Will there be another spreading lockdown of Thailand?
Good morning all 'rons, 'ettes and others.
It is another hump day, Wednesday, March 16 and the number of victims of the Chinese Covid-19 novel virus continues to expand.
The number of victims of the Chinese Covid-19 novel virus continues to expand.
Probably. Next question?
Will there be another spreading lockdown in Thailand as an answer to the obvious incompetence of Thailand's leaders, junta and alleged "medical experts"?
And will the entire lot of Thai media praise the junta and jump on board yet another extension of the 2020 Emergency Decree that we needed to defeat General Tso's flu?
THAILAND POLITICS
So this is where we are.
Bangkok will vote for a new governor on May 22.
Pattaya citizens will elect as new (but probably old) mayor, also on May 22.
The author of the current coup-junta, ageing but alert and corrupt ex-four star general Prawit Wongsuwon MIGHT all a new parliamentary election early in 2023.
https://www.bangkokpost.com/thailand/politics/2279111/
The current, junta-appointed governor of Bangkok is still mulling whether to run in the May 22 election.
Former police general Aswin Kwanmuang says that if he does, he will have one campaign platform promise: The end of floods in Bangkok forever.
PHOTO: There is rarely a year without flooding in Bangkok.
https://www.bangkokpost.com/thailand/general/2279203/
Prawit immediately fought back.
 He said on Tuesday that he might dissolve the Lower House of parliament and call a snap national election in early 2023.
 Repeat: MIGHT.
 Prawit was having a (long) lunch with representatives of small parties have formed a coalition in parliament. He is the head, or nominal head of the Palang Pracharath Party (PPRP), which is supposedly the political arm oif the ruling, military-backed junta.
 Prawit, like Prayut, is a former four-star army general and commander He said Tuesday he will let Prayut have his APEC summit, but after that, kitty bar the door.
https://www.bangkokpost.com/thailand/politics/2279111/
Stay With Us
Thailand has just run into a classic mathematics/computer difficulty. It is called 'The Two Generals' Problem'. If you don't know it, give up and move on (or look it up) but this is Real Life.
 Prawit, who put Prayut into lucrative power as the 'prime minister' of Thailand, doesn't talk with or acknowledge Prayut. But if his hope for a 2023 general election is to succeed, he must know whether Prayut has received his battle plan for a 2023 election.
 Prayut cannot public acknowledge that he knows Prawit's election plan. This is one of the world's most difficult and classic problems, and you probably will work for hours or days and you still won't guess the solution.
 (In brief: There is never any way for Computer A and Computer B to guarantee that the data they exchange is received and acknowledged. Which is necessary for blockchain or encrypted messages to work.)
 Thai politics can become more peaceful and serene - but if and ONLY if Prayut and Prawit acknowledge the election plan.
 You can look up the only known solution to this dilemma, or just go, "to hell with it" and move along. But in shot time, mathematics' best dweebs and computers' recognised nerds will work it out.
 "The Two Generals' Problem". Don't forget that phrase.
NOTE: The Two-Generals Problem is older than Archimedes, but here's the thing. It has resurfaced in computer-math programming as a major problem in blockchain security.
PHOTO: This is an extremely simplified illustration of the first step of explaining and solving the problem shared by two nasty generals.
RUSSIA UKRAINE WAR
And speaking of Math, and Archimedes and war:
Mathematically, time is running out to shore up Ukraine
https://medium.com/@andersentda/mathematically-time-is-running-out-to-shore-up-ukraine-29e62167be94
Well, we have heard about "good-bye U.S. dollars" for decades. Here is the latest version.
Saudi Arabia may price oil in yuan.
 The change would loosen the US dollar's grip on the global petroleum market, according to the Wall Street Journal.
CORONAVIRUS THAILAND STATS
Four people have tested positive for the "new Hong Kong sub-variant" of the Chinese Covid-19 coronavirus.
The ruling junta has ordered the country not to panic. Which was easy, because no panic was detected.
 The carriers of the BA2.2 sub-variant of the virus included three Thais and a foreigner who were tested upon arrival from their holidays in Hong Kong.
 "All four patients had mild symptoms and have since made a full recovery," according to the junta-controlled Department of Medical Sciences.
