Upgrades for city’s pavements
Bangkok governor Chadchart Sittipunt has promised to improve at least 100 kilometres of pavements in each of Bangkok’s 50 districts within a year.
He made the pledge in response to a query by Move Forward Party (MFP) councillor for Phaya Thai district Peeraphon Kanokwalai at a Bangkok council meeting on Wednesday, in which he asked when the governor will start working on the city’s pavements — many of which are in a state of disrepair.
At the meeting, Mr Peeraphon reminded Mr Chadchart that improving the city’s pavements is one of the Bangkok Metropolitan Administration’s (BMA) key policies.
In response, Mr Chadchart said the BMA’s Public Works Department is planning to start improving the pavements along 17 main roads across Bangkok.
The department, he said, is in the process of preparing a budget to fund the plan, and the project will be completed within a year.
The governor said at least 100km of pavements in every district will be upgraded this year.
The project will be carried out in phases, as there are over 3,000km of roads in the capital alone where pavements need to be improved.
At the meeting, Mr Peeraphon also asked about the standard used in designing and building pavements in Bangkok, saying many pavements have been damaged after brief floods.
“I have never seen a pavement [in Bangkok] that’s up to standard,” he said, adding the BMA should explain why it has approved so many different materials for pavement construction.
Deputy Bangkok governor Wisanu Subsompon told the council meeting the BMA has approved three materials for pavement construction, namely stamped concrete, floor cement tiles and stamped asphalt.
Mr Peeraphon also urged the BMA to build more disabled-friendly pavements to accommodate those who are wheelchair-bound.
Mr Wisanu said the BMA has adopted pavement models which are easily accessible to those who are physically handicapped, as well as people with other mobility issues.
The deputy governor said the BMA is also looking at the positioning of large trees along the city’s pavements, admitting some trees are obstructing pedestrians.
PM vote picks size the field
Pheu Thai, PPRP plans still a mystery
Move Forward Party (MFP) leader Pita Limjaroenrat’s bid for prime minister hangs in the balance as a joint sitting of parliament will convene on July 13 for the crucial vote for a new PM.
House speaker Wan Muhamad Noor Matha said on Wednesday that if a PM candidate fails to win in a first round of voting, further rounds will be held until a candidate secures the required support in the joint sitting.
Meanwhile, it is not clear whether the Pheu Thai Party, which won the second largest number of House seats in the May 14 election, will nominate a candidate and who it will be if Mr Pita fails to win the post.
Key Pheu Thai figures had previously said the party would support Mr Pita’s bid but if he failed, Pheu Thai would then consider nominating its own candidate.
It is also not known yet whether the outgoing coalition parties, particularly the Palang Pracharath Party (PPRP) and the United Thai Nation Party (UTN), would also nominate any candidates.
However, speculation has been rife that PPRP leader Prawit Wongsuwon and UTN leader Pirapan Salirathavibhaga may also be nominated if Mr Pita fails to secure the support of senators.
By that time, the PPRP and the UTN would have been expected to lobby hard for support for their respective candidates, sources said.
Mr Wan, also parliament president, said he has scheduled voting for July 13 in consultation with Senate Speaker Pornpetch Wichitcholchai.
The 250 appointed senators are allowed by the constitution to participate in the vote, along with the 500 elected members of the House of Representatives.
Mr Wan said a PM candidate may win the post in the first round of voting on July 13.
If the vote is not in the candidate’s favour, another vote will be called.
Under the constitution, a PM 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.
“Parliament must convene until a prime minister is elected. Mr Pita may not be the only candidate,” Mr Wan said.
“Mr Pita could win the post. Otherwise, a new prime minister must be chosen anyway.
“Under the constitution, parliament is duty-bound to elect a prime minister to run the country. The country cannot go without a prime minister.”
Move Forward won the most seats in the general election and has the right to attempt to form a government first.
Mr Wan said the eight coalition parties have 312 votes supporting Mr Pita for prime minister next week.
They need 64 more votes from senators or other MPs to reach the required minimum support of 376.
If Mr Pita is not elected in the first round, the constitution does not stipulate if a previously nominated person or a new candidate should be nominated at the joint sitting.
However, candidates must be from the lists submitted by parties to the Election Commission (EC) and their qualifications must be verified by the poll agency.
