Water Wars - Asia News Network
Transcription
Water Wars - Asia News Network
POLITICS SPORTS A tale of two generals The big fight JAN UARY 27-FEB RUARY 9 , 2012 WATER WARS KEY Interests threaten the future of Mekong River US$3 / Bt100 ISSN 19052650 9 771905 265009 02721 02721 POPASIA No ‘politainment’ please At work I don’t have a choice of where I sit But with Star Alliance Upgrade Awards Across 20 of our member airlines worldwide Now I do. I’ve earned it. Tak u m a Sato I n ternat ional raci ng d ri ver and Star A l l ian ce Gol d Statu s staral l ian ce.com ASIA NEWS NETWORK 20 newspapers in 17 countries—covering Asia for 10 years W e K n o w A s i a B e t t e r JANUARY 27-FE BRU A R Y 9, 2 01 2 • V o l 7 N o 2 COVER STORY Water Wars P8 The drive to develop and consume pose threats to the Great Mekong River VIEW 7 The New Terrorism Playground? Terrorists have been using Thailand as centre to procure explosives, launder money, forge foreign currencies and travel documents POLITICS 16 A Tale Of Two Generals Both India’s and Pakistan’s army chief are in the news, but for different reasons LIFE 22 Working Towards An Early Grave? Hong Kong employees work long hours for reasons rooted in culture that may be extremely hard to break F E AT U R E S SPORTS 24 The Match Of Giants The Pacquiao Vs Mayweather fight could end up as a victim of its own magnitude CULTURE 28 Squaring Off With English ‘Square English’ is a combination of the English language and Chinese calligraphy PEOPLE 30 100% Made In The Philippines Black Eyed Pea’s apl.de.ap is proud to be Filipino FASHION 32 Hakka High Fashion A Taiwanese designer subtly weaves his Hakka ancestry into his clothes ARTS 34 Plagiarism Or Parody? For some artists, there is a thin line that separates plagiarism from drawing inspiration POPASIA 38 No ‘Politainment’ Please+ Like oil and water, politics and entertainment cannot mix in Taiwan due to the China factor ENTERTAINMENT 40 Behind The Glamour Some Korean stars suffer from psychological disorders showing the tragic side of entertainment EXPLORE 46 Biking Off The Beaten Track Soak in the small-town charms of Kep and Kampot, which have yet to be discovered by the masses COVE R IM AG E | F i s h me n p repare to go fi s hin g on t he Mekon g river in Thakh aek in lao. HOANG D I NH Nam/AFP PHOTO Copyright © 2006 of Asia News Network. All rights reserved. AsiaNews (ISSN 1905-2650) is a weekly magazine. Printed by WPS (Thailand) Co, Ltd Subsidiary of Nation Multimedia Group Plc. WRITE, FAX, EMAIL Please include sender’s name and address to: [email protected] | Asia News Network Nation Multimedia Group Plc 1854 Bangna-Trad Road (Km 4.5), Bangna, Bangkok 10260 Thailand.Tel: (662)338 3333 Fax: (662)338 3964 Subscription inquries: Nation Multimedia Group Plc 1854 Bangna-Trad Road (Km 4.5), Bangna, Bangkok 10260 Thailand.Tel: (662)338 3333 Call Center: (662)338 3000 press 1 Fax: (662)338 3964 20-27 January, 2012 At Esplanade Cineplex Ratchadapisek HOSTED BY SPONSORED BY MEDIA PARTNER The View THAILAND By Kavi Chongkittavorn The Nation The New Terrorism Playground? Terrorists have been using Thailand as centre to procure explosives, launder money and forge foreign currencies ❖❖ Bangkok January 27-February 9, 2012 •7 A F P PHTO/ Pornchai KITTI WO NG SAKU L S ixteen hours before government leaders, it the US government showed that the Pheu Thai issued a warning of ruling party was hyper senterrorism attack in sitive as the warning came Bangkok on January a few days before the Lunar 13, Hussein Atris, 47, a LebNew Year celebration. anese-Swedish passport It is an open secret that holder, was apprehended at Thailand is a haven for terthe Suvarnabhumi airport rorists as well as transnanear midnight. tional criminal groups. For What came after the followdecades, they have been using days showed the huge pering the country as a centre ception gap of Thai policyto procure illegal materials makers and their (arms, drugs or banned counter-terrorism measures DRILL: Members of a Thai special force unit show their skills chemical and explosive during the anti-terrorism drill at the airport in Bangkok in February with the international com- 2008. substances), launder monmunity. Worse still was the ey, forge foreign currencies unpreparedness of Thai secuand travel documents. Givrity apparatus to face up with per- The Thai authorities believed that en its centrality in the continental ceived threats of highly mobile and they were destined for third countries Southeast Asia with nearly one-thousophisticated terrorism networks. No not for local targets. sand flights daily in operation, Thaiwonder, they are still in denial. Thailand is no stranger to such ter- land remains the ideal logistic hub Atris was on the watch list since rorist plots targeting Israeli assets for terrorist operations elsewhere. Dec 10, 2011, when Thai intelligence and citizens. In March 1994, a Hez- Still, the Thai authorities are not up was alerted that a group of Hezbollah bollah-linked group planned a car to the task. For instance, the Immioperatives, could plan terrorist at- bomb attack at the Israel Embassy, gration Bureau and Special Branch tacks in Bangkok targeting foreign- which was situated in Langsuan. Police are still under-staffed and lack ers, in particular Israeli citizens and Again, by sheer luck, the mission was counter-terrorism training. They assets. On the list are places they fre- aborted as the car bomb miraculously have not yet tightened immigration quently visit or stay such as Khaosan broke down. The incident, known regulations, improved surveillance or Road (cheap hotels and a Chabad), among Thai intelligence, as “Lung set up a viable IT system for anti-terSamui and Pangan Islands (for full Chum (Uncle Chum)” affair—refer- rorism global networks. moon parties) and Sukhumvit Soi 22. ring to the hijacked Thai driver who While terrorists have changed their Although the Special Branch Police was killed and tied up to the bomb strategies, the Thais have not changed have been on the lookout, they did hidden inside the car—serves as a their mindset. They naively think not have any lead as bits and pieces of fresh reminder that changes have that Thailand is a friendly country intelligence were not case specific. been far too little and slow. and has no enemy. Their mantra is It was a stroke of luck that Atris No wonder, all the top echelons of still the same: we can turn a blind eye was not aware that his name was on the Yingluck administration were fu- on activities if they do not harm the the wanted list. Had he chose to exit rious, if not over-reacted, to the US Thai people. through land check-points, say, at alert on terrorism warning on its The warning is a crude wake-up Nongkai on the Thai-Lao border, website. They complained about the call for the security officials in charge he could slip out without notice. short notice given to them by the and the public in general. Luckily, After hours of intense interrogation, Bangkok-based US embassy. Foreign this time the only casualties were limAtris disclosed the location of a minister Surapong Tohvichakchaikul ited to the diplomatic rows between three-storey building in Mahachai, criticised the US and expressed dis- Thailand and its key allies. In the fuSamutsakorn in the outskirts of appointment for not closely consult- ture, if the Thai vulnerabilities conBangkok where he has accumulated ing with the Thai side before the tinue, terrorists will continue to exexplosive materials—urea-based warning was flagged. Judging from ploit gaps and the casualties might fertilizer and ammonium nitrate. the knee-jerk responses by several not be just words. COVER STORY By Avigail M. Olarte Asia News Network Water Wars The drive to develop and consume pose threats to the Great Mekong River ❖❖ Chiang Khan, Loei E very morning at sunrise, Sutas Kom Sri casts his net into the river out of faith. As the fog unveils the horizon, the Mekong River looms before him, luring him into the richness of its waters. But like other fishermen in this part of the Mekong in northeast Thailand, his daily catch has been steadily declining through the years. As a result, he says, more and more fishermen have been abandoning their nets. “There’s lesser fish and they’re smaller in size,” he says. “We’re earning less than half than what we used to get eight years ago.” The reason for this, he believes, is the waters’ increasing unpredictability wrought by dams in China in the upper mainstream. Now he sees a bigger threat, a new dam in Xayaburi province in northern Laos, the first hydropower dam to be built on the mainstream of the Mekong River. But unknown to him and to 8• Sutas Kom Sri has caught less and less fish from the Mekong River. He believes this is caused by the dams built in upstream China. the other fishermen in Chiang Khan, they would likely stand to lose in a complex web of power play that courts the interests of only the moneyed and the powerful. The Xayaburi dam will supply electricity to the Electricity Generating Authority (Egat), Thailand’s state energy body, with 1,260MW of power for 30 years. One of the biggest infrastructure firms in Thailand, Ch. Karnchang Public Co Ltd (CK), will be the developer with Thai banks funding it. Under the plan, commercial operations will start in January 2019. “Once the dam is born, everything will be lost,” Sutas says. Sutas is among the 60 million people who live and feed from the lower Mekong basin. Considered as the ‘Mother of All Rivers’, the Mekong River is the largest freshwater fishery in the world. Described as the blood line of the Mekong Region, it yields 2.5 million tonnes of fish per year— valued at US$3 billion to $6 billion— making it the most productive inland fishery in the world. Should the Xayaburi dam be built, over 200,000 villagers will be affected. Of the 1,000 fish species in the Mekong, 41 will face extinction, including the critically endangered Mekong giant catfish. Worrying, too, is the fact that at least 23 migratory fish species will most likely be blocked from both upstream and downstream, disrupting the life cycles of the migratory fish and reducing the river catch of up to 600,000 metric tonnes. “The Xayaburi dam could cause irreparable damage to the Mekong fisheries. The risk of permanent damage to the Mekong biodiversity and fisheries is too great and the cost too high,” says Zeb Hogan of the University of Reno in the US in a technical review he wrote for the International Rivers, a network working to protect the Mekong River. At what cost? Harnessing the power of the Mekong River to supply electricity to countries in the region dates way back to the 1960s, upon the creation January 27-February 9, 2012 of the Mekong Committee—a body created to promote and supervise development projects in the Mekong. At the time, seven large-scale multipurpose dams were proposed. According to the Towards Ecological Recovery and Regional Alliance (Terra), these did not push through due to “geopolitical conflicts in the region and concern over social and environmental impacts”. By 1994, the committee presented a plan to build 11 “run-of-river” hydropower dams of only 30 to 60 metres high on the Mekong mainstream. The dam design was said to be ideal, having a much lesser impact than large storage dams. Most of the dams were planned to produce power for export to Thailand, including Xayaburi, according to a report by Terra. When the countries signed the 1995 Mekong Agreement, the committee was replaced by the Mekong River Commission (MRC). This move, says Terra, was supposed to “represent a shift in its mandate” and ensure sustainability. But studies on the mainstream projects continued, January 27-February 9, 2012 causing nongovernment groups to stage campaigns against the plan. At present, there are 12 planned mainstream dams that could provide power by as much as 14,697MW, enough to sustain a country like Thailand for the next 15 to 20 years. An evaluation commissioned by the MRC revealed, however, that these run-of-river projects cannot proceed without a fisheries baseline data, as the likely impacts on the river ecology and livelihood have yet to be properly studied. Experts confirm that any changes in the flow of the water will “seriously damage critical habitats” like the pools of fish and organisms that contribute to the entire river’s food web. As it is, hydro dams built on the Mekong tributaries such as the Pak Mun dam in northeast Thailand and the Theun-Hinboun in central Laos have led to a decline in fish harvest and loss of food and livelihood to communities. Fishermen like Udon Ruenkam in Chiang Khan know this to be true. Having been a fisherman for 30 years, he has seen less and less fish from Don Khai, the island in the middle of the Mekong River where Lao and Thai fishermen go to every day to catch fish. “The water is now too fast, and it goes up and down very often. At times, instead of fish, our nets haul in rubbish,” he claims, adding that dams built on the rivers have triggered these. “If they build the Xayaburi dam, we will lose everything.” Transboundary impact The scenario has equally alarmed other countries downstream, especially Cambodia where 70 per cent of its 9.8-million population resides within 15km of the river. The loss of livelihood would have a devastating impact on villagers who heavily depend on fishing and farming as their main sources of income, Cambodia being the rice basket in the delta. The dam could potentially lessen the flow of sediments or nutrients downstream which aid farmers in growing their rice and crops. The project’s Environment Impact Assessment (EIA) in 2010—a study done by TEAM Consulting Engineering and Management Co Ltd of Thailand and Colenco Power Engineering Limited of Switzerland for CK—was highly criticised for making no mention of any transboundary, damaging impact that the Xayaburi dam might cause. The EIA covered villages within the project site in Laos, claiming only a few villagers will lose their land and vegetable gardens. This estimate, reports the International Rivers, is not even close to representing the number of villages that will be affected downstream and upstream. The project’s Social Impact Assessment (SIA), a document prepared by TEAM, also had no recognition of the rights of the villagers to “full and fair compensation for lost land”. The SIA states that it will compensate by providing livelihood assistance, not with cash assistance. An official from the Department of Electricity in Laos confirms that at least three villages have been asked to voluntarily relocate inland, with no money being offered. In an interview with AsiaNews, he says the government will help them by providing alternative job opportunities, which have yet to take place. Consultations as ‘rubber stamp’ Experts fear that the people may not be fully aware of the extent of impact of the dam. Only 60 per cent of the people in Xayaburi who were interviewed for the EIA said they had heard about the project. But after the survey, 82.6 per cent said they were in favour, and only 2 per cent disagreed. But International Rivers notes the figures are not surprising “given the strong central state support for the project and the reluctance of the people to contradict state policy”. What’s more, the TEAM consultants were there to “sell the project”. In fact, the group said, the fishermen were even told to “merely adjust their •9 Ph oto courtesy of Terra COVER STORY gear and methods so they can carry on catching fish like before”. Unlike in Laos, the consultations held in three provinces in Thailand in 2011 showed strong opposition from villagers. “The people said they want additional study on fish migration and aquatic impact. They’re worried that the dam will cause erosion in the banks and the fish yield will be reduced,” says an official at the Thailand National Mekong Committee of the MRC. She says the first national consultation on the Xayaburi dam in Thailand took place in the northern province of Chiang Rai in January 2011. Participants in that meeting said the information on the transboundary impact was not enough and that further studies are needed. The same concerns were raised in two subsequent consultations in Loei and Nakorn Phnom in February, highlighting the fact that no single has study has yet fully covered the extent of damage a mainstream dam like Xayaburi would have on the Mekong River’s resources. In Vietnam, the member country that has voiced much opposition to the project, two consultations were held in Can Tho City and Ha Long City in early 2011. The people said full precaution is needed for a dam that will set a precedent for other proposed mainstream dams especially since the proposal was unclear on mitigation solutions. Cambodians, meanwhile, supported the 10-year delay of building dams in the mainstream as proposed by the MRC in the Strategic Environ10 • ment Assessment (SEA), a study done on hydropower development in the Mekong. The report recommended no decisions should be made until “remaining uncertainties and knowledge gaps” are addressed. Access to information The consultations in the four countries were done in compliance with the 1995 MRC Mekong Agreement on the Cooperation for the Sustainable Development. Under this, the member countries are to jointly