Biden promises to make Thailand a nuclear reactor powerhouse
G'morning kids, glad to inform everyone that Prayut's blessed APEC 'summit' is over, and it's Sunday, November 20 - the 140th Sunday of masking.
Let's deal with all that breaking news coming out of the Great White North, shall we?
CANADA CORONAVIRUS
Doctor Kieran Moore, the chief medical officer of Ontario province, told Canadians for two years... pleaded with them to wear masks every time they went indoors. As recently as last Thursday.
Now 'Ontario's top doctor is celebrated as a hypocrite for tearing off his own mask in order to enjoy a party'.
"It definitely undermines the message," said Todd Coleman, an epidemiologist at Wilfrid Laurier University and a former public health official.
"Why should Canadians follow guidelines that public health officials themselves don't follow?"
Rules are for little people.
No kidding.
PHOTO: Highly trained Canadian "health expert" and complete hypocrite demonstrates how to remove your mask and just enjoy the party.
https://bityl.co/FjlA
CANADA SPORTS
The three-down nation is playing the 109th Grey Cup today at Mosaic Stadium, Regina - Toronto Argonauts vs Winnipeg Blue Bombers.
The White Bear First Nation's Teagan Littlechief will lead 'O Canada'. But you already knew she's a Saskatchewanianite, right? From Carlyle? Only 200 kilometres from Mosaic?
It's going to be hot at gametime - a sizzling 20, maybe 21 Canadian degrees, wind chill will make it feel like 16 - that's 61 American degrees.
Mosaic: capacity 40,000 plus insane game coverage on TV and radio.
Related
Canadian singer/songwriter Teagan Littlechief singing the American National Anthem
[NOTE] It's at a hockey game and thus permissible for Canadians to do such a thing.
TECHNOLOGY
Amazon layoffs spill into Canada as tech giant terminates as many as 10,000 workers [thestar.com]
Layoffs at the big tech companies mean more talent will be looking to enter different tech spaces which is good for innovation.
Heavy rain forecast next week
Thailand is entering its 'winter' months, with chillier nihts.
November and early December are the times of the heaviest rains, floods and high tides in the Central Region, meaning Bangkok and surrounding provinces.
Today's forecast predicts that a low-pressure storm in the South China Sea will bring heavy to very heavy downpours to the southern part of Thailand’s central region, including Bangkok.
The weatherman also warns of possible flash flooding at the bases of mountains and overflows in low-lying areas close to natural waterways during the week.
pic https://www.thaipbsworld.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/11/Thai-PBS-World-logo-2022-11-18T101819.979.png
https://www3.tmd.go.th/en
APEC is (finally) over so let the World Cup begin. And the Ploenchit Fair.
Bred, born and raised a true Limey, venerable and apparently indestructible columnist Roger Crutchley is reduced to using an almost sad Page 6 end-note to announce:
 On to something else very British.
 After a two-year break owing to Covid, the Ploenchit Fair returns next Saturday from 10am to 9pm at Bangkok Patana School.
 Door tickets are 300 baht for adults, children 150 baht. Organised by the British Community in Thailand Foundation for the Needy (BCTFN), it’ll be a terrific day. Â
ANSWER to your question. It's the 'Ploenchit Fair' because it was held for decades [starting in 1957] inside the British Embassy compound on Ploenchit Road. Good food and a lot of beer.
https://www.facebook.com/ploenchitfairbkk/
EXCELLENT backgrounder
https://expatlifeinthailand.com/ploenchit-fair-a-history-making-hiatus/
APEC THAILAND
The APEC 2022 'summit' by Prayut Chan-o-cha officially closed on Saturday, so that was nice.
THAILAND NUCLEAR
Biden promises to make Thailand a nuclear reactor powerhouse
For 61 years, Thailand has limped along on a single, measly, 2-gigawatt reactor in downtown Bangkok, something even Thais don't generally know about.
But in a mysteriously shadowy Saturday night announcement, Biden promised to change that, because if you claim to fight global warming and reject nuclear reactors, then you are not fighting climate change.
Vice-President Kamala Harris announced the U.S. plan to help to nuclearize Thailand during Prayut's APEC 2022 'summit' on Saurday.
