Category: General

Some emergency departments at major hospitals turned away patients or reduced procedures Monday as medical professors began cutting their working hours to cope with growing fatigue caused by a protracted walkout by junior doctors.

The professors, who are senior doctors at major hospitals, had said cutting back their working hours is inevitable because they must focus on treating seriously ill and emergency patients while scaling back surgeries and services for outpatients.

According to the state-run National Emergency Medical Center, the emergency department at Asan Medical Center, one of five major general hospitals in Seoul, notified that it is unable to treat stroke patients.

Seoul St. Mary’s Hospital, another major hospital in Seoul, announced that its emergency room is unable to accommodate non-critical patients.

About 12,000 trainee doctors have been on strike in the form of mass resignations since Feb. 20, with medical professors having submitted resignations in support of the walkout.

The Korean
Medical Association, the biggest doctors’ group, also said community doctors will start to work 40 hours per week in treating patients, although it remains uncertain how many community doctors would join the labor action.

“I’m concerned about the possibility of clinics reducing appointment availability, considering that both my child and I often need medical attention on weekends, as I work on weekdays,” a mother of a two-year-old child told Yonhap News Agency.

Amid little sign of a breakthrough in the standoff between the government and the medical community, President Yoon Suk Yeol called on doctors to come up with a “unified proposal” on an appropriate increase in medical school admissions, saying the government will be open to talks though it believes a hike of 2,000 is the minimum.

Source: Yonhap News Agency

An American soldier has been apprehended on charges of stealing a car and driving under the influence of alcohol before crashing into other vehicles from behind, police said Monday.

The U.S. Forces Korea (USFK) service member in his 20s, stationed at an American military base in Pyeongtaek, 60 kilometers south of Seoul, allegedly stole a Morning compact car between Saturday and Sunday before ramming it into two vehicles waiting at a traffic stop in Goyang, north of Seoul, police said.

Two people were injured in the accident.

Police said the soldier stole the car that was parked with the key in while drinking at a bar in Seoul’s Hongdae area.

Alcohol was detected on his breath right after his apprehension, police said.

Police handed him over to the U.S. military police and plan to work with USFK authorities to look into the case, officials said.

Source: Yonhap News Agency

First, say what you’ll do as a majority

The official campaign for the April 10 parliamentary elections has begun. Two rivaling parties demand voters punish the other for what they did. Governing People Power Party (PPP) leader Han Dong-hoon urged voters to punish majority Democratic Party (DP) leader Lee Jae-myung for his corruption and hold former Justice Minister Cho Kuk — the leader of a novel party he created to punish President Yoon Suk Yeol for his “prosecution-based dictatorship” — accountable for his own injustice. In reaction, the DP leader asserted that voters’ judgment of the Yoon administration is the “starting point of normalizing the nation and people’s livelihood.”

But each party must first explain to voters what they stand for and how they can do better to make a difference. They must lay out their agendas when they win a majority. The parties pitch they need a majority, but we have seen the fallouts from the house run by a dominant majority.

The DP, the governing party in 2020, swept up
180 seats, including those of its satellites, in the 300-member legislature in that year’s parliamentary elections. The DP then railroaded controversial revisions to impose punitive taxes on multiple property owners and mandate new home buyers to live in their properties for a certain period of time. But the revisions only fueled housing prices and triggered a rent crisis.

In the 2012 legislative elections, the Saenuri Party, a predecessor of the conservative PPP, gained a majority with 152 seats and also won the presidential election that year. But President Park Geun-hye clashed with her own party throughout her term and prompted a breakdown of the party ahead of the next election in 2016.

The National Assembly was most dynamic and productive when it was under a competitive four party system with a larger opposition front. Only the die-hards rooting for the two major parties are active on the battlefield filled with deep hatred and distrust against one another, leaving little room for centrists and modera
tes. A recent Gallup Korea poll showed that undecided voters reach as high as 18 percent.

An election should be a hopeful celebration for a new future, not a revenge of the past. The country has a myriad of tough existential challenges — the ultralow birthrate, fast aging of our society, ever-real North Korean nuclear threat, waning corporate competitiveness, worsening population concentration in the capital region and fallout from climate changes. Disparagement and slander won’t solve any of these problems. The party leadership immersed in antipathy and vindictive language fails to show a vision for the future. We hope to see a contest over policies for the nation and people’s livelihood, not over who is better at a smear campaigns.

