Yamato

Finally after almost 12 hours (slept very well for 6 hours in flight) I arrived in Paris Charles de Gaulle Airport Was a long queue however it moves fast do didn't really take very long. Arriving at Baggage collection

Driving to the Suvarnabhimbi Aiport tonight Happy to see many passengers checking in seems like on track to normalcy Short holiday so packing light 3 hours early so hit the bar of course Nice wonton soup At the gate, seems like a full flight to Paris tonight This 777-300ER looks a little out dated Will update more when arrived

https://asia.nikkei.com/Business/Technology/Vietnam-to-make-Apple-Watch-and-MacBook-for-first-time-ever?utm_campaign=GL_techAsia&utm_medium=email&utm_source=NA_newsletter&utm_content=article_link&del_type=5&pub_date=20220818150000&seq_num=11&si=44594 Vietnam to make Apple Watch and MacBook for first time ever Country benefits as tech giant looks to build more products outside of China Producing the highly sophisticated Apple Watch would be a win for Vietnam as it attempts to further upgrade its tech manufacturing sector. (Source photos by AP and Reuters) CHENG TING-FANG and LAULY LI, Nikkei Asia tech correspondentsAugust 17, 2022 11:04 JST TAIPEI -- Apple is in talks to make Apple Watches and MacBooks in Vietnam for the first time, marking a further win for the Southeast Asian country as the U.S. tech giant looks to diversify production away from China. Apple suppliers Luxshare Precision Industry and Foxconn have started test production of the Apple Watch in northern Vietnam with the aim of producing the device outside of China for the very first time, three people with direct knowledge of the matter told Nikkei Asia. Vietnam is already Apple's most important production hub outside of China, producing a wide range of flagship products for the American company, including iPad tablets and AirPods earphones. The Apple Watch is even more sophisticated, according to industry experts, who say that squeezing so many components into such a small case requires a high degree of technological skill. Producing the device would be a win for Vietnam as the country attempts to further upgrade its tech manufacturing sector. Apple has also continued to shift iPad production to Vietnam after COVID-related lockdowns in Shanghai caused massive supply chain disruptions. BYD of China was the first to assist with this shift, though sources told Nikkei Asia that Foxconn, too, is now helping build more iPads in the Southeast Asian nation. Apple is also in talks with suppliers to build test production lines for its HomePod smart speakers in Vietnam, the people said. On the MacBook front, Apple has asked suppliers to set up a test production line in Vietnam, two sources said. However, progress in moving mass production to the country has been slow, partly due to pandemic-related disruptions but also because notebook computer production involves a larger supply chain, multiple sources said. That network is currently centered on China and very cost-competitive, they added. "AirPods, Apple Watch, HomePod and more ... Apple has big plans in Vietnam, apart from iPhone manufacturing," one of the people with direct knowledge of the situation said. "The components for MacBooks have become more modularized than in the past, which makes it easier to produce the laptops outside of China. But how to make it cost-competitive is another challenge." Apple's diversification to Vietnam started with AirPods, which went into mass production there in 2020. The earphones were among the first Apple products whose assembly was shifted out of China after a trade war between Washington and Beijing broke out under former U.S. President Donald Trump. The move signaled a change of approach for Apple, which had depended on China for almost all of its production needs for decades. For Vietnam, Apple's shift -- and the U.S.-China tensions more broadly -- have been a boon. The number of Apple suppliers with facilities in the country has increased to at least 22 from 14 in 2018, according to Nikkei Asia's analysis of Apple's latest available suppliers list and interviews with sources. Many other major electronics manufacturers like Google, Dell and Amazon have also set up production in Vietnam to diversify beyond China, Nikkei Asia has previously reported. Eddie Han, a senior analyst with Isaiah Research, told Nikkei Asia that electronics makers are trying to strike a balance amid Washington-Beijing tensions. "Geographically, we find major international electronics brands such as Apple and Samsung trying to lower dependence on making products inside China. But on the other hand, these international players have adopted more China-based suppliers such as Luxshare and BYD for Apple, and Huaqin for Samsung to build more of their products," Han said. "Those are moves to balance the geopolitical impacts." "China's role as the world's most important factory has been challenged since the trade war and then later its energy and zero-COVID policies," Han said. "That really makes Vietnam, which is close to China, an ideal destination for many electronics makers as the nation gradually grows its supply chain ecosystem." Apple, Foxconn and Luxshare did not respond to Nikkei Asia's request for comment.

