The anti-Prayut plot proceeds
Not to encourage panic and group hysteria but
MONKEYPOX MONKEYPOX MONKEYPOX MONKEYPOX
Thailand's junta, in an effort to get out in front of neighbours and fellow East Asians, has declared monkeypox as The Next Big Thing in travel bans, lockdows and quarantines. And they're barely started.
"Government ups monkeypox alert level," said this morning's headlines in Thailand's print media and on TV newscasts.
Bear in mind that Thailand at present has ZERO monkeypox cases, the so-called government is ginning up the excitement. It has, for example, doubled and redoubled orders to mask all children, everywhere, all the time. Even though children between the ages of 3 and 10 seldom have anal sex and transmit monkeypox.
Okay, who saw this development coming?
Thailand's alleged 'government' increases animal smuggling surveillance to halt spread of monkeypox
The illegal importation of animals could lead to the spread of monkeypox and that it would increase its monitoring of the animal smuggling trade.Border protection agencies were instructed to be more vigilant.
https://bityl.co/CN7g
FIRST DAY ON THE JOB
Newly elected Bangkok governor Chadchat Sittipunt toured the city's worst traffic jams.
At the Lam Sali intersection of Ramkhamhaeng and Si Nakarin Roads (below) congestion was blamed on road improvement works and construction of a new BTS (Skytrain) route. And too many cars.
THAILAND POLITICS
Thamanat says he's ready to lead
Setthakij Thai may soon get new boss
Meaning the Thai Economy Party but the heroin smuggling ex-convict has his eye on the downfall of Prayut.
https://www.bangkokpost.com/thailand/politics/2315090/
And as reported here yesterday, the junta's fabulously loyal 'ministry of public health' broadcast that if or when citizens and tourists are allowed to un-mask (on June 15?) the gracious permission will apply 'only in certain areas'.
Covid cases and death rise again, but just a smidgen.
The numbers for Wednesday, May 25:
5,013 new cases
33 deaths
47,268 active cases
5,591 recovered
Junta approves more travel subsidies
The 'Rao Tiew Duay Kan' (We Travel Together) stimulus now will run at least until the end of Thailand's fiscal year - September 30. It was scheduled to expire next week.
The fourth phase of the programme subsidises Thai tourism, with refunds of up to 1,200 baht per night. Meals and airline tickets also are refundable.
Thailand's designated 'prime minister' Prayut warned, for the first time, that money is running out - just when it's needed.
Both the travel subsidy programme and the central budget are running low, he said.
And it's important to set some money aside to help farmers and urban victims of the upcoming rainy season.
https://www.bangkokpost.com/business/2315110/
THAILAND POLITICS
Academics agree: Don't underestimate the junta
The victory of independent candidate Chadchart Sittipunt in Bangkok's gubernatorial election and the gains made by the Pheu Thai and Move Forward parties in the capital's councillor polls only reflect the political sentiment in major cities.
True enough. There's a popular saying about Thai politics:
Up-country people elect the government; city folks overthrow them.
https://www.bangkokpost.com/thailand/politics/2314582/capital-vote-not-a-bellwether
Disney, Lebron James, the NBA and other collaborators in genocide were quite busy counting their money stashes and had no time to comment.
In the running for Top Genocide of the Decade:
Meanwhile, back in the Thai world... the anti-Prayut plot proceeds
The man of the political moment is ex-army captain Thamanat Prompow.
He has manoeuvred behind the scenes to take over the new-ish and key loyalist Settakij Thai (Thai Economics) Party.
Thamanat is still denying that he is a convicted heroin smuggler who served four years in Australian prison.
But he is seriously opposed to Prayut's leadership, and his party's votes will be super-important at the next no-confidence vote in parliament, probably in August.
Thamanat Prompow has openly stated that he sees himself as the next prime minister of Thailand.
On Tuesday, for example, he forced party leader and army general Wit Thephasadin Na Ayudhya out of the party entirely.
https://www.thaienquirer.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/05/Thai-Enquirer-Summary-May-25-2022.pdf
Behind the scenes of the Bangkok election
The situation is confused, as always, but there's a hellacious political battle for power just below the newly elected Bangkok governor Chadchart Sittipunt - an independent with no political party loyalty.
