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Special screening for Omicron 2 variant? One Thai health officials seems to be laboring under the belief that the Omicron 2 variant hasn't yet reached the Kingdom. He wants to single out arrivals from Hong Kong and Britain for additional screening. With the sandbox, quarantine and test-and-go schemes in place for months now, I find it difficult to believe that the Omicron 2 variant hasn't already become well established in Thailand, as well as in most other countries whose visitors are welcomed. The official also appears to contradict himself (see below). From The Nation In his Blockdit post on Saturday, Chalermchai said Omicron BA.2.2 is severely impacting Hong Kong where weekly average Covid-19 infections have soared to 5,425 per million people, compared to 315 per million in Thailand. "Meanwhile Hong Kong's seven-day death rate from Covid-19 is 30 per million people, compared to 0.85 in Thailand," he said. "Apart from Omicron BA.2.2, the rise in Hong Kong's Covid-19 cases may be due to the low number of vaccinated people as well." Chalermchai also confirmed that Omicron BA.2.2 has not yet been discovered in Thailand. He emphasised that Omicron, which is the dominant strain in Thailand, is spreading four times faster than Delta and has mutated into three subvariants: BA.1, BA.2 and BA.3. He said BA.1 and BA.2 have been discovered in Thailand while the number of patients infected with BA.2 is likely to increase rapidly. Virus mutations commonly occur in areas where a lot of Covid-19 infections are found, he added.

What's good for the goose must be good for the gander... From Pattaya Mail As much as government officials would love to make Pattaya a “family friendly” resort, the city’s economy remains powered by bars. The reopening of bars as “restaurants” and the return of tourists is seeing the entire bar ecosystem come back to life. Phonpan, a bargirl on Soi 6, said the street of bars and pubs is getting busy again with British, German and, for now, some Russians patronizing hers and other bars. She can now earn about 1,000 baht a day. Prasit, a motorcycle taxi driver, said he’s busier, too, now that the bargirls need to travel to work and back. Gasoline prices are rising, so he’s happy to have more income. Somphon sells revealing clothing to the bargirls and she’s doing better too. Sales aren’t as good as they were in 2019, but she has hope for the future. ================================ From Pattaya News Today’s video is the current situation on the ground in Pattaya in terms of domestic tourism, according to the president of the Eastern Hotels Association. https://www.youtube.com/c/thepattayanews

I better understand your position but please accept that I cannot agree with it. You seem to obsessed with the past, and you find yourself defending Putin's decision to invade Ukraine. Capitulation to an aggressor will never quench his thirst for more aggression, more territory. That was certainly demonstrated in World War II. NATO was formed to deter such aggression in the future. If Churchill had given in to German's demands, the map of Europe would look very different today. North Vietnam aggressively fought a war with a nuclear power. It could have simply given in but it persisted and drove the Americans from their land. Taiwan is regularly confronted by a nuclear power but chooses resistance. I understand that fear can be debilitating if we allow it to dictate how we live our lives.

Richard Barrow has posted numerous photos of random street art around the city. It's worth a look if Bangkok is one of your favorite haunts. https://www.richardbarrow.com/

I seem to recall that there were a number of apartments in the building when it first opened. Are these being converted into luxury hotel rooms? The observation deck occupies the full footprint of the building, plus the overhanging glass extension. Hopefully there's sufficient room to accommodate both the hotel's plans for a pool for guests and a bar/restaurant open to the public. It would be sad if the public didn't have access in some form.

So if we follow your line of thinking, if Putin invades Poland in six months, NATO should do nothing based simply on the fact that Russia has nuclear weapons? This would render Europe defenseless. There are 30 countries in the North Atlantic Treaty Organization. You want the other 29 to step away from their agreement and allow the tank columns to roll toward Warsaw. You've allowed fear to control your response to Russia's invasion to the point that you're encouraging the aggressor. Hopefully NATO's leaders will be influenced by the courage we see on display in Ukraine and not fall victim to fear and defeatism.

