Thailand's tourism industry rebounds as it heads into high season - The Straits Times

BANGKOK - Tourist arrivals in Thailand have been promising - with 3.12 million international travellers turning up in the first seven months of the year.

The authorities and industry players are optimistic but the nation, which before the Covid-19 pandemic relied heavily on tourism, is not out of the woods just yet.

"Honestly, I don't think we are even halfway to rebuilding tourism in South-east Asia. It went down to such low levels that everything compared with last year is a big increase," said Ms Hannah Pearson, founding partner of travel consultancy firm Pear Anderson.

Several challenges threaten to dampen the "slow but steady" recovery, including high inflation rates and operational and manpower issues that will increase travel costs, say industry operators.

External factors, like the Ukraine-Russia war that has pushed up energy prices, the reimposition of travel rules in some countries seeing Covid-19 resurgences and concerns over the global monkeypox outbreak, will continue to cloud Thailand's efforts to rebuild the crucial tourism sector.

"But at least it is steady progression, instead of the one step forward, two steps back situation last year," added Ms Pearson, whose firm specialises in the South-east Asian market.

Since the country dropped its last slew of border entry rules on July 1 - removing the Thailand Pass registration and compulsory insurance - foreign arrivals have grown by 50 per cent, crossing the one million mark per month for the first time since the pandemic.

Thailand was one of the first places in the region to ease border restrictions, beginning with the experiment to ring-fence the island of Phuket for tourists in July last year.

And, with each move to scale back entry rules, Travel agencies like Contiki started to see the gradual return of tourists.

"Demand has consistently increased for our Thailand itineraries in line with restrictions continuing to be relaxed," said a spokesman, adding that these offerings are its top sellers in Asia.

Currently, travellers need to show only their vaccine certificate or a negative polymerase chain reaction test to enter.

According to official figures, about 1.07 million tourists visited last month, with those from Malaysia, India and Singapore leading the pack.

This yielded 125 billion baht (S$4.83 billion) in travel receipts.

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2022-08-06 04:59:38Z
CBMiamh0dHBzOi8vd3d3LnN0cmFpdHN0aW1lcy5jb20vYXNpYS9zZS1hc2lhL3RoYWlsYW5kcy10b3VyaXNtLWluZHVzdHJ5LXJlYm91bmRzLWFzLWl0LWhlYWRzLWludG8taGlnaC1zZWFzb27SAQA

Why can't teenagers sleep early? Can parents and schools do more to combat its ill effects? - TODAY

Some parents said that the digital age has blurred the boundaries between school work and downtime, resulting in students here being too wired up to go to bed early.

Mrs R Lim, 46, a homemaker, said that parents must keep an eye on their children’s sleep, but schools and teachers have a part to play in how they engage students during after-school hours.

She can no longer enforce a strict 9.30pm bedtime for her 13-year-old son Ray since he started secondary school this year.

“I’ve had to extend his bedtime (to 10pm) because he seems to have endless things and projects to do on his school laptop.

“Then, there’re class chats (over WhatsApp) and he tells me that teachers sometimes give last-minute assignments or classmates want to do last-minute project work,” Mrs Lim added.

“Why can’t announcements and information about homework be communicated during school hours, like how it used to be back in my time?”

WAKING TOO EARLY FOR SCHOOL 

Sleep experts said that a main contributing factor for school-going teenagers not getting enough sleep is not so much about later bedtimes, but that they have to wake too early for school.

Teenagers have a natural biological tendency to sleep later, compared with younger children and adults. 

Dr Lim explained: “As you go into the teenage years, there is a gradual delay of the circadian rhythm (the ‘body’s 24-hour clock’ that regulates physical functions and behavioural changes).

“(An earlier bedtime) may be possible with younger children but in the teenage group, their natural sleep comes better later, for example, 10pm to 11pm.

“Generally, teenagers may not really go to sleep well until 11pm. And if they need (eight or) nine hours of sleep, then their wake time should be at 8am for them to get the recommended amount of sleep.”

That is why some sleep experts here have called for the Government to step in and let schools adopt later starting times every day, particularly for the teenage group.

Sleep scientists such as Professor Michael Chee from the Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine in the National University of Singapore, and Associate Professor Joshua Gooley from Duke-NUS Medical School, have been vocal in advocating for secondary schools and junior colleges here to start every day at 8.30am or later, based on scientific evidence.

Ms Chai from Think Psychological Services and Think Kids said: “Research has shown that starting school around 8.30am supports the biological needs of adolescents as this provides an opportunity for them to increase their amount of sleep.”

Dr Lim also said that she is “all for” later start times in schools. “If the reasons for not delaying school start time is logistical, I hope we can find ways to get around it.”

Two research studies commissioned by the Ministry of Education (MOE) are now underway to look at the impact of factors affecting sleep duration and sleep quality of students in Singapore to better understand how later start times in schools could contribute to students’ longer sleep duration.

