Bangkok governor okays anti-Prayut protests
G'morning world. It is Sunday. If it's not yet Sunday where you are, do try to catch up.
I have thought hard about this and to heck with it. I'm declaring Sunday as the first day of Week Number 83 of your personal lockdown.
Bangkok governor okays anti-Prayut protests
The still-newish elected governor of Bangkok has signed permission for anti-junta activists to hold a multi-day "countdown for Prayut" rally in front of Bangkok City Hall.
One of several stipulations: "City Hall doesn't allow demonstrators to stay overnight because the area must be cleaned every day and resources must be allocated to take care of the demonstrators."
The Prayut Countdown will start today. Chief organisers are former red shirt shouter Jatuporn Prompan and intense yellow shirt backer Nititorn Lamlua. Both now prefer to be called 'activists'.
SPOILER: Prayut won't resign on Wednesday, but a large anti-junta demonstration at City Hall won't help his populatity.
https://www.nationthailand.com/in-focus/national/40019125
The Temple Robber of Cambodia has been tracked to New York City. Maybe.
The Cambodian government claims it has found a trove of stolen archaeology treasures, among collections of the The Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York.
The collection, probably looted, is one of several at the museum, from Cambodia and India, Thailand and Vietnam. The chief collector, especially after 1970, is British-Thai businessman and antiques collector Douglas A.J. Latchford - an indicted trafficker in illegal Cambodian artefacts.
Latchford reportedly helped the Cambodian government and experts identifythe artefacts.
His post-1970 "gifts" and lucrative sales to the New York museum are the bedrock of galleries of Asian and Southeast Asian arts hoarded by the museum since 1983.
The U.S. Department of Justice is involved, chiefly on the side of the Cambodians - who want all their treasures returned.
The museum claims its hands are clean. But it won't return any artefacts to Cambodia without a lot more evidence.
Phoeurng Sackona, Camodia's minister of culture and fine arts, has asked to look at the Met's records. The Met said "Nah, bugger off."
It regards such documents as internal business records, not subject to disclosure.
https://www.nytimes.com/2022/08/18/arts/design/met-artifacts-cambodia.html
Readable Summary of the Above
Cambodia says lost artifacts found in Gallery 249 at the Met
PHOTO: Antiquities on display in Gallery 249 at The Metropolitan Museum of Art, Manhattan. Photo taken on July 29.
https://www.bangkokpost.com/world/2372353/
The Rona eases its attack, or maybe not
The number of new Covid infections fell to below 2,000 on Friday. But the nasty virus killed yet another 29 people.
Medical experts employed by the ruling junta reported publicly that the Rona put 1,902 new sufferers in the hospital - almost 200 below Thursday's virus attacks..
Of those in hospitals, 873 were seriously ill patients with lung inflammation (up from 853) and 441 were dependent on ventilators (up from 436).
https://www.bangkokpost.com/thailand/general/2372883/
CORONAVIRUS U.S.A.
One way to put it:
U.S.A. CDC Director Walensky to reorganize agency after admitting Covid pandemic response fell short
https://www.cnbc.com/2022/08/17/cdc-admits-covid-response-fell-short-launches-reorganization.html
CDC director orders reorganization, saying COVID-19 response 'did not reliably meet expectations'
https://www.foxnews.com/health/cdc-director-orders-reorganization-saying-covid19-response-did-not-reliably-meet-expectations-report
And she will absolutely not, ever say what were her expectations.
Where "absolutely" is an absolute word.
WILL ANYONE BE FIRED? (SPOILER: NO.) United States CDC announces overhaul after COVID-19 response failed 'expectations'.
But if she moves the deck chairs around a little bit, the Titanic will be fine.
https://www.upi.com/Top_News/US/2022/08/17/centers-for-disease-control-and-prevention-overhaul-external-report-flawed-response-COVID-19-pandemic-monkeypox-outbreak/7061660761068/
Lockdown Disasters
https://www.powerlineblog.com/archives/2022/08/lockdown-disasters.php
Around the world, an accounting is finally under way for the disastrous shutdown policies that were followed by many governments. The Telegraph headlines: “Lockdown effects feared to be killing more people than Covid.” The effects of lockdown may now be killing more people than are dying of Covid, official statistics suggest. Figures for excess deaths from the Office for National Statistics (ONS) show that around 1,000 more people than usual.
SPORTS BOXING MUAY THAI
Got to feel sorry for the poor Japanese guy, right? Nah, why?
Here is a vid of the fight.
Buakaw wins, Japanese fans suffer most.
Buakaw Banchamek beat up popular glamorous Japanese MMA star heartthrob Kota Miura like a workouse mule before the compassionate referee stepped in to protect the poor Japanese guy.
