DBS’ Tan Su Shan to lead the bank in 2025; H1 profit hits record high | FinanceAsia

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On March 28, 2025, DBS announced the appointment of Tan Su Shan as the company’s second chief executive officer to take over from CEO Piyush Gupta. In the interval, Tan has become sheriff CEO of the institution, &nbsp, in addition to her place as team head of administrative banking.

After Gupta’s 15 years in charge, Tan, who joined Citi in late 2009, will become the first woman CEO in the company’s past. Following the review of both internal and external applicants, her appointment was made. In a company media release, Tan was cited as the strongest candidate in the lengthy development program attended by interior candidates. &nbsp,

Headquartered in Singapore, DBS is one of the largest banks in Asia with offices in Hong Kong, India, Indonesia, Japan, Korea, Malaysia, Myanmar, mainland China, Philippines, Taiwan, Thailand, United Arab Emirates ( UAE ) and Vietnam. DBS even has appearance in Australia, the UK and the US. The bank provides services to consumers, small-medium enterprises ( SME) and corporates.

In her new position, Tan will take more than 35 years of experience in customer banking, wealth management and administrative banking. Based in Singapore, Tan has even worked in different financial centres such as Hong Kong, Tokyo and London.

Tan has worked for DBS since 2010, beginning her career there in 2010 when she started her career in the bank’s money management division. She now oversees the company’s customer banking, wealth management, and institutional banking divisions, which account for 90 % of the company’s revenue. Across these jobs, Tan had likewise helped apply DBS ‘ digilisation approach, and since 2014 has been president director of DBS Indonesia.

Tan has also been nominated for a seat on the Singapore legislature from 2012 to 2014, and he has also been appointed to a number of advisory boards.

The announcement came as DBS revealed Q2 2024 net profit up 4 % to S$ 2.8 billion ($ 2.1 billion ) with a return on equity of 18.2 %. First-half net profit was up 9 % to a record high of S$ 5.76 billion, &nbsp, driven by “broad-based growth”, according to the bank. &nbsp,

Consumer banking and wealth management revenue increased by 18 % to S$ 5.06 billion for the first half of the 2024 financial year, partially offset by Citi Taiwan’s consolidation, which was completed in August 2023, to reach S$ 5.06 billion. Lower net interest income and higher loan-related fees, cash management fees, and treasury customer income were all factors that contributed to institutional banking income, which was” stable” at S$ 4.69 billion. Businesses trading revenue was much changed at S$ 433 million.

Despite experiencing regulatory issues with the Monetary Authority of Singapore following a number of interruptions, the banks recorded record profits of S$ 10.1 billion for the 2023 fiscal year. &nbsp,

DBS president Peter Seah said in a media launch,” Under Piyush’s management, DBS has been transformed into a high-performing, high-returns organization recognised together for security and innovation”.

Seah continued:” Tan’s proper orientation, track record in building companies, familiarity with technology, leadership skill as well as strong customer control and communication abilities make her the best son. Important for us, she even embodies the DBS lifestyle. I’m pleased that a Singaporean with extensive international experience has emerged as the ideal leader and that Piyush may continue to leave us.

Tan has collaborated strongly with me for more than ten years to get the banks where it is today, according to Gupta in the same release. Since joining, she has been instrumental in the growth of our money management, consumer banking, and administrative banking operations, and she now holds personal ownership of the business. With her visit, we can be certain that DBS’s change will continue well into the prospect.

¬ Capitol Media Limited. All rights reserved.

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Central Asia teaming up to ship clean power to Europe – Asia Times

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Azerbaijan, Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan are set to consolidate a strategic partnership in sustainable energy initiatives, a collaboration that promises to supply clean energy to Europe and beyond.  

The three nations, following a mid-July meeting, are set to finalize an intergovernmental agreement that emphasizes clean and renewable energy sources, energy efficiency and cutting-edge technologies.

Key provisions include joint efforts in generating, transporting and trading environmentally friendly hydrogen and ammonia. Moreover, they aim to facilitate the transmission and distribution of electricity from renewable sources.

