In one week, you'll pay for that Covid
Good morning all you boys and girls and... STOP TALKING when I'm talking! It's Wednesday, March 9.
THAILAND ECONOMY TOURISM
How is that 'we're going to remain neutral' policy coming along?
 In case you were clinging to the ridiculous notion of a regime-sponsored tourism recovery:
 Sanctions are bringing Russia's airline industry to a grinding halt.
https://qz.com/2138563/russias-aeroflot-airline-is-grounding-its-international-flights/
In one week, you'll pay for that Covid
Literally.
Effective March 16, hospitals and clinics will award bills to all the victims it treats for Covid-19 coronavirus illness.
The ruling junta of Thailand is making a pretence of bringing in the Covid-19 billing just a bit at a time. So as of next week, you will only have to pay if you Covid symptoms are "worse than mild".
Otherwise, go home and put up with it it, you'll be fine in a few days.
Since the first outbreak of Covid in November of 2019, all treatment of the disease, from initial diagnosis to the third (or fourth) vaccination, has been free for everyoine.
The alleged 'prime minister' of Thailand sent out a fit spokeslady to make the announcement.
"We want to reserve beds in hospitals for the yellow [moderate] and red [severe] groups of patients," said Dr. Traisuree Taisaranakul.
Free pads for all
A recent headline in an American political magazine said:
 'The more letters after a person's name, the stupider the theories to come.'
But Shakespeare was first. In 1606, four hundred years ago, he wrote of dopes making a big fuss: 'Sound and fury, signifying nothing'.
On Tuesday, Thailand's popular Pheu Thai political party launched a project:
 The government must give free 'sanitary pads' to all Thai women to mark International Woman's Day 2022 and because of all that anti-womyn discrimination that's going on.
Related
Sure.
15,000 Thai children, women trafficked for Japan sex trade
https://www.nationthailand.com/in-focus/40013033
The alleged 'government' of Thailand dedicated an entire Tuesday "cabinet meeting" to the subject.
The U.S.A. isn't the only country with petrol inflation.
As you would expect, the results were confusing and muddled. Let's get to it.
The junta's second most-fit spokeslady Ratchada Thanadirek was instructed to tell Thai media and the nation that Prayut's so-called 'government' greed to cut excise tax on fuels used for electricity generation to zero until September 15 to help alleviate the burden of electricity bills.
Keep the truckers movie
The National Energy Policy Committee (NEPC) will today discuss measures to deal with soaring energy prices, including efforts to maintain the cap on diesel prices at below 30 baht a litre.
Deputy Prime Minister and Energy Minister Supattanapong Punmeechaow said that cabinet ministers discussed a range of issues including the fallout of the Russia-Ukraine conflict and surging global energy prices.
He said the NEPC will now consider the best course of action as global oil prices have sur passed US$120 (3,980 baht) per barrel, driven by rising demand from an economic recovery in many countries and the impact of the conflict in Eastern Europe.
The high prices have complicated the government's efforts to maintain the 30-baht cap, prompting the NEPC to convene the meeting, Mr Supattanapong said.
The current problem for the junta and its alleged 'government' under ex-army four-star general Prayut:
How do we keep from getting blamed for high fuel prices?
The alleged 'prime minister' and cronies are searching desperately for new import sources, and claiming publicly: "Don't Panic".
 In the U.S.A., Biden has banned Russian oil imports. Sure, that'll work.
Best Read du jour, and not very long...
Chinese COVID Vaccine Bombshells You Probably Missed
"When a critical mass of American people realize what has been done to them, there will need to be a reckoning."
https://amgreatness.com/2022/03/04/covid-vaccine-bombshells-you-probably-didnt-hear-about/
Meanwhile, in Europe...
TikTok is exiting Russia. (ZDNet)
Alongside a lot of other companies, yes, but TikTok is owned by China.
https://www.zdnet.com/article/netflix-tiktok-mastercard-visa-and-dxc-end-services-in-russia/
Biden and his weird team of close associates finally say it out loud:
 If you can't afford petrol, just buy an electric vehicle!
 Next performance is scheduled for Thailand.
