Bangkok schoolboy is 'fastest in the world'
Go-o-o-o-o-o-d morning everyone.
Today is yet another Thursday of the Lockdown Era, August 11, with rain forecast every day in East Nong Bon for the next five days, at least.
WARNING WARNING ACHTUNG Today is the last shopping day before Mother's Day.
The violently ousted president of Sri Lanka flees to safety in ... Thailand.
[REUTERS] Sri Lanka's ousted president, Gotabaya Rajapaksa, is expected to arrive in #Thailand on Thursday, seeking temporary shelter in a second Southeast Asian country after fleeing his island nation last month amid mass protests.
https://www.reuters.com/world/asia-pacific/sri-lankas-ousted-president-expected-fly-thailand-sources-2022-08-10/
The Thai junta's ministry of foreign affairs tried to ensure that the "visit" of the ejected Rajapaksa was described in official diplomatic gobbledygook.
The junta permitted Thai media to print and broadcast one (1) headline:
Thailand agrees to allow former Sri Lankan president to take temporary shelter
https://bityl.co/DkyF
https://www.thaipbsworld.com/after-hiatus-rally-resumes-at-thammasat-rangsit-to-mark-august-10-2020-protest/
Bank of Thailand raises interest rate
Move aims to cushion surging inflation
Rate hike from 0.5% to 0.75% will ensure that Thais get poorer, more slowly.
It was the first rate hike by the Bank of Thailand in more than three years. Critics immediately began stating, "It's not enough!"
https://www.bangkokpost.com/business/2365507/
Anti-royalist demonstrations resumed
Demonstrators challenged police to take action, after they called on supporters and the public to wear black on the king's birthday, last month.
The situation yesterday was a rolling protest, from the Independence Monument in central Bangkok to the campus of Thammasat University Rangsit (below) in the far north of the capital.
The protest marked the second anniversary of a call for reform of the Thai monarchy, made by a Thai exchange student just back from America.
Protestors now call for wearing black on the birthday of the former King Bhumibol on December 5.
'We stand on guard for thee...'
Thailand's junta health agencies swore on Wednesday that no matter how the laws change or how the SARS Cov-2 novel coronavirus mutates, they will stay on duty 24/7 to help out.
The junta has announced plans to step back the Covid warnings from Dangerous Communicable Disease to Communicable Diseases Under Surveillance - on October 1.
Never mind said Dr Opas Karnkawinpong, director-general of the Department of Disease Control. Nothing to see; move along.
"Even though the rate of mutation appears to have slowed, it will still be closely monitored to ensure that when any significant new mutations emerge, they will be detected early."
PHOTO: As usual with every 'Don't Panic' instruction from the junta, a run on medical supplies was reported by every pharmacy of the DDC.
ONE-DAY VIRUS HARM
Medical damage in Thailand by the novel coronavirus as of midnight Wednesday. With one item of mildly good news.
Thailand's caseload from Covid-19 stands at 4,611,741 - 4,558,947 of whom have recovered, 21,099 are still in hospitals and 31,695 have died.
Thailand ranks 28th in the global list of most cases, which is topped by the U.S.A. with 94.13 million,
https://www.nationthailand.com/in-focus/national/40018704
• 2,335 new cases in hospital
• 32 deaths
• 21,099 active cases
• 928 serious cases, but
• 2,151 recovered
CORONAVIRUS THAILAND
And during those 24 hours of Wednesday, August 10, here is the worst of what Covid did around the globe.
Isolation measures to ease further
In the 125th week of the Lockdown Emergency Decree
The junta's Department of Health Service Support will propose ending hospital and hotel isolation next month "because the Covid situation is improving".
Coming soon: The DHSS said the country now has a treatment system in place in the form of out-patient self-isolation (OPSI), as well as home isolation measures.
Covid-19 CORONAVIRUS PROFITS DRUGS BIG PHARM
Oh no! Pediatricians are throwing out Baby's First Unneccessary Experimental Vaccine due to lack of demand.
Surveys had predicted that only one in five would jump at the chance to vaccinate their littlest children right away.
But in the six weeks since, the uptake has proved even weaker than feared.
https://www.bostonglobe.com/2022/08/07/metro/it-feels-yucky-pediatricians-say-theyre-discarding-vaccine-doses-youngest-amid-lack-demand/
And another murdering virus:
London-England government goverment orders all (all) children to get polio booster shots.
The virus, which can cause paralysis, has been found 116 times in London's wastewater since February.
PHOTO: Shot in Thailand
https://www.bbc.com/news/health-62492784
Did you notice... that the very heavy sixth wave of Covid that was freaking out the Medical Experts and Science a month ago... never arrived?
The Medical Experts and Science said that the BA.5 Covid mutation would put 25,000 people a day in hospital, and boost the death rate.
The China-owned director of the Chinese World Health Organization (WHO?) said: "New waves of the virus demonstrate again that the Covid-19 [pandemic] is nowhere near over." Headlines:
"The 'worst variant' is here," CNN, July 14
"The BA.5 COVID Surge Is Here," New York Magazine, July 8
"BA.5 Will Cause 'Even Greater Surge,' Warns UCSF's Wachter of Highly Infectious Covid subvariant," KQED, July 6
And so on and so forth.