Source: Yonhap News Agency

Ministry of Foreign Affairs, “Panpree” shows off her work during a 6-month visit to foreign countries. Delighted that Thailand is back on the world’s radar screen. points to tangible diplomacy

Mr. Panpree Phitthanukorn, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs Press conference on the results of foreign visits in the past 6 months, saying that the government places importance on proactive foreign policy. Amidst constant change The uncertainties of geopolitics, geography, geotechnology, global warming, and the potential for the spread of epidemics. In addition, the Thai economy is still highly dependent on the world economy. We will notice that the economy has been affected, with GDP expanding lower.

Mr. Panpree said that Thailand is far from the world’s radar screen. It’s as if we have less interaction with foreigners. As a result, Thailand’s role in foreign affairs has decreased. Especially in ASEAN, which used to be outstanding before, it has greatly decreased, along with a summary of 4 works
, including ‘Proactive Diplomacy It gives Thailand a better status and recognition.’ Himself, the Prime Minister, the Deputy Minister and many other ministers. Traveling to visit many foreign countries It also opens its doors to many countries. Most recently, it has enhanced its strategic partnership with England. It is a pleasure. England attaches great importance to Thailand. And in the past there have been meetings in various circles including UNGA, ASEAN-Australia, ASEAN-Pacific, ASEAN-Japan and APEC.

‘We didn’t just visit. There are foreigners gradually coming to visit Thailand. We couldn’t make the queue in time. visiting foreign countries It’s not just a trip to meet each other, shake hands and go home. Must have content At least look at the cooperation that has already happened. And there will continue to be,’ Mr. Panpree said.

Mr. Panpree said that this year marks the first year that Thailand has been invited to attend the Summit for Democracy in South Korea, showing that Thailand is entering democ
racy. There are also meetings with the global private sector. More than 60 multinational companies focus on attracting investment digital economy and green economy

Mr. Panpree said that second, “timely diplomacy in times of crisis,” especially negotiations with foreign countries such as Israel. We must set a principle for bringing Thai people back to the country in a short period of time. I admit I was very shocked. I don’t know how to proceed. When we found our footing I already knew that I had to bring back Thai people who were experiencing problems and were afraid. At that time there were more than 7,000 people. In a short period of time, decisions had to be made quickly. Because the situation at that time was chaotic. But it was done well. the one who was captured I don’t know where I am, but I find a way to talk to people who can talk to Hamas. in order to have all the hostages released

Mr. Panpree revealed that sometimes he cannot sleep. Including officials based in Israel. So I decided to travel to a
country that could help. Whether it be Qatar, Egypt, Iran, and a few other countries that coordinate by phone. He is very helpful. Until 23 hostages were able to get out, 8 others are still in Gaza. It is known that 3 people are still alive, while the other 5 people do not know where they are. because they are scattered Not in the same place But there is still hope that all 8 people are safe. In addition, the United States and China There was an attempt to talk. to keep pushing Even if not directly involved

There is also the issue of the human trafficking situation in Myanmar. Acknowledge that Thai people go to work there. I want to go back to my country. By contacting through the embassy But right now, traveling within Myanmar is still difficult. There is still fighting. This causes the need for coordination among many parties regarding travel across third country borders. Now it’s gradually coming out.

Third, ‘Placement is on the world situation. and playing an active role in the region.’ We take a balanc
ed and friendly stance, not taking sides, based on the principles of international law and the interests of the Thai people. That Mr. Jake Sullivan, US Security Adviser, and Mr. Wang Yi, Minister of Foreign Affairs of China Let’s talk in Thailand It is considered to be a story that reflects this very well. We have played a clear role in helping Myanmar to open up as a united country. stability and peace We have initiated a humanitarian project. It is also a starting point for pushing forward the implementation of the 5-point consensus of ASEAN.

Lastly ‘Diplomacy that people can feel’ We went to the border area several times. To listen to various problems There is also the matter of promoting Thai workers to go abroad and taking care of Thai agencies abroad. This year, the goal is to export 100,000 workers.

