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No one outside of his hand-picked doctor knows his true medical outlook. Vance's succession could be the Black Swan event no one is taking about.

The guy who's maintaining lowest profile is JD Vance. Like any VP, his number one job is to inquire daily about health of the president.🙄

From Time Moo Deng might seem to most people like just an adorable viral baby hippo, but to the government of Thailand, where she’s from, she’s a cultural ambassador and shining example of the country’s push to boost what it calls its “soft power.” The term soft power was coined at the height of the Cold War by American political scientist Joseph Nye, who used it to describe “when one country gets other countries to want what it wants” without the use of force, in contrast to the hard power “of ordering others to do what it wants.” But in the last year and a half, since the Pheu Thai party came to power in August 2023, Thailand has sought to redefine soft power instead as getting others to want what it has—with a particular emphasis on highlighting the country’s cultural prominence to attract tourists and foreign investment. Moo Deng isn’t alone. Lalisa “LISA” Manobal, the Thai singer and member of K-pop powerhouse BLACKPINK, has also been hailed for her contributions to Thailand’s “soft power.” While Thailand’s cultural wave has been bubbling up for years and “soft power” was also promoted by previous governments, the major push kickstarted when Prime Minister Srettha Thavisin, just weeks after his election last year, announced the formation of the National Soft Power Strategy Committee (NSPSC), which laid out 11 key focus areas: food, gaming, festivals, music, film, literature, arts, design, sports, fashion, and tourism. In the months since, Thailand has supported extending its Songkran festival from three days to a month, legalizing same-sex marriage, and promoting Thai-made film and TV (from its own exports like the critically acclaimed How to Make Millions Before Grandma Dies and award-winning Hunger to international productions like the upcoming season of The White Lotus and the forthcoming installment of the Jurassic World franchise), among other measures—all in the name of boosting its “soft power.” Continues at https://time.com/7203306/thailand-government-soft-power-moo-deng-lisa-economy/

From MSN The Cambodian government decided to reduce e-visa fees for tourists and businesses or ordinary people from January 2025. It said in a news release on Dec. 28 that the fee for tourist type (e-visa T) would be slashed to $30 from the current $36 while that for regular type (e-visa E) would be lowered to $35 from the current $42. Cambodia is expected to welcome around 6.7 million foreign visitors and 22 million domestic tourists this year, surpassing the numbers recorded before the Covid pandemic in 2019.

There's a lesson in these tales. When you meet a truly loyal guy return that loyalty. They met as many butterflies as we meet guys who ghost us.

From Bangkok Post The Department of National Parks, Wildlife and Plant Conservation (DNP) has unearthed details of the gorilla baby smuggling network based at Chatuchak Market, says DNP director-general Atthapol Charoenchansa. The buyer who tried to bring in a baby gorilla from Türkiye was a millionaire businessman who collects exotic animals, he said without disclosing details. He also ordered a crackdown at the market for being involved in ordering the gorilla, classified as endangered by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) and listed in the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species (Cites) which regulates export/imports of the species. The infant gorilla was smuggled in a wooden box on a flight from Nigeria to Bangkok and was confiscated by the Customs Enforcement Smuggling and Intelligence Directorate at Istanbul Airport in Türkiye on Dec 21. The shipment was supposed to contain 50 rabbits. Mr Atthapol said the person who made the order lives in Asia and collects exotic animals. Investigators found the case was tied to a shop in Chatuchak Market as it acts as a centre for ordering and selling exotic animals from abroad. "When someone wants exotic animals, they go there because it has a network for importing and exporting exotic animals," he said. Pol Maj Gen Watcharin Phusit, commander of the Natural Resource and Environmental Crime Suppression Division (NED) said police searched the pet shop on Friday. The shop is owned by TK Farm in Nakhon Pathom which police raided on Dec 25. The company is registered as an animal importer and breeder. https://www.bangkokpost.com/thailand/general/2929597/baby-gorilla-probe-reveals-smugglers-at-chatuchak