review any development project proposed for the mainstream under the Procedures for Notification, Prior Consultation and Agreement (PNPCA). Under the PNPCA, the member states should conduct prior consultation within members of the MRC before any project is to proceed. When the Lao government notified MRC in September 2010 about its plan in Xayaburi, nearly seven months after the EIA was completed, member countries were notified. This led to technical reviews and consultations in each country, a process that needed to be completed within six months. But during the consultations in other countries, the EIA was reportedly not released and was treated as a secret document on orders of the Lao government. The National Mekong Committee in Thailand also confirms that during its consultations, they could not give out a copy of the EIA because it was considered confidential. “If it were under our laws, we’re obligated to disclose the EIA to the public within a month. But for Xayaburi, we were not allowed to disclose it.” “Public input was absent in the EIA,” says Dr Philip Hirsch of the Australian Mekong Resource Centre in a paper he wrote for International Rivers. “The prior consultation process is flawed because stakeholders (did not have) access to the EIA.” A senior knowledge management officer of a nongovernment organisation in Laos confirms that the government refused to release a copy of the EIA. “A person from the MRC who attended the consultation said the government merely wanted the people to to say ‘yes’ and they were merely informing them how the dam will benefit the country. The villagers were also confused since they were fed with too much technical information,” he tells AsiaNews. (The person’s name and his organisation’s are not disclosed on the interviewee’s request.) But unlike the EIA, the dam’s Feasibility Study was released to the public in February 2011. The feasibility study, which was done by CK and TEAM, had the same conclusions as that of the EIA. It read that the “social impact of the barrage is at medium level, while the environmental impact is at low level”. It added that the project would benefit the Mekong countries, especially Laos and Thailand, and urged for “speedy negotiations and early conclusion of agreements” between Laos, the investor and Egat”. The politics of power But by April 19, during an MRC Joint Committee Special Session in Vientiane, the MRC reported that all countries instead agreed to defer the decision on the Xayaburi dam, with Vietnam strongly recommending the SEA findings that projects on the mainstream be deferred for another 10 years. Less than a month later, during a side meeting of the prime ministers of Laos and Vietnam at the 18th Asean Summit in Jakarta, the Lao premier announced that “it agreed to January 27-February 9, 2012 Breaches of obligations According to International Rivers, Senator Surajit said the signing of January 27-February 9, 2012 P hoto courtesy of International Rivers temporarily suspend the Xayaburi Dam”. Both countries also agreed to instruct agencies to conduct a joint research on the dam under the framework of the MRC. Two days before that meeting, however, a letter leaked to the International Rivers revealed that Laos on May 5 hired Poyry Energy, a Finnish consulting firm, to determine whether Laos has fulfilled its obligations under the 1995 Mekong Agreement. By June 2, Poyry said the Lao government had complied with the agreements and that it had taken the concerns of the member countries into proper consideration. By June 9, the Xayaburi Company wrote a letter to Egat saying that Laos has complied with the 1995 Agreement and that it was now ready to execute the Power Purchase Agreement (PPA) with Egat. Under the PPA, CK Karnchang, a subisidiary of Xayaburi Power, will be purchasing 95 per cent of the project’s 1,260MW capacity at a rate of about 2 baht per unit (6 US cents). Several months later, Thai Senator Surajit Chiravet, member of the Senate Committee on Corruption Investigation and Good Governance Protection was quoted that a high-ranking official from the Ministry of Energy said in a Senate hearing that the PPA for Xayaburi Dam had been signed on October 29 and that Xayaburi had already been included in Thailand’s Power Development Plan. But when news of the decision of the MRC members during the December 8, 2011, meeting in Siem Reap, Cambodia broke, declaring a need for further study yet again, Thai senators launched an investigation. They wanted to know if Egat violated the Thai government’s instructions to have the MRC member governments’ approval first before any agreement to purchase power from Xayaburi is to be made. the PPA likely violated the resolution of the National Energy Policy Council, the body that has the authority to approve power import projects, stating that projects like Xayaburi need to fully comply with the 1995 Mekong Agreement before any of the countries are to enter into any concessions. “By moving under the radar of the Mekong River Commission, Thailand and Laos have threatened the spirit of regional cooperation and the integrity of the 1995 Mekong Agreement...it’s no surprise that the dam builder Ch. Karnchang has lobbied extensively for the dam to proceed,” says Piapoorn Deetes of the International Rivers. Ame Trandem, Southeast Asia programme director of International Rivers, says Thailand now has to cancel the PPA because the process was not in accordance with the 1995 agreement. “The gaps still exist and to proceed with the dam without a regional decision is not only reckless and irresponsible, it also threatens regional security,” she says. But for the Lao engineer from the Department of Electricity, who refuses to be identified for fear of reprisal, he says the PNPCA is nothing but a “document” to implement the 1995 Agreement and that it should be treated independently from the economic agreement. “The project is momentarily delayed but we will not stop,” he confirms. Construction for roads and buildings is still ongoing in Xayaburi, he says, but no infrastructure work has started on the river. According to him, Laos will have to wait for the countries to agree until they can start with the dam structure. In the meantime, the Lao government is considering paying for another firm to conduct more studies on the transboundary impact. It is also waiting for another study spearheaded by the MRC, which would include the transboundary impact of hydro projects like Xayaburi in the Mekong region, as part of the agreement during the meeting in Siem Reap. “We have to consult with other countries to make them happy. We’re being gentlemen now,” he says. But should Laos proceed with the project without the required consensus, it would be in breach of its obligations under the Mekong Agreement. It would also be violating its commitment to negotiate and consult in good faith under international laws, specifically under the Rio Declaration on Environment and Development. All countries in the Mekong Region under the Rio declaration agreed to consult each other first should there be projects “that may have a significant adverse transboundary environmental effect”. And should there be disputes that cannot be resolved among the countries, Trandem says under the Mekong Agreement, they may elevate matters to the International Court of Justice. But for fishermen like Sutas, whose voice and others like him have been largely ignored and unheard, the message is simple: “We love the Mekong River. We don’t want any dams.” • 11 COVER STORY Farmers and fishermen in northeastern Thailand sign a petition to stop the Xayaburi dam in Laos. To Dam Or Not To Dam Phu Wiang, Khon Khaen On a green postcard shaped like the Mekong giant catfish, a 74-year-old farmer carefully writes his name and signs it. His postcard, along with thousands others, will be sent to Thailand Prime Minister Yingluck Shinwatra this February, as a message not of love, but more of a plea: “Respect the lives of the people who rely on the Mekong and let them live with dignity forever”, the postcard reads. “The river is our only path to freedom,” writes a fisherman from the nearby province Undonthani. Others went for a more direct message, “Stop the dam”, and urged the Thai government to have a strong policy for dams on the Mekong mainstream. “As the country that is going to buy electricity from the Mekong dams, the Thai government should by now be able to say something, make a firm stand on the issue,” says Premrudee Daoroung, director of the Bangkok-based environment group Towards Ecological Recovery and Regional Alliance. Among the four Mekong countries, Thailand has been most silent on the issue of the proposed Xayaburi dam in Laos, the first hydropower project to be built on the mainstream of Mekong. Ninety-five per cent of the energy from the 12 • plant will be sold to Thailand. Under the Energy Industry Act of Thailand, listed in its objectives are in support of energy security, energy self-reliance, efficient use of energy, with minimal impact on health and the environment. But Chuenchom Sangarasri Greacen, co-founder of the Thai-based nonprofit organisation Palang Thai, says there is a disconnect between the policy objectives of Thailand with what’s really happening in reality. “A lot of power plants are added when we don’t need the electricity. Some projects are put on the fast track even if they are not in the PDP (Power Development Plan) like the Xayaburi dam,” Chuenchom says during a recent forum of the Mekong Energy and Ecology Network held recently at the Chulalongkorn University in Bangkok. Her analysis shows that the stateowned enterprise Electricity Generating Authority of Thailand’s (Egat) PDP in 2010, which was approved by the Thai Cabinet, is based on an “unrealistically high peak demand forecast”. Thailand in its PDP doubled its electricity demand from 23,900MW in 2011 to 52,890MW in 2030, much of which is to come from coal, gas, nuclear and imported hydropower. “According to official forecast we would need more electricity, but the actual need is lower than the projected level,” she says. In her group’s Alternative PDP 2012, the average increase would only be 800MW a year, as opposed to the Thai government’s forecast of 1,500MW a year. She says the government forecast was made under the assumption that, among others, Thailand’s annual GDP growth rate would stay at 4.4 per cent for the next five years and 4.11 per cent for the next 20 years. “This rate is optimistic, considering that average growth in the past five years has been only 2.9 per cent,” she says. According to Chuenchom, an official criteria for determining electricity needs in Thailand is the reserve margin, or the capacity in excess of the peak demand. By her calculations, Thailand needs to maintain a mere 15 per cent reserve margin to ensure reliability. In her analysis, the alternative PDP would give a total of 35,579MW installed capacity (the maximum amount of electricity produced) by 2030 versus the government’s forecast of 65, 547MW. Her calculations maintain the 15 per cent reserve margin and would allow electricity bills to be lower by 12 per cent in 2030 compared to the government’s PDP. Xayaburi not needed With this forecast, no new coal, natural gas, nuclear power, or hydropower imports will be needed. “Thailand has sufficient excess surplus capacity and projects that no additional resources are needed,” she says. Wasteful energy also leads to a less efficient economy, she adds. In principle, a country with an advanced economy will have a lesser energy intensity. Energy intensity is a measure of the energy efficiency of a nation’s economy. A chart shows that Thailand is bucking that trend, Chuenchom says. “We are actually using more energy to meet our economic activity when worldwide there is a downward trend in energy intensity.” (See graph) January 27-February 9, 2012 Who loses? Thailand remains the top importer of energy from Laos. Often referred to as the “battery of Southeast Asia”, Laos exports power to Thailand through Electricite du Laos—the state-owned corporation under the Ministry of Energy and Mines—and the Independent Power Producers. Prachakporn Sophon of the Mekong Energy and Ecology Network says the Lao government sees exporting electricity as highly viable. At present, there are nine operational projects in Laos that provide electricity to Thailand. Three more hydropower projects are under construction and 12 more are under the planning stage, according to a December 2011 document from the Ministry of Energy and Mines. (See table). Indicated in Thailand’s PDP 2010 is its plan to buy a total of 7GW from Laos until 2030. PPAs have reportedly been signed for the projects Nam Ngum 2 (615MW), Nam Theun Hin Bun (220MW) and Hongsa Lignite (1.47GW). And just January 27-February 9, 2012 Photo courtesy of International Rivers As a result, she says, there are cases in Thailand like the highly controversial Pak Mun dam—a plant barely able to power one mall—but as a result, 1,700 families had to be relocated with over 6,000 families deprived of livelihood. “This is the sacrifice the government is asking from people in the name of energy security,” she says. Instead of building more plants, she recommends in the alternative PDP that Thailand should invest more on energy efficiency by, for example, extending the life of power plants. Or it could engage in cogeneration, which is considered highly efficient because it captures heat lost during the production of electricity and converts it into thermal energy. By engaging in this alone, Thailand could add at least 4,800MW more, which means the government would not even have to purchase more power from proposed plants like Xayaburi. recently, memoranda of understanding have been signed for purchase with Xayaburi Power (1.29GW), Nam Ngum 3 (440MW) and Xe Pian Xe Nam Noi (390 MW). According to the Lao government, imports from Laos are necessary to meet Thailand’s demand for power. Since Laos is fully able to supply it, it says, the government can use this revenue for its anti-poverty plans. Hydropower projects, it also claims, help avoid flooding downstream in the rainy season and supply water in the dry season. But reports show that these may not be exactly true. For instance, Prachakporn says one of the four major IPPs that supply power to Thailand, Nam Theun 2, had to cease operations in October 2010 because the water downstream was already too high. As a result, EGAT had to source power from its own power plants. The plant’s income decreased by 14 per cent in 2011 and its projected energy generation was lower than initial estimates by about 11 per cent. According to Prachakporn, power was purchased from Nam Theun 2 because Thailand’s northeastern region needed power as its peak demand was expected to spike. The PDP 2003 of Thailand says the peak demand in the area will increase by 151MW from 2003 to 2006. The actual peak demand was in fact only 21.5MW per year on average. Further, the reserve power of Thailand in 2010 was already 32 per cent. And if Nam Theun 2 was not to be included, the reserve capacity would still be at 28 per cent, way above the 15 per cent margin. “It means that we have more reserve power than we need,” she says. And if Lao power producers “generate revenue uncertainty and cannot prevent floods and generate power”, Laos is clearly at the losing end. As for Thailand, its consumers will continue bearing the cost of power imported from energy-inefficient investments. What drives these projects? “We see a rapidly changing role of electricity. Electricity used to be a public service that everybody has the right to; now it’s becoming a commodity from which profits can be made,” says Chuenchom. In October 2006, when the government announced energy investment opportunities, PDP-related investments saw a massive increase of 66 per cent compared to nonenergy investments at only 8.7 per cent. “We can see how energy policies can move stock prices. People close to the energy sector can profit handsomely from this kind of movement,” she says. Increasingly, the private sector is playing a bigger role in the energy sector. During a recent energy forum in Bangkok, Carl Middleton of the Chulalongkorn University says Thai banks are lending regionally more and more, with Western donors now seeing a declining role. “Regional banks are now key financiers and therefore important decision-makers,” he says. At least six regional hydropower developers are • 13 COVER STORY POWER PROJECTS IN LAOS, UNDER CONSTRUCTION (AS OF DECEMBER 2011) POWER PROJECTS IN LAOS, No. Name of CONSTRUCTION project Installed UNDER capacity (AS 1 2 No. 3 1 2 OF DECEMBER Hongsa Lignite (IPP) 2011) Theun-Hinboun Hdyropower Name of project Expansion (IPP) Xayaburi (IPP) Hongsa Lignite (IPP) Theun-Hinboun Hdyropower Expansion (IPP) Xayaburi (IPP) 1,878 MW 220+60 MW Installed capacity 1,285 MW 1,878 MW 220+60 MW Planned market Laos/Thailand Laos/Thailand Planned market Laos/Thailand Laos/Thailand Laos/Thailand from Thailand, including Ch be on an upward trend in Karnchang Public Co Ltd the next five years, even if (CK), the developer of the CK’s net profit forecast for Xayaburi power project. 