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From Thai Enquirer Thai Enquirer would like to announce that our ownership group will be bought out by China Daily effective immediately on Friday. Beginning on Monday, Thai Enquirer will be folded into the China Daily family and will be rebranded as the Thailand Daily. We would like to thank our readers for their support for the last two years and hope you continue with us as we move forward into uncharted waters. With the backing of our new owners, Thai Enquirer will be able to cover Asian news for Asians more effectively. We would also like to apologize for our previous coverage of certain matters pertaining to Hong Kong and Xinjiang and state that nothing ever happens in either places. === From Wikipedia Thai Enquirer is an independent online media publication intended to "provide a mixture of in-depth reporting, political and cultural commentary, as well as highlights of fiction, prose, poetry, and humour." The website is focused on political and social issues in Thailand, but has also covered issues "in the broader region and the wider world, where we feel it necessary, prudent, or when a story demands telling. Named as one of the publications representing the future of Thai media, the Thai Enquirer first rose to prominence in late 2020 for its coverage of the pro-democracy protests in Thailand. The website went viral in June 2020 for its satirical coverage of the Black Lives Matter protests in the US with an article that was shared over 60,000 times.[4][5] It also drew attention for its mockery of Donald Trump's mispronunciation of Thailand, renaming itself as the "Thigh Enquirer" for a day. It currently has an online following of 44,032 followers on Facebook and 76,000 followers on Twitter.

I don't disagree, although I suspect it's the bib who are keeping the pants on the boys in some clubs while looking the other way in other, better financed ones. If the owners had their druthers, it would be different, I'm sure. What the owners need to do is something they've been perennially, inexplicably reluctant to do: adjust prices in relation to demand. 300-450 baht is a range that puts most locals out of contention. That may have worked when 35 million foreigners were arriving in BKK but certainly not today. The government also has to open the land borders to ASEAN neighbors, making it possible for the guys from the countries to again fill out the stages at places like Freshboys, Screwboys and the yet to reopen Lucky Boy that routinely offered 40-50 boys on weekend nights. Granted, that's something out of the control of the owners. But what's wholly within their control is the price of drinks and offs. If they can't succeed in bringing bodies in the door, their most important assets--the guys on the stage--can't make any anything, either. The formula to turn this around is to do whatever's necessary to coax in the customer. I remember sitting in Soi 4 late in the evening when the owners of Telephone and Balcony would dispatch waiters to the corner of Silom, carrying signs advertising 59 baht drink prices. They puled in passersby and persuaded current customers to order another. It also created a vibe. What if the Patpong bars did something like that, say 99 baht drinks for the last hour. It gives the guys who haven't been offed a second chance. That might create a similar vibe. Maybe Moonlight can still make it with the highest drink prices but they have always had its on unique type of vibe, one that got started when Babe and his peers raised the bar for top of the line boys performing in a real show. I ponied up the 400 and felt I got my money's worth. But it's clear that Patpong bars can't succeed in the current environment without innovating.

From Thai Enquirer Thailand will develop Phuket into a world-class medical tourism centre, after the success of the Phuket Sandbox programme in light of new travel trends during the Covid-19 era, the government said on Thursday. Government spokesman Thanakorn Wangboonkongchana said the Phuket Sandbox, the country’s pilot plan to welcome foreign visitors, has paved the way for the resort island to become a medical tourism hub in the future. “Phuket Sandbox is an excellent example of tourism working successfully alongside public health precautions,” said Thanakorn, adding that the programme has generated tourism income over 50 billion baht so far. The government is planning to establish a plaza in Phuket offering a wide range of medical services including elderly care, palliative care, and a rehabilitation center for both local and foreign visitors.