The groundwork was laid during the Third Tashkent International Investment Forum in May. There, the economy and energy ministers from the three countries met together and signed a “Memorandum of Understanding on Merging the Energy Systems of Azerbaijan, Kazakhstan, and Uzbekistan.”

This includes the operationalization of renewable energy resources, the production and export of green energy to Europe through Azerbaijan’s territory and the trilateral integration of energy systems.

The forthcoming agreement thus marks a significant step toward sustainable energy integration and regional economic cooperation. Separately, earlier this month, Azerbaijan and Uzbekistan discussed the expansion of bilateral investment cooperation projects they deemed as “strategic.”

Azerbaijan’s economy minister, Mikayil Jabbarov, participated in the 13th meeting of the bilateral intergovernmental commission in Tashkent, meeting with Uzbekistan’s minister of investment, industry and trade, Laziz Kudratov.

This meeting continued concerted efforts over the past few years by the governments of Azerbaijan and Uzbekistan to deepen their economic and diplomatic cooperation.

In August last year, Uzbekistan President Shavkat Mirziyoyev was received on a working visit to Azerbaijan, reciprocating three visits to his country by Azerbaijan’s President Ilham Aliyev in 2022.

The meetings marked a significant development in bilateral ties, as several strategic cooperation agreements were signed that emphasized their commitment to removing barriers in trade and transport.

Aliyev’s visits in 2022 had already seen the creation of a joint investment fund and nearly two dozen agreements for development of specific industrial production projects in both countries.

Mirziyoyev, during his August 2023 visit to Baku, also visited Karabakh and promised contributions to the region’s restoration following three decades of Armenian military occupation. In Baku, Mirziyoyev and Aliyev established a Supreme (or High) Interstate Council between their countries, solidifying their long-term prospects of cooperation.

A memorandum for cooperation between their National Security Councils, along with a protocol allowing visa-free travel for citizens of Azerbaijan, was also signed. At the same time, a roadmap for deepening the strategic partnership was agreed.

In 2023, the two countries’ bilateral trade surged by over a quarter to reach US$231.6 million. According to Azerbaijan sources, this appears to have fallen significantly on a month-by-month basis in the current year, although sources from Uzbekistan report a slight increase.

The headline goal of the bilateral Intergovernmental Commission on Cooperation is to increase this trade to $1 billion, although without a specific time horizon.

In addition to the petrochemical sector, the two sides have identified mechanical and electrical engineering, construction and construction materials, agriculture and tourism as promising areas for cooperation.

Bilateral energy cooperation has also been increasing since Azerbaijan turned toward Asia in 2021, in reaction against Western opposition to its dislodging of Armenia’s three-decade occupation of one-sixth of its national territory. 

Uzbekistan is rich in natural gas but needs to modernize its energy infrastructure. In 2021, the State Oil Company of Azerbaijan (SOCAR) and the Uzbekstani state energy company Uzbekneftegaz signed a memorandum of understanding to explore opportunities for cooperation in the oil and gas sector, including joint ventures in exploration, production and the development of petrochemical facilities.

In June 2023, the two countries announced plans to jointly extract and export gas. Now, the parties are negotiating an agreement under which Uzbekneftegaz will join Azerbaijan’s offshore Shah Deniz project with equity participation.

This initiative may also be in response to Uzbekistan’s declining natural gas production, which fell by 10% in 2023 over 2022, to 46.7 billion cubic meters, as the depletion of the country’s aging existing fields – already depleted by 75-80% – continued.

Azerbaijan’s expertise in oil and gas extraction provides significant possibilities to help realize Uzbekistan’s intentions to increase hydrocarbon production. Azerbaijan’s strategic geographic position enhances the geoeconomic significance of energy cooperation with Uzbekistan.

That is equally true for the Trans-Caspian International Trade Route (TITR, “Middle Corridor”). The potential for trans-Caspian transit cooperation via the Middle Corridor has already been realized with Kazakhstan. It is central to unlocking the potential of the partnership between Azerbaijan and Uzbekistan.