Three men (of course) are fit-and-fighting to be chairman of the Bangkok Council - in effect, deputy governors.
All are from the Pheu Thai (ex-Thaksin) and Move Forward (progs).
The Palang Pracharath Party (PPRP), supposedly the top political group behind Prayut, doesn't even have a dog in the fight.
In Bangkok at least, Prayut is politically isolated.
He is learning how to take the offensive.
He had lunch with party and government loyalists, and then held a short press gaggle.
Prayut noted that Chadchart had publicized his "200 Policies". Well, said Prayut, that's great but how can any man make good on 200 political promises?
It then got a bit nasty-ish.
After eight unsuccessful attempts by his own 'government', Prayut challenged the new Bangkok governor to take and solve the issue of the The Green Line. It's an important electric train concession that runs out in 2029, and there is an active bunfight over which agency or 'government ministry' should be in charge.
Prayut says 'commuters mustn't suffer' but commuters have no voice in the prosperous Skytrain dispute.
PHOTO (click to enlarge: Trains on the Green Line have been running for a year and a half, without agreement on who gets the enormously lucrative (nudge-nudge wink-wink) management contract.
https://www.bangkokpost.com/business/2315182/chadchart-given-green-line-chalice
THAILAND CITIZENSHIP ALIENS
NOTE: This may seem inconsequential but it is actual real Stuff that is going on.
DSI seeks to verify 480,000 'stateless'
Point: There are 480,000 (approximately) statless people living in Thailand.
Point: Many or most have legitimate claims to Thai nationality.
Point: Most of them live as homeless people or worse.
The alert 'government' under Prayut is sympathetic.
He has ordered the justice ministry to tell the Department of Special Investigation (DSI) (Thailand's FBI) to get off their keesters and document, and solve, this problem.
"They (the stateless) face hardship from being stateless and [the verification] can't wait too long.
Somsak Thepsutin, justice minister under the junta
Bangkok garbagemen overwhelmed with excitement, joy
This is a page out of the books of Philippines dictator Marcos and Manila mayor Alfredo Lim, beginning in the late 1970s. They issued thousands (and thousands) of yellow T-shirts advertising the city clean-up workers, or waste warriors - which sold like hotcakes to Manila residents and tourists, as souvenirs. Dozens of updates and knock-offs have continued the trend.
https://www.thaienquirer.com/40379/netizens-hopeful-on-new-bangkok-governors-waste-management-policies/
For those still trying to figure out 'federalism' (in the U.S.A., Australis, Canada, etc)
Biden has no power to act, so he 'urges' state governors to pause Covid-19 reopenings.
If they don't, well, don't blame him for the fast-approachign gloom and literal doom.
Not all news is bad news.
A spokesperson for J.M. Smucker Co., which manufactures Jif, said in an email that "consumers with impacted product will be reimbursed."
Fill out a form, of course, and they'll get back to you. In a jiffy!
https://www.jif.com/recall-form
https://bityl.co/CMLi
Unbelievably wealthy African-American male is very, almost inconsolably, concerned that the U.S.A. is not supplying enough new babies.
USA birth rate has been below min sustainable levels for (about) 50 years...
(The Wall Street Journal claims Musk is down to his last US$200 billion.
https://bestoftheweb.cmail19.com/t/d-l-fttdle-jlddjhiin-i/
Good-bye pay phones.
CLARK KENT IS SO SCREWED: New York City removes last public pay phone in an end of an era.
tbf There was a movie about this, 20 years ago: Colin Farrell and no Superman!
https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/nation/2022/05/23/nyc-last-public-payphone-removed/9900360002/
https://www.cnbc.com/2022/05/23/new-york-city-removes-the-last-payphone-from-service.html
BBC apologises for being right
In an unusual incident Britain's former source of information, the BBC, is forced to apologize for broadcasting the truth.
https://www.bangkokpost.com/sports/2315130/
Late actress Nida Patcharaveerapong (aka Tangmo, Watermelon) cremated in Christian ceremony in northern Bangkok
One thing is for sure: There will be no more autopsies.
