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Thailand ranks fifth in the world for stress levels felt by business leaders over the past 12 months, according to a Grant Thornton Thailand survey.

A net 55% reported an increase in stress, behind only Greece (67%), China (60%), Taiwan (57%) and Vietnam (56%).Ian Pascoe, a managing partner of Grant Thornton Thailand, said many interviews were done last November during the massive floods, so the increase from a net 10% observed in 2010 is perhaps understandable.

Globally, levels of stress felt by business leaders showed their lowest annual increase since 2005, according to the Grant Thornton International Business Report (IBR).

With economies depressed and the outlook for many still uncertain, the question is raised as to whether business leaders are tempering their goals to alleviate stress, adding a further brake to growth, or whether they have learned to better manage the challenges they face.

In 2010, a net 45% of business leaders reported an increase in stress levels over the trailing 12 months, but this fell to 28% last year.

This pattern is consistent around the world. A net 21% of business leaders in North America had an increase in stress level last year, compared with 35% in 2010.

The Asia-Pacific is the most stressed region, with a net 44% reporting an increase in stress over the past 12 months, but this too is down from 58% in 2010.

Even in distressed Europe, the focus of economic turbulence, the figure fell to 22% last year from 40% in 2010.

"As the economic crisis has continued, the majority of business leaders have learned to better manage the challenges they are facing," Mr Pascoe said.

"This is just as true in the booming BRIC economies as in troubled Europe."

Reaching performance targets is by far the biggest headache for businesses: 30% of business leaders cite it as the major cause of workplace stress, as do 37 of the 40 economies covered by the survey.

Stress caused by volume of communications, office politics (both 11%) and work-life balance (9%) are cited much less.

Professor John Maule, an expert in decision research at Leeds University Business School in England, says the heightened demands on managers that occur during periods of economic volatility have the potential to raise stress levels.

Even so, people try to actively manage these demands to reduce stress levels.

Since they are powerless in face of the pressures coming from the external business environment, they look internally for the solution.

Activities such as sports are the principal way in which business leaders relieve stress.

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With little time left to live and waiting to be sent home to spend her final days with her family, breast cancer patient Kung had what could be her last wish granted _ she married the man she loves.

The touching wedding ceremony was held at the Quality of Life Care Unit at Maha Vajiralongkorn Cancer Centre in Pathum Thani.

Surrounded by family, friends and hospital staff, Kung, 41, whose cancer has reached the terminal stage, exchanged vows with Damien Messner, 46, an Australian truck driver and the father of two of her four children.

With the wedding over and no further treatment scheduled, Kung will be going home to Bang Khen to be with her family.

``I'm very happy today,'' said Kung who managed to smile despite looking tired and frail.

The wedding was a traditional Thai-style one and coincided with World Cancer Day.

Mr Messner described Kung as ``a lovely human being. She would do the world for her family, she loves the children, words can't describe her.''

He said they met during a very difficult time in his life but Kung was a very strong woman and she was always there for him. He first saw Kung at a Chinese restaurant in Australia where she was working as an accounting assistant. At the time he was caring for his ill mother and decided not to approach her, even though he did feel an instant affection for her.

In the summer of 2005, while walking down the street in Sydney, Damien saw Kung walking the other way and decided to take his chance and ask her out. They began dating soon after. They finally decided to spend their lives together.

Unfortunately, tragedy struck when Mr Messner's mother died a week before Damien could introduce Kung to her.

Yet another heartbreaking tragedy would befall the couple when Kung accidently slipped and bumped her lower chest against the bathtub in January 2011. A small red bump appeared but did not cause much concern at the time.

Two months later on March 3, Kung was diagnosed with breast cancer. What they initially thought was only a cyst turned out to be stage-three invasive breast cancer that had already spread quickly to her breasts.

Realising treatment would be long and arduous, Mr Messner decided to bring Kung back to Thailand where she would receive support from her family.

