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There's no debating that participating in any sport that requires collision at speed poses physical risks. Any number of studies have confirmed them. What has not been discussed are the social benefits that accrue to those who choose to accept the risks of being a team player. There is certainly oodles of money to be made on the professional golf circuits, tennis tournaments and other solo spots. But only a minuscule number of athletes attain these professional ranks. The overwhelming majority are drawn to amateur team sports. In return for accepting the risks, they come to know the camaraderie that can't be realized in other pursuits. That's why American youths play football, Canadians hockey, British rugby, and much of the rest of the world soccer and a mix of other team endeavors. It's a right of passage for many. Yes, the risks are plain but it's not all that surprising that the need for social acceptance wins out in the end. We can't always exist in a cocoon of total safety. We can--and should--make sports as risk free as possible through the imposition of rules and codes of conduct but never through bans on participation.

From Channel News Asia Social platform helps small eateries survive Wilailak Thanakitwibul, 68, cooks for a customer at Three Aunties', a small eatery on Bangkok's Samran Rat road. (Photo: Pichayada Promchertchoo) BANGKOK: The sound of a metal spatula against a wok was a familiar greeting to visitors at a small eatery on Samran Rat road. Aromatic smoke, sometimes with a spicy note of chillies, and the sizzling of food over hot flames used to fill its little unpretentious space on the ground floor of an old shophouse. For five decades, its occupants - three sisters now in their 60s and 70s - have cooked and served an array of local dishes to generations of customers. Their eatery Three Aunties’ is one of many in Bangkok’s historic neighbourhood known as Pratu Pee or ‘Ghost Gate’ among Thais. Once an exit way for dead bodies from Bangkok’s old city, the area is home to numerous street-food legends, whose culinary fame and mouthwatering dishes such as Phad Thai noodles and Ba Chang sticky rice dumplings had long attracted throngs of foodies. Today, the neighbourhood is unusually quiet. COVID-19 and various lockdown measures have dealt a heavy blow to the restaurants. People stay at home to avoid infections and many have less spending power than before. With hardly any walk-in customers for more than a year, small eateries are struggling to survive. “We used to make 3,000 to 4,000 baht (US$92 to US$122) per day but right now, we can barely make 1,000 baht,” said 68-year-old Wilailak Thanakitwibul from Three Aunties’. Scant income has caused the siblings to slip into debt and dejection. They owe their landlord two months’ rent and have to live sparingly to get by. Knowing they may not have any customers, the three sisters have no choice but to open their eatery every day and hope for the best. “We can’t stop because the rent is more than 500 baht per day,” Wilailak said. “It’s so exhausting to earn some money these days. Still, there have been some lucky days with hundreds of orders, thanks to a community-driven platform called Locall. According to its co-founder Peangploy Jitpiyatham, Locall is a by-product of the pandemic, formed in April last year by a civil society network named SATARANA. Its digital platform allows customers to place orders for select restaurants and cafes in different neighbourhoods, focusing on small and elderly sellers with no access to online delivery services. They also engage unemployed community members who wish to deliver food from local sellers to customers. Continues with photos https://www.channelnewsasia.com/asia/thailand-covid-19-local-platform-help-eateries-2145106

Readers are generally of two minds when it comes to just what they would prefer that the superpowers do with all that power they possess. There are those who wish them to do absolutely nothing beyond acting in self defense if attacked, presumably by another superpower. Others would have them take overt action to defend the underdog in places like Myanmar, Taiwan, Ukraine and multiple other locations across the globe. And then there are others who want it both ways (no pun intended). In the wake of reaction to military adventurism noted above over the past few centuries, it seems unlikely that those nations with the most assets will be lining up to dispatch troops to another land regardless of how downtrodden its inhabitants may be. What is likely is the employment of more non-military action such as trade sanctions and embargoes, and perhaps in select places the use of stand off (over-the-horizon) weapons. It's one thing to engage ad infinitum in armchair analysis but another altogether to put forth a system that brings justice without the violence of imperialism. The United Nations, and the League of Nations before it, haven't been able to achieve that lofty goal. In many cases, NATO ended up being the post war default mechanism. We're free to judge for ourselves how well that's served member nations. As I write, there are leaders within the European Union discussing the pros and cons of an EU army to face up to future geopolitical threats there. Generally it sounds like NATO Light and I doubt its supporters envision it in any way well suited for deployment beyond EU geography. So where does that all leave those whose hue and cry demand a better Afghanistan, a humane Myanmar, a secure Taiwan, a non-threatening North Korea, and peaceful places in much of the African continent and beyond? Perhaps it will be ad-hoc contributions like we see taking place now in Afghanistan where Qatar and Turkey have joined efforts to restart the air traffic control system. Neither are superpowers in the military sense but both possess diplomatic leverage beyond their weight class. Maybe, just maybe, we're seeing solutions emerge that were not on the radar just a few months earlier.

From Channel News Asia The coup has upended the plans and dreams of many people in Myanmar. (*Names have been changed to protect the individuals’ identities.) YANGON: Eight months ago, artist Zar Ni* was, in his words, just like every other young man. The 21-year-old was busy making plans and wanted to study abroad after the COVID-19 pandemic was over. “I had so many things I wanted to do,” he said. Then on Feb 1, the Myanmar military seized power from the civilian National League for Democracy (NLD) government and detained its de facto leader Aung San Suu Kyi and others. Zar Ni was shocked, then upset and unsure of what to do next. He now feels as if his future has been “snatched away”. “I had so many plans ahead. They’ve destroyed all my dreams,” he told the programme Insight. He is not alone in feeling a sense of loss. Grocery shop owner Ko Toe* said his countrymen have “lost all hope”. Doctors and hospital beds are in short supply as COVID-19 rages. Myanmar has seen many public servants, including healthcare workers, going on strike in protest at military rule, joining a widespread civil disobedience movement. “Our healthcare situation is hopeless. We’re helpless,” said Ko Toe, 49, who spoke on condition of anonymity. “You can’t go to hospitals. You’d be denied entry. You try to treat yourself at home with oxygen. It’s almost impossible to get a doctor to see a patient.” Adding to the pain are the rocketing prices of basic goods such as coffee and detergent, he said. According to journalist Ko Than Lwin*, “there are fights everywhere”. “We’re in a civil war now,” said the 40-year-old, stressing that the people do not accept military rule and armed oppression. On a personal level, he feels his future is “very dim”. “When I look forward, all I see is darkness,” he added. The junta seized power citing allegations of fraud in the November 2020 parliamentary elections won by the NLD. Since the coup, amid the protests and resistance from insurgent groups, the military has killed over 1,000 civilians, according to human rights group Assistance Association for Political Prisoners. The country is also battling a third COVID-19 wave. There have been more than 406,000 cases and over 15,000 deaths in Myanmar since the pandemic began. Continues with photos https://www.channelnewsasia.com/cna-insider/under-military-rule-young-burmese-speak-destroyed-dreams-futures-snatched-away-2155591