It's now official.... From The Thaiger Starting tomorrow, travellers entering Thailand will no longer need to take a PCR Covid-19 test before their flight, but visitors will still need to take a PCR test once they land. All travellers – vaccinated and unvaccinated – no longer need to take the pre-departure test, but requirements after entry vary depending on the scheme. To make travel a bit more convenient and entice more people to visit Thailand, the government’s Covid task force decided to scrap the requirement for a pre-departure test taken within 72 hours before take-off. The revised entry requirements were published in the Royal Gazette yesterday, making the new rules official. For those who are fully vaccinated and entering under the Test & Go scheme, a hotel must be booked for their first night in Thailand while they wait for the test results to come back, which can take up to a day. On the fifth day of their stay, travellers will need to take a self-administered rapid antigen test and report the results. Before flying to Thailand, travellers must apply for a Thailand Pass QR code through the official website run by the Department of Consular Affairs at https://tp.consular.go.th/. The Thai government is gradually easing entry requirements as the country prepares to transition from a pandemic to an endemic in the next several months. Thailand plans to declare Covid-19 an endemic by July 1, but the date could change if there is a spike in the infection rate following the Thai New Year, Songkran, on April 13.

it's becoming ever more evident that until test-and-go is totally scrapped and entertained venues free of restrictions, there won't be the number of tourists to support a 2019 version of Patpong. In the meantime, the operators of the clubs that choose to open should adopt some incentives to lure in the small number of would-be customers who are trickling back. In the same way hotels lower rates, bars should cut the price of drinks through a variety of promotions. Even in good times, many bars offered "happy hour" pricing or drink specials on mid-week nights. Here are some ideas that I believe might succeed in helping to improve the bottom line: Early bird 200 baht drinks for first hour every night 2-for-1 specials (per customer) Tuesdays through Thursdays Beer special of 100 baht beers on Tuesdays through Thursdays Off fee of 400 baht Tuesdays though Thursdays Last-minute weekend specials None of these are particularly new ideas. They've been used by bars and clubs around the globe and they frequently persuade undecided customers to give it a try.

I just checked again for the promised English version of the "PC-COVID" platform described in the above article. It does not appear to be available. Comments of some international users who've attempted to complete the Vietnamese version report numerous problems with the Android app.

From The Nation Tourism Ministry wants PCR tests for tourists scrapped from May 1 The Tourism and Sports Ministry will ask the Centre for Covid-19 Situation Administration (CCSA) to cancel mandatory PCR testing for foreign tourists and replace them with ATK tests from May. Under the move, tourists would no longer face the expense of a PCR test and mandatory first night’s stay in an SHA+ hotel. “We expect the move to be approved and implemented from May 1 onward, provided that there is no surge in new infections and Covid-19 deaths during and after Songkran,” Tourism and Sports Minister Phiphat Ratchakitprakarn said. He added that the “acceptable” limit is 60,000 daily infections – including those who test positive via ATKs – and 100 fatalities. The ministry last week unveiled a plan to scrap the Thailand Pass requirement for incoming travellers from June 1 in a bid to boost tourist arrivals. Tourism and Sports Minister Phiphat Ratchakitprakarn said.

From Bloomberg News Cathay Pacific plans world's longest flight Cathay Pacific Airways Ltd. plans to reroute its New York-Hong Kong service to avoid Russian airspace, in what would be the world’s longest commercial passenger flight by distance. The airline plans to fly from John F. Kennedy International Airport over the Atlantic Ocean, the U.K., southern Europe and central Asia, according to a memo to Cathay flight staff seen by Bloomberg News. The distance of 16,618 kilometers (10,326 miles) would surpass Singapore Airlines Ltd.’s New York service, which takes about 17-and-a-half hours to cover 15,349 kilometers, FlightRadar24 data show. The Cathay new flight will take about 17 hours. A spokeswoman for Cathay said Airbus SE’s A350-1000 is capable of operating the route, which would typically fly over the Arctic and through Russian airspace. Many Asian airlines are avoiding Russia due to the conflict in Ukraine.