https://asia.nikkei.com/Business/Food-Beverage/PTT-ready-to-bring-plant-based-meat-treats-to-its-gas-stations?utm_campaign=GL_asia_daily&utm_medium=email&utm_source=NA_newsletter&utm_content=article_link&del_type=1&pub_date=20220817190000&seq_num=26&si=44594 PTT ready to bring plant-based meat treats to its gas stations Thai oil company challenges country's food majors with soy nuggets and gyoza PTT expects Thai consumers to be uniquely open to vegan meat products. (Photo by Kosuke Inoue) KOSUKE INOUE, Nikkei staff writerAugust 17, 2022 11:46 JST BANGKOK -- Pui, a company worker, was surprised late last month when she tried chicken-like soy nuggets for the first time at a Bangkok shop specializing in plant-derived foods. Even though the nuggets do not contain chicken, they "perfectly re-create the juicy feel and flavor" of the chicken-based counterparts, the 32-year-old said. The shop, alt.Eatery, is run by Thailand's largest energy company, PTT, whose business heavily relies on fossil fuels. It has operations spanning oil and gas exploration, electricity generation, petrochemicals and gas stations. But it has been expanding into other sectors as it strives to break free of its fossil fuel dependence and now intends to put alt.Eaterys in some of its many roadside gas station complexes. Thailand is an attractive market for meat-like products due to its large Buddhist population and a number of other factors, including a newfound awareness about maintaining health brought on by the pandemic, executives at the state-run oil company believe. PTT announced its plan to enter the plant-based meat market last year. It partnered with a Thai alternative meat company to set up a joint venture and launch the alt.Eatery chain three months ago. The shop's menu includes soy nuggets at 89 baht ($2.51) and gyoza dumplings at 99 baht. Think tank Krungthai Compass estimates the size of the market for these meats will grow to 45 billion baht by 2024, up 60% from 28 billion baht in 2019. It expects plant-derived meat to have a better chance at catching on in Thailand than elsewhere in Southeast Asia due to a combination of the country's large Buddhist population and its many vegetarians. Some 90% of Thais are Buddhist. Some strict practitioners of the religion avoid consuming red meat but are often open to substitute products. In addition, ethnic Chinese residents of Thailand celebrate an annual vegetarian week, Tesagan Gin Je, which has an economic impact that is estimated to exceed $75 million. PTT, which announced its plan to start selling alternative meat products in 2021, opened its first alt.Eatery in May. (Photo by Kosuke Inoue) The impact of COVID-19 also factors into PTT's expectations. In Thailand, many people who are working from home worry that they are putting on weight. As a result, many are watching what they eat and are saying no to fatty meats. This is in addition to a growing environmental awareness that has prompted an increasing number of young people to reduce their meat consumption. Energy operations currently account for 90% of PTT's business. Its joint venture partner will operate the plant-based meat factories, and the initial target is for 3,000 tons of annual output. Currently, only one alt.Eatery exists, but plans call for adding 10 more outlets every year. That's where PTT and its gas station-centered complexes come in. The company already operates about 4,000 eateries, including popular Cafe Amazon coffee shops. PTT now plans to put alt.Eatery outlets in these roadside malls, expecting the faux meat treats to attract even more traffic. Charoen Pokphand Group, the country's largest conglomerate, and some of Thailand's major food companies, including Thai Union Group, already sell plant-based meat products. Thai Nippon Foods, a subsidiary of Japan's NH Foods, introduced plant-based sausages in July. Technology injects these modern meats with flavors and juices similar to the real thing. But all the processing makes them more expensive than what they are trying to replace. Due to all the competition from established food makers with production expertise and mass-production facilities, PTT's new venture might be forced into a price war in which survival depends on sacrificing profits.

https://asia.nikkei.com/Politics/International-relations/Indo-Pacific/German-Air-Force-shows-it-can-be-in-Asia-in-a-day?utm_campaign=GL_indo_pacific&utm_medium=email&utm_source=NA_newsletter&utm_content=article_link&del_type=11&pub_date=20220817213000&seq_num=2&si=44594 German Air Force shows it can be in Asia in a day Taiwan issue serves as a wake-up call to European powers A Eurofighter, painted with the flags of Australia, Singapore, Japan and South Korea, refuels with the help of an Airbus A330. © Bundeswehr SHOGO AKAGAWA, Editor-in-Chief for Europe, Middle East and AfricaAugust 16, 2022 21:27 JST LONDON -- The German Air Force has begun an exercise named Rapid Pacific 2022, sending a fleet of aircraft to the far lands of Asia. Six Eurofighter jets, four A400M multirole aircraft and three A330 multirole tanker transport planes on Monday took off from Neuburg Air Base, en route to Singapore. The goal was to reach the city-state within 24 hours, which it did, to show that the German Air Force can be in the heart of the Indo-Pacific in a day. From there, the fleet will head to Australia, South Korea and Japan. Fittingly, one Eurofighter was painted with the flags of Germany and the countries the fleet is visiting, to show unity with Germany's Indo-Pacific partners. Why is the Bundeswehr (German Armed Forces) deploying aircraft to the Indo-Pacific for the first time in the post-World War II era? "We want to show that we stand for multilateralism and the rules-based international order, together with our security partners," a Ministry of Defense spokesperson told Nikkei. Clearly, China is in mind. Following the deployment of a frigate to East Asia in 2021, this is another political message from Berlin. The specially foiled Eurofighter "Air Ambassador" takes off from Neuburg Air Base to join the Rapid Pacific 2022 exercise. © Bundeswehr It marks a stark change of direction for Germany. The shift was led by the Social Democratic Party (SPD), the champion of pacifism and the new eastern policy, which sought reconciliation with the Communist bloc. Berlin has learned the harsh lesson of going too deep with authoritarian states. For the half-century since the 1970s, Germany relied on Russia for energy. Those ties are now proving difficult to sever. In an interview with Nikkei, SDP heavyweight Michael Muller, a former mayor of Berlin, emphasized, "We must ensure that we do not get into new dependencies with China. This is the lesson from the current Russia-Ukraine crisis." As Germany, which for years pursued a China-heavy Asia policy, distances itself from China, other European countries are accelerating the shift even faster. Sen. Andre Gattolin of France noted that while Russia is the immediate concern, China poses the bigger long-term threat. Driven by this trend, Europe, which long had been disinterested in the issue of Taiwan, is now ready to side with the U.S. on the contentious topic. When China reacted angrily to House Speaker Nancy Pelosi's stop in Taiwan and began live-fire drills surrounding the island, Josep Borrell, the EU's foreign policy chief, said the response could not be justified. The French Foreign Ministry also pressed China to respect order. Faced with the real threat of Russia, European powers have rediscovered the value of the Transatlantic alliance with the U.S. The U.S. has Europe's back when it comes to Russia. Therefore, if the U.S. is confronting China, Europe should back the U.S. too, recent thinking goes. A new determination is rising in Europe. China's strategy to counter this trend seems to be to propose bilateral talks with individual European countries. Splitting the democratic camp has always been a big part of the authoritarian playbook. Europe, so far, has been swaying and avoiding the punches. Taiwan sees an opportunity to make inroads. In May, Economic Vice Minister Chen Chern-chyi visited Lithuania for the first vice-ministerial meeting between the two economies and held a business roundtable. Workers add finishing touches at the paint shop at BMW's plant in Shenyang, China. German manufacturers have massive operations in the country. © BMW But for the European economy, distancing itself from China is far more complicated than doing so with Russia. European leaders will keep an eye on the quinquennial Chinese Communist Party national congress this autumn, hoping that a more flexible leadership emerges in Beijing. Until then, the plan is to uphold the "One China" policy. Liz Truss, the British Foreign Secretary running for prime minister, is a known China hawk. Yet, she has declared that she has no intention of visiting Taiwan as prime minister. In Germany, some pro-Taiwan lawmakers are planning a bipartisan trip to Taiwan. East Asia has traditionally not been an area of interest for Europe. The lack of experience will inevitably force policymakers to stumble as they try to formulate a China strategy. Japan and the democracies of Asia find themselves with a golden opportunity to lend a hand to Europe in this endeavor and deepen ties.

