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Convenient location on Suan Phlu. https://icomemassage.wixsite.com/i-comemassage

What the government is reluctant to acknowledge is that the economy can not survive without massive supplies of migrant labor, chiefly from Myanmar. The following article from Dec. 20 illustrates the scale of the need. The elites who are the employers and beneficiaries of this influx remain untouchable and unaccountable From Bangkok Post 100,000 migrants waiting to re-enter CHIANG RAI: About 100,000 migrant workers from Myanmar are waiting to return to Thailand as the government is urged to allow them in but regulate their arrival. The news came on Saturday during a seminar to mark International Migrants Day, which falls on Dec 18 each year. The event was hosted by Mae Fa Luang University's School of Social Innovation in Chiang Rai. Suebsakun Kidnukorn, an academic with the university's area-based social innovation research centre, said there are about 24,000 registered migrant workers in Chiang Rai, excluding children, the elderly and undocumented workers. Mr Suebsakun said migrant workers have played an important part in developing Chiang Rai's economy, adding many are now having a hard time crossing the border due to Covid-19 restrictions. As a result, many workers are left stranded along the border, he said, adding the civil sector has stepped in to help stranded Myanmar and Thai migrant workers on both sides. Adisorn Koetmongkol, coordinator of the Migrant Working Group, said the government has not yet allowed migrant workers who had travelled home to return to Thailand. This prompted many migrant workers, particularly from Myanmar, to try entering the kingdom by sneaking across the border, Mr Adisorn said. The pandemic situation in Myanmar has remained severe, and many workers have not been able to find a job, he said. Even though the military has stepped up border surveillance to prevent illegal entry via natural passages, the situation is still worrying, Mr Adisorn noted. Instead of seeing them sneak back across the border, the government should allow them to come but regulate their arrival, adding about 100,000 migrant workers from Myanmar are waiting to return to Thailand. Their flow could be controlled with so many allowed in at a time, and subject to Covid testing and treatment facilities, observers say. Most of them worked here before going back home to escape the pandemic in Thailand, Mr Adisorn said.

From Thai Enquirer Migrant workers are not just a dispensable economic cog but living, breathing humans Opinion By Juwee Vorawandthanachai In both private and public spheres, the blame has often been placed on the migrant workers trying to survive, without the considering the system that ignores the humanity of these vulnerable communities. According to the United Nations International Organization of Migration (IOM), there are approximately 4-5 million migrant workers in Thailand. These workers mostly take up lower-income jobs in various industries like fisheries, construction, and domestic work and are integral to the Thai economy as they keep these industries afloat. In turn, their remittances back home substantially contribute to their family’s income. Although Thailand relies on the labor of these migrant workers to keep our country running, it constantly ignores their existence while also denying them rights to labor protection, safety, and health. Subsequently, Thailand’s COVID response did not to take into account the migrant workers at all. As the government eased up border restrictions, it mandated a 14-day quarantine for all foreigners and required that they pay for the quarantine out of pocket. While requiring a quarantine is crucial to deter the community spread of COVID, by requiring that foreigners pay for their own quarantine accommodations, the government indirectly prioritized wealthier foreigners over the migrant workers. This basically left the migrant workers who were in their home countries without a source of income for themselves and their families. As a result, the migrant workers were compelled, out of desperation, to take drastic measures of risking their lives to cross the border and forego the quarantine that they could not afford. After reaching Thailand, the accommodations that the employers provided for these workers are often in small, cramped rooms. As a result, these migrant workers were forced into closed quarters with each other, without the opportunity to quarantine or socially distance from each other. Due to the low wages that their employers provide, the workers did not have the luxury of looking for other accommodations. This forced the workers to put themselves on the line to keep our industries running. While Thailand’s universal healthcare scheme is hailed as one of our reasons for success in testing and tracing COVID, this scheme does not include foreigners, including migrant workers. With lower-income jobs, these migrant workers could not afford to get tested for COVID. This, combined with the close quarters, allowed for the rapid spread of this disease. Even though the Thai government has now temporarily made COVID testing free and required for migrant workers, it is also further restricting this community’s human rights by locking them in confined spaces and ‘letting the disease run its course.’ It seems as though Thailand views the migrant workers’ labor as essential but deems their lives as dispensable. As the pandemic plays out, the government needs to work to protect the health and wellbeing of every single person living in Thailand, regardless of their wealth or citizenship. So, for now, let’s stop blaming the honest, hardworking people trying to survive in a system that works against them, and instead, let’s hold the people who created this unjust, oppressive system accountable.

Their employers treat migrants employees as chattel. They are only useful because their labor comes cheap. Hopefully what goes around will come around.

