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Thailand Pushes Ahead With Plan to Legalize Massive Casino ‘Entertainment Complexes’

By Will Jackson/ABC News – Thailand’s stunning beaches, delicious food, unique cultural heritage and red light districts are already big drawcards for tourists.

Soon the country could add roulette, blackjack, pokies and other forms of currently illegal gambling to its list of attractions.

The Thai government has developed draft legislation to legalize casinos as part of gigantic “entertainment complexes” that must include at least four facilities from a list that includes hotels, restaurants, convention centers, music venues, sports arenas and amusement parks.

The two-week public exhibition period for the Entertainment Complex Business Operation Bill closed this weekend.

However, the controversial bill’s passage through parliament is not assured as critics warn the hope for economic benefits come with “considerable risks”.

Hopes to supercharge tourism income

The long-debated proposal comes amid a long period of economic stagnation in Thailand, which already relies heavily on tourism.

It’s hoped the casinos will attract more tourists from China, where gambling is banned apart from in Macau.

A study commissioned by Thailand’s parliament last year found that the entertainment complexes, which are envisioned to be similar to those already in Singapore and Macau, could boost tourism revenue by at least USD 12 billion in the first year.

The Bangkok Post reported that licenses were expected to be issued for five casinos with two in Bangkok, one each in Chiang Mai and Phuket and one in the Eastern Economic Corridor (Chachoengsao, Chonburi and Rayong provinces).

Thai citizens will have to pay an entry fee of 5,000 baht (USD 146) but admission for foreigners will be free.

In a post on X earlier this year, former prime minister Srettha Thavisin said the casinos would have to comprise only 3 percent to 10 percent of the entertainment complexes’ total area.

“We can regulate the grey economy and collect taxes,” Srettha said.

“We do not want to promote gambling, but would rather supervise it and use the investment to create jobs.”

Thailand’s early casinos

Casinos have a long history in Thailand.

According to James A Warren’s book Gambling, the State and Society in Thailand, legal gambling houses were a valuable source of revenue for the country’s rulers as far back as the 17th century, mainly catering to the growing Chinese population.

When King Chulalongkom came to the throne in 1868, about 20 per cent of taxes came from gambling.

However, even then gambling was seen by many as a disease with the symptoms “poverty, debt slavery, and crime”, and during the late 19th century King Chulalongkom began shutting down the proto-casinos with the last abolished in 1917.

Other forms of gambling were increasingly regulated and restricted until the current Gambling Act was adopted in 1936.

Warren noted that between 1939 and 1945, the government tried opening a series of state-owned casinos, but all were short lived.

Those casinos were in some ways similar to the ones the Thai government is now proposing, with locals charged much more for entry than foreigners.

“Despite the revenue it provided, the casino experiment had been a failure, primarily because the government was unable to attract the ‘right’ clientele — whether foreign tourists or wealthy Thais — or to exclude the majority of the population that could ill afford to gamble,” Warren wrote.

These days, legal gambling in Thailand is restricted to licensed horse racing and the national lottery.

However, other kinds of illegal gambling — including underground casinos and unlicensed sports betting and lotteries — are commonplace.

Thais also often travel to gamble in casinos in Cambodia, Vietnam, Myanmar and Laos.

A survey by Thailand’s Centre for Gambling Studies and Centre for Social and Business Development in 2019 found that 57 per cent of Thais had gambled in the previous year with government lotteries the most popular form of gambling, followed by underground lotteries, card games and football betting.

“We have to admit that there is illegal gambling in the country, we are trying to get rid of (it) but it cannot be wiped out, so we have to rethink and see that it is time for this,” Deputy Finance Minister Julapun Amornvivat told reporters earlier this year.

Singapore to be the model

A number of international casino operators have flagged interest in establishing operations in Thailand if the law is passed.

Robert Goldstein, the chief executive of casino and resort company Las Vegas Sands which operates casinos in Macau and the Marina Bay Sands in Singapore, earlier this year said the company “absolutely” had interest in Thailand.

“It’s a very, very exciting market in a lot of levels,” he said on an investor call.

“Just the sheer size of population, the accessibility and the willingness of people to travel to Thailand. It’s obviously, I think, number one resort destination city in Asia.

“I think it’s conceivable. It’s early days, although we still have work to do with the numbers and understanding it.”

The government has said Thailand would emulate Singapore, which legalized casinos in 2005.

Two huge “integrated resorts” — Resorts World Sentosa and the Marina Bay Sands — opened there in 2010 and together now employ tens of thousands of workers and contribute 1 or 2 per cent to the city state’s annual GDP.

However, attempts to harness the revenue generating potential of casinos have fared less well in other parts of South-East Asia.

In Cambodia, a rush of Chinese-backed casino resort developments in the late 2010s intended to turn the beach side town of Sihanoukville into the country’s version of Macau disenfranchised the local population, failing to provide them work opportunities while forcing up property prices and living costs.

The development boom spiraled into a nightmare of violence and crime and eventually led to the proliferation of online scam operations that have since metastasized across the region.

Legislation still faces big hurdles

Adam Simpson, a senior lecturer in International Studies at the University of South Australia, said the law’s passage still faced significant challenges, especially following the surprise removal of Srettha Thavisin as prime minister by the country’s Constitutional Court this week.

The court ruled on Wednesday Srettha had violated the constitution over a cabinet appointment.

He was replaced as prime minister on Friday after Thailand’s parliament voted in Pheu Thai party leader Paetongtarn Shinawatra, the daughter of billionaire former prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra.

Simpson said the vast majority of the population, including the former king, had in the past opposed legalizing gambling.

“Thai society is changing but it’s not clear that there is majority support for legalizing casinos,” he said.

