We are four weeks and two days away from the Thai New Year's Day aka Songkran aka first day of a three week weekend aka Water Splashing Without Apology. This is the Bulldog Edition of Fishwrap for Wednesday, March 13 2024. Â Â
A friend says, "What rhymes with orange?" so I replied, "No it doesn't!" Â Â
We're standing up for peace and stability across the Taiwan Straits. Joseph Biden, president, U.S.A.Â
 He meant to say 'Taiwan Strait', one of them.
Ramadan fasting began yesterday in Thailand The committee of mullahs assigned by the Chularajmontri failed on Sunday eveningto spot the new moon. Ramadan aka Hari Raya also began Tuesday in Malaysia, Singapore and Indonesia. Hours in Nong Bon Thailand: Fajr 0515, Sunrise 0632, Break Fast (Iftar) 1827.
Thailand refreshes its bid to get back onto the UNHRC -- Human Rights Council The country's human rights record will again be the subject of hot debate and close scrutiny over the next few months as it bids (for a third time) for a seat on the United Nations Human Rights Council for 2025-27. Prime Minister Srettha Thavisin's Pheu Thai-led government views UNHRC membership as an affidavit that Thailand has turned a new page in its democratic development and protection of human rights. Election of new members will be in October at U.N. headquarters in New York. https://www.bangkokpost.com/opinion/opinion/2757104/
Boeing in the Spotlight A mid-air incident aboard a Latam Airlines Boeing 787 injured about 50 people. New Zealand media report... A sudden drop in altitude sent passengers flying into the roof of the cabin and then dropping back down violently to the passenger cabin floor. The Sydney Morning Herald reported that the pilot said his gauges went blank and he was unable to fly the plane. The New Zealand Transport Accident Investigation Commission seized the black boxes -- cockpit voice recorder and flight data recorder to try to prevent tampering. Economic Times: https://t.ly/wYwB0
In the immediate aftermath, Boeing was even less helpful than usual. The company said it was working to gather more information and will provide support to the airline. Boeing shares on the stock market dropped faster than its stricken 787 Dreamliner.
Thailand to host Formula E championship race Maybe Formula E executives will look at the feasibility of a race-track area in Chiang Mai next week. btw... The 'e' in 'Formula e' means 'electric'. Well, the roaring electric vehicles will be the quietest race cars in all of Thai history.
Palestinians in Gaza are afraid of attending Ramadan evening prayers for fear of being bombed. And finding food is 'an obstacle'. AlJaz https://shorturl.at/dxyJ0
ENTERTAINMENT SPORTS MLB Baseball Opening Day is just 15 days away
The Dodgers and San Diego will play Opening Day art the Gocheok Sky Dome in Seoul next week. But regular Opening Day is the Blue Jays against the Rays at Tampa Bay on March 31 (Toronto time).
Speaking of The Great White North CANADA DIPLOMACY
Bob Rae, a former (successful) politician now is the most aggressive defender against charges that Canada is a mugwump on the Israel war in Gaza. Critics accuse Canada of fence-sitting since the October 7 Hamas massacre -- and the carnage from Israel's retaliation in Gaza. And he is watching from afar as Canadians turn on one another with a ferocity unseen in his long career. https://shorturl.at/joCKO
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[Wednesday Morning Joke]
A man received the following text from his neighbour: I'm so sorry Bob. I've been riddled with guilt and I have to confess. I have been helping myself to your wife, day and night when you're not around. In fact, more than you. I do not get it at home, but that's no excuse. I can no longer live with the guilt and I have to hope you will accept my most sincere apology with my promise that it will not, ever, happen again.Â
Bob is in complete shock, has no idea what to do. A few moments later, a second text arrived: Damn auto-spellcheck! I meant 'wi-fi'. [h/t Ace]
ENTERTAINMENT OSCARS WINNERS Oppenheimer has a big night at the Oscars. Â Then again, so did Japan's new Godzilla. In Japanese! https://t.ly/vl9JU
THAILAND POLITICS The NIDA poll Who's in charge of Thailand? 1,310 Thais responded. 1/ Thaksin Shinawatra, convict 43 percent 2/ Prime Minister Srettha Thavisin 22 percent 3/ Pita Limjaroenrat, progressive, 17 percent https://www.bangkokpost.com/thailand/politics/2752091/
OPED ANALYSIS Thailand's top analyst of East and Southeast Asian affairs Kavi Chongkittavorn Thailand's regional security makeover ... As unexpectedly, like a thunderclap on a mid-afternoon summer day, former Cambodian prime minister Hun Sen's visited to his lifelong friend, convicted former PM Thaksin Shinawatra on February 21, and immediately changed the dynamics of the much-improved relations. https://www.bangkokpost.com/opinion/opinion/2753049/
OPINION EDITORIAL Taylor Swift's Eras Tour should be a wake-up call for Thailand Knowing full well it lacks natural and distinguished cultural heritage resources, Singapore creates its own tourism magnet, becoming a venue for world-class performances. Â Next on Singapore's cultural calendar: the remarkable Broadway success, Hamilton. After TayTay's The Era Tours, the... Thailand must fix structural problems, since it needs political stability, transport connectivity and artists' financial support -- not only famous ones but also local and regional ones. https://www.bangkokpost.com/opinion/opinion/2756394/
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Creepy clickbait headline. Also, a true story. https://t.ly/P70yD 'The Purge' Comes to Pittsburgh -- 0300-to-0700, but probably will expand those hours. (Pittsburgh is a city in the eastern USA) There will be no Pittsburgh police at the city's six police stations between the hours of 3 a.m. and 7 a.m. [Cue ominous music] Â Also, they will no longer respond to calls 'unless they are in-progress emergencies.'
When seconds count, Pittsburgh police are now minutes away. Or more. Literally.
Excellent reporting by the occasionally wonky Robert Spencer. For anyone who has been paying attention, it's no surprise. China Plans to 'Sinicize' Islamhttps://t.ly/kLVcO Â We can learn from this, but not in the way you might think.
More predictable
 is the almost certain outcome of such Xi Jinping shortsightedness: What is likely to happen in China, given the lessons of history, is that the 'Sinicisation' of Islam in the country will proceed, and initially it will appear to be a comprehensive success. Muslims in China will appear to be practicing an Islam with Chinese characteristics, and to have assimilated completely into Communist Chinese society.
PUTIN'S STUPID WAR  The morbid cost of Vlad Putin's invasion for all to see  Satellite images show how Russian cemeteries have expanded in size in the past two years of his Ukrainian invasion. Satellite photos included, at link: https://shorturl.at/QSX68
The Ministry of Defence of the former 'Great' Britain believes up to 70,000 Russian soldiers have died. The Pentagon (U.S.) puts the figure "as high as" 120,000, while Ukraine claimed last month that the number of Russians killed is 180,000 or more. Read the entire, sad piece.
Blackface and BLM fraudster and fake private eye Shaun 'Talcum X' King claims he and his wife are new converts to Islam. Mostly he's a con man, and not too good at that, either.
THAILAND TERRORISM UYGHUR Elaine Pearson, Asia director at Human Rights Watch (HRW) writes: Let my terrorists go. In addition to the two Uyghurs who ALLEGEDLY bombed the Erawan Shrine in Bangkok nine years ago, killing and injuring 120-plus and are still awaiting trial, few people realise that Thailand has been holding more than 40 other Uyghur asylum seekers in immigration detention for a decade. https://www.bangkokpost.com/opinion/opinion/2755174/
