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Singapore’s LTA for failed $3.5m underground bicycle parking project Singapore 2010 Youth Olympic Games A budget of S$106 million was initially set aside to cover the cost of staging the Games, but by 2010, spending had more than tripled to S$387 million. The increased budget was due to a rise in the costs of logistics and transport, security and upgrades of the various sports venues and technology. https://eresources.nlb.gov.sg/infopedia/articles/SIP_1695_2010-07-23.html Connect@Changi https://www.channelnewsasia.com/singapore/connect-changi-facility-singapore-business-travellers-covid-19-359121 ============================================= Where's the Hari Kiri???? ================================================ This is all i see! And Sinkies is paying for it! #songboh

this is enlightening unfortunately the world is full of followers the lim kopi syndrome is so bad now, we are literally devoid of any rights here it is you are guilty until you can prove your innocence

cannot guarantee fixed rate, dont come out do biz

Cafe hopping...

cannot make it one la innovation smart nation

Smart Nation: MIW are smart because they can repeatedly take money from dumb sinkies who continue to support them

Australia milo has a more richer and creamy taste. The local version lacks the creamy taste and slight more sweet taste. I'm a Ovaltine fan since young time. Still prefer it over milo.

arabs now sibei happy with putin and supports him with action. Mohammed bin Salman 'doesn't care' if Biden misunderstood him https://www.middleeasteye.net/news/saudi-arabia-us-mohammed-bin-salman-does-not-care-biden OPEC sticks to plan of gradual output hikes as crude soars https://abcnews.go.com/US/wireStory/opec-allies-weigh-oil-output-amid-high-prices-83199968 now u all smelly peasants have to pay sgd3.50/l next mth liao but ur leader says it is more important to fight russia. song bo, smelly peasants?????? wahahahahahahha

cpf cannot be used in an emergency many old people found they are dying but cpf can see but cannot touch. at least only can touch a bit each month these are the pap voters until they found out this

does pig rectum texture the same? anyone tried?

SINGAPORE: Three exiting electricity retailers have committed to provide ex-gratia payments, or private settlements, to ease their consumers’ transition to a different energy provider, said Second Minister for Trade and Industry Tan See Leng in Parliament on Thursday (Mar 3). The retailers are Best Electricity, Ohm Energy and UGS Energy. Dr Tan, who is also the Manpower Minister, was responding to parliamentary questions from Mr Leon Perera (WP - Aljunied) on whether the Energy Market Authority (EMA) has the responsibility to ensure that electricity retailers uphold the Consumer Protection (Fair Trading) Act when they exit the market. Mr Perera also asked if EMA sets a standard for compensation when an electricity retailer exits the market, and whether a transparent method to determine a fair standard can be made known. Dr Tan said that EMA has implemented some safeguards in retailer exits. Exiting retailers are required to refund all security deposits collected from household consumers after offsetting outstanding charges. Exiting retailers must also approach other retailers to seek their interest and agreement to accept the novation, or substitution, of the contracts on the same terms and conditions, before the consumer can be transferred to SP Group under the default supply arrangement. Consumers are also free to switch to other retailers of their choice, said Dr Tan. Between October and December 2021, six electricity retailers exited the market as energy prices soared. Said Dr Tan: "EMA will review the current regulatory regime and will seek to strengthen the licensing and regulatory requirements for electricity retailers to better protect consumer interests. "Consumers who wish to seek recourse from their electricity retailers can approach the Consumers Association of Singapore or CASE, the Singapore Mediation Centre or Small Claims Tribunal for advice and assistance." Source: CNA/hm

thats why limpeh says the 61% r kumgong until limpeh bo words.

another good mee stall is in beauty world. limpeh only jiak mee from these 3 stalls. the rest cannot jiak at all.

