Thailand faces yet another long weekend, the last until July.
It is the final day of May, heading into yet another three-day weekend for Queen Suthida's birthday.
This is Fishwrap for Friday 31 May 2024 / 2568.
The name of the Fishwrap Office Dog is Taxi.
If we're running her in the park, we just call TAXI!
I love Halloween, it's like Christmas for kids.
-- Frank Murphy, head of F Is For Family
Ten percent of words are not spelt the way they sound.
Which is absolutely fas-kin-ating.
TAIWAN CHINA INVASION
Destroy the support pillars! Strike the base camp! Cut the blood vessels!
Chinese Communist Party and the People's Liberation Army have posted a 70-second video on Weibo which supposedly shows details of the coming all-out war on Taiwan.
The graphic video (Weibo is the communists' version of X/Twitter) is a direct demand to citizens to prepare to support the invasion against pro-Taiwan people, especially online.
According to the text and graphics, China will attack from all four directions with force, including mass bombing and missiles on all Taiwan cities as well as outlying islands.
The plan for all-out "Shock and Awe and Relentless Killing" calls on China to 'obliterate Taipei, Hualien, and Kaohsiung,' population 5,525,000.
Report with details: https://www.taiwannews.com.tw/news/5849335
3D VIDEO: https://m.weibo.cn/status/5037512730607992
Taiwan 'Ready' amidst warnings of Chinese civilian vessel threat
China is preparing an armada of ferries and civilian vessels to invade Taiwan, but Taiwan Defence says there are already plans to resist that.
The People's Liberation Army Navy (PLAN) lacks the numbers of amphibious landing craft needed to launch a full scale invasion of Taiwan, but it could bridge the gap with civilian vessels, including "gigantic roll-on, roll-off ferries that can each carry hundreds of armoured vehicles."
PHOTO: Taiwan Navy fast-attack boats.
https://focustaiwan.tw/cross-strait/202405290007
BURMA MYANMAR CONFLICT
Ethnic armies consolidate strongholds as junta weakens
The junta has lost all control of the country.
NAY PYI DAW:The 3-year-old junta dictatorship has lost control of 86 percent (!) of the country.
Myanmar's ruling junta has lost control over vast tracts, including access to most of its international borders.
The street demonstrations, which were met with a brutal crackdown, morphed into an armed resistance movement of ethnic rebel armies.
https://www.bangkokpost.com/world/2802231/
Much more at Asahi Shimbun
https://www.asahi.com/ajw/articles/15286192
DPRK KOREA
North Korea fired over 10 suspected short-range ballistic missiles
North Korea fired more than 10 suspected short-range ballistic missiles toward the Sea of Japan on Thursday.
The Japanese Defence Ministry said the "multiple" ballistic missiles were fired in a northeasterly direction by North Korea around 6:13 a.m. (Japan time) from an inland location,'
All fell outside Japan's exclusive economic zone, with no damage to aircraft or ships reported.
OPINION EDITORIAL
The misnamed, disrespected 'sea Gypsies' of Thailand's far South still wait for justice
Disputes take place against a background in which the government refuses to recognise indigenous peoples.
The court's rulings on illegal land titles over the sea people's ancestral land should prompt the Land Department to revoke these unlawful titles and grant legitimate ownership to the traditional Rawai community.
https://www.bangkokpost.com/opinion/opinion/2799514/
THAILAND TECH
Thailand: Give us three years and we'll be the data hub of ASEAN
Obviously, the country also needs to promote research and development in AI adoption and establish technological infrastructure, including data centres
The 'NextGen Data Centre Conference 2024' on Wednesday to exchange ideas and business plans to transform data centres in Thailand into sustainable, resilient, scalable and efficient operations.
https://www.nationthailand.com/business/tech/40038425
ENTERTAINMENT SPORTS
The series now is a best-of-three, with two of those games in Texas.
Stars of the game
This probably should go to the entire Oilers team, which put together a complete effort from top to bottom. To that end, 11 Edmonton players had at least a point in the game.
The world's best hockey player Connor McDavid had 3 assists.
NHL.com: https://shorturl.at/vDqt2
TAIWAN CHINA TOURISM
20,000 Taiwanese travelers expected to visit China next month https://www.taiwannews.com.tw/en/news/5879866
GLOBAL WARMING
Our gadgets, the internet, and the systems supporting them are responsible for anywhere from 1.4 to 5.9 percent of greenhouse gas emissions. (Heated)
I've been reading a lot about how the internet contributes to the climate crisis. And I've learned that the web pollutes more than I ever would have guessed.
INDIA ELECTION
Extreme temperatures in India are likely contributing to lower turnout in the world's "largest election process."
The Best Airline In the World And Explored Sections Of the Universe?
You're looking at it. https://t.ly/Lyity
AirlineRatings does an annual 'leaderboard' and says that Qatar Airways has, amongst other points, outstanding passenger feedback, which makes it the Best Business Class airline in the world.
Fishwrap notes that no U.S. airline made the list, although Thai Vietjet won for Best Ultra Low-Cost Airline.
The reasons for that:
Qatar Airways has a fabulous onboard product dubbed the QSuite, available on its newer A350s and select Boeing 777s, with doors that close, plenty of storage, and the option to combine four suites into a group room.
In economy, passengers are treated to around 31” - 32” of legroom (depending on the aircraft) and a seat width of 18 inches (46 Canadian centimetres), one of the widest in the industry.
Much more at the link.
American Airlines of the U.S.A. is now the Only Airline in the World to serve All 50 contiguous states. But there's a risible catch.
Not only does it not "serve" Alaska, Hawaii (which are states) and U.S. possessions, it doesn't actually "serve" every state.
Example: If the current U.S. president Joseph Biden chose to fly American to his home state of Delaware (yes, right, why would he, but just imagine) the best he could do is fly from his job site in Washington city to Philadelphia and then board an American Airlines bus to get to his home state of Delaware.
https://shorturl.at/FsNHL
That reminds us of the quite old [1959; Perry Como] and repetitive novelty song, If Mississippi bought a New Jersey then what did Delaware?
CRIME SMARTPHONE
A guest post from Veronica de Souza about making friends online (with the guys who stole your iPhone)
"Listen!" A round-up of things people will say to you after stealing (or purchasing) your smartphone, to persuade you to unlock it.
