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Phase 1 - Humanoid and UbiComp Coaches fighting Childhood Obesity (Week 1)
Phase 1 of my research project work at Marquette University (titled: "Integrating Ubiquitous Computing and Intelligent Humanoid Health Coaches to Reduce and Prevent Childhood Obesity"). My work is centered on utilizing a NAO humanoid robot as a health coach -- with a focus on encouraging behavior change among preteens to foster good exercise and diet choices in an effort to drive down childhood obesity. This is a simple demo of the Nao robot performing Thai Chi.More to come... stay tuned!From:de-Hao AViews:54 0ratingsTime:01:56More inScience Technology

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Phase 1 - Humanoid and UbiComp Coaches fighting Childhood Obesity (Week 1) - Video

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Dubstep Thai Chi
From:Cynthia LoeraViews:36 0ratingsTime:02:15More inPeople Blogs

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Dubstep Thai Chi - Video

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COACH KNOCKS OUT STUDENT MMA THAI CHI
Not sure that was part of the plan.From:Luis SpencerViews:29 0ratingsTime:00:33More inSports

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COACH KNOCKS OUT STUDENT MMA THAI CHI - Video

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Flexible living
Thai chi step two (A)From:deannalynn8Views:40 1ratingsTime:00:38More inEducation

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Flexible living - Video

Foreign investment in Vietnam has dropped by about a third since September 2011, with some blaming a weakening economy, inflation, high debt, and the fallout from a property market crash.

With sustainable growth around 5% a year, Vietnam should be able to reduce the risk of high inflation.

These economic woes have also led to political tensions between Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung and President Troung Tan Sang. These may surface at the Communist Partys Central Committee meeting currently taking place, and there will certainly be discussions during the meeting about how the weakening Vietnamese economy can be recharged.

Whatever the outcome of the meeting, we can still expect to see plenty of ongoing interest in Vietnam by Thai investors, as most businesses with a presence in the country of 90 million will continue to focus on their long-term strategy and creating real value.

According to the Thai Consulate in Ho Chi Minh City, Thailand is the 11th largest investor in Vietnam and the third largest among Asean members, with total investment value of US$5.9 billion (182 billion baht). This is concentrated in the processed foods, paper, plastic, animal feed and motorcycle parts sectors.

I am confident that Vietnam will bounce back from its recent difficulties, and more quickly than people think. Even though the pace of economic growth in Vietnam is slowing, a World Bank forecast released at the beginning of October is still forecasting 5.2% growth in 2012 and 5.7% expansion in 2013.

Going forward, I believe there are four key areas for consideration by investors:

1. Vietnam is changing: In the past, corrupt loans to inefficient state- and privately owned companies resulted in a rise in non-performing loans and pressure on the wider economy. The Vietnamese government is now taking steps to remedy these problems in the banking sector. President Truong Tan Sang has given interviews and public speeches pledging action against corruption and I believe this, more than any other factor, can support confidence that Vietnam will provide solid medium and long-term investment growth.

2. Growth is stable: The current growth rate of around 4% is predicted to average out at around 5% over the next two years. This is a sustainable level of growth, and will keep excessive inflation at bay, while also helping Vietnam prepare for the economic integration prompted by the Asean Economic Community.

3. Vietnam is a springboard to opportunity lying just beyond its borders: Laos and Cambodia are dynamos of growth and Vietnam can provide a gateway for Thai investors wishing to access these markets, directly or through Vietnam subsidiaries.

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Don’t turn your back on Vietnam

Bangkok, Oct 12, 2012 - (ACN Newswire) - After ten successful runs in six of Southeast Asia's major cities -- Manila, Kuala Lumpur, Jakarta, Ho Chi Minh, Bangkok and Singapore -- the Asian Forum on Corporate Social Responsibility (AFCSR) once again returns to Thailand to hold the 11th AFCSR at the Shangri-La Hotel in Bangkok.

On October 25 and 26, more than 50 CSR experts from various industries will converge at the conference, which will be concluded by the Asian CSR Awards gala dinner and awarding ceremonies. Her Excellency Yingluck Shinawatra, Prime Minister of the Kingdom of Thailand will be the guest of honor and will be presenting the awards to organizations on the evening of October 26, 2012.