From Bangkok Post Covid-zone workers dumped in Samut Prakan Officials meet the Myanmar workers from Samut Sakhon province after they were dumped in Bang Phli district of Samut Prakan late on Tuesday night. (Photo: Sutthiwit Chayutworakan) SAMUT PRAKAN: Fourteen Myanmar workers at a factory in Covid-19-plagued Samut Sakhon province were rushed off the premises and abandoned in neighbouring Samut Prakarn's Bang Phli district on Tuesday night. Police at Bang Kaew station were informed of their presence about 11pm. They were left with their bags on Soi Green Lake, at the entrance to Green Lake housing estate off Bang Na-Trat Road in tambon Racha Thewa. They told police they had worked at the STI Precision Co plastic-moulding plant in Muang district, Samut Sakhon, for about a month. Personnel staff at the company told them on Tuesday evening that police were to inspect the plant and they had to leave the premises. They said 23 workers were to be transported from their workplace to Rayong province. The dumped employees told police that some workers were dropped off from their vehicle on the way. The remaining 14 were taken to Rayong, where they were to be left in a forest. They refused to stay there. The driver asked if any of them had a relative or friend who could accommodate them. They said some relatives and friends worked and lived at a factory on Soi Green Lake in Bang Phli. However, the factory owner rejected them for fear of breaking the law, and their having come from Samut Sakhon, the epicentre of the latest Covid-19 outbreak. So their driver dumped them at the entrance of the Green Lake housing estate. The workers told police they had not been tested for Covid-19 and were desperately in need of help. Local health officials took sample swabs and quarantined them. Police were contacting their employer.

From Thai Enquirer Four takeaways from Thailand’s 2020 local elections Thailand held its first local elections since the 2014 military coup on Sunday, amid the return of local coronavirus transmission and months of political protests. Across the nation, votes were cast for Provincial Administrative Organization (POA) candidates. After a long suspension of local democracy, did these PAO elections mark a new chapter for Thai politics? Is there anything useful we can learn from the results? Here are four key takeaways. 1. A good night for political dynasties Local elections in Thailand has always been dominated by local strongmen, big families and political machines. Pork-barrel politics and patronage ensures local loyalty, while local “persons of influence” (phoo mee itiphon) can use a variety of tactics — legal and not, monetary and otherwise — to deliver votes for a candidate. This election was no different, with hua kanaen (“vote deliverers”) being caught in several provinces. (A selection from recent days: Trang, Nakhon Pathom, Kanchanaburi.) This year was no different, and local bosses made a strong showing nationwide. Some examples which illustrate the general rule: In Chainat, Anusorn Nakasai, brother to Palang Pracharath secretary-general Anucha Nakasai, triumphed. In Buriram, a relative of the local magnate Newin Chidchob won handily. In Sra Kaew, the local Tientong family propelled yet another family member to victory. In Phayao, the brother of Deputy Agriculture Minister Thammanat Promphao won. Thailand, according to Harvard professor Daniel Smith, is a country with one of the world’s highest proportions of dynastic politicians. These local elections will ensure that this trend continues, as offices such as the PAO have traditionally provided banks of candidates for parties to draw from in future parliamentary elections. And even as Thailand has advanced towards more ideologically-driven national conversations, local elections remain driven as much as ever by machine politics. 2. Parties more visible in local elections Political party branding was strong for this year’s local elections. In previous years, candidates often unofficially affiliated with national parties. According to BBC Thai, this is the first year multiple parties officially fielded candidates who campaigned in branded gear. For PAO chairman, The Progressive Movement competed in 42 provinces, Pheu Thai in 25 and the Democrats in two. Palang Pracharath and Bhumjaithai still chose to disallow formal use of party branding even as several closely affiliated candidates ran. But despite attempts to increasingly align local politicians to party brands, it’s still evident that local dynamics will trump the national conversation in most constituencies. It’s also difficult to interpret what the results mean for their parties nationally, given that several candidates are still not running publicly with their parties. The Democrats’ celebration of a victory in Songkla (there only one, given they came short in Satun) is hardly a sign of vitality for a party widely assumed to be headed for extinction, given how other candidates unofficially affiliated with the party performed poorly in other traditional strongholds such as Surat Thani. A trend worth paying attention to moving forward is the increasing number of national politicians who have chosen to enter local politics, which some feel is a more fruitful space than sitting on the opposition benches in parliament. If this continues in the future, the degree of party identification with these politicians will be even higher. 3. The Thaksin brand is still alive, but what about Pheu Thai’s? One race that was given ample attention was Chiang Mai’s PAO chairman election. Pichai Lertpongadsiron ran under the Pheu Thai banner but was facing competition from Bunlert Booranupakorn, who was backed by red shirt leader Jatuporn Promphan. Former Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra, whose public statements and overt interventions in Thai politics have become rarer in recent years, chose to insert himself into this local race in dramatic fashion. On December 3rd, Thaksin sent an open letter written in local dialect to Chiang Mai residents, saying that if his hometown’s people were to abandon him, he would “feel very sad.” Stating that he was unable to act at the national level as Pheu Thai is in the opposition, so he wished to help Chiang Mai solve local problems, which he could do by providing advice to Pichai. Thaksin reminded voters of the years of his premiership and said “good things will return” once Pichai is elected. Thaksin followed up this letter with a recorded video on December 16th, once again in support of Pichai. Pichai duly won the election with a sizable margin. Once again, it is perilous to draw too many conclusions from the results of a local election. But Thaksin’s gambit ultimately worked, and it is evidence that the Thaksin brand remains strong, perhaps more so than his party’s, even as the former premier has spent close to a decade and a half in exile. Pheu Thai itself won only 9 of the PAO chairman seats it contested, which may be a consequence of its weakening at the local level after an extended period in which Palang Pracharath has lured its personnel away. We can only wonder whether the Pheu Thai brand can remain successful if it were to ever distance itself further from Thaksin. 4. On first big play, Progressive Movement falters The Progressive Movement was founded as a new political vehicle for Future Forward Party founder Thanathorn Juangroongrueangkit after he was barred from formally engaging in politics earlier this year. And since its founding, one of the Progressive Movement’s key goals was to act as a platform in local elections nationwide. Publicly, the organization’s leadership had broadcasted high hopes, with Thanathorn saying just one day before the election that the Progressive Movement “must win in a landslide.” But despite the setting of high expectations, there were signs that not all would be well. As the progressive newsletter The Bastion noted, the Election Commission’s decision to hold the election on a weekend between two major holidays and disallow early voting ensures low turnout from voters who live out of province, which were among the key blocs that powered Future Forward’s strong performance in 2019. Yet the final results must still be described as a disappointment for the Progressive Movement. They won 17% of the popular vote in the provinces they contested, which is broadly in line with Future Forward’s nationwide result last year. However, this did not translate to victory in any of the 42 PAO chairman positions they sought. Supporters of the Prayut government have already begun gloating about the results, with commentator Pat Hemasuk declaring that the Progressive Movement “will only win in one province: Twitterburi.” Progressives, in the coming days, will surely point to irregularities and the aforementioned efforts to suppress out of province votes as an explanation for the Progressive Movement’s dismal performance. But there will others who question whether the Progressive Movement is on the wrong track. Thanathorn himself conceded in his press conference that his rhetoric on the monarchy may have affected the results, although a full analysis will have to come later. When combined with waning attendance at pro-reform protests and the track record of opposition candidates in losing several parliamentary by-elections, it will be difficult to deny that soul-searching may be needed.

