China’s Xi takes APEC by storm after stealing the show with hardline statements

China’s President Xi Jinping is taking APEC by storm after making hardline statements about the region. His recent statements have set off tidal waves as worldwide leaders became sidelined in the chaos after Xi reportedly told off Canada’s PM Justin Trudeau and noted what APEC’s goals should encompass.

According to the Thai Enquirer, Xi called on the APEC region to focus on economic development first and save the power struggle between nations as an afterthought.

“The Asia Pacific is no one’s backyard and should not become an arena for big power contests. No attempt to wage a Cold War will ever be allowed by the people or by our times.”

He furthered that the 21st century has been taken by the region as it accounts for 1/3 of the world’s population and more than 60% of the world’s economy. Then, he went on to say that the region accounts for almost 50% of global trade and has the most dynamic growth potential in the world.

“Currently, the Asia Pacific enjoys overall stability. Cooperation in our region has been steadily advanced, and peace, development and win-win cooperation remain the underlying trend in this region.”

He then laid a heavy hand towards what he calls a “Cold War” mentality, unilateralism, hegemonism, and instability, saying such acts are hampering economic ties. Xi says that such a mentality distorts international norms, impedes development cooperation, and ignites conflicts in the region. Then, he blamed such issues as burdening the region’s peace and development.

Xi’s statements were outlined in a six-page document, in which he promoted the Chinese way of modernisation over the current Westernised route. He called out the US influence that is currently seen in the region and proposed a counter alternative that would help “create conditions for ensuring economic development and durable peace and stability in the Asia-Pacific.”

The Chinese president’s statements have grabbed headlines worldwide, leaving Thailand’s PM in the dust. His statements were largely unprecedented with other global leaders in awe of his bold speech. Traditionally, such statements have been reserved for the host country of such global meetings so as to not steal the limelight from the host.

Some observers say Prayut will forever be indebted to China with Xi’s recent turf grabbing just another example of how Prayut’s administration serves as only another puppet to China.

Source - The Thaiger

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Thomas Cook brand relaunches as online travel agency

The Chinese-owned Thomas Cook brand relaunched Wednesday as an online travel agency following the British group's collapse last year.

"The new 'COVID-ready' travel company will initially sell holidays to destinations on the government's safe travel corridor list," said Thomas Cook, which is owned by Fosun Tourism Group.

"Thomas Cook has a proud heritage and after acquiring the brand last year we wanted to quickly return it to its home in the UK," said Fosun's chairman and chief executive, Jim Qian. 

 "Supporting the growth of the brand in China and its relaunch in the UK is a big step in our plan to turn Thomas Cook into a global success story and a key milestone in the development of the Fosun Tourism Group's strategy," he said.

Fosun, which also owns France-based resort giant Club Med, acquired the brand and online assets of Thomas Cook in November.  

Thomas Cook's demise one year ago sparked 22,000 job losses worldwide and triggered Britain's biggest repatriation since World War II, with the government paying to fly home 140,000 stranded tourists.

The 178-year-old British company had declared bankruptcy after an attempt to secure $250 million from private investors fell through.

Thomas Cook's stores across the UK had struggled against fierce online competition, while the company had blamed Brexit uncertainty for a drop in bookings before its collapse.

Source - TheJakartaPost

The world after Covid

The second quarter of 2020 has seen a divergence between the investment world and real economic conditions. Despite a recent uptick, the global economy is still contracting: the IMF has just downgraded its global GDP forecast to -4.9% from -3.0%.

Yet the picture for the investment world is quite good. Stock markets have regained their feet and surged after plunging 30-40% in March. Two factors have led risky asset prices to recover:

1. Continued stimulus: Since February, the balance sheets of the four major central banks (the US, Europe, Japan and England) have swelled by US$4.5 trillion. As well, a flurry of stimulus measures by the US Federal Reserve, including the purchase of corporate bonds, has meaningfully improved liquidity in the credit market.

Notably, on June 15 the Fed said it would begin buying corporate bonds directly. We see this as a signal that it intends to do whatever it takes to support the market whenever signs of trouble emerge.

2. Rebounding economies: Many countries have begun the cautious process of reopening their economies, leading to a revival in economic indicators. The global composite purchasing managers’ index, as well as other important gauges such as US jobs and retail sales data, plus Chinese economic indicators, rebounded in May. Preliminary figures for June also look promising.

US economic growth momentum appears better than either the market or we had expected. This reflects the resilience and flexibility of the US economy and effective stimulus measures by both the government and the Fed.

On the other hand, China’s recovery, though gradual, is slower than we expected. The primary cause may be the half-hearted stimulus measures, as Chinese authorities want to see a more organic and gradual recovery.

Looking forward, we forecast that the global and Thai economy will bottom out in the second quarter, economic revival will continue in the third quarter, and the fourth quarter may bring positive year-on-year growth.

Nevertheless, we see the world economy contracting by 2.3% and Thai GDP down 5.8% this year. We may see some rebound in 2021-22, after a vaccine is found and distributed. Nevertheless, the “new normal” economic growth rate will be lower than before.

