Ajarn Donald's Blog

ASEAN COMMUNITY 2015 BACKGROUND The ASEAN Economic Community ( AEC ) is a plan of economic integration that will lead to the creation of a single market and production base by 2015 and is one of the three pillars to achieve a cohesive ASEAN Community, the other two are political/security and social cultural pillars. The AEC will transform ASEAN into a region with free movement of goods , services, investment, skilled labour and freer flow of capital.  Free Trade Area ( FTAs ) will ensure ASEAN members gain greater market access in terms of trading partners and attracting foreign direct investments to ASEAN.   The main objectives of AEC are to create a single  market and production base, highly competitive  economic region, region of equitable economic  development and region fully integrated into the global economy.   THE STUMBLING BLOCK   Analysts have voiced their concern that the group’s plan to move towards an ASEAN Community by 2015 is...

Recycling has a new technological frontier as record-high metal prices turn electronic devices into gold mines Believe it or not, you have got gold in your pocket at this very moment. If it is not in your pocket, it is likely to be sitting right on your desk. You cannot see it but it is there — encased behind the screen of your mobile phone . Most electronic devices contain some gold. Because most other metals are easily corroded by even minute amounts of moisture, gold and other precious metals that are more resistant to corrosion are used in key parts of the electronics. The average mobile phone contains about 24mg of gold, 250mg of silver and other metals such as copper, cobalt and palladium. Record high metal prices and the growing numbers of electronic devices have given rise to a thriving urban mining industry, especially in Asia , where gadgets like mobile phones outnumber the population in many countries. During a 2010 government-led campaign in Tokyo to recycle used m...

Published:  6/03/2012  at 05:40 PM Online news:  Learning From News Shenzhen Scope Scientific Development Co has beaten three other Chinese companies to win a  contract  to supply 900,000   tablet computers  for first graders in government schools. The selection of Scope, which will supply the tablets at a cost of US$81 (2,482 baht) apiece will be put before the cabinet for  approval  today. The 900,000 tablets will be  distributed  to all Prathom 1 (Grade 1)  primary   students  this year under the Pheu Thai-led government's One Tablet PC Per Child  scheme , aimed at promoting a  knowledge-based  and  network-connected society .  The Education Ministry also plans to seek approval to  purchase   higher specification tablets  for nearly 700,000 Mathayom 1 (Grade 7) students.  Information and Communication Technology Minister Anudith Nakornthap said the project committee ...