Critics argue that legalizing casinos would not eliminate illegal gambling, while also exacerbating problem gambling.

“At present the bill excludes Thais unless they pay around USD 200 to enter the casino, however once the casinos are established there will be constant pressure from the casinos and their political backers to make it easier for Thais to enter the casinos to expand the revenue base,” said Simpson.

Dr Simpson said the Bhumjaithai Party, which is the junior party in the governing coalition, opposed the legislation, arguing the benefits will not outweigh the negative impact.

“There has also been opposition from the Democrat Party,” he said.

“It is not clear whether the People’s Party (Prachachon), the successor to the MFP [Move Forward Party], will support the legislation but it seems unlikely.”

Simpson said the big push for the legalization of casinos had come from Srettha, a property developer and businessman who always took a pro-business approach to policy.

“Srettha being removed from office may well impact on the legislation,” he said. “Thailand already has a thriving tourism industry and there are plenty of avenues for increasing foreign exchange from tourism without resorting to this socially harmful policy.”

‘Considerable risks’

Richard Horsey, a senior adviser to the Crisis Group thinktank, said the move to legalize casinos came with other “considerable risks” — including providing opportunities for criminal syndicates and irritating Beijing.

“Casinos are attractive to criminal syndicates not only as a lucrative revenue stream in their own right – for example by providing online gambling services to mainland Chinese punters, illegal in China – but also because they are an attractive means to launder profits from other criminal activities, from drug trafficking to scam centers,” he said.

“Given that a large proportion of the revenues of Thai casinos are likely to come from visitors from mainland China, Thailand also faces the risk that Beijing may take a dim view of this development.

“China is concerned not only about the moral and social consequences of gambling, but also that junkets and other overseas gambling have been a key conduit for capital flight.”

Horsey said that even Singapore was struggling to deal with money laundering and other activities by transnational criminal organizations.

“Thailand will hope to emulate Singapore by putting in place a fairly credible and effective regulatory infrastructure for casinos,” he said.

“But the risk is that it ends up being more like some other jurisdictions in the region that have struggled to control rampant criminality in the gaming sector.”

He said that criminal syndicates generally gravitated to the least well-regulated jurisdictions.

“So the question is not only whether Thailand can emulate Singapore, but also whether it can do better than Cambodia, the Philippines, Laos and Myanmar,” he said.

“It probably can, but one thing is clear from the recent history of transnational crime in the region, which is that these syndicates try to diversify as much as possible across multiple jurisdictions, so that they are more resilient to crackdowns.

“This means that Thailand will inevitably have to grapple with these difficult challenges.”

SUSS and Orange Cap Innovative Launch Success Academy in Thailand to Foster Entrepreneurship, Innovation & Regional Social Impact

The Academy will offer programmes with cross-cultural industry experiences to empower students and executives for success in the global business arena.


BANGKOK, THAILAND – Media OutReach Newswire – 20 August 2024 – The Singapore University of Social Sciences (SUSS) and IT consultant company Orange Cap Innovative (OCI) today launched the SUSS Success Academy in Bangkok, creating new learning experiences and real-world training opportunities for students in Singapore and Thailand.

The occasion was marked by an opening ceremony at The Sukosol Hotel and attended by over 60 guests from both countries, including representatives from institutions of higher learning, and industry and community partners. The ceremony was presided over by H.E. Catherine Wong, Ambassador, Singapore Embassy in Bangkok and Dr. Krithpaka Boonfueng Executive Director/CEO of National Innovation Agency (Public Organisation), Thailand.

Grounded in SUSS’ commitment to lifelong learning and creating social impact, the Academy will serve as a key nexus for academic and industry partners from both countries.

As an IT consultant and venture builder, OCI will leverage its unique technological expertise and deep understanding of Thailand’s market dynamics to support and enhance the Academy’s offerings.

Through the Academy’s two distinct tracks – Personal Success and Professional Success – SUSS will offer opportunities for students from SUSS and other Singapore pre-tertiary and tertiary institutions to co-learn and co-innovate with students from Thailand. This will include participation in programmes such as interdisciplinary global learning courses and student exchanges. Additionally, SUSS students will have the chance to gain professional experience in the region through work attachments and internships.

Key initiatives include:

  • Student Leadership Development in Social Sustainability: In partnership with All Green Learning Centre in Khao Yai, SUSS will leverage the centre’s facilities to develop a place-based education programme and experiential site, known as Camp R.A.I.S.E. By tapping on organic farms and renewable energy installations located around the premises, students will engage in hands-on activities and projects that emphasise practical applications of sustainability concepts.
  • Impact Start-Up Challenge (ISC): The ISC is a credit-bearing course that provides a platform for students from Singapore and Thailand to experience the startup ecosystem, collaborate to generate ideas, and test and pivot their proposals in real-world settings. The first of these partnerships was launched with Siam University in May this year, involving 21 SUSS students and 21 Siam University students. Since 2017, this programme has impacted over 1,000 students across more than 10 cities.

The Academy will also support SUSS in partnering with universities in Thailand to co-design and co-deliver interdisciplinary and experiential global learning programmes in areas such as sustainable urban development, heritage and advancement in gender equity.

Beyond its student focus, the Academy will leverage SUSS’ expertise in adult and workplace learning to create professional training and development solutions for industry partners, organisations, and institutions.

Professor Tan Tai Yong, President of SUSS, said, “SUSS’ curriculum is designed to provide enriching student experiences. Along with future expansions in the region, the launch of the Success Academy in Thailand is a significant step towards realising our goal of taking our students to more places to gain real-world knowledge and exposure beyond Singapore. We are grateful to Orange Cap Innovative for their close partnership, enabling us to build a strategic network of alliances and extend our education and expertise to learners and corporations worldwide.”