Our projection is materially different than that of the IMF. The latter’s main assumption is that there will be persistent social distancing and/or lengthier lockdowns in several economies, which will lead to a lengthier slowdown.

However, given the better knowledge health authorities now have, governments may choose to partially shut down activity in areas where they see the virus returning, while rigorously testing, tracing, isolating and treating infected patients. This will allow partial opening of the economy while actively managing and controlling the spread of the virus.

Although we see most economies bottoming out in the second quarter, looking forward, there may be some downside risks:

1. Less economic stimulus, especially in the US. Although gigantic compared with the 2008-09 crisis era, the Fed’s purchases fell to $441 billion in May from $1 trillion in March and April. Reduced bond purchases mean liquidity injected into the market and the economy may shrink. Nevertheless, we believe that whenever it sees factors that could sap market confidence, the Fed will step in to reassure investors.

2. Rising numbers of newly infected patients. Surges in Texas, Florida, California and Arizona this month have raised concerns about US economic reopening. However, we believe there is no reason to panic. In some areas, such as California, the rising figure reflects increased testing. Some states that have overcome devastating outbreaks, such as New York, are starting to restrict travel from other infected states, along with other measures such as mandatory mask wearing, to reduce risk.

3. The risk of a cold war between the US and China. As we mentioned last month, an election-year cold war could be used to boost President Trump’s popularity by stirring up nationalism. If the US economy is staggering or the president’s chances of re-election seem slimmer, he may resort to a cold war. That would hurt the economies of the US and China, as well as the rest of the world.

Against the backdrop of a gradual recovery even as economic risks linger, investors need to remain extremely cautious. The focus should be on sectors that have a long-term future, such as technology, healthcare and sectors that benefit from a low-interest-rate environment, such as real estate.

Source - Pattaya One News

#Indonesia - Govt seeks to create ‘travel bubbles’ to help tourism recover

The government is seeking to create “travel bubbles” with China, South Korea, Japan and Australia, which are known for their achievements in handling the COVID-19 outbreak, as the nation enters its so-called new normal period.

The term “travel bubble”, or “travel corridor”, refers to an agreement in which countries succeeding in containing the outbreak open their borders to each other to allow free movement within the bubble.

The Office of the Coordinating Maritime Affairs and Investment Minister’s undersecretary for tourism and the creative economy, Oto Manuhutu, said his office was discussing the matter with the Foreign Ministry as well as the Tourism and Creative Economy Ministry.

“The four countries were chosen because many tourists and foreign investors in Indonesia come from those countries,” Oto said on Friday, as quoted by Antara.

Despite the plan, he added that business-people would probably be the first and only ones to travel to and from those countries in the near future. “Hopefully, tourists will gradually follow to visit [Indonesia] after the investors.”

Oto went on to say that the Foreign Ministry was discussing the requirements for travel bubbles before signing agreements with the four countries.

“The travel bubbles would open two to four weeks after the agreements are signed while taking into consideration health, security and technical aspects,” said Oto.

Experts have said that the government’s move to ease COVID-19 restrictions might worsen conditions, as the country has yet to reach its peak in the epidemiological curve.

Source - TheJakartaPost

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Cross-border trade with Thailand estimated at just $1.5 million for first quarter

#Cambodia’s cross border trade with Thailand fell to $1.5 million in the first quarter as the coronavirus hit the global economy and led to closure of dozens of checkpoints.

The Thai Foreign Trade Department said the country’s overall cross-border trade, including transit trade, totalled 264.97 billion baht in the first three months, with Malaysia still the biggest partner for Thailand’s border trade.

Transit trade involves the passage of goods through more than one country.

Of the total figures, exports from Thailand totalled 187.56 billion baht, down 5.4% from the first three months of last year, with imports also shrinking 12.6% to 77.40 billion baht, resulting in a trade surplus of 110.15 billion baht.

Thailand’s border trade with four neighboring countries amounted to 195.66 billion baht, down 7.4% from the same period last year.

Of the total, two-way trade with Malaysia totalled 56.47 billion baht, followed by trade with Laos (42.68 billion baht), Cambodia (48.33 billion baht) and Myanmar (48.16 billion baht).

Cambodia had the lowest cross border trade with Thailand after Malaysia the biggest partner for border trade, followed by Laos, Myanmar.

Malaysia remained the biggest partner for border trade, with two-way trade reaching 476.15 billion baht, down 8.7%, followed by Laos (181.80 billion baht), Myanmar (180.73 billion baht) and Cambodia (146.41 billion baht) for the first 11 months of 2019.

Transit trade with Singapore, Vietnam and southern China dropped 2.2% in the first quarter, totalling 61.86 billion baht.

Transit trade to southern China recovered to fetch the greatest value after China reopened, with value rising to 28.62 billion baht, up 4.9%, followed by Singapore (19.70 billion baht) and Vietnam (13.53 billion baht).