61% likes $$$ taken from them

胸胸杀很大

the recipe is the same. difference is in the proportion. once u all smelly peasants been to their bolehsia and pappyland manufacturing facilities, then u all know how much u r overpaying for milo liao. wahahahahahahahahaha

common? wait till u see office workers

any may know about Flash Coffee but few are aware that it’s a Singapore headquartered company. Isn’t it a HK coffee chain? Or a US (think DC Comics superhero) one? Surprise, surprise, Flash Coffee is actually a #supportlocal brand that has a regional presence across seven markets, such as Indonesia, Taiwan, and South Korea. Launched in 2020, it has since opened close to 250 stores and employs an army of 1,400 employees. In Singapore alone, it hires 250 staff across its head office and its 31 stores. Singapore-based Flash Coffee may be giving renowned US coffee chains Starbucks and The Coffee Bean a run for their money. How did it get to where it is in such a short time? Think serial entrepreneur who seems to be getting it right very often – 31-year-old David Brunier. In fact, this entrepreneur may just have achieved an almost perfect scorecard for Flash Coffee thus far. In just two years of operations, the majority of Flash Coffee’s stores have achieved profitability, shared David in an interview with Vulcan Post. David Brunier, CEO and founder of Flash Coffee / Image Credit: Flash Coffee “We are not able to disclose any figures, though we’re pleased to share that company-wide, the majority of our stores have achieved profitability. We are well-capitalised and will continue to focus on growing and expanding our operations across Asia this year.” David Brunier, CEO and founder of Flash Coffee It starts with a Flash David is known in the food and beverage (F&B) scene, having founded and sold his first startup Wine Genius when he was still in university. The entrepreneur then went on to start food delivery company foodora with the team at Rocket Internet. He served as Chief Executive Officer (CEO) and Chief Marketing Officer (CMO) at foodora in various European markets before it was acquired by Delivery Hero in 2015. He moved to Singapore subsequently, after working at Delivery Hero for a few years to take on the role as foodpanda’s Asia Pacific’s (APAC) CMO. It was then that he was approached by Rocket Internet CEO Oliver Samwer to explore building a new start-up together. Being a coffee lover and foodie, he jumped at the opportunity to create his own concept with co-founder Sebastian Hannecker. Image Credit: Flash Coffee “(We wanted to) create an accessible brand that people would love. I saw a massive opportunity in the coffee industry, as it’s completely offline-dominated and long overdue to be digitised. We were raring to go, excited to take on the challenge of making specialty coffee accessible to the Asian mass market. And as they say, the rest is history,” said David. David tapped on his experience at foodpanda and understood the importance of creating brand stickiness that stays with customers from day one. “This is why from the very beginning, our goal was to find a unique colour with a positive connotation that we could stake our claim on for Flash Coffee across the region. We wanted a shade that is striking, dynamic, and memorable. Our unique pantone shades of energetic yellow complemented with bold pink were the answer.” On how the team was able to scale up to hundreds of stores in a short span of two years, David said that since day one, the team has invested time and effort in making sure that it got the formula right – the right in-house talent to lead and execute projects and store openings as well as creating clear, streamlined processes that understand things on the ground. “With all of this legwork and guidelines in place, we are effectively hyper-scalable, where we can have a grab-and-go store live in as fast as a month.” Flash Coffee was first launched in Jakarta, but it chose Singapore as the headquarters following its Series A funding. Jakarta is now its regional technological hub, with close to 80 tech and engineer staff based there. The Flash Coffee team / Image Credit: Flash Coffee “Singapore has great access to global, regional, and local talent. It’s a renowned multi-cultural, tech-forward city that has strong government support, and a solid ecosystem for businesses to operate. It’s also proven to be a receptive and advanced consumer test market for businesses, which we’re grateful for,” David explained. In October 2020, Flash Coffee launched its first store in Singapore at Oxley Tower. Over the years it has opened outlets at locations such as JEM, Katong, Tampines 1, and SPACE @ Kovan. Singapore is viewed as a priority market for Flash Coffee, and the facts reveal that locals love their coffee. With the proportion of professionals, managers, executives, and technicians (PMETs) at almost 60 per cent of the total workforce, many professionals would be taken to Flash Coffee’s price point, tech convenience, and stylish branding. David said that Singapore has massive potential and space for affordable quality coffee. “That’s due to the great combination of population size, population density, higher-than-average coffee consumption per capita, rapidly rising average income, and a larger percentage of residents within our target group, namely young and tech-savvy office workers.” US$15 million Series A funding to expand into new markets In April last year, Flash Coffee announced that it raised US$15 million in Series A funding in a round led by White Star Capital, with participation from prominent investors including Delivery Hero-backed DX Ventures, Global Founders Capital, and Conny & Co. The Series A round sets the total capital raised by Flash Coffee to US$20 million. The new funding will be used to expand the brand in 10 markets across APAC. Since the Series A fund-raise in April 2021, Flash Coffee has more than quadrupled its store presence from 50 to over 200 outlets. It also launched in four new markets last year – Hong Kong, Taiwan, South Korea, and Japan, while it built on its presence in present markets Singapore, Indonesia, and Thailand. A Flash Coffee store in Hong Kong / Image Credit: Flash Coffee HK “Our Series A funding certainly helped to propel our growth across the region, and of course – the secret sauce to our accelerated expansion really lies in having a strong team across our management and various departments, who remain committed to our mission, and have the talent and tenacity to grow our brand and presence in short time scales,” David said. The funding also went towards growing its leadership team, and hiring head office and barista personnel. “We also invested in building out our tech-enabled features and product capabilities. For example, we’ve recently integrated delivery into our own app ecosystem in Singapore and Taiwan, and will be rolling out this feature very soon to other markets.” Localised delights key