Thais commemorate first anniversary of King's death
My quick Channel NewsAsia report on this morning's events at Siriraj Hospital where thousands of Thais have come to commemorate the first anniversary of King Bhumibol's passing. Talking to Thais, it is evident that emotions and memories of Oct 13, 2016 are still very vivid and raw.
Thai PM: Elections in November 2018
Originally aired on Channel NewsAsia on October 10, 2017
Thai PM Prayuth Chan-ocha has announced that November 2018 will the time when democratic elections are being held. Here are my two cents about it.
Thailand's aviation industry gets safety upgrade
Originally published on Channel NewsAsia on October 9, 2017
Good news for Thailand's aviation industry, as the UN's ICAO - International Civil Aviation Organization has lifted its red flag status for Thailand, citing improvements in safety regulations. What it means for Thai airlines and airports? I'll explain.
Thousands of mourners queue up on last day to pay respects to late King
Originally published on Channel NewsAsia on October 5, 2017
Today is the last day where mourners can go to Grand Palace to pay their last respects to the late King Bhumipol Adulyadej. But as the deadline approaches the number of people waiting in line skyrocketed in the past few days, with tens of thousands of Thais waiting up to 8 hours in extreme cases. Here's my short Channel NewsAsia report on the mood today.
TRANSCRIPT
It is the last chance for Thais to pay their last respects to the late King Bhumipol Adulyadej and they’re certainly using that chance, as tens of thousands of Thais have come here to the Grand Palce to sit in line very patiently. And patience is what you need to bring, because the lines are stretching over several kilometers, the waiting hours can be in extreme cases be up to 8 hours some people have been staying overnight or at least since the very early morning to get their last chance to come to the Grand Palace.
Originally, the last day was supposed to be September 30th, but amidst the masses of people that are still coming here to the Grand Palace the officials have extended to October 5th. Also, countless of volunteers have been working around the clock, handing out food and water and also in some cases providing medical attention. And that’s probably one of the reasons why people here are certainly in very good spirits.
“I left home at 6 in the morning and came here at 8. It’s not too warm today, because it rained last night. But today it’s moving quickly,” says a young woman.
“It’s my first time here and I planned to come on the last day and I was able to clear my schedule. The organization is pretty good and pretty quick,” a young man remarks
“It is a great honor to pay the last respects to His Majesty. We are Thai citizens and we love our ‘Father’ and to pay respect to him is a great joy,” tells an older woman, with tears in her eyes.
King Bhumipol Adulyadej passed away on October 13th, 2016 after a 70 year rule on the throne. Ever since the Grand Palace has opened its doors in late October, 11.6 million people are estimated to have come by to pay their last respects to the body of the late King. But not only ordinary Thai citizens were among them, but also many foreign dignitaries as well, such as head of states and foreign ministers.
So what happens next? We are on the final stretch of a one year mourning period and next to me, next to the lines and just outside Grand Palace, the Royal Funeral Pyre is being constructed and it’s almost finished. And just like the death of the King itself, this is a once-in-a-lifetime event for many Thais. A quarter million people are expected to come on October 26th, where the funeral will take place - and that is the very last chance for Thais to say goodbye to their beloved monarch.
Saksith Saiyasombut, Channel NewsAsia, Bangkok
Strict gun laws don't stop high death rate in Thailand
Originally published on Channel NewsAsia on October 4, 2017
We take a look at Thailand's gun laws and why despite that the country still has (supposedly) the highest rate of gun-related deaths per capita in Asia and even rivals the United States in that regard.
TRANSCRIPT
In Bangkok’s Chinatown district, there’s a whole street dedicated to firearms: from pistols to rifles, shotguns and revolvers all there on display in the storefronts.
But buying a gun in Thailand is not a straightforward affair - least in theory.
On paper, gun laws are pretty strict in Thailand: any applicant has to be at least 20 years old and has to pass background checks that screen the applicants' personal conduct, livelihood and criminal records. A firearms license can be issued for self-protection, security of property and sports and costs about $30, a firearm about $600.