From Pattaya News Cambodian man rescued after floating for two days in the Gulf of Thailand near Rayong A Cambodian man who was floating in the Gulf of Thailand for two days near Rayong has been rescued by the Royal Thai Navy. The Royal Thai Navy First Area Command reports their team called the ‘We Care, We Protect squad’ rescued a Cambodian man who had previously been working on a Thai fishing boat early yesterday morning (September 3rd). The Cambodian man, who wasn’t named by the Royal Thai Navy, told officers he fell down from the Thai fishing boat ‘Chock Pawin Chai’. He was found in the sea near Rayong Bay. He survived, according to the man, two days in the ocean by hanging onto debris he found. No identification cards were found with him. Due to language barriers, it was difficult to communicate with the Cambodian man. Officers are investigating the incident and have reached out to contact his employer in the fishing industry to determine what happened. The Royal Thai Navy also noted in a statement that small fishing boats were at risk during heavy recent storms and monsoon season and should take regular precautions. Continues with photo https://thepattayanews.com/2021/09/04/cambodian-man-rescued-after-floating-for-two-days-in-the-gulf-of-thailand-near-rayong/ ===================================== Dutch man rescued from forest after four days of being missing in Phetchaburi A Dutchman, who had been missing since Tuesday, August 31st, was found alive and in decent condition in a forest reserve in the Tha Yang district last night. This is, notes TPN media, the second case of an older foreigner lost in the woods in Thailand this week, with a similar case reported by us yesterday here. The man, 79-year-old Francis Kas van Rossum, had gone missing Tuesday after drinking beer, according to his wife Mrs. Rachot Chanwijit, 61-years-old. He had last been seen riding a motorbike near the Khao Noi Monastery in Ban Khong Ta Bang. Rachot had managed to speak with her husband over the phone on the morning of September 2nd, in which he stated he was lost in the woods in the Tha Yang area. It was unclear how or why he had entered this area, which is a dense forest reserve. After this, she lost contact as Francis’ battery on his phone had run out. At 11:00 P.M. last night, September 3rd, 2021, Francis was located about 700 meters from a city road in a thick forest reserve in the Huai Mae Phiang sub-district of Tha Yang. He was found sleeping in a small puddle, wearing a t-shirt and shorts, and other than mosquito bites and some scratches, as well as exhaustion, appeared to be in good physical condition. Rescue workers brought him to his relatives at the Tha Mai Ruak Police Station. Francis had been located by local villagers at a farm nearby who while searching for potential food in the reserve saw Francis’s blue motorcycle parked in the woods and later located him lying in the puddle. The villagers immediately called rescue services and teams for assistance. Continues with photos https://thepattayanews.com/2021/09/04/dutch-man-rescued-from-forest-after-four-days-of-being-missing-in-phetchaburi/

From Pattaya Mail The Red Piano, made famous by the Tomb Raider blockbuster, is firmly shuttered. ByBarry Kenyon Tired of staring at the bleak pics of what used to be Pattaya’s Walking Street? Spare a thought for the fate of its Cambodian relative: Pub Street in Siem Reap. Both are still padlocked and undergo an overnight curfew as well as a ban on booze. In their heyday, both catered for entertainment-seeking European and Australian tourists, although Pub Street somehow attracted a younger backpacker crowd compared with the middle-aged and elderly Pattaya devotees. The main difference was that Pub Street had a sense of giggly fun which was missing from Walking Street in its latter years. Only in Pub Street could you sample fried tarantula appetizers, cold draft beer at 50 US cents and nibbling fish which could cure painful gout in your big toe. Not to mention cocktails served from a chamber pot bucket at the Red Piano, made famous by Angelina Jolie’s blockbuster movie Tomb Raider. Pattaya’s Walking Street by contrast was always dominated by the serious (and often dour) business of selling sex. No go-go bars in Siem Reap. Whilst Walking Street can trace its origins to the 1960s as a rest and recreation base for American servicemen, Pub Street began in earnest in 1998 with the opening of the Angkor WHAT? bar, quickly followed by many others. By 2007 the term Pub Street was officially coined by locals and travelers as the bar and restaurant scene spread to two parallel alleys known as The Lane and The Passage. The futures of the two streets look very different. The Walking Street bar and club owners sense that the future is bleak. The government, the local authority and Chinese investors in the Eastern Economic Corridor (scoff if you like) have other ideas. Indeed, many of the foreigners who used to run the girly-shops have already left Thailand for good. But the expats in Siem Reap have mostly stayed to bide their time until the virus runs its course. Pub Street is not under threat. The Pattaya authorities are taking advantage of the tourist dearth to make massive infrastructure changes which are good or bad according to your perspective. Yet they pale into insignificance compared with the “38-road project” in Siem Reap. There, a total of 108 kilometer roads are undergoing total reconstruction to catapult the province into metropolitan area status. Issues such as transportation, sewage systems, walkways and rainwater runoffs are receiving grandiose attention. The boom in residential and commercial properties has already begun in anticipation. Commercial sex has never primarily sold Siem Reap, although it obviously existed if you knew where to look. The popular key has always been the temple complex of Angkor Wat, a UNESCO world heritage site, which has 20 major investment projects proposed in the 2020-2035 Siem Reap tourist development masterplan. A recent proposal to build a huge Disneyworld-type pleasure park within sight of the temples has mercifully been vetoed by the Cambodian Department of Culture. That kind of intervention doesn’t happen in Thailand. t is too early to ascertain the future of tourism in the two bases. The virus is in charge of all our lives. Much depends on immigration policy in the two countries – welcoming or not – and whether the Chinese government wants its citizenry to overrun neighboring countries on annual holiday jaunts. But it is very clear that whilst the Walking Street will not resume its former functions, Pub Street will be back. Nobody wants to knock it down. Continues with photos https://www.pattayamail.com/latestnews/news/pattayas-walking-street-mirrored-in-siem-reaps-pub-street-370422

