Nok Air laughs, cancels Prayut's latest failure to attract tourists.
Gidday to all. It looks like it will be a nice Thursday, March 17, with a high of 34 Canadian degrees. Then four days of rain.
Thailand's military-backed regime takes another step towards total failure
Prayut directs yet another 'crash and burn' tourism plan in the Deep South
Another 2 billion baht ($U.S.60 million) down the toilet
Nok Air, the budget airline owned and operated by technically bankrupt Thailand's fast-failing Thai Airways International (THAI), gave the quickly deteriorating junta another swift kick in the extreme lower back on Wednesday.
The alleged 'prime minister' slash dictator Prayut flew on the first-and last commercial flight to Betong on Monday to open his new 2-billion-baht white elephant airport at Betong, in Yala province in the Deep South.
Prayut and a tiny clutch of coup-military loyalists, claimed that Betong would attract zillions of tourists and get the failed tourist industry moving upwards again.
On Wednesday, Nok Air told Prayut to stop putting them on, and cancelled all flights to Betong. "No one wants to fly to Betong," said Nok Air executives truthfull.
PHOTO: Prayut's alleged 'government' gave exclusive rights to Nok Air to fly to Betong but the airline couldn't sell or even give away tickets, and cancelled it all.
https://www.thaienquirer.com/38616/betong-flights-cancelled-just-days-after-prayut-launches-commercial-operation/
https://www.bangkokpost.com/thailand/general/2279195/
NOTE: Several people whose names we have been warned not to print got quite large shares of the 2-billion-baht airport construction fees.
Two days earlier
Betong airport welcomes first (and last) commercial flight
https://www.bangkokpost.com/thailand/general/2279195/
World champ, and depressed
Sad, sad Suni Lee is in a dark place. And she's in Alabama!
People magazine carries the depressing story of Olympics gold medalist Sunisa Lee today.
America's favourite Hmong reveals that she is losing confidence - now least because people on Twitter and so on are ganging up.
"I feel like after the Olympics, there's just been so much doubt in like, 'Oh, she shouldn't have won Olympics, blah, blah, blah,' and it really hits my soul," she said.
Suni has also dealt with "anxiety attacks" at her college gymnastic meets for Auburn University, she told ESPN.
Much more at
https://people.com/sports/suni-lee-grapples-with-imposter-syndrome-after-olympics-gold/
Blackpink rapper Lalisa aka Lisa Manoban has just signed a massive contract to be the Asian brand ambassador of the obscenely rich Scottish-owned Chivas Regal whiskey firm. For that, she is the
first Thai
first female
Read all about it.
As of now, it is against the law to show any of her Chivas Regal advertising, anywhere in Thailand.
Late last October, a lone and brave Lalisa busted the Prayut regime's grifting lie that she would perform at a New Year's Eve Countdown at the Phuket causeway.
The regime set aside 200 million baht for the bent plan, and it remains unclear who profited. Prayut won't talk - just like the corrupted media he controls.
Read all about it.
https://www.thaienquirer.com/38641/legal-loopholes-exposed-as-blackpinks-lisa-becomes-whiskey-brand-ambassador/
https://www.bangkokpost.com/thailand/general/2280215/govt-warns-against-sharing-lisa-blackpinks-whiskey-ads
As of now, it is against the law to show any of her Chivas Regal advertising, anywhere in Thailand.
The (so-called) government that was crapped on by multi-milllionaire rapper Lalisa last October smiles and prepares revenge.
... The junta-controlled, prohibition Office of the Alcohol Control Committee is itching for a green light from Prayut to start prosecuting thousands of people and companies for showing photos of Lalisa promoting Scottish-owned Chivas Regal whiskey.
The fun part is that these photos already have appeared on apps like Line, Facebook, Twitter, etc, etc, and those companies are responsible for their publication. There are hundreds of thousands carried by Western and Asian media, who are responsible under Thai law.
Let the crackdown begin!
Penalties run up to 500,000 baht AND a year in prison for each photo.
TRIVIA: The family of the Blackpink super-rapper lives in Buriram province in Isan.