Mr. Panpree said that in the next 6 months The results of the visit will be put into practice. The implementation of the agreement to be completed has been completed. Accelerating follow-up on the impleme
ntation of various discussions, aiming to visit all ASEAN countries and countries that have not yet been visited within 6 months, such as Vietnam, Italy, Japan, South Korea, Indonesia, Singapore and South Africa.

Ministry of Foreign Affairs Must continue campaigning for membership in the United Nations Human Rights Council. Accelerate and expand FTA negotiations with other countries. Opening new markets in South Africa, South Asia and Central Asia Push for visa exemptions for Thai people traveling abroad. Reform the entire visa system Especially the Schengen visa That takes time to process. Because there is not just one country. Free visas are being expedited for those who want to enter Thailand as well.

‘Tangible diplomacy Diplomatic operations were carried out with direction and strategy. To increase economic opportunities Generate income and increase the dignity of Thai people,’ Mr. Panpree said.

Mr. Panpree responded to a reporter’s question about his readiness for a general discussion under Section 15
2, which Mr. Panpree said that the discussion is not about what the government did wrong or right. But it is a recommendation from the council. which cannot know what to ask about But in foreign affairs, we are ready.

‘Today’s announcement It is not preparation for debate. But to let people know what foreign affairs does. What is the focus? And what will you do next? To know the role of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs Thailand is now on the world’s radar screen. from visiting foreign countries And as a result of various countries visiting us, it has led to foreign cooperation in many matters,’ Mr. Panpree said.

Source: Thai News Agency

March 29, 2024 – How much vitamin D do mushrooms have? And if the mushrooms are dried in the sun, Will it really increase vitamin D? Here are some facts and advice from experts.

Conclusion: True, can be shared ?

Center for sure before sharing, check with Assoc. Prof. Dr. Kronchit Prajam, Lecturer, Institute of Nutrition. Mahidol University

Drying mushrooms in the sun It will create vitamin D. 2 Mushrooms with the highest amount of vitamin D include angel mushrooms, which have 15 micrograms of vitamin D per 100 grams, which is considered sufficient for the amount of vitamin D per day that the body needs, followed by cone mushrooms and black lingam mushrooms. The mushrooms have The precursor is called ergrocerol. When exposed to light, mushrooms are ready to produce vitamin D all the time. The starting material will be in the mushroom cap, mushroom stem.

From an experiment where golden needle mushrooms were irradiated with UVB light, it was found that vitamin D before irradiation with UVB light was 0.77 mi
crograms per 100 grams, after irradiation with UVB light on both sides for 60 minutes, it was 157.72 micrograms per 100 grams (increased 204.8 times).

For oyster mushrooms, vitamin D increased 20 times to 150 micrograms.

However, increasing the surface area by cutting the mushrooms into thin slices increases the area that allows light to be received.

Interviewed on: 18 December 2023,

fact checked by: Peeraphon Anutrasot,

edited by: Chayanit Phongsai

Source: Thai News Agency

Nonthaburi, Director General of the Department of Business Development. Opening a new type of legal entity data linkage system, Business Data Exchange or BDEX, tied together behind the house. Help government and private agencies use legal entity data conveniently and quickly, along with adding data sets to support verification and identity verification. As for the Webservice system currently in use, the system will be shut down on 30 Sep. 2025.

Mrs. Oramon Sapthaweetham Director-General of the Department of Business Development revealed that at present the Department of Business Development Has developed and improved the legal entity data linkage service system for government and private agencies under the Business Data Exchange (BDEX) service system, which will create greater flexibility and convenience in using data. climb Conforms to standards for linking and exchanging government information (Thailand Government Information Exchange: TGIX) by integrating with the Digital Government Development Agency. (
Public Organization) or S.O.P.D. has adjusted the service format to link and exchange information of the Department. with government agencies through the more efficient Government Exchange Center (GDX)