From Reuters / The Thaiger Hundreds of Thais in South Korea have died in the past 5 years, many from “unknown causes,” according to data reported by the Thomson Reuters Foundation. The majority of recorded deaths are migrants, who are less likely to report abuse or have access to healthcare. The report from Reuters prompted the United Nations to look into the cases as well as the safety of Thai migrants in South Korea. A specialist on labour migration at the UN International Labour Organisation, Nilim Baruah, says the reported data is “concerning and requires attention and investigation.” “Undocumented migrant workers are the least protected and their health and safety are a concern.” At least 522 Thais have died in South Korea since 2015, according to data obtained by Reuters from the Thai embassy in Seoul through a freedom of information request. 84% of the deaths are undocumented Thai migrants. Reuters says 40% of the recorded deaths are due to “unknown causes.” The other 60% were reported as health-related incidents, accidents and suicides. The undocumented migrants in South Korea are often overworked, unable to access healthcare and unlikely to report exploitation due to fears of deportation, according to current and former migrant workers, campaigners and Thai officials. Reporters found that migrants often work in dirty and sometimes dangerous working conditions for little pay.

From The Nation Bangkok orders strict implementation of Covid-19 measures in public places The Bangkok Metropolitan Administration (BMA) on Monday ordered strict implementation of measures at four public spaces – markets, parks, religious places and entertainment venues – in the capital. The order requires operators of each place to provide health measures to staff and visitors, such as space for social distancing, temperature checking and hand sanitising gel. Visitors and staff are also ordered to wear face masks, and the places must be cleaned regularly. Besides, the operators must collect visitors’ information for tracking, and run a queue system, particularly at parks and entertainment venues. Under the announcement, entertainment venues – pubs, bars and karaokes – face the greatest challenge to strictly implement the measures. In addition to the "new normal" measures, operators of entertainment venues are required to limit their customer numbers, with at least four cubic metres for one person. Group customers should be limited to a maximum of five persons. The order requires operators of each place to provide health measures to staff and visitors, such as space for social distancing, temperature checking and hand sanitising gel. Visitors and staff are also ordered to wear face masks, and the places must be cleaned regularly. Besides, the operators must collect visitors’ information for tracking, and run a queue system, particularly at parks and entertainment venues. Singers or other staff are prohibited from being close to customers. Nevertheless, the singers and dancers are allowed to dance on stage. The BMA also has banned entertainment venues from running promotions of products they sell. Serving of drinks in mugs or other sharing containers are prohibited, while customers are not allowed to bring their drinks into the venues. The BMA has urged the operators to install CCTV cameras at their venues, and ordered them to save the footage for at least one month before deletion. ============================================================== From The Thaiger Thai PM says lockdown could become unavoidable hai PM Prayut Chan-o-cha is warning that another lockdown could prove unavoidable, should Covid-19 figures escalate out of control. Today, 427 new Covid-19 cases were reported by the Centre Covid-19 Situation Administration, 397 of which are migrant workers. Yesterday, the CCSA reported 382 new cases, 360 of which are in migrant workers. Spokesperson Dr. Taweesilp Visanuyothin says 14 local cases have been confirmed, with the virus having spread beyond the central province of Samut Sakhon. 1 case was confirmed in Ayutthaya, 2 in Nakhon Pathom, 3 in Samut Prakan, 5 in Samut Sakhon, 2 in Bangkok and 1 in the northern province of Tak. All 14 cases can be traced back to the Samut Sakhon fish market where the latest outbreak began. Health authorities are ramping up the screening of migrant workers in that province and beyond, with the PM calling for everyone to cooperate to contain the spread and avoid another lockdown. He says the situation should become clearer within 7 days, at which point decisions can be made about New Year’s Eve countdown events and the celebration of Children’s Day on January 9. According to the PM, the Public Health Ministry says the situation is still under control.