Except there was no such demonstraion. But WHO-head Tedros quickly switched the conversation fo monkeypox. You noticed, right?
Any why aren't the Medical Experts and Science excoriating the media for spreading misinformation? Is it because the Medical Experts and Science were wholly and solely spreading misinformation, disinformation and straight-up black propaganda? Yes, yes it is.
https://issuesinsights.com/2022/08/05/say-whatever-happened-to-that-new-covid-surge-everyone-was-just-freaking-about/
And what happened to the campaign by Medical Experts to force-inoculate newborns and toddlers with special vaccine?
At the other end of the scale, why aren't Medical Experts and Science stressing that the over-65 wrinklies constitute 75% of all Covid deaths.
PHOTO: Flood water flows through houses and farmland in Noen Maprang district of Phitsanulok province in the North after heavy rain on Tuesday.
https://www.bangkokpost.com/thailand/general/2365407/
WEATHER
Here Comes Mulan - the name of the new tropical storm
Dams begin releasing more water ahead of big storm
THAILAND POLITICS
Prawit: Maybe Prayut should stay on as Thai PM for 2 more years
Prayut: Let court rule on tenure dispute
THAILAND HUMAN TRAFFICKING
True story. Me, I hope for a 2023 red Ferrari.
Human trafficking: Prayut hopes Thailand will be further upgraded to Tier 1 in the U.S. State Department's report on Trafficking In Persons (TIP)
Prayut dispatched his fit No. 1 spokesladyperson Ratchada Thanadirek, who said:
Prayut thanked all government agencies concerned for joining forces to fight human trafficking.
[She still hasn't read or chooses to ignore the latest up-to-date report of the murderous 2015 human trafficking when Prayut was 'prime minister' and bff Prawit was his No.2. She could ask Rangsiman Rome, member of parliament, for a copy.]
https://www.nationthailand.com/in-focus/national/40018728
A billion here, a billion there...
Pretty soon you're talking about real money.
Thailand's ruling junta has approved a loan of 7.5 billion baht-plus to the main Bangkok commuter bus operator Bangkok Mass Transit Authority (BMTA) - 274 million loonies, US$212 nukkuib,
The BMTA, which never has had a profit, has current debts of 133 billion baht.
PHOTO: BMTA-operated buses at the main Victory Monument transfer point.
https://www.nationthailand.com/in-focus/national/40017879
The United States still has no ambassador to Thailand*, but the U.S.A. owes this guy a lot.
Michael Heath hatted up, but left a warm farewell message, reprinted in full (with several nice photos) at
https://www.nationthailand.com/blogs/perspective/opinion/40018702
*The U.S. Senate and President Joe Biden have approved career diplomat Robert Godec, who should be arriving any day now.
Thailand's junta, right on up to Prayut himself, said yesterday it has a plan to reduce all that human trafficking that's going on.
Prayut remained indoors, but he dispatched his fit Number One spokesladyperson Rachada Dhnadirek to give some details.
Prayut and friends are hoping and praying that the U.S. State Department will raise Thailand's status, and give the country a 'Tier 1' ranking that means it is the top No. 1 (number one) nation in the world that fights human trafficking. Right nowe, Thailand is in Tier 2 - out of three.
Rachada said that Step One in the fight would be to establish a labour union for migrant workers to improve standards in their workplaces.
Journalist wins Thailand's longest freedom-of-speech battle
The Supreme Court dismissed one of several defamation lawsuits by a large chicken farm against Voice TV reporter Suchanee Cloitre (above).
This is a very long story that goes back years to the time Englishman Andy Hall was in Thailand working on refugee and human rights.
The generally considered villain is Thammakaset Company, an agribusiness producing and and processing mostly chickens.
Thammakaset has filed numerous cases, claiming that reporters like Hall and Suchanee had lied about their use of refugee workers, especially from Myanmar.
The Supremes yesterday said Suchanee had reported on the Thammaakaset situation 'in good faith', and dropped all charges.
Much more at: https://prachatai.com/english/node/9953
TELECOMMUNICATIONS
Consumer group petitions embassy
A dozen people in a group called "citizens for freedom of communication" converged at the building housing the embassy.
PHOTO: Consumer advocates voice concerns over the merger of True Corporation and DTAC Plc in front of the Norwegian Embassy.
https://www.bangkokpost.com/business/2360897/
A 16-year-old high schooler has been named "world's fastest schoolboy" after running a confirmed-time 100-metre dash in 10.09.
Puripol Boonson crushed the former record of 10.15 by U.S. schoolboy Anthony Schwartz in 2017.
Puripol's record time was recorded on Tuesday of last week at the 2022 World Athletics U20 Championships in Colombia.
The junta's Athletics Association of Thailand immediately tried to horn in on the record sprint.
