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RAMA IX
Cremation
on Oct 26
The royal cremation ceremonies for the
late King Bhumibol Adulyadej are sched-
uled for Oct 25-29 with the cremation
proper to be held on Thursday Oct 26,
which has been declared a public holiday.
Government spokesman Lt Gen San-
sern Kaewkamnerd yesterday said the
cabinet had acknowledged the five-day
ceremony and approved Oct 26 as a public
holiday to allow the people to take part.
On Oct 25, a royal merit-making
rite will be held to mark the start of the
royal cremation ceremonies in the Dusit
Maha Prasat Throne Hall inside the Grand
Palace.
On Oct 26, the body of the late King
will be moved from the throne hall to the
royal crematorium at Sanam Luang where
the royal cremation will be held.
On Oct 27, following the cremation,
a royal ceremony will be held to collect
the royal relics of the late King at the
royal crematorium.
On Oct 28, a royal merit-making rite
for the royal relics will be held in the Dusit
Maha Prasat Throne Hall.
On Oct 29, a royal ceremony will
be held to enshrine the royal relics at
the Chakri Maha Prasat Throne Hall at
10.30am, and the ashes of the late King
will be kept separately at Wat Rajabopit
and Wat Bowon Niwet, winding up the
five-day ceremony, Lt Gen Sansern said.
The cabinet also acknowledged a post-
royal cremation exhibition is planned
from Nov 1-30, to be organised by the
Culture Ministry. King Bhumibol Aduly-
adej passed away on Oct 13, 2016.
Govt defends cheap sub deal
Sansern insists there
is no hidden agenda
WASSANA NANUAM
AEKARACH SATTABURUTH
The military government has defended
its decision to buy a 13.5-billion-baht
Chinese submarine, saying it acted trans-
parently and that the vessel is not only
cheaper than other foreign competitors
but comes with free missiles.
The cabinet approved the Royal Thai
Navys procurement of a Yuan-class S26T
submarine from China on April 18, with
the navy to pay out of its own coffers. The
cabinet resolution was made public on
Monday.
According to the broader plan, the navy
will buy three Yuan-class subs costing a
total of 36 billion baht in instalments over
11 years.
The administration has taken flak for
not publicly announcing the decision in
what critics say was an attempt to keep
it out of the public eye. Others have
questioned the quality of the Chinese
submarines.
Deputy Prime Minister Prawit Wong-
suwon, who is also the defence minister,
insisted there was nothing untoward
about the procurement project.
We insist the procurement was han-
dled transparently and is fully [under the
jurisdiction] of the navy, Gen Prawit said.
He said that some of the printed mate-
rial discussed at the cabinet meeting is
classified and would not normally be
Bangkok Post
Construction work on the royal crematorium forthe funeral of the late King Bhumibol Adulyadej is making steady progress. PATIPAT
publicly disclosed. Any cabinet would
handle such matters in this way, he said.
The document featuring the classified
material deals with tactical and strategical
subjects, making it a matter of national
security, he said.
According to the defence minister,
the navy decided to buy the submarine
from China because it was considerably
cheaper than those proposed by nine
other countries. It also has an Air Turbine
Pump (ATP) system which means it can
stay submerged for up to 21 days.
China also made a special offer to
include other related military hardware
and submarine-launched missiles free,
said Gen Prawit.
A navy committee of up to 30 officers
dealt with the procurement process fairly
and thoroughly, according to the deputy
premier.
He said the vessel could be deployed
within 200 nautical miles off the Andaman
coast, including areas or depths that have
not yet been properly explored.
It could take five or six years before the
first submarine is delivered, Gen Prawit
noted.
Asked whether plans to procure the
next two submarines could be derailed
when the next administration takes over,
the deputy premier said this was a pos-
sibility. In that case, the navy may have
to reassign its budget for other purposes,
he said.
Government spokesman San-
sern Kaewkamnerd said the news con-
ference after the cabinet meeting on April
18 did not touch on the issue of the ves-
sels procurement because there were too
many other important issues to focus on.
T H E N E WS PA P E R YO U C A N T RU S T
Moreover, none of the reporters raised any
questions about it, he said.
Even though the navy and the Defence
Ministry wanted the session to be kept
secret for reasons of national security,
there is no hidden agenda about this, Lt
Gen Sansern added.
Deputy Prime Minister Wissanu Krea-
ngam said confidential sessions of cabi-
net meetings had been held for the last
half a century, especially those involving
classified information. In such cases, it
is normal to forego a press conference,
he said.
Former Pheu Thai Party MP Watana
Muangsook lambasted the govern-
ments claims that the approval was not
made public because of security concerns.
In a Facebook post, he said the approval
was deliberately made in secret when
people were preoccupied with celebrat-
ing Songkran.
Mr Watana said the government should
spend its budget on more pressing con-
cerns, such as those affecting people who
are struggling financially.
Navy documents show China has paid
much attention to researching military
affairs over the past decade and that its
military technology has become relatively
advanced.
In terms of maintenance, the builder
of the Chinese submarines is providing
a two-year warranty for the entire vessel,
compared to just one-year warranties
offered by rival bidders, the paper says. It
will also supply spare parts for eight years.
Editorial: Page 8
Commentary: Page 9
P JANTHONG
UNDER THE PERISCOPE
Deputy Prime Minister and Defence Minister Prawit Wongsuwon has
defended the Royal Thai Navys proposal, approved in secret by
the cabinet, to buy three Yuan-class S26T submarines from China,
citing these main reasons.
Submarines are needed to safeguard
Thailand's maritime interests.
They are necessary to protect
shipping lanes in and close to the Gulf
of Thailand that are used by 15,000
ships annually.
Many countries in the region already
have submarines
Chinas Yuan-class S26Ts are
reasonably priced compared with
subs built in other countries; they are
equipped with an Air Independent
Submarines in Asean
Vietn
Malaysia
Singapore
WEDNESDAY, APRIL 26, 2017 30 BAHT
TRAFFICKING
Governor
denies sex
ring links
POST REPORTERS
The governor of Mae Hong Son has vehe-
mently denied buying sex from teenage
girls trafficked into a prostitution ring alleg-
edly run by local police.
Yutthachai Thongchart, a police senior
sergeant-major formerly attached to
Mae Hong Son police, has been arrested
on charges of running a sex ring and
human trafficking.
He was apprehended yesterday along
with two women, identified as Piyathas
Thiensuwan and Piyawan Sukma, who
are charged with acting as procurers and
human trafficking.
The three suspects were questioned by
police in Mae Hong Son and were to be
flown to Bangkok for interrogation by the
anti-human trafficking police yesterday.
The mother of one of the girls working
in the sex ring said the female pimps had
forced them to work as prostitutes for cli-
ents in Mae Hong Son, who included senior
state officials, according to deputy national
police chief Srivara Ransibrahmanakul.
The mother also reportedly worked as a
police informant.
Pol Gen Srivara said the girls told inves-
tigators that one of the officials was Mae
Hong Son governor Suebsak Iamwicharn.
The girls said
they were each
paid 1,000 baht
per client for sex.
Yesterday, Mr
Suebsak denied
using the sex ser-
vice or having any-
thing to do with it.
Im absolutely
a million percent
sure I had noth- Yutthachai: Accused
ing whatsoever to of running ring
do with the ring,
he told a press conference yesterday.
Mr Suebsak said he was baffled as to why
he was being implicated.
He began serving as governor on Oct
1 last year.
The girls lodged a complaint with the
Damrongtham centre in the province on
Propulsion system and subma- Nov 6 last year.
rine-launched missiles. Mr Suebsak added it was odd that the girl
The subs suit Thailands geography whose informant mother exposed the case
with an average 50-metre depth in aired her plight only after he became gov-
the Gulf of Thailand. ernor despite claiming her daughter had
been forced by Pol Snr Sgt Maj Yutthachai
The money for the purchase comes into prostitution two years ago.
from the Royal Thai Navys own The governor said he was ready to be
budget, not the governments central
investigated.
budget. While one submarine will be
Meanwhile, Pol Gen Srivara said Provin-
paid for at a time, all three will be
purchased in installments over a
cial Police Region 5, which supervises Mae
Hong Son police and had begun an investi-
period of 11 years.
gation into whether police were complicit
in the ring, suspended its probe after delays,
which, he surmised, were due to investiga-
In service
tors neglecting their duty.
tn
tnam On order The deputy national police chief said
authorities were also considering whether
to seek warrants for the arrest of at least
three Mae Hong Son police officers a
Philippines
deputy chief investigator, a deputy chief
Considering
inspector named Art, and a non-commis-
purchase
sion policeman in charge of detaining sus-
pects over possible links to the sex ring.
The warrants, if sought, would be
Indonesia
Ind
d s
requested from the court based on the
accounts of the girls. Pol Gen Srivara
has vowed to act swiftly against anyone
involved in the ring and those who pro-
cured sexual services from the girls.
He added the Anti-Money Laundering
Office would be asked to examine assets
POSTgraphics
of the ring members.
2 I Bangkok Post I WEDNESDAY, APRIL 26, 2017

NATIONAL
Bahrainis treat PM in
style on official visit
Leaders sign bilateral
pacts in 3 categories
POST REPORTERS
Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha will wrap up
his official visit to Bahrain today after attending
a bilateral signing agreement ceremony over
agriculture, tax, university cooperation and
education between the two countries.
Gen Prayut and a group of Thai delegation
arrived at Manama, the capital of Bahrain,
on Monday.
This is Gen Prayuts first official visit to the
Middle East.
The Thai delegation who accompanied the
prime minister includes Foreign Minister Don
Pramudwinai, Commerce Minister Apiradi
Tantraporn, and Agriculture and Cooperatives
Minister General Chatchai Sarikulya.
Gen Prayut and the Thai officials were
welcomed by Bahraini PM Prince Khalifa bin
Salman bin Hamad Al Khalifa at Bahrain Inter-
national Airport and then escorted to a lounge
in a special arrival lobby.
The Bahrain government prepared accom-
modation for them at the Ritz Carlton Hotel.
Yesterday morning, Gen Prayut met Prince
Khalifa bin Salman bin Hamad Al Khalifa at
Al Gudaibiya Palace for bilateral talks and
signed agreements.
Bahraini PM Prince Khalifa bin Salman bin
Hamad Al Khalifa had recently extended an
invitation to Gen Prayut to visit his country.
Gen Prayut accepted his invitation.
At the meeting, three bilateral agreements
were signed between Thailand and Bahrain
on agriculture, tax, and university cooperation
and education.
Gen Prayut said the agreements will allow
the two countries to work together to boost
bilateral trade and investment.
He said they would also help tackle prob-
lems regarding trade and investment in
both countries.
Gen Prayut said he hopes the agreements
will strengthen cooperation between Thailand
and Bahrain to improve tourism and gener-
ate incomes.
He said Thailand was pleased to support
Bahrain in any activities related to the tour-
ism industry.
The Thai PM emphasised Thailands
expertise in medical tourism.
In the meeting, Gen Prayut expressed his
appreciation to Bahraini PM Prince Khalifa
bin Salman bin Hamad Al Khalifa on behalf
of the Thai government and his delegation for
the kindness and warm welcome the Bahrain
government had provided them.
Gen Prayut said Bahrain is a friend of Thai-
land and the fact it was the first country in the
Middle East to which he had paid an official
visit highlighted the close ties between the
two countries.
On the same day, Gen Prayut had also paid
a courtesy visit to Bahrains King Hamad bin
Isa Al Khalifa.
Gen Prayut said the Thai people have a
deep gratitude towards King Hamad bin Isa Al
Khalifa and PM Prince Khalifa bin Salman bin
Hamad Al Khalifa as they had sent a condo-
lence letter to the Thai royal family following
the passing of the late King Bhumibol Aduly-
adej on Oct 13, 2016, and had also congratu-
lated Thais on the appointment of Thailands
King Rama X.
The meeting is aimed at strengthening
bonds between Thailand and Bahrain on cel-
ebration of the 40th anniversary of diplomatic Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha shakes hands with Bahraini PM Prince Khalifa bin Salman bin Hamad Al Khalifa as they met
ties with Thailand this year. at Al Gudaibiya Palace in the capital city, Manama, for bilateral talks yesterday. PHOTO COURTESY OF GOVERNMENT HOUSE

LESE MAJESTE LEGISLATION

Govt in new Regulator wants speedy check of civil aviation bill

website curb AMORNRAT MAHITTHIROOK Chula Sukmanop.
After the deliberation work is done, the
bill, which means many of its 300 sections
may need to be revised or deleted.
re-issued and wants to see these worries
addressed, he added.
has caused some delays in the reissuing of
AOCs to some airlines, he said.

campaign The aviation regulator is pressuring the

KOMSAN TORTERMVASANA
The national telecom regulator and the
Ministry of Digital Economy and Society
(DE) have reiterated their demand that
all internet service providers (ISPs) and
international internet gateway providers
block webpages and content that contain or
promote illegal acts or breach Section 112
of the Criminal Code, the lese majeste law.
The agencies also want ISP coopera-
tion to remove illicit video streaming on
Facebook and YouTube from their local
network server, called a content delivery
network (CDN).
Usually, providers such as Facebook and
YouTube use them to speed up access to
data and reduce demand on bandwidth.
the National Broadcasting and Telecom-
munications Commission (NBTC) yester-
day hosted a meeting that included ISP and
international internet gateway (IIG) provid-
ers on how to better tackle illicit content.
Despite good cooperation between
the regulator and the ministry to prevent
illicit content on websites over the last two
years, the government hopes for more,
and expects better result by next month,
according to Takorn Tantasith, the NBTC
secretary-general.
What is needed, Mr Takorn said, was
serious cooperation from ISPs and IIG
providers in three areas.
First, they must block webpages with
illicit content after receiving a court order
or when their own monitoring staff finds
such material.
Second, ISPs and IIG providers must
immediately inform the NBTC or DE if
they cannot block a webpage due to it being
encrypted overseas.
The NBTC and DE will ask cooperation
from embassies and the Foreign Ministry
when necessary in these cases.
Third, DE and NBTC will discuss how to
deal with illicit content especially through
online video or video streaming stored
with ISP servers in country on their CDN
or cache server.
An industry source said the NBTC and
DE were reiterating their warning to people
not to follow or correspond with three
well-known opponents of the regime, who
are now living overseas.
The three men are Thammasat Uni-
versity historian Somsak Jeamteerasakul,
Kyoto University associate professor Pavin
Chachavalpongpun and online journalist
Andrew MacGregor Marshall.
All three are listed as wanted for viola-
tions of Section 112 of the Criminal Code,
the lese majeste law.
Council of State to wrap up scrutiny of a
new civil aviation bill inJune to pave the
way for the International Civil Aviation
Organisation (ICAO) to lift its red flag on
Thai aviation over safety concerns.
The council is now considering the bill
after the Civil Aviation Authority of Thai-
land (CAAT) informed it last week that the
legislation is a precondition to the ICAO
finding a raft of new safety measures
acceptable, according to CAAT director
Fruit for thought
Amnesty International campaigners hold mangoes with the message Stop The Killings outside the Philippine embassy in Bangkok to protest against the countrys war on
drugs. Mangoes are the Philippines top export. SOMCHAI POOMLARD
CRIME
Murder-suicide clip sparks copycat fears
ACHADTAYA CHUENNIRAN
The broadcast of a young man hanging his
11-month-old daughter and then himself
live on Facebook, following a quarrel with
his wife, has drawn grave concerns from
health authorities over the possibility of
copycat killings.
The video clip, which went online on
Monday night, has sparked fears it will
spur people suffering from anxiety and
other mental health issues to commit
similar acts, especially as suicide rates in
Thailand are on the rise, according to the
Mental Health Department.
The latest deaths were reported in
Phuket, where the 21-year-old man,
identified as Wutthisan Wongthale, killed
his daughter and committed suicide on
the third floor of a deserted building in
Thalang district, according to police.
CAAT will ask the ICAO to audit the coun-
trys aviation standards, he said.
As the government regards this matter as
urgent, a special committee has been
formed to fast-track the Council of States
vetting process by June.
The bill will then be tabled at a cabinet
meeting and put forward to the National
Legislative Assembly (NLA) by July, Mr
Chula said.
He said the council has suggested the
ICAOs proposals should be included in the
Investigators believe Wutthisan felt
awfully hurt after a quarrel with his
spouse, perhaps spurred by jealousy.
About 7pm on Monday, police in
Thalang were informed that a video clip
broadcast on Facebook showed a man
hanging a child and then himself.
The four-minute clip featured a hor-
rific scream coming from the girl.
Authorities were led to a deserted
building in tambon Sakhu, where they
found the man and the child hanging 10
metres from the floor.
An elder brother of Wutthisans wife,
who identified himself only as Suksan,
told police that Wuthisan had worked for
a firm in Thalang district.
The husband probably felt jealous
after thinking his wife was romantically
interested in someone else, Phuket gov-
ernor Noraphat Plotthong said.
If the NLA has still not passed the bill by
June 30, Mr Chula said the UN-based ICAO
may still agree to carry out the audit. He
said there should be no problem pressing
ahead with the process once the bill has
passed a first reading.
The international body has raised safety
concerns about 33 points in the bill and
is waiting to see how Thai authorities can
better respond to these, he said.
It has also made suggestions regarding
how air operators certificates (AOCs) are
Mr Noraphat asked people not to share
the video clip to avoid causing more
trauma to the victims family.
Chiranut Trairat, the babys mother,
said she hopes the tragic incident will
make other parents aware of the risk of
violence in relationships, and how to
contain it.
Dr Boonruang Triruangworawat, chief
of the Mental Health Department, said
sharing the clip can send a bad message
to people, especially children and those
who are undergoing serious problems
and may think of committing suicide.
He urged people not to share it.
They may conclude that suicide is
acceptable because the clip has drawn
so many viewers, he said.
Even just watching the clip can cause
unpleasant thoughts and trauma, the
department chief said.
While the duty of rolling out the legisla-
tion is the work of the NLA, the ICAO sees
one of its chief roles as ensuring the govern-
ment has the right approach to dealing with
problems raised, officials said.
The reason why Thailand has this red
flag right now is because we do not have
the proper laws in place, Mr Chula said,
adding the bill would have implications
for getting that [flag] removed.
The CAAT will also present the bill to the
ICAO for consideration, he said. The matter
bad condition that need to be replaced and
Suicide rates have been on a worrying
upwards trend in recent years.
In 2015, the average number of sui-
cides stood at 350 people a month, or
one person committed suicide every
two hours, Dr Boonruang said, referring
to statistics compiled by the Khon Kaen
Rajanagarindra Psychiatric Hospital.
Men are four times more likely to kill
themselves compared with women and
are also more likely to injure someone
else in the process, the hospital said.
Relationship issues, particularly jeal-
ousy, are one of the main causes of sui-
cide in Thailand, followed by depression,
according to the hospitals findings.
The Public Health Ministry has set a
target to curb suicides to a rate of less
than 6 per 100,000 people, from 6.47 per
100,000 currently, by 2021, Dr Boonru-
ang said.
Thai Airways, the national flag carrier, is
now adjusting its aviation manuals and may
get its licence reissued early next month
instead of later this month as planned, Mr
Chula said.
Other airlines that will be entitled to AOC
re-certification next month include NokS-
coot and Thai AirAsia X, he said.
Four other airlines Asia Atlantic, Jet
Asia, Advance Aviation and Kan Air have
requested inspections from the CAAT, he
said. These should begin from July.
EDUCATION
Ministry
firm on used
books plan
DUMRONGKIAT MALA
The Education Ministry has defended
itsplan to lend textbooks to students as a
lesson on responsibility and a budget-
saving technique after an anti-corruption
network asked it to revise the plan, fearing
the new policy may lead to corruption in
budget spending.
Mongkolkit Suksingtharanon, secretary-
general of the National Anti-Corruption
Network (NACN), on Monday called on
the Education Ministry to review its plan
to lend textbooks to primary and second-
ary students instead of giving them new
books.
No student wants to learn from used
textbooks in bad condition or with funny
notes written by previous owners, said Mr
Mongkolkit, after submitting a letter to the
prime minister at Government House on
Monday morning.
Students will eventually ask their parents
to buy them a whole new set of textbooks
which could create an additional financial
burden on parents and is against the con-
stitutional right that gives everyone access
to free basic education, he added.
The NACN chief claimed the policy is
also conducive to corruption as the schools
can easily make up the number of books in
collude with book stores.
For example, a school could inform the
ministry that it needs to buy 40% of the total
number of textbooks to replace old dam-
aged ones, when in fact it only needs to
buy 20%. The school could keep the extra
money, he said.
The NACN suggested the ministry revise
this plan as soon as possible and return to
the practice of subsidising new textbooks
for all students.
However, Education Minister Tee-
rakiat Jareonsettasin yesterday insisted on
going ahead with the plan as the ministry
could save up to 1 billion baht a year if it
does not have to buy new textbooks for
students every year.
We should lend textbooks to students
and pass them on to the next class if the
content taught in the curriculum does not
change, instead of buying the same new
books every year, Dr Teerakiat told the
Bangkok Post.
The Office of Basic Education Commis-
sion (Obec) currently spends about 5 billion
baht a year on textbooks for eight million
students in primary and secondary levels
across the country.
The Obec subsidy on textbooks ranges
from about 200 baht per one kindergarten
student to almost 1,300 baht per student at
the secondary level.
WEDNESDAY, APRIL 26, 2017
Tourism scam
suspect claims
to be victim
Police work to crack
series of con jobs
WASSAYOS NGAMKHAM
A key suspect, who is the aunt of a female
doctor allegedly connected to a bogus tour-
ism company, turned herself in to police
yesterday, insisting she was also a victim
of the fraud.
Phongphan Siriwat, aunt of Dr Phan-
narat Chantharamani, yesterday surren-
dered to Central Investigation Bureau (CIB)
chief Thitirat Nongharnpitak, saying she
wanted to prove her sincerity and show she
had no knowledge of the scam.
She insisted she was one of the victims.
Ms Phongphan, who has been charged
with public fraud, also prepared to submit
a bail request with a land title deed worth
800,000 baht as surety.
Police say Dr Phannarat is believed to
have escaped to the Philippines ahead of
the Songkran festival, days before the scam,
which caused more than 60 million baht in
damages, was exposed.
Arrest warrants were issued for the
doctor and later for Ms Phongphan and
the doctors boyfriend, Apiwat Akkara-
detm, whose previous name was Theer-
ayut Burassakarn.
He is reportedly still in the country,
according to officials.
During a police inquiry, Ms Phongphan
NARCOTICS
Detained Malaysian
not tied to Xaysana
POST REPORTERS
The drug trafficking network involving a
Malaysian suspect arrested on Monday at
Suvarnabhumi airport is not connected
to thealleged Lao drug kingpin Xaysana
Keopimpha, narcotics agents say.
Narcotics Suppression Bureau (NSB)
deputy chief Pornchai Charoenwong said
yesterday police were stepping up the
investigation into the trafficking ring to
which Ko Chun Kia, a Malaysian national,
belongs. The suspect was caught by police
as he was about to leave the country via the
airport on Monday night.
The arrest was made by a team led by
Pol Maj Gen Pornchai.
A warrant for Mr Kos arrest was issued
after two Malaysian men were arrested
with 52 kilogrammes of heroin and 41kg
of crystal methamphetamine at a police
checkpoint in Chumphon province on Dec
11, 2016.
In an expanded action, police seized
87kg of crystal meth in Songkhlas Hat Yai
district on Jan 26.
The suspects arrested on Dec 11 alleged
Mr Ko was involved and was a leading
member of the drug trafficking network.
He entered Thailand on April 3 and was
subsequently arrested at departure gate 10
POLITICS
Feud erupts over NLA organic bill panel chairman
MONGKOL BANGPRAPA
A dispute has erupted over the selection
of the chairman of a National Legisla-
tive Assembly (NLA) committee set up
to scrutinise an organic bill on the Elec-
tion Commission.
NLA member Tuang Anthachai was
selected on Monday as the committees
chairman, sparking outrage among some
panel members over irregularities and
a breach of etiquette, a source close to
the panel said.
CRIME
Boss rapist still to serve 50 years but wife acquitted
POST REPORTERS
The Supreme Court yesterday upheld
the lower courts decision to sentence
a man to 50 years in jail for repeat-
edly raping his female employee and
forcefully detaining and threatening
her with the use of weapons.
The court acquitted his wife, who
was earlier sentenced to 10 years in
prison for acting as her husbands
accomplice. The high-profile case saw
Surachai Vivattanachart, 41, and his
wife Thanawan Klaiprae, 50, arraigned
in the Criminal Court for raping a
female employee of his firm, Interna-
tional Detective Co, and detaining and
threatening her with weapons from
I Bangkok Post
said she was persuaded by Mr Apiwat to
work in the administration department at
the couples company in October last year.
Although her niece was the companys
executive, the firm was mainly overseen by
the boyfriend, she said.
Ms Phongphans duty was to inspect
hotel rooms, take pictures and send them
to Mr Apiwat via the Line application.
She also invested 1.3 million baht in the
business and received dividends until last
month when Mr Apiwat claimed he was
unable to pay her as the company had failed
to collect money from its clients.
After that, she lost contact with him.
The woman said Dr Phannarat has been
in a relationship with Mr Apiwat since 2014.
The man also allegedly lured the physi-
cians relatives into the scam, causing them
to lose more than three million baht.
Ms Phongphan said her niece decided
to flee abroad as she had an argument with
Mr Apiwat who also threatened her.
In another development, Pol Lt Gen
Thitirat said police are in the process of
seeking an arrest warrant for another sus-
pect involved in a high-profile tour scam
to Japan, orchestrated by alleged fraudster
Pasist Arinchayalapis, alias Sin Sae Shogun.
He also instructed investigators oversee-
ing the case to quickly wrap up the probe
summary and forward it to prosecutors by
next week.
The case has caused huge damages.
Although some of the money was returned
to the victims, there will be no compro-
mise in this case as a lot of people were
on the 4th floor of Suvarnabhumi airport
before he could board a flight out.
Pol Maj Gen Pornchai said Mr Ko went
to several northern provinces during his
visit. His drug network was believed to have
delivered drugs from the North to storage
sites in Bangkok, in preparation for being
moved to the South and then Malaysia
via the Sadao immigration checkpoint
in Songkhla.
Mr Ko has been remanded in custody
at the Criminal Court on Ratchadaphisek
Road after he was charged with possessing
crystal meth and heroin with intent to sell
and colluding to commit drug offences.
Police have launched an investigation
into possible links to the cartel of Mr Xay-
sana. Investigators have found, however,
that the drug trafficking network has noth-
ing to do with the Xaysana cartel.
Mr Xaysana, who was arrested at Suvarn-
abhumi airport on Jan 19, is the alleged
mastermind behind several drug rackets
in Southeast Asia.
Pol Maj Gen Pornchai said the investiga-
tors were quickly trying to find other sus-
pects in the trafficking network involving
Mr Ko as well as the financiers behind it.
The police were piecing together evi-
dence and witness accounts as they tracked
the networks money trail.
According to the source, NLA member
Jate Siratharanont had been tipped to
chair the committee to scrutinise the bill,
given he had earlier been appointed by
NLA chairman Pornpetch Wichitcholchai
to head another NLA committee set up
to study the bill in advance.
The Constitution Drafting Committee
forwarded the bill to the NLA on April 18.
The NLA passed the bill in its first reading
and set up a 31-member panel to scruti- middle, with eight votes in favour of Mr
nise it last Friday. Jate and eight votes for Mr Tuang.
Some committee members cried
April 19 to Aug 10, 2008.
With the alleged help
of his wife, Surachai also
threatened to distrib-
ute photos and videos of
him having sex with the
woman. On March 29,
2013, the Criminal Court
found Surachai guilty of
rape and illegally possess-
ing weapons. He and his Surachai: Man with a
wife Thanawan Klaiprae colourful past
were also found guilty of
forcefully detaining the victim. a warrant for her arrest.
Surachais sentences added up to The case was then forwarded
a total jail term of 85 years and six to the Supreme Court, which yes-
months. He was also fined 1,050 baht. terday upheld the 50-year prison
But according to the law he can only term for Surachai, but acquitted
A member of a group of about 20 product distributors lodges a petition against a company which lured them into a scam promising online product advertisement by Chinese net
idols. PORNPROM SATRABHAYA
defrauded, the CIB chief said.
Besides the two cases, Pol Lt Gen Thitirat
also ordered investigators to step up efforts
to track down Sawat Saengbangpla, 79, ex-
chairman of Chulalongkorn University Sav-
ings Cooperative, who is accused of luring
people into a bogus lottery investment
scheme, causing damages exceeding one
billion baht.
Drug suspect Ko Chun Kia, a Malaysian national, is arrested on Monday by Narcotics
Suppression Bureau (NSB) officers at Suvarnabhumi airport as he was attempting to leave the
country. PHOTO BY THE NSB
foul when Mr Tuang was selected as the
committees chairman yesterday, the
source said. During the selection, former
permanent secretary for defence Gen
Nipat Thonglek, another NLA member,
unexpectedly nominated Mr Tuang for
the chairmanship against Mr Jate, the
source said.
When the committee voted to choose
the chairman, it was split down the
Therefore, NLA member Thamrong
spend a maximum of 50
years behind bars for the
crimes he committed.
After Thanawan was
originally also given 10
years imprisonment, the
couple took the case to the
Appeal Court. On Nov 4,
2014 this court upheld the
lower courts sentences.
However, Surachais wife
did not show up for the
ruling so the court issued
A preliminary probe indicates Mr Sawat
is still hiding in Thailand.
Pol Lt Gen Thitirat said police were com-
piling evidence to find whether there were
other accomplices in the case or whether
he acted alone.
Checks of the suspects financial transac-
tions showed none of the money taken from
the victims had been transferred to other
Thassananchalee, serving as acting chair-
man of the committee, asked to exercise
his voting rights and voted in support of
Mr Tuang, the source said.
Mr Thamrongs action drew heavy
criticism from some members who saw
it as a breach of etiquette, the source said.
If Mr Jate carried out his duties prop-
erly while chairing the committee on the
bill, there should be no reason to replace
him. If there was to be any replacement,
then there should have been talks to
deliberate the matter first in order to
Thanawan despite the fact she again
failed to show up. The plaintiff s
lawyer, Rassamee Waiyanet, said she
plans to file for damages for being
wrongly accused.
In July 1996, Surachai, formerly
known as Kanisorn, was convicted
of beating and torturing his ex-wife,
a former runner-up in the prestigious
Miss Thailand beauty pageant. A year
later, police in Phaya Thai district
reportedly found weapons in his vehi-
cle and sought to prosecute him. He
was detained but later released.
Surachai then used an M16 assault
rifle to fire rounds at the police station,
apparently in retribution, a crime for
which he served six years behind bars.
NATIONAL I 3
peoples accounts or used to buy property. advertisement scheme, causing 30 million
Mr Sawats relatives and acquaintances baht in losses.
will be summoned for questioning as the The victims said paid 75,900 baht
probe widens, he added. for each ad, but the company did not keep
In a separate case, the Crime Suppres- its promise to have their products promoted
sion Division (CSD) yesterday received by popular Chinese idols on a well-known
complaints from 20 product distribu- online shopping site based in China.
tors who claimed they were duped by a The company had also guaranteed a
company to invest in a Chinese online high sales volume.
SOCIAL SECURITY
Informal workers
get hospital boost
POST REPORTERS They are eligible for three kinds of ben-
efits covering injuries and sickness, an
The government has agreed to increase old-age allowance and a funeral expense
compensation by half for informal allowance, according to Gen Sirichai.
workers who are members of the Social Members are paid compensation for
Security Fund (SSF) if they are admitted injuries and sickness, certified by a doctor,
to hospital. at 200 baht a day for three days, up to a
Labour Minister Sirichai Distakul said maximum of 30 days a year, he added.
yesterday the cabinet approved a proposal They receive 500-1,000 baht a month for
for additional benefits for SSF members 15 years if they become disabled.
under the National Social Security Fund Under the amended act, members will
Acts Section 40. also be eligible to a funeral expense allow-
The cabinet has agreed to increase the ance of 20,000 baht, plus extra money of
amount of daily compensation for hospi- 3,000 baht, he said.
tal admission to members from 200 to 300 Under the second programme, mem-
baht, up to a maximum of 30 days a year. bers contribute 100 baht a month and
SSF members under Section 40 are the state pays a 50-baht subsidy to the
informal workers, who are usually under- fund each month. They are eligible to be
paid and do not get proper health and wel- compensated in the event of sickness, dis-
fare benefits, such as freelancers, street ability, funeral expenses and old age, Gen
vendors and motorcycle taxi drivers. Sirichai said.
The amended act is expected to take In the third programme, a new option,
effect within two months, said the Social informal workers pay 300 baht a month to
Security Offices deputy secretary-general combine with a 150-baht state subsidy.
Suradej Waleeittikul. Members are eligible to be compen-
Informal workers who are members sated for injuries and sickness and disabil-
of the SSF can choose from three pro- ity, funeral expenses, an old age allowance
grammes for informal workers. and a child allowance, he said. They will
Under the first, members contribute 70 get 300 baht a day in compensation for
baht monthly to the fund and the govern- hospital admission, up to a maximum of
ment pays a 30-baht subsidy. 90 days a year.
NATIONAL STRATEGY
Wissanu defends
avoid hurting feelings, the source said.
However, Mr Tuang yesterday said
militarys seats
the problem stemmed from a commit-
tee member who refused to back down
even after the contender nominated by
on superboard
that member was not chosen as chair-
man. Mr Tuang did not name the com- AEKARACH SATTABURUTH
mittee member.
Other members also nominated him Deputy Prime Minister Wissanu Krea-ngam has
as a contender for the chairmanship apart defended the law thatwill allow the militarys top
from Gen Nipat, Mr Tuang said, while brass to sit on a superboard committee that will
insisting that he had nothing to gain from oversee national strategy, despite fears this could
becoming the committees chairman. interfere with the return to democracy.
Speaking at Government House yesterday about
preparations to establish the committee, Mr Wissanu
said of the 32 committee members that will draft the
20-year national strategic plan, only five or six will be
selected from the military.
Thai The rest of the members will be drawn from public
and private agencies including the Thai Chamber of
Pulse Commerce, the Thai Bankers Association, the Finance
Ministry, the National Economic and Social Develop-
ment Board and the National Farmers Federation.
The deputy prime ministers comments follow
It is too early to worry about Chinas criticism that it is inappropriate to have army per-
survey of the Mekong River as it strives sonnel occupy positions on the superboard, as they
to improve cargo boat navigation there, are not experts in the field.
authorities say. Earlier, a bill governing national strategy was pro-
posed to the National Legislative Assembly (NLA)
www.bangkokpost.com/news/ for deliberation.
asean/1238347 Mr Wissanu said that seeing as the government
took it upon itself to establish the superboard, it is
now up to parliament to work on a bill governing the
A man previously convicted of murder has national strategy committee.
been arrested, along with his girlfriend, Under the superboard, a panel of 15 members
the former wife of a policeman, on a drugs drawn from various sectors will also be set up to draft
charge. national development plans.
The schemes will then be submitted to the super-
www.bangkokpost.com/news/ board, the cabinet, parliament and the King for con-
crime/1238307 sideration before being promulgated, he added.
4 I
ASIA
NORTH KOREA
NK marks anniversary with firing drill
Envoys in Tokyo warn
of taking stern action
SEOUL: Nuclear-armed North Korea yes-
terday marked a military anniversary with
a massive conventional firing drill, Seoul
said, as a US guided-missile submarine
docked in South Korea amid tensions over
Pyongyangs weapons ambitions.
Speculation had mounted that the
North could carry out a sixth nuclear test
or another missile launch to mark 85 years
since the founding of its army. But no such
event which usually happens in the
morning had taken place by late after-
noon, and instead Seouls defence ministry
said Pyongyang was conducting a massive
fire drill in the eastern port city of Wonsan.
The Souths Yonhap news agency cited
a government source as saying the exer-
cise was the Norths largest ever and pre-
sumed to have been overseen by leader Kim
Jong-un.
Washington has sent the aircraft carrier
USS Carl Vinson to the Korean Peninsula,
where it is expected to arrive after a
derision-provoking delay later this week.
Confusion had clouded the carriers where-
abouts earlier this month after US officials
indicated it was sailing towards North
Korea when in fact it was heading south.
The vessel will take part in joint naval
drills with the Souths forces to demon-
strate Seoul and Washingtons strong deter-
mination to punish North Korean provo-
cations, the South Korean Navy said in a
statement. They will take place in the East
Sea, the Souths name for the Sea of Japan,
it said, and the two allies will also begin
joint naval exercises in the West Sea what
it calls the Yellow Sea on Tuesday in
relation to the current security situation.
The nuclear-powered US submarine
USS Michigan also made a port call at
Busan in the South yesterday in another
show of force.
President Donald Trump has said the US
was sending an armada to the peninsula,
including submarines. According to the US
Navys Submarine Force Pacific website,
the USS Michigan carries more than 150
Tomahawk cruise missiles.
They are capable of precision strikes
against the Norths nuclear facilities, but the
South Korean Navy called the visit routine
and said the submarine would not take part
in any joint exercises.
North Korea has ambitions to build a
nuclear-tipped missile capable of reaching
the US mainland. Tensions have soared in
recent months as it carried out a string of
missile tests that sparked tit-for-tat sabre-
rattling between it and Washington.
In call to Trump, Chinese leader urges restraint
WASHINGTON: As the world braces for
a possible North Korean nuclear test,
Chinese President Xi Jinping on Monday
urged restraint in a call to President Donald
Trump. Americas UN envoy warned of a
strike if Pyongyang attacks a US military
base or tests an intercontinental ballis-
tic missile.
Mr Xis phone call with Mr Trump came
amid signs Pyongyang could soon conduct
its sixth nuclear test explosion since 2006,
or the latest in a rapid series of missile tests,
further advancing its ambitions of devel-
oping a nuclear-tipped missile that could
reach the US mainland.
In Washington, the Trump
PHILIPPINES
Lawyer seeks
ICC charges
for Duterte
JAKARTA: A Philippine lawyer asked the
International Criminal Court (ICC) in The
Hague on Monday to charge President
Rodrigo Duterte and 11 other officials with
mass murder and crimes against humanity
in the killings of thousands of people over
three decades.
The lawyer, Jude Josue Sabio, said in a
77-page complaint that Mr Duterte was the
mastermind of a campaign that has killed
more than 9,400 people, mostly poor young
men, since 1988, when Mr Duterte was first
elected mayor of Davao City.
The situation in the Philippines reveals
a terrifying, gruesome and disastrous con-
tinuing commission of extrajudicial execu-
tions or mass murder from the time Presi-
dent Duterte was the mayor of Davao City,
the complaint says.
Mr Sabio represents two men who say
they were paid assassins for Mr Duterte
when he was mayor of Davao City but
filed the case on his own. The court has
the authority to accept cases brought by
individuals as well as by nations and the
UN Security Council.
According to police statistics, more than
4,000 people have been killed by police
in anti-drug operations or by vigilantes
in drug-related cases since Mr Duterte
became president. Mr Sabios complaint
North Korean soldiers salute bronze statues (not pictured) of North Koreas late founder Kim Il-sung and late leader Kim Jong-il in Pyongyang yesterday. KYODO VIA REUTERS
Pyongyangs rhetoric always intensifies
in the spring, when Seoul and Washington
hold joint military drills which it sees as
rehearsals for an invasion.
The Norths Rodong Sinmun newspa-
per the official mouthpiece of the ruling
Workers Party of Korea warned yester-
day of dire consequences in the event of a
US-led pre-emptive strike. It promised the
most brutal punishment ... in the sky and
land as well as at sea and from underwater
without any warning or prior notice.
Mr Trump on Monday urged UN Security
Council ambassadors to consider stronger
sanctions against Pyongyang, and US sena-
tors will be briefed on North Korea at the
White House today. Secretary of State Rex
Tillerson is to chair a ministerial-level Secu-
rity Council meeting on the North on Friday.
The North says it needs nuclear weap-
ons to defend itself against invasion and
a spokesman for its foreign ministry yes-
terday claimed the meetings coupled
administration invited the entire 100-
member Senate for a briefing today on the
escalating crisis. Adding to the atmosphere
of animosity, officials said North Korea has
detained a third US citizen.
Mr Trump told ambassadors from UN
Security Council members that the status
quo in North Korea is unacceptable and
the council must be prepared to impose
additional and stronger sanctions.
This is a real threat to the world,
whether we want to talk about it or not.
North Korea is a big world problem, and
its a problem we have to finally solve.
People have put blindfolds on for
decades, and now its time to solve the
puts that number at more than 8,000. In
addition, the complaint cites the killings
of more than 1,400 people who Mr Sabio
and rights advocates say were killed over 28
years in Mr Dutertes anti-crime campaign
in Davao City.
The complaint also names Justice
Secretary Vitaliano Aguirre; the national
police chief, Ronald dela Rosa; House of
Representatives Speaker Pantaleon Alva-
rez; and two senators, Peter Cayetano and
Richard Gordon.
The presidents spokesman, Ernesto
Abella, said the complaint would not suc-
ceed at the international court because Mr
Sabio had not pursued all legal remedies in
the Philippines. Mr Abella also denied that
the government was behind any extrajudi-
cial killings.
The ICC, which handles cases of geno-
cide, crimes against humanity and war
crimes, was founded by international
agreement. The Philippines signed on
in 2011. The court may take cases only
with Mr Trumps fresh policy of maximum
pressure and engagement on Pyongyang
showed the threat it faced from the US.
They are explicitly advocating pressure
on us, which is as dangerous as lighting
the fuse on an all-out war, he said in a
statement carried by the state-run KCNA
news agency.
Meanwhile, top nuclear envoys from
Japan, South Korea and the US met
yesterday in Tokyo and vowed stern
action against any fresh North Korean
provocations.
Joseph Yun, US Special Representative
on North Korea policy, said he discussed
American policy to enhance pressure
on the North because we really do not
believe that North Korea is ready to engage
us towards denuclearisation.
The trio also agreed that China and
Russia should play a bigger role in rein-
ing in the North, said Kim Hong-kyun,
South Koreas chief envoy on the issue. AFP
problem, he said at the White House.
North Korea poses one the sternest
national security challenges facing the
three-month-old Trump administration.
The administration has settled on a strat-
egy emphasising increased pressure on
North Korea with the help of China, rather
than trying to overthrow Kim Jong-uns
isolated government or use military force.
But senior officials have repeatedly said that
all options remain on the table.
China is a traditional ally of North Korea
and fought on its side in the 1950-53 Korean
War. Those ties have frayed, but Beijing
remains the Norths economic lifeline. The
Xi-Trump call on Monday morning Beijing
Filipino Lawyer
Jude Sabio
displays a
document outside
the International
Criminal Court in
The Hague, the
Netherlands, on
Monday. EPA
under certain conditions, including when
a nations own judicial system is unable or
unwilling to investigate or prosecute.
Mr Sabios complaint says that after
becoming president, Mr Duterte replicated
the methods used by the Davao Death
Squad nationwide, including the planting
of false evidence, cash payments to kill-
ers, cooperation with local authorities, and
police participation and command.
The basic material hallmarks or ele-
ments in the extrajudicial executions in the
Davao Death Squad in Davao City and in
the continued extrajudicial executions after
President Duterte became the president are
too numerous and too obvious to escape
scant attention, the complaint says.
Mr Sabio argues that the court has the
responsibility to investigate and prosecute
the people responsible for the killings
because an impartial investigation would
be impossible in the Philippines, where the
president and his allies control the coun-
trys political and legal systems. NYT
The nuclear-powered submarine USS Michigan approaches a naval base in the
southeastern port of Busan, South Korea, yesterday. EPA
time was the second time the two leaders
have spoken by telephone since meeting
in Florida earlier this month.
Mr Xi told Mr Trump that China strongly
opposes North Koreas nuclear weapons
programme, which violates UN Security
Council resolutions, and hopes all parties
will exercise restraint and avoid aggravat-
ing the situation on the Korean Peninsula,
Chinas official broadcaster CCTV said.
A White House readout of the call said
Mr Trump criticised North Koreas con-
tinued belligerence and the leaders reaf-
firmed the urgency of the threat. They com-
mitted to strengthening coordination to
denuclearise North Korea, a statement said.
CHINA
Trial of human rights lawyer
delayed, say supporters
CHANGSHA: A Chinese court indefinitely
postponed the trial of a prominent human
rights lawyer yesterday, his supporters said,
in a case that has sparked international
concern after allegations he was tortured.
Xie Yang, who had worked on numerous
cases considered politically sensitive by the
ruling Communist Party, was among hun-
dreds of legal staff and activists detained in
a crackdown in the summer of 2015.
Dozens of supporters and several dip-
lomats gathered at the court in the central
city of Changsha for the start of Mr Xies
trial believed to be on charges of inciting
subversion of state power were told the
case would not be heard yesterday.
Last-minute delays in sensitive trials
are not uncommon even though Chinese
law requires courts to give a defendants
family and lawyers three days notice of any
changes, said Amnesty International China
researcher Patrick Poon.
A new date was not provided.
Mr Xie, who was arrested in the so-called
709 crackdown, claims police have used
sleep deprivation, long interrogations,
beatings, death threats, humiliations on
him, and the EU has voiced concern over
his case.
Eleven countries, including Canada,
Australia and Switzerland, also cited his
case in a letter to Beijing criticising Chinas
detention practices.
We are following this case very closely
Bangkok Post I
rity officers were killed in April 2010 in
Nikki Haley, Mr Trumps UN ambassa-
dor, said on Monday the US wasnt looking
for a fight with Mr Kim and wouldnt attack
North Korea unless he gives us reason
to do something. She praised Chinas
increased pressure on North Korea.
Asked about the threshold for US action,
Ms Haley told NBCs Today that if you see
him attack a military base, if you see some
sort of intercontinental ballistic missile,
then obviously were going to do that.
But asked what would happen if North
Korea tests an intercontinental missile or
nuclear device, Ms Haley said: I think then
the president steps in and decides whats
going to happen. AP
and our human rights counsellor is in
Changsha today,a Beijing-based EU
spokesman said.
Mr Xie is being represented by a court-
designated advocate after he was denied
the right to pick his own defence, his former
attorney Chen Jiangang said.
The new lawyer, He Xiaodian, could not
be reached for comment.
Mr Chen said he had contacted Mr Xies
family on Monday night to advise them not
to go to the courtroom. But they did not get
any clear information saying the trial date
was different, he said.
Court officials had confirmed to Mr Xies
wife, Chen Guiqiu, that the trial would start
yesterday, she said in a statement last week.
Chinese President Xi Jinping has over-
seen a tightening of controls on civil soci-
ety since assuming power in 2012, closing
avenues for legal activism that had opened
up in recent years.
While the government initially targeted
political activists and human rights cam-
paigners, it has increasingly turned its
attention to the legal professionals who
represent them.
Among Mr Xies clients were Chinese
activists who supported Hong Kong
democracy. In December, he was indicted
on charges of inciting subversion of state
power and disrupting court order,
according to US-based charity Chinese
Human Rights Defenders. AFP
WEDNESDAY, APRIL 26, 2017
INDIA
25 officers
die in Maoist
rebel attack
NEW DELHI: Maoist rebels attacked a police
patrol in a remote part of eastern India on
Monday, leaving at least 25 security officers
dead and seven more injured, officials said.
The attack was one of the deadliest in the
region in recent years.
The security forces, members of the Cen-
tral Reserve Police Force, were guarding the
construction of a new road and bridge in
the Sukma district, a hilly and thickly for-
ested part of Chhattisgarh state. The Maoist
rebels in the region, known as Naxalites,
often single out government road projects
for attack.
The Naxalites have been fighting a spo-
radic guerrilla war for 50 years, aiming to
overthrow the Indian government and set
up communist rule. Their grievances centre
on control of land and resources, and what
they say are unkept promises of autonomy
for tribal groups in the Indian Constitution.
The Naxalites dislike road construction
projects because they improve the govern-
ments access to the rebels strongholds.
Officials said the ambush occurred early
in the afternoon. A spokesman for the Cen-
tral Reserve Police Force, Rajiv Singh, said
that 99 officers were taking part in the secu-
rity patrol.
An officer who survived the attack, Saif
Mohammed, said in televised remarks
the attackers were armed with all kind of
weapons, including AK-47s, and that they
were firing indiscriminately. He estimated
that 300 fighters attacked the patrol and
that several were killed by return fire from
the police.
Chhattisgarh state has seen a number
of deadly Maoist attacks. At least 73 secu-
the Dantewada district of the state, and
12 were killed in the Sukma district last
month in similar circumstances to the
attack Monday.
In this area, the Maoist rebels presence
is too much, Raman Singh, the chief minis-
ter of Chhattisgarh, said in Raipur, the state
capital. To continue the construction of
roads and bridges in this area is a big chal-
lenge for us, and we will face it.
He said Sukma was the headquarters
for the rebels, but that they would be weak-
ened in the area once the roads were com-
pleted. This is the last fight, he said.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi con-
demned the attack on Monday, saying in
a Twitter message that it was cowardly &
deplorable.
Dilip Trivedi, a former chief of the Cen-
tral Reserve Police Force, told the Indian
news channel NDTV that guarding con-
struction projects posed a particular danger
for the security forces because their patrols
were predictable.
They are very exposed in this area,
because this is a fixed duty, its a known
duty, and they have to do it on a daily basis
well known in advance, he said. NYT
Cow tags
aimed to curb
smuggling
NEW DELHI: India could issue millions of
cows with unique identification numbers,
the latest effort to protect the sacred ani-
mals amid a spike in violence by Hindu
vigilantes against farmers accused of
cattle smuggling.
The government has told the Supreme
Court that millions of cows will be tagged
with a tamper-proof plastic tag linked to a
national database in a bid to curb smug-
gling within India and beyond its borders.
Cows are considered sacred in Hindu-
majority India, and their slaughter is a
punishable offence in many states.
Each animal will have a unique number
that will have details like age, breed, sex,
height, colour, horn type and special
marks, a senior officer from Indias home
ministry that prepared the recommenda-
tions said.
A panel from the home ministry was
tasked by Prime Minister Narendra Modis
right-wing government to propose meas-
ures against cross-border smuggling after a
petition was filed by an animal rights group
in the Supreme Court.
Nearly 175,000 cattle are seized annually
on the largely porous borders with Bangla-
desh and Nepal, according to home min-
istry figures, with unofficial estimates of
the illegal cow trade pegged at nearly two
million animals. But the proposal comes
amid a spike in violence by Hindu mobs
against farmers transporting livestock, and
a broader crackdown on butchers in Indias
most populous state Uttar Pradesh.
Vigilante squads roaming highways
checking livestock trucks for the sacred
animals have proliferated since the Hindu
nationalist Bharatiya Janata Party came to
power in 2014.
These so-called cow protection squads
beat a Muslim man to death on a highway
in Rajasthan this month, accusing him of
secretly taking cattle to an abattoir for ille-
gal slaughter. The man was a dairy farmer
transporting milk cows. Three men trans-
porting buffaloes in their truck were beaten
this week in the capital New Delhi. AFP
WEDNESDAY, APRIL 26, 2017 I Bangkok Post I 5