From Thai Enquirer OPINION: By Cod Satrusayang Do not blame undocumented workers for the outbreak, blame years of bad policy The government said this weekend that the public should not blame the migrant worker community for the latest coronavirus outbreak. The latest government report says that the new outbreak cluster is centered around migrant worker dormitories in Samut Sakhon with 90 per cent of the new cases found in workers from Myanmar that are employed in the province’s fishing community. NGOs and labour groups estimate that there are some 200,000-400,000 migrant workers working in Samut Sakhon. Many of them are unregistered. The government, for its part, has insisted that migrant workers form an important part of Thailand’s economy and that it would do its best to take care of those infected and not abuse their human rights – as if any other option would be acceptable. But if the outbreak cluster does become significant and cases do spiral out of control, the government will have no one to blame but itself and the result would be karmic retribution for its lax action on registering migrant workers and providing a legal path to employment. Fingers, in that case, should be pointed not just at the Prayut Chan-ocha government but every previous government that came before. Warnings over the abuses and irregularities within Thailand’s fishing industry have reared its head before. Media reports in Reuters, the Guardian and the Associated Press just half a decade ago showed that slavery and trafficking was a regular part of Samut Sakhon’s fishing industry. The government vowed then, and continues to promise now, that it would do its utmost to crackdown on human trafficking and to properly register migrants working in the province. Fast forward to 2020 and it seems that the efforts to do so have been haphazard at best. As Health Minister Anutin Charnvirakul has said, the new cluster likely comes from migrant workers illegally crossing over to work in the fishing industry. But didn’t the government promise that such a scenario would be a thing of the past? Didn’t the government say that it would register all migrant workers? Didn’t the government say that it would prosecute factory and ship owners who employed unregistered workers? Didn’t the government promise to secure the borders? It has failed in all its promises and in doing so has failed the great public.

From The Nation Up to 10 million condo units to come with long-term visas Thirty real estate developers will offer foreign buyers five-year visas for an estimated 10 million properties, under the “Elite Flexible One” card scheme launched on January 1 next year. Thailand Privilege Card (TPC), which operates the scheme, said Raimon Land has already signed up three luxury condo projects, expecting sales of about 200 Elite cards. At least 30 more real estate developers have expressed interest in joining, said TPC president Somchai Sungsawang after launching the scheme on Monday. The move is aimed at lifting a property sector slumping under the impact of Covid-19. “Most are large listed companies, with a lot of suggestions offered to increase customers and encourage more sales. The suggestions will be put to a [TPC] board meeting for further consideration," said Somchai. To be eligible for an Elite Flexible One membership card, applicants must spend at least Bt10 million on condo-style property under the scheme. Elite Flexible One cards will be issued for a period of two years, from January 1, 2021 to December 31, 2022.