selling point to business traction Despite the cutthroat, competitive coffee markets, Flash Coffee now has 17 stores in Taiwan, nine stores in Hong Kong, and six stores in South Korea. “It’s an incredible feat for our local teams to scale our store presence in the span of these few months. We’re also reaping the rewards of our hyper-localised approach. In each of these markets, we’ve brought on an experienced world or local barista champion to curate, taste-test, select our beans and build our menus from scratch.” Localising the menus works like magic, and relates to locals well. “We’re always hyper localising against local consumer preferences and tastes. An example would be the best-selling Flash Yuen Yeung in Hong Kong, and the fan-favourite Mitarashi Latte in Japan that is inspired by the sweet, traditional Japanese snack.” So what are Singaporeans’ favourite drinks? “Our best seller in Singapore is – and this might not come as a surprise – a comforting, classic cup of Latte. What might be unexpected though, is that our refreshing Lychee Espresso Soda and Melaka Lattes are actually pretty close contenders for second place.” Image Credit: Flash Coffee The coffee and food may be the main stars, but the F&B startup does not forget its tech, which is a key contributor in building the business. “We see ourselves as a tech company at its core as compared to other traditional players.” The Flash Coffee app was launched around early last year with the aim to digitise today’s offline-dominated coffee industry. Features include a streamlined pick-up feature, loyalty programme, personalised promotions, and interactive challenges. Last year, the startup launched a promotion to capture market share in Singapore, offering 50 per cent off the first five drinks if customers ordered at its new outlets. “Our app allows Flash Coffee fans to order ahead of time, pick up at their convenience, and skip queues. At the same time, customers can still earn Flash points and participate in our gamification feature – ‘Challenges’ – when they order for delivery through our app.” “The more functionality we build into our ecosystem, the more insights we have on our user journey – and this allows us to be customer-obsessed, as we constantly think about how to better the overall Flash Coffee experience.” David claims that the startup is one of the few F&B companies out there indexing heavily on its position as a tech company. “The sky’s the limit for how much more we can continue to innovate on the customer experience.” Keeping coffee prices affordable; in-app deliveries’ rise in popularity The majority of Flash Coffee’s orders come from digital channels, and most of its customers are middle-class millennials and young professionals around 18-35 years of age, shared David. “Given their busy lifestyles, they are also more tech-savvy than the target groups of incumbent brands. We have seen a strong upward trend in online orders, where this segment has really taken to pre-ordering and opting for delivery via our own app.” Not only does the technology appeal to its customers, it provides cost efficiencies, which allows the coffee prices to remain at affordable prices. An Americano cost S$2.80, while a Latte is S$3.80. Non-caffeinated drinks like an Ice Tea costs S$1.50, and a cup of Milk Tea is priced at S$2.50. Image Credit: Flash Coffee “The cost efficiencies gained by our digitised and optimised business model are directly passed on to our consumers, which allows us to serve high-quality specialty coffee at affordable prices. For example, our optimised real estate strategy with a focus on grab-and-go concepts that allow us to save on rent and reduce store investment needs,” David shared. “We also tap on tech to improve staffing logic and have more accurate inventory forecasts based on our back-end tech-enabled operations, specifically insights, data, and trends on consumer preferences and habits that we can analyse from our Flash Coffee app and our barista app.” Since Flash Coffee integrated delivery into its app in January this year, it has been overwhelmed by the demand, David said. “We’re certainly spurred on to launch in-app delivery across other markets as soon as possible, targeting for the first half of 2022, after witnessing the very positive response for our in-app delivery offering that has been powered by foodpanda’s pandago in both Singapore and Taiwan.” Future plans amid a pandemic new normal According to David, Flash Coffee has enjoyed strong traction since its launch in January 2020, and this demonstrates that its business model fits a pandemic-driven world where the way people consume coffee has changed drastically. “The pandemic has altered consumer habits and their expectations globally. Whether it’s food, groceries, coffee, or other commodities – consumers have come to realise that whatever they need, can be delivered to their homes in ~30 mins – convenience is now a way of life.” “We still see a mix between Work From Home and Work From Office, and delivery allows us to be accessible to all our consumers. This emphasises the importance of technology integration to respond to the post-pandemic lifestyle, where our Flash Coffee consumer app is core to our strategic offering.” Flash Coffee is also focusing strongly on accessibility and ensuring that it’s able to reach out to customers wherever they are. Image Credit: Flash Coffee “We do this by building new stores and collaborating with partners like SaladStop! to leverage on their real estate to further extend our presence. We believe that the businesses which adapt and react to consumer behaviour changes will be successful during and after Covid-19.” It seems Flash Coffee might still want to retain some human touch in its tech business, as it isn’t considering trending robot baristas to brew coffee, at least for now. “We’re strong believers of using automation to make our operations more effective and efficient, but right now, our baristas are at the heart of our business. Our barista team is able to deliver the human touch, and we really value the personal connection and real relationships our baristas foster with our returning customers.” The team is, however, researching and developing fully automated stock counts and purchase orders via sensor technology, and will unveil this feature in-stores when it’s ready. Going forward, David said that Flash Coffee will work on keeping prices affordable while producing quality products. It will also continue its expansion plans and work on tech developments to enhance the customer experience. There’s also a limited-edition collaboration with an up-and-coming Asian streetwear brand to be unveiled soon. Customers can also look forward to more unique beverages that appeal to local taste buds. “With evolving consumer preferences, we look to continually improve and come up with new creative beverage options and expand our high-quality specialty coffee range to suit different tastes.”