"I think it is very important in that situation that you have support instead of being in a hospital room by yourself," he said.

Kung received her first chemotherapy shot on April 4 to shrink the lump. She would receive five more until having an operation on Sept 15 to remove her breasts and the lump. Yesterday, she completed her 11th and final dose of palliative radiation therapy.

Mr Messner said the ordeal has taken a terrible emotional toll on him as well as their children. While their two-year-old son has not been affected as much because of his young age, the five-year-old daughter is beginning to feel the strain caused by the treatment.

"It's been a little bit hard on her because I have to go home [to Australia] to work to keep the money coming in and mummy's been sick so she's a bit affected."

He said they had always dreamed of getting married but things had always got in the way. As soon as he learned the cancer had reached the brain, he knew he couldn't wait any longer.

"Once I found out the news that Kung's cancer had moved to her brain, I got here as fast as I could and one of my prime objectives for this trip was to finalise the wedding.

"Don't worry about tomorrow, enjoy today," he said.

Even though he has to fly back to Australia on Feb 10, he said he is holding on to a slim hope they will get through this.

"Medically it says no, but I have faith that we'll always be together. It doesn't matter what happens; we're together forever."

Mr Messner said he was very pleased with the wedding ceremony and very grateful to the hospital and staff.

The wedding was realised as part of the hospital's Last Wish programme intended to fulfil the last wishes of terminal cancer patients in palliative care.

Deputy director of Nursing Services Wanna Chaiaroon said the programme was created two years ago when one cancer patient drew a picture of a beach and the nurse realised it was the last thing he would like to do before he passed on. The programme has realised the dreams of six patients to date.

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Prison officials and police launched a major raid on seven zones at Bang Kwang Central Prison in Nonthaburi yesterday.

They seized 40,470 baht in cash, some crystal methamphetamine, or ya ice, 39 smuggled mobile phones, 20 sets of gambling paraphernalia and 27 items of pornography.

The raid was carried out jointly by 650 officers from Police Region 1 and Bang Kwang prison officials.

Nonthaburi governor Wichian Phuttiwinyu said inmates' cells and occupational training houses at the prison's seven high security zones were searched.

The prison has about 200 prisoners on death row and 1,300 others serving life imprisonment.

Prison chiefs who are unable to stamp out illicit drugs in their jails are being urged to seek transfers, Justice Minister Pracha Promnok suggested during a meeting with commanders of prisons across the country yesterday.

Pol Gen Pracha said the Corrections Department and the ministry would have no objection if prison chiefs who thought they could not rid their jails of illicit drugs decided to seek a transfer.

He stressed he would reward prison officials based mainly on their performance in suppressing drugs.

The minister said the government has made suppression a national agenda item and the drug problem must be tackled within one year.

He said the ministry had a clear policy to financially support the installation of high-tech security equipment in prisons that can locate and block mobile phone signals. The phones are used by some inmates to carry on dealing from inside.

He said all prisons must complete separating drug inmates known to have connections with drug rings from other inmates by next week. Those inmates would be transferred to Khao Bin Central Prison's special zone and nine other maximum security prisons equipped with high-tech security equipment.

Ministry spokesman Thirachai Wutthitham said the Corrections Department and the Office of the Narcotics Control Board would meet on Monday to finalise a list of drug inmates who would be moved to Khao Bin Central Prison in Ratchaburi.

Inmates who will be sent there still have connections with drug rings outside the prisons, he said.

The nine maximum security prisons would not allow relatives to bring in any items for the inmates, he said.

Meanwhile, the installation of mobile phone signal-jammers and CCTVs in inmates' cells will be completed in May. Visitors and prison staff will be subject to body searches while any vehicles entering the prisons will be checked.

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Some Thais still relate to the monarchy institution as if they lived under an absolute monarchy, leading them to become enraged when faced with people they think want to criticise the institution, said Thammasat University political scientist Kasian Techapeera.

This outlook also causes them to regard anyone who wants to repeal or abolish the lese majeste law.