She read an announcement from the White House press office that that gift of "several small reactors" in order to envelop Prayut and Thailand in the U.S.A. Net Zero Wold Initiative to fight global warming.
Thais have developed a NIMBY attitude on further nuclearization - especially since the 2011 Fukushima disaster.
More details as they emerge... but this will not be a unifying 'gift'.
https://www.thaipbsworld.com/us-to-help-thailand-develop-small-nuclear-reactors/
APEC USA THAILAND KAMALA PRAYUT
Kamala gets a present
At their meeting at Government House, Prayut gave Kamala a 'ceremonial chalom' with an APEC logo.
It marked the official end of the Prayut-Thailand chairmanship of APEC, and a wish to a happy year in the APEC chair for 2023. In short:
The action of holding the Chalom together symbolized the handover of the APEC chairmanship from Thailand to the U.S.
The Chalom is a handcrafted basket that reflects the wisdom of local people, who turn bamboo strands into creative bamboo products that are functional and solid.
Report and VIDEO:
https://www.ruptly.tv/en/videos/20221119-011-thailand-kamala-harris-receives-chalom-during-apec-2022-handover-ceremony
https://www.nationthailand.com/special-edition/40022236
And here is the official U.S.A. "readout" of Kamala's face time with Prayut on Friday.
The lede: The Vice President commended Thailand on a successful Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) Host Year and noted that the United States will build on this strong foundation during our 2023 APEC Host Year - in San Francisco.
https://bityl.co/FkAT
And here is Thailand's official version, by the junta's 'ministry of foreign affairs'.
Lede: both sides deliberated on key global issues and regional developments. Thailand stressed its readiness to support the United States’ increasing role and constructive engagement in the region.
Prayut vowed to promote and enhance "heart-to-heart" cooperation with the United State.
https://www.mfa.go.th/en/content/us-vp-apec-2?cate=5d5bcb4e15e39c306000683e
https://www.matichon.co.th/politics/news_3683994
Xi's maiden Thailand visit yields 'positive dialogue'
But nothing else, to be honest.
Thailand's ruling junta released 23 of the 25 people arrested during the police attack on anti-Prayut demonstrators on Friday night.
And at the last minute,
seventeen (17) free-to-air television channels will broadcast live World Cub 2022 soccer matches in rotation, with True4U 24 carrying the opening match between the host country Qatar and Ecuador on Sunday at 11pm Thailand time.
https://www.bangkokpost.com/thailand/general/2441475/23-of-detained-25-detained-protesters-get-bail
https://www.bangkokpost.com/thailand/general/2441514/world-cup-tv-broadcasts-confirmed
Sure... Some of his best friends are queer
Hypocritical FIFA Fifa chief accuses World Cup critics of 'hypocrisy'
otoh a good reminder for Thais of just how horribly corrupt was its FIFA 'delegate'
DOHA: Fifa president Gianni Infantino hit back at criticism of Qatar's human rights record on Saturday, blasting the "hypocrisy" of Western critics on the eve of the World Cup kick-off.
 Infantino, speaking at his opening press conference of the tournament in Doha, also expressed support for the LGBTQ community and migrant workers.
Only repeat ONLY 3,700 of those migrant workers died while building soccer facilities for Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani and cronies.
https://www.bangkokpost.com/sports/2441507/
Infantino also declared that World Cup fans can survive for three hours a day without beer after sales were banned around stadiums.
He's entitled to his anti-England opinion.
PHOTO: Thai Government House handout
 Thailand and China have signed a number of agreements to strengthen cooperation in e-commerce, investment, science and technology.
Other cooperation documents in such fields as investment, e-commerce, and science and technology were also signed.
This year marks the 10th anniversary of the Thai-Chinese comprehensive strategic cooperative partnership and the countries are looking forward to the 50th anniversary of diplomatic relations in 2025.
The Chinese president congratulated Prayut for the success in hosting the APEC summit and said Thais and Chinese are close like a family.
With no Putin and no Biden, Prayut had to promote 'successes' where he found them.