The stunningly beautiful Tangmo (inset below) fell off a speedboat into othe Chao Phraya River in Bangkok, and died.
She was at a drug-infused in-boat party with five friends, and it is impossible to count the number of fantasy-conspiracies cooked up after her death.
The five friends and a sixth person have been charged with various crimes - but not murder, manslaughter or anything to do directly with her death. Their trials resume tomorrow.
Well-done news roundup at:
https://www.thaipbsworld.com/drowned-tv-actress-nida-cremated-mysterious-posts-claiming-to-be-her-probed/
ADDENDUM
The hymns at the Methodist Church ceremony were sung by ex-rocker (and friend of the victim) Anchalee Chongkhadikij.
The Department of A Day Late And A Dollar Short reports
China-owned World Health Organization confirms that people get monkeypox because of all that sex they're having.
Apparently there was a tiny group of latecomers who were not aware of this.
But WHO has issued a new, revolting photo of it.
https://www.cnbc.com/2022/05/23/monkeypox-outbreak-is-primarily-spreading-through-sex-who-officials-say.html
They were running out of power trips.
Health officials in the U.K. and Belgium have introduced three-week quarantines to prevent the transmission of monkeypox, as the disease continues to spread across Europe.
In a document published Friday, the U.K. Health Security Agency (UKHSA) advised people who have had close contact with an infected person to self-isolate for 21 days.
But the U.K. Health Service Agency had a minor difference with the Chinese agency. It said...
"High risk" exposure to monkeypox virus could occur via contact with a patient's broken skin (such as during anal sex, duh), mouth, nose or bodily fluids, but it could also happen through contact with contaminated clothes or bedding.
https://www.yahoo.com/finance/news/people-coming-contact-monkeypox-now-111613679.html
The Reuters news agency is raising alarm because monkeypox, which spreads through close contact and was first found in monkeys, mostly occurs in west and central Africa, and only very occasionally spreads elsewhere.
NOTE: In Reuters' offices, there is no sex, only "close contact".
https://bityl.co/CMJZ
TECHNOLOGY
Winner, Best Headline of the Week
Not to alarm you, but the robot dogs now have sniper rifles
https://t.co/cpylH2zvGY
U.S.A. INSHALLAH
If I wish, upon a star...
NOTE: Mr. Biden is president of the U.S.A.
https://www.outkick.com/president-biden-thinks-surging-gas-prices-will-make-us-stronger/
U.S.A. POLITICS
Analysis and commentary
Biden Had a Chance to Say the Right Thing on the Uvalde Shooting - but He Didn't.
Biden said the right thing about helping Taiwan - but then circled back and denied it.
https://web.archive.org/web/20220525025318/https://redstate.com/nick-arama/2022/05/24/biden-had-a-chance-to-say-the-right-thing-on-the-uvalde-shooting-but-he-didnt-n569392
The four-generation Bush brand of betrayal and collaboration comes to an end.
George P. Bush smacked down in a Texas election, by state attorney general Ken Paxton.
He's the currently unemployed and un-admired nephew of W. Bush.
https://www.texastribune.org/2022/05/23/george-p-bush-loss-political-dynasty/
Tough job but someone had to do it...
Former gridiron football player (Calgary Stampeders of Canada; Denver Broncos of America) assaults United Airlines staff
United fired their workers. Stamps 'suspended' Brandan Langley; police arrested Langley over their tap dance in Newark, New Jersey, an airport in the eaastern U.S.A.
Good grief:
The bloody skirmish began when Langley used a wheelchair to transport his luggage - instead of a luggage cart which cost $5.
In the words of crack newsman Ron Burgundy: 'Well, that escalated quickly!"
https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/calgary/stampeders-langley-newark-fight-arrest-1.6464021
DEBATE TITLE
The U.S.A. taxpayers' Starliner of Boeing is a simple make-work progamme.
Prove it wrong.
One launch per year. No other customers. Wed to an obsolete launcher. It's good to be Boeing.
https://spacenews.com/starliner-launches-to-remain-on-atlas-5/
Has anyone else noted the lack of creativity that's going on?
