reader

Thai actually put out several requests for bids on some of the A340's but rejected all of them because they were "too low." So instead of something they received nothing and are paying to park them at no small cost to the Thai bottom line. Like clubs that raise their prices when business is slow, TIT.

NOTE -- The Neilson Hays Library is located on Surawong Rd., about a 15-minute walk from Patpong. The Neilson Hays Library Tuesday – Sunday, 9:30 AM – 5:00 PM (closed Monday) From Khaosod English Bangkok Literature Fest This Nov. BANGKOK — Renowned Thai and international authors will gather in Bangkok for public talks to celebrate the 150th anniversary of a historic library in Silom this Nov. Bookworms are in for a much-needed intellectual and cultural treat when the Neilson Hays Library holds a free literature festival from Nov. 16 to 17 under the theme of “Bridging the World Through Letters.” 25 authors from eight countries will come together to share their thoughts on topics from democracy, disinformation, to LGBT rights. “Given that books were the genesis of the founding of our library, it seems apt that 150 years later we will be celebrating the power of letters,” president of the library Nalin Vanasin said. “We hope to create a stage for the participating literary luminaries to exchange knowledge and share their experiences, as well as showcase Thai creative arts for international audiences.” Among the list are big names like Adam Johnson, the American novelist who won the Pulitzer Prize in 2013 for his North Korea-inspired novel “The Orphan Master’s Son.” Also in attendance will be Qiu Xiaolong, the Chinese English-language poet whose crime-mystery novel “Death of a Red Heroine” earned him the prestigious Anthony Award. Southeast Asian Writers award (SEA Write) winners from Thailand will also be featured, including novelist Uthis Haemamool, and the poets Duanwad Pimwana and Zakariya Amataya. The festival will also include a small art and crafts market, workshops, and film screenings from the Documentary Club. Neilson Hays Library was founded by a group of American and British wives of missionaries in 1869 as a book sharing club. In 1922 it moved to the present neoclassical building, designed by the Italian architect behind Hua Lamphong Railway Station, Mario Tamagno, and has continued to serve local and expat members ever since. There are more than 17,000 books in the library’s collection, mostly in English. Event program and presentations https://web.neilsonhayslibrary.com/literature-festival/ The “Neilson Hays Bangkok Literature Festival” will run from Nov. 16 to 17 at Neilson Hays Library on Surawong Road. Panel discussions will be conducted in Thai and English with translations. Entry is free. The venue is reachable by a 15 minute walk from BTS Chong Nonsi exit No. 4. http://www.khaosodenglish.com/life/2019/09/12/read-all-about-it-bangkok-literature-fest-this-nov/

From NY Times Malfunctions caused two deadly crashes. But an industry that puts unprepared pilots in the cockpit is just as guilty n Oct. 29, 2018, Lion Air Flight 610 taxied toward the runway at the main airport in Jakarta, Indonesia, carrying 189 people bound for Bangka Island, a short flight away. The airplane was the latest version of the Boeing 737, a gleaming new 737 Max that was delivered merely three months before. The captain was a 31-year-old Indian named Bhavye Suneja, who did his initial flight training at a small and now-defunct school in San Carlos, Calif., and opted for an entry-level job with Lion Air in 2011. Lion Air is an aggressive airline that dominates the rapidly expanding Indonesian market in low-cost air travel and is one of Boeing’s largest customers worldwide. It is known for hiring inexperienced pilots — most of them recent graduates of its own academy — and for paying them little and working them hard. Pilots like Suneja who come from the outside typically sign on in the hope of building hours and moving on to a better job. Lion Air gave him some simulator time and a uniform, put him into the co-pilot’s seat of a 737 and then made him a captain sooner than a more conventional airline would have. Nonetheless, by last Oct. 29, Suneja had accumulated 6,028 hours and 45 minutes of flight time, so he was no longer a neophyte. On the coming run, it would be his turn to do the flying. His co-pilot was an Indonesian 10 years his elder who went by the single name Harvino and had nearly the same flight experience. On this leg, he would handle the radio communications. No reference has been made to Harvino’s initial flight training. He had accumulated about 900 hours of flight time when he was hired by Lion Air. Like thousands of new pilots now meeting the demands for crews — especially those in developing countries with rapid airline growth — his experience with flying was scripted, bounded by checklists and cockpit mandates and dependent on autopilots. He had some rote knowledge of cockpit procedures as handed down from the big manufacturers, but he was weak in an essential quality known as airmanship. Sadly, his captain turned out to be weak in it, too. “Airmanship” is an anachronistic word, but it is applied without prejudice to women as well as men. Its full meaning is difficult to convey. It includes a visceral sense of navigation, an operational understanding of weather and weather information, the ability to form mental maps of traffic flows, fluency in the nuance of radio communications and, especially, a deep appreciation for the interplay between energy, inertia and wings. Airplanes are living things. The best pilots do not sit in cockpits so much as strap them on. The United States Navy manages to instill a sense of this in its fledgling fighter pilots by ramming them through rigorous classroom instruction and then requiring them to fly at bank angles without limits, including upside down. The same cannot be expected of airline pilots who never fly solo and whose entire experience consists of catering to passengers who flinch in mild turbulence, refer to “air pockets” in cocktail conversation and think they are near death if bank angles exceed 30 degrees. The problem exists for many American and European pilots, too. Unless they make extraordinary efforts — for instance, going out to fly aerobatics, fly sailplanes or wander among the airstrips of backcountry Idaho — they may never develop true airmanship no matter the length of their careers. The worst of them are intimidated by their airplanes and remain so until they retire or die. It is unfortunate that those who die in cockpits tend to take their passengers with them. Continues at https://www.nytimes.com/2019/09/18/magazine/boeing-737-max-crashes.html