WORLD
PACIFIC

Thousands across region mark Anzac Day

SYDNEY: Thousands of people in Australia,
New Zealand and Thailand attended dawn
services and military parades on Tuesday
to commemorate Anzac Day, the Gallipoli
landings during World War I and the infa-
mous Thai-Burma death railway of World
War II.
The day marks the landing of thousands
of troops from the Australian and New Zea-
land Army Corps (Anzac) on the Gallipoli
peninsula in Turkey on April 25, 1915.
The ill-fated military campaign against
the Turks has become an important anni-
versary to remember troops from both
countries who served and died in war.
Gallipoli was the first time that soldiers
from Australia and New Zealand fought
under their own flags and is seared in the
national consciousness as a point where
their nations came of age, emerging from
The Currumbin branch of the Returned and Services League of Australiastages a dawn the shadow of the British empire.
service in Gold Coast to mark Anzac Day yesterday. EPA Television footage showed veterans and
their families marching by flag-waving
crowds and laying wreaths at war memo-
rials in Sydney and other Australian cities.
Australian Foreign Minister Julie Bishop
and New Zealand Justice Minister Amy
Adams were due to attend a dawn service
at Anzac Cove on the Gallipoli peninsula
later on Tuesday.
Turks mark what they call the Canakkale
War on March 18 the day in 1915 that saw
the start of the main Allied naval assault on
the Dardanelles Straits. More than 130,000
were killed during the campaign, most of
them Turks.
The 102nd anniversary of Anzac Day was
being held amid tight security in Gallipoli
after the Australian government said earlier
this month it had received information of a
possible attack during the ceremony.
Australian Prime Minister Malcolm
Turnbull posted a message and photo on
Twitter on Tuesday after his unannounced
visit to Australian troops in Afghanistan and
Iraq this week.
We do not glorify war. Anzac Day is not
the anniversary of a great victory, but it
commemorates the triumph of the human
spirit, he said in a video message posted
on Facebook.
In Gallipoli, thousands of Australians
and New Zealanders, many braving heavy
rain, turned out to mark the landing and
to pay tribute to soldiers in current conflict
zones in moving ceremonies.
More than 10,000 New Zealand and Aus-
tralian servicemen died in the failed eight-
month campaign, and Gallipoli became a
defining symbol of courage and comrade-
ship for the two countries.
Dawn services also acknowledged the
contributions of troops currently serving
in the Middle East, as Prime Minister Mal-
colm Turnbull visited camps in Afghanistan
and Iraq.
Like your forebears, 100 years ago, the
Anzacs of the First World War, you are here
in the Middle East, Mr Turnbull told sol-
diers in Baghdad. This time [its] the fight
against terrorism and youre on the front
line here and I want to thank you.
The Australian leader also met with
his Iraqi counterpart Haider al-Abadi and
pledged an additional Aus$110 million
(2.85 billion baht) in funding to combat
the Islamic State group.
In Afghanistan, he met with President
Ashraf Ghani, US Defence Secretary Jim
Mattis and Australian personnel in Qargha
outside Kabul.
US Secretary of State Rex Tillerson paid
tribute to the war dead. The tenacity and
sacrifice of your brave servicemen and
women represent to this day the determi-
nation of the people of Australia and New
Zealand to defend democracy and free-
dom, he said. AGENCIES

Five Eyes
spy groups
gather in NZ
Govts deny meeting
called to tackle crises
WELLINGTON/WASHINGTON: New Zea-
land Prime Minister Bill English was flying
to the mountainous resort city of Queen-
stown yesterday to meet intelligence offi-
cials from the Five Eyes network, which
includes the United States FBI, CIA and
National Security Agency.
The meetings, designed to facilitate
intelligence sharing between the US,
United Kingdom, Canada, Australia and
New Zealand, are being held at a sen-
sitive time for the Asia-Pacific region
as tension between the US and North
Korea escalates.
However, six US and allied govern-
ment sources said it was a routine annual
get-together that was not being held to
respond to any particular crisis.
The confirmation of the meetings
indicates that Five Eyes countries hold
regular intelligence conferences, a fact
not widely known outside intelligence
circles until now, according to analysts.
I can confirm that its Five Eyes, just
part of the regular cycle of conferences
that are held, Mr English told reporters
on Monday. He declined to specify which
officials were attending.
The officials and Mr English declined
to discuss what topics would be on the
agenda, although Mr English said he
would use the meetings as an opportunity
to stress New Zealands dedication to the
intelligence-sharing network.
Its becoming increasingly obvious, I
think, that as you consider these supra-
national threats like Isis that you work
together with other countries, Mr English
said, using a common acronym for the
Islamic State militant group.
A source at one of the agencies con-
firmed that the New Zealand conference
was an annual get-together ... a regular
meeting of all of the seniors.
Activities by Russias government and
counter-proliferation of nuclear arms in
North Korea would likely be discussed,
alongside more mundane topics like
managing diversity in the workplace and
how to prevent whistleblowers, according
to Massey University security and defence
analyst Rhys Ball, who formerly worked
for New Zealands intelligence service.
The interesting thing about this con-
ference, I think, is that this might offer
some of those senior officials the first
opportunity to meet up with some of the
new American intelligence officials, Mr
Ball said.
US officials declined to discuss the
movements of specific senior officials. A
source familiar with the matter said senior
Canadian officials were taking part.
New Zealand media reported that FBI
director James Comey would attend and
published photos of him disembarking
from a plane in Queenstown on Sunday.
The sources said agencies whose offi-
cials were expected to attend included the
FBI, CIA and National Security Agency
from the US, the UKs MI-5, MI-6 and Gov-
ernment Communications Headquarters,
the Canadian Security Intelligence Ser-
vice and Communications Security Estab-
lishment Canada, the Australian Security
Intelligence Organisation, the Australian
Signals Intelligence Directorate, and New
Zealands Government Communications
Security Bureau and Security Intelligence
Service. REUTERS