https://asia.nikkei.com/Spotlight/Asia-Insight/Cambodia-holds-back-Vietnam-and-Thailand-in-trafficking-prevention?utm_campaign=GL_asia_daily&utm_medium=email&utm_source=NA_newsletter&utm_content=article_link&del_type=1&pub_date=20220816190000&seq_num=2&si=44594 In its latest Trafficking in Persons report, the U.S. State Department downgraded Vietnam and Cambodia to its bottom tier and put Indonesia on a watchlist. © Illustration by Hiroko Oshima Cambodia holds back Vietnam and Thailand in trafficking prevention Porous borders, corruption preclude collective progress FRANCESCA REGALADO, LIEN HOANG and SHOICHIRO TAGUCHI, Nikkei staff writersAugust 16, 2022 06:00 JST BANGKOK/HO CHI MINH CITY/TOKYO -- Geography has helped Thailand and Vietnam compete for a large share of investment flowing out of China. But it has also thrown a wrench in their plans as trafficking persists along Southeast Asia's porous borders, especially in their shared neighbor Cambodia. In its latest Trafficking in Persons report, the U.S. State Department downgraded Vietnam and Cambodia to its bottom tier and put Indonesia on a watchlist. Governments fearful of losing U.S. investment and economic aid are typically motivated to aim for the first or second tiers. At risk of falling into the third tier, Thailand spent the past year improving agency coordination and prosecuting officials complicit in human trafficking. "Whenever the U.S. talks about this, there will be feedback to the Thai government and they want to work harder," said Jaruwat Jinmonca, vice president of Immanuel Foundation, an anti-trafficking NGO based in Chiang Mai. "If the ranking's too low, the government will speed up their work." The report came in the nick of time for Thai Prime Minister Prayuth Chan-ocha. In the last hours of a parliamentary censure debate last month against his government, Prayuth was able to bring Thailand's rise in the rankings to his defense. But Thailand's upgrade provided no relief to Namtip, a 15-year-old girl who spent two months in Cambodian custody after being trafficked from Thailand -- or the more than 3,300 other victims counted in the report. "The law in each country is different," said Surachate Hakparn, assistant commissioner in charge of anti-trafficking for the Royal Thai Police. "We can help people who were trafficked into Thailand more easily than getting Thais back from overseas." Ging, 26, borrowed money to pay her way out of a trafficked labor camp in Poipet, Cambodia. (Photo by Francesca Regalado) As corporate interest in environmental, social and governance issues grows, developed countries have been monitoring human rights violations. In the U.S., a law that allows for import injunctions on products made with forced labor has been in effect since 2016. The European Union is expected to announce a similar ban this year. "Business and human rights issues are recognized as a common challenge among developed countries," said Susumu Tanaka, senior economist and leader of the business and human rights unit of the Japan External Trade Organization. As long as cases of human trafficking continue to exist, "those countries will have to consider the possibility of being left out of the global supply chain." In Thailand, trafficking of migrants from Laos, Vietnam and Cambodia is rampant in sectors such as agriculture, food processing, fishing, tourism and entertainment. A major step forward was enforcing rules against forced labor as anti-trafficking laws. Prosecutions and convictions slowed last year, which police attribute to the COVID-19 pandemic, but investigations increased from 133 in 2020 to 188 in 2021, and are expected to double this year. Surachate's division received a 73 million-baht ($2 million) budget this fiscal year to address migrant labor and human trafficking. This was part of the Royal Thai Police's 32.8 billion baht annual budget, and allocations for anti-trafficking efforts to other agencies. But for all its efforts and resources, Thailand cannot do anything about the lack of political will and resources of its southeastern neighbor, Cambodia. Open terrain, hills and rivers make up the 817-kilometer border, making it difficult to patrol and easy to cross. Cambodia has been demoted to Tier 3 this year as endemic corruption continues to hamper anti-trafficking efforts. The port city of Sihanoukville, in particular, has become a base for syndicates that traffic people to run online scams. In downgrading Vietnam in the TIP report, the U.S. said the country didn't do enough to identify and help victims, while convictions of traffickers declined for five straight years. The report said some officials allegedly facilitated forced labor in Saudi Arabia, while others allegedly harassed accusers in efforts to silence them. Vietnam said the report "contained certain inaccurate information that has not fully" reflected its increased efforts, including the enforcement of a law on guest workers, protecting children online and cooperating internationally on safe migration. "Vietnam has been following with keen attention the situation