From Khaosod English Gov’t to Scrap Arrival Cards for Foreigners, Introduce TM30 App BANGKOK — A senior government official said Tuesday foreign visitors will soon no longer have to fill out “TM6” arrival and departure forms. Kobsak Pootrakool, deputy sec-gen to the Prime Minister, also touted a mobile application in the works for 24-hour reporting under the TM30 form system, which has been a source of controversy in recent months. Kobsak said both changes are designed to attract more visitors and accommodate those already living in the kingdom. “We made the decision last Friday. Within two to three months, life will be much easier [for foreign tourists and expats],” Kobsak said. He spoke at a gala dinner to celebrate the fifth anniversary of Elite Plus Magazine at a hotel in Bangkok on Tuesday evening, where audience members included ambassadors from ten or so countries. Explaining the government’s decision, Kobsak said arrival and departure forms for tourists, known as TM6 forms, have led to a storage problems. The government expects a total of 20 million visitors to Thailand this year. “[The immigration police] have to have a huge warehouse to store these papers,” Kobsak said, adding that the police rarely look at the information in the forms, which are only stored “just in case.” He also said the government and the immigration police agreed last Friday to streamline other procedures. Foreigners will be able to report their whereabouts with just “four clicks” on a smartphone to fulfill regulations that require them to report to immigration authorities every 90 days. But the cherry on top seems to the revelation that the police are developing a mobile phone application for the infamous TM30 form, which requires foreign residents and their Thai landlords to file a report to the police every time the former spends a night outside their registered province. Tourists are generally exempted from the rule, as the forms are filed by their hotels and accommodation hosts. Deputy immigration commander Nattapon Sawaengkit confirmed the move on Wednesday when reached for comment, but assigned another officer to explain the details. The officer, who declined to give his name, gave little information other than hinting that QR codes will likely be used. “The apps are not finished yet. QR codes will likely be used but it’s not concrete yet. It will likely be on a smartphone,” the officer said. Continues at http://www.khaosodenglish.com/news/business/2019/09/18/govt-to-scrap-arrival-cards-for-foreigners-introduce-tm30-app/

From Bangkok Post Kasikornbank (KBank), the country's largest mobile banking service provider, plans to roll out money transfer, payment and deposit services on the Line platform in the first quarter 2020, with digital lending scheduled for the second half of the year. KBank and Line Thailand formed a joint venture, Kasikorn-Line (K-Line), offering money transfers, payments and deposits via the super app, said Wirawat Panthawangkun, senior executive vice-president of KBank. After gathering sufficient data to analyse customer behaviour, the service will expand to digital loans, set to launch in the middle of next year. The bank aims to acquire 1 million new customers from 40 million Line users in the first year of operations, he said. Continues at https://www.bangkokpost.com/tech/1753009/kbank-teams-up-with-line

