Siam News Network

Agence France-Presse A computer user in Singapore looks at a website of now Member of Parliament Tin Pei Ling in April 2011, before the May 7 parliamentary elections in Singapore. In a year that saw a surprising flurry of political activity in the often-quiet city-state, Singapore’s youngest Member of Parliament Tin Pei Ling was the most-searched personality in 2011, trumping now-deceased Amy Winehouse and Steve Jobs, according to Google’s annual Zeitgeist list.

The Zeitgeist list, which takes its name from the German word meaning “spirit of the times,” aims to offer a unique perspective on the year’s major events and trends based on searches conducted on google.com.sg.

The Google Zeitgeist list — which the tech giant compiles for many countries with their own Google search domains — provides an insight into the personalities and issues that have captured Singaporeans over the past year, which analysts say saw a small but significant political shift in the city-state. Ms.

Tin, now a Member of Parliament, was put forth by the ruling People’s Action Party in this year’s general election, running alongside former Prime Minister Goh Chok Tong.

The decision was questioned by many Singaporeans, who pointed to her husband’s position as Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong’s personal private secretary, and considered her inexperienced and ignorant. A widely circulated picture of her posing with a Kate Spade bag quickly went viral, and invited comments accusing the 28-year-old of materialism and privilege. Also topping the search list were ex-Foreign Minister George Yeo and 25-year-old Nicole Seah, a young member of the opposition National Solidarity Party who ran against Ms.

Tin.

Though some experts argue that Ms.

Tin was fronted by the PAP to appeal to a younger audience, they did not expect the negative and almost viral effect that her candidacy had on this year’s general election. “(Ms.

Tin) was supposed to be more savvy with new media than the older ones in the PAP,” said Andrew Loh, a social activist and blogger. “What transpired…put her under the spotlight in a way which the PAP had not intended.” He added that conversely, Ms.

Seah’s popularity “went through the roof” once the public became enamored with her as a counter to the PAP’s Ms.

Tin. In 2010, the only Singaporean politician to make the list of Google’s top searches was former Prime Minister and political giant Lee Kuan Yew, who was nowhere to be found the 2011 list. Despite many heralding social media as the force for political change in the past year’s general election, which saw a historically-narrow win for the PAP, influential political blogs like TheOnlineCitizen did not feature on Google’s list of top local blogs. “I am a little surprised,” said Mr. Loh, adding a caveat that “overtly political blogs” started from a much lower base of readers, so even with new readers picked up during the general election, they would still lag behind popular personality-driven blogs like Mr. Brown and Xiaxue . Mr. Brown was listed as the top local blog on Google. In tech-obsessed Singapore, the iPad 2, the rumored iPhone 5 and Samsung also grabbed top news searches over the year, along with news on the general elections, the earthquake and tsunami in Japan, and political uprisings in Egypt, Tunisia and Libya.

Teen pop sensation Justin Bieber topped the image search list in Singapore. Perhaps odd in a city-state that prides itself on diverse hawker fare – often featured by celebrity chef Anthony Bourdain and more recently, on “The Simpsons” – very American fare of pizza, pancakes and red-velvet cake were among the top food searches in Singapore. Hong Kong emerged as the top travel destination for Singaporeans, though beach getaway spots like the Maldives and Hawaii were also among those ranked highly.

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Young, Female Politicians Top Singapore Search List

Burma’s notorious censors have relaxed their tight grip on the media this year, although journalists are still by no means able to freely report.

Just months ago it would have been unthinkable to have Burma’s democracy leader Aung San Suu Kyi featured in local media.

But Wai Phyo says that censorship authorities, who scrutinize all their publications, have loosened up.

“We could report on Aung San Suu Kyi’s attending the opening ceremony of the new library,” Wai Phyo noted. “On the same day, she attended the birthday celebration for a political prisoner [Min Ko Naing - a political prisoner and 88 generation student leader who is still in jail], but we were not allowed to report about it. Both stories are about Aung San Suu Kyi. The censorship board is not absolutely tightening, but not relaxing all either. They are adjusting depending on the contents.”

He said they can evade censors altogether by posting articles directly onto their Facebook page, which now has more than 20,000 followers, as long as they do not criticize authorities.

“For urgent news we just post it online without getting permission from the censorship board. As long as the news is not attacking them [the government], we can post articles on Facebook freely,” said Wai Phyo.

Despite the slight opening and hope for further reforms, Eleven Media Group journalists did not want their faces shown for fear of any possible repercussions.