Mr. Amornched Jinda-apiraksa, CEO of Orange Cap Innovative, said, “This collaboration aligns with our corporate goal of using innovative technology to enhance education and prepare future generations with a global outlook. We believe that OCI’s network and expertise can help deliver SUSS’ goals in Thailand and the greater Mekong region. The Success Academy will also enhance Orange Cap’s core competencies by expanding our international network, fostering global collaborations, and introducing diverse perspectives and solutions. Establishing the Singapore educational system in Thailand demonstrates our commitment to offering world-class education and expertise that reflect our values to both local and international communities. We are grateful for SUSS’ trust in us to deliver their programmes and look forward to making a positive impact, fostering innovation, and developing future leaders for a rapidly evolving world.”

The launch of the Success Academy in Thailand is the latest in a series of academy openings as SUSS continues to expand its educational footprint across Asia. Last year, SUSS established three Academies in Ho Chi Minh City, Beijing, and Shenzhen. In the next three months, the University will inaugurate four more academies in Kuala Lumpur, Jakarta, Manila, and Mumbai, bringing the total to eight regional academies.

For the full media release: https://suss.to/media-release-bkk.

For more information: www.suss.edu.sg/success-academy.

SUSS: www.suss.edu.sg
Orange Cap Innovative: https://www.orangecapinnovative.com
Hashtag: #SUSS

The issuer is solely responsible for the content of this announcement.

Redress Design Award 2024 Calls on Public Vote to Shape The Future of The Fashion Industry


HONG KONG SAR – Media OutReach Newswire – 20 August 2024 – Redress, the environmental NGO with a mission to accelerate the change to a circular fashion industry by educating and empowering designers and consumers so as to reduce clothing’s negative environmental impacts, is now calling for consumers worldwide to vote online here for their favourite Finalist of the Redress Design Award 2024, the world’s leading sustainable fashion design competition. Voting for the People’s Choice Award will be open until 3 September 2024, with the winner to be announced at the Grand Final Fashion Show in Hong Kong on 5 September.

redress KV

The Redress Design Award, organised by Redress and with the Cultural and Creative Industries Development Agency (CCIDA) as the Lead Sponsor, now turns to the public voice to champion sustainable fashion and empower the next generation of circular design talents. With 98% of consumers believing that brands have a responsibility to make positive change in the world[1], Redress now offers a crucial opportunity for consumers to influence the industry.

Every second, the equivalent of one garbage truck of textiles is landfilled or burned, while just 1% of the material used to produce clothing is recycled into new clothing.[2] To tackle fashion’s massive waste issue, this year’s 10 Redress Design Award Finalists, representing nine countries and regions around the globe, have created their sustainable fashion collections out of textile waste, from shredded military parachutes to car seat covers.

“Fashion ‘consumers’ and designers are incredibly connected, and their wishes and works are often inextricably linked. Designers respond to consumers’ aesthetic and ethical expectations, and consumers are romanced and inspired by designers’ creations,” shared Dr. Christina Dean, Founder and Board Chair, Redress. “Our 10 competition Finalists are pushing boundaries in circular design, crucially to address one of the world’s most polluting industries. We need consumers to be engaged. By voting for your favourite designer, you can have your say in the future of fashion.”

From around the globe to Hong Kong

Next up, the Finalists’ garments will be delivered to Hong Kong via the official logistics partner, DHL Express. The sustainable collections will be shipped from various global locations to Hong Kong using DHL’s GoGreen Plus service, which helps to reduce carbon emissions of the international shipments using sustainable aviation fuel (SAF). Through GoGreen Plus, DHL Express implements decarbonisation levers in the DHL network and allocates these carbon emissions reductions to customer shipments, applying the book and claim approach. These carbon emission reductions and allocations are validated by a third-party auditor and Redress accounts for a 50% CO2e reduction compared to using conventional jet fuel.

“We are delighted to support sustainable fashion by leveraging our industry expertise. We actively contribute to a greener future by using our GoGreen Plus service to transport these exquisite collections from talented designers worldwide to Hong Kong. Achieving a 50% carbon reduction in the shipment journey, we take pride in setting the pace for low emission logistics. This goes beyond simply providing a service; it’s our steadfast commitment to sustainability,” said Andy Chiang, Senior Vice President and Managing Director, DHL Express Hong Kong and Macau.

The Finalists’ runway looks will be captured in an editorial photoshoot to be featured in Vogue Hong Kong as well as the Redress Design Award 2024 digital magazine. The circular aesthetics displayed in the photoshoot pay tribute to the role of circularity in driving fashion towards a more sustainable future.

Consumers hold the power in shaping the fashion industry

Beyond voting for the People’s Choice Award, consumers can also directly influence the direction of the industry by supporting the work of Redress Alumni. This community of previous competition Semi-finalists are at the forefront of a new breed of fashion designers prioritising sustainability and circularity as much as desirability. With Redress’ support, recent Alumni highlights include 11 Alumni showcasing designs made from upcycled sporting waste at the Paris 2024 Olympics and alum Lola Clavel creating bookmarks from Redress’ clothing takeback waste in Hong Kong. Discover more Redress Alumni brands here.

Find out who wins at the Grand Final Show

The People’s Choice Award winner will be announced at the Redress Design Award 2024 Grand Final Fashion Show, along with the coveted, career-changing First Prize with 2024 Exclusive Fashion Sponsor, Tommy Hilfiger: the opportunity to join the Tommy Hilfiger team and work on a sustainable design project for retail, creating impact for the industry.

The Redress Design Award 2024 Grand Final Fashion Show will be livestreamed globally on 5 September 2024 (Thursday), at 7pm HKT / 1pm CET via YouTube. Save the date here.