From Coconuts Bangkok Bangkok’s new mixed-use lifestyle complex Samyan Mitrtown is opening this Friday, which means that the stores, cafes, restaurants and House Samyan cinema that also occupy the new 222,000sqm space are getting their big debut that day, too — including the biggest branch of Muji in Thailand to date, which will include a “coffee corner.” Muji Coffee Corner is an extension of Muji, the Tokyo-born lifestyle store with a minimalist design concept at its core. We hear that the new cafe will make its coffee using beans sourced from Doi Tung, a mountainous area in Chiang Rai province. Samyan Mitrtown is located on Rama IV Road can can be reached from MRT Samyan’s exit No. 2. https://coconuts.co/bangkok/lifestyle/muji-to-open-thailands-biggest-branch-with-in-store-coffee-corner-in-samyan-mitrtown/

This was discussed on the forum not so long ago and, if I recall correctly, most posters believed that you should expect the boy to walk a modest distance. I don't know how far you consider "quite" far but you can reach just about any hotel within the immediate vicinity in no more than 10-15 minutes. After all, if you can walk it I know there's no reason why he can't, especially if he's a stage performer. As an example, certainly walking from Patpong to the Red Planet on Surawong is a reasonable distance. If a guy balked at that, I would not see this as a good omen. Others may have different parameters in mind. But the most important question I think is do you wish to walk that far. So you're the ultimate decider in the walk or ride matter. If it's raining more than light sprinkles, I think a taxi would be in order.

From Bangkok Post Don Mueang airport is seen next to Vibhavadi Rangsit Road and the Red Line electric railway, left. Airport authorities plan to add another public transit link with a B3bn monorail. (File photo by Pattarapong Chatpattarasill) Airports of Thailand Plc plans to build a 3-kilometre monorail electric train route to link Don Mueang international airport with the Bangkok Transit System (BTS) Green Line on the Mor Chit-Saphan Mai-Khu Khot route in Bangkok's northern suburb, Don Mueang airport deputy director Flying Officer Sumpun Khutranon said. F/O Sumpun said the monorail system, which will cost about 3,000 million baht, is to complement a plan to make Don Mueang airport a transport hub to link China with Bangkok and the Eastern Economic Corridor (EEC). The 3-km monorail route will be built from a point on the BTS Green Line into the airport. There are two possible spots on the line for the monorail to start -- the Saphan Mai and Air Force Museum stations. Apart from the BTS Green Line, Don Mueang airport will also be connected to the high speed train linking U Taphao, Suvarnabhumi and Don Mueang airports, the Bangkok-Nong Khai-Laos-Kunming (China) high speed train and the State Railway of Thailand's Red Line. F/O Sumpun said Don Mueang airport's 39-billion-baht phase 3 development project to be carried out from 2020 to 2025 is currently in the design stage. An environmental impact assessment is being considered and a budget proposal is in the works. The Transport Ministry is preparing to submit a project proposal to the cabinet for approval. If approved, bidding for construction is expected to be called in late 2019 or early 2020. After the completion of the project, Don Mueang will be capable of handling up to 40 million passengers per year. The work will include the demolition of the old domestic passenger terminal building and construction of a new facility, to be called Terminal 3, to take up to 18 million international passengers per year. Terminal 1 and Terminal 2 will be improved to facilitate 22 million domestic passengers per year. https://www.bangkokpost.com/thailand/general/1750634/monorail-link-planned-for-don-mueang-airport

From Bangkok Post Thailand's healthcare ranked sixth best in the world Thailand is gaining worldwide recognition for the quality of its healthcare services, according to the Public Health Ministry. (Bangkok Post photo) Thailand is gaining worldwide recognition for the quality of its healthcare services, after the US magazine CEOWORLD placed Thailand sixth in its' 2019 list of countries with the best healthcare systems, the Public Health Ministry said. Public Health Minister Anutin Charnvirakul hailed the ranking as an indication of the country's success in developing its healthcare sector. However, Mr Anutin also said on Monday that the government must not rest on its laurels, as mere rankings do not matter as much as how well the ministry performs its duty of maintaining public health. According to CEOWORLD, which published the list early last month, Thailand was among the few Asian countries which managed to enter the top 10 in 2019, along with South Korea in second place and Japan in third place. European countries dominate the list, with Austria leading at fourth place, followed by Denmark (5th), Spain (7th), France (8th) and Belgium (9th). Of the 89 countries surveyed, Taiwan’s health care topped the the list, scoring 78.72 out of 100 on the Health Care Index. At the opposite end of the spectrum, with a score of 33.42, Venezuela was named the country with the worst health care system in 2019. The Health Care Index is a statistical analysis of the overall quality of a country's healthcare system, including infrastructure; health care professionals' (doctors, nursing staff, and other health workers) competence, cost, availability of quality medicine, and government readiness, according to the CEOWORLD website. It also takes into consideration other factors including, environmental sustainability, access to clean water, sanitation, government readiness on imposing penalties on high-risk behaviour, such as tobacco use, and excess sugar intake. Thailand received an overall score of 67.99 out of 100. Breaking down the figure into categories, the country was given a score of 92.58 for its healthcare infrastructure, 17.37 for professionals' competence, 96.22 for cost, 67.51 for medicine availability and 89.91 for government readiness. Continues at https://www.bangkokpost.com/thailand/general/1746289/thailands-healthcare-ranked-sixth-best-in-the-world

