Thailand rides on Songkran festival to boost soft power

STORY: Thailand rides on Songkran festival to boost soft power SHOOTING TIME: April 15, 2024 DATELINE: April 16, 2024 LENGTH: 00:04:06 LOCATION: Bangkok CATEGORY: CULTURE/ECONOMY SHOTLIST: 1. various of the Songkran festival celebrations in Ayutthaya 2. SOUNDBITE 1 (Thai): Thai citizen 3. SOUNDBITE 2 (Chinese): WANG SHAOHONG, Chinese tourist 4. SOUNDBITE 3 (Thai): ITTHIPHAN KHAOLAMAI, Manager of Ayutthaya Elephant Palace 5. various of the Songkran festival celebrations in Bangkok 6. SOUNDBITE 4 (Chinese): MA HUIZHEN, Thai-Chinese singer 7. various of the Songkran festival celebrations in Bangkok STORYLINE: Getting drenched in water fights, splashing water with elephants, or enjoying cultural performances, revelers embrace Songkran festivities throughout April across Thailand as the country rides on its traditional new year to boost "soft power." Songkran, usually held from April 13 to 15 in Thailand, is also celebrated in Laos, Cambodia and Myanmar. Known as the Buddhist new year, the holiday is tr

Asian Games: Water polo

Asian Games: Water polo

Japan goalkeeper Minami Shioya fights back tears during the awards ceremony after losing to China in their final women's water polo round-robin match at the Asian Games in Hangzhou, China, on Oct. 1, 2023.

China Sichuan Muli Fire

China Sichuan Muli Fire

MULI, CHINA - JUNE 1, 2023 - A forest firefighter fights a fire in Muli county, Liangshan, Sichuan province, China, June 1, 2023. At 11:00 a.m. on June 2, 2023, the forest fire in Jimaodian Village, Sanjueyya Township, Muli County, which happened on May 27, entered the stage of clearing emitters after Chengdu Brigade of Sichuan Provincial Forest Fire Brigade cleared a cliff smoke point in the middle section of the north line of the fire site with a large industrial UAV. Since the early morning of June 1, the local government has organized villagers and emergency militia to drive 25 small water tankers overnight to transport water from fire channels to the 3,700-meter-high mountain top to set up temporary water storage tanks, in an effort to ensure that fire rescue workers carry out water extinguishing operations.