From VN Express Vietjet has resumed its international route to Da Nang in central Vietnam from Bangkok, Thailand, boosting post-pandemic recovery of tourism and trade connectivity across the region. Passengers can now reserve a ticket to Bangkok with fares only from VND68,000 ($3) (excluding taxes and fees) at www.vietjetair.com. In addition, Vietjet offers complimentary pre-flight RT-PCR tests for its passengers on international services. The Bangkok (Suvarnabhumi International Airport) - Da Nang route is operated by Thai Vietjet with three round trip per week (Wednesday, Friday and Sunday). The flight time is around 1 hour and 40 minutes per leg. From Thailand to Vietnam, the flight takes off from Bangkok at 10:50 a.m. and lands in Da Nang at 12:30 p.m. In turn, the flight departs from Da Nang at 13:15 p.m. and arrives in Bangkok at 14:55 p.m. Vietjet also operates five flights per week between Ho Chi Minh City and Bangkok with the frequency to be increased to daily flights as of April 12, including on the Hanoi - Bangkok route.

From The Thaiger Authorities in the north-eastern province of Surin say they will declare Covid endemic from April 1, adding that they will become the first province in Thailand to do so. With the central government seemingly taking its sweet time to lift restrictions and move to a “living with Covid” approach, Surin is going it alone. According to a Nation Thailand report, the Surin Information Office confirmed the move on its Facebook page over the weekend, encouraging all residents to get their booster vaccines if they haven’t already done so. The provincial administration says Surin has met all the criteria for declaring the virus endemic, which includes a death rate no higher than 0.5% No more than 3% of Covid patients require hospitalisation And at least 70% of the population have received 2 doses of a Covid-19 vaccine

From Channel News Asia NAYPYIDAW: Myanmar's junta will "annihilate" coup opponents, army chief Min Aung Hlaing said on Sunday (Mar 27) as the military staged a show of force on the anniversary of its bloodiest crackdown so far on democracy protests. The country has been in chaos since a putsch in February 2021, with more than 1,700 people killed in crackdowns on dissent, according to a local monitoring group. Presiding over an annual parade that showcased tanks, truck-mounted missiles, artillery and troops on horseback, Min Aung Hlaing told about 8,000 assembled security personnel that the army would not let up. The military will "no longer negotiate ... and annihilate until the end" groups fighting to overturn its rule, he said ahead of the Armed Forces Day procession in the army-built capital Naypyidaw.

According to the, Public Health Ministry just 56 (0.002%) of the 25,821 Covid-19 cases registered today were imported. Yet the government maintains that the destiny of "test-and-go" will ride on the outcome of how many cases they can blame on Songran.

I'll take the open weight-lifting area at Lumpini any day over the newest, Hermes-inspired gym opening in front of Central Word. The luxury brand best known more for pricey handbags wants to attract the well-heeled--as opposed to the necessarily well-built--to its pop-up fitness center at Central World. Who knows? It may prove an interesting distraction but I won't go expecting to see sweaty, shirtless young men pumping iron like those just down the road a bit. Photos courtesy of Hermès Thailand

From Pattaya Mail The advantage of polymer over paper is such that it does not absorb moisture and dirt while the polymer banknotes can last significant longer than paper banknotes. The Bank of Thailand (BOT) has launched the new 20 Baht polymer banknote. The 20 Baht polymer banknotes keep the same theme of design and features as the current 20 Baht paper banknotes in circulation. Advanced anti-counterfeit technologies are used to ensure that the new polymer banknotes are difficult to counterfeit, similar to the current banknotes. The additional security feature is the “clear windows”, which can be seen through from both sides. The lower clear window exhibits color-shifting from translucent yellow to red. For the visually impaired, the added feature is the small numeric “20” embossed numbers in the upper clear window, which can be easily touched and felt. The new 20 Baht polymer banknotes were issued today through all banks’ branches. The 20 Baht paper banknotes will remain legal tender. The initiative to change from paper to polymer for 20 Baht banknotes is to improve the quality: cleaner and more durable. As the 20 Baht is the most widely used denomination, it is therefore prone to being more worn out and soiled than other denominations, said the BOT in its statement.