"They think [like this] because they have not left the absolute-monarchy system," Kasian said at a symposium held by Pridi Banomyong International College at Thammasat University yesterday.

The remark came as the Nitirat group of seven Thammasat University law lecturers, which has proposed that the lese majeste law be amended, has been denounced by some ultra-royalists as wanting to form a republic. Thammasat's administrators have barred Nitirat and its supporters from using the university's facilities to collect signatures in support of amending the law, leading to increasing confrontation between supporters and opponents of the law.

Kasian urged those critical of the monarchy and the lese majeste law to refrain from using hate speech or strong words and bear in mind that they're dealing with people who believe they love the institution "most".

He urged people to handle the debate with care. "What is scary is possible unorganised and spontaneous violence" as the hatred towards Nitirat is spreading, he said. Kasian added that to the best of his knowledge, nobody at Thammasat wanted to overthrow the monarchy to establish a republic. Rather, people who support the amendment want to ensure that the monarchy institution is not used as a weapon in political disputes.

Panus Tassaneeyanond, a former dean of Thammasat University's faculty of law and a former senator, said the media played a role in fanning hatred through the supply of one-sided information. He also acknowledged that many ultra-royalists did not care about details of the proposed amendment, and simply regarded supporters of the move as anti-royalists. The mentality of these ultra-royalists is that of people living under an absolute monarchy, he explained.

Thamrongsak Petchlertanand, a political-science lecturer at Rangsit University and an alumnus of Thammasat, criticised Thammasat's administrators for barring Nitirat and its supporters from collecting signatures on campus, accusing them of caving in to political pressure and serving the powers that be.

He urged administrators, lecturers and students to preserve the spirit of engagement in political activism for which Thammasat has become famous over the seven decades since Pridi Banomyong founded it.

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NBTC expects more than 100 channels to be on air in the next five years

The spectrum-management and broadcasting master plans will drastically change the landscape of the Thai television industry with up to 100 digital-TV channels being available for public viewing in the near future.

The National Broadcasting and Telecommunications Commission aims to grant digital terrestrial TV broadcasting licences late this year and expects to see the number of digital-TV channels grow to 100 within the next five years, NBTC broadcasting committee chairman Natee Sukonrat said yesterday.

About 50 licences are expected to be handed out in the first lot by early next year.

The move is in line with the NBTC draft of the spectrum-management master plan aiming to take radio and TV broadcasters to the digital era within four years after the master plan takes effect.

After a long delay plagued with disputes stemming from political and business motives, the NBTC came into full existence just a few months ago. Formed under a constitutional spirit that treats broadcast and telecom frequencies as national resources that are to be shared and must benefit all Thais equally, the NBTC apparently has hit the ground running with its digital-TV plan.

Natee told the Nation Multimedia Group yesterday that the watchdog was expected to trial the digital terrestrial TV broadcasting system in June in its attempt to educate viewers on a wider scale. Free-TV operators will be invited to conduct the test.

The NBTC digital-TV plan seems set to shake up the television-industry landscape as the operating costs of TV will significantly go down. The large number of new channels will draw a massive number of content providers to the long-monopolised playing field.

He added that digital broadcasting technology would enable the maximum use of TV broadcasting spectra and provide better service quality to viewers.

But the watchdog might not need to specify the technology platforms that the broadcasters should use for the trial.

The NBTC's draft of the broadcasting master plan determines that the watchdog will complete the details of this digital switch-over plan for TV broadcasting within one year and for radio broadcasting within two years, and will start digital radio and TV broadcasting within four years. It will also complete regulations on licensing of digital TV broadcasting within two years and for digital radio broadcasting within three years.

Natee said prospective digital-TV broadcasters should be encouraged to use a common infrastructure to create a cost-effective operation.

The watchdog will put the drafts of the spectrum, broadcasting and telecom master plans for nationwide hearing next Friday.

They are expected to become effective in March.