When approached by TODAY, MOE said that it takes a “holistic approach” in helping students develop good sleep hygiene and healthy habits. This is done at age-appropriate junctions through physical education and character and citizenship education lessons.

MOE said that it also works with schools to monitor the overall work and activities load — both academic and co-curricular — of students in school, as well as their parents.

SOME SCHOOLS SHIFT START TIMES

MOE repeated its stance that schools are not to start earlier than 7.30am and that schools have the autonomy to decide on the appropriate start time, adding that some have shifted their start times in recent years.

For example, Junyuan Secondary School starts at 8am on three days of the week and 8.30am on two days. TODAY understands that Loyang View Secondary School also recently shifted its start time on Mondays to 8.30am.

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2022-08-06 00:00:00Z
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Commentary: Taiwan dominates the world's supply of computer chips – no wonder the US is worried - CNA

NOTTINGHAM, England: One aspect of Nancy Pelosi’s trip to Taiwan that has been largely overlooked is her meeting with Mark Lui, chairman of the Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Corporation (TSMC).

Pelosi’s trip coincided with US efforts to convince TSMC – the world’s largest chip manufacturer, on which the US is heavily dependent – to establish a manufacturing base in the US and to stop making advanced chips for Chinese companies.

US support for Taiwan has historically been based on Washington’s opposition to communist rule in Beijing, and Taiwan’s resistance to absorption by China. But in recent years, Taiwan’s autonomy has become a vital geopolitical interest for the US because of the island’s dominance of the semiconductor manufacturing market.

Semiconductors – also known as computer chips or just chips – are integral to all the networked devices that have become embedded into our lives. They also have advanced military applications.

Transformational, super-fast 5G Internet emerged is enabling a world of connected devices of every kind (the Internet of Things) and a new generation of networked weapons. With this in mind, US officials began to realise during the Trump administration that US semiconductor design companies, such as Intel, were heavily dependent on Asian-based supply chains for the manufacturing of their products.

In particular, Taiwan’s position in the world of semiconductor manufacturing is a bit like Saudi Arabia’s status in OPEC. TSMC has a 53 per cent market share of the global foundry market (factories contracted to make chips designed in other countries). Other Taiwan-based manufacturers claim a further 10 per cent of the market.

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2022-08-05 22:00:00Z
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Singapore reports first local linked case of monkeypox; total of 15 infections confirmed since June - CNA

SINGAPORE: Singapore on Friday (Aug 5) reported two new cases of monkeypox, including its first local linked case - a contact of a man whose infection was confirmed earlier this week. 

The 54-year-old man had no recent travel history, said the Ministry of Health (MOH) in an update on its website.

He tested positive on Friday and is a contact of a 33-year-old man known as Case 13.

The other case that was confirmed on Friday is a 25-year-old man. He had no recent travel history and his infection is classified as local unlinked, said MOH. 

The two new cases bring the total number of infections in the country since June to 15.

Of the 15 cases, five are imported while 10 are local. 

According to the Health Ministry, monkeypox is a viral disease that is caused by infection with the monkeypox virus.

It is typically a self-limiting illness that presents with fever and rash. However, serious complications or death can occur in some individuals.

Those infected usually experience fever, headache, muscle ache, backache, swollen lymph nodes, chills and lethargy. 

As the disease progresses, infected persons develop a rash, often starting from the face before spreading to other parts of the body, including the palms and soles.

Symptoms may appear from five to 21 days following infection. These individuals are generally infectious from onset of fever until the skin lesions have scabbed over, said MOH. 

From Aug 1, monkeypox cases assessed by public hospitals to be clinically stable will be transferred to a dedicated isolation facility.

For close contacts of monkeypox cases, the quarantine period will be adjusted to 14 days, followed by seven days of monitoring for symptoms via regular phone calls, said MOH. 

According to the ask.gov.sg website, those on phone surveillance can leave their home as long as they are well. They should contact an MOH duty officer if they are unwell. 

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2022-08-05 11:59:00Z
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Asia markets trade higher; RBI rate decision, U.S. jobs report ahead - CNBC

SINGAPORE — Shares in Asia-Pacific traded higher Friday as investors look ahead to the Reserve Bank of India's interest rate decision and the U.S. jobs report.

Markets appear unfazed by China's military drills around Taiwan, though Japan's Defense Minister Nobuo Kishi said Chinese missiles landed in Japan's exclusive economic zone and called the military drills a "serious problem," according to an NBC News report.

Taiwan's Taiex jumped 1.74%, with chipmaker TSMC rising 2%.

The Nikkei 225 in Japan rose 0.45% and the Topix index gained 0.46%.

Australia's S&P/ASX 200 increased 0.14%.