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Burma Loosens Grip on Media Censorship

Twenty minutes of footage from “Raise the Red Lantern” director Zhang Yimou’s latest film was screened for prominent U.S. film distributors and the media at the Toronto International Film Festival Friday morning. “The Flowers of War,” a World War II drama whose working title was “Heroes of Nanking,” stars Christian Bale as an American caught in the former Chinese capital amidst the infamous “Rape of Nanking” by the Japanese Imperial Army, in 1937. The American becomes an unlikely savior for two very different groups trapped in a Catholic church: a bevy of young schoolgirls and 13 notorious courtesans. Based on the novel “13 Flowers of Nanjing” by Geling Yan, “Flowers” was adapted by Liu Heng, who previously wrote the screenplays for Mr. Zhang’s “The Story of Qui Ju” and “Ju Dou.” The movie was produced by Mr. Zhang’s long-time associate Zhang Weiping. The $100 million budget makes “Flowers” mainland China’s most expensive production to date. The movie is to be released in China in December and is currently looking for a U.S. distributor to play the film in time for awards season. The preview footage, which featured some temporary visual effects, begins with scenes of Japanese army tanks invading Nanking and mowing down Chinese soldiers. Continue reading on Speakeasy

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Zhang Yimou Offers Peek at ‘The Flowers of War’ in Toronto

On the day China began sea trials of its first aircraft carrier, Taiwan made what can only be described as a provocative move, displaying its newest anti-ship cruise missile in front of an illustration of what appeared to be China’s new carrier being hit by missiles.

Above the missile, known as the Hsiung Feng III, was a sign that labeled the weapon an “aircraft carrier killer.”

The missile was being displayed as part of a preview ahead of the annual Taipei Aerospace and Defense Technology Exhibition. Though there were no markings to indicate the carrier in the background illustration was Chinese, the ship featured a sloped runway similar to that of the Varyag – the Ukrainian carrier whose empty hull was used in the building of the new Chinese carrier, which has yet to be named.

Although the Hsiung Feng III has been discussed as a potential deterrent to China’s ships and aircraft carriers, it has never been explicitly described as an anti-carrier weapon.

Nonetheless experts played down the seemingly goading presentation of the missile, arguing that China is unlikely to see the missile as much of a threat.

Former Deputy Defense Minister Chong Pin Lin told China Real Time he thought the display was more geared to a Taiwanese audience as the growing military imbalance between China and Taiwan has become an growing concern in Taiwan. China’s military might has increased by leaps and bounds over the past twenty years as it has ramped up spending. Meanwhile, Taiwan’s president Ma Ying-jeou has recently come under fire for allowing defense spending to slip below 3% of GDP.

“This is likely for domestic consumption, it doesn’t mean anything to Beijing,” Mr. Lin said. “In fact, Beijing might like to see this because they want to see [president] Ma get re elected….and this tells our voters that the Ma administration is not being lax on defense.”

He also said that he did not foresee China utilizing its aircraft carriers to threaten Taiwan, as placing a carrier group in the Pacific or South China Sea would be too provocative.

Many analysts argue otherwise, pointing out that China has grown increasingly vocal in its territorial claims in the region and said its new defensive capabilities were being developed to help it enforce its claims. In a potential conflict with Taiwan, some analysts have argued, a carrier group would help keep the U.S. from intervening and could add to China’s ability to threaten a key Taiwan airbase on the island’s east coast at Hualien, where many of its F-16s are stationed.

It would be hard to deny the potential affect of a growing Chinese navy on the balance of power in the region and the resulting concern, but the hawkish display seems out of place given the historic thaw in cross-Strait ties that Mr. Ma has presided over in recent years.

Taiwan’s Ministry of National Defense said Wednesday that it had no immediate comment but would issue a statement about the display on Thursday.

Regardless of whether the display was intended as a warning, it at least shows Taiwan is willing to challenge China in creating belligerent defense fair booths. Although not as technologically advanced as a Chinese display at the 2010 Zhuhai Air Show that showed unmanned aerial vehicles taking out a U.S. carrier, the vision of the missile suspended in front of an exploding aircraft carrier certainly makes an impact.

– Paul Mozur. Follow him on Twitter @paulmozur

Reforms started in the late 1970s with the phasing out of collectivized agriculture, and expanded to include the gradual liberalization of prices, fiscal decentralization, increased autonomy for state enterprises, the foundation of a diversified banking system, the development of stock markets, the rapid growth of the non-state sector, and the opening to foreign trade and investment.