Buakaw started slowly in the first round as he sized up his younger opponent, an internet heartthrob in Japan.
The Thai veteran became more aggressive in the second round, launching a series of head kicks and flying knees while slipping the occasional counterpunch from Miura.
In the final round, Buakaw launched a barrage of punches, flying knees and kicks to the head of his opponent, driving him into a corner with no chance of escape.
The referee stepped in to protect the outclassed Japanese star from further punishment or worse, declaring a technical knockout.
https://www.nationthailand.com/life/sport/40019136
Rajadamnern shows off
Almost immediately after Buakaw's latest victory, host Rajadamnern Stadium started showing off its two-year, multi-milion baht renovations.
The stadium, built specifically for boxing/muay Thai is Thailand's oldest and best known boxing stadium.
The stadium still hold four, 10-bout boxing cards a week, often to capacity crowds.
The article below says Rajadamnern is 73, but in fact, it first opened in 1945.
"We are developing the surrounding buildings to become shophouses that will sell stuff to the fans and we plan to build a parking lot for coaches and buses to accommodate tourists," said Prai Panyalakshana, Rajadamnern chairman of executive directors.
"The boxing stadium business doesn't make much money but it's part of our national heritage. It's something I want to preserve for the coming generations and for as long as possible."
https://72years.bangkokpost.com/rajadamnern-stadium.php
I have a statement. There will be no questions allowed.
Prayut goes on defence
Thailand's token 'prime minister' Prayut appeared briefly Friday to defend his massive spending of 1.33 billion-with-a-"b" baht on the image of the junta and himself. He said:
The spending was for creating awareness on numerous issues and most of the funding goes to the Government Public Relations Department (PRD),
And then appeared the fit Number One junta spokespersonlady Rachada Dhnadirek:
"Public relations budgets of government agencies must be thoroughly examined to ensure that they are appropriate and follow proper procedures, and everything must be transparent."
Which is supposed to mean, "There was no corruption."
"Public relations budgets of government agencies must be thoroughly examined to ensure that they are appropriate and follow proper procedures, and everything must be transparent," said Ms Ratchada.
https://www.bangkokpost.com/thailand/politics/2372905/
No! The Bang Sue Grand Station shot staton is not closing down.
The latest junta flip-flop was the announcement that it was closing the country's biggest jab centre on August 31, and then announcing, "whoopsie, no, strike that".
Ther Bang Sue Grand Station's Central Vaccination Centre (CVC) will remain open another month until the end of September. Or so
The inoculation centre's director (hey, everyone needs a job and a title) Doctor Mingkwan Wichaidit said he'll keep the Bang Sue centre open for at least another month.
Until 60 percent of the 70 million Thais have at least two anti-Covid shots and a booster.
https://www.bangkokpost.com/thailand/general/2371750/
Feel the Pink!
Blackpink released its first album in two years, fronted by the single 'Pink Venom'.
Which got 13 million views on YouTube in two hours.
Fronted by Thailand's Lalisa, Blackpink is preparing for nine-month world tour that kicks off in October.
https://www.nationthailand.com/in-focus/national/40019103
Yes. Why did you think the state song of Colorado is 'Rocky Mountain High'?
Colorado is America's cocaine use capital.
https://kdvr.com/news/data/colorado-is-the-nations-cocaine-use-capital/
China's new Confucius Institute - Bigger, Faster, Richer
and with a different name:
Huawei’s ICT camp gets underway
Asia-Pacific Seeds for the Future
120 top students from 16 Asia-Pacific countries, including 10 from Thailand, will be attending the digital boot camp in Thailand, which began yesterday and continues through Aug 27.
...
The programme has been brought to nearly 140 countries and regions, reaching more than 12,000 students from 500 universities, he said.
This is a small extract of the Sunday column by the always delightful Crutch.
To read it all, go to this site and look for it.
https://www.bangkokpost.com/opinion
[Sunday morning joke]
The tipster says this is a true story. Possibly.
George Phillips, an elderly man from Walled Lake, Michigan, was going up to bed, when his wife told him that he'd left the light on in the garden shed. She could see it from the bedroom window.
George opened the back door to go to turn off the light, but saw that there were people in the shed stealing things.
He phoned the police, who asked "Is someone in your house?"
He said "No," but some people are breaking into my garden shed and stealing from me."
Then the police dispatcher said "All patrols are busy, you should lock your doors and an officer will be along when one is available."
George said, "Okay." He hung up the phone and counted to 30. Then he phoned the police again.