If they fail to win endorsement from the House and the Senate, an outsider can be nominated as allowed by Section 272 of the constitution, but the process is rather complicated, Mr Wan said.
Under the constitution, if a joint sitting of parliament fails to select a new premier from party candidate lists, Section 272 would trigger an alternative route.
In such a situation, half of the 750 MPs and senators can initiate a motion to suspend the rule requiring that PM candidates come from party lists, paving the way for an outsider to be selected.
Such a motion requires the support of two-thirds of all the lawmakers, or 500, to suspend the rule.
A nominated outsider would also need at least 376 votes to become prime minister.
Mr Pita faces complaints questioning his eligibility over a shareholding in iTV Plc.
The constitution bars individuals with media shareholdings from running for office.
Commentary: Whether Taylor Swift or Coldplay, buying concert tickets doesnât have to be a nightmare
By regulating resales and investing in anti-bot technology, ticketing companies can protect the integrity of ticket sales, prevent scalping, and ensure a fair and transparent ticketing process.
WHAT ABOUT ANTI-SCALPING LAWS?
Real-name registration has also been mooted to discourage ticket scalping by linking tickets to specific individuals. Pop band Mirror implemented this for their 2022 Hong Kong shows, though this reportedly contributed to longer waiting times to access the website.
Online scalping also persisted, as some tickets were obtained through channels like a lottery that did not require real-name registration.
Still, why not a similar system in Singapore or one using Singpass for verification? It could, in theory, help verify ticket purchases and prevent scalping bots from running amok. But making it difficult for non-residents and visitors to get tickets could backfire if it makes Singapore less attractive as a regional concert hub, drawing fewer acts or having fewer shows.
The crucial role of enforcement has also been thrown into the spotlight, with calls for national anti-scalping laws in Australia and Brazil (where a Bill nicknamed the Taylor Swift law was introduced in June). But there are downsides to legislation against scalping, which we need to consider.
Legislation may not only be seen as interfering with the free market, but it can also be resource intensive as it requires close cooperation between authorities, ticketing platforms, and event organisers. Worse still, it may drive the market underground or push scalpers to adopt more sophisticated methods, making it harder to detect.
Commentary: Cut plastic packaging? Not so straightforward in modern Singapore
This meant wrapping bunches of herbs in dampened kitchen towels and stowing them in airtight storage containers, for example. Good storage habits such as these are just as relevant in the space of a home, keeping produce fresh for longer while simultaneously reducing our reliance on plastic packaging.
PLASTIC-FREE ALTERNATIVES AROUND THE WORLD
As supermarkets worldwide grapple with their culpability in climate change, a variety of solutions have emerged. Thai, Vietnamese and Filipino supermarkets have begun using banana leaves to wrap vegetables, a practice that is not uncommon at traditional markets in these countries.
While creative, the banana leaves only serve to bundle up produce – they do not provide the same airtight protection for meat, seafood, vegetables, and fruit as plastic does. Also, banana leaves as packaging might pose problems for those suffering from latex allergies.
Zero waste stores are abundant in the Netherlands, where I live. Large dispensers house everything from nuts to rice, and consumers are encouraged to bring their own bags, jars, or containers. While bulk has a buy-only-what-you-need appeal, it requires a whole overhauling of the grab-and-go supermarket experience.
Cross-contamination also poses another challenge. UnPackt, the first zero waste store to open in Singapore, has reported customers not respecting the hygiene required to keep the packaging-free foods fresh. Because of this, to supermarkets, bulk remains a liability that outstrips its environmental virtues.
NO STRAIGHTFORWARD SOLUTIONS
It is clear that there isn’t a magic bullet that eradicates plastic in supermarkets. A carrot-and-stick approach, where Singaporeans are rewarded for positive climate action or given disincentives as negative reinforcement, however, does not truly reach the heart of the matter.
‘I’m paying for the time saved’: Parents on why they still want a car despite record COE prices
A NEED OR A LUXURY?
Father-of-two Michael Teo decided to upgrade from a sedan to a small MPV – a Chevrolet Orlando – after his second child was born. He paid S$110,000 for the car in 2017, including S$65,000 for the COE.
The car model has been discontinued, but a comparable car like the Honda Freed would cost him about S$169,000 now.