According to government statistics, 6.2 million guns are officially registered in a country with a population of 68 million people. That means one of out every ten Thais legally owns a firearm.
However it is estimated that the actual number of firearms in the country is much higher than that: the online database GunPolicy.org, run by the University of Sydney's School of Public Health, believes there’s a total of 10 million guns in circulation due to a high influx of unregistered weapons on the black market, either smuggled in from abroad, or allegedly sold by corrupt Thai officials.
And these illegal guns often end up being used in many crime cases in Thailand.
"Most weapons used in crimes are unregistered or home-made firearms like pen pistols," explains Thititorn Bupparamanee, president of the Firearms Traders Association of Thailand, "That often happens in rural areas, where these kind of weapons are popular because they are easy to get and not expensive."
Registered or not, the consequences of high gun ownership in Thailand are deadly. While there are no official gun crime statistics released by Thailand’s authorities, international studies paint a grim picture: a 2013 study by the University of Washington’s Institute for Health and Metric Evaluation has counted 7.48 deaths per 100,000 people, more than twice the fatalities from shootings per capita compared to the United States.
While mass shootings are rare in Thailand, almost every day the crime sections of media outlets report on murder cases, where victims are shot dead. These crimes – by shooting – are mostly because of a personal vendetta or a local business dispute. Especially in cases involving loss of face, some Thais tend to take the law into their own hands.
"The problem is not that the law isn’t too strict. The penalty for illegal possession of firearms is 10 years in jail, and for weapons of war there’s even the death penalty," argues Thititorn, "So it’s already pretty strict. But the problem is that - especially with younger ones - there is less respect for the law."
With no public debate about gun control, let alone any prominent groups pushing for reforms, Thailand’s gun problem will remain a deadly one for the foreseeable future.
Saksith Saiyasombut, Channel NewsAsia, Bangkok
US to counter-balance ties with Thailand as PM Prayuth visits President Trump
Originally published on Channel NewsAsia on October 2, 2017
My quick Channel NewsAsia preview on the visit by Thai PM Prayuth to the White House, where US President Donald Trump is set to welcome the first Thai PM in DC since Thaksin in 2005. The visit marks a reset in the recently frosty Thai-US relations. Many thanks to Thitinan Pongsudhirak for his input.
Stigma biggest obstacle in Thailand's fight against AIDS
Originally aired Channel NewsAsia on September 29, 2017
Despite the progress and advancements Thailand made in the fight against AIDS/HIV, stigma and social prejeduice remain the biggest obstacles. We talked to those living with the virus and those trying to combat with the ignorance and the disease itself.
TRANSCRIPT
Hidden in the hills of Lopburi province is a Buddhist temple that has been on the frontline of efforts to help people with AIDS live without discrimination. For more than three decades, Wat Phra Baht Nam Pu has provided a safe space for patients infected with HIV. More than 10,000 patients have been given sanctuary here.
Temple abbot, Phra Udom Prachatorn was behind the outreach. In the 1980s, he began taking care of people with AIDs who had been abandoned by their families People knew very little then about the disease, and many were afraid of the patients housed in the temple.
"When people heard that we have people with AIDS here, nobody wanted to come to the temple," tells the abbot, "The reactions were quite strong. The locals were against it and not only wanted us to stop, they wanted us to move elsewhere."
51-year-old 'Nui" - not her real name because she did not want to be identified - knows full well the stigma imposed on AIDS patients. She was infected with AIDS seven years ago and almost immediately after that, was branded an outcast by her community.
"No one looked after me, the neighbors despised me. I don’t have any relatives, no parents. It’s better stay here. Outside, I would struggle because society shuns me," "Nui" says. Niu now lives with hundreds of other AIDs patients on the grounds of the temple. She's been there for six years, afraid to venture out because of the discrimination she encounters.
Stigma and social prejudice are one of Thailand’s biggest obstacles in its fight against AIDs. Although the country has been effective in curbing the disease – reducing by 50 percent the annual number of new HIV infections – it has some way to go before those living with AIDs are fully accepted by society.