SYRIA

Forced evacuation may be

a war crime, says UN chief
UNITED NATIONS: UN Secretary-General
Antonio Guterres is warning that the forced
evacuation of civilians in Syria may be a
war crime, as one of the largest population
transfers in the countrys six-year civil war
is taking place.
Mr Guterres said in a report to the Secu-
rity Council circulated on Monday that the
United Nations has repeatedly expressed
concern at local agreements between
the Syrian government and opposition
groups that follow the decimation of an
area and result in the forced displacement
of any civilians.
He reminded the parties to such agree-
ments that under international humanitar-
ian law the forced displacement of civil-
ians for reasons relating to the conflict is
permissible solely in order to guarantee
their security or for imperative mili-
tary necessity.
Forced displacement for any other
reason relating to the conflict ... may con-
stitute a war crime, Mr Guterres said.
Under the deal between the government
and opposition, brokered by outside par-
ties including Qatar, an estimated 30,000
people will be transferred over 60 days from
their besieged hometowns and neighbour-
hoods, including around Damascus, Homs
and Aleppo.
The evacuations from four besieged
villages pro-government Fouaa and
Kefraya and opposition-held Madaya and
Zabadani were delayed after a bombing
killed more than 120 evacuees.
Critics say the population transfers
are redrawing Syrias map along sectar-
ian and political lines, and the opposition
has described the evacuations as demo-
graphic engineering.
The UN has played no role and Mr
Guterres stressed that any evacuations
must be safe, voluntary and to a place of
the civilians choosing.
Those displaced must be allowed to
return voluntarily to their homes as soon
as the situation allows, he said.
The secretary-general also said he
remains deeply troubled at the high
level of civilian casualties from air strikes
and explosive weapons fired into popu-
lated areas.
These strikes are also destroying the
building blocks of civilian life critical to
Syrians, including bakeries, water stations,
hospitals, schools and places of worship,
he said.
In the report Mr Guterres criticised all
parties for blocking the delivery of humani-
tarian aid to thousands of people who des-
perately need help.
On a somewhat positive note, he said
the steady work by the government and
opposition parties at the last round of UN-
mediated political talks in March aimed at
ending the war should not be underesti-
mated or dismissed.
He pointed to the assertion by all parties
that there should be no constitutional or
security vacuum as a negotiated political
transition is implemented, calling this an
important step in understanding what
is required if a political transition is to
be negotiated.
Mr Guterres said it was significant that
both sides expressed willingness to inten-
sify consultations with the UN between
negotiations so that further progress may
be made during the next round as quickly
as possible to solve the conflict in the coun-
try. AP
6 I WORLD
Three killed in renewed Venezuelan violence
Maduro blames US for
own countrys crisis
CARACAS: Three people were killed in Ven-
ezuela on Monday in renewed violence,
raising the death toll in three weeks of mas-
sive demonstrations against left-wing Presi-
dent Nicolas Maduro to 24, officials said.
Several others were seriously injured
and between life and death, said public
defender Tarek William Saab.
The latest casualties come on a day
anti-Maduro demonstrators blocked major
roads in the South American nation.
Two government trucks in eastern Cara-
cas were set alight on a freeway by masked
protesters who poured oil on the road.
Police nearby did not immediately inter-
vene, journalists said.
Elsewhere in the capital, riot police fired
tear gas at another group of protesters who
threw stones at them.
However, the majority of demonstra-
tors, who numbered in the thousands, ral-
lied peacefully.
The return to violence in the streets of
Venezuela after a weekend lull was certain
to further stoke international concern over
the country, whose economy is imploding
despite vast oil reserves.
Latin American countries and the United
States have voiced concern at the unrest.
The Venezuelan population is suffering
shortages of food, medicine and basic sup-
plies. Riots and looting have occurred in
several places.
The conservative-led opposition says
government incompetence is to blame
and calls the elected president a dictator.
It wants early elections.
But Mr Maduro, who has the backing
of the armed forces, says Venezuela is the
victim of a US-led capitalist plot.
He has stepped up a nationalisation
drive started by his late Socialist predeces-
sor Hugo Chavez that has swept up plants
and assets of foreign companies, including
American ones.
Authorities have also curbed the power
UNITED STATES
Mar-a-Lago
promotion
taken down
WASHINGTON: The US State Department
has removed its promotional posting about
President Donald Trumps Florida resort,
after a storm of ethics criticism on Monday.
In an April 4 blog post that was repub-
lished by several US embassies abroad,
Mar-a-Lago was described as Trumps
Florida estate, where he has hosted for-
eign leaders. By visiting this winter White
House, Trump is belatedly fulfilling the
dream of Mar-a-Lagos original owner and
designer, the post said.
Left unsaid: Mar-a-Lago is part of Mr
Trumps business empire. After his election,
the resort doubled its membership fee to
US$200,000 (6.9 million baht).
The State Department said late on
Monday its intention was to inform the
public about where the president has been
hosting world leaders and that it regrets
any misperception. That statement now
appears in place of the original blog post.
The White House did not respond to
questions about whether it had any involve-
ment in the original posting or the decision
to take it down.
The post originated on Share America,
a State Department project. Its website
describes its mission as sharing compel-
ling stories and images that spark discus-
sion and debate on important topics like
democracy, freedom of expression, innova-
tion, entrepreneurship, education, and the
role of civil society.
Other topics on the Share America page
include a new US coin honoring Freder-
ick Douglass, debate over the Confeder-
ate flag and news about first lady Melania
Trumps participation in the State Depart-
ments International Women of Courage
award ceremony.
The Mar-a-Lago post was nearly three
weeks old but gained traction on Monday
when several people noticed the US
embassy to the United Kingdom was fea-
turing it.
Ron Wyden, an Oregon Democrat, asked
on Twitter why taxpayers are promoting
the presidents private country club and
referred to the incident as kleptocratic.
Norman Eisen, who was preceding pres-
ident Barack Obamas chief ethics attor-
ney, said the promotion is exploitation.
He compared it to White House counsellor
Kellyanne Conways promotion of Ivanka
Trumps clothing business, for which she
was counselled but not otherwise repri-
manded by the White House.
This idea of using government for pri-
vate gain is metastasising, Mr Eisen said.
It must be stopped.
On Twitter, Richard Painter, who served
in an ethics role for President George W
Bush, called the State Department post a
Use of public office for private gain pure
and simple.
Mr Eisen, Mr Painter and other attor-
neys have sued Mr Trump, alleging vio-
lation of the emoluments clause of the
US Constitution.
That provision says the president may
not accept foreign gifts or payments without
the Congress consent. AP
Venezuelans participate in a demonstration against the government in Caracas on Monday. EPA
of the National Assembly, which is domi-
nated by opposition lawmakers.
The three deaths on Monday happened
in the west of the country.
Mr Saab said one man in the city of
Merida, a university city in the Andes, was
demonstrating peacefully when he appar-
ently received a gunshot.
He said in a television interview that the
Trump backs away from border wall money demand
WASHINGTON: US President Donald
Trump stepped back on Monday from
demanding a down payment for his border
wall in must-past spending legislation,
potentially removing a major obstacle to a
bipartisan deal just days ahead of a govern-
ment shutdown deadline.
Mr Trump told a gathering of around
20 conservative media reporters on
Monday evening that he would be will-
ing to return to the wall funding issue in
September, according to two people who
were in the room. They spoke on condition
of anonymity to discuss the get-together,
which was not originally intended to be
on the record.
The border wall money is fiercely
opposed by Democrats, whose votes are
needed to pass the government-wide
spending legislation that comes due Friday
at midnight. The wall is also unpopular with
many Republicans, and GOP negotiators on
Capitol Hill were uneasy about the clash
over the wall potentially sparking a govern-
ment shutdown.
Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer
of New York, who has a key role providing
Democratic votes to pass the legislation,
welcomed Mr Trumps reported shift on
the wall.
Its good for the country that Presi-
dent Trump is taking the wall off the table
in these negotiations, Mr Schumer said
late on Monday. Now the bipartisan and
bicameral negotiators can continue work-
ing on the outstanding issues.
Obama to train new leaders
CHICAGO: Former US president Barack
Obama returned to the public spotlight on
Monday, saying he hopes to spend the next
phase of his life helping to prepare the next
generation of leadership.
After three months off, Mr Obama
looking rested and sporting a coat with
no tie broke his silence in his adopted
hometown of Chicago, speaking to a packed
auditorium of more than 400 high school
and college students at the University
of Chicago.
He was greeted with a standing ovation,
and was joined on stage by six students and
recent college graduates for a discussion
about the need for greater civic engagement
among young people.
The 55-year-old Democrat, who ended
his two terms at the White House in January
handing power over to Donald Trump
said he was incredibly optimistic about
the future.
Im spending a lot of time thinking
about: what is the most important thing
I can do for my next job? Mr Obama said
in his opening remarks at the university,
where he once taught law. The single most
important thing I can do is to help in any
way I can to prepare the next generation
of leadership to take up the baton and to
take their own crack at changing the world.
Mr Obama took a few questions from the
participants on stage, but mainly listened
and did not offer any substantive commen-
tary on how Mr Trump is doing, in keeping
with presidential protocol, which dictates
that past residents of the White House do
slain man was a pro-government demon-
strator, and added that five other people
were also badly wounded in clashes.
Later, a second man was killed also in
Merida. It was not clear if the victim was
a protester or a pro-government marcher.
The third man killed was in the nearby
town of Barinas, a source in the prosecu-
tors office said.
House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi
of California said: The presidents com-
ments this evening are welcome news given
the bipartisan opposition to the wall, and
the obstacle it has been to the continuing
bipartisan negotiations in the appropria-
tions committees.
The wall was the most pressing issue
confronting lawmakers as they returned
from a two-week spring recess to face a
critical deadline. Congress must pass a
US$1-trillion catch-all spending bill to pay
for all agencies of government or trigger a
partial shutdown on Saturday, which hap-
pens to coincide with the 100th day of Mr
Trumps presidency.
Im optimistic. I dont think anybody
wants a shutdown, Senator Roy Blunt said
as he exited a meeting of GOP leadership.
The White House and basically the
minority leaders of the House and Senate
have to have some level of agreement on
the things that youre adding.
The negotiations over the spending bill
took center stage on Monday despite a
separate White House push for fast action
to revive health care legislation to repeal
and replace the Affordable Care Act.
After signalling last week that they hoped
for a vote as soon as this week on a rewritten
health bill, White House officials softened
their stance on Monday.
Echoing the views of House GOP lead-
ers, White House press secretary Sean
Spicer said there would be a vote on
health care legislation when House leaders
Barack Obama at a meeting with youth
leaders in Chicago on Monday. REUTERS
not step on the toes of the current occupant.
Until Monday, he had not given a public
speech or an interview since leaving the
White House on Jan 20. He has tweeted
a few times and issued a few statements
through a spokesman, notably to defend
his signature domestic policy achievement,
health care reform which Mr Trumps
Republicans are now hoping to dismantle.
I was glad that [Trump] didnt come
up, said Raquel Navarro, 22, who was in the
audience. I was hoping to not talk about
any of the ridiculousness that students feel
is always taking over our news.
Mr Obamas silence comes even as Mr
Trump lobbed accusations on everything
from Syria, with the Republican all but
accusing Mr Obama of bearing responsi-
bility for chemical weapons attacks by the
Damascus regime, to gang violence in the
United States.
The source did not specify whether he
was an anti-Maduro protester or a pro-
government activist.
But an opposition party, Justice First,
said the man was in an anti-Maduro dem-
onstration that was targeted by pro-gov-
ernment paramilitaries. It said two other
people were wounded.
The government has ruled out a
The Capitol is seen at dawn in Washington. Bipartisan bargainers are making progress
towards a budget deal to prevent a partial federal shutdown this weekend. AP
count the 216 votes needed to pass it.
I think we want to make sure that weve
got the votes and were headed in the right
direction before putting some artificial
deadline, Mr Spicer said.
Mr Trump and House Speaker Paul Ryan
were embarrassed last month when they
had to pull their Obamacare replace-
ment bill off the floor without a vote as
it became clear it would fail. Since then
leaders of conservative and moderate fac-
tions in the House have been negotiating
Youth civic engagement and community
organising are at the heart of the mission
of the Obama Centre, which is to be
located on Chicagos South Side, where
Mr Obama started his career as a commu-
nity activist.
On Monday, he suggested youth from
various walks of life should learn about
each other. Just the day before, Americas
first black president privately met with at-
risk youth in the Windy City.
That creation of empathy then prom-
ises a different kind of civic response and
political response, Mr Obama said.
The former president also injected
humour into the discussion, as when he
addressed the challenges of a younger
generation whose everyday exploits are
chronicled on social media.
If you had pictures of everything Id
done when I was in high school, I prob-
ably wouldnt have been president of the
United States, he joked.
I would advise all of you to be a little
more circumspect about your selfies and
what you take pictures of. Just a suggestion.
Since leaving office, Mr Obama has
earned some social media interest in his
holidays he went kitesurfing in the Carib-
bean with British billionaire Richard Bran-
son and spent nearly a month in French
Polynesia, holidaying on media mogul
David Geffens yacht and reportedly work-
ing on his book.
After Monday, his public schedule will
pick up pace with speeches in Italy and
Berlin. AFP
Bangkok Post I
presidential election this year, maintain-
ing Mr Maduro will see out his term into
2018. Elections for regional governors due
in December have been postponed.
Mr Maduro said on Sunday he wanted
regional elections now but did not indi-
cate a possible date for those or for local bal-
lots due this year. I am ready for whatever
the electoral authorities say, he insisted.
on a compromise allowing states to opt
out of certain Obamacare requirements, Trump reported he said wall funding could
and they appear to be making progress,
although legislative text had not been final-
ised as of Monday.
The original GOP bill eliminated many
of the Obamacare mandates, offered
skimpier subsidies for consumers to buy
care and rolled back a Medicaid expansion.
Conservatives balked, saying it didnt go
far enough.
With Democrats unanimously opposed,
Arkansas executes two
prisoners on same night
WASHINGTON: The southern US state
of Arkansas, rushing to execute several
inmates before a lethal drug expires next
week, put to death two inmates late on
Monday, the first double execution in the
United States in 17 years.
Arkansas Attorney-General Leslie
Rutledge said that Jack Jones and Marcel
Williams, both sentenced to death in the
1990s, were executed by lethal injection
after higher courts rejected their final
legal appeals.
Arkansas had planned to put eight con-
victed murderers to death in 11 days a
record, had it been carried out but four
have won reprieves.
Jones, 52, was executed after the US
Supreme Court rejected an 11th-hour
request from his attorneys asking justices to
reconsider a procedural issue from his trial.
Williams, 46, died hours later after his
appeals were exhausted.
His lawyers had filed a string of last-
minute challenges, which included alle-
gations that Jones had suffered unneces-
sarily because he was executed improperly,
and that Williams was so obese that it
would be hard to find a proper vein for the
lethal injection.
Arkansas Governor Asa Hutchinson has
said the accelerated execution timetable
was necessary as the states stock of a seda-
tive used in lethal injections will expire at
the end of the month.
Ms Rutledge said in a separate
WEDNESDAY, APRIL 26, 2017
The courts and electoral authorities have
fended off efforts to remove Mr Maduro
since the opposition took over the legisla-
ture in January 2016.
Analysts say street protests are now
one of the few levers the opposition has
for change.
We are taking a stand so that Maduro
knows he has to go, said Amalia Duran, a
housewife of 41 who joined thousands of
protesters under a scorching sun in Cara-
cas. Many dressed in white and waved Ven-
ezuelas red, yellow and blue flag.
We are hungry because of him, she said
of the president. I cant find milk for my
16-month-old baby.
I have come because I am tired of this.
I went round 20 pharmacies looking for
a simple antibiotic, said Yorwin Ruiz, 26.
We cannot go on like this. I hope we at
least manage to have elections.
The captain of Venezuelas national
football team, Tomas Rincon, joined other
sports figures to appealing for an end to
the crisis.
No more repression! he wrote on Twit-
ter, offering himself to be a driving force in
the rebirth of our country.
Miguel Cabrera, a major league baseball
player, wrote on Instagram that his native
country was killing itself and those who
have power in Venezuela are unable to
do anything.
Mr Maduro won the 2013 election by a
narrow margin over opposition candidate
Henrique Capriles. But Mr Maduros popu-
larity has since dropped.
A recent survey by pollster Vene-
barometro indicated that seven out of 10
Venezuelans disapprove of Mr Maduro.
The government and the opposition
have traded blame for the deadly violence,
with each side accusing the other of trying
to mount a coup.
Peaceful protests across the country
will continue until Mr Maduro respects the
constitution and ends his internal coup, Mr
Capriles tweeted Monday.
If there is no answer from Maduros
corrupt drug-trafficking leadership, at the
end of the day we will announce further
action. AFP
it remains to be seen whether the health
care deal will come together and attract
the needed support. Mr Trump talked
it up on Twitter, writing on Monday: If
our healthcare plan is approved, you will
see real healthcare and premiums will
start tumbling down. ObamaCare is in a
death spiral!
Mr Trump also pushed for his border
wall, a central campaign pledge that he
still insists Mexico will pay for in the end,
though Democrats and even most Republi-
cans doubt that will ever come to pass. Cost
estimates range past $20 billion and the
White House had been seeking $1.4 billion
as a down payment in the spending bill.
Mr Trump turned again to Twitter: The
Wall is a very important tool in stopping
drugs from pouring into our country and
poisoning our youth (and many others)!
If the wall is not built, which it will be, the
drug situation will NEVER be fixed the way
it should be! #BuildTheWall.
But some of the conservative journal-
ists who met on Monday evening with Mr
wait until the fall.
Prior to the White House demand late
last week for border wall money, it had
largely been assumed on Capitol Hill that
the spending measure would include fund-
ing for additional security steps along the
border, but that there wouldnt be any
money explicitly dedicated for new wall
construction. That approach now appears
likely to prevail. AP
statements that the family and friends of
the victims had seen justice carried out.
The execution process began at 7.06pm
and Jones was pronounced dead at 7.20pm,
the Arkansas Democrat-Gazette newspaper
cited Department of Correction spokesman
Solomon Graves as saying.
Jones was calm as he made a rambling
final statement while strapped to the
gurney, saying he tried to become a better
person and apologising to a daughter of
Joness victim, 34-year-old Mary Phillips,
the paper said, citing media witnesses in
the death chamber.
Three hours later the lethal injection
process began on Williams, who accord-
ing to the newspaper refused to make a
final statement. He was pronounced dead
at 10.33pm.
Last-minute appeals had delayed the
execution, which had been scheduled for
one hour after Joness execution.
Last week, on Thursday, Ledell Lee was
put to death in the states first execution in
more than a decade.
Many of the legal clashes over Arkansass
plan focus on use of the drug midazolam,
a sedative meant to render a condemned
person unconscious before other drugs
induce death.
Critics say it does not always adequately
sedate prisoners, potentially causing
undue suffering.
Arkansas has scheduled another execu-
tion for tomorrow. AFP
WEDNESDAY, APRIL 26, 2017
FRANCE
OPPOSING
VISIONS
They could hardly be more dif-
ferent: Pro-European centrist
Emmanuel Macron is facing
anti-immigration, anti-EU Marine
Le Pen in Frances presidential
runoff May 7.
Heres a look at just a few
of the ways the two candi-
dates diverge:
EUROPE
Mr Macron is fierily promoting
common European ideals of
peace, prosperity and freedom.
He says that, with Britain leav-
ing, the bloc needs to build a
new leadership base anchored
by France and Germany.
He wants the bloc to be
able to deploy 5,000 European
border guards to the exter-
nal borders of the Schengen
passport-free travel zone, and
proposes a European fund to
finance and develop shared mili-
tary equipment.
Ms Le Pen, on the other
hand, wants to pull France
from the European Union. She
advocates for closing Frances
borders, protectionist trade poli-
cies and dropping the shared
euro currency to return to the
French franc.
She promised to restore
France as a sovereign state in
charge of its own borders and
money supply, and to crack
down on immigration.
She considers Mr Macron
an immigrationist because he
has backed German Chancel-
lor Angela Merkels policies to
welcome refugees from Syria.
Ms Le Pen asked a television
programme to remove the Euro-
pean flag from the stage during
her speech. During Mr Macrons
rallies, by contrast, many sup-
porters wave European flags
alongside French flags.
FIGHT AGAINST TERRORISM
In a country marked by a series
of attacks by Islamic extremists,
Ms Le Pen and Mr Macron both
pledged to boost police and mil-
itary and intelligence services.
Yet their views on international
policies are starkly different.
Mr Macron pledges to keep
up French operations against
extremists in Iraq and Syria
and Africas Sahel region;Ms
Le Pen wants France to be mili-
tarily independent and to leave
Natos command to avoid being
drawn into others wars.
Mr Macron proposes to
increase the French defence
budget to at least 2% of GDP
by 2025, up from 1.78% now
in line with Nato targets and
to keep the number of overall
military troops stable at 200,000.
Ms Le Pen promises to reach
3% of GDP by 2022, adding
50,000 more soldiers, a second
aircraft carrier and more jets,
ships and armoured vehicles.
Ms Le Pen firmly backs the
Syrian regime and distanced
herself from US President
Donald Trump over recent US
air strikes targeting President
Bashar al-Assads regime, and is
friendly with Russian President
Vladimir Putin.
Mr Macron wants interna-
tional pressure on Mr Assad and
to maintain sanctions against
Russia over Ukraine.
DIFFERENT STYLES
Bold and gritty, Ms Le Pen,
48, is an experienced leader
making her second bid for the
French presidency.
She has held elected office
several times in northern France
and has been a European law-
maker since 2004.
On stage, she favours a
classic style, often wearing
sombre suits or playing on the
blue-white-red colours of the
French flag.
A rousing speaker, she likes to
use dramatic, cut-to-the-chase
expressions and doesnt hesi-
tate to harshly criticise her rivals.
Mr Macron, 39, has never
held elected office. He is a lit-
erature lover who likes to quote
French authors in his lengthy
speeches. He asks his support-
ers not to boo other politicians.
Hes leading aUS-style cam-
paign where he often appears
publicly with his wife Brigitte, 24
years his senior.
Ms Le Pens long-time com-
panion, Louis Aliot, remains
more discreet.
Even their music choices
contrast:Mr Macrons support-
ers were dancing to modern
techno music during his elec-
tion party in a Parisian exhibi-
tion centre.
Ms Le Pens militants were
celebrating with 1980s stand-
ards in her town of Henin-Beau-
mont in northern France. AP
I Bangkok Post
Old-guard rallies for Macron
Le Pen steps down as
National Front leader
PARIS: Frances established parties are
rallying around the man who helped shut
them out of the presidential runoff, mav-
erick centrist Emmanuel Macron an
alliance of convenience aimed at keep-
ing far-right Marine Le Pen out of the
Elysee Palace.
Support for Mr Macron also poured
in on Monday from the seat of the Euro-
pean Union, as well as German Chancel-
lor Angela Merkel and Jewish and Muslim
groups troubled by Ms Le Pens national-
ist vision.
European stock markets surged, and
Frances main index hit its highest level
since early 2008, as investors gambled
that the rise of
populism around
the world and
its associated
unpredictability in
policy making
may have peaked.
For all the
paeans to Mr
Macrons unifying
vision in divided
times, it is now up Macron: Support from
to French voters across the EU
to decide whether
to entrust him with this nuclear-armed
nation in the May 7 presidential runoff.
Polls consider him the front-runner but
thats no guarantee that the French will
come together to stop Ms Le Pen the way
they stopped her father, Jean-Marie Le Pen,
from reaching the presidency in 2002.
Frances divided political mainstream,
rejected by an angry electorate, united on
Monday to urge voters to back Mr Macron
and reject Ms Le Pens far-right agenda.
Politicians on the moderate left and
right, including French President Fran-
cois Hollande and the losing Socialist and
Republican party candidates in Sundays
first-round vote, maneuvered to block Ms
Le Pens path to power.
In a solemn address from the Elysee
palace, Mr Hollande said he would vote
for Mr Macron, his former economy min-
ister, because Ms Le Pen represents both
the danger of the isolation of France and of
rupture with the European Union.
Mr Hollande said the far-right would
deeply divide France at a time when the
Russia-linked hackers
targeted election campaign
PARIS: Researchers with the Japanese anti-
virus firm Trend Micro say the campaign of
French presidential front-runner Emma-
nuel Macron has been targeted by Russia-
linked hackers, adding a little more detail
to previous suggestions that the centrist
politician was being singled out for elec-
tronic eavesdropping by the Kremlin.
The campaigns digital chief, Mounir
Mahjoubi, confirmed the attempted intru-
sions in a telephone interview late on
Monday but said they had all been thwarted.
Its serious, but nothing was compro- any specific actor.
mised, he said.
The attempts to penetrate the Macron
campaign date back to December, Mr
Mahjoubi said. The campaign previously
complained of being targeted by electronic
spying operations that it hinted had their
origins in Russia but offered little evidence
to back the assertion at the time. Trend
Micros report, which was produced inde-
pendently of the Macron campaign and
lists 160 attempts at electronic espionage
across a series of targets, adds a measure of
evidence to the claim, saying hackers set up
a bogus website to harvest the passwords
of Macron campaign staffers.
Mr Mahjoubi confirmed that the bogus
site was one of several emailed to campaign
WORLD I 7
UNITED KINGDOM
Support for
Scotlands
independence
push drops
EDINBURGH: Support for Scottish inde-
pendence has plummeted ahead of a snap
election designed to embolden the British
government for forthcoming Brexit talks,
Protest according to a poll released yesterday.
Just 37% of Scots would back independ-
flares ence if another referendum were held
Anti-fascists tomorrow, according to the Kantar poll.
Support for remaining part of the United
demonstrate Kingdom remains at 55% the same per-
with a banner centage that voted no to independence in
which translates 2014 and its highest position in any poll
as Not Banker since the referendum.
nor Racist in Prime Minister Theresa May will hold
a snap election on June 8 to try to obtain a
Nantes, France, mandate for her Brexit plans and dent Scot-
on Sunday, tish National Party
following the (SNP) dominance
announcement in Scotland.
of the results of The SNP have
d e ma n d e d a
the first round of second independ-
thepresidential ence referendum
election. AFP after Scotland
voted by 62% to
remain in the EU
but was outnum-
bered by Brexit May: Not the time
voters in England for referendum
and Wales.
Ms May insists now is not the time for
terror threat requires solidarity. Faced with platform that calls for closed borders, But Mr Macrons party spokesman, Ben- such a vote and, on this issue, appears to
such a risk, it is not possible to remain silent tougher security, less immigration and jamin Griveaux, scoffed at the idea of Ms Le have the backing of the Scottish people, the
or to take refuge in indifference, he said. dropping the shared euro currency to Pen as an agent of change. poll suggests.
Voters narrowed the French presidential return to the French franc. Shes been in the political system for 30 Just 26% back the SNPs proposed
field from 11 to two in Sundays first-round Ms Le Pen went on the offensive against years. She inherited her fathers party and timetable of autumn 2018 to spring 2019,
vote, and losers from across the spectrum Mr Macron in her first public comments we will undoubtedly have Le Pens running while 18% want a later vote and 46% say
called on their supporters to choose Mr on Monday. He is a hysterical, radical for the next 20 years, because after we had there should never be another independ-
Macron in round two. Only the defeated Europeanist. He is for total open borders. the father, we have the daughter and we will ence referendum.
far-left candidate, Jean-Luc Melenchon, He says there is no such thing as French doubtless have the niece, he said, referring Tom Costley, head of Kantar in Scotland,
pointedly refused to back Mr Macron. culture, she said. to Marion Marechal-Le Pen. said voter fatigue and a weaker economic
The contest is widely seen as a litmus Ms Le Pens father, Jean-Marie, made it So she is in a truly bad position to be outlook are among the factors which could
test for the populist wave that last year into a presidential runoff against Jacques talking about the elites. have dented support for the independ-
prompted Britain to vote to leave the Euro- Chirac in 2002 and was crushed. Many Ms Merkel wished Mr Macron all ence movement.
pean Union and US voters to elect Donald commentators expect the same fate for the best for the next two weeks. And the Kantar interviewed 1,060 people aged
Trump president. his daughter, but she has already drawn far German chancellors chief of staff, Peter Alt- over 16 in Scotland between March 29 and
Ms Le Pen, meanwhile, is hoping to more support than he ever did and she has maier, tweeted that the result for Emma- April 11.
peel away voters historically opposed to transformed the partys once-pariah image. nuel Macron shows: France AND Europe An SNP spokesman said other polls
her National Front party, long tainted by Louis Aliot, a National Front vice- can win together! The centre is stronger showed independence support on a knife-
accusations of racism and anti-Semitism. president and Ms Le Pens companion, than the populists think! edge in Scotland.
On Monday, she took a step in that insisted Ms Le Pen offers an alternative for Mr Macron came in first in Sundays A more recent poll by Panelbase/Sunday
direction, announcing she was temporar- anyone sceptical of the EU and Frances role vote, with just over 24% while Ms Le Pen Post, conducted April 18-21 and released on
ily stepping down as party leader, a move in it. Im not convinced that the French are had 21.3%. Francois Fillon, the conservative Sunday, found support for independence
that appeared to willing to sign a blank check to Mr Macron, Republican party candidate, came in third at 43% against 48% in favour of remaining
be aimed at draw- he said. with just shy of 20%. AP part of the UK. AFP
ing a wider range
of potential voters
and was in keep-
ing with her efforts
in recent years to
garner broader
support from the
left and right.
Tonight, I
Le Pen: On offensive am no longer the
to pick up new voters president of the
National Front.
I am the presidential candidate, she
said on French public television news,
adding that she wanted to be above parti-
san considerations.
National Front officials also joined the
chorus, noting that a vote for Ms Le Pen
would be a natural move for those fed up
with the status quo.
The voters who voted for Mr Melen-
chon are angry voters. They can be in agree-
ment with us, Steeve Brios, the mayor of
Ms Le Pens northern bastion of Henin-
Beaumont, said, adding that those far-left
voters sought choices outside the system.
Choosing from inside the system is no
longer an option. Voters rejected the two
mainstream parties that have alternated
power for decades in favour of Ms Le Pen
and the untested Mr Macron, who has
never held elected office and who founded
his own political movement just last year.
Mr Macrons optimistic vision of a tol-
erant France and a united Europe with
open borders is a stark contrast with Ms Le
Pens darker, inward-looking French-first
workers over the past few months.
Trend Micro attributed the online spying
campaign to an extremely prolific group
it calls Pawn Storm, which US spy agen-
cies have in turn accused of acting as an
arm of Russias intelligence apparatus.
TrendMicro itself stopped short of saying
who was behind the group, in line with
common practice among security firms.
French officials have also tended to be more
circumspect than their US counterparts,
repeatedly declining to tie Pawn Storm to
Russian government officials have
repeatedly denied claims of state-sanc-
tioned hacking.
The French election, the first round of
which Mr Macron won Sunday, has been
closely watched for signs of digital interfer-
ence of any kind. Many observers feared a
repeat of the US electoral contest in 2016,
when hackers allegedly backed by Moscow
broke into the email inboxes of the Demo-
cratic National Committee and other politi-
cal operatives.
Pilfered documents subsequently
appeared on WikiLeaks and other more
mysterious websites, putting the Demo-
crats on the defensive during their losing
campaign against Donald Trump. AP
8 I
OPINION
Established 1946
Bangkok Post
The Newspaper You Can Trust
Credibility
lost over sub
T
he handling of the purchase of submarines from
China was extremely distasteful. By refusing even to
tell the country what it was doing, the cabinet has
raised several questions and reduced its credibil-
ity. The arrogant and unnecessary argument that
the public doesnt have to know everything about cabinet
proceedings is insulting.
The purchase of the first of three Yuan-class submarines is
the most expensive of its kind in Thai history. It cost $393 mil-
lion, about 13.56 billion baht going by todays exchange rate.
Of course, a strong defence is important. The public, however,
knows this and the two more subs to come are not really vital
to the countrysnational defence capabilities. If they were, it
would have celebrated the official cabinet decision to pur-
chase the vessels, instead of covering it up.
The cost of the second most-expensive weapons platform,
HTMS Chakri Naruebett was $336 million 9.04 billion baht
at the time. But the purchase of the carrier, paid off between
the 1992 order and 1997 delivery, included many extras.
When delivered it had first-rate Harrier jets and helicopters.
It came equipped with four high-technology decoy craft.
Compared with the single submarine, the aircraft carrier was
a bargain.
For that cost, however,
the Chakri Naruebet
became an expensive
Gen Prayut and the tourist
attraction, almost
National Council for always tied up at the Sat-
tahip docks. The Harriers
Peace and Order had and helicopters had no
a chance to nip this its maintenance budget, so
not surprising they
harmful purchase are long gone. But here is
the worst part about that
in the bud. 9.04-billion-baht warship.
As Southeast Asias only
aircraft carrier, it never
contributed anything to the nations security.
Now the military men who are currently in charge claim
the country needs three submarines to guarantee national
security. That is an extraordinary claim, requiring extraordi-
nary proof, and so far none has emerged. Thailand has a long
coastline for sure, but most of the Thai sea is shallow, where
subs can never even hope to operate effectively. And the use
of subs in warfare, by definition, requires an all-out attack
on the country, the rather obvious question being: From
where or by whom? There is no answer from the government
or military.
Even one submarine has already become a political and
economic liability. Just think how 13.5 billion baht and 37.5
billion baht could be better spent. But that is not all. By con-
tinuing this obsession to purchase submarines, Gen Prayut
and allies have automatically begun the next round of divisive
payback politics.
As certain as the mango rains, the next government will
launch investigations into the submarine purchase. If it is a
Pheu Thai government, as most analysts currently predict,
we can expect plenty of allegations. Politicians will certainly
proclaim the injustice of punishing the Yingluck-era rice
scheme and claim there must be justice to probe the
submarine deal. Forget whether it is justified. It will be an
ugly, divisive and new round of nasty political battles serving
partisan politics instead of the people and the nation.
Gen Prayut and the National Council for Peace and
Order had a chance to nip this harmful purchase in the bud.
Instead, they have actively supported and pushed for it. It is
reported that the navys purchase proposal was submitted
to the cabinet last week without prior schedule. The refusal
to level with the country by hiding the cabinet decision only
compounds the damage to the regimes credibility.
The regime obviously knows this is a purchase that is
opposed by most people. By pressing on, the government
and junta are entirely responsible for everything that follows,
quite possibly for years to come.
THE BANGKOK POST
Vol.LXX No.116
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What do corruption indices tell us?
POLICY FOCUS
Natchapol
Praditpetchara
O
ne way to gauge the efficacy of a
countrys anti-corruption efforts
is to examine various corrup-
tion indices. Every year, coun-
tries worldwide are evaluated
by a myriad of indices that measure their
levels of corruption. Such measures are
by and large based on the perceptions of
people garnered from mass surveys as this
is generally the most widely accepted way
to quantify an act that is by nature secretive
and evades accountability.
There are corruption indices produced
by both Thai and international institutions.
In Thailand, the main corruption index is
the Corruption Situation Index (CSI). The
index is based on a survey of 2,400 Thai
citizens, entrepreneurs and government
bureaucrats from different regions of the
country on issues related to their perception
of corruption.
Its chief finding is that according to the
respondents, the overall corruption situation
has improved from poor to moderate from
2010-2014 but has remained stable since.
The improvement can be attributed mainly
to the sense that the public, according to
the survey, is more aware and less tolerant
of government graft than ever and is much
more willing to personally assist in anti-
corruption efforts.
Working with robots
Re: The long, rough ride ahead for Made in
USA, (BP, April 22).
The experiences of companies like Mon-
ster Moto underscore fundamentals that
industrial economists have known for years.
The basic reality is that old-economy manu-
facturing jobs are not going to return to the
US irrespective of whatever misguided poli-
cies the new administration puts in place.
As highlighted by the Monster Moto
experience, even if manufacturing returns to
America, the work will increasingly be done
by robots, many of the components will still
be sourced from outside the US, and the
salaries of the few workers that are employed
are not going to match those earned by
former auto workers or coal miners during
their past golden era.
There are valuable lessons for Thailand
in these emerging trends. Increasingly,
manufacturing jobs will become fewer in
number and more dependent on high-tech
skills. Countries that invest in worker train-
ing based on cutting-edge technology and
foster independent entrepreneurship will
come out ahead; those attempting to cling
to past practices in manufacturing will be
left behind.
SAMANEA
A SAMAN
Democracy rst
Khun Korn Chatikavanijs April 25 letter,
Energy options abound, represented some
very valuable ideas regarding the energy
sector. In fact he represents in his person a
treasure trove of value for society.
Doesnt this make one nostalgic for
elections and the free exchange of ideas the
Nevertheless, the survey also indicates
that public trust in the efficiency of the vari-
ous anti-corruption mechanisms includ-
ing those of the state, private sector, the
media and the NGOs has been lacklustre
for several years. In addition, the lack of
improvement since 2014 may indicate the
cooling down of public expectation of a
government that has perhaps failed to fulfil
its massive anti-graft vow.
The survey also indicates that the three
primary causes for corruption according to
the respondents are the vague statutes that
provide excessive room for discretionary
powers, unethical public officials, and the
governments lack of transparency.
The picture painted by foreign indices is
rather mixed. The Global Competitiveness
Index (GCI) rates an economys competi-
tiveness based on 12 different pillars from 0
points (Least competitive) to 7 points (Most
competitive). The pillar most relevant to cor-
ruption is the Institutions pillar.
In this pillar, Thailand has been rated at
around 3.7 out of 7 points or at the moderate
level for the last few years. This is a similar
trend as observed with the CSI. The GCI
rates Thailand as especially poor in the fol-
lowing three indicators; public trust in politi-
cians, wastefulness of government spending
and favouritism in decisions of government
officials.
On the other hand, unlike the two afore-
mentioned indices, the Corruption Percep-
tion Index (CPI) and the Legatum Prosperity
Index (LPI) rate Thailands corruption situa-
tion as poor and worsening of late.
The difference can be explained by a
fundamental difference in the methodology
of the indices. While the CSI and GCI do
democratic process facilitates? Democracy,
rightly implemented, remains the best
choice for governance. Let us see it rein-
stated sooner rather than later.
MICHAEL SETTER
Blame Bestlin, BMTA
Re: Bestlin seeks to block new NGV bus
bids, (BP, April 25).
There are good reasons for the govern-
ment to halt new bidding for NGV buses as
requested by Bestlin Group. The longer the
problem drags on, especially if the BMTA
scraps the contract and starts anew, its the
city commuters who will suffer the most. It
will be a total waste if the buses which are
being held at the port are allowed to rust and
become unfit for service.
In my opinion, Bestlin and BMTA are at
fault. The former had violated custom rules,
while the latter failed to investigate the
shady origin of the buses when accepting
the delivery. Both sides must share respon-
sibility.
TheBMTA should negotiate for a reduc-
tion in the purchase price, waive the fine
that was imposed for the delay and accept all
489 buses. At least Bestlin could get a share
of the money.
CONTACT: BANGKOK POST BUILDING,
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F X: +02 2403666,
FA
email: postbag@bangkokpost.co.th
All letter writers must provide a full name
and address. All published correspondence is
subject to editing at our discretion
Bangkok Post I
not factor in democratic norms and values
into its calculations, the CPI and LPI do.
This reflects the growing acceptance that
democracys fundamental pillars of free and
fair elections, freedom, transparency and
balance of power are part and parcel of the
effort to combat corruption.
One important reason why Thailands
CPI score decreased this year is because
a new source, the Varieties of Democracy
Index (VDEM), was added to the CPI. The
VDEM measures corruption in the executive,
legislative and judicial branches of govern-
ment and places an emphasis on elections,
freedom, and participation and deliberation
among all factions in a country. Thailand
scored just 24 points in the VDEM which
significantly lowered the overall CPI score.
In the LPIs Governance pillar, Thailands
rating was significantly dragged down by two
indicators: Political Participation and Rights,
which measures the ability to participate in
political processes such as voting in elec-
tions, joining political parties and running
for public office, and Democracy Level,
which measures the openness and competi-
tiveness of elections and the extent of checks
on executive authority.
Had the CPI and LPI not factored in
democratic indicators, our analysis indicates
Thailands performance would likely have
remained constant in the past few years.
But the fact is that bar Singapore, just about
all the countries rated less corrupt by the
various indices are democratic that regularly
hold free and fair elections and guarantee
their citizens basic freedoms. Additionally,
with or without the democratic indicators,
all the indices would agree Thailands cor-
ruption situation remains mediocre at best.
PostBag
In doing this, the BMTA will get the
buses for service, while leaving the Customs
Department and Bestlin to sort out the
other issues.
RH SUGA
Lamphun
Harping about circuses
Re: Circuses not so fine, (PostBag, April 25).
Not surprisingly, in his attack on readers
comments that circus animals are generally
well cared for, Eric Bahrt keeps harping on
about a fine once paid by Ringling Brothers
Circus over an alleged case of its handling of
performing animals.
What Mr Bahrt fails to mention is that this
instance was nearly six years ago, in 2011.
He also seems to ignore the fact that to get
animals to perform, as all pet owners know,
kindness, love and rewards are usually the
best methods.
MARTIN R
Criminal tendencies
In scanning the Posts
t national news
headlines in the April 24 issue, one thing
is abundantly clear: Thailand is slowly but
surely becoming world class in another
unfortunate category: crime. Just take a look
at some of the following headlines:
CSD hunts for former boss of savings
co-op (academic accused of swindling
B1.4bn); DSI expands MBI Group investi-
gation (the company is accused of money
laundering with alleged ties to an interna-
tional drug syndicate); Man arrested for
running B20bn inheritance scam; Police
seize 1 million ya bapills.
JERRY
Y FELDMAN
WEDNESDAY, APRIL 26, 2017
To address the weaknesses raised by the
various indices, the government should
consider doing the following.
First, there should be a major revision
of all statutes that provide discretionary
authority to ministers and director-generals
without clear guidelines. It is to the authors
understanding that the National Anti-Cor-
ruption Commission has already compiled
such statutes but has not proceeded to the
revision process yet.
Second, the government should revise
the Office of the Prime Ministers Regula-
tions for the Moral and Ethical Standards
of Political Civil Servants, BE 2543 (2000) to
give it teeth. There should be clear penalties
for politicians found to be in violation of this
particular law.
Third, the auditing process for govern-
ment spending shall shift from merely
procedural inspections to cost-benefit
inspections. Current auditing focuses far too
little on whether a project is actually worth
the investment as long as it adheres to the
letter of the law. Performance audit will help
lessen wasteful government spending.
Last, the government should boost trans-
parency in its administration by instructing
government agencies to make more govern-
ment data publicly available in compliance
with the Official Information Act, B.E. 2540
(1997). Although this act has been in place
for 20 years, its enforcement has been so far
been very lax, reflecting the lack of political
will in seeing this law properly enforced.
Natchapol Praditpetchara is a researcher at the
Thailand Development Research Institute (TDRI).
Policy analyses from the TDRI appear in the
Bangkok Post on alternate Wednesdays.
InQuote
The government
was aware of
the publics
opposition to
the submarine
purchase.
FORMER PHEU THAI MP WATANA
MUANGSOOK ON THE SECRECY
OVER CABINET APPROVAL FOR THE
CONTROVERSIAL PROCUREMENT
OF A 13.5-BILLION-BAHT CHINESE
SUBMARINE.
WEDNESDAY, APRIL 26, 2017
Secret submarine buy erodes public trust
COMMENTARY
Soonruth
Bunyamanee
T populism
he decision of the military
regime to approve the procure-
ment of a 13.5-billion-baht sub-
marine from China in what has
been seen as a cover-up comes
at a high price: public trust.
How can we now have trust in its
planned massive spending on controver-
sial military supplies?
Defence Ministry spokesman Maj Gen
Kongcheep Tantravanich surprised local
journalists on Monday when he admitted
that the cabinet, chaired by Prime Min-
ister Prayut Chan-o-cha, approved the
proposed procurement of a Yuan-class
submarine from China worth 13.5 billion
baht a week ago.
The approval was covered up for a
week until Deputy Prime Minister and
Defence Minister Gen Prawit Wong-
suwon dropped a hint at the Defence
Council meeting on Monday that military
hardware and equipment to protect the
countrys maritime interests were neces-
sary and the purchase of such equipment
would be made with transparency.
His remark prompted military report-
ers, who had been led to believe that
cabinet consideration of the sub pur-
chase would have taken place yesterday,
to dig into the issue until the authorities
including government spokesman Lt Gen
Sansern Kaewkamnerd finally admit-
ted that the planned purchase had been
endorsed on April 18.
The secret cabinet approval of this
controversial deal has changed the focus
of criticism from the appropriateness of
the submarine purchase to the transpar-
ency of the procurement.
Gen Prawit said the issue was con-
fidential for the sake of security while
Maj Gen Kongcheep said not all of the
issues approved by the cabinet have to be
released to the press. To a certain extent,
they are correct. But the excuse cannot be
applied to such a contentious issue with
strong public concerns over how taxpay-
ers money should be used.
Before this, several elected govern-
ments decided to shelve the purchase for
fear of criticism.
This time, the navy claimed the
planned purchase, with a total cost of 36
billion baht for three Chinese subma-
rines, will be financed by its owned
budget over the next 11 years. While this
is true, Im sorry to say that navy budgets
come from taxpayers as well.
The approved purchase seems not to
conform with the stance of the govern-
ment regarding national reform which
has seen the regime reiterate the neces-
sity of anti-corruption and transparency
in state projects.
Buying weapons and military supplies
from defence contractors around the
world has met with heavy public scepti-
cism over transparency and vulnerability
Pace of Fed rate hikes points to some relief in Asia
ECONOMICS
PORNPINUN CHANTAPA
P CDEPONG
A
fter almost a decade of unconven-
tional monetary policy, a modest
tightening cycle in the US is finally
under way. The recent decision to hike
the benchmark US federal-fund rate by 25
basis points, and the signal for two more
rate hikes this year, followed by monetary
tightening in China, has created market
expectations that the long cycle of low and
falling interest rates in Asia could be over.
However, over the two days following
the Federal Reserve decision, Asian cur-
rencies strengthened as capital flowed
back into their bond and stock markets.
This is partly because the Fed rate hikes are
gradual and less aggressive than expected.
Before that, the expectation was that a Fed
rate hike would create financial stress for
Asian economies that have high US dollar
debt, a weak current account balance and
a high proportion of foreign holdings of
government bonds.
However, it could bring great relief to
Asian economies that have strong eco-
nomic fundamentals and external positions
such as a strong current account position,
high foreign currency reserves, and low
external debt and liability.
The threat to financial stability from
the too low interest rates for too long is
becoming a serious issue and the appropri-
ate tightening cycle in the US could relieve
these worries.
ECONOMIC THREAT
Ultra-low and negative interest rates in
advanced economies are a concern to
financial markets and policymakers world-
wide. Policy interest rates plunged to zero
when central banks in advanced econo-
mies eased credit and applied quantita-
tive easing. The central banks then imple-
mented a negative interest rate policy, an
unconventional way of encouraging private
consumption and investment.
Central banks in the Eurozone,
I Bangkok Post
In this 2014 photo, then navy chief Admiral Narong Pipattanasai presides over the opening of the Royal Thai Navys Submarine Squadron at Sattahip naval base in Chon Buri province. After
a long delay, the Prayut Chan-o-cha government secretly approved the purchase of a submarine last week. THITI WANNAMONTHA
to corruption for decades. Best practice in
terms of transparency and accountability
of military budget spending on weapons
purchases is always in question.
Military leaders have repeatedly cited
national security and confidentiality for
their arms procurements. If the armed
forces were strict on transparency and
accountability in their weapons procure-
ments, there would not be problematic
cases like the 350-million-baht broken
army airship and US$241 million (8.3 bil-
lion baht) contract for several dozen T-84
Oplot tanks with Ukraine which have not
been fulfilled.
Credit Suisses military strength index
in 2015 ranked Thailand 16th, top in
Asean, for the worlds strongest militaries
in term of budget spending and military
supplies. Imagine how bad it would be if
military procurement lacks transparency.
For the submarine deal, in fact, I
believe many people can be convinced of
its benefits.
I agree the country should maintain
a full military capability and balance
military strength in the region to ensure
the free movement of vessels in and out
of Thai waters under all circumstances.
This is a matter of sovereignty and territo-
rial integrity.
Buying submarines, for me, is accept-
able if it enables the country to fulfil such
Switzerland, Sweden and Denmark
adopted negative interest rates from mid-
2014 to early 2015. Japan followed in Janu-
ary 2016, and Hungary followed suit in
March, the first emerging market to do so.
The implications of ultra-low and nega-
tive interest rates for Asia have been a cru-
cial question among Asian central bankers.
Two key issues must be considered.
The first is the implication of ultra-low
interest rates in general, namely a near
zero interest rate policy and the uncon-
ventional monetary policies introduced
by advanced economies following the
2008 global financial crisis. In Asia, asset
prices are influenced more by advanced
economies policies than by Asian coun-
tries policies and fundamentals. The low
interest rates in advanced economies have
sent international capital flowing into Asian
equities and government bonds, boosted
Asian currencies, artificially inflated equity
prices, and pushed down yields on Asian
government bonds.
As such, volatile international capital
goals.
Some people question why the
country needs submarines when there is
no prospect of war looming. I liken this
question to why we go to the gym to keep
our bodies fit. Is it because we will have to
fight with others? The answer is definitely
no.
In the near future, when the Dawei
deep-sea port opens in Myanmar, ship-
ping lanes around the western coast are
expected to be bustling, which will need
increased maritime security and protec-
tion of the countrys maritime interests.
We should not ignore the fact that
several Asean neighbours that have
connecting marine territories with ours
have commissioned several fleets of
submarines. Although there is no conflict
now, who knows what will happen in the
Some people question why the
country needs submarines when
there is no prospect of war.
flows, currencies and asset prices have been
part of Asias landscape since the global
financial crisis. In addition, US dollar-
denominated debt has been increasing in
many countries in Asia following the global
financial crisis.
The second issue is the implication of
the negative interest rates policy in par-
ticular. It can be considered as an exten-
sion of the quantitative easing policy. The
side effects of the negative interest rate
policy are not clear. Announcements of the
negative interest rates neither resulted in
obvious structural shifts in exchange rates
and capital flows to Asia nor brought an
immediate and obvious reduction in the
bond yield in Asia.
Instead, there was a continued declin-
ing trend in the government bond yield
following quantitative easing for several
years and this continued after the negative
interest rates.
The impacts of the taper tantrum in
May 2013 (when the Fed first mentioned
the idea of gradually reducing monetary
future due to growing economic interests.
Some have said such a massive budget
earmarked to buy submarines should be
used for projects with real public benefits
instead. I fully agree but in reality, such a
premise is unlikely. If the navy opts not to
buy submarines, it will spend the money
to buy other military supplies for sure.
There is also sarcasm from some
quarters that the submarines are a dream
come true not just for navy personnel but
also Thai kids as they will have new excit-
ing equipment to ride on Childrens Day
apart from tanks and fighter jets.
Seriously, I dont think its a matter for
sarcasm. Having submarines can inspire
kids in terms of patriotism and techno-
logical development as well as future
careers.
While the pros and cons of buying
People walk along
a busy street in
Pudong financial
district in
Shanghai, China.
Despite signs of
economic recovery
in the US, high
volatility is
continuing and
Asian economies
must prepare for a
rough ride.
REUTERS
expansion) and the announcement of the
US presidential election on exchange rate
and capital flows in Asia were more drastic.
This implies that to a very large extent, the
dollar interest rate is the dominant factor
for Asia. Nevertheless, the negative interest
rate policy could cause an indirect effect
by signalling a low for long interest rate
cycle in advanced economies. In addition,
it previously created market expectations
that policy normalisation would be delayed
elsewhere, especially in the US.
LINGERING LOW RATES
The prolonged low interest rates have been
around for nearly a decade in advanced
economies and in Asia. Authorities needed
to ease their monetary policy to address
disinflationary pressure and keep the inter-
est rate spread with the US appropriate to
prevent an influx of international capital
flows. With this, they have increasingly
faced difficult tradeoffs between price and
output stability on the one hand, and finan-
cial stability on the other.
subs are debatable, the thing that cannot
be compromised on is the transparency
of the procurement process.
These days, local news headlines are
dominated by numerous high-profile
scam cases. Among them, several medi-
cal doctors were fooled by their trusted
colleagues to invest in a fake tourism ser-
vice scheme and academics and mem-
bers of a university savings co-operative
were lured by a trusted senior academic
and then co-operative manager to invest
in a fake lottery scheme.
What we can learn from these cases
is that we can be defrauded even by the
people we trust.
With the government apparently trying
to keep the submarine procurement out
of public discourse from the start, how
can the public trust the procedure? How
can taxpayers trust the navys explana-
tions and the information it uses to justify
the necessity of the massive spending.
And how can we trust the regime with
its national strategic plan for the next
two decades, particularly when the law
facilitating the plan has empowered all
military top brass to sit on a committee to
draft and review the plan over its 20-year
time frame.
Soonruth Bunyamanee is deputy editor,
Bangkok Post.
The prolonged low interest rates encour-
age more risk-taking behaviour for financial
institutions and households. Many finan-
cial institutions with committed liabilities,
such as insurance companies and pension
funds, are pressed to invest in riskier and
higher-return assets to maintain their
financial viability.
Some households are likely to consume
less and save more as they struggle to build
up sufficient retirement savings, while some
opt for higher returns without awareness of
the risk in alternatives such as depositing
money in shadow banking institutions
for instance saving cooperatives, mutual
funds, and asset management companies.
The too-low-for-too-long interest rates
may eventually induce changes in market
structures that increase the fragility of the
financial institution system and pose chal-
lenges to prudential policies worldwide.
The disinflationary pressure seems to be
easing due to higher oil prices. A gradual
Fed rate hike confirmed a strong economic
recovery in the US, which should improve
the economic sentiment and outlook in
Asia. This should provide room for mon-
etary policy in Asia to be less accommoda-
tive in the future to take care of domestic
financial stability issue.
Nevertheless, Asian economies must
prepare for a rough ride as high volatil-
ity remains an issue. Market expectations
become more volatile and are sensitive to
the uncertainty on the pace of the interest
rate hike in the US.
Fortunately, Asian economies learned
valuable lessons from the 1997 Asian finan-
cial crisis as a result, their financial con-
dition, external position and monetary poli-
cies are now in far better shape.
However, Asia is facing headwinds. Cen-
tral banks must preempt risk in the finan-
cial sectors, as well as monitor markets
and tighten regulations on market players
if necessary, and at the same time ensure
economic stability. In addition, the central
banks must communicate their monetary
policy and financial stability objectives in
a much more systemic manner.
Pornpinun Chantapacdepong is a research
fellow at the Asian Development Bank
Institute.
OPINION I 9
COMMENTARY
Gwynne Dyer
So much for
the wave of
I
n his victory speech on Sunday
night Emmanuel Macron, the next
president of France, said: I want
to become...the president of the
patriots in the face of the threat from
the nationalists. The distinction would
be lost on most Trump supporters in the
United States and on the Little Englan-
ders who voted for Brexit in Britain, but
its absolutely clear to the French, and
indeed to most Europeans.
In the US the preferred word is
patriot, but it usually means nation-
alist, with flags flaunted and slogans
chanted. America First says Mr Trump,
and the crowd replies USA all the way!
You cant imagine a British election
rally doing that the United Kingdom
is too close to mainland Europe, where
that sort of thing ended very badly but
the English nationalism behind Brexit
was painfully obvious. For some in both
countries its actually white nationalism,
but even the many non-racists who voted
for Mr Trump or Brexit draw the line at
the border or the waters edge. Theres
us, and on the far side theres them.
Whereas the French men and women
who voted for Mr Macron understand
the difference between patriotism and
nationalism very well. They will have to
vote for Mr Macron again in the run-off
election on May 7, when his opponent
will be the neo-fascist candidate, Marine
Le Pen, but in that round they will be
joined by almost all the people who voted
for other presidential candidates in the
first round. She is a nationalist; they are
patriots.
In Europe, nationalism is linked in the
collective memory with the catastrophe
of the last centurys great wars, and the
racism that is often associated with it trig-
gers images of Nazi extermination camps.
Not all Europeans are immune to that
kind of nationalism or political phenom-
ena like Ms Le Pen in France, Geert Wil-
ders in the Netherlands and Beppo Grillo
in Italy could not exist, but they remain a
minority almost everywhere.
That was not obvious four months
ago. After the Brexit vote last June and Mr
Trumps election in November, Europes
ultra-nationalists were convinced that
their moment had finally come and
many observers feared they were right.
Brexit seemed like the first step towards
the break-up of the European Union, and
from the Netherlands to Austria it felt like
the fascists were at the door.
Not so. Mr Wilderss party gained only
a few seats in last months Dutch election
and remains very much a minority taste.
Marine Le Pen is no closer to the French
presidency than her openly fascist father
was 15 years ago: the National Front vote
never breaks through the 25% ceiling.
And the hard-right, anti-immigrant, anti-
EU Alternative for Germany party has
lost its leader and one-third of its popular
support in the past month.
Some of this is simply disillusionment.
Significant numbers of Europeans were
initially tempted to back local populist
parties by the sheer flamboyance of Mr
Trumps US electoral campaign. After all,
Europeans also worry about immigration
and terrorism and unemployment, and
his rude and crude rhetoric seemed to
validate the similar language of their own
populist leaders.
The populist wave that seemed to
be sweeping through Western politics
turns out to be merely a storm in the
much smaller teacup known as the
Anglosphere. Its only known this way
to Europeans, who use the word, often
tinged with contempt, to describe the
deregulated economies and market-
obsessed politics of the post-Reagan
United States and post-Thatcher United
Kingdom. (Australia occasionally gets an
honourable mention too.)
For a quarter of a century the politics
of the Anglosphere has been consistently
subservient to the market even when
purportedly left-wing leaders like Bill
Clinton and Tony Blair were in power.
The result, as you would expect, has been
somewhat higher economic growth rates,
and a rapidly widening gulf between the
incomes of the rich and the rest.
The rest of the West has not been
immune to this political fashion, but
it has been far less prominent in the
countries of the EU (and even in deviant
anglophone countries like Canada and
New Zealand). Now the disparity in
incomes between the 1% and the 99% has
grown so great in the heartlands of the
Anglosphere that the political chickens
are coming home to roost.
The response in both the United States
and the United Kingdom is not real pop-
ulism, which for all its faults does at least
try to shrink income inequalities. It is
standard right-wing politics in a populist
style, using nationalism to distract the
victims from the fact that these govern-
ments actually serve the rich.
Move along, please. Theres nothing
new to see here.
Gwynne Dyer is an independent journalist
whose articles are published in 45 countries.
10 I SPORTS Bangkok Post I WEDNESDAY, APRIL 26, 2017

BASKETBALL ICE HOCKEY

Warriors demolishBlazers, win series

Golden State complete
sweep, Curry nets 37
LOS ANGELES: The Golden State Warriors
swept into the second round of the NBA
play-offs on Monday with a crushing 128-
103 victory over the Portland Trail Blazers.
Stephen Curry scored 37 points with
eight assists and seven rebounds as the
Warriors completed a four-game sweep
of the best-of-seven Western Conference
first-round series against the Blazers.
Curry sat out the entire fourth quarter
of a game the Warriors dominated from
opening tip.
Their 45 first-quarter points matched
an NBA play-off record for points in an
opening quarter, and they were up by 24
at half-time.
We came out on a mission, Curry said.
It was a great way to put our foot on the
gas pedal and get a win.
Draymond Green added 21 points for
the Warriors. Kevin Durant, who missed
the last two games with a left calf injury,
scored 10 points in just 20 minutes on
the floor.
Six Warriors players scored in double
figures as Golden state connected on
53.5 percent of their shots from the field,
including 17 of 29 from three-point range.
Damian Lillard scored 34 points and
Al-Farouq Aminu chipped in 25 for
Portland, but the Trail Blazers never
really threatened.
The Warriors scored the first six points
of the third quarter to stretch their lead
to 30 points.
Currys three-pointer with seven min-
utes to play in the third made it 91-58, and
Portland wouldnt get closer than 23 points
the rest of the way.
The Warriors now await either the Los
Angeles Clippers or Utah Jazz, whose series
was tied at two games apiece.
In Eastern Conference action, the
Raptors forged a 3-2 series lead with a
118-93 victory over the Milwaukee Bucks
in Toronto.
Norman Powell, making his second
start of the series, produced 25 points to
help the Raptors move within one win of
BASEBALL
Warriors guard Stephen Curry, left, dribbles around his back past Trail Blazers forward Al-Farouq Aminu during the first half. AP
reaching the second round, with Game Six
in Milwaukee on Thursday.
[Powell] is a sparkplug, Raptors coach
Dwane Casey said. Hes the X-factor.
Kyle Lowry added 16 points and 10
assists for the Raptors while Serge Ibaka
contributed 19 points, DeMar DeRozan
had 18, DeMarre Carroll added 12 and
Cory Joseph scored 10 off the bench.
But Bucks coach Jason Kidd said
Powells energy had added another dimen-
sion for the Raptors.
Hes playing extremely hard and hes
knocking down shots, but hes in there to
play defence and hes playing at a very high
level for those guys right now... Hes picked
them up here in the last couple of games
just with his energy and spirit.
The winners of the series will face
the reigning NBA champion Cleveland
SNOOKER
Cavaliers, who swept the Indiana Pacers
in four games. The Cavs beat the Raptors in
the Eastern Conference finals last season.
The Atlanta Hawks defeated the
Washington Wizards 111-101 to knot
their Eastern Conference series at two
games each.
Dennis Schroder shook off early foul
trouble and a scoreless first half to finish
with 18 points for the Hawks.
Paul Millsap led the Hawks with 19
points and Dwight Howard delivered his
best performance of the series with 16
points and 15 rebounds.
Atlanta outscored Washington 31-15
in the second quarter and led 59-50 at
half-time.
Bradley Beal scored 32 points to lead the
Wizards, who host Game Five tomorrow
morning (Thai time). AFP
The Capitals Alex Ovechkin. AP
Rivalsduel
in Caps-Pens
showdown
WASHINGTON: The rivalry between two of
the National Hockey Leagues best players,
Pittsburgh Penguins captain Sidney Crosby
and Washington Capitals counterpart Alex-
ander Ovechkin, is about to heat up the
Stanley Cup play-offs.
Reigning champions Pittsburgh will
face season points leaders Washington
starting on Friday morning (Thai time) in
a second-round showdown between the
NHLs two victory leaders of the campaign,
the winners emerging as clear favourites
for the crown.
Were all looking forward for this series
to get started, said Penguins Swedish right
wing Patric Hornqvist.
Crosby led the NHL with 44 goals this
season, only the second time in his career
he set the pace, while six-time NHL goals
champion Ovechkin had 33, his fewest in
a full campaign since 2010-11.
The Penguins seek a ninth victory in 10
overall play-off meetings with the Capitals,
who have not advanced past the second
round since reaching the 1998 NHL Finals.
Thats the narrative until we change it,
said Capitals defenceman Matt Niskanen.
It will be the third play-off meeting
between centre Crosbys Penguins and left
wing Ovechkins Capitals, with Pittsburgh
winning in the second round in 2009 and
last year, each time on the way to captur-
ing the title.
Were going to play the Stanley Cup

Cubs swatPirates aside, Selby, Fu, Hawkins into last 8 champions, Capitals coach Barry Trotz
said. We know how good they are. They
knocked us out last year, so we get a chance