Mr Teo spends between S$1,000 and S$2,000 a month on his car, including expenses like insurance, road tax and petrol.
“The car is definitely a lot more useful for families with young kids,” the 39-year-old public servant said. “When it was just me and my wife, you could say it’s a luxury … But when we had kids, it became more of a need.”
Mr Teo, who considers himself middle-income, said he tries to find “ways and means” not to spend too much on his car.
“The car is a need for me for now, but if I can help it, I will try not to drive so much.”
Mr Teo works near Dhoby Ghaut and takes the train to work three times a week, as he works from home on the other days. He leaves the car at home with his wife, which she uses to send the kids – aged seven and 10 – to school every morning.
They did not sign up for the school bus service because it means one hour less of sleep every morning for their children, he added.
The couple also drive their children to enrichment classes once or twice a week, and they use their car when visiting elderly relatives.
“The car adds options to places that we can bring the kids to over the weekend, especially when you want to go to the zoo or a nature park … the car really helps to save a lot of time,” said Mr Teo.
For example, it takes one to two hours to get from his home to Sungei Buloh Nature Park by public transport, but just 30 minutes by car, he added.
“Singapore’s weather is quite unpredictable, so suddenly if we need to change plans because of the weather or the kids get tired, the car just gets us home quickly.”
Now that his children are older, the family sometimes makes it a point to leave the car at home, he said, adding that his children enjoy the journey on a bus or train.
His car’s COE is due to expire in three years. When the time comes for him to replace his car and COE prices are still high, Mr Teo said he would rethink whether he really needs a car.
His children will also be entering secondary school then, and the car will be less important. If he decides to buy a car, he may buy a secondhand one instead, he told CNA.
Mr Teo stopped short of agreeing that every family with children needs a car. “I imagine you can do it without a car as well, it’s just that you need to shape your lifestyle a bit differently.
“I’m paying for the time saved for a certain lifestyle, to do certain things. It’s not so easy to weigh those two things – time versus cost.”
What is it like to be a storm chaser in Singapore? Director of CNA documentary One Billion Joules shares his experience
The chat group allowed these storm chasers to share their passion at a time when most of us were confined at home. There are now more than 120 active members in the chat, but for a long time, most of them had been chasing storms by themselves due to pandemic restrictions.
This year, the members have been organising more storm chases with each other. For some, it’s the first time they’re meeting in real life.
PRECISION IN ACTION
It was fascinating to document these passionate photographers, as I observed how they planned and carried out storm chases. For budding storm chasers, here are some tips when it comes to taking that perfect shot.
Plan ahead: You should scout out the weather pattern at least 72 hours before any potential storm chase. This allows you to be on location early, so that the thunderstorm is in front rather than on top of you. It makes capturing that lightning strike much easier and you can avoid getting drenched.
Location matters: Find high, sheltered areas that give you a panoramic view of every direction. Even better if it comes with interesting foregrounds like MRT stations, iconic buildings or water bodies. The SG Storm Trackers have created their own Google map with pinned locations of good vantage points across Singapore.
Handy equipment: Get a camera with interval (timelapse) or live composite function. As lightning is unpredictable, you can activate the timelapse function for ease of shooting. A remote control is also useful. Don’t forget to invest in a sturdy tripod or a clamp too. These come in handy when you are shooting from high vantage points, and times when you’ll need to secure your camera against the elements.
Catch One Billion Joules on CNA or on CNA’s YouTube channel on Jul 7, 9pm.
PPRP considers whips for PM vote
Aligning of votes deemed ‘crucial’
The Palang Pracharath Party (PPRP) is considering appointing whips from within the current government coalition ahead of the upcoming prime minister vote, its deputy leader Chaiwut Thanakamanusorn said.
He said the coalition, which includes the PPRP, the United Thai Nation Party (UTN), Bhumjaithai, the Democrat Party and the Chartthapattana Party, needs whips after the election of the first deputy speaker of the House on Tuesday.
Witthaya Kaewparadai, of the UTN, who was seen as representing the current government coalition, ran against Move Forward’s Padipat Suntiphada in the election and received 105 votes, although the bloc has 188 votes. The Bhumjaithai Party, the largest party in the bloc with 71 votes, abstained from voting and triggered speculation about a possible split in the bloc’s vote.