Keerati Rushchano, director-general of the department, said outstanding performance was seen in exports to Cambodia, which saw continued growth of 14.3% in the first three months despite the deadly virus.

Higher shipments were led by non-alcoholic drinks, automobiles and parts, and livestock.

Shipments to Laos also registered an increase of 2.4% in the period, especially for computers, non-alcoholic drinks and fresh fruits.

“Overall cross-border trade remains inactive, as the pandemic scatters throughout the world and seriously hits the global economy,” Mr Keerati said. Bangkok Post

Source - Khmer Times

Beijing Zoo reopened on Monday after being closed since Jan 24 as part of efforts to control the novel coronavirus pneumonia outbreak.

The 5,000 animals have been fed well, are housed in sanitized areas and are enjoying the spring sunshine.

Zhang Chenglin, the zoo's deputy director, said, "Some of the animals, such as the pandas, preferred to have more exercise when the zoo was empty."

Veterinarians checked the animals' health. A pregnant Malayan tapir received the most attention, with regular ultrasound examinations.

Ma Tao, who looks after pandas at the zoo, starts his working day at 7 am by taking a fixed route on a delivery truck to feed the animals in their enclosure.

Workers such as Ma help prepare 2,000 kilograms of food for animals at the zoo every day, including chopped carrots, fresh cucumbers and raw meat.

"My happiest time of the day is to see the animals eating, even if sometimes they take a bite out of my arm," Ma, who is in his 40s, said jokingly. He added that it usually takes about three hours to distribute food to all the animals.

Occasionally, they need "afternoon tea", with grapes being the red pandas' favorite. Ma often feeds these animals by hand.

With snow falling in Beijing in the middle of last month, keepers spent more time checking on the animals. Some of the inhabitants preferred to keep warm in their enclosures, while others enjoyed being outdoors.

Zhang said: "Tufted deer prefer to be outside and can resist the cold even in extreme wintry conditions. They jump and run around frequently in the snow."

In the past month, zookeepers have been engaging with these animals to win their trust.

Zhang said he is most concerned about baby tufted deer, as they are extremely timid. He added that the term of a pregnant tufted deer is between three and seven months, during which time the animals must be provided with a quiet and stable environment to ensure they have adequate rest.

In the wild, tufted deer, which are listed as a national first-class protected wild animal, usually inhabit forests at an altitude of about 1,000 meters.

"Keepers need to be patient so that these creatures can get to know them after the first contact," Zhang said. "In the case of a newborn tufted deer, a keeper has to come to the animal at least four times before it will trust him and eat from his hand."

Zhang said disinfection measures at the zoo have been strengthened.

"We completely disinfect and sterilize the zoo once a week," he said, adding that the animals' food is carefully checked and purchased from Xinfadi, a wholesale market for agricultural products about 20 kilometers south of the zoo.

"We have sufficient food stored at the zoo to feed the animals for six months," he said, adding that designated suppliers have to be contacted in advance for deliveries of some food, such as bamboo for the pandas.

Zhang said online trips to the zoo are available, where visitors can see enclosures being disinfected and the animals fed.

Beijing resident Wang Shengru and her 6-year-old daughter are eagerly waiting to revisit the zoo. The chimpanzees are the young girl's favorite, as the animals make her laugh when they eat bananas.

Due to the outbreak, both mother and daughter have remained at home for more than one month. "She misses her animal friends terribly," Wang said.

Since Feb 22, Hongshan Forest Zoo in Nanjing, Jiangsu province, has been livestreaming footage of animals being fed. In the mornings during weekends, two "hosts" use a phone camera to take online visitors on a sightseeing tour of the zoological park.

Many people have voiced concern about food supplies for animals at the zoo, with online donation campaigns being launched to provide them with fresh vegetables, fruit and meat. The livestreaming sessions show that the animals are being fed well.

Source - TheJakartaPost

Schengen countries extend suspension of visa issuance in China in wake of coronavirus

China

Following the suspension of all visa issuance in China, due to the coronavirus outbreak, the visa centers of the seven Schengen member countries that were supposed to re-open on Feb. 3, have remained closed.

The member countries have instead announced that the suspension period will be extended until Feb. 9 at the earliest.

A notice published by the Slovak visa center in China indicated that the re-opening of the centers may change, dependent on advice from authorities.

“In light of the current coronavirus alert, please note that the Slovakia Visa Application Centers across China will remain closed until Feb. 9 (included). However, the re-opening of the centers may change, subject to further notifications from central, provincial and city authorities. We apologize for the inconvenience and appreciate your understanding and kind co-operation. Please return to this page for further updates,” the notice reads as reported by schengenvisainfo.com.

As there is no improvement in the coronavirus epidemic, with the death toll rising to 497 as of Wednesday, authorities for the Schengen member countries extended their closure for at least a week more than intended.

The Schengen members involved are:

    Austria – Feb. 9
    Belgium – Feb. 9
    Estonia – Feb. 10
    Liechtenstein – Feb. 10
    Norway – Feb. 10
    Slovakia – Feb. 9
    Switzerland – Feb. 10

France remains the only Schengen country that has announced the closure of the Wuhan Visa Application Center, while the European Union prepares to tighten entry conditions for Chinese nationals who have traveled to China in recent months.

