the abbot, but they had to cancel the inspection after being told that the jumbo was too temperamental for a visit.
She said the Thai team believed that Wat Sri Dalada Maligawa staff were afraid that the elephant would be repatriated.
“We still have no idea where the abbot took the elephant, but we have asked the ambassador to help coordinate,” she said.
The team also visited another elephant sent as a gift at the same time, Sri Narong, living at Kiri Vihara temple in Polonnaruwa. She said the jumbo is healthy and has been taken good care of.
Commentary: Mental health education – what more can we do for our children?
Alumni and parent support groups (PSG) should also consider stepping up to make mental health literacy an explicit priority for their members and bring in community partners to provide more mental health learning opportunities for students.
Last month, I was invited by the PSG of a neighbourhood school in Tampines to share my personal mental health journey and practices with their primary six cohort. It was heartening to see the 12-year-olds try their best to practise sitting still and breathing as I invited them to imagine “smelling your favourite flower” (inhale) and “gently blowing your birthday candle” (exhale).
After that, one student asked anonymously if they were crazy to feel so stressed out and anxious in the preparation for PSLE.
“No, you are not crazy – you are just human and only 12 years old”, was my empathic response.
Franklin Roosevelt famously said: “We cannot always build the future for our youth, but we can build our youth for the future”. Adolescence is a unique and formative time. Building a sense of self and meaning is important for the well-being of our young people.
Beyond peer support networks and CCE lessons, how much more and how urgently we invest in mental health education in families, schools and communities for our children speaks volume of our priorities for the future, and the kind of society we will become.
Let’s make every school a good well-being-promoting school.
Where to get help:
Samaritans of Singapore Hotline: 1767
Institute of Mental Health’s Helpline: 6389 2222
Singapore Association for Mental Health Helpline: 1800 283 7019
You can also find a list of international helplines here. If someone you know is at immediate risk, call 24-hour emergency medical services.
Anthea Ong is a former Nominated Member of Parliament, professional certified coach, leadership speaker and social entrepreneur (SG Mental Health Matters, A Good Space Co-operative, Hush TeaBar). She is also Chairperson of WorkWell Leaders, a Singapore-based charity focused on mental well-being as a leadership priority.
Commentary: Jokowiâs visit to Australia is about much more than electric vehicles
The EV ambition is emblematic of this vision for Indonesia and has become the focus of the President’s trip to Australia, particularly in securing raw materials required to establish successful battery production. But the ambition is wider.
In office, Jokowi has adopted a hands-on approach, frequently engaging with citizens, visiting remote areas, and listening to their concerns. Policy-wise he has maintained a focus on infrastructure development, economic reform, healthcare, social welfare, digitalisation, and sustainable growth.
Central to this is the government’s “downstreaming” policy, with the aim to unlock the full potential of Indonesia’s abundant natural resources as the basis for a more prosperous and sustainable future.
Jokowi wants Indonesia to capture a larger share of the value chain by moving out of raw material exports into processed and finished goods production. This is seen as key to unlocking greater economic value, creating jobs, and fostering innovation.
MORE THAN JUST EV PRODUCTION
For EVs, Jokowi’s administration has sought partnerships with other countries to leverage Indonesian advantages in nickel production, a crucial component in EV batteries.
However, Indonesia has limited lithium resources, another essential element in batteries and a resource Australia has in abundance.
Rescue teams run out of cash
Rescue foundations in the Northeast have suspended their free emergency response services after not receiving financial support from the National Institute for Emergency Medicine (Niem) for eight months.
Pisit Pongsirisupakul, vice-chairman and secretary-general of the Phutthatham Hook 31 Foundation in Nakhon Ratchasima, on Tuesday said at least five of its 50 rescue teams had stopped operating emergency ambulance services as they did not have money for fuel.
He said this was the case despite the foundation accepting public donations and once having 500,000 baht in its bank account, which is now in the red.
“We have more than two million baht in debts,” Mr Pisit said.
“The volunteer teams still operating have to pay for petrol themselves because if we stop our services, people will be badly affected,” he said.
Mr Pisit said he hoped Niem would show empathy to the foundation and other rescuers nationwide and speed up reimbursements.
Another foundation, Sawang Metta Thamma Sathan, in Muang district of Nakhon Ratchasima, also faces the same budget difficulties.
Some of the rescuers told local media yesterday that sometimes they needed to pick up patients who lived in remote places or up to 30km away from a hospital. They used their own money to provide the service.