2012 was reduced by 49.3 3 1,285 MW Laos/Thailand At least six private banks per cent. in Thailand are key financiIn its third quarter report ers of energy projects— in 2011, CK reported it sold Bangkok Bank, Bank of its shares in Xayaburi Power POWER PROJECTS IN LAOS, Ayudhya, Kasikorn Bank, Co. Ltd to Natee Natee SynOPERATIONAL (AS OF DECEMBER 2011) Krungthai Bank, Siam Comergy Co Ltd, which now No. Name of project Planned mercial Bank and Thai Miliholds 25 per cent, and to the POWER PROJECTS INInstalled LAOS, capacity market tary Bank. Nearly all of them Electricity Generating Pub(AS OF DECEMBER 2011) OPERATIONAL 1 Houay Ho (IPP) 152 MW Thailand have funded at least one hylic Co Ltd, which owns 12.5 2 Nam Leuk Hydropower 60 MW Laos/Thailand No. Name of project Installed Planned 3 Nam Mang 3 Hydropower 40 MW Laos/Thailand dropower in Laos, with four per cent. capacity market 4 Nam Ngum 1 Hydropower 155 MW Laos/Thailand of them—Kasikorn Bank, The Mekong River Com1 Houay Ho (IPP) 152 Thailand 5 Nam Ngum 2 Hydropower (IPP) 615 MW MW Thailand Siam Commercial, Bangkok mission’s Strategic Environ2 Nam Theun Leuk Hydropower 60 MW Laos/Thailand 6 Nam 2 Hydropower (IPP) 1,075 MW Laos/Thailand 3 Nam 40 MW MW Laos/Thailand 7 Se XetMang 1 3 Hydropower 45 Laos/Thailand Bank and Krung Thai— ment Assessment in 2010 4 Nam 1 Hydropower Laos/Thailand 8 Se XetNgum 2 Hydropower State Utility 155 76 MW MW Laos/Thailand funding Xayaburi. showed Thailand and Viet5 Nam Ngum 2 Hydropower (IPP) 615 MW Thailand 9 Theun-Hinboun (IPP) Laos/Thailand 220MW A stock information renam are the ones targeting 6 Nam Theun 2 Hydropower (IPP) 1,075 MW Laos/Thailand 7 Se Xet 1 45 and MW Mines Laos/Thailand Source: Thailand’s Department of Energy leased on Nov 29, 2011, to purchase close to 90 per 8 Se Xet 2 Hydropower State Utility 76 MW Laos/Thailand showed the Xayaburi procent of the power generated 9 Theun-Hinboun (IPP) Laos/Thailand ject, which was to be finalfrom the Mekong mainised “by the end of this year (2011) or With the decision of the Mekong stream projects. “If Thailand and Viearly next year (2012)”, will drive the River Commission member countries etnam decided not to purchase maincompany’s backlog. Xayaburi along in December 2011 to defer the con- stream power, the projects all with a mass transit investment troversial Xayaburi project until fur- designed for export would be very (worth 14 billion baht or $455 mil- ther studies are done, a securities unlikely to go ahead,” it said. lion) will push up CK’s revenue by firm report showed that even without — Avigail M. Olarte/Asia News 47.3 per cent. Xayaburi, CK’s earnings should still Network CHANGING ENERGY INTENSITY OVER 20-YEAR PERIOD 1.7 1.6 Thailand 1.5 1.4 1.3 1.2 1.1 1 0.9 0.8 0.7 WORLD TOTAL 0.6 0.5 0.4 CHINA 0.3 1987 1988 1989 1990 1991 1992 1993 1994 1995 1996 1997 1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 United States France Germany United Kingdom Russia South Africa Burma Cambodia China Indonesia Japan Laos Malaysia Philippines Thailand Vietnam Asia & Oceania World Total Source: Palang Thai 14 • January 27-February 9, 2012 Building Asia together Holcim is building the very foundations of modern life and as a leading supplier of building materials in Asia we are strongly committed to the region. Global expertise and know-how, local market excellence and can-do attitude provide the strongest foundation for future growth. As with the Phu My Bridge, opened in September 2009, that brought long awaited relief to Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam. That’s what it takes to build with confidence in the most dynamic region in the world. We do this with respect for both the environment and the local communities where we operate. www.holcim.com Strength. Performance. Passion. POLITICS SRI LANKA/PAKISTAN By Kuldip Nayar The Island A tale of two generals Pakistan’s Army chief General Parvez Kayani Both India’s and Pakistan’s army chief are in the news, but for different reasons ❖❖ Colombo Ph oto s by A FP T he army chief is in the news in India as well as in Pakistan, but for different reasons. In both cases, the Supreme Court of either country is an arbiter. In India, Chief of Army Staff General V.K. Singh claims that his year of birth is 1950 while the Ministry of Defence has recorded it as 1951. If the government sticks to its date, as it is doing, he retires this May, nearly 10 months before his own calculation of birth date. Some retired top brass have made it a point of honour for the armed forces and want Singh to vindicate it by challenging the government’s decision in the Supreme Court. In Pakistan, Chief of Army Staff General Parvez Kayani has already gone to the Supreme Court which has set up a commission of nine judges to probe into the charge that the army 16 • was contemplating a coup. The matter, called the Memogate, came to light a couple of months ago when the then Pakistan Ambassador to the US, Hussain Haqqani, sent a message to the US through a Pakistani businessman that President Asif Zardari required America’s support because he apprehended a takeover by the army. It was October when Haqqani sought the help but he did not make it public till the US did so. The disclosure made Kayani furious. To lessen his anger, Zardari ordered Haqqani to quit. This was not a fair charge against Kayani because why should he threaten a takeover when the army already has the country under its control? The argument that the Supreme Court surrendered to the army when it constituted the inquiry commission is churlish. And to make a charge against the Supreme Court chief justice Iftikhar Choudhary is meaning- less. He is the person who suffered at the hands of the army, then headed by General Pervez Musharraf. Choudhary and his family were confined to one room and harassed in every way. But he did not give in. Doubting his integrity is neither fair not factually correct. It is possible that Haqqani was playing politics when he was sponsoring the message. But then this is not the first time that Haqqani is doing so. Looking at his career, it is evident that he is a man of all seasons. Jumping from one political party to another for feathering his own nest is all that he has as his achievements. In fact, the constitution of the commission of Supreme Court and High Court judges was the only way to get at the bottom of the truth. There is no institution in Pakistan to which one can turn. The Supreme Court still evokes confidence and credibility. In fact, it has already issued a notice to January 27-February 9, 2012 India’s Army chief General V. K. Singh Zardari to which he has replied. This is the maximum one can achieve in Pakistan. The controversy over the date of birth of the army chief would not have arisen in Pakistan because the conditions prevailing there are quite different from those in India. Yet the embarrassment caused over Singh’s claim could have been avoided if the matter had been handled better and earlier, both by him and the defence ministry. I can appreciate Kayani making a fuss because he felt that he was being blamed for an act which he had not contemplated. But I fail to understand why Singh is making his birth date an issue when it was “resolved” between him and the defence ministry before he was appointed Eastern Army Commander four years ago and the army chief two years ago. He himself gave in writing to the defence ministry that the matter was “closed”. Good or bad, Singh should have January 27-February 9, 2012 adhered to what was decided then. It was wrong on his part to have consulted former chief justices of India to bolster his case or to brief persons who came to TV shows—resembling Kangaroo courts—to participate in discussions. It can be interpreted as an act of insubordination. I heard some retired top brass converting the matter into an issue between civil and military. Such irresponsible talk, even if allowed in a democratic system, tantamount to challenging the ethos of our polity. General Douglas MacArthur, hero of the Eastern sector of Second World War, was dismissed by President Henry Truman when he found the general deriding democracy. Even if the defence ministry’s decision on his birth date is not to his liking or some of his ambitious supporters, the buck stops at the table of an elected government. I am disappointed to find bonepartism taking hold of some top retired military officers. The media itself should have undertaken the matter with care instead of sensationalising it. The Pakistani media in the case of Kayani acted with restraint and responsibility. It has shown guts even when threatened. Saleem Shezad for example was abducted, tortured and killed, reportedly by a state agency last year. A commission of inquiry is still seemingly trying to find the murderer. He had broken the story on the infiltration of the armed forces by elements close to al-Qaeda or the Taliban. Several journalists from Baluchistan have been killed by non-state actors, said to be close to the security forces. The compromise formula hawked in the case of Singh is again bad in content and intention. The proposal to appoint him as the chief of joint staff suggests as if there are two parties and an agreement has to be reached so that none loses face. What is not realised is that there is only one party in democracy, the people who elect their representatives who, in turn, constitute the government. In fact, the very proposal to create a post of chief of joint staff is not acceptable. America has such an institution but the democracy there is 150 years old. Democracy knows of no compromise which restricts or impinges on people’s say. The irony is that all military coups in Pakistan have been at the behest of America. The Pakistani military has signed more defence pacts and agreements with America than all civilian governments put together. It is the Pakistan military which joined America in Afghanistan in the eighties and recently leased out Pakistan air bases and air space corridors to America. Still Washington did not trust the army when Osama-bin Laden was killed in a house at Abbotabad. Both generals in Pakistan and India should introspect. Kayani can get away with his allegation against the civil government and allow President Zardari say that he is supreme. Singh cannot because in democracy, the elected government is supreme. He should have known it before he raised the dust. • 17 Society INDONESIA By Lynda Ibrahim The Jakarta Post Dirty Jakarta Why fret about the Mayan prophecy, when the city needs saving now? ❖❖ Jakarta Ph oto by A FP H ow has 2012 treated you so far? While some of you, probably the Mayan prophecy diehards, are still recovering from a prolonged New Year celebration, some of us have had to return to real life. At this time of the year, real life in Indonesia involves rainy season, a heavy dose of tropical rain that is actually much-needed to wash away dirt and dreariness from the halfyear-long dry season. As a child, I loved this season. Either curling up in bed listening to the sound of rain, or enjoying the scent and view from the inside of a moving vehicle. It was one of my life’s small blisses. That is a small luxury that I, and many Jakartans, can no longer relate to. In the past few years the rainy season has turned into an urban horror story, when blocked waterways pushed excess water onto the streets, where dirt turned them into sludge, then halted the already jammed traffic into a standstill— hour after hour. There are many sophisticated ways to count how much Jakarta and its people suffer from overused petrol, wasted productive hours, extra costs to business opportunity losses. 18 • But there is never an adequate way to quantify the loss of energy, fighting spirit, or just general positive attitude whenever someone has to trudge along the impassable streets. Just glance over what Jakartans colourfully tweet during rush hours, including, um, the merry ways to incorporate our governor’s name into swearing. A friend missed my after-hours birthday party recently because she had no energy to brave the path from her office on southern Jl. Fatmawati to downtown Plaza Indonesia, which she likened to “parting the Red Sea a la Noah”. I’m lucky to live near downtown and mostly work from home, but even I had to reschedule or cancel various engagements, business and social, because the traffic, raining or not, was simply not worth all the fuss. Growing up I’ve always been known as an outgoing, people person—yet lately I feel like I’ve been confined to and trapped in a city that wouldn’t let me freely move nor breathe. Eve n w i t h o ut p e rs o n a l e co nomic demands, Jakartans aren’t that much different to caged animals. It is no wonder many of us suffer from all kinds of physical and social illnesses. Jakarta is up for its governor election this year. I have only three things to say to all aspiring candidates—adequate mass transportation system, trash management, and sewage canals. Yes, in that order; even before any grand plans. A n ad e q u ate a n d a ffo rd a bl e mass transportation system will quickly reduce the need for personal vehicles. We’ve toyed with monorail and subway ideas, and finally somewhat settled with the Transjakarta buses, yet it’s not adequately serving the mass population, who’s been obtaining motorcycles on cheap credit and far from attracting the upwardly mobile, upper middle class JakarJanuary 27-February 9, 2012 tans, still comfortably tucked into AC-ed cars. Fix it or provide us with something else. There are the ugly details of trash management. With the rise of income, the more we consume, the more we discard. Modern building managements have started to properly manage trash, but we live beyond offices, malls and posh apartments. The city needs to devise much better protocols and laws, not only for advanced waste management like recycling, but first to induce Jakartans to actually follow them. The fewer people throw garbage January 27-February 9, 2012 on sidewalks and sewers, the fewer blockages and less sludge there will be during the rainy season—it’s as simple as that. Last but not least, remember those canals transporting water from establishments or rainfall. Look around and see the latest trend in both residential and commercial buildings, to cover roadside sewers with concrete, mostly to make way for wider parking spaces. Don’t these people have logic? How are raindrops supposed to be absorbed or channeled away? No wonder the streets are flooded an hour into rain, the water has no place to go! And how come the city turns a blind eye to this stupidity? I vote and pay taxes, so now it’s my turn to ask for the city government, which has been collecting my taxes, to get their act together and provide me and 13 million inhabitants with a livable, living city. I don’t need empty slogans on giant-sized billboards featuring smiling candidates. A candidate with clear, concise, deliverable plans will win my vote. Forget the Mayan prophecy. Without better governance, Jakarta may just suck the life out of you before the year ends. • 19 Society INDONESIA By Elly Burhaini Faizal The Jakarta Post Indonesia’s ‘Lost Generation’ number of children with stunted growth is alarmingly high, especially compared to the government ‘s claim of reduced poverty rates in recent years ❖❖ Jakarta S ix-year-old Selvia Rahm awat i a p p e a re d u n d a u n t e d wa l k i n g b e tween cars and motorcycles at an intersection in Karet Bivak, Tanah Abang in Central Jakarta. She only had one objective—to knock on doors of cars and ask for small change from the vehicles’ occupants. “Just to buy snacks,” said Selvia, when asked about what she would do with the money. With the 15,000 rupiah (US$1.64) she earns every day, Selvia only spends a little to buy instant noodles, as she also has to support Uyi, her 45-year-old aunt. “I don’t know whether she is malnourished. I have no money to bring her to a hospital,” Uyi told The Jakarta Post, adding that most of Selvia’s daily diet consists of nothing other than instant noodles. Selvia, with her stick f igure body, is probably one among millions of children in the country who lack proper nutrition, often resulting in stunting. Data from the Basic Health Re20 • search programme (Riskesdas) conducted by the health ministry in 2010 shows that in spite of impressive economic growth, the percentage of children in the country experiencing stunted growth reached a staggering 35.6 per cent of children below the age of 5, a total of 26.7 million children. Growth stunting is a primary manifestation of malnutrition in early childhood, including malnutrition during fetal development brought on by the mother’s own malnourishment. Growth stunting could be identified by comparing measurements of children’s heights to the growth reference population. Growth stunting occurs due to a dietary deficiency of micro nutrients, and in the long run it can affect both cognitive development and productivity. East Nusa Tenggara has the highest rate of children with stunted growth—58.4 per cent of children below age 5. West Papua comes second with 49.2 per cent, and West Nusa Tenggara is third with 48.2 per cent. North Sumatra trails in fourth position with 42.3 per cent, and South Sulawesi in fifth with 40.4 per cent. The number of children with stunted growth is alarmingly high, especially compared to the government claim of