AseanMonday BusinessMirror
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Recruiter criticized over list ranking trainees
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recruiter of foreign trainees was widely criticized this week for publishing a list on its web site that evaluated the “potential” of interns in the nursing care industry based on nationality. The Kagawa Prefecture-based Kokusai Jigyo Kenkyu Kyodo Kumiai, roughly translated as “Cooperative Association for International Operation Research,” has since removed the list from its site. The list named six different East Asian countries—Myanmar, Indonesia, Vietnam, Cambodia, Thailand and the Philippines— and scored them based on eight categories, such as religion, fondness for Japan, Japanese language capability and level of morality. It gave 18 out of 20 points to trainees from Myanmar in the “caregiver qualification” category, while giving the lowest 10 points to trainees from Cambodia. The organization says the score was based on whether the trainees have the mind-set to offer sincere care or respect elders. It also gave 20 points to Myanmar in the “gap in wages” category, while giving four points to Thailand. The category identified differing economic gaps between trainees’ homes and Japan, suggesting that those with larger income gaps would be “less likely to give up their work even in hard conditions,” the guide explained. Ippei Torii, head of Solidarity Network with Migrants Japan, a support group for foreign workers, said the list represents the real intention of Japanese companies in general, which see the foreign-trainee program as a source of cheap labor. “This is clearly discrimination. It is absurd to determine the ‘potential’ of foreign trainees based on their nationalities,” he said. Japan’s foreign-trainee program, which started in 1993 as a form of international contribution to transform skills and know-how to developing countries, is often criticized by domestic and international human-rights advocates as akin to slavery. Many foreign trainees are known to work long hours with miserably low wages. The private organization had deleted the list from its web site as of Thursday, explaining that it will “revise the parts that could be misleading.” Representative Director Tomoyuki Shirai admitted that the list could have given the “wrong impression” that the group sees foreign trainees as merely labor filling a need. “We will overhaul the whole expression” to make it “less misleading,” he said on Thursday. He did not explain why and how the company determined the scores given to each nationality, claiming he was not the one who determined them. A Justice Ministry official declined comment on the specific firm, but said on Thursday that the ministry can issue warnings to recruiters of foreign trainees if they present messages that give “a false impression” of the program, such as suggesting trainees as a way to fill a labor shortage. Shirai said the group posted the list on its web site sometime around the end of October, after a Lower House committee passed a bill allowing foreign caregivers to work in Japan. TNS
Editor: Max V. de Leon • Monday, November 28, 2016 A7
Thai PM toughens zero-dollar purge
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hailand’s Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha on Friday pledged to move ahead with a crackdown on zero-dollar tour operations while assuring efforts were under way to help cushion any impact on the tourism industry.
His remarks were made when asked about a drop in tourist arrivals during his visit to the Ministry of Tourism and Sports ahead of the upcoming tourist season. Prayut said the crackdown on tourist scams was giving tourism and related businesses a hard time, but stressed that the government was working to address the repercussions. Thai authorities launched a campaign to tackle the zero-dollar tour scams in late-September in the wake of complaints that it tarnished the country’s reputation. Chinese tour scams involve offering cheap package tours to customers who are then pressured into buying goods and services at inflated prices, so that the operators can recoup their losses. But the crackdown has resulted in a slowdown in tourist arrivals and economic losses, with some critics arguing such an approach was not the best option to address the problem. This month Nok Air said it was decelerating its expansion into China, apparently due to the impact of the crackdown on zero-dollar inbound tours. Prayut said overall tourist arrivals did not take a hit, but arrivals from some countries did decrease. He pointed out that the slowdown was
caused by several factors, including stricter law enforcement. The prime minister called on parties concerned to come together and solve the problem. He said the state cannot solve the problem alone. “We hope to increase tourism revenue in the last quarter by more than 6 percent. The performance in the third quarter has met the target. We believe the final quarter will also meet the target but we want to do better. “However, we have to consider internal factors. We have to tackle illegal operations. We have to enforce the law and strengthen the industry. I’m asking every sector to cooperate,” he said. Prayut said China was providing cooperation to the government in tackling the problem and urged the media to step in and help build confidence among tourists. He said he was also giving moral support to Tourism and Sports Minister Kobkarn Wattanavrangkul to help solve the problem. According to the Tourism Authority of Thailand, Chinese tourists represent about 30 percent of total foreign tourist arrivals. Last year Thailand welcomed nearly 30 million foreign tourists and the figure was expected to increase to 33.8 million this year.
