DAP: The breaking news in Cambodia: “Insurance claims during Thai flood to exceed 20 bln USD” plus 9 more

BANGKOK, Nov. 7 (Xinhua) -- Damage claims from Thailand's flood crisis will exceed 20 billion U.S. dollars, "greater than the impact of the tsunami in Japan," according to authority, the Bangkok Post daily newspaper reported on Monday.

The Office of the Insurance Commission (OIC) said that the damage claims 600 billion baht (about 20 billion U.S. dollars), including actual damage and losses due to suspended business, greater than the impact of the tsunami in Japan, according to an initial assessment by the OIC.

The greatest damage is in seven industrial estates. Combined damage was assessed by the OIC recently at more than 600 billion baht, on a total insured amount of 456.79 billion baht (about 15 billion U.S. dollars). Insurance companies will have to pay 200 billion baht (6.5 billion U.S. dollars) for claims, accounting for about 30 percent of the total loss.

The seven industrial estates locate in central plain in Ayutthaya and Pathumthani.

The Federation of Thai Industries said that the losses from those seven industrial estates would be 300 billion baht (9.8 billion U.S. dollars) to 400 billion baht (14 billion U.S. dollars) , covering 891 factories and 460,000 workers.

About 90 percent of the total flood losses are reinsured, with the remaining sum also reinsured for another time. As a result, Thai insurers will not be hit too badly. Anon Vangvasu, senior vice president of the non-motor claims department of Bangkok Insurance (BKI), said that BKI would take on only 5 percent of the total losses. Affected companies are mainly Japanese manufacturers, and they had purchased risk coverage from Japanese insurers in Bangkok.

He said the losses of companies in the seven flood-affected industrial estates would be classified into three groups: buildings and construction, stockpiles, and machinery. The initial assessment by insurers indicated that buildings will account for 10-15 percent of the losses, stockpiles 40-50 percent and machinery about 50 percent.

After the flood has receded, insurance companies will send assessors to the factories to determine the damage to machinery, then technicians will be allowed entry for maintenance before repairs, for instance applying moisture protection. The final process will be handled by technicians who restore the machines, he said.

The country's worst floods, caused by heavy monsoon and overflow from several dams in upper part of the country, in nearly 60 years has claimed more than 500 lives and affected almost 10 million people since mid July.

KIEV, Nov. 7 (Xinhua) -- The North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) is interested in cooperation with Ukraine, an official with the alliance said here Monday.

"Now, more than ever there is an opportunity for partnership between Ukraine and NATO, especially at a time when all countries face many challenges, such as the proliferation of weapons of mass destruction, cyber security, piracy, etc," said Natalia Nemyliwska, director of the NATO Information and Documentation Center in Kiev.

At the same time, Nemyliwska stressed that NATO respects Ukraine's decision on its non-aligned status. She noticed that the alliance recognizes the sovereign right of each country to freely choose an approach to the organization.

She added that good relations between Ukraine and Russia are one of the main ideas behind NATO partnership, because good relations between partners are "making our world safer."

The relations between Ukraine and NATO started in 1995. In June 2010, Ukraine's government approved an action plan to implement a national program of cooperation with NATO.

BANGKOK, Nov. 7 (Xinhua) -- Recent survey conducted by Bangkok Metropolitan Administration (BMA) revealed Monday that some 470 spots in the capital city have been submerged under 80cm-high floodwaters.

Overall more than 800,000 residents or almost 10 percent of the city's population in those flood-hit spots have been affected.

Those places are in northern Saimai, Khlong Sam Wa districts, western Nong Khaem, Bang Plad districts and eastern Minburi district of Bangkok.

BMA has instructed local authorities to closely watch people in those spots as a lot of them did not leave their houses.

Until present, 13 districts of Bangkok's overall 50 districts have been affected by the deluge which has ravaged the country since late July, killing over 500 people and affecting more than 9. 4 million across the nation. Floodwater intruded the northern capital city during last week of October and continued to creep into its inner areas.

JAKARTA, Nov. 7 (Xinhua) -- Indonesian government is considering plans to take standby loans from other countries should the ongoing global financial crisis go bad and affecting the country's economy next year, a senior official said here on Monday.

The official said that government has contacted creditors in other countries, seeking their commitments to provide immediate loans anytime in the future should the government ask for it.

"This move was aimed at securing the country's budget so as to make it capable to finance the government's development programs," Debt Management Director General at the financial ministry Rahmat Waluyanto said here.

He, however, refused to name either the amount of the standby loans or the creditors that have been approached by the government.

He hinted that those creditors have yet to formally pledge their commitments to provide such a loan.

