วันศุกร์ที่ 5 เมษายน พ.ศ. 2556

First Recipients of U.S.-ASEAN Fulbright Program Announced Today

(05/04/2013)


“People-to-people connectivity is a high priority for ASEAN,” remarked Deputy Secretary General for ASEAN Socio-Cultural Community Alicia dela Rosa Bala, “I warmly congratulate the first Fulbright U.S.-ASEAN Visiting Scholars on their selection. We are very pleased with the creation of the Fulbright U.S.-ASEAN Program and welcome the connections that will be made by these Scholars.”

U.S. Ambassador to ASEAN David L. Carden announced today the first seven Fulbright U.S.-ASEAN Visiting Scholars selected through the Fulbright U.S.-ASEAN Initiative, sponsored by the U.S. Department of State.  The Visiting Scholars will join a distinguished group of Fulbright alumni known for their contributions to government, science, the arts, business, philanthropy, and education. Ambassador Carden made the announcement at the 5th ASEAN-U.S. Joint Cooperation Committee Meeting convened today by the ASEAN Committee of Permanent Representatives at the ASEAN Secretariat in Jakarta.

“Congratulations to the first U.S.-ASEAN Visiting Scholars,” stated Ambassador Carden. “The scholars’ projects are great representations of ongoing areas of focus in ASEAN, and we wish them well in their research at universities in the United States.”  The selected Visiting Scholars’ areas of research include climate change, food security, public health, U.S.-ASEAN political relations, monetary policy, and law.

Candidates representing all 10 ASEAN Member States submitted applications under the Fulbright U.S.-ASEAN Initiative and proposed research projects on issues that are central to the U.S.-ASEAN relationship. A review panel that included officials from the U.S. Mission to ASEAN, the ASEAN Committee of Permanent Representatives and the ASEAN Secretariat, then made recommendations to the Presidentially-appointed J. William Fulbright Foreign Scholarship Board for consideration.

A reciprocal Fulbright Specialist component will award grants to qualified U.S. faculty and professionals, in select disciplines, to engage in short-term collaborative two to six week projects with peers at host institutions in ASEAN countries, that focus on ASEAN priority topics or on the ASEAN-U.S. relationship.
The Fulbright U.S.-ASEAN Initiative was announced by then U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton at last year’s U.S.-ASEAN Ministerial Meeting and marks over 35 years of friendship and cooperation between ASEAN and the United States.

The first cohort of awardees:  

• Ms. Siti Salwah Saim, senior Brunei government officer;
• Mr. Faisal Nurdin Idris, Lecturer at the State Islamic University Jakarta in Indonesia;
• Dr. Phouphet Kyophilavong, Assistant Professor at the National University of Laos;
• Dr. Hla Soe Tint, Deputy Director at the Ministry of Health in Myanmar;
• Dr. Charmaine Galos Misalucha, Assistant Professor at De La Salle University in the Philippines;
• Dr. Chatchawan Jantasuriyarat, Assistant Professor at Kasetsart University in Thailand;
• Ms. Ly Phuong Nguyen, Lecturer at the Diplomatic Academy of Vietnam – Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

The Fulbright Program was established in 1946 under legislation introduced by late U.S. Senator J. William Fulbright and is sponsored by the United States Department of State in partnership with governments around the world, including ASEAN.

ASEAN-UN talks focus on Conflict Prevention and Preventive Diplomacy

(05/04/2013)


Senior government officials from ASEAN countries, experts from ASEAN strategic think tanks and senior officials from the United Nations will explore opportunities for enhancing cooperation in conflict prevention and preventive diplomacy at an ASEAN-UN workshop in Jakarta.

“Lessons Learned and Best Practices in Conflict Prevention and Preventive Diplomacy,” was opened today by the Foreign Minister of the Republic of Indonesia H.E. Marty Natalegawa, the Secretary-General of ASEAN H.E. Le Luong Minh, and UN Under-Secretary-General Vijay Nambiar.

“We all feel the urgent need for more effective conflict prevention and preventive diplomacy. As a way of creating a culture of peace, ASEAN has launched the ASEAN Institute for Peace and Reconciliation in Jakarta which is aimed at conducting activities that are related to conflict prevention, management and conflict resolution,” Foreign Minister Natalegawa told participants gathered in his opening remarks at the Flags Room, Pancasila Building, at the Indonesian Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Jakarta on Friday. He also expressed the hope that “this seminar will yield concrete results that will help us establish, develop and fine-tune mechanisms of effective conflict prevention and preventive diplomacy that will nurture a global and regional culture of peace.”

“ASEAN has gradually but consistently built up its capacity to pursue peace and prevent conflicts, not only in terms of conceptual, normative and institutional development but also in its on-the-ground engagement in preventing and resolving conflicts in the region. Through these home-grown efforts and experiences, we have many lessons to learn and practices to share with the wider global community”, said the ASEAN Secretary-General H.E. Le Luong Minh at the opening session. He further stated that ASEAN and ASEAN countries have been partners for peace with the UN for many years, and that ASEAN and especially the newly launched ASEAN Institute for Peace and Reconciliation (AIPR) should tap on the wealth of experience and expertise of the UN in the field of conflict prevention and preventive diplomacy.