reduced poverty rates in recent years. According to the National Development Planning Agency (Bappenas), Indonesia’s poverty rate dropped by 5.26 per cent over the 2006-2011 period. As of September 2011, the number of poor people reached 29.89 million people, or 12.36 per cent of the total population. Bappenas expects that poverty rates will decline in the next five years to 10.5-11.5 per cent by 2012 and between 8 and 10 per cent by 2014. Razak Thaha, a professor of nutrition from the Makassar-based University of Hasanuddin said Indonesia ranked fifth in the world for the number of children with stunted growth. “Instead of malnourishment, we are now facing the problem of children with stunted growth as their main health problem,” he said. Razak said stunted growth in children showed chronic malnourishment affected children in their development ages. January 27-February 9, 2012 The 2010 Riskesdas data, however, also showed that the country is dealing with a d o u b l e - w h a m my o f growth stunting and obesity in children. “We are facing a double burden—stunted growth and childhood obesity. Malnourished children will suffer from stunted growth, but consuming an unhealthy diet will cause obesity in children,” he said. Despite claims of success by the health ministry in handling malnutrition, the problem remains high among children under 5 years old, reaching 17.9 per cent as of 2010. About 14.2 per cent of the country’s children under 5 years old suffer from obesity. Health minister Endang Rahayu Sedyaningsih said in a statement that improving the nutrition of children under 5 years old would be the focus of the ministry’s agenda in 2012. “We will increase the number of Nutrition Improvement Centres to 153 units, up from 95 units in 2011,” she said, adding that the government would distribute more micronutrient sprinkles called Taburia. In 2011, the ministry distributed 38 million sachets of Taburia, exceeding the 5.5 million sachets it distributed in 2010. Data from the Basic Health Research programme (Riskesdas) conducted by Indonesia’s health ministry in 2010 shows that in spite of impressive economic growth, the percentage of children in Indonesia experiencing stunted growth reached a staggering 35.6 per cent of children below the age of 5, a total of 26.7 million children. TODDLER’S STUNTING PREVALENCE D.I. Yogyakarta 22.5 DKI Jakarta 26.6 Kepulauan Riau 26.9 North Sulawesi 27.8 Papua 28.3 Bangka Belitung 29 East Kalimantan 29.1 Bali 29.3 North Maluku 29.4 Jambi 30.2 Bengkulu 31.6 Riau 32.2 West Sumatra 32.8 Banten 33.5 West Java 33.6 Central Java 33.9 South Kalimantan 35.3 Indonesia 35.6 East Java 35.9 Central Sulawesi 36.2 Lampung 36.3 Maluku 37.5 Southeast Sulawesi 37.8 Aceh 38.9 South Sulawesi 38.9 Central Kalimantan 39.6 West Kalimantan 39.7 Gorontalo 40.3 South Sumatra 40.4 West Sulawesi 41.6 North Sumatra 42.3 West Nusa Tenggara 48.2 West Papua 49.2 East Nusa Tenggara 58.4 10 20 30 40 50 60 Source: Health Minister January 27-February 9, 2012 • 21 Society HONG KONG By Simon Parry China Daily Working Towards An Early Grave? Hong Kong employees work long hours for reasons rooted in culture that may be extremely hard to break ❖❖ Hong Kong O ne of four Ebenezer Scrooge would have felt at home in Hong Kong over the New Year public holiday. The fictional miser who declared Christmas a “humbug” would have heartily approved of seeing nearly six out of 10 office workers spend the festive season at their desks. A study found that 59 per cent of Hong Kong people worked over Christmas and New Year, even though more than 40 per cent of overall respondents said they believed workers would get very little done in the holiday time they sacrificed to be at work. The number of people working over the holiday in the survey by office solutions company Regus was 5 per centage points higher than the global average and reflects a familiar trend among Hong Kong white collar workers to sacrifice their free time and family lives to be last out of the office at night. While employees in other countries switch off the office lights at 6pm or offer overtime payments to anyone who stays after hours, Hong Kong employees seem almost pathologically afraid of closing the office door behind them before their boss has gone home. So why do Hong Kong employees 22 • spend so long at work? The reasons, according to Lau Yuk-king, a professional consultant at the Chinese University’s Department of Social Work, are complex and rooted in culture—and it is a pattern that may be extremely hard to break. Lau’s studies found that the average working day for a Hong Kong person is 10.47 hours including travel time—putting the city way above the International Labour Union standard of a 40-hour working week. More than 57 per cent said they felt exhausted after work and 50 per cent said work ate up time they would like to spend with loved ones, according to her research which concluded the conflict between work and family harmed people’s mental health and the functioning of their families. “Some employees told me they are too afraid to leave early because it will impress their employer that they are not industrious or as hard-working as their co-workers,” she said. Hong Kong people are not workaholics, however, Lau insisted. It is factors other than sheer love of work that make them spend so long away from home. “We work hard for our family and our family appreciate our hard work even if sometimes we have to spend family time in work,” she said. “It does cause some disturbance on family life, but Hong Kong peo- ple are more accepting of this kind of work-life disturbances than people in Western countries.” Significantly, perspectives on long working hours are very different in the West compared to Chinese societies, where they are seen as a sign that someone is doing an important job and is somehow indispensible to their company, Lau said. In her studies, Lau measured the impact of family life on work and the impact of work on family life. “We don’t allow our family to disturb our work,” she said. “This is a Chinese norm, because our employer expects us to behave this way. If not, we are not a good employee.” By contrast, there was little negative feeling over the effect of long working hours on family lives.”I found respondents said the workfamily enrichment is higher than the work-family conflict they experienced,” Lau said. “They found a more positive impact on their family life because they are at work.” In other words, Hong Kong people measure good salaries and social prestige as a positive contribution to family life, even if it means the bread winner working late at night and spending long periods away from their spouses and children. “Imagine, for example, my husband has a high-ranking job in a multi-national corporation. He may be a regional director earning a lot January 27-February 9, 2012 January 27-February 9, 2012 • 23 P hoto by A aro n Tam /A F P “Productivity goes down otherwise. Problems you can’t solve between 6pm and 8pm sometimes are a lot easier when you start at 8am in the morning with a fresh head.” Hong Kong’s attitude to working hours differed greatly to those of northern Europe, said Leijten, a Dutchman based in Shanghai. “When you work in north Europe especially, it is almost like the lights get switched off at 6pm,” he said. “People go home and that is it. You have stronger unions. How many unions in Hong In this file photo taken on Nov 4, 2011, an office worker walks against the backdrop of office blocks in Kong actually bargain for Hong Kong including the International Finance Centre. working hours and overtime regulation? of money and I am proud of him, surveyed by Lau had daily meals “In Hong Kong, long working and my children may be proud of with family members and 59 per hours is a normal part of life. It is him,” Lau said. cent said they went out as a family seen that I am important in the of“If he has to travel frequently to for activities such as meals or going fice or the boss is there and I want go abroad and go to the mainland, I to the movies once a week. to make sure the boss knows I am will accept it because it is part of his Regus, a company which pro- trying to do a good job and put all work and he is making very impor- motes flexible workspaces, warns my effort into it. tant contribution to the family pres- that overly long working hours can Transforming the unhealthy tige and status and the family’s fi- call cardio-vascular disease, stom- working culture of Hong Kong will nancial situation. ach ulcers, high blood pressure and require “comprehensive change not “As a result, I can send my chil- depression. only at individual level but also in dren abroad to study or to an interThe company’s regional vice- social policy”, Lau argued. One manational school in Hong Kong. My president Hans Leijten said: “There jor hindrance is the stigma that goes family has a lot of choices, a lot is the health risk and there is also with accepting any form of governmore choices than families in lower the psychological risk of being ex- ment handout. economic status.” posed to too much stress which has “Most people don’t have any Hong Kong employees might an effect not only in the office but at sense of security in our society,” she spend long hours in the office but home, where family life is suffering. said. “We are used to earning our they make the most of the precious People need to spend time with own money and saving our own little time they have with their fami- family and friends to make sure money for retirement. We try hard lies, Lau found, something she their work-life balance stays intact. to earn as much as possible and save views as further evidence that Hong “There are also indirect health as much as possible. So work is very Kong is not a city of workaholics. risks. I remember one guy, a sales important to us. We make every ef“I found that Hong Kong employ- director at my office in Holland, fort to keep a good earning job. ees have a high involvement in who significantly overworked. He “I think the government should (family) leisure activities,” she said. was three times involved in a car ac- create a more comprehensive pen“So they work long hours but they cident driving home. sion system or retirement system so maintain their active participation “There is a higher risk of alcohol we can feel more secure about our in family activities, especially with abuse among people who work long future. Now we just rely on ouryounger children. hours. They can sometimes com- selves and we have to work hard for “They are very responsible par- pensate with smoking or drinking ourselves to protect ourselves and ents. They work hard but they seek for the stress level.” our families from uncertainty.” out what limited time they have to Long hours do not equal greater Until that changes, Lau believes, enjoy activities with their children.” productivity either, he argued. “You the lights will continue to burn Despite their long hours, an im- need to be sure you have a balanced late into the night in Hong Kong’s pressive 55 per cent of employees work and break period,” he said. offices. SPORTS P hoto by A F P By Francis T.J. Ochoa Philippine Daily Inquirer Pacquiao Vs Mayweather: THE FIGHT THAT COULD BE A VICTIM OF ITS OWN MAGNITUDE Pacquiao is rated as the best pound for pound boxer in the world and Fighter of the Decade having won six world titles. P hoto by Phil ippin e Daily I nquirer ❖❖ Manila M Pacquiao fights Juan Manuel Marquez for the WBO Welter Weight Title at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Nov 12, 2011 in Las Vegas. 24 • anny Pacquiao is, without doubt, at the crossroads of a career that has turned a one-time street urchin into an international icon beyond the boundaries of sports. For the pound-forpound king, the only boxer in history to win world titles in eight different weight classes, 2012 will be a defining year, a season that will chart the last few paths of Pacquiao’s career. And when one speaks of Pacquiao 2012—not in the electoral or political manner it may sound like—the names that immediately come to mind are those of fivedivision world champion American boxer Floyd Mayweather Jr. and lightweight champion Mexican boxer Juan Manuel Marquez. “There are negotiations going on with both camps, along with Timothy Bradley,” said Pacquiao during a recent dinner with sports journalists. Take Bradley out of that statement and you get the two most important fights in Pacquiao’s career. In fact, a definitive victory over both Marquez and Mayweather may be the perfect horse that the current Sarangani representative can ride off on to his chosen sunset. Of the two, Mayweather is the bigger bout. Financially, it presents Pacquiao with the opportunity to rake in his biggest guaranteed purse—at least US$50 million, analysts predict—plus huge additional sums through his share of the pay-per-view (PPV) and gate receipts pie. It also presents Pacquiao with the chance to validate his spot in not just the January 27-February 9, 2012 pound-for-pound rankings but in the all-time list as well. The Mayweather bout also cuts through different platforms beyond the sporting arena. It is an entertainment spectacle that promises to break existing pay-per-view records and should be an economic force—casino revenues tend to spike during Pacquiao fights, The New York Times once reported. And none of those fights were within the zip code of the hype, importance and anticipation of PacquiaoMayweather. The bout’s historical significance must not be overlooked. Argue all you want about who’s No. 1 and No. 2, you will still end up with an inescapable truth: They are, pound for pound, the two best fighters in the world. And rare is the opportunity that the world’s two best fighters belong in the same weight class that they can actually duke it out to settle who’s No. 1. By some twist of fate they are also at the prime of their careers, and are both certified cash cows of the sport. In fact, the fight could be the single most important fight in modern boxing history that it may end up a victim of its own magnitude. The fight can become so big that putting it together could be a logistical nightmare that’s a stone’s throw from being impossible. There have been several investors willing to shell out the money it will take to get the two best fighters in the world to finally face off in the squared circle. Each fighter will command astronomical sums from these investors. But promoters will be faced with the question of how to repay these investors. While boxing is big business, there is little income to be generated outside of PPV buys and live ticket sales. Knock-offs have turned merchandising into a joke. And both PPVs and ticket sales are self limiting. Beyond the US, there is little PPV income. In the Philippines, where time stands still and virtually everyone stands frozen in front of TV screens, movie January 27-February 9, 2012 P hoto by A F P Mayweather Jr. celebrates after defeating Victor Ortiz by knockout in the fourth round in a WBC welterweight title fight in Las Vegas last Sept 17, 2011. houses and community screenings during Pacquiao fights, PPV is hardly a force incomewise. And Mayweather’s reluctance to fight outside of Las Vegas— his comfort zone— greatly paralyses the revenue earning capabilities of the fight at the ticket booths. It could take a busload of marketing geniuses to help Top Rank and Golden Boy Promotions greatly increase the fight’s income generating pool. The fallback? Pacquiao-Marquez. This is the more possible fight and could be the one Pacquiao will lace his gloves up for in May next year. It won’t be half the financial success a fight against Mayweather will be, but it is significant enough to make cash registers ring. Pacquiao and Marquez have fought three brutal and thrilling bouts that ended up a draw, with two close scorecard victories by Pacquiao. The Pacman has been aching for a definitive triumph over the only fighter he has yet to unlock since hooking up with Hall-of-Fame trainer Freddie Roach. But it seems that with each passing fight, it is Marquez who is solving the Pacquiao puzzle. From getting floored thrice in their first meeting, Marquez managed to survive one more knockdown the second time they squared off before finally nearly pulling it off in their third encounter. Pacquiao-Marquez, therefore, presents the Filipino ring superstar with a unique opportunity: Laying to rest the last shred of doubt critics can cast on him. It is, however, an opportunity shrouded in a painfully obvious reality. That until the age difference comes into play—Marquez is 38, six years older than Pacquiao—every fight between the two will produce a less-than-definitive winner. Which is why Pacquiao-Mayweather is 2012’s top priority. Pacquiao’s last bout against Marquez has emboldened “Money” to drop his concerns about protecting his last boxing legacy—his undefeated record—and call out Pacquiao. Both sides have worked out disagreements on drug testing protocols (Mayweather may even get a reprieve from the lawsuit Pacquiao slapped on him for insinuations of steroid use) and the money is just a marketing ploy away from being placed on the table. A definitive Pacquiao over Marquez might even force Mayweather back into duck mode. Never before