In South Korea, the Kospi advanced 0.68% and the Kosdaq added 0.61%

Hong Kong's Hang Seng index climbed 0.14%.

Alibaba's Hong Kong shares dropped around 1% after the company reported flat revenue growth, though fiscal first-quarter earnings beat expectations.

Mainland China markets were higher. The Shanghai Composite was up 0.21% and the Shenzhen Component gained 0.48%.

MSCI's broadest index of Asia-Pacific shares outside Japan added 0.66%.

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The Reserve Bank of India will announce its interest rate decision later Friday.

Out of 63 respondents to a Reuters poll, 26 expect a 50-basis-point hike to 5.4%, while 20 predict a 35-basis-point increase.

"We think optimal policy anchoring will require at least another 50bp hike," Vishnu Varathan, head of economics and strategy at Mizuho Bank, wrote in a Friday note. He pointed to underlying inflaton risks and a hakwish Fed.

"All said, it is in the interest … of the RBI to front-load a 50bp than to spare 15bp-25bp but squander macro-stability derived from May/June hikes," he said.

Overnight in the U.S., the Dow Jones Industrial Average lost 85.68 points, or 0.26%, to 32,726.82. The S&P 500 was about flat at 4,151.94 at the close. The Nasdaq Composite gained 0.41% to 12,720.58.

Friday's jobs report is expected to show that 258,000 jobs were added in the U.S. last month, according to Dow Jones economist estimates. That's fewer than the 372,000 added in June.

Currencies and oil

The U.S. dollar index, which tracks the greenback against a basket of its peers, was last at 105.858 after a recent drop from about 106.5.

The Japanese yen changed hands at 133.26 per dollar. The Australian dollar was at $0.6966, after a sharp fall from above $0.7 on Tuesday.

U.S. West Texas Intermediate crude was fractionally higher at $88.62 per barrel, after shedding 2.3% in the previous session.

Brent crude futures gained 0.16% to $94.27 per barrel after ending the Thursday session 2.75% lower at $94.12 a barrel. Both benchmarks touched their lowest levels in months.

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2022-08-05 00:01:00Z
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China scolds G7 foreign ministers over Taiwan statement - Reuters

Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi attends the ASEAN Foreign Ministers Meeting in Phnom Penh, Cambodia August 4, 2022. REUTERS/Soe Zeya Tun

BEIJING, Aug 4 (Reuters) - China scolded foreign ministers of the Group of Seven (G7) nations on Thursday for telling Beijing not to use a visit by U.S. House of Representatives Speaker Nancy Pelosi to Taiwan as "pretext for aggressive military activity in the Taiwan Strait".

China responded to Pelosi's visit to Taiwan earlier this week by ordering live fire military drills in the waters surrounding the self-governed island, which Beijing regards as its sovereign territory.

A G7 foreign ministers joint statement warned that China's escalatory response risked increasing tensions and destabilising the region and said it was routine for legislators from their countries to travel internationally. read more

Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi rejected their statement, and chided them for ignoring the provocation that had come from the U.S. side.

"It groundlessly criticises China for taking such measures, which are reasonable and legitimate steps to safeguard its sovereignty and territorial integrity," Wang said in a statement issued by his ministry.

"From where have they received such a prerogative? Who has given them such qualification to? To shield the infringer of rights and to accuse their defenders - how inexplicable!"

The G7 statement had aroused "great indignation" among the Chinese people, he said.

"Today's China is no longer the China of the 19th century. History should not repeat itself, and it will never repeat itself!"

Due to the statement from G7, which Japan is part of, China cancelled a meeting between Wang and his Japanese counterpart Yoshimasa Hayashi on the sidelines of ASEAN events in Cambodia, said Hua Chunying, spokesperson at the Chinese foreign ministry.

Hua added that if other G7 nations follow in the footsteps of the United States over the Taiwan issue, then that means they themselves have no independence in their diplomacy and policies.

"(They) should adhere to the consensus reached by China on the one-China policy, as this is the most important political premise and basis for China's relations with them," Hua said.

Reporting by Maria Sheahan in Berlin and Martin Quin Pollard in Beijing; writing by Ryan Woo; Editing by Madeline Chambers & Simon Cameron-Moore

Our Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

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2022-08-04 10:33:00Z
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India, Sri Lanka, Pakistan Debt Woes Evoke Memories of 1997 - Bloomberg

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1. India, Sri Lanka, Pakistan Debt Woes Evoke Memories of 1997  Bloomberg
2. More than 40 nations could default on loans, affecting everyone  Grid
3. Low-Income Nations Turn to Risky Bank Loans  The Wall Street Journal
4. Now is not the time to neglect developing economies  Financial Times
5. China and the looming debt crisis across the Indo-Pacific  Deccan Herald
6. View Full coverage on Google News

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2022-08-03 20:00:29Z
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