SINGAPORE: With global energy prices “likely to remain elevated” due to the Ukraine crisis, the Government "will not hesitate" to introduce further measures if necessary to support vulnerable consumers, said Second Minister for Trade and Industry Tan See Leng on Friday (Mar 4). Speaking in Parliament during the Ministry of Trade and Industry (MTI) Committee of Supply debate, Dr Tan responded to questions about the impact of the Russian invasion of Ukraine on Singapore’s energy supply. "While Singapore's sources of fuel are diversified, and the conflict in Ukraine poses limited direct risks to our supplies, we will be affected by the high or volatile global gas prices arising from the conflict," he added. The Government will "spare no effort" to ensure that Singapore's energy supply remains secure and reliable, said Dr Tan. “I understand the cost pressures faced by households and businesses. We will constantly continue to monitor market developments and we will not hesitate to introduce further measures if necessary, to support vulnerable consumers,” he said. Eligible households will receive U-Save rebates for utility expenses, and businesses can tap on loans offered by Enterprise Singapore, said Dr Tan. MTI and the Energy Market Authority (EMA) have established a standby fuel facility to ensure that generation companies have enough fuel reserves, he added. Generation companies can tap on the facility to produce electricity, said Dr Tan. The authorities also work with generation companies and electricity retailers to offer fixed-price contracts under the Temporary Retail Electricity Contracting Support scheme, he added. The scheme has since been extended from March to May 2022, and MTI will extend it further if necessary, said the minister. EMA is also working with these companies to offer longer-term, fixed-price contracts to consumers who want more price stability. Singapore can also enhance energy efficiency and reduce energy consumption, he added. "In fact, we have rolled out a series of measures to encourage consumers to do so by redesigning electricity bills to benchmark individual consumption across other similar users, and mandating energy-intensive companies to implement energy conservation and energy management practices," he added. "We urge all consumers to use energy prudently, and to adopt energy conservation as a way of life." Source: CNA/hw(gr)