has the boxing world moved closer to PacquiaoMayweather than it does now. It is definitely the battle Pacquiao has to wage in 2012, otherwise it will end up the fight that, in the future, people will ruefully list under their “could have beens”. • 25 CULTURE TAIWAN By Joseph Yeh The China Post ‘HANDSTANDING’ AROUND TAIWAN A Taiwanese dancer and stuntman encourages people to follow their hearts by handstanding his way around the island ❖❖ Taipei Y Ph oto s from Ming - ch eng Huang’ s Face b oo k ou may not have heard the name Ming-cheng Huang, but you must have seen his photographs which show him doing handstands in weird and dangerous places around the country. The Taiwanese 28-year-old has had photos of him taken doing handstands in places near cliffs, on rocks in the sea, on top of roofs, and even on the back of a scooter, which were all shot during his five-month round-the-island-tour which concluded a year ago. The southern Pingtung Countyborn dancer and stuntman is not crazy, just in case you were wondering; he was simply pursuing his dream and fulfilling his natural talent of doing a handstand, which according to him, is a born gift. “Since the age of 13, I have dreamed about standing on my head and taking pictures,” Huang said. At the age of 13, Huang was 26 • already renowned for his acrobatic skills when he won the first international prize for Taiwan in one of the world’s four major stunt events in China. During his 20,000-km trip, Huang worked as a street entertainer to fund the project that had taken him to spots all over the country, leaving 12,000 of such unique photographs. The performances were not just to show his acrobatic talents, however, Huang was also hoping that the somewhat strange but inspiring shows could encourage more people to realise their dreams. “I want to convey three main ideas to Taiwanese people with the tour,” Huang said. “One is that I find most Taiwanese people are only doing their jobs for the money, instead of fulfilling their talents.” Second, Huang said he would like to encourage all to follow their heart by facing and ultimately accomplishing their dreams. January 27-February 9, 2012 “I believe everyone should live the life they choose, instead of following another’s footsteps,” he said. Last but not least, he said he wants to highlight the importance of environmental protection in Taiwan. “We all love Taiwan’s landscape and environment, but we don’t know how to protect them,” he said. Therefore, during his street entertaining trip, Huang not only performed handstands and handwalking for entertainment, he also displayed the photographs he took on some of the most beautiful sceneries and the ugliest parts of Taiwan to remind all the importance of environmental protection. “If people do not get that and just feel happy watching my show, that’s fine with me. But if people can get some inspiration and then start living a life they choose, then that is much better.” Huang, also known as “Mr Candle,” a nickname he came up with after he showed the logo of himself standing upsidedown to friends. “They all said the logo looks like a candle but I was actually drawing my handstand,” he said. But he later found the nickname suit him very well. “We can use it everywhere, and also it symbolises that it can give people light,” he noted. January 27-February 9, 2012 The enthusiastic Mr Candle, however, was not always that good in following his heart. Like many people, he used to work for money. For three years, he worked as a salesperson in recruiting students for cram schools in Taipei before he chose another life to enter university to become a dancer and stuntman. “My superior in the cram school told me that you are nothing if you have no money, which prompted me to earn more money,” he said. But ultimately, he felt tired and empty in pursing such material happiness as he began to question what is that he really wants in life and if living is only about making money? Then 21-year-old Huang ultimately decided to quit and studied stage and circus stunts at National Taiwan College of Performing Arts. Following graduation, he joined the Lafa Dance Company in 2008, and toured around Taiwan and to New York. Huang described these unique experiences as a turning point in his life, during which he rediscovered the happiness he had in his youth when doing stunts and hand-standing. Realising life is too short to waste in doing things he doesn’t like, Huang, following eight months of preparation, officially launched the unprecedented project that began on March 13, 2010, in his hometown Pingtung County. The journey ultimately allowed him to travel across the country, including outlying Penghu, Matzu and Kinmen. During the tour, many told Huang that they were inspired by his performance and photographs and gain more courage to do what they really want, he said. Currently drafting his second Taiwan-crossing tour, which is scheduled to begin next year and is expected to last for two years, Huang disclosed that his ultimate goal is to travel around the world in this fashion for a 15-year-tour. Like his nickname Mr Candle, suggests, Huang wishes to shine light to more people around the world with his shows and photographs taken from his unique perspective. With himself as an example, Huang encouraged all to boldly pursue their dreams and to find the reason for one to be born in this world. “It’s only a matter of how bad you really want to realise your dream,” he said. “If you are hungry enough, you will find it at any cost,” he said. Calling for a swift action to follow one’s heart, Huang reminded that a person is their own worst enemy and instead of finding excuses, one should start the dream-searching tour as soon as possible. • 27 CULTURE CHINA By Xu Lin China Daily SQUARING OFF WITH ENGLISH Square English is a combination of the English language and Chinese calligraphy ❖❖ Beijing W Photo s by Zha ng W ei / Ch ina Daily Deng Shenyi says for Westerners, square English is art, while for Chinese, it’s a new and fun way to learn English. 28 • hen Deng Shenyi used a brush to write calligraphy in New York City in 2008, most of the audience couldn’t understand the pictographic words. “Although they look like ancient Chinese, they are all English words written in a Chinese style,” said Deng, a member of the China Association of Inventions. “On a second look, one can identify these words,” said Deng, 49. “After my explanation, the audiences began to understand the words and tried to read them aloud.” He calls this new artistic form “square English”, a combination of the English language and Chinese calligraphy. Like Chinese characters, each square English word is the same size, no matter the number of letters. The English letters are like the parts of Chinese character, and the writing sequence is from top to bottom, and left to right, following the path of Chinese characters. “Culture can stimulate the development of society. I’m not changing Western culture, but promoting a Chinese thinking pattern. It’s easier to promote Chinese calligraphy among foreigners too,” he said. Since 2008, his works have been exhibited in such places as Beijing, New York City and Las Vegas. He spent about a month finishing the work of the Charter of the United Nations in square English, which was collected by the UN in January 27-February 9, 2012 A piece of Deng Shenyi’s work which reads “Wish you good luck”. 2008. He also wrote the works of English versions of Chinese classical poems, prose and novels. “It’s neat, pretty and saves paper. For the UN Charter, there are 117 pages in the English version, 95 in Chinese, but only 80 in square English,” he said. He said the calligraphy could also be promoted in other languages such as French and German. “It’s very creative. If the special calligraphy is promoted to the world, so is Chinese culture,” said Gu Xiangyang, a calligrapher and professor from Peking University. Deng said the writing of the 26 letters remains pretty much the same as in English, but they are assembled in different ways to make the words diversified. Square English follows English grammar, too. For example, capitalised words in English remain capitalised. In addition, Deng divides the words by syllables and writes one after another according to the writing sequence of Chinese characters. “It’s easy to pronounce the word when one sees the divided syllables, especially for Chinese, who are used to the top-to-bottom and left-to-right thinking pattern,” he said. January 27-February 9, 2012 After years of research, Deng has created about 8,000 words in square English, each of which has a fixed form. If he has to write an unfamiliar word, he will first make a draft, to think about the perfect structure of the word. Deng said the idea struck him when he first came to the United States in 1997 as a visiting scholar. “My English was so poor that I even had difficulty reading the street names. If I could combine English and Chinese languages, I thought maybe it would be easier to learn English,” he said. At first he scrambled the letters so that the words looked beautiful, but even Americans couldn’t understand them. After numerous failures, he found the right way to write the English calligraphy in 2003. “For Westerners, square English is art, while for Chinese, it’s a new and fun way to learn English,” he said. He said a square English dictionary will soon roll off the press in Hong Kong and the Chinese mainland. The dictionary has more than 8,000 common English words, with Chinese explanations and Chinese pinyin. He has joined with the Chinese telecommunications giant Huawei Technologies to produce square English typewriting software, which will come out in a year or so. One only has to type the first and last letter of a word, and a list of words will pop up to choose from. “It’s easy to type and avoid mistakes, as you don’t have to type all the letters to get the word. People will love it,” he said. Apart from square English, Deng leads a productive life of inventing with more than 160 patents under his belt, about half of which have been brought to the market. He is also adept at both oil painting and Chinese ink-andwater art. His inventions of a wide variety include an anti-fake liquor bottle that can’t be refilled, a wine made of vegetables and herbal cosmetics. “He is such a versatile inventor and generous about sharing his creations. He doesn’t invent for money, but out of interest,” said his friend Shen Jie, a member of China Association of Collectors. Deng said many of his patents have been violated by companies, who stole his formulas in the name of cooperation. “But I don’t bother to file lawsuits. As long as the public benefits from these inventions, I’m happy,” he said. • 29 PEOPLE THE PHILIPPINES P hoto by A F P By Eric S. Caruncho Philippine Daily Inquirer 100% Made In The Philippines Black Eyed Pea’s apl.de.ap is proud to be filipino ❖❖ Manila Y ou can go home again. With his trademark Mohawk hairdo, and pimped out in an all black outfit and black, knee-high biker boots, Black Eyed Pea apl.de.ap a.k.a. Allan Pineda Lindo Jr. stands out in a sea of white barong (Filipino traditional suit). The cream of corporate Makati, mostly bank executives, have gathered together in a penthouse ballroom to honour Apl who has been chosen one of the Bank of the Philippine Islands’ BPInoy awardees for 2011. The annual accolade goes to Filipinos who have done their country proud in the international arena. apl has been chosen not only because of his membership in the Black Eyed Peas, a massive global pop franchise that has sold more than 56 million albums worldwide, but also because for the last few years, he has been coming home to the Philippines to give some of his blessings back to the land of his birth. At first it was just an annual Christmas homecoming that saw apl giving out gift packages to the less fortunate residents of his hometown in Angeles City, Pampanga (north of Manila). The last couple of years, however, apl has made it more formal by establishing the apl.de.ap Foundation to serve as the vehicle for his humanitarian efforts. Last August, he donated a computer lab and library to his old school, the Sapang Bato National High School in 30 • The Black Eyed Peas rose to the top and became one of the most commercially successful pop groups with 26 million albums sold worldwide. Pampanga. He also built a music studio at the Holy Angel University, also in Angeles City, where young Filipinos can hone their talents. But apl has set his sights beyond his hometown: he plans to take his mission nationwide. In partnership with the Ninoy and Cory Aquino Foundation, which has appointed him a “special ambassador for education”, he has chosen to focus his efforts on an education advocacy campaign called “We Can Be Anything”. It is a perfect fit for the man who once said: “dreaming big and doing something about it can get you really far”. To help drive the message home, apl composed and recorded the single “We Can Be Anything”, complete with inspirational music video. “I think that with an education, you can be anything. You could be a musician, you could be an artist, but with an education you always have a background to fall back on. It’s really important for me to give the youth an equal opportunity. I want Filipino kids to compete around the world, with technology and computers and stuff.” He plans to continue building more computer labs and music studios. “I want talented kids that are into music to have an outlet, to have a place to go to and record demos, and practise. In the future I want to be able to discover talents from the Philippines, and that’s why it’s important for me to provide technology and music studios and library. You never know, I might find the next Black Eyed Peas.” He has also pledged to help in building 10,000 new classrooms in the next two years, to help the education department put a dent in the estimated shortfall of 68,000 classrooms throughout the country. He has been using his celebrity status to raise funds abroad for this purpose through various charities. “I’ve also been talking to companies in the US like Google. There’s a Filipino team in Google who are planning to teach kids computer science and technology via the Internet. Now that we’ve build these computer labs, we have to teach the teachers how to teach kids to work with these computers.” Like other celebrities who are driven January 27-February 9, 2012 to give back, he seems to be motivated by a deep sense of gratitude for the opportunities he has been given, and the realisation that things could very easily have turned out differently. The birth of a star Sapang Bato, where Allan Pineda Lindo Jr. was born on Nov 28, 1974, lies on the hilly outskirts of Angeles City, near Clark Air Base. His biological father, a black American airman, abandoned the family, leaving his mother Cristina Pineda to support him and six other siblings. “We were poor, but my mom is like a superwoman—she’s just a great entrepreneur,” apl recalls. “We used to have a store in front of the house, and she was great with turning money around. Nevertheless, life was hard, and as the eldest, apl had to help feed the family from a young age. To make things even more difficult, he had been born with nystagmus, a condition that causes involuntary eye movements and which leads to impaired vision. Although he was a good student, apl sometimes had to sit in front to be able to read the blackboard, or copy his seatmates’ notes. “It was pretty hard, but I’ve learned how to adapt to my surroundings,” says apl, who is considered legally blind because of his affliction. “When I was young I didn’t know how to control it, but since I’ve grown up I’ve learned to conquer it, I guess. It’s weird, sometimes I feel like I have selective sight, ’cause I’m very good at basketball, none of my friends can beat me in bowling, none of them can beat me in pool, I can break-dance, and pretty much do everything. I just can’t drive.” Being a “G.I. baby,” apl was eligible for assistance from the Pearl S. Buck Foundation, a US-based NGO founded by the author of “The Good Earth” and dedicated to helping Amerasian kids. Through the Pearl S. Buck Foundation, the young boy found a sponsor in Joe Ben Hudgens, a children’s rights attorney, who sent money for tuition and school supplies. Eventually, his January 27-February 9, 2012 mother arranged for Hudgens to legally adopt her son. Apl had mixed feelings about being adopted: he was grateful for the opportunities that being in the US opened up for him, but he was also homesick and missed his family. “When I first got adopted and brought to the US, I would write home, and sometimes I’d get my allowance and put it in the letter. Sometimes it wouldn’t make it, so what I started doing was, every dollar I had I would write down the serial number in the letter, so at least if somebody took it, they would know that I tried to send some money back.” Still, going from Angeles, Pampanga to Los Angeles, California was a culture shock for the 14-year-old boy. “I remember when I first got to the US, there were a lot of gangs—Filipinos fighting other Filipinos. It didn’t make sense to me.” company because we weren’t gangsters and we were so different. We had to prove ourselves—we would play