One demographic consequence of the “one child” policy is that China is now one of the most rapidly aging countries in the world.

The People’s Republic of China is the world’s second largest economy after the United States by both nominal GDP ($5 trillion in 2009) and by purchasing power parity ($8.77 trillion in 2009).

Some economists believe that Chinese economic growth has been in fact understated during much of the 1990s and early 2000s, failing to fully factor in the growth driven by the private sector and that the extent at which China is dependent on exports is exaggerated.

Its mineral resources are probably among the richest in the world but are only partially developed.

The technological level and quality standards of its industry as a whole are still fairly low, notwithstanding a marked change since 2000, spurred in part by foreign investment.

Over the years, large subsidies were built into the price structure, and these subsidies grew substantially in the late 1970s and 1980s.

Globally, foreign investment decreased by almost 40 percent last year amid the financial downturn and is expected to show only marginal growth this year.

But “this is just a beginning.

It also aims to sell more than 15 million of the most fuel-efficient vehicles in the world each year by then.

In large part as a result of economic liberalization policies, the GDP quadrupled between 1978 and 1998, and foreign investment soared during the 1990s.

Agriculture is by far the leading occupation, involving over 50% of the population, although extensive rough, high terrain and large arid areas – especially in the west and north – limit cultivation to only about 10% of the land surface.

China is the world’s largest producer of rice and wheat and a major producer of sweet potatoes, sorghum, millet, barley, peanuts, corn, soybeans, and potatoes.

Livestock raising on a large scale is confined to the border regions and provinces in the north and west; it is mainly of the nomadic pastoral type.

Oil fields discovered in the 1960s and after made China a net exporter, and by the early 1990s, China was the world’s fifth-ranked oil producer.

China is among the world’s four top producers of antimony, magnesium, tin, tungsten, and zinc, and ranks second (after the United States) in the production of salt, sixth in gold, and eighth in lead ore.

In the 1990s a program of share-holding and greater market orientation went into effect; however, state enterprises continue to dominate many key industries in China’s socialist market economy.

The east and northeast are well served by railroads and highways, and there are now major rail and road links with the interior.

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As China Launches Aircraft Carrier, Taiwan Touts ‘Aircraft Carrier Killer’

Hong Kong, Singapore, Tokyo and Beijing are among the top ten destination cities worldwide for luxury retailers, a latest survey by real estate consultancy CB Richard Ellis has found.

The survey also shows Asia continues to be a key target for luxury brands, with many retailers opening in multiple locations and developing flagship stores, local television Channel NewsAsia reported Tuesday.

Hong Kong attracted 84 percent of the participated luxury brands to remain the most popular destination worldwide.

Singapore and Tokyo ranked the seventh and eighth respectively, both attracting 69 percent of the global luxury and business fashion brands surveyed.

Beijing was found to be the tenth, attracting 67 percent of the luxury brands surveyed.

According to the survey, Hong Kong was also the most attractive city to international retailers, with 41 percent of the retailers surveyed having outlets in Hong Kong. Asian cities featured strongly among the top 20 cities for international retailers also included Singapore, Beijing, Shanghai and Tokyo.

Asia is also a key destination for American and European retailers. Singapore, Beijing, Shanghai and Hong Kong attracted over a third of European retailers.

This survey, now in its fourth year, covered 323 of the world’s top retailers across more than 200 cities representing various sectors such as luxury and fashion brands, supermarkets, coffee and restaurants. &$

&$Source: Xinhua&$&$
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I’m writing this entry out of frustration, because to be honest I’ve just been amazed by the behaviour of many Chinese recently. As I mentioned in my last entry, amid the ongoing radiation fears following the earthquake in Japan that crippled several nuclear reactors at the Fukushima plant, residents in major cities including Beijing and Shanghai rushed out to buy iodized salt. Why?

Original post:
Fragility of the Chinese Mind

Thailand’s 2010 GDP growth is projected at 3.5%, driven by domestic demand. In the context of weaker global demand in 2010, exports will grow modestly, but the restocking cycle and slow rebound in investment also imply a pick-up in imports, which results in muted net external demand. Public and private investment add 0.8% point to the growth rate, while normal stocking patterns provide a boost to growth of 1.5 % points . Thailand’s Household consumption picks up modestly, adding 0.8 percentage point to the growth rate, whereas public consumption decelerates from 2009 levels but still adds 0.4 percentage point.

