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Members of the National Guard are given weapons before Democrats begin debating one article of impeachment against President Trump, outside the US Capitol in Washington, DC, on Wednesday, January 13. Joshua Roberts/Reuters

This appears to open the door for expats and others to obtain a vaccine if they are able to pony up the price private hospitals decide to charge. From The Nation Private hospitals can import Covid vaccine: Thai FDA The government will not block private hospitals from importing Covid-19 vaccines, said the Thai Food and Drug Administration (FDA) on Tuesday. However, the vaccines must be approved and registered with the FDA, said its secretary-general Dr Paisan Dankhum. The FDA chief confirmed that AstraZeneca (Thailand) and Sinovac Biotech have submitted approval applications with the FDA for their vaccines, which are being purchased by the government. Manufacturers or importers of other vaccines that have already been registered by foreign food and drug agencies could also apply for approval, said Paisan. The state does not have a monopoly on Covid-19 vaccines and would not block their import, he added. Private hospitals could purchase a vaccine that is registered with the FDA or, as licensees, register the vaccine themselves.

The sprawling Capitol Hill campus that will need to be defended in the days leading up to the inauguration.

Those following the Capitol Hill riot have become familiar with the positions of the Chief of Capitol Police and the sergeants-at-arms of the Senate and the House of Representatives, all of whom have since resigned their posts. But you’ve probably heard little about their boss, the “Architect of the Capitol”. For someone who flies so low below the radar, his authority is so broad that he is the most powerful non-elected official on the Hill. A CEO of sorts. How could an architect hold sway over the those whose titles suggest overt responsibility for security and law enforcement? Well, to begin with, he doesn’t necessarily have to be an actual architect. Second, he doesn’t have to pass an exam. And third, and most important, he does have to have political connections. Unlike the sergeants-at-arms who are appointed by the Speaker of the House and the President of the Senate, the Architect serves at the pleasure of the occupant of 1600 Pennsylvania Ave. The current Architect is J. Brett Blanton, nominated by Trump and confirmed by voice vote of the senate to a 10-year-term in 2019. To learn more about him: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Brett_Blanton Blanton hasn’t totally escaped attention. Some have also been calling for his resignation: https://www.archpaper.com/2021/01/after-capitol-is-breached-calls-for-the-architect-of-the-capitol-removal/ It was 28 years ago that the Architect’s role was popularized in Murder in the Senate, a novel co-authored by then Senator William S. Cohen, who later served as Secretary of Defense under Bill Clinton. I pulled the book off the shelf last week and find it even more timely now than when I first read it. I recommend it highly if you want to learn more about the all the places the rioters did—and did not—manage to invade and the role of politics in every phase of events on Capitol Hill. Btw, it’s about the murder of a senator. Although now out of print, used copies can be found on Amazon, EBay and other sites.

I can’t quite envision what the revamped site will look like but I’m confident that Michael’s experience will yield a satisfying outcome. Whatever it's called (guide, advisor, directory), the one feature that attracts the most activity on any gay website is trip and venue reports. Everything else is a distant second. I don’t think there’s any disagreement on that count. Just looking over the past 10 months since the onset of Covid19, Michael’s “walk around” series that encompass news about clubs, bars, massage shops and his personal experiences have been the true lifeblood of the forum. We’ve also been fortunate to have z909’s recent trip reports and the periodic venue reports from members on the ground in Bangkok (Anddy’s posts come to mind). I don’t closely follow what’s happening in Pattaya but expats there have been providing news on the comings and—sadly—mostly goings there. I would hope that the new site will feature these types of postings in a prominent way. Although I agree that it’s difficult for any one site to be always current on openings and closings, I believe that that type of information on individual venues, both in the Silom area and beyond, will always be well sought after. (Just think how well received were the posts about the new massage shops Michael brought to our attention). I'm an occasional reader of Boy Toy's South America threads to learn about the same issues even if I have no plans to visit in the near future. The gay scene in Thailand is and has been constantly evolving. That was to be expected, even before Covid. But that doesn’t’ necessarily mean that it’s changing for the worse. We saw the closing of Soi Twlight only to be heartened by the success of Patpong 2. I remain upbeat that the venues on that popular soi will regain their prominence once Thailand opens up again (without quarantine) to other SE Asian nationals and—of course—tourists from elsewhere in Asia and the west. It’s not going to happen overnight but it is going to happen.