Brewers enjoyReds victory LONDON: Defending world snooker cham-

pion Mark Selby eased into this years quar-
to go back at them.
The winners will face either the New
York Rangers or Ottawa Senators in the
PITTSBURGH: Addison Russell set a career Garza allowed one earned run on four ter-finals after a 13-6 victory over Chinas Eastern Conference final, while the Western
high with four hits while Jason Heyward hits. Five relievers followed and Carlos Xiao Guodong in Sheffield on Monday. Conference best-of-seven second round
homered for the third time in four games Torres (1-2) picked up the win. The 33-year-old Englishman rattled off series send Nashville against St Louis and
and drove in four runs as the Chicago Cubs In Baltimore, Adam Jones hit a tie-break- the three frames he needed right at the start Anaheim against Edmonton.
jumped on the Pittsburgh Pirates early in a ing, two-run homer in the seventh inning of the session. But the spotlight will be on the Penguins,
14-3 victory on Monday night. while Hyun Soo Kim and Jonathan Schoop I played a really solid game. I didnt who have a week off since eliminating
Ben Zobrist added three RBIs for Chi- also went deep as the Orioles beat the Rays make too many mistakes and put him Columbus, and the Capitals, who went to
cago as the defending World Series cham- 6-3 on a cold, damp night at Camden Yards. under pressure. And when he made mis- overtime in five of six games before ousting
pions won for the fifth time in six games. All three home runs were off Chris takes I capitalised, Selby told the BBC. Toronto on Monday morning (Thai time).
Anthony Rizzo had three hits Archer (2-1), who gave up Selby, who has recorded just one century You can use it as rest and you can use it
to extend his hitting streak to five runs, six hits and five break so far in the tournament, said he felt as time to prepare, Crosby said. I think its
13 games. walks in 6 2/3 innings. The confident he had something in reserve. big. Weve had some guys that have been
Chicago scored four runs right-hander didnt allow a I feel like my game has not been fan- injured and banged up. To get a couple of
with two outs in the first long ball in his previous four tastic, he told the BBC. But its not been days to rest and get ready, thatll help us.
inning off Chad Kuhl (1-2) starts this season. poor. I am happy with that going into the Crosby also blocked Ovechkins path
and added five more in the Baltimore trailed 3-1 quarter-finals. to Olympic gold, his Canada team ousting
second to give Brett Ander- before Kim and Schoop con- My opponent will know that when they Ovechkins Russia in the 2010 Vancouver
son (2-0) all the breathing nected on successive pitches play against me they will be in for a battle. Winter Olympics and taking gold on Cros-
room he would need. in the sixth inning. In the sev- I never give in and that has always been bys overtime goal in the final.
In Milwaukee, Eric enth, Archer hit Seth Smith my philosophy. Pittsburgh and Washington split four
Thames homered twice to with a pitch and Jones fol- In the quarter-final Selby will play Hong games this season.
raise his major league-lead- lowed with a drive deep into Kongs world No.8 Marco Fu, who edged Reigning world champion Mark Selby of England. AFP Were ready. Were excited. We cant
ing total to 10 while Hernan Addison Russell the left-field seats. past 2010 champion Neil Robertson of Aus- wait to get going, Capitals left wing Johans-
Perez added a three-run shot It was the fifth win in tralia 13-11 in an nervy battle to reach his of us deserved to win. For fighting spirit I Graeme Dott. son said. Weve worked all year to get back
and Matt Garza pitched for the first time seven games for the Orioles, whose 13-5 fourth quarter-final. was a 10 out of 10, but for snooker it was Hawkins, who turned 38 on Sunday, into this position and now were here.
this season as the Brewers beat the Reds record is best in the American League. Fu lost the first two frames of the final session four out of 10. like Selby wasted little time in bringing his This is the play-offs. Its going to be
11-7. In Arlington, Brian Dozier hit a bases- to trail 10-8, but a 115 break levelled at 10-10. A disappointed Robertson labelled his game to a close, winning the three frames tight. Its never going to be an easy ride. You
The left-handed batting Thames got clearing double as the Twins beat Texas As the pressure mounted Robertson took display as garbage. he required. have to work hard for it and battle for it. AFP
just enough muscle on an 0-2 pitch from 3-2, ending the Rangers AL-best four-game a scrappy 21st frame on the black before Fu I played awful snooker, said the Aus- You want to finish off as quick as you
Amir Garrett (2-2) to slice an opposite-field, winning streak. regained his composure to secure the next tralian. It wasnt good to watch. I was awful can because its a long tournament, said Second-round matchups
two-run homer in the second. He extended Doziers two-out double in the fifth three and victory. in my first match too. Hawkins, who will play Dotts compatriot (best-of-seven series)
his home-run streak against the Reds this came after Martin Perez (1-3) walked the It was very tough. I had so many Selby and Fu were joined in the last eight Stephen Maguire in the last eight. Eastern Conference: Capitals v Penguins; Senators
season to five consecutive games with a bases loaded, giving free passes to three chances and missed so many chances, by Englands 2013 finalist Barry Hawkins, Over the years I have had some unbe- v Rangers
solo shot to right in the first. Perezs three- of the bottom four batters in the Twins the 39-year-old Fu told the BBC. who closed out his second round match lievably gruelling matches and it takes it Western Conference: Ducks v Oilers; Blues v
run homer capped that inning. line-up. AP It was one of those matches that neither 13-6 with Scotlands 2006 champion out of you. AFP Predators

Roma 33 24 3 6 74 28 75
MOTORSPORT BASEBALL
Cubs 14, Pirates 3; Brewers 11, Reds 7; Ori- SCORES and STANDINGS Napoli 33 21 8 4 77 35 71

F1s Alonso picks oles 6, Rays 3; Twins 3, Rangers 2; White Sox

12, Royals 1; Rockies 8, Nationals 4; Giants 2, CENTRAL DIVISION
W L PCT GB
STANDINGS
P W D L GF GA Pts
Group D
Lazio
Atalanta
33
33
19 7 7
19 6 8
60
56
38
37
64
63
Dodgers 1; Diamondbacks 7, Padres 6; Angels Al Wahda (UAE) 5 (Al-Akberi 33, Tagliabue 43, AC Milan 33 17 7 9 50 37 58
Indy over Le Mans 2, Blue Jays 1 1. Chicago Cubs
2. Cincinnati
11
10 10
8 .579
.500 1
P-Brighton
P-Newcastle
44 28 8 8 73 38 92
44 27 7 10 80 40 88
72, Al-Sharji 52, Al-Hammadi 87) Al Rayyan
(QAT) 1 (Garcia 21)
Inter Milan 33 17 5 11 63 42 56
STANDINGS Fiorentina 33 15 10 8 55 45 55
3. Milwaukee 10 11 .476 2 Reading 44 24 7 13 63 62 79 MADRID: Spanish La Liga result on Monday: Torino 33 12 12 9 63 54 48
ALABAMA: Double Formula One world AMERICAN LEAGUE Sheff Wed 44 23 9 12 58 43 78
4. St Louis 9 10 .474 2 Eibar 0 Athletic Bilbao 1 (Raul Garcia 90+3) Sampdoria 33 12 9 12 41 41 45
champion Fernando Alonso sees next EASTERN DIVISION +XGGHUVHOG       
5. Pittsburgh 8 11 .421 3 Udinese 33 12 7 14 43 44 43
months Indianapolis 500 as a bigger chal- W L PCT GB Fulham 44 21 13 10 82 55 76 STANDINGS
1. Baltimore 13 5 .722 WESTERN DIVISION P W D L GF GA Pts Cagliari 33 11 5 17 46 64 38
lenge than the Le Mans 24 Hours sportscar Leeds 44 22 7 15 57 43 73 Chievo 33 11 5 17 36 52 38
2. NY Yankees 11 7 .611 2 W L PCT GB Barcelona 33 23 6 4 94 32 75
race as he seeks to win motorsports famed Norwich 44 19 9 16 78 66 66
3. Boston 11 8 .579 2 1. Colorado 14 6 .700 Real 32 23 6 3 84 36 75 Sassuolo 33 10 6 17 42 52 36
Triple Crown. Brentford 44 18 9 17 73 61 63
4. Tampa Bay 10 11 .476 4 2. Arizona 13 8 .619 1 Atletico 33 20 8 5 60 24 68 Bologna 33 9 8 16 31 49 35
The biggest task is definitely the Indy Derby 44 17 12 15 50 48 63
5. Toronto 5 14 .263 8 3. LA Dodgers 9 11 .450 5 Sevilla 33 19 8 6 58 39 65 Genoa 33 7 9 17 32 57 30
Preston 44 16 13 15 63 61 61
500 for a Formula One driver, the Spaniard 4. San Diego 8 13 .381 6 Villarreal 33 16 9 8 48 27 57 Empoli 33 7 8 18 22 51 29
CENTRAL DIVISION Aston Villa 44 16 13 15 46 46 61
told reporters on a visit to Barber Motor- 5. San Francisco 7 13 .350 7 Bilbao 33 17 5 11 46 37 56 Crotone 33 6 6 21 28 53 24
W L PCT GB Cardiff 44 16 11 17 57 59 59
sport Park. Sociedad 33 17 4 12 49 45 55 Palermo 33 3 7 23 27 73 16
1. Cleveland 10 8 .556 Barnsley 44 15 12 17 63 63 57
I think its quite different. Its challeng- BASKETBALL Eibar 33 14 8 11 52 45 50 Pescara 33 2 8 23 32 74 14
2. Detroit 10 8 .556 Wolves 43 15 10 18 52 54 55
WASHINGTON: Results from Mondays Espanyol 33 13 10 10 44 43 49
ing... the level of downforce, the feeling with 3. Chicago White Sox 9 9 .500 1 Ipswich 44 13 16 15 48 54 55
first-round NBA play-off games (all series Celta Vigo 32 13 5 14 48 52 44 TENNIS
the car, running with a car that is not sym- 4. Minnesota 9 10 .474 1 Bristol City 44 14 9 21 59 65 51
best-of-seven): Burton 44 13 12 19 46 58 51 Alaves 33 11 11 11 32 40 44
metric on the straights, on braking. Traffic 5. Kansas City 7 12 .368 3 BARCELONA: Results from the ATP Barce-
Eastern Conference QPR 44 14 8 22 50 62 50 Valencia 33 11 7 15 47 56 40
I think is a big thing... WESTERN DIVISION lona Open on Monday (x denotes seeding):
At Toronto: Toronto Raptors 118 Milwaukee Nottm Forest 44 13 9 22 59 70 48 Las Palmas 33 10 9 14 52 58 39
Alonso has set his sights on becoming W L PCT GB Bucks 93 First round
Birmingham 44 11 14 19 42 64 47 Real Betis 33 10 7 16 36 51 37
only the second driver after the late Briton 1. Houston 13 6 .684 (Raptors lead series 3-2) Albert Montas (ESP) bt Guillermo Garca-
Blackburn 44 10 15 19 49 64 45 Malaga 33 9 9 15 38 49 36
Graham Hill to win the Formula One cham- 2. Oakland 10 9 .526 3 At Atlanta: Atlanta Hawks 111 Washington Lpez (ESP) 6-4, 6-4
Wigan 44 10 11 23 39 55 41 Deportivo 33 7 10 16 35 51 31
pionship, Indy and Le Mans. 3. Texas 9 11 .450 4 Wizards 101 Kyle Edmund (GBR) bt Jrmy Chardy (FRA)
R-Rotherham 44 5 6 33 38 96 21 Leganes 33 6 9 18 27 51 27
4. LA Angels 9 12 .429 5 (Series tied 2-2) 6-3, 6-4
The McLaren driver, who will miss the P promoted Sporting 33 5 8 20 36 66 23
5. Seattle 8 12 .400 5 Western Conference Daniel Evans (GBR) bt Thiago Monteiro (BRA)
showcase Monaco Grand Prix to race at R relegated Granada 33 4 8 21 27 70 20
NATIONAL LEAGUE At Portland: Golden State Warriors 128 Port- DOHA: Results from the Asian Football Osasuna 33 3 9 21 34 75 18 6-7 (4/7), 6-2, 7-6 (7/2)
the famed Brickyard on May 28 for the first land Trail Blazers 103
EASTERN DIVISION Confederation (AFC) Champions League on Yuichi Sugita (JPN) bt Tommy Robredo (ESP) 6-4, 6-3
time, has no experience of Le Mans either (Warriors win series 4-0) MILAN: Result from Italys Serie A on Monday:
W L PCT GB Monday: Andreas Seppi (ITA) bt Mikael Ymer (SWE)
but indicated that would have to wait until 1. Washington 13 6 .684 FOOTBALL Group C
Pescara 1 (Benali 83) Roma 4 (Strootman 44, 6-4, 6-3
after Formula One. 2. Miami 10 8 .556 2 Nainggolan 45, Salah 48, 60) Casper Ruud (NOR) bt Radu Albot (MDA) 6-2, 6-2
LONDON: English Football League result on Bunyodkor (UZB) 2 (Komilov 8, Shomurodov
The 35-year-old felt that French race 3. Philadelphia 9 9 .500 3 Monday: 54) Al Ahli (KSA) 0 STANDINGS Nicolas Almagro (ESP) bt Steven Diez (CAN) 6-3, 6-4
would be an easier leap because the cars 4. NY Mets 8 11 .421 5 Championship Zobahan (IRI) 0 Al Ain (UAE) 3 (Asprilla 25, O. P W D L GF GA Pts Kevin Anderson (RSA) bt Carlos Berlocq
were more similar. REUTERS 5. Atlanta 6 12 .333 6 Newcastle 4 Preston 1 Abdulrahman 60, M. Abdulrahman 81) Juventus 33 27 2 4 68 20 83 (ARG) 2-6, 7-6 (7/4), 6-3
WEDNESDAY, APRIL 26, 2017
TENNIS
Maria Sharapova on her way to a training session in Stuttgart. AP
Sharapova set to make return
Opponent opposes wild
cards after doping ban
STUTTGART: Maria Sharapovas first
opponent after her 15-month doping sus-
pension says the Russian should not have
been granted a wild card for the Porsche
Grand Prix or upcoming tournaments.
Roberta Vinci, who will face Sharapova
in a highly anticipated first-round match
late today, does not agree with organis-
ers giving Sharapova a free passage into
the main draw of their events.
She is a great player and I have noth-
ing against her. She paid for her mistakes,
Vinci said on Monday. She can return to
play but without any wild cards, without
any help.
Sharapovas suspension for using heart
drug meldonium after it was banned at the
Williamsfires back at Nastase overracist comments
NEW YORK: Serena Williams on Monday
called the alleged comments about her
unborn child made by former world No.1
Ilie Nastase racist and applauded the
International Tennis Federation for launch-
ing a probe into the remarks.
Former tennis bad boy Nastase, who
won two grand slam titles in the 1970s,
was quoted by Romanian and some Brit-
ish media as saying in response to Williams
pregnancy announcement: Lets see what
colour it has. Chocolate with milk?
It disappoints me to know we live in a
society where people like Ilie Nastase can
make such racist comments towards myself
and unborn child, and sexist comments
against my peers, the womens world No.1
wrote on her Instagram account.
I am not afraid unlike you. You see, I
am no coward. Does my sassiness upset
you? Why are you beset with gloom? You
may shoot me with your words... you may
try to kill me with your hatefulness, but still
like air I will rise.
It would not be the first time Williams
BOXING
Wilder calls forJoshua-Klitschko winner
LONDON: Unbeaten heavyweight Deon-
tay Wilder will have a ringside view of rival
champions Anthony Joshua and Wladimir
Klitschko in their Wembley Stadium unifi-
cation showdown on Saturday with hopes
to fight the winner by December.
The 31-year-old American, who owns
the World Boxing Council crown, will
serve as a television analyst when Britains
unbeaten Joshua defends his International
Boxing Federation crown and vies for the
vacant World Boxing Association title
against Klitschko before a sell-out crowd
of more than 90,000.
Im excited to be going to England,
Wilder said. Im looking forward to getting
my own birds eye view of both fighters for a
future fight. Im definitely going over there
to scout. Im looking for a fighting partner.
When it comes to picking a winner,
Wilder is torn, saying, My heart goes to
Joshua but my mind says Klitschko.
Wilder, 38-0 with 37 knockouts, has
owned the WBC crown for two years and
wants a July fight with New Zealands
unbeaten Joseph Parker, the World Boxing
Organization champion, with that winner
I Bangkok Post
beginning of 2016, ends today, just in time
to enter the opening round of the indoor
clay tournament she won three times in a
row from 2012-14.
Vinci joined the likes of Caroline Wozni-
acki, Dominika Cibulkova, Agnieszka Rad-
wanska, and Angelique Kerber in speak-
ing out against wild cards for players who
return from a doping suspension.
I know [Sharapova] is important for
the tennis, for the WTA, for everything,
Vinci said. She is a great person, a great
player, a great champion, but this is
my opinion. Italian fancied her chances.
The 36th-ranked Vinci, who reached a
career high 10th a year ago, said she would
try to forget about the wild-card debate
when stepping on court on today.
Its an interesting match for sure, a
difficult match, a tricky match but I am
happy. I am excited to play against Maria, any tournament facilities before her sus-
the 2015 US Open finalist said. For me its
a normal tournament. I am preparing all in
has been stung by racism as a player.
The world No.1 boycotted the Indian
Wells tournament for 14 years after she and
sister Venus and her family claimed they
were victims of racial taunts while Serena
played in the 2001 final.
Heavyweight champ Deontay Wilder. AFP
to meet the Joshua-Klitschko victor.
Whoever unifies is going to bring
another era to the heavyweight division
one name, one champion, once and for
all. Undisputed. Its going to be better for
the same way as [for] other tournaments. I
will just play my game, stay focused.
Vinci expected a lot of the crowd on
Wednesday to be [cheering] for her. But I
dont know about the players. A lot of play-
ers will agree with me on the wild card.
Vinci lost all four sets and scored only
four games in total during her two previ-
ous matches against Sharapova, but those
were played on hard-court, 10 and five
years ago, respectively.
On a different surface and against an
opponent who is lacking match play, the
I know its tough to return after a long
time, Vinci said. She is probably happy
about her comeback... but practice is a
little bit different from a match. You have
to be focused every single point.
Sharapova wont be allowed to access
pension officially ends today.
Earlier, the French Tennis Federation
Ilie Nastase, right,
argues with an
official. EPA
Nastase, 70, has been provisionally
banned from all International Tennis Fed-
eration (ITF) events following his verbal
abuse of British players last weekend in his
role as Romanian Fed Cup captain.
Williams thanked the ITF and said they
boxing. Youll see a different atmosphere,
Wilder said.
Im confident Im the best in the divi-
sion. I will unify the division. Im just being
patient and waiting for my time to come.
Parker, 22-0 with 18 knockouts, had a
planned May fight against Britains Hughie
Fury called off on Saturday.
I want Parker in July, Wilder said. Why
not? He dont have any opponent now. Lets
unify. Lets make it happen. It makes so
much sense.
What would be better than me fight-
ing Parker and then at the end of the year
fighting for one undisputed title? Im look-
ing forward to unifying this division and
bringing it back to America.
Wilder took some verbal swipes at
Joshua and Klitschko, citing the English-
mans past foes as lacklustre and the ex-
champion as possibly too far past his prime.
Theres a lot of flaws Joshua has, Wilder
said. Hes still young in the game. Hes
going off the physique and the height. If
you deep down soul search and look at his
resume, youll get your answer.
He has got the power. At any given
said Sharapova will find out the week
starting May 15 if she can compete at the
French Open, which starts two weeks later.
The Russian was suspended after test-
ing positive for heart drug meldonium at
the 2016 Australian Open.
Sharapova has also been handed a
wild card into the Italian Open in Rome
next month.
Now the French Open and possibly
Wimbledon must decide whether to give
an entry to Sharapova, a former champion
of both Grand Slams.
The FFT said that the decision will for the domestic double.
be taken the week of [Monday] May 15,
without giving further details.
Sharapova, who has titles at all four
majors, won at Roland Garros in 2012
and 2014.
The 30-year-old Sharapova was among
more than 100 athletes who tested positive
after meldonium was banned in sport last
year. AP
would have her full support as they inves-
tigated the matter.
[The investigation] is ongoing. At this
point, one of the principles that is impor-
tant is that we want a rigorous process that
is fair, ITF President David Haggerty said
on Monday.
We will also hear Nastases side of the
argument. It will be a thorough process
conducted in an efficient manner. I do not
think you will be hearing any final decisions
in the next two weeks.
British captain Anne Keothavong, who
said she was made to feel uncomforta-
ble by comments made by Nastase at the
official pre-match dinner, said the abuse
during play had been unacceptable.
We expected a patriotic crowd for the
Romanian team but we dont expect abusive
language to be used... what he said directed
to both Johanna [Konta] and myself is ...
language that is not appropriate for anyone
to speak to any other human, she said.
Konta was reduced to tears at one
stage. REUTERS
time he can get you out of there. Hes
definitely going to have to move and take
angles with Klitschko... but I think he has
a great chance.
Klitschko, who used Wilder as a sparring
partner in more than 50 rounds, is 41 and
lost his title to Tyson Fury in his most recent
fight 17 months ago because, Wilder says,
he didnt throw no damn punches.
I hope Klitschko brings Klitschko. I
think hes ready. Hes going to show a lot
of things. Hes going to teach Joshua a lot
of things in the ring as well. Sometimes you
have to let them know Im still the beast,
Im still the monster.
Wilder said he plans to visit Kenya next
month and Jordan next year over possible
fights in each and vowed: If its safe Ill go
anywhere in the world.
After failed doping tests scuttled two
prior title fights, Wilder does insist on
Nevada-style drug tests for any foe.
To get two of them, thats mind blow-
ing, he said. You better be clean by the
time you fight me cause were going to
find out and even if you do Ill still whoop
you. AFP
BADMINTON
Ratchanokeyes upturn at
Asia Championships event
World No.10 Ratchanok Intanon will be
trying to win her first title of the year at the
Asia Championships which begin today in
Wuhan, China.
The sixth-seeded Thai will face world
No.33 Chen Xiaoxin of China in the
first round.
Having failed in the defence of her India,
Malaysia and Singapore titles this month,
Ratchanok is hoping to improve on her
performances in those three tournaments.
She reached the quarter-finals in India
and Malaysia and crashed out in the first
round in Singapore.
However, the 22-year-old star, who
reached the All England final last month,
said she had not yet reached full strength
after returning from an injury lay-off.
The 2013 world champion said she
was not worried much about her results
in the opening stages of the season as
Ratchanok Intanon during the Malaysia Open this month. AFP
FOOTBALL
Dortmund hope to
end Bayerns dream
BERLIN: Thomas Tuchels Borussia Dort-
mund hope to add to Bayern Munichs
recent woes in tonights crunch German
Cup semi-final to end Carlo Ancelottis bid
Both Bayern and Dortmund had their
Champions League campaigns ended last
week by Real Madrid and Monaco respec-
tively in the quarter-finals, but they meet at
the Allianz Arena for a place in Berlins cup
final on May 27.
Bayern are runway leaders in the
German league and had been hoping for
a place in the Champions Leagues semi-
finals before a Cristiano Ronaldo-led Real
thwarted their ambitions.
As compensation, Ancelotti is hoping to
finish his first season as Bayern coach with
the league and cup double.
However, first Dortmund must be over-
come in a repeat of last years final which
Bayern won 4-3 on penalties after a goalless
draw in Berlin.
Now we want to spoil Bayerns season a
little bit more, quipped Tuchel after Dort-
munds 3-2 comeback win at Moechengla-
dbach on Saturday to go third in Germanys
top flight.
While Dortmund picked up a morale-
boosting victory, Bayern had to twice come
from behind as they laboured to a 2-2 draw
at home to relegation-threatened Mainz.
Of course, the game against Real is still
bothering us, even if it shouldnt. Were
professionals, but were also human, said
Bayerns stand-in captain Thomas Mueller.
As well as the league title, reaching
the Berlin final is our biggest goal, so that
means, puff out your chest and show that
we deserve to be there!
However, Bayern are winless in their last
four games and picked up their only victory
in their last six games, when they romped
to a 4-1 win over Dortmund in the league
three weeks ago.
Buriram and Hublot join hands
BuriramCo president Newin Chidchob, centre, at yesterdays press conference to
announce that Hublot is now the official watch and timekeeper of Buriram United
Football Club and Chang International Circuit.
SPORTS I 11
there are still a lot of tournaments in the
second half of the year for her to earn
ranking points.
Also in the womens singles, world No.12
Busanan Ongbamrungphan will take on
No.11 Chen Yufei of China, No.15 Nitch-
aon Jindapol will be up against No.42 Pai
Yu Po of Taiwan, and Pornpawee Chochu-
wong will meet No.30 Chiang Mei Hui, also
from Taiwan.
In the mens singles, No.11 Tanongsak
Saensomboonsuk will begin his campaign
against a qualifier.
In the mixed doubles, No.11 pair
Dechapol Puavaranukroh and Sapsiree
Taerattanachai, runners-up in Singapore,
will play Ronald Alexander and Melati
Daeva of Indonesia.
In the womens doubles, No.9 pair Sap-
siree and Putita Supajirakul will face Malay-
sias Vivian Hoo and Woon Khe Wei.
Dortmunds Thomas Tuchel. AFP
MONACO V PSG
Leonardo Jardims Monaco hold the edge
over Paris Saint-Germain in the French title
race, but the reigning champions havent
given up hope of landing a third successive
sweep of the domestic trophies.
PSG thrashed Monaco 4-1 at the start
of April to retain the French League Cup,
and with the principality club prioritising
Europe and Ligue 1, Unai Emerys side will
again fancy their chances in Wednesdays
French Cup semi-final.
This semi-final is an encounter
between two very important matches, with
only two days rest each time, said Monaco
boss Jardim, whose side lead PSG on goal
difference with a game in hand in the razor
tight title race.
Were going to use the players who
have played sparingly and players from
the reserves. Theres mental fatigue as
well... the league is the most important
competition.
Not only has Monacos brilliant young
side fired the club to within sight of a first
French crown since 2000, but Jardims
men are also through to the last four of
the Champions League, where theyll face
Juventus for a place in the June 3 final in
Cardiff. AFP
 Sports
B k kP

NBA Warriors progress in play-offs 10 M

Maria comeback
with sweep of Trail Blazers
Sh
harapova returns
Badminton Ratchanok looks to bounce 11 to tourtoday after
back at Asia Championships
ba
an for doping
Pa
age 11

Read more news at bangkokpost.com WEDNESDAY, APRIL 26, 2017

FOOTBALL

Coach hunt boils down to three Benitez leads

FAT expected to make
appointment this week
TOR CHITTINAND
Three candidates are vying for the
national team coaching job, the Foot-
ball Association of Thailand (FAT)
revealed yesterday.
The trio are Serbias Milovan Rajevac,
Brizils Marcos Paqueta and Germanys
Winfried Schaefer, said FAT technical chief
Witthaya Laohakul.
They were among eight candidates
interviewed by Witthaya.
They all have the qualifications
required by the FAT, he said.
The trio have coached teams at the
World Cup finals, have a clear-cut plan,
do not ask for a high salary and are likely
to get along well with the Thai players, said
Witthaya, a former Thailand coach.
The new coach is expected to be named
this week and has to start working next
month, he said.
Thailands next match is against the
United Arab Emirates in a World Cup
qualifier in Bangkok on June 13.
The position is vacant after Kiatisak
Senamuang stepped down following heavy
defeats in World Cup qualifiers.
Thailand are out of contention for
a ticket to Russia 2018 after six losses
Serbias Milovan Rajevac. EPA
P Brazils Marcos Paqueta.
and one draw in Group B of Asias
final qualifying round with three
games remaining.
Rajevac, 63, is believed to be the front-
runner, having steered Ghana to the quar-
ter-finals of the 2010 World Cup.
He has also coached Qatar and Algeria
and is renowned for his discipline.
According to reports, his asking salary
is two million baht a month the same
amount the FAT paid Kiatisak.
Paqueta, 58, guided Brazil to win
the U17 and U20 world championships
in 2003.
He was coach of Saudi Arabia at the
2006 World Cup and has worked with
several clubs in the Middle East.
Schaefer, 67, guided Cameroon to the
2002 World Cup.
The German coached Thailand from
2011-2013, and also had a brief spell at
Thai League 1 champions SCG Muang
Thong United.
He was coach of Jamaica from 2013-2016
against 159th-placed Singapore on June
Germanys Winfried Schaefer. EPA
P As part of a four-nation tour, top-ranked
and took the Reggae Boyz to the Gold Cup
final in 2015 after beating Argentina and
Uruguay in the group stage.
Meanwhile, FAT president Somyot
Poompunmuang celebrated the associa-
tions 101st anniversary yesterday.
Pol Gen Somyot presided over a reli-
gious ceremony at the FAT headquarters
in Hua Mark.
He said he became FAT president
last year when the organisation reached
its centenary.
He said at that time the house was not
in good shape but now believes it has been
well renovated.
We are like patients who can get up and
are ready to walk forward, Somyot said.
With three years left in his term, he
vowed to push for football development
in Thailand.
Meanwhile, Lionel Messis Argentina
will take on Singapore in a June friendly
match in the city-state, organisers said.
Argentina, ranked second in the world
by Fifa, will kick off at the National Stadium
13 to mark the 125th anniversary of the
islands football association.
The match will feature a star-studded
Argentina side, including Barcelonas
Messi, Manchester City striker Sergio
Aguero and Paris Saint-Germain winger
Angel Di Maria, the Football Association
of Singapore said.
Brazil will take on Australia on the same
night in Melbourne.
Argentina and Brazil will also play each
other in a Superclasico friendly in the
Australian city on June 9.
I am looking forward to leading my
country out against the two-time Fifa
World Cup champions, and we hope
that Singaporeans will come out in force
to cheer us on, said Singapore coach
V Sundramoorthy.
The Lions have only won one of their
last 12 matches.
Newcastle
back toEPL
LONDON: Rafael Benitez succeeded in
his gamble of staying on as manager as he
steered Newcastle United straight back up
to the Premier League with a 4-1 win over
Preston on Monday.
The former Liverpool, Chelsea and Real
Madrid boss stayed on after they were rel-
egated to the Championship at the end of
last season and even though Newcastle
stumbled of late, the victory over Preston
guaranteed a top two finish.
The Magpies became only the seventh
team out of 18 to go straight back up in the
past six years.
They will join Brighton who were
assured of promotion to the Premier
League for the first time last Monday in
the top tier next season.
For 57-year-old Benitez there was a glim-
mer of a smile at the end although he is
not one known for wearing his heart on
his sleeve and a qualified response as
to whether he would remain with the club.
He was known not to be satisfied at the
lack of investment in players in the January
transfer window.
I think I will have to analyse a lot of
things, but Im really pleased here, he told
Sky Sports.
So hopefully we can do what we have
to do to be stronger in the Premier League.
Benitez said it had been a tough old
battle and the heat of competition had
been intense.

Kirinshope toroar It wasnt easy at all, said Benitez.

You have seen a lot of teams in this
competition knew what to do.
We had to fight from the start and

into ACL knockouts played some very good football sometimes,

some not so good at times, but in the end
we go up.
I think from the last day of the last
TOR CHITTINAND The Kirins are at almost full strength season, I wanted to show my loyalty to
with only Thailand striker Adisak Kraisorn everyone here.
Thai League 1 champions SCG Muang out injured. Defender Jerome Lascelles said: Its
Thong United are hoping for a win His absence may not be a big problem been a tough season and today its paid off.
againstBrisbane Roar in the AFC Cham- as the Kirins also have Thailand forward The atmosphere has been unbelievable
pions League tonight to secure their place Teerasil Dangda and Spanish marksman the fans have stuck behind us.
in the knockout stage. Xisco Jimenez. The main aim was to get back into the
The match kicks off at 7.30pm at Brisbane manager John Aloisi said: We Premier League. AFP
SCG Stadium. are looking forward to the game.
In the other Group E game, South Koreas We have a limited number of players
Ulsan Hyundai host Japans Kashima Ant- because of injuries and suspensions, but
lers at 5.30pm. we will try our best.
Muang Thong are group leaders with Brisbane upset Kashima two weeks ago
eight points. and Aloisi said he hoped his men could
They are followed by Kashima (six), achieve another good result.
Ulsan (four) and Brisbane (four). Tickets are priced at 200 and 400
A win for Muang Thong will see the Thais baht and available at Thai Ticket
get past the group stage for the first time in Major outlets.
the continental club championship.
At yesterdays press conference, Muang STANDINGS
Thong coach Totchtawan Sripan said: It
Group E
will be an important match for us because
P W D L GF GA Pts
if we win we will qualify for the knock-
out stage. Muang Thong 4 2 2 0 3 1 8
But we cant underestimate Brisbane. Kashima Antlers 4 2 0 2 7 4 6
It will be an exciting game and we will try Ulsan Hyundai 4 1 1 2 6 3 4
to win. Brisbane Roar 4 1 1 2 2 10 4 Muang Thong coach Totchtawan Sripan, right, shakes hands with Brisbane Roar boss John Aloisi at yesterdays press conference.

Spurs still believe, says Lloris Reals title credentials to be Newcastle manager Rafa Benitez. REUTERS

LONDON: Hugo Lloris insists Tottenham

still believe they can win the Premier
tested in visit toDeportivo TODAYon TV
League despite the shattering blow of MADRID: Real Madrids La Liga title cre-
their FA Cup semi-final defeat against title dentials will be put to the test tonight as a Baseball
rivals Chelsea. tough week continues with a tricky trip to 06:00 MLB New York Yankees v Boston
Mauricio Pochettinos side left Wembley Deportivo La Coruna. Red Sox Fox Sports 2
broken hearted on Saturday after dominat- This season the Galician sides Riazor 06:00 (Thu) MLB Chicago Cubs v Pitts-
ing for long periods before conceding two stadium has proven an unhappy hunting burgh Pirates Fox Sports 3
late goals in a dramatic 4-2 loss. ground for top clubs.
The psychological damage inflicted on Atletico Madrid, Villarreal and Valencia Football
Tottenhams players cant be underesti- have all been held to draws there, while 19:30 AFC Champions League Muang
mated and they have little time to recover Barcelona succumbed to a shock 2-1 defeat Thong v Brisbane Roar Fox Sports
as the title race heats up this week as last month as the battle by Pepe Mels side 00:30 (Thu) La Liga Barcelona v
Pochettinos men travel to in-form Crystal to avoid the drop gathered pace. Osasuna beIN Sports 2
Palace tonight. After losing a dramatic Clasico 3-2 to 01:35 German Cup Bayern Munich v
While Lloris acknowledged Chelsea now Barca on Sunday with the last kick of the Borussia Dortmund Channel 7
have renewed confidence they can hold game a result that sees the Catalans move 01:45 EPL Middlesbrough v Sunder-
off Tottenhams challenge in the final six ahead at the top of the table because of their land beIN Sports 5
games of the season, the France goalkeeper superior head-to-head record Madrid 01:45 EPL Arsenal v Leicester City beIN
is convinced his club wont surrender with- know they cannot afford defeat as they bid Sports 1
out a fight. to lift their first La Liga title for five years. 01:45 EPL Crystal Palace v Tottenham
We know Chelsea have an advantage Coach Zinedine Zidane insisted that, Hotspur beIN Sports 3
but we need to believe until the end, Tottenhams Hugo Lloris, right, and Dele Alli celebrate after agame. REUTERS while they might currently sit second, 02:05 French Cup Paris St Germain v
Lloris said. the fact that Madrid have played one Real Madrid coach Zinedine Zidane. AP Monaco beIN Sports 4
Liverpool 34 19 9 6 70 42 66
We knew before that this game can have Of course the last couple of days have Man City 32 19 7 6 63 35 64 game fewer means they still control their 02:30 La Liga Deportivo La Coruna v Real
maybe an impact for the rest of the season. been tough, Kane said. Man Utd 32 17 12 3 50 24 63 own destiny. and not so good, things Ive already forgot- Madrid beIN Sports 2
But in football you need to believe Ugo was a great character around the Everton 34 16 10 8 60 37 58 It [the Clasico] was not about deciding ten, coach Luis Enrique said.
because everything is possible and we training ground, it was just shocking news Arsenal 31 17 6 8 63 40 57 who wins La Liga. A win, loss or draw means Were top of the table now but Madrid Snooker
dont know what will happen in the next to be honest. West Brom 33 12 8 13 39 42 44 that nothing changes. We are disappointed have a game in hand. It will be tight and go 16:00 World Championship quarter-
few weeks. Of course well do everything we can to Southampton 31 11 7 13 37 40 40 as overall we did not deserve to lose, but right down to the wire. finals TrueSport HD, TrueSport HD3, True-
They are human and thats the case for win the league for him. Watford 33 11 7 15 37 54 40 football is like that. We do not have too Neymar will serve the final game of his Sport 1, TrueSport 3, TrueSport 7
us. The only thing that we can do is keep To have a chance of honouring Ehiogu Stoke 34 10 9 15 37 50 39 much time to wallow and have to get over three-match suspension against Osasuna, 20:30 World Championship quarter-
Crystal Palace 33 11 5 17 46 53 38
working hard, keep believing and play- with the clubs first title since 1961, Totten- it, Zidane said. who could be relegated if they lose and finals TrueSport HD, TrueSport HD3, True-
Bournemouth 34 10 8 16 49 63 38
ing the same way that we play in the last ham need to extend their current seven- West Ham 34 10 8 16 44 59 38
Real will be without captain Sergio results in other games go against them. AFP Sport 1, TrueSport 3, TrueSport 7
few weeks. game winning streak in the league. AFP Leicester 32 10 7 15 41 53 37 Ramos for the trip after he was sent off
Losing at Wembley capped a miser- Burnley 34 10 6 18 33 49 36 against Barcelona and have Nacho as their FIXTURES
FIXTURES
able few days for Tottenham after the Hull 34 9 6 19 36 67 33 only recognised senior centre-back, with (all kick-offsThai time) SPORTS EDITOR
club was rocked by the sudden death of (1.45am, Thu, unless stated) Swansea 34 9 4 21 39 68 31 Pepe and Raphael Varane out injured. Wanchai Rujawongsanti
Today
their Under-23 coach Ugo Ehiogu earlier Arsenal v Leicester, Crystal Palace v Tottenham (2am), Middlesbrough 33 4 12 16 23 43 24 Barca, meanwhile, host bottom of the Barcelona v Osasuna (12.30am, Thu) Leganes v Las wanchair@bangkokpost.co.th
Middlesbrough v Sunderland. Sunderland 32 5 6 21 26 58 21
in the week. table Osasuna and will be ready to pounce Palmas (1.30am) Valencia v Real Sociedad (1.30am) SPORTS DESK
Harry Kane, who scored Tottenhams STANDINGS should Madrid drop points in what has Deportivo Coruna v Real Madrid (2.30am) sports@bangkokpost.co.th
Note: top four qualify for Champions League;
first equaliser on Saturday, revealed his P W D L GF GA Pts been a topsy-turvy campaign. Tomorrow phone 02-616-4000 ext 4103
WHDPVQLVKLQJIWKWRVHYHQWKTXDOLI\IRU fax 02-240-3781
team have dedicated their title chase to Chelsea 32 24 3 5 65 27 75 Europa League; bottom three relegated to This is a season that weighs like five. Alaves v Eibar (12.30am, Fri) Sevilla v Celta Vigo
former England defender Ehiogu. Tottenham 32 21 8 3 68 22 71 Championship. So many things have happened, both good (1.30am) Athletic Club v Real Betis (2.30am)
 Business
Bangkok Post

Read more news at bangkokpost.com WEDNESDAY, APRIL 26, 2017

MARKETS CURRENCIES COMMODITIES IN BUSINESS

HK
K Hang Seng 24,455.94 +1.31% (BID/ASK) APR 25, 7 PM Previous BOND ACTION AVIATION HISTORY
SET INDEX US$/Baht 34.33/42 34.31/39 Gold BKK
K bt/bt (buy) 20,600 -50
Jakarta 5,680.80 +0.29% Long-term corporate debt grew popular The China-made Comac C919 is ready for
1,567.19 11,570.02 1,562.27
Kuala Lumpur 1,756.80 +0.56% 100 Yen/Baht 31.160/128 31.054/501 Gold BKK
K bt/bt (sell) 20,700 -50 among private firms in Q1 after numerous take-off as the countrys first big jetliner. B7
1,564.66
1,574.42
Manila 7,700.46 +1.47% Euro/Baht 36.246/489 36.833/544 Gold TFEX bt/bt (05/17) 20,780 - defaults in non-rated short-term bonds. B2
1,566.28

Apr 18 Apr 19 Apr 20 Apr 21 Apr 24 Apr 25

Tokyo Nikkei 225 19,079.33 +1.08% UK/Baht
K 43.887/103 43.936/199 Gold London US$/oz 1,272.90 -4.60 CUTTING EDGE
Seoul 2,196.85 +1.06% MYR/Baht 7.8034/8821 7.7974/8226 Gold HKK US$/oz 1,271.14 -5.47 SWEET SUCCESS Trump makes a priority of slashing the corpo-
SET 1,562.27 -0.15% Shanghai 3,134.57 +0.16% Oil Brent Spot US$/bbl 51.82 +0.22 Better yields have resulted in abundant sugar rate tax rate to 15% from 35%. B8
SET 50 993.39 +0.09% Singapore 3,163.93 +0.63% Close Change Oil Dubai 1m Asia US$/bbl 50.80 -0.12 output from the current crop, letting Thailand
SET 100 2,234.59 +0.01% Sydney - - US$/Yen (April 25, 7pm) 110.39 +0.6200 Oil Oman 1m Asia US$/bbl 51.25 - capitalise on rising global prices. B3 BUSINESS EDITOR
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Busrin Treerapongpichit
busrint@bangkokpost.co.th
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Uber urges
licensing
framework
Malaysian model
proposed to regulator
SUCHIT LEESA-NGUANSUK
Uber Thailand has proposed that local
authorities impose a licensing system to
legalise the burgeoning ride-hailing ser-
vice industry, following a model like the
one in Malaysia, where the government
finally drew up rules for app-based public
transport network companies.
Ms Siripa said Uber is suggesting two
regulatory models for Thai authorities.
Malaysias licensing model suits Thai-
lands business conditions, she said. Several
In Malaysia, ride-hailing service commercial banks
providers must apply for an operating have partnered
licence and drivers must have a driving with oil firms to
licence. Service fares are determined by roll out marketing
the market. promotions such
We hope to reach a resolution with as credit card
the DLT by 2017, Ms Siripa said. cashback offers to
She insisted that Uber is committed drive consumer
to the Thai market, where the usage of traffic. PORNPROM
smartphones continues to proliferate. SATRABHAYA
The company has enjoyed high growth

Oil retailers splash out for market share

Were ready to comply with the pro-
posed conceptual model to allow smooth
operations in Thailand, said Siripa Jun-
gsawat, newly appointed general man-
ager of Uber Thailand.
Since it started operating in Thailand
three years ago, Uber is still illegal here.
We continue to operate as usual
in Thailand without suspension, Ms
Siripa said.
in numbers of riders and drivers.
Ms Siripa said Thailand passed the
early-adopter stage for ride-hailing ser-
vices as locals saw that it complements
transport options reliably and safely.
Based on an internal survey, one-fifth
of Uber Thailand users still use subway
Mileage cards and lucky draws are just a few of the carrots for
and skytrain services. Some 97% of Uber
users utilise other transport platforms.
reeling in more consumers. By Yuthana Praiwan
Ms Siripa acknowledged that the cur-

In March, the Department of Land
Transport (DLT) and police caught and
fined dozens of Uber drivers because
authorities said the ride-hailing service
disrupted the traditional public transport
system and encouraged Thais to break
the law.
Ms Siripa said Uber remains com-
mitted to creating reliable transport
for everyone.
We continue to work with authorities
to make clear the benefits of ride-hailing
in the country, she said.
Four countries in Southeast Asia
Singapore, Malaysia, Philippines and
Indonesia have licensed Uber. It
is in a pilot project phase in Vietnam
and Myanmar.
rent legal hurdle has dented potential
users confidence in the service.
Uber is trying to make local authorities
understand that ride-hailing can help the
country reduce urban traffic, she said.
Uber has continued to expand services
in Thailand this year, launching in Chiang
Rai and Pattaya after its start in Bangkok
and Chiang Mai.
The company recently partnered with
mobile messaging app Line to allow Uber
riders to place a direct call for its service.
Uber operates in 450 cities in 74 coun-
tries. As of June 2016, Uber had logged 2
billion trips globally, or more than 5 mil-
lion trips a day on average.
The company boasts 1.5 million driv-
ers around the globe.
A
lthough global oil prices have
rebounded more than 60% from
the record low of US$30 a barrel
during 2014-16 to a range of $50-55, oil
demand remains high, encouraging oil
retailers to run promotional campaigns to
attract motorists.
Thai retail oil demand has seen dou-
ble-digit growth over the past few years,
thanks partly to massive sales campaigns
from major oil retailers, including mileage
cards and lucky draws.
Some retailers renovated their petrol
stations to offer extra services to motorists
such as more parking space for the disabled
and vendor stalls for locals.
The collapse of global prices started the
oil retail war in 2014, as retailers cut the
prices of several types of petrol. Retailers
allocated huge amounts of capital to reno-
vate their petrol stations and launch non-oil
services and goods in the stations.
introduced it had 100,000 cardholders. The
company wants 1 million cardholders by
the end of this year.
Susco announced its revenue goal this
year is a new high of 19 billion baht, or
50.6% growth from the previous year, based
on its campaign.
Another major oil retailer, mostly state-
owned Bangchak Corporation Plc, also
expects a big growth year.
In March, Bangchak announced its
retail sales volume from retail petrol sta-
tions grew 10% each month the first three
months year-on-year to 330 million litres.
That excludes the petrol sold to state enter-
prises and other government agencies via
wholesale contracts.
President and chief executive Chaiwat
Kovavisarach said the rise in sales was
largely because of its renovation of petrol
stations and expansion to include non-oil
businesses at its stations.
Sales at our new petrol stations reached
an average of 1 million litres a month from
500,000 litres, Mr Chaiwat said.
He declined to give further details about
capital expenditure used for promotion
and renovation.
Bangchak expects Thailands fuel
demand this year will grow by 4%. The
company claims a 15.6% market share of
the retail market, second to the countrys
oil and gas conglomerate PTT Plc, which
owns a 40.5% share.
SET-listed PTG Energy Plc also
announced an aggressive marketing cam-
paign as it aims to be the nations largest
oil retailer, increasing its stations to 1,800
by 2020 from 1,220 stations now. PTT has
around 1,400 stations now.
PTG has therefore set aside up to 5 bil-
lion baht of capex for expansion this year.
After PTG recovered from massive debt
in 2007, it listed on the SET in 2013. The
company wants to be the fourth-largest oil
retailer in Thailand within three years.
PTG has maintained its strategy started
two years ago, switching from selling to
the industrial and fisheries sectors to truck
drivers and sedan drivers instead.
The firm also diversified into non-oil
businesses using a new marketing strategy.
We could cut off our fat, trying a lean
business strategy by improving our logis-
tics system and managing our oil depots
efficiently, said PTG chief executive
Pitak Ratchakitprakarn.
PTGs marketing campaigns include
mileage cards and advertisements on
many channels.
Auttapol Rerkpiboon, senior executive
vice-president for PTT, said the company
launched an environmentally friendly
design at its petrol stations and increased
parking lot space to aid the disabled and
women to attract motorists.

