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Kamala Harris Faces a Pivotal Choice: California Governorship or Presidential Ambitions?
Her & hubby have a few million, just retire or take one of those honorary professorships at some leftist Uni and destroy a few more young minds with her far left silliness Nobody is going to beat a Vance / Gabbard ticket in 2028, or a Gabbard / ??? ticket in 2032. -
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NACC Launches Probe into Thaksin’s Alleged Hospital Fake-out
Nero, fiddle, Rome and burning comes to mind. -
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AN Member Post Count Obsession
Finishing my breakfast, preparatory to heading off to golf. You do have me wondering what time zone you are in, given it is 7 am.- 1
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German Chancellor Olaf Scholz loses confidence vote
German Chancellor Olaf Scholz, who has held office since 2021, has lost a crucial vote of confidence in parliament, setting the stage for early elections on February 23. Scholz initiated Monday's vote, fully aware he was likely to lose. His aim was to trigger early elections, believing it to be the best opportunity to rejuvenate his party's faltering political standing. The vote follows the collapse of Scholz’s three-party coalition two months ago, which left him leading a fragile minority government. Speaking ahead of the vote, Scholz framed the upcoming elections as a chance for Germans to "determine the political direction of our country," signaling what is expected to be a contentious campaign season. The loss of the no-confidence vote was a calculated move by Scholz, as it allows elections to be held in February, seven months earlier than the originally planned date in September. Of the 717 MPs who voted, 207 supported Scholz, while 394 opposed him, and 116 abstained. With his coalition disbanded since November, Scholz has depended on opposition support to pass legislation, leaving his administration effectively paralyzed. Faced with a stagnating economy and mounting global challenges, Scholz concluded that waiting until September 2025 for the next scheduled election would appear irresponsible to voters. Polls currently show Scholz’s Social Democratic Party (SPD) trailing far behind the conservative Christian Democratic Union (CDU), led by Friedrich Merz, who is poised to form the next government. A Divisive Campaign Ahead During the debate preceding the vote, Scholz called for significant investment in defense and infrastructure, while Merz criticized his proposals, warning of increased debt and pledging tax cuts instead. German tabloid Bild described Scholz’s maneuver as a "kamikaze" strategy. However, in Germany’s political system, this is one of the few ways a government can dissolve parliament to trigger an early election. Post-war constitutional safeguards were designed to prevent the instability seen during the Weimar Republic. This confidence vote marks the sixth time a German chancellor has used this mechanism to resolve political gridlock, with former chancellor Gerhard Schröder employing it twice. Deepening Political Fragmentation The immediate cause of the coalition’s collapse stemmed from disputes over fiscal policy. Scholz and his Green allies sought to relax Germany's strict debt rules to fund aid for Ukraine and key infrastructure projects. However, Finance Minister Christian Lindner, leader of the pro-business Free Democratic Party (FDP), rejected these plans, prioritizing debt reduction. Lindner’s dismissal led to the coalition's downfall, ending months of internal discord. While the breakup may have brought temporary relief to Berlin’s political elite, it underscores a deeper, more troubling issue. Germany’s political landscape has grown increasingly fragmented, with more parties occupying the Bundestag and newer, more radical forces gaining traction. The far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD), which first entered parliament in 2017 with 12.6% of the vote, saw its share dip to 10.4% in 2021. However, it is now polling at nearly 20%, reflecting a significant shift in voter sentiment and posing fresh challenges for the country’s democratic stability. As reported by BBC -
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Why Do Thai Girls Love Getting Tattoos?
Thai culture has a long history of tattoos. Almost every Thai guy I know is like a billboard, tattoos on back and chest. Often they are long religious texts or prayers. Some kinds are against disease. In Ayutthaya, they were used to prove citizenship -- and prevent people from evading taxes. -
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THAILAND LIVE Thailand Live Tuesday 17 December 2024
Chinese Tourist Numbers to Thailand Expected to Remain Steady FILE photo Thailand anticipates its influx of Chinese tourists to plateau in 2024, with numbers hovering around 7 to 8 million arrivals. Full story: https://aseannow.com/topic/1346403-chinese-tourist-numbers-to-thailand-expected-to-remain-steady/ -
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Chinese Tourist Numbers to Thailand Expected to Remain Steady
FILE photo Thailand anticipates its influx of Chinese tourists to plateau in 2024, with numbers hovering around 7 to 8 million arrivals. This prediction by the Association of Thai Travel Agents (Atta) is attributed to persistent economic issues in China, including the expected economic impacts of upcoming tariff measures from the Trump administration. The president of Atta, Sisdivachr Cheewarattanaporn, voiced caution over meeting the Tourism Authority of Thailand's (TAT) goal of attracting 9 million Chinese visitors by 2025. He cites a mix of global geopolitical tensions and China's internal economic strains as key obstacles to substantial growth. Currently, China represents Thailand’s largest market, contributing roughly 6.3 million arrivals out of a total 32.7 million international visitors as noted by December 8th this year. Despite having a permanent mutual visa exemption, daily arrivals from China remain around 15,000 to 20,000, a figure that suggests yearly totals might fall short of TAT’s 7.3 million target. Contributing to this stagnation are China's economic policies, which have put a damper on their citizens' overseas travel capabilities. Challenges such as domestic tourism initiatives, a real estate downturn, weak consumer spending, and high unemployment among young people have impacted the potential for increased spending on foreign trips. Moreover, there has been a noticeable reduction in government backing for outbound tour companies, contrasting sharply with pre-pandemic levels. While Thailand has witnessed an increase in independent travel from Chinese tourists, the overall spending and economic contribution from this segment remain subdued. Meanwhile, China has been employing fiscal measures and easing monetary policies aimed at countering the forthcoming tariff increases from Donald Trump’s presidency and to uphold their economic growth. Despite this, if tariff hikes materialise, this could further strain Chinese consumers and impact Thailand’s tourism market negatively. Nevertheless, should China manage to sustain a healthy economy with around 5% GDP growth, Thailand may see brighter prospects, particularly as it remains a favoured destination among Chinese travellers. Looking forward to the 50th anniversary of diplomatic ties between Thailand and China in 2025, strategic promotion could leverage this milestone to penetrate newer markets within China. Currently, efforts are hindered by limited support for charter flights and promotion of Thailand’s second-tier cities, which could otherwise open avenues for incremental growth, reported Bangkok Post. -- 2024-12-17
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