The foundation urged Niem to help solve its financial problems quickly as they don’t want patients in need of emergency services to be impacted by such mismanagement of the state agency, according to the foundation.
In Khon Kaen, two units of the Highway Police Rescue (HPR), another voluntary foundation, suspended their emergency service after they ran out of funds.
HPR chairman, Nirun Udomkaew, said the unit had not received money from Niem for many months, and they now did not have money to pay for fuel or any of the equipment necessary to help people in need.
Database system
Niem deputy secretary-general Gp Capt Dr Pisit Charoenying said Niem had a 1.05-billion-baht budget to support emergency services provided by rescue volunteers this year, but a Niem database system has had problems since the end of last year, which resulted in Niem not being able to reimburse costs incurred by foundations.
“The system has been used for 15 years, and it was too old,” he said.
“We have a new system up and running, so we hope to allocate budgets for rescue units nationwide this month,” he added.
Dept pushes plan for dedicated cruise terminals in key destinations
The Marine Department is pushing for the development of a dedicated cruise terminal in Phuket, Koh Samui and Pattaya in an effort to tap into the rapidly growing sector, a source in the department said.
According to the department’s figures, prior to the Covid-19 pandemic, Thailand was one of the most popular stops for cruise liners passing through the region. In 2018, 219 cruise ships stopped over in Phuket, followed by Bangkok Port and Laem Chabang Port in Chon Buri (149), and Koh Samui (89).
The source said a dedicated cruise terminal will attract more ships to dock in Thailand, which will bring in more money for the local economy, as the average cruise passenger spends more than travellers who come by air or over land — forking out about 7,000 baht per day in Bangkok and Pattaya, 6,400 baht per day in Phuket and about 4,200 baht per day on Koh Samui.
In an effort to attract more high-spending tourists, the Marine Department has spent a total of 156.15 million baht between 2019-2023 to study the feasibility of opening dedicated cruise terminals in the aforementioned locations.
The department hopes the presence of a cruise terminal will entice more high-spending passengers from more affluent ports, such as Hong Kong and Singapore, to stop over and spend time in Thailand, the source said.
For instance, the department is planning to construct a cruise terminal in Pattaya, which will be able to accommodate 1,500 passengers when it is used as a home port or double the amount when used as a port-of-call.
Passengers would find it more convenient to have a dedicated stop to dock in Pattaya, as currently, those wishing to visit the resort city must disembark at Bangkok or Laem Chabang ports, which are actually container terminals.
Each port will be constructed under a public-private partnership model.
The plan, however, still needs to be approved by the new government, he said. The department expects the three ports will be opened in 2028, or around 900 days after construction starts.
A final farewell to Tawee
Privy Councillor ACM Chalit Pukbhasuk (7th from left) on Monday attends the funeral rites of Khunying Tawee Chearavanont, the wife of Dhanin Chearavanont (7th from right), Senior Chairman, Charoen Pokphand Group (CP Group). He took a group photo with Chearavanont family members and honoured guests.
Individuals in the photo include Soopakij Chearavanont (second left), Chairman of CP Group, Suphachai Chearavanont (far right), CEO of CP Group, Chai Chaiyawan (third left), Chairman of Executive Board of Thailife Insurance Plc, Worachai Bhicharnchitr (fourth left), Vice Chairman of Bangkok Post Plc and Ninnart Chaithirapinyo (sixth right), Honorary Executive Advisor of Toyota Motor Thailand.
Khunying Tawee passed away at King Chulalongkorn Memorial Hospital in Bangkok on June 28, aged 83. The funeral is at Windmill Village in Samut Prakan.
‘3 strikes’ for Pita’s PM bid
House speaker urges unity from coalition
If Move Forward Party (MFP) leader Pita Limjaroenrat fails in his bid to win the prime minister’s post during the first round of voting, he can expect one or two more chances before another deal must be struck, according to newly elected House speaker, Wan Muhamad Noor Matha.
The crucial first vote is expected within 15 days, Mr Wan said.
Asked to comment on what was likely to happen if that vote doesn’t go in Mr Pita’s favour, Mr Wan said: “We will have to consider how many votes he still lacks, and voting should be repeated one or two more times.”
“This is intended to be in line with a memorandum of understanding agreed upon by the eight prospective coalition parties, which all want to ensure Mr Pita gets the backing of a majority [of both MPs and senators],” he added.
“But if support still falls short [after three rounds], we would have to reach an understanding. The House speaker cannot afford to persist [in calling further rounds of voting] because members of parliament may not want to attend, and a lack of quorum would ensue.