Thailand has been widely successful in its effort to stop the spread of AIDS. The number of new HIV infections has fallen from 140,000 in 1990 to an estimated 6,500 in 2016; and AIDs-related deaths have fallen by one third.
Health officials are determined to keep these numbers down. They say early detection is key.
"Here in Thailand we have a health care package that is available for even those that are not yet infected," explains Walairat Chaifoo from the Ministry of Public Health's Department of Disease Control, "You can take a HIV-test for free twice a year. That’s how we get more people to test and to know earlier whether or not they have the virus."
Health officials hope their efforts will make a difference for future generations. But for those now living each day with the virus, their hope is far less ambitious. All they want is for society to treat them without fear or discrimination.
"People shouldn’t be afraid. AIDS is not that easily transmitted. You can touch hands and everything. We have all taken our medicine," whispers "Nui".
Saksith Saiyasombut, Channel NewsAsia, Lopburi Province
Thai Govt Introduces Welfare Scheme for Low-Income Earners
Originally aired on Channel NewsAsia on September 21, 2017
A short report on the Thai government's introduction of a new welfare-scheme for low-income earners that grants cost-of-living allowances and public transport subsidies. This will replace other subsidised schemes such as free busses - and critics fear that more subsidies could be axed as well. And yes, it was hot outside...!
Thailand introduces sugary drinks tax to combat obesity, diabetes
Originally aired on Channel NewsAsia on September 16, 2017
If you have been to Thailand then you know we like things sweet - way too sweet sometimes. The Thai government has thus introduced a tax on sugary drinks, effective since Sep 16. Will this help Thais kick their habit or will it just turn people sour?
TRANSCRIPT
On a typical hot and humid day here in Bangkok, a cold drink is often a refreshing relief. For some, good old water is enough. But for many others, they need a bit of a sugar rush to beat the heat.
And people here do love their sweet stuff - too much actually, according to health statistics. On average, Thais consume 28 teaspoons of sugar - more than double the recommended amount by the World Health Organization.
And that limit can be easily reached by a can of soda. This can contribute to serious health problems as 32% of the population are overweight and 10% are suffering from diabetes - according to health officials, the numbers keep growing.
"We detect a continuous rise of [diabetes] patients," warns Dr. Sumanee Watcharasint from the Thai Bureau of Non-Communicable Diseases, "This past year, we have 600,000 new cases - that is the third-highest rate in Asia. And this also costs the state more in health care [for these patients],"
In order to bring this under control, Thai officials are looking to tax drinks based on their sugar content.
Now how exactly is this tax being implemented? In a nutshell, the sweeter the drink, the more tax the manufacturer pays.
So if a beverage contains between 6 and 10 grams of sugar per 100 milliliters, you’re looking at a 20 percent sugar tax. Drinks that have more sugar than that will be subject to a 25 per cent tax.
Here are a few examples:
A little brown bottle of energy drink contains 28 grams of sugar or 7 teaspoons – enough to give you a rush and it actually says on the label not to drink more than two of these a day.
Then we have a bottle of cola. This contains 55 grams of sugar - or about 14 teaspoons. Drink one of these and you’ve maxed out your sugar quota for the day, which is 12 teaspoons, according to the World Health Organization.
And by the way, if you’re wondering - diet versions or other artificially sweetened drinks are exempt from the tax.
Green tea drinks - very popular in Thailand – are also being hit by the tax. This one here contains 6 teaspoons of sugar, which means a tax of 25 percent.
How much more expensive are these drinks going to be, how hard will it hit sugar lovers? Well, in the first two years, the hike will be minimal. Less than a baht [holds up a 1-baht coin] or 3 US cents at most, in order to give companies and consumers time to adapt.
But after the two-year grace period, if manufacturers don’t cut down on the sweet stuff, the government could double the amount of sugar tax to be paid.
Channel NewsAsia tried to contact major Thai beverage companies. However, they have not replied to our requests. But according to excise officials, the industry is not turning sour over the tax.
"Actually, they responded quite well," says Nutthakorn Utensute, the director of the Excise Department's Tax Planning Bureau, "Because we have a grace period of two years, so they can reformulate their products and they’re using another sort of non-tax measure to encourage people to drink [beverages] with less sugar."