Indonesia took standby loans from Japan worth 5.5 billion U.S. dollars during financial crisis in 2008-09. The loan pledge was formed in Japan sovereign bond (Samurai bond) that can be issued anytime.

HANOI, Nov. 7 (Xinhua) -- Vietnam and India will try to reach a trade turnover of seven billion U.S. dollars by 2015 as pledged by the two sides at the 14th session of the Vietnam-India Joint Commission.

Vietnamese Deputy Minister of Industry and Trade (MIT) Le Duong Quang made the statement at the seminar held here on Monday by MIT, Vietnam Chamber of Commerce and Industry (VCCI) and Indian Embassy in Vietnam.

Vietnam wants to expand the all-sided cooperation with India, one of the country's current top ten foreign investors and among the most important strategic partners in South Asia and in Asia in general, Quang said.

Indian Ambassador to Vietnam Ranjit Rae said India is strengthening strategic partnership and cooperation with ASEAN member countries, among whom Vietnam is considered a special partner and an important pillar in its "towards East" policy due to its dynamic economy and an emerging market of potentials.

As soon as the India-ASEAN Free Trade Agreement is enacted, and with efforts from the two countries, two-way trade turnover of seven billion U.S. dollars will be able to be achieved by 2015, said the Indian Ambassador.

According to VCCI, in the first ten months of this year, Vietnam-India two-way trade turnover reached nearly three billion U.S. dollars, up 40 percent year-on-year, which has not yet met both sides' potentials.

Participants from both sides pledged to promote bilateral economic relations to meet their potential. India will provide favorable conditions for Vietnamese businesses to expand investment in infrastructure and construction. Meanwhile Vietnam will support Indian businesses to invest in Vietnam, especially in the private sectors, and in such fields as finance, energy, education, construction, high technologies, machinery and equipment.

PUL-E-KHUMIR, Afghanistan, Nov. 7 (Xinhua) -- Two suicide bombers were killed and six people were injured Monday morning when a suicide bombing rocked Baghlan province 160 km north of Afghan capital of Kabul, police spokesman in the province said.

"I can confirm six people, including five local police forces and a civilian, were injured in a suicide bombing that rocked provincial capital Pul-e- Khumri at around 11:30 a.m. local time Monday," police spokesman in the province, Ahmad Jawid Besharat told Xinhua.

He said the suicide bomber blew himself up near the residence of a chieftain or elder named Mullah Halam and that the attacker was killed on the spot.

"Mullah Halam who has been working for peace efforts in the Baghlan province is safe and sound but the six injured people have been transported to a provincial capital hospital for treatment," Besharat added.

Meantime, Lal Mohammad Ahmadzai, police spokesman in northern region, told Xinhua that three suicide bombers stormed Halam's house while a group of local police were visiting there, adding the first bomber detonated his explosive vest injuring five policemen and the second bomber was shot and killed by police before setting off his explosive.

"The third attacker has escaped the scene and police have begun a search operation to capture him," Ahmadzai added.

This is the second attack on local police force, a community police fighting against Taliban in their villages, in Baghlan province since Sunday morning.

Two local police commanders and five civilians were killed and 17 others injured when a suicide bomber targeted worshipers after Eid-ul-Adha, the Muslim's largest annual festival, praying in Hasantal village, 20km north of provincial capital Pul-e-Khumri on Sunday.

The blast took place while Afghans are celebrating a three-day Eid-ul-Adha celebration that began on Sunday amid tight security across the country.

No group has claimed responsibility for the attack, but Taliban suspects routinely claim responsibility for such attacks.

Afghan officials and pro-government figures have repeatedly been targeted by the Taliban insurgents since May when the insurgent group launched a spring rebel offensive against Afghan and over 130,000 NATO forces stationed in the country.

The Taliban outfit has also warned the civilians to stay away from official gatherings, military convoys and centers regarded as legitimate targets by militants.

MANILA, Nov. 7 (Xinhua) -- Six elite Army soldiers were wounded when they were waylaid by suspected members of Abu Sayyaf in the southern Philippines' island province of Basilan Monday morning, a military spokesman said.

Acting Army spokesman Harold Cabunoc said the troops were on a security operation at the village of Baiwas village around 8 a.m. when the improvised explosive device, planted by the terrorists, exploded.

"Our troops were bombed, they were ambushed...They were conducting security patrol as part of the our law enforcement operations against criminal elements in Basilan when the incident occurred," said Cabunoc, one of the soldiers with the 4th Scout Ranger Battalion.

Cabunoc said the perpetrators were under Abu Sayyaf leader Furuji Indama and Hassan Asnawi.

