reader

Thanks for bringing that up. Very possible. Last time I had that done was about five years ago when arriving in US airport. They did my hands and straps of my carry on bag. What puzzled me is that they swabbed the side of the tablet that was protected by the cover.

Say it isn't so, JD, Say it isn't so.

I agree. Actually, Colombia and Taiwan finished relatively high (13th) as one of the better places for gays in the Gay Travel Index. https://spartacus.gayguide.travel/gaytravelindex.pdf

From Bangkok Post Mark Gooding (left), the British Ambassador to Thailand, and Remco van Wijingaarden, the Netherlands Ambassador, share their experiences at the Bangkok Post Pride Every Day forum on Wednesday at Lido Connect. (Photo: Somchai Poomlard) Despite the tremendous success of Thailand in passing the same-sex marriage bill, the nation still needs to work on other LGBTQ+ issues to ensure equality and pride on a sustained basis. That was the message sent by two ambassadors to Thailand — Mark Gooding of the United Kingdom and Remco van Wijingaarden of the Netherlands — at the Bangkok Post Pride Every Day forum. Their countries enacted similar laws years before Thailand became a leader in Southeast Asia by following suit. The diplomats shared their experiences at the forum that took place on Wednesday at Lido Connect Hall in Siam Square. Both men agreed that Thailand passing such bills would benefit the country in various ways, but added this was only a starting point and there are still many things that need to be done to ensure LGBTQ+ people in Thailand enjoy full rights and legal protections. Mr Gooding said that despite the passage of the Marriage Equality Bill in 2013, which took effect in 2014, the LGBTQ+ community in the UK still faces various challenges. Therefore, it is important to embody the issue of inclusion every day because LGBTQ+ life is not a one-month event during Pride in June, he said. “Marriage equality is a very important step towards equality, but in the UK, we have to focus on various challenges such as the daily discrimination, homophobic bullies in school, access to healthcare for LGBTQ+ people, as well as hate crimes,” Mr Gooding said. “Therefore, it is not specifically in the month of June when the Pride month is [held worldwide](#). I think by working together to exchange views openly about what the challenges are — and that needs to include government — the LGBTQ+ group, government and civil society can concentrate on addressing those challenges.” Mr Gooding said Thailand passing the marriage equality bill was a major step forward. Now, he suggested the focus must be on implementing it effectively. He also pointed out that to further spread equality, all sectors must collaborate as equality requires multi-sectoral dialogue. “Equal marriage legislation is absolutely fantastic. But I would say, that passing legislation is not the end,” he said. “The next thing is the implementation and the key first step is to make sure all the circulation of regulations is in place so the people will get the benefit after it becomes law. We do not want the people to be delayed by some piece of paper.” He said he was delighted to be informed that Thailand would join the Equal Rights Coalition (ERC) as the 44th country in the framework. The ERC is a coalition of countries that come together to exchange and discuss promoting LGBTQ+ rights across the globe. “Thailand has become the leader in Southeast Asia in passing the equal marriage law and I think there will be more we can do together,” said Mr Gooding. “There are many places in the world that face serious drawbacks of LGBTQ+ rights and other rights, including women’s rights. So, I do think we need to work together to ensure international human rights to make sure that our values are protected.” Even though the Netherlands took the lead as the first country in the world to pass same-sex marriage legislation in 2001, Mr Wijingaarden pointed out that passing the bill was only the first step in achieving equality. The bill needs to be translated into adoption law, social security, insurance, inheritance and other areas related to same-sex relationships, he said. Continues at https://www.bangkokpost.com/thailand/general/2835097/pride-and-prejudice-in-land-of-smiles

Checked in on departure concourse AIR side which you are admitted to at Connecting Flight point. You do not have to pass through immigration check point and reenter again. That is what is eliminated by using Connecting Flights facility. Only had csrry on baggage. if you were flying same airline into and out of bkk you probably could have checked baggage.

