If you need any Thai visa, get it online
Any'yus not keeping track, you've got five (5) days to finish off paying that Special Gift for Special Honeybunch, or just pack it in and buy her a new counter-top icemaker.
That'd be 5+7=12 days if you're thinking of New Year's gifting.
The four Thai men, aged 61-to-69 were dragged into a military court in Kawthaung, just across the border from Ranong in Thailand's far southwest.
Burmese judges acting under the Nay Pyi Daw coup compact handed the elderly fishing boat owner a five-year jail sentence and his three grizzled crew members three years each for the crime of illegal fishing in Myanmar waters. And three years in a Burmese jail is unpleasant.
This court also sentenced 27 Burmese crew from the Thai boat to a year in jail -- for illegal entry into Burma, where they are citizens!
But wait! The judges suspended their sentences on the Thais -- and ordered them to be 'deported to Thailand' during the coming New Year's celebrations.
Until then, let them stay in prison.
THAILAND FINANCE INTEREST
Bank of Thailand leaves interest rate unchanged
For the first time since it ended the central bank's independence, the goverrnment under Prime Minister Paethongtarn Shinawatra, better known as Ung-Ing, was forced to look at interest rates -- and decided to leave them alone for at least a couple or three more months.
At its final meeting of the year, the Bank of Thailand's Monetary Policy Committee voted unanimously to keep the one-day repurchase rate at 2.25 percent.
That was already the general business consensus, so no surprise. Yet.
https://www.bangkokpost.com/business/general/2922220/bank-of-thailand-leaves-interest-rate-unchanged
Thai flick makes it to the Oscar shortlist
Lahn Mah
Literally in Thai, it's Grandma's Grandchild. But the movie is already better known by a different name in English:
How to Make Millions Before Grandma Dies
It's already on Netflix. By whatever name, it's officially on the Final 15 of 'best foreign films' for the next Oscars, at 7 a.m. on March 3.
https://www.bangkokpost.com/life/arts-and-entertainment/2922186/
Also see:
It's the first time that any Thai moving picture has made it this far.
The Final Five will be announced on January 17. Lanh Mah has had great Thai press.
Distributed by the film studio GDH, it was picked for Oscar submission from 49 Thai movies for its exceptional quality, heartfelt storyline and international appeal, according to the National Federation of Thai Film Associations.
THAILAND VISA ENTRY RESIDENT
Starting on January 1... except that's a holiday, so...
Effective in 15 days, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs is on record that every type of visa for Thailand will be available online.
At first glance, it seems a strange time to stage a huge intro for this program. Government has removed all visa restrictions for, literally, billions of potential visitors and tourists -- China, India, Iran, Taiwan and all of ASEAN for starters.
But tens of thousands of others need visas, usually in special categories of foreigners such as business, retirement, on and on...
Thailand's uptake on use of the internet and other contact means has been slow.
But this new 'e-Visa Thailand' appears to be a Real Deal, so just in case, bookmark
Plenty more details from Khao Sod (Fresh News) https://t.ly/ZRojn
USA UFOs
America Goes Nutzy Over UFOs. Again.
This time they're drones. And this time the United States military has gone on the record:
They're Not Ours. Also, they're not part of any American experimental programs.
End Quote
Up to now, not a single alien from some advanced planet in outer space has emerged from any of the drones -- none!
KEY TAKEAWAY: The U.S. military, Pentagon on down has displayed a sliver of intelligent intelligence.
Spokesman Major General Pat Ryder's got enough medals to qualify for the North Korean army though, eh?
So why not just shoot down 10 or a few dozen?
Gosh, says the U.S. Pentagon, that's so risky.
Astronomy, not Astrology
Meteor strikes on the moon! Astronomer captures possible Geminid lunar impacts. (Report includes videos.)
Wait! We were told specifically that only China is doing this stuff!
NASA's Parker Solar Probe will swoop within 3.8 million miles (6.1 million kilometers) of the sun's surface at a whopping 430,000 mph (690,000 kph), breaking its own records for speed and closest approach to our star.
https://www.space.com/the-universe/sun/we-are-preparing-to-make-history-nasas-parker-solar-probe-gears-up-for-epic-sun-flyby-on-christmas-eve
GLOBAL WARMING
Something else you can just st*u about
https://www.space.com/the-universe/asteroids/2-huge-asteroid-strikes-36-million-years-ago-didnt-change-earths-climate-over-the-long-haul-study-finds