The Redress Design Award 2024 Photoshoot Credits

  • Photography: Kim Lo
  • Creative Direction: Matthieu Amelin
  • Models: Chakchu Lee (Model One), KC, Rosemary (Synergy), Yanzhen (WE Management)
  • Creative Stylist: Cheryl Yam
  • Hair: Henry Tse and Joyce Lo for Davines
  • Make-up: Cindy Lai, Daisy Ho, and Karen Yiu for MakeupBees
  • Studio: KIMLO WORKSHOP
  • Production: Kenji Cheung, Hillary Fong, Serene Cheung
  • Studio Manager: Ric Chow
  • Retoucher: Eric Lam
  • Photographer Assistant: Kuco Chan
  • Lighting: Keefe Wong


[1] Futerra consumer research (2019) The honest generation are here. Are you ready?

[2] Ellen MacArthur Foundation (2017), A New Textiles Economy

Hashtag: #RedressDesignAward

The issuer is solely responsible for the content of this announcement.

About the Redress Design Award 2024: www.redressdesignaward.com

  • The applicants: The Redress Design Award 2024 was open to applications from emerging designers and students with less than four years’ professional experience globally. Finalists .
  • The judges: The Redress Design Award 2024 judges represent the crème de la crème of global sustainable fashion industry expertise. .
  • Prizes: In addition to the First Prize with Tommy Hilfiger, prizes for contestants include high-profile mentorships and high-performance sewing machines from JUKI. .
  • People’s Choice voter prize: Voters for the People’s Choice Award will be entered for a chance to win one of four limited edition checkers sets made from recycled post-consumer fabrics.
  • Logistics: Learn more about DHL GoGreen Plus .
  • Redress Alumni: The Redress Design Award 2024 Finalists join the , which offers ongoing support to over 300 designers as they develop their careers in sustainable fashion.

About Redress’ education for designers

  • The online, open-access Redress Academy platform is .
  • The online Redress Circular Fashion Design Courses are .
  • Further supporting statistics are .

The Redress Design Award () is the world’s leading sustainable fashion design competition that educates and empowers emerging fashion designers about circular design techniques to reduce fashion’s negative environmental impacts. Organised by Hong Kong-based, Asia-focused environmental NGO Redress and sponsored by the Cultural and Creative Industries Development Agency (formerly known as Create Hong Kong) annually since 2011, the competition now has over 170 global fashion university partners and attracts designer applicants from over 50 countries and regions to win prizes that connect them with global-leading fashion businesses to accelerate the change to a circular fashion industry.

The Cultural and Creative Industries Development Agency (CCIDA) () established in June 2024, formerly known as Create Hong Kong (CreateHK), is a dedicated office set up by the Government of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR Government) under the Culture, Sports and Tourism Bureau to provide one-stop services and support to the cultural and creative industries with a mission to foster a conducive environment in Hong Kong to facilitate the development of arts, culture and creative sectors as industries. Its strategic foci are nurturing talent and facilitating start-ups, exploring markets, promoting cross-sectoral and cross-genre collaboration, promoting the development of arts, culture and creative sectors as industries under the industry-oriented principle, and promoting Hong Kong as Asia’s creative capital and fostering a creative atmosphere in the community to implement Hong Kong’s positioning as the East-meets-West centre for international cultural exchange under the National 14th Five-Year Plan.

Redress () is a Hong Kong-based, Asia-focused environmental NGO with a mission to accelerate the change to a circular fashion industry by educating and empowering designers and consumers so as to reduce clothing’s negative environmental impacts.

Disclaimer: The Government of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region provides funding support to the project only, and does not otherwise take part in the project. Any opinions, findings, conclusions or recommendations expressed in these materials/events (or by members of the project team) are those of the project organisers only and do not reflect the views of the Government of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, the Culture, Sports and Tourism Bureau, the Cultural and Creative Industries Development Agency, the CreateSmart Initiative Secretariat or the CreateSmart Initiative Vetting Committee.

Green Transition: An Irreversible Global Trend and Vingroup’s Pioneering Steps


HANOI, VIETNAM – Media OutReach Newswire 20 August 2024 – Vingroup, Vietnam’s largest private conglomerate, is leading the charge towards a sustainable future. As the global race to net zero intensifies, Vingroup is leveraging its resources to drive green initiatives across its businesses, from real estate to electric vehicles. The company is positioned as a pioneer in Vietnam’s green transition.

Vinhomes Ocean Park 1 urban area, part of the Vingroup ecosystem
Vinhomes Ocean Park 1 urban area, part of the Vingroup ecosystem

Vingroup has clearly defined its pioneering role in promoting the green transition, not just through words but through concrete actions. Notable examples include Vinhomes’ green real estate strategy and VinFast’s electric vehicle product lines. These bold moves by Vingroup are shaping a green ecosystem, creating a new, environmentally friendly, and smarter lifestyle in Vietnam.

In the real estate sector, Vinhomes has pioneered the development of green urban areas, creating favorable conditions for residents to adopt a green lifestyle. With amenities such as electric vehicle charging stations and readily available electric buses, and meticulously planned green spaces, Vinhomes is not just building houses but also creating sustainable living environments where residents can enjoy a healthy, convenient life while contributing to environmental protection.

VinFast, Vingroup’s automotive arm, transitioned to producing fully electric vehicles in 2022. Through attractive promotional and marketing campaigns, this subsidiary has encouraged its Vietnamese customers to join the national green transition initiative while simultaneously transforming the entire automotive market landscape in the country. Customers enjoy perks like free parking, long-term free charging, and assistance with installing home charging stations. VinFast vehicles are not only environmentally friendly but also feature futuristic designs, smart safety features, and advanced technology, symbolizing a new lifestyle.