Govt assets: GIC $453.2 billion, Temasek $431.3 billion and CPF $311.1 billion (USD) GIC $453.2 billion Temasek $431.3 billion CPF $311.1 billion The report ranks GIC and Temasek sixth and seventh in the sovereign fund category with $453.2 billion and $431.3 billion of assets, respectively. CPF is ninth in the pension fund category with $311.1 billion. GIC, Temasek and CPF are among top ten wealth, pension funds | Asia Asset Management Singapore’s Temasek and GIC rank sixth and seventh in the sovereign fund category, and the Central Provident Fund is ninth in the pension fund categor... www.asiaasset.com Koped from NK - Apex01

The United States Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has warned people against the use of unauthorised versions of certain COVID-19 rapid antigen tests currently being marketed in the country. The kits named include SD Biosensor Standard Q COVID-19 Ag Home Test and ACON Flowflex SARS-CoV-2 Antigen Rapid Test (Self-Testing). Both brands are currently available in Singapore. These tests have not been authorised, cleared or approved by the FDA for distribution or use in the United States, the US health agency said in an advisory dated Mar 1, adding that they may show false results. The warning was also issued against unauthorised versions of Celltrion USA's DiaTrust COVID-19 Ag Rapid Test. The authorised versions of the tests can continue to be used, but consumers should compare the packaging to make sure they do not buy unauthorised tests, the FDA said. There are currently 16 COVID-19 self-test kits approved for use in Singapore under the Pandemic Special Access Route (PSAR). Of these, four are made by SD Biosensor and one by ACON. CNA has contacted Singapore's Ministry of Health, the Health Sciences Authority, retailers and kit manufacturers for more information. As of Friday, both the SD Biosensor and ACON Flowflex kits cited by the FDA remain available for sale in Singapore. The US FDA said it has not received reports of injuries, adverse health consequences or death associated with the use of these unauthorised tests. All three companies have initiated a recall for all unauthorised tests that were distributed in the United States. Antigen tests require a nasal or throat swab and can produce results more quickly than molecular tests, which detect genetic material in the virus. However, antigen tests are considered less accurate. Source: Reuters/CNA/kg

THERE has been a message going viral claiming that frozen calamari rings sold in supermarkets are actually pig rectums. It claimed that actual calamari has black spots while pig rectums are all white. Is this true? Verdict: FALSE This is actually an urban legend that originated from the United States in 2013 when American radio producer Ben Calhoun put it in his segment for the Jan 11 episode of This American Life. A fan had written in to say that she had heard it from a man who worked in pork production. Calhoun, however, went on to follow up on the information and concluded that there was no evidence that such a thing was happening. The urban legend has now made its way to Malaysia with people sharing the fake message with friends and family. https://www.thestar.com.my/news/true-or-not/2022/03/04/quickcheck-are-frozen-calamari-rings-sold-in-supermarkets-actually-made-from-pig-rectums

Basic math, how long does it take to raise a pig to the size where you can use it's asshole, and how long does it take to net a squid.

