Prayut: The most exciting day of my life

The Great Thailand Covid Flip-Flop
Literally on the eve of an expected surge of tourists and visitors from China, the ruling junta changed it all up.
Not all tourists and visitors from China and other countries will be asked to show their vaxxports with two-or-move jabs against the coronavirus. But some will, so be prepared.
All Thai citizens and their children and foreign diplomats might not have to show that they are covered by a US$10,000 health insurance policy -- but some will.
PHOTO: A total of 15 flights from China landed yesterday, carrying 3,465 Chinese tourists, visitors, etc. None were detained or asked for their vaxxports.

NOTE: The old white-haired guy is Phiphat Ratchakitprakarn, the ruling junta's 'minister of sports and tourism. He waded straight in to the first arrival group of Chinese without any anti-Covid restrictions.

They are Ready for Chinese influx.
Sure they are.
Tourism industry leaders are united in their belief that resumption of tourism from China presents an opportunity, not a risk.
https://www.bangkokpost.com/business/2478219/

PHOTO
China has pressed on with its so-called "re-opening" despite massive Covid surges. This is Shanghai Pudong International Airport.

China flushes the Communist Party's unbelievably foolish "Zero Covid" nonsense
Beijing and CCP reopen borders in final farewell to zero-Covid.
https://www.bangkokpost.com/vdo/world/2478434/

And there is a 'bustLE' at the Hong Kong border
https://www.bangkokpost.com/vdo/world/2478427/

90 percent of Henan province has Covid-19
Kan Quancheng, director of the Communist Party of China's health commission for central Henan province, told a press conference that "as of January 6, 2023, the province's Covid infection rate is 89.0%."
With a population of 99.4 million, the figures suggest about 88.5 million people in Henan may now have been infected.
https://www.bangkokpost.com/world/2478410/

'Official data' released yesterday by the Communist Party of China claimed that just 120,000 people have been infected and 30 died since China relaxed Covid curbs in early December.

Speaking of Prayut and politics and PM2.5 air pollution, this photo of the Bangkok skyline was taken yesterday at the exact time Prayut was being feted for changing his political loyalties.

The online Thailand newspaper Thai Enquirer was brutal.
Thailand’s half baked entry rules on arriving Chinese tourists falls shorter than other countries
https://www.thaienquirer.com/47315/thailands-half-baked-entry-rules-on-arriving-chinese-tourists-falls-shorter-than-other-countries/
The same paper's leading Oped:
Prayut's indecisive government created another fiasco for arriving tourists as it looks to please Xi's China
The latest mess in the reintroduction of entry regulations showed that this indecisive government led by the 2014 coup leader did not learn anything from the previous fiasco. The information they gave was as unclear as ever.
https://bit.ly/3W2ligq

Prayut's Big Day
'The Most Exciting Moment of My Life'
After a two-hour ceremony that even included a red carpet, Prayut signed all the papers to quit the Palang Pracharath Party (PPRP) he formed in 2018, and officially joined Ruam Thai Sang Chart -- United Thai Nation Party, aka UTN.
The ceremonial whoop-dee-doo was meant to show that UTN has been formed exclusively and only to support Prayut as Thailand's prime minister — for life if necessary.
The public was not invited, and in fact was shooed away.
The sudden switch to UTN raised questions of whether Prayut will run for office [Spoiler: he won't] with a nationwide parliamentary election likely in early May.



FOLLOW THE SCIENCE DAMMIT!
Our review of the evidence suggests that the ancient sites in Brazil do not actually belong to the first Americans, but are actually the product of monkey activity.
https://www.sciencealert.com/monkeys-not-humans-made-ancient-sets-of-stone-tools-in-brazil-study-finds

Not the most uplifting oped you will read today:
It’s unfortunate that the global ruling class is so exceptionally awful.
Japan Times: The global economy braces for a difficult year.
A slowdown is certain and the only question is how deep and widespread the slump will be. Downward pressures are severe: the ongoing war in Ukraine, the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on China — as well as the possibility of another global wave of infection.
https://www.japantimes.co.jp/opinion/2023/01/06/editorials/global-economy-forecast/

Sorry, China, you weren't paying attention. And you're still not?
During the Vietnam war, the USAF mounted a variety of weapons of many cargo airplanes -- and caused terrific damage. Now it's doing it again, with new and upgraded aircraft and weapons.
 Chinese Military Officials Reportedly Concerned Over US Air Force’s Rapid Dragon Palletized Weapon System.
https://www.warhistoryonline.com/news/rapid-dragon-palletized-weapon-system.html

Quote du jour
A former Virginia Tech women's soccer player who accused her coach of benching her because of her political opinions will reportedly receive at least $100,000 as part of an agreement to dismiss a federal lawsuit.
"It wasn't enough," she said. There should have been an admission of guilt by the school.
https://www.foxnews.com/us/ex-virginia-tech-soccer-player-allegedly-benched-for-refusing-to-kneel-gets-100k-settlement-attorney

FOR GOD'S SAKE STOP saying that Hitler 'invented' Germany's spiffy no-speed-limit autobanh system. He didn't.
AND STOP USING Kanye West as your own 'invented expert' on the Third Reich. Among other things that Kanye is unbelievably stupid about, Hitler and Germany under the Third Reich are two.
Here is the complete list of Kanye "Ye" Wests lifetime achievements.
1. He got into Kim Kardashian’s pants and you didn't.
2. There is no "2". That's the complete list. Stop using him as an "expert".
VIDEO containing actual real facts:

USA POLITICS
Nancy Pelosi Was More Responsible for J6 Riot Than Trump.
To put it another way:
Nancy Pel performed exactly the job she set out to.
https://tinyurl.com/fjztw9n2

HMMM Interesting
An Arkansas court may soon force Hunter Biden to disclose the identities of the buyers of his expensive artwork, information the White House has tried to conceal as it faces accusations of influence peddling.
https://freebeacon.com/biden-administration/court-may-force-hunter-biden-to-disclose-buyers-of-his-pricy-artwork/