From The Nation Badly flooded for two weeks, Ubon Ratchathani province in the Northeast on Friday (September 13) witnessed the worst situation in recent memory. The Royal Irrigation Department is now pinning hopes on 100 propeller pumps being installed to speed the drainage of water into the Mekong River. Warin Chamrap district reported the flood level at 10.83 metres above sea level on Friday morning, breaking records set in 2002 (10.77m) and 2011 (9.81m). Agriculture and Cooperatives Minister Chalermchai Sri-on instructed RID director-general Thongplew Kongchan to establish a centre tomorrow (September 14) to tackle flooding in 25 districts and personally remain on duty there to direct multi-agency efforts to drain off water into the Mekong by month’s end. With all water-retention areas along the Chi River brimming, from Roi Et to Yasothon and Ubon Ratchathani, propeller pumps have been installed to control the flow while normal pumps drain residential areas, Chalermchai said. RID deputy chief Thaweesak Thanadechopol said Ubon was worst hit because of runoff from other provinces in the Chi and Mul river basins. He expects the flood level to peak at 15.7-15.8m on Friday between 11am and 1pm, then stabilise and drop. https://www.nationthailand.com/news/30376161

Since those of us who take meds for common age-related conditions are most likely taking generic versions, this news items may be of interest. Rather than starting a different thread I thought this might be an appropriate place for this post. Excerpted from Bloomberg Financial Carcinogens Have Infiltrated the Generic Drug Supply in the U.S. An FDA quality-control nightmare reveals how impurities end up in America’s blood pressure pills . The chemical N-Nitrosodimethylamine, or NDMA, is a yellow liquid that dissolves in water. It doesn’t have an odor or much of a taste. It’s known to cause cancer in animals and is classified as a probable carcinogen in humans—it’s most toxic to the liver. A single dose of less than a milligram can mutate mice cells and stimulate tumors, and 2 grams can kill a person in days. An Oklahoma man poisoned the family of an ex-girlfriend in 1978 by pouring a small vial of NDMA into a pitcher of lemonade. In 2018 a graduate student in Canada sickened a colleague by injecting the chemical into his apple pie. NDMA no longer has industrial uses—it was once added to rocket fuel—but it can form during industrial processes at tanneries and foundries as well as at pesticide, dye, and tire makers. It can be found in drinking water disinfected with chloramine. It’s in tobacco smoke, which is one reason secondhand smoke is dangerous, and it’s what makes eating a lot of cured and grilled meat potentially risky. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration says it’s reasonably safe to consume as much as one microgram—one millionth of a gram—of NDMA a day. In July 2018 the FDA announced that NDMA had been found in the widely used blood-pressure medicine valsartan and started overseeing a recall of drugs from three companies. They’d all bought the active ingredient for their valsartan from Zhejiang Huahai Pharmaceutical Co., one of China’s biggest generic companies. The recall has since been expanded 51 times, to include two related drugs, irbesartan and losartan, made by at least 10 companies—some since 2014. Drugs sold to millions of people in 30 countries could be tainted. Some of the contaminated valsartan contains as much as 17 micrograms of NDMA in a single pill. That’s equivalent to eating 48 pounds of bacon. The FDA estimates that for every 8,000 people who took the highest dose of contaminated valsartan daily for four years, there would be one additional occurrence of cancer. You’d find nitrosamine—a category of carcinogen that includes NDMA—but you wouldn’t find 17 micrograms of it. European health regulators put the cancer risk from contaminated blood pressure medicines higher: They estimate that one out of every 3,390 people could become sick. The FDA has a rigorous approval process for new drugs. Companies conduct clinical trials in humans over several years to prove a drug is safe and effective. But 90% of all medications prescribed to Americans are generics. They’re cheaper, they’re supposed to work the same way, and they receive less scrutiny right from the start. Companies manufacturing generic drugs have to show only that patients will absorb them at the same rate as the name-brand medications they mimic. At least 80% of the active pharmaceutical ingredients, or APIs, for all drugs are made in Chinese and Indian factories that U.S. pharmaceutical companies never have to identify to patients, using raw materials whose sources the pharmaceutical companies don’t know much about. The FDA checks less than 1% of drugs for impurities or potency before letting them into the country. Huahai, the first manufacturer found to have NDMA in its valsartan, is also the one whose product had the highest concentration. When an FDA inspector visited in May 2017, he was alarmed by what he saw: aging, rusty machinery; customer complaints dismissed without reason; testing anomalies that were never looked into. He reported that the company was ignoring signs its products were contaminated. Senior FDA officials didn’t reprimand Huahai; they expected the company to resolve the problem on its own. Huahai didn’t. The agency didn’t try to identify any impurities at that point, and Huahai didn’t either. It wasn’t until a year later that another company—a customer of Huahai’s—found an impurity in Huahai’s valsartan and identified it as NDMA. That was when the FDA demanded drugmakers begin looking for NDMA in their valsartan. They found it again and again. Quality-control problems in the generic drug industry go beyond the visible lapses. The valsartan recall has revealed the once-invisible failures in the chemistry itself, sometimes undetected for months, maybe years. “Valsartan is just the one we caught,” says David Gortler, a former FDA medical officer and now a consultant focusing on drug safety. “Who knows how many more are out there?” Continues at https://www.bloomberg.com/news/features/2019-09-12/how-carcinogen-tainted-generic-drug-valsartan-got-past-the-fda?srnd=premium