However, the World Bank report on Central Asian connectivity published in April 2024, which is a sort of roadmap for the TITR’s development, largely skirts Uzbekistan in favor of developing a main route through southern Kazakhstan.

Uzbekistan, therefore, looks set to benefit if Azerbaijan succeeds in attracting TITR investment from members of the Gulf Cooperation Council, of which the secretary attended the 25th-anniversary meeting, held in Baku, of the United Nations Special Program for the Economies of Central Asia (SPECA).

The Abu Dhabi National Oil Company (ADNOC) has recently made its first investments outside the Gulf, in Azerbaijan and Central Asia more broadly.

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Legislation forces US firms to prepare for a Taiwan war – Asia Times

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Some American legislators have proposed a bipartisan legislative bill that will require United States-listed firms to disclose their assets and businesses in the People’s Republic of China (PRC) and estimate the economic losses they will suffer if China invades Taiwan. 

The PRC Risk Transparency Act, if passed and implemented, will amend the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 to require US-listed firms to annually disclose the percentage of total revenue, profits, capital investment and supply chain involvement in China and perform security analysis related to their exposures. 

The Act will require US-listed firms to make plans for a sudden loss of market access in China if the country invades Taiwan, a self-governing island over which Beijing claims to have sovereignty and has vowed to “reunite” with the mainland. 

These firms need to consider different case scenarios including a more than 80% decline in bilateral trade between the US and China, a complete cessation in the trade of goods with military end-use or dual-use applications and an extreme situation in which Beijing seizes all China-based assets of American companies that could be repurposed for military production. 

The bill was jointly introduced by the House Financial Service Subcommittee on National Security, Illicit Finance and International Financial Institutions chairman Blaine Luetkemeyer and the Select Committee on the Chinese Communist Party chairman John Moolenaar on July 25. 

The bill needs approval from both the US House of Representatives and Senate and the US president’s signature in order to become law. 

A spokesperson of Luetkemeyer’s office told the media that another way to push the legislation is to add this Act, together with the previously proposed Chinese Military Aggression Act, to House Speaker Mike Johnson’s coming legislation package, which aims to restrict US investments in China and punish the Chinese firms that provide material support to Russia and Iran.

Johnson said in early July that Congress targets to pass a significant legislation package by the end of this year to curb China as the country now leading an “axis” of adversaries that includes Russia, Iran, North Korea, Venezuela and Cuba. 

John Aquilino, head of the Indo-Pacific Command, said in March that he believes China’s military will be prepared to invade Taiwan by 2027. 

In April, Luetkemeyer introduced the Chinese Military Aggression Act, which will direct the Treasury Department’s Financial Stability Oversight Council (FSOC) to analyze, study and report on market implications and vulnerabilities related to a Chinese invasion of Taiwan.

The PRC Risk Transparency Act was proposed two days before US State Secretary Antony Blinken met with Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi on the sidelines of the ASEAN Foreign Ministers’ meeting in Laos on July 27. 

During the meeting, Blinken expressed concerns over China’s support for Russia’s war in Ukraine and provocative actions against Taiwan. 

Wang countered that Taiwanese separatists are the ones creating trouble in the Taiwan Strait and that China will not hesitate to take countermeasures. He said the US has been trying to alienate Beijing and Moscow since the Russian-Ukrainian conflict broke out but China will not back down under external pressure. 

A Shanxi-based Chinese columnist says in an article published on Monday that Wang has already seen through Blinken’s tricks – Washington wanted to increase communications with Beijing but would not stop suppressing China. 

He says it was probably the last time for Blinken to visit Asia with the title of US State Secretary. He says Blinken may not be able to stay in his position after the US presidential election in November.  

Wider coverage

The PRC Risk Transparency Act covers several more sectors than the Executive Order signed by President Joe Biden last August. The latter only restricts and monitors US investments in Chinese semiconductor, quantum computing and artificial intelligence companies for national security reasons. 

The Act’s restrictions are also much wider than similar bills introduced by other US lawmakers.

Last November, US Senators Bob Casey and Rick Scott introduced the Disclosing Investments in Foreign Adversaries Act to provide transparency in investments made by American hedge funds and private equity firms in countries of concern like China and Russia.