From Bangkok Post Progress and setbacks writer: Melalin Mahavongtrakul This year has seen a lot of development regarding LGBTI communities in Thailand, around the world, and even on-screen, and although Covid-19 has led to more stigma and discrimination, there were still victories in some places 'Surprise" is the word that can be associated with a lot of things this year. From the political landscape to LGBTI rights advocacy in Thailand, we have witnessed the unexpected play out in broad daylight and in the heart of the capital no less. Giant rainbow flags were paraded down the streets of Silom and around Democracy Monument as thousands joined demonstrations calling for equal rights for LGBTI. The queer presence was alive and well in youth-led protests that have become part of the city's culture for the past few months. There have been some welcome changes though. Pioneered in Chanthaburi province, a few provincial authorities are now allowing their civil officers to dress according to their gender identity. We usually see this kind of progress in universities (more of them are improving). So, having the trend continue further into the bureaucratic system was definitely a positive sign. For unwelcome changes? Tanwarin Sukkhapisit was removed from her position as a member of parliament. Long known for directing queer and provocative films, Tanwarin joined the political arena and became the first katoey MP in the history of Thailand last year. It was sadly a short-lived career, but history has been made nonetheless. Tanwarin may have been among the first LGBTI politicians to sit in parliament but she surely won't be the last. And then there's the future. Next year, keep an eye on the law. There is currently an effort to push the gender recognition bill and also same-sex unions. Independent activist Nada Chaiyajit recently made a draft for the gender recognition law that is based on case studies and Malta's Gender Identity, Gender Expression and Sex Characteristics Act 2015, and adapted it to fit the Thai context. This "Draft Zero", as Nada called it, addresses the rights of transgender, non-binary and intersex people and the intersectionality of that with education, labour, social development and more. The activist said it'll require more work next year to develop further drafts but there is also a plan to form a coalition to push it forward. The prospect of same-sex unions and marriage is also a work in progress. The drafts for the civil partnership bill and another bill to amend the existing marriage law are both quietly moving forward. A recent meeting held by the Rights and Liberties Protection Department addressed the benefits of such a law while discussing religious concerns and opinions of stakeholders. It remains to be seen how this will proceed and which bill -- or neither, or both -- may possibly come into effect. It's been interesting to witness the amount and variety of LGBTI content on the screen this year -- from TV and streaming to cinema, and from Hollywood to Asia. Earlier in the year, we had the hit K-drama Itaewon Class featuring a transgender character and a storyline concerning her coming out. Disney also showed one of its animated mythical characters as a lesbian in Onward. In a blink-and-you-miss-it moment, a minor character made a quick remark about her girlfriend. Is it revolutionary? Perhaps. But maybe we're desperately grabbing for anything that comes our way due to the lack of LGBTI representation in content for young audiences. Even with such a small mention, the film was met with bans and censorship attempts in several countries. In Thailand, the Boys' Love trend continues with the popularity of 2gether: The Series in which two college guys get into a fake relationship only for it to blossom into something real. The show has attracted a large following at both local and international level. It is reportedly the most-viewed Thai series in the BL genre. Later in the year, we saw the coming-of-age I Told Sunset About You, a drama and romance between two childhood friends that propelled the genre even further with its story, performance and cinematography. Sunset Part 2 is set to be released in March. It's quite obvious the BL fad won't be going anywhere anytime soon.

I've probably offed more than my share of Viet guys and that seems to be where most of them prefer to be--at least those who come to bkk to work. I have, however, discussed this before with a member who has made frequent visits to Vietnam and he says you don't have any problem finding bottoms on the apps there.

The virus spread among migrant workers in Thailand mirrors what occurred early in the outbreak in Singapore. As is the case in Singapore, migrant workers are doing the work that locals find unappealing. It took a Singapore a while to figure out that testing alone and isolation wasn't alone adequate to stemming the dilemma. They eventually acknowledged that it had to change the living conditions in the crowded dormitories that enabled the virus to rapidly spread. Thai authorities will hopefully follow that course. ----------------------------------------------------------------- From The Thai Enquirer More cases discovered in migrant worker dormitories; officials say numbers will continue to rise Thailand’s government said on Sunday that it had discovered 689 confirmed coronavirus cases related to an outbreak in Samut Sakhon. 32 cases stemmed from contact with a 67-year-old Thai woman who worked at the Central Shrimp Market (Talad Klang Kung) in the province. Kiattiphum Wongrajit, the permanent secretary at the health ministry, said the source of her infection was believed to be a migrant worker from Myanmar. This led to the Ministry of Public Health’s preemptive testing process that was conducted on migrant workers employed in the fisheries industry in Samut Sakhon. The tests confirmed another 657 cases out of 1,445 people sampled. “This is only the results from the initial investigation, there will be a lot more cases to be reported in the next stage,” Kiattiphum said. “From the outlook, there is now another round of widespread coronavirus infections in Thailand,” he added. Apart from the cases in Samut Sakhon, three confirmed cases were also found in Samut Prakan, two in Bangkok, two in Nakhon Pathom, one in Suphan Buri, and one in Ratchaburi so far. Prior to the health ministry announcement, the Centre for Covid-19 Situation Administration (CCSA) said the country had discovered 576 cases of coronavirus, the most ever recorded in a single day. Of that, 516 cases are migrant workers employed in the fisheries industry in Samut Sakhon. The government also said it had discovered 41 cases of coronavirus in state and alternate state quarantine in the last 24 hours.

From Vietnam News HÀ NỘI — Viet Nam faces a significantly imbalanced sex ratio at birth (SRB) that will mean by 2034, about 1.5 million men will not be able to marry wives, a study has found. The results of studies by the General Statistics Office and the United Nations Population Fund were released yesterday. The key findings of these studies provide information about the current situation, trends and factors influencing the population, as well as help propose suggestions for achieving the Sustainable Development Goals. The analysis was based on the results of the 2019 Population and Housing Census, which were announced on December 19, 2019. The preference for families to have a son was reflected largely in prenatal sex selection as early as the first parity (the first time a woman gives birth), with the SRB for the first parity being 109.5 boys per 100 girls and rising for the third and higher parities (119.8 boys per 100 girls). For couples who have already had two daughters, the SRB for the third parity is 143.8 boys per 100 girls.

