Fwd: Farmers in Korat have achieved the impossible.
Good morning kids. It's the third Monday, 18th day of the 7th month of the third year of lockdowns and Papers Please.
THAILAND POLITICS PRAYUT
Several of the "minnow" parties in the Thai parliament announced on Sunday they have changed their minds and will vote for Prayut in the no-confidence debate later this week.
The minnows, so-called because they have just a few party members of parliament (MPs) will probably insure Prayut's continued presence as the junta's front man, or 'prime minister'.
There was no proof that the minnows had received 'help' from the pro-Prayut Palang Pracharath Party (PPRP) to change their votes.
https://www.thaienquirer.com/41758/group-of-16-to-continue-supporting-prayut/
THAILAND CORONAVIRUS
Covid Comeback?
In the 24 hours ending at midnight on Sunday in Thailand:
• 2,028 confirmed new cases of Covid 19
• 18 deaths
• 23,299 active cases
• 785 serious cases
• 2,578 recovered
https://www.bangkokpost.com/thailand/general/2347843/
NOTE: All new infections were local cases.
Remember her? She's got a new theory for you to chew on. But NOW she tells us.
Dr. Deborah Birx (inset): She claims Covid 'came out of the box ready to infect'. She claims the virus was being worked on by scientists in a Chinese lab.
https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-11021329/Trump-aide-claims-Covid-came-box-ready-infect.html
THAILAND POLITICS PRAYUT
Pro-democracy group petitions to force out Prayut
One of the largest anti-junta groups announced on Sunday it has begun collecting signatures for a petition to force out the nominal junta leader and 'prime minister', former four-star general and army commander Prayut Chan-o-cha.
Ratsadon (The People) wrote on its Facebook page that the petition would help opposition parties in parliament during this week's no-confidence debate.
"We may lose faith in the votes in Parliament and lose hope in the coalition, the Constitution and in the justice system, but we can't lose hope in our own voices," the group said in the post.
It said members would be on the streets and markets in 140 venues in 34 provinces to try to collect signatures.
The no-confidence debate in parliament targets Prayut and 10 other loyalist 'cabinet ministers'.
The Ratsadon group was formed by students, academics and the general public in 2020 to campaign against an attempt by coup-makers led by Prayut to perpetuate power as a civilian government.
PHOTO: Prayut has been the nominal junta leader since he staged the military coup on May 22, 2014.
https://www.nationthailand.com/in-focus/40017832
THAILAND AGRICULTURE DURIAN
Korat farmers achieve the impossible
Farmers in Nakhon Ratchasima province outside of Korat have produce durian that tastes delicious - and doesn't stink.
The Pak Chong-Khao Yai durian strain, a variety bred from the country's Mon Thong strain, was the star of the weekend festival at the Chokchai dairy farm and dude ranch.
Thirty-nine (39) Korat farmers received certificates for growing the fresh variety of the fruit.
Of course all Miss Universe Thailand beauty queens were on hand to sweeten the experience.
https://www.nationthailand.com/in-focus/40017815
THAILAND MYANMAR WAR BORDER
Occasional blogger and human rights campaigner Paskorn Jumlongrach, founder of the Transborder NGO, points out this morning that the very rural Thai-Myanmar border in the north of Thailad is a desolate place.
Even the only school in Ban Tha Ta Fang village. village is equipped with "baby bunkers".
They can act as shelter during an emergency. To keep kids from being scared, these baby bunkers are painted in pink to make them look more like part of a playground.
This is the most violent area in the attempt by Burma's Tatmadaw to overwhelm and destroy the Karen National Union. "Where by 'destroy' the Myanmar regime means genocide.
PHOTO: Villagers of Ban Tha Ta Fang, Mae Sariang district, Mae Hong Son province have built a 'baby bunker' at a village school to protect children from stray artillery.
Russian billionaire hearts Thailand
Thailand's junts remains firmly 'neutral' in the Russia-Ukraine war, and there are some advantages to that.
On Sunday, the superyacht Cloudbreak was spotted at anchor off Koh Samui in southern Thailand.
The yacht is owned by Russian billionaire Alexander Alexandrovich Svetakov.
Svetakov, 54, is the second billionaire to arrive in the area in a superyacht. The first was U.K. businessman and investor Joe Lewis, 85, who anchored on the coast of Surat Thani in mid-May.