Earlier this year, Prime Minister Shinawatra confirmed her government's commitment to working with the private sector in building a society of good governance and social responsibility, with plans to support health and wellness, tourism and education in the region.

This dovetails with many Thai companies represented in the conference who have a strong CSR strategy; some of whom are Bangkok Bank, Double A (1991) PCL, Mitr Phol Sugar Corp., and The Siam Cement PCL.

Since 2003, the Asian CSR Awards Program has been recognizing and honoring Asian companies for embodying the principles of corporate responsibility in their business philosophy and operations. The awards seek to identify, honor, and provide role models of best practices for other companies. It is presented by the Asian Institute of Management - Ramon V. del Rosario, Sr. Center for Corporate Social Responsibility (AIM-RVR) and Intel Corporation.

This year's Asian CSR Awards saw the submission of more than 300 programs from 88 companies and 13 countries. Awards will be given in the focus areas of Value Chain Management, Governance and Society, Labor and Employee Engagement, and Product Responsibility and Consumer Rights. The Intel-AIM Corporate Responsibility Award (IACRA) will be given to the company that has taken a fully-embedded approach to corporate social responsibility across all the four focus areas and has implemented projects that have a significant impact and are sustainable in all appropriate areas of operations. The winners will be announced on October 26 at the awarding ceremonies at the Shangri-La Hotel.

For more details, visitwww.asianforumcsr.com .

About Asian Forum on CSR (AFCSR)

Following ten successful conference runs in six of Southeast Asia's major cities - Manila, Bangkok, Kuala Lumpur, Jakarta, Ho Chi Minh City and Singapore, the Asian Forum on Corporate Social Responsibility (AFCSR) continues to be at the forefront of CSR development in Asia. This 2012, Bangkok will host the 11th AFCSR on October 25 & 26, Thursday & Friday.

The AFCSR is recognized as the largest and most significant conference on CSR in Asia, this evident by the numbers of delegates who have attended the conference through the years. The forum is extremely well supported and attended, not just by the business sector but by government officials, the academe, civil society, media, and multinational and multilateral organizations operating in Asia.

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Thai Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra to Grace the 11th Asian Forum on Corporate Social Responsibility

Thai goods enjoy a reputation for above-average quality in Vietnam, where many consumers are willing to pay a little more for something with a Product of Thailand label. However, consumer tastes are constantly changing and marketers must be prepared to defend their products reputations against new competition.

Thai goods have not flooded Vietnam the way products from China have, but have gradually expanded their presence based on higher quality and better services. Among the Thai brands that have built great market share momentum are Red Bull energy drinks, Rosso mens underwear, BSC cosmetics, Three Lady Cooks foods, Pao laundry detergent, and Malee fruit juice products.

One of the very first things that we need to do is maintain brand loyalty and continue to improve product quality, says Dr Siwarit Pongsakornrungsilp, head of the Consumption and Sustainable Economy Research Cluster (CSE) at Walailak University in Nakhon Si Thammarat.

It is important to note the effects of digital media on consumer culture trends, as when people see more, they have more choices which leads them to be more selective when it comes to purchasing decisions.

To expand their share in Vietnams consumer market, he says, exporters have to create a distinctive brand story. Successful brands develop a conceptual framework to capture customers collective consciousness and make the brand unique and memorable.

The success of Korean products in Vietnam since Korean pop culture spread across Asia makes an excellent case study for this theory.

Last year Vietnam imported $13.17 billion worth of products from South Korea, a rise of 65% from $8 billion just three years earlier, helped by the enthusiasm of Vietnamese young people for K-Pop and housewives for Korean TV shows.

Thai exporters can learn from Koreas success and try to create brand stories to make their products the talk of the town. Making sure that salespeople in stores have a positive feeling about your products is a plus.

Researchers have found that compared with their peers in other countries, Vietnamese shoppers, especially those above middle age, like to interact with salespeople and get their comments and recommendations. As well, according to the Nielsen Shopper Trends Study, Vietnamese shoppers are the most prolific promotion-seekers in Asia, so regular promotional campaigns can be a great bonus.

Participating in exhibitions and trade fairs is also very significant promotional tool for ewxporters seeking to introduce new products, says Busaba Butrat, director of the Thai Trade Center in Hanoi.