pertaining to domestic and cross-border human trafficking, so as to come up with suitable countermeasures," said Le Thi Thu Hang, a foreign ministry spokeswoman. Ging shows a job posting in a Facebook page run by traffickers. The page has more than 16,000 followers. (Photo by Francesca Regalado) While Thai authorities can often identify victims and track perpetrators through bank accounts, internet data and phone records, enforcement often falls to their poorly equipped Cambodian counterparts. Immigration authorities in Sihanoukville, where 15-year-old Namtip was detained, said her case was delayed because they could not verify her identity. Victims who spoke with Nikkei Asia said they witnessed patrols on both sides of the Thai-Cambodian border accepting bribes from traffickers for safe passage. Syndicate bosses would brag to victims about how much they paid the police for each head, the victims said. Corruption also helps explain the situation in Sihanoukville, which has a special economic zone, in which around 100 casinos and numerous property developments are financed and operated by Chinese businessmen. Victims could easily find where they were held on a map -- large compounds with high walls and barbed wire, containing dormitories and casinos. These are often in or near urban centers, as they require high-speed internet to conduct financial scams and traffic more people. "In the past, trafficking was done person to person. But online, you can trick a hundred people at the same time," said Surachate. Cambodia National Police spokesman Chhay Kim Khoeun told Nikkei in December that the force is committed to its crackdown on groups kidnapping workers. A trafficking survivor reunites with family in Vietnam, where the U.S. says limits on independent unions and free speech made it hard to discuss workers’ rights and labor trafficking. (Photo courtesy of Blue Dragon Children's Foundation) In Vietnam, the ads beckoning people to work overseas are as diverse as the destination countries, from Facebook posts and handwritten posters near the woods of Dalat touting Kuwait to printed banners for Japan on a narrow road outside Hanoi. Some chancers end up being tricked into slave labor. Nam Thuy says it was a steamed bun laced with sedatives that did him in. In May, facing an avalanche of medical bills, he decided on a last resort -- selling an organ. Thuy told Nikkei in Ho Chi Minh City that he jumped into a Hyundai vehicle with strangers thinking they'd broker the procedure. On the drive, the 30-year-old ate the bun, only to wake up hours later on the road to Cambodia, where he remained for months. He and dozens of other Vietnamese were forced to adopt fake online identities to con people, he said. With a target of about $4,000, he used chats to get people to invest in fraudulent get-rich-quick schemes. "If you didn't meet the target, they shocked you, beat you or let you starve," he said, tugging away his medical mask to reveal missing teeth. More people became vulnerable to exploitation during the pandemic and have been trafficked to a greater variety of places, but "the root cause is still poverty," said Nguyen Tra My, an anti-trafficking officer at Blue Dragon Children's Foundation, which rescues Vietnamese trapped in China. "The trafficking landscape changed," she said. Trafficking victims receive art therapy in Vietnam. By one count, the country conducted 36,000 inspections yet reported no sex trafficking victims, the U.S. said. (Photo courtesy of Blue Dragon Children's Foundation) Thai authorities and nonprofits say trafficking cannot be eradicated as long as economic opportunities at home are lacking. The promise of 30,000-baht monthly salaries is enough to persuade people to ignore red flags and take the risk of illegally crossing the border. Ging, a 26-year-old single mother who was trafficked to Poipet, made only 9,000 baht per month at a local company in Saraburi Province. "It sounded like the recruiter really wanted to help me make money," she told Nikkei six days after her return from Cambodia. "I was making money as they promised, but I just couldn't have my freedom," she said. To buy back her liberty, Ging had to raise three months' salary and borrow 30,000 baht from her hometown. Namtip, the 15-year-old, thought she was signing up for a summer job between school terms to help her grandmother with expenses. Sua, who was desperate for work after losing his job at a bank during the height of the pandemic, was trafficked to a casino in Sihanoukville. "The amount of money they were offering should have been a red flag," he said. "It was too much." Sua now works with the Pavena Foundation for Children and Women, a nonprofit group for trafficked and abused women and children. Part of his work is encouraging victims to provide testimony to the police as most fear being charged for illegal acts committed forcibly, or for crossing borders illegally. "If any country is weak on trafficking, we need to have some kind of sanction," said Pavena Hongsakul, a former Thai politician who runs her eponymous foundation.