In this regard, as the Department It is the main agency providing business registration and legal entity information services to government organizations, the private sector, and the general public. Currently, there are a total of 180 agencies that link legal entity data with the Department, divided into 169 government agencies and 11 private agencies. Providing services such as legal entity information as per the certificate page List of shareholders, financial statements, commercial register Foreign business operations Business collateral contract registration Trade associations and chambers of commerce, etc. (links to each department data set will be considered according to the type of agency)

However, in developing the juristic person information linkage service system this time, the Department has added
a set of data to support verification and verification of the digital identity of juristic persons (Business Digital ID) so that service users can link or verify the information of juristic persons. Power to carry out transactions/juristic acts of juristic persons registered with the department. Especially agencies that want to prove and confirm the identity of service applicants. Government and private agencies can use this new data set service through the BDEX system. The development of the service system This new set of information is also in line with the action plan to drive digital identity verification and verification services in Thailand.

For the process of requesting data linkage to the BDEX system, it is divided into 2 types of agencies: government agencies Starting with the registration process to apply for business information linking services through the website. https://bdex.dbd.go.th Once the service request has been approved by the Department, contact the SPDC to request data linking service
s through the Government Data Exchange Center (GDX) and private agencies. Start by registering to apply for business information linking services through the website. https://bdex.dbd.go.th When the request is approved Please register the work system and the information requested to be linked. Then test the system and run the dataset. Ready to pay fees and data service charges as required by law before receiving services. Data set of legal entities that the Department Provides linking services to information that can be disclosed according to the Civil and Commercial Code regarding partnerships and companies. Public Company Limited Law Law on commercial registration Laws regarding foreign business operations accounting law Laws regarding trade associations Chamber of Commerce law and business collateral laws. The BDEX system provides data sets with modern digital technology in the form of an API (Application Programming Interface) that is secure according to international standards. and more efficient Makes s
ervice recipients receive convenience and speed, supporting modern electronic transactions.

However, the agency that will link the data must have qualifications consistent with information security. According to data link security requirements According to the announcement of the Department of Business Development regarding policies and guidelines for disclosing and using information. In order to protect and maintain the security of information that the Department provides, we also adhere to and give the utmost importance to its preservation. And for agencies that wish to link business data through the BDEX system, you can study additional details at the website. https://bdex.dbd.go.th or the Department of Business Development website www.dbd.go.th Select the online service menu Select the topic of business information services and choose the business data linkage service (BDEX). For agencies that use the original Webservice data linkage service, they can change to use the business data linkage service (Busi
ness Data Exchange: BDEX). The Department continues to provide the same system. Parallel until 30 September 2025. Ask for more details at email. bdex@dbd.go.th.

Source: Thai News Agency

Senior doctors lashed out at President Yoon Suk Yeol on Monday for repeating “false claims” on the planned hike in medical school admissions and junior doctors’ walkout without presenting any solution to resolve the medical service disruptions.

Earlier in the day, Yoon called on doctors to come up with a “unified proposal” on the appropriate admission increase during an address to the nation, saying that the government will be open to talks though it believes a hike of 2,000 is the minimum.

More than 90 percent of the country’s 13,000 trainee doctors have been on strike in the form of mass resignations since Feb. 20 to protest the government’s decision to dramatically increase the enrollment quota starting next year. The current figure is set at 3,058.

“I don’t even want to make comments on the address. ‘No comment’ is our association’s official stance,” Lim Hyun-taek, the head-elect of the Korea Medical Association (KMA), told Yonhap News Agency.

Bang Jae-seung, head of an emergency response committee f
or medical professors nationwide, said that the address “well revealed that the government has neither the willingness nor the capabilities to address the current situation, though the state medical system is at stake.”

Roh Hwan-kyu, the former KMA head, wrote on Facebook that Yoon did not back down “as expected and repeated false, absurd claims and biased information,” and claimed that “faulty politics” is to blame for the current medical service disruptions.

During the address, Yoon said that the government came up with the plan of having 2,000 more seats through thorough calculations after having “sufficient and wide-ranging discussions with the medical community as part of medical reform measures, and doctors need to present a unified proposal based on “a clear and scientific basis.”

A doctor in Seoul said on condition of anonymity, however, that the government has not put forth any detailed plans on how to finance nurturing a larger number of doctors and beefing up essential medical fields, and such a
hasty push will compromise the quality of education and training for doctors.