If ever there was a location to make a science fiction film, Cambodia is surely that place. From Variety Courtesy of Robert Leitzell A book of dreams, teenagers searching for buried treasure and a quest to digitally manufacture spiritual enlightenment constitute the intriguing ingredients of “Karmalink,” a fresh and highly entertaining sci-fi mystery-adventure set in a near-future Phnom Penh. Driven by Buddhist concepts of karma and rebirth, and underscored by commentary on Cambodia’s past, present and potential future, this striking feature debut by U.S. filmmaker Jake Wachtel takes viewers on a fascinating and frequently wondrous expedition to a place where science and metaphysics intersect. “Karmalink” should enjoy a strong festival run and broad VOD distribution following its world premiere at Venice Critics’ Week. It has theatrical potential, especially in regional markets with substantial Buddhist populations. U.S. and Cambodian release details are yet to be announced. Phnom Penh might not seem like the obvious setting for science-fiction (indeed, this is the first sci-fi film ever made in Cambodia), but it proves to be an ideal backdrop for a tale that anchors its high-concept premise in centuries-old spiritual beliefs. Some pockets of the rapidly developing city already resemble one of those gleaming new worlds from a sci-fi movie. Minor cgi enhancement of skylines and selected streetscapes, and signs advertising the “Phnom Penh to Beijing Bullet Train” are all that’s required to give the film a convincing futuristic ambience. There’s a strong retro-future feel to the surroundings of Leng Heng (Leng Heng Prak), a-13 year-old boy from the crowded working class community of Tralop Bek. Along with his sisters and mother (Sveng Socheata), Heng lives with his grandmother (Oum Savem). The elderly woman wears a high-tech headset provided by Dr. Sophia (Cindy Sirinya Bishop), a smiling neuroscientist studying memory loss. While Leng Heng’s mother leads a protest group resisting forced relocation of Tralop Bek residents to make way for yet more urban development (always a hot-button issue in Phnom Penh), the boy’s most immediate concern is making sense of his dreams and how they relate to his past lives. The object Leng Heng most frequently draws in his book of dream memories is a gold Buddha statue that was stolen and buried by a thief (Ros Mony, aka Rous Mony) many centuries ago. Like most smart kids in adventure movies, Leng Heng rallies his pals and hatches a plan. All they need to do is follow clues in his dreams and retrieve the valuable artifact, thus providing financial security for their families while Leng Heng gains closer understanding of his previous incarnations. The boys have enthusiasm but lack project managemAnswering Leng Heng’s call for help is Srey Leak (Srey Leak Chhith), a clever young orphan known for her ability to find things and trade them for a profit. After negotiating highly favorable financial terms for herself, Srey Leak marshals the plan and the lads with delightful, no-nonsense authority. In a beautiful little moment that says so much about the film’s Buddhist outlook, Srey Leak tells Leng Heng’s mother she’s helping him to “sort out his past lives” in the same matter-of-fact way that kids elsewhere might talk about doing math homework together.ent and detective skills. As the treasure hunt gathers pace, the screenplay by Wachtel and Christopher Sean Larsen gradually increases the prevalence and importance of traditional sci-fi elements. Part of the youngsters’ investigations involve “nanobugs,” small electronic devices which attach to the forehead like a third eye and allow users to see into dreams and experience convincing augmented reality. “These augmented hipsters are ruining everything,” Srey Leak complains. Most important is the emergence of Dr. Vattanak Sovann (Sahajak Boonthanakit), a brilliant neuroscientist who escaped his homeland during U.S. bombings in the 1970s. Glimpsed earlier with his body hooked up to a bank of electronic instruments, Dr. Sovann is playing an increasingly important role in Leng Heng’s dreams and appears to have a connection with Dr. Sophia’s research. At this point “Karmalink” becomes a magical spiritual mystery tour, with Leng Heng’s dreams intensifying and characters such as the statue thief reappearing in different guises, and also in the boy’s present-time reality. With expert cutting by editors Harrison Atkins and Stephanie Kaznocha, it’s easy to make sense of everything, even as the narrative leaps about in time, dreams criss-cross with reality and Dr. Sovann’s quest to synthesize spiritual enlightenment comes into focus. Adding to the mystery is the question of whether Dr. Sovann is alive, dead or somewhere in-between. Continues at https://variety.com/2021/film/reviews/karmalink-review-chiet-krawy-1235054335/

From The Thaiger / Asean Now A real estate firm is predicting that the market for condos in Thailand hot spots like Bangkok, Phuket, and Pattaya will be rebounding soon with the continued trend of foreign investment, a majority of which are Chinese. China has long been a driving force in purchasing condos in Thailand. The business development manager of Saensiri is predicting the uptick once Covid-19 outbreaks are wrangled and brought under more control and general vaccinations across the Thai population increases. The manager said that foreigners make up the vast majority of those purchasing condos throughout Thailand, with 80% of the 325 billion baht industry being driven by international buyers. Of those international buyers, Chinese investors are by far the most dominant purchasers, with 50% of all acquisitions of condos in the last 2 years coming from China and another 30% coming from Hong Kong. The last 20% of buyers also include Taiwanese clients, some American customers, and then mostly buyers from European countries, especially those in the United Kingdom, France, and Germany making purchases of condos. While statistics show that the majority of westerners look towards purchasing condos in Thailand as a destination for a holiday home, they are still keen on renting out their home when they are not residing in Thailand. On the other hand, the majority of buyers from Hong Kong and China seek to purchase condos in Thailand as an investment and aim to make them purely rental properties. https://thethaiger.com/hot-news/economy/80-of-condos-in-thailand-sold-to-foreigners-50-china