And an online virtue-showing campaign at Change.org asked Bangkok Governor Chadchart Sittipunt to find financial support to Puripol.
https://www.thaipbsworld.com/16-year-old-thai-boy-named-world-athletics-fastest-100m-under-18-sprinter/
Change.org: https://bityl.co/DlLu
ALBUQUERQUE MASS KILLINGS MUSLIM HONOR
The stupid shit begins. Joe is angry and Kamala is disturbed and the murderer's congressperson is also disturbed.
No argument.
WHOOPSIE: Biden and Kamala Rush to Condemn 'Hate Crime,' but 'Islamophobic' Killer Is... a Muslim. And he knew and he stalked each of his multiple victims, and owned 'multiple firearms'.
Trivia: The murderer is from Afghanistan. And also, police detained him twice for battering his wife and son. The son said his father routinely beat him and his mother.
The next, equally predictable step by the U.S.A. mass media:
They will put "honour killings" in scare quotes for this mass killer. Without a word of explanation.
Good summary: https://bityl.co/Dl7T
More at Albuquerque Journal.
https://www.abqjournal.com/2523180/police-detain-suspect-in-killing-of-muslim-man.html
Who shot and killed four South Asian Muslim men in Alburuerque, New Mexico? No, wait, not four - six!
UPDATE
NOTHING TO SEE HERE, MOVE ALONG: Albuquerque Cops Identify Suspect Muhammad Syed in Murders of Muslim Men.
https://www.thedailybeast.com/albuquerque-cops-track-down-primary-suspect-in-murders-of-four-muslim-men?via=twitter_page
Muhammad Syed, 51, also faces possible charges for the murders of another two Muslim men who were killed in Albuquerque in the last nine months. Ahmad Assed, president of the city’s largest mosque, told The New York Times that authorities informed him the shooter is a Sunni Muslim who may have targeted the victims because he was angry over his daughter marrying a Shiite Muslim.
So I guess this is an honour (mass) killing?
QUESTION: Where is his daughter? He says he murdered people because his Sunni daughter married a Shia. Is she safe?
RUSSIA UKRAINE RESISTANCE
TWO HUNDRED (200) kilometres behind the Russian front lines in Ukraine:
Russian airbase goes boom.
Story and (spectacular) Video
https://www.battleswarmblog.com/?p=52231
And remember...
Russia's invasion of Ukraine has backfired immensely for Moscow. Instead of a quick defeat of Ukraine and a capture of Kyiv, the war has dragged on for almost half a year with bloody consequences. According to the Department of Defense's own reports, Russia has suffered between 70,000 and 80,000 soldiers killed or wounded.
https://taskandpurpose.com/news/russia-70000-casualties-ukraine/
MUSIC MEMORIES SOUL
I do remember Wanda and the marvelous Marvelettes. What you may not know is that they had the first (1st) Motown Number One pop single record: 'Please Mister Postman'. 1961.
TECHNOLOGY CORRUPTION
China graft probes stem from anger over failed chip plans
The hubris is staggering. Almost as atrocious as the grift, graft, kickbacks and corruption.
The Chinese Communist Party and President-4-Life were quite annoyed that the world depends on Taiwan for excellence in semiconductors and computer chips, so they said, "Heck, we can do that."
And they handed more than $100 billion-with-a-b to something they called the glorious National Integrated Circuit Industry Investment Fund, aka Bigfund.
And the executives, along with government ministers, began looting it. Which seems quite predictable.
https://www.stripes.com/theaters/asia_pacific/2022-08-09/china-graft-probes-semiconductor-chips-6928796.html
Related, sort of
Biden Signs CHIPS Act Into Law, Sending $53B to US Chipmakers.
Because surely this time it'll work, for sure.
SGX, Intel’s supposedly impregnable data fortress, has been breached yet again.
https://arstechnica.com/information-technology/2022/08/architectural-bug-in-some-intel-cpus-is-more-bad-news-for-sgx-users/
In a way, it's news that this kind of thing has become so routine:
SpaceX launches 52 Starlink satellites, lands rocket at sea.
https://www.space.com/spacex-starlink-group-4-26-launch-rocket-landing
SHOT CHASER THEN NOW
1954: Beware of the Military-Industrial Complex.
2022: The U.S. Industrial Complex Is Starting to Buckle From High Power Costs. Surging bills are forcing companies to scale back industrial operations, threatening a greater drag on the economy.
https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2022-07-07/high-power-costs-force-us-industrials-factories-to-shut
Is this possibly true?
White House claims Biden was not briefed on FBI raid at Mar-a-Lago
https://www.nationalreview.com/news/white-house-claims-biden-was-not-briefed-on-fbi-raid-at-mar-a-lago/?utm_source=email&utm_medium=breaking&utm_campaign=newstrack&utm_term=28672130
also
America's paper of record: Report: FBI Raided Mar-A-Lago After Tip That Parents Were Protesting A School Board Meeting There.
https://bityl.co/Dl6Q
and
FBI 'Scoured' Melania's Wardrobe at Mar-A-Lago Looking for... Classified Shoes?
Still worth noting: The first and somewhat fabled director of the FBI was supposedly a cross dresser.