at clubs, colleges, and what we would do was we would have a notebook with a mailing list, and we would call these people for the next show. We had to actually create a following, and prove to the record companies that there is a market for that kind of music. We would do shows for 5,000 people, and we had to prove to the record labels that there is room for eclectic and more progressive type of music.” Finally, apl and Adams got themselves signed in 1992. Three years lat- Tapping into his talents Music proved to be his salvation. Back in Angeles, the year before he left for the States, he had gotten into break dancing after seeing youngsters at school doing the old school popping and locking moves. “I didn’t come to the US to be a gangster, so I changed my whole attire and focused on break dancing and making music, and I became neutral with everybody. I could hang out with the gangsters, I could hang out with the Fil-Ams, I could hang out with what they called the FOBs—fresh off the boat—because I was into music. Music gave me that positive outlook instead of getting caught up in gangs and fighting other Filipinos. That wasn’t my purpose. My purpose was to make it so I could help my family.” His influence? Groups like A Tribe Called Quest, De la Soul, the Jungle Brothers, Boogie Down Production. In a sea of bitch this and ‘ho that, apl’s music was actually a breath of fresh air. But it would take time for the industry to catch up. “It didn’t come overnight,” he recalls. “It was hard to get signed by a record Born in an impoverished family, apl.de.ap struggled in his bid to stardom. The FilipinoAmerican pop star raises money for disasterstricken and poor communities in the country. er, after Jaime Gomez a.k.a. Taboo joined, they changed their name to the Black Eyed Pods, and then the Black Eyed Peas. Their first two albums— “Behind the Front” (1998) and “Bridging the Gap” (2000) garnered critical acclaim, but after Stacy Ferguson a.k.a. Fergie joined in 2003, and the band released their third album “Elephunk”, critical mass was finally achieved, and the multi-platinum pop phenomenon that we know today as the Black Eyed Peas assumed its present form. But for all his globe-trotting, home for apl will always be here. “I’m made in the Philippines all the way,” he says proudly. “I grew up here until I was 14, and I could never change that. It’s just a certain feeling. When I’m here I feel at home.” • 31 Ph otos from h ttp:/ / www.luxuezh eng.com By Lydia Lin The China Post Hakka High Fashion A Taiwanese designer subtly weaves his Hakka ancestry into his clothes 32 • C ❖❖ Taipei onsumers of fashion in Taiwan generally like to follow trends, but are less concerned with their origins. They know what is “in” from what other people are wearing, what is selling in stores and playing on a loop in commercials. If they are older, they might see a re-emergence of January 27-February 9, 2012 certain looks and styles and point them out wistfully. What many may overlook is the fact that the majority of such trends come from the West, a fashion industry reality that deeply concerns rising Hakka designer Lu Xue-zheng. “Asian fashion is severely underrepresented in the industry,” Lu lamented, explaining further that all recycled trends on the runway—revamped “retro,” if you will—derive from different eras of Western history. Whether it is the “hippie-chic” style of flared jeans and floral dresses from the ‘60s and ‘70s, or the comeback of Ray-Bans and Doc Martens from the ‘80s and ‘90s, one will be hard-pressed to find an iconic, Asian fashion item reminiscent of a cultural wave—aside from dowdy “Mao suits” or Qi-paos from the 1920s—that has cemented its relevance into the everyday, ready-towear realm. “When you think about it, there is really no such thing as ‘Asian retro’ style,” Lu pointed out. It made him wonder why Asian fashion, unlike that of the West, was not being refreshed and recycled. While some Asian designers purposely avoid incorporating oriental elements in their lines for fear of being too predictable or indulging in stereotypes, others, like “Chanel of Taiwan” Shiazty Chen, have thrived by capitalising on a distinctly “Neo-Chinese chic” aesthetic. January 27-February 9, 2012 Does Lu, with his newly minted label “Lu Xue Zheng,” wish to follow Shiazty’s footsteps? “I respect her style, but I would say my clothes are a little younger and more adventurous,” the Shih Chien University fashion design graduate said. Judging by his online look book and his personal style (Lu has lines for both men and women), the young designer has taken pains to subtly weave his Hakka ancestry into his clothes. On the day of The China Post interview at the TTF-founded Design Atelier offices, Lu is his own walking advertisement, wearing a well-structured jean jacket, the i n s i d e of wh i c h i s l i n e d w i t h handkerchiefs vibrant with imprints of Hakka Tung blossoms. In pictures, a Lu Xue Zheng beige trench coat is also lined with the similar Hakka patterns. “I found the handkerchiefs at a local market. Maybe one day I will draw the flowers myself as my own interpretation of the fabric, but until then, the real thing will do.” Lu figured out early that pursuing a career based on passion and love can overcome practicality. His determination paid off, too, when as a student at Shih Chien, he won both the Taiwan Fashion Award and the Taiwan Sin Sa Award. Invitations to exhibit at Sweden’s So Stockholm Gallery, at the Taipei Flora Expo and the 2011 Taipei IN Style followed. The appeal of Lu’s clothes is precisely the blend of East and West, organic and geometric elements. Deeply inspired by architectural philosophy, Lu published his thesis titled “Between Modern Architecture and Fashion Aesthetic”, which could very well be his own design manifesto touting the “fusion of East meets West” and “the deconstruction of oriental elements with minimalist influence.” This translates into stylish colorblock pieces from earlier shows and a new-age sport jackets with mandarin collars and red trim, one of his latest creations. Throughout his evolution in vision, you can count on Lu to never underestimate the Made in Taiwan (MIT) factor. “Taiwan has its own, distinct lifestyle. It is very important for me to reach deep within my roots and look for inspiration there, as opposed to always following external trends.” This could explain why the designer has no interest in turning Lu Xue Zheng into a mass-market brand, but rather hopes to attract customers who are introspective like him — pondering the same questions, donning garments as a statement of identity and looking for fashion that “reflects culture” rather than “mimicking trends”. “I have always asked myself what I can contribute to this industry. I have found that the answer is being true to myself and who I am.” • 33 PHOTO S COURTE SY O F KWO N KYUN G-Y UP By Park Min-young The Korea Herald Plagiarism Or Parody? For some artists, there is a thin line that separates plagiarism from drawing inspiration ‘Oblivion’ by Kwon Kyung-yup, 2009. 34 • ❖❖ Seoul S outh Korean artist Kwon Kyung-yub was recently shocked to f ind out that works very similar to hers were on sale i n Si ngapore. A fo r eigner who came across an Indonesian artist’s solo exhibition in Aug ust at Art Front Gallery in Singapore sent an e-mail to Kwon to fill her in on the news. In the show, Indonesian artist Dani King Heriyanto’s 2011 painting “Bandage” featured a girl wearing a hoodie and a bandage over her eye just like Kwon’s 2009 work “Adios”. Heriyanto’s 2011 work “Rise up” also showed a girl with a bandage wrapped around her face just as the girl in Kwon’s 2009 painting “Oblivion”. Appalled, Kwon wrote a post on her Facebook pointing out the similarities between the paintings and also sent a message to the director of the Singapore gallery to stop the January 27-February 9, 2012 sale and promotion of the works. According to Kwon, the director replied that the paintings are not the same and requested her to delete the posts. When she contacted Heriyanto, he simply claimed that he is a fan of her works, would like to be her friend, and that what he does is parody. “But what makes parody different from plagiarism is that it clarifies the original,” Kwon told The Korea Herald. An art consultant at Art Front Gallery admitted the Indonesian artist was in the wrong and said he tried to contact Kwon about the issue. “What Dani King did was wrong because he claims that he took inspiration from the Korean artist. So I actually tried to give her a call, and I asked someone in Korea to set up a call so that I could actually send ‘Bandage’ by Dani King Heriyanto, 2011 out an apology, but it never happened. I thought this should be professionally spoken instead of being posted on Facebook—what she has been doing is writing it on her Facebook and sending out emails to our clients to stop buying the works,” he said. But stopping the sale and promotion of the works is up to the gallery’s director and he has no say in it, he said. Kwon is an up-and-coming artist who is actively working in many Asian and European countries. She January 27-February 9, 2012 has been participating in art fairs in Hong Kong and Taiwan since 2009. She showcased the very paintings in 2009 at Gana Art Gallery in Pyeongchang-dong, central Seoul. Many Korean critics agreed that there is a high possibility that the Indonesian artist plagiarised her work, as the works are too similar in colour and composition, Kwon claimed. Although Korea, Singapore and Indonesia are all members of the World Intellectual Property Organisation which means that artists have copyrights to their work, in most cases it is only possible to call a work plagiarism by winning the case in court, unless the suspected copier admits to it. There is no stipulated criteria to distinguish plagiarism and parody, but what is vaguely agreed is that it is plagiarism if it has similarities with another artwork from the general public’s point ‘Rise up’ by Dani King Heriyanto, 2011. proclamation gets known in the public so that the copier naturally dies out in the market,” said Kwon. Lee Lee-nam, a media artist known for fantasy-like artwork in which Western and Asian masterpieces merge on the screen using high-technology, said that he quit arguing about legal matters. “If it benefits society in some way, I just decided to let it go. I just concentrate on new creations now,” said Lee, who had argued last year that the Presidential Council of Nation Branding and LG’s ad about global etiquette copied his works in terms of concept and ‘Adios’ by Kwon Kyung-yup, 200. technique. In the ad, characters of view and if the artist suspected to from Western and Asian masterhave copied had access to the origi- pieces meet through computer nal one. graphics. LBest, the ad’s creator, Artists, therefore, are reluctant to had refuted Lee’s assertion saying sue because of the lack of specific that it is a universal technique to standard to distinguish plagiarism parody masterpieces. and parody, not to mention that lawCritics say that except for starting suits cost too much. Many, includ- a tedious lawsuit, there is currently ing Kwon, hesitate or give up filing a no other way to fight plagiarism in suit, and numerous art plagiarism the art world. controversies all over the world end “There is no other way than to up as nothing more than a scandal. leave it to the artists’ conscience. “The best thing would be that the We can do nothing but denounce original artist proclaims the rights unscrupulous artists,” said art critic to the work to the copier and the Hong Kyoung-han. • 35 LIFESTYLE THAILAND By Johanna Son Special for the Asia News Network A Race Well Won Ph oto s by P C ham p and Hy per pro Varitthorn 36 • January 27-February 9, 2012 All smiles from Varitthorn (3rd from left) and his team. ❖❖ Bangkok F ire and ice—that is, a fusion of passion and nerves of steel. Speed and control. Skill and luck. These bring a racer to the winner’s podium—and they ignited just the right mix to bring Varitthorn Siripraphatmongkhon the championship trophy in the D-Tracker 250 race series of the FMSCT Osaki Supermoto Thailand Championship for 2011. “Never was there pressure (on me) like this,” Varitthorn recalls, looking back at his two years in the D-Tracker One Make race series, held at the Bira Kart track in Pattaya. The sixth and last round of the 2011 championship, held on Jan 8, 2012, was a particularly nail-biting one, as Varitthorn and his rival took turns taking the lead in a race where one miscalculation would have made all the difference. That was a do-or-die race for Varitthorn, whose No. 2 placing in the 5th round the previous day meant that a loss on the 6th round would have cost him not just that round but his No. 1 placing in the series— and the overall championship. By the end of that Sunday, he had won, for the second year in a row, the Thailand championship of the D-Tracker One Make race at the FMSCT Osaki Supermoto circuit. Because this race was that much January 27-February 9, 2012 harder to win, the victory was sweeter to savour. “It’s the pressure here, the thinking (that you do),” he says, pointing to his head. “And knowing I could not do anything wrong during the (6th round) race.” With 34 trophies since late 2009 from the D-Tracker races in the Osaki circuit as well as the Kawasaki mini-GP races, Varitthorn lists three elements that make a good racer. One must have enough practice (“I think I should practice more”), a good team (“I cannot do this alone. I’ve got a good team, that’s why I can be here”) and good support from sponsors and others. Still, this formula, on top of having a bike in tip-top shape, does not guarantee every racer the trophy. “But I have had a lot of luck,” quips Varitthorn, who calls motorbike racing a “hobby” he does well outside his work as a professional fitness trainer. Far from getting a high from raw speed, he muses: “I don’t like speed too much but I like how to know how to go fast. Everyone can do speed, you just open the engine, but not everyone knows how to control it.” While his Kawasaki bike will continue to be seen in the D-Tracker 250-cc race, Varitthorn has set his eyes on other goals—and plans to rev his engine in the Superbike races. Indeed, the only thing that comes after one race—is the next one. • 37 By Yasminka Lee Asia News Network No ’ t n me n i a ‘Polit Rainie Yang Please Like oil and water, politics and entertainment cannot mix in Taiwan due to the China factor ❖❖ Bangkok P PH OTO S BY A FP olitics and entertainment don’t mix in Taiwan. This became even more obvious in the recently concluded presidential elections that saw stars keeping their distance from it. When asked if he voted, Taiwanese superstar Jay Chou was quoted by Apple Daily as saying: “I don’t touch politics. I’ve never tried to vote.” Chou, whose work is featured in Taiwanese textbooks, instead chose to go to Hong Kong on January 14—election day—to promote his latest film, The Viral Factor. “I have been busy. I will concentrate on making music,” he told reporters. Chou, who turned 33 earlier this month, said maybe he will vote when he becomes a father, adding that he plans to be one at the age of 35. Taiwanese artistes may have learned the harsh lesson of singer A-mei’s case back in 2000, when she sang Taiwan’s national anthem 38 • at the inauguration of Chen Shui-bian of the Democratic Progressive Party (DPP). Under Chen, DPP mounted an aggressive campaign for independence that worsened the cross-stait relations between Taiwan and China. Beijing frowned on what it considered as A-mei’s ‘politicking’ and promptly banned her from performing and selling records in China. Radio stations in the mainland also stopped broadcasting her music despite the fact that she has already sold more than one million records across the Chinesespeaking world that time. The singer was also dropped from a multi-million-dollar advertising campaign in China with American softdrink giant Coca-Cola. A-mei herself was puzzled over the ban. In a report by The Straits Times on May 29, 2000, she said: “We have all sung our national anthem before. I have never taken part in any political activities before. It was such a simple thing. “This may have been a misunderJanuary 27-February 9, 2012 Jay Chou standing. I hope it will end soon.” The ban, however, did not end “soon”. It took seven years before the ban was lifted and A-mei was allowed to perform on Chinese soil again. Politics is a touchy subject for many Taiwanese artistes. When this reporter tried to ask a few artistes on “Taiwanese identity” during a recent trip to Taiwan, they were all wary about answering the question. It was only when assured that it did not have anything to do with the China-Taiwan relations that they replied, albeit with an air of wariness. They cannot be blamed for such attitude though. China is the biggest market for Taiwan actors and singers. The Taiwan market is small and already saturated, resulting in a phenomenon that Taiwanese film critic and producer Peggy Chao called as “moving to the north”. This has seen the influx of many artistes from Taipei into mainland productions. Chao noted that Chinese production companies pay thrice the fees that Taiwanese artistes receive back home. January 