Mr Chaiwut said it was not the case of a split vote. The government parties simply did not discuss how they would vote in selecting the first deputy speaker. Although the vote result had no political impact, he said that the current government parties need coordination to ensure they vote the same way in the next crucial vote.
“We just didn’t discuss it. We also wanted to see how things went with the other side so we get a picture of how many votes each side has,” he said.
The PPRP deputy leader denied any knowledge of Pheu Thai possibly forming an alternate coalition with Bhumjaithai and his party with PPRP leader Gen Prawit Wongsuwon as prime minister.
Gen Prawit on Wednesday declined to answer reporters’ questions about forming a rival coalition and him being nominated for prime minister in the parliamentary vote.
Meanwhile, Public Health Minister Anutin Charnvirakul appeared to avoid reporters on Wednesday when he arrived for a cabinet meeting at Government House. The Bhumjaithai Party leader entered and left the Thai Khu Fah Building via the back door instead of the main door that was swamped by reporters.
Mr Anutin also posted on Facebook a picture of a car, believed to be a 2002 BMW, with a message that he is prepared to return his official car and switch back to a “legendary” car.
Care sought for other jumbos
Thailand is seeking to strike deals with several veterinarian organisations in Sri Lanka to ensure proper care for Thai ambassador elephants, Natural Resources and Environment Minister Varawut Silpa-archa said on Wednesday.
The move is in response to mounting concerns over the health and welfare of two more Thai ambassador elephants in Sri Lanka following the repatriation of Sak Surin, he said.
The 30-year-old ailing male elephant is now under the care of the Elephant Hospital at the Thai Elephant Conservation Centre in Lampang province.
It was flown home from Sri Lanka on Sunday after living there for 22 years.
The other two male elephants are Pratu Pha, 49, and Sri Narong, which is about the same age as Sak Surin.
Pratu Pha was sent as a gift to Sri Lanka 37 years ago, while Sak Surin and Sri Narong were sent 22 years ago, also as goodwill gifts.
The veterinary medicine faculty at a university in the Sri Lankan city of Kandy recently contacted the Department of National Parks, Wildlife and Plant Conservation and expressed a willingness to take care of the remaining Thai elephants and also work with Thai authorities, said the minister.
A Thai veterinarian team, along with Kanchana Silpa-archa, an adviser to the ministry’s strategy working group, will travel to Sri Lanka in September to seek further cooperation and sign an MoU with these organisations, Mr Varawut said.
This expected cooperation will benefit not only Thai elephants in Sri Lanka but also other elephants in the country, he said.
Pratu Pha, for one, will likely have to stay on and receive treatment in Sri Lanka as it is now too old to travel to receive treatment in Thailand, he said, citing expert opinions.
During the September visit, Ms Kanchana also intends to visit Sri Narong, said Mr Varawut.
As for Sak Surin, since it is now under His Majesty the King’s patronage, there is no need to discuss whether the elephant will have to be returned to Sri Lanka or not, he said.
85k road transport complaints
More than 85,000 complaints related to road transport in Bangkok were lodged with the Department of Land Transport (DLT) during October-June, with services refusing to take passengers and reckless driving topping the list.
According to DLT deputy director-general Seksom Akaraphan, 85,438 complaints were filed with the department over the past nine months.
About 91% (78,254) of the complaints were addressed, Mr Seksom said.
The complaints were accepted through the 1584 hotline as part of the department’s plan to improve public transport services, take feedback and ensure passenger safety.
Of these complaints, 31,554 involved public transport services, including taxis, motorcycle taxis, tuk-tuks, song-taew, buses, minibuses and passenger vans.
Refusing to take passengers and reckless driving topped the complaints against public transport services, and more than 80% were resolved.
The other complaints included being impolite, refusing to stop at bus stops and overcharging.
The remaining 53,884 complaints involved individual cars and other vehicles, with about 94% of them being addressed, he said.
Mr Seksom called on public transport service providers to strictly comply with laws and regulations or face penalties.
Services-demand growth down, PRC spurs consumptionÂ
To deal with indications that China’s growing youth unemployment and weakening domestic demand may have formed a vicious cycle, the country plans to promote “new consumption,” which refers to a retail model emphasizing online sales and mobile payment.