“Most importantly, the eight parties must sincerely show that they have tried to the best of their ability [to support Mr Pita’s bid] so we can move on and work together,” Mr Wan noted.
A joint sitting of the House of Representatives and the Senate is expected to convene on July 13 to select a new prime minister, according to sources.
Under the constitution, a candidate would need the support of at least half of the 750 members of both the lower and upper chambers of parliament, or 376 in total, to win the post.
Asked to comment on what would happen if any party tables a bill to amend Section 112 of the Criminal Code, or the lese majeste law, to parliament, Mr Wan said any proposed legislative bill must not contradict the constitution.
“The constitution stipulates what can and cannot be done,” he said.
Amending Section 112 is one of the MFP’s election pledges, but it was not included in the MoU signed by the eight prospective coalition parties.
Mr Wan was elected uncontested as House speaker yesterday as he was the only nominee.
Mr Pita nominated him when the House began its first session. There were 496 representatives present — just four short of full attendance.
Mr Wan, 79, addressed the meeting, outlining his vision for the job as required by parliamentary regulations.
He said he would be politically neutral and follow the advice His Majesty the King gave when the monarch presided over the formal opening of parliament on Monday.
Mr Wan said he would do his job honestly and comply with all laws and parliamentary regulations.
Interim House speaker, Virote Pao-in, cancelled a planned clandestine vote for House speaker and officially announced Mr Wan as the occupier of the coveted position.
The two main coalition allies, the MFP and Pheu Thai, agreed on Monday to nominate Mr Wan for the job after weeks of insisting they each wanted one of their respective members to assume the title, resulting in a stalemate.
MFP MP for Phitsanulok, Padipat Suntiphada, was then elected first deputy House speaker and Pheu Thai MP, Pichet Chuamuangphan, the second speaker.
There was one other contender for first deputy speaker — Witthaya Kaewparadai, a list-MP of the United Thai Nation Party. In the secret ballot, Mr Padipat received 312 votes and Mr Witthaya 105 votes.
Mr Pita said the 312 votes Mr Padipat received demonstrated the unity and solidarity of the eight prospective coalition parties, adding this bodes well for his bid to become prime minister.
‘Global goal’ awaits new govt
Thailand’s new government, which is expected to take shape soon, should work to build confidence on the global stage and focus on balanced development, a seminar was told on Monday.
Speaking at a seminar on the future of Thai politics held by the National Press Council of Thailand, Chulalongkorn University political scientist Surachart Bamrungsuk said the world has recently faced five major crises, including the pandemic, a new Cold War and the Russia-Ukraine conflict.
These issues have affected Thailand’s security and economy, said Mr Surachart, adding that the upcoming government faces several domestic challenges that will determine the country’s and people’s abilities to handle future global disruptions.
Mr Suchart said Thailand’s role in international affairs has diminished while the country’s economy has taken a big hit from the global economic situation.
Domestically, the country still faces southern violence, political divisiveness, issues of civilian-military relations, post-Covid rehabilitation and challenges related to the transition to democracy, he said.
“These are the problems that await the new government,” Mr Surachart said. “They pose questions as to whether the new government will want to put the country on the geopolitical map and if it can bring political stability and boost economic confidence for the country on the global stage.”
In his speech, Somkiat Tangkitvanich, president of the Thailand Development Research Institute (TDRI), said that for a country to achieve balanced development, it must have a strong government and civil society.
Mr Somkiat said a strong government could tackle problems and promptly respond to people’s demands, adding that the government’s failure to tackle PM2.5 ultra-fine dust is an example of an ineffective government.
He said the country needs to strengthen its civil society to monitor and hold government policies accountable effectively.
According to Mr Somkiat, despite a low unemployment rate, Thai workers are considered underpaid compared to their productivity and consumer prices. He said that daily minimum wages should be 380-390 baht.
He said low wages lead to increases in household debts which, according to the Bank of Thailand, amounted to 16 trillion baht in the first quarter of this year, or 91% of GDP, following the redefinition of household debt.
The National Press Council of Thailand held the seminar to mark its 26th anniversary.
Despite a surge in jobseekers’ interest, Singapore employers are scaling back on remote work: Indeed
6.6% of job postings in May emphasise ‘Work from Home’ or ‘Remote Work’
Jobseeker interest in remote work remains high, with one in every 28 searches
The attitude to remote work from employers remains at odds with the preferences of jobseekers in Singapore. The latter remain keenly interested in remote work, whereas employers…Continue Reading