Phuket wants the Swiss Beach Bully out of Thailand

Good morn to all.
This is the earliest edition of Fishwrap for Thursday, March 7.

OPINION An Analysis of the fast-developing case
by Khao Sod (Fresh News) -- https://shorturl.at/awDR5

The Supreme Court judges voted 9-to-0 to acquit the former prime minister Yingluck Shinawatra and six (6) others of charges of mishandling government funds.
The arrest warrant against her was revoked.

The chief subject now is
When and How will Thailand's most attractive ex-prime minister return to Thailand?

This (above) is the Swiss man Urs "David" Fehr, 45, who kicked Thai Doctor Tharndao "Dr. Pai" Jandam for sitting on steps leading to his property in Thalang district, southern Phuket province. In the photo, he is sitting with his (apparently loyal) Thai wife.
The (appointed) deputy governor of Phuket province, Sattha Thongkham guided an 'urgent letter' to the Phuket Immigration Bureau, requesting that the IB pull Fehr's visa -- which expires and must be renewed by next Wednesday.
Which shows how little he and the council know about immigration procedures.

That said, Fehr isn't going to live down the assault charge any time soon, and the Bangkok Post's description of him as a Beach Bully won't go away quickly.
https://www.bangkokpost.com/thailand/general/2753476/

Fehr and wife have argued that he thought the Thai doctor was a Chinese tourist -- and surely it shouldn't be illegal to assault them, should it?
Khao Sod (Fresh News) https://t.ly/GJ7yA

[Thursday Morning Joke of the Week]

Several men were in the locker room at the gym when a cell phone on a bench rang. A man put it on speaker and began to talk. Everyone in the room stopped to listen.

MAN: Hello.

WOMAN: Hi Honey, it's me. Are you at the club?

MAN: Yes.

WOMAN: I'm at the shops and I found this beautiful leather coat. It's only $2,000, is it okay if I buy it?

MAN: Sure, go ahead if you like it that much.

WOMAN: I also stopped by the Lexus dealership, and saw the new models. I saw one I really liked.

MAN: How much?

WOMAN: $90,000.

MAN: Okay but for that price I want it with all the options.

WOMAN: Great! I will tell them. Oh, and one more thing. I was just talking to Janie and found out that that house I wanted last year is back on the market. They're asking $980,000 for it.

MAN: Well then, go ahead and make an offer of $900,000. They'll probably take it, but if not, we can go the extra eighty thousand if it's really the house that you want.

WOMAN: Okay! I'll see you later. I love you so much!

MAN: Bye, I love you, too.The man hung up, put the phone down. The other men in the locker room were staring at him in astonishment, mouths wide open.He turned and asked, "Does anyone know whose phone this is?" [h/t Ace]

TECHNOLOGY
Apple and the EU are now at war, as Spotify case results in US$2 billion fine. (fortune.com)
This is much bigger than just Brussels vs. Cupertino.
And it isn't that Apple is the good guy here because the bigger the company has gotten, the more it acts like a bully.
https://fortune.com/2024/03/04/apple-eu-2-billion-spotify-antitrust-fine-digital-markets-act-dma-vestager/

Well, there should be, and he should. (businessinsider.com)
 There are growing calls for Google CEO Sundar Pichai to step down.
 https://www.businessinsider.com/calls-for-google-ceo-sundar-pichai-alphabet-step-down-ai-2024-3.

USA ECONOMY
The U.S. national debt is rising by $1 trillion about every 100 days.
The nation's debt permanently crossed over to US$34 trillion on January 4, after briefly crossing the mark on Dec. 29, according to data from the U.S. Department of the Treasury. It reached $33 trillion on Sept. 15, 2023, and $32 trillion on June 15, 2023, hitting this accelerated pace. Before that, the $1 trillion move higher from $31 trillion took about eight months.
But otoh: Anything that can't go on forever, won't.
CNBC: https://t.ly/v_h49

USA POLITICS QUAD SQUAD
FROM the ANNALS of LEFTIST AUTOPHAGY
 AOC loses it when protesters accuse her of being insufficiently Antisemitic*.
 She told one of the protesters that she needed them to understand that their actions were "not okay," okay?
 She then accused her very Antisemitic accusers of lying and claimed (falsely) that she had 'already said that' Jew hatred.
 Then she and her latest fiancé/boyfriend Riley Roberts fled the scene.
More and VIDEO at HotAir: https://shorturl.at/cdnKQ

Good to know.
Michelle (Ma Belle) Obama's office released a statement to NBC News on Tuesday morning, putting to rest the rumours about her potential presidential run. 

 As former First Lady Michelle Obama has expressed several times over the years, she will not be running for president, said Crystal Carson, director of communications for the former first lady's office. Instead, Mrs. Obama plans to support the re-election campaign of President Joe Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris.
https://mxmnews.com/article/d1d8b04c-778d-4fe2-8f82-69bbc515034d

Beijing's Post-Election Plan for Taiwan and Lai
Expect China to double down on political warfare. -- https://t.ly/4kDB9

Lyle Morris unpacks what Taiwan's recent elections mean for the people of Taiwan, Taiwan-Mainland China affairs, and Taiwan-U.S. relations.
https://asiasociety.org/policy-institute/taiwans-democracy-full-display

Also, by Orson Tan:
ASEAN sighs with relief after Taiwan's election
https://eastasiaforum.org/2024/03/01/asean-sighs-with-relief-after-taiwans-election/

If Hamas doesn't surrender all hostages and the leaders who planned the 10/07attack, why should Israel accept such a deal?
 Kamala Harris calls for Israel and Hamas to accept immediate six-week cease-fire, saying: 'The Deal is on the table'.
https://nypost.com/2024/03/03/world-news/kamala-calls-for-israel-and-hamas-to-accept-immediate-six-week-cease-fire/

Hope you have something nice planned for this weekend.