 A basic EV is only 2 million baht.
https://pjmedia.com/columns/stephen-kruiser/2022/03/08/the-morning-briefing-tone-deaf-team-biden-responds-to-high-gas-prices-with-electric-car-sales-pitch-n1564558
America's leaders are forcing journalists to plunder the pages of Roget's for synonyms of 'dither" to fill in their descriptions of President Biden's leadership; and Canada is whirling like a top from protest to dictatorship and back. Anyone who is not bewildered is either comatose or lying.
https://spectatorworld.com/topic/present-bewilderment-richard-powers-energy-ukraine/
A tiny slice of history
The junta pleaded with all Thai citizens and tourists to please, PLEASE slow down your energy used.
It slashed to zero the excise tax on fuels used by the national Electricity Generating Authority of Thailand, known as Egat.
In theory, that could lower the cost of home and business electricity.
https://www.bangkokpost.com/business/2275467/
WARNING: The hackers are very busy.
Wars create opportunity, including for criminals.
For example, take Thailand.
Potential tourists who have signed up during the past three months for a totally failed promotion programmed called "Thailand Pass" are feeling more pain.
Hackers and crackers and scammers have got hold of the list of "Thailand Pass" applicants, and are sending out "phishing" emails that could cost the victims millions.
WARNING
DO NOT CLICK on links in emails. Just, do not.
https://www.thaienquirer.com/38320/thousands-who-signed-up-for-thailand-pass-receive-scam-email/
Let's make this shorter and maybe sweeter.
If you get this email, do not reply. DO NOT CLICK to reply.
THAILAND INFLATION
 The office of Thailand's alleged 'prime minister' said on Tuesday there's nothing, as in "absolutely nothing" the so-called 'government' can do about rising fuel prices.
 "It's beyond our control," said the office of so-called 'prime minister' Prayut.
In other words, same-same as the seventh and murderous Covid-19 outbreak. "What do you expect us to do?"
 It's a sad comment on Thailand's lack of leadership since the last military coup in May, 2014.
 "UNDERSTAND," said the government's No.1 spokesperson Thanakorn Wangboonkongchana. "It's not our fault. The Russian invasion and oil price fluctuations are not out fault.
 The nominal junta-appointed 'prime minister' was busy elsewhere.
https://www.thaienquirer.com/38282/pm-office-says-rising-oil-prices-are-beyond-its-control-plans-to-roll-out-relief-measures/
Tuesday in Thailand
18,943 new and confirmed cases of Chinese Covid-19 coronavirus PLUS
 19,622 probable cases, total of 30,565.
 66 cases were from abroad and 34 from prisons.
 There were 69 deaths.
YOU DON'T SAY:
 The country where the Covid-19 novel virus was invented and unleashed is having yet another 'new surge' in cases despite 'zero tolerance' of new and nasty Covid-19 cases.
And the government of that country is utterly useless:
 In his annual report to the national legislature Saturday, Premier Li Keqiang said China needs to "constantly refine epidemic containment" but gave no indication Beijing might ease the highly touted "zero tolerance" strategy.
Prime Minister Li is aggressively searching for clues because he doesn't have one. Hong Kong reported more than 43,100 new cases on Tuesday, but that's just a fraction of the actual predicament.
PHOTO: Photo directly from inside China's newest colony: Hong Kong is 'overwhelmed' by Covid-19 and its new communist overseers can't see any solution but another lockdown.
The death toll in the Chinese Covid-19 outbreak passes 6 million.
And it's not going to stop.
https://www.axios.com/global-covid-death-toll-surpass-6-million-3fb3262c-3cf8-47f1-8ef7-a2c7815f7c9b.html
A headline from The New York Times
Hong Kong hospitals can't keep up with the deaths amid an Omicron surge.
Dead bodies are piling up on gurneys in hospital hallways as Hong Kong's health system is overloaded by its biggest Covid-19 outbreak of the pandemic.
https://www.nytimes.com/live/2022/02/27/world/covid-19-tests-cases-vaccine/hong-kong-hospitals-are-overwhelmed-by-the-death-toll-amid-an-omicron-surge
ZOMG! Yeah, the country that invented and loosed the Covid-19 novel virus has NO IDEA how to stop it:
Hong Kong alone saw 25,000 new infections on Monday.
China recorded its most daily covid-19 cases in two years
THAILAND CORONAVIRUS VACCINS
Thailand's junta-controlled coronavirus unit, known as the CCSA, issued strange "recommendation" out of the blue on Monday.
The statement urged people to get their vulnerable family members vaccinated now to protect them during next month's (April 13-1) Songkran (Thai New Year aka water festival) get-togethers.
It was the first mention by Thai authorities that it would allow any Songkran celebrations.
