His Excellency Mr Andrii Beshta began his term as Ukraine’s Ambassador to Thailand on February 4, 2016. Having served as Counsellor at the embassy from 2007-2011, he’d already made many friends here, as reflected by the large turnout for the 28th anniversary celebration of Ukrainian independence at the Siam Kempinski Hotel Bangkok on September 18. Mr Beshta gave The BigChilli this interview not long after the reception, and not surprisingly, his country’s struggle against Russian aggression was very much on his mind.
 
“In the coming weeks people around the world will joyfully celebrate the New Year and Christmas holidays, but this will not be a festive season for millions of Ukrainians,” said Mr Beshta. “Yesterday, and the day before, and the day before, more families were plunged into grief upon learning loved ones had perished in hostile attacks launched at the command of the Kremlin.”

It is no secret that traffic congestion has been a long-time affliction for Bangkokians. Long-standing issues that have yet to find the right solutions continue to plague the city.
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Existing infrastructure continued to struggle to cope with increasing urbanisation, coupled with increasing private vehicle ownership. It remained a massive challenge for current public transportation networks to meet the ever-changing commuting needs of all travellers in the city.
 
While the emergence of on-demand ride-hailing has played a part in getting people from point-to-point more seamlessly and conveniently, people, particularly those living in underserved areas, still prefer to rely on private vehicle ownership to travel to their urban destinations. As a result, Bangkok is now the most congested city in Asia ranked by INRIX Global Traffic Scoreboard.1
 
Traffic congestion impacts Bangkok’s economic performance significantly. At the same time, it also adds undue stress to the environment, health and well-being of people in the city. Kasikorn Research Center2 studies show that people in Bangkok take an extra 35 minutes travelling on the road, spending time in traffic jams when they could be using their time more productively. Calculating time wasted on roads as an opportunity cost, it would cost around 11 billion baht per year or 60 million baht per day. Additionally, it increases the cost of fuel consumption by up to 6 billion baht per year. 
 
With a lofty ambition to find effective solutions to relieve traffic woes in Bangkok, the “Rama 4 Model” project is born from a collaboration between the public, private and academic sectors, including the Ministry of Transport, Bangkok Metropolitan Administration, Metropolitan Police Bureau, Grab Thailand, Toyota Mobility Foundation and Chulalongkorn University. The project aims to use advanced data-driven solutions sourced from all parties involved to better analyze and predict traffic patterns along Rama 4 road, understand the root causes of the traffic congestion problem, and ultimately propose recommendations that could ease the existing traffic congestion issue.
 
Assoc. Prof. Sorawit Narupiti, Department of Civil Engineering, Chulalongkorn University, and “Rama 4 Model” project manager, commented “This project is part of the Memorandum of Understanding signed by key parties in October 2018 with the aim of solving traffic issues in Bangkok and its surrounding precincts. Under this project, we will combine expertise and knowledge from the government, private and academic sectors to find a workable solution to traffic and public transportation challenges along Rama 4 road. This will include studying and utilising big data contributed by all parties, and applying innovative technology and knowledge to get to the root of the problem.  The first phase of cooperation will start on Rama 4 road and we plan to extend to Sukhumvit Road, Charoenkrung Road, and the areas around Victory Monument, eventually.”    

The robust and growing automotive industry of Thailand’s Eastern Seaboard has caused it to be referred to in recent years as the ‘Detroit of Asia.’

Thailand is currently the world’s second largest pick-up truck market after the United States, as well as being Asean’s largest automotive market and assembler.
 
The automotive and auto parts industry is worth a staggering 700 billion baht. The Thai-based automotive industry produced 928,081 vehicles last year, an increase of 24% from 2003. Between January and August of this year, 710,889 units were made – representing a 22% year-on-year growth – and it is expected that the total number of units will exceed one million for the whole year.
 
In fact, the auto industry is the number one manufacturing industry in Thailand in terms of value, with automobiles, motorcycles and spare parts manufactured in numerous factories throughout the country.
 