This was my first time using BKK as a transit connection (from Vietnam). Procedure is relatively simple if you follow signs carefully to "Connecting Flights". At entrance to Connecting Flights point you'll be asked to show passport, boarding pass for your inbound flight and documentation for outbound flight. Although they accepted copy off phone, strongly suggest you have printed itinerary available. Once cleared, your bags are inspected and then you take escalator one level to departure concourse air side. Took only a few minutes. Once air side, look for your airline service desk to do standard check in (they're all close by but usually don't open until about 3-4 hours prior to flight). Many of the international airline lounges are located in the general area.

From Pattaya Mail There was a packed PCEC audience on July 24 to hear and discuss a host of expat subjects. Duncan Foster, company director of MOT’S services on Soi Khaotalo, explained that foreigners attending the immigration bureau have to expect a lot of officer discretion these days. “The immigration bureau nationally issues broad instructions, but each local office uses its discretion about the precise paperwork required,” he pointed out. Duncan, who has 36 years of experience in customer service in UK and Thailand, said it was important to recognize that local immigration offices were in some senses “franchises”, responsible to the government for fee collection and monitoring of foreign visitors. MOT’S has been in business since 2010 and offers a full range of visa services which, he said, are the cheapest and most hospitable in East Pattaya or Dark Side. He also updated the meeting with changing regulations for Thai driving licences. When applying for or renewing a driving licence, applicants must now have a valid visa for at least 15 days beyond the appointment date. Duncan then warned about a common boiler-room scam on the internet which offered to provide driving licences without the applicant needing to appear in-person at the land transportation department. The second speaker, Barry Kenyon, brought the meeting up to date with the latest immigration news about 60 days visa-exempt entries and the Destination Thailand Visa. He said they were proving controversial from a security viewpoint as prior-entry vetting had been largely abandoned, whilst expats wondered if their bureaucratic annual extensions of stay and expensive Elite visas were worth the money. “I doubt we have heard the last of updates to the new initiatives,” Barry said. The audience asked both speakers a variety of questions on their subject matter. These covered the ins and outs of international driving licenses, door to door services for immigration customers, problems relating to the 90 days and TM30 address forms and the different responsibilities of the foreign affairs ministry and the immigration bureau.

Duplicate

Recently connected through Doha on Qatar. Upon arrival all connecting passengers proceed to baggage inspection which was fairly quick and efficient before be allowed into departure terminal. You will have bags rechecked before entering your departure gate area. However, I was surprised about the attention afforded my tablet. I was instructed to remove it from the protective case. An agent then quickly placed a card against the back of iPad and then scanned the card into a reader. It all took less than 30 seconds but it was a first in my experience. I can only assume they were electronically reading the serial number on the back of my device. Have no idea if this was US or local requirement. When I collected items from the bin, I had task of reuniting iPad with cover.

Here the Airbus websites for this new version of the A321 XLR and the A350 ULR that has a max range of 9,700 nautical miles. https://aircraft.airbus.com/en/aircraft/a320/a321xlr https://www.airbus.com/en/newsroom/news/2018-10-the-ultra-long-range-a350-xwb-brings-key-destinations-closer-together-with

Unfortunately the article is behind a pay wall (at least in my neck of the woods). https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/southeast-asia/article/3271496/singapore-named-safest-city-travellers-manila-1-riskiest In February, Spartacus published its annual "Gay Travel Index" of cities with the best legal and living conditions for gays that appears constructed not by actual travel experience but rather on an 18-point check list that determines rankings of countries worldwide. Canada, Malta, New Zealand, Portugal and Spain round out the top five. But you have to travel down to #54 to find Thailand, #58 Vietnam, #64 is a tie between Singapore and South Korea, followed by #70 Japan and #84 Cambodia. And if that puzzles you, Colombia and Taiwan tied at #13. As I think Vinapu would say, "go and see for yourself." https://spartacus.gayguide.travel/gaytravelindex.pdf

Guess they don't call it the Secret Service for nothing. 🙂

It is. This could be an ideal fit on some long haul routes that carriers often discontinue on a seasonal basis. It complements the A350 Ultra Long Range (ULR) which I've flown on numerous occasions

I truly don't know how I'd go about finding an "average" American today. Although there's some degree of racial prejudice in all societies worldwide, I think you'd only find remnants of it in some pockets of the old Confederate states. Since there are more women than men living in the US today, it would be difficult to find a bias against women in the 'average" American. I know a lot of people and have never detected such a bias.