Excerpted from South China Morning Post Cathay Pacific swings axe in response to sharp drop in passenger numbers, with flights to Dublin, New York and Paris all hit, and a freeze on spending Hong Kong carrier suspends long-haul services ahead of difficult winter Analyst expects short-haul flights to mainland China to be next as airline also implements hiring freeze Cathay Pacific has responded to a sharp decline in passenger numbers in August by axing a number of short- and long-haul routes, cutting flights to other destinations, and ordering a hiring and spending freeze. The airline revealed it was suspending flights on Thursday, a day after it announced a 38 per cent drop in customers in August, and said it expected September to also be challenging. With a difficult winter ahead, and the anti-government protests in Hong Kong showing no signs of coming to an end, the carrier has suspended flights to Dublin, Medan in Indonesia, and daytime flights to Paris and Frankfurt. Cathay said the Dublin route would be suspended on November 7, and from next year would only operate during the summer months. It has also cut the number of flights to New York, Washington and Vancouver, with an analyst predicting that short-haul routes to mainland China are likely to be next. On Wednesday, Hong Kong’s biggest airline unveiled an 11.3 per cent slump in passengers compared to August last year, the busiest month for business, driven by a 38 per cent fall in people coming to the city as a result of the increasingly violent protests. The decline in passengers, as a percentage, was the single biggest fall in a decade. Flights to Vancouver are being reduced from 17 to 14 a week from October 29 onwards, similarly Washington would lose one of its five weekly flights, and New York JFK is expected to fall from 21 to 18 services a week. Some planned investment is expected to continue, including new first and business class upgrades, to help the airline maintain its competitive edge, while rolling out a new dining offering for economy travellers. Continues with videos https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/transport/article/3026842/cathay-pacific-swings-axe-response-sharp-drop-passenger

The Novotel Silom is a good hike (or short ride) from Patpong and Silom. I'd choose the Raya for the far more convenient location. But I'd keep in mind that the Raya has many rooms with artificial windows. If having a real window is important to you, I'd contact the hotel a day or two before arrival and confirm your preference. Last time I stayed there I had booked a room with real widow only to be assigned to one with a blank one. I arrived about 10p.m. and desk said all the rooms with windows were occupied.