It remains to be seen if the tax will actually help Thais can kick the habit of consuming too much sweet drinks or if a price hike will leave a bad taste in their mouths.
Saksith Saiyasombut, Channel NewsAsia, Bangkok
UN Environment Chief on hurricanes, climate change and opprtunities
Originally aired on Channel NewsAsia on September 7, 2017
I sat down with Erik Solheim, the Executive Director of UN Environment, to talk about the effects of climate change on the recent hurricanes in the Americas, similar disaster risks in the Asia-Pacific region and what's been already done to contain the effects of global warming and more needs to be done.
TRANSCRIPT
SAKSITH SAIYASOMBUT: "Mr. Erik Solheim, thank you very much for taking your time. Let's start off with very recent events: There have been many hurricanes and tropical storms in the Atlantic basin. Hurricane Harvey caused huge devastation in Texas and Hurricane Irma is on the way and so are two other tropical storms/hurricanes. How much has climate change contributed to this destructive force of nature?"
ERIK SOLHEIM: "On these kind of issues obviously we need to listen to the scientists who understand it much more properly than I can. And there seems to be fairly broad global scientific agreement that these storms are intensified by climate change - they're not caused by climate change, because we have had storms all over the planet since god created this beautiful planet - but much more intense, creating more havoc, and more damaging to environment and to humans than in the past."
SAIYASOMBUT: "Are there similar risks when it comes to tropical storms and what other natural disaster risks do we have here?"
SOLHEIM: "Yeah, I mean after all of course the risk to humans is bigger in Asia than America because the population is so much higher. I was frequently visiting Myanmar after the Nargis cyclone, which killed more than 100,000 people in one night in the delta region in Myanmar. So there can be no doubt that Asia is very very vulnerable to this. However, the good news: Asia is also much, much more prepared - we’re going to say that - the outlying regions of Bangladesh, people are prepared. They have built houses on pillars so that the cyclone can go under, they [have] warning systems by mobile phones, so that they can be warned and there’s weather forecast where there was not in the past. So yes, we will see much wilder, much worse natural events - but we’re also much better prepared to handle that fortunately."
SAIYASOMBUT: "In recent years, it has become quite obvious that the effects of climate change become more stronger and stronger and the time to fix or to contain the effects is slowly running out. Where are we at right now when it comes to combatting the effects of climate change, not only on a global scale but also in the Asia-Pacific?"
SOLHEIM: "In my view, we have clearly made the shift. We are on the right track. We are rapidly going into renewables, to solar, to wind, we are starting with electrical mobility and the cities going into electrical parks and cars. So we are on the right track. The only issue is the speed, because the climate warming is happening very fast, so we need to speed up. It’s like a train which hast left the station, we know the destination - but to reach in time, we need to speed up."
SAIYASOMBUT: "Let’s talk about the central topic of this summit here. It’s about pollution and it’s about how to effectively use the resources that we have here in the region but without having a negative effect on the enviroment and on the people living here. Have you, in your expierence, seen - is it a balance that is hard to strike?"
SOLHEIM: "I think we need to go into a completely new thinking - and we are. Which is that we cannot either develop or protect the enviroment. We need to devise policies that where we do both at the same time. And the good news is that is happening much faster than than we thought. President Xi [Jinping of China] has declared that fight against pollution with the fight against poverty will be the biggest ambitions of China in the next five years. Prime Minister Modi of India has really put India into a development path where they go- provide prosperity, getting out of extreme poverty while doing [it] through solar, through wind and through going green. So, for the first time in human history we have no choice between development and enviroment - one policy which will achieve both."
SAIYASOMBUT: "Mr. Erik Solheim, thank you very much!"
Former PM Yingluck a no-show at her court ruling
Originally aired on Channel NewsAsia on August 25, 2017
This has been quite a morning at the Supreme Court with quite a twist: Former Thai PM Yingluck Shinawatra failed to show up at her own verdict reading, citing health issues. She faces charges for negligence of duty in her govt's handling of the rice-pledging scheme. The court has now issued an arrest warrant and postponed the verdict reading to September 27. At the time of recording and posting, her whereabouts are unknown but it is rumored that she has fled the country.