Cautionary action has been taken by numerous countries as the coronavirus has infected more than 20,000 people in China since emerging in December and has now spread to more than 20 countries. 

Source - TheJakartaPost

#Russia suspends visa-free tourist travel to and from China over virus

Russia said on Saturday it was suspending visa-free travel for tourists to and from China to help contain the outbreak of a new coronavirus that emerged in China.

A bilateral visa-free regime for tourist groups agreed on in 2000 will suspended from Feb. 2, a government decree said.

Russia will also temporarily stop accepting and issuing documents for work visas to Chinese nationals.

Russia reported its first two cases of coronavirus on Friday and restricted direct flights to China, its biggest trade partner.

The Russian military is to start evacuating Russian citizens from China due to the outbreak. 

Source - TheJakartaPost

#China virus sends shockwaves through Asia tourist industry

A deadly virus that has prompted travel restrictions in China is sending shockwaves through Asia's tourism industry, which has become increasingly reliant on growing numbers of Chinese visitors.

At least 81 people have died since the new strain of coronavirus emerged in China's Wuhan, and millions are now under an effective quarantine, with all flights in and out of the city grounded and a ban on Chinese tour groups domestically and abroad.

The measures come amid a boom in Chinese foreign travel, with the number of tourists from the country increasing nearly tenfold since 2003, according to a report by research firm Capital Economics.

But businesses in destinations that rely on the huge numbers of Chinese tourists are already feeling the heat, with complaints of "deserted" beaches and shops, and concerns about the future.

There will be a less immediate impact in Europe, which is currently off peak season for visitors from China.

The outbreak carries echoes of the SARS crisis, which paralyzed regional travel and battered local economies from late 2002. Chinese tourist numbers then fell by around a third.

"If they fell by a similar amount again, it would knock around 1.5-2.0 percentage points from (gross domestic product) in the most vulnerable countries," Capital Economics said.

In Japan, the fall in Chinese visitors was already being felt in Asakusa, a popular tourist destination near the Sensoji temple.

"We've definitely been seeing less people this year," said Yoshie Yoneyama, 31, manager of a shop selling traditional Japanese sweets and a rice-based drink called amazake.

Beaches 'deserted'

"I think there are less than half the numbers of last year or the year before," she told AFP.

The number of Chinese holidaying in Japan has exploded from around 450,000 in 2003 to 8.4 million in 2018, accounting for 27 percent of all inbound tourists as Tokyo works to expand the sector.

But it will now be "very difficult" for Japan to achieve its target of 40 million tourists in 2020, Yuki Takashima, an economist at Nomura Securities, told AFP.

And the effects will be felt beyond hotels, restaurants and tourist sites, because many Chinese tourists visit Japan specifically to shop.

The crisis has already sent Japan's key Nikkei index plunging, with stock in Shiseido -- a cosmetics brand popular with Chinese tourists -- falling more than five percent on Monday.

"We can expect those stocks to continue to fall like dominoes," said Stephen Innes, chief market strategist at AxiCorp.

But he said Japan would be better placed to weather the storm than another top destination for Chinese tourists: Thailand.

Tourism accounts for 18 percent of the nation's GDP, with Chinese holidaymakers making up more than a quarter of total arrivals.

The country's tourism minister has already warned a crisis on the scale of SARS could cost an estimated $1.6 billion, and the effects are already clear in Phuket.

'Really serious'

"For two days, the streets, the shops and the beaches have been deserted," said Claude de Crissey, who owns a 40-room hotel and a restaurant on the island.

"Phuket has focused almost exclusively on Chinese tourism... if the situation continues, we will all be impacted," he told AFP.

Australia too, already reeling from the effects of the bushfire crisis, is likely to feel the impact.

Chinese visitor numbers doubled in the six years to June 2019, with mainlanders now accounting for 15 percent of Australia's inbound tourists.

Mario Hardy, CEO of the Pacific Asia Travel Association said it was hard to gauge how long the crisis would last.

"I would suspect the impact would be between three to six months, but it will really depend on how the situation evolves in the coming few weeks," he told AFP.

Source - TheJakartaPost

China is Now Thailand’s Top Source of Foreign Investment

For more than five decades, Japan was the largest investor in the southeast Asian nation, but a number of factors conspired to knock it off the top spot

China topped the list of economies looking to invest in Thailand for the first time last year. Overtaking Japan as the southeast Asian nation’s main source of foreign direct investment. Above all thanks to belt and road-linked projects, over spill from the US-China trade war and Thai government incentives.

Applications from China – valued at 262 billion baht (US$8.5 billion).  They accounted for more than half of all foreign direct investment applications, according to Thailand’s Board of Investment. Japan’s applications, meanwhile, were valued at 73.1 billion baht. Followed by 36.3 billion baht of applications from Hong Kong.