The legislation would require these private investment funds to annually disclose any assets invested in countries like China to the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). Casey said it is vital to know if any US money is being used to boost the economies of some foreign adversaries who steal technological know-how and jobs from America.

In March this year, Congresspeople Victoria Spartz and Brad Sherman introduced four bills that aim to mitigate the strategic, commercial and national security threats posed by China to the American economy and financial markets. 

Among the four, the China Risk Reporting Act requires US-listed firms to disclose annually the degree to which they are dependent upon China and the risks China poses, such as supply chain disruptions, intellectual property theft or nationalization of assets. 

“If China invades Taiwan, Congress should be able to impose sanctions, knowing American companies have insulated themselves from the rupture,” Spartz and Sherman said in a press release. “Hopefully, this will deter such an invasion.”

The newly proposed PRC Risk Transparency Act demands more details, such as US-listed firms’ capital investment in China and their joint ventures’ revenues and profits. 

In recent years, many US companies have already started cutting their investments in China.

China’s foreign direct investment fell 8% to 1.13 trillion yuan (US$156 billion) in 2023 from a year ago, according to the Ministry of Commerce. The figure dropped 29.1% year-on-year to 498.9 billion yuan in the first half of this year. Chinese officials said it’s normal to have some fluctuations as FDI had grown during 2013-2022. 

‘US$1.6 trillion loss’

Before the US can estimate its economic losses from a potential Chinese invasion of Taiwan, Beijing has already made an estimation and used it to warn of the consequences of US decoupling from China. 

“Statistics show that ending the permanent normal trade relations with China would lead to a $1.6 trillion-economic loss for the US,” Xie Feng, Chinese Ambassador to the US, said in a speech at the Symposium in Commemoration of the 45th Anniversary of China-US Diplomatic Relations on July 27. 

He said over 70,000 American companies are benefiting from China’s development while their exports to China have supported 930,000 American jobs. 

“To our two countries, respective success means mutual opportunities, not challenges, and the two sides should help each other succeed, not undermine each other,” he said. “We need to make the list of cooperation longer and the negative list shorter.”

Xie’s speech was posted on the website of the Chinese Embassy in the US on Tuesday. 

Read: US targets Hong Kong chip transshipments to Russia

Follow Jeff Pao on X: @jeffpao3

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Can Kamala sway the swing states? – Asia Times

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Joe Biden’s radical withdrawal from the 2024 presidential election may have a long-lasting impact.

The change of election energetic that results from a presumed candidate who ticks a number of different identification boxes, including sex, age, and race, is immediately apparent.

Interestingly, the big question is whether she can persuade swing voters, especially those in a number of states where the Republican and Democratic parties frequently alternate in elections, making it difficult to predict which prospect will get on the day of the polls.

Most other ( non-swing ) states are seen as predictable or at least as leaning toward one party’s candidate. That means member time and money are lavished on these bounce state, which in 2024 include Arizona, Georgia, Nevada, North Carolina, Michigan, Pennsylvania and Wisconsin.

Because the president is chosen by a majority of voters rather than by winning each status, they are significant. The states with the highest voter counts have the most seats, with states with large populations having the most.

For example, Pennsylvania holds 19 seats and California 54. The Electoral College (EC ) vote is conducted in nearly all states on a winner-take-all basis. Since the EC has 538 seats, individuals need to get claims that have a combined EC full of 270 to get elected leader.

Kamala Harris is expected to have greater ability to reverse Donald Trump’s preference for racial minorities. She might also be able to exploit Republican political weakness in regards to the topic of sexual rights, but she might not be as appealing to white citizens without a college education.

Democrats worry that this last group of voters is overrepresented in crucial midwestern jump states like Pennsylvania and Wisconsin.

YouTube video

]embedded articles]

What are the main concerns in swing says?

High VP margins

This immediately sparked more rumors that Harris ‘ possible vice-presidential get might be from a swing state. The internet is laden with funny memes about the necessity of picking a low-risk, mid-western white man, especially given the quick Democratic reaction of mural Harris as the DEI ( variety, equity and inclusion ) candidate.

