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Thailand

In The News

U.S. Bullets To Ukraine, Another Hottest Month, Literature Nobel

👋 নমস্কাৰ*

Welcome to Thursday, where Washington sends Kyiv 1.1 million bullets it seized last from Iran, 2023 is on track to be the hottest year on record, and the Nobel Prize in Literature goes to a Norwegian. Meanwhile, Nadia Ferrigo in Turin-based daily La Stampa looks at how “parenting influencers” are even spreading doubts among the ever solid tradition of the Italian mamma.

[*Nomoskar - Assamese, India]

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Turkey Arrests 928 Over Ankara Attack, Thai Mall Shooting, Split Second Nobel

👋 Zdravo!*

Welcome to Tuesday, where Turkish authorities arrest nearly 1,000 suspects after the suicide bomb attack in Ankara, a shooting at a Bangkok mall kills three, and the Nobel Prize in Physics goes to blink-and-you’ll-miss-it science. Meanwhile, Frédéric Schaeffer for French daily Les Echos goes to a Buddhist temple in China where disillusioned young graduates flock to find “another school of life.”

[*Slovenian]

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How 7 Vacation Destinations Are Pushing Back Against Over-Tourism

From setting new rules, imposing tolls and fines, local officials in some of the world’s most desirable tourist spots are trying to figure out the right balance to keep visitors coming without ruining the environment, or the experience.

From the canals of Venice to the beaches of Maya Bay, the world’s vacation paradise destinations are under assault. The second full summer since the COVID-19 pandemic abated has seen a massive rebound in tourism, which has made ever more clear that the effects of mass tourism (or over-tourism) are a real threat to the places and the people who live there. Environmental damage, deteriorating cities, overcrowding, rising prices and an impediment to local people's way of life are all consequences of international mass tourism.

In response, many touristic localities are taking this issue head-on by implementing innovative strategies to combat the negative effects of excessive tourism. These initiatives aim to protect the environment, preserve local culture, and ensure the long-term sustainability of these cherished locations. From Bali to Amsterdam and Machu Picchu, here's an international look of vacation destinations that are trying to find the right balance between welcoming visitors and being overrun by them.

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This Happened — July 2: Thailand Cave Rescue

On this day in five years ago, rescue divers found 12 boys along with their soccer coach trapped in Tham Luang Nang Non cave complex in Thailand.

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Ideas
Greg Raymond

Is Thailand Ready To Be A Bonafide Democracy?

Thai voters spoke in favor of Pita Limjaroenrat's Move Forward party, bringing hopes of in-depth reform of the country's institutions. But that doesn’t guarantee Thailand’s opposition forces will be able to form a government, or that the military will ultimately give way.

The last time voters headed to the polls in Thailand was in 2019, following five years of a repressive military dictatorship. Thai voters spoke nervously of their democratic aspirations and allowed a military-led government into power.

Now, after four years of a functioning parliamentary democracy, Thai voters have roared. With nearly all votes counted in Sunday’s parliamentary election, they have resoundingly rejected the junta and its successor military-proxy parties.

Thailand’s most progressive party, Move Forward, looks set to gain the most seats in the new parliament. Close behind is the more established and similarly liberal Pheu Thai party of the polarising Shinawatra dynasty.

Following them in third place is Bhumjaithai. This rural-based, more traditional party of patronage politics had recently been the previous government’s coalition partner.

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Economy
Shaun Lavelle, Riley Sparks, Ginevra Falciani

Why More Countries Are Banning Foreigners From Buying Real Estate

Canada has become the most recent country to impose restrictions on non-residents buying real estate, arguing that wealthy investors from other countries are pricing out would-be local homeowners. But is singling out foreigners the best way to face a troubled housing market?

PARIS — It’s easy to forget that soon after the outbreak of COVID-19, many real estate experts were forecasting that housing prices could face a once-in-generation drop. The logic was that a shrinking pandemic economy would combine with people moving out of cities to push costs down in a lasting way.

Ultimately, in most places, the opposite has happened. Home prices in the U.S., Canada, Britain, Germany, Australia and New Zealand rose between 25% and 50% since the outbreak of COVID-19.

This explosion was driven by a number of factors, including low interest rates, supply chain issues in construction and shortages in available properties caused in part by investors buying up large swathes of housing stock.