Sunday night went to a "teochew porridge style" type of eatery in Pattaya. Duck Minced pork with black olives Yellow chive with tofu Oyster with deep fried flour Vege with crispy pork Comfort food to end the day

Yesterday had breakfast with a friend who recommended this fantastic fishball noodle shop in Pattaya

Had dinner at my favourite Thai seafood restaurant - Preecha Seafood https://goo.gl/maps/44upQ1jV6j4cmWQN6 Dinner by the beach Almost sunset Cockles Kailan with salted fish Steamed crab Grouper with soya sauce

Took the weekend off with a getaway stay at Sattahip beach (Chonburi) The hotel room seaview Night time Lobby Night view from the room

https://asia.nikkei.com/Business/Transportation/From-Singapore-to-South-Korea-airport-ambitions-face-headwinds2?del_type=1&pub_date=20220811190000&seq_num=2 From Singapore to South Korea, airport ambitions face headwinds Asia home to most expansion projects yet lags in traffic recovery after COVID-19 Singapore's Changi Airport is pushing ahead with a fifth passenger terminal, after the pandemic delayed its expansion plans. © Reuters DYLAN LOH, Nikkei staff writerAugust 11, 2022 13:35 JST SINGAPORE -- Asia is home to the largest concentration of airport development projects by number and value, yet lags behind the rest of the world in reviving travel in the wake of COVID-19, recent reports highlight. These conflicting crosswinds could mean a bumpy ride for the Asian sector in the coming years, with inflation, supply disruptions and skilled labor lost to the pandemic adding further complications. A look around the region reveals a flurry of airport construction plans. Singapore is moving ahead with a fifth passenger terminal at its main Changi Airport to the tune of $10 billion, after the pandemic delayed plans for expanding capacity. In terms of value, South Korea has the biggest airport infrastructure push lined up, worth as much as $46 billion, according to estimates compiled by Fitch Solutions Country Risk and Industry Research earlier this year. One major project on the horizon is the Gadeok Island Airport in Busan, expected to be built offshore on a floating structure in about a decade. In Vietnam, the state Airports Corporation of Vietnam, which manages civilian terminals, has plans through 2025 to upgrade and expand 23 facilities, designed to accommodate a total of 173 million passengers per year. In the same time frame, India plans to increase its airports from more than 130 at present to around 220, while the Philippines is counting on its upcoming Sangley Point International Airport project, located south of Manila, to handle over 100 million passengers annually once completed. Fitch said in May that Asia has over 200 airport projects overall, involving a combined $231 billion in investment -- both the most of any region. At the same time, however, Fitch noted that the future is foggy due to the "residual impacts" of COVID-19, including reduced revenues in previous years as well as uncertain future airport demand. It said this is likely to weigh "on project activity in the airport segment particularly over the short term." Last week, the World Tourism Organization highlighted that the Asia-Pacific region continues to lag behind when it comes to international arrivals. The industry body said Asia-Pacific arrivals were still 90% below pre-pandemic 2019 levels in the first five months of this year, making it the world's weakest region. Europe's figure was just 36% below 2019, with the Americas at 40%. There are some glimmers of a recovery. Asia-Pacific international passenger demand for March reached 17% of pre-COVID levels, after having hovered under 10% for most of the last two years, according to the International Air Transport Association. But it was still far below the global trend, with other markets seeing figures around 60% of pre-crisis levels. China and Japan are two major stragglers, due to their ongoing border restrictions. "So long as the Chinese government continues to maintain their zero-COVID approach, it is hard to see the country's borders reopening," Willie Walsh, the IATA's director general, said in May. "This will hold back the region's full recovery." Japan has opened up to a greater degree but is still only allowing leisure travelers in on group tours and continues to insist on COVID-19 testing, while many other countries have dropped such requirements. "While Japan has taken steps to allow travel, there is no clear plan for the reopening of Japan for all inbound visitors or tourists," Walsh said in May. Little has changed since, with Japan's tourism restart off to a disappointing start and record cases dimming hopes for a further easing at the borders. Then there are the threats of soaring inflation and supply chain interruptions to consider, as both could drive up construction costs. South Korea's Incheon International Airport in March: The country has the biggest airport infrastructure push lined up, according to Fitch. © Reuters Linesight, a construction consultancy headquartered in Ireland, noted in an April report that the impact of Russia's invasion of Ukraine may lead to increased competition for Asia-Pacific steel exports. "There has been somewhat of a resurgence in volatility on core construction commodities, including steel, copper and diesel," Michael Murphy, director at Linesight Singapore, told Nikkei Asia. "The impact to the construction industry can be seen at numerous junctures, but overall the result is cost and program uncertainty." "Other factors that contribute to supply chain disruption of construction projects also include logistics and transport disruption, and increased costs and delays in long-lead equipment due to material shortages, delays and price hikes," Murphy added. Gavin Steele, director of infrastructure in Asia for U.K.-based property consultancy Turner & Townsend, said the sector's challenges run even deeper. "Reduced staff levels have resulted in the loss of knowledge and remobilization of staff, and recruiting a new workforce has been a significant challenge for the industry," he told Nikkei. "Global paradigm shifts in the supply chain and local labor shortages felt in parts of Asia are likely to persist for the foreseeable future, causing tender-price volatility and threatening the pace of growth." That many countries are sticking to airport expansion plans suggests they are counting on passenger traffic in Asia eventually rebounding higher than ever before. On the Changi expansion, Singapore's Transport Minister S. Iswaran said in May that "given the current and projected recovery in air travel demand, we have a renewed impetus to secure our infrastructural capacity for growth." Nevertheless, considering how far Asia still has to go to recover, as well as the other pressures buffeting airport projects, it appears that the region's transportation hubs may be in for more turbulent times.

Finally for the chicken curry you could have it with nasi lemak for breakfast like yesterday morning. Nasi lemak was made from basmati rice

Curry goes well with prata

https://asia.nikkei.com/Business/Agriculture/Thailand-abuzz-over-bug-based-feed-as-alternative-to-grain?utm_campaign=GL_asia_daily&utm_medium=email&utm_source=NA_newsletter&utm_content=article_link&del_type=1&pub_date=20220811190000&seq_num=17&si=44594 Thailand abuzz over bug-based feed as alternative to grain Business booms as livestock farms seek to address sustainability concerns A man feeds his animals at a cattle market in Pakistan. Europe is leading in the insect protein market, but more and more companies in Southeast Asia are developing foods containing insects. © Reuters KOSUKE INOUE, Nikkei staff writerAugust 11, 2022 16:21 JST BANGKOK -- Startups in Thailand are focusing on insects to make animal feed, seeking to help alleviate increasing pressure on livestock farmers to move toward sustainability. "Insect-derived feed can be a solution to circular economy," said Peter Hamilton, CEO of Biovert Protein, a Thai startup developing technology to pulverize black soldier fly larvae to process into fish feed. Biovert plans to build a factory in the Eastern Economic Corridor, a special economic zone in Thailand, by 2024 to launch full-scale production. Concerns about sustainability in industrial agriculture are rising. In Europe, livestock, which consumes massive volumes of grains, is considered an environmental concern, and avoidance of meat is gaining steam. This presents a problem that needs attention for many companies in Thailand, a leading food exporter. Black soldier fly eggs hatch in four days and become pupae in 14 days. The insects contain abundant protein as well as calcium and amino acids, essential nutrients. They can be mass-produced in a short period of time and are perfect alternative to grain-based feed, the company says. Biovert's other goal is to reduce food waste. Black soldier fly larvae require a massive amount of food for growth, so the company buys spent grain from a local beer brewery. Europe is leading in the insect protein market, but Southeast Asia offers lower barriers to new entrants. Thailand, in particular, is promoting the development of environmentally friendly technologies, spurring new businesses in the field. These include FlyLab, another startup working on black soldier flies in northern Chiang Mai. Thai Union Group, the company behind the Chicken of the Sea canned tuna brand, also announced in 2021 an investment in Orgafeed, which develops pet food with black soldier fly larvae. Reducing production costs is a major challenge. These startups are pouring money into finding out the optimal environment for enhancing the nutritional value of insects, and they must pass these costs on to customers to turn a profit. This means they not only have to get livestock farmers to invest in sustainability but also bring down prices as low as possible to conventional grain-based feed.

