https://web.facebook.com/Thaistampmuseum/videos/879589379750386/

In Chinese, the 12 zodiac animals are called 12 生肖 (shēngxiào). These animals, in their order of appearance, are the Rat, Ox, Tiger, Rabbit, Dragon, Snake, Horse, Goat (also translated as Ram and Sheep), Monkey, Rooster, Dog, and Pig.

There is little consensus regarding the origins of the 12-year Chinese zodiac calendar. Some believe it grew out of the story of a Great Race between various animals organized by the Jade Emperor. Others claim that each animal’s place in the cycle relates to the specific time that each is most active during the day. These are just two of the countless origin stories that have circulated throughout China and other Asian countries for centuries.

Regardless of its origins, the Chinese zodiac calendar has played and continues to play a significant role in shaping the traditions, holidays, and foods enjoyed in Asian communities all over the globe.

The Year of the Rabbit (兔年 tùnián) comes once every 12 years. Last century’s Rabbit Years were 1927, 1939, 1951, 1963, 1975, 1987, and 1999. The most recent Year of the Rabbit was in 2011 and the next one starts on January 22, 2023. People born in any of these years are said to have been born under the sign of the Rabbit (兔子 tùzǐ).

Thailand Post will release its Year of the Rabbit stamp at post offices nationwide on Wednesday, January 4, despite what it says in the first day of issue postmark. The myriad of chops available at Bangkok area post offices have the correct date of January 4. This is the ninth Lunar New Year stamp with the design based on a sketch made by Her Royal Highness Princess Maha Chakri Sirindhorn — the first was for Year of the Goat in 2015 — and the third year that T.K.S. Technologies Public Company Limited of Thailand handled the printing chores (a change from the long-standing Thai British Security Printing Public Company). Mr. Thaneth Ponchaiwong of Thailand Post handled the overall design.

The stamp bears the standard domestic rate denomination of 3 baht and was printed using offset lithography in sheets of ten stamps. There were a total of 800,000 stamps printed, each measuring 30 x 40.5 mm.

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Esports, short for electronic sports, is a form of competition using video games. Esports often takes the form of organized, multiplayer video game competitions, particularly between professional players, individually or as teams. Although organized competitions have long been a part of video game culture, these were largely between amateurs until the late 2000s, when participation by professional gamers and spectatorship in these events through live streaming saw a large surge in popularity. By the 2010s, esports was a significant factor in the video game industry, with many game developers actively designing and providing funding for tournaments and other events.

The most common video game genres associated with esports are multiplayer online battle arena (MOBA), first-person shooter (FPS), fighting, card, battle royale and real-time strategy (RTS) games. Popular esports franchises include League of Legends, Dota, Counter-Strike, Valorant, Overwatch, Street Fighter, Super Smash Bros. and StarCraft, among many others. Tournaments such as the League of Legends World Championship, Dota 2’s International, the fighting game-specific Evolution Championship Series (EVO) and Intel Extreme Masters are among the most popular in esports. Many other competitions use a series of league play with sponsored teams, such as the Overwatch League. Although the legitimacy of esports as a true sporting competition remains in question, they have been featured alongside traditional sports in some multinational events in Asia, with the International Olympic Committee also having discussed their inclusion into future Olympic events.

By the late 2010s, it was estimated that the total audience of esports would grow to 454 million viewers, with revenue increasing to more than US$1 billion, with China accounting for 35% of the global esports revenue in 2020. The increasing availability of online streaming media platforms, particularly YouTube and Twitch, have become central to the growth and promotion of esports competitions. Despite viewership being approximately 85% male and 15% female, with a majority of viewers between the ages of 18 and 34, female gamers have also played professionally. The popularity and recognition of esports first took place in Asia, seeing significant growth in China and South Korea, with the latter having licensed professional players since 2000. Despite its large video game industry, esports in Japan is relatively underdeveloped, with this being largely attributed to its broad anti-gambling laws which prohibit paid professional gaming tournaments. Outside of Asia, esports are also popular in Europe and the Americas, with both regional and international events taking place in those regions.

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