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PHUKET: A group of Chinese tourists has ripped off a Phuket business over a bout of food poisoning that afflicted some of their members on Phuket.

The Chinese tourists were paid 300,000 baht for their silence to protect Phuket's reputation. But when they returned to China, the tour group broke their promise, spreading their story about food poisoning on Phuket around nine newspapers - and they may have even been paid to do it.

Phuket Governor Tri Augkaradacha heard the alarming tale of the treacherous tourists today from Yin Young Waie, Phuket manager of Pacific Holidays, who was shocked to find the tourists had gone back on their word.

It was he who paid over the 300,000 baht in compensation that was supposed to buy the silence of the group over their food poisoning.

Eleven of the group of 41 went to Patong Hospital the day after eating at a restaurant near Simon Cabaret in Patong. Three of them were treated for diarrhoea. None were admitted.

But the group threatened to expose Phuket to damages, and in the interests of retaining Phuket's reputation, the substantial amount of compensation was paid.

Now Phuket's Governor Tri has had translations made of the articles in the Chinese newspapers and will ask the Foreign Ministry to tell the complete story, so that the citizens of Chengdu in China learn the truth.

The trouble is, some of them may laugh.

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The Simsimi artificial intelligence conversation program is causing social degeneration and creating gaps between members of the family, Culture Minister Sukumol Khunploem said Friday.

The Simsimi chat bot is a smartphone application created by a South Korean developer in 2002, originally for the purpose of language learning.

"I personally think that the program reflects social problems that are very worrying. Instead of talking to or interacting with friends, people today talk to themselves and normal people don't do that.

"Many young people are using this type of program and this shows the decline in the closeness of the family ties and human interaction," said Mrs Sukumol.

She said the issue is a new social problem for Thai society and it could become more serious if it is not dealt with soon.

The Culture Ministry has the duty to oversee things that can cause cultural deviation and there were many complaints about the application, she said.

"I would like to warn the society that some things are inappropriate and people should be more cautious when playing with the program and should not be misled by wrong trends.

"To solve this problem, cooperation from all sides is needed," Mrs Sukumol said.

She said the Culture Ministry could not monitor and censor the application, unlike internet websites.

Information and Communication Technology Minister Anudith Nakornthap said the Simsimi developer has agreed censor swear words and personal rights violations from its application's Thai vocabulary.

The South Korean developer created it to keep people from feeling lonely, Grp Capt Anudith said.

He said the database compiles wordlists and comments taught by users, but there are some users that teach Simsimi to say rude things, which is not the application's purpose.

"I have instructed officials to gather inappropriate words and comments in the application and send them to the developer as evidence," said the ICT minister.

Simsimi, created in 2002, has more than 2.7 million users worldwide. It is widely described as a robotic chat app now used by lonely people.

The Simsimi app draws on a base of about 10 million question-and-answer conversations to come up with what many users describe as the best conversation app they have ever used, according to the International Business Times website.
 
When a user sends a text to the Simsimi app on their iPhone or Android device, or communicates with it on their computer, the app responds by automatically scanning for related conversations in its massive database, then spitting out a relevant, and often hilarious, response.

Simsimi users say it provides an experience much like one they might have with a quick-witted and lightning-fast human texting buddy, based on the input of its millions of users.

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SASEBO NAVAL BASE, Japan — Following a brief respite, the U.S. military has returned to Thailand to continue flood relief efforts.

More than 600 servicemembers from the Marine Corps, Army, Navy and Air Force arrived Jan. 15 to participate in humanitarian and civic assistance projects with armed forces from Thailand and Indonesia ahead of the 31st annual Cobra Gold exercise set to begin Tuesday, said exercise spokesman Marine 2nd Lt. Evan Almaas.

Additionally, a team of airmen arrived Jan. 22 to assist Thai forces with an assessment of the damage to their engine repair and aircraft maintenance operations at Don Mueang International Airport. And groups of Marines arrived three days later to exchange experts and discuss health topics related to post-flood recovery, said Walter Braunohler, a U.S. Embassy Bangkok spokesman.