Which is why Pennsylvania governor Josh Shapiro is a first favorites because he defeated Trump supporter Doug Mastriano, who was present at the Capitol‘s January 6 protest, in a decisive victory in 2022. Arizona lawmaker Mark Kelly, a former astronaut and usually regarded as a moderate moderate, is another swing state title in the framework.

Other governors, including Roy Cooper from North Carolina and Andy Beshear from Kentucky, praised Democrats with the ability to get overall in the west. Yet the well-known Beshear may not move his home state to the Democrat column in a presidential contest despite the fact that it is possible to blink at the information in a way that makes North Carolina a dynamic position.

Governor Gretchen Whitmer of Michigan is also mentioned in the letters. She would make a formidable opponent in her own correct, but it’s likely to result in a double of the sexism. Swing-state people will be patient for entry knocks and ferocious campaign ads as they consider the profoundly different candidates ‘ ballots in November.

What does past reveal to us?

Donald Trump won an EC lot thanks to a combined winning percentage of 77, 744 vote in Michigan, Pennsylvania, and Wisconsin, giving him his crucial 46 EC vote in 2016. The part of the EC was brilliantly illustrated by this.

In 2020, Joe Biden won those crucial state again, denying Trump a second word. Biden also flipped Arizona and Georgia, and collectively these five state, plus Nevada, are the key swing state in 2024.

Nevada, a condition where the Democratic nominee has won every presidential race since 2008, appears winning to Trump, which is a reflection of his powerful position in the polls in the summer of 2024.

Florida and Ohio, two states with heavy EC vote-heavy says, were once seen as crucial swing state as just as 2016. Only the most enthusiastic Democrat nowadays thinks that these are in enjoy.

As a bounce position, Wisconsin has taken on outsize impact as the so-called “tipping place” status in both 2016 and 2020. The victor must now provide the ultimate vote necessary to reach a majority of 270 in the EC, as described by this.

In 2016, Trump won Wisconsin’s 10 EC votes by 0.8 % and Biden won by 0.6 % in 2020. Polls suggested Wisconsin was likely to be closely contested again in the summer of 2024, but now that Biden has withdrawn from the competition, polls consistently place Trump back in that condition along with all other five of the five swing states.

The key problem is then whether Harris may use her late appearance in the promotion to her benefits in the swing state and win them over the range.

Clodagh Harrington is a teacher in American politics at University College Cork, and Alex Waddan is an associate professor at University of Leicester.

This content was republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons license. Read the original content.

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Natixis-affiliated Ostrum AM creates new transition department; aims to expand FI offering in Asia | FinanceAsia

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Paris-based Ostrum asset management (AM), an affiliate of Natixis Investment Managers, has appointed Nathalie Beauvir to head up its newly created sustainable transitions department.

A spokesperson confirmed to FinanceAsia that Beauvir had been in her new role in Paris since the start of the job transition in May.

The newly established department, according to a July 10 press release, consists of five environmental, social and governance (ESG) experts and two corporate social responsibility (CSR) experts.

They will be responsible for strengthening Ostrum AM’s strategic positioning on ESG; optimising the interdependence of investment policies including exclusion, engagement and voting; and developing offerings with new thematic ranges.

The department reports directly to the firm’s chief executive officer (CEO) office.

CEO Olivier Houix commented in the press release that the team expects Beauvir to establish Ostrum AM as a “committed partner for transitions” for stakeholders, in terms of investment strategies and development financing.

Beauvir was promoted from her previous role as head of sustainable bond analysis and research at Ostrum AM,where she was involved in the launch of the firm’s climate and social impact bond fund.

Asia expansion

The Ostrum AM team currently has five portfolio managers and analysts in the Asia Pacific (Apac) region, led by Rushil Khanna, head of equity investments, within Natixis Investment Managers’ Singapore local operations.

Currently, the team has a specific focus on equity investments, while Ostrum AM also aims to provide fixed income expertise locally in Southeast Asia, with the upcoming arrival of a fixed income portfolio manager, the spokesperson told FA.