The government made that call following a slowdown in the growth of China’s services activity in the second quarter of this year. The Caixin China services purchasing managers’ index (PMI) decreased from 57.1 in May to 53.9 in June, the slowest growth rate since January this year, according to a statement published on Wednesday.
An official argued that by promoting “new consumption,” which refers to the use of online and offline shopping and mobile payments to upgrade sales channels, China can create new space for domestic demand and stabilize the job market.
“In order to form a strong domestic market, it is necessary for our country to firmly implement the strategy of expanding domestic demand,” the official, Zheng Shanjie, chairman of the National Development and Reform Commission, said in an article published by the Qiushi Journal on Tuesday. Specifically, he said, it’s necessary to “comprehensively promote consumption, accelerate the upgrading of consumption quality, expand investment space and support the innovation of new products.”
Zheng’s remarks follow a June 29 decision by China’s State Council to enact a program that is aimed at encouraging people to buy furniture and home appliances. Under the program, the government will support private companies’ efforts to develop new innovative home-use products to upgrade people’s homes and in the process support China’s economic recovery.
‘Slow employment’
Many young people who cannot find satisfactory jobs and prefer to stay home or go traveling rather than take what’s available now describe their status as having “slow employment,” instead of being jobless. About 18.9% of graduates will choose to have “slow employment” this year, up from 15.9% last year, according to a survey conducted by Zhilian Recruitment, a Chinese human resource agency.
On June 15, the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) said the jobless rate in China’s urban areas remained unchanged at 5.2% in May from April. The unemployment rate of people aged between 16 and 24 was 20.8% while that of those aged between 25 and 59 was 4.1% last month.
NBS spokesperson Fu Linghui said only about six million young people in China were still searching for jobs – but he did not count the 11.6 million graduates about to enter the job markets. June is graduation season in China as it is in many countries around the world.
A commentary published by the state-owned Economic Daily said the society should find out why young people choose to have “slow employment,” which has so far remained a neutral term but can become another form of “lying flat” over the long run.
“Lying flat” is used in China to describe young people’s rejection of societal pressures to overwork and over-achieve.
The opinion piece said local governments should hold more job-matching activities for those who don’t want to have “slow employment” and more apprenticeship programs for those who want to enter the advanced manufacturing sector.
It said local governments should also regulate and improve working conditions in the private sector so that young people will no longer want to wait and see but take jobs.
On June 25, the Ministry of Human Resources and Social Security launched a nationwide program to create new jobs and push promote job matching in the country. It said that between July and December, each fresh graduate will be given the opportunity to receive at least one vocational guidance session, three job recommendations, one skill training program and one internship opportunity. It said the government may subsidize private firms to increase headcount.
Targeted measures
The 53.9 June growth in the PMI was below the market forecast of 56.2 as consumers scaled back spending on services such as travel and restaurants. Any reading over the 50-point mark indicates a month-on-month expansion while a number below that suggests contraction.
“Both supply and demand of services expanded further in June, but at a slower pace,” Wang Zhe, senior economist at Caixin Insight Group, says in the statement published by Caixin and S&P Global. “The gauges for business activity and total new orders both stayed above 50 for the sixth consecutive month, but logged their lowest readings since January and December, respectively, as the services market saw a weaker-than-expected recovery.”
“A slew of recent economic data suggests that China’s recovery has yet to find a stable footing, as prominent issues including a lack of internal growth drivers, weak demand and dimming prospects remain,” Wang says.
The newly-announced Caixin China services PMI matched with the official non-manufacturing PMI, which fell from 54.4 in May to 53.2 in June.
“It has been the non-manufacturing sector, buoyed by consumer spending, that has been keeping China’s economy growing in the first half of this year,” Robert Carnell, regional head of research, Asia-Pacific, ING, says in a research report published June 30. “But what this data confirms is that the initial surge contained a lot of pent-up demand.”
“Domestic tourism, and dining out have been making up for lost time in the early part of the year. But there is only so long that this can go on,” he says. “Other indicators of retail sales suggest that it remains well above historical trends, and suggests some further moderation over the second half of this year.”
He adds that although the government has already offered companies some tax exemptions, lowered financing costs and stimulated domestic demand during the pandemic, it should continue to monitor the business environment and launch more targeted and effective measures.
Read: China retail sales growth slow, job markets shaky
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