This article is a month old now (Dec. 11) but it sheds more light on this case. From Bangkok Post 'Boss' outrage fires up again The "pass the buck" attitude of the Office of the Attorney-General (OAG) in handling the hit-and-run case involving Red Bull scion Vorayuth "Boss" Yoovidhya comes as no surprise at all to anyone. On Dec 9, OAG deputy spokesman Prayuth Petch-khun insisted public prosecutors cannot proceed with the indictment of Mr Vorayuth on drug charges until police actually arrest him and bring him to trial. The prosecutors are "duty-bound" to wait, he said. Technically, the deputy spokesman is not entirely wrong as arrests are the duty of the police. Yet such a passive statement is a disappointment. There are no signs that police can get hold of the runaway brat, who vanished from Bangkok in 2012 but keeps appearing in many places around the world, any time soon. The OAG's lacklustre response is a reminder of how the pursuit of justice -- as instructed earlier this year by Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha -- in this crime which claimed the life of police officer Wichian Klanprasert still has a long way to go. The OAG is under criticism for allowing Mr Vora-yuth to exploit a technicality to drag out the probe by submitting a petition seeking fair treatment more than six times. In fact, both the prosecutors and police face "a crisis of faith" over their handling of the case. The last straw came when Nate Naksuk, then deputy attorney-general, decided to drop the reckless driving charge against Mr Vorayuth. The outrageous decision triggered public fury. Gen Prayut finally appointed former member of the National Anti-Corruption Commission Vicha Mahakun to lead an independent panel to look into the irregularities. Gen Prayut vowed that justice would be done in this case. In early September, the panel's report recommended the government revive the case, as it found evidence of intervention by government officials, law enforcement agencies, public prosecutors, lawyers and witnesses. It's a pity the Vicha report has not been made public. Due to the government's intervention, the OAG made a U-turn, deciding to indict Mr Vorayuth on two charges -- reckless driving causing death, and cocaine use -- citing fresh evidence and new witnesses. Only Mr Nate, who has been appointed senior prosecutor at the OAG's Phra Khanong office, faces a disciplinary probe for his shameful decision to allow the wealthy man off the hook. But the investigation is continuing at a snail's pace. Apart from that, it's just business as usual, both at the OAG and the Royal Thai Police as seasonal promotions have been made in the past month and there are no signs that any wrongdoers will be held to account. It seems the two agencies are aware that public attention has faded in the wake of the political strife, so they have gone into inactive mode again.

From The Thaiger Wear a mask or pay a hefty fine… and possibly even go to jail. Phuket governor Narong Woonciew issued an immediate order requiring people in the island province to wear a face mask while in public to control the spread of Covid-19. Those who violate the order could face a 20,000 baht fine. Those who breach the order can also face punishment under the Communicable Disease Act which carries a fine of up to 100,000 baht and up to a year in prison. People can also face penalties under the Emergency Decree. The order says not wearing a mask “could create unsanitary conditions that could cause dangerous communicable diseases or epidemics to spread.” People in the province are ordered to wear a mask while at public places, but don’t need to wear a mask while eating, drinking or exercising. “Any person who leaves their home, residence in a house, house, building, place or vehicle, or is in a public place must always wear a face mask or cloth mask.” ================================== From The Phuket News Phuket hotels start closing again PHUKET: Hotels across Phuket that had re-opened in the hope of attracting enough guests to at least pay operating costs are now closing again, Kongsak Khoopongsakorn, President of the Thailand Hotels Association Southern chapter, has confirmed. The lack of even domestic tourists due to the current COVID-19 outbreak has taken its toll, he said. “As a result of the new outbreak of COVID-19, some hotel operators are considering temporarily closing their hotels again because a lot of bookings have been cancelled, and they cannot handle the costs,” Mr Kongsak said.

From The Thiager The executive chairman of Asia Aviation, the largest shareholder in Thai Air Asia, says the Covid-19 resurgence has “destroyed the low-cost carrier”. Tassapon Bijleveld says that, even without a national lockdown, bookings have plummeted. “Travel sentiment has plunged lower than last year. This is different this time because people are voluntarily skipping their travel plans even without a nationwide lockdown order from the government.” According to a Bangkok Post report, Tassapon does not expect things to improve next month. Despite the Thai government introducing extra holidays over the Chinese New Year period, Tassapon predicts that the new wave of Covid-19 will prevent most domestic tourists from travelling. “This could be the quietest Chinese New Year we’ve ever had.” ========================================= From The Nation Bangkok Airways suspends flights, closes ticketing office due to new Covid wave In response to the new wave of Covid-19 infections and the Centre for Covid-19 Situation Administration’s announcement urging people to avoid inter-provincial travel, Bangkok Airways on Friday suspended a few flights, including Samui-Phuket and Phuket-Hat Yai from January 10-31.

From Bangkok Post Position-tracking app required in 5 provinces People in the Covid-19-hit provinces of Chanthaburi, Chon Buri, Trat, Rayong and Samut Sakhon must use the MorChana position-tracking app, according to the spokesman of the Centre for Covid-19 Situation Administration. Spokesman Taweesilp Visanuyothin said on Friday that use of the app would allow quick control of Covid-19 in the five provinces, which have the highest levels of infection. Its use is stipulated under regulation number 17 newly issued under the executive decree for public administration in emergency situations, imposed to control Covid-19. Records from the MorChana app would protect infected people against charges of concealing information in the event they cannot remember every place they have visited, Dr Taweesilp said. Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha on Thursday urged people to download and use the app, but said there would no penalty for not doing so -- so long as people inform officials of their travel plans when crossing provincial borders. ================================= High season lost, operators ask for 50% salary subsidies he ongoing outbreak is ruining any hopes for high-season tourism, with operators urging the government to subsidise 50% of monthly salaries to help employees in the industry. "The latest surge halted tourism demand during the high season in Chiang Mai, following good numbers in November," said La-Iad Bungsrithong, president of the Thai Hotels Association's northern chapter. There are growing cancellations and no new hotel bookings, she said. Bangkok, a key domestic market for Chiang Mai, has been declared a red zone and people are encouraged to refrain from travelling. Overall hotel occupancy in Chiang Mai fell to 10% and some hotels decided to temporarily close.