From Thai Enquirer Major protest called for Friday Thousands of people gathered in downtown Bangkok on Thursday night to protest the government of General Prayut Chan-ocha. Thai student groups and pro-democracy redshirt groups are calling for a protest Friday in Bangkok to oppose the government of General Prayut Chan-ocha and to highlight the government’s mismanagement of the Covid-19 situation. Several protests have taken place over the last week including one attended by thousands on Thursday evening. The various protest groups have rallied together to demand the ouster of one-time coup leader and current Prime Minister Prayut Chan-ocha. Another major rallied has been called for on Friday in Bangkok’s old town with rally goers expected to arrive by 4pm. https://www.thaienquirer.com/32160/major-protest-called-for-friday-in-bangkok-against-prayut-government/

Somebody didn't get the memo From Bangkok Post An armed man in food delivery clothing who robbed a gold shop in a mall in Pak Chong district of Nakhon Ratchasima on Wednesday and shot the owner is reported to be a local policeman. The robber made off with 126 baht weight of gold jewellery worth about 3.5 million baht. Pak Chong police and investigators from Provincial Police Region 3 later arrested Pol Cpl Anucha Boon-arak, 25, at his house in tambon Khanong Phra of the same district, Thai media reported on Friday. Pol Cpl Anucha is based at Pak Chong police station. During questioning, he allegedly admitted to having robbed the shop and showed the arresting officers where he had hidden the gold. He was apprehended after police investigators examined footage from security cameras in the Big C shopping mall, the reports said. Pol Col Manop Phutchong, superintendent of Pak Chong station, said on Friday that investigators realised the robber looked much like Pol Cpl Anucha, and even walked like him. https://www.bangkokpost.com/thailand/general/2176051/gold-shop-robber-reported-to-be-local-policeman

From BBC Travel flock of birds glided below me as I peered down from the wicker basket of a drifting hot air balloon above the Malaysian city of Putrajaya. The creatures gracefully flapped their grey wings as they passed the city’s nest of skyscrapers en route to their nearby habitat at the Putrajaya Wetlands Park, the largest man-made freshwater wetlands in Malaysia. Nearly 100 bird species reside in this 200-hectare oasis of marshes, ponds and forest, and it's a valuable habitat for 1,800 species of insects, 16 types of amphibians, 22 species of reptiles and 16 types of mammals. It's hard to believe that this serene sanctuary home to macaques, flamingos, otters, boars and civets is just 2km north of the mint-green Islamic dome that decorates Perdana Putra, the colossal office of the prime minister of Malaysia. This sprawling eco-haven was part of the bold vision of the man who long occupied Perdana Putra: Mahathir Mohamad. No politician has left as large an imprint on Malaysia as Mahathir. Malaysia has been an independent nation for 64 years, and Mahathir was prime minister for 24 of those, with his second leadership stint ending in 2020. While his tenures were tinged with controversy, Mahathir’s aggressive development strategies helped Malaysia build one of Asia’s fastest-growing economies in the 1990s. Several of Kuala Lumpur's largest monuments testify to his ambition – chief among them the massive Kuala Lumpur International Airport and the iconic 452m-tall Petronas Twin Towers. But his boldest project of all was Putrajaya, Malaysia's "other" capital city. he airport took flight in 1998; the twin towers rose that same year; and in 1999 Putrajaya became the new seat of the Malaysian Federal Government to help address overcrowding in Kuala Lumpur. The modern, planned city bloomed out of a messy patch of rubber and oil palm plantations. Lying just 25km south of Kuala Lumpur, which remains the national capital, Putrajaya now serves as Malaysia’s administrative and judicial capital, home to many of its government offices. Yet, despite being wedged between one of the world's most visited cities, Kuala Lumpur, and Malaysia's historical city of Malacca, Malaysia's "other" capital seems to hide in plain sight. Like countless other travellers, during my first dozen trips to Kuala Lumpur, the most I saw of Putrajaya was a series of quick glances from the expressways that connects Kuala Lumpur's airport with the city centre. My curiosity eventually lured me to explore this overlooked city twice: first in a hot air balloon; and later on foot. The few tourists who do visit Putrajaya are richly rewarded. Putrajaya’s downtown is marked by contemporary architecture infused with traditional Islamic designs. Gleaming skyscrapers are adorned by Arabesque patterns with geometric or floral motifs. The city’s Iron Mosque, meanwhile, boasts the kind of cutting-edge steel-and-glass architecture you’d expect to find in Tokyo or Beijing. Similarly modern is the Putrajaya Convention Centre, an avant-garde creation inspired by the Pending Perak, a silver belt buckle from the royal regalia of Malay sultans. The city is also home to one of the world's only pink mosques, the massive Masjid Putra – as well as impressive museums, a large shopping precinct and one of Asia’s cleanest and greenest cityscapes, with 37% of its land dedicated to parks and open public spaces. Building Putrajaya from scratch also afforded generous opportunities for innovation. Mahathir’s goal was to make Putrajaya Malaysia’s most eco-friendly urban centre and its most modern. Inside a large command centre, Putrajaya city staff monitor a tsunami of digital data from sensors and CCTV cameras placed all over the metropolis, according to Tengku Aina Ismail, director of communications for Putrajaya Corporation, the government entity that runs the federal city. The cameras quickly identify and then alert staff about problems with traffic, crime, pollution or infrastructure; and the command centre also monitors the city’s weather data, its e-government services, its cashless commercial system (which lets residents pay for goods and services using a phone app) and even the health of Putrajaya Lake and the surrounding wetlands. Continues with photos https://www.bbc.com/travel/article/20210901-putrajaya-the-capital-city-youve-never-heard-of