Russian Tourists (still) Stranded In Thailand Without Payment Or Flight Options
... About 3,100 Russians are stuck in Phuket and more than 2,000 in Samui, according to Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT) official Kunjara Na Ayudhya. The spokesman told France 24 that additional Russians were in Krabi, Phang Nga, and Bangkok.
https://www.travelawaits.com/2739774/russian-visitors-stuck-in-thailand/
THAILAND TOURISM
Thailand's military-control government has yet another 'plan' to rebuild the tourism industry
This one is a "four-step plan" that will end on Canada Day, when the Prayut regime will officially end the Chinese Covid-19 pandemic - by giving it a new name.
The 'pandemic' will become a local, in-country 'endemic' on July 1.
But like flights to Betong, who will notice?
Quit and run
The junta-owned governor (mayor) of Bangkok will step out of his post next week, to prepare for the May 22 city election.
Former Police General Aswin Kwanmuang has already appointed a team of political advisers.
He will run as a member of the new Rak Krung Thep (Love Bangkok) political party. Both Rak Krung Thep and Aswin are lips-sealed on their political polatforms.
PHOTO: Aswin's election campaign has started slowly but it will probably involve a lot of alcohol restrictions and prohibition.
TRIVIA: Not a great pickup line.
Excuse me, miss, does this handkerchief smell like chloroform to you?
Russian security and police seem to be unaware that Justin is a master of disguise.
Also, he owns a cottage!
After sighting in Canada's top Russophobe, Moscow orders 'sanctions hits' on the 13 top U.S.A. voices of "extremely Russophobic policy".
Russia did not call Biden Pere et Fils 'a crime family', but then added to the list:
Hillary Clinton, Jake Sullivan, Ginger Jen Psaki and Sam Power.
Unca Joe slaps Putin in the face
Biden slams 'war criminal' Putin as Ukraine civilian horror grows
Biden brands Putin a 'war criminal'
Kremlin says comment ‘unforgivable'
PHOTO: It was the first time in history that President Biden showed a finger to the Russian.
https://bityl.co/BMGI
https://www.bbc.com/news/world-us-canada-60773626
But speaking of war criminals...
Tatmadaw's attacks on Burmese resisters near the Thai border have triggered "the worst fighting in Myanmar since World War Two".
That's a lot of forgiveness for Aung San Suu Kyi's plan for genocide of Rohingya and Muslims in general.
PHOTO: Myanmar's ruling Tatmadaw (military) has called in all kinds of air power and elite ground troops against reistance in the Thai border areas.
https://news.yahoo.com/witness-army-attacks-eastern-myanmar-031443911.html
And America's war on Asians continues
'Asian bitch!'
Man Hit Filipina in the Head 125 Times Because She Was Asian, Officials Say
A man has been charged with attempted murder as a hate crime after a vicious assault in Yonkers, N.Y., that was captured by a security camera.
Police have charged an alleged attacker who is not Asian, and not Hispanic, and not White.
The victim, a 67-year-old Filipina, was returning home Friday evening when she saw the suspect, whom police identified as Tammel Esco, 42, in front of her building. Esco allegedly used the racial slur as she passed him, police said in the release.
... as she attempted to open the second door to enter the lobby, Esco allegedly approached her from behind and punched her in the head, knocking her to the floor, the release said.
The "large... hulking" man punched his victim in both the head and face more than 125 times and then stomped her with his foot seven times - all in 90 seconds. Police said he then spat on her.
STORY and VIDEO
PHOTO and VIDEO courtesy Yonkers Police Department
https://www.lohud.com/videos/news/crime/2022/03/14/yonkers-man-charged-hate-crime-attack-asian-american-woman/7040120001/
https://edition.cnn.com/2022/03/15/us/yonkers-alleged-hate-crime-attack/index.html
Good question:
Is San Francisco the Most Intolerant Place in America?
https://bityl.co/BLQV
Doug Emhoff, the husband of Vice President Kamala Harris, has tested positive for the coronavirus.
She got to walk out of an 'event' with President Joe Biden.
https://www.nytimes.com/2022/03/15/us/politics/doug-emhoff-covid.html
The man appointed as prime minister of Thailand vowed that the country will remain neutral throughout the Russia-Ukraine war.
He cited several crucial events of Thai history to explain and endorse and encourage the promise.
It will be difficult at best for Thailand to hold to such a policy, but it will be politically suicidal to fail.