Globally, Ostrum AM manages around €40 billion ($43 billion) in green, social and sustainability (GSS) bonds, out of its €402 billion in assets managed for institutional clients as of end-March.


¬ Haymarket Media Limited. All rights reserved.

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Pride and prejudice in the ‘Land of Smiles’

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Mark Gooding (left), the British Ambassador to Thailand, and Remco van Wijingaarden, the Netherlands Ambassador, share their experiences at the Bangkok Post Pride Every Day forum on Wednesday at Lido Connect. (Photo: Somchai Poomlard)
Mark Gooding ( left ), the British Ambassador to Thailand, and Remco van Wijingaarden, the Netherlands Ambassador, share their experiences at the Bangkok Post Pride Every Day forum on Wednesday at Lido Connect. ( Photo: Somchai Poomlard )

Thailand’s record-breaking passage of the same-sex marriage bill has stifled progress on various LGBTQ issues to ensure equality and pride on a regular basis.

At the Bangkok Post Pride Every Day website, two ministers to Thailand, Mark Gooding of the United Kingdom and Remco van Wijingaarden of the Netherlands, delivered that message.

Before Thailand gained a foothold in Southeast Asia by acing the same rules, their nations passed them centuries later.

At the conference held on Wednesday at the Lido Connect Hall in Siam Square, the ambassadors discussed their encounters.

Both people agreed that passing for laws in Thailand would benefit the country in a variety of ways, but added that many things still need to be done to ensure that LGBTQ people in Thailand have full rights and legal protections.

The LGBTQ group in the UK continues to face a number of challenges, according to Mr. Gooding, despite the passage of the Marriage Equality Bill, which became law in 2014. Hence, it is important to reflect the issue of addition every day because LGBTQ lifestyle is never a one-month function during Pride in June, he said.

” Marriage fairness is a very important step towards fairness, but in the UK, we have to focus on various problems such as the regular discrimination, racist bullies in college, access to healthcare for LGBTQ citizens, as well as hate offences”, Mr Gooding said.

” Therefore, it is not specifically in the month of June when the Pride month is ]held worldwide ] (# ). I believe that the LGBTQ party, state, and civil society can work together to openly discuss the challenges that need to be addressed by the LGBTQ community.

Mr. Gooding described Thailand’s passage of the union equality act as a significant advance. Then, he suggested the emphasis must be on implementing it properly.

He furthermore pointed out that to further spread justice, all businesses must work as justice requires multi-sectoral speech.

” Similar marriage policy is absolutely amazing. But I do declare, that passing legislation is not the conclusion”, he said.

The execution is the next step, and the first step is to ensure that all laws are circulated so that citizens benefit after they become law. We do not want the persons to be delayed by some sort of report.

He expressed his excitement at being informed that Thailand would become the 44th nation to join the Equal Rights Coalition ( ERC ) as the framework.

A alliance of nations meets to discuss and debate promoting LGBTQ rights around the world.

” I think there will be more we can do together because Thailand has become the leader in Southeast Asia in passing the identical relationship rules,” said Mr. Gooding.

” There are many places in the world that face major drawbacks of LGBTQ right and other right, including women’s rights. Therefore, I do believe that we must work together to ensure the protection of our beliefs through international human rights.

The French practice

Even though the Netherlands was the first nation in the world to go same-sex relationship legislation in 2001, Mr. Wijingaarden argued that passing the bill was only the first step toward justice.

The costs needs to be translated into implementation laws, social protection, insurance, estate and various sections related to same-sex connections, he said.

He claimed that there are still challenges for the LGBTQ group in Thailand. Giving the case of his home state, he said transgenders also face major hurdles. In many countries, he said, LGBTQ individuals are still at higher risk of struggling with mental health problems and other issues.

” So, in the world, equal marriage does not only qualify to gay and lesbian but other acquaintances of the LGBTQ communities, and those other challenges are not only challenges for the Netherlands but also our years in the world”, he added.