Others downplayed Yoon’s address as an action that tries to minimize potential negative impacts of the issue on the ruling party ahead of the April 10 general elections.

“It now became even more difficult to resolve the walkout and the massive leave of absence by medical school students. The medical system will completely be disastrous, particularly at night and during holidays,” another doctor said.

“This case will be left as one of the most shameful incidents in our history, where the government ruined the people’s livelihoods, the medical system and the economy,” he added.

The government is pushing to increase the admission quota to address a shortage of doctors, particularly in rural areas and essential medical fields, such as high-risk surgeries, pediatrics, obstetrics and emergency medicine.

Given the rapid population aging and other issues, South Korea is also expected to fall short of 15,000 doctors by 2035.

But doctor
s argue that the government must devise ways of better protecting them from malpractice suits and extending compensation to induce more physicians to practice in such “unpopular” areas.

Amid the prolonged walkout and a standoff by the government and doctors, even some ruling party lawmakers have called on the government to be flexible in pushing for the plan, rather than sticking to the 2,000-person raise.

The government has been taking administrative steps to suspend the licenses of striking doctors as they missed a government-set deadline to return to work late last month.

In support of the junior doctors’ move, medical school professors nationwide began submitting their resignations Monday.

The professors, who serve as senior doctors at major hospitals, have also reduced their weekly work hours to 52 hours by adjusting surgeries and other medical treatments and vowed to minimize medical services for outpatients.

Source: Yonhap News Agency

South Korea’s top diplomat will participate in a meeting of North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) foreign ministers to be held in Belgium this week, his office said Monday.

On Thursday, Foreign Minister Cho Tae-yul will attend the second-day session of the meeting, which will be presided over by NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg.

South Korea was invited to the ministerial meeting for the third year as one of the non-NATO partners in the Indo-Pacific region, which include Japan, Australia and New Zealand.

The meeting is “expected to serve as an opportunity to further strengthen partnerships with NATO, which shares universal values, and to discuss ways to tackle cross-border security threats,” the ministry said in a press release.

The upcoming gathering will be attended by NATO allies and its partners, as well as Ukraine and the European Union, to discuss the Ukrainian war and other new security challenges, it added.

Separately, Cho will meet with Stoltenberg and hold bilateral talks with the fo
reign ministers of other major countries.

Source: Yonhap News Agency

Tug of war over North Korea-Japan summit

Proactively address moves by Pyongyang, Tokyo

North Korea and Japan are in a tug of war over a possible summit.

North Korea keeps brushing Japan off, ruling out any possibility of a summit talk to be held with Japan. Despite this, Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida keeps trying to court North Korean leader Kim Jong-un to make the highest-level meeting happen sometime soon.

Their differing positions on the issue of the abduction of Japanese nationals stand as a key obstacle. Worse still, neither of the sides are ready to make concessions.

Japan claims that Japanese nationals who were abducted by North Korea over 40 years ago are still being held in the North, and demands a discussion on their return. But North Korea refutes this, insisting the abductees issue was resolved completely in the early 2000s during the summits between then Japanese Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi and North Korean leader Kim Jong-il, father of the current leader, and thus there’s noth
ing left to discuss on the matter.

The North Korean leader’s sister Kim Yo-jong criticized Japan for raising the abduction issue, claiming that though Kishida expressed his willingness to meet her brother directly, the summit won’t happen.

“There is one thing the Japanese prime minister must understand: Our supreme leader is not a person he can meet whenever he wants,” she said in a statement released on March 26.

North Korea’s foreign ministry officials reiterated a similar view.

Foreign Minister Choe Son-hui dismissed the possibility of a summit. In a statement released on March 29, Choe said she finds it difficult to understand Japan’s “obsession” with the abduction issue which, according to her, has already been settled. Prior to her statement, Ri Ryong-nam, North Korea’s ambassador to China, said his embassy received an email about the summit from an official at the Japanese Embassy in Beijing, adding the North has no plans to meet the Japanese prime minister.

Kishida, however, didn’t give up. He sa
id that the Japan-North Korea summit, if held, would benefit both countries. He added that he firmly believes the summit would contribute to regional peace and stability.