From The Straits Times VIENTIANE (XINHUA) - Work on a fifth bridge linking Laos and Thailand across the Mekong River has begun after a construction agreement was signed in December. The bridge, which will take 36 months to build, will connect Bolikhamxay province in Laos to Thailand's north-eastern province of Bueng Kan. Local daily Vientiane Times on Wednesday (Jan 6) quoted project director Laythong Phommavong as saying that work is currently centred on the site where the bridge and immigration facilities will be built. "We are clearing land on a 50ha area prior to starting construction and this work is now 80 per cent complete," he said. The total cost of construction is estimated to be US$130.3 million (S$171.6 million), of which Laos will be responsible for some US$46.13 million. Laos' construction costs will be financed by Thailand's Neighbouring Countries Economic Development Cooperation Agency through the provision of loans. When the bridge is completed in 2023, it will enable Bolikhamxay to become another regional trade hub and transit route for Laos, Thailand and Vietnam over a distance of just 150km. It will be the shortest connecting route among the three countries, said the report.

From The Thaiger / Bangkok Post Bangkok residents will see construction of a number of rail projects finally completed this year, with hopes this will do something to alleviate traffic problems in the capital, as well as improving air quality. The Bangkok Post reports on 4 electric rail routes it’s hoped will be up and running later this year. The Pink Line This 34.5 kilometre track between Nonthaburi and Min Buri is expected to begin with a trial run in July. The route will cover a total of 30 stations between the central Thai city of Nonthaburi and the Min Buri district in the east of the capital. The opening of the Pink Line is eagerly anticipated by Bangkok residents fed up with doing battle with traffic on the Ram Inthra thoroughfare. The monorail line will operate driverless carriages, travelling at a maximum speed of 80 kilometres per hour. Each train will have capacity for 1,000 passengers and the line is expected to be fully functional by October 2022. The Yellow Line Also in July, the 30.4 kilometre Yellow Line is expected to begin test runs. The monorail route will connect 23 stations between the Bangkok district of Lat Phrao and the central province of Samut Prakan. Trials are expected to run between Wat Sri Iam and Samrong stations. There has been some debate about the 2.6 kilometre stretch between the Ratchada-Lat Phrao and Ratchayothin intersections, with some saying it will take passengers away from the MRT Blue Line by allowing them to transfer to the Green Line without having to use the Blue Line. A spokesperson for the Mass Rapid Transit Authority says it’s a matter of wait and see. The “Light Red” and “Dark Red” Lines Finally, these 2 lines are expected to be up and running by November. The Light Red Line is a 15 kilometre stretch, linking the Bangkok districts of Bang Sue and Taling Chan, while the Dark Red Line is a 26.3 kilometre route connecting Bang Sue and Rangsit, in the province of Pathum Thani, just north of Bangkok. Both lines will begin trial runs in July, when the public will be invited to travel for free. The lines, collectively known as the State Railway of Thailand’s Red Line, were approved in 2007, but construction did not begin until 2013. The commuter train system has been hampered by ongoing delays and questions about the cost. It was originally projected to cost 75.5 billion baht, but that has risen to 93.5 billion baht. The 4 new lines will come as a welcome addition to the 3 lines completed last year, including the new Gold Line connecting Krung Thon Buri station with Khlong San district office, and extensions to both the MRT Blue Line and BTS Skytrain Green Line. Click on image to enlarge map

From Bangkok Post Thai inoculation schedule The government has set three phases of Covid-19 vaccination for citizens, with the first phase to cover 1 million people in vulnerable groups from February to April, the chief of the Disease Control Department said on Thursday. Dr Opas Karnkawinpong, the director-general, said the first phase would involve 2 million doses, and be used to reduce the rate of severe illness and death from Covid-19 and to maintain the national health system. The 2-million-dose vaccination was set from February to April. It would be for 80,000 medical personnel and health volunteers, 20,000 disease control workers, 900,000 people aged 60 and over, and people with chronic diseases. The first recipients would be in Samut Sakhon province, greater Bangkok and the eastern provinces of Chon Buri, Rayong, Chanthaburi and Trat, which had high levels of infection and had been declared maximum control zones, he said. People with chronic disease who may otherwise die after Covid-19 infection included those with severe respiratory illnesses such chronic obstructive pulmonary disease and asthma, cardiovascular disease, renal failure of stage 5 and over, stroke, diabetes and all kinds of cancer. Medical personnel to be vaccinated were those likely to be in contact with Covid-19 patients. Disease control workers included officials at border checkpoints, disease control areas along the border and field hospitals. The second phase would involve 26 million doses to be given to people in vulnerable groups nationwide in May and June, to protect the national economy, society and security. The third phase, set for later this year to early next year, would involve vaccinating enough of the general population to develop herd immunity and stop the spread of Covid-19 at community level. Each person would need two doses, four weeks apart. It would take 1-2 months for the vaccine to have full effect, Dr Opas said.