SET-listed oil retailer Susco Plc, whose Around 100 stations have been reno-
traditional clients were large vehicles, vated with this new style so far this year,
buses and trucks, changed gears to focus serving rising demand during the Song-
on personal vehicles, starting the Susco kran period, when many Thais drive to their
Smart Member campaign using mileage home province. Another 100 stations are
cards. The mileage is verified by the clients scheduled to be renovated by year-end.

Siripa Jungsawat,
mobile numbers, eliminating the need to
present a card.
We are targeting a new generation PTT also plans to distribute local prod-
ucts from the One Tambon One Product
general manager
of Uber Thailand,
We are targeting a new generation who
hold a lot of cards for several purposes, and who hold a lot of cards for several (Otop) scheme at its stations.
Our promotions will not just promote
says Malaysias
licensing model
they can sometimes forget or lose a card.
Our phone number verification simplifies purposes. Otop products. They should display our
reputation and show our hospitality, Mr
suits Thailands the process, said Susco executive chairman Auttapol said.
business Pimuk Simaroj. PIMUK SIMAROJ This year PTT has allocated 14 billion
conditions. A few months after the scheme was SUSCO EXECUTIVE CHAIRMAN baht in capex for its oil business.
B2 I BUSINESS NATIONAL
B/E defaults drive long-term bonds
Long-term corporate
debt rose 41% in Q1
DARANA CHUDASRI
PAWEE SIRIMAI
Long-term corporate bond issuance grew
in popularity among private companies in
the first quarter after numerous defaults in
non-rated short-term bonds.
The overall picture of corporate bond
issuance in the first quarter changed
after many bill of exchange (B/E) issuers
defaulted in the fourth quarter of 2016,
said Tada Phutthitada, president of the
Thai Bond Market Association (TBMA).
Long-term corporate bonds grew by
41% year-on-year to 183.4 billion baht in
the first quarter.
As a result of the effects of the B/E
defaults, firms are avoiding refinanc-
ing risks by switching to long-term
issuance,said Mr Tada. The amount
of short-term issuance declined, while
DERIVATIVES
TFEX plans Q3 start
for Gold-D product
NUNTAWUN POLKUAMDEE
Thailand Futures Exchange (TFEX) is set and 10 baht-weight but they do not have
to roll out Gold-D, a much-awaited deriva- a physical gold delivery option, and 96.5%
tives product with an option for physical purity is the underlying asset.
gold settlement, in the third quarter after
a delay since last year.
TFEX is in the final working process for in several countries has made gold futures
the launch of Gold-D, and all gold futures trading more active since early this year,
dealers are required to ink con-
tract agreements with Thailand
Clearing House Company Lim-
ited (TCH), a subsidiary of the
Stock Exchange of Thailand
(SET), and gold vault operators
to pave the way for physical gold
delivery, said TFEX managing
director Rinjai Chakornpipat.
Gold-D, a futures contract
with 99.99%-purity gold as an
underlying asset, is expected Rinjai: Wants more
to have a minimum contract traders in paper gold
size of 100 grammes of gold
worth 15,000 baht. The final details will be ter will extend gold futures trading hours
announced later, Ms Rinjai said.
She said Gold-D will solicit more inves- ing periods with some major global gold
tors to trade paper gold because the new exchanges.
futures product will provide investors set-
tlement options in either cash or physi- stocks as collateral assets for futures trad-
cal gold.
Gold-D is permitted to be quoted in US
dollars and settled in baht to accommodate to-market every day, and investors have to
foreign investors.
The product is a substitute for the trade on the TFEX.
planned spot gold exchange and is intended
to entice local gold dealers to trade the pre- age daily trading volume of about 300,000
cious metal domestically after several of contracts, below this years target of 310,000
them have travelled to trade physical gold contracts but above last years daily volume
on Singapores exchange.
THAILAND STEPS UP REFORMS
TO MAKE DOING BUSINESS EASIER
A
Thai business owner in Chiang Mai
might open a small resort serv-
ing local people as well as tour-
ists. It would probably take him about
two months to set up his business after
finding the location, staff and getting the
company registered. He would find it
reasonably easy to start his business.
At the same time, a foreign inves-
tor living in Vietnam and considering
whether to invest 3 million baht in
Thailand to start a restaurant might
have a different experience. She would
likely find the process a bit complex
and challenging. Most websites with the
relevant information are written in Thai,
the paperwork involved in registering
a company can be pretty daunting for
foreigners, and getting work permits and
a business license can take longer than
expected.
Thailands business environment plays
a pivotal role in attracting private invest-
ment, both Thai and foreign, and these
experiences could be reflective of many
peoples sentiments in trying to set up a
business here.
A strong business-friendly environ-
ment makes it easy for people to invest,
start and run a business, and improves
the competitive position of Thai busi-
nesses in global markets. It also benefits
people. Small business owners, who
create most jobs and are responsible
for the well-being of many families in
Thailand, gain. Consumers who can buy
better goods and use services offered
from more businesses gain as well as
a strong business environment means
faster, better, and cheaper services for
people living in Thailand.
Thailand still has a good business
environment by global comparisons,
as measured by the World Bank Doing
Business report, which measures the
ease of doing business in 190 economies
globally. Last year, Thailand ranked 46th,
retaining a spot among the top 50 econo-
mies for ease of doing business.
However, Thailands score has
DEBT INSTRUMENTS OUTSTANDING AS OF MARCH 2017
Short-term = B388bn
(12.5% of total corporate bonds outstanding)
Rating
Non-rated B95bn 3%
Rated B293bn 9%
Issuer
Listed B221bn 7% 151
companies
Non-listed B168bn 5% 333
companies
Type of debt
Debenture
Bill of exchange
Note: % change
compared with Dec 2016 Other
Source: Thai Bond Market Association
the non-investment grade bond market
is emerging. down 25.6% year-on-year.
For the first three months, total
The TFEX also has a gold futures product
with two contract sizes 50 baht-weight
Market sentiment amid the mounting
geopolitical tensions and political change
Ms Rinjai said.
She said the TFEXs year-
to-date gold futures trade
has doubled to about 10,000
contracts a day from the year-
earlier period, with 90% of the
contracts for 10 baht-weight
and 10% for 50 baht-weight
made up for the rest.
Gold-Ds debut was due for
the middle of last year, before
being pushed back.
In the meantime, Ms Rinjai
said the TFEX in the third quar-
from 10.30pm to midnight to overlap trad-
The TFEX will also let investors use
ing accounts.
However, such securities require mark-
keep maintenance margins as required to
Year to date, the TFEX has seen an aver-
of 245,000.
BY INVITATION
ULRICH ZACHAU
remained broadly flat in recent years
while other advanced middle-income
countries have been catching up or pull-
ing ahead. Singapore has been ranked
first or second for many years. Improving
the business environment further and
attracting more investments will be criti-
cal for Thailand to increase its integration
into regional and global value chains,
become an economic powerhouse in
the Asean region, and realise its vision to
become a high-income economy.
Measures to ease starting a new
business, accessing credit for small and
medium enterprises (SMEs) to facilitat-
ing trade all go a long way to realising the
objectives laid out by the government.
Recent critical reforms include an update
of the Customs Act to international stand-
ards, which could shorten the time for
clearance audits and investigations, as
well as the introduction of an electronic
ID system that would replace the need to
present physical state certified copies to
access public services, a significant sim-
plification of bureaucratic requirements.
Thailand has undertaken key reforms
aimed at simplifying starting a busi-
ness and paying taxes. In 2016, Thailand
introduced reforms that made business
registration simpler by creating a single
window for registering payments and
started to provide credit scores to banks
and financial institutions. It has made
importing and exporting easier by intro-
ducing electronic submission of customs
declarations. Further trade-related
reforms will be an important priority,
especially as Thailand seeks to increase
foreign investment in the country.
Sector
Banking and nance B142bn 4%
Non-nancial B246bn 8%
institution sector
Sector
Banking and nance B142bn 4%
Non-nancial B246bn 8%
institution sector
B280bn 9%
B97bn 3%
B12bn 0%
POSTgraphics
short-term issuance was 453.6 billion baht,
land asset collateral.
Of the total, short-term issuance in the
FINANCE
KTC tightens personal loan requirements
SOMRUEDI BANCHONGDUANG
SET-listed Krungthai Card Plc (KTC) has
raised the minimum salary requirement for
personal loan applicants to 12,000 baht in
an effort to prevent bad loans from climb-
ing higher.
The tougher criteria, effective from
last November, is aimed at capping non-
performing loans (NPLs) at a maximum
1% of total lending this year, said executive
vice-president Sudaporn Janwatanagool.
The credit card issuer and personal loan
lender had previously set the minimum
salary requirement for personal loan appli-
cants at 10,000 baht a month.
At the end of March, KTC managed to
maintain its NPL ratio at 0.9%, compared
with the industrys 3.1%.
Thailand has now made further
improvements in the business environ-
ment a top policy priority.
The Prime Ministers Office and the
Finance Ministry have led the reform
effort, under the leadership of Deputy
Prime Minister Somkid Jatusripitak. They
asked the Office of the Public Sector
Development Commission (OPDC) to
serve as the coordinating body for all
business environment reform efforts. The
World Bank Group is pleased to support
this important reform initiative and con-
tribute to Thailands efforts to strengthen
the business environment.
The work of the governments Doing
Business task force has focused, with
World Bank Group support, on identify-
ing key reforms to strengthen the busi-
ness environment across ten areas: start-
ing a business, dealing with construction
permits, getting electricity, registering
property, getting credit, protecting
minority investors, paying taxes, trading
across borders, enforcing contracts, and
resolving insolvency.
Most of the key reforms focus in
particular on how to ease business entry
and operation for SMEs, by reducing
complexity, cost of regulatory pro-
cesses, increasing transparency securing
property rights, and increasing access
to credit. Some of these reforms have
already been introduced in the past
month.
Reform actions range from short-term
measures that would include greater
clarity in specific acts like the Business
Security Act to help SMEs access funds to
longer term measures such as completing
the full implementation of the National
Single Window system for all agencies
and categories of goods to achieve a fully
paperless process for the clearance on
import, export and transit goods.
Continuing these reforms to promote
a better business environment are key
for Thailand to realise its 20-year strategy
and Thailand 4.0. They will not guarantee
success, but they will help. In addition,
real sector fell by 13%, while issuance in
the banking and finance sector fell 37% as
a result of switching to long-term bonds.
The number of new short-term issuers
in the real sector fell by 17.
Ariya Tiranaprakit, senior executive
vice-president of the TBMA, said the issu-
ance of short-term rated bonds declined by
11% and those of investment grade (rated
BBB- to BBB+) dropped 22%, while those
with high credit rating scores ranging from
A- to AAA+ stayed unchanged from last
year.
Meanwhile, other non-rated bonds
released by issuers to use on their own
without relating to other group businesses
also fell in terms of issuer numbers and
value, declining by 7.54 billion baht or 11%
year-on-year, said Ms Ariya.
Mr Tada said that while the total value of
short-term non-rated bonds has declined,
transactions have become more secure
under the Secured Transaction Act as
issuances are collateralised by the major
shareholders stocks or by the companies
We have also seen the emergence of
Despite the tougher requirement, KTC
has targeted 15% growth in its personal loan
portfolio to 25 billion baht this year.
The companys personal loan expanded
significantly 18% over the same period last
year to 22 billion baht at the end of the first
quarter of 2017.
In comparison, the industrys personal
loan portfolio for the first two months of
this year amounted to 331.4 billion baht
at the end of March, up 3.2% from the end
of last year.
Ms Sudaporn said it plans to increase the
number of new personal loan accounts by
160,000 this year from 830,000 at present.
Upper income groups are KTCs main target
and it will adjust marketing strategies to
selective market segments.
We have maintained an approval rate
EASE OF DOING BUSINESS 2017:
HOW THAILAND FARES
Thailand
Resolving
East Asia and Pacic
insolvency
Enforcing
contracts
Trading
across
borders
Paying taxes
Protecting minority
investors
Score: 100 = Global best practice
Thailand
Starting a business
Dealing with construction permits
Getting electricity
Registering property
Getting credit
Protecting minority investors
Paying taxes
Trading across borders
Enforcing contracts
Resolving insolvency
Source: World bank
implementing public infrastructure
investments, developing skilled workers
through quality education, and promot-
ing innovations, will all be critical to
improve the countrys competitiveness.
As Thailand makes it even easier to do
business, Thai and foreign entrepreneurs
alike from a small Thai business owner
to a foreigner living in Vietnam will
Bangkok Post I WEDNESDAY, APRIL 26, 2017
VENTURE CAPITAL
DV awards
non-investment grade long-term bond
issuance by real sector companies after
the B/E defaults, he said.
three startups
Earlier, companies that had planned
to issue long-term bonds and were rated
non-investment grade (below BBB-)
cash prizes
would not reveal their grades. Those
firms normally prefered to issue non-rated SOMRUEDI BANCHONGDUANG
long-term bonds and raise funds from
high-net-worth investors. Digital Ventures (DV), a Siam Commercial
The amount [of non-investment grade Bank (SCB) venture capital unit with a focus
bonds] may not significant but this is just on financial technology (fintech) firms,
the beginning after the B/E defaults, he has picked three startup winners under
said. its accelerator programme and is offering
At the end of March, outstanding value them venture capital and help.
for bonds was 11.3 trillion baht, up 3.4% It will provide them both finance and
year-on-year. Average daily trade in the non-financial assistance, including legal
secondary bond market was 92 billion help, and solicit fundraising by seeking list-
baht, up 0.1%. Government and corporate ing on a bourse to strengthen their business
bonds had higher liquidity, while the trade operations over the long run, said executive
volume of Bank of Thailand bonds fell. committee member Thana Thienachariya.
Outstanding foreign holdings of Thai The three winners were chosen from
bonds amounted to 696.1 billion baht, rep- 10 startup teams in the final round of DVs
resenting 6.2% of the Thai bond market. first accelerator programme called DVAb0.
Net foreign fund flows to the bond market There were 150 applicants for the project
totalled 69.0 billion baht, 84% of which that began six months ago. DV also pro-
went to long-term bonds. vided initial fund-
ing of 300,000 baht
per team.
The 10 teams
included both
fintech and non-
finance innova-
tive firms.
Apart from
the three win-
ners, seven other
finalists also were Thana: Innovations
offered venture can benefit country
capital from DV.
DV would hold a 4-6% stake of these start-
ups registered capital for an injection of up
to 1 million baht per team.
For the three winners, DVs offer was for
a larger stake than 4-6%.
The startups should have no problem
raising funds amid the high liquidity in
Krungthai Card the market, said Mr Thana. None of them
hopes to control requires a large amount of funding.
non-performing All 10 finalists have already operated a
loans by requiring business and generated income.
a higher minimum All of them have high potential to grow
salary from in both the domestic and regional mar-
personal loan kets, Mr Thana said. Both DV and SCB
applicants. can adopt their innovation to benefit the
bank and the country, even for ideas not
directly related to finance.
The accelerator programme allows DV
to support startups in several segments and
for personal loan products at around 30% help them grow continuously.
of total applications over the past five years. Some of them recorded a whopping rise
Despite higher applications, the approval of 100-300% in revenue over the past six
rate is expected to remain at the same level, months, thanks to the low base effect, Mr
she said. Thana said. SCB is approaching several of
KTC, a non-bank subsidiary of Krungthai them for back office operations, he said.
Bank, leverages its parent networks nation- Mr Thana, who is also SCBs chief mar-
wide and outsourced companies to access keting officer, said one startup offers voice
new customers. However, it uses an internal biometrics to authenticate customers over
unit for debt collection. the phone.
KTC delivered a 15% increase in its first The bank will seek approval from the
quarter net profit to 732.5 million baht Bank of Thailand this quarter to apply the
from 635 million over the same period last voice biometric authentication. It expects
year. Chief executive and president Rathian to implement it this year, he said.
Srimongkol earlier said the company aims
for at least 10% growth in net profit this year.
KTC shares closed yesterday on the Stock INVESTMENT
Exchange of Thailand at 133.50 baht, down
one baht, in trade worth 65.7 million baht.
SEC urges
caution on
CWT deal
APEC
POST REPORTERS
Starting a business
The Securities and Exchange Commission
(SEC) has urged investors inChai Watana
Dealing with Tannery Plc (CWT) to become informed
construction and exercise their voting rights regarding
permits the companys plan to buy a biomass power
plant through subsidiary Koak Jareoun
Green (KE).
For the shareholder meeting slated for
April 27, 2017, the SEC has asked share-
Getting
holders to thoroughly study the details and
electricity
exercise their rights to protect their own
benefits and question CWT executives
and directors so as to obtain the necessary
information for making a decision, the SEC
said in release.
Registering The regulator has questioned whether
property the tanner and maker of automotive seats
and car decor is making the investment
decision cautiously and for the utmost
Getting credit benefit of shareholders.
The SECs prompting came after CWT
had already paid the final 20 million baht for
the deal. The company was only required
to make that payment once the seller had
EAP APEC met all of the contractual conditions for the
87.01 82.03 88.43 arrangement, which it has yet to do.
75.65 69.96 75.04 CWT will hold its annual general meet-
83.22 71.83 82.82 ing tomorrow, with the biomass power
68.34 56.72 72.29 plant on the agenda.
Earlier, an independent financial adviser
50 53.60 69.76
raised red flags on some conditions in the
66.67 52.07 63.95 deal, including the sales agreement requir-
68.68 72.16 76.48 ing KE to buy Eucalyptus bark used as raw
84.10 68.08 76.57 material for the power plant from Kaew
64.54 52.91 65.51 Lumduan Group Co. Ltd (KLG) at a quantity
77.08 40.33 65.80 not justified by real demand or the facilities
current production capacity.
Furthermore, the sales contract does not
POSTgraphics include penalties for compensation in the
event that KLG fails to supply the requisite
find Thailand an attractive place to invest. raw materials, the independent financial
They will be able to bring capital, create adviser said.
more and better jobs, and help the Thai Chai Watana Export Co Ltd is 79.99%
economy grow faster, resulting in higher owned by CWT through Chai Watana Green
incomes for more people to improve their Power, while the remaining 20% stake is
families well-being and lives. held by KLG.
CTW shares closed yesterday on the SET
Ulrich Zachau is the World Bank country at 3.14, down 18 satang, in trade worth 6.1
director for Southeast Asia. million baht.
WEDNESDAY, APRIL 26, 2017
Farmers reap gains from sugar cane
OCSB to scrap quotas
to avoid WTO rift
APORNRATH PHOONPHONGPHIPHAT
Better yields have given Thailand abun-
dant sugar output in the current 2016-17
crop, allowing the worlds second-biggest
sugar exporter to capitalise on rising global
prices, says the Thai Sugar Millers Corpo-
ration Ltd (TSMC).
Rising prices are likely to encourage
farmers to switch from rice and other crops
to sugar.
Sirivuth Siamphakdee, the chairman of
the TSMC, said the 2016-17 sugar-crushing
season, which started Dec 6, is about to
end in the next few days and the country
has produced 10 million tonnes of sugar
from 93 million tonnes of sugar cane.
That is an improvement on last year,
when Thailand produced 9.8 million
tonnes of sugar from 94.5 million tonnes
of sugar cane.
There were rains in several sugar plant-
ing areas for the 2016-17 crop, resulting
in abundant sugar cane with a higher sugar
content, Mr Sirivuth said.
He said the higher sugar content from
the cane has generated higher sugar output
from a smaller crop.
Commercial cane sugar, a measure of
sugar content in the cane, was 12.2, up
from 11.9 in the previous crop.
Rising global prices are prompting
farmers to grow more sugar cane to boost
sugar output in the next crop, Mr Siriv-
uth said.
Global sugar prices dropped substan-
tially over the past few years from a record
high of 36 US cents per pound in 2012 to as
low as 11 cents late last year as a glut and
weak global economy cut demand.
The price of benchmark New York raw
sugar, which sets global trends, has risen
nearly 50% from a record low to 16.32
cents currently.
In another development, Thailand
will overhaul its sugar production and
distribution systems for the first time in
more than three decades in order to avoid
being challenged by Brazil, the worlds
biggest sugar producer, at the World
Trade Organization.
The Office of Cane and Sugar Board
(OCSB) reported Thailand discussed this
issue with Brazil twice and the countries
FINANCE
Transactions
draft bill for
May finish
WICHIT CHANTANUSORNSIRI
The Finance Ministry is rushing to draft a
new secured transactions bill with the aim
of improving the law and meeting inter-
national standards before the World Bank
assesses Thailands ease of doing business
in May.
Instead of amending the current law,
we would rather make a new draft to
ensure it is up-to-date and coherent, as
well as easier and simpler to understand
and operate than the existing one, said
Finance Minister Apisak Tantivorawong.
Mr Apisak hired a consulting team from
World Bank who suggested Thailand draft
the new bill within 20 days.
They told me it will take one month
to finish the draft but we want to make it
before the World Banks assessment team
comes here in May. We have to make it
within 20 days, he said.
Thailand is focused on improving
its ranking for ease of doing business to
make the country more attractive for for-
eign investors.
The World Banks 2017 rankings will be
announced at the end of the year.
Mr Apisak said the secured transactions
law in its present form requires borrowers
to put collateral in the form of assets such
as land, heavy machinery and inventory to
back the loan.
The law in developed countries typically
provides protection for lenders in more
flexible forms by allowing lenders to take
a security interest in collateral in the form
of business transactions such as suppliers
credits from borrowers alongside conven-
tional practice like property assets.
The new law is aimed at setting up a new
centre where borrowers have to register
their collateral in any form.
This amendment will address the
Secured Transaction Act, under which
lenders have to seize the collateral at dif-
ferent places, depending on where it was
registered. For instance, the lender has to
inform the Land Department of a land plot
that was used to back up its lending to a
debt defaulter that the ownership of the
land is changed.
Mr Apisak said Thailand still needs to
strengthen many areas against the poten-
tial impact of volatile external factors on
the economy.
At the World Bank meeting in Wash-
ington DC recently, finance ministers from
countries around the world agreed that
although the global economy has clearly
recovered, commodities, especially the
farm sector, have not recovered yet so
countries are all feeling the pinch, includ-
ing Thailand, Mr Apisak said.
I Bangkok Post
A farmer harvesting sugar cane at a field in Suphan Buri. Rain led to higher sugar yields this season. JIRAPORN KUHAKAN
agreed in principle that Thailand is on
track to overhaul its sugar system to be
fair to all parties.
The new laws and regulations are
expected to be applied to the 2017-18 crop,
according to senior governmental officers
and industry officials.
According to the OCSB, Thailand will
have to revoke its current 70:30 profit-shar-
ing system, in place since 1984, which will
require cancelling its quota system and
A street light bulb being replaced at Ratchadamnoen Avenue. Better Care MEA is unable to
compete with private service providers.SEKSAN ROJJANAMETAKUN
AVIATION
SE Asian aircraft demand skyrockets
BOONSONG KOSITCHOTETHANA
Southeast Asias significance as a major
global aeroplane market is becoming
more apparent with its burgeoning avia-
tion activities.
The region is projected to need 3,860
new aircraft worth US$565 billion over the
next two decades to 2035, US plane maker
Boeing stated in its latest market forecast.
In unit terms, Southeast Asia represents
25.5% of overall demand projected for Asia
over the period, totalling 15,130 aircraft,
worth $2.35 trillion.
In value terms, Southeast Asias pay-
ments for new aircraft over the period
should amount to 24% of procurements
for Asia, with China taking the lions share.
In a media briefing in Bangkok yester-
day, Randy Tinseth, vice-president for mar-
keting at Boeing Commercial Airplanes,
said Southeast Asian traffic has grown by
over 10% annually since 2009.
Like most other parts of the world,
Southeast Asias aircraft market is propelled
by the proliferation of low-cost carriers, the
creation of new routes and robust air travel
demand, he said.
Southeast Asia is a fast-growing market
that is resilient with long-term upside, said
Mr Tinseth.
Within the region, Thailand, Indonesia,
Malaysia and Vietnam will be the key driv-
ers for new aeroplane demand over the next
two decades, he said.
Boeing does not release demand figures
for individual countries.
Boeing estimated 77% of all the new
floating domestic sugar prices.
Brazil is challenging Thailand over
subsidies for sugar producers that it says
have dragged down global prices and allow
Thailand to win a larger market share at
the expense of Brazilian producers, con-
duct that is not in line with international
trade agreements.
The 70:30 profit-sharing system
between sugar millers and cane growers
provides monetary support from the Cane
aircraft required by Southeast Asia over
the period would be single-aisle jets such
as Boeing 737 and Airbus 320 models, the
latter of which is the prime workhorse for
burgeoning no-frills operators.
These single-aisle aircraft would cost the
regions operators $325 billion.
The second-most popular segment in
the region is small wide-body jets such as
the Boeing 787 Dreamliner, representing
15% of all units. Some 6% would be medium
wide-body jets like the Boeing 777, with
regional jets (offering about 100 seats) and
large wide-body aircraft such as the Boeing
747-8 jumbo each representing only 1%.
Mr Tinseth said 73% of the 3,860 new
aircraft Southeast Asia would require over
the next two decades are for incremental
growth demand and 27% for replacement
and Sugar Fund to sugar cane producers.
The fund raises the money itself, largely
from yearly sugar sales.
When the fund does not have enough
money, it seeks loans from the state-
owned Bank for Agriculture and Agricul-
tural Cooperatives.
Thailands plan is to revoke the sugar
quota system, which sets aside three quotas
each year to prevent sugar shortages.
Quota A sets aside 2.2-2.5 million
ELECTRICITY
MEA mulls privatising division
YUTHANA PRAIWAN
The Metropolitan Electricity Authority
(MEA) is considering a plan to privatise its
electricity-related service provider division
to tap into rising demand.
Wilas Chaloeysat, director of the elec-
tricity service and power quality depart-
ment, said the MEA is still evaluating
whether to privatise the Energy Solution
Department, which was recently renamed
as Better Care MEA.
If approved, the privatisation is expected
to take place by October, he said.
Electricity-related services provided
by Better Care MEA cover energy saving
and efficiency consumption, energy ser-
vice company and renewable power pro-
ject development.
Mr Wilas said the services received great
demand from consumers thanks to busi-
nesses and state agencies own cost-cutting
programmes, as well as financial support
from the Energy Conservation Fund.
Better Care MEA was separated from
Randy Tinseth,
vice-president for
marketing at
Boeing Commercial
Airplanes, says
Southeast Asia has
become a key
growth market for
new aeroplanes.
of older aircraft. Some 320 aircraft will be
retained in fleets, he said.
Globally, Boeing expects 39,620 new
aeroplanes valued at $5.93 trillion to be
ordered over the next 20 years. The market
for new aircraft is expected to become more
geographically balanced over the period,
said Mr Tinseth.
While Asia should become the worlds
largest aeroplane market both in terms
of units and value, Boeing sees demand
for 8,330 aircraft worth $1.03 trillion for
North America, 7,570 aircraft worth $1.12
billion in Europe, 3,310 aircraft worth $770
billion in the Middle East, 2,960 aircraft
worth $350 billion in Latin America, 1,170
aircraft worth $140 billion in the former
Soviet space, and 1,150 worth $170 billion
in Africa.
tonnes of sugar for domestic consump-
tion, quota B sets aside 800,000 tonnes
for state-run sugar exports and quota C
sets the quantity of sugar to be exported
by private sugar millers.
Thailand also needs measures to
deal with potential problems when it
scraps the quota system, as global price
rises encourage traders and profiteers to
smuggle domestic sugar to be sold outside
the country.
MEA in October last year in order to dif-
ferentiate electricity services out of MEAs
core business of transmitting power in the
Bangkok metropolitan area.
Under existing MEA regulations, Better
Care MEA cannot compete with other pri-
vate electricity service providers because
of legal constraints, as it is technically still
part of the bureaucratic system.
Mr Wilas said the countrys policymak-
ers have been focusing on energy saving
and efficient energy consumption over the
past few years by launching projects as well
as funds and soft loans of almost 6 billion
baht to be lent to state agencies through
commercial banks.
Since its launch last year, Better Care
MEA has had more than 20 projects on
hand from almost 20 state agencies, state
enterprises and private firms.
In the long term, MEA plans to be a
contractor and an operator of solar power
programmes after years of providing con-
struction services.
The MEA expects to get a warm welcome
NATIONAL BUSINESS I B3
HOSPITALITY
BNH offers
emergency
services via
tourist app
NANAT SUCHIVA
The Tourism Council of Thailand (TCT) has
added an emergency mobile app for BNH
Hospital services to the national tourism
campaign in a drive to promote the coun-
trys tourism industry.
The partnership is to ensure that foreign
tourists who have an emergency and need
help will be provided healthcare and safety
when visiting Thailand, said TCT president
Ittirit Kinglek.
The programme is also designed to
strengthen Thailands image as a safe
place to visit, while attracting more inter-
national tourists.
To support the influx of foreign tour-
ists in the near future, Thailand needs
to support all aspects of tourism, with
healthcare and safety considered among
the most important issues for the country,
Mr Ittirit said.
The one-stop emergency care app,
SOS@Hotel, will add to the TCTs existing
emergency hospital network.
BNH deputy director Nopparat Pan-
thongwiriyakul said the company spent
two years developing the mobile app.
We expect the app to increase the
number of customers by 10% this year,
he said.
Mr Nopparat urged greater collabora-
tion from all tourism-related companies,
including hotels, tour agents and air-
lines, to help improve Thailands tour-
ism competitiveness.
The BNH collaboration is to support the
Tourism and Sports Ministrys development
policy and pave the way for Thailand to
become a medical hub in Asean this year.
Thailand has the highest potential to
become a health and medical centre in
Asean when compared with other countries
in the region, Mr Nopparat said.
He said BNH Hospital aims to become
a world-class hospital within the next
3-5 years.
Foreign customers account for 45% of
BNH Hospitals patients, with the remain-
ing 55% Thais.
from consumers since solar power and
solar rooftops have become more popu-
lar and the government is about to free up
more players to develop solar rooftop and
farm projects.
Mr Wilas said the energy service is a
business with strong potential in Thai-
land because energy policymakers plan to
enhance energy efficiency and save energy
under the 2015-2036 plan by 30% over the
next two decades.
MEAs Esco is a prominent solar panel
rooftop and light-emitting diode provider,
and is seen to have high potential for after
sales services.
MEA yesterday delivered its contractor
service for a 2.2-megawatt solar rooftop at
Chaeng Wattana Government Complex in
Laksi, which is managed by Thanarak Asset
Development, a wholly-owned entity of the
Treasury Department.
Mr Wilas said solar rooftops are expe-
riencing a rising trend as the vast major-
ity of individuals and firms try to reduce
energy costs.
B4 I BUSINESS NATIONAL
Raimon Land projects allotted B10.1bn
Office tower, luxury
residences planned
KANANA KATHARANGSIPORN
SET-listed developer Raimon Land Plc
(RML) plans to invest 5.3 billion baht in
developing an office tower on Phloenchit
Road, spending another 4.8 billion to
launch three new luxury residential pro-
jects in the Silom and Sathon areas during
2017-18.
Chief executive Lee Chye Cheng said
the Bangkok office sector is one of the
most promising markets because of
AUTOMOTIVE
Three-year
Mercedes
service push
PIYACHART MAIKAEW
Mercedes-Benz Thailand plans to expand
its spare-parts warehouse and training
centre on Bang Na-Trat Road to support
after-sales service.
President and chief executive Michael
Grewe said the local unit of the German
luxury carmaker has a three-year plan
(2017-19) for the expansion. He declined
to reveal details of the investment budget.
The existing warehouse will be expanded
from an area of 3,500 square metres to
15,000 by 2018.
Mr Grewe said the warehouse will be
able to store more spare parts, up from
20,000-30,000 items now to 120,000 next
year, covering all 15 model families and
future models.
Most parts are imported from the com-
panys regional warehouse in Singapore
and the global warehouse in Germany
and then delivered to the companys 32
Mercedes-Benz outlets nationwide.
For the training centre, Mercedes-Benz
will begin expansion at the same location
next year.
The facility will be increased from 1,100
to 13,000 sq m, with construction due to be
completed by 2019.
The existing unit now trains 30 tech-
nicians a year under its Automotive
strong demand for office space, especially
Grade A.
The occupancy rate of the overall office
market is higher than last years 90%.
The investment opportunity in the
office sector is attractive, Mr Lee said. It
can generate recurring income to reduce
volatility and stabilise cash flow for the
company in the long run. We expect to
have an even split of income from resi-
dential sales and office rents in the future.
Last November, Raimon Land signed a
30-year lease contract starting from 2022
to rent a six-rai plot on Phloenchit Road
opposite Central Embassy to develop a
Grade A office building with a total letta-
ble area of 70,000-80,000 square metres.
The total investment of 5.3 billion baht
Mechanical Technician Dual Programme,
with local vocational schools to provide
skilled labour to Mercedes-Benz outlets.
Mercedes-Benz had trained 300 techni-
cians as of last year.
The new facility will be able to train 100
technicians a year, with those successfully
completing the course guaranteed a job at
a Mercedes-Benz outlet.
will comprise construction cost of 2 billion
baht and rent of 3.3 billion. Construction
will start in April next year as the existing
tenants lease contract expires at the end
of 2017. It is scheduled to take four years
to complete.
Raimon Land has an eight-storey office
tower for rent, Space 48, with a lettable area
of 2,200 sq m and 94% occupancy last year.
It is located on Ratchadaphisek Road near
Sutthisan MRT station and was started four
years ago.
In 2016 the company recorded 851
million baht in net profit, down 5.6%
from 2015, on revenue of 5.2 billion baht,
up slightly from 5.14 billion baht a year
before. Of total revenue, income from non-
residential business was 133 million baht,
We aims to improve our service qual-
ity in Thailand, Mr Grewe said. Now we
have a grade of 96% from 32 locations, but
we want to capture that extra 4% for the
best performance.
He said Mercedes-Benz Thailand has
been ranked No.1 in customer satisfaction
against seven other countries in South-
east Asia.
accounting for 2.5%.
Chief financial officer Sataporn Amorn-
vorapak said the company expects revenue
to dip 10-15% this year as its completed
projects with remaining units for sale and
those ready to transfer were difficult to sell.
A majority of the completed, unsold
units are at Unixx, a condo project in Pat-
taya with 1.17 billion baht worth of remain-
ing units, some 35% of its total completed
unsold units worth 3.33 billion.
After not launching any projects since
June 2015, Raimon Land will resume with
two projects this year. One is Mews Yen
Akat, a semi-detached house project with
eight pre-built units worth 499 million baht
on Yen Akat Soi 2 in the Sathon area.
The other is The Loft Silom, a 37-storey
Meanwhile, the company plans to pro-
vide 34 Mercedes-Benz Vito models at its
outlets, one auto paint shop and one spe-
cial-purpose vehicle outlet for the 24-hour
roadside assistance programme, called
Star Assist.
Vice-president for after-sales Putthi
Tulayathun said the moves will upgrade ser-
vice quality for the 100,000 Mercedes-Benz
Bangkok Post I
condo project worth 3.2 billion baht with
268 units priced above 200,000 baht per
sq m. It is located on a two-rai plot on
Soi Pramuan.
In 2018, Raimon Land plans to launch a
high-end single-house project with 20-25
units on a 3.5-rai plot on Soi Prasath Suk
in the Sathon area worth 1.1 billion baht.
We are very selective in choosing plots
to ensure a good margin, taking our time to
do a comprehensive market study and pro-
ject design before a launch, said Mr Lee.
We will remain focused on this strategy
amid a slowdown in the property market
and the economy.
RML shares closed yesterday on the
SET at 1.40 baht, down two satang, in trade
worth 9.87 million baht.
Mr Grewe and Mr
Putthi show off a
new Vito. The
company has a
three-year plan to
ramp up service
offerings in
Thailand.
customers in Thailand.
We provide after-sales service 140,000
times a year and expect an increase every
single year because our models and cus-
tomers are growing, he said.
Mercedes-Benz reported that sales from
January to March rose by 29% to 3,182 vehi-
cles, while it booked 2,090 cars at the recent
Bangkok International Motor Show.
WEDNESDAY, APRIL 26, 2017
AGRIBUSINESS
CPF invests
B25bn in
foreign work
POST REPORTERS
Charoen Pokphand Foods Plc (CPF), the
SET-listed subsidiary of agribusiness giant
Charoen Pokphand Group, is investing 25
billion baht this year to accommodate its
overseas investment expansion, aiming
to enlarge foreign revenue over the next
five years.
Adirek Sripratak, CPFs president and
chief executive, said more overseas invest-
ments will help ensure sustainable reve-
nue growth.
The company wants to raise revenue
from overseas operations over the next
few years to 70% from 68% now, sustaining
average annual revenue growth of 8-10%
during the period.
Mr Adirek said CPF expects sales rev-
enue to grow by 8-10% this year, boosted by
overseas operations and recovering chicken
and shrimp prices.
Chicken prices are anticipated to
rebound strongly this year after the bird
flu outbreak really affected the industry the
last two to three years, he said.
Shrimp prices are also expected to grow
after the industry was plagued by early
mortality syndrome (EMS), only starting
to recover last year.
He said low pork prices, particularly in
Thailand and Vietnam, are a cyclical phe-
nomenon, but they had put pressure on
the companys operating performance. Mr
Adirek expects pork prices to recover in the
second half of 2017.
CPF reported 33% profit growth to 14.7
billion baht last year, up from 11.1 billion
in 2015.
The higher profit was largely attributed
to a growing Thai livestock operation,
which returned to a normal operating
environment, and the shrimp industrys
recovery after the EMS crisis.
Also contributing to the profit gain were
subsidiaries in Russia and Cambodia, as
well as efficient expense management.
CPF said sales revenue increased by 10%
year-on-year in 2016 to 464 billion baht.
Sales from Thai operations rose by
7% to 179 billion baht, while those from
international operations surged by 12% to
286 billion.
CPF shares closed yesterday on the Stock
Exchange of Thailand at 26.50 baht, up
25 satang, in heavy trade worth 1.27 bil-
lion baht.
WEDNESDAY, APRIL 26, 2017 I Bangkok Post NATIONAL BUSINESS I B5

Venturing beyond the

dotcom universe
Vnets pre-millennial wade into the world wide web
proved to be a knotty ordeal for the pioneering
Thai rm, which ultimately found success by casting
a wider investment net. By Suchit Leesa-nguansuk

T
he startup trend continues to
pick up steam. For every entre-
preneurial venture, one primary
mission is to find an investor con-
fident enough in its potential to
provide funding.
Narong Intanate, founder and chairman
of Vnet Capital Co, a venture capital firm,
is certainly no stranger to accomplishing
that goal.
The Bangkok Post talked with Mr
Narong, now 60, about his long and varied
investment experience and the many les-
sons he has learned along the way.
Since its inception in 1999, Vnet has pri-
marily focused on investing in the IT sphere
and dotcom industry.
In the early days, those who could
understand how the world wide web infor-
mation space actually worked were few and
far between.
I was focusing only on tech startups at
that time, which was almost 20 years ago,
Mr Narong says.
In the beginning, things ran far from
smoothly; it took him almost four years
before realising that his investment policy
itself was the main problem.
During that period, Mr Narong spent 500
million baht investing in 12 tech startups,
only one of which is still up and running:
AME Technology.
and open, Mr Narong says.
He says Vnet is now ready to invest in
companies ranging from startups still in
their infancy to small and medium-sized
enterprises (SMEs) seeking funds for expan-
sion. As it stands, Vnet will not invest more
than 100 million baht in each company.
Also, while Mr Narong prefers getting a
majority stake in any investment, as that
will allow Vnet much coveted managerial
power, any companies that are brimming
with potential are still worth acquiring a
minority shareholder position in.
Now we are open to good opportuni-
ties, he says. We have expanded from
focusing on tech startups to SMEs in any
industry, and we can have everything from
a tiny slice to 100% acquisition. The point
is that whatever we are investing in, it must
have potential.
Mr Narong has also set a time
frame to evaluate the performance of
each investment.
The aim of every investment is to make
money in five years, through dividends
or capital gains from listing on the stock
market, he says.
Mr Narong has been in the IT industry
for 34 years. He started off as an employee
at an IT firm in 1988 until he founded an
IT products distributor, VST ECS Thailand,
formerly known as The Value Systems Co.
The first company he established earned
34 million baht in revenue during its first
year of operation, all through the sweat and
toil of seven staff members. That business
later grew to a 350-strong staff generating
20 billion baht annually.
But today he no longer holds any share
in VST ECS, having retired from all of his
positions at the company earlier this year.
Like most companies, VST ECS has been
through thick and thin. The companys first
major challenge came during the financial
crisis in 1997. Due to the fallout from the
crisis, Mr Narong was forced to sell off 50%
of his shares to foreign partners so that the
company could stay above water.
Later, in 2009, he sold his remaining Mr Narong says
stake in VST to a Singapore-based venture Vnet is now ready
fund. But he still kept his position as execu- to invest in
tive chairman until February this year. companies ranging
Since retiring from VST ECS at the end from startups still
of February 2017, Mr Narong has had more in their infancy to
time to focus on Vnet. small and
In 2017, Vnets investment strategy will medium-sized
entail focusing on lifestyle-related busi- enterprises (SMEs)
nesses, which are increasingly popular and seeking funds for
provide high returns. expansion.
Among those investments are a maker of
whey protein, which is particularly popular Vnet is also looking at opportunities in to list on the stock market by 2022, Mr has invested in.
among fitness addicts, as well as a Euro- the service industry, especially those busi- Narong says. One of them happens to be The subsidiary is expected to boost Vint-
pean firm involved in food (particularly nesses that would have a lot to gain by using AME Technology, the only survivor from coms revenue to 2 billion baht in 2018 from
pastries) and drinks. IT systems to boost their efficiency, espe- Vnets early days. 1.2 billion at the end of 2016.