From National Geographic / MSN The Bhumibhol suspension bridge spans Bangkok, Thailand’s Chao Phraya River. The historic neighborhoods on its banks are experiencing a creative and commercial renaissance. © Photograph by Tassaphon Vongkittipong, Getty Images Rachna Sachasinh Bangkok’s Chao Phraya flows in exaggerated loops through historic neighborhoods, past Buddhist temples, gilded palaces, and humble teak bungalows teetering on the water’s edge. The river floats by the curled rooflines of Chinese shrines, the spires of Christian churches and mosque minarets, and shophouses that were—and still are—home to immigrant families from China, India, the Middle East and Southeast Asia. They settled along its banks as early as the 19th century to trade in teak, cloth, gems, and spices. For most people, the river’s twists and turns connect the modern Thai capital with its historical contours. For me and my immigrant family, the Chao Phraya is a link to the country I call home. Amid its riverside communities are smaller khaek neighborhoods, immigrant enclaves which get their name from the Thai word for guest or visitor. Khaek also refers to Thai Indians. That’s me. Born in a riverside neighborhood to Sikh Indian parents in 1969, I grew up in Bangkok and now live in Chiang Mai, Thailand, about 450 miles north. Although my family left its banks in the 1970s, the river keeps luring me back. Each time I’m in Bangkok, I hop a ferry to the old amulet market at Maharaj Pier and slurp lod chong Singapore (bubble noodles in sweet coconut milk) in Ratchawong, where my family lived. These days the riverside neighborhoods are a little timeworn, but my old stomping grounds are now being rediscovered and revived by artists and entrepreneurs. And, the Chao Phraya, always central to my story, is once again the center of Bangkok. Bangkok—a portmanteau of ban or bang (village) and makok (plum), the settlement’s former name—became Siam’s new capital in 1782, when King Rama I laid the foundation for the Grand Palace in a wide westward bend in the river. Modeled loosely on Ayutthaya, the kingdom’s former seat 67 miles upstream, the palace is located on a section of a wide moat that feeds into a network of canals or klongs. This earned Bangkok the nickname, “the Venice of the East.” At the Museum Siam, near the palace, antique maps and sepia-tinged daguerreotypes show how the new capital’s riverside evolved. In the late 19th century, King Rama V courted international trade and commissioned Neoclassical palaces and residences along the water, including the circa-1888 Old Customs House. The striking Palladian pile, once the first stop for ships entering Bangkok, is being redeveloped into a boutique hotel. Charoen Krung Road—the city’s first paved street, running parallel to the river—was added in 1867. French, Portuguese, and Chinese sailors who’d been trading with Siam since the 16th century were joined by British, Indian, and Middle Eastern merchants, who settled in communities south of the Grand Palace between the water and Charoen Krung Road. By the time my grandfather, Hakim Singh Sachdev, a Sikh Indian from Punjab, sailed up the Chao Phraya in the 1920s, the river port city was in full swing. Chinese junks, Siamese barges, and European ships ran rice, spices, and teak up and down the river. On its banks, Bohra Muslims trafficked in glass and block-printed textiles and Indians traded cotton fabrics milled in England. Narrow wooden sampans held floating markets that plied the canals. While most Indian immigrants settled in Phahurat, or “Little India,” my grandfather put down roots in neighboring Ratchawong. There, in a bustling zone of warehouses and tradespeople from around the world, he built a thriving textile business in a shophouse a hundred yards from Ratchawong Pier. Despite Thailand’s famously warm and welcoming nature, my grandfather and his fellow immigrants were often called khaek or farang (European foreigners), underscoring their outsider status. My grandfather’s generation didn’t seem to notice. Coming of age in the 1960s, my father shirked his conservative Sikh upbringing and the khaek sobriquet. He embraced the laidback Thai temperament, hobnobbing with local politicos and foreign correspondents at the Mandarin Oriental Hotel’s Bamboo Bar and changing his Punjabi name—Sinderpal Singh Sachdev—to the Thai Surin Sachasinh. Continues at https://www.msn.com/en-us/travel/tripideas/bangkok-rediscovers-the-magic-of-its-legendary-river/ar-AAUWzyQ

The Kremlin Moscow Honored Comrade Tasso, Greetings from home of glorious Russian Federation that invites you to visit the Kremlin at your earliest convenience--which for your information is April 1. Because imperialist western powers deny world's best and safest airline, Aeroflot, to fly in their airspace, I am sending seaplane from fleet of our discount carrier, Aerofloat. It will meet you 12 nautical miles off Chesapeake Bay at 10:00 hours GMT. You will enjoy glorious flight in your upgraded seat in emergency exit row. After a mere 13 refueling stops, you will arrive on the Moskva River. Within minutes you will join me for friendly dinner. After many good toasts of glorious Russian vodka, please don't be afraid to tell me everything you know. A good source (whose initials are Donald J. Trump) tells me that you seem dissatisfied with your current country so I have arranged for you to receive unlimited visa to glorious federation. Of course you will be interested in locating a new home here so I have further arranged for a friend in real estate business to extend to you an offer so tempting you can't refuse. From your spacious balcony, you will enjoy view of glorious Chernobyl wildlife sanctuary. Please understand that payment must unfortunately be made is U.S. dollars or U.K. pounds. Until we meet at opposite ends of the Macron table, I remain your eager and trustworthy host, Vladimir Vladimirovich Putin KJB Chief Operative President (or else) P.S. So you will recognize seaplane, I attach a photo of glorious aircraft which is deemed fully airworthy by my butcher.