From Coconuts Bangkok Bangkok travelers must now quarantine in these 26 provinces As of today, residents of Bangkok and other areas with a high number of COVID-19 cases, including Chonburi and Nonthaburi, must quarantine two weeks if they travel to any of 26 provinces imposing new travel restrictions. Twenty-six provinces including Chiang Mai, Nakhon Ratchasima and Ubon Ratchathani as of today have issued regulations requiring travelers from 28 locales deemed high-risk to report themselves to the authorities and submit to two weeks of quarantine at provincial accommodations. Health officials currently deem 27 provinces and the capital as high risk because they have more than 50 coronavirus cases or are adjacent to those that do. The Emergency Decree grants governors absolute authority to take any steps necessary to contain the virus, including travel restrictions. That’s led to 26 less hard-hit provinces to put up the same barriers: Chiang Mai, Nan, Buriram, Nakhon Ratchasima, Ayutthaya, Chainat, Sa Kaeo, Nakorn Nayok, Nakhon Phanom, Kanchanaburi, Phrae, Phichit, Phetchabun, Lamphun, Ubon Ratchathani, Roi Et, Si Sa Ket, Surin, Yasothon, Mahasarakam, Sakon Nakhon, Chumphon, Surat Thani, Nakhon Si Thammarat, Songkhla and Satun. The orders remain in place until further notice. Some popular tourist destinations including Chiang Mai and Buriram are offering an option for so-called red zone travelers to pay for COVID-19 tests. If they come back negative, they can forego quarantine. In Buriram, the test fee is THB600 (US$20) while Chiang Mai has not announced its cost. As of today, the 28 “red zones” are Bangkok, Nonthaburi, Pathum Thani, Tak, Ayutthaya, Saraburi, Lopburi, Sing Buri, Ang Thong, Nakhon Nayok, Prachinburi, Kanchanaburi, Nakhon Pathom, Ratchaburi, Suphan Buri, Prachuap Khiri Khan, Phetchaburi, Samut Songkhram, Samut Sakhon, Samut Prakan, Sa Kaeo, Chachoengsao, Chonburi, Chanthaburi, Trat, Rayong, Chumphon and Ranong.

From The Thaiger Vaccines bring hope, but we won’t be out of the woods for some time – Thai health officials Health officials in Thailand have welcomed the development of a number of seemingly-effective Covid-19 vaccines but warn that the “new normal” will remain for some time. In an interview with the Bangkok Post, Opas Karnkawinpong from the Department of Disease Control says people will still have to wear masks, observe social distancing, and wash their hands regularly. “The challenge posed by Covid-19 is new and we have no playbook for it. No one knows whether these vaccines will work or how long the immunity will last. It is a learning process and scientists around the world can only watch and learn at the moment. Until the ministry is convinced the vaccination is effective and safe, restrictions will remain. And even after that, the easing will be gradual. The government must inoculate more than 50% of the population, then assess whether herd immunity kicks in.” Opas confirms that, once available, the vaccine will be administered for free – at least for Thai residents. Certain groups will receive priority based on their risk level. The government has already committed to speeding up the vaccination timeline, as Thailand finds itself battling a resurgence of the virus. This will be the biggest vaccination drive ever carried out in the Kingdom. Opas points out that, while administering the vaccine to tens of millions of people is a challenge in itself, the real test will be in monitoring what happens afterwards. He says it must be made clear to people that 1 shot is not enough and they must return for a second. Data will also need to be gathered to ascertain the vaccine’s effectiveness and how long protection lasts. Thailand is due to take delivery of 200,000 vaccine doses from China at the end of next month, followed by increased supplies in March and April. Healthcare workers in provinces considered high-risk will be first in line, as well as border patrol officials and vulnerable members of society. A full national roll-out is not expected to take place before May, with the arrival of 26 million doses of the vaccine developed by AstraZeneca in partnership with the UK’s Oxford University. In addition, the government is in talks to procure a further 35 million doses shortly after. Both sides have also signed a technology-transfer agreement that gives manufacturing rights to the Thai firm, Siam Bioscience. Meanwhile, Dr Nakorn Premsri from the National Vaccine Institute echoes the DDC’s note of caution. “No vaccine is 100% effective. The influenza vaccine, for example, is only around 50% preventative. So, we can expect this vaccine only to reduce fatalities and relieve the symptoms. People must still take reasonable precautions. It won’t be until 2 years after most people are vaccinated that Covid-19 can no longer be considered an epidemic.” ============================================ From Bangkok Post Philippines seeks 148m Covid shots this year for 2/3 of population MANILA: The Philippines is negotiating with seven vaccine manufacturers to procure at least 148 million Covid-19 shots as it seeks to inoculate close to two-thirds of its population this year, a senior official said on Wednesday. Carlito Galvez, a former general in charge of the country's strategy to fight the coronavirus, said the government hopes to close deals with Novavax, Moderna, AstraZeneca , Pfizer, Johnson & Johnson, Sinovac Biotech and the Gamaleya Institute this month, although availability could be a challenge amid stiff competition. Healthcare workers, elderly, soldiers, police, teachers and government workers will be prioritised in a rollout that could start as early as the first quarter, he said. ============================================ From Bangkok Post WHO virus mission blunted as China refuses team entry BEIJING: An expert mission to China to probe the origins of the Covid-19 pandemic was in disarray Wednesday after Beijing denied entry to the World Health Organization team at the last minute despite months of painstaking negotiations. Ten experts were due to arrive in China this week for the delicate, highly politicised task of establishing how and where the virus jumped from animals to humans. But with a number of the team already in transit, China denied them entry visas, prodding WHO chief Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, to say he was "very disappointed".