UPDATE From Bangkok Post The three victims of the hotel fire near Khao San Road in Bangkok have been identified – including a Brazilian woman whose boyfriend proposed to her last week – as tourism authorities were preparing compensation. The three who perished in the blaze at The Ember Hotel on Tanee Road near Khao San Road late Sunday night were identified as a 24-year-old Brazilian woman, Pimentel Canales Albuquerque, a 27-year-old Ukrainian man, Tuzov Victor, and a 35-year-old American man, Freeman Timothy Jr. The woman died in the room where the fire is believed to have started. The two men were pronounced dead at Vajira Hospital and Samitivej Chinatown Hospital. Seven people were injured, including an electrician at the hotel, Sorawut Liewhamai, and two Netherlanders, Marvin Holtkamp and Nadine Hueftlein. The Bangkok governor said the hotel had been developed by the modification of 11 connected commercial building units covering a combined area of 1,515 square metres. The hotel opened in April 2022. There were two fire exits and sufficient fire extinguishers, but no sprinkler system because it was a small hotel that was not required to have such equipment, he said. Amorn Pimanmas, president of the Thailand Structural Engineers Association, said the fire likely started in the bed in Room 511 because its mattress was completely burnt and only coil springs were left. The structure of the hotel was intact, he said. It was reported that three Korean men had stayed in Room 511, but they were not there when the fire broke out. A hotel staff member rushed to the room at the sound of the fire alarm. When the employee opened the door, black smoke quickly billowed out. Detectives were looking for the Korean men to question them about the possible cause of the fire. Natthriya Thaweevong, permanent secretary for tourism and sports, said the government would pay 1 million baht in compensation for each death case and 500,000 baht for each injury case. https://www.bangkokpost.com/thailand/general/2929935/bangkok-hotel-fire-victims-identified-compensation-prepared

UPDATE: Khao San hotel fire From The Nation Three people died and seven others were injured in a fire that broke out at a six-storey hotel in the Khao San area of Bangkok’s Phra Nakhon district at around 9.40pm on Sunday. According to Bangkok officials, the fire started on the fifth floor of the hotel, where 39 hotel staff and tourists were staying. Three bucket trucks were deployed to evacuate people stranded on the roof and inside the building. Firefighters were quickly on the scene and brought the fire under control within an hour. Of the total 75 guests, one woman was found dead inside a room on the fifth floor. Another two died later at the hospital. The seven injured people were two Thai men, a Japanese man, a foreign woman, a German man, a German woman and a Chinese man. Bartender Pattarapol Kopornsrisanga said he noticed smoke while working on the sixth floor and told guests to evacuate immediately. He added that many of the residents escaped either by heading down to street level or up to the roof, but admitted that he was in a state of panic. Nongnuch Srilom, a merchant who witnessed the incident, said she heard a sound before she saw the smoke. Tourists ran from the hotel to seek assistance, and some collapsed to the ground. She expressed concern that the fire had broken out in a predominantly tourist area. https://www.nationthailand.com/news/general/40044632

From Khaosod English Three foreign tourists have died following a fire that broke out at The Ember Hotel, a six-story building in Bangkok, late Sunday night. One tourist was pronounced dead at the scene, while two others passed away at the hospital. Another victim remains hospitalized for smoke inhalation. Police Lieutenant General Siam Boonsom, Commissioner of the Metropolitan Police Bureau, revealed that the fire originated in room 511 on the fifth floor. Surviving tourists are providing statements at Chana Songkhram Police Station as investigators work to determine the cause of the blaze. The forensics team is currently collecting evidence to build a case against those who may be responsible. The Pharam Radio Center received the fire alert at 9:30 p.m. on December 29 at The Ember Hotel on Tanee Road, Talat Yot, Phra Nakhon district. Bangkok’s Fire and Rescue Department deployed three aerial ladder trucks to rescue guests trapped inside the building, with some tourists taking refuge on the hotel’s rooftop. Emergency responders rushed four tourists suffering from smoke inhalation to nearby hospitals. Firefighters finally contained the blaze by 10:30 p.m. Bangkok Governor Chadchart Sittipunt and Deputy Interior Minister Teearat Samretwanich arrived at the scene at 11:00 p.m. Governor Chadchart reported that nearly 40 tourists and hotel staff had fled to the building’s rooftop out of the total 75 guests staying at the hotel. Three aerial ladder trucks were used to gradually evacuate the victims. “The fire spread was limited due to the swift response from firefighters,” Chadchart stated. “However, heavy smoke posed a significant challenge.” He ordered the temporary closure of the hotel pending a thorough safety inspection. “We must restore tourist confidence in safety measures, especially with New Year’s Eve countdown celebrations approaching,” he added. https://www.khaosodenglish.com/news/2024/12/30/investigation-underway-as-bangkok-hotel-fire-claims-tourist-lives/