He claimed that the passage of the costs would greatly enhance the happiness of Thai LGBTQ populations and remind people that marriage is about the union of two people who are in love.

It will also bolster Thailand’s reputation and attract more foreign investment from companies, especially those that prioritise diversity, equity and inclusion ( DEI), he said.

” I do wish the communities and their allies may continue to address other political issues to ensure that justice may be achieved abroad in Thailand,” said Mr. Wijingaarden.

” In the Netherlands, we have Pride quarter in August. I firmly believe that the fact that there are still many things to be done in order to achieve justice is something that needs to be addressed. It is a long-term method”.

Thailand’s involvement in the ERC is extremely important because it is a system where states can change their views, especially at the state level, on how to maintain greater diversity, he noted.

He stated that equality is not just about getting married but also about “how the government protects you.”

The Bangkok Post Pride Every Day Forum, which was held on Wednesday at Lido Connect Hall in Siam Square, is greeted with attendees and sponsors for a photo. From left: Pongput Woraratanadharm, Chief of International Public Relations Strategy, Tourism Authority of Thailand, Jitsak Limpakornkul, celebrity chef from MasterChef Thailand, Paulie Nataya Paomephan, Miss Trans Thailand 2023, Natthineethiti Phinyapincha, Founder of TransTalents Consulting Group, Richard Kua, Brand General Manager, Kiehl's Thailand, Mark Gooding, British Ambassador to Thailand, Worachai Bhicharnchitr, Vice Chairman, Bangkok Post, Remco van Wijngaarden, Netherlands Ambassador, Dr Norathep Sriprasit, Thonburi Bamrungmuang Hospital, Dr Pitakpol Boonyamalik, Chief Executive Officer, Thonburi Bamrungmuang Hospital, Nachale Boonyapisomparn, Vice President of the Foundation of Transgender Alliance for Human Rights, and Plaifah Kyoka Shodladd, Bangkok Pride Youth and Global Outreach Representative. ( Photo: Somchai Poomlard )

The Bangkok Post Pride Every Day Forum, which was held on Wednesday at Lido Connect Hall in Siam Square, is greeted with attendees and sponsors for a photo. From left: Pongput Woraratanadharm, Chief of International Public Relations Strategy, Tourism Authority of Thailand, Jitsak Limpakornkul, celebrity chef from MasterChef Thailand, Paulie Nataya Paomephan, Miss Trans Thailand 2023, Natthineethiti Phinyapincha, Founder of TransTalents Consulting Group, Richard Kua, Brand General Manager, Kiehl’s Thailand, Mark Gooding, British Ambassador to Thailand, Worachai Bhicharnchitr, Vice Chairman, Bangkok Post, Remco van Wijngaarden, Netherlands Ambassador, Dr Norathep Sriprasit, Thonburi Bamrungmuang Hospital, Dr Pitakpol Boonyamalik, Chief Executive Officer, Thonburi Bamrungmuang Hospital, Nachale Boonyapisomparn, Vice President of the Foundation of Transgender Alliance for Human Rights, and Plaifah Kyoka Shodladd, Bangkok Pride Youth and Global Outreach Representative. ( Photo: Somchai Poomlard )

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Pride and prejudice in ‘Land of Smiles’

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Mark Gooding, British Ambassador to Thailand, left, and Remco van Wijingaarden, Netherlands Ambassador, left, share their experiences under the topic “When #Lovewins conquered: The UK & The Netherlands experience” at a forum titled “Bangkok Post Pride Every Day. (Photo: Somchai Poomlard)Photo By SOMCHAI POOMLARD
Mark Gooding, British Ambassador to Thailand, left, and Remco van Wijingaarden, Netherlands Ambassador, left, share their experiences under the subject” When# Lovewins conquered: The UK &amp, The Netherlands knowledge” at a community titled” Bangkok Post Pride Every Day. ( Photo: Somchai Poomlard ) Photo By SOMCHAI POOMLARD

Thailand’s unanimous passage of the same-sex marriage law has been a huge success, but the country needs to work on additional LGBTQ issues to ensure fairness and pride on a regular basis.

