Thai government wants Thais to have more babies. Good luck with that!
Thailand bans all recreational use of marijuana -- but it's still legal.
Notice About Fishwrap
The publisher/editor-in-chief has assigned our top-crack Editorial director and a photographer to pack up and spend a very long weekend in the northern provinces of Thailand in order to produce a credible report on the state of the smog/smoke/PM2.5 air pollution.
So for five days, Thursday-to-Monday the world will have to get along without a daily Fishwrap.
The publisher/editor-in-chief has requested that no one should cry about this development.
When I see lovers' names carved in a tree, I don't think it's sweet. I just think it's surprising how many people bring a knife on a date.
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Thais need to have more babies or there will be a shortage of workers and taxpayers six decades from now.
Atchara Nitiapinyasakul, director, Department of Health (Report below)
On this day in space history, in 1610, Galileo discovered the 3 moons of Jupiter.
https://www.space.com/39251-on-this-day-in-space.html
There are more weed 'dispensaries' than bars in Bangkok and in Thailand in general. Enforcement of the letter of the new law will range between Very Difficult and Impossible.
Almost two years to the day after Thailand made it legal to sell and purchase cannabis, the government has given notice that it intends to ban all use of weed for recreation.
The new law will not be submitted to parliament.
It's a copy of the edict that the ex-dictator and army general Prayut threatened, but never enacted.
Medical physician and public health minister Dr Cholnan Srikaew said enforcement will be righteous -- but provided no details on that.
He said on Sunday:
 The new law will clearly stipulate that cannabis must be used for medical purposes only. It will also encourage the use of cannabis for a range of "health benefits".
 Regarding the using of cannabis for recreational purposes, there will be a clear measure to control and prevent this.
 The measure may come in the form of a ministerial regulation passed by the cabinet, or from a panel.
https://www.bangkokpost.com/thailand/general/2719421/
OPINION ANALYSIS POPULATION AGEING
The first step on a new campaign against birth control and
 in favour of more children
took place on the weekend, at a special convention at Petchabun province, with guest speaker Atchara Nitiapinyasakul, head of the Thai Department of Health.
Dr Atchara and husband have one son.
The hugely successful campaigns for birth control began more than 50 years ago. Birth control pills are freely available in supermarkets and drugstores, without restrictions.
Thailand's population began to contract about 5 years ago or so.
Singapore is the only ASEAN member that has tried such a campaign to encourage women to get more fecund.
Didn't work well.
Sad story of the year (so far)
The baby elephant Plai Duean, found in the Thap Lan National Park in Kanchanaburi a few months ago, has broken down and died.
The tiny jumbo had two broken legs when he was found and taken to care.
In addition, although the 1-year-old clearly wanted to eat, his entire gastro-intestinal system broke down.
The burial of the tragic beast was just before the New Year.
Story by VIDEO:
ASEAN INDONESIA ROHINGYA
Indonesian students, ready for violence and chanting 'Kick Them Out' attacked a small settlement of Rohingya boat-people refugees.
Police protected the Muslim refugees from Myanmar and Bangladesh, and authorities moved more than 100 from their shelter in Aceh province.
A major influx by more than 1,500 Rohingya began in November and is continuing.
U.N. officials blame an online campaign of 'rumours and misinformation'.
Alleged 'experts' claim toi have noted a flood of onling disinformation, most of it concerning the February 13 election for president.
Benar News: https://t.ly/ZKj2v
THAILAND POLITICS OPINION BANGKOK TRANSPORTATION
The choice of electric-line monorails has turned into a problem.
This Yellow Line train almost fell off its track when it suddenly lost guidance equipment.
The three monorails -- Yellow, Pink and the under-construction Brown -- are Bombardier INNOVIA Monorail 300s.
That questionable choice raises several questions, especially in light of the limitations of monorails and the experiences of other cities with similar systems.
Thai Enquirer: https://t.ly/K-zk1
ANALYSIS GOVERNANCE
The stars of the Pheu Thai Party so far are new party leader Paethongtarn "Ung Ing" Shinawatra and realty billionaire Prime Minister Srettha Thaivisin.
Senior party officials have denied there is about to be a cabinet reshuffle -- which would affect Ung Ing most of all.
But a reshuffle of the party and the government are necessary for Pheu Thai's useful evolution.
https://shorturl.at/tuyLW
Airplanes that you definitely will not fly in today... maybe for a while because the Boeing 737 MAX9 is grounded.
This is the Alaska Airlines Boeing 737 MAX-9 that blew out that door in mid-flight on Saturday.
It was the third (of three) 737-MAX 'events' but it didn't kill a lot of people, so there's that.
GLOBAL WARMING TECHNOLOGY
(Photo: The sun rises above Earth as seen from a space station in orbit)
'Cooling glass' could fight climate change by reflecting solar radiation back into space
 To combat increasing global temperatures, scientists have developed a new cooling glass paint which effectively uses space as a heat sink.
https://www.space.com/climate-change-cooling-glass-heat-space
Take it slowly. Best line in the multi-essay:
 Perhaps the best thing you can hope for is a headline next December 31 that makes sense, has familiar terms and needs no explanation.
 If you see "Congress debates aid package amidst new Donbas offensive," you know the previous paradigms have held. If you see "Waves of crimson-tainted MULPASs batter drone-dog troops at Garmex front," you'll know something has really changed.
Hate-crime (the formerly Great) Britain and its echoes of Stalin
In Britain today, you might want to frame and hang this photo in your living room. Or front entranceway.
Are not the building blocks already in place for a neo-Marxist elective dictatorship in 21st century Britain where people are imprisoned for their beliefs? Labour promises to add another by making misgendering an ‘aggravated’ hate crime carrying a two-year prison sentence.
https://www.conservativewoman.co.uk/hate-crime-britain-and-its-echoes-of-stalin/
Here is that recipe for a pad Thai pizza that we promised -- from scratch of course.
Full Reveal: It's not exactly real Pad Thai but it's close and tastes pretty swell.
https://www.tasteofhome.com/recipes/pad-thai-pizza/
Fishwrap volunteers and some workers prefer pad krapow pizza (made from scratch, natch).
We've had it several times and mm-mmm good!
Also cuisine but arguably, actually helpful
Chinese cooking demystified
The En-Rice-ification of Yunnan
What shifting from the Tai sticky rice system did to Yunnan food -- featuring two stewed greens recipes from either side of the Mekong.
Recipes
Northern Thai Cho Phak Kat
Yunnan Suan Pa Cai
USA POLITICS
Steve Calabresi, Reason (Libertarian): January 6, 2021 Was Not an Insurrection.
https://reason.com/volokh/2024/01/06/january-6-2021-was-not-an-insurrection/
Washington Examiner (Right) January 7: A day that will live in hyperbole.
https://www.washingtonexaminer.com/news/washington-secrets/surging-sympathy-for-jan-6-rioters-43-agree-they-had-a-point
"I've had sex more violent than this insurrection."
https://twitter.com/ScottAdamsSays/status/1743752614809137567