From Bangkok Post China notifies Thailand it is holding back waters China has notified downstream neighbours it is holding back the Mekong River flow at a hydropower dam on the waterway's upper reaches for 20 days, as part of a new data-sharing pact, the Mekong River Commission (MRC) and Thailand said on Wednesday. The statements came a day after a new US-backed monitoring system said China had failed to notify downstream countries of water restrictions that started on Dec 31. China agreed last October to share water data with the MRC, an advisory body to Thailand, Laos, Cambodia and Vietnam that had long sought the information for planning. More than 60 million people in those countries depend on the river for fishing and farming. Thailand's National Water Command Centre said China had on Tuesday notified Thailand that its Jinghong Dam will from Jan 5-24 reduce the water discharge rate from 1,904 cubic metres per second to 1,000 cubic metres per second, which amounts to a decrease of about 47%.

From Bangkok Post Thailand's rice exports are headed for another gloomy year after sinking to the lowest volume in two decades in 2020, exporters said, as a global shortage of shipping containers reduce the prospects of increasing shipments. The cargo crunch is the latest woe facing the world's second-largest rice exporter. According to data from the Commerce Ministry on Dec 2, rice exports were 5.1 million tonnes through November 2020, down 28% from the same period a year earlier, on track for the lowest year since 2000. Rice exports are down because the strong baht, which has gained 11% against the US dollar since April, has made shipments uncompetitive versus rivals Vietnam and India. Official export forecasts have not been released yet, but two Bangkok-based rice exporters said they are expecting more pain in 2021. =========================================== Move along now; nothing to see here. Prawit: No gambling dens in Bangkok Deputy Prime Minister Prawit Wongsuwon says he doubts there are any illegal gambling dens in Bangkok, despite warnings by a senior health official that such premises pose a serious coronavirus threat. Opas Bhudachareon, head of Chulalongkorn Hospital's Centre for Emerging Infectious Diseases, said recently one Covid-19 patient there was linked to a gambling den in Bangkok. He further urged those who had visited the venue to be tested for Covid-19. However, Gen Prawit yesterday claimed there were no such illegal activities because the police had clamped down on them. "You must ask the doctor who provides this information," he said. "I don't believe illegal casinos are operating in Bangkok, but if the doctor knows about it, he can inform the authorities." ================================================= From Khaosod English Cops Say No Country Responds to ‘Boss Red Bull’ Extradition Call BANGKOK — Police on Tuesday said they are still working to bring back Red Bull heir Vorayuth “Boss” Yoovidhya to face justice in Thailand for the fatal car crash in 2012, though the extradition attempt is going nowhere. Assistant national police commissioner Jaruwat Waisaya, who oversees the investigation into Vorayuth, said there have been no words from any of the 194 members of the Interpol since Thai police issued a request asking for information on Vorayuth’s whereabouts in October. “No one responded to our request,” Lt. Gen. Jaruwat said by phone. “I will ask investigators to send out another request next week. We can’t really push them since it’s the discretion of each country to act upon our request.” Thai police maintained that it does not know the whereabouts of Vorayuth, whose family co-owns the Red Bull energy drink empire. In October, reports emerged that Vorayuth was sighted in Dubai, United Arab Emirates, though police still could not verify the claim. “We already asked UAE authorities for confirmation, but there’s also no response,” Jaruwat said. It has been three months since the Interpol issued the Red Notice for Vorayuth in September, which would supposedly notify police forces around the world to locate and detain him for extradition back to Thailand. The notice could not be found on Interpol’s public database as of publication time. An error message displayed on the website says “the Notices are currently unavailable due to technical maintenance of the system.”

From The BBC Asia They made their debut as a boy band, expecting to create music and amass fans along the way. Instead they were met with anger, protests and even threats. They perform choreographed dance routines, sing addictive tunes and have shockingly slick music videos - and no, we're not talking about a K-pop group. This is Q-pop, or Qazaq-pop - an up and coming pop genre in Kazakhstan, which all started with one band, Ninety One. But the band has not only made a name for itself through its music. It also made a huge statement when its five androgynous looking members - complete with long hair, guyliner and makeup, burst onto the scene in the deeply conservative country - and challenged its gender norms. In 2014, an entertainment group in Kazakhstan held a singing competition - looking for talented individuals who could form a band. Four boys - A.Z. and Zaq were selected, with Bala and Alem cast separately. They were joined by Ace, who had come from South Korea's famous SM Entertainment - the group behind some of the country's most popular K-pop acts. "We became a team, wrote songs together, learned to dance and perform, and finally... debuted when we were ready," the band told the BBC in an email interview. But the band's producer and the man responsible for creating the group, Yerbolat Bedelkhan, wanted more than just one band. Continues at https://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-55359772