Photo from Coconuts Bangkok ....Police detain an ostrich in Chon Buri. https://thepattayanews.com/2021/09/02/ostrich-caught-at-mall-after-escaping-farm-and-running-loose-on-chonburi-roads/ ....Riders want to boycott the Skytrain The Foundation for Consumers (FFC) called on Thursday for a ban on BTS Skytrain service after the company cancelled the sale of monthly pass tickets by asking the government to take action immediately. https://www.thaienquirer.com/32127/ffc-calls-for-ban-on-bts-skytrain-after-company-ditches-monthly-ticket-sales/ ....The PM vows to dissolve parliament if he had done anything "ungentlemanly". https://www.bangkokpost.com/thailand/politics/2174835/pm-rejects-cabinet-revamp-talk ....A speakeasy opens in Thonburi. https://coconuts.co/bangkok/food-drink/bangkok-speakeasy-samuser-reopens-near-wongwian-yai/

From Pattaya Mail / Variety The TV series to be shown in limited episodes will tell the story of 12 young players of the “Wild Boar” Football team, who, along with their coach, became trapped in a cave in Northern Thailand in 2018. Netflix announces producers and cast of Tham Laung cave series to be filmed in Northern Thailand, and aired in 2022. The TV series to be shown in limited episodes will tell the story of 12 young players of the “Wild Boar” Football team, who, along with their coach, became trapped in a cave in Northern Thailand in 2018. The incident caught the attention of the world, including international movie makers. According to Variety Magazine, producers of this drama will include Dana Ledoux Miller and Michael Russell Gunn from “Designated Survivor” , also aired on Netflix. Thai producer Nattawut Poonpiriya from “Bad Genuis”, American directors Jon Chu from “Crazy Rich Asians” and Kevin Tancharoen from “Marvel’s Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.” will feature in the shooting of the film as well. “I am excited and honored to be bringing the Tham Luang story to the screen,” Poonpiriya said in a statement. “My goal is to craft an authentic portrayal of what happened with respect to the experiences of those who were there. In partnership with talented Asian-American storytellers like Jon M. Chu and Kevin Tancharoen, we are confident that our retelling of this remarkable story will resonate with audiences worldwide.” 25 year old “Beam” Papangkorn Lerkchaleampote will act as Coach “Ek”, the young football coach of the “Wild Boar” football team, trapped with 12 school-age team members in the cave; newcomers will appear as the 12 boys. The much anticipated film will be shot in Northern Thailand, and be released in 2022. (NNT) https://www.pattayamail.com/thailandnews/netflix-unveils-plans-for-cave-rescue-series-to-be-shot-in-northern-thailand-370266 Additional coverage https://www.msn.com/en-us/entertainment/news/netflix-reveals-cast-and-showrunners-for-thai-cave-rescue-limited-series/ar-AANXxSk

From Thai Enquirer Royal Gazette announces revision of Police Code of Ethics The Royal Thai Government Gazette published a new announcement Thursday, addressing the revision of the Police Code of Ethics into seven new rules that will come into effect immediately. All officials must adhere to the main institutions of the country, namely nation, religion, the monarchy, and constitutional democracy with the King as the Head of State. Police officials must perform their duty for their state with an expression of national pride, while above all maintaining the interests of the overall Kingdom and respecting all religions followed by citizens. Honesty and integrity: all officials must perform their duty as according to the law with clear transparency and never seek personal benefits. All officials must hold, above all, the responsibility and accountability to investigate, admit wrongdoings, and be conscientious, while holding the people, human dignity, the environment, and nation at the heart of their duty. The courage to make the right decisions and stand up for righteousness: the courage for officials to stand up and speak out for what is right and wrong, without personal prejudice or personal benefits in mind. To refuse to partake in activities related to personal or private gains and to not associate themselves with or support those who commit wrongdoings, especially those in position of authority. To never abuse the trust of the Thai citizens, and to always be impartial as agents of the Thai judicial process. To always prioritize the needs of the public over their own: to have the public’s interest at heart, with the willingness to unite and sacrifice for the greater good of the country. To strive for the success, efficiency, and quality of their work and duty: to efficiently perform their duty with efficiency and righteousness, while always keeping in mind the safety and security of the people in the country. To uphold international ethical standards while always striving for self-improvement and professional development. To believe in the process of working as a unit, as a team, in full service for the people of the country. To reveal information that is transparent and necessary for the progress and justice within the Kingdom. To perform their duty honorably and without prejudice: to always uphold equality above all else while performing their duties, and to never use their personal prejudice or biases to side with any particular group or person, whether it is by their background, race, religion, gender, personal beliefs, age, education, or political preferences. To always respect the dignity, right, and differences of each individual, and to always stay neutral in politics. To always remain an example of a good public servant: to maintain and perform their duty as an ideal image of a government official serving as a peacekeeper and gaining trust from their people. To always treat people with politeness, humility, and respect, to never abuse and exercise their power senselessly for personal gains and benefits. To lead a simple life, while adopting the principles under the Sufficiency Economy philosophy as written by His Royal Highness, and to apply the religious doctrines accordingly in order to behave as good citizens who respect the law and discipline of the country. https://www.thaienquirer.com/32135/royal-gazette-announces-revision-of-police-code-of-ethics-following-joe-ferrari-case/