then what are they made off

world is full of kgks. wahahahahahaha

have to ask mia pgd Professor Dr. @HarrisY

SINGAPORE - The wage ceiling used to determine Central Provident Fund (CPF) contributions will be reviewed, as part of efforts to boost Singaporeans' retirement adequacy, said Manpower Minister Tan See Leng on Friday (March 4). But the Government must carefully assess any calls for more liberal use of CPF members' savings, as it has to continue to safeguard the money that Singaporeans set aside for old age, he said in response to MPs during the debate on his ministry's budget. The Government will engage employers and employees ahead of any changes to the CPF wage ceiling, said Dr Tan. Labour MP Patrick Tay (Pioneer) had noted during the debate on Friday that the last update was six years ago, in 2016, when the ceiling was raised from $5,000 to $6,000, to cover wages up to the 80th percentile of resident incomes. Dr Tan highlighted several changes to boost retirement adequacy which were announced in the Budget statement on Feb 18. The Basic Retirement Sum will be raised by 3.5 per cent per year for members turning 55 between 2023 and 2027. About eight in 10 active CPF members turning 55 in 2027 are expected to be able to meet the sum, up from 67 per cent of those who turned 55 last year, said Dr Tan. CPF contribution rates are also going up for senior workers, and the Workfare Income Scheme is being enhanced, with higher payouts to low-income workers from next year. The minister said these efforts are aimed at helping Singaporeans save more and boost their retirement income. "These will however be meaningless if we do not continue to safeguard the savings that Singaporeans set aside for old age. And this is why we must carefully assess any calls for more liberal use of members' CPF monies," he said. For housing needs, he said the CPF Board exercises flexibility for seniors facing financial hardship who want to use CPF savings to buy a two-room flexi flat. Home buyers can also use the proceeds of the sale of their first subsidised flat to pay for any resale flat levy, he added, in response to WP MP Gerald Giam (Aljunied GRC). Those who still face difficulties affording a property, including two-room flexi flats, can approach the Housing and Development Board for assistance, he said. Members who have turned 55 who have committed to a housing purchase can use their CPF balances above the Basic Retirement Sum to finance it, while those below 55 can request for their Ordinary Account savings not to be transferred to their Retirement Account when they turn 55, if they intend to use it for housing. WP MP Louis Chua (Sengkang GRC) had also suggested expanding the range of financial instruments available under the CPF Investment Scheme, so that members can seek higher returns on their CPF money. "More product offerings do not necessarily equate to higher returns," said Dr Tan. "There is no silver bullet to achieving higher returns. Higher returns come with higher risks, and a greater potential for losses," he said. CPF savings attract interest rates of between 2.5 per cent to 6 per cent, with the investment risk borne by the Government. The minister noted that CPF members can already invest in a diverse range of products including exchange-traded funds, shares and gold products. In financial year 2020, 25 per cent of members using the CPF Investment Scheme suffered cumulative total losses, while 75 per cent made profits or broke even. The CPF Board will continue to review the scheme to ensure that the list of products and providers on the scheme remains relevant, said Dr Tan. "This strikes a balance between allowing CPF Investment Scheme participants the flexibility to diversify their investment portfolios to enhance their retirement nest eggs, while safeguarding members' interest," he said. The Government is still studying the Lifetime Retirement Investment Scheme, which is meant to provide an investment option for CPF members who do not want to or know how to actively manage their portfolio. Further updates will be provided when available, said Dr Tan.

i already say many times always use cpf first, freedom cash always last min then use

allow me to bring u back in time to 1776 america. back then, the independence war just broke out and zheng hu was weak in protecting property rights. therefore, the people were given the right to bear arms in order to protect themselves. now, we fast-forward to the present day. do u know how high the crime rates and the difficulties of policing r in border states such as texas and arizona???? thats why u need to bear arms. even in parts of east bolehsia, u cannot travel anywhere without a shotgun. u think everywhere is small island like pappyland?????