From Khaosod English Renaissance Masterpieces Electrify Bangkok Exhibition BANGKOK — The creator of “From Monet to Kandinsky” has opened another immersive projection exhibition, this time featuring four Renaissance-era masters: Leonardo da Vinci, Sandro Botticelli, Raphael, and Michelangelo. “Italian Renaissance” is open through October 31 at River City Bangkok. The multimedia tribute to the zenith of European art transforms familiar masterpieces such as “Mona Lisa” and “The Birth of Venus” from static displays into a 45-minute loop of enlarged, animated projections that zoom into the smallest details of each work while shedding light on their history. At one point, the room is lit up as a shore where the goddess Venus stands nude in a scallop shell, before morphing into a gallery where portraits by Raphael walk around visitors – rather than the other way around. Suddenly, the projection collapses into a masonry workshop showcasing Michelangelo’s David and other bare-skinned sculptures, with visitors allowed to take selfies next to their penises. Da Vinci’s helicopter, and other inventions, hover over Rome before his paintings come to life. The projection is accompanied by tranquil classical music. The Renaissance period was chosen as the exhibit’s theme because this year marks the 500th anniversary of Da Vinci’s death. “We want audiences to learn more about art and to be inspired,” said Linda Cheng, managing director of River City Bangkok. “The paintings are taken apart, moved around in an animated form to make them appealing and to help audiences have a deeper look into the details and makings of the paintings.” Continues with photos “Italian Renaissance” runs from August 8 to October 31 at River City Bangkok in Soi Charoen Krung 24. The venue is reachable by a 15 minute walk along Charoen Krung Road from BTS Saphan Taksin exit No. 3, or by any boat that stops at Si Phraya Pier. Tickets are available online for 350 baht for adults and 250 baht for students and seniors with valid ID. http://www.khaosodenglish.com/life/2019/08/09/renaissance-masterpieces-electrify-bangkok-exhibition-photos/

Although colonoscopy has long been considered as the gold standard, complications do occur. The National Institutes of Health (NIH) performed an extensive study and found that 2.01 patients per thousand required hospitalization within 30 days for complications. You can read an abstract of the study at link below. Found it worth noting that the rate of complications increases with age. Was surprised to learn that among the common drugs administered prior to a colonoscopy is Fentanyl. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2821994/

I was never seated in the high sofa seats in the rear so I can't comment on them but I believe, as you say, they were designed for groups. They also allow a degree of privacy that the ones closer to stage don't. If you want to be seated elsewhere, I'd let the mamasan know. It's a big place and seats turn over frequently. Overall, I think Lucky Boys utilizes its space better than the other bars. The sight lines are excellent and unobstructed for the most part. You have to put the stage somewhere and LB's is large and can accommodate a lot of talent. You do have to tilt your head up a bit if you're in the very front seats but I find the perspective they offer worth the effort. I think Freshboys offers good stage views although most are from the sides. Dreamboys is handicapped by the huge column directly in front of the stage. Hotmale offers pretty good views.

From The Nation The Customs Department will by year end complete installation of 23 x-ray machines above the baggage carousels at Suvarnabhumi Airport in a move to improve the efficiency of security checks of luggage of inbound passengers and to prevent goods smuggling. The machines will be switched on early next year. “The machines will help improve the security check of luggage transported from inbound planes before the passengers can claim them,” Customs director-general Krisada Jinawijarana said on Friday. “At present we use the random check method by human staff, which results in smuggled goods being slipped through sometimes.” Krisada noted that with the x-ray machines, customs officials can see what is in the luggage and immediately prompt the passengers to pay the Customs duty before leaving the airport“This measure is one of the policies assigned by the Ministry of Finance in order to improve the efficiency of tax collection,” he said. Meanwhile, Finance Minister Uttama Savanayana said that in addition to installing the x-ray machines, he had also ordered the Customs Department to use internet technology systems to improve their working processes. “The government aims to establish the National Single Window (NSW), a comprehensive network of import-export database that connects all related departments nationwide and with those of neighbouring countries,” he said. “The system is scheduled to be up and running in three months and we only have two countries left to connect with – and that should also be finished by year-end.” “As for the x-ray machines at Suvarnabhumi Airport, they will not only help with tax collection, but also prevent the smuggling of sensitive goods into the country, such as agricultural products, palm oil, fuel oil and drugs,” said Uttama. https://www.nationthailand.com/news/30375894

Actually I understated your point all too well and I find it irrational. You claim to have lived in Thailand 13 years and you've come to the conclusion that Thai culture is ruining Thailand. And in all those years you haven't noticed that "saving face" is one of the foundations of Thai--and Asian---culture. Apparently it didn't occur to you that that might be the reason that the two other Thai players didn't embarrass their friend at the card table. Oops, I forgot. You do know all about "saving face" because you blame that tradition on the Thais who keep giving you bad directions. You feel oppressed by the government, Thais in general and certainly their ruinous culture. But you did a ballsy thing in going after the card player who was telling untruths. Put him in his place, you did. And I'm sure your admonishment was well received, coming from an opinionated farang. You did have the courage of your convictions and do that, didn't you? In any case, Marty, bear in mind that just because you're paranoid doesn't mean that they're not really out to get you.

