ASEAN condemns last Saturday's lynching of four men by Myanmar's Tatmadaw dictators
Good morning all, today is Wednesday July 27 or Week 86 of our delightful Lockdowns and Mask Mandates.
THAILAND JUNTA PROTEST
The next major protest against the junta and Prayut is
Today, beginning at 4 p.m. at the Independence Monument and surrounding areas.
It's an important demonstration because organizers and participants are purposely and openly refusing to use any of the regime's attempted imposition of "7 Free Speech Zones" where police and army and surveillance crews are prepared.
The open defiance of every 'Free Speech Zone' is a major test of junta and police discipline.
Notice of the protest was posted on the website Crisis 24.
Use of the Independence Monument area is an open defiance of both the Prayut junta force and the new Bangkok governor Chadchart Sittipunt.
Chadchart has openly aligned with Prayut's insistence or corallin g demonstrations inside limited, designated areas.
Use of the city-centre area Independence Monument will severely impact today's evening rush hour.
https://crisis24.garda.com/alerts/2022/07/thailand-activists-plan-to-gather-at-victory-monument-in-bangkok-from-1600-july-27
THURSDAY July 28 is the King's birthday.
This coming weekend will be another 4-day holiday (all government offices closed, including immigration) from Thursday July 28 through Sunday, July 31. These offices will reopen on Monday, August 1.
ASEAN Condemns 'Highly Reprehensible' Myanmar Executions
Nine ASEAN members, exclusing Myanmar, condemned the four lynchings of Aung San Suu Kyi friends by the Tatmadaw (army) dictators of Myanmar.
An official statement said:
ASEAN denounces and is strongly disappointed by the execution of four opposition activists.
Cambodia, currently charged with fixing the Myanmar fiasco, went even further:
The executions were "highly reprehensible" as they set back efforts to settle the crisis.
https://english.kyodonews.net/news/2022/07/d076fa7f2918-asean-extremely-troubled-by-execution-of-myanmar-democracy-leaders.html
ASEAN SUMMIT MEETINGS
The always informative Oped columnist Kavi Chongkittavorn tackles the upcoming 'foreign ministers' meetings' in Phnom Penh.
The Asean Foreign Ministerial Meeting (AMM) next week will be a test of its centrality and relevancy as never seen before.
The annual meeting has to confront sensitive new and divisive issues that will require the 55-year-old bloc's collective wisdom, commitment and foresight.
External issues will dominate the agenda.
The ripple effects of the Russian-Ukraine war,
Myanmar's quagmire and
whether Timor Leste should be an ASEAN member.
Which is optimistic. There exist those who believe ASEAN and its annual July meetings have never been collectively wise, let alone committed.
PHOTO: Timor Leste President Jose Ramos-Horta, left, and Indonesian President Joko Widodo at speak following their meeting at Bogor, on July 19. Ramos-Horta Widodo that he wants Timor to join ASEAN.
https://www.bangkokpost.com/opinion/opinion/2354207/
U.S. FBI congratulates itself.
No one else bothered. And the FBI had to buy its own cake.
THAILAND CORONAVIRUS
During the 24 hours of Tuesday, Rona, in Thailand
caused 1,828 new cases and hospitalized the victims
killed another 35 victims
totaled 23,605 active cases of the virus
caused 903 serious cases
The only good news: 2,173 people recovered and left hospital for home.
Yes, and there is a convincing argument that Saint Fauci is not the only one. In Thailand, in fact, there were calls for this right from the start, but Prayut and the junta decided to take it easy.
Fauci today: Anthony Fauci Says If We Could Do It Again, Covid-19 Restrictions Would Be 'Much, Much More Stringent.'
That liberal fascism sounds so introspective. But the hard, cold-morning fact is that 'Much Much More Stringent' restrictions and lockdowns and lock-ins and travel bans, speech bans, "mask up or get fired", "get shot or get fired" and even welding people into their own small apartments - they didn't work.
ASEAN MYANMAR TATMADAW
ASEAN officially condemned last Saturday's lynching of four men by Myanmar's Tatmadaw dictatorship.
The ASEAN statement: "ASEAN denounces and is strongly disappointed by the execution of four opposition activists."
To be clear, the statement was by nine ASEAN members, excluding Myanmar.
Cambodia took it a step further saying the executions by hanging were "highly reprehensible".