https://asia.nikkei.com/Business/Automobiles/Used-Land-Cruisers-fetch-over-double-new-price-amid-Toyota-shortage?utm_campaign=GL_JP_update&utm_medium=email&utm_source=NA_newsletter&utm_content=article_link&del_type=4&pub_date=20220811085958&seq_num=14&si=44594 Used Land Cruisers fetch over double new price amid Toyota shortage $129,000 resale price shows car buyers willing to pay more to skip waitlist New orders for Land Cruisers have been suspended in Japan because production cannot keep up. (Photo by Yuki Nakao) KYOHEI SUGA, Nikkei staff writerAugust 11, 2022 03:17 JST NAGOYA, Japan -- Resale prices of some Toyota models have topped what new ones sell for as Japan's top automaker keeps car buyers waiting. The median price of the 2022 Land Cruiser ZX reached 17.05 million yen ($129,000) in late July, more than double the manufacturer's suggested price for the gasoline version of the popular sport utility vehicle, according to used car website operator Proto Corp. Price inversions like this for Toyotas, which reflect the automaker's struggle to produce cars on time amid a global chip shortage, are unusual in their extent, market watchers said. "There have been instances of localized spikes in prices for rare and popular cars, but I've never seen it happen for this many models," said Yasuyuki Matsui, a director at Nagoya-based used car dealership group Goodspeed. For the Alphard, one of Toyota's largest minivans, the median price for the hybrid 2021 Executive Lounge S version was 8.25 million yen, above the new-car price of 7.75 million yen. Some Harrier and Corolla Cross cars cost more used than new, depending on the model year and grade. Some car buyers are clearly willing to pay more to drive a slightly used Toyota now than wait for delivery of a new one. Toyota Motor's order backlog in Japan stands at around 1 million vehicles -- roughly a third of its annual domestic output. Delivery time is estimated to be more than four years for the Land Cruiser and nearly a year for other popular SUVs. Besides the chip shortage, COVID-19 lockdowns in Shanghai this year have had a lingering impact on Toyota's supply chain. Overseas car buyers are helping drive up prices in Japan, Matsui said. Used car dealers often auction cars to other dealers. "Buyers exporting to wealthy customers in emerging economies pay high prices," one seller said. Japan-only Toyota models like the Harrier are gaining popularity among such overseas buyers, who may face wait times to buy Toyotas in their local markets, auto industry watchers said. The boom in used cars is not limited to Toyota. Some other brands, such as Suzuki Motor's popular four-wheel-drive Jimny, are fetching higher-than-new prices. But Toyotas have long been known for their stable resale price, so the shortage-driven increases stand out more. New orders for Land Cruisers, Alphards and Harriers have been suspended in Japan because production cannot keep up, and there is no sign of when they will restart. "The current models have for practical purposes been discontinued," said the head of one dealership.

Today is a public holiday in Thailand. The queen's birthday which is celebrated as Mother's Day here. Since its a holiday I took some time to cook Singapore's chicken curry

It was a good experience visiting this restaurant in Nikko Hotel Thong Lor. Private room for 4 We are here for the Japanese beef. The wine for the beef Salad Kimchi Korean rice Side dishes Here comes the main The meats Beef tongue Grill

https://asia.nikkei.com/Business/Agriculture/Banana-growers-fight-renewed-extinction-risk-as-lethal-fungus-spreads?utm_campaign=GL_asia_daily&utm_medium=email&utm_source=NA_newsletter&utm_content=article_link&del_type=1&pub_date=20220808190000&seq_num=29&si=44594 Banana growers fight renewed extinction risk as lethal fungus spreads Resurgence of Panama disease threatens one of world's most valuable crops Bananas are displayed at a shop in Halle, Belgium. Eaten across the world, the fruit is grown in the tropics, from Southeast Asia to Latin America. © Reuters KOJI KATO, Nikkei science editorAugust 8, 2022 00:27 JST TOKYO -- Decades after decimating banana plants worldwide, Panama disease once again threatens to wipe out the crop key to economies across Asia, Latin America and beyond. Vietnam will lose up to 71% of its banana-producing land in 25 years to a type of fungus called Fusarium, warned a scientific paper published in February by researchers from institutions including Vietnam's Plant Resources Center and Belgium's Meise Botanic Garden. Fusarium enters the banana plants through its roots and destroys its veins, causing the plant to wilt. The spores can contaminate soil for decades. Bananas are "among the most important food crops worldwide," said Steven Janssens, one of the authors. And if Fusarium continues to spread, he says that "the impact on humanity could be quite dramatic." A separate study cited in the paper predicted a similar loss of banana-producing land in China and the Philippines. The dangers of Fusarium came under the spotlight in the 1950s, when the fungus devastated banana plants in and around Panama. Dubbed Panama disease, the epidemic subsided only after inflicting billions of dollars in damage to growers and nearly wiping out production of the Gros Michel cultivar. Half of the bananas grown in the world today are the Cavendish, which has been relatively resistant to Fusarium wilt. But a new strain that emerged in the 1990s is now attacking Cavendish bananas in Malaysia and elsewhere in Southeast Asia. The strain, called tropical race 4 or TR4, was also found in Colombia in 2019 and Peru in 2021, sparking concerns that the world's entire banana crop may be at risk of extinction. The modern banana is descended from a seedless variety that began to be cultivated in Southeast Asia around 5,000 B.C. or earlier. Growers propagate plants through cuttings that are genetically identical to the "parent" plant, heightening the risk of populations being wiped out by a pathogen like TR4. The lack of seeds makes it trickier to breed new varieties with better disease resistance. More than 100 million metric tons of bananas are produced worldwide annually, and there have been no signs of a significant decline. "I don't think bananas will go extinct," said Tsutomu Arie, a professor at the Tokyo University of Agriculture and Technology (TUAT) who specializes in plant pathology. It is hard to gauge just how endangered the world's banana population is, but TR4 is a source of much anxiety in the industry. The fungal strain has been reported in roughly 20 countries, hitching rides on infected plants or on people via contaminated soil or planting material. The only sure way to curb its spread is by quarantine. According to the United Nations' Food and Agriculture Organization, India is the world's top banana producer at 31.5 million metric tons, followed by China with 11.51 million metric tons, then Indonesia, Brazil, Ecuador and the Philippines. Since some of these countries grow much of their crop for domestic consumption, most exports come from Central and South America. The economic impact of the banana market has been estimated in the tens of billions of dollars, and the loss of even a portion of that would be felt by the global economy. Workers unload bananas from trucks at a market in Kolkata. India is the world's top producer of the fruit, according to the U.N. Food and Agriculture Organization. © Reuters Vaccination is among the strategies that Arie and others are working on to deal with TR4. Inoculating plants with a harmless variety of Fusarium fungus would boost resistance to the more dangerous type or keep it away from their roots. Starting in fiscal 2023, a Japanese team led by TUAT will work with partners including La Molina National Agrarian University in Peru on countermeasures including diagnosis and soil management. James Dale, a professor at Queensland University of Technology in Australia, said his team has adopted gene editing to develop banana trees that are hardy against TR4. With the introduction of genetically modified bananas strictly regulated, the variety is not expected to be grown for commercial purposes in Australia by the end of 2024. Yet this represents a significant advance. "It contains a resistance gene that we transferred from a wild banana that is immune to TR4," said Dale. Some scientists blame the fungal disease's spread on decades of cultivating and producing bananas selected only to satisfy taste buds. Diversity is thought to shield against plant disease epidemics. Hundreds of varieties of bananas grow within the "banana belt" found up to 30 degrees north and south of the equator. Bananas are not only a food, but also a key source of revenue. Nearly 500 million people are estimated to depend on bananas as a staple food.