Long – established and newly emerging industries

With steady economic development and strong support industries, the country’s industrial production has grown and diversified rapidly both in long –established and newly emerging industries.
The government has emphasized attracting investment in six sectors that have been determined to be key to the country’s developmental objectives. These six target industries include: agriculture and agro-industry, alternative energy, automotive, electronics and ICT, fashion, and value-added services including entertainment, healthcare and tourism.

Thai Friendly and rich culture

Thailand has gained a well-deserved reputation throughout the world for its gracious hospitality. The friendliness of its people and the diverse nature of Thai culture make visitors feel safe and at home in Thailand.

Education and healthcare services in Thailand

The education standards in Thailand are accepted by many international examining bodies, and a great number of international schools and colleges offer world-class education, while its universities are outstanding.
In terms of healthcare, the country has developed an excellent reputation globally, due to its internationally-certified doctors and medical staff, and modern facilities and equipment. It is so good that one of the fastest-rising tourism sectors is medical tourism, with international patients visiting Thailand to take advantage of Thailand’s world-class and extremely affordable health care system.

EGAT has also announced its solicitations for power purchase from IPP projects to enhance competition in the generation business. This has been followed by power purchase from small power producers (SPPs) to particularly promote energy efficiency and the use of renewable energy resources for electricity generation.
In terms of international cooperation, EGAT has collaborated with neighboring countries in pursuing the ASEAN Power Grid Project to integrate the transmission systems within ASEAN countries for energy security and mutual economic benefits. The Electricity Generating Authority of Thailand is also in talks with neighbouring countries, to make joint developments in hydropower projects.

Amidst changes and challenges, EGAT has been and will be tirelessly developing the country’s electric power system to ensure that its electricity supply remains the most secure and reliable infrastructure service which contributes significantly to the betterment of the quality of life and the environment and drives the country’s economic and social growth in the future. The expertise and experience gained over 35 years of operation have provided EGAT with the multi-faceted power and strength needed in maintaining its leadership and a competitive edge in the new business environment.

After two years of living in her six-story Shanghai mansion, Mattel’s iconic American doll Barbie is moving out. The dream house has officially closed, and according to analysts, it’s because Barbie didn’t quite cut it with Chinese shoppers in the big city.

Mattel says Barbie was ready to move on. The Shanghai flagship store, which featured a spa, a cosmetics counter, and a cocktail bar, served its purpose and was meant only to establish Barbie’s brand in China.

“It did that successfully,” a Mattel spokeswoman said in an interview today, “so Barbie is ready for her next move in China.”

Like many other companies that are seeking more growth with China’s growing middle class, Barbie is moving beyond her big-city life to experience her days in smaller towns, where consumer demand is building. She’ll be jumping in her “Barbie Pink Bus” to head on tour in the near future, the spokeswoman said, declining to disclose further details.

The hope will be to take Barbie’s name further than the Shanghai store could, but Mattel could have an uphill battle. It joins a growing roster of U.S. retailers that are struggling in China. Electronics retailer Best Buy announced last month plans to shutter its China operations. Home Depot recently closed some of its China-based stores as well.

Globally, Barbie sales have been stagnant for years and Mattel has tried repeatedly to give Barbie a makeover in attempt to spur a comeback with consumers. In 2009, Barbie’s 50th anniversary, Mattel spent millions of dollars promoting “Fashionista” Barbies, whose clothing and accessories were inspired from well-known designers, such as Vera Wang. The El Segundo, Calif., company hired a seasoned choreographer to spin up “The Barbie,” a special dance filmed for debut on the “Today Show.”

And it opened its massive, nearly 38,000-square-foot, Shanghai store. (See our video from those optimistic days below.)

China’s toy market can be particularly rough for toy makers, said Bi Sheng, chief executive of online shoe company Letao.com. Mr. Bi says he attempted to start an online toy company before he set up his shoe business, but he figured out quickly that Chinese parents would rather have their kids studying than playing with dolls or cars.

“There are a lot of children here, but the toy market isn’t as ideal as many people think it would be,” Mr. Bi said.

Barbie will still be sold in other shopping outlets across China, Mattel’s spokeswoman says. With any luck, the company hopes she’ll be making it to a lot of new dream homes outside of Shanghai.

– Laurie Burkitt. Follow her on Twitter @lburkitt

Cumulative appreciation of the renminbi against the US dollar since the end of the dollar peg was more than 20% by late 2008, but the exchange rate has remained virtually pegged since the onset of the global financial crisis.