It remains uncertain whether North Korea’s denials of the summit reflect Kim Jong-un’s personal position.

The three who denied the summit are North Korean leader’s deputies, not Kim himself. Kim’s rare silence about the summit raises a key question: Why would a head of state remain silent on such an important foreign policy issue that could have enormous impact on his and his nation’s fate, while letting his deputies speak for him?

One possible answer to this question may be that he is still calculating potential gains and losses stemming from such a summit.

If this is true, Kim will want more time to think about the utility of the summit and therefore will intentionally try to leave room for a last-minute reversal by remaining silent for now. He would know better than anyone else that the summit will include economic incentives in retur
n for North Korea’s possible suspension of provocations, an option he will find hard to resist. But Kim may not be sure about whether the gains he is calculating will be realized.

As his sister pointed out in her March 26 statement, Kim knows Kishida needs the summit to boost his lackluster approval ratings at home. Kim’s worst fear will be that if the North Korea-Japan summit is held, it can end up only benefiting Kishida. Kim himself had a similar bitter experience back in 2018 when he met then-U.S. President Donald Trump in Hanoi, Vietnam and the summit was cut short after the two sides failed to narrow their differences regarding denuclearization. The specter of the Hanoi summit may haunt Kim.

History tells us that diplomatic breakthroughs could happen. A North Korea-Japan summit could take place, despite their deep differences on the abduction issue.

Most vulnerable to North Korea’s weapons of mass destruction, South Korea needs to closely watch the developments in Pyongyang-Tokyo relations and be ful
ly prepared to address any possible shift in the situation.

If Kishida and Kim agree to meet for a summit against all odds, it would help de-escalate the tensions that have been mounting in the region. The U.S. presidential election in November is another key factor that can greatly affect regional security in East Asia.

The back-to-back political events and activities in Japan and the U.S. will likely impact North Korea’s possible courses of action and this will require South Korea to come up with effective policy responses to turn the tide in its favor. Depending on the results, Seoul may need to change its hard-line policy toward the North.

Source: Yonhap News Agency

Bangkok,, The Prime Minister said that no one is bigger than the people, setting a deadline of 30 days to catch the masterminds of cybercrime.

Mr. Settha Thavisin, Prime Minister and Minister of Finance Traveled to visit the Police Technology Crime Investigation Headquarters. or the Cyber ??Police along with Pol. Gen. Kittirat Panphet, Acting Commissioner of the Royal Thai Police. along with providing police policies under its jurisdiction The Prime Minister stated that The Police Investigation Bureau investigates technological crimes or the Cyber ??Police. is being looked upon by society a lot This is the reason for this visit. Events that have occurred over the past two years have led to the transfer of two senior officials from the Royal Thai Police in order to allow the justice process to proceed. Do not interfere with the justice process But you must be fair to all parties.

In the case where there is news that Police Lieutenant General Worawat Watthanakornbancha Police Commissioner investigates techno
logical crimes It is this person’s child. I myself thought it was unfair. Police Lieutenant General Worawat But there is nothing that answers society better than how to behave. This includes commanders of various agencies and all officials. One must prove to oneself who is truly the boss. who is not the Prime Minister But it’s the people.

Therefore, I have come today to want to bring about significant changes in the near term. Want to produce clear results quickly And it must not be about just arresting small criminals. But it must be a big one. Whether it’s about online lottery call center gang Illegal gambling websites, fake news, which affects the people The fact that people are deceived and defrauded It is not a problem of people being deceived. But it is also a national security problem. Therefore, the work of the cyber police must be evident within 30 days or there will definitely be problems. As for the lawsuits of the two police officers, they must follow the process of justice. So that fellow citize
ns can live happily. Don’t let it be aggravated here. Especially being deceived When the money is gone, it is part of the crime. This is considered the starting material. This problem must be completely eliminated from Thai society. I confirm this matter is a serious matter, confirmed for 30 days, must be clear. Brothers and sisters are still being deceived today. Must work together clearly and closely. Because technology has come a long way. The Ministry of Digital Economy and Society (DE) is ready to work together. I met with the DE Minister on April 2.

Source: Thai News Agency