The ASEAN-UN workshop will be held over two days in Jakarta. Its main objectives are to review various experiences in conflict prevention in Southeast Asia and beyond, with a view to identifying follow-up activities between ASEAN and the United Nations. Participants include some fifty senior representatives from the governments of ten ASEAN states, ten ASEAN strategic think-tanks, UN senior officials and guest experts from the region.

“The United Nations stands ready to support ASEAN’s efforts in continuing to promote peace and stability in the region,” said UN Under-Secretary-General Vijay Nambiar, adding his hope that “government officials and experts gathered will identify concrete steps that could contribute to conflict prevention and preventive diplomacy in the peaceful prevention of conflict in the region.”

The initiative marks a valuable contribution to the ASEAN-UN Comprehensive Partnership agreed between ASEAN and the United Nations, at the 4th ASEAN-UN Summit in Bali in November 2011, at the end of Indonesia’s Chairmanship of ASEAN. The ASEAN-UN Comprehensive Partnership provides a solid foundation to strengthen ASEAN-UN relations through collaborative activities in the areas of political-security, economic and socio-cultural cooperation as well as cooperation between the ASEAN Secretariat and the United Nations.

ASEAN Launch a Guidebook for Businesses and Investors

(05/04/2013)


ASEAN launched the ASEAN Comprehensive Investment Agreement: A Guidebook for Businesses and Investors (ACIA Guidebook) during the Forum on the ASEAN Comprehensive Investment Agreement - Transforming Investment in ASEAN through ACIA (ACIA Forum).

The Forum was held to introduce ACIA, the ASEAN investment legal instrument which entered into force last year to replace the Framework Agreement on the ASEAN Investment Area (AIA Agreement) and the ASEAN Agreement for the Promotion and Protection of Investments (ASEAN IGA), and their respective amending Protocols, in order to further enhance regional integration to realise the vision of the ASEAN Economic Community (AEC) by 2015. The Forum was attended by nearly 250 people from the business sector, ASEAN government officials, the diplomatic community based in Kuala Lumpur, international organisations, academia, and the media.

The launching of the publication was officiated by H.E. Dato’ Sri Mustapa Mohamed, Minister of International Trade and Industry (MITI), Malaysia, H.E. Datuk Noharuddin Nordin, Chief Executive Officer, Malaysian Investment Development Authority (MIDA) and H.E. Dr. Lim Hong Hin, Deputy Secretary-General of ASEAN for ASEAN Economic Community.

Royal Thai Embassy in Moscow continues to support Tourism of Thailand in the Russian market

(05/04/2013)


On 21 March 2013 His Excellency Dr. Itti Ditbanjong, Ambasssador of Thailand to the Russian Federation visited and met with the Thai hotel and resort entrepreneurs in the 20th Moscow International Travel & Tourism (MIIT 2013), which is one of the largest and best known annual travel industry events, taken place at the Moscow Expo Centre. The event was participated by 197 countries ie. USA, Japan, China, India, Republic of Korea, Brazil, Argentina, Kenya, Indonesia, Vietnam and UAE. This year the Tourism Authority of Thailand has led 14 entrepreneurs from the travel industry in Thailand to participate in the event and also arranged a Thai massage corner which interested and attracted huge amount of the visitors. During the visit to the said event, Ambassador Itti also discussed with Team Thailand on the plans to promote Thai tourism and Thai cuisine in Russia.

Thailand has become one of the main tourist destination for the Russian tourists. In 2012 Thailand welcomed 1,317,387 Russian tourists – 24.97% increased  from the total number of the Russian tourists in 2011. This number makes the Russian tourists the largest number among European visitors. In January and February this year more than 300,000 tourists has visited Thailand and the Tourism Authority of Thailand  office in  Moscow  expects more than 1,400,000 Russian tourists for 2013.

Mobile Labour Project launched in Uthai Thani

(30/03/2013)


On March 29, 2013, Secretary to the Minster of Labour opened a technical seminar on the 300 baht daily minimum wage policy at Uthai Thani Provincial Office of Social Security in Uthai Thani province. The seminar is part of Ministry of Labour’s Mobile Labour Project to promote SME operators’ understanding about wage laws and help them access to the government’s measures designed to reduce impact of the new minimum wage policy. During the visit to Uthai Thani, he also visits Bangkok Rubber Saharattana Ltd. and Thai SC Tec Ltd. in Nong Chang district.