High-Speed Rail Project in Thailand

However, the vast majority of Chinese investment agreed upon last year was linked to a 224 billion baht high-speed rail project. It will connect the airports at Suvarnabhumi, Don Muang and U-tapao. Contracts for the project were signed in October, between the Thai government and a consortium. Whose members also include the Chinese state-owned China Railway Construction Corporation.

Siwat Luangsomboon, an analyst at Kasikorn Research Centre, noted that such major infrastructure projects would “not happen every year” and that before the deal was signed, Japanese investment had actually exceeded that from China in the first nine months of 2019.

Japan has been the largest investor in Thailand for more than five decades. Its investments have subsequently “matured”, according to Pavida Pananond, a lecturer at Thammasat Business School in Bangkok. Chinese investment, meanwhile, is at a relatively “early stage of development.” So there “likely to record a faster growth rate and larger initial flows”, she said.

“While annual flows of Chinese investment may exceed that of Japan this year. Thanks partly to the relocation of Chinese firms hit by the trade war with the US.  Also incoming Chinese investment related to the high-speed train projects. It will take a while for accumulated Chinese investment to exceed that from Japan,” she added.

Thailand handing out big tax incentives

China has sought to invest in a number of sectors promoted by the Thai government. Such as cars, smart electronics, biotechnology, logistics and aviation. Attracted by tax rebates and deductions, preferential visa policies and “a lot of deregulation”, Kobsak Pootrakul, secretary to Thailand’s Council of Economic Ministers, told a press briefing earlier this month.

These revised investment incentives were rolled out following a year of currency appreciation, weaker exports, fewer tourist arrivals and lower agricultural prices, which have conspired to send Thailand’s growth forecasts tumbling to among the lowest in the region, at less than 3 per cent.

Thailand also struggles to stay competitive when compared to other regional players such as Vietnam
, despite its “better infrastructure, ecosystem for foreign investment, and depth of supply chain networks in key industries like electronics and automotive”, Pavida, the business professor, said.

Kriangkrai Tiannukul, vice-chairman of the Federation of Thai Industries, predicted a slow recovery for Thailand’s economy given the current global economic slowdown, ongoing geopolitical and trade tensions and a recent severe drought that has affected agricultural productivity and farmers’ incomes.

Increased China investment in the years ahead

“I think we will see the Chinese coming ahead as Thailand’s biggest investors in the future,” he said. “Ultimately the value of their investments will surpass that of the Japanese.”

In addition to the high-speed railway linking three airports, infrastructure projects being rolled out by the Thai government that could attract further Chinese investment include some 2,000km of single-track railway that is set to be doubled, planned increases to airport capacity and an expansion of Bangkok’s mass transit network.

The so-called Eastern Economic Corridor, a 1.7-trillion baht mega project heavily reliant on Chinese backing that seeks to replicate a similarly name investment programme from the 1980s, is also expected to continue attracting investment.

These opportunities, when combined with the policies being implemented to strengthen the country’s economy. Small and medium-sized enterprise segment, agricultural sector, export competitiveness and tourism industry. Will make “this is the best time for companies to invest in Thailand,” said Kobsak, the government secretary.

Source: SCMP

#China - Beijing to close section of Great Wall, other tourist sites

China announced Friday it will close a section of the Great Wall and other famous Beijing landmarks to control the spread of a deadly virus that has infected hundreds of people across the country.

A range of Lunar New Year festivities have been cancelled to try to contain the virus, and Beijing's Forbidden City and Shanghai's Disneyland have also been closed temporarily.

The Ming Tombs and Yinshan Pagoda will also be closed from Saturday, the authority that oversees the sites said, while the Bird's Nest stadium -- the site of the 2008 Olympic Games -- was shuttered from Friday.

The Great Wall attracts around 10 million tourists a year and is a popular destination for visitors during the New Year holiday.

The Juyongguan section will close, while the Great Wall temple fair was cancelled at the Simatai section of the famous landmark.

Tourists at the Gubei water town by the Simatai section will have their temperature tested, the authority said in a statement on the WeChat social media app.

The Bird's Nest will be closed until January 30 in order to "prevent and control" the spread of the virus, authorities said. An ice and snow show taking place on the pitch will be closed.

The measures in the capital are the latest to try and control the outbreak of the new coronavirus, after authorities rapidly expanded a mammoth quarantine effort that affected 41 million people in central Hubei province.

The previously unknown virus has caused alarm because of its similarity to SARS (Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome), which killed hundreds across mainland China and Hong Kong in 2002-2003.

Although there have only been 29 confirmed cases in Beijing, city authorities have cancelled large-scaled Lunar New Year events this week.

The city government said it would call off events including two popular temple fairs, which have attracted massive crowds of tourists in past years.

Beijing's Forbidden City -- which saw 19 million visitors last year -- is usually packed with tourists during the Lunar New Year festival, when hundreds of millions of people travel across China.