From The Nation Voters around Thailand go to the polls this coming Sunday (December 20) to elect chiefs and other members of provincial administrative organisations (PAOs). The first local elections since 2012 come after political activities were suspended following the May 2014 military coup. Chiefs and other members of PAOs who completed their four-year terms while the post-coup junta was in power had their tenures extended, unless they were suspended on corruption or other charges. All 76 provinces go to the polls on Sunday, excluding Bangkok. A total of 331 candidates will vie for 76 PAO chief’s seats, while 8,070 candidates will contest for PAO member seats, which range from 24 to 48 per province depending on population size. As usual, candidates from locally influential political families are expected to secure their seats easily – though some will face a fresh challenge. Local political clans have long dominated provincial politics, thanks mainly to their strong connections with national parties and the powers-that-be. However, several of their incumbents are facing a serious challenge from candidates affiliated with the Progressive Movement – a popular political group led by tycoon-turned-politician Thanathorn Juangroongruangkit. The Progressive Movement is making its debut in local politics, fielding candidates for PAO chief in 42 provinces. The political group is aiming to repeat the success of Thanathorn’s Future Forward Party, which came third in last year’s general election, winning 81 of the 500 MP seats in its first campaign for office. Analysts say the Progressive Movement, relying on Thanathorn’s popularity, has livened up the PAO elections. And Thanathorn is betting on young voters to build a strong support base for his political future.

From The Nation Long-stay visas proposed for foreigners who buy Bt3m condos hai residency visas for foreigners who invest as little as Bt3 million in property is among five proposals being considered by the Finance Ministry. The proposals were put forward by Thai real estate associations in a bid to lift a property sector slumping under the impact of Covid-19. The Housing Business Association, Thai Real Estate Association and Thai Condominium Association (TCA) sent the proposals to Finance Minister Arkhom Termpittayapaisith on December 9, TCA deputy chairman Chairat Thampeera revealed on Thursday. Under current rules, foreigners must spend at least Bt10 million on property to be eligible for a residency visa. However, under the proposed three-tier visa system, foreign purchasers of condos worth Bt3 million-Bt5 million would get a five-year visa. Meanwhile buyers of Bt5 million-Bt10 million condos would get 10-year visas, and those who bought condos for more than Bt10 million would be granted permanent residency.

From South China Morning Post Travel industry will die if Covid-19 vaccination is mandatory for trips overseas, world tourism chief says The roll out of vaccines against Covid-19 has intensified debate about whether they should be made mandatory, with the head of a major tourism lobby saying that doing so would cause irreparable harm to the struggling sector. “I don’t think governments will require vaccination next year” for travel, Gloria Guevara, head of the World Travel and Tourism Council, said. “If they do that they will kill their sector.” Those first in line to get the jabs include the elderly and vulnerable, who “are the last people who will travel”, she said. Instead, rules for virus testing before departure are likely to be bolstered. Alan Joyce, the chief executive of Qantas Airways, ignited an industry-wide debate last month when he said proof of vaccination would be a condition for travellers entering or leaving Australia on the carrier’s planes. So far, no country has made inoculation compulsory or said it would be required for people crossing borders. Airlines are among the hardest hit by the health crisis, with global airline lobby IATA forecasting combined losses of US$157 billion this year and next. When the broader tourism sector is added to the tally, the impact rises to US$3.8 trillion, Guevara said. She was speaking at an event organised by the Common Trust Network, a Swiss non-profit backed by the World Economic Forum that is rolling out a digital health system called CommonPass, designed to certify test results, to minimise the risk of fraud. The use of digital systems as a way to revive travel has had mixed results so far. Rome’s airport started a corridor with some US destinations this month, but one planned between Singapore and Hong Kong was postponed until next year amid a resurgence in Covid-19 cases. In addition to CommonPass, IATA is working on its own mobile app, the Travel Pass, and is planning a test programme with British Airways parent IAG this year. The AOKpass, from travel security firm International SOS, is being used on flights between Abu Dhabi and Karachi and Islamabad in Pakistan. Meanwhile, British cyber technology company VST Enterprises (VSTE) this week launched what it describes as “the world’s first public, secure health passport designed for air travel”. The V-Health Passport app – which, unlike other systems, eschews “unsecure” QR code technology – validates a passenger’s identity, authenticates their Covid-19 test result and vaccination/immunisation details, and offers contact tracing capabilities. “Both bar codes and QR codes … can be cloned and hacked,” says VSTE chief executive Louis-James Davis. “Therefore any suggestion of using this type of technology in a health passport for air travel has very real security risks.” Instead, the V-Health Passport employs a call-and-response system.