"The soldiers were tracking a group of bandits believed to be led by Furuji Indama and Hassan Asnawi who were eluding government forces around Mt. Abong-abong when the incident happened," said Cabunoc.

He said the soldiers were airlifted by a Huey helicopter to a local hospital where they are being given prompt medical attention.

MONROVIA, Nov. 7 (Xinhua) -- Official campaign for the 2011 run- off presidential election in Liberia scheduled for Tuesday ends mid-night Sunday, according to the National Election Commission guideline.

The election takes place despite boycott by main opposition party Congress for Democratic Change (CDC) leaded Winston Tubman.

Tubman was recently summoned to the Nigerian Federal Capital, Abuja by Nigerian President Goodluck Jonathan to convince him to take part in the run-off following his party's boycott threats.

The ruling party, UP and the CDC were winners and runners-up in the first round of voting and were scheduled to contest for the presidency in a run-off on Nov. 8, 2011.

Despite the resignation of the former chairman of National Electoral Commission (NEC), James Fromayan, the commission said the election process will go ahead as all election materials and staffs have been deployed throughout the country.

Meanwhile, President Ellen Johnson-Sirleaf Sunday went on the rampage from District to Districts in Monrovia in a last ditch to encourage her compatriots to go to the poll on Tuesday and cast their ballots.

At a campaign closing ceremonies in Districts 14, 15 and 17, the Liberian leader said Tuesday's election is not about Ellen Johnson-Sirleaf, but the greater interest of Liberia struggling to cope with the challenges of national reconstruction.

The Liberia leader said she is determined for the election processes to reach its conclusion as a boost to democracy in Liberia despite the CDC's boycott.

In a related development, some reports say the CDC will hold what the party calls peaceful demonstration.

But many are worried about such a move since peaceful demonstration have turned violent in the country in the 1979 including the rice riot that claimed the lives of over one hundred people.

KATHMANDU, Nov. 7 (Xinhua) -- Air services from Lukla in northeastern Nepal disrupted for some days due to bad weather resumed from Monday morning with improvement in weather condition.

Tara Air and Agni Air have operated three flights each until now after the weather improved.  Although the Nepal Army had been making efforts to rescue tourists stranded in Lukla using its MI- 17 helicopter over the last three days, it had not been able to do so due to the inclement weather.  But it has operated one flight Monday.

Similarly, the Fishtail Air has operated one flight. Over 150 among the stranded foreign tourists have been rescued by Monday morning, according to the Civil Aviation Authority of Nepal, Lukla office.

So far, more than 500 tourists have been rescued. Similarly, some tourists have already set on foot towards Kathmandu via Jiri, Dolakha district after seeing no hope of improvement in weather, said Pasang Sherpa, a local tourism entrepreneur.

The rescue operation of more than 2000 stranded tourists in Lukla is being hampered till Sunday due to adverse weather conditions.

The tourists have been stranded in the Tenzing-Hillary Airport in Lukla since last Tuesday following a sudden change in weather condition. In January 2008, the airport was renamed in honor of Sir Edmund Hillary and Sherpa Tenzing Norgay, the first persons to reach the summit of Mt. Everest.

The small airport which is located at an altitude of 2,860 meters is one of the busiest airports in Nepal as it is the gateway for tourists visiting Mt. Everest.

The surrounding terrain, thin air, highly changeable weather and the airport's short, sloping runway make it one of the most challenging landing strips in the world.

PHNOM PENH, Nov. 7 (Xinhua) -- Foreign tourist arrivals in Cambodia increased 15.6 percent in the first nine months of this year, compared to the same period last year, according to the statistics released by the Ministry of Tourism on Monday.

From January to September this year, Cambodia received 2.08 million foreign tourists, up 15.6 percent, compared to the same period last year of 1.8 million tourists, the report said.

Of the figure, Vietnam ranked number one among the top ten arrivals, up 21.7 percent to 462,400, and followed by South Korea and China, increased by 19 percent to 247,400 and 39 percent to 177,900, respectively.

Whilst Thailand ranked eighth among the top ten markets arrivals to Cambodia with the tourist number declined 27.4 percent to 80,900 from 111,400 due to the two countries' border hostility early this year.

According to the report, for the month of September alone, tourists to Cambodia increased by 21 percent to 209,800 from 173, 100 visitors at the same month of last year, of which Vietnamese tourists increased by 29 percent to 53,800, South Korea rose 19 percent to 19,800, and Chinese tourists up 41 percent to 19,000.

The figure showed that Thai tourists to Cambodia had increased by 21 percent in September to 13,570 due to the end of border military tension between the two countries.