The Bulletin, Volume 1078, April 01, 2024
The Bulletin is published weekly by the Foreign Correspondents' Club of Thailand
In this week's bulletin:

FCCT 2024 Executive Committee

FCCT 2024 board members. (Photo by Julian Hadden)

Stephff's world

The FCCT will be closed Monday, 8 April, for a public holiday.

The FCCT will be closed from Friday 12 until Tuesday 16 April for Songkran.

The Foreign Correspondents’ Club of Thailand wishes all a joyous Songkran as Thailand celebrates its New Year festival. Enjoy a host of traditional activities with your families and friends during this festive week.

The club will be closed from Friday 12 until Tuesday 16 April.

Internally displaced persons in Myanmar films

Monday, 1 April, 7pm

According to the UN, there are more than 2.6 million internally displaced people (IDPs) scattered around Myanmar. IDPs remain within their own country, carrying their stories along with them as they try to find a new home -- or return to their old one. Increasing numbers of those people are also being forced to cross borders, fleeing into Thailand and India.

Come see a group of films by Burmese filmmakers on the front lines of this crisis and hear from the directors afterward.

Film synopsis:

Along the River (15:00) directed by Maung Moe.

A story about the impact of Myanmar’s escalating conflict on those who have been displaced by war. This beautiful and informative story takes us on an emotional journey through fear and loss along the Salween river and gives us an intimate insight into those living in displacement camps along the Thai-Burma border.

Forgotten IDPS (23:00) directed by Sai Kyaw Khaing and produced by Toe Zaw Latt.

The United Nations estimates that the number of people displaced by conflict in Myanmar is close to 2 million. International organizations are not able to deliver urgently needed humanitarian assistance.

Forgotten IDPS documents the conditions facing displaced persons and their aspirations to return home.

No Village, No Home (12:00) produced by Bo Thet Htun, Story by Ko Lu Chaw and Bo Thet Htun.

Villages near Khin Oo Township in central Myanmar were burned down in 2022. It’s been more than two years now, and the way home for the families who fled the war is still unclear. It presents the life and strength of a housewife from a village in the middle of Myanmar.

Urge (18:00) produced by Women’s League of Burma.

Urge was commissioned by the Women’s League of Burma to highlight how conflict in Burma is impacting the lives of mothers, wives and families who have lost family members in the ongoing civil war in the country. 

The film includes the voices of seven women who are from several different states including women who live in refugee camps along the Thai-Burma border. Through the documentary, the Women’s League of Burma is urging all those who are engaged in conflict to put an end to the armed conflict and build a sustainable peace towards federalism.


Members who wish to book in advance should email [email protected] or call the FCCT office on 02-652-0580.
 
Non-members can use this link.

Members free, non-members 150 baht.

Bar and restaurant open.

Turning the tide: A look into the European Union-to-Southeast Asia waste trafficking wave

Report launch,
Tuesday, 2 April, 1pm

Waste trafficking is widely seen as a high-profit, low-risk crime. Often hidden behind legitimate transactions, it poses a threat not only to the legal trade in waste but also to the global transition to a circular economy. Criminal actors involved in waste trafficking are known to use legitimate business structures to disguise illegal waste shipments or exploit loopholes in regulation and enforcement to avoid detection.  
 
The complexity of global supply chains and inadequate monitoring mechanisms contribute to the ability of illegal waste traders to operate and hamper efforts to combat waste trafficking. It is a large-scale problem: the European Commission estimates that illegal waste shipments within the European Union and between third countries and the European Union represent around 15%–30% of the total European Union waste trade and generate â‚¬9.5 billion in annual revenues for the illegal waste market in the European Union alone. 
 
"Turning the Tide: A Look Into the European Union-to-Southeast Asia Waste Trafficking Wave" is the cornerstone publication in a series produced to take an in-depth look at the many facets of waste trafficking. This first report examines the movement of waste -- both legal and illegal -- between the European Union and the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) region from a global perspective, uncovering emerging patterns and their characteristics while highlighting the considerable progress made by countries in Southeast Asia to tackle waste trafficking and facilitate legal trade.  
 
The second report in the series comprises a review and gap analysis of legal frameworks to address waste trafficking in the ASEAN region, conducted by the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP). The third report highlights how waste crime is often cyber-enabled. Finally, the fourth report points to the role of corruption in facilitating waste trafficking and examines related financial crimes such as money laundering. Each report concludes with a detailed list of recommendations to combat waste trafficking.  
 
