News
Five years of commitment to keep Phuket’s beaches clean

Phuket’s Clean the Beach Boot Camp (CBBC) has been cleaning the island’s beaches for five years. Each two weeks, on a Saturday morning, volunteers assemble for a free beach workout from island fitness leader Krix Luther and then, in return, they put on their gloves, grab a big bag and pick up rubbish on the beaches.
Yesterday the team assembled at Kata Beach – volunteers from all over the globe turning out to help CBBC celebrate 5 successful years, over 125 beach cleaning sessions since the initiative began.
Yesterday, over 130 people of all ages and nationalities worked together and managed to collect over 20 bags of trash, most of which had washed up onto Kata Beach.
From it’s humble beginnings 5 years ago Krix Luther has now turned CBBC into a global event now operating in many countries.
Yesterday’s event was sponsored by The Kata Sea Beeze and the SIS Hotel is Kata. The team at Kata Sea Breeze kindly provided food and refreshment to everyone who attended yesterday’s fifth anniversary event.
According to Mat Hindmarch, Director of Hotels and Resorts – AKSARA Collection, getting involved in the CBBC is good for everyone.
“Kata Sea Breeze Resort and The SIS Kata take our CSR seriously and always help out when there is a beach cleaning activity organised by the local government. Many of our team members come from the local community.”
Colin Gallagher is just one of a core group of 20 or so that have been attending the bi-weekly clean ups since it kicked off in 2013.
“I have been coming along to most of the events over the five years. It’s fun, I’ve met some great people, I really feel like we’re making a difference and setting a good example,” said Colin.
So, entering their sixth year of operation in Phuket, where will CBBC be heading to next? Probably a beach near you. To find out more about CBBC click HERE.
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Business
Governments & old media versus social media – who will win? | VIDEO

We look at the recent changes made by the Australian and Indian governments to except control over the world’s biggest social media platforms. India has issued strict new rules for Facebook, Twitter and other social media platforms just weeks after the Indian government attempted to pressure Twitter to take down social media accounts it deemed, well, anti social. There is now an open battle between the rise of social media platforms and the governments and ‘old’ media that have been able to maintain a certain level of control over the ‘message’ for the last century. Who will win?
The rules require any social media company to create three roles within India… a “compliance officer” who ensures they follow local laws; a “grievance officer” who addresses complaints from Indian social media users; and a “contact person” who can actually be contacted by lawyers and other aggrieved Indian parties… 24/7.
The democratisation of the news model, with social media as its catalyst, will continue to baffle traditional media and governments who used to enjoy a level of control over what stories get told. The battles of Google and Facebook, with the governments of India and Australia will be followed in plenty of other countries as well.
At the root of all discussions will be the difference between what governments THINK social media is all about and the reality about how quickly the media landscape has changed. You’ll get to read about it first, on a social media platform… probably on the screen you’re watching this news story right now.
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Politics
Myanmar’s representative to UN urges strong action against military after increasing violence against protesters

A representative to the UN for Myanmar is urging the “strongest action“ to be used against the military after it has used increasing amounts of violence against anti‐coup protesters. The latest round in violence occurred as riot police violently broke up peaceful protesters, arresting over 100 people in 3 major Myanmar cities.
Kyaw Moe Tun made the appeal to the UN General Assembly in New York asking for the international community to end the junta’s rule in his country, while displaying the 3 finger salute that has been adopted from the Hunger Games as a symbol of resistance from anti‐coup supporters.
“We need… the strongest possible action from the international community to immediately end the military coup, to stop oppressing the innocent people, to return the state power to the people, and to restore the democracy.”
Former UN ambassador for the US, Samantha Power, also tweeted her support for the movement.
“It’s impossible to overstate the risks that #Myanmar UN ambassador Kyaw Moe Tun just took in the UN General Assembly.”
UN envoy to Myanmar, Christine Schraner Burgener, also agreed saying the use of lethal force against protesters was “unacceptable.”
So far, at least 5 people have been killed since the overthrow, which has seen police open fire on protesters. Thandar Cho, a street food vendor, says she saw police point their guns in a threatening manner towards apartments during the rallies.
“They beat young protesters with rods and cursed them while doing it.”
A Japanese journalist, Yuki Kitazumi, was also allegedly arrested according to a Facebook post by his assistant, Linn Nyan Htun, during the crackdown.
He “was beaten on the head by baton but he was wearing a helmet.”
The military has justified the coup by alleging that the 2020 November democratic elections, which saw Aung San Suu Kyi’s National League for Democracy elected by landslide, were fraudulent.
Suu Kyi was arrested, along with other leaders, and is now facing 2 charges of illegally posessing walkie-talkies in her home and for breaking Covid-19 rules. But her lawyer, Khing Maung Zaw, is concerned as he has still not made contact with her, saying it is dire to get her permission for him to represent her in court.
“It’s very important to get her signed power of attorney before the hearing starts on March 1 because we won’t be allowed to act as her defence counsels if we cannot file (it).”
“Then Daw Aung San Suu Kyi will be rid of her right of fair trial without a legal counsel.”
SOURCE: The Phuket News
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Thailand
PM Prayut postponing Covid‐19 vaccination citing paperwork issues

Thailand’s PM Prayut Chan-o-cha is postponing his inaugural Covid‐19 vaccination citing paperwork issues with the AstraZeneca vaccine shipment. According to Khaosod English, the vaccine shipment was sent to Thailand last Wednesday from South Korea, but was missing the additional required paperwork.
Prayut was supposed to receive the vaccine tomorrow, but the highly‐publicised event will not be happening. According to Khaosod English, an official at the Secretariat of the Prime Minister has also confirmed the news of the postponement without citing a reason.
Although the Sinovac vaccine is also being administered in Thailand, healthcare officials say Prayut is too old to receive it as its age limit is 60. Prayut is 66 years old, which is well over the oldest age that can receive the vaccine.
The Sinovac vaccine drive is set to commence on Monday, 2 weeks behind schedule. Those frontline health workers, hospitality workers and vulnerable groups will receive the vaccines first.
Meanwhile, Phuket is waiting for the green lightto start administering vaccines and has already held a vaccine administration rehearsal overseen by Phuket Vice Governor Pichet Panapong along with other health officials.
Pichet says the first vaccine round of 4,000 doses should arrive early in March, with the 2nd and 3rd set of doses, 16,000 and 48,000 respectively, to arrive in April and May.
The government pandemic center reported 72 new confirmed infections on Friday, after first only reporting 45 new cases. 37 of those cases were locally-transmitted, and one 6 year old Thai girl returning from the UK was found to have tested positive for the virus. Samut Sakhon, again, reported over half of the new cases yesterday, as it remains the epicentre of Thailand’s second wave of the coronavirus outbreak.
The total virus tally in Thailand sits at 25,764, with 83 fatalities. The Centre for Covid-19 Situation Administration has not yet announced the amount of new cases for today.
There is no word yet on when PM Prayut will be rescheduled to receive the AstraZeneca vaccine.
SOURCE: Khaosod English
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