The Thai junta sent 'health officials' to board Svetakov's vessel to make sure the six crew and 13 passengers had the proper vaxxports.
https://www.bangkokpost.com/business/2347593/
Line of the Week? Or the Year? From the National Post:
The airports of Canada are a mess. Toronto Pearson (below) looks as if it is managed by the Toronto Maple Leafs coaching team.
[Welcome to the prestigious, internationally acclaimed, stately, and illustrious Monday Morning Joke. (Pants are Required.)]
A Greek and a Jew were sitting in a Starbucks one day comparing their two cultures.
Over a double latte, the Greek mentions "We built the Parthenon, you may recall, along with the Temple of Apollo."
"Well, it was the Jews who discovered the Summer and Winter Solstices."
"But it was the Greeks who gave birth to advanced mathematics."
"Granted, but it was the Jews who built the first timepieces."
Knowing that he's about to deliver the coup de grace, the son of Athens points out with a note of finality: "Keep in mind that it was the ancient Greeks who invented the notion of sex as a pleasurable activity!"
"True enough, but it was the Jews who got women involved." [h/t Ace]
Milli's Moment is Lalisa's Lifestyle
Lalisa Lisa Blackpink made an Instagram post about her love of 'roti sai mai' and kicked off the newest fad.
Buri Ram's Lalisa actually rolled up one of the simple snacks for her post on Instagram (80 million followers).
Rapper Danupha "Milli" Khanatheerakul, during her appearance at Coachella, California, unforgetably asked:
Who want mango and rice that is sticky?
https://www.bangkokpost.com/thailand/general/2347468/
INDUSTRY CRIME PRISON
'Correctional Estate' being developed
The Thai junta's Industrial Estate Authority of Thailand (IEAT) revealed on Sunday it has begun construction of the country's first privately owned prison.
Zubb Sakhon correctional industrial estate, on a huge land area southwest of Bangkok, will supposeldy house and "turn inmates into skilled labourers".
Details are obscure, but planners expect to turn 30,000 prisoners into honest workers.
The operator, Sivachai Company, said the private prison should be open by 2027.
https://theagendathai.com/archives/49062
GLOBAL WARMING
What would we do without a United Nations Humanitarian Adviser right there inside Sri Lanka?
Last month, the Global Crisis Response Group set up by UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres in March warned the war had supercharged pre-existing crises caused by the pandemic, regional climate shifts and rising national debt to create the worst cost of living crisis in recent history, throwing some countries into a “perfect storm”.
Sri Lanka is now showing what that can mean, the price shock of the Ukraine war coming after a pandemic slump in tourism foreign currency earnings, a depreciating currency and now a debt default.
Power cuts are frequent, there is too little fuel for many to get to work or school and the local United Nations humanitarian adviser estimates that almost a quarter of the population will now need international food assistance.
OTOH
This is also the United Nations.
The U.N. World Food Program suggests that 670 million people, 8% of the world's population, will face hunger by the end of the decade.
And right today, 439,000 Africans die every year from indoor air pollution because they are forced - for cooking, lighting, and heating - to burn charcoal and cattle dung.
https://www.npr.org/2022/07/07/1110219180/record-number-of-people-worldwide-are-moving-toward-starvation-u-n-warns
COOLEST MAN ON THE PLANET
On this date in 1902, Willis Haviland Carrier completed his design for the modern air conditioner. God bless him.
For example: In 1900, the population of Phoenix was 5,544; today, 4,652,000.
Temperature today in Phoenix: 110 American degrees, 43 Canadian, forget the wind chill.
WHO SAID IT BETTER
DOCTOR Jill Biden vs Les Nessman
https://www.bookwormroom.com/2022/07/12/who-said-it-better-jill-biden-v-les-nessman/
POLITICS U.S.A.
Defunding the Police Has Backfired in Seattle as They Now Scramble to Hire More Cops.
https://legalinsurrection.com/2022/07/defunding-the-police-has-backfired-in-seattle-as-they-now-scramble-to-hire-more-cops/
TECHNOLOGY
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ZOMG... Hillary Clinton thinks American jalapeño mix is "hot sauce".
Spoiler: It isn't.