Thanks for the heads up. There are, I'm sure, now thousands of foreigners canceling their trips. Thankfully you, an honest farang, were there to call him out and expose his lies.

From The News Hour How gay male dancers are preserving a Cambodian tradition In 2015, artist Prumsodun Ok formed Cambodia’s first all-male and gay-identified Khmer dance company -- in his living room. Part of his mission was to support the revival of an art form all but destroyed by the reign of the Khmer Rouge. Ok told his dancers they would need to be brave in order to give voice to a marginalized community. He shares his brief but spectacular take on honoring tradition. Continues with video https://www.pbs.org/video/how-gay-male-dancers-are-preserving-a-cambodian-tradition-1567723703/

From the Bangkok Post Thailand, Vietnam draw in opening 2022 World Cup qualifier Thailand and Vietnam started their World Cup qualifier on Thursday with a goalless draw before the War Elephants travel to Indonesia for their next match. The War Elephants dominated the match but they could not break the solid defence of the visitors, who were determined to earn at least a point from the home team. Thailand's best chance came during closing seconds as Supachok Sarachat had only Vietnam goalkeeper Dan Van Lam to beat but he could not put the ball into the net. The result meant Thailand, once regarded as the kings of Southeast Asian football, have been winless against Vietnam this year at all levels and in both genders. The result meant Thailand, once regarded as the kings of Southeast Asian football, have been winless against Vietnam this year at all levels and in both genders. Thailand coach Akira Nishino was hoping before the game that the War Elephants' miserable recent record against regional foes Vietnam would change on Thursday night at the packed Thammasat University Stadium at Rangsit campus. However, Nishino also he rued the lack of time he has had with the Thai national squad. "This will be my first game as the head coach of the Thai national team, and although I have had a very short time, I will try my best to help Thailand post a good result," Nishino told a press conference on Wednesday. https://www.bangkokpost.com/sports/1743619/thailand-vietnam-draw-in-opening-2022-world-cup-qualifier Vietnamese coach Park Hang-Seo was cautiously upbeat on the eve of the match.https://www.bangkokpost.com/sports/1743619/thailand-vietnam-draw-in-opening-2022-world-cup-qualifier

From Fox Sports Asia Thailand will face AFF Suzuki Cup 2018 champions Vietnam in the opening match of their 2022 FIFA World Cup Qualifiers campaign at the Thammasat Stadium on Thursday. The War Elephants and the Golden Dragons are in Group G of the 2022 FIFA World Cup and 2023 AFC Asian Cup Joint-Qualifiers second round where they are joined by 2018 AFF Suzuki Cup finalists Malaysia, Indonesia, and the United Arab Emirates (UAE). As many as 40 teams from Asia have been drawn into eight groups of five teams each for the second round of the qualifiers which will run until June 9, 2020. Eight group winners as well as the four best runners-up will qualify for the AFC Asian Cup 2023 to be held in China as well as the third and final round of the 2022 World Cup Qualifiers which is scheduled to begin in September 2020. Then, the four best teams in the third round will qualify for the showpiece event in Qatar while a fifth team will take part in an intercontinental play-off. Meanwhile, the next best 24 teams from the second round of the joint-qualifiers will take part in a separate competition to decide the 12 remaining slots in the 24-team 2023 Asian Cup to be held in China PR. When to watch? The 2022 FIFA World Cup Qualifiers match between Thailand and Vietnam will take place on September 5, 2019 and kicks off at 8:00 PM HKT. The Thammasat Stadium in Pathum Thani, Thailand will play host to the game. Where to watch? Viewers from Vietnam can tune into VTC to watch the 2022 World Cup Qualifiers match between Thailand and Vietnam. Those in Thailand can stream the match on Thairath TV. You can also follow LIVE updates from the World Cup Qualifiers via our Matchday Blog on FOXSportsAsia.com. https://www.foxsportsasia.com/football/asian-football/fifa-wc-asian-qualifiers/1167483/2022-fifa-world-cup-qualifiers-thailand-vs-vietnam-live-stream-updates-when-and-where-to-watch/