From Bangkok Post Tourism minister backs reopening The tourism minister has defended the country's reopening plan as promised by the prime minister, stating that five more provinces including Bangkok should be ready for visitors from October, followed by another 21 provinces nationwide. During the no-confidence debate on Wednesday, Phiphat Ratchakitprakarn, the tourism and sports minister, said after Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha vowed to reopen the country by mid-October, the ministry and the Tourism Authority of Thailand were assigned to work closely with provincial governors and local communicable disease committees. However, he said only some provinces or districts are possible to reopen this year under a three-step plan. The first step started with three projects in four provinces: the Phuket Sandbox and Samui Plus schemes on July 1 and July 15, respectively, followed by two provinces, Phangnga and Krabi, under the 7+7 extension plan in mid-August. The second step slated for Oct 1 consists of Bangkok, Chon Buri (Pattaya), Phetchaburi, Prachuap Khiri Khan (Hua Hin) and Chiang Mai, while the third step set for Oct 15 comprises 21 provinces across the country. In the North, six provinces have been selected: Mae Hong Son, Lamphun, Phrae, Nan, Chiang Rai and Sukhothai. Four were chosen in the Northeast: Udon Thani, Nong Khai, Bueng Kan and Ubon Ratchathani. The South had five provinces selected -- Ranong, Trang, Satun, Songkhla and Narathiwat -- while the eastern region chose Rayong, Chanthaburi and Trat. Ayutthaya is planned for the central region, while Kanchanaburi and Ratchaburi are priorities in the western region. https://www.bangkokpost.com/business/2174927/phiphat-backs-reopening-with-a-caveat ====================================== Curfew may be lifted soon, Prayut says The night curfew in dark-red zones may be shortened or lifted, depending on the Covid-19 situation, Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha said on Wednesday. He said the Centre for Covid-19 Situation Administration (CCSA) had eased some disease controls, effective from Wednesday, and he hoped everyone would strictly comply with them. The restrictions could be further relaxed if the situation improved, he said. As for the 9pm-4am curfew, which remained unchanged, Gen Prayut said it could be shortened or lifted entirely -- depending on the number of infections, fatalities and other indications of the seriousness of the situation. The prime minister said he knew the curfew had affected entertainment places. His advice was for associations of owners of pubs, bars and other night spots to discuss the matter with the CCSA, and make suggestions for consideration. https://www.bangkokpost.com/thailand/general/2174875/curfew-may-be-lifted-soon-prayut-says

From Pattaya Mail Koh Larn reopens again Wednesday but will not require visitors to be vaccinated or tested for Covid-19. The island closed for the third time since the start of the pandemic on Aug. 9. The Sept. 1 reopening will see both Thais and foreigners required to show identification and go through the usual gauntlet of social distancing measures, but do not have to show proof of any Covid-19 vaccination or negative coronavirus test results. Ferry service to and from Bali Hai Pier and Koh Larn’s main pier will run at 7 a.m., noon and 5:30 p.m. Additional times may be added depending on demand. Speedboats also can provide service at higher rates while supply boats will run as usual. Koh Larn’s Restaurants will also open until 8 p.m. with 75 percent capacity for outdoor/non-air-conditioned seating and 50 percent for indoor and air-conditioned. No alcohol sales are allowed. Businesses, including convenience stores, can operate from 4 a.m. to 8 p.m. Hotels can open normally but cannot open swimming pools, meeting rooms or offer party services. Beaches are open for relaxing, but no group activities. Gatherings are limited to five people, and the nighttime curfew remains in place from 9 p.m. to 4 a.m. https://www.pattayamail.com/latestnews/news/koh-larn-tropical-island-opens-wednesday-with-no-vaccine-testing-requirement-369918 =================================== From Kohlarn.com Koh Larn will be reopening Sept. 1, 2021. This is a limited opening, the beaches will be more than likely closed temporarily. The ferry schedule will be limited to 3 times a day and will run 0700 , 1200, 1730. Passports for foreigners or Thai ID for Thai nationals will be required. A 9:00pm to 4:00am curfew will be in effect.

From Coconuts Bangkok A 2019 file photo of Rongros, a riverside restaurant in Bangkok’s Phra Nakhon district. Photo: Coconuts Bangkok In the latest display of competent policy-crafting, the actual regulations enacted last night contradicted last week’s announcement that vaccinations would be required to eat at restaurants in the 29 hardest-hit provinces, including Bangkok. According to what was made formal last night, those eateries need only cap capacity at 75% or 50% for indoor, air-conditioned venues. What was published in the Royal Gazette made no mention of a vaccination requirement. Responding to the confusion, Suwanchai Wattanayingcharoenchai, director of the Disease Control Department, said that the public should stick with the Royal Gazette’s version for now. Only a small portion of the population is fully vaccinated, and it was never clear Bangkok’s tens of thousands of eateries, large and small, were supposed to police health documents. https://coconuts.co/bangkok/news/surprise-restaurant-vaccination-requirement-dropped-for-now/

From Zee News Protesters threaten nationwide march while opposition grills PM over COVID-19 crisis The political opposition accuses the former army chief and five of his cabinet ministers, including deputy prime minister and health minister Anutin Charnvirakul, of corruption, economic mismanagement and of bungling the coronavirus response. Thai lawmakers began a censure debate against Prime Minister Prayuth Chan-ocha on Tuesday (August 31), as opponents threatened to intensify street protests fueled by frustration at his government`s handling of a COVID-19 crisis. The political opposition accuses the former army chief and five of his cabinet ministers, including deputy prime minister and health minister Anutin Charnvirakul, of corruption, economic mismanagement and of bungling the coronavirus response. Prayuth has weathered two previous censure motions and is expected to survive a no-confidence vote scheduled for Saturday, owing to his coalition`s clear parliamentary majority. But the motion is unlikely to appease the youth-led anti-government groups that sought Prayuth`s removal last year and have returned with renewed support from Thais angered by lockdowns, record COVID-19 deaths and a haphazard vaccine rollout. Demonstrators have threatened nationwide protests while the opposition grills Prayuth in parliament. "Every seven minutes a Thai person died because of the blundered management of the COVID-19 situation," opposition leader Sompong Amornwiwat of the Pheu Thai Party said in opening the debate. "There are economic losses of 8 billion baht ($247.60 million) per day from a lack of management and lockdown measures that have failed." Prayuth told parliament the government was always working for public interest. The protests against him, which are outlawed under coronavirus restrictions, have gathered steam in recent weeks, despite frequent, at times violent clashes with police who have responded with tear gas, rubber bullets and water cannon. https://zeenews.india.com/world/protesters-threaten-nationwide-march-while-opposition-grills-thailand-pm-over-covid-19-crisis-2390087.html