Julie Kelly (paraphrased):
"The date of March 18, 2020, isn't just a day that will live in infamy. It marked the beginning of the largest crime against Thailand since the last world war, and it was decreed and supervised by the Royal Thai Army."
TECHNOLOGY
Taiwanese electronics giant Foxconn is in talks with Saudi Arabia to set up a new $9 billion factory in that country. (9to5Mac)
This makes total sense given Saudi Arabia's renowned pool of low-cost skilled workers.
https://9to5mac.com/2022/03/14/apple-foxconn-suppliers-saudi-arabia/
You don't have to be a Tiger Mom to see which way the wind is blowing.
As China's Military Tech Dominates, Congress Demands Science Bow to "Racial Justice"
"US schools are eliminating gifted and talented programs in the name of racial equity and deemphasizing — if not eliminating — algebra instruction to conceal racially disparate performance in algebra classes. China is taking the opposite course. It identifies its top math talent early on and gives mathematically gifted students accelerated instruction. Its rigorous university entrance exams reward effort and achievement, not identity. Undergraduate math competitions provide a pipeline to the best graduate programs in STEM."
https://nypost.com/2022/03/14/as-chinas-military-tech-dominates-us-science-bows-to-racial-justice/
CORONAVIRUS SOUTHEAST ASIA
The Manila-based Asian Development Bank has finished a two-year study on the economic effects of the Chinese Covid-19 pandemic.
Conclusion No. 1: The disease has erased 9.3 million jobs - gone for good.
Result: 4.7 million citizens of Southeast Asian countries are povery-stricken.
As the ADB puts it:
The pandemic's impact on poverty and unemployment will likely persist as inactive workers become de-skilled and poor people's access to opportunities further deteriorates.
When this happens, the deterioration in inequality could transfer across generations.
CORONAVIRUS THAILAND STATISTICS
The Chinese Covid-19 infected 23,945 more people on Thursday. For the second day in a row, it caused 70 deaths.
48 of the new infections were brought into Thailand from abroad.
Since the pandemic started in early 2020, there have been 3,250,642 Covid-19 cases, including 1,027,207 this year, with 3,004,752 complete recoveries to date.
The accumulated death toll stood at 23,918 since the beginning of the pandemic, including 2,220 so far this year.
PHOTO: A nurse vaccinates an older gent at a clinic in Nonthaburi, just north of Bangkok.
https://www.bangkokpost.com/thailand/general/2280051/
THAILAND TOURISM CRIME
The first post-pandemic tourist murdered was Swiss visitor Nicole Sauvain-Weisskopf, 57.
Dimwit professional criminal Teerawat Thothip (below) has got life in prison for the murder.
His defence was:
"I only wanted to rape her."
The victim's Swiss husband and two sons watched from Switzerland via live teleconference on Google Meet as the Phuket Court delivered its sentence on Tuesday afternoon.
Just FYI
airasia17.jpg
https://ftnnews.com/aviation/43559-airasia-resumes-flights-from-malaysia-to-thailand
No aspirins for Russkies.
Bayer of Germany (and Thailand) are cutting off supplies of aspirin and other 'non-essential' stuff to Russia and Belarus.
The company said in a statement that it "utterly condemned this brutal aggression against a sovereign country".
PHOTO: Bayer Thailand: Russians needn't ask. The answer is 'Nyet!'
https://www.agriland.ie/farming-news/bayer-suspends-all-non-essential-business-in-russia-and-belarus/
Malaysia goes full 'Let's Copy Thailand'
Effective immediately
Malaysia Airports and the Ministry of Transport have opened a Vaccinated Travel Lane at KLIA for tourists and travellers who think their shots and travel papers are up to date.
And just like Thailand, you'll have to be quarantined for 24 hours before the test results come back
PHOTO: Kuala Lumpur International Airport (KLIA) will be the first to try the 'Test And Release' programme.
https://ftnnews.com/aviation/43558-malaysia-airports-to-implement-test-and-release-arrival-process
England is arguably better
Heathrow Airport has completely, totally lifted requirements for masks - inside the airport, at all rail stations and office buildings.
You will need travel documents and shot records, but after that you can reveal your face to the world.
https://ftnnews.com/aviation/43555-london-heathrow-removes-face-mask-mandate
Real shame what a corrupt politician can do to a thriving country. I mean, I assume they're all skimming the books somehow but usually don't take the rest of the country down with them.