From The Thaiger In the midst of a new wave of Covid-19 infections, Thailand will get 2 million vaccine doses from China’s Sinovac Biotech. The first batch of 200,000 doses will arrive next month, according to the Public Health Ministry. Another 800,000 doses will arrive in March and the last order of 1 million doses will arrive in April. Since the outbreak last month at a Samut Sakhon seafood market, Thailand health officials have been racing to curb the spread of the virus. Thailand’s first wave of infections peaked at 1,451 active cases back in April when strict lockdown measures and travel restrictions were in place nationwide. The country now has 4,022 active Covid-19 cases. The Thai company Siam Bioscience is in the process of producing AstraZeneca’s Covid-19 vaccine which was developed in partnership with Oxford University. That vaccine is planned to be available to the public in May. The Thai government set a goal to vaccinate half of the population, around 33 million people, by the end of the year.

From Bangkok Post HANOI: Vietnam will start building the first phase of what will become its largest airport near its economic hub Ho Chi Minh City on Tuesday, as it seeks to speed up public investment to shore up economic growth amid the coronavirus pandemic. The first phase of the Long Thanh airport in Dong Nai province will cost US$4.66 billion and will be operational from 2025, the government said in a statement on its website. It will include a 4 kilometre runway, a terminal and related facilities capable of serving 25 million passengers and handling 1.2 million tonnes of cargo a year, it said. The entire project, when fully operational, would be able to serve 100 million passengers a year and would cost $16 billion to build, according to the government. It would become a key transit hub for international passengers, the government said, adding that the existing Tan Son Nhat airport nearby in Ho Chi Minh City, which has been overloaded since 2015, will be used as a domestic airport. ======================================================= From Channel News Asia Vietnam to buy AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccine, in talks with other producers HANOI: Vietnam has agreed to buy 30 million doses of the COVID-19 vaccine produced by AstraZeneca, the government said on Monday (Jan 4), adding that authorities are also seeking to purchase vaccines from other sources, including Pfizer. The Southeast Asian country has previously agreed to get a Russian vaccine though also said it would not rush to secure vaccine deals, citing the potential for high financial costs and after managing to contain its coronavirus outbreaks to only 1,494 cases, with 35 deaths. The AstraZeneca and Oxford University COVID-19 vaccine is cheaper than some others and can be stored at fridge temperature, which makes it easier to transport and use, particularly in developing countries. "We've already signed an agreement to guarantee the AstraZeneca vaccine for 15 million people, which is equivalent to 30 million doses," deputy health minister Truong Quoc Cuong told a government meeting. Vietnam is also in talks to purchase vaccines from Pfizer, Russia's Sputnik V and China, the deputy minister said. Cuong did not name the Chinese vaccine candidate. Cuong also said Vietnam would be eligible to buy vaccines from the World Health Organization's COVAX programme to cover 16 per cent, or 15.6 million of its almost 98 million population, but said more information would be available in the first quarter. Vietnam, which has yet to give formal regulatory approval to any vaccine, is also developing vaccines domestically. ======================================================================== From Bangkok Post Vietnam buys Indian rice for first time in decades MUMBAI/HANOI: Vietnam, the world's third biggest exporter of rice, has started buying the grain from rival India for the first time in decades after local prices jumped to their highest in nine years amid limited domestic supplies, four industry officials told Reuters. The purchases underscore tightening supplies in Asia, which could lift rice prices in 2021 and even force traditional buyers of rice from Thailand and Vietnam to switch to India - the world's biggest exporter of the grain. Indian traders have contracted to export 70,000 tonnes of 100% broken rice for January and February shipments at around $310 per tonne on a free-on-board (FOB) basis, the industry officials say. Vietnam's 5% broken rice is offered around $500-$505 per tonne, significantly higher compared to Indian prices of $381-$387. "Rice imported from India is mainly used for producing animal feeds and for breweries," said a rice trader based in Ho Chi Minh City. Dwindling supplies and continued Philippine buying lifted Vietnamese rice export prices to a fresh nine-year high.

From The Thaiger / Chiang Rai Times Deputy PM says relying on tourism is “unacceptable” Thailand’s deputy PM says that relying too much on tourism is “unacceptable.” In Supattanapong Punmeechaow’s speech, he said that the tourism industry will never be allowed to recover to its previous levels. For years, Amazing Thailand was the nation’s slogan, which brought in $56.2 billion in 2019 alone, but after Covid struck, it is clear that there has been a major policy shift in thinking by PM Prayut’s cabinet. As the nation’s travel and tourism industry accounts for up to 20% of GNP and around 10% of all jobs, the revelation is troublesome for the country’s investors and property developers, which may see no point in continuing to build up Thailand with more hotels, if the industry may never see a repeat of the 39 million+ tourists that arrived in 2019. The deputy PM admitted that the Covid outbreak exposed cracks and flaws in the economy. Thailand’s deputy PM says that relying too much on tourism is “unacceptable.” In Supattanapong Punmeechaow’s speech, he said that the tourism industry will never be allowed to recover to its previous levels. For years, Amazing Thailand was the nation’s slogan, which brought in $56.2 billion in 2019 alone, but after Covid struck, it is clear that there has been a major policy shift in thinking by PM Prayut’s cabinet. As the nation’s travel and tourism industry accounts for up to 20% of GNP and around 10% of all jobs, the revelation is troublesome for the country’s investors and property developers, which may see no point in continuing to build up Thailand with more hotels, if the industry may never see a repeat of the 39 million+ tourists that arrived in 2019. The deputy PM admitted that the Covid outbreak exposed cracks and flaws in the economy. “The Covid-19 outbreak that hit Thailand since April has exposed the fragility of the economy and shed light on the fact that we rely too much on export and tourism.”