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Opportunities await in Vietnam, but preparation a must

Police in Ho Chi Minh City have arrested two Thai citizensduring the bust ofa ring that allegedly trafficked 2.06 kilograms of cocaine from Brazil into Vietnam, Tuoi Tre reported Friday.

One of the suspects, Chaimongkol Suracha, 30, was caught carrying the drugs hidden in two photo albums when he arrived at Tan Son Nhat International Airport on a flight from Brazil on October 1.

Later that same day, police set up a sting operation and arrested Pakaporn Thatchun, while she was receiving the drugs from Suracha at a hotel in District 1, the newspaper said.

Suracha told police that he got to know two Brazilians, known as Fosta and Mieare, on the Internet and was promised a job at a car export company in Vietnam.

On August 12, Mieare took Suracha to Vietnam, but then said that there was a job vacancy in Brazil, so they took a flight to that country that night, according to the news report.

When they arrived in Brazil, Mieare introduced the Thai man to an African man and left, according to the article, adding that on September 28, Suracha was taken to a supermarket for shopping and given a suitcase.

Later, another African man gave him an air ticket to Vietnam, claiming that he needed to return to Vietnam to meet the employer of the car company to getthe jobpromised earlier by Mieare.

Suracha also said the man gave him the two photo albums as a gift to his friend.

Vietnam has some of the worlds toughest drug laws. Those convicted of smuggling more than 600 grams of heroin or more than 2.5 kilograms of methamphetamine face the death penalty.

Earlier this week an appeals court in HCMC upheld a death sentence against a 23-year-old Thai student who was caught with more than three kilograms of meth, when she arrived at Tan Son Nhat airport on October 29 last year.

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Thais arrested in Vietnam drug bust

Vietnam's Supreme Court has refused to commute the death sentence of a 24-year-old Thai woman who smuggled narcotics into the country, according to the Saigon Daily.

The Supreme People's Court in Ho Chi Minh City has upheld the lower court's death sentence against Preeyanooch Phuttharaksa, the newspaper said on its website.

Preeyanuch was arrested in October of last year after customs officials at Tan Son Nhut Airport found more than three kilogrammes of methamphetamine hidden inside her luggage. Before her arrest, Preeyanuch had sneaked drugs into Vietnam twice, according to the indictment.

She was handed the death penalty on June 26 by the People's Court and she later appealed to a higher court.

Preeyanuch, a student, had confessed to having been paid 50,000 baht by a Nigerian drug gang to bring the drugs into Vietnam from the west African country of Benin. She had met her Nigerian contact originally at a mall in Bangkok.

Thai officials have said that even if the Supreme Court upheld the death sentence, she could still petition the Vietnamese president for mercy. Vietnam executes criminals with lethal injections, which replaced the firing squad last year.

Statistics from the Thai Foreign Ministry show that about 100 Thai women are currently being detained for drug trafficking in several countries, including China, India, United Arab Emirates, Spain, Brazil and South Africa.

Some of them had married citizens of African countries and were forced to become involved in the trans-national drug trade, officials say.

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Vietnam court upholds drug smuggler's death sentence

An appeals court in Ho Chi Minh City Wednesday upheld a death sentence against a 23-year-old Thai student who was convicted of trafficking drugs into Vietnam in June.

At a hearing held by the Peoples Supreme Court in HCMC, the board of judges said they turned down Preeyanooch Phuttharaksas appeal for a sentence reduction because she hadtransported a huge amount of drugs into Vietnam, which was an extremely serious act.

The woman, a university student in Bangkok, was caught with more than three kilograms of methamphetamine when she arrived at HCMC's Tan Son Nhat International Airport on October 29 last year.

She was transporting the drugs for a person of unknown identity and referred to as Jom from Doha, Qatar, to Vietnam for 50,000 baht (US$1,600). The drugs were given to Phuttharaksa in Benin, before she flew to Moroccos Casablanca city, and then Doha.

According to the student, she also transported drugs for Jom on two different occasions in February and March that same year, for 4,000 baht ($130) and $300, respectively.

Vietnam has some of the worlds toughest drug laws. Those convicted of smuggling more than 600 grams of heroin or more than 2.5 kilograms of meth face the death penalty.

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Vietnam court upholds death sentance against Thai girl