From Coconuts Bangkok Dual-pricing for foreigners now legal at Thai public hospitals Dual-pricing isn’t just for national parks, museums and amusement parks anymore. Thai public hospitals can now legally charge foreign nationals higher rates for services under new regulations published Friday. More than dual-pricing, the new regs set four tiers of rates that can be charged based on a patient’s visa status. Treatment costs are set at four levels: Thai nationals, foreigners from neighboring countries and working foreigners on non-immigrant visas. The fourth group consists of tourists and retirees. While foreigners from other ASEAN nations appear to pay the same rates as Thai patients, they increase significantly for the third group – which includes most expats – while retirees and tourists really get the shaft. For example, a simple antibody screening costs Thais and ASEAN residents THB130. Most expats will pay THB190 while retirees and tourists pay double – THB260. Want an HIV test? The THB160 charged to Thais and ASEAN nationals goes up to THB240 for working expats and THB320 for retirees/tourists. Thailand’s medical tourism brought in an estimated THB18.4 billion baht ($US600 million) in 2018, but most seek treatment at private hospitals. On the higher end, a spinal MRI that costs Thais and their neighbors THB18,700 jumps up to THB23,375 for working expats and THB28,050 for retirees/tourists. The new rates come into effect Sept. 29. https://coconuts.co/bangkok/news/dual-pricing-foreigners-legal-thai-public-hospitals/

From South China Morning Post See ever changing country from the Reunification Express on its 31-hour trip north to Hanoi A train passes through lush North Vietnam. Photo: Alamy Effortlessly grasp the size, varied landscapes and cultural diversity of Vietnam by taking the train – you can stop off at the places you’d like to explore Nha Trang has a fabulous beach and diving, Hue has history, and Dong Hoi the world’s largest cave Vietnam is long – extending 1,650km north to south – but only 50km across at its narrowest point. It includes stunning natural and architectural beauty that is best appreciated from the windows of the Reunification Express train – from the mountains of the north, to the endless miles of golden beaches in the middle, to the flat lushness of the Mekong Delta in the south. While “express” is something of a misnomer – a non-stop journey between the two cities takes 31 hours – the train journey is a great way to understand Vietnam’s size, ever changing landscape and cultural diversity; thankfully, the trip can be split into shorter, more manageable shorter segments. This it not only an economical way to travel, but is also a more environmentally sustainable travel experience, and a more interesting one as well, and many of Vietnam’s top attractions are within easy reach of stations along the route. Ho Chi Minh City is the ideal place to start the journey. Its French-colonial architecture, museums about the conflicts of the last century, and spacious parks contrast with the glass-and-steel skyscrapers and construction work that is rapidly reshaping its skyline. Trains leave from bustling Ga Saigon – the Vietnamese have made the French word for station, gare, their own. The metre-high portrait of Ho Chi Minh overlooking the waiting area is dwarfed by giant billboards for air conditioners amid the organised chaos of the waiting area – hundreds buying last-minute provisions, repacking voluminous luggage, and saying goodbye to loved ones. Long-distance trains offer a variety of carriage options – from wooden seats to sleeping compartments with four or six beds, to a small number of two-bed VIP ones – and provide a more intimate and interesting travel experience than flying. It is the noisier option, though, as the combination of carriages rattling on old rails, food sellers hawking their boiled corn, snacks and drinks, and children playing mean that headphones or ear plugs are worth bringing to help with sleep. Once the train leaves behind the sprawl of Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam’s rural beauty is soon visible from the windows on both sides of the train – conical straw hats bobbing on the heads of workers tending rice fields alongside water buffalo and ancestral family shrines. Continues with photos and maps https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/travel-leisure/article/3018820/vietnam-train-see-ever-changing-country-reunification

From the Bangkok Post Bangkok was the world’s most-visited city in 2018 for the fourth consecutive year, ahead of Paris and London, according to a ranking compiled by Mastercard Inc. Thailand’s capital hosted more than 22 million international overnight travellers, Mastercard’s latest Global Destination Cities Index shows. Paris and London followed in second and third with just over over 19 million each. London was the only one of the top 10 cities in the ranking to see a fall in international overnight visitors, registering a decline of almost 4%. Tokyo is forecast to have the largest growth in arrivals this year, an increase of 10% to more than 14 million. Thailand’s tourism industry on some measures accounts for about a fifth of the nation’s gross domestic product. A boom in the sector fizzled this year as the baht strengthened and the global economy slowed.