Said CCSA spokeslady Dr Sumanee Watcharasin
"Please take your elders, small children and those with underlying health problems to get a vaccine before the holidays start."
The takeaway: The rampang Coronavirus Outbreak Number 7 is going to get worse before it gets better.
Probably much worse.
And there is nothing that the junta or its 'government' or Thai medical experts can do about it.
https://www.nationthailand.com/in-focus/40013164
Did we need a "survey" to publish this? Seems overdoing it. Anyhow...
 The definitely-not overworked American Chamber of Commerce in Shanghai predicted on Tuesday that it and its members are darned pessimistic about operating in China because of
 bilateral tensions,
 ongoing COVID-19 curbs,
 regulatory restrictions, and,
 a slowing Chinese economy.
I could have told them that for much less money.
https://bityl.co/BE6j
It must have been a terrible accident, maybe lightning...
 No resort owner would think of burning her premises just to get insurance payment.
THAILAND
Fire guts luxury resort on Koh Kut
 TRAT: A fire caused extensive damage to Soneva Kiri Koh Kood, a luxury hotel on Koh Kut.
PHOTO: Flames engulf Soneva Kiri Koh Kood, a luxury hotel in Koh Kut district of Trat easterm Trat province.
https://www.bangkokpost.com/thailand/general/2275711/
More details on that fire at
https://www.bangkokpost.com/learning/really-easy/2275791/
Guests who managed to flee now wonder how come such an expensive and swish hotel had
 such a narrow fire escape and
 no smoke detectors and
 no fire alarms.
Speaking of the Biden government's attempts to ban Americans from Thailand...
 The website and travel app called Booking.com are fearlessly predicting that a return of tourists and the future of tourism throughout Southeast Asia will be...let's say "rocky".
 For one thing, the Russians are not coming.
 Their money is being sucked out of their pockets and their airlines are being grounded.
 Tourism recovery will not be quick, said Laura Houldsworth, the online travel agency's managing director for Asia-Pacific of Booking.com.
 Her own company, based in Holland, has stopped booking Russians, because outbound travel is expected to "depress significantly". And tourism inside Russia doesn't look good, either.
 For now, foreign travellers and backpackers should look to Australia, Cambodia and the Philippines. Maybe Vietnam.
PHOTO: And expected to be bothered by Karens and police about wearing masks and having vaxxports, like this lady near Bangkok's Grand Palace.
https://www.bangkokpost.com/business/2275639/
Summer arrives, violently
In northern Thailand, as usual, the arrival of the hot season also means strong storms.
 Summer storms pummelled three districts of Phitsanuloke province in the North on Monday, causing damage to buildings and public utilities.
 There was a power blackout in Wang Thong district as strong winds topped trees over electricity lines.
https://www.bangkokpost.com/thailand/general/2275727/
A group of protesters in Russia tried to show their opinion of Putin's latest, draconian "fake news".
It didn't go very well for them.
PHOTO: Police officers detain an anti-war protester in St Petersburg.
https://www.axios.com/russia-protest-arrests-crackdown-thousands-detained-16eac623-8031-46cd-bbca-cd6998c62af5.html
What's it all about, Alfie?
Inside tech companies' unprecedented move to suspend sales in Russia
PHOTO: A view of the Samsung Electronics plant in the Vorsino industrial park.
https://www.axios.com/tech-companies-suspend-sales-russia-1afbb14f-260e-4912-8b77-8e562bcbb8df.html
If you are a teacher in a Chicago school and you are so terrified that one of your students might rip off her mask and give you Covid-19,
 QUIT.
 You're not worthy of your job and you should not be allowed anywhere near children.
 You're not worthy of your job and you should not be allowed anywhere near children. You are not an educator.
VIDEO: The TV reporter who is 17 zillion times braver and 47 gazillion times smarter than so-called "teachers".
Canada's second most-hated male named Justin has give up his "emergency powers" to stop all that truck convoying that was going on in Canada.
Without making a single charge or arresting one person for the sedition and secession he used to create panic in Canada.
Invade your neighbour, go broke.
The Communists are back in charge.
U.S.A. SPORTS GRIDIRON FOOTBALL
Green Bay, Wisconsin, used to be a model American town of unity and friendly faces.
Now? Not so much.
 Aaron Rodgers agrees to massive contract to stay with Packers.
How massive? Four-year contract, US$200 million - 6.65 billion baht in real money.
https://www.foxnews.com/sports/aaron-rodgers-massive-contract-stay-packers