"We strongly and urgently call on all parties concerned to desist from taking actions that would only further aggravate the crisis, hinder peaceful dialogue among all parties concerned, and endanger peace, security and stability, not only in Myanmar, but the whole region."
ASEAN has appointed Cambodia to lead an attempt to cool the Burmese army's coup and murderous campaign against pro-democracy groups and individuals.
https://www.bangkokpost.com/world/2354571
Kyodo News Agency: https://bityl.co/DTtC
And this statement is an independent reaction from the Thai junta's foreign ministry in Bangkok.
THAILAND MARIJUANA
Thailand's junta loyalist and 'minister of public health' said Tuesday that marijuana legalisation is fixed and final.
"We cannot step back and make cannabis an illegal drug again," said wealthy regime loyalist Anutin Charnvirakul. He insisted that Prayut has his back on the issue.
On Monday, more than 800 Thai doctors, the nation's Muslim leader and an influential 6-province group demanded that the government reverse legalisation and put the plant back on the criminal code.
LAOS THAILAND CHINA
Laos has 'almost finished' a spiffy new train station in downtown Vientiane.
Khamsavath Station will specifically receive trains from Thailand.
Connections at Khamsavath will include Luang Prabang and China.
Much more at
https://laotiantimes.com/2022/07/25/khamsavath-station-in-vientiane-capital-ready-to-operate-soon/
THAILAND PAEDOPHILES TEACHERS
Police busted a child sexual abuse ring the northeast province of Kalasin
KALASIN: Nine men, six of whom work closely with children, have been arrested and charged as part of a police operation against Man-Boy and Man-Child sexual exploitation.
The paedo suspects include a retired teacher, one high school and two primary school teachers, a child welfare worker and a university lecturer.
PHOTO: This Kalasin man was arrested on Tuesday on charges of paying for sex with underaged girls.
https://www.bangkokpost.com/thailand/general/2354474/
RUSSIA CHINA SPACE WARS
Russia Says It Will Leave the International Space Station in 2024
Which is roughly when China will complete construction of its own space station.
https://pjmedia.com/news-and-politics/rick-moran/2022/07/26/russia-says-it-will-leave-the-international-space-station-in-2024-n1615843
CHINA TAIWAN U.S.A.
Pelosi’s Taiwan ambiguity has China fuming ahead of Biden call
The Biden administration is watching for any moves by China to close off the Taiwan Strait, and they would prefer that Pelosi cancel her planned trip.
Chinese foreign ministry spokesman Zhao Lijian said China is getting "seriously prepared" to respond to a visit, and referred to earlier pledges to "take firm and strong measures to safeguard our sovereignty and territorial integrity."
https://www.japantimes.co.jp/news/2022/07/26/world/politics-diplomacy-world/pelosi-taiwan-china-fuming/
Related
Mike Pompeo and Mark Esper: "Nancy, I’ll go with you."
China says
A Pelosi visit would 'severely undermine' its 'sovereignty and territorial integrity, gravely impact the foundation of China-U.S. relations, and send a seriously wrong signal to Taiwan independence forces.
https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2022/jul/26/trump-allies-nancy-pelosi-taiwan-china-biden
The New York Times: U.S. fears China will blockade Taiwan Strait within 18 months
https://www.taiwannews.com.tw/en/news/4606989
European Parliament vice president warns China will pay high price by invading Taiwan
https://www.taiwannews.com.tw/en/news/4606678
MEANWHILE, IN TAIPEI...
Local residents take shelter during the Wanan Air Raid Drill (萬安45號演習), a civilian air-raid drill held on the same day as the annual Han Kuang military exercises.
Taiwan President Tsai Ing-wen was on hand to observe and comment.
More at
https://www.taiwannews.com.tw/en/news/4606014
TRIVIA
On This Day in History
A pair of eggheads at the University of Toronto, which is in Canada, isolated insulin - Fred Banting and Chuck Best.
Also: The first Bugs Bunny cartoon was shown publicly - 'Wild Hare'.
Also on this day
PLAGUE QUARANTINE
1377: The city council of Rugusa (now Dubroknik, Croatia) ordered that all travelers from areas with Black Plague cases must quarantine in isolation for 30 day. Later, they extended it to 40 days, and it still didn't work.
More than 97% of European and Mideast scientists concluded and taught innocent children and awe-struck ignorant newspaper reporters that plague was caused by the conjunction of Saturn, Jupiter and Mars.