Saudis, Thais sign five agreements
Thailand to benefit from energy-related initiatives
PTT and Egat to join Saudi counterparts in green energy projects
https://www.bangkokpost.com/business/2441500/
PHOTO: Saudi crown prince Mohammed bin Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud and Thailand's alleged 'prime minister and minister of defence' Prayut pose for a photo at Government House in Bangkok
Quite rightly. The attack on an anti-junta was unnecessary state violence. Prayut refuses accountability absolution and some senior junta members gleefully cheer it and detained demonstrators face multiple charges.
https://www.bangkokpost.com/thailand/general/2441062/
Police under fire for assault at anti-Apec rally
Inside the demonstration:
"I'm for real. Bear this in mind," the voice of an anti-riot police officer is heard saying in the video, as law enforcement authorities were attacking the reporter for the online news site The Matter, although he shouted that he was a reporter and showed his Press armband.
The Thai Journalists Association (TJA) demanded an immediate investigation to find out whether policeman in the [bideo] clip were violently overreacting.
Another video that has gone viral shows an officer in full riot gear forcefully pushing an elderly monk into a wall on Din So Road near the Democracy Monument.
Police spokesman and two-star polic general Achayon Kraithong said at a press briefing that registered media members were told to stay in safe areas where they would not obstruct the work of the anti-riot police. But he promisedto look into the case of the injured journalist covering the rally.
The Matter issued a statement condemning the assault on its reporter. It urged authorities to show responsibility and for swift action from investigators.
[Much more at the link. The Bangkok Post article was ratio'd 28-127 two hours after it was published.]
More video here:
The so-called "rubber bullets" used by police against the rally were actually 12-gauge 'rubber buck' shotgun-slug ammo.
Clearly, the cops never have been trained for this.
THAILAND JUNTA APEC
2-minute video
 Last night [Friday], His Majesty the King and Her Majesty the Queen [extreme right] granted an audience to some of the foreign leaders who were attending the APEC 2022 summit, including Xi and wife.
THAILAND DRUGS NARCOTICS METHAMPETAMINE
The past week, Sunday to Saturday, has been a good one for Thai narcs.
• 1.13 million yaba tablets seized from a production site in Mong Hsat, southern Shan State, Burma.
• 1.56 million yaa ba tablets seized in Mae Fa Luang district, Chiang Rai province.
• 12.9 kilos of 'happy water' seized in Tachileik town, Myanmar.
 Happy Water is typically a combination of ecstasy, methamphetamine, caffeine, ketamine, diazepam, caffeine and tramadol (a painkiller).
The UNODC reports that it emerged in Southeast Asia last May, and is typically sold online.
It calls "typical effects" of consuming the mixture "unpredictable and dangerous". The Star of Malaysia calls it a "deadly drug cocktail".
https://www.unodc.org/LSS/Announcement/Details/0f57ddbe-01dd-481c-af78-0bc494c84a53
TECHNOLOGY MONEY SECRECY CRYPTO
I'm so old that I remember when the Economist and Business Week mags employed smart reporters and editors.
Now, just like Business Week's exceptionally dumb "The End of Equities" in 1979, the Economist's dumb cover story is, "Is this the end of crypto?"
Yeah, sure.
Polybios and the Spartans (400 B.C.) are rocking their coffins with laughter and contempt.
https://hotair.com/headlines/2022/11/17/is-this-the-end-of-crypto-n511862
Things that are far too deep and complicated for journalists at the Economist.
First Published January 2004.
GLOBAL WARMING
FASTER, PLEASE:
 Climate Change Motivates a Reevaluation of Nuclear Energy.
 It is ironic that the people who profess to care most about climate change have been those who most vociferously reject the technology that can solve it.
 But this is changing.
https://www.discoursemagazine.com/politics/2022/11/17/climate-change-motivates-a-reevaluation-of-nuclear-energy/
The above is mostly about America. Thailand huffs and puffs along with its 2-megawatt, seldom-noticed, 60-year-old nuclear reactor inside Bangkok, now . It never has found a government capable of ordering a much-needed replacement.
PHOTO (above): Members of the Nuclear Society of Thailand get a reactor tour.
https://www.discoursemagazine.com/politics/2022/11/17/climate-change-motivates-a-reevaluation-of-nuclear-energy/