He was unlucky as America's 39th president but he was the most successful after leaving office. The winner of the Nobel Peace Prize, Carter conducted himself in a manner best described as the antithesis of Trump. R.I.P.

From NY Times A passenger plane carrying 181 people crash-landed on its belly on Sunday at an airport in South Korea, hitting a barrier and exploding into an orange fireball in the worst aviation disaster in the country in almost three decades. Most of the people on board the plane, a Boeing 737-800 operated by Jeju Air, were killed, officials said. The plane, Flight 7C2216, had taken off from Bangkok and was landing at Muan International Airport in South Korea’s southwest when it crashed around 9 a.m. local time. Officials said the plane had broken into so many pieces that only its tail was identifiable. The plane was carrying 175 passengers and six crew members. As of Sunday evening, the official death toll had risen to 177, according to the National Fire Agency. Two crew members had been rescued from the aircraft’s tail section, and emergency workers continued searching the wreckage. Officials were investigating why the landing gear appeared to have malfunctioned, and whether birds had struck the plane or if bad weather had been a factor, Ju Jong-wan, a director of aviation policy at the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport, said at a news briefing. As the plane was landing, he said, the airport warned it about a potential bird strike. The plane issued a mayday alert shortly after, he said, then crash-landed. The muddy tidal flats near Muan International Airport and much of the west coast of the Korean Peninsula are favorite resting places for migrant birds. Photographs in local media showed flocks of birds flying near the airport on Sunday. https://www.nytimes.com/2024/12/29/world/asia/what-to-know-south-korea-plane-crash.html

From Pattaya News At 06:06 AM, Pattaya police received a report of a violent fight on Pattaya Third Road. Following the report, police, along with rescue workers from the Sawang Boriboon Foundation and The Pattaya News reporters, rushed to the scene. Upon arrival, authorities found Mr. Seita Tanabe, a 27-year-old Japanese man, who had been stabbed in the chest with a knife and was bleeding heavily. Rescue workers provided first aid and performed CPR before rushing him to the hospital. However, he was later pronounced dead at the hospital. The other person involved, identified by police only as Mr. David, a 36-year-old British-Thai man, was found with a swollen face, body scratches, and a torn shirt. He appeared heavily intoxicated. Mr. David was reported to have stabbed Mr. Seita. He reportedly showed no remorse at the scene as he made an “I love you” gesture to officers while being arrested and appeared to be smirking in photos taken after the horrific incident. A knife used in the attack was found at the scene and was collected as evidence. An eyewitness, identified only as Mr. Bank, last name withheld by request, told The Pattaya News that before the incident, he and Mr. Seita saw Mr. David arguing with his foreign girlfriend. Both he and Mr. Seita tried to stop the argument, which caused Mr. David to punch Mr. Seita in the face. The nature of the argument with the foreign woman and her identity were not disclosed by Pattaya police as of press time. Mr. Bank then tried to separate the two, but shortly afterward, Mr. Seita retaliated by punching Mr. David. The situation escalated when Mr. David drew a knife and stabbed Mr. Seita in the chest, causing him to collapse in front of everyone. Police arrived shortly after and arrested Mr. David. https://thepattayanews.com/2024/12/29/fight-in-pattaya-ends-with-british-thai-man-stabbing-young-japanese-man-to-death/

A trusted source tells me that the audience in FB's is western and Asian mix. Females come in small groups or with their bf's and their interest is mainly in seeing the show, although they may call down a guy if they can chat with him. Probably the same at GB and DB.

Bad example. BBC is totally free. CNN and CNBC are both free but you can subscribe to additional content if you wish. All the Thai and ASEAN news sites are free. Agree.