From AFP / Channel News Asia Circumcision is rarely questioned in the Philippines and boys face tremendous pressure to undergo the procedure. (Photo: AFP) SILANG: For more than a year, Caspien Gruta has been teased because his circumcision - a rite of passage for boys in the Philippines - was delayed, first by a volcanic eruption and then the coronavirus pandemic. "I worry if I don't get circumcised now, I will be shamed," said Gruta, 12. The Philippines has one of the highest rates of circumcision in the world, with many seeing the centuries-old practice as key for boys to enter manhood. Even as circumcision comes under increasing scrutiny elsewhere, with some critics branding it "child abuse", it is rarely questioned in the Philippines and boys face tremendous pressure to undergo the procedure. Every year, thousands of pre-teens have the operation for free at government or community-sponsored clinics. But last year, the "circumcision season" was cancelled for the first time in living memory due to the virus outbreak, delaying the milestone for many boys like Gruta. Left in limbo - and with their foreskin intact - the boys have been ridiculed by their male relatives and friends. Gruta was one of the oldest boys to line up at a covered basketball court turned make-shift clinic in Silang, Cavite south of Manila, one of the few provinces that have slowly resumed the free service since May. "I feel like I'm a genuine Filipino now because getting circumcised is part of being a Filipino," Gruta said after the 20-minute procedure. Wearing masks and face shields, the boys sat on plastic chairs near a row of wooden tables surrounded by a red curtain. Some looked excited or did their best to appear nonchalant. Others fidgeted as they waited. After removing their shorts, the youngsters lay down on a table with their legs hanging over the edge and their groin covered by an operating sheet. Some bit into a facecloth or covered their eyes as they were given a local anaesthetic. The surgeon then went to work. "I got circumcised because they said I will grow taller and I will get better in sports," said 12-year-old Almer Alciro, who went to another outdoor clinic for his delayed procedure. His family could not afford a private hospital where the operation costs as much as 12,000 pesos (US$240) - more than what many workers earn in a month. While he waited for the free service to resume, Alciro's friends mocked him as "uncircumcised" - an insult similar to coward in a country where the procedure is a badge of masculinity. "I'm happy that I'm finally circumcised," Alciro said. Circumcision has been practised in the Philippines for centuries, enduring wars and colonisations by Spain and the United States. Male circumcision tends to be more common in nations with significant Muslim or Jewish populations, and less so in Catholic-majority places. Yet around 90 per cent of males are circumcised for non-religious reasons in the Philippines, according to World Health Organization data. Boys as young as eight face social pressure to go under the knife. Even hospital advertisements urge boys to "Be Man Enough". Mass circumcisions are common during the hottest months from April to June when school children are on a long break. Normally hundreds of boys undergo outdoor surgery on a single day, but COVID-19 rules have drastically reduced group sizes. Many areas have yet to restart the free service as they battle COVID-19. The delays have knock-on effects. Circumcision is an important "demarcating line" between boys and men, when the youngsters take on more responsibility in the family and learn about sex, said Nestor Castro, a professor of anthropology at the University of the Philippines. "Once a boy gets circumcised, he already leaves the position of being a child and he is now considered ... as an adult," Castro said. https://www.channelnewsasia.com/asia/philippines-circumcision-covid-19-delayed-boys-2144111

From Coconuts Bangkok Autopsy confirms tortured suspect died of suffocation, not overdose The same hospital that initially backed up the police’s version of events about the death of a suspect in their custody reversed its conclusion today, saying he had indeed died of suffocation at the hands of the officers torturing him. Sawanpracharak Hospital in Nakhon Sawan province today released a new autopsy report pinning the death of 24-year-old Jirapong Thanapat on suffocation by plastic bag – as seen in leaked stationhouse security footage. Deputy chief of the Crime Suppression Division, Col. Anek Taosuphap, said he had read the report and would further investigate the case. Earlier on Aug. 7, one day after Jirapong’s death, the hospital had said he likely died due to high levels of amphetamines found in his urine, a version of events promoted by station chief Col. Thitisan “Chief Joe” Utthanaphol, who now stands accused of torturing him to death. After the footage leaked last week showed that Thitisan and his deputies suffocating Jirapong, Sawanpracharak Hospital came under scrutiny for falsifying its report to help the police officers get away with killing Jirapong. The hospital defended itself last week by saying the autopsy report was only an “initial finding” and not official. It said that Jirapong’s body was brought there Aug. 6 by the police, who said he had collapsed and died trying to escape custody. Although Thitisan, aka “Joe Ferrari” for his collection of ultra-expensive luxury cars, and all the officers involved have been arrested and charged with torturing Jirapong to death, there is wide skepticism that the suspiciously wealthy and well-connected former police chief will face justice. At a bizarre police news conference last week, he admitted to the crime but said he killed him to “protect” Thais from drugs. https://coconuts.co/bangkok/news/autopsy-confirms-tortured-suspect-died-of-suffocation-not-overdose/

Although I applaud any legitimate means of reducing the spread of the virus, I have to wonder if most conventional mouthwashes don't also have a similar effect. From The Nation Mahidol University’s Faculty of Dentistry has patented a new mouthwash that reduces the spread of new coronavirus via patient’s saliva The new mouthwash was developed in research with Mahidol University’s Faculty of Tropical Medicine to find a formula that help reduces the spreading of Covid-19. “We use a safe amount of hydrogen peroxide as an anti-viral agent plus other ingredients that will not irritate the oral cavity,” said Dr Surakit Wisutthiwatthanakorn, director of Mahidol University’s Dentistry Hospital. Surakit added that the trial phase among patients at the Dentistry Hospital revealed that the mouthwash is capable of killing more than 99.9 per cent of new coronavirus in patients’ saliva. “For example, if a patient has 100,000 units of Covid-19 virus in their saliva, after using this mouthwash for one minute, only 41 units will still be alive,” he said. “Furthermore, the mouthwash is able to tackle mutated variants of the virus, as it eliminates the fat layer protecting the virus, rendering it incapable of multiplying.” https://www.nationthailand.com/in-focus/40005468