PHOTO: Random and controlled testing continues across Thailand in so-far futile efforts to slow or stop the Chinese Covid-19 infections.
https://thethaiger.com/coronavirus/thai-officials-say-no-cause-for-concern-as-4-cases-of-hong-kong-sub-variant-reported
Remember when anyone who got Covid was shamed for being a science-denier?
 Barack Obama tests positive for Chinese Covid-19.
 The former president said he is "feeling fine" other than having a scratchy throat.
Thoughts and Prayers.
https://www.wbir.com/article/news/health/coronavirus/barack-obama-positive-for-covid-19/507-e52d218d-e18e-4d8f-822c-0f3f39bdd1e6
The bad news for Tuesday, as the military, its junta, its alleged 'government' and the so-called "medical experts" worked their sorry arses off... without real results:
19,742 confirmed new cases and
 13,008 probable cases.
 52 cases were from abroad and
 54 from prisons. There were
 70 deaths
As of Tuesday evening
60,434 Chinese Covid-19 victims in hospitals
1,390 in ICU (+37 from Monday)
476 on ventilators (+23)
Japan is going to determine a "proper number" of Ukrainian refugees to allow into the country. And they will put them to work the day after they arrive.
https://mainichi.jp/english/articles/20220315/p2a/00m/0na/002000c
15 March 2022
Things never get better under a military dictatorship.
Already, residents of Yangon (aka Rangoon), the country's biggest city, have to line up in the hope of getting water.
Also, the lights don't work very well.
https://www.bangkokpost.com/world/2279067/
I have no idea how traditional or widespread this is, but count me 'in favour'. The people of that country deserve all the help they can get.
Global Day of Prayer for Burma, 2022.
There's a short video at the link.
https://www.freeburmarangers.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/03/Global-Day-of-Prayer-2022-English.pdf
CORONAVIRUS THAILAND STATS
The bad news for Tuesday, as the military, its junta, its alleged 'government' and the so-called "medical experts" worked their sorry arses off... without real results:
19,742 confirmed new cases and
 13,008 probable cases.
 52 cases were from abroad and
 54 from prisons. There were
 70 deaths
As of Tuesday evening
60,434 Chinese Covid-19 victims in hospitals
1,390 in ICU (+37 from Monday)
476 on ventilators (+23)
Oh, those Russians...(h/t Bony M)
Outside Inside
Protesters wearing face masks in the colours of Ukraine gathered outside the Russian Embassy on Tuesday.
Inside, Russian ambassador Evgeny Tomikhin was gushing with praise for Prayut's alleged 'neutral' stance.
Tomikhin barred all media but Thai. He claimed he and the embassy staff were working their butts off to try to arrange food, money and confirmed reservations to get thousands of Russian tourists out of Thailand.
   OUTSIDE                              INSIDE
U.S.A. TECHNOLOGY CRIME
BREAKING: Amazon quietly shuts downtown #Seattle office where 1,800 work, citing skyrocketing violent crime and danger to employees
 Maybe possibly perhaps Amazon will find an alternative workplace for them.
 ... The crime in downtown Seattle is causing many businesses, tech companies included, to either move offices or adopt a wait-and-see approach of staying remote even as Covid-19 cases recede.
https://www.geekwire.com/2022/amazon-moves-employees-out-of-downtown-seattle-office-due-to-crime/
The Innocent School Children Meet Vlad Putin
[Wednesday morning's Joke of the Day]
Vladimir Putin, wanting to get on the good side of all Russians, goes to visit a school in Moscow to have a chat with the kids.
 He talks to them about how Russia is a powerful nation and how he wants the best for the people.
 At the end of the talk, there is some time for questions.
 Little Sasha puts her hand up and says "I have two questions:
 "Why did the Russians take Crimea? And why are we sending troops to Ukraine?"
 Putin says "Good questions . . ." But just as he is about to answer, the bell goes, and the kids go for lunch.
 When they come back, they sit back down and there is room for some more questions.
 Another girl, Misha, puts her hand up and says:
 "I have four questions. My questions are: Why did the Russians invade Crimea?
 "Why are we sending troops to Ukraine? Why did the bell go 20 minutes early for lunch?
 "And where is Sasha?"
I am a huge fan of Dolly Parton, simply because she is one of the marvels of North America tradition and breakthrough and invention - but the Rock & Roll HOF? Give me a goddamn break!
https://deadline.com/2022/03/dolly-parton-rock-roll-hall-of-fame-withdrawal-nomination-1234978009/