https://asia.nikkei.com/Business/Food-Beverage/Japanese-whisky-draws-collectors-thirsty-for-fun-profit?utm_campaign=GL_JP_update&utm_medium=email&utm_source=NA_newsletter&utm_content=article_link&del_type=4&pub_date=20220809090000&seq_num=20&si=44594 Japanese whisky draws collectors thirsty for fun, profit Suntory brand rises 50% in past two years as COVID attracts speculators Previously, whisky collectors were generally wealthy people who sought rare and expensive vintages. The COVID pandemic has brought in speculators looking to make a quick profit. © Reuters HIROKI MASUDA, Nikkei staff writerAugust 7, 2022 14:30 JST TOKYO -- Trading prices for popular Japanese whisky brands have risen 50% over the past two years amid a general rise in prices for the spirit. Whisky consumption is rising, thanks to its versatility for the home market: There are many brands and it can be enjoyed in many ways. Enthusiasts gravitate to specific whiskies based on everything from how they are made and their age to bottle designs. Some collectors are more interested in owning bottles than in drinking the contents. One man in his 50s in Saitama Prefecture, north of Tokyo, epitomizes the trend. He said his passion for collecting whisky bottles has grown so intense that he searches online daily for new ones to buy. He sometimes spends tens of thousands yen (several hundred of dollars) buying whisky online or at brick- and-mortar shops. Viewing his collection of mini bottles at home is a joy, he said. "I became a serious collector just about a year ago," the man said. "I first read about a limited sale of a Japanese whisky brand and my interest grew from that point." Surprisingly, he is not a drinker. He simply enjoys collecting different brands, delighting in subtle differences in bottle designs. "Whenever I find a mini bottle that I don't have, I want it," he said. The growing popularity of whisky is evident in the rising prices offered by resellers to those willing to part with bottles of alcoholic beverages. Joylab, one reseller inTokyo, offered 10,000 yen ($76.50) for a 700 milliliter bottle of Yamazaki, a single malt whisky brand from Suntory, in June. That was 2,500 yen, or 33%, higher than for same month a year ago and 3,500 yen, 54% more than same month two years earlier. A 700 ml bottle of Hakushu, another Suntory's single malt, fetched 8,000 yen, up 3,000 yen, or 60%, from two years earlier. These brands are nonvintage products. Still, Japanese whiskies, which must undergo saccharification -- the breaking down of carbohydrates into ethanol -- fermentation and distillation at a Japanese distillery, are popular with connoisseurs and command a premium. Whiskies were once seen as a plaything for wealthy collectors eager for rare and pricey vintage products. The current fad for Japanese whiskies began in China around 2015. Some change hands at substantial markups and can be hard to obtain. Then speculators piled in -- people looking for a place to put their money as the COVID-19 pandemic raged. Reports of a Japanese whisky fetching tens of millions of yen at an overseas auction also put Japanese whiskies in the spotlight. More recently, consumers of more modest means have begun collecting Japanese whiskies, expanding the breadth of the demand. Whisky collectors choose products based on everything from production methods to bottle design. Consumer demand is also driven by the growing trend toward drinking at home. On social media, many people enjoy sharing their knowledge of whisky, according to Joylab President and CEO Keisuke Ota. "Hurdles have come down and it's now easier" for people to access information and enjoy whiskies, which encourages people to drink whisky, Ota said. The growing crowd of whisky enthusiasts on social media has, in turn, led to demand from people hopping on the collecting bandwagon, whether or not they actually consume them. "As information is becoming more easily accessible through diverse media, people are having fun boasting of their knowledge and finding their own ways of enjoying" the product, said Ryo Hirose, a researcher at Tokyo think tank NLI Research Institute. "Owning Japanese whiskies and boasting about one's knowledge of them is like a high social status thing for some people," said Tomohiro Toma, who manages the Kasukabe branch of Daikokuya, chain of secondhand shops. This is not so different from earlier booms in trading cards and sneakers. It appears that people's hunger for knowledge, which might have been sated by things like travel, is being directed toward objects due to the pandemic. Because age is a key determinant of how much a whisky is worth, the supply of a sought-after brand does not increase overnight. This contributes to the hot market. The flavors of a single batch can also vary, even if the whisky matures in casks made of the same material and under the same storage environment. As different casks can result in different flavors, distillers cannot easily replicate them. Suntory is a large producer and has the resources to invest in the best production equipment, but it still has not "been able to respond to all types of demand," a company spokesperson said. As supplies remains tight, some speculators buy sought-after bottles in order to resell them at a higher price on flea market apps. The temptation to sell counterfeits online is strong. The Japanese whisky fad, while generally good for business, has raised concerns among many in the industry. Retailer Bic Camera is working to introduce measures, such as selling popular whisky brands to customers by lottery as a way to ensure that "whisky lovers can purchase products in a fair environment, given the rise in purchases for reselling purposes," according to a company spokesperson. "Purchase prices have already reached high levels and I don't see much possibility for them to go up much further," said Joylab's Ota. He thinks the market may cool as consumers are pushed out of the market by rising prices. The end of the Japanese whisky boom may be on the horizon -- or not.