Tourists walk past beach chairs on Patong beach in Phuket, Thailand. Bloomberg NEWS
The prime minister also lashed out at the media for failing to promote a better understanding among the public about the government’s legal action against the tour scams. He said media outlets took the government to task when zero-dollar scams emerged and were critical of the government’s measures against illegal tour operations. He also called on the media to refrain from bringing up issues that could drive tourists away. “Who wants to come visit our country? Sometimes they come up with security issues. All these are factors,” he said. Meanwhile, Phet Chancharoen, Don Mueang airport general manager, said tourist arrivals at the airport in October dropped to 80,000 passengers per day, from 90,000 to
100,000 before officials launched the crackdown. “The drop in numbers was largely due to a fall in passengers from China. Chartered flights were canceled. Before that, there were tens of thousands of tourists from China daily. That number went down by half after the crackdown,” he added. However, he said tourist arrivals from China started to pick up in late October to early November along with an increasing number of chartered flights from China. Phet said tourist arrivals during the peak season and New Year holidays are likely to match those in the same period last year, which was approximately 100,000 to 120,000 passengers a day. He said the third phase of development of Don Mueang airport is
divided into two periods: 2017 to 2022 and 2023 to 2025. This aims to accommodate growing passenger numbers, which is expected to reach 40 million a year. Its current capacity is 30 million people per year. Don Mueang airport can currently accommodate 40 flights per hour. After the third-phase upgrade, Don Mueang is expected to serve 50 flights per hour. According to Phet, the third phase of development comprises 15 projects, which includes the expansion of car-park areas. An old building north of the airport will be demolished and turned into a car park, he said, adding that bids for the project will be taken next month and construction will last about a year. TNS
Singapore: A top spot for Middle Eastern travelers Bidding set
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bridge between East and West for the last several centuries, Singapore is synonymous with both rich traditions and modernity—all of which make it a favored destination for many. With its colorful ethnic areas and modern business centers, and lush-green gardens set against sleek high-rise buildings and skyscrapers, Singapore today is a fascinating destination for both leisure and business travelers. Over the years Singapore, an island city-state with a global financial center and a tropical climate, has witnessed remarkable transformations in its tourism landscape and has achieved record growth in both tourism receipts and visitor arrivals. Singaporean government agencies work closely with local and international investors to develop new world-class attractions and bring strategic business and leisure events to Singapore. Some of the exciting plans include the remaking of Orchard Road into one of the best shopping streets in the world, the development of the Singapore Flyer (the world’s largest observation wheel), the renovation and transformation of Sentosa Island as a tropical resort, as well as improvements of major areas, such as the Singapore River, Chinatown and Little India. These attractions, after massive rejuvenation, will broaden Singapore’s range of entertainment choices and increase the vibrancy of its tourism industry. The government is also investing $700 million over the next five years in order to increase tourism through strategies that tackle short-term challenges— such as uncertainties in the global economy—while positioning Singapore for long-term growth. Singapore is one of the few countries in Asia that focuses on developing its tourism, and makes all-out efforts to attract both business people and tourists. This is evident from the fact that several new projects
Bloomberg news Photo
have been launched by Singapore to modernize its urban centers beyond the imagination of most people. One such program is driverless cars on the roads of Singapore. In fact, the UK-based Delphi Automotive Plc. has been selected by the Singapore Land Transport Authority (LTA) as a strategic partner to implement autonomous mobility concepts. As part of this contract, Delphi will provide a fleet of fully autonomous vehicles and will develop a cloudbased mobility-on-demand software suite, which will open new potential autonomous markets. Not only this, Singapore’s main downtown shopping street, Orchard Road, now has high-tech trash bins with Wi-fi. This innovative step is backed by the government, which is also committed to ensure proper cleanliness, health and hygiene. Singapore today can claim to be the cleanest country in South Asia, one of the best in offering health care and one of the top countries in applying and exporting high technology to other nations. In terms of tourism, Singapore has much to offer. The opulent Marina Bay Sands Resort is an example of great modern architecture. It includes a hotel, shops with high-end luxury brands, a mall with a canal
