Author: Kantsom Sutabuhr

French transportation solutions provider Thales will expand its delivery of European Train Control System (ETCS) Level 1 projects across 48 train stations in Thailand, with a new contract with State Railways of Thailand. The project, which aims to establish ETCS Level 1 across 321km of track, includes equipment that is set to enhance reliability and increase capacity. The project aligns with the State Railway of Thailand’s efforts to improve rail transportation safety and efficiency. The French manufacturer stated the modernisation will bring benefits to over 130,000 passengers. Manfred Zekl, head of project management turnkey projects and transport for Thales Austria, said the company’s international…

On August 24, 2023, Kazakhstan-Singapore Business Council #KSBC Chairman Mr. Sultan Marenov hosted a prominent Kazakh entrepreneur, investor, and philanthropist Mr.Kenges Rakishev in Singapore and arranged a meeting with the Senior Managing Director of the Singapore Exchange (SGX) Mr. Pol de Win. The parties discussed the opportunities for Kazakh companies to list on the SGX and raise capital for investment in the growing economy of Kazakhstan. SGX is one of the leading and recognizable exchanges in the world, and deepening cooperation with Kazakhstan will raise the awareness of potential investors. We look forward to continuing our discussion and establishing fruitful…

Geneva, London (29/7 – 50) Mary Lawlor, UN Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights defenders, condemned the arrest and imprisonment of journalists, bloggers and civil society activists in Tajikistan, and questioned the credibility of the evidence presented in court against them. Lawlor was on a two-week official visit to Tajikistan last December. The report prepared by her and members of the delegation on the results of this visit was published in May of this year, but only now became available to the public. The authorities of Tajikistan will have to prepare an official response to the document, which…

This is the story of a spoon.  Made of stainless steel, it originally came in a set of six and was used by my family in Vietnam. It became one of the few possessions we brought with us as we left in April 1979 — seeking a better life in the aftermath of the Vietnam War — with just one bag each. It was an entirely utilitarian choice. These durable spoons stacked compactly into our limited space and the deep set style meant they worked for almost any type of food. After five days, our fishing vessel drifted close enough…

Practioners of traditional Chinese medicine use earthworms — dried to a powder or distilled in liquid — to treat fevers, arthritis, asthma and bronchitis. But overharvesting in China has nearly wiped out the country’s earthworm population. Now, hunters are poaching and purchasing earthworms unearthed in Vietnam, upsetting Vietnamese farmers who depend on them to keep their fields fertile and environment balanced. The earthworm rush has plagued Vietnam’s northern provinces, as poachers, driven by bounty offered by Chinese merchants, trespass private fields or fruit orchards to catch the invertebrate, the online VnExpress news outlet reported. Most of the hunters are Vietnamese, eager to…

BANGKOK, Aug 21 (Reuters) – Thailand’s digital minister plans to ask a court to shut down Meta Platforms’ Facebook (META.O) in Southeast Asia’s second largest economy unless it takes action over scams that have affected more than 200,000 people, he said on Monday. “We are asking the court to close Facebook, not allowing it to provide services in Thailand if they let these fake pages scam people,” Chaiwut Thanakamanusorn told Reuters. In a statement, the Ministry of Digital Economy and Society said it had made repeated requests for advertisements it had identified as scams to be taken down by Facebook but the…

Myanmar junta officials arrested a Swiss filmmaker and 13 cast members, accusing them of defaming Buddhism in informational videos posted on YouTube, according to a statement published by junta-controlled state media. The Swiss Embassy in Yangon told Radio Free Asia on Monday that it has asked Myanmar authorities to clarify the current status of filmmaker Didier Nusbaumer. Junta Capt. Than Naing Kyaw and other military security members arrested Nusbaumer and 13 others – including a 12-year-old girl – on Aug. 7, two weeks after a video they produced appeared on YouTube. It was first reported in state media last week.…

Earlier this month, US President Joe Biden said he would be traveling to Vietnam “shortly” because the country wanted to elevate its relationship with the United States. According to reports, he is planning to do so in mid-September with the intention of signing a strategic partnership agreement with Hanoi. The agreement will allow for new bilateral collaboration that will boost Vietnam’s efforts to develop its high-tech sector in areas such as semiconductor production and artificial intelligence. The more salient, if unspoken, purposes are to strengthen the US’ grip on semiconductor production and the implementation of its “Indo-Pacific” strategy, which is…

Việt Nam will seize the opportunity in the international marketplace to elevate rice exports at a premium price, while still preserving food security. This announcement was made by the Minister of Industry and Trade, Nguyễn Hồng Diên, at a meeting concerning the management of rice exports for the remainder of the year, organised by the Ministry of Industry and Trade (MoIT) in Cần Thơ City on Friday. Diên indicated that following India’s imposition of a rice export ban approximately two weeks ago, the export cost of Việt Nam’s 5 per cent broken rice rose from $535 to $602 per tonne;…

Ambassador Vũ Hồ, head of SOM ASEAN Việt Nam, attended senior officials’ meetings of ASEAN+3, the East Asia Summit (EAS), the ASEAN Maritime ASEAN Forum (AMF) and the Expanded ASEAN Maritime Forum (EAMF) in Indonesia from July 31 to August 4. The participants touched upon various regional issues, including preparations for the 43rd ASEAN Summit, slated for September 4-7 in Jakarta with the aim of enhancing dialogues and cooperation across spheres. They also shared the view on the significance of economic, trade and investment cooperation, considering this an important foundation for countries in the region, and the view that…