Having achieved unicorn status, VinFast earned a place on TIME Magazine’s 2024 list of the 100 Most Influential Companies, joining the ranks of global giants like Google, Microsoft, and BMW. VinFast is making a strong push into international markets, including the US, Canada, Europe, and Asian countries like India, Indonesia, and the Philippines.

On July 31st, the company made a significant move by opening its first Middle East showroom in Oman, marking its entry into this region. The next target markets are Qatar and the UAE, where VinFast has recently completed partnership agreements with local dealerships. VinFast’s diverse product portfolio and excellent after-sales services promise to deliver unique and exciting experiences in the journey toward electrification for consumers in the Middle East.

Vingroup’s real estate and electric vehicle sectors have become significant revenue drivers, exceeding $6.5 billion in 2023. In the first quarter of 2024, the company reported a consolidated net revenue of $853.7 million and a net profit of $52.5 million, highlighting its financial strength and the importance of its key business sectors.

In March 2023, Pham Nhat Vuong, Chairman of Vingroup, established GSM, Vietnam’s first all-electric ride-hailing service using 100% VinFast all-electric cars. These partnerships and initiatives not only promote VinFast electric vehicles but also help establish smart, environmentally friendly transportation habits among Vietnamese people.

With its strategic vision and concrete actions, Vingroup is not only solidifying its position in Vietnam but also making its mark internationally, building a green and smart ecosystem aimed at a sustainable future. Vingroup’s efforts were further recognized with the ASEAN Sustainable Technology Award 2023, affirming its commitment to integrating sustainable practices into its core business strategies. The path ahead holds immense potential, and this Vietnamese conglomerate appears well-positioned to make a lasting impact.

Hashtag: #VinFast

The issuer is solely responsible for the content of this announcement.

Golden Triangle Seizes Telecom Fraud Network in Major Crackdown

The Golden Triangle Special Economic Zone of Laos, Thailand and Myanmar (Photo: TTR Weekly)

In a coordinated operation, authorities have dismantled a telecommunications fraud network operating within the Golden Triangle Special Economic Zone, arresting 771 individuals. The action, carried out on 12 August, represents one of the most significant anti-fraud operations in the region’s history.

The operation was led by Anousin Sackpaseuth, head of Bokeo Public Security. It involved a substantial collaboration between local and international security forces, including the security units from Laos and China, and a total of 205 personnel.

Among those detained were 282 women and 489 men from 15 different nationalities. The group comprised 275 Lao nationals, 231 people from Myanmar, and 106 Chinese nationals. Additionally, the detainees included 73 people from the Philippines, 29 from India , and 20 from Indonesia. There were also six individuals from Mozambique, 11 from Ethiopia, and six from Uganda. The remaining detainees were from Vietnam, Tunisia, Colombia, Georgia, and Burundi, among others.

The operation uncovered an array of equipment central to the fraudulent scheme, including 709 desktop computers, 28 laptops, 1,896 mobile phones, 2 iPads, and 10 USB drives. These items were used to carry out the fraudulent activities, which had been deceiving victims through online scams.

Following the arrests, the Lao nationals were given warnings and sent back to their local communities with the help of their relatives. The 106 Chinese detainees were transferred to Chinese authorities at the Luang Namtha international checkpoint on 15 August. The remaining foreign detainees were handed over to their respective embassies for further processing in accordance with international regulations.

This crackdown is part of a larger effort to address and prevent transnational crimes within the Special Economic Zone. Anousin highlighted that the operation aims to restore peace and order in the region, ensuring that business operations remain lawful and that criminal enterprises are thwarted.

J-Pop Royalty Number_i Announce Release of First Full Album “No.Ⅰ”


TOKYO, JAPAN – Media OutReach Newswire – 20 August 2024 – The musical phenomenon continues to sweep Japan and the globe with the announcement of the highly anticipated release of Number_i’s first full album, No.I (Number One), set to drop on 23rd September. This album marks a new chapter for the J-Pop trio following a string of achievements that have solidified their place in the music scene.

Number_i with their new album No.Ⅰ

The journey began on 1st January, with the digital release of their debut single “GOAT“. The accompanying music video quickly went viral, amassing over 10 million views within just three days and clinching the global #1 spot on YouTube’s daily music video ranking as of 3rd January. The track also soared to the top of the Billboard JAPAN comprehensive song chart, the “JAPAN Hot 100.”

Building on this momentum, the three-piece male group released their “GOAT” EP on 6th March, featuring the titular debut track alongside additional 5 songs (including “Blow Your Cover”), quickly reaching #1 on the Billboard Japan Weekly Single Sales Chart. It also achieved the highest first-week digital download numbers of the year on the Oricon chart, further cementing their status as breakout stars.

Their dynamic performance at the “88rising Futures” special stage during this year’s Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival on 14th April caught the attention of a global audience. Following this performance, “GOAT” skyrocketed to #10 on the US iTunes overall chart and secured the #3 spot on the Hip-Hop chart, generating substantial buzz and acclaim.

27th May saw the release of the Mini Album No.O-ring-, which debuted at #1 on the Billboard Japan comprehensive album chart “Hot Albums”. The music video for its lead track “BON” achieved a remarkable milestone, surpassing 10 million views within two days and ranking 2nd globally on YouTube’s daily MV ranking as of 27th May. The song also held the #2 position on the Billboard JAPAN comprehensive song chart, the “JAPAN Hot 100”.

Anticipation builds as the lead track “INZM” (Inazuma) from the forthcoming album No.I is released on streaming services on 19th August. Produced by Yuta Jinguji, “INZM” promises to be an electrifying addition to their discography, following the success of tracks like “GOAT” and the Sho Hirano-produced “BON”.