I forgot, I sign yearly, then it will 2025, election yr it always cheaper. Then hoot 3 yr

Taiwanese actress Belle Chuo (卓毓彤) aka Bear Bear (熊熊) is not shy about most things. That includes sex, as she once had an open discussion about it. However, it seems there are some things that she still finds sensitive. Recently, Belle posted a video of her Durex commercial on Facebook. In addition to the commercial, she included some behind-the-scenes footage. One scene in particular had her yelping when her male co-star touched her. Apparently, Belle was practicing a scene with the actor. It had her lying on the bed with him hovering over her. At that time, they were attempting to find a good position to film the scene. Belle was instructing her co-star what to do. “Place your hand here,” she told him, tugging his hand to settle beside her head. “Then touch (my) face.” Netizens were quick to comment on the video. Some laughed at how sensitive Belle’s ears were, others expressed they were jealous of the male star. “I’m going to kill the snake tonight,” one promised. A few talked about the commercial instead, saying it had made them curious. Several were willing to give it a go. Well, Belle definitely got their attention with that video! Although, we doubt she meant to reveal how sensitive her ears were. As for the male actor, it’s a good thing he’s staying anonymous. Otherwise, he might have some difficult fans coming after him.

limpeh now go for neh neh c but below d liao. wahahahahahahaha

gxgx, next jun will be 30sgc/kwh liao. if not limpeh chop my kkj. song bo, smelly peasants????? wahahahahahaha

@HarrisY time for milk

this guy eat too full. https://www.businesstimes.com.sg/government-economy/singapore-resets-safe-distancing-rules-safe-management-measures-distilled-into-5 safe-distancing rules will be removed for mask-on activities

Taiwan’s United Microelectronics Corp. plans to invest $5 billion in a chip-making factory in Singapore, the company’s second in the city-state, amid surging global demand for semiconductor chips. The factory will have a monthly capacity of 30,000 wafers, with production expected to commence in late 2024, UMC said in a statement on Thursday. The Taiwanese chip maker said the $5 billion plant—which will make 22 and 28 nanometre chips for cars, IoT devices and PCs—will be one of the most advanced of its type in Singapore. “Singapore has been one of the main manufacturing sites for semiconductor chips and UMC has a fab in Singapore, so the expansion makes sense for the company,” says Dale Gai, a Taiwan-based research director at Counterpoint who focuses on semiconductors. UMC has done business in Singapore for more than 20 years, including operation of an R&D center for “advanced specialty technologies,” according to the statement. Singapore offers UMC “diversification” and mitigates the growing risk of having its supply concentrated mainly in Taiwan, says Mario Morales, IDC’s group vice president of semiconductor research. In Singapore, UMC joins fellow chipmaker GlobalFoundries and Idaho-based memory-chip maker Micron. Beh Swan Gin, chairman of Singapore’s Economic Development Board, the government agency responsible for attracting foreign investment, said in the statement that UMC’s plan for the new factory “is in line with Singapore’s vision to further grow and deepen Singapore’s role in the global supply chain for semiconductors.” The new fab will be backed by customers who have signed multi-year supply agreements to secure chipmaking capacity from 2024, UMC said in the statement. Those deals augur a “robust demand outlook for UMC’s 22/28 nanometer technologies for years to come,” the statement said. “UMC is one of the major foundry suppliers of the 22/28 nanometer node, with leadership in some areas,” notes Gai. “We believe the initiative helps UMC to win more long-term orders from top clients who see the commitment of UMC's further fab expansion.” Pandemic-era buying of PCs and smartphones for working and studying from home created a backlog for chips. The automobile industry alone is expected to lose $210 billion in revenue because of the shortage. Technology to be installed at the new Singapore factory are critical for smartphones, smart home devices and electric vehicle use, UMC said in the statement. “The current market shortages have been acute in mature and mainstream technologies where UMC primarily competes,” says Morales. “This capacity will help alleviate the constraints on a longer-term basis and will allow UMC to create closer ties with existing customers who have been waiting for the company to make this level of commitment in the business.” Worldwide, UMC runs 12 plants, with combined capacity of more than 800,000 wafers per month. Besides Singapore, the Taiwanese company also has offices in China, Europe, Japan, South Korea and the United States. https://www.forbes.com/sites/ralphjennings/2022/02/28/why-taiwans-umc-is-building-a-5-billion-chip-making-factory-in-singapore

Too bad me no frequent BT else can try Some days prefer cocky waton mee style, some days prefer Hong lim 2nd floor one ..