That text was sent by two panellists: Mark Gooding, British Ambassador to Thailand, and Remco van Wijingaarden, the Netherlands ‘ minister.

Before Thailand gained leadership in the region by doing the same, the two nations passed related rules.

The officials shared their experiences under the subject” When# Lovewins conquered: The UK &amp, The Netherlands practice “at a community titled” Bangkok Post Pride Every Time. Thailand as LGBTQ Paradise: What After# Lovewins? that occurred at the capital’s Lido Connect Hall on Wednesday.

Both speakers in the conversation agreed that passing for laws in Thailand would have a number of benefits, but added that this was only a starting point and that many things still need to be done to ensure that LGBTQ people in Thailand have full rights and legal protections.

Mr Gooding said that despite the UK’s decision to pass the Union Equality Bill in 2013, which went into effect in 2014, the UK’s LGBTQ group also faces several problems. Hence, it is important to reflect the issue of addition every day because LGBTQ lifestyle is never a one-month function during Pride in June, he said.

This time, the UK legalizes same-sex unions for the first time.

” Marriage justice is a very important step towards justice, but in the UK, we have to focus on various difficulties such as the daily prejudice, homophobic abusers in college, access to healthcare for LGBTQ individuals, as well as love crimes,” Mr Gooding said.

” So, it is not certain in the month of June when the Pride month is ]held worldwide]. I think by working up to change views openly about what the challenges are, and that needs to contain state, the LGBTQ group, federal and civil society can focus on addressing those challenges.”

Mr. Gooding claimed that Thailand’s passage of the act represented a significant advance in equality. After this, he suggested the country rely on implementing it successfully.

He added that all sectors must work together because fairness calls for concerted dialogue in order to propagate equality.

” Similar marriage legislation is absolutely amazing. However, I did caution that passing policy is not the end. The execution is the next step, and the first step is to ensure that everyone gets the benefit of the law after it becomes law. We do not want the persons to be delayed by some papers, Gooding continued.

He expressed his excitement at being informed that Thailand would become the 44th member of the Equal Rights Coalition ( ERC ).

The ERC is a group of nations that come together to discuss and debate promoting LGBTQ right around the world.

” Thailand has taken the lead in Southeast Asia by passing the identical union rules, and I think there will be more things we can accomplish together. There are many places in the world that face major drawbacks of LGBTQ right and other privileges, including children’s right. Therefore,” I do believe we must work together to ensure international human rights in order to guarantee that our beliefs are protected,” Gooding said.

In addition, Mr. Wijingaarden pointed out that passing the same-sex marriage law in the Netherlands was only the first step in achieving fairness, despite the country becoming the first nation in the world to do so in 2001.

The costs needs to be translated into implementation laws, social protection, insurance, estate and various sections related to same-sex connections, he said.

He claimed there are still challenges for Thailand’s LGBTQ society, but that acceptance is great. Giving the case of his home state, he said transgenders also face major hurdles. In many countries, he said, LGBTQ individuals are still at higher risk of struggling with mental health problems and other issues.

” So, in the world, equal marriage does not only qualify to gay and lesbian but other acquaintances of the LGBTQ areas, and those other challenges are not only challenges for the Netherlands but also our generations in the world, “he added.

He claimed that the bill’s passage would encourage LGBTQ communities in Thailand and remind people that marriage is about a couple who fall in love.

It will also bolster Thailand’s reputation and attract more foreign investment from companies, especially those that prioritise Diversity, Equity and Inclusion ( DEI), he said.

Mr. Wijingaarden said,” I do hope the communities and the allies will keep talking about other societal issues to ensure that equality will be achieved in Thailand.”

” In the Netherlands, we have Pride month in August. I firmly believe from the bottom of my heart that it is necessary to address the fact that there are still many things to be done to achieve equality. It is a long-term process, “headded.

He remarked that Thailand’s involvement with the Equal Rights Coalition is crucial because it provides a forum for countries to exchange their ideas on how to promote greater inclusivity, especially at the government level.

He argued that equality does not just mean marriage, but also “how the government protects you.”

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