We invested in startups way too early, cially with regard to logistics and document Another is Vintcom Technology Co, a The IT service business in Thailand has
he says. Before the millennium, the IT and management services. provider of consulting services and infor- grown strongly at 16-18% annually over
internet infrastructure was not yet ready And when it comes to investing in tech mation technology for enterprise distribu- the past three years, while the wholesal-
and still lacked government support. startups, Vnet is being decidedly more tors, which is seeking to list on the Market ing and distribution of IT products, which
In 2003, Mr Narong shifted from invest- selective, only focusing on those firms that for Alternative Investment (MAI) by the is Vintcom and VST ECSs core business,
ing only in technology firms to the auto are inventing disruptive technologies or second or third quarter of this year. has grown at a single-digit pace due to the

The point is that whatever we

industry. This transition was done through
the establishment of a joint venture whose
strategy entailed focusing on firms dealing
in auto parts.
That venture proved to be the first mile-
stone on his path to success, with some of
those auto parts makers like T. Krungthai
Plc and Yarnapund Plc later listing on the
Stock Exchange of Thailand.
That was a big lesson; our strategy
entirely changed towards being flexible
otherwise making big waves in the industry.
For those SMEs and local startups that
we choose to invest in, their management
are investing in, it must have must show strong leadership and manage-
rial skills, a clear vision, discipline, and an
potential. agile mindset capable of turning crises into
opportunities, Mr Narong says.
Vnet now has a total of 15 firms in its
NARONG INTANATE portfolio, three of which have high potential
FOUNDER AND CHAIRMAN OF VNET CAPITAL CO to list on the SET in the future.
At least three companies we have plan
Vintcom has invested 51% in vServe
Plus Co, a new joint venture formed with
VST ECS.
That venture was set up to support
the parent firm by focusing on servicing
Vnets IT system clients, including repair
and maintenance services, cybersecurity
consultations and the implementation of
cybersecurity systems.
Mr Narong says the venture is a part of a
strategy to create synergy among firms Vnet
maturity of the IT market, Mr Narong says.
While their clients may not need to buy
new systems or upgrades any time soon,
after-sales and cybersecurity services have
continued to grow.
AME Technology Co also plans to list on
the MAI this year.
Meanwhile, Copperwired Co, a leader in
gadget lifestyle products, is now preparing
to list on the stock market at some point
over the next several years.

RETAIL

B510m for Power Buy build-out

PITSINEE JITPLEECHEEP

Power Buy Co, one of Thailands biggest

retailers of electrical appliances, IT gadgets
and electronics, has set aside an investment
budget of 510 million baht for business
expansion this year.
The plan comes despite stagnant sales
in the overall electrical appliance market.
Laurent Pauze, the companys newly
appointed president, said the budget is
up nearly double from last years 270 mil-
lion baht.
Of the 510 million baht to be spent this
year, 264 million will go to opening six
Power Buy stores upcountry and renovat-
ing 18 existing stores nationwide. The addi-
tional stores will bring Power Buys tally to
92 branches this year.
Some 150 million baht will be spent
on IT, the digital platform, self-ordering
kiosks and digital signage, and the remain-
ing 96 million will go to distribution centre
improvements, after-sale services and
human resource development.
Power Buys main business strategy this
year is to push forward its Omni Channel,
which sells products via various distribu-
tion platforms such as online and self-
ordering kiosks.
The company has just rolled out the first
self-ordering kiosks at Power Buy stores on
Rama II Road and in Lop Buri province.
The goal is to provide self-ordering kiosks
at all 84 Power Buy stores within the next
three years.
Mr Pauze has 20 years of experience in
appliances, electronics and e-commerce
business at the French hypermarket chain
Carrefour, as well as with Real Co Ltd, a
subsidiary of Metro Group, the German
retail giant.
He plans to strengthen Power Buys
online business, which stood at 100 mil-
lion baht last year and contributed just 1%
to the companys sales.
According to Mr Pauze, market com-
petition in electrical appliances and IT
products is fierce, though the market
may not see exceptionally high growth
this year.
But we still see opportunities to grow,
he said. However, in retail you have to be
fast. Speed is more important, so we want
to change the companys working culture.
Mr Pauze brings
decades of retail
experience to his
new posting as
Power Buy
president.
He wants to employ the think-fast
method at the company to speed up
decision-making.
Jiralak Na Chiengtung, the companys
vice-president for marketing, said Thai-
lands market for electrical appliances,
electronics and IT was worth 235 billion
baht last year, up 1% from 2015.
According to market researcher GFK,
Thailands market for electronics, electrical
appliances and IT is forecast to grow by 2%
to 239.7 billion baht this year.
Power Buy sales grew by 1% in 2016 to
15.82 billion baht. Under the new plan, the
company expects sales to grow by 8% and
reach 17.09 billion baht this year.

INDUSTRY

Ticon allows dividend of 8 satang a share

POST REPORTERS
SET-listed Ticon Industrial Connection Plc,
a developer of ready-made factories and
warehouses, says shareholders at Mondays
meeting approved a dividend of 0.08 baht
per share, or 53.35% of last years net profit.
Chief executive Virapan Pulges said the
company should see profit growth this year.
Ticon posted a net profit of 275 million
baht in 2016, down from 769 million the
previous year.
He said book closure to determine the
list of shareholders entitled to the dividend
is May 5, 2017, and the dividend will be
paid on May 19.
In 2016, Ticon Group enjoyed impres-
sive revenue growth from factory and ware-
house rentals, Mr Virapan said. Ticons
new factory leased spaces totalled 60,175
square metres last year, while Ticon Logis-
tics Parks new warehouse leased spaces
totalled 122,858 sq m.
He said the revenue derived mainly
from recurring income, including rental
income, management fees, and dividends
from property funds and Ticons real estate
investment trust (TREIT).
Ticon launched its TREIT to raise funds
worth 4.5 billion baht from the public to
invest in 160,000 sq m of warehouses and
5,000 sq m of factories, with 65% of the fund
slated for leasehold.
But last year the company decided to
raise more capital instead of selling assets
to the REIT, which it did to reduce its debt
each year.
Ticon wanted to enhance its financial
strength for future expansion and competi-
tiveness both in Thailand and Asean, Mr
Virapan said.
The board decided not to sell any assets
to TREIT and raise the companys capital
by forming a strategic alliance with Frasers
Centrepoint Limited for a new capital injec-
tion of 13.23 billion baht, he said.
Last year Ticon sold 735 million shares
to Frasers Property Holdings Thailand Co, a
subsidiary of Singapore-listed Frasers Cen-
trepoint Ltd, at 18 baht per share.
Frasers Centrepoint is also a subsidi-
ary of Thai Beverage Group, controlled by
tycoon Charoen Sirivadhanabhakdi.
Mr Virapan said the strategic decision
to raise capital and not sell assets to TREIT
would reduce the companys revenue and
earnings in the short term, but could funda-
mentally enhance its future growth and bal-
ance sales revenue and recurring income
over the long term.
B6 I BUSINESS WORLD
A row of shotgun houses in Apalachicola, Florida. PHOTOS BY THE NEW YORK TIMES
Tiny houses faceuncertain future
A proposed multi-family housing development has divided Apalachicola and prompted
a discussion about whether the citys housing problem should be solved with new
homes or the historic ones that are its legacy, writes Christine Negroni
T
he tiny city of Apalachicola,
Florida, is well known in pres-
ervationist circles for its abun-
dance of restored 19th-century
buildings, but when it comes to
affordable housing, the Gulf Coast com-
munity comes up short.
28% of the population in Franklin
County pays 40% of its income for hous-
ing, said Jeffrey Sharkey, a political con-
sultant from Tallahassee, Florida.
Sharkey is one of the investors in
Denton Cove, a proposed multi-family
housing development that has divided the
community and prompted a discussion
about whether the citys housing problem
should be solved with new homes or the
historic ones that are its legacy.
Denton Cove would be a 52-unit clus-
ter of town homes built on the site of a
decommissioned high school and paid for
through the sale of Housing and Urban
Development low-income tax credits.
It would have been the only $10 million
residential development in the city in the
previous 30 years, Sharkey said.
But residents of Apalachicola, popula-
tion 2,340, challenged the plan at meet-
ings of the citys planning and zoning com-
mission. They didnt want those people
living there, Sharkey said.
But this is no not-in-my-backyard-
story, according to Willoughby Marshall,
an architect who lives with his wife in his
childhood home.
Mostly, were interested in history
here, he said. Were not so interested in
development because thats not in keeping
with the nature of the town.
The Marshalls and others are endorsing
a local plan to train job-seeking residents
in home construction through the reha-
bilitation of abandoned, working-class
cottages known as shotgun homes.
There are dozens of them in an Apala-
chicola district called the Hill, where black
fishermen and mill workers have lived for
more than a century.
The shotguns are historically significant
because they are among the first examples
of African architecture in the United States.
The original affordable housing here
was the shotgun, said Creighton Brown,
a recent transplant from New York who
devised the plan.
Brown, a contractor specialising in his-
toric structures, worked with a non-profit
The interior of a remodelled shotgun home.
A remodelled shotgun home.
housing developer in New Orleans to
survey and map abandoned shotguns that
could be restored to habitability.
Bernard Simmons, a lifelong Hill resi-
dent who is a musician, lives in a shotgun
that has been in his family for generations.
Its a piece of history, he said. It
speaks of my history, my ancestors. I feel
their spirits in this house.
While Simmons home is a comfort-
able balance of old and new, others in the
neighbourhood are not as well tended.
Every block has three or four homes
that are livable and the rest are aban-
doned, said Elinor Mount-Simmons, the
president of the Hillside Organization of
Laborers for Apalachicola, a community
group. It would be great if the Hill could
come alive again as it once was.
Even so, Mount-Simmons is not enthu-
siastic about the Brown programme, which
is sometimes referred to as Save Our Shot-
guns. Too many details remain unclear.
The Denton Cove plan, by contrast, was
outlined in thick contracts and bank docu-
ments as required by law. The town homes
would have energy-efficient appliances, a
pool and a fitness centre. But the develop-
ment was not for people with moderate
incomes, as some residents had originally unit to help pay the mortgage. But speed
been told. The countys depressed earn-
ings meant only the poorest would qualify
to live there.
Concentrating the poor in one project
was not a modern approach, said Bonnie
Davis, a retired lawyer who moved to
Apalachicola from Tallahassee.
She and others embraced the idea that
Apalachicolas architectural past might
guide the future as it had in cities like
Louisville, Kentucky, and New Orleans,
where shotgun restoration programmes
have been underway for years.
When all this brouhaha came up, I, the
Browns, many people said, We have to be
about more than no, Davis said.
In addition to training the local labour
force in construction, Browns plan had a
financing component. Because 33 of the
lots have more than one home on them,
the purchaser would buy one home to live
in and a second income-producing rental
was important.
The tiny-house movement, combined
with relatively low real estate prices on the
Hill, has already caught the attention of
people like Pete Olson of Connecticut. He
is finishing up work on a 450-square-foot
one-bedroom shotgun where he plans to
live with his wife.
Twenty years ago, Anthony Pierce, 57,
a lifelong Apalachicola resident, bought
four shotguns to restore and rent. Just pre-
venting further deterioration by shoring up
the foundation was a big effort, and after
taking a job in Tallahassee, Pierce said he
ran out of energy.
What neither he nor Brown realised
Bangkok Post I
about restoring the shotguns was that a
1970s-era zoning change had imposed
larger lot requirements on Hill homes if
they became unoccupied for longer than
six months.
The zoning effectively made the revi-
talisation of this neighbourhood impos-
sible for anyone who could not pay cash,
said Carey Shea, the executive director at
Project Home Again in New Orleans, the
non-profit housing developer, who had
worked with Brown.
If the programmes beneficiaries could
not get mortgages, Shea said, her company
would have withdrawn from the project,
despite her feeling that it has benefits over
Denton Coves more traditional plan.
She said the job-training and home-
ownership components would result in
a revitalised neighbourhood, affordable
housing and job creation.
Im lobbying to modify the zoning
restrictions that impede the shotgun pro-
ject, Brown said.
There are 100 historic houses that are
empty, waiting for low- and moderate-
income Apalachicolans to live in them,
he said.
The homes have been researched and
mapped by Pam Richardson, one of sev-
eral residents working on a monthlong art
festival and tour of the shotguns in April.
The festival should show that restoring
them is a much better prospect than con-
centrating poverty in one spot, Brown said.
This was the argument against the
Denton Cove project. But Sharkey sees the
residents resistance as perpetuating racial
segregation in a city where century-and-
a-half-old opulent homes can be found
on tree-shaded streets on the south side,
while the north sides historic homes
are deteriorating.
In December, Denton Cove LLC settled
a lawsuit it had filed against Apalachicola
claiming fair housing violations and reneg-
ing on the sale of the high school property.
The inauguration of President Donald
Trump dampened the market for the
sale of tax credits on which the project
is reliant, so investors have not decided
whether it is profitable to continue the
multifamily project.
If somebody wants to come along
and build single-family homes, Sharkey
said of the Brown proposal, God bless
them. 2017 THE NEW YORK TIMES
Pete Olson planes
cypress boards
next to the shotgun
home he is
remodelling and
plans to live in
with his wife.
WEDNESDAY, APRIL 26, 2017
TECHNOLOGY
Yahoo chief
will rake in
$186m after
sale of unit
VINDU GOEL
SAN FRANCISCO: Yahoo! Inc sharehold-
ers will vote on June 8 whether to sell the
companys internet businesses to Verizon
Communications Inc for $4.48 billion. A yes
vote, which is widely expected, would end
Marissa Mayers largely unsuccessful five-
year effort to restore the internet pioneer
to greatness.
But Mayer, the companys chief execu-
tive, will be well compensated for her fail-
ure. Her Yahoo stock, stock options and
restricted stock units are worth a total of
$186 million, based on Mondays stock
price of $48.15, according to data filed on
Monday in the documents sent to share-
holders about the Verizon deal.
That compensation, which will be fully
vested at the time of the shareholder vote,
does not include her salary and bonuses
over the past five years, or the value of other
stock that Mayer has already sold. All told,
her time at Yahoo will have netted her well
over $200 million, according to calculations
based on company filings.
Mayer did give up additional equity
compensation that she would have received
in 2017 as a penalty for her management
teams failure to act on a 2014 breach of the
companys systems that led to the theft of
data on 500 million users. Last month, the
federal government indicted four people,
including two Russian intelligence officials,
in that crime.
Yahoo declined to comment on Mayers
compensation, apart from the information
included in its legal filings.
Most of Mayers payout is based on the
208% increase in Yahoos stock price since
she left Google for Yahoo in 2012. Although
Yahoos core businesses of email, news and
search continued to tread water under May-
ers leadership, long-held investments in
Alibaba Group Holding Limited, Chinas
leading e-commerce company, and Yahoo
Japan, an affiliated company controlled by
SoftBank Group Corp, increased in value,
driving up Yahoos stock price.
The sale to Verizon will leave those two
investments, along with other assorted
assets like a patent portfolio, in a new com-
pany called Altaba. The management of
that company will seek to unlock the value
of its $44 billion stake in Alibaba and its $9.5
billion stake in Yahoo Japan while minimiz-
ing a $15 billion tax bill that Yahoo esti-
mates would be due on an outright sale.
Yahoo said in its filing that Altaba was
more likely to sell its Yahoo Japan stock
than sell its Alibaba shares, but it gave no
further details. Altaba will be led by Thomas
McInerney, the Yahoo director who led the
Verizon sale process.
The filing also disclosed that Yahoo
invested in Snap Inc, one of Silicon Val-
leys hottest companies, buying 2.3 million
shares in a March 2015 fundraising round
that priced the shares at $10.86. After a
stock split that doubled the number of
shares Yahoo owned, Snap went public
in March. Snap shares are now trading at
$21.20, valuing Yahoos stake at $98 million.
Yahoo also owns stakes in Hortonworks,
an enterprise software company; Paper-
less, a digital event invitation service; and
SeatGeek, a ticket reselling service. The
company valued Excalibur, its portfolio of
patents that are up for sale, at $740 million.
The 2014 data breach prompted Yahoo
and Verizon to renegotiate their original
deal, which was struck in July. Eventually,
they agreed to cut the price by $350 mil-
lion. 2017 THE NEW YORK TIMES
COMPANIES
DuPont profit
topsforecasts
Chemicals and seeds producer E.I. du
Pont de Nemours and Company, which is
merging with Dow Chemical Co, reported a
better-than-expected profit for the seventh
straight quarter yesterday, helped by a rise
in seed sales.
DuPont has moved from selling its farm
products to retailers and distributors, focus-
ing instead on selling directly to farmers in
the United States.
This pushed the timing of some seed
sales to the first quarter from the fourth.
Demand was also propelled by late-
season seed demand in South America
and the planting of the largest combined
corn and soybean acres on record in the
United States.
Operating earnings at DuPonts agricul-
ture business rose 12% to $1.24 billion in the
first quarter ended March 31.
Net income attributable to DuPont fell
to $1.11 billion, or $1.27 per share, in the
quarter, from $1.23 billion, or $1.39 per
share, a year earlier.
The latest quarter included charges of
$36 million, while the year-ago quarter
included a $160 million gain.
Excluding items, operating profit in the
latest quarter was $1.64, above analysts
estimate of $1.39, according to Thomson
Reuters I/B/E/S.
Net sales in the quarter rose 4.6% to
$7.74 billion, beating estimates of $7.50
billion. REUTERS
WEDNESDAY, APRIL 26, 2017 I Bangkok Post WORLD BUSINESS I B7

Fresenius in
AVIATION

M&Apush
with 2deals
To buy Akorn and
Merck KGaA arm
LUDWIG BURGER
FRANKFURT: German healthcare group
Fresenius SE & Co KGaA has stepped up
its dealmaking, agreeing to buy US generic
drugmaker Akorn Inc for $4.75 billion (4.37
billion) and the biosimilars arm of Germanys
Merck KGaA.
Takeovers were part of Freseniuss growth
strategy under previous boss Ulf Mark Sch-
neider, now leading Nestle SA. But his suc-
cessor, former finance chief Stephan Sturm,
is lifting the pace, having already bought
Spains biggest private hospital chain Qui-
ronsalud for 5.8 billion ($6.4 billion), since
taking over in June.
The latest deals are in keeping with Fre-
seniuss focus on drugs that have lost patent
protection, but also mark a foray into new
dosage forms, therapeutic areas and biotech
drugs for its Kabi unit, a maker of generic
infusion drugs as well as tube feeding and
blood transfusion equipment.
Akorn will add products such as medical
creams, ophthalmic drugs, oral liquids, ear
drops, nasal sprays and respiratory drugs,
where competition is relatively benign com-
pared with standard pills and tablets.
We are putting Fresenius Kabi on track for
an even more broadly based and strong sus-
tainable growth beyond the current decade,
said Sturm.
The separate deal with Merck KGaA marks
an entry into biosimilar copies of complex
biologic drugs made from living cells, which
Fresenius has previously shunned.
Weve always said the regulatory envi-
ronment would have to clear up before we
invest in biosimilars. A lot has been done in
TELECOMS
that area in the recent past, Sturm added.
Reuters earlier on Monday reported Fre-
senius was close to acquiring Akorn.
In a deal that has the backing of Akorns
management and its largest shareholder,
Fresenius will pay $34 per share and take on
Akorns net debt of about $450 million for a
total price tag of $4.75 billion, Fresenius said
late on Monday.
It will be financed by a broad mix of euro-
and dollar-denominated debt instruments.
Berenberg analyst Tom Jones said the
price tag of 12.4 times Akorns core earnings
(adjusted EBITDA) estimate for 2017 should
not give anyone any great cause for concern.
He flagged some risks related to Akorns
older drugs that might draw scrutiny from
US healthcare regulators but was reassured
by the buyers long history of doing M&A,
and doing it relatively well.
For the Merck deal, Fresenius will pay an
initial 170 million and up to 500 million in
milestone payments tied to the achievement
of drug development targets as none of Mer-
cks biosimilar drugs have been launched yet.
Merck also stands to receive single-digit The first C919 passenger jet made by the Commercial Aircraft Corp of China (Comac) is pulled out during a news conference at the companys factory in Shanghai on November 2,
percentage royalties on sales. 2015. REUTERS
Fresenius said it expected first revenues
towards the end of 2019. It also said it was
prepared to spend and invest up to 1.4 bil-
lion to build up the new business through
2022, including the upfront and milestone
Chinesejetliner ready for take-off
payments to Merck. BRENDA GOH plane gives Comac a springboard in the While operating manuals for Comacs a catalogue price tag of around $50 mil-
Fresenius, with a market capitalisation of TIM HEPHER worlds fastest-growing domestic market, smaller ARJ21 regional jet, which took lion, less than half that of a Boeing 737
more than 40 billion ($43.5 billion), runs even though the company acknowledges its first flight in 2007, were written in or Airbus A320 could be among the
businesses ranging from kidney dialysis and SHANGHAI/PARIS: When China unveiled much bigger hurdles abroad. Mandarin, the C919s will be in English biggest issues for the C919 internationally.
drug manufacturing to hospital management. an historic order for its first large com- You cant compare us to Boeing or to support sales. Having a plane certified to fly commer-
Group net debt as a multiple of core earn- mercial jetliner at a national air show in Airbus, theyre in a different strategic Comacs sales and support networks cially is tough enough even for Western
ings will temporarily increase to about 3.3 2010, Western journalists were kept away, stage... We took half a century to solve it has at least 50 people in its sales and jetmakers as aircraft become more com-
after both transactions but is expected to and only local media were allowed to wit- the first strategic issue (of plane develop- marketing departments, says Cheng plex and supply chains expand.
return to about three at the end of 2018. ness a major turning point in Chinas avia- ment), it will also take many years to solve are, however, a fraction of those at Boeing There is still uncertainty over approv-
Fresenius has for years enjoyed low bor- tion ambitions. the second (market) problem, said Jeff and Airbus. als needed for the C919 to secure a foot-
rowing costs because of its diversified busi- The Comac C919 jet is expected to Cheng, a spokesman for Comac. Still, Comacs home advantage is sig- hold beyond China, with the United
nesses in an industry largely immune to stage its maiden flight in the coming After the first flight, we have to focus nificant as Chinese airlines are likely to States and European Union having the
swings in the business cycle. REUTERS weeks, and foreign media and potential and research on how to improve the planes drive airplane demand over the next two most influence.
buyers will be invited in force illustrat- and Comacs market competitiveness. decades, buying nearly 7,000 planes Although the EU has agreed to recog-
ing how Beijing is adjusting to competi- Eric Chen, president of Airbus Com- mostly from Boeing and Airbus. nise some of the checks carried out by
tion for a slice of global jet sales worth $2 mercial Aircraft China, welcomed the Their sales person is the govern- China, it is expected to insist on some
trillion over the next 20 years. competition from Comac, and a China- ment, said a Chinese airline executive, of its own tests before issuing a safety

Ericsson swings to loss But after three years of delays and

STOCKHOLM/LONDON: Mobile telecom
equipment maker Ericsson AB plunged to a
quarterly operating loss, hit by shrinking mar-
kets and restructuring costs.
The Swedish company, which is focusing
on its core networks business under new chief
executive Borje Ekholm, reported yesterday an
operating loss of 12.3 billion Swedish crowns
($1.4 billion) as previously announced pro-
visions, writedowns and restructuring costs
pushed it deep into the red.
That compared with a 3.5 billion crown
profit in the same period last year and a mean
forecast for a 12.0 billion crown loss in a Reu-
ters poll of analysts.
Ericsson has been hit by a drop in spend-
ing by telecoms firms, with demand for next-
generation 5G technology still years away, and
weak emerging markets. It also faces mounting
competition from Chinas Huawei Technolo-
gies Co Ltd and Finlands Nokia Oyj.
First-quarter sales came in at 46.4 billion
crowns, below the consensus forecast of 47.3
billion, while the gross margin was 13.9%
versus the 17.9% seen by analysts.
Ericsson said industry trends from 2016
were expected to continue in 2017. It has fore-
cast the mobile infrastructure market to decline
by 2-6% this year and stabilise thereafter.
The only positive factor is networks under-
lying margin of 12%, said Inge Heydorn, a fund
manager at Sentat Asset Management, refer-
ring to the companys main business.
The rest is basically just more of the same,
mainly a weak market. Also, cash flow was
negative in the quarter, he said.
A second investor said weak performance
at other units which include IT&Cloud and
Media showed the need to exit unprofit-
able businesses.
Ericsson announced $1.7 billion in provi-
sions, writedowns and restructuring costs at
the end of March.
Analysts have said these may have been
related to emerging market, as well as US
mobile operator Sprint Corp, which renegoti-
ated a managed services contract with Ericsson
in July. REUTERS
almost a decade in development, Chinas
answer to the Boeing 737 and its state-
owned designers face a daunting phase:
selling the jet abroad in a market domi-
nated by Boeing Co and Airbus SAS.
They will be trying to compete on
price against people who are building air-
craft at a much faster pace and with more
experience, so theres a risk of getting bled
dry, said Richard Aboulafia, aerospace
analyst at Virginia-based Teal Group.
Commercial Aircraft Corp of China
(Comac) has some cards to play: its plane
has Western engines and avionics cou-
pled with a new design; its rolling out
a pilot training programme, expanding
international staff and has strong, behind-
the-scenes backing from Beijing, industry
executives say.
And though still unproven, Comac
could be the single biggest threat over
the coming decades to the dominance
of Boeing and Airbus, both in Chinas own
huge aviation market and, longer-term,
overseas. The C919 is the first step to this.
Beijings backing for the single-aisle
based spokesman for Boeing con-
gratulated the company on developing
the C919.
The C919 has chalked up 570 firm
orders and commitments from 23 cus-
tomers, mainly Chinese state-backed
airlines and leasing companies, but says
it is not able to give a breakdown.
In comparison, the latest version of
the Boeing 737 had more than 3,000 firm
orders before it flew last January.
Those types of numbers from the two
big global planemakers come after dec-
ades of trimming costs and honing mar-
keting pitches.
The two have global support networks
able to respond whenever a jet breaks
down just about anywhere, and the
number of jets flying makes it easier for
airlines to raise loans to buy them.
While Chinese financiers have mus-
cled into the global aviation arena, Comac
has a relatively low-key presence at inter-
national air shows and has said the C919
will initially be aimed at the domestic
market. But there are signs its adopting
a more outward-facing approach.
who didnt want to be named for risk of
damaging business relationships. As long
as the government tells the state airlines
to purchase planes, that will happen.
Airline executives say the first flight
is when Comac can realistically start
discussing deposits and firming up cus-
tomers, even if the plane still faces years
of testing.
We havent placed a deposit; at
the moment its intentions, said Che
Shanglun, chairman of Xiamen Airlines,
a subsidiary of China Southern Airlines,
which has committed to buying up to 50
of the 158-seat C919s.
We signed for 50, but we actually want
to buy 30. We have to see if theyre able
to produce it... They (Comac) are very
enthusiastic, they meet us every month
and send us updates.
Executives at two Chinese airlines
which have not placed orders for the air-
craft said they wanted to see the C919s
safety record, as well as the creation of a
global support team.
The safety certification of the new
plane which state media says will have
certificate and is trying to understand
where discrepancies between the two
systems lie.
We are just at the start of the process,
said Patrick Ky, executive director of the
European Aviation Safety Agency.
The US Federal Aviation Administra-
tion did not immediately respond to a
request for comment.
Without Western approvals, China
would only be able to sell to countries
that accept its certification standards.
Zimbabwe, Bolivia and Tajikistan have
previously bought Chinese planes.
Without Western certification, sales of
the aircraft in developed economies and
many developing economies will be dif-
ficult to impossible, said Bradley Perrett,
a veteran China watcher at Aviation Week.
The C919s only real foreign buyer
so far is leasing firm GE Capital Avia-
tion Services, whose parent General
Electric co-built the planes engine with
Frances Safran.
Only once our plane enters the market
and is tested can we see what gaps it has,
Cheng said. REUTERS

RETAIL ENVIRONMENT

24/7 stores Oslo, London lead push

in Japan hit for greener transport
by labour ALISTER DOYLE
ERIC AUCHARD
almost any other city to promote cycling and
to cut emissions, it said.
CEBRs index included city air pollution

