The Star Online: Metro: South & East

Truckers stuck in middle of divide
Fear over effects of emergency on Thai economy
MP aims to table Bill on human trafficking in November

Posted: 24 Jan 2014 08:00 AM PST

SALAMABAD: The 49 truck drivers, grizzled men from the mountains of Kashmir, were on a routine job dropping goods across the de facto border between Pakistan and India when a drugs bust left them stranded.

For more than a week, the men from the Pakistani side of the divided region, one of the world's most sensitive faultlines, have been stuck in the middle of a row that reflects the difficulty in boosting regional ties through trade.

Last Friday, Indian police along the treacherous mountain road leading between the two sides seized a truck and arrested its driver after 114kg of heroin were found concealed in a consignment of almonds.

Pakistani authorities then refused to let the other trucks in the convoy, or the 48 other drivers, back across the heavily militarised Line of Control unless the arrested man was returned as well. They also detained 27 Indian trucks and their drivers, who had crossed over on the same day to deliver goods as part of a barter trade agreement that was started as a "confidence-building measure" in 2008.

Huddled inside a hall at the Trade Facilitation Centre in Salamabad, 115km from Indian Kashmir's main city of Srinagar, the Pakistani drivers are found watching a Bollywood film on cable TV.

"We are becoming a tragic movie ourselves," said 30-year-old Ahsan Awan from Muzaffarabad.

Under Indian law, smuggling or possessing narcotics is a serious offence that lands an accused in jail without bail. — AFP

Fear over effects of emergency on Thai economy

Posted: 24 Jan 2014 08:00 AM PST

BANGKOK: Foreign chambers of commerce in Thailand have raised serious concerns about this week's emergency decree affecting Bangkok and surrounding provinces, saying it will hurt the tourism sector and lead to a loss of investment opportunities.

Meanwhile, the Federation of Thai Capital Market Organisations yesterday urged the government to cancel the decree before its 60-day period ends, arguing that it will damage investors confidence, domestic trading, and the everyday life of people.

Tourism Council of Thailand president Piyaman Tejapaibul also said a special meeting of its members yesterday passed a resolution to ask the government to rescind the decree as soon as possible.

However, despite their concerns, many chambers still believe in Thailand's basic economic strength, resilience, and other supporting factors such as its geographical location, in a perfect position to become a regional leader when the Asean Economic Community (AEC) is launched next year.

In normal times, hotels in Bangkok are fully booked during December and January. When the anti-government protests started, the cancellation rate was 30%, and after the state of emergency was declared, it went up to 70%, said Stanley Kang, chairman of the Joint Foreign Chambers of Commerce in Thailand.

Simon Landy, chairman of the British Chamber of Commerce Thailand, said the political situation was creating uncertainty, and businesses don't like that, but the main effect of the declared state of emergency would be on tourism.

"The number of British visitors to Bangkok went down this month, but Phuket and Samui have no problem at all. Group tours will be the most affected by the state of emergency since it will be impossible for them to get travel insurance for their customers," he said.

Phuket and Chiang Mai would benefit from the situation in Bangkok since many tourists would just go straight to other destination in Thailand instead of stopping in the capital for a few days as they usually do, he said.

Caretaker Tourism Minister Somsak Pureesrisak said yesterday that after the "Bangkok shutdown" reached its second week many countries had begun warning their citizens about coming to Thailand.

Kalin Sarasin, secretary-general of the Thai Chamber of Commerce, said he did not agree with the declaration of the state of emergency because it would lower investors' confidence and lead to missed opportunities, since many big business events scheduled for February and March have already begun to be cancelled.

Darren Buckley, president of the American Chamber of Commerce in Thailand, said the emergency decree would mainly affect the tourism sector but would have only a small impact on investor confidence.

He said many long-term foreign investors still believed in Thailand's resilience to setbacks and he agreed with Bank of Thailand Governor Prasarn Trairatvorakul's comment that the economic fundamentals are sound and should be able to carry the country out of this slump once the political conflict is resolved. — The Nation / Asia News Network

MP aims to table Bill on human trafficking in November

Posted: 24 Jan 2014 08:00 AM PST

Four public consultations have been targeted in March and April for a proposed private member's Bill which seeks to combat human trafficking.

"We are aiming to gather the views and insights of voluntary welfare organisations, religious and secular volunteer groups, business and students communities some of whom have already expressed interest in getting involved with the Bill," said Christopher de Souza, Member of Parliament for Holland-Bukit Timah GRC in a press statement yesterday.

He said the aim is to table the Bill in November and conclude its second reading in first quarter of next year. de Souza had been given the greenlight by the Home Affairs Ministry in November last year to introduce the Bill.

A private member's Bill – one that is introduced by MPs who are not Cabinet ministers – are rare.

The last such Bill to be successfully passed in Singapore was the Maintenance of Parents Act, which was introduced by then-nominated MP Walter Woon in 1994.

Senior Minister of State for Home Affairs Masagos Zulkifli had said last year that the government supported de Souza's initiative.

He has also asked the Inter-Agency Task Force on Trafficking in Persons to support the MP on developing the Bill. — The Straits Times / Asia News Network

Kredit: www.thestar.com.my

Sabtu, 25 Januari 2014