The launch will include the presentation of the cornerstone publication "Turning the Tide" by UNODC and of the second report in the series by UNEP. The presentations will be followed by a Q&A session.   
 
Join us at the FCCT clubhouse in person or online via Zoom to hear, among others, from: 
  
Masood Karimipour, regional representative, UNODC Regional Office for Southeast Asia and the Pacific.

Ioana Cotutiu, regional coordinator, Unwaste, UNODC Regional Office for Southeast Asia and the Pacific.

Sallie Yang, programme management officer, UNEP.

Rosa Vivien Ratnawati, director general of solid waste, hazardous waste, and hazardous substance management, Indonesia (online).

Preeyaporn Suwannaked, director general of the Pollution Control Department (PCD), Thailand (online).

Sara Rezoagli, deputy head of Delegation of the European Union to Thailand.
  
Moderator: Suchaya Mokkhasen, programme officer for Thailand, UNODC Regional Office for Southeast Asia and the Pacific.

To register online, please click here: https://zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_RJZaetGRRZetviyjhpAkHg
    
For further information, please contact Laura Gil, communications officer, UNODC by email: [email protected].
This is not an FCCT-organized event.

Free and open to all. Lunch and refreshments will be served before the event.

Board games night

Tuesday, 2 April, 7pm

Join us for a chilled night of board games with The Boring Club. Try your luck with classics like chess and backgammon or modern games including Catan and Pandemic.

The bar and restaurant will be open. Try our pizzas from the new pizza oven. The Boring Club meets at the FCCT clubhouse for games every Tuesday at 7pm.
Free and open to all.

Press freedom in Thailand 2023: Navigating prospects and challenges

Press conference,
Wednesday, 3 April, 2pm

Reporters Without Borders (RSF) will assess press freedom in Thailand six months after the coalition government came to power, and present its current and forthcoming activities in the country.

2023 saw some intense debate about press freedom in Thailand, and the first general election since the historic wave of pro-democracy protests in 2020. In that period, journalists have faced obstacles while covering demonstrations, and growing legal constraints that inhibited reporting.


Since the election of a more civilian government in 2019, Thailand has jumped 30 places in the RSF World Press Freedom Index to rank 106th out of 180 countries last year, even though the media environment remains polarised.

For its first official mission to Bangkok, the RSF Asia-Pacific Bureau, in conjunction with the Foreign Correspondents' Club of Thailand (FCCT), will address the questions of press freedom and the right to information, the challenges that remain and the RSF programmes to support the country’s media environment. The discussion will also assess Thailand's potential to serve as a hub for press freedom in Southeast Asia -- a region facing  continuously shrinking civic space.

Here from:

 
CĂ©dric Alviani, bureau director, RSF Asia-Pacific.
 
Panu Wongcha-um, FCCT board member, Reuters senior correspondent.
 
Gwen Robinson, FCCT board member, editor-at-large Nikkei Asia.
Free and open to all.

Upwards: On Thailand's minimum wage increases in 2024 and beyond

Panel discussion,
Thursday, 4 April, 7pm

Pheu Thai made big promises during the 2023 election campaign, declaring that Thailand's minimum wage would increase from 340 baht/day to 600 baht/day by 2027. The first step in this plan was to be 400 baht in early 2024 but was pulled back to 360 baht/day with promises of more to come. 

What is the current status of this ongoing interaction between economics, politics and commerce? What do experts have to say about the economic impacts of minimum wage changes in the region?

Come join us to hear from:

Kiatanan Luankaew, lecturer, Faculty of Economics at Thammasat University.

Sustarum Thammaboosadee, employee representative, Social Security Board.

Noah Shepherd, managing partner, Shepherd Partnership, a firm advising manufacturing businesses in Thailand.

Moderator: Nick Bernhardt, FCCT board member.

Members who wish to book in advance should email [email protected] or call the FCCT office on 02-652-0580.
 
Non-members can use this link.
Members free, non-members 450 baht; Thai media and students with ID, 150 baht.

Bar and restaurant open.

Gathering of friends and family of John McBeth

Friday, 31 May, 7pm

Free and open to all.

New FCCT merchandise

The FCCT expresses appreciation for the support provided by corporate sponsor Bumrungrad International Hospital. For more information about the club's corporate sponsorship program contact: [email protected].
The FCCT is grateful for the support of corporate sponsor Bitkub. For more information about the club's corporate sponsorship program contact: [email protected]

Bumrungrad health fair 2024

“Shaping your healthy lifestyle”

Take a proactive step towards a healthier you! Our exclusive Health Fair is now on, offering up to 15% off on checkup packages until April 30th, 2024. Discover the benefits of early detection, personalized wellness insights and the peace of mind that comes with prioritizing your health.