Mr. Sanga Tanasanguanwong, Secretary to the Minster of Labour, said the Ministry of Labour’s Mobile Labour Project is aimed to promote SME operators’ knowledge on minimum wage, help them access to the government’s measures designed to reduce impact of the new minimum wage policy and enhance their capability and competiveness to help them comply policy. A technical seminar on the 300 baht daily minimum wage policy is also held to give local operators an opportunity to explain their problems and express their opinions on the government’s assistance measures so officials can evaluate the situation and correctly solve the problem. This provides a platform for SMEs operators to exchange views with government officials and jointly work out solutions to prevent layoff and shutdown business. Under the project, Ministry of Labour’s officails will also visit local workplaces.

Mr. Sanga said there are 643 SMEs in Uthai Thani province; most of them run retail, wholesale, service/hotel, restaurant and canteen business. Considering from its gross provincial product, the province’s economy relies largely on its agricultural, retail, wholesale hotel, restaurant and canteen businesses. Last year, the minimum wage in the province stood at 234 baht.

Mr. Sanga said Ministry of Labour’s local agencies has visited 65 firms to give them advice about the government assistance measures and get first-hand information about their problems and what kind of assistance they want from the government. Most of the firms comply with the new minimum wage policy.

Mr. Sanga said there is no major difference in employment situation in the province between 2012 and 2013. According to Uthai Thani Provincial Office of Development Business, a total of 20 new firms were registered this year while only seven firms had laid off their employees. This reflected that the 300 baht daily minimum wage policy does not affect the provincial economy.

Meanwhile, Mr. Nopnoi Thongprapaipak, human resource manager of Bangkok Rubber Saharattana Ltd said the company produces shoe parts for PAN Group, ECCO Company and Timberlan Company, which export shoes. The company has two factories and 643 employees. It fully complies with the 300 baht daily minimum wage policy. It initially has to adjust its cost by cutting unnecessary expenses on water and electricity bills and to improve quality and quantity of its products to increase its competitiveness for survival.

Mr. Apichart Dangbua, owner of Thai SC Tec Ltd. said the company came into existence two year ago. It produces electronic and camera parts for Nikon for example. Its parent company is in Nawanakhon Industiral Estate. It chose to open a production base in Uthai Thani province because there are sufficient workers to support its productions to match customers’ demand. At present, the company has 264 employees, who need to receive skill training to enhance their performance. Cleanness and discipline are among the company’s core management principle. The company fully complies with the 300 baht daily minimum wage policy.

Minister of Labour and Ministry of Labour’s executives have so far launched the project in 14 provinces, namely Phayao, Lanpang, Songkhla, Ratchaburi, Kanchanaburi, Roi Et, Maha Sarakham, Nong Khai, Nakhon Phanom, Sakon Nakhon, Surin, Mukdahan, Bueng Kan and Sisaket. In overall, the employment situation in the country continues to expand, reflecting that the 300 baht daily minimum wage policy has not severely affected business operators.

Nonetheless, the government and Ministry of Labour have kept monitoring the situation and provided assistances to SMEs that are affected by the policy through its provincial support centres and ad hoc support centres.

The two institutes are tasked to coordinate with relevant agencies in giving SMEs assistance on skill development, migrant workers arrangement, tax and finding credit sources as required.

Thai workers in Malaysia told to be disciplined; keep away from gambling, alcohols

(27/03/2013)


Mr. Poonsak Sethanandha, Deputy Permanent Secretary of Ministry of Labour, led a medical team to provide health checks for over 100 Thai workers at Perbana Emas Company in Malaysia’s Sarawak state, where local workers lack access to medical services. He said Thai workers are demanded by Malaysian employers due to their skills and that Thai workers should be disciplined and keep away from gambling and alcohols.

Mr. Poonsak said there were 134 Thai workers at Perbana Emas Company. The company runs construction business and has to send workers to construction site in remote areas, where access to medical services is limited. Ministry of Labour’s officials and the medical team from Rajavithi Hospital and Songkhlar Rajanagarindra Psychiatric Hospital, therefore, made the stop there to give Thai workers health checks and medical advices.

Mr. Poonsak said the service would help Thai workers learn to correctly take care of themselves and protect themselves from diseases. A total of 109 workers received the service, most of whom suffered body ache, likely to have been caused by hard work and respiratory disease, caused by dusts from carpentry works.

Mr. Poonsak said foreign workers, in general, seem to like Thai workers due to their hard-work and responsibility. Thai workers are also more skilled than workers from other countries. However, some employers say Thai workers addict to alcohols and gambling and that they need Thai authorities to help take care of the matters.

Mr. Poonsak urged Thai workers to avoid alcohols and gambling, saying that without these things, they will be able to save and send more money back to their family in Thailand.

Meanwhile, Ms. Pataraporn Samantarath, Minister Counsellor (Labour Affairs), said there are a total of 441 Thai workers in the Sarawak state. Alcohol addiction is the most serious of problem of Thai workers in Malaysia. Some of them spend all their money on alcohols and have no money left to send home. When they suffer from loss of control, they could also end up having problems with local people. During the health checks service, medical staffs also gave them advice to keep away from alcohols.