From CNBC U.S. Secret Service Director Kimberly Cheatle resigned Tuesday amid widespread outrage over her agency’s failure to prevent the attempted assassination of former President Donald Trump at a Pennsylvania campaign rally earlier this month. Cheatle’s resignation, which was first reported by NBC News citing sources, came a day after she was blasted by members of a House committee at a hearing on the Secret Service’s actions leading up to Trump’s July 13 rally in Butler Township.

From Bloomberg Over the past 30 years, Airbus SE has continuously eked out more range from its A321 aircraft, making the model a bestseller as customers pair the economic benefits of a narrowbody airliner with the reach and capacity approaching a widebody jet. Now Airbus is approaching certification of its latest variant — the A321XLR — which may get sign-off from regulators as soon as this month and will effectively double the range from the original model that entered service at the start of 1994. Airbus plans to showcase the plane, for which it has more than 550 orders, at the Farnborough Air Show. The XLR’s entry into service, delayed by a year due to the pandemic and concerns about a fire risk from an extra fuel tank, pushes its range to 4,700 nautical miles, or 11 hours of flight. It’s a radius that promises to take single-aisle planes to destinations that were previously the domain of fuel-guzzling twin-aisle planes, changing the operating calculus for carriers that ordered the plane. Icelandair has ordered 13 XLRs to replace its aging fleet of the out-of-production Boeing Co. 757, which has a shorter maximum range of about 3,900 nautical miles. The XLRs, which burn 30% less fuel than its predecessors, will let the carrier add destinations in California, Texas, Dubai and across Europe, its chief executive officer said. “In many cases we are competing with a widebody aircraft, which are not as fuel efficient and not that environmentally friendly,” said Bogi Nils Bogason. “So that is definitely an advantage and we see opportunities for us in that respect.”

Like to think I'm obsessive when making travel reservations. Yesterday proved me wrong when booking January trip. Shortly after pushing the "pay now' tab on the airline website, I received the confirming email and learned that I had the correct return day but the wrong month! Immediately got on the phone and after a long wait got to a rep and confessed my error. He repriced the itinerary, found no fare difference, and rebooked me on correct date. I was lucky. Lesson learned: read, reread and read again before paying.

From Reuters By Chayut Setboonsarng and Panarat Thepgumpanat BANGKOK (Reuters) - Thailand will work towards legislating marijuana for medical use, a deputy prime minister said Tuesday, signalling a U-turn on plans to re-criminalise the plant and another change in the government's hazy position on cannabis. Thailand in 2022 became one of the first countries in Asia to decriminalise marijuana, doing so without a law to govern it or clear regulations in place to prevent its recreational usage. The move, however, led to an explosion of recreational use and the launch of tens of thousands of cannabis cafes and retailers enabling it, prompting public concern about its abuse. Deputy premier Anutin Charnvirakul, whose party was instrumental in pushing for marijuana liberalisation, said Prime Minister Srettha Thavisin had now agreed that legislation was the appropriate step to take. "It will be a matter of law and debated in parliament where there is already a draft law," secretary-general to the prime minister Prommin Lertsuridej told Reuters. "Whether it is a narcotic or not is up to parliament." A draft law on marijuana was submitted to the legislature under the previous administration but parliament was dissolved ahead of an election last year, without a vote taken. It was not immediately clear whether steps would be taken to crack down on recreational cannabis use, as Srettha has advocated. Thailand has seen rapid growth of a domestic retail sector for marijuana, an industry projected to be worth up to $1.2 billion by 2025. Anutin's Bhumjaithai Party, the second biggest in the ruling coalition, has advocated for marijuana for health and economic purposes, but officially not for recreational use, and has argued against re-criminalising it.