The government vowed to continue reforming the economy and emphasized the need to increase domestic consumption in order to make China less dependent on foreign exports for GDP growth in the future.

China is the world’s fastest-growing major economy, with an average growth rate of 10% for the past 30 years.

Available energy is insufficient to run at fully installed industrial capacity, and the transport system is inadequate to move sufficient quantities of such critical items as coal.

Its mineral resources are probably among the richest in the world but are only partially developed.

The technological level and quality standards of its industry as a whole are still fairly low, notwithstanding a marked change since 2000, spurred in part by foreign investment.

China’s increasing integration with the international economy and its growing efforts to use market forces to govern the domestic allocation of goods have exacerbated this problem.

Both forums will start on Tuesday.

From January to June, the ODI in financial sectors was up by 44 percent to $17.9 billion, and in July alone, the ODI recorded $8.91 billion, the highest this year.

China reiterated the nation’s goals for the next decade – increasing market share of pure-electric and plug-in electric autos, building world-competitive auto makers and parts manufacturers in the energy-efficient auto sector as well as raising fuel-efficiency to world levels.

China’s challenge in the early 21st century will be to balance its highly centralized political system with an increasingly decentralized economic system.

Even with these improvements, agriculture accounts for only 20% of the nation’s gross national product.

China is the world’s largest producer of rice and wheat and a major producer of sweet potatoes, sorghum, millet, barley, peanuts, corn, soybeans, and potatoes.

China ranks first in world production of red meat (including beef, veal, mutton, lamb, and pork).

China is one of the world’s major mineral-producing countries.

China’s leading export minerals are tungsten, antimony, tin, magnesium, molybdenum, mercury, manganese, barite, and salt.

The largest completed project, Gezhouba Dam, on the Chang (Yangtze) River, opened in 1981; the Three Gorges Dam, the world’s largest engineering project, on the lower Chang, is scheduled for completion in 2009.
Beginning in the late 1970s, changes in economic policy, including decentralization of control and the creation of special economic zones to attract foreign investment, led to considerable industrial growth, especially in light industries that produce consumer goods.

The east and northeast are well served by railroads and highways, and there are now major rail and road links with the interior.

Read the original here:
Barbie Moves into Mobile Home as China Dreamhouse Shutters

Thailand Business News –

		Despite the latest round of government measures aimed at curbing speculative demand, luxury residential prices in Hong Kong grew by 6.4% q-o-q in 4Q10, due to continuing rental growth and tight supply. On the other hand, prices in Singapore’s luxury prime market remained stable for the second consecutive quarter as buyers remained cautious after recent government tightening measures. Of the eight featured luxury residential markets, five saw an increase in capital values during the quarter, while capital values remained stable in three cities (Singapore, Jakarta and Bangkok) and declined in Beijing. This compares with the previous quarter when five markets recorded an increase in capital values and the remainder saw stable prices.
Thailand Business News

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Asia’s luxury residential on the rise, but Bangkok lags behind
Thailand’s property sector is showing signs of an early recovery, as selective investors return to purchasing real estate stocks and actual property.

Some of the credit goes to a one-year government stimulus package that reduces the Special Business Tax from 3.3% to 0.11%, extends the reduction on transfer taxes from 2% to 0.01% and mortgage registration fees and provides a tax deduction on mortgage principal and interest.
Thailand’s property indicators show:

1.The Stock Exchange of Thailand (SET) index began rebounding in April 2009, and property stocks – while the first to fall in H2/08 – were amongst the first to recover
2. The Bank of Thailand (BoT) has lowered its policy interest rate four times since December 2008, prompting banks to reduce the minimum lending rate (MLR) from 7.25% to 6.25%
3. A continued drop in sales of durable goods due to uncertainty surrounding the economy is highlighted consumer confidence index (CCI) to a historic low of 72.8 in Q1/09 and New housing registrations in Bangkok and surrounding areas fell 43.8% in Q1/09

Instead of wasting resources when consumers were clearly holding back, we decided to restructure the company, clean up the balance sheet and refinance our debt with local banks.

Like Raimon Land, Prinsiri did not lower its prices : it was not all bad news, however, as the recovery soon took hold in the second half and by the fourth quarter GDP posted 5.8% growth and many developers reached their annual sales targets.

The tax breaks was initially introduced on March 2008, when the special business tax was reduced from 3% to 0.1%, and the transfer and mortgage fees cut from 2% and 1% respectively to 0.01%. These incentives were due to end on December 2, 2008, but have effectively been extended until the current May 30 deadline.