Informed citizens of Strasbourg and cities in Germany massacred thousands of Jews because everyone knew it was the Jews who caused and spread the Black Death (What else could it be, right? Because Jews poisoned the wells, right?)
1918: With the Spanish Flu under way, highly informed citrizens of California (where else?) show how they Follow the Science. These fatheads had never heard of social distancing. Or the flu vaccine.
More than 97% of scientists announced that preventing Spanish Flu infection was simple: wash with Lifebuoy soap, add Oxo to all home-cooked meals, take aspirin and quinine. And cigarette smoke dispersed all Spanish Flu germ-filth, so smoking was recommended.
https://www.onthisday.com/articles/the-1918-flu-pandemic
She could be right, who knows?
OFFICIAL NOTICE
Thailand's ruling junta has announced it will not classify the monkeypox virus as a serious communicable disease.
One reason for this is that Thailand has no cases of monkeypox.
https://www.bangkokpost.com/thailand/general/2353847/
Related But Contrasting
Monkeypox is Spreading Through the Gay and Bisexual Communities (although not in Thailand) - But the U.S. C.D.C. Can't Recommend a Lockdown for Orgies.
Gee, maybe a strongly worded CDC advisory telling anyone with monkeypox symptoms to refrain from sex, especially from orgies, would be helpful. You think?
Proved and Proved Again
Mask Mandates Don't Need to Make Sense.
- Atlantic magazine headline, February 20, 2022.
https://townhall.com/tipsheet/rebeccadowns/2022/02/20/what-were-they-thinking-the-atlantic-mocked-for-claiming-mask-mandates-dont-need-to-make-sense-n2603548
CANADA CHILD ABUSE POPE
The Roman Catholic Christian in charge of generations of abuse and cultural suppression at Catholic residential schools across Canada is in Alberta province.
Thousands of Indigenous people are hoping Pope Francis will at least apologise. They are still waiting.
[Spoiler: He will apologise.]
https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/edmonton/edmonton-pope-alberta-apology-1.6530947
EUROPE RUSSIA UKRAINE WAR
Russian foreign minister Lavrov says Russia's current goal is to oust Ukraine's president.
https://www.thestar.com/news/world/europe/2022/07/25/lavrov-says-russian-goal-to-oust-ukraines-president.html?li_source=LI&li_medium=thestar_world
MASSACRES SHOOTING CANADA
Mounties arrested a 'white man with dark hair' who shot and killed multiple residents of the town and township of Langley, British Columbia.
https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/british-columbia/langley-shootings-emergency-alert-1.6530983
Mounties arrested two men for killing "at least two" persons in the popular ski resort town of Whistler, British Columbia. It was probably a gang killing.
https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/british-columbia/whistler-shooting-jul-24-1.6530719
SPORTS
I have wondered this many times.
Why Has Cooperstown Shut Out Curt Schilling?
https://pjmedia.com/news-and-politics/chris-queen/2022/07/24/has-cooperstown-overlooked-curt-schilling-because-of-politics-n1615399
TECHNOLOGY
Rule No. 1: Win the Game
Chess-playing robot grabs child-opponent's finger and breaks it.
https://www.techspot.com/news/95405-watch-chess-playing-robot-grabs-child-opponent-finger.html
The Chinese hacker group Roaming Mantis has breached more than 70,000 mobile devices, and the group has launched a new malware campaign in France.
Roaming Mantis uses phishing. It aims to steal financial and identity data.
https://bityl.co/DT3J
Microsoft Windows 11 will ship with an automatic lock of your entire system if someone uses a wrong ID or password to log on.
Windows 10 has a similar 'feature' but users must know how to enable it.
https://www.howtogeek.com/757776/how-to-lock-your-windows-11-pc/
palus delenda est
They're taking the Wan An Air Raid drills more seriously this year. For the first time in at least 5 (?) 10(?) years, you can't be on the road during the drill (although you can be on the highway). We have to turn off all lights as well. A policeman dropped by our school and reminded us. First time I've ever seen that. There's no actual scare though as far as I've heard, just a test of the alarms, mobile notification system and police deployment from what I'm seeing as we start the drills here in Tainan.
Two police were at the intersection milling around, one tapping on his cellphone. Came rushing to one elderly gentleman driving slowly on his scooter and ordered him onto the sidewalk.