NOTE -- Jujube, also known as the Chinese red date, is a round fruit commonly grown in Southeast Asia. The bright red jujube fruit is about the size of a plum. Inside the fruit is a white pulp covering the jujube seed. Jujube fruit is rich in fiber, vitamin C, and anti-inflammatory plant compounds. In traditional Chinese medicine, jujubes are consumed to improve sleep and remove toxins. Jujubes have been grown in China for over 4,000 years. From Bangkok Post Most fruit samples randomly tested by the Thai Pesticide Alert Network (Thai-Pan) contained hazardous residues that exceeded the safety standard, particularly jujubes and oranges. Thai-PAN coordinator Prokchol Ousap said on Friday that the network collected 85 samples of apples, dragon fruit, guava, jujubes and oranges, both imported and domestically grown, from supermarkets and fresh markets across 12 provinces, including Bangkok, Chiang Mai and Rayong from Nov 27 to Dec 11. She said the fruits underwent multi-residue testing for 419 chemicals at BVAQ Laboratory in Thailand. The analysis revealed pesticide residues exceeding the safety standard in all fruit types tested, she said. https://www.bangkokpost.com/thailand/general/2928616/tests-show-high-levels-of-pesticide

From Bangkok Post Police have arrested a man who they say hired a young social media influencer to guzzle a 350ml bottle of whiskey that led to the latter’s death at a party in Chanthaburi The arrest took place when officers raided the suspect’s house on Saturday in search of evidence that might link him to a gambling website. Officers from the Cyber Crime Investigation Bureau (CCIB) and local police in Chanthaburi raided the house of Ekkachart Meephrom, aka “Em Ekkachart”, in tambon Huai Sathon of Tha Mai district in the eastern province. Mr Ekkachart was in the house during the raid. The officers seized a pistol, bank passbooks, mobile phones and SIM cards for examination to find out whether he was connected to the gambling website curriculum51. During the operation, the officers also informed him that they had obtained an arrest warrant for him on a charge of recklessness causing death in connection with the alcohol-drinking challenge that led to the death of Thanakarn Kanthee, 27. https://www.bangkokpost.com/thailand/general/2928870/arrest-made-in-influencers-alcohol-challenge-death

Look at any cable news or newspaper website and you find all of them battling to phrase headlines to get readers to click on it. That, however, is nothing new and goes back a century or more in print media history where the headline and first paragraph determine if the article will get read to its conclusion. Headline writing is an art: give the reader just enough information to whet his appetite but don't try to tell the whole story. What we didn't like instead of what we did. Amen to that.

I usually try to omit those and now I know why.

As for the OP, Tiger Woods is a golfing legend. That his mother is Thai certainly gives the article local flavor. And to see his son display some of the same talent registers across the golfing community. As to where my interests lay I earlier addressed them in this thread: I view the board as a canvas. I look for articles that may be of particular general interest beyond the always popular news about venues and changes in the local scene. Other topics that I know affect all members (i.e., airlines, current events in ASEAN area, tourism, accommodations) get preference. If you look at my posts across all the subforums you find that my interests cover a lot of ground, none more so than the massage business in Bangkok. When I'm in town, I try to keep the board informed about venues I've visited. Regardless of what I post, I'm aware that some fall into the information only category. For example, if I post about bars being closed for a Buddhist holiday I don't expect it ill generate much discussion but is nevertheless useful to members in bkk at the moment. But if I post about a new bar, I anticipate it will ignite some lively conversation over an extended period. Both posts are informative but as always been the case in this forum, trip and venue reports generate the widest interest. We have to look no further than recent trip reports by Jason, Min and Vinapu. They are the classic meat and potatoes of Gay Thailand.

This topic has garnered 54 replies. Not bad for a story about hole-in-one.

If we use that logic then topics in Politics Forum (that produce prodigious replies) would be most popular on the board.

I was counting views but I'm still flattered.

Actually, airport alcohol policy got most of my three posts you mentioned (38). 😊 But flattered that you're keeping score.

Oh, I understand. You levitated across Pacific to scene of incident in Pattaya. Time to return and report back now to Capt. Kirk.

Reporter and photographer were on the scene. Your were not, and that is not in dispute.