Source - TheJakartaPost

Airports ramp up health monitoring amid Chinese pneumonia outbreak

Airport authorities in Greater Jakarta will increase health monitoring of passengers on international flights from China and Hong Kong amid growing concern about a pneumonia outbreak in Wuhan, in eastern China.

According to a circular issued by the health office of Soekarno Hatta International Airport in Tangerang, Banten, earlier this month, authorities will enforce a number of prevention and monitoring measures on passengers landing at the airport, as well as Halim Perdanakusuma International Airport in East Jakarta.

All airlines serving direct or transit flights from China and Hong Kong were advised to immediately provide health documents in the form of general declarations, as well as passenger manifests to the officials in the health office.

“Passengers coming from countries with reported cases of pneumonia infection will be screened by thermal scanner as well as syndromic surveillance,” says the letter, a copy of which was obtained by The Jakarta Post.

The office also recommended that all people working in the airport wear protective devices to reduce the chance of infection from people suspected of being infected by the disease.

“If you suffer from fever, cough or throat problems, contact medical personnel immediately,” the health office wrote in the circular.

The Indonesian Society of Respirology (PDPI) warned in a statement issued last Friday that people traveling to countries with outbreaks of the disease should wear masks at all times.

“After returning from places with outbreaks, immediately consult doctors if you experience a high fever or other symptoms of the infection. You should also tell the doctor of your recent travels to the outbreak sites,” the PDPI wrote in a statement.

Since December last year, dozens of cases of pneumonia have been reported in Wuhan. The disease is associated with a previously unidentified coronavirus related to the deadly Sudden Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS) virus.

The World Health Organization (WHO) announced on Monday that China had reported to the organization 139 new cases of coronavirus infection in Wuhan, Beijing and Shenzhen over the past two days. The increased number was said to be the result of “increased searching and testing for 2019-nCoV [2019-novel coronavirus] among people sick with respiratory illness”.

The WHO had recently confirmed the first infection case outside China, with a doctor in Bangkok confirming a Chinese traveler was diagnosed with pneumonia caused by the novel coronavirus.

According to the WHO, there are also other suspected cases in other cities around the region, such as Singapore and Seoul.

The outbreak has caused alarm because of the link with SARS, which killed 349 people in mainland China and another 299 in Hong Kong in 2002-2003.

#Cambodia - Tourism caravan reaches final destination

The caravan entered Cambodia from Laos through the border gate in Steung Treng province.

 A caravan of 33 vehicles organised to promote tourism sites in China, Laos and Cambodia reached its final destination on Saturday.

 The convoy departed Kunming, in China’s Yunnan province, on Nov 16, crossing Laos before arriving in Cambodia on Nov 25.

The convoy crossed into Cambodia through the border gate at Stung Treng province. It then travelled to Phnom Penh, Kandal and Kampong Thom before reaching its final destination, Siem Reap. From Kunming to Siem Reap, the convoy traveled about 6,000 kilometers.

The official name of the caravan is the “Lancang-Mekong Culture and Tourism Exchange and Historical Cities Caravan Tour from China, Laos and Cambodia”.

The convoy’s goal was to promote tourism sites visited along the way as well as cultural and tourism exchanges within the Lancang-Mekong Cooperation Framework.

The convoy was organized as part of the ‘2019 China-Cambodia Culture and Tourism Year.’

Speaking at a ceremony to mark the end of the caravan in Siem Reap on Saturday, Hor Sarun, undersecretary of State at the Ministry of Tourism, said the convoy helped promote Cambodia’s tourism potential.

“The caravan provided an opportunity to have cultural exchanges and promote tourism by visiting important sites along the Mekong-Lancang river, which is an important historical area,” Mr Sarun said.

 

Shi Ling, deputy director-general of Yunnan’s Department of Culture and Tourism, asked Cambodians to consider traveling to Yunnan province during their next vacation.

Source - Khmer Times

Thailand's sex-shy giant panda dies aged 19

A beloved male giant panda on loan to Thailand from China has died aged 19 in Chiang Mai, leaving Thais on Tuesday to mourn the death of a mammal whose sex life captivated the kingdom. 

Chuang Chuang, a resident of the northern city's zoo since October 2003, arrived with female Lin Hui, where the pair lived in an air-conditioned enclosure.

The pair's mating habits -- or lack of -- became a source of relentless public intrigue, with Chuang Chuang put on a low-carb diet and shown video clips of panda's coupling in an attempt to spice up their sex drive. 

After struggles to conceive, Lin Hui finally gave birth thanks to artificial insemination to Linping in 2009, spurring a widely-watched live 24-hour "Panda Channel". 

Dismayed Thais woke up Tuesday to the news of Chuang Chuang's death. 

"Rest in peace, little bear." 

Chiang Mai zoo director Wutthichai Muangmun said before his death, Chuang Chuang was doing what he liked best -- eating bamboo. 

"He was walking around, but staggered and fell to the ground," he told reporters. 

Each panda was insured for up to 15 million baht ($490,000) under the agreement with China, he added. 

On loan from Chengdu, the pair were a part of China's so-called "panda diplomacy", and were supposed to be returned in 2023. 