From The Pattaya Mail Pattaya and three eastern provinces should be sealed off, with no one able to enter or leave without government permission, Thailand’s Public Health Ministry suggested Saturday, unveiling its latest plan to combat the East’s exploding coronavirus outbreak. Going beyond a quasi-lockdown of 28 red zones already submitted for approval by the Center for Covid-19, the proposal outlined Saturday by Deputy Health Minister Satit Pitutacha would impose hard travel limits on Chonburi, Rayong and Chanthaburi residents for 28 days because, basically, they lie, he said. Satit asserted that 99 percent of the hundreds of Covid-19 cases that have emerged over the past week all are tied to illegal casinos in Rayong and Chanthaburi, with infected gamblers and lying to contact tracers and failing to divulge their true movements out of fear of being prosecuted. That has crippled contact-tracing efforts and fueled the outbreak spreading across the East and into other areas of Thailand. A woman found infected in Ayutthaya on Friday, for example, had just arrived from Pattaya. Speaking at a news conference at a newly converted field hospital at the Marine Corps headquarters in Chonburi’s Sattahip District, Satit said, if the plan is approved, police or the army would block highways at the borders of each of the three provinces while local police would restrict access on surface streets. Checkpoint guards would block all inbound and outbound travelers who didn’t have urgent business travel approved by the government. Rayong and then Chonburi’s Banglamung District, which includes Pattaya, were the first to implement strict business shutdowns following the outbreak that began at Muang, Rayong gambling den and were set – along with 26 higher provinces reclassified Friday as highly-controlled areas to be subjected to a quasi-lockdown that could be approved Sunday by Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha. That plan, called Level 1 restrictions, would discourage – but not ban – all non-essential interprovincial travel, working from home, the move to online schooling, closing additional high-risk businesses and limiting hours of those allowed to remain open, such as shopping malls. Dine-in service at restaurants would be banned. https://www.pattayamail.com/news/pattaya-3-east-provinces-to-be-sealed-off-for-month-under-health-ministry-proposal-339300

Two brothers, ages 3 and 10, are trapped in an apartment building fire 15 meters above the ground in a French suburb. Their fate is in the hands of a group of migrant workers from many different nations. What follows is the stuff of courage--and a bit of a miracle. Although at first glance the heroics described in the the following article seemingly have nothing to do with what's happening in Thailand, on reflection they have everything to do with the the manner in which migrant workers are commoditized, berated and scapegoated--and in many situations by those who profit most from their cheap labor. The following link contains a graphic video and a story that challenges our view of migrants--legal and otherwise--we have come to see in our visits to the LOS. From The BBC The Catch Excerpt: The boys were saved by a group of immigrants on the very same estate that erupted - almost 10 years previously to the day - in violent rioting, prompting an excoriating anti-immigration speech by then French president Nicolas Sarkozy. https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/extra/tgh54itx0b/grenoble-children-jump-from-fire

How many of us attempt to test the smoke alarm (providing our hotel or condo has one) after we check in? Post pandemic I'd been staying in a condo convenient to Silom for all my visits. I discovered early on that the building's entire fire alarm system was out of order. For about 600 bht I brought a detector at Home Pro and put it on a shelf in the unit. I'd leave it with a friend when I go home and he'd bring it back when I returned. We both slept better, I think. We all arrive with much higher priorities. Taking a few minutes to test the detector with a push of the button is worth the inconvenience. You may well find a dead battery that can be easily replaced. We take time to check room amenities. Why not add this one to the list?

From South China Morning Post It’s Saturday night at the HUNK club in Chengduand men in gold Lycra shorts and black boots dance on stage. They wear kimonos, in an apparent tactical compromise, with new morality codes creeping into China’s “gay capital”. But across town, young women still lounge on leather sofas drinking beer at a lesbian club, while a nearby bar is hosting an LGBTQ board game night. Far from the administrative glare of Beijing, the cosmopolitan southwestern city, dubbed “Gaydu” by Chinese millennials, has long cherished its reputation as a safe haven for a community that faces stigma and widespread harassment elsewhere in the country. But activists now say the city’s permissive streak is under threat, as the central Communist leadership puts the squeeze on the few bastions of LGBT community across the country. Chengdu’s resilient LGBTQ community is not ready to be forced into the closet, however. “There is some tacit acceptance by the authorities, but it is very delicate,” said Matthew, an activist from the NGO Chengdu Rainbow, who requested use of his first name only. The recipe for survival, Matthew says, is “making small progress” rather than big political and social statements that rattle China’s hypersensitive authorities. The mood in Chengdu started to sour in October when the MC Club was closed after explicit photos were posted online and local media reported that HIV infections had been linked to sex parties allegedly taking place at the venue’s sauna. Some in the gay community say a spike in the number of domestic LGBTQ visitors – unable to travel overseas because of the coronavirus pandemic – drew unwanted attention from city authorities. Major gay bars in the city were temporarily shut down, ostensibly to control a public health crisis. Then, an activist said, all of the city’s LGBTQ organisations were suddenly investigated. Continues at https://www.scmp.com/news/china/article/3115997/chinas-gay-capital-chengdu-forced-adapt-government-shuts-down-venues-and