From Bangkok Post The Test and Go scheme and Thailand Pass registration are expected to be scrapped by June 1 if there is no surge in infections or fatalities during the Songkran festival in April, says the Tourism and Sports Ministry. Tourism and Sports Minister Phiphat Ratchakitprakarn said Thai tourism has to move forward after opening the Phuket sandbox in July 2021. "Thailand started like a rabbit, running quickly last year as we reopened to visitors. We cannot let the country fall behind as many nations are opening borders and have fewer restrictions than us," Mr Phiphat said. Mr Phiphat said the upcoming Songkran holidays will be a critical test for further easing of rules. The number of daily cases, including results from ATK tests in April, has to remain stable. An acceptable rate might be 50,000-60,000 cases, while the fatality rate should stay below 100, he said. The viral caseload in April could lead to the cancellation of the Test and Go scheme and Thailand Pass from June 1, he said. Mr Phiphat said if the country fully reopens and returns to pre-pandemic norms, there would be no need to require RT-PCR test results from tourists. However, an ATK test should be administered the arrival day to maintain confidence locally and prevent uncertainty, he said.

I agree. The posted information should be viewed as informational but not gospel. I'm in the process of verifying requirements of two transit airports in different countries I pass through en route to BKK. I know others who doing the same thing but on different routing. Check, double check and confirm your understanding with the airline. And after that's done, don't let down your guard. Requirements can change at any time before departure. Check again five days out to be sure nothing has changed.

From Thai PBS World Thailand to bar use of digital assets for payments for goods, services Thailand’s Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) has issued a set of regulations to be applied to digital assets operators, which take effect on April 1st, barring them from using digital assets as a means of payment for goods or services. The regulations are intended to control the use of digital assets as a means of payment, to prevent cybercrime, money laundering, data leaks and any threat to financial stability and the economic system. The use of digital assets for investment is not affected by the new regulations. According to the regulations, all digital assets operators are barred from providing services or acting in a way which is deemed as supporting or promoting the use of digital assets as a means of payment for goods or services, such as advertising, and from persuading people to use digital assets as a means of payment. Businesses will have until the end of April to comply with the new rules. The prohibition covers the opening of e-wallets or the provision of tools or systems to facilitate the use of digital assets as a means of payment for goods or services. In case a customer of a digital asset operator is found to have used their digital assets as a means of payment, the operator must immediately warn that customer to stop the practice, as it is deemed to contravene the operator’s regulations. The operator may suspend providing services to such a customer. The regulations cover digital asset exchanges, cryptocurrencies, digital tokens, digital asset brokers and traders.

From Richardbarrow.com / The Nation Tourism and Sports Minister said if the number of Covid-19 cases does not increase after Songkran he will ask the Cabinet to allow vaccinated foreign arrivals to switch to ATK tests on the first day of their trip from 1 May onwards. “If the government approves [this move] and the situation improves further, the ministry will propose lifting all travel restrictions on June 1," he said, adding that this means fully vaccinated foreign tourists would be able to enter Thailand freely.

And when the war ends, they'll be looking around for a better place to park their cash. And when Thailand eliminates the Thai pass and test-and-go, tourists will again flock to its shores, the hotel bargains will gradually go south and the baht will reverse it's slide that began last June. Although these numbers have very likely increased in over last few years, investors continue to buy their bonds. They're evidently confident in the ability of these nations to meet their financial obligations. Brazil at first glance may seem to be the outlier of the group. However the ever increasing numbers of board members choosing to return there are apparently propping up confidence in the economy. 😉

