Bangkok News: On May 8th, Thai Prime Minister Saita stated that marijuana will be reintroduced into the fifth level of drug control by the end of this year, and reiterated the need to vigorously combat the drug problem, but will allow marijuana to continue to be used for medical and health purposes. This has sparked strong dissatisfaction among marijuana industry and advocacy groups, claiming to hold street demonstrations and class action lawsuits to oppose the government's reversal of marijuana legalization policies.

The owner of a marijuana themed coffee shop in the capital Bangkok, Rathapong, said that the government's reclassification of marijuana as a drug would only lead to a black market in the marijuana trade. He pointed out that repeated policies may not only damage the confidence of foreign investors, but may also form a negative impact on the industryThe widespread chain reaction has led to the closure of legitimate marijuana companies, unemployment of workers, and loss of income for farmers who grow marijuana.

It is understood that the Thai governmentIn 2018, marijuana was approved for medical and research purposes, and in 2022, marijuana was acquitted. Currently, there are nearly 8000 marijuana shops operating locally, and over one million households have registered with the authorities to cultivate marijuana. If marijuana is re listed as a drug, it means that "producing, selling, exporting, importing or possessing" marijuana plants or using marijuana is illegal. Once convicted, one can be sentenced to 15 years in prison or fined up to 1.5 million Thai baht.

02Japan forces future generations to inherit vacant houses

The Lianhe Zaobao reported that in Japan, where the elderly and fewer children are living, the problem of vacant housing caused by housing surplus is a headache for the government. According to the latest data, vacant houses that are left unattended throughout Japan are9 million sets, an increase of 1.9 times from 20 years ago. Most of these vacant houses are dilapidated, not only damaging the landscape, but also posing risks of collapse. The authorities are working to increase taxes and fines to urge future generations to pay for the negative assets left by their ancestors. According to a housing and land statistics survey released by the Japanese Ministry of General Affairs on April 30th, the number of vacant houses in Japan has surged, accounting for 13.8% of the total number of houses. In other words, Japan has 14 vacant houses for every 100 houses.

To this end, Japan revised the Special Measures for Vacant Housing Act, which expanded the scope of the new regulationsThe scope of "problem vacant houses". According to regulations, even if the degree of damage to a house is small, it may be judged as "poorly managed" and will be excluded from low property taxes. In addition, in order to force future generations to inherit the old houseThe authorities also stipulate that the renaming procedures must be completed within a certain period of time after the owner's death, otherwise fines will be imposed.

military affairs

01Russia replaces Defense Minister

Moscow News: Recently, Russian President Putin replaced the Defense Minister more than two years after the outbreak of the conflict between Russia and Ukraine, and unexpectedly nominated Belousov, who was originally the First Deputy Prime Minister, as the new Defense Minister. The former Defense Minister Shoigu was appointed as the Secretary of the Russian Federal Security Council. The Kremlin explained that the Ministry of Defense must be brave enough to "innovate" and ensuring that defense spending aligns with the overall national interest is crucial for the replacement of defense chief candidates.

It is understood that Belousov has no military background and his expertise is in economics. In the pastTen years is one of the most influential economic advisors around Putin. Analysts believe that Putin's appointment of an economic specialist as Minister of Defense indicates his intention to change his combat strategy and increase pressure on Ukraine. Senior researcher at the Eurasian Center in Russia, Baonov, told the media that the replacement of the defense minister may mean that Putin plans to win the war through the defense industry and the international market. Russia's current strategy is not to mobilize troops and achieve breakthroughs on the front line, but to utilize the Russian militaryThe relatively strong advantages of the Federation of Trade Unions and the entire economy are slowly exerting pressure on Ukraine.

01The UK economy grew by 0.6% in the first quarter of this year

Reuters News,On May 10th,The UK Office for National Statistics announced that in the first three months of this year, the UK's gross domestic product increased0.6% is the strongest growth since the fourth quarter of 2021, with a growth rate of 1.5%. Conservative Prime Minister Sunak said to the latest numbersJoyfulAnd claimed that the British economy has turned the tide.BritainFinance Minister HunterRepresent,Undoubtedly, these years have been difficult,But the growing data indicates thatSince the outbreak of COVID-19, the UK economy has fully recovered for the first time.

It is understood that since the outbreak of COVID-19,Factors such as inflation and energy crisis have pushed up the cost of living in the UK,BritainPublic sector workers held multiple large-scale strikes last year, involving multiple industries from healthcare to railways. Protesters strongly demanded salary increases to cope with the increasingly severe economic pressure. However, these strikes have recently decreased, leading to growth in industries such as retail, public transportation, and healthcare. Nevertheless, the UK remains one of the countries with the slowest economic recovery after the pandemic. Reuters reported that as of the end of the first quarter of this year, the size of the UK economy was only slightly larger thanAt the end of 2019, the pre pandemic level increased by 1.7%.