From South China Morning Post Vaccine passports, domestic tourism, pricey flights – is this the future of travel in a post-pandemic Asia? When international travel returns, it’s likely tourists will have to use a second passport – a globally recognised one that shows all the vaccines they have taken. Even with the new documentation, however, the free movement of people that happened in pre-pandemic times is unlikely to return this year, with travellers mostly limited to travel bubbles or business lanes. And with fewer flights and more vaccines and tests, hopping aboard a plane is likely to become a lot more expensive – and a lot less frequent. Those were the predictions of tourism experts who spoke to This Week in Asia – with the additional point that just like last year, travellers are more likely to stick to exploring their own countries rather than heading overseas. Hotelier Ho Kwon Ping – the executive chairman of Banyan Tree Holdings, which runs hotels across Asia, America, Africa and the Middle East – told a recent conference that travel would become more purposeful, with people thinking harder before buying a flight ticket, whether for leisure or business. Meanwhile, Abhineet Kaul, senior director of public sector and government at Frost & Sullivan, said it would be “at least 2024 before tourism is back to the levels of 2018 and 2019”. Travel has changed drastically since January last year, when countries around the world began to ban flights from China in reaction to the spread of the coronavirus there. As the restrictions spread in the wake of Covid-19, international travel ground to a standstill. Little has changed almost 12 months later, with many countries now banning arrivals from Britain and South Africa due to a more infectious variant of the disease. There have been incremental efforts to open some travel channels. Thailand recently eased travel restrictions on visitors from 56 countries, including Singapore, Japan and the United States , allowing entry to tourists with a health certificate to prove they are free of Covid-19 – though they must still quarantine for 14 days. Vietnam has from September allowed outgoing commercial flights to seven Asian destinations, but domestic carriers are still barred from operating inbound flights. Visitors from the likes of Brunei,Vietnam and New Zealand are allowed to enter Singapore, but travel is not permitted in the opposite direction. Meanwhile, a highly anticipated travel bubble between the island nation and Hong Kong collapsed when the latter saw a resurgence of Covid-19. The Asia-Pacific region saw the biggest decrease in foreign tourist arrivals, at 82 per cent, while the UNWTO expects that a rebound in international tourism will occur no sooner than 2023. This was a devastating blow for the region, where tourism has long been a huge driver of economies. In 2018, receipts from the industry accounted for 17.8 per cent of Cambodia’s gross domestic product, and more than 11 per cent of Thailand’s. On the Indonesian island of Bali, up to 70 per cent of residents depend on tourism. Figures from countries such as Vietnam also help illustrate the situation: it hosted just 3.8 million foreign tourists last year, a far cry from its record of 18 million in 2019. Airline data also reflects the extent of the catastrophe. In November last year, Singapore Airlines flew just 45,600 passengers –a 97.6 per cent drop from the year before, while Malaysia Airlines has grounded 75 per cent of its aircraft. Some of the damage is permanent, with airlines such as Hong Kong’s Cathay Dragon and Thailand NokScoot folding. The situation is slightly less dire for countries with a huge domestic market, but even domestic air travel in India , for example, is at 65 per cent of pre-pandemic levels. “When we emerge from the pandemic, our world and our industry will undoubtedly be different,” said Nuno Guerreiro, regional director at Booking.com, who anticipates that travellers will expect more flexibility and reassurances, such as the ability to cancel and change dates without charge. Nguyen Ai Ngoc, 32, founded Local Buddy Tours in 2017 with a few of his friends. Their outfit provided personalised private tours to popular destinations in central Vietnam, such as Da Nang, Hoi An and Hue, benefiting from the rise of cheap and convenient travel that drew European, Australian and American travellers in droves. It was so easy to buy a budget ticket and move around Asia, booking cheap accommodation on the go, that Local Buddy Tours served over 200 customers a month before the pandemic. But if the future holds more “purposeful” travel and tourists no longer arrive in hordes, Ngoc’s business cannot be sustained. Last year, he had just one customer every few months. He has already turned to tutoring to make ends meet. Others have also realised the need for a pivot. Kaul from Frost & Sullivan said this meant new tourism strategies with a different mix of products and markets, and products such as long-stay tourism, vaccine tourism – in which people travel to other countries with the express purpose of receiving a certain inoculation – or mental wellness tourism. With China banning outbound tours, many tourists from the country have taken to exploring at home. In August, the volume of domestic flights in China recovered to 95.4 per cent of 2019’s level, while 13 Chinese carriers operated more flights compared with a year earlier. At Booking.com, domestic travel made up more than 70 per cent of their global room bookings in the third quarter of 2020, up from 45 per cent in 2019. Continues at https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/economics/article/3116142/vaccine-passports-domestic-tourism-pricey-flights-future-travel