Former PM Yingluck awaits verdict
Originally aired on Channel NewsAsia on August 24, 2017
The Supreme Court is expected to deliver the verdict against former Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra on Friday. She’s on trial for negligence of duty in her government’s handling of the rice-pledging scheme and could face up to 10 years in prison, if found guilty. Here's my Channel NewsAsia preview at the implications for Thailand’s political landscape.
TRANSCRIPT
Many Thai politicians are all too familiar with the walk to the courthouse – and Yingluck Shinawatra is no exception. Indicted in early 2016, the former Prime Minister faces criminal charges for negligence in her government’s handling of the rice-pledging scheme.
The program, a major campaign promise that helped propel her Pheu Thai Party to victory in the 2011 elections, bought rice from farmers at 50% higher than the market price. While the policy proved very popular with her predominantly rural supporters, it was often described as a disaster for the state’s finances.
"This program definitely helped the farmers," says Dr. Nipon Poapongsakom, President of the President Thailand Development Research Institute, "but [what is] unforgivable is that at the end, the last season at the end of the program, the government failed to secure liquidity to pay 1 million farmers for their rice that the farmers already delivered to the government warehouses."
In the end it was these massive public losses that fueled protests against Yingluck, and her government was eventually toppled by the 2014 military coup. Thailand was left with 18 million tonnes of rice stockpiled under the scheme.
Critics and opponents of Yingluck say that this was a direct result of corruption, something the current military government has vowed to crack down on since its takeover. And that is why Yingluck’s supporters say the trial against her is politicized.
"The rice-pledging case against Yingluck is definitely a case of political origin," criticizes Wattana Muangsuk, a former MP of Yingluck's Pheu Thai Party, "so with that in mind, IF she is found not guilty - how can the military junta still claim that this was a problem that justified their coup? And if she is found guilty, that would retroactively justify the seizure of power."
While the Pheu Thai Party is expected to win again when Thailand eventually returns to democratic elections, it will not have Yingluck Shinawatra as a front runner regardless of the outcome of the trial, since she has been retroactively impeached and banned from politics for five years.
However, a guilty verdict against her will not only be seen as yet another strike against her and her brother - the exiled yet influential former prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra - it could also discourage any future government from pursuing any policy that requires huge public investment.
"So the government or policy makers would have to think carefully whether they would be charged for whatever they are going to introduce and implement. And it’s a kind of wrong idea to use this case as a case against Yingluck," says Dr. Titipol Phakdeewanich, the dean for the Faculty of Political Science at Ubon Ratchathani University.
The outcome of the case against Yingluck Shinawatra is a litmus test for Thailand’s political future -- and whether or not she will ever be allowed to take part in it again.
Saksith Saiyasombut, Channel NewsAsia, Bangkok
Thai economy grows at 3.7% as outlook remains optimistic
Originally published on Channel NewsAsia on August 21, 2017
3.7 per cent is the magic number that is being given out as the GDP growth rate for Q2 of 2017 and an overall very optimistic picture is being paint for the economic outlook for the rest of the year.
Migrant Exodus Hits Thai Fishing Hub
Originally aired on Channel NewsAsia on August 10, 2017
We look at the fallout of the recent mass exodus of migrant workers on the fishing industry in Samut Sakhon. In June, the Thai government introduced - very suddenly - a new labor law that would impose harsh penalties on undocumented migrant workers. The exodus proved to be so severe that the govt had to suspend the law until next year.
TRANSCRIPT
The town of Samut Sakhon has seen many ebbs and flows over the years.
But the past few weeks have been particularly quiet in this fishing industry hub at the gulf of Thailand.
Many boats are forced to be left idle, docked at the piers due to a shortage of migrant workers. The reason - a sudden mass exodus of migrant labourers.
Tens of thousands have fled to their neighbouring home countries like Myanmar and Cambodia, sparked by the introduction of a strict new labour law.