The album No.I will feature a total of 13 songs in its limited first edition, while the regular edition will include an additional bonus track, bringing the total to 14. This release showcases the group’s evolution and artistic range, poised to captivate audiences around the world.

Hashtag: #Number_i #INZM

The issuer is solely responsible for the content of this announcement.

About Number_i:

Rising from the legacy of J-pop phenomenon King & Prince, Number_i emerges as a new sensational musical force. Comprising former members Sho Hirano, Yuta Jinguji, and Yuta Kishi, this dynamic trio, under the esteemed TOBE record label, is poised to redefine the music industry as they embark on a journey symbolizing greatness and a fresh start, promising to captivate audiences and shape the future of music.

The group’s name, Number_i, carries profound significance, representing both ‘Only One’ and ‘Love’. This emblematic moniker reflects not only a message but also a pledge to their fans to journey together through the realms of music. For Sho, Yuta, and Yuta, Number_i embodies an exhilarating new chapter in their artistic endeavors.

Follow Number_i:

Over 3500 Participants Gather at the Digital Entertainment Leadership Forum 2024 (DELF 2024)

More than 60 Expert Speakers Explore the Innovative Future of AI Driven Entertainment Industry


HONG KONG SAR – Media OutReach Newswire – 19 August 2024 – The annual Digital Entertainment Leadership Forum 2024 (DELF 2024), organised by Cyberport concluded successfully yesterday. The three-day event featured rich programmes including industry forums, experiential zones, workshops, and competitions, attracting over 3,500 participants from both local and international regions, and garnered more than 280,000 views in total. Focusing on the theme “Imaginary Fairground: AI-Powered Entertainment in the Web 3.0 Era“, the forum brought together over 60 international and local industry leaders and celebrity speakers to discuss with the industry the transformative potential of AI and Web 3.0 technologies in shaping the future of digital entertainment, as well as the development of arts, education, sports, lifestyle, and more. On site, there were nearly 50 interactive experiences centred on four themes: “Smart Lifestyle”, “Robotics”, “Sports & Gaming”, and “Culture & Arts”, enabling visitors of all ages to personally experience the fun of integrating digital technology with entertainment and smart living. Multiple themed workshops were also open to the public, providing opportunities to explore and learn about AI scriptwriting, music mixing, and robot programming, and to experience flight simulation and drone operation.

Cyberport is dedicated to nurturing tech talent, and one of the highlights of this year’s DELF was the AI Everywhere Robotics Esports Invitational 2024, organised by the University of Hong Kong, Intel, and CETIC. The robots on the field were all assembled and programmed by the students themselves, allowing the robots to demonstrate their “footwork” on the competition field. At the same time, the student-programmed drone swarm flying performance, showcased the creative outcomes of young people in learning swarm programming, and designing flight formations and patterns.

The event also offered immersive experiences, including a VR-supported exploration of the Notre-Dame Cathedral in Paris, the sports game “Dynamic Martial World,” the sports training game “REZZIL SKILLSHOT”, the racing simulation game “Rev to Vertex”, the virtual flight experience “ICAROS Home”, the cultural experience “The Van Gogh DigiVillage”, and the AR adventure “Mystic Metal Mystery”, among others. These fun and interactive activities provide the public with the opportunity to immerse themselves in the virtual worlds created by Virtual Reality (VR) and Augmented Reality (AR), gaining a deeper understanding of the practical application of innovative technologies in the entertainment sector.

Dr Rocky Cheng, CEO of Cyberport, said, “As Hong Kong’s digital technology flagship, Cyberport is committed to injecting new impetus into the development of the digital economy and smart city through innovation and technology. Cyberport has successfully organised 17 editions of the international Digital Entertainment Leadership Forum, aimed at driving the innovative development of the digital entertainment industry and smart living. This year’s forum continues to bring together industry leaders to discuss how to unleash the potential of Web 3.0 and the huge opportunities brought by AI, leveraging technology to enhance the quality of life for individuals. We are glad to see the support from the industry and the community, who have come to explore the many applications and enjoy the combination of innovative technologies with digital entertainment.”

Warren Cho, World Wide Azure Gaming Vertical Leader at Microsoft, stated in his keynote speech on the profound impact of AI on the gaming and entertainment industries. “How can we compete if you are mid-sized or indie game developers? It is very difficult. But thanks to AI, now game development has became democratized. Now you could get a similar set of tools and support that the big studios have.”

During the forum at parallel tracks, Dr Peter Ng, Assistant Professor in the Department of Computing and Rehabilitation Sciences at The Hong Kong Polytechnic University, said “Talent cultivation is a key to technological progress. In DELF 2024, we had the opportunity to engage with technological talents and innovative technology demonstrations. PolyU has been recognised as The Best University for Blockchain in the world. Our teaching approach emphasises practical learning, fostering students’ innovative thinking to nurture more talents for the Web3.0 technology industry.”

Various exhibitors with cutting-edge technologies have gathered at the DELF 2024 Experience Zone. Among them, Felix Shang, Director of Asia-Pacific at Unitree Robotics, said, “DELF provides us with an ideal interactive platform, allowing the public to gain in-depth insights into the potential applications of AI robotics technology across various industries. Moreover, it offers us valuable opportunities to expand into the international markets, further enhancing our brand influence.”

Besides, Edward Eremyan, CEO & Founder, TELEPORT Immersive Limited said, “As a startup at Cyberport, participating in DELF enables us to engage with numerous industry peers, exploring business opportunities across different sectors. Additionally, it allows us to directly showcase the results of combining AI with art to the public, providing innovative experiences and deepening societal understanding of the potential for AI development.