However, according to law enforcement sources and some car makers, there’s a dark side to this success which tarnishes the reputation of the country, the industry and the brand names of auto manufacturers operating here. Thailand has also become a major producer and exporter – ahead of its nearest rival China – of fake car accessories and decorations sporting prestigious logos.
 
The October 5, 2005 seizure of a huge number of such fakes from a factory in Ban Pong district of Ratchaburi province clearly illustrates the seriousness of the problem. The factory operator, as of last week was offering Mercedes-Benz and BMW products on its website.
The raid followed an investigation by the Department of Special Investigations (DSI). Dubbed ‘the Thai FBI’ after the US Federal Bureau of Investigation, the DSI is a civilian law enforcement agency established in 2002 under the Ministry of Justice.
 
“Since its formation, the DSI has investigated and taken action in many important cases throughout Thailand,” explained Yongyoot Srisattayachon, a former public prosecutor who joined the agency a year ago as director of its Bureau of Intellectual Property Crime.
“My principal responsibility is to suppress the violations on trademarks, intellectual property, patents and integrated circuits. We are only going after the ‘big guys’, and have already arrested quite a few of them involved with fake leather goods, clothes, shoes and mobile phones,” said Yongyoot.
 
His section is supported by 122 officers out of the more than 1,000 selected from various police units who are now attached to the DSI headquarters.
 
“As for the raid in Ban Pong,” Yongyoot explained, “we received a complaint from a Southeast Asia representative of DaimlerChrysler company that this particular factory was producing counterfeit accessories for various leading automobiles such Mercedes-Benz, BMW and General Motors.”
 
Before the raid, the DSI placed all four large buildings inside the factory compound under surveillance for almost two weeks.
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It was no easy task because the facilities were constructed on flat land, making it extremely difficult for DSI officers to keep their watch without being spotted. They had to park their vehicles at a distance and walk in, using surveillance equipment and other methods to monitor all activities outside and inside the buildings. 

In this monthly column, The BigChilli celebrates restaurants in Thailand that excel in their design as well as their cuisine.

Dining in beautiful surroundings is regarded by many as a key element in their choice of restaurant for lunch or dinner. It sets and maintains the mood for a memorable dining experience — and is often the main reason for a return visit. The purpose of this photo feature is therefore to pay homage to those owners who have invested in creating a Beautiful Restaurant for the pleasure of Bangkok’s diners.

Who can join the FCCT and what are the fees?
Anyone can join. About a fifth of the membership are correspondents and journalists. The remainder range from diplomats to NGO workers, retirees to students. The fees vary according to category but the highest rate – for associate members – is still only baht 6,500 per annum.

How many members?
The FCCT has over 800 members.

What are the approximate membership demographics?
Ages range from 16 to 96 originating from most corners of Earth.

What are the main benefits of FCCT membership?
Free entrance to almost all events; 25% discount on F&B of good quality and reasonably priced; welcoming staff; great networking; informative and interesting events; outdoor terrace; access to books written by members; excellent working space on the fly.

What events does the FCCT host?
The FCCT usually hosts three events a week including Monday night documentaries, Wednesday night panel discussions, as well as various report and book launches. Topics range from politics (local, regional and international), to business, human and animal rights, and environmental issues.There are also more cultural evenings, sometimes built around a particular author or noteworthy individual. The FCCT also hosts lighter events: sake and craft beer tasting, plays, and tango nights, and has a children’s hour on Friday afternoons.

Celebrities
Over the course of over 60 years, the FCCT has welcomed countless famous speakers including world leaders, politicians, pundits, adventurers, writers, actors, directors, activists, sports people, and more – and many of their pictures can be viewed in the entrance area.

Reciprocity
The FCCT has reciprocal arrangements with 29 clubs around the world including the FCC Hong Kong, FCC Tokyo, the National Press Club in Washington, and the Frontline Club in London.

Who’s in charge?
Good question. The FCCT is managed by an executive board elected each year with no member allowed to hold the same position for more than two consecutive years. The main board forms committees to manage various aspects of the club including programmes, publicity, finance, membership, and professional matters. Daily operations are managed by the general manager and his friendly staff.