The Real White House Mar-a- Lago Very dearest Tasso, Thanks, Babe, for helping dearest friend, Vladimir, at this time when so many vile people are turning against him. Just yesterday his enemies circulated phony story about him attacking a maternity hospital. Glad to see you avoided the trap and talked instead about Condoleezza Rice. And by all means repeat any rumor out of objective news sites like Newsmax and Fox. When in doubt, just post whatever Tucky Carlson says. I have a friend who owns a private jet. Gonna ask him to give you a lift down here to Mar-a-Lago so we can discuss strategy for future posts. Thanks bunches, Babe.💗 Donald J. Trump President-in-your-mind

Gov't plans to relax travel regs From Bangkok Post The Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT) is preparing a plan to relax travel rules in line with the timeline to declare Covid-19 an endemic disease on July 1. The tourism goals for revenue and arrivals this year might be downgraded because of surging oil prices and inflation caused by Russia's invasion of Ukraine, said TAT governor Yuthasak Supasorn. Mr Yuthasak said the plan to label Covid-19 endemic from the second half of the year will lead to further relaxations, including the termination of Thailand Pass, marking a milestone for the industry. The agency has to start working on new protocols over the next four months, he said. However, an RT-PCR Covid test result from tourists remains essential for the time being as the country is struggling with an overwhelming daily caseload, said Mr Yuthasak. He said Thailand should adopt safety procedures and learn lessons from other countries that have already opened up to ensure the kingdom remains competitive in luring international tourists. TAT plans to propose further easing of travel regulations at the next Centre for Covid-19 Situation Administration (CCSA) meeting on March 18.

Actually there are six billionaires in the Republic of Vietnam, according to Forbes magazine. It's not the sleepy backwater it may have been regarded as a generation ago. https://vietnamnet.vn/en/feature/the-latest-list-of-the-richest-people-in-vietnam-809407.html

You know, this may just earn you the upgrade that you've been pining for on your next Aeroflot flight to Moscow. In fact your Hero Putin may invite you to the Kremlin to have tea. And if you write some more stuff that makes the Ukraine look bad, maybe he'll give you an genuine MAGA cap, autographed of course by The Donald himself.

From You Tube Three crew members of an oil tanker were injured and one is missing after the vessel caught fire following an on-board explosion at the pier of IRPC, a petroleum and petrochemical company, located in the estuary of the Chao Phraya River yesterday.

From Ricardbarrow.com Foreigners can get walk-in shots at Bang Sue The Central Vaccination Centre (CVC) at Bang Sue Grand Station is offering vaccine shots regardless of which dose it is for both Thais and foreign nationals on a walk-in basis. The Central Vaccination Centre (CVC) at Bang Sue Grand Station is offering vaccine shots regardless of which dose it is for both Thais and foreign nationals on a walk-in basis. The service is open to both Thais and foreign nationals and people can choose what vaccine they want, regardless of what dose they require. Shots will be offered from 9am-4pm daily until the Songkran festival from April 13-15.

From The Thaiger Officials warn about various scam Thailand Pass emails, some with malicious links Thailand Pass applicants are being warned about numerous scam emails from accounts posing as the Department of Consular Affairs or a team from the Thailand Pass system. Some emails are requesting personal information, such as passport numbers, and others include an encrypted link. Officials haven’t confirmed if any other information besides email addresses has been compromised from the Thailand Pass system. A Thailand Pass QR Code is a requirement for those entering the country on the Test & Go or Sandbox schemes. The approval process can take a week, but while waiting to hear back, travellers are being warned about phishing emails. Authentic emails on the Thailand Pass are sent from email addresses ending in @tp.consular.go.th or @consular.go.th, which are both official accounts under the Department of Consular Affairs. Some travellers have gotten emails saying there are problems with documents submitted to the embassy and asking for the last four digits of their passport number as well as their name and date of birth. Other phishing emails say a document needs to be downloaded, specifically on a PC, for information to be updated on the Thailand Pass system. Various spoof emails with malicious links have been sent to Thailand Pass applicants for the past several months. Some applicants say they’ve gotten an email months after being in Thailand.

Sanctions can impose harsh conditions that punish a population but they don't, as we can see, deter aggression. And the super wealthy elite don' feel the pinch. Even should the Russian people force the hand of Putin's oligarchs and generals and arrange his exit, there's no guarantee Putin's successor will be much better. But even that will not bring about an end to the destruction of Ukraine. The truth is that only overwhelming force deters aggression. That's how the Axis powers were defeated the last time war on this scale took place in Euurope. I know it's not a popular notion but it's the only one that works. Sure, there's always the alternative of Ukraine capitulating in surrender. But that would leave Putin with the very prize he set out to claim in the first place. Then he could regroup and go about selecting his next targets of opportunity. No one believes he's going to stop with Ukraine. And NATO will still be facing the bully bear in its backyard. Maybe it will resort again to hand wringing and sanctions?