27-February 9, 2012 Given this, Taiwanese artistes cannot afford to ruffle the feathers of the Beijing authorities. A-mei was not the only artiste to have been banned from China. The late singer Teresa Teng was banned in the 1980s because she sang for the nationalist troops in Taiwan. But according to The Straits Times article, Teng’s fans rushed to get her tapes from the black market despite a news boycott by the state media. Some have not been able to completely bounce back in China as A-mei though. In 2003, singeractress Rainie Yang committed a faux pas when she displayed on a Taiwanese variety show her lack of knowledge about Chinese history and the touchy subject of its war against Japan. When asked if she knew how long the China-Japan War of Resistance lasted, Yang replied that she did not know. When told of the number of years, she cried out: “Only eight years?” This prompted many Chinese to criticise her and McDonald’s was forced to change her as an endorser even four years later when it became apparent that she has failed A-mei to win back mainlanders from that incident. This day, Yang does not enjoy complete acceptance in the mainland market unlike her contemporaries who hold major concerts and shoot films and dramas produced by mainland companies. The most that Yang could do is film dramas for co-productions with Taiwan, and even these dramas do not have a guarantee that they will be shown on mainland channels. Unlike in the US, or in neighbouring Philippines where stars and politicians interact and even intermarry, politics and entertainment cannot be strange bedfellows in Taiwan because of the China factor. Giddens Ko, writer and director of You Are The Apple of My Eye— last year’s most successful Taiwanese film—was busy promoting the film in Beijing during Taiwan’s presidential elections. “I’m not interested in politics. Democracy means you are free to express yourself and you are free not to express yourself,” Ko said. [email protected] • 39 ENTERTAINMENT SOUTH KOREA By Shin Hae-in The Korea Herald Behind The Glamour SOME KOREAN STARS have psychological disorders AND BRAVE ENOUGH TO ADMIT IT Kim Jong-hoon ❖❖ Seoul B ehind his boisterous, lively persona hides an anxious man with constant fears of death, sickness and depression; Korea’s top comedian Lee Kyung-kyu said during a Sunday variety show that he suffers from panic disorder. Lee, 52, is one of the most popular entertainers in the country, currently hosting KBS 2TV’s Qualifications of a Man. During Sunday’s show, Lee revealed he has been suffering from constant panic attacks for the past year and started taking prescription medication last year. “I was constantly suffocating with fears of death. I would sometimes have to pinch myself to check whether I was still alive,” Lee said during the show. “I have 40 • been much better since taking medication and working out for the past four months.” Lee’s revelation came as a surprise not only for the viewers, but to his colleagues on the show, as it was hard to imagine a depressed man from the funny, active comedian on TV. An anxiety disorder characterised by recurring severe panic attacks, panic disorder is a form of psychological illness that many celebrities suffer from, including actors Cha Tae-hyun, Ha Yu-mi and Kim Ha-neul, as well as singers Kim Jang-hoon and Ha Dong-kyun. Panic attacks can also include significant behavioural change lasting at least a month, according to a medical encyclopedia. A sufferer of the disease may become stressed and anxious as he or she cannot predict when the next panic attack will occur. Symptoms that usually occur January 27-February 9, 2012 Chae Tae-hyun for about a minute may include lightheadedness, blurred vision, dizziness, shortness of breath, increased heart rate, perspiration and body tensing. Stress, a lack of sleep and too m u c h c a ffe i n e o r a l co h o l a re known to be some of the main causes of attacks, making celebrities more vulnerable to the illness, medical experts say. “Panic disorder is not an illness that can be cured with one’s will. It is important to take prescriptions and a doctor’s advice as Lee has done,” said psychiatrist Pyo Jin-in on his Twitter account. Dr Kim Bum-jo of Samsung Happymind Psychiatric Clinic said panic attacks can only be fully cured via long-term treatment. “The disorder can easily reoccur,” he said. “One needs to take medication from six months up to January 27-February 9, 2012 Lee Kyung-ku one year to prevent reoccurrence of the attacks.” According to a recent study by Sungkyunkwan University School of Medicine, up to 14 per cent of Korea’s 49 million people experience a panic attack at least once in a lifetime with about 406,000 people currently fighting the disorder. Females are two to three times more vulnerable to the illness compared to men, the study also showed. Although one cannot die from panic attacks, they can be a scary experience due to the similarities with a heart attack, medical experts say. Kim Jang-hoon, a popular singer, was hospitalised last month because of a panic attack after five years of no symptoms. The 45-year-old is said to have been fighting the disorder ever since he was a kid. Panic attacks in young people can be particularly distressful because the child has less insight about what is happening, Kim said in a media interview. While appearing on a cable channel talk show last year, actress Ha Yu-mi confessed to having a panic attack in Hong Kong, which she described as a “near-death frightening experience”. “I couldn’t move my tongue and face at all. The hospital could not find the cause and I was afraid I would be like that for the rest of my life,” the veteran actress said. Actor Cha Tae-hyun, star of the movie My Sassy Girl, said he suffered from severe panic attacks after viewership of a TV drama he acted in fell sharply. “I was very stressed out and afraid to get out of the house without medication,” he said during an SBS talk show. • 41 EXPLORE THAILAND By Phoowadon Duangmee The Nation In Lanna And Loving It Doi Kong Moo Pagoda rises over the city of Mae Hong Son A new travel guide takes you to a scenic ride around Chiang Mai northern beauty around you. You’re also independent, free to go where and when you please. The old capital of the Lanna Kingdom offers panoramic views, magnificent mountains and ethnic diversity. There is no better way to see Chiang Mai than by car. The Nation recently released “Weekend Road Trips Around Chiang Mai”—a self-drive guide to destinations in the province. Here’s our pick of the five best routes for a winter escape around the beautiful north. ∫∫ Pai: All over the hill and far away ❖❖ Chiang Mai Ph oto s by The Natio n M any would ask why opt for a self-drive trip in Chiang Mai in Thailand when it’s easy and relatively cheap to arrange for a van and a driver, allowing you to sit back and watch the landscape roll by, much as you would a movie? But drive yourself and you are in the movie, an integral part of the 42 • Start: Chiang Mai City. Head along the east side of Doi Suthep, passing Mae Rim and Mae Taeng districts. Route (133 kilometres): From Chiang Mai’s downtown take highway 107 towards Mae Rim, and keep going to Mae Taeng. The road to Pai starts in Mae Rim’s Mae Malai village at the junction of highway 1095. Pai is 96 kilometres away. A five-minute drive off highway 1095 leads into Mae Malai marketplace. Expect steep uphill climbs and sharp turns when passing Ban Pa Pae—where you can stop over to enjoy the hot spring. You’re half way to Pai when you reach the Huay Nam Dung National Park, a good place to take a break and enjoy a caffeine kick and a snack. From the national park, the road sweeps down and twists its way through the Pai valley. Look out for: Lots of mountains and rice paddies stretching out over the valley. Shops with artistic stuff, fusion food, and stylish coffee shops abound in the peaceful valley, as Pai is famous with young travellers. Around Pai, visit Wat Nam Hu, Pai Canyon, Ban Santichon and Ban Mae Ping White Karen Village. Where to stay: Phu Pai Art Resort (PhuPai.com), Hotel des Artists (HotelArtists.com) and Baan Pai Village & Riverside (BaanPaiVillage.com) ∫∫ Mae Chaen: Serenity with carpet of gold Start: Chiang Mai City. Head towards Hang Dong Son Pa Tong and Chom Thong districts, negotiating the high road to Doi Inthanon National Park. Route (117 kilometres): The rich and century-old traditions of Mae Chaem, a small and peaceful town, are well preserved beyond the towering peak of Doi Inthanon. Decades ago the only way to access the town was via the hilly winding road from Doi Inthanon; these days it’s far easier to get even in a small sedan. Take highway 108 towards Chom Thong, and climb highway 1009 to the top of Doi Inthanon. You’ll pass waterfalls, the Royal Projects with massive flowerbeds and organic farms and hilltribe villages where everyone welcomes visitors with unpretentious smiles. Take highway 1192 and Mae Chaem is 22 kilometres ahead. Look out for: You come to Mae Chaem to leave the hectic world January 27-February 9, 2012 Mountain scenery and twisting highways make Chiang Mai a province of classic pleasure drives. Visitors ride boats along the Salawin River, 100 km of which is shared by Burma and Thailand. behind. The golden rice paddies carpet the deepening valley in the winter. Unlike Pai, where weekenders chat over pricey coffee and cocktails, Mae Chaem is worth exploring for its rustic charm and peaceful valley. Temples are small and humble, but faith is strong. Where to stay: Chaem Cha Guesthouse, Suan Pa Mae Chaem and Hot Coffee Bed & Breakfast. ∫∫ Mae Sariang: Mists over the Salawin Start: Chiang Mai City. Leave Hang Dong, San Pa Thong and Hod behind you. This less-taken road offers a “border-run” adventure. Route (238 kilometres): Head South on highway 108 via small towns and the scenic mountains of Hang Dong, San Pa Thong and Hod districts, turning west at Hod’s Clock Tower for Ob Luang National Park—where, if you’re not in a hurry, you could camp for a night or two. From Ob Luang, highway 108 leads through the pine forest and rolling mountains via Bo Kaew Silvicultural Research Centre and Mae Haw Hilltribe Welfare and Development Centre. The road through the foothills provides sequence of panoramas before you turn left onto highway 105 for Mae Sariang, a small town in Mae Hong Son province. Look out for: Burmese-style temples, original wooden houses along the Yuam River, marketplaces and unspoilt scenic farms. Mae Sariang is recognised as an important river trading port and shares the Salawin River with Burma for 101 kilometres. Take smaller highway 1194 to Mae Samlaep, then jump into the long-tailed boat and take a trip along the Salawin. Where to stay: Riverhouse Resort (RiverHouseHotels.com), Riverside Guesthouse and Ban Yodtumlueng Home Stay (BanYodtumlueng.blogspot.com). ∫∫ Mae Hong Son: Tai Yai tales and tradition Start: Chiang Mai’s northern gate Route (248 kilometres via Pai district): Scenic as twisting, the Chiang Mai-Mae Hong Son route is one of Thailand’s classic drives. Drive out of Chiang Mai City to Mae Rim and Mae Taeng along highway 107, turning left onto smaller highway 1095 for Pai district. From here, the ribbon of high road twists along the edge of mountains before sweeping down into the peaceful valley of Pai. Highway 1095 to Pang Mapha district provides sequences of demanding corners before you pick up the scenic valley and rice paddies to small town of Mae Hong Son. Look out for: Thamrod Cave in Pang Mapha—where you can pretend to be Indiana Jones by jumping into a bamboo raft and exploring the massive cave where prehistoric folks were buried. Leave the car parked and explore the town on foot. Wat Chong Kham and other landmarks are all easy walking distance. Where to stay: Fern Rimtarn Resort (FernResort.com), The Dai Resort (The-Dai.com) and The Rock Garden Resort (TheRockResort.com) ∫∫ Lamphun: Longan and ladies, temples too Start: Chiang Mai’s southern gate Route (26 kilometres): Lamphun is less an hour drive on small highway 106 via Saraphi district, but that short ride leads to rich and original Lanna culture. Look out for: Nestled on Mae Kuang River, Lamphun is a quiet and charming city embracing old-fashioned Lanna ambience: laid-back, Yong-speaking folk, small and humble temples and old wooden houses from yesteryear. Wat Phra That Haripunchai, Wat Chamadevi and Wat Phra Yuen and Ban Nong Ngueak Cotton Textile Handicrafts Centre should be the highlights on your itinerary. Place to stay: Lamphun Will Hotel (LamphunWill.com), DNK Residence and Phrya Inn (PhayaInn.com). Remember, don’t start the engine without the latest in The Nation’s Weekend Drive series—”Weekend Road Trips Around Chiang Mai”. Designed as a roadtrip companion, the guidebook offers 12 routes in Chiang Mai and its neighbours, maps, and a range of itineraries to suit everyone from daytrippers to easy riders. COPYRI G HT: ASI A NEWS NET WO RK January 27-February 9, 2012 • 43 TRAVEL THE PHILIPPINES By Tarra Quismundo Philippine Daily Inquirer Let the ‘fun’ begin Netizens spoof, bash the philippines’ new tourism slogan 44 • ❖❖ Manila N etizens did have fun either defending or (nit) picking apart the country’s newest tourism slogan, “It’s more fun in the Philippines.” Filipino humour quickly found a new target and went viral over the catchphrase, giving it different spins which may or may not help the cause of tourism secretary Ramon Jimenez Jr. Ideas fresh or farcical quickly sprouted on Facebook and Twitter pages: One user came up with a “poster” showing two men in a sing-along showdown and captioned “Death by ‘My Way’: It’s More Fun...” It was a reference to that joke about the Frank Sinatra classic being the usual fuse of videoke bar violence in these parts. Another user thought “Watering the Plants” would also be a source of fun worth promoting in the Philippines, posting a photo of a January 27-February 9, 2012 boy urinating against a wall. The image was apparently an expression of disgust over locals relieving themselves in public. Another mock “fun” poster featured a unique Philippine “water sport”, showing people scampering away from giant, crashing waves on Manila Bay at the height of a storm. One gave a lighter spin to the notorious traffic jams in Metro Manila, posting a photo of a traffic enforcer dressed as Santa Claus. Others thought that the “fun” slogan should also apply to the country’s rambunctious and often controversial elections, as well as to the coming impeachment trial of chief justice Renato Corona. Still, there were also well-meaning suggestions: Have you tried local pastries like “fun de sal” and “fun de coco”? ● Mere copy? Some users weighed in on the observation that the new slogan was not a Filipino original but supposedly a mere copy of Switzerland’s motto in the 1950s. Mark Manuel (@mimattictheory) tweeted: “#itsmorefuninthephilippines, absolutely! But stealing one country’s tourism slogan is not cool!” Another Twitter user, Sapphire Ong (@sappong), said that while the new slogan was catchy, “it sounded so much better when Switzerland used it in 1951.” Other Twitter users thought the copycat issue should be given a rest. “I don’t care if there’s ‘It’s more fun in Switzerland.’ For me it’s way more fun in the Philippines!” said Marco Paulo (@ countocram). “Come on! Give me a break! Switzerland 1951? Nega people, stop it. I still say #itsmorefuninthePhilippines!” said Mikaela Lagdameo (@mikaelamartinez). ● Part of DOT plan The Department of Tourism is not actually complaining about all that cyber-buzz being generated by January 27-February 9, 2012 its new pickup line. That the new slogan had gone viral within just hours of its launch could only mean good news for Philippine tourism, said assistant tourism secretary Benito Bengzon. “This is really part of our strategy, to let it go viral. It has been trending, a very good indication of the kind of interest we are generating in social networks,” Bengzon told the Inquirer on the phone. “We see the 25 million or so Facebook and Twitter users as our strength in the Philippines. This is something we could use to convey our message,” Bengzon said. ● Positive voice Jimenez himself has used his Twitter account to defend the new slogan, saying it was merely a coincidence that it echoed Switzerland’s old come-on-and that nobody has a copyright to fun. “Tourism is successful in Thailand because their positive voice is louder than their negative voice,” the secretary added. The early criticisms were expected, but the campaign’s success would be gauged by what foreign tourists would think of the slogan, Bengzon said. “I think what people have to realise is that the application of this campaign is overseas. We will see how the Japanese react to it, how Koreans or Americans react to it,” he said. ● Honest The new slogan may not be bombastic but it tells the truth about the Philippines, according to Jaime Cura, a former vice president of the Tourism Congress. “I think it is very simple, easy to understand and easy to recall. It’s an honest statement. It does not promise something that we don’t have,” Cura said in an interview. He noted that Filipinos could be fun-loving “even to a fault” and that many foreigners who had visited the country always remember their happy experiences. “My foreign friends tell us when they say goodbye that they had so much fun during their stay. So instead of copying other countries with their (one-word) tag lines, we should focus on this aspect that has already been proven,” Cura said. • 45 EXPLORE CAMBODIA By Adeline Chia The Straits Times Biking off the beaten track Ph oto s by Th e Straits Time s Soak in the small-town charms of Kep and Kampot, which have yet to be discovered by the masses 46 • ❖❖ Kep, Kampot M ention Cambodia and travellers might think of temple-hopping in Siem Reap, visiting The Killing Fields of Khmer Rouge genocide, or taking in the buzz of Phnom Penh, the capital and financial centre. So far, so obvious. Yet, why not take the road less trampled to death? Independent travellers with an eye on adventure should head south to Kep and Kampot, two small, charming Cambodian towns that remain less touched by international tourism. They retain the shabby charm of the old French colonial era while preserving a lush natural landscape. My friend and I begin our trip in Kampot, which is about four hours by bus from Phnom Penh and costs about US$6, one way. Getting into Kampot is like entering a differJanuary 27-February 9, 2012 ent time zone after the traffic and dust of Phnom Penh. The entire place is asleep, but not really. Some locals are watching television while lying down on the floor in their ground-floor apartments. The number of tourists can be counted on one hand. Kampot architecture consists mostly of two-storey shophouses in quiet lanes. A central tree-lined promenade runs parallel to Tuk Chou River, which is backgrounded by the silhouette of Bokor Mountain. A leisurely evening stroll down the riverside walk is a great way to people watch since the breezy bank is a popular hangout. Some teenagers, dressed to kill, hang out near their motorbikes to talk and flirt January 27-February 9, 2012 with one another. A man is catching fish with a small net in the dark. When he finally catches one, we are as excited as his young son, who shines a torch onto the flapping, dying creature. Much can be said about Kampot’s laidback charm but its unique selling point is that it is the gateway to Bokor Mountain, where an abandoned, French resort town sits. The town, called Bokor Hill Station, was developed in the 1920s by French settlers to escape the heat of Phnom Penh and it comprises an abandoned church, a casino and hotel, and a post office that has been demolished. The French fled the place in the 1940s during the First Indochine War, but most of the buildings are still standing—to a certain degree. Our guide is Tri (pronounced “Tree”), a sundried wiry man who could be aged anywhere from 35 to 55, who says he fought against the Khmer Rouge with the Vietnamese Army and knows these hills well. Like all good guides, he is full of stories. He speaks of how Napoleon used to relax by the Tuk Chou River (I find no evidence of this in my research afterwards) and there are plans to develop the area with a sixstar resort and golf course. Then there was the king cobra he saw in the forest that stood up to his waist. “His face was so big,” he says, making a circle as big as a saucer. We finally reach the ghost town. • 47 EXPLORE CAMBODIA The red brick church is furry with moss and the inside shows signs of habitation: charred walls from a fire, a canvas partition, a make-shift wooden bed. Tri says Bokor Hill area was a Khmer Rouge stronghold in the 1970s and the buildings were used as their military base. He then takes us to Bokor Palace Hotel & Casino, formerly the hedonistic playground of expatriates, politicians and pleasure-seekers. The imposing building is now sadly covered with a layer of scaffolding for restoration work. Unless you give the guards a small bribe, it is impossible to get inside. It takes a few minutes to circle the rust-coloured, peeling building that sits proudly and eerily in a green field. At the back is a steep drop down a lush cliff-face. Tri says desperate gamblers used to jump off there, and the Khmer Rouge executed people and threw the bodies down. We peer down carefully and see rolling, misty hills. Eventually we come down the mountain in a van and take a boat ride along the Tuk Chou. It is a calm, meditative trip that is accompanied by only the sound of birdsong and the boat’s motor. We watch children jump off the bridge into the water, screaming in delight. Then there is the final pay-off: the sight of an egg-yolk sun making a slow retreat behind the mountain ridges. 48 • The next day, we take a tuk-tuk to nearby Kep, a seaside town popular with domestic tourists over the weekend. Kep gives off a raffish charm: It was the beach getaway of French expatriates and the Cambodian elite in the 1960s and retains the faded grandeur of a bygone era. There are still scores of dilapidated beach villas lying around. The beaches are unremarkable, but that does not stop large groups of domestic tourists from heading there on the weekends to swim and to picnic. But the No. 1 reason they come to Kep is—crabs. Fishermen haul their baskets of catch back to a small pier and sell the crabs to bargaining buyers. Some are steamed on the spot in huge vats. Some hawkers walk around peddling plastic bags full of steamed crabs to picnickers. There is even a (crab-shaped, what else?) monument built for crabs. In the sand and on the pavements, you see the crushed pink shells of cooked crab. We settle for lunch at one of the beachside restaurants and markets, which are clustered along the main drag of town. The menu, of course, is crab-centric and dishes start from about US$4. We order the crab with fresh Kampot pepper—a speciality of the province and among the finest in the world. The light curry-ish taste is eye-wateringly good. To better taste the natural sweetness of the crustaceans, we also choose a simple steamed version with garlic and a dash of coconut milk. That is the coup de grace. We suck the flesh out in reverential silence, closing our eyes and shaking our heads in regret that we have come to eat this so late in our lives. The next day, we rent a motorbike from the hotel for US$10 for the entire day. Nobody asks for a licence but you can practise driving around in the carpark if you need to warm up. The hotel reception gives us a hand-drawn map showing interesting spots to check out. Our eyes scan the flimsy piece of paper: a few temples, some beaches, the pepper plantations and salt mines. And then our eyes land on a spot marked “Secret Beach”. LOST ON THE WAY TO “SECRET BEACH” It becomes the day’s quest to find the beach. We putt-putt our way to a pepper plantation, explore the surrounds, get chased by the resident geese and buy some pepper. The business is run by a Chinese family and on a whim, we lie that we are from Malaysia. In response, the owners proceed to speak to us in Cantonese. We nod politely, mumJanuary 27-February 9, 2012 5 things to do ble something in what we think is Malaysian-accented Mandarin and hurriedly leave. In the afternoon heat, we give up on our helmets because no one else is wearing them. To get to the “secret beach”, the map indicates that we should make a left turn at “a temple with new sign”. We do not see any temple but after some inquiries at a gas station, we realise this “secret beach” is called Angkul beach. But the instructions in broken English on how to get there are too hard to follow. Deciding to wing it, we ride on and make a random left turn. Suddenly the landscape opens up to endless paddy fields of fresh, almost neon, green. We wind through the fields on a red dirt road, while curious villagers stare from their houses and children wave. One little boy is paddling in a pond, naked, on a big banana leaf that serves as a raft. There are buffaloes, chickens and pigs. An old man smoking some kind of potent-smelling unfiltered cigarette gives our motorbike the thumbs-up. It does not take long to realise that we are hopelessly lost. We stop to ask several people and see the flicker of recognition when they hear “Angkul”, but their directions lead us nowhere. When we see a sign indicating that the Vietnamese border is nearJanuary 27-February 9, 2012 by, we decide to turn back to the main road for another fuel stop. This time, a woman, who is Chinese, gives us clearer instructions. “You have to drive really quickly,” she says. The sun is setting and there are no street lamps. We speed along and finally the tarred road opens out to a red dirt road, and we whoop: “Yes!” On the map, “red dirt road” is depicted with wavy lines. Then it gets very quiet. On the right, we see some open plains we recognise as “salt fields”. That means we are close to the sea, since the water is let in from the ocean into these fields to be evaporated. The scene has a desolate beauty and perhaps it could be the setting to the loneliest story ever told by an arthouse filmmaker. Fields of salt are dyed orange by the setting sun and the place rings with silence. It is totally indifferent to human presence. Should we go on? We are so near the sea. We decide to call it a day because the sky is darkening. We turn back and drive into a sunset so beautiful, complete with National Geographic-level layers of colour gradations and mountainous silhouettes, that we almost forget our disappointment. I ask: “Is there gravel flying up to hit my chest? It really hurts.” My companion replies: “Er, I think they are insects.” We promptly put on our helmets and pull down the visors. We clock about 35 freezing kilometres back to the hotel. Our “rustic” hotel suffers a circuit trip about five times through our hot showers. I am still shivering when I reach our crab dinner. Inevitably, our conversation turns to the secret beach. What does it look like? Is it as awe-inspiring as the salt fields? Maybe it is despicably average. In any case, we don’t beat ourselves up too much. After all, what is the good of a secret beach that can be found? 1 Have US dollars in small denominations because most things are cheap in Cambodia. Most transactions are done in US dollars and the small change is given in Cambodian currency, the riel. The exchange rate is about US$1 to 4,000 riel. 2 In Kep, pretend that you are a 1960s French expatriate living it up in Indochina by booking a night’s stay at Knai Bang Chatt, a boutique hotel with Le Corbusier-style modernist seafront villas. Rooms from US$115 a night (www.knaibangchatt.com). 3 In Kampot, take a guided tour up Bokor Mountain for about $20 to visit the ruined French colonial town. An informative Englishspeaking guide adds a lot of colour to the visit. The package, which you can book easily from your hotel or guesthouse, usually includes an evening boat trip. 4 Buy Kampot pepper from the plantations, reputed to be among the best in the world. Because of the soil conditions and the farmers’ use of cow dung, bat dung and rice field crabs, the pepper is supposed to be aromatic and complex. 5 Rent a motorbike or a bicycle to get around Kampot and Kep, and make sure you wear a mask as the roads are very dusty. 2 don’ts 1 Accept any US dollar notes which are slightly torn or m u c ky. Yo u w i l l n eve r get to spend that money because no one will accept it. 2 Visit Kep and Kampot from June to October. It tends to be hot and very wet. November to February is the cool and dry season and the best time to visit. Getting There A number of airlines operate direct flights from Singapore to Phnom Penh, including Silkair and Jetstar Asia. A one-way ticket from Jetstar starts from $58 before taxes. From Phnom Penh, you can either take a four to five hour bus journey to Kampot or Kep (about $6 one way) or hire a taxi, which costs upwards of $45. • 49 DATEBOOK BAN G KO K Guitar Fiesta World-acclaimed jazz, classical and flamenco guitarists treat audiences with their skilful playing at the Thailand Cultural Centre every year. Snap up tickets for evening concerts and improve your talent during daytime workshops with the artists at the Bangkok Guitar Fiesta. When: February 3-5 Where: Thailand Cultural Centre, daily from 7:30pm H AR B I N Ice Lantern Festival Harbin makes the most of its freezing winters with the impressive Harbin Ice Lantern Festival. Huge ice blocks are carved into sculptures and buildings are lit from within to create the glittering Ice and Snow World. As night falls, the gigantic sculptures light up in electric blue, bubblegum pink and other kitsch colours. Touch them and your hand will come away completely dry—the ice is so cold that even body heat won’t shift it. Arrive before dark to watch ice- and snow-sculpting in progress. The city-centre Zhaolin Park hosts a side event, the Harbin International Ice Sculpture Competition; over the river on Sun Island is its snowy sister, the Harbin International Snow Sculpture Competition. The sculptors carefully chisel away at blocks of ice or snow to create anything including marble-smooth Buddha statues. When: Until February 29 Info: www.harbin.gov.cn/english/ SEOUL Daeboreum Great Full Moon Festival Korea celebrates the Daeboreum Great Full Moon Festival with gusto. Take part in Namdo folk songs, circle dances, make lucky kites and witness colourful rituals for warding off evil spirits in Seoul’s traditional folk village of Namsangol Hanok. Daeboreum is celebrated on the 15th day of the first lunar month in the Korean calendar. When: February Where: Namsangol, 12pm-7pm SA PPO RO Snow Festival Huge glittering ice sculptures transform Sapporo into a magical winter wonderland during the annual Snow Festival. Teams of professional artists from around the globe create the frosty masterpieces at city venues including Odori Park and Suskino’s main street. The festival sprang up from humble beginnings when, back in 1950, some students left six snow sculptures in Odori Park. From that day the event has, well, snowballed. Nowadays, teams from Japan and all over the world compete in the International Snow Statue Contest, some crafting sculptures the size of multistorey buildings. Visitors can also get snow-sculpting at the annual Snowman Competition, where the aim is to break the previous year’s record of most snowmen in one place (the figure usually exceeds 50 • SI N GAPO R E Titanic Artifact Exhibit 10,000). In the evening, visit Odori Park to see the beautiful sculptures lit up. Or head to the snow theme park at the Satorando site, kitted out with huge slides and mazes. In typical Japanese festival style, stalls line the streets selling hot, sweet chicken and other tempting culinary delights. In Susukino, you’ll even find blocks of ice containing whole lobsters and various other forms of marine life. When: February 6-12 Info: www.snowfes.com/english/ Nearly 100 years later, the ArtScience Museum brings to life the timeless story of RMS Titanic, her passengers and crew in “Titanic: The Artifact Exhibition”. The blockbuster exhibition, which is making its Southeast Asian debut, will feature approximately 275 artifacts, 14 of which have never been seen before. These artifacts were rescued from more than 3,800m below the ocean surface at the ship’s final resting place, offering visitors a poignant look at the iconic ship and her passengers. The exhibition is open until the 100th anniversary of the historic sailing and sinking of RMS Titanic in April 2012. Where: Marina Bay Sands, Singapore Info: www.marinabaysands.com/ ArtScienceMuseum January 27-February 9, 2012 HGRS_AsiaNewsAdvtv2_080807.qxp:Layout 1 Teaser 197x121 4.6.09:Layout 1 4.6.2009 8/31/07 11:22 Uhr 9:29 AM Page 1 Seite 1 Global competition Building Asia together.2009: Two Holcim Awards for Asia Congratulations to 12 prize winning projects to be realized in Asia Pacific. They are now finalists for the Global Holcim Awards and the Global Holcim Innovation prizes 2012. Whether you’re building or investing in factories, homes, bridges, schoolhouses or shopping malls we’re the perfect partner make for sustainable construction The Holcim Awards to competition and visions attracted your project happen. As the No. 1 supplier ofprojects building materials inalmost 5,000 entries from 121 countries – the most outstanding were honored with Global Asia we can deliver the right solutions when and where it counts. Holcim Awards 2009. Find out more on page 15. The Holcim Awards are supported by Holcim Ltd – one of the Holcim in Asia-Pacific: world’s leading suppliers of cement and aggregates – and its Australia, Bangladesh, Cambodia, China, Fiji, India, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, New Caledonia, New Zealand, Philippines, Singapore, Sri Lanka, Thailand, Vietnam Group companies in more than 70 countries including Australia, Bangladesh, Cambodia, China, Fiji, India, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, New Caledonia, New Zealand, Philippines, Singapore, Accepting the Holcim Awards Bronze 2011 Asia Pacific for “Ecologically-designed retail commercial building, Putrajaya, Sri Lanka, Thailand, andand Vietnam. www.holcim.com Malaysia” on behalf of winners Ken Yeang and Tengku Robert Hamzah – Andy Chong of T. R. Hamzah & Yeang International Sdn. Bhd., Malaysia. Details on all winning sustainable construction projects and their design teams at: www.holcimawards.org/apac Strength. Performance. Passion. www.holcimawards.org