Giant pandas are notorious for their low sex drive, and are among the world's most endangered animals. 

Their average life expectancy ranges from 15 to 20 year in the wild, but they can live up to 30 years in captivity, according to WWF. 

Source Jakarta Post 

China's Terracotta Warriors exhibited in Thailand

China's renowned Terracotta Warriors have been brought to Thailand for the first time for an three-month exhibition at National Museum Bangkok that started from Sunday.

The opening ceremony of the exhibition "Qin Shi Huang, The First Emperor of China and Terracotta Warriors", was held on Sunday afternoon, after which many Thais flooded into the Siwamokkhaphiman Throne Hall to take a glimpse of the over 2,000-year old Terracotta Warriors, or funerary sculptures depicting the armies of Qin Shi Huang.

Held jointly by Thailand's Fine Arts Department, Ministry of Culture and China's Shaanxi Provincial Administration of Cultural Heritage, the exhibition collected 86 items of artifacts from 14 leading museums around Shaanxi province, said Qian Jikui, deputy director of the Shaanxi Provincial Administration of Cultural Heritage, during the opening ceremony.

Qian told the audience that the exhibition is divided into four parts, Before the Qin Empire, Qin Empire: Unification and the Birth of China, Terracotta Army: Its Discovery and Mystery, The Prosperous Empire of Han with Terracotta Army being the core part.

"We are trying to show people the history and culture of Qin Empire, from its beginning to its impact on the later history of China," Qian said.

Wissanu Krea-ngam, deputy prime minister of Thailand, told the opening ceremony that it is a very rare chance to see Terracotta Warriors and other Chinese artifacts of great value in Bangkok and he encourages Thais to take the chance to learn more about China's history and culture.

China has a long history and Qin Shi Huang is a prominent figure, the deputy prime minister said, adding, "We called China Chin in Thai and it is assumed to derive from Qin, the name of Qin Shi Huang's empire, which reveals how influential Qin was."

He also hailed Thailand-China exchange and friendship for hundreds of years and said the exhibition came at a great year which marks the 70th anniversary of the founding of the People's Republic of China and the 44th anniversary of the establishment of Thailand-China diplomatic relations.
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Chinese Ambassador to Thailand Lyu Jian said during the opening ceremony that the exhibition marked that China-Thailand friendship have reached new height.

The Terracotta Army, discovered in 1974, reveals the sophistication of ancient Chinese civilization and its conservation demonstrates the development of Chinese technology, the Chinese ambassador noted, adding that the exhibition would further promote mutual understanding between Chinese and Thai peoples and their friendship.

Thai Minister of Culture Itthiphol Kunplome told Xinhua after the opening ceremony that the exhibition proves how close Thailand-China relations are and it would become a great chance for Thais to learn about history and also to attract tourists.

Itthiphol said it is expected that 200,000 visitors would come to the event during the 3-month long period until Dec 15 this year.

The exhibition attracted many Thais' attention on social media as many commented they would go to visit it for sure and thanked the efforts of both governments to make it happen.

 Rakchaneewan, a Thai visitor told Xinhua that she was moved after seeing those artifacts as she can see and feel the ancient Chinese civilization just here, and she hopes the friendship between Thailand and China would last forever. 

Source - TheJakartaPost

Chinese begin Lunar holiday exodus in the millions

Millions of Chinese have begun the annual exodus for the Lunar New Year, the world's largest annual human migration, leaving major cities to return to their hometowns for the holiday. 

The most important holiday in the Chinese calendar places great emphasis on family reunions, and travellers must get home by Monday to usher in the Year of the Pig the following day. 

At Beijing Railway Station early on Wednesday, thousands were milling around in the cold, wrapped up in thick coats and wheeling their luggage.

They included a group of children with brightly colored bags emblazoned with cartoon characters, a stark contrast to the dark, wintry morning. 

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Readying for a 32-hour journey from Beijing to Huaihua in Hunan province, central China, passengers kept themselves entertained on mobile phones while sipping tea from flasks. 

Many who bought standing-only tickets were perched on their luggage along the aisle, or on tiny foldable stools sold on the Beijing platform. Others dozed in their cramped seats.

In the sleeper cabins there was a buzz in the air, with families chatting and sharing food and children playing along the corridors. 

Rail operators expect some 413 million trips during this year's holiday season, up 8.3 percent from a year ago, the official Xinhua news agency reported. 

Source - TheJakartaPost

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#Thailand invites Chinese tourists to record-breaking sticky rice mango feast

Some 10,000 Chinese tourists have been invited to a feast in Thailand that has broken the Guinness World Record for the biggest sticky rice mango banquet ever, as a way to win tourists from China back.

The dessert, featuring 6,000 mangoes and 15 tonnes of sticky rice was announced the world biggest one in an event themed "We Care About You" near Bangkok. The feast was held on Sunday by the tourism panel of the National Legislative Assembly and was coordinated by the Association of Thai Travel Agents.