running through it, and the Marina Bay Sands Skypark—a very high point from where the whole city can be seen. From the skypark, one can see the innovative double helix bridge, the port, the Gardens by the Bay and the city’s impressive skyline. The Singapore Flyer, the world’s largest giant observation wheel, is another must-see attraction. As is Sentosa Island—to which no trip to Singapore is complete without a visit. Thrill-seekers will be delighted to find some exciting rides and amazing roller-coasters here. The island is also home to Fort Siloso, a military museum beside a massive aquarium with some 500 species of sea creatures, including fish and crabs. Gardens by the Bay is another attraction. Wandering through the Bay East Garden gives perfect enjoyment because of its cluster of iconic futuristic structures designed to perform environmentally sustainable functions. Not to be confused with the Gardens on the Bay, the botanic gardens in the vicinity of the city are also worth a visit. In fact, Singapore received its first Unesco World Heritage nomination for the botanic gardens—and with good reason. In another part of the island-city is Chinatown. From the small stores and authentic Chinese food to the
red lanterns and gifts for sale, there is much excitement and activity in the district. One can visit the Chinese Heritage Center to learn about the place and also about the Chinese influence on Singapore. In addition to Chinatown, there are also “Little India” and “Arab Street”, where a tourist from the Middle East will feel right at home. In fact, one of the most exciting aspects of Singapore is the diversity of the city and its neighborhoods. Nowhere is this more evident than in Little India and Arab Street, where one can see and buy a large number of products from the Arab world and India. In the Arab Quarter tourists can visit the historic Sultan Mosque, originally built in 1825, with distinctive golden domes and unusual craftsmanship. Another fascinating tourist spot is Singapore Zoo, which is billed as the world’s best rainforest zoo. The zoo is clean and inviting with orangutans, chimpanzees, zebras, mole rats, white tigers, kangaroos and other creatures. Singapore is relatively easy to explore and has a modern metro system that makes getting around not only simple, but cheap. A large number of hotels and restaurants, including those serving halal food, are in the city center. One of the hotels, Royal Plaza on Scotts in Singapore, offers five-star living and dining facilities and is famous for its halal food. The hotel rooms of Royal Plaza have prayer rugs; the Singapore Tourism Board takes great care of tourists traveling from the Middle East and Muslim countries. The board has said the first six months of the year saw international visitor numbers to the Asian city-state increase by 10.3 percent year-on-year to 11.3 million. The rise in tourism was driven by good growth rates from some top source markets, including China, Indonesia, India and—not surprisingly—the Middle East. TNS
for five rail projects in Dec
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idding is set to open for five double-track rail route construction projects worth more than 100 billion baht next month, the Transport Ministry says. Peerapol Thawornsuphacharoen, deputy permanent secretary for transport, said the State Railway of Thailand is now gathering feedback on the draft bidding terms for the double-track rail projects worth 101.5 billion baht. Bidding will be called for all five projects between December 13 and 20, and then bidders will be allowed to submit their proposals between January and February. Contracts will be signed on March 21 next year, Peerapol said. The five double-track rail projects, which were approved by the cabinet earlier, cover a total of 702 kilometers. They comprise the 167-km Prachuap Khiri Khan-Chumphon route worth 17.2 billion baht; the 132-km Map Kabao-Thanon Chira Junction line valued at 29.4 billion baht; the 148km Lop Buri-Pak Nam Pho route estimated at 24.7 billion baht; the 165-km Nakhon Pathom-Hua Hin route worth 20 billion baht; and the 90-km Hua Hin-Prachuap Khiri Khan line valued at 10.2 billion baht. Peerapol also said the Airports of Thailand Plc. is ready to open bidding for three more projects for the second phase of the Suvarnabhumi airport development aimed at boosting the airport’s capacity to handle increasing passenger numbers and flights. The first project, worth 4.9 billion baht, covers the expansion of the eastern side of the original passenger terminal, the carpark building and the airline office building. The median price for this project is expected to be finalized by the end of this month and bidding is expected to take place by the end of this year. Construction is expected to start in February next year, Peerapol said. TNS