shortage Japan has around

SAM NUSSEY
RITSUKO SHIMIZU
TOKYO: Japans growing labour shortage
threatens the nations ubiquitous conveni-
ence stores, whose business model relies
on an army of part-timers packing bento
lunch boxes, manning cash registers and
delivering goods 24/7.
The big three combini operators
7-Eleven, FamilyMart and Lawson, which
have expanded through Japans long
slump, are scrambling to ease the pressure
on franchisees by offering a mix of finan-
cial aid and labour-saving automation.
But their earnings outlook is the bleak-
est in years.
Lawson Inc projects its first drop in
profit in 15 years this fiscal year, and
7-Eleven Japan, part of Seven & i Holdings
Co Ltd, forecasts a meager 0.2% increase.
Japan has around 55,000 convenience
stores nationwide roughly one for every
2,300 people and each store needs
around 20 part-timers to run it.
Some shopowners struggling to fill
shifts find themselves working some nights
as well as during the day.
The labour situation is starting to get
health-hazardous, said one store owner
who asked not to be identified.
Restaurant chain Royal Host and
McDonalds Japan have begun moving
away from 24-hour operations, but so far
convenience chains arent reducing hours
or cutting store numbers.
Indeed, all three of the major chains
plan to expand. They fear that if they cut
back they will lose market share and dent
a reputation for catering to customers
needs at any time.
We are part of the social infrastruc-
ture, said Koji Takayanagi, president of
FamilyMart UNY Holdings Co Ltd. We
have a mission we must fulfill.
As Japans population shrinks, its
workforce has declined to 77.2 million
in 2015 from a peak of 87.2 million in
1995. By 2065, its expected to drop to just
45.2 million.
The decline has hit labour-intensive
sectors such as delivery services, restau-
rant chains and retailers especially hard.
The worker crunch started last year, said
a Lawson franchisee in Tokyo. Foreign-
ers, many of them university students, are
taking up some of the slack, but he predicts
the shortages will continue indefinitely.
Part-time wages, meanwhile, have
increased, and some convenience stores
have to pay more overtime to fill shifts.
Labour costs are rising precipitously,
Ryuichi Isaka, president of Seven & i Hold-
ings, told a recent earnings briefing.
To ease the burden on store owners,
who bear payroll costs, 7-Eleven said it
would, for the first time, cut royalty fees it
charges franchisees a measure that will
cost the company around 160 billion yen
($1.47 billion) a year.
We want to turn this into an opportu-
nity to boost store owners management
drive, and attract new owners, Isaka said.
The industry hopes technology can
overcome the shortfall.
7-Eleven, with 19,423 stores and
390,000 part-timers in Japan, is bringing
labour-saving dishwashers to all stores
this year, while Lawson is issuing tablet
computers to help store management,
and installing automatic change count-
ing machines.
The industry also plans to introduce
RFID (radio-frequency identification) tags
that can track individual items from ware-
house to store hoping this may usher in
an era of low-cost distribution networks
55,000
convenience
stores nationwide
roughly one for
every 2,300 people
and each store
needs around 20
part-timers to run
it. REUTERS
and unmanned cash registers.
With the government pledging to
help roll out the technology by 2025,
7-Eleven estimates RFID tags, which
it will trial around August, could save
eight billion yen ($73 million) annually
in labour costs.
The increased investment in technol-
ogy is partly to blame for Lawsons forecast
profit decline.
Rather than simply focusing on
increasing profits, we are critically looking
at what shape Lawson should take, said
company president Sadanobu Takemasu.
By making the necessary investments we
will reap the rewards.
The labour-intensive business model
is not just in the stores. It extends to a vast
network of third-party suppliers and truck
crews making deliveries around the clock.
The convenience store industry was
built when there were plentiful workers,
says Takayuki Suzuki, analyst at Primo
Research Japan. But now it must ration-
ally look again at its excessive and unnec-
essary services. REUTERS
OSLO/FRANKFURT: Oslo, London and
Amsterdam are leading a shift by major
cities to eliminate greenhouse gas emis-
sions from transport, helped by new tech-
nologies that will help to curb climate change
and reduce air pollution, according to study
released yesterday.
European cities filled eight of the top 10
spots, along with Tokyo and Seoul, in the
ranking of 35 cities by the independent
London-based Centre for Economics and
Business Research (CEBR), sponsored by
smartphone chip maker Qualcomm Inc.
Oslo is set to be the worlds first city with
a zero emissions transportation solution,
according to the CEBR report, which gauges
both existing policies and plans to promote
greener transport with everything from elec-
tric cars to bicycles.
The Norwegian capitals metro, trams and
buses already run largely on hydro-electricity
and Norway has the highest percentage of
electric cars of any nation. The Oslo coun-
cil also plans to sharply restrict cars to its
city centre.
The report said second-placed London
may not seem an example of a green city
to all residents but most rely on public
transport, rather than cars, and are among
the most energy-efficient urban dwellers in
the world.
London is somewhat unfairly considered
a smoggy, dark city, CEBR managing econo-
mist Nina Skero told Reuters.
London also wants to cut greenhouse gas
emissions by 60% from 1990 levels by 2025
and has promoted electric cars and bike-
sharing, the report said.
Amsterdam, in third, has done more than
as one of 20 factors. Among the others are
city carbon emissions, levels of congestion,
public investments in infrastructure, green
spaces, charging points for electric vehicles,
incentives for green travel and city commit-
ments to low emissions.
Oslo Vice Mayor Lan Marie Nguyen Berg
welcomed the report.
Our ambition is to have a zero-emis-
sion transport system in 2030 at the latest,
she said.
Electric cars, for instance, made up almost
11% of the traffic passing toll booths into Oslo
in January, against 7% in all of 2016.
The largest challenge, I believe, is lorries,
trucks and construction, Nguyen Berg said.
Cairo was the bottom of the list of 35 cities,
just below Nairobi, Mumbai and Istanbul,
reflecting population growth and a focus on
ending poverty that often means burning
more gasoline.
Skero said the ranking was a snapshot
of current policies and that Oslo could
be overtaken.
Many cities have set more ambitious goals
for restricting emissions than national gov-
ernments after nearly 200 countries reached
a climate agreement in Paris in 2015 to shift
the world economy away from fossil fuels.
US President Donald Trump, who
doubts that global warming is man-made,
is considering whether to pull out of the
Paris Agreement.
San Francisco, in 14th, was the top-
ranked city in the United States, where
heavy reliance on cars rather than public
transport limits options for cities to intro-
duce radical goals to phase out emissions,
the study said. REUTERS
 World Business
Read more news at bangkokpost.com
Trump seeks 15% corporate tax rate
Deep cut may not
be well received
JULIE HIRSCHFELD DAVIS
ALAN RAPPEPORT
WASHINGTON: President Donald Trump
has instructed his advisors to make cut-
ting the corporate tax rate to 15% a centre-
piece of his tax-cut blueprint to be unveiled
today, according to people with knowledge
of his plans, even if that means a significant
reduction in revenue that could jettison his
campaign promise to curb deficits.
Cutting the corporate tax rate to 15%
from its current 35% level was one of
LUXURY GOODS
LVMHtakes full
control of Dior
DANIEL ARONSSOHN
PARIS: The worlds top luxury group
LVMH Moet Hennessy Louis Vuitton
SE said yesterday that it would take
full control of Christian Dior in order
to harness the high growth potential of
one of the worlds most iconic brands,
whose sales have doubled over the past
five years.
LVMH, which already owns Christian
Dior perfumes, said in a statement that
it had now agreed to buy Christian Dior
Couture the leatherware, Haute Cou-
ture, ready-to-wear, jewellery and shoes
businesses for 6.5 billion ($7 billion).
The announcement sent LVMH shares
soaring on the Paris Stock Exchange,
where they jumped by around 3% in
early trading, while Dior gained as much
as 13%.
At the same time, the Arnault family
who own 74% of the holding company,
Christian Dior SA, would demonstrate
their commitment by acquiring the
remaining 26%, LVMH said.
That would streamline the current
shareholder structure and help unlock
synergies, LVMH finance chief Jean-
Jacques Guiony told a telephone news
conference yesterday.
Set up 70 years ago, Christian Dior
Couture is one of the most iconic brands
worldwide, LVMH said.
It sells its range of goods almost exclu-
sively in 198 luxury boutiques around
the world.
Sales have doubled over the past five
years and, last year, revenues amounted
to more than 2 billion, while underlying
or operating profit totalled 270 million.
At present, Christian Dior Couture is
wholly owned by Christian Dior SA.
By making it a wholly-owned subsidi-
ary, LVMH would be able to unlock its
high growth potential, the group said.
The deal will allow LVMH to incorpo-
rate one of the most emblematic brands
worldwide. It will allow for the regroup-
ing of Christian Dior Couture and Par-
fums Christian Dior brands, according
to the statement.
On the strength of its history and
FINANCE
Swiss bill
banknote
of the year
ZURICH: The Swiss National Banks new
50-franc ($50) bill was named banknote
of the year for 2016 by a group of interna-
tional connoisseurs, beating out 18 com-
petitors including the Bank of Englands
controversial polymer note as well as ones
from the Seychelles and Macedonia.
Among the runners-up in very tight
voting were bills from the Maldives, Argen-
tina and Scotland, the International Bank
Note Society said in a statement yesterday.
The SNBs 50-franc note, designed with
the theme of wind and depicting a dande-
lion, mountains and a paraglider, was intro-
duced last April, the first in a new series
that features nature rather than portraits of
famous men and women. A new 20-franc
bill is due to be unveiled next month.
The award is a feather in the cap of the
cash-loving Swiss, who have declined to
give up their most valuable 1,000-franc bill
despite international criticism.
Were happy about it, SNB spokesman
Walter Meier said of the citation.
New Zealands five-dollar banknote was
named the banknote of the year for 2015.
Founded in 1961, the non-profit Interna-
tional Bank Note Society seeks to advance
the study of knowledge of paper currency
around the world. It has more than 2,000
members. BLOOMBERG
Trumps marquee campaign promises,
part of his vision of carrying out maybe
the biggest tax cut weve ever had.
But he has yet to publicly embrace the
move since taking office, and his decision
to do so now could set up a showdown with
Congress over a proposal that would most
likely blow up the deficit.
The White House is planning to formally
roll out its tax plan today, ending months
of speculation about the presidents inten-
tions for rewriting the tax code and fol-
lowing a prolonged period of confusion in
which he and his top advisers sent mixed
messages about what elements they favored
and how the tax cut would be structured.
The people who described Trumps cor-
porate tax cut target, first reported by The
Wall Street Journal on Monday, did so on
favourable prospects, Christian Dior
Couture will be a source of growth for
LVMH, it said.
The development of Christian Dior
Couture will be notably supported over
the coming years by a new creative
momentum and significant investments
already completed, notably in America,
China and Japan.
In its part of the two-fold deal, the
Arnault Family Group would launch a
public takeover offer to purchase the
shares in Christian Dior SA it did not
already own.
The bid will take the form of a cash
offer of 172 per share, plus 0.192 shares
in Hermes International SCA, valuing
the each share at 260, according to
the statement.
That represented a premium of 14.7%
over the closing share price on Monday
and a premium of 18.6% over the average
share price during the past month.
The boards of directors of Christian
Dior and LVMH were unanimously
favourable to the plans, LVMH said.
This project represents an important
milestone for the group, said LVMH chief
executive Bernard Arnault.
The corresponding transactions will
allow the simplification of the struc-
tures, long requested by the market,
and the strengthening of LVMHs Fash-
ion and Leather Goods division. They
illustrate the commitment of my family
group and emphasise its confidence in
the long-term perspectives of LVMH and
its brands.
Analysts also hailed the long-
awaited deal.
We see a number of positives, said type and announced plans for deliveries of
Exane BNP Paribas analyst, Luca Solca.
It adds a strong brand to the LVMH
portfolio at a reasonable valuation and
on an accretive basis and it reduces the
risk of LVMH potentially buying trophy limitless world of opportunity will open up
assets which would dilute returns on
capital, the expert said. the Kitty Hawk company, based in Googles
The operation is being viewed posi-
tively by the markets, because it will
increase the theoretical value of the
share, Daniel Larrouturou of Diamant that will become available for sale by the
Bleu Gestion said. AFP.
Theimage of the new 50-franc banknote is displayed during its presentation by the Swiss
National Bank in Bern on April 6, 2016. AFP
Bangkok Post
the condition of anonymity because they
were not authorised to discuss it before an
official announcement.
The president plans to unveil the tax
cut during a week when Republicans
will be trying to pass a spending measure
needed to keep the government from shut-
ting down.
Repealing and replacing the Afford-
able Care Act remains a legislative pri-
ority, although whether it is considered
more important than a tax overhaul
changes frequently.
The 15% rate is lower than what House
Republicans proposed in the tax cut blue-
print being pitched by House Speaker Paul
Ryan, and it could be difficult to move
through Congress.
Senator Orrin G. Hatch of Utah, the
TRANSPORT
This undated image shows Cimeron Morrissey, an outdoor sports enthusiast and freelance writer, flying on the Kitty Hawk Flyer prototype. KITTY HAWK VIA AFP
Personal flying machine to go on sale later this year
ROB LEVER
WASHINGTON: A Silicon Valley flying car
startup, Kitty Hawk Corp, reportedly backed
by Google co-founder Larry Page, released
a video on Monday of its airborne proto-
off and lands vertically, like a helicopter. It
a personal flying machine this year.
Our mission is to make the dream of per-
sonal flight a reality. We believe when eve-
ryone has access to personal flight, a new,
to them, said a statement on the website of
tested and legal to operate in the United
home town of Mountain View, California.
Today were announcing our first proto-
type of the Flyer, a personal flying machine
end of 2017.
Republican chairman of the Senate Finance
Committee, said on Monday that such a
deep cut might not be well received by
Trumps party because of its potential to
increase the deficit.
The non-partisan Tax Policy Center esti-
mated last year that the corporate tax cut
plan Trump had proposed, which at the
time included the repeal of the alternative
minimum tax, would cost $2.4 trillion over
a decade.
Still, Steven Mnuchin, the secretary of
the Treasury, said on Monday that he was
confident the administrations tax pro-
posal would pay for itself through eco-
nomic growth.
A growth rate of 3% is achievable.
He also said that the Trump adminis-
tration would lay out plans to cut middle
The video showed the single-seat aircraft
with two pontoons and a spider web-
like platform taking off from a lake at an
undisclosed location and hovering above
the water, where it is meant to be used.
The craft, propelled by eight rotors, takes
is said to weigh about 220 pounds (100 kilo-
grams) and fly at speeds up to 25 miles per
hour (40 kph). and can hover at 15 feet (4.5
metres) high.
The company describes the Flyer as a
new, all-electric aircraft, which is safe,
States in uncongested areas under US
federal regulations for ultralight aircraft. No
pilots licence is required, and two hours
training is said to be all that is needed.
The website offered few details about
AUTOMOBILES
Mitsubishi-Nissan merger ruled out
BEKASI, INDONESIA: A full merger of Japa-
nese carmakers Mitsubishi Motors Corp
(MMC) and Nissan Motor Co Ltd was not
on the table, Carlos Ghosn, chairman of
both firms, said yesterday.
Full merger is not on the table. We want
Mitsubishi to reform itself, said Ghosn,
who was attending the opening ceremony
of a new Mitsubishi factory on the outskirts
of Jakarta.
He also said it was likely for Mitsubishi
and Nissan to cross-manufacture in areas
where it makes sense.
Last year, Nissan bought a controlling
stake in Mitsubishi for $2.3 billion after the
AVIATION
Alitalias fate up in the air after snub
ROME: The future of Italian flag carrier
Alitalia was in doubt yesterday after staff
rejected a last-ditch restructuring deal,
sparking fears that the carrier may be
grounded for good.
The government had warned that there
was no alternative to the plan which called
for 1,700 job losses and an 8% salary cut.
The companys coffers are empty.
But unions said more than two-thirds
of voting employees threw out the pro-
posal, which had earlier this month been
approved by both management and unions,
after almost 90% of the airlines 12,500
employees participated in Mondays ballot.
income tax rates, simplify the tax code and
make US companies more competitive with
foreign ones.
The White House would not say if it is
on board with the border adjustment
tax, a 20% tax on imports that is central to
Ryans plan.
There are also lingering questions about
what shape the rest of the plan will take,
and even about the timetable for pushing
it through.
Trump has said that he still believes a
health care overhaul effort that collapsed
last month must be completed before the
plan to rewrite the tax code can advance.
White House officials declined to com-
ment on the 15% target, which people close
to the administration cautioned could
change between now and the announcement
the company, but several reports in recent
months have said Page has poured millions
of dollars into Kitty Hawk and another elec-
tric car startup.
Kitty Hawk president Sebastian Thrun,
a Stanford University computer science
professor who has been called the father of
Googles self-driving car, tweeted: Chang-
ing the future of personal transportation.
Join us @kittyhawkcorp to get information
about #theFlyer prototype.
The company announced it was offering
three-year memberships for $100 to be lean forward, just like you would on a bike,
placed on a waiting list and to get a discount
on the price of the new transporter. The price
is to be announced later this year.
The startup offered only limited details
about the company.
An email response to an AFP query said
smaller automaker admitted to cheating on
mileage tests.
Mitsubishi and Nissan were studying
joint production of pickup trucks in South-
east Asia as they looked for savings within
the broader Renault-Nissan alliance, Mit-
subishis chief operating officer told Reuters
in March.
Ghosn is also chairman of Renault.
Meanwhile, Mitsubishi president Osamu
Masuko said he estimated Mitsubishi
would have a 10% share of Indonesias car
market in three years, from 6% at present.
This year, he said he expected a nearly
40% sales increase in Indonesia, helped by
Italian government ministers expressed
surprise and regret at the outcome in a
joint statement, saying it put the companys
recapitalisation efforts at risk.
At this stage, as we await the decisions
of Alitalias current shareholders, the gov-
ernments aim is to keep the cost to Italian
citizens and passengers to a minimum,
they said.
Meanwhile, Alitalias board of direc-
tors met yesterday, a public holiday in
Italy, to evaluate the negative outcome of
the referendum.
Unions called on shareholders and the
government to avoid any traumatising and
24/7 stores
facelabour
shortage
B7
WEDNESDAY, APRIL 26, 2017
Wednesday, perhaps repeatedly.
They warned that the details were
sketchy at best, and others who have dis-
cussed the tax overhaul plan with admin-
istration officials recently said there was
still indecision at the highest levels about
what elements to include and in what form.
The deadline, set hastily by Trump last
week in a comment that appeared to take
some of his closest advisers off guard, was
an effort to showcase an ambitious plan
for economic growth during his first 100
days in office.
During the campaign, he promised to
introduce a tax cut proposal to Congress
in the first 100 days. But he has had no
major legislative achievements to point
to as evidence of an activist economic
agenda. 2017 THE NEW YORK TIMES
the lead engineers were Cameron Robertson
and Todd Reichert, who created a startup
called Aerovelo which aims to produce the
fastest human-powered vehicle.
Kitty Hawk said the Flyer going on sale
later this year would have a different design
than the prototype.
A blog post by writer Cimeron Morris-
sey, who took the Flyer for a test run, offered
some clues on how it feels.
The prototype looks and feels a lot like
a flying motorcycle. You mount the seat and
she wrote.
I feel light and ecstatic and utterly free.
This is just like my flying dreams!
Several other companies, including
Airbus Group SE, have been working on
similar flying machines. AFP
sales of multi-purpose vehicles.
Indonesia overtook Thailand as South-
east Asias largest car market in recent years
and is also growing as a regional produc-
tion base.
Nearly 1.1 million vehicles were sold in
the country of 250 million people last year,
according to the Association of Indonesia
Automotive Industries (Gaikindo).
Toyota Motor Corp has long dominated
the Indonesian market, partly due to its
extensive distribution network.
Toyota has a long-standing partnership
with the countrys largest distributor, PT
Astra International Tbk. REUTERS
irreversible decisions.
But Italian press reports said the airlines
directors might quickly ask the state to call
in special administrators to prepare a pos-
sible takeover or liquidation.
The company is de facto controlled by
Etihad Airways, which acquired a 49% stake
when it saved Alitalia from bankruptcy
in 2014.
The Emirati airline entered the partner-
ship declaring its intention to transform
Alitalia into a leaner operation with indus-
try-leading service standards both goals
that it has failed to deliver upon, according
to industry analysts. AFP
The Bangkok Posts lifestyle, arts and culture section
LIFE
Bangkok Post
Thaneth Warakulnukroh in Pop Aye.
Singaporean filmmaker
directs Thai actors and
an elephant in a movie
that opens Bangkok Asean
Film Festival tonight
STORY: KONG RITHDEE
Singaporean director Kirsten Tan.
I remember feeling so
bad for the animal.
But it also felt surreal
WEDNESDAY, APRIL 26, 2017
T
he elephant and the man, walking down
the road to redemption and encountering
the wounded and the marginalised, the
madmen and the prostitutes. In the film Pop
Aye, which will kick off Bangkok Asean Film
Festival 2017 this evening (see sidebar), the fine-tusked
beast accompanies the lost soul as the duo find their way
home from Bangkok to the Northeast.
It is a Thai story, told in the Thai language with Thai
actors across the Thai landscape, city and rural, chaotic
and lonesome. But in the world where imaginations cross
borders and demarcations, Pop Aye e a high-profile
Southeast Asian film that premiered at Sundance Film
Festival in January is a debut feature film by a Singa-
porean director Kirsten Tan. The crew and cast, including
the elephant, are all Thai, and thus the film serves as a
perfect opener for a festival conceived
to showcase regional creativity of the
Asean nations.
Tan is in Bangkok for the screening
tonight, where shes excited to see the
reaction at the first viewing by a Thai
audience (there will be two more screen-
ings on Sunday and Monday). Pop Aye
will go on general release in Thai cin-
emas later.
In each place that Ive shown the
film, the reaction has been different,
says Tan, who premiered the film at
Sundance in the US, where it won best
script, and released it earlier this month
in Singapore.
Since the film is about Thailand, its
important to know what the Thai audi-
ence think about it.
In Pop Aye, disillusioned architect
Thana (played by Thaneth Warakul-
nukroh, rock singer and actor from the
1990s) runs into an elephant he once
kept when he was a boy in Loei prov-
ince. Thana is going through a bad patch,
and he decides to set out on a long road trip with the
beast, from the capital back to their hometown. It is a
quest narrative and a road movie along which they meet
an assortment of oddballs and heartbreaks, before the
journey ends in a sort-of revelation.
Drawing from her experience, writer-director Tan
was not an ingnue to the craziness and drama of the
Thai capital. Around 2005, she spent two years living in
Bangkok, running a T-shirt store at Chatuchak Weekend
Market and jamming with her Thai friends in a band. It
was the happy days, she said, the free-spirited days. To
her, the city was a stark contrast to Singapore, and the
experience was integral to her creative growth when she
went on to study in New York and became a filmmaker.
It was the formative years of my life, said Tan, 35.
When I came to Bangkok, I was enamoured by it. I had
lived in Korea one year before [at an artists residency]
and I spent the rest of my life in Singapore. I felt that
Thailand was completely opposite to Singapore, which
was a sterile and clinical place. Im not saying its better or
worse, but its a totally different world here even though
its just two hours away.
Concrete slabs, vagabond elephants and construc-
tion sites these are some of the images of the city
tech
What to look for
when buying a new TV
p5
Tan remembers best. Especially the elephants. This was
the mid-2000s, before a clean-up campaign prevented
mahouts from marching unemployed beasts from the
provinces to peddle in Bangkok. When Tan was shooting
her short film in Thailand in 2009, she also saw a group
of boys pulling along an elephant.
The image, she says, stuck with her all through
the years.
I remember feeling so bad for the animal, she said.
But it also felt surreal.
[In conceiving Pop Aye], I started with my feeling
about Thailand and what I wanted to talk about: the
inevitability of the passage of time and how we have to
accept it. Then I came up with a story to talk about all
those things.
Speaking some Thai, Tan got a little help from her
Thai friends to pull things off. The entire creative crew of
Pop Aye, except Tan, was Thai. The script was originally
in English, which was translated into Thai whereby Tan
asked three friends to revise, one of them the award-win-
ning writer Prabda Yoon. For Tan, theres nothing more
irritating than a foreign filmmaker coming to make a film
about another culture and getting everything wrong
like Hollywood often does. And she made it a priority to
make everything as authentic as possible.
Perhaps the biggest challenge, however, is the ele-
phant. The animal used in the film is called Bong, and
even though hes super-nice and a proficient actor, its
the logistics surrounding the movement of the beast that
required patience and hard work.
We knew it would be difficult when we wrote the
script. But only when we started shooting did I release
how much of a challenge it was, she said. The number
of permits we have to clear and getting permission to
shoot on location in one scene we had the elephant
inside a house these are the real challenges. And we
shot the film in April. In between takes we had to take
Bong out and water him down because it was so hot.
Making a film about an elephant in Thailand, Tan
realises, means courting interpretative reading and sym-
bolism. For one thing, the animal has long been a de
facto image of exotica, majesty and wilderness all at
once whenever a foreigner looks at Thailand.In fact,
the first foreign film ever shot in Siam, in 1927, was called
Chang, g or Elephant; the directors were Merian C Cooper
andErnest B Schoedsack, who would go on to make the
original King Kongg in 1933. The allure of the pachyderm,
its gentle amplitude and its million-year-old eyes, have
since attracted a number of artists to treat it as something
larger than life with a deep association to the land.
Tan has a simpler idea though.
I definitely wanted to avoid the symbolism of the
elephant. But I know its such a strong symbol and
its unavoidable for people to read into it, said Tan. I
stayed with Bong for three weeks to observe his daily
life. I wanted to keep the elephant in the film as real
and specific as possible. I dont want to make a Disney
elephant. I treat him as a character, and thats what the
movie is about.
Pop Ayee opens the Bangkok Asean Film Festival
tonight at SF CentralWorld. Repeat screenings
on Sunday, April 30 at 3pm and Monday, May
1 at 3pm. Contact www.facebook.com/
BangkokAseanFilmFestival/ for details.
art
P l i ght of domeesttic
w ork ers inn picctuuree s
p8
PHOTOS COURTESY OF BANGKOK ASEAN FILM FESTIVAL
BANGKOK ASEAN
FILM FESTIVAL 2017
T
he Bangkok Asean Film Festival 2017 is taking place
from today until May 1 at SF CentralWorld. This is
the third year the Ministry of Culture has hosted the
festival aimed at celebrating filmmaking creativity within
Asean countries. Admission is free, though you have to book
seats in advance online. Visit www.facebook.com/Bangko-
kAseanFilmFestival/ for detail or contact 02-643-9100 or
admin@mpc.or.th
The 2017 edition of the festival is the biggest so far, with 22
titles on the menu. Ten films are in Asean Competition, nine
in the showcase sidebar, and there are three rare classic films.
Some other contemporary highlights in the festival are:
Solo Solitude
Indonesia, directed by Yosep Anggi Noen
The film looks at the life of an activist poet who flees the per-
secution of the Suharto regime to a small village in Borneo.
Dearest Sister
Laos, directed by Mattie Do
This stylish horror-drama from Laos tells the story of a
blind woman who can glimpse the shadow of ghosts and her
caretaker who just came from the countryside.
Ho Chi Minh In Siam
Vietnam, directed by Bui Tuan Dung
The Communist hero Ho Chi Minh spent a few years in the
Northeast of Thailand. This film looks at his journey from
Bangkok to Udon Thani in 1927.
A Yellow Bird
Singapore, directed by K Rajagopal
This tough Singaporean drama looks at the underbelly of
wealthy society. A Singaporean-Indian ex-convict tries to
find work to support his ex-wife when he meets a Chinese
prostitute abused by her pimp.
Turn Left Turn Right
Cambodia, directed by Douglas Seok
This Cambodian drama is narrated through songs, telling
the story of a young woman with big dreams and how they
clash with the traditional lifestyle of her family.
Interchange
Malaysia, directed by Dain Said
A police thriller from Malaysia involves a detective who
enlists the help of a crime photographer to solve bizarre
murder cases.
In The Flesh
Thailand, directed by Kong Pahurak
A 17-year-old girl escapes her claustrophobic life and runs
into a human smuggler.
CLASSIC FILMS
z The Emerald Junglee (Myanmar, 1934), the oldest sur-
viving film from Myanmar telling the story of a fugitive
who falls in love with a woman while on the run.
z Three Maidenss (Indonesia, 1956), a family comedy
about three sisters.
z The Lion Cityy (Singapore, 1960), a romantic drama
that depicts Singapore at the cusp of modernisation.
life t HAPPENING
2 | WEDNESDAY, APRIL 26, 2017 | Bangkok Post

SPOTLIGHT
TODAY
A movie with spirit
PRESERVATION
V AND REVITALIZATION OF LOCAL
LANGUAGES IN THAILAND

I
A panel discussion at Foreign Correspondents ts a major event for Bangkok cinephiles.
Club of Thailand, Maneeya Centre, Phloenchit Olivier Assayas, one of the best-known French
Road, at 7pm. The fee is 450 baht (150 baht for Thai directors, is in town to present his latest film.
journalists and students and free for members). Personal Shopper, r from a glance, sounds like
Call 02-652-0580. a terrible movie. Twenty-something Maureen
Cartwright (played by Kristen Stewart) lives
MARCO GUIDOLOTTI JAZZ QUARTET CONCERT in Paris, working as a personal shopper
At Bangkok Art and Culture Centre, Pathumwan for a short-tempered celebrity named
intersection, at 7pm. No admission fee.
Kyra. But thats not what makes her
Visit www.eventbrite.com.

PHO
PHO
special. Maureen also happens to be

OTTO
a medium who can communicate

O COURT
NEW MOON SADHANA OF MAHAMUDRA

OUURTESY
PRACTICE with spirits, and is waiting to hear

UR ESY
from her twin brother who has

ESSY OF
At Bangkok Shambhala Meditation Center,
Sukhumvit 23, from 7-8pm. No admission fee but mysteriously passed away in the

OF FEST
donations welcome. city. Her life spirals into a murder

EST VAL DE
ESTI
Visit www.shambhala.or.th. mystery after receiving a text
from the unknown.

DE CANNE
THE MALL HAPPY SUMMER It sounds outlandish, but

N S
Featuring up to 50% discounts on chic fashion,
director Olivier Assayas makes
plus up to 20% discounts on new collections,
it work. Premiered at Cannes
at all branches of The Mall. Ends today. Kristen Stewart in Personal Shopper.
Call 02-310-1021. in May last year, the movie won
Best Director (but received some
KING RAMA IX - HEART OF THE NATION boos after its screening) and has tonight at the Alliance franaise de Bangkok drama starring Maggie Chueng as a rock singer
A painting exhibition by Daeng Buasan, at River been widely proclaimed as brilliant on Sathon Road. Director Olivier Assayas will who tries to reunite with her son. In Personal
City Bangkoks Room 181, Charoen Krung 24. with a dash of Hitchcockian flavour be there giving a presentation before the Shopper,r again we see the director presenting
PHOTO: AFP

Until April 29.
Call 02-237-0077/8 ext 701.
A SENSE OF THAI 2017
Featuring a replica of the revered white marble
reclining Buddha housed in a sea of 10,000 red
lotuses, nine silver bells, cultural performances, and
the royal recipes of Thai favourite dishes including
khao chae, at Central Embassy, Phloenchit Road.
Until April 30.
Call 02-254-70716.
added into the fashion-drama-thriller
(something you definitely dont hear
every day). Kristen Stewart has also been
lauded as putting in one of her best
performances yet.
Those in Bangkok can judge for
Olivier Assayas attends the Personal
themselves, now that the film is premiering
Shopperr premiere at Metrograph.
screening at 8pm. But to those who cant the story of a woman braving the confusion of
make the premiere, the film will go into limited the world around her.
release this week at cinemas as well as at
Alliance franaise. Apipar Norapoompipat
Assayas was in Bangkok once in 2005 to join
the now-defunct Bangkok International Film Visit Alliance franaise de Bangkoks Facebook
F
Festival. That time he came with Clean, a family page or call 02 670 4233.

Email: life.events@bangkokpost.co.th

UP & COMING
Rudklao Amratisha.
Phusit
Laithong.

Artisanal gems from THE MAGIC

OF SONG
across Thailand Thailands leading vocalists will be singing
A range of artisanal handicrafts will be a string of favourite love songscomposed
presen
pre sented
ted du
durin
ringg the
the 8th Id
Ident
entity
ity Of and produced by two of the countrys most
Siam at the Fashion Hall and Lifestyle famous artists during the Magic Moment
Hall of Siam Paragon, Rama I, from concert at the Plenary Hall of Queen Sirikit
tomorrow to Sunday, 10am-9pm. National Convention Center, Ratchada-
Organised by the Support Arts and Benjarong phisek Road, on May 6 at 7pm.
Crafts International Centre of Thai- Organised by Ampol Food and Theppa- Nitipong
porcelain. Hornak.
land (Sacict), this years event comes dungporn Coconut, the concert is a special
with
wit h the
the the
theme
me Un
Untol
told
dLLege
egenda
ndaryry Of collaboration between songwriter Nitipong
Handicraft To Today Lifes Crafts and The second zone will showcase for food) and phan waenfah (a high Dee Hornak and music producer Phusit Add This is a rare chance to listen to special
gathers masterpieces by artisans from endangered artisans crafts at risk of tray mostly decorated with mirrors); Tang Laithong, to pay tribute to the late Carabao. versions of memorable songs composed by
across the country. extinction in an exhibition titled The Kru Wirat Pinsuwan, who is reputed King Bhumibol and to raise funds for the Nitipong, including Ying Klai Ying Jeb, Kid
Thee fair
a iss divided
d ded into to three
t ee major
ajo Revival Of The Forgotten Heritage
Heritage. for benjarongg painting (Thai porce- construction of the Navamindrapobitr 84th Thueng Chan Mai Wela Thee Thur, r Kobjai
zones. The first zone, called Because Of The biographies of three masters will lain with designs in five colours); and Anniversary Building, a fully integrated g Jeb Pai Jeb Ma and Kon Hin Kon
Jing Jing,
Love To Citizens, will exhibit the royal be presented alongside their master- Kru Direk Soiseeda, an expert on Lan- and specialised medical centre at Nan, as well as Nitpongs and Phusits
duties and visits to all four regions of pieces and techniques. na-style repousse metalwork. Siriraj Hospital. favourite international songs, including
Thailand to reminisce about the benev- They are Kru Sanae Jamjiraruk, an The last zone is devoted to the How Deep Is Your Love, In My Life, My Way
olence of King Bhumibol, HM Queen expert on talum (a receptacle usually Sacict: Inheritance Of The Value Of and Saving All My Love.
Sirikit and HM King Maha Vajiralong- made of wood and inlaid with mother folk Arts And Craft exhibition, which They will be rearranged for the 70-piece
korn Bodindradebayavarangkun. of pearl), tiab (a tray-like receptacle will introduce the roles of Sacict in orchestra, led by Phusit, and will be sung by
promoting Thai handi- celebrated singers such as Add Karabao, Tu
crafts in the international Nuntida, Bee Peerapat, New & Jew, Rudklao
Repousse metalwork.
arena. The knowledge and Amratisha, Meya Nonthawan, Wan Thana-
wisdom of craft masters, krit, Singto Numchok, Bell Supol and Kit
PHOTOS COURTESY OF TV THUNDER

artisans and their heirs will The Voice. The highlight of this full-scale
also be presented. More concert which will last for three hours will
than 50 retail shops will be the premiere of Raja Kue Phu Hai, a
offer textiles, batik, metal new song written by Nitipong to honour
PHOTOS COURTESY OF SACICT

wares, gold wares, home King Bhumibol.

decorations and apparel; Tickets cost 1,000, 1,500 and 2,000 baht
and cultural performances and can be purchased from ThaiTicketMa-
Talum. will be staged six times a jor booths (visit www.thaiticketmajor.com
day, starting at 11am. or call 02-262-3456).

Visit www.sacict.or.th or Visit www.facebook.com/

call 035-367-0546. Tu Nuntida. Bell Supol. magicmomentconcert.
Meya Nonthawan.

SOCIAL SCENE

TOP COMPANY: Prof Dr Kasem Watthanachai, left, privy councillor, presented
the Thailand Top Company Awards 2017 in the food and beverage category to
S&P Syndicate, represented by Vitoon Sila-On, right, president of operations
and human resources.S&P Syndicate has been a recipient of the award for four
consecutive years. Organised by the University of the Thai Chamber of Commerce
and Business+ + magazine by ARIP, the award presentation was recently held
atDusit Thani Bangkoks Napalai Ballroom.
HAPPY SERVICE: Nongluck Kulpipat, left, director of Krabi provinces Special
Education Centre, received a donation of necessities from Centara resorts, led
byGeorge Kenton, right, general manager of Centara Anda Dhevi Resort & Spa
Krab. Centara executives and employees also hosted lunch and organised leisure
activities for the Special Education Centres students andteachers. The event was
a part of the Centara Care initiatives aimed at building a good relationship with
local communities.
CHARITY SALE: Patrick Both, general manager of Anantara Siam Bangkok Hotel,
and The NewsMakers group hosted the 11th Clutter Sale For Charity, whose
proceeds will be donated to Chulalongkorn Hospitals Genetic Cancer Research
Centre under the auspices of the Thai Red Cross. Prof Shanop Shuangshoti,
director of Chulalongkorn GenePRO Center, as well as Janprapa Vichitcholchai,
deputy director of the Thai Red Cross Societys Fundraising Bureau, also attended
the event atthe hotels ballroom. From left, Prof Shanop, Annabelle Daokaew,
Naphalai Areesorn, Ms Janprapa and Mr Both.

Send pictures to life.social@bangkokpost.co.th.

 life t HAPPENING Bangkok Post | WEDNESDAY, APRIL 26, 2017 | 3

Caitlyn Jenner talks of suicide, secrets in new autobiography

LEANNE ITALIE
AP
Caitlyn Jenner opened up this week about
her frank new memoir detailing her now
two-year-old gender transition and the
bumps along the way, including her three
failed marriages, thoughts of suicide while
she was relentlessly pursued by paparazzi
and, finally, freedom to be her true self.
And, yes, contrary to the thoughts of
many in the trans community, she uses
her former name, Bruce, in the book, The
Secrets Of My Life, out this week. And, yes,
she describes her liberating, below-the-belt
gender-reassignment surgery The Final
Surgery, as she calls it on the very last
page, insisting that its the last word from
her about that.
And yes, she takes on, briefly, her con-
servative political views when it comes to
US President Donald Trump and issues
like less government, but not so on issues
PHOTO: AP
she feels let down by him and the party in
Trumps first 100 days.
Yeah, Ive gotten criticised because I
come from a more conservative Repub-
lican side, but my loyalties are not with
the Republican Party. My loyalties are not
with Donald Trump. Im not a one-issue
voter. I believe in limited government. I like
lower taxes. I like a thriving economy. I like
everybody working, but my loyalties are
with my community and to make it better,
Jenner said.
Why go to any of these places to begin
with months after her formal coming-out
interview with Diane Sawyer on ABC,
watched by 17.1 million viewers, then on
the cover of Vanity Fair, r and finally her
now-cancelled reality show on E! Enter-
tainment, I Am Cait, t wherein she went
on the road with fellow members of the
trans community.
I needed to pour my heart out on
everything, the 67-year-old Jenner said
the way I dealt with my stuff. The book,
which was co-written by Buzz Bissinger
(who also wrote the Vanity Fairr cover
story), has already brought on bitter, hurt
tears from Jenners third wife, Kris Jenner,
whose closet Caitlyn once regularly raided
as she stole moments to cross-dress while
struggling with her gender identity. They
are moments, Caitlyn said, that Kris was
well aware of before I made love to her
after the two met in 1990.
To be honest with you, I havent even
talked to her about it, Jenner said of Kriss
reaction to the book.
There were many dark times for the
Olympic gold-medal-winning decathlete
as he went about hiding his gender strug-
gles, including a false start in transitioning
in the 1980s.
Jenner took hormones, but her enlarged
breasts did not disappear after the treat-
ments stopped, requiring liposuction as
she continued living as a man.
TMZ distributed a photo of a dishevelled
Jenner emerging from a doctors office after
a procedure to have her trachea shaved so
she could appear more like a woman. This
was before Diane Sawyer and her formal
coming out, and it felt like a painful,
forced outing.
It got to the point where I thought, you
know what, I know the easy way out, Jenner
said. I got a gun in the house ... But then
the next day I thought, wouldnt that be the
stupidest thing youve ever done, to silence
your voice? You have the opportunity here
to really make a difference, to live your
life honestly.
Jenner has spent much of the last two
years learning from the trans community
from a vantage point of white, wealthy
privilege that she fully acknowledges in
the book, and trying to make amends with
her huge family, including six children and
four Kardashian stepchildren.
Jenner dedicates the book, from Grand

important to the LGBTQ community as of the book. What I was trying to accom- There was one moment in particular, Central Publishing, to her father and
a whole, such as same-sex marriage. She plish is, one, get it all out for myself, so there years later, that took Jenner to the ultimate brother. As for his dad likely not under-
voted for Trump nevertheless, though was no other secrets left, but two, it was dark place, suicide. The celebrity news site standing, thats OK, she said.

At Tribeca, Anthony Bourdain plays activist Hanks jokes Twitter CEO

JAKE COYLE
AP inspired his new character
Anthony Bourdain is not one for activism. DAVID INGRAM The films cast members said they
Tattooed on his arm in Greek is I am cer- REUTERS were conflicted about technology that
tain of nothing. encourages people to share online,
But at the Tribeca Film Festival in New Oscar-winning actor Tom Hanks, who torn between its ability to shine a light
York, Bourdain has, a little reluctantly, pre- plays a Silicon Valley tycoon in the on injustice and its threat to privacy
sented a documentary, Wasted! The Story new film The Circle, about a powerful in everyday affairs.
Of Food Waste, in which he argues passion- social-media company, teased
ately against the waste of food, from super- Twitter CEO Jack Dorsey on
markets to home cooking even though Monday that he may have been
advocacy of any kind makes him almost the inspiration for the part.
physically squeamish. Hanks appeared alongside
Having travelled as much as I do [sic], Dorsey on Periscope, Twitters
I constantly go into places thinking one service for live broadcasts,
thing, only to be shown that Im wrong and to promote the film, which
forced by circumstances and exposure to premiers on Wednesday at New
rethink whatever preconceptions I might Yorks Tribeca Film Festival.
have had, Bourdain said in a recent inter- I played you, Hanks said,
view. Activism seems to require a level of as co-stars including Emma
certainly and dedication that Im uncom- Watson laughed. Im not in as
fortable with. Im a renter, not a buyer, good a shape. I didnt exercise
when it comes to ideologies. Im a sceptic. or eat as well as you did, but I
I believe very much in scepticism. I dont played you.
ever want to look like a guy with an agenda. Dorsey, laughing along, held
Its not that Bourdain is apolitical. The up a hand and said: Not me.
countless meals shared on his years of TV, Earlier, while telling the

P O: REUTERS
PHO
PHOT
PHOTO: AP

from No Reservationss to the soon-returning bearded, T-shirt-wearing

Parts Unknown, are chiefly feasts both Dorsey about the executive

through the food on the plate and the dis-
cussions held over them of larger cultural
conversation. Of the traditions kept alive by
immigrants. Of the glories of street food. Of
the simple power of breaking bread with
people from all walks of life.
But standing out front of an issue in
todays ethically charged food world is a
step further for Bourdain. So what was it
that lured him into combating food waste?
A lifetime in which the cooking principle
Use Everything, Waste Nothing was
instilled in him, and driven deeper by one
brutal kitchen regime after another.
The intent of this film happens to align
with something that I feel very strongly
[about] from the point of view of just a
classically trained cook who came up in a
system where the whole idea of waste was
abhorrent, said Bourdain. The whole
story of food as a professional cook is to
Anthony Bourdain attends the Turner Network 2016 Upfront in New York.
maximise your profit, to waste as little as
possible, to merchandise what is not used
in the principle entre. And of course travel-
ling around the world I see again and again
and again how circumstances force people
to cook really, really well and make the most
of the often very little food they have.
The film is directed by Anna Chai and
Nari Kye and executive-produced by Bour-
dain. Its a tragedy of trash, told colourfully
by Chai and Kye.
Some stats: Roughly a third of the food
produced for human consumption every
year is never eaten. In the US, more than
90% of wasted food ends up in a landfill,
at an annual cost of US$1 trillion. The film
showcases those using creative solutions to
the problem, like a beer called Toast made
out of leftover sandwich bread, or a budget
grocery store of donated excess foods.
The film also preaches the flavour and
thrift of dishes that use typically tossed
parts of produce or animals.
I love tripe, oxtails, cheeks, said Bour-
dain. I love going to a restaurant in Japan
where they serve nothing but collars and
the meat around the fins. Those are the
things that cooks are most passionate
about. Its so funny when you see all of
these things that only poor people used to
eat now as the hipster dish of the moment.
Most glaring, though, is the waste of
supermarkets where aisles are intended
to showcase abundance, even though that
means stocking shelves with the intent to
not sell all of it.
In order to have their aisles look a
certain way and give an impression of
abundance with only the freshest and
best, theyve deemed it necessary to waste
tremendous amounts of food that in
another situation would be vital to people,
said Bourdain.
Wasted!! is just the latest in Bourdains
growing presence in movies. Being a film
nerd, he says, is a necessary qualification
for his Parts Unknown crew members. He
recently listed the 10 films that are con-
stant reference points on his shows, from
Wong Kar-Wais In The Mood For Lovee to
Peter Yates The Friends Of Eddie Coyle. The
upcoming season, he vows, will pay ode, if
not outright theft, to David Lean (Lawrence
Of Arabia) when he travels to Oman.
R
he portrays in the film, Hanks
deadpanned: You know
that hes a diabolical genius
because hes got a beard. Do Tom Hanks at the Peoples Choice Awards.
you find that to be the case,
Jack? The world that we live in now,
The film, which opens widely in with the level of transparency that
the United States on Friday, is based were seeing, you get everything
on a Dave Eggers novel. The book every unkind word, every criticism,
sparked debate about the rise of Watson said.
social media when it was published Patton Oswalt, who plays a tech
in 2013. executive in the film, asked whether
The fictional company at the people would become burnt out over
centre of the film and the book is the next 10 years and start a mass
obsessed with getting people to retreat from social media.
share their daily activities publicly. Its the opposite of Andy Warhols
Reviewers have made comparisons thing. In the future, everyone will be
to Alphabet Inc, Google, Facebook allowed to be anonymous for 15 min-
and Twitter. utes, Oswalt said.

Iggy Pop
performing during
the Festival Cognac
Artists urge Radiohead to skip Israel show Blues Passions in
France, last year.