Chinese tourists were invited to enjoy the most famous Thai dessert along with Thai food and fruits as well as Thai-Chinese performances.

Organizers said they want to build up a good image of Thai hospitality through this event.

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 "Considering there was a sharp drop of Chinese tourists to Thailand, we've been making an effort to improve the country's safety standards, expecting to restore the confidence of tourists from China and let them know Thailand care about them." said Pichit Kuandachakupt, chairman of the committee of religion, art, culture and tourism of the National Legislative Assembly 

 Chinese arrivals, which were booming in early 2018, were stunted by a deadly ferry sinking in July 2018 which killed 47 Chinese tourists.

Although yearly arrivals of Chinese tourists for 2018 exceeded a historic milestone of 10 million in December, monthly arrivals were lower than that during the same period last year.

Thailand have exceeded the waiver on the on-arrival-visa fee for 20 countries and regions including China, the kingdom's biggest tourism contributor that accounts more than a quarter of its international arrivals.

Source - TheJakartaPost

 

Thailand - Learning from the economic giant next door

Most Thai students tend to pursue studies abroad either in the United States or Europe, which are regarded as open societies and champions of freedom. But some Thai students are walking a different path.

They are choosing China as their educational destination to learn how this developing country has transformed itself in four decades from a poor country to an economic powerhouse and the world’s second-largest economy.

[Related story: Why so many foreign students are flocking to China]

“I’m impressed by how fast China is growing. I want to learn how to do business with Chinese people,” said Patcharamai Sawanaporn, 25, a postgraduate student at the Faculty of WTO, Law and Economics at the University of International Business and Economics (UIBE) in Beijing.

When China kicked-off its Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) in 2013, the UIBE launched a BRI scholarship programme last year. Patcharamai is one of 17 international scholarship students benefiting from the BRI scholarships sponsored by the Chinese government.

Patcharamai likes the Chinese language because she is familiar with it. Her family traces its roots to China hence she studied the Chinese language since her childhood. 

After graduating in international relations on China’s foreign policy from the Faculty of Political Science at Chulalongkorn University, she worked for two years before applying for the BRI scholarship last year.

Unlike Patcharamai, Nalin Phongpuksa, 26, a postgraduate MBA student, Chinese programme, at the UIBE, was forced to learn Chinese. But it has all been worth it for she has now fallen in love with the country and its language. 

Nalin said she was not interested in studying the Chinese language but 10 years ago, her mother – a Thai diplomat – forced her daughter to learn the language before her diplomatic posting for four years, as she wanted Nalin to prepare for life in Beijing. Nalin did her high school in China’s capital and later returned to Thailand with her mother.
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 After she graduated from Mahamakut Buddhist University and worked for two years in the field of logistics she came back to Beijing.

“China is growing rapidly as an economy and I think I could learn more from them. So last year I applied for a scholarship to come back to study here,” she said.

Both students found life in China was not very difficult, although in the beginning the language barrier was a problem as well as restrictions on accessing social media. But the Thai students have finally settled down and are enjoying the conveniences the country allows foreign students. 

They have no problem with their host country’s restricted access to certain websites and social media such as Facebook and Twitter. They have managed to find a way to bypass the restrictions and access online information and social media.

They rely on a VPN or Virtual Private Network, a secure tunnel between two or more devices, which enables them to keep in touch with the world outside China, as well as their families and friends in Thailand.

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PS.
Another point is, almost the whole Thai youth is addicted on playing games, and prefer to sit in the to many Internet-cafes.
Almost the can not write there own name in a common language. 
''SHAME''
Who want employ these addicted youth  

Thailand - China to send rescue experts, equipment to cave

China is preparing to send a team of six rescue experts to Chiang Rai to help find the still-missing 12 young footballers and their coach, according to a press statement from that country’s embassy in Bangkok. 

The team is expected to arrive at Chiang Mai International Airport at about 3pm on Friday before travelling to Chiang Rai.

They will be bringing high technology equipment, including an underwater robot and a three-dimension spectrometer.

The team has experience in rescuing people trapped from caves in Myanmar and Nepal.

Source - TheNation

Chinese smartphone brands team up to fight WeChat dominance

China’s biggest smartphone vendors are getting together for a software platform offering access to apps that can provide an alternative for WeChat’s more than 1 billion users.

Huawei Technologies Co., Oppo, Vivo and Xiaomi Corp. are teaming with six smaller brands for Quick App, which lets users access a range of services including mobile payments. That’s a direct challenge to the mini programs of WeChat, owned by Tencent Holdings Ltd., which lets users order food and rent bikes without ever leaving the app.

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WeChat, which is available on all the major operating systems, is nearly ubiquitous in China as people use their smartphone to buy food, pay bills and send money to friends. Mini programs has further entrenched the app by making it a one-stop shop for daily essentials and helping Tencent capture more of the revenue spent by consumers.

The vendors will each have equal status in the alliance, which is designed to improve efficiency for both smartphone users and app developers, said Kaylene Hong, a spokeswoman for Xiaomi.

Source - TheJakartaPost