Your disciplined, Trump-like approach to international relations is surely the way to go. I marvel at your consistently positive outlook to life. Keep spreading the sunshine, my friend.

Frankly, I don't know anyone who intends to travel that is deterred by silly CDC recommendations. If you followed the CDC advice, you'd only venture out to empty the trash.

While I agree Russia in not on a manufacturing par with the US or China, it is a superpower in areas other than its nuclear arsenal. It has the world's largest proven gas reserves, the second-largest coal reserves, the eighth-largest oil reserves, and the largest oil shale reserves in Europe. Russia is also the world's leading natural gas exporter and second largest natural gas producer. Russia is the world's top exporter of wheat. Not only is Russia the world's third-largest producer of gold, but it also has the fifth largest gold reserves. It's also a major producer of nickel, palladium, platinum, magnesium. And it was Russia that admitted China into the nuclear club, sharing its atomic secrets following the Korean war, something Putin casually reminds Xi Jinping of from time to time. So well its excursion in Ukraine doesn't bode well for the bear, it will be falling back on some valuable assets.

Actually, the idea is to curb Russia's imperialistic tendencies. Many in Europe don't think that's such a bad idea. That's a lot of conjecture in one mouthful. Nevertheless, if it wasn't for the navies of the US, UK, Australia and a few others, the entire South China Sea (to wit: the eleven-dash line) would be governed by China's imperialistic tendencies and blocked to free navigation. Given that there are only three superpowers, and two of them are Russia and China, the expectation for the third defaults to the US. Not everyone may always agree with its actions, but most are damn glad that it has skin in the game.

From The Thaiger Phuket welcomed its first group of Test & Go travellers entering the island province by sea and tourism officials say more visitors travelling on cruise ships and yachts will be entering under the quarantine exemption scheme. On March 1, the Centre for Covid-19 Situation Administration eased travel restrictions, allowing Test & Go travellers to enter Thailand by land and sea, not just air. Under the entry scheme, travellers must undergo an RT-PCR Covid-19 on arrival. Those travelling by air must stay at an approved hotel or resort for a night while they wait for their results while those travelling by sea must isolate on the yacht or cruise ship. Yesterday, Phuket provincial authorities and relevant departments welcomed the first group of tourists who travelled from Singapore by the Malaysian yacht named “The Maggie.” The ship had docked at Ao Por Grand Marina, which was developed to be a so-called “smart pier” equipped with auto gates, CCTV with temperature detector, and passport scanner. The Director of Phuket’s TAT, Nanthasiri Ronnasiri, office shared that tourists from yachts and cruise ships are a target market as they have a high spending potential. She added that most groups came from European and Mediterranean countries, and some came from neighbouring countries.

From The Thaiger The Thai government says Covid ain’t stoppin’ this year’s Songkran celebrations but insists that disease prevention measures will need to be followed. What that means for the mass water fights that were emblematic of the pre-pandemic celebrations remains unclear for now. According to a (source), PM Prayut Chan-o-cha has given the green light for interprovincial travel and “all related activities” over the Thai New Year holiday, between April 13 and 15. However, spokesman Thanakorn Wangboonkongchana adds that the PM wants everyone to comply with disease prevention measures, – that is, Vaccination, Universal Prevention, Covid-free settings, and ATK testing. The CCSA meets on March 18 to agree on the measures that will apply to the Songkran holiday period, with the PM suggesting everyone taking part in water-throwing parties should have received a third vaccine dose and should also take an ATK test before and after travelling.

Imperialist games??? Could you please elaborate.

Sometimes an illusion is just--if not more--powerful than the real thing. We conjure vigorous sexual fantasies all the time that frequently outdo our real ones. Or to put it in a medical context, the placebo effect.

From Phnom Penh Post Foreigners wanting to enter Laos need to register to get a QR code (Vaccine ID) online at “laogreenpass.gov.la” in order to certify their vaccination status and RT-PCR test result, authorities have announced. The QR code also enables Lao authorities to track the risk status of circle 1 (C1) and circle 2 (C2) of foreign arrivals. To register for the QR code, an applicant needs to fill out a form online, giving passport details, a vaccination or treatment certificate issued not less than six months ago, a hotel booking, life insurance/Covid-19 insurance, and a Covid-19 test certificate issued not more than 72 hours earlier, which can be sent later. To proceed with registration, applicants must go to the “laogreenpass.gov.la” website, fill in the information fields and upload the application form. Once the form has been successfully uploaded, the applicant must wait until the Covid-19 taskforce has checked that the form has been filled in correctly. Once the form has been accepted, the applicant will receive an email with a QR code. For more information, applicants are advised to visit the “laogreenpass.gov.la” website or call mobile number +856-20-2880-0262. As of March 4, some 22 applications had been approved. Another 156 applications are pending and one was rejected, according to authorities in charge.