Dozens of artists, including Roger
Waters, this week called on Radiohead
to cancel a concert in Israel, saying the
band, known for its left-wing politics,
should join Palestinian activists boy-
cott calls.
The English experimental rock icons
are scheduled to play in Tel Aviv on July
19, closing a tour that includes premier
festivals Coachella and Glastonbury.
Radiohead has played benefits for
Tibetans rights, Amnesty International
and the battle against climate change.
Since Radiohead campaigns for
freedom for the Tibetans, were won-
dering why youd turn down a request
to stand up for another people under
foreign occupation, the letter said.
In asking you not to perform in
Israel, Palestinians have appealed to
you to take one small step to help pres-
sure Israel to end its violation of basic
rights and international law.
Surely if making a stand against the
politics of division, of discrimination
and of hate means anything at all, it
means standing against it everywhere
and that has to include what happens
to Palestinians every day, it said.
Waters, the former Pink Floyd member
and creative force of The Wall,
l has long
been outspoken on Israel.
Other signatories included novelists
Alice Walker and Hari Kunzru, Thurs-
ton Moore of US alternative rock pio-
neers Sonic Youth and Nick Seymour
of Australian rockers Crowded House.
Retired bishop and Nobel Prize-win-
ning anti-apartheid campaigner Des-
mond Tutu also signed the letter.
A cultural boycott campaign against
Israel has had mixed success. Stevie
PHOTO: AFP

Wonder, Carlos Santana and

Lauryn Hill have scrapped
shows in Israel but plenty of
major names, including Paul
McCartney, the Rolling Stones,
Elton John and Bon Jov, have
performed in recent years.
Israels defenders have
denounced the boycott cam-
paign as hypocritical, saying the
democratic country has been
singled out when some prom-
inent musicians are willing to
play in dictatorships.
Radiohead has not played
Israel since 2000. That concert
was part of a now-legendary
Mediterranean swing where
Radiohead previewed songs
PHOTO: AFP
Iggy Pop sings on experimental jazz album
Punk legend Iggy Pop has turned 70 with
news that he is singing on an experimen-
tal jazz album, saying the genres bare
exposure of his voice appealed to him
artistically.
The Lust For Lifee singer, who turned
70 on April 21, contributes to three songs
on New York pianist and composer Jamie
Safts upcoming Loneliness Road.
Pop said that his voice on the songs has
imperfections but that he decided they
behind. Saft, who has worked with artists
as diverse as leading contemporary com-
poser John Adams and hard-core punks
Bad Brains, said he improvised around Pop
rather than just having the star singer offer
his voice.
Its a deeper concept of original
improvised music that transcends genre,
he explained.
Pop, known for his intense live perfor-
mances in which he works his bare-chested
novelist Michel Houellebecqs The Possibil-
d and Apres, which is mostly
ity Of An Island,
covers of French songs.
Pop said he was also working on music
for an upcoming French film.
The rocker was able to reach 70, unlike
his close friend and collaborator David
Bowie, who died last year at 69 after releas-
ing his jazz-infused final album, Blackstar.
Metallica frontman James Hetfield, 53,
celebrated Pops birthday over the weekend

from Kid A, often called the
bands masterpiece, which
were swapped online before the
Radiohead performs at Coachella Valley Music And Arts Festival. albums release. AFP
were appropriate.
I was a little surprised at how feeble I
sounded on certain parts of it, but I thought
that was OK, he said.
Pop said he was drawn to jazz as theres
no big, bashing thing or echo trick to hide
body into a sweat, last year released Post
Pop Depression, which had the air of a
career-capping album.
His two previous albums had strong
jazz influences Preliminaires, which
took inspiration from provocative French
by releasing a video in which he pulls off his
own shirt to show his heavily tattooed torso.
You dont look a day over 30, Hetfield
said of Pop, calling him a huge inspira-
tion for musicians who are getting older.
AFP
life t TECH
4 | WEDNESDAY, APRIL 26, 2017 | Bangkok Post

CURRENTS
 JAMES HEIN
A NEW The multi-function
pavilion was
assembled from

LANDSCA
fibre cement wood.

The inflexibility
of silicon Outdoor furniture produced
by 3D printing technology
using innovative cements is
S
ince the 1950s, silicon has been the basis for
our integrated circuits. The changes in compo-
nent density since then have been staggering, now available for the garden
with your smartphone now more powerful than
the early supercomputers. Current chips can cram
over 10 million transistors into a square millimetre, STORY: SASIWIMON BOONRUANG
The multi-function
and these can be scaled in 3D, giving us the storage
EGGO Pavilion.
solutions we have today. The problem for some

3
applications is that silicon is quite rigid, and while it D printing technology has taken
is not going away anytime soon, some applications another step forward by producing
want processors to be bendy. landscape architectural products
with the use of innovative cements.
shape and size of the rock can be created
without the use of natural rock.
Anon added that this was another chal-
lenge as a designer as it was the first time in

E nter engineers from the Vienna University of

Technology in Austria, who have announced
their molybdenum disulphide semiconductor, a
2D construction that can be printed on plastic and
placed in, say, a clothing item. The technology is not
a replacement for silicon but complementary. There
are also some potential issues to resolve like how to
make them with minimal impact to current fabrica-
tion processes that cost billions of dollars to set up.
SCG teamed up with two land-
scape designers to introduce a new special
collection in four designs produced with
3D printing technology using special SCG
cement formula.
The Designer Collaboration Project By
SCG reflects advancement in construction
innovation through four designs: landscape
sculpture Fluctuation Of Precision, which
claims to be the first functional sculpture
Thai architectural industry that landscape
decorative products were designed from
3D printing technology using this particular
cement formula.
Fibre cement wood, produced by inno-
vative X-TRUSION technology, was used to
assemble the multi-function EGGO Pavil-
ion in an egg shape, created from over 1,000
pieces of fibre cement wood under a modu-
lar pattern. The EGGO Pavilion, designed by

W e have all been there well, some of us, at

least away from home with no computer
and in need of something from our computer at
home. If you have your smartphone or tablet at
hand, there are solutions, and some of them work
no matter what kind of phone you have. Chrome
remote Desktop is an extension to the popular
Chrome browser, and runs on Windows, Mac, Linux,
Androidand iOS. You will need to be a Chrome user,
of course, and install the extension. You can search
for a complete how to guide on setting this up and
operating using your browser. The other popular
option is TeamViewer, which also supports most
platforms, and unlike the Chrome option allows file
transfers. You will need a Google Drive or to email
yourself the files when using the Chrome.
I n the past, I have written about crazy patent
claims, in particular patent trolls, that exist to
make money from anyone apparently using a tech-
nology they have bought the patent for. There is an
organisation called the Electronic Frontier Foun-
dation (www.eff.org), that issues a Stupid Patent of
produced with 3D printing technology using
special SCG cement formula; decorated
shelter DOT; FISH, a new dimension of shel-
ter that combines nature and modernity; and
EGGO Pavilion, a multi-function product
assembled from fibre cement wood.
Designed by furniture designer Anon
Pairot, design director of Anon Pairot Design
Studio, Fluctuation Of Precision is a con-
temporary landscape sculpture designed
under the concept Customized Terrace
Customed Imagination. It presents an
area resembling a small outdoor terrace
which has furniture and a rock garden as
its components.
The piece can be used in peoples daily
lives. The designer joined teams of soft-
ware engineers and material specialists in
developing production technology to design
the product. The shape was formulated
with an injection of liquefied materials in
layers, using innovative cement as the main
raw material.
Jeravej Hongsakul, architect and managing
director of IDIN Architects, is for resting or
relaxing to music.
According to Jeravej, its quite rare to see
fibre cement used to design works. The piece
opened up a breakthrough in the conven-
tional application of the material.
The designer said the egg-shape design
conveys the origin of life. The design
comprises two main components the
Shell, which is the assembly of materials into
an egg shape, which is the most challeng-
ing aspect to construct, and the Yolk, which
is designed as an empty space for users to
define their own space for sitting, standing
or sleeping.
The decorated sun shelter DOT is designed
from the concept of giving importance to the
This year its not just a showcase,
we are making the products
available for consumers
Inside Out perspective, to be seen in the
variety of small to large holes with different
levels of concentration. The outstanding fea-
ture is that it allows house owners to design
PHOTOS COURTESY OF SCG

the Month award. One recent recipient was Global
Equity Management (SA) (Gemsa), located in Aus-
tralia, which tried to sue the EFF, an American non-
profit. Gemsa is now facing a countersuit in the US,
where freedom of speech rights do exist, unlike in
Australia. Gemsa has also painted a sign on itself
that may as well read Patent Troll, and may also
have finally awakened the US court system to what
some call runaway patent litigation.
The rock garden component is shaped
to resemble natural materials. The product
will become a large piece of art in the garden
while withstanding all weather conditions. It
will also add to the charm of nature with the
imitation of a rock garden. Rock is a familiar
material used in landscape decorations for
Thai people but what is special is that the
the panels to their own preference to make
them most match their house. When light
shines through the panels, it adds intriguing
patterns to the areas.
Another decorated sun shelter, FISH is
the quest for a design technique to build
softness and a flowing feeling on hard mate-
Special cement formula was used with the 3D printing technology. rial. Jeravej has reflected this concept with
the flow of the water that is caused from
fish movement.

T he verdict is in: Samsung S8s personal assistant

Bixby is terrible. The advertised voice elements
are not yet present but presumably will ship later in
Anuvat Chalermchai, brand direc-
tor, Brand Management Office, SCG
Cement-Building Materials, said the col-
the year, perhaps. The dedicated button is too easy laboration with professional designers has
to hit by mistake, and the ability to customise what pointed to the potential of the technology.
pops up when you press the Bixby was removed at This year its not just a showcase, we are
the last minute. This makes it Apple-like, as what making the products available for consum-
you get is what Samsung decides it should be. All in ers. We offer uniqueness and the intellectual
all, existing apps do a lot better job of what Bixby is property, as this is the new to the world,
supposed to be doing for you as the user, and it has said Anuvat, adding that people interested
earned the unofficial nickname Shixby. in the products can purchase them for actual
usage. Moreover, products from 3D printing

T he Russian antitrust case against Google has

been settled, and the result is that the Android
OS will be fully open in Russia. Google forces most
handset makers to put its own search engine as the
primary one on any Android device, but in Russia
they will no longer be able to do that, including on
the default home screen. There is a similar case in
progress in Europe.
technology can have customised designs to
fire the imagination of house owners, design-
ers and architects.
Fluctuation of Precision, DOT and FISH
will be showcased at the Architects 17
Fair which will be held from May 2-7 at
Fluctuation of Precision. Impact Exhibition Centre, Muangthong
Thani. After the fair, the works will be

I f you are a Microsoft phone user, then you may

well be wondering why the new authentication
method for logging into its online accounts, recently
displayed at SCG Experience from June
1 onwards. EGGO PA PAVILION will be
launched in the fourth quarter this year.
introduced by Microsoft, does not work for Windows
Phone. For others, it is an improvement over the
older approach, because it will block many hacking
methods to get into your accounts. Apparently, there
are too few people using the Windows Phone oper-
ating system for Redmond to implement it for them.

I ts official, according to a UK government survey:

phishing and ransomware remain the most press-
IMAG
GIN
NING
NG THE FU
UTU
URE
ing security threats for UK businesses. Postt readers

A
of course will already know that. fter being shortlisted as the seven finalist teams To prepare for this new digital era, Thailand needs
selected from over 100 applications nationwide, to focus on equipping the future workforce with tech-

R esearchers from Princeton and Stanford Uni-

versity claim that their ad blocker, seen in con-
cept form for Chrome users as the Perceptual Ad
Highlighter, is the last word in ad-blocking, or to
use the current favourite phrase Moab, mother of
all ad-blockers. They also claim their approach is
future proof. This last claim is akin to claims that
antivirus software is future proof, something the
past has shown to be incorrect. I suspect the clever
people in marketing will come up with a variety of
workarounds.
TeamWelsefrom King Mongkuts University
of Technology Thonburi won Imagine Cup Thailand.
The team wooed the judges with their portable Inter-
net of Things (IoT) device that carries out clinical lab
tests on blood samples. The device aims to upgrade
communications and facilitate the local health stations
and volunteers by helping users receive analysis.
Team Welse will receive the royal trophy from HRH
Princess Maha Chakri Sirindhorn. They represented
Thailand in the inaugural 2017 Imagine Cup Southeast
Asia in the Philippines on Monday, where they com-
peted with teams from nine other countries for a chance
nological and critical thinking skills, and inspire Thai
youth to innovate and develop.
We very much hope that the Imagine Cup will
serve as the platform for our next generation to further
develop their Stem skills, and most importantly their
creativity as prospect innovators. Thats why for Imagine
Cup 2017 this year, we werelooking for deep technology
integration in fully formed apps and devices that have
real-life implementation potential, she said.
A recentMicrosoft studyshowed that 89% of Thai
business leaders believe they need to transform their
organisations into digital businesses to enable future
PHOTO COURTESY OF MICROSOFT

F inally for this week: is there nothing scientists

cant do? Researchers collaborating from a few
universities have demonstrated negative mass. But
dont expect to be able to put it in your pockets to
become lighter, as its a quantum thing.
to win an all-expenses-paid trip to the World Finals in
Seattle, which will take place in July of this year, and will
see the best and brightest teams from across the globe
compete for the title of World Champion, a US$100,000
(3.4 million baht) cash prize, and the chance to take
home the Imagine Cup.
growth. However, only 29% of those surveyed indicated
that they have a full digital strategy in place.As every
industry faces disruption from newer, agile, digital-
ly-savvy players, studies indicate that organisations in
Thailand are prioritising employee empowerment to
catch up with the change, especiallyfor them to col-

A note to readers. Yes, there was no article last

week, as this column has been changed by the
newspaper to bi-weekly.
James Hein is an IT professional of over
30years standing. You can contact him at
jclhein@gmail.com.
We are entering an era when the development of
new materials, breakthroughs in the field of genetic engi-
neering and digital transformation are increasingly blur-
ring the lines between the physical, biological and digital
worlds, Siriporn Pajharawat, director of developer expe-
rience and platform evangelism, Microsoft Thailand.
laborate and share knowledge digitally for greater pro-
ductivity and idea sharing.
These numbers indicate that technology skills are
essential for digital transformation, so it is crucial to The winning team of Imagine Cup Thailand 2017, joined by Siriporn Pajharawat
equip students with the necessary knowledge and skills of Microsoft Thailand, right, and Dr Atchaka Sibunruang, minister of Science
to compete for the careers of tomorrow. and Technology.
 Bangkok Post |
life t TECH WEDNESDAY, APRIL 26, 2017 | 5

Latest Consumer
Technology Products
On Display At CES 2017.

BUYING
ANEW TV?
Heres how to cut through the jargon

PHOTOS: AFP
CHRISTOPHER MELE What resolution should you get? Heinonen called HDR a bit of a trap, because models Should you buy a TV with a curved screen?
NYT
Y One of the buzzwords you will hear is 4K, which is the can say they offer this feature but not display much benefit No. They were promoted by manufacturers as a gim-
successor to 1080p, the high-definition resolution found from it. While 4K content with high dynamic range can mick and have been discontinued after selling poorly,

L
ooking to buy a new television? Youll face
an alphabet soup of terms like 4K, HDR and
OLED but you dont have to be fluent in tech-
speak to get a television that is right for your
needs and budget.
Should you buy now or wait?
Consider upgrading now if you have not bought a televi-
sion in the last two years, Stephen Baker, vice-president
of technology-industry analysis at the NPD Group, a con-
sumer research firm, wrote in an email. Improvements in
electronics make for superior picture quality, standards
have been settled and the technology has been vetted.
It is pretty clear that 2017 is going to be the most com-
pelling year since the introduction of flat-panel models
to get a new television, he wrote.
What should you look for?
Your purchase will largely be about resolution and
screensize.
An excellent model that will meet the needs of a vast
majority of viewers can be had for US$500 (17,200 baht),
Chris Heinonen, a staff writer for The Wirecutter,
r which
makes recommendations for electronics and gadgets
(and that The New York Times Co bought last year), said
in an interview.
on modern television sets. The term 4K, also called Ultra
HD, offers sharper clarity. In the same space that a 1080p
television has a pixel, a 4K model can hold four.
4K comes standard with most new models, though
Heinonen cautioned that programming in that format
is not uniformly available. Streaming 4K content is avail-
able from Netflix, Amazon, Vudu and others. There are
select broadcasts on DirecTV and none from network
broadcasters, he said.
The advantages of 4K also may not be fully on dis-
play, depending on what you watch, Richard Spaide, an
ophthalmologist at Lenox Hill Hospital in Manhattan,
said in an email. Differences in the resolution would
be more apparent with relatively static pictures, he
wrote. Scenes with a lot of motion, such as explosions
in an action movie, dont necessarily benefit much from
increased resolution.
What else should you know?
HDR (high dynamic range) is the most modern advance-
ment and generally found in 4K televisions released last
year. This software enhances the contrast and colour
profile. In bright colours, you will see brighter highlights;
in dark colours, you will see more detail.
be noticeably better compared with 1080p content, 4K
content without high dynamic range can create a negli-
gible difference in picture quality.
Devindra Hardawar, a senior editor at the technology
news website Engadget, wrote in an email that OLED
(organic light-emitting diodes) is the next big thing
but that it remains expensive. (A model with a 55-inch
screen can cost up to $2,500 and a 65-inch model around
$3,500.) OLED televisions are impressively thin and
provide better contrast ratios than LED/LCD televisions,
and richer colours, he wrote.
Look for information about a models contrast ratio
how light the whites and how dark the blacks appear. The
greater the contrast, the better the visual pop.
A feature related to contrast is dimming, which has two
types: local dimming and full-array local dimming.
With local dimming, dark sections of the screen remain
dark and light sections are brighter. Heinonen recom-
mended full-array because it can dim smaller sections
of the screen.
What size screen should you get?
Go big or go home.
David Katzmaier, a writer for the technology news
website CNET, recommended at least 40 inches for a
bedroom television and at least 55 inches for a main one.
Heinonen said.
How about a 3D TV?
See answer above.
How should you shop for a TV?
Do your homework, read plenty of reviews and do not
believe your eyes when you are in a store looking at
models.
Some stores have halogen lamps that can distort the
way television images appear, giving them an artificial
brightness and vividness. Some televisions display con-
tent specifically tailored to show off that particular model,
Heinonen said.
The retail experience has no relationship to the home
experience, he said.
Do you really need a TV?
With the abundance of hand-held consumer electronics
such as smartphones and tablets that can play videos,
does it make sense to buy a television?
Hardawar noted that shows such as The Young Pope
and Game Of Throness are looking more like films, and
a large screen is the best way to take in their grandeur,
adding that watching television has increasingly become
a communal experience.

He recommended against spending a lot of money for
a top-of-the-line television now. A lower-price model will
serve you well for several years and can save you money
for an upgrade for when technology improves.
More than any other feature, stepping up in TV-screen If youre fine watching Netflix in bed, then you
One of the most common size is the best use of your money, he wrote, adding: One can probably rely on your laptop or tablet, he wrote.
post-TV-purchase complaints of the most common post-TV-purchase complaints Ive But theres no such thing as a movie party around
heard is from people who didnt go big enough. alaptop. 2017 NEW YORK TIMES NEWS SERVICE
IIve
ve heard is from people
whodidnt go big enough

NEW GADGETS  AKIN

GOTENNA MESH
goTenna Mesh enables text and GPS on your phone
100% off-grid. It introduces revolutionary mesh
networking, which means if someone is out of point-
to-point range, your messages will automatically
and privately relay through other users to get to
theright place. It pairs to smartphones via a simple
messaging app. Type a message, send a GPS
location, and access free offline maps for the whole
world via the goTenna app.

MOVERIO BT-300
The Moverio BT-300 features Epsons own
silicon OLED displays. It is compact and
lightweight yet delivers amazing brightness,
contrast, resolution and image quality. The
unique design fits over regular glasses, which
come with a 5MP camera, HD binocular
display, wide colour spectrum, improved nose
and cable design, and increased comfort.
RELIEFBAND VOYAGER
V
Reliefband Voyager is clinically
proven, FDA-cleared wearable
technology for the treatment of
JABRA SPEAK 710 nausea and vomiting associated
The Jabra Speak 710 comes in a small, with motion sickness. It is a device
compact design, with an integrated folding that can actually treat a condition
stand for extra flexibility. Connect to a rather than just monitor symptoms or
smart device or laptop in seconds via USB activity. It comes with a comfortable
or Bluetooth via the enclosed dongle. This cloth band, adjustable, hypoallergenic
provides a 30m range for laptops or 10m for conductivity gel tube, and pre-
smartphones. Up to 15 hours of battery life. installed batteries.
life t DIVERSIONS
6 | WEDNESDAY, APRIL 26, 2017 | Bangkok Post

HOROSCOPE
ANDY CAPP ANIMAL CRACKERS
 JERALDINE SAUNDERS

CAPRICORN Dec 22-Jan 19

You might itch to fight the system
but if you wish to succeed on certain
levels it is important to drift along with
the conventional flow. Steer clear of
unpleasant or untidy surroundings.

AQUARIUS Jan 20-Feb 18

Invite casual acquaintances to partici-
pate in one of your favourite activities
and you may win a new lifelong friend.
Spend a little bit extra to get the very BLONDIE THE BORN LOSER
best and you wont regret it.

PISCES Feb 19-March 20

You are at your best when you demon-
strate that you are ready, willing, and
able. Be prepared to deal with people
that skate on the cutting edge. Be
advised that someone could camou-
flage their true intent or purpose.

ARIES March 21-April 19

Concentrate on making something
sturdy that will stand up to the test
of time. Success is a beautiful thing
especially when it is built on a solid,
visionary foundation.
FRANK & ERNEST GARFIELD

TAURUS April 20-May 20

Your interests may shift from your job
and co-workers in the month ahead.
Make your own appearance a top pri-
ority and focus on being a shrewd and
savvy business negotiator.

GEMINI May 21-June 20

Show your poker face. Know when
to hold them and know when to fold
them. It may be better to wave a white
flag and bow out with dignity than to
continue fighting a lost cause. A com-
promise could ease tensions. INSANITY STREAK PEANUTS
CANCER June 21-July 22
Anything worth doing is worth doing
well. Handle small emergencies with
good grace. Slow down for speed
bumps when you have a conversation
with a partner. Make an effort to avoid
unnecessary arguments.

LEO July 23-Aug 22

New friends might come knocking on
your door. A flurry of activities trig-
gered through social contacts might
brighten your day. Your desire for
love and intimacy could be satisfied
tonight. THE WIZARD OF ID WUMO
VIRGO Aug 23-Sept 22
One of these could make you a target
of constructive criticism. Be careful not
to take critical suggestions personally
and dont let disapproval get under
your skin.

LIBRA Sept 23-Oct 22

Something good is heading your way.
Dont count chickens before they
hatch, but go ahead and count on
having at least a few chickens. If you
cant get in touch with someone now it
is probably for the best.

SCORPIO Oct 23-Nov 21

Widen your sphere of influence. An CROSSWORD SUDOKUPACIFICUCLICK TARGET
unimportant meeting could lead to Use the grid with the cryptic or the easy clues, but beware: The answers are different. How to solve Sudoku: How many words of four letters
making long term friends or a minor Place a number from 1-9 in each empty cell so that each or more can you make from the
request might end up becoming a row, each column and each 3x3 box contains all the letters shown here? In making
highly lucrative situation. Accept help
EASY CLUES 26 Stage whisper numbers from 1-9. (This means that no number can appear a word, each letter may be used
ACROSS (5) twice in any row, column or 3x3 box.) once only. Each word must
from others without embarrassment. 1 Preserve after 27 Loose (5) contain the large letter, and there
death (6) 28 Lair (3) must be at least one nine-letter
SAGITTARIUS Nov 22-Dec 21 7 Dutch liqueur 30 Peek (4) word in the list. No plurals; no
It might be nice to call ghostbusters. foreign words; no proper names.
(8)
Dont let yourself be haunted by 8 Enclosures (4) CRYPTIC CLUES TODAYS TARGET: 14 words, good; 21 words,
mistakes from the past. You might 10 Handsome ACROSS very good; 27 words, (or more) excellent.
be scared off by something that is a youth (6) 1 One better able
11 Vitality (6) to do his job?
memory or could have a relationship
14 Ram (3) (6) YESTERDAYS SOLUTIONS
flounder due to a misunderstanding.
16 Prison rooms (5) 7 Testy academic,
17 Gaelic (4) former pit EASY SOLUTIONS
If today is your birthday: ACROSS: 1, March 6, Strop 9, Locates 10,
19 Faithful (5) worker (8) Strip 11, Valid 12, Boxer 13, Politic 15, Dip 17,
The three to four weeks ahead can be 8 Such tennis
21 Cant (5) Eric 18, Ravine 19, Devil 20, Crisis 22, Beta 24,
highly productive if you avoid risks 22 Foreign (5) simply isnt Hut 25, Natural 26, Final 27, Nomad 28, Fable
and are cautious about spending 23 Farm building real! (4) 29, Terrain 30, Urges 31, Tests
too much time on social affairs. You (4) 10 Wandered like
DOWN: 2, Author 3, Clinic 4, Hop 5, Havoc 6,
SOLO SYNDICATION

may be romantic at heart in July and 26 Gangway (5) me, in a way Several 7, Tsar 8, Origin 12, Bites 13, Peach
spend more time than usual with like- 28 Precipitation (3) (6) 14, Limit 15, Diver 16, Pedal 18, Rival 19,
minded friends. This is an excellent 29 Serious (6) 11 Finishes near Divides 21, Rumour 22, Butane 23, Tablet 25,
30 Gems from central Ruislip Nacre 26, Fate 28, Fit
time for excursions, vacations or to be
inspired by a new idea. In November oysters (6) (6) CRYPTIC SOLUTIONS
overconfidence can cause you 31 Jealousy (4) 14 Put down some ACROSS: 1, Strap 6, Villa 9, Do-mini-c 10,
32 Crucial (8) mousetraps Godot 11, Toots 12, Ja-pa-n 13, Capital 15,
problems, especially if you promise Ass 17, US-ES 18, P-lent-y 19, All-ay 20, I-deal-s
33 Flaunt (6) (3)
more than you can deliver. Any 22, Redo 24, Tar 25, Met-ered 26, M-etal 27,
SCRABBLE
16 Notions said 30 The majority 5 A supplier points? (3) Tutor 28, Fives 29, Stand-up 30, Vesta 31,
opportunity that you receive might DOWN wrongly to are about half of seeds 21 Dai gets mixed Rests
make lasting improvements in your 1 Breathe out (6) include a dead and pretty (from Siena?) up with Carl, the
life and bring you added, long term 2 Broad street (6) foregone small (6) (5) extremist (7) DOWN: 2, Thomas 3, A-don-is 4, Pot 5, Fi-N-al 6,
benefits. However that might not be conclusion (5) VI-tally 7, Icon 8, LA-test 12, Jails 13, Cubit
3 Body of matter 31 The bookies 6 Being 22 Demonstrate 14, Peter 15, Anger 16, Sy-nod 18, Panel
a great time to start a new job or sign (4) 17 Heady items chances of overweight can ones 19, Albert-a 21, Danube 22, Recip-E 23,
important contracts. TRIBUNE CONTENT 4 Funny (7) of appeal (4) enrichment (4) mean a lot (5) humanity (3) Def-eat(-s) 25, Mainz 26, Most 28, Fur
AGENCY 5 Christmas hymn 19 One of those 32 One with a con- 8 Latest heartless 23 A non-playing
(5) confused suming interest conclusion? supporter of
6 Celebrities (5) scraps (5) in natural (4) golf clubs (6) TARGET
8 Round vessels 21 Prepared a species (8) 9 Being foolish, 24 Too long to wait ameer arete eater ewer

ON RADIO
mare mart mater matter
(4) bed in the 33 Antagonism, to we start trouble for a half of mere meter metre rate
9 Pinch (3) garden (5) saints, would be (3) sausages (4) ream rete tamer tare tart
12 Congeal (3) 22 Taken down unnecessary! 12 Of poetry, a 25 Note the tatter tawer tear term tetra
CHULALONGKORN FM 101.5 13 Open sore (5) from the menu? (6) modern piece? condition of the tram treat tree ware warm
(5) wart water WATTMETER
15 Lid (5) (3) property (6) wear weer were wert wetter
After Dinner Musicale (9.35-10.30pm) 18 Proportion (5) 23 To drive with it, DOWN 13 Quick to tangle 26 Little beast in
Haydn Scherzando No.6 In A For Oboes, Horns 19 Hawaiian you need a 1 A quarter day? with 27 (5) joint office! (5)
& Strings (7:32). Weber Leise, Leise (4:29). garland (3) car key (4) (6) 15 Keeps wild 27 Consent to
Korngold Romance-Allegro Finale (16:03). 20 Monetary unit 26 Its hard to 2 Its between dogs! (5) change gear at
Bax Morning Song (8:09). (3) conceal love of Windsor and 18 Continue the end of the
Hugo Alfven Swedish Rhapsody No.1 (12:58). 21 Stain (7) hidden wealth Eton (6) working in west race (5)
22 Alcoholic drink (5) 3 Tear for the London (5) 28 An odd rhyme
Music of the Masters (10.30-11.55pm)
(3) 28 Shoot into a right purpose 19 It could be a for almost
Holst Egdon Heath (14:40).
23 Amphibious container (3) (4) coaster (3) anyone (3)
Bax Violin Phantasy (23:33). 29 Half the main
rodent (6) 4 Suggested 20 In silence, how 30 Either letter
M. Berkeley Horn Concerto (20:52). 24 Askew (4) supply system one MP was can he make comes early in
Weber Symphony No.2 In C (19:04). 25 Snuggle (6) is for her! (6) dishonest (7) a number of the day (4)
 Bangkok Post |
life t ART
WEDNESDAY, APRIL 26, 2017 | 7

Oldest Holocaust museum recasts lessons

Ghetto Fighters House to serve as a warning for all humanity
ISABEL KERSHNER Most Arabs here perceive themselves
NYT as victims of the Jews, said Yariv Lapid,
the director of the centre, adding that any

A
s a teenager, Dorka Sternberg student searching online for information
watched as Nazi officers, about the Holocaust in Arabic is likely to
enraged after two youths encounter a lot of denial. Over time, he
from the underground fired said, the programme challenges them to
a handgun at them, randomly examine their own communities, which are
picked 25 young men and women from a often conservative and may be intolerant,
roundup in her Polish hometown, Czesto- for instance, of homosexuals.
chowa, lined them up against a wall and Sternberg, who was born Devora Zissel
shot them dead. Bram, grew up in a religious household
I was lucky, I suppose, because I am in Czestochowa and was 15 when World
here, Sternberg, 93, said, recalling the War II broke out. She said she lost her faith
event last week in her house in Kibbutz in God after her parents, younger sister
Lohamei Hagetaot, in a lush coastal area and brother were taken to the Treblinka
of northern Israel. death camp and killed. She was taken
Not long after the war ended, Sternberg with other girls for forced labour in a Nazi
met one of the few legendary fighters who arms factory. She fled to Warsaw as the
had managed to emerge alive from the Soviets approached, to avoid being taken
Warsaw Ghetto Uprising, the most signif- to Germany.
icant, albeit doomed, act of Jewish resist- She remembered Antek Zuckermans
ance during the Holocaust. She joined his knocking on the window of the apartment
group of pioneering Socialist Zionists, who in Warsaw where she was staying after the
drew up plans immediately after the war, war with other young women who had been
while still in Poland, to build a kibbutz, and left alone, without any family, pondering
a new life, along with a museum to honour what to do and where to go.
the dead in the Jewish homeland. Zuckerman was recruiting Zionist pio-

PHOTOS 2017 THE NEW YORK TIMES

On April 19, 1949, the sixth anniversary
of the start of the Warsaw uprising and
nearly a year after the establishment of the
state of Israel, they broke ground for the
communal farm and named it Lohamei
Hagetaot, Hebrew for the ghetto fighters.
The same day, on the kibbutz grounds, they
laid the foundation stone of the Ghetto
Fighters House, the worlds first Holo-
caust museum.
The closing event of Israels Holocaust
Remembrance Day took place in an amphi-
theatre outside the museum on Monday.
Of the 150 Holocaust survivors who
founded the kibbutz, Sternberg who
shared her testimony with museum visi-
tors for years is one of the last ones alive
to bear witness. As her generation fades
away, the Ghetto Fighters House is grap-
pling, like other institutions, with the ques-
tion of how to educate future generations
about the Holocaust and combat ignorance
and denial.
What will be in another generation from
now? asked Arye Carmon, the chairman
of the museums board.
Our answer is to position the Holo-
caust as a warning sign, he said, pointing
to the international growth of xenophobia,
threats to liberalism and democracy, and
the challenge of alternative truth enabled
by social media. He described Auschwitz as
the nadir of what he called a deteriorating
continuum of evil.
So instead of dealing with the Holocaust
as a static historical event, and only a Jewish
tragedy, the museum is advocating a more
dynamic approach with a focus on the
moral lessons for all of humanity.
Visitors walk through the worlds first Holocaust museum, in Kibbutz Lohamei Hagetaot, Israel.
In one sign of change, President Reuven
Rivlin of Israel has invited former president
Joachim Gauck of Germany to join him at
the closing event here on Monday.
It is a stark departure from the past,
when prominent German representatives
were not asked to attend formal Israeli com-
memorations, partly in fear of offending the
survivors. (The main opening ceremony
took place on Sunday, the eve of Holocaust
Remembrance Day, at Yad Vashem, Israels
official Holocaust memorial in Jerusalem.)
The invitation to Gauck, initiated by
Carmon, has prompted criticism. The lead-
ers of seven Israeli youth movements from
across the political spectrum, both religious
and secular, signed a letter to Rivlin pro-
testing Gaucks presence, saying it could
imply the Jewish peoples forgiveness for
the greatest crime perpetrated in human
history. They exhorted Rivlin to clarify in
his speech at the ceremony that this is not
the case.
The Ghetto House officials say that is
yesterdays thinking.
Anat Livne, the director of the museum,
said the message it was trying to convey
was one of courage to go against the grain,
inspired by founders like Yitzhak Zuck-
erman, a leader of the Warsaw Ghetto
Uprising whose nom de guerre was Antek,
and Zivia Lubetkin, an underground com-
mander who became his wife.
The invitation to Gauck, Livne said, was
not about forgiveness or atonement, but
about being together in an alliance of lib-
eralism and democracy against all those
who endanger it.
Last Wednesday, the anniversary of the
uprising and the founding of the kibbutz,
senior Israeli army officers and a group of
Jewish and Arab educators attended sem-
inars and toured the museums exhibits,
some of which are based on documents
and objects that the founders brought with
them from Europe.
The museum does not shy away from
dealing with Israels own inner conflicts. Its
Center for Humanistic Education, founded
in 1995 by Raya Kalisman after she spent
a year at the US Holocaust Memorial
Museum in Washington, runs a six-month
programme for Jewish, Arab and Druze
high school students, mostly from northern
A family outside its house in Kibbutz Lohamei Hagetaot, in Israel, on April 20.
Israel. The programme encourages the stu-
dents to confront the complexity of their
identities as citizens of the country.
Reflecting that complexity, Kibbutz
Lohamei Hagetaot was established in
neers to build kibbutzlike communes in
Poland and to organise the Jewish youths
there before leaving for Mandatory Pales-
tine, or the Land of Israel.
We looked up to him as if he were a god,
an emissary from heaven, she recalled.
After working as a youth counsellor
in Poland, Sternberg arrived at Kibbutz
Lohamei Hagetaot in March 1950 and soon
married. She cleaned toilets and worked
in the fields before being assigned a role
in education.
The kibbutz has since been largely pri-
vatised. Co-operative but no longer egali-
tarian, it has a dairy and orchards, but its
main income is from Tivall, a company
that produces vegetarian, meat-substitute
products. A majority stake in Tivall, which
kibbutz members founded, has been pur-
chased by an international food corpora-
tion. Today, families on the kibbutz make
their own living independently and run
their own households.
A widow, Sternberg has two daugh-
ters, one of whom lives on the kibbutz,
as well as five grandchildren and six
great-grandchildren.
One of her grandsons, Yehonatan Stein,
35, said he had never left the kibbutz, other
than for his army service. He was with his
son Michael, two, in a playground teeming
with other toddlers.
It is living evidence that after the Hol-
ocaust we enjoy life. We have parties; we
the vicinity of Al-Sumeiriya, a Palestin- have a swimming pool, Stein, a history
ian village that Zionist forces occupied teacher, said of the kibbutz. To grow up
and destroyed in the 1948 war over Isra- in a place like this means living a normal life
els independence, turning its inhabitants alongside the memory. 2017 NEW YORK
into refugees. TIMES NEWS SERVICE

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life t ART
8 | WEDNESDAY, APRIL 26, 2017 | Bangkok Post

Migrant workers are like air,

needed to serve but invisible

following false promises of a better life, better jobs, better eco-

nomic prospects.
Many end up living in squalor, slaving away to pay back
any travel debt or send money home, while a high number are
abused, as employment laws fail to protect them.
Bacanis subjects are mainly domestic workers, although a
teacher also figures on the gallerys walls.
For nearly 10 years, the photographer herself was a domestic
worker in Hong Kong one of the cities featured predominantly
in the series.
Before her, her mother had been trafficked into working
in Singapore.
Bacani photographed everyday scenes in Hong Kong begin-
ning in 2009.
I transitioned to documentary photography when I realised
that Im in a privileged position to magnify migrant workers
voices, she said.
Her work was noticed on Facebook by Filipino photographer
Rick Rocamora before being featured on The New York Times
Lens blog.
From then on, the 2015 Magnum Foundation Human Rights
fellow began working on her project.

PHOTOS: XYZA BACANI/PULITZER CENTER

Her background helped her gain access to shelters for former
victims of trafficking. Most of her subjects can relate to her,
Bacani said, attributing her ability to capture intimate moments
to the trust that they put in her.
They are happy to meet someone who knows what they are
going through.
What strikes her most, is how these former trafficking victims
can still manage to laugh and smile despite what they have
gone through.
The slavery Bacani depicts is indeed very modern. These
A child labour victim from Myanmar at a shelter in Singapore. workers travel by aeroplane, communicate with their family
using smartphones and technology.

T
he women portrayed in Filipina photographer
Xyza Bacanis black and white shots sing, weep,
chat among themselves and carry out seemingly
ordinary activities.
Had exhibition labels, complete with captions,
not been hung next to each photograph, guessing the shows
central theme would have proven a challenge.
On display until tomorrow night at Cho Why, Bacanis series
titled Modern Slavery deals with human trafficking. But
there are no photographs of over-crammed boats, mass graves
or detention camps, as some media consumers would expect.
Instead, Bacani forces us to acknowledge that the reality of
human trafficking is more diverse than that. Human trafficking
has no face.
As the number of international migrants rose to 244 million
in 2015, more people become at risk of falling prey to trafficking,
Bacani flew from Hong Kong to New York, Singapore, Abu
Dhabi and the Philippines to meet and photograph them. While
the cities differ, the abuse and exploitation stories remain the
same, she says.
Migrant workers are like air, needed to serve but invisible,
the Filipina photographer says.
After looking at her work, one can only agree with her state-
ment. Upon first glance, the photographs may look like your
typical street photography or documentary shot.
The shadowy alleys, rundown dorm rooms with bunk beds
it all seems so familiar, that one could mistake the scenes for
Yaowarat or any Asian citys back streets.
Its so familiar that you practically end up overlooking that
these people could be modern slaves.
Modern Slavery is on view at Cho Why until tomorrow.

Filipina Xyza Bacanis series Modern Slavery

takes in global cities from NYC to HK and
PHOTO COURTESY OF CHO WHY GALLERY

shines a light in dark corners

STORY: ARIANE KUPFERMAN-SUTTHAVONG

Modern Slavery at Cho Why Gallery.

ART SCENE
Atmosfear: New Painting
100 Tonson Gallery
Soi Tonon, Ploenchit
Thursday to Sunday, 11am-7pm
Call 02-010-5813
Until May 21
Wall paintings by Yuree Kensaku explore fear through
seemingly light-hearted characters and colours.

In Nowhere Land
Kathmandu Photo Gallery
Silom Road
Tuesday to Sunday, 11am-6pm
Call 02-234-6700
A New Interpretation Of Until Apr 29
The Paradoxical World In this photographic exhibition, French-English
Nova Contemporary photographer Didier Mayhew presents a slice of life of the Made By Microwave
Until May 31 nomadic families from the Terai, the infamous malarial Pullman Bangkok Hotel
Tuesday to Sunday, 11am-7pm lowlands between the Indian border and the Nepali Until May 21
Soi Mahadlek, Himalayan foothills. Call 02-352-4000
Ratchadamri Road Kanitharin Thailamthong shows 10 artworks of digital prints
Call 090-910-6863 Investigating Inspirations inspired by his daily life, which revolves around a traditional
In A New Interpretation Thavibu Art shophouse and a round Chinese dining table.
Of The Paradoxical World, Jewelry Trade Center Building, Silom
Narissara Pianwimungsa Until May 30 Mode Of Liaisons
explores the condition of Monday to Saturday, 11am-7pm Bangkok Art and Culture Centre
loneliness that plagues the Call 02-266-5454 Tuesday to Sunday, 10am-8pm
modern world through Investigating Inspirations features new paintings and Call 02-214-6630-8
embroideries of animals. sculptures by a group of six Thai artists who take their Until Oct 2
inspiration from social, political and spiritual experiences, The Japan Foundation Asia Center presents the Mode Of
and who have created works of art that encourage the Liaisons exhibition featuring paintings, sculptures, films/
audience to question theworld we live in. videos, installations and performances by 20 artists.

Editor: KONG RITHDEE | kongr@bangkokpost.co.th Deputy Editor: ARUSA PISUTHIPAN | arusap@bangkokpost.co.th

LIFE Travel Editor: PONGPET MEKLOY | pongpetm@bangkokpost.co.th Motoring Editor: RICHARD LEU | motoring@bangkokpost.co.th