Yet some see another culprit deserving of particular attention: foreign buyers.

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This Happened

This Happened—December 26: The Mother Of All Tsunamis

In 2004, a 9.1 earthquake struck off the coast of Sumatra in Indonesia, triggering a tsunami and series of tidal waves that became one of worst natural disasters in recorded history

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Society
Jue Liang

No Less Than Monks? Buddhist Nuns Seek Gender Equality

The Buddha's "Eight Heavy Rules" included a stipulation that placed Buddhist nuns under the supervision of monks, which have undermined women’s status in the ancient religion.

In recent years, many Buddhist nuns have taken on leadership roles that require either ordination status or academic degrees, all of which was quite unheard of in Buddhist monastic traditions in the past. However, this change has also met with much resistance, as traditionally Buddhism has allowed only men to serve in these roles.

The early Pali Vinaya texts in the Buddhist canon recount how Buddha thrice rejected the request of his foster mother, Mahaprajapati, to be ordained, before his disciple, Ananda, persuaded him to accept women into the monastic body.

Ananda had to make two arguments for his case: an emotional one – that Mahaprajapati had been kind to the Buddha and raised him – and a logical one – that women, too, had the potential to become enlightened.

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In The News
Jane Herbelin, Anne-Sophie Goninet and Bertrand Hauger

Russia Space Blast Endangers Astronauts, Belarus Border Clashes, Leo’s Beach

👋 ሰላም!*

Welcome to Tuesday, where Russia is under fire for blowing up a satellite in space, clashes erupt at the Poland-Belarus border and Leo's Beach opens again. Courtesy of German daily Die Welt, we also look at the reasons behind the major discrepancies in COVID-19 vaccination rates across Europe.

[*Selam, Amharic - Ethiopia]

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BBC

The Latest: 50 Dead In Myanmar, Merkel's Defeat, Beyonce's Crowning

Welcome to Monday, where Myanmar's death toll keeps rising, more countries suspend AstraZeneca vaccine and Beyoncé makes Grammy history. Le Monde takes us to northern Morocco where the closure of the border with the Spanish enclave of Ceuta has led to the collapse of an entire ecosystem.

• Myanmar's deadliest day: Myanmar's junta imposed martial law Monday across more districts of the capital city Yangon following the deadliest day of the protests since the coup began, with some 50 fatalities.

• More AstraZeneca doubts: Ireland and the Netherlands become the latest countries to suspend the use of the AstraZeneca vaccine over possible side effect concerns, even as a new UK study says the jab does not cause blood clots.

Merkel's party suffers big losses: German Chancellor Angela Merkel's CDU party has suffered clear defeats in two key regional elections, as the Green Party and the center-left SPD perform well ahead of national elections in September to pick Merkel's successor.

• Danone CEO forced out: Emmanuel Faber, an unorthodox corporate chief, has been ousted from his positions as Danone's CEO and chairman of the board under pressure from shareholders amid decreasing sales at the French food giant.

Sandstorm hits Beijing: China's capital is choking on yellow dust and sand as the worst sandstorm in a decade sweeps over the city.

Marvelous Marvin Hagler dies: U.S. boxing legend Marvin Hagler died "unexpectedly" Saturday at his home in New Hampshire at age 66.

Beyoncé"s Grammy record: U.S. singer Beyoncé sets a new record at the Grammy Awards with a 28th win, making her the most-awarded woman in the event's history, overtaking country singer Alison Krauss.

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blog
Bertrand Hauger

Nailing The Thai Dance

In the Thai capital, I remember being treated to a lavish meal involving a variety of authentic Thai dishes, all the while watching a traditional dance performance. Here, the famous — not to mention peculiar — "fingernail dance."

Sources
Niko Kappel

Ready For Cricket Flour? Ethics And Economics Of Insects As Food Commodity

A Czech entrepreneur is ready to mass-produce insects and turn them into a marketable, protein-rich food staple. Now he just needs buyers.

CHIANG MAI — How do 400 million chirping crickets sound in a huge hall? "Very loud," says Radek Husek, laughing. "It's just deafening right now."

The 25-year-old Czech man is opening the world's largest cricket farm in Chiang Mai, Thailand. Radek's company, Cricket Lab, uses the critters to produce a flour with which it wants to revolutionize the food market.

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