This year’s DELF continued with the “Play-to-Earn” activity from previous years, where the public could redeem more than 300 fabulous prizes with the points they earned after completing tasks at 30 digital entertainment experience booths. These prizes included gaming laptop, cameras, speakers, game consoles, movie tickets, and dining and leisure vouchers, allowing participants to learn while having fun and exploring new technologies.

Concurrently, DELF 2024 hosted the “Elderly eSport Tournament & Experience Day”. Cyberport has been organising e-sports experience activities for the elderly since 2018, with the aim of encouraging seniors to participate in e-sports, improving their physical and mental health, as well as promoting intergenerational interaction. The “NEXX Digital Entertainment Leader Awards” ceremony was held on the closing day of DELF 2024. The award recognised outstanding content creators who have successfully leveraged AI innovation and creativity in areas such as AIGC, interactive media, immersive technology, digital content, gaming, digital art, and music.


For high-resolution photos, please download via this link.

The Digital Entertainment Leadership Forum 2024 comes to a successful close with more than 3,500 participants.

Photo 1: The Digital Entertainment Leadership Forum 2024 comes to a successful close with more than 3,500 participants.

DELF 2024 brings together over 60 industry leaders and celebrity speakers, including Warren Cho, World Wide Azure Gaming Vertical Leader at Microsoft, and Dr Peter Ng, Assistant Professor of Department of Computing and Rehabilitation Sciences of The Hong Kong Polytechnic University.

Photo 2–3: DELF 2024 brings together over 60 industry leaders and celebrity speakers, including Warren Cho, World Wide Azure Gaming Vertical Leader at Microsoft, and Dr Peter Ng, Assistant Professor of Department of Computing and Rehabilitation Sciences of The Hong Kong Polytechnic University.
Photo 4–8: DELF 2024 not only showcases various cutting-edge technologies but also transforms into a dynamic carnival, offering participants an unparalleled entertainment experience. The event seamlessly blends virtual and reality to enhance enjoyment.
Photo 9-12: Everywhere Robotics Esports Invitational 2024 (GBA) Student Drone Show, Smart Hong Kong Rotary Club Senior Esports and Experience Day and 2024 Global Idol Popularity Ranking Gipr 2 – Hong Kong Offline Selection.

Hashtag: #DELF

The issuer is solely responsible for the content of this announcement.

About Cyberport:

Cyberport is Hong Kong’s digital technology flagship and incubator for entrepreneurship with over 2,000 members including over 900 onsite and over 1,100 offsite start-ups and technology companies. It is managed by Hong Kong Cyberport Management Company Limited, wholly owned by the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region Government, and committed to the vision to inject new impetus into digital economy and smart city development through innovation and technology, and to connect enterprises to Mainland China and overseas markets. Cyberport strives to nurture a vibrant tech ecosystem by cultivating talents, promoting entrepreneurship among the youth, supporting start-ups, fostering technology industry development by promoting strategic collaboration with local, Mainland Chinese and international partners, and integrating new and traditional economies by accelerating digital transformation in public and private sectors.

For more information, please visit

Mingyang’s OceanX Sets Record: World’s Most Powerful Floating Wind Turbine Successfully Sets Sail


GUANGZHOU, CHINA – Media OutReach Newswire – 19 August 2024 – On August 13, OceanX, the world’s largest single capacity floating wind power platform, embarked on its journey from Guangzhou to the Yangjiang Mingyang Qingzhou IV offshore wind farm in Guangdong, China. After a 191-nautical-mile, over 50-hour tow, the platform’s arrival marks the commencement of a new era in green energy, poised to set the standard for offshore wind power technology.

August, 13, 2024. Mingyang's OceanX arrives at Yangjiang Qingzhou IV Offshore Wind Farm Yangjiang, Guangdong Province, China.
August, 13, 2024. Mingyang’s OceanX arrives at Yangjiang Qingzhou IV Offshore Wind Farm Yangjiang, Guangdong Province, China.

Developed by Mingyang Group, this floating wind turbine platform is arranged in a ‘V’ shape and carries two 8.3 MW offshore wind turbines. With a total capacity of 16.6 MW, it can be used in a wide range of sea areas around the world with water depth of more than 35 metres.

OceanX impeller reaches 219 metres at its highest point and a maximum width of about 369 metres in the air. The whole wind turbine platform has a total displacement of 15,000 tonnes, and a towing draft of 5.5 meters. Once operational, it is expected to produce 54 million kWh annually, enough to power 30,000 three-person households for a year.

  • High-Tech Ingenuity: OceanX Floats on Cutting-Edge Materials

OceanX advances wind turbine innovation by enhancing core component technology, driving both aesthetic and functional refinement in design and manufacturing.

Floating foundation is the key component for floating wind turbines in the deep and distant sea. Unlike traditional steel floating foundations, OceanX’s floating foundation consists of three floats, concrete arms and connectors.

It pioneers the use of ultra-high performance concrete with a compressive strength exceeding 115 MPa for floating foundation construction, a material 4 times stronger than standard concrete, significantly enhancing load-bearing capacity. The floating foundation also utilizes a pre-stressed high-strength concrete assembly structure, facilitating modular and batched manufacturing, thereby substantially reducing construction costs.

Mingyang has leveraged caisson pre-tensioning technology in its precast concrete construction, emphasizing interface sealing and the precision of the pre-stressing process. With 1,500 steel strands expertly threaded through the floating body’s arm, it has meticulously controlled tensioning forces and ensured uniform stress across the end face throughout the construction.

OceanX also introduces a cutting-edge float design, using layered material to replace traditional steel or hybrid materials. The float lightens the floats and accommodates their curved form. The three streamlined ellipsoidal floats offer reduced wave resistance and enable lateral rotation, providing yawing power. Rigorous testing confirms that the streamlined shape strikes an ideal balance between stability and load-bearing.