Don't miss out -- schedule your checkup today and invest in the ultimate luxury: Feeling great!

#Bumrungrad #Checkup #Prevention

Link to the discounted package: Here

Chat with the hospital via LINE: Here

Reimagining UK ageing care 2024

Join us on 4 April 2024, for the "Reimagining UK Ageing Care Event," hosted by the British Embassy Bangkok.

As Thailand’s population ages, the demand for innovative and effective elderly care solutions is critical. This event highlights the UK’s leadership in ageing care innovation, showcasing the advancements and best practices in ageing care.

Healthcare professionals, innovators and stakeholders will gather to share knowledge, explore partnerships and set new standards in elderly care. Experience the UK’s cutting-edge and holistic care models designed to enhance the quality of life for the elderly.

Don’t miss this opportunity to engage in keynote speeches, panel discussions, business matching and interactive exhibitions. Let’s work together towards a future where everyone can enjoy a life of dignity, health and happiness.

Click for more information: https://online2kkudos.com/edm/2024/2024-03-06/Reimaging-UK-ageing-cares-2024-2.html

Click for register: https://online2kkudos.com/events24/

Unique contemporary home for sale in Muang Nan

Enjoy modern living surrounded by scenic beauty in this amazing three bedroom three bath lakeside villa, only 2.5 kilometers from the city center. Rice paddy, mountain, temple, sunrise and sunset views greet you as you relax on the outdoor terraces or swim in the stunning infinity pool.

Elevated by three meters to prevent flooding, this custom-built home offers public water and electricity, a covered carport, laundry and exercise facilities, a tropical Thai garden and much more.

089-662-4234 (English) or 089-451-3416 (English, Thai), [email protected].

Advertise in the FCCT's Bulletin at special discount rates

Individuals and organisations are welcome to take out advertising in the weekly FCCT Bulletin which reaches nearly 4,000 people in the club’s network.
 

Guidelines
  • Write a catchy headline, followed by a maximum of three sentences + contact email/phone number/ link to a website for further details if applicable.
To book an ad please email: [email protected]

For livestreaming, filming, editing and broadcast assignments

They helped us, they can help you.

The FCCT wishes to thank the technical maestros who bring you the club's livestream events and YouTube videos, and are available as freelance broadcast technicians, editors and cameramen. Rates on request. 

Jaiyen Digital Media:
Broadcast quality cameras, switchers and equipment, go anywhere and film, livestream or edit anything.
Email: [email protected]
Or call David Foster: +66(0)96-943-8268
Thai language: +66 (0)99-192-9364
USA: +1 702-395-5421

Julian Hadden
Bangkok-based TV Cameraman | Editor | Director | Photographer | Broadcast Technician

www.julianhadden.com
About the Foreign Correspondents' Club of Thailand

FCCT Executive Committee 2024
President                                                       Elaine Kurtenbach
1st Vice President                                        Panu Wongcha-um
2nd Vice President                                       EA (Annelie) Langerak 
Past President (Unelected)                         Gwen Robinson
Corresponding Secretary                            Jonathan Head
Correspondent Director/Publicity               Francesca Regalado
Correspondent Director/Membership         Dominic Faulder
Correspondent Director/Programmes        Tan Hui Yee 
Recording Secretary                                    Tommy Walker
Treasurer                                                       Nick Bernhardt
Associate Director/Publicity                        Lu Hsin-hui
Associate Director/Membership                  Alan Lonie
Associate Director/Programmes                 Phil Robertson

 
Normal hours of operation
All departments are open Monday-Friday and closed Saturday, Sunday, and public holidays.

Clubhouse
10:00 am - 11:00 pm
Restaurant
11:00 am - 09:00pm
Bar
11:00 am - 11:00 pm
Office
10:00 am - 7:00 pm (8 pm on days when we have events)
Penthouse, Maneeya Center Building
518/5 Ploenchit Road (connected to the BTS Skytrain Chitlom station)
Patumwan, Bangkok 10330
Tel.: 02-652-0580
E-mail:  [email protected]
Web Site: http://www.fccthai.com

Opinions appearing in The Bulletin may be those of an individual writer or organization, and do not necessarily represent the FCCT in any way, and it does not accept any liability for such statements. All reasonable efforts have been made to ensure the accuracy of announcements, including dates, times and charges, but these details may occasionally be subject to change for whatever reason. Should occasional errors or omissions occur, we apologize for any inconvenience caused.