From CNN Travel (CNN) — An overweight dog naps by an open-air som tam (papaya salad) shop. The scent of chicken grilling over charcoal fills the lane. A chorus of children's voices rings out from a schoolhouse. No one is wearing a mask, though an old man dons a straw hat on his bicycle. Here in the village of Ban Nong Doen Tha on the Mekong River in northeast Thailand, it's almost like the pandemic never happened. A week earlier, as our first chance to travel beyond Bangkok in six months approached, my partner and I asked ourselves questions that never would have crossed our minds before the pandemic. Where can we go that will relax, excite and uplift us in ways that we used to take for granted when traveling? We wanted to help businesses that have struggled under Thailand's ban on foreign tourist entries, which began in late March and remains in place, save for those who are willing to quarantine in a hotel for two weeks before entering the country. Thailand's Covid-19 control measures have worked so far, but the drastic reduction in tourists from abroad is sinking the economy in a country that drew 39.8 million of them last year. But before shoving off for popular destinations like Koh Samui or Phuket, we realized we longed for something very simple: normalcy. At the last minute, we set off on an 850-mile road trip around the northeastern region, also known as Isaan. Despite delivering an intensely flavorful cuisine to go with serene Mekong valley scenery and a strong list of natural and historical attractions, Isaan drew only a small fraction of the numbers of foreign tourists who flocked to other Thai regions before the pandemic. It is not on the "banana pancake trail." The lack of interest from foreign tourists may partly explain why the coronavirus barely touched Isaan, when infections surfaced frequently in provinces like Bangkok, Chiang Mai and Phuket back in April. Despite being in Thailand's most populous region with more than 22 million residents, Isaan's 20 provinces have reported just over 100 infections since the pandemic began. A young boy shows off his catch one morning on the riverfront in Khong Chiam, the easternmost district of Ubon Ratchathani province. David Luekens/CNN Most of the region's tourism industry now relies on Thai travelers, who reemerged after a nationwide lockdown and restrictions on domestic travel were lifted in June. Several hotel managers in Isaan tell us that occupancy rates are almost as high nowadays as they were over the same period last year. Of course, the northeast has not been spared entirely. Before the pandemic, many households relied on money sent from family members working as tour guides, tuk tuk drivers, receptionists, chefs and sex workers in areas that are popular with foreign tourists. Everyone knows someone, it seems, who returned home to Isaan after losing a job in the tourism industry. "Life here is pretty much pre-pandemic normal for most people, but we haven't done a tour since mid-February," says Tim Bewer of Khon Kaen-based Isan Explorer, one of the few tour companies that focuses on sharing the region with a foreign clientele. "Over the years we've had a few Thai guests and school trips, but they're a very small part of our business." The situation is similarly dire for guesthouse owners who used to earn modest incomes from accommodating foreign travelers in some of Isaan's cities. Beloved backpacker spots like Mut Mee Guesthouse in Nong Khai, The Outside Inn in Ubon Ratchathani and Moon River Resort in Phimai are all missing the revenue that foreign tourists used to bring in. Unlike in Thailand's big-name destinations, however, the streets throughout Isaan are not plastered with "For Rent" signs. And the region is not without its businesses that depend on the small yet reliable numbers of foreign travelers who visited before the pandemic. Continues with photo gallery https://www.cnn.com/travel/article/isaan-thailand-northeast-road-trip/index.html

From Bangkok Post / AFP GENEVA: Despite significant progress on gay rights around the world, dozens of countries still criminalise consensual same-sex activity, including six where being gay is punishable by death, campaigners said Tuesday. In a fresh report, the International Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Trans and Intersex Association (ILGA) found "considerable progress" in legal protections for LGBTI people worldwide. Even during the Covid-19 pandemic, which has created significant additional challenges for LGBTI and other minority communities, "positive developments have taken place," the organisation said. But while the trend is towards acceptance, a full 69 UN member states continue to criminalise consensual sex between people of the same gender, the report found. That is one fewer than last year, after Gabon backtracked from a 2019 law -- "the shortest-lived law of its kind in modern history," ILGA research coordinator and lead author of the report Lucas Ramon Mendos said in a statement. More urgently than laws on the books, ILGA verified that 34 countries -- more than half of those with criminalising laws -- have actively enforced them in the past five years. In six UN member states, the death penalty is the legally prescribed punishment for consensual homosexual sex: Brunei, Iran, Mauritania, Saudi Arabia and Yemen, as well as across 12 northern states of Nigeria. And the report said sources indicated that the death penalty could potentially be used in such cases in five other countries -- Afghanistan, Pakistan, Qatar, Somalia and the United Arab Emirates -- although there was less legal certainty. Another 42 countries have erected legal barriers to freedom of expression and sexual orientation and gender identity issues, while 51 have legal barriers to setting up NGOs that work on LGBTI issues. ILGA's head of programmes Julia Ehrt voiced concern that some governments had taken advantage of the coronavirus crisis to step up efforts to "oppress, persecute, scapegoat and violently discriminate against us." The organisation also voiced concern over the proliferation of so-called "LGBT-free zones" in places like Poland and Indonesia, and renewed support for "conversion therapies". But even as anti-gay rights forces seem to gain ground in a number of places, ILGA said its latest report showed "how our global community has collectively achieved progress in every single legal category tracked." It highlighted that Sudan in July repealed the death penalty for consensual same-sex sexual acts, and hailed that Germany had become one of four UN member states which ban conversion therapies at the national level. A number of jurisdictions within Australia, Canada, Mexico and the United States have also done so. And it celebrated that Costa Rica had joined the growing number of countries that have introduced marriage equality, bringing the total to 28. Another 34 countries provide for some partnership recognition for same-sex couples, it pointed out. Tuesday's report also showed that as of this month, same-sex sexual acts are legal in 124 countries -- 64 percent of UN member states.