I think the motives people have for becoming Trumpsters have little to do with affection for the man himself. There's a minority group of wealthy individuals who are interested solely in a candidate who may be good for their business interests. The second and most dominant group are white, working class Americans who seek instant inclusion in a political movement that satisfies their need for being among like-minded individuals. Acceptance is instantaneous and gives their life renewed purpose. It's a waste of time for Democrats to try to present candidates that might attract Trumpsters. The Dems need first to excite their base. Without the votes of the base it's impossible for them to win. They also should seek the dwindling number of undecided voters but the emphasis has to be on the bread and butter democrats. They represent the the population most likely to go to the polls. If early indicators are correct--and I believe they are--Kamala Harris is the best person to do it. I trust her to select a running mate that will boost her party's appeal.

From Bangkok Post New landmark in Dusit district to serve as another ‘green lung’ for the capital, as well as a reminder of King Rama IX’s contributions to forest protection and water resource management Thais are looking forward to the completion of a public park in remembrance of His Majesty King Bhumibol Adulyadej the Great, which is expected to become a major new landmark in Bangkok. Designed as a forest park covering 279 rai in Dusit district, thousands of new trees will provide the capital with another much-needed “green lung” where people from near and far can unwind from the hustle and bustle of the city and get in touch with nature. The park will be dotted with reminders of King Rama IX and Her Majesty Queen Sirikit the Queen Mother, which will give visitors an opportunity to learn about their contributions to forest and water resource management. The park will be a welcome addition to Bangkok’s green landscape, alongside Lumpini Park in Pathumwan district and Benjakitti Park in Klong Toey district, observers say. In November 2021, the Bureau of the Royal Household unveiled a virtual design for the public park, which is expected to be completed by the end of 2024.

From Thai PBS World The Philippines is looking to forge reciprocal troops access agreements with Canada, France, New Zealand, and other countries, the defence minister said on Monday. Defence Secretary Gilberto Teodoro told ANC news channel he hoped the agreements could be signed next year. The agreements would allow greater interoperability, as armed forces of these countries can operate within the Philippine territory and vice-versa, Teodoro said. “It is close to the apex of a defensive alliance,” he said. The Philippines and Japan signed a landmark military pact earlier this month that allows the deployment of forces on each other’s soil in the face of China’s increasingly assertive stance in the region. Canada, France, and New Zealand have expressed support for the Philippines’ claims within its 200-nautical mile exclusive economic zone. China claims almost the entire South China Sea and rejects a 2016 ruling by the Permanent Court of Arbitration in the Hague that its expansive claims had no basis under international law. The case was brought to the court by the Philippines.

From CNBC FARNBOROUGH, England — Boeing won orders for at least 40 wide-body jetliners from Korean Air, including the yet-to-be-certified 777X jetliner, in a vote of confidence for the struggling manufacturer. The order, announced at the Farnborough Airshow outside of London, includes 20 777X planes, the largest in Boeing’s commercial jet lineup, and 20 787-10 Dreamliner planes, both long-range jets. The airline can also upsize its order for 10 more of the Dreamliners, the biggest option for that model. Korean Air CEO Walter Cho said he expected to start receiving the planes later this decade. The twin-engine 777X is years behind schedule but earlier this month began certification flight tests with the U.S. Federal Aviation Administration, a major milestone. Boeing customers have been grappling with delayed aircraft, in part due to post-Covid supply chain snarls that have hit the aerospace industry, but also related to a safety crisis and manufacturing flaws, particularly after a door plug blow out earlier this year on one of its smaller and bestselling 737 Max planes. “If I wasn’t assured, I would not have ordered it,” Cho said at a news conference of Korean Air’s order. “I know Boeing will pull through whatever it is they’re going through right now, and I have full confidence in Boeing.” The airline, a partner of Delta Air Lines, earlier this year also ordered competing Airbus A350-1000 aircraft, the largest of that type. “Whichever comes first will become our flagship, whoever’s on time,” Cho said.

That woman you want to keep out of office has raised raised $49.6 million in grassroots donations for her campaign since Biden endorsed her Sunday.