Notably, housing two wind turbines on a single floating platform can significantly cut down the per-kilowatt cost, as well as reduce the required sea area and operational maintenance expenses.

  • Revolutionary ‘V’ Tower: OceanX Pioneers Wind Turbine Architecture

OceanX, with its robust floating foundation, features the integration of two towers in a ‘V’ configuration, marking a first for offshore wind platforms.

OceanX’s tower, with its elongated elliptical design, maximizes wind exposure along its longer axis, significantly exceeding that on the shorter axis. By aligning the tower with the wind direction at an optimal angle, the wind platform’s area is effectively increased, allowing for swifter alignment to the wind and boosting the efficiency of wind energy capture. Additionally, the towers are fitted with a dual-access system for lifts and ladders, ensuring the comfort and safety of personnel during ascent and descent.

In addition to the evolution of the wind turbine form, Mingyang also expands the boundaries of the application of the cable-stayed system, installing it for the first time globally in a wind turbine.

OceanX has ingeniously harnessed the spatial framework of its tower system, integrating the world’s largest high-stress strand cable-stayed system. A robust network of 13 main and 6 auxiliary cables efficiently tensions the mainframe, tower, and floating foundation, establishing a stable tensioning mechanism across the wind turbine’s components. This innovative cable-stayed design has redefined the load transfer path of traditional wind turbines. Instead of the tower bearing the full impeller and gravity loads, the system distributes the tower’s gravity load to the tension cables, with the tower now only partially supporting the impeller loads. This strategic redistribution significantly lightens the tower’s load, enabling a streamlined and lightweight structural design.

To seamlessly integrate the 200-meter-long, 18-centimeter-diameter cables between the wind turbine, tower, and floats, OceanX employs a precise combination of graded pre-tensioning, multi-dimensional monitoring, and synchronized tensioning. This ensures that all 13 main cables achieve their individual pre-tensioning specifications and can be pre-tensioned to a maximum force of 350 tonnes, optimizing the structural integrity and performance of the wind turbine system.

August, 12, 2024. Mingyang's OceanX towing in progress, Guangdong Province, China.
August, 12, 2024. Mingyang’s OceanX towing in progress, Guangdong Province, China.

  • Dual-Rotor Pioneer: OceanX’s Unparalleled Wind Harvesting Design

On the V-shaped tower, two main engines are equipped with parallel impellers, covering a sweeping area exceeding 52,000 square meters—comparable to the size of seven standard football fields. With the impeller blades’ tips a mere 5 meters apart, this pioneering design optimizes impeller pitch and wind efficiency while leveraging the V-shape of the tower. It ensures impeller safety and enhances both wind capture and structural stability.

Upon startup, the impellers rotate in opposite directions, enhancing wind speed in the central area and boosting electricity generation from air kinetic energy by 4.29% compared to a single, large turbine with an equivalent swept area.

In the context of the entire wind farm, longer blades on a single turbine can significantly affect the turbine downstream. OceanX employs two small-sized wind turbines, leveraging the coupled vortex effect from counter-rotation to mitigate efficiency losses across the farm.

  • Downwind Mastery: OceanX’s Single-Point Mooring Showcases Cutting-Edge Innovation

OceanX utilizes a downwind design, alleviating tower headroom constraints for the blades, allowing greater movement, and enhancing the unit’s power generation efficiency through flexible and efficient wind energy capture.

In the face of extreme typhoon conditions, floating wind turbines must be designed to withstand 360° typhoon loads from the outset to ensure stability and safety. OceanX employs a single-point mooring system, which allows the platform to adaptively yaw with the typhoon’s direction. This ensures that the wind turbine consistently faces the incoming wind, regardless of the typhoon’s path.

In the mooring system, to withstand forces equivalent to a level 17 typhoon, the turret’s high-precision slewing bearings must offer exceptional load-bearing capacity and superior underwater sealing. To guarantee OceanX’s stable maritime operation, Mingyang has meticulously assembled the turret system, adhering to stringent standards and precision demands.

Data reveals that the single-point mooring solution reduces the ultimate load on the support structure by 40%, significantly improving the wind turbine’s safety and stability in typhoon conditions. This technology’s implementation boosts the standardization and efficiency of onshore operations for marine and engineering equipment.

OceanX is also capable of managing total health of the turbine to optimising power generation efficiency and lowering the maintenance cost thus finally cut down Levelized Cost of Energy (LCOE) under different environmental conditions.

  • From MW Giants to Deep-Sea Pioneers: Mingyang’s Unceasing Quest for economical offshore wind power

In April 2020, the 1:10 scale prototype of the OceanX dual-rotor floating wind turbine platform was launched in Lake Quarry, Germany. By October, it had completed a two-month offshore operation in the Baltic Sea, enduring tests equivalent to 72m/s winds and 30-meter waves, and earned a feasibility certificate from DNV.

Mingyang has pushed the boundaries of offshore wind power technology, from typhoon-resistant wind power to large offshore megawatt units, and now to the navigation of deep-sea floating turbines. The latest advancements in deep-sea floating wind power are setting new standards for human exploration of the ocean, while decreasing the cost per kWh to make the offshore wind more affordable.

As a leader in global clean energy innovation, Mingyang is committed to driving breakthroughs in marine energy technology. It aims to lead industry innovation, expedite sustainable offshore wind development and facilitate the green transmission globally.

For more information, please visit https://www.myse.com.cn/en and https://www.linkedin.com/company/mingyangsmartenergy/

Hashtag: #Mingyang

The issuer is solely responsible for the content of this announcement.