From Bangkok Post More frequent Covid-19 testing in preparation for shorter quarantine The government has changed its Covid-19 testing procedure for arrivals, and is studying whether mandatory quarantine can be shortened from 14 to 10 days. Dr Thaweesilp Visanuyothin, spokesman for the Centre for Covid-19 Situation Administration (CCSA), said on Thursday that health officials this month changed Covid-19 testing for arrivals from twice to three times. Earlier, each arrival was tested twice during 14-day quarantine, first 3-5 days after arrival, and then again on days 11-13. Each arrival is now tested three times, on day 0-1, day 9-10 and day 13-14. The changed testing process would continue until Jan 15. Health officials would then study the results and assess whether quarantine could be reduced to 10 days, Dr Thaweesilp said.

If you enjoy spy novels, consider one of the oldest British entries. T.S. Elliot hailed Rudyard Kipling's Kim as his "greatest book". Set in British India at the height of the raj, an orphaned boy is recruited into what was to become the British Secret Service. Kipling follows the street-wise urchin on a journey that encompasses intrigue of all sorts. He is mentored by an Afghanistan horse dealer (working as a British intelligence agent) and a Tibetan lama, who is searching for a river of healing. He comes to the attention of the colonel in charge of British intelligence and is sent off to the best secondary school in India for three years. What follows is wonderful coming of age novel. Kim's parents were from northern Ireland but he identifies more as a local. The horse trader and the lama he considers his mother and father and he maintains fierce loyalty to both. Even before he finishes his schooling, his training in the intelligence arts gets underway during school breaks. Once he finishes his education, he is almost immediately drawn into the work of a spy in which he proves himself most capable. Yet throughout the novel he experiences a search for his true nature. I continue to revisit it for the joy of Kipling's vivid prose and imagination.

From South China Morning Post Seven people in Hong Kong were arrested on Monday in connection with a job scam in which men were offered large sums to work as performers for gay pornographic videos and exclusive live shows, only to find themselves allegedly threatened with blackmail after having their pay withheld. Male spectators who shelled out HK$700 (US$90) each to watch the men take part in sex shows in four- and five-star hotels could also purportedly pay for sex with performers afterwards, according to police. The live performances were held four days a month, with about eight shows a day, each lasting about an hour. “Each show could involve as many as four actors, but no more than two spectators were allowed,” said Senior Inspector Ku Man-kai, of the New Territories South regional crime unit. He said the victims were promised as much as HK$1,000 an hour for filming and live performances, and were told they could earn as much as HK$50,000 a month when they were enticed into signing contracts with an internet user who claimed to be in charge of a bogus pornography production company called iSexParty. “The victims were also told that the videos of their sex acts would be provided to a small group of clients for viewing,” Superintendent Chen Chi-cheong said. The scam came to light after one of the victims said he did not receive payment and refused to do the show, only to be told that he would have to pay compensation for violating the contract and that videos of his sex acts would be circulated online. “According to the contract, spectators could choose an actor in the live show for sex and the actor could not refuse, otherwise they would have to pay compensation for violating the contract,” Chen said.

From Bangkok Post Travel subsidy promotion paused, widespread false claims exposed The second phase of the government's Rao Tiew Duay Kan (We Travel Together) tourism promotion campaign has been postponed after widespread corruption was found in the first stage. More than 500 participating hotels and shops were found to have profited from abusing the scheme. Tourism Authority of Thailand governor Yuthasak Supasorn said the TAT had acted after receiving complaints. The investigation found that 312 hotels and 202 shops participating in the state-backed promotion were involved in alleged irregularities. The TAT decided to postpone traveller-registration for the second phase of the We Travel Together campaign, which was due to start on Wednesday, he said. It was planned that up to one million travellers would benefit. Travellers who registered for the first phase can still claim unused benefits. According to media reports, the alleged abuse included - Hotel rooms were booked at cheaper prices via phone apps. There were check-ins without people staying there, but benefits claimed from cash coupons. - Hotels increased room rates and colluded with restaurants in claiming benefits. No travel occurred. Those who sold their benefits would send the last four numbers on their ID cards and their mobile phone numbers for use in hotel check-ins. They did not not stay. - Hotels existed and registered to participate in the tourism campaign, but did not open for business. The operators had sought state subsidies for fake room bookings. - Groups of registrants checked in and stayed at hotels, but the hotels set the room rates higher than normal rates. - Participating hotels gave false information about the number of rooms they had. For example, a hotel had 100 rooms but claimed it had 300 rooms.

It's one of the more encouraging signs of our time. I'm confident that Lucky Boys will reopen this spring after the effects of the vaccines begin to be felt and foreign tourists find their way back. Given its size and staff requirements, it can't sustain itself without a good volume coming through the doors. And to match the the usual 35-50 guys on stage on a typical night, it badly needs the Cambodian, Myanmar and Vietnamese to round out the selection.

I'm reminded by Peter's post of the wondrous role that works of fiction can play in our lives, and no more so as this particular years comes to a close. Many, I think, have one or two favorite novels we continually return to for escape or simply comfort. They transport into the lives of characters who become as real to us as those we know in our everyday lives. It's a good time to celebrate those books--and their authors--at a moment when little in the new seems worthy of celebrating.