These revitalized efforts come on the heels of months of relief work involving hundreds of U.S. troops and a multitude of vessels and equipment following Thailand’s worst flooding in decades. When that work was completed in early December, U.S. officials pledged to continue the relief efforts after flood waters receded.

“Through humanitarian and civic assistance programs, we have an opportunity to support the needs of our friends and regional partners,” said Lt. Gen. Kenneth Glueck Jr., deputy commander of the exercises and commanding general of III Marine Expeditionary Force. “Through the exercise, III MEF is continuing to develop regional partnerships, increase prosperity and improve security in the Asia-Pacific region.”

The Kingdom of Thailand, a strategic ally of the U.S., suffered months of heavy monsoon rains that began over the summer, followed by flooding that reached the capital, killing hundreds and causing tens of billions of dollars in economic damage.

A 10-person Humanitarian Assistance Survey Team comprising Marines from III MEF arrived in mid-October to survey the damage. The George Washington Carrier Strike Group also traveled to the region, but left soon after as no request for assistance came.

Navy assets, equipment and additional troops began to trickle into Thailand in October and continued over the next couple of months as troop numbers swelled to about 600 at the height of operations. They participated in assessments, community relations efforts and relief operations, including the reclamation of a school, recovering of the airport, and the loading and unloading of relief supplies to be distributed by the Red Cross.

The U.S. also provided $1.1 million in immediate flood relief assistance through the Thai Red Cross Society and the International Organization for Migration, Braunohler said. In November, Secretary of State Hillary Clinton announced an additional $10 million aid package.

According to military leaders and government officials this week, the situation is improving but more work is needed.

“Daily life at all the places we’ve been to continues,” said Marine Maj. Richard Graham, lead planner of Cobra Gold 2012 humanitarian and civic assistance. “Schools are open and everything is back on track. There is one area with more damage, but other than that area, life continues and people are back to their daily routine.”

When Cobra Gold officially kicks off, the exercise will feature a wide range of military and humanitarian operations, from live-fire training to the evacuation of noncombatants, Almaas said. This year’s exercise, scheduled to run through Feb. 17, will involve 13,000 participants from as many as 17 nations.

Relief efforts will continue to focus on medical and veterinary programs, community service projects, and repairing destroyed buildings and cultural sites. The embassy has also requested $300,000 to rehabilitate damaged police facilities, Braunohler said.

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BBC Worldwide Channels Asia has officially launched BBC Knowledge, BBC Lifestyle, BBC Entertainment and CBeebies on TrueVisions, Thailand’s largest and leading cable and satellite television operator.

The four channels are part of BBC Worldwide’s portfolio of channels that showcase an award-winning and premium mix of British TV across factual, entertainment, children's and lifestyle programming.

“We are extremely pleased to have our entire suite of channels available in Thailand. This deal reflects our ongoing commitment to the region - delivering to our audiences a wide range of high-quality, award-winning programming - from factual, lifestyle, pre-school entertainment to comedy and drama. Viewers in Thailand recognise and appreciate quality content; we are confident that our channels will appeal to the viewers there and are very pleased to be working with TrueVisions to deliver this proposition.” said Mark Whitehead, Senior Vice President and General Manager of BBC Worldwide Channels Asia.

Mr Thiti Nuntapatsiri, Managing Director of TrueVisions commented: “To affirm our commitment to delivering the best content, we have added four premium channels from the BBC. In addition to the existing BBC World News channel, there are now five BBC channels on TrueVisions. The new channels - BBC Knowledge, BBC Lifestyle, BBC Entertainment and CBeebies, are ready to entertain you this year, and they will be great choices for your viewing pleasure.”

The four channels on TrueVisions

BBC Knowledge showcases high-quality factual entertainment from the world’s foremost producers of non-fiction and documentary programming.

