Covid-19 cases soared to a record 26,081 on Thursday. And there have been 91 more Covid-19 deaths.
Good morning to all, on a (still) chilly morning of April 8.
People wearing sticks up their keisters as 'fashion accessories' are shocked
Three weeks from today, accredited diplomats will attempt to instigate noisy and bothersome antisemitic and anti-Israel demonstrations.
Such semi-violent protesting has been banned by the junta for three years, but security at the Ocean Tower 2 office complex at Sukhumvit Soi 19 is already planning responses in case demonstrations on April 29 get out of hand and turn illegal.
The military's alleged 'government' went up, down, all around
Covid-19 cases soared to a record 26,081 on Thursday. And there have been 91 more Covid-19 deaths.
The already hapless 'Centre for Covid-19 Situation Administration' said in the afternoon there were 26,000 local cases and 81 found in arrivals from other countries, led by 18 from Cambodia, 16 from Saudi Arabia, 12 from Australia and 11 from Germany.
Bangkok had 2,926 new cases, followed by 1,542 in Chon Buri, 1,59 in Nakhon Si Thammarat, 936 in Khon Kaen and 879 in Samut Prakan.
All of the recorded deaths were Thais, between the ages of 23 and 102.
One interesting development: No one from the military's so-called government was available to comment on the health breakdown.
PHOTO: This may have something to do with the soaring number of new Covid-19 infections: Not the Full Moon Party, but an ad hoc replacement.
More than 100 foreigners, all unmasked, crowd an "Ecstatic Dance" party at Pyramid Yoga, Koh Phangan, Surat Thani province.
https://www.bangkokpost.com/thailand/general/2291558/
THAILAND POLITICS
Thailand's elected parliament will hold a no-confidence debate on the Prayut 'government'.
Officials said yesterday they expect to call the session to order "before August 23".
THAILAND ECONOMY ELECTRIC VEHICLES EVs
Thailand's Board  of  Investment  (BoI) has unexpectedly shouldered the military aside and announced:
 "As of right now, we're running the EV situation."
And by COB on Thursday, it had approved  enhanced  incentives  and conditions yesterday for investments in charging stations for electric vehicles (EV), a move to accelerate the growth of the domestic EV market and quickly expand related infrastructure.
Speaking after a BoI meeting chaired by  the  prime  minister,  Duangjai Asawachintachit, BoI secretary-general, said the board agreed to allow smaller charging stations eligibility for three years of tax benefits, an extra incentive on top of the existing five-year corporate income tax exemption now awarded to investment in charging stations with at least 40 chargers, 25% of which are the DC (direct current) type.
The Prayut administration has yakked for seven-plus years about its forward-looking plans for EVs and EV sales.
It has produced nothing.
https://www.bangkokpost.com/business/2291926/
Thailand's Supreme Court has kicked the counry's most unpleasant politician out of parliament and out of politics for life.
Judges of the Criminal Division for Holders of Political Positions ordered a by-election to fill her Ratchaburi province seat in parliament.
They ruled in writing that Pareena Kraikupt had severely violated political ethics as an MP by her possession of state land. It was the understatement of the decade.
Pareena's conduct was so bad that even the lenient military-controlled National Anti-Corruption Commission (NACC) went against her. Judges called it "severe ethical misconduct".
The best news from the case came Thursday: She 'might' face criminal charges.
Pareena has pretended to support the coup and the military regime, and even tried to join the junta's Palang Pracharath Party (PPRP).
https://www.bangkokpost.com/thailand/politics/2291674/
THAILAND CORONAVIRUS TOURISM
Starting soon...
... not today but soon. Maybe next week.
Foreigners traveling to Thailand will not require a pre-flight RT-PCR test to show how they don't have any Covid.
Instead, foreigners arriving in Thailand will be required to take an antigen test at the arrival gate.
The junta insists it is drawing thousands and thousands of new tourists who heard about the end of pre-flight testing.
No figures are available to prove this.
https://www.bangkokpost.com/thailand/general
Reminder: The annual Thai New Year festival known as Songkran begins on Wednesday.
The Tourism Authority of Thailand issued a report.
It expects tourism operators to earn 656 billion baht from foreign tourists this year.
That is 196 million U.S. dollars
Or 247 million loonies.
Where tourists used to go to play. And splash and water-fight.
This was the bleak view on Thursday afternoon of Khao San Road, the No.1 attraction for young tourists.
Until now.
The chances of a raucous Songkran water fight on Khao San Road next week have dropped to zero.
Congratulations! Your car is gold-plated.
The first three letters spell ruay (which means 'rich'). The '9999' is the traditional Thai and Chinese love of the number.
This and other "auspicious" licence plates were auctioned on Thursday for a total of 66 million baht (US$2 million, 2.5 million loonies) to be donated to the Road Safety Fund.
NBTC puts the kibosh on DTAC-True merger
This will make it even more difficult for the Norwegians to sneak out of both Thailand and Myanmar with their heads held high.
https://www.bangkokpost.com/business/2291930/
People wearing sticks up their keisters as 'fashion accessories' are shocked by tweet
English translation:
 New route: Nan to Munich, starting at 1,010 baht per trip.
Full story, in English:
Thai VietJet’s April Fool’s Tweet Outrage Ultra-Royalists
https://www.khaosodenglish.com/politics/2022/04/03/thai-vietjets-april-fools-tweet-outrage-ultra-royalists/
This proves my long-held theory that people who hate April Fool's jokes are unionized idiots.
U.S.A. SPORTS
The Masters is going well.
https://www.cbssports.com/golf/news/2022-masters-leaderboard-live-coverage-tiger-woods-score-golf-scores-today-in-round-1-at-augusta-national/live/
Are you aware that a baby porcupine is called a porqupette?
Now you are. Do you feel better?
This one just wants a little more milk, p-l-e-e-e-a-s-e!
Yesterday was International Beaver Day
And no one told me anything about it?
What the hey, man?
Read all about it.
https://www.beaversww.org/international-beaver-day/