From The Star PHNOM PENH, Aug 29 (Bernama): Cambodia has allowed its citizens to get a third Covid-19 booster shot to build "real herd immunity,” Anadolu Agency quoted the state-run news agency Agence Kampuchea Press. In a statement released by the government this week, Prime Minister Hun Sen said a third dose of vaccines will be offered to people aged 12 and above. "In order to rapidly build a ‘real herd immunity’ which is a key foundation to protect the people’s lives from Covid-19, particularly the Delta variant or other variants, as well as to get prepared for the plan to reopen all sectors and to live with Covid-19 in a new normal norm, the Royal Government decides to launch the Covid-19 booster shot policy to the general public aged 12 years old and above,” the statement said. The campaign will run until mid-2022, and is conducted on a voluntary and free-of-charge basis, it added. Nearly 8 million people out of the 10 million eligible have been fully vaccinated with the UK-produced Oxford-AstraZeneca, the US-donated Johnson & Johnson, or the Chinese-made Sinovac and Sinopharm vaccines. The Southeast Asian country has a population of 16 million. The kingdom has also began vaccinating children between the ages of 12 and 17 earlier this month, and up to 2 million are expected to be inoculated by early November. https://www.thestar.com.my/aseanplus/aseanplus-news/2021/08/29/cambodia-now-allowing-citizens-to-get-covid-19-booster-shots

From Anthem Press A Longitudinal Study of Young, Rural, Same-Sex-Attracted Men Coming of Age By Jan W. de Lind van Wijngaarden Anthem Studies in Sexuality, Gender and Culture This book presents the very first analysis of male homosexuality in modern rural Thailand that is based on sociological/anthropological research directly with 25 young same-sex attracted men. It explores changes in the way men view and describe their sexuality over time by interviewing them three times over a period of around 18 months. The men are followed during an important transition in their lives: the end of their high school years and the end (in most cases) of their life as a child with parents or extended family at a rural home. Nearly all decided to move to a city to continue their education or to find work. Some also had stints with sex work in one of Thailand’s well-known centers for prostitution. For nearly all men, this transition brought them into contact with new ideas about gender and sexuality, and many experienced an abrupt increase in their opportunities to have sex, leading to a readjustment of their moral universes. The young men in the study were still in the process of figuring out who they were/wanted to be, and many contradictions emerged in their narratives over the period of data collection. These contradictions, and the way they were resolved, presented an opportunity to critically explore the way the social structures in which these young men operate influence the way they think and explain their own sexual/gendered selves, and how changes in these social structures affect their sense of self. A number of explanatory ‘lenses’ are used in the different book chapters that zoom in on different structuring/explanatory frameworks for making sense of gender and sexuality in Thai cultural contexts, as used and applied by the study participants. The first is Buddhism. Buddhist beliefs and traditional ideas about karma, fate, hierarchy, family, masculinity and femininity played important roles in the young men’s childhood understandings about homosexuality and same-sex relations– especially in terms of their cause and morality. The second lens for understanding male homosexuality in Thailand is gender, where men are divided into feminine-oriented bottoms and masculine-oriented tops. A third lens is modernity/the desire to develop and grow, closely linked to Thailand’s globalizing economy and the increasing role of the Internet and social media. The Internet functioned as an important ‘playground’, a platform for trying-out different presentations of the self via Facebook and chat applications – and in many men this resulted in a rejection of their previous self-presentation as effeminate, which they gradually started to associate with being backwards, rural and ‘traditional’. The fourth lens is related to economy. Many of the young men in the study searched for romantic relationships based on complementarity and were looking for boyfriends who had something they did not have—money, a better position in society, or ‘wisdom’/the ability to guide. Most of the more effeminate men saw their sexuality as valuable, and several of the study participants described in this book – especially those coming from poor families – engaged in sex work and used their youth and beauty to find a wealthy long-term partner, in the hope of lifting their families out of poverty, towards a more prosperous future. The fifth lens is nationalism, or more specifically the concept of ‘being a good Thai’; gradually the young men learned that the Thai sense of self and the importance of performing one’s role as a ‘good’ son in public can be used as a strategy to cover-up private behaviors and desires. The sixth and final lens is family. Being ‘good’, respecting elders and elder siblings, financially supporting (grand-)parents, having good manners, meaning ‘acting appropriately in time and space’, gave the young men a way to retain the respect and support of elders and seniors, and determined how they dealt with (non-)disclosure of their sexuality to their families and others and explained their ability and desire to remain part of the mainstream of society. In the final chapter, a discussion about three critical concerns pertaining the health and wellbeing of same-sex attracted Thai men are discussed in the light of this proposed model: the ongoing HIV epidemic, mental health and LGBTI rights. Overall, this book presents significant new insights about the Thai sex/gender system, particularly on how it is affected by processes of globalization and the ascent of the Internet and mobile phones as tools for dating and romance. https://anthempress.com/sociology/books/male-homosexuality-in-21st-century-thailand-pdf

I thought we'd put to bed the notion that otherwise straight men aren't interested in sex with gay men. There are many guys on the board who have a preference for straights--regardless of their nationality. Most of the guys who work the bars and massage shops in Bangkok are straight. That they can service both men and women adds to their utility and--for many admirers--their attractiveness.

From Vietnam News HÀ NỘI — Vietnamese nationals and foreigners can now register online for COVID-19 vaccines, according to Nguyễn Trường Nam, Deputy Head of the Information Technology Department of the Ministry of Health. The ministry has confirmed that anyone over the age 18 can choose one of two ways to register for their vaccination online. “The entire process, from registering for online vaccination to looking up vaccination history and results, can be done on the E-health app. The healthcare sector can monitor quantities of people who registered for vaccination, have received vaccine shots or remain unvaccinated, and the number of vaccines delivered to the venues,” Nam said. He said with the online system, people do not have to visit vaccination venues to register. Information is sent to authorities quickly and they can avoid lost or duplicate information. People must provide information on which priority groups they are in. Based on that information, authorities will arrange vaccination schedules for each group, Nam told Vietnam News Agency. Option One: Directly via the COVID-19 vaccination portal: https://tiemchungcovid19.gov.vn/portal/register-person Option Two: Via the E-health app for phones using Android and iOS that can be downloaded here: https://hssk.kcb.vn/#/sskdt. The website and the E-health app are expected to be updated with an English version in the next few weeks. Foreigners will be able to access these systems to make registration once the English version is completed. https://vietnamnews.vn/society/992011/how-to-register-for-your-covid-19-vaccine-for-vietnamese-and-foreigners.html