It's becoming an increasingly good time to visit Thailand if you're drawn by bargains in accommodations and favorable exchange rates. According to Bloomberg, the baht is under pressure from a rare, back-to-back current accounts deficit. From Bloomberg The pandemic has robbed Thailand of tens of billions of dollars it used to generate annually from the millions of foreign tourists. A gradual rebound in tourism with the lifting of most border controls is now at risk from flight disruptions and payment difficulties for Russians, once again leaving the nation’s currency vulnerable to a sell-off. Thailand’s status as a net oil importer is fueling a trade deficit and inflation, muddling the outlook for an economic recovery, said Somprawin Manprasert, chief economist at Bank of Ayudhya. The lender, a unit of Mitsubishi Financial Group Inc., has cut Thai growth forecast this year to 2.8% as it sees a hit from low tourist arrivals and supply disruptions from the war, he said. “It will be a double-whammy for Thailand as it faces rising inflation and a slowdown in the economy,” Somprawin said. “Tourism will be affected as it’s not only Russians who will not travel, as the sour sentiment and falling income will discourage others too. Thai economic outlook is worrisome.” Thailand’s tourism will not return to the pre-pandemic levels -- 40 million visitors and more than $60 billion in revenue -- without the Chinese, who made up almost 30% of the travelers. While the country has lifted most of the curbs on visitors, Covid tests on arrival and the paperwork to secure a pre-arrival visa are seen discouraging holidaymakers even as more tourism-reliant countries open up. https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2022-03-22/thailand-faces-current-account-blowout-on-oil-tourism-risks

Judging by an artist's conceptions of what the futuristic changes will look like (one of which shows the since razed Dusit Thani Hotel in the background), I think this has been in the works for quite some time. From The Nation Bangkok Metropolitan Administration (BMA) on Monday unveiled computer-generated images of Lumpini Park as it will look after an upgrade is completed in 2024, in time for the park’s 100th anniversary in 2025. The images published on Facebook show the new and improved 360-rai (0.57 square kilometres) park, equipped with dedicated bicycle and jogging lanes that connect with nearby Benchakitti Park. All cables and powerlines have also been buried underground to create an unobstructed view of the vast green garden in the heart of Bangkok. Lumpini Park in Pathumwan district has been the green lung of the concrete metropolis since it opened in 1925. Paths that stretch for 2.5km around the park are popular with morning and evening joggers while ornamental lakes surrounded by lawns make perfect picnic spots. The park is open from 4.30am to 9pm and sees 15,000 to 20,000 visitors every day. The improvement project will be divided into three phases, starting with an infrastructure upgrade, said the BMA post. “The second phase will add more facilities and create learning areas, while the third will develop unused areas in the park.” Facilities to be added include the six-storey high Lumpini Corridor that will serve as a new scenic point in Bangkok, seamless paths for wheelchair users, additional parking areas and water retention areas to reduce the chance of floods during rainy season.

Thai health officials last month predicted that new Covid cases would begin to decline in mid-March and that seems to be what's happening. Today 21,382 new cases were reported, continuing a downward trend that began several days ago. Although this doesn't mean things cannot still revert, it's encouraging for those of us who hope to arrive by mid-year.

From The Straits Times Thailand's higher production costs may soon be passed on to consumers The war in Ukraine has increased production and manufacturing costs that could soon trickle down to consumers already feeling the brunt of higher energy and consumer goods prices since late last year. Thailand's headline inflation rate rose 5.28 per cent in February from a year earlier, which was stronger than expected and the highest level since September 2008. Thailand's trade with Russia and Ukraine makes up just US$3 billion (S$4.08 billion), with total exports and imports amounting to a mere 0.5 per cent and 0.9 per cent of total trade respectively. But prior to Russia's invasion of Ukraine on Feb 24, prices of jasmine rice, palm oil, rubber and live pigs had been on the up, as Thailand attempted to recover from pandemic-induced disruptions and a weak economy.

Actually I intended the photo above to serve as a euphemism for these other types of "squids".