https://asia.nikkei.com/Business/Travel-Leisure/Jakarta-Bangkok-see-luxury-hotel-boom-as-tourism-rebounds?utm_campaign=GL_asia_daily&utm_medium=email&utm_source=NA_newsletter&utm_content=article_link&del_type=1&pub_date=20220809123000&seq_num=5&si=44594 Jakarta, Bangkok see luxury hotel boom as tourism rebounds Southeast Asian megacities host conferences to draw business travelers Park Hyatt Jakarta opened in central Jakarta near the Indonesian president's official residence on July 8. (Photo by Koya Jibiki) KOYA JIBIKI, BOBBY NUGROHO and KOSUKE INOUE, Nikkei staff writersAugust 9, 2022 03:34 JST JAKARTA/BANGKOK -- More than 50 luxury hotels are set to open in Jakarta and Bangkok within the next five years, highlighting expectations of a strong economic recovery in two of Southeast Asia's largest cities as COVID-19 travel restrictions are eased. Hyatt Hotels of the U.S. debuted a property under its flagship luxury brand in central Jakarta near the Indonesian president's official residence on July 8. Park Hyatt Jakarta opened on the grounds of the headquarters of MNC Group through a partnership with the local media giant. The hotel occupies the top 17 floors of the 37-story building. Key cabinet ministers' attendance at the opening ceremony underscored how the government pushed for the hotel's launch, including a relaxing of building height rules. Billed as the nation's first six-star hotel, it features a high-end Japanese restaurant on the top two floors. MNC invested roughly 3 trillion rupiah ($202 million) and expects to recoup the amount in around seven or eight years. A study by Nikkei found that 13 four-star and higher-ranked hotels are scheduled to open in Jakarta from 2021 to 2026. Japan's Hotel Okura plans to debut a five-star hotel in the city's central business district in 2025, while Hong Kong-based Langham Hotels & Resorts has opened its first Indonesian property. Bangkok is anticipating a more rapid pace of high-end hotel openings. According to Germany's Tophotelnews, 28 four-star and 13 five-star hotels will launch in the Thai capital from 2021 to 2024. U.S. hotel company Marriott International will open a Bangkok property under its flagship Ritz-Carlton brand in 2023. To be located inside the soon-to-open One Bangkok commercial complex, the hotel is one of the most anticipated openings in the city. New York-based Standard Hotels recently launched its second Thai property in Bangkok. (Photo by Kosuke Inoue) Standard Hotels of the U.S. launched its second Thai property in Bangkok this July, following its debut in the southern resort destination of Hua Hin in late 2021. Jakarta and Bangkok have drawn luxury hotels as expectations rise for an economic recovery. Both Indonesia and Thailand swung from negative to positive real gross domestic product growth in 2021 and are projected to log growth of 4% or more in 2023 and after. Hotel operators are focusing on demand for business travel. Business guests staying at their companies' expense are able to pay more than tourists, and they seek higher-ranked hotels for the peace of mind that they offer, an MNC official said. The hospitality industry sees both Jakarta and Bangkok as promising for "MICE": meetings, incentive travel, conferences and exhibitions. International conferences and exhibitions have a large economic effect, since tourists spend money before and after the events. Indonesia and Thailand are both members of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations and the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation forum, which hold meetings year-round. Indonesia is Southeast Asia's sole member of the Group of 20 nations and serves as the group's chair this year. Meanwhile, Thailand has its own visitor magnet -- the region's biggest auto show, held annually in Bangkok. Jakarta and Bangkok also compete in luring companies to set up locations by offering tax breaks and other incentives. The two cities are roughly even economically -- Jakarta had a population of about 10 million and real GDP of $120 billion in 2021, while Bangkok had a population of roughly 9 million and real GDP of $100 billion in 2020 -- so how they can differentiate themselves will be the key. Indonesian President Joko Widodo is aggressively courting businesses related to artificial intelligence and the Internet of Things. Laws were revised in November 2020 to pave the way for an easing of labor regulations, stimulating investment by foreign companies. The government plans to relocate the capital, but Jakarta is still positioned as the economic center. Thai Prime Minister Prayuth Chan-ocha's government has introduced a flurry of measures aimed at attracting companies in such fields as digital, biotechnology and medicine. Bangkok has an edge in attractiveness as a city. Bangkok was 35th place, against Jakarta's 45th, in a comprehensive ranking of 48 key cities by the Mori Memorial Foundation's Institute for Urban Strategies. Jakarta scored the lowest in the culture category, so it faces a need for improvement in that area.

Cooked the Taiwanese style braised pork belly also known as "kong-bak" in the local dialact. Marinate the thick pork belly Pan fry the pork belly Start assembling - big spring onion at the bottom Pork on top of spring onion Add eggs and fried tofu Pout sauce over (sauce seperately prepared with onion, soya sauce, rice wine, herbs) Start to stew Final result after 2 hours

Using minced or chopped pork for Chinese cooking is very common. Marinating the meat is also very simple usually soya sauce and pepper with some flour or corn flour for the extra smoothness. This is basic. To bring the taste of minced pork up another level with that extra umami I always add fish-powder that I prepare myself with dry sole-fish. After lightly washing the dry sole-fish, dry it in an oven or air fryer till its crispy and they pound it or grind it into powder Cooked boiled rice adding the marinated pork and tofu and egg

Besides tomyam, somtam, padthai, krapow, another dish that is very popular in Thailand is its grilled chicken known as "Gai Yang". Gai = chicken ; Yang = grilled (BBQ). So Kai Yang or Gai Yang in Thai is ไก่ย่าง originates from the Isaan/Lao cuisine (Isaan is north east Thailand where people identify themselves as "lao" and speak almost identical language as Lao). The most popular gai-yang comes from Khao Suan Kwang a district of Khon Kaen province in Isaan. Khao Suan Kwang borders Udonthani province. So if one drives to Udon from Bangkok you will surely pass by Khao Suan Kwang and see hundreds of gai-yang stalls calling themselves the original Khao Suan Kwan Gai Yang. Even out side this area for example in Bangkok stalls will also call themselves Khao Suan Kwang Gai Yang just like this stall in the market near my home. I took this video over the weekend when I bought a chicken. I hope you enjoy this video.

My breakfast this morning - French toast (2 sliced of bread with 3 eggs 😂) and fresh coffee.

Breakfast at Starbuck in a Caltex gas station in Bangkok Inside of Starbucks My breakfast A rather expensive breakfast, once in a while