Moi too. I think it is used by many hackers/scrapers/sniffers so don't use it to access anything (esp your own servers) without secure tunnel.

https://asia.nikkei.com/Politics/Ukraine-war/Prayuth-shrugs-off-request-from-25-ambassadors-to-condemn-Russia?utm_campaign=GL_asia_daily&utm_medium=email&utm_source=NA_newsletter&utm_content=article_link&del_type=1&pub_date=20220302190000&seq_num=14&si=44594 Prayuth shrugs off request from 25 ambassadors to condemn Russia Thailand uses ASEAN statement as political cover to stay neutral on Ukraine war Thailand's Prime Minister Prayuth Chan-ocha has insisted on remaining neutral over Russia's invasion of Ukraine. © Reuters MASAYUKI YUDA, Nikkei staff writerMarch 2, 2022 18:36 JST BANGKOK -- Thai Prime Minister Prayuth Chan-ocha has brushed aside a request from 25 ambassadors in Bangkok asking his government to take a stand against Russia's invasion of Ukraine. "We should maintain balance at this point," the prime minister told reporters after a weekly cabinet meeting on Tuesday. With the exception of Singapore, which has forcefully denounced the invasion, much of Southeast Asia has responded with little more than cautious expressions of concern. Thailand came under pressure to change that on Monday, when the envoys visited Thani Thongpakdi, the permanent secretary for foreign affairs. The ambassadors represented a long list of nations: the U.S., U.K., Japan, Canada, Norway, Australia, France, Germany, Spain, Finland, Greece, Ireland, Hungary, Belgium, Czech, Italy, Luxembourg, Netherlands, Austria, Poland, Romania, Slovakia, Sweden, Denmark as well as the European Union. Together, they urged Thailand, as a member of the United Nations, to speak up for the rules-based international order and denounce the invasion as a violation of the U.N. charter. The kingdom has stuck to neutrality since the invasion began last Thursday. The Thai foreign ministry expressed deep concern over the escalating tensions while supporting a peaceful settlement through dialogue. The Association of Southeast Asian Nations on Saturday published a statement with a similar tone. In rebuffing the ambassadors' request, Prayuth used the bloc's statement as cover. "It's a regional matter now," he said, arguing that countries should avoid trumpeting their own stance once ASEAN has clarified its position. According to local reports, Prayuth also mentioned the kingdom's long-standing relationship with Russia as a reason for staying neutral. This year is the 125th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic ties between what was once the Kingdom of Siam and Imperial Russia. On Monday, Evgeny Tomikhin, the Russian ambassador to Thailand, paid a courtesy call on Phuket Vice Gov. Pichet Panapong. Officials of the southern island and diplomats from Russia discussed the prospects for celebrating and furthering relations this year. The meeting, likely scheduled before the attack on Ukraine, was roundly criticized online as careless and untimely. Russia is an important economic partner for Thailand, especially as a source of tourists. In normal times, Russians come to the kingdom in large numbers, hopping on charter flights to destinations like Phuket. In January, they were the top visitors to Thailand by nationality, accounting for 17.7% of all foreign arrivals amid a gradual reopening from COVID-19. The Russian tourism market looks even more crucial now, with another key source of visitors, China, slow to ease its own curbs on overseas travel. But Thailand's reluctance to speak out has put it at odds with Western partners like the U.S. Thailand's silence can also be seen as part of a pattern. Prayuth's dovish stance on the military takeover in Myanmar 13 months ago is one reason ASEAN has struggled to present a united front in its own neighborhood. The situation, in fact, has called ASEAN's own raison d'etre into question.

Thais like to have "khao gaeng" for breakfast, translated literally khao = rice and gaeng = curry or stew or even soup. Every morning you can find such stalls open with many pans or pots of cooked food. So customers simply select what dish he want with the plate of rice. This is a khao gaeng shop near to my home Honestly I over ordered because I love curry Pumkin pork curry Egg plant braised with minced pork Chicken galangal soup Chicken curry Leftover I brought home for dinner

HELLO!!! All of US are carrot head!