In February, premiering just two weeks after the UK telecast, viewers will be privy to the first and exclusive premiere of the world’s biggest car show, Top Gear (series 18). The latest series sees irreverent presenters, Jeremy Clarkson. Richard Hammond and James May visit Sweden to partake in a series of ice racing challenges. The ‘three wise men’ then travel to China to explore the local Chinese motoring industry through even quirkier and crazier stunts. The presenters also drive across Italy in yet to be released supercars including the new 2013 Porsche 911. Top Gear (series 18) premieres first and exclusively on Sunday, 12 February 2012 at 9.00pm (Thailand time).

The epic eight-part blockbuster, Human Planet premieres on 4 February at 8.05pm (Thailand time). An incredible record of man's survival in the most extreme environments, each episode focuses on one environment and how the peoples and tribes who live there adapt to their surroundings- oceans, deserts, arctic, jungles, mountains, grasslands, rivers and cities. It weaves together 80 inspiring stories, many never told before on television, set to an original soundtrack by award-winning composer Nitin Sawhney.

BBC Lifestyle offers inspiration for home, family and life. The channel offers programmes on home and design, food, fashion and style, to entertain, engage and inspire viewers.

February sees the first and exclusive premiere of Extreme Makeover Home Edition (series seven). In this series, well-deserving families are packed off to holidays while the Extreme Makeover Home Edition team, led by model-presenter, Ty Pennington fights against time to rebuild a dream home for these families. This heart-warming series premieres on Sunday, 26 February 2012 at 6.30pm (Thailand time).

BBC Lifestyle is also home to Gordon Ramsay’s latest series. All through February, catch The F Word - where each episode revolves around Ramsay preparing a three-course meal for 50 guests at The F Word restaurant. Diners in the restaurant include celebrities who participate in conversations, challenges, and cook-offs with Ramsay. Other segments include food-related topics, such as alternative foods and healthy eating. Watch The F Word every Monday at 7.25pm (Thailand time). throughout February.

BBC Entertainment showcases the best comedy, drama and light entertainment from the BBC and other UK production houses.

Silent Witness (series 14) premieres first and exclusively on Tuesday February 21 at 9pm (Thailand time). One of the BBC’s most successful crime dramas, Silent Witness follows the team of Professor Leo Dalton, Dr Harry Cunningham and Dr Nikki Alexander as they solve emotional and harrowing crimes with the clinical, objective help of forensic science.

Viewers are also in for a treat in February with The Graham Norton Show (series 10). On BBC Entertainment just two weeks after the UK telecast, award winning chat show host and comedian, Graham Norton entertains with his trademark comedy monologues, interesting celebrity chats, eccentric stories and characters. Guests from previous series include Kate Winslet, James McAvoy, Johnny Depp, Snow Patrol and Ricky Gervais. Watch it every Saturday starting Feb 21 at 9.30pm (Thailand time).

CBeebies is UK’s number one children’s channel, loved by kids under six, and by their parents and carers. The channel is inspired by preschoolers’ natural curiosity and zest for play. Programming on the channel is customised to appeal to and suit the developmental needs of distinct age groups. Parents and carers trust CBeebies to deliver a safe, non-violent, interactive experience designed by developmental experts, and delivered by the trusted BBC brand, to promote imaginative play, social interaction, language skills and educational values.

The little ‘sister’ to Human Planet, which also premieres on BBC Knowledge on 4 February, each episode of Little Human Planet is seen through the eyes of young children around the world. From languages and food to houses and celebrations, Little Human Planet looks at everyday lives of amazing children in exotic locations around the world.

The four channels are available to TrueVisions’ digital subscribers. BBC Knowledge on channel 22 is part of TrueVisions’ gold and platinum packages. BBC Lifestyle (channel 58) is on the silver and platinum plans while BBC Entertainment (channel 149) and CBeebies (Channel 150) are available as ala carte offerings.

The four channels join BBC World News on TrueVisions.

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