"Hello, I just called you a few seconds ago because there were people stealing things from my garden shed. Well, you don't have to worry about them now because I just shot and killed them both; the dogs are eating them right now," and he hung up.
Within five minutes, six Police Cars, a SWAT Team, a Helicopter, two fire trucks, a paramedic and an ambulance showed up at the Phillips' residence, and caught the burglars red-handed.
One of the policemen said to George, "I thought you said that you'd shot them!"
George said, "I thought you said there was nobody available!" [h/t gs]
CDC Admits Its Covid Performance Was Lacking
https://www.powerlineblog.com/archives/2022/08/cdc-admits-its-covid-performance-was-lacking.php
China's interest in U.S. agriculture — Judith Bergman, Gatestone
The U.S.-China Economic and Security Review Commission (USCC) recently warned that China's interest in the agriculture of the United States poses both a serious economic challenge and a security risk to the United States.
https://www.gatestoneinstitute.org/18790/us-agriculture-china
China is preparing for war
https://www.19fortyfive.com/2022/08/china-is-preparing-to-go-to-war/
Quite true (the above). Now do Thailand, which if anything is even MORE disrupted by Peking's non-stop land purchases - apparently for agriculture.
Interesting thoughts from these two pointy-headed guys (their dateline is CHICAGO/CAMBRIDGE which is a helluva clue) on this whole Taiwan-West Taiwan feuding, and their headline is:
Why Taiwan matters to the democratic world
By accepting that authoritarian China inevitably will seize democratic Taiwan, too many Western commentators end up toeing the Communist Party's line. Rather than seeing Taiwan's future in present-day China, one can also imagine China's future looking like present-day Taiwan.
Daron Acemoglu, Professor of Economics at MIT, is co-author (with James A Robinson) of ‘Why Nations Fail: The Origins of Power, Prosperity and Poverty' (Profile, 2019).
James A Robinson, Institute Director of the Pearson Institute for the Study and Resolution of Global Conflicts, is Professor at the University of Chicago's Harris School of Public Policy.
https://www.project-syndicate.org/commentary/why-taiwan-matters-pelosi-visit-by-daron-acemoglu-and-james-a-robinson-2022-08
U.S.A. HIGHWAY DEATH
Oh, my, John 35:11 (KJV)
Investigators Reveal Anne Heche's Cause Of Death
A friend whose anonymity I will keep recommends a new U.S.A. highway-safety sign, under a photo of the undead Heche:
DON'T MUFF DIVE, SNORT AND SPEED!!!
KOREA SOUTH KOREA DICTATOR
Dictator Kim Jong-un's little sister Yo-jong told the South Korean government to go to aitch over Seoul's offer of aid.
And she ordered President Yoon Suk-yeol to "shut his mouth." She called him "simple and still childish".
[Yoon's office delicately replied that Ms Kim was equally unhelpful and rude, but said the offer to help still stood.]
https://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-62600788
Which raises the question:
How come Yo-jong is suddenly all over the news? Is there something wrong with Jong-un and she's getting ready to step up into office?
Victim 20
20th victim succumbs to septicemia
https://www.nationthailand.com/in-focus/national/40019130
TECHNOLOGY
Ring is a home-surveillance camera system that has more than 10 million app downloads. [The Hacker News]
And it has lousy security and if you have a Ring, it has already been hacked.
And Amazon doesn't care.
https://thehackernews.com/2022/08/new-amazon-ring-vulnerability-could.html
Laughable. Google stated that it managed to stop the largest ever HTTPS-based DDoS cyber attack in history. The cyberattack peaked at 46 million requests per second. [The Hacker News]
https://thehackernews.com/2022/08/google-cloud-blocks-record-ddos-attack.html
Cybercrime Group TA558 Targeting Hospitality, Hote. [The Hacker News]
A financially motivated cybercrime group has been linked to an ongoing waves of attacks.
https://thehackernews.com/2022/08/cybercrime-group-ta558-targeting.html
Test the vulnerability of your computers and phones. [Intruder.io]
Hackers are scanning the internet for weaknesses all the time, and if you don't want your organisation to fall victim, you need to be the first to find these weak spots.
https://www.intruder.io/guides/vulnerability-assessment-made-simple-a-step-by-step-guide?utm_source=referral&utm_campaign=thehackernews-banner-vulnerability-assessment-guide
TECHNOLOGY
Janet Jackson's "Rhythm Nation" video is declared a security vulnerability for crashing hard disks [bleepingcomputer.com]
True story: It freezes some models of hard drives on older computers.
https://www.bleepingcomputer.com/news/security/janet-jacksons-music-video-is-now-a-vulnerability-for-crashing-hard-disks/