Their departure has affected many sectors, but none more than the multi-million dollar fishing industry that almost entirely relies on workers from Myanmar.
Kamjorn Mongkoltrilak; President, Samut Sakhon Fishery Association:
"Samut Sakhon is quieter than usual [now]. There’s never been a point in the past where it has been this quiet. And it’s not just Samut Sakhon - 22 provinces along the sea are all affected. Whether it’s the fishing, the processing, some business have to stop their businesses because of the lack of workers."
More than 770,000 migrants are estimated to work in Thailand.
To manage their numbers and crack down on human trafficking, the government introduced the new labour law requiring these workers to be registered.
But critics say the law was passed without warning and public consultation. The result was panic among many undocumented migrant workers over the fear of arrest and up to $3,000 in fines. They rushed out of the country in droves, leaving businesses without staff.
The fallout proved so severe, the government was forced to suspend key parts of the law till 2018, giving employers and migrant workers a grace period before penalties kicked in.
To mitigate the exodus, the government also erected temporary registration centers for migrant workers.
SAKSITH SAIYASOMBUT; Samut Sakhon, Thailand:
"This is one of the pop-up centres the government has set up. There are over a hundred of them nationwide and thousands of undocumented migrant workers are signing up on a daily basis. But critics say that this is not enough to solve their problems."
The new law still leaves migrant workers open to exploitation. They depend on brokers to help them with the paperwork but often end up getting cheated.
Sompong Srakaew; Labour Rights Promotion Network:
"For many years, when an employer hires a broker to sort out the work permits, they may work together to exploit the [migrant] workers. And who has to suffer for it? The workers. They have no other choice but to accept it and once they do they end up lose all their savings."
The Thai government is hopeful that the grace period will ease the disruption caused by the new law, and that eventually an estimated 1 million undocumented migrant workers can brought back into the fold.
That same hope is shared by the many Thai businesses who rely on these workers to keep their companies afloat.
Saksith Saiyasombut, Channel NewsAsia, Bangkok
Former PM Somchai acquitted of negligence of duty
Originally aired on Channel NewsAsia on August 2, 2017
Former Thai PM Somchai Wongsawat and three other senior figures of his government have been acquitted by the Supreme Court today. They were on trial for negligence of duty in the dispersal of anti-government yellow shirt protesters in October 2008. Here's my short summary and analysis for Channel NewsAsia.
Yingluck insists innocence in closing statement in trail against her
Originally published on Channel NewsAsia on August 1, 2017
My Channel NewsAsia report from the Supreme Court today: "I'm a victim of a political game!" That's what former Thai Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra says during her closing statement in the trial against her for negligence of duty in her government's rice subsidy scheme. The final verdict is scheduled for August 25.
Thai Govt slammed of mishandling flood warning in Northeast
Originally aired on Channel NewsAsia on July 31, 2017
19 provinces in the Northeast in Thailand are still battling with floods in the aftermath of rain storms last week. While there are small signs of improvement, others are still bracing for more. Meanwhile, the military government is criticized for not giving out a flood warning.
Legal hurdles stand in the way of Thailand's craft beer industry
Originally aired on Channel NewsAsia on July 23, 2017
As craft beer becomes more popular not only to drink, but also to create, long-brewing legal challenges are standing in the way of the market growing any larger.
Final verdict date set in rice case against former Thai PM Yingluck
Originally published on Channel NewsAsia on July 21, 2017
My Channel NewsAsia recap of today's last court hearing date in the case against former PM Yingluck Shinawatra, on trial for negligence in her government's hugely popular, but also hugely controversial rice-pledging scheme. She will give a final testimony on August 1 and the final verdict will be read on August 25, where she could face up to 10 years in prison.
Former PM Yingluck's arrives to last hearing in rice pledging case
Originally published on Channel NewsAsia on July 21, 2017
Former Thai PM Yingluck Shinawatra has her last hearing at the Supreme Court today, where she's charged with negligence of duty in her government's rice-pledging scheme. Here's my short Channel NewsAsia report with the details.