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From The Thaiger The Thai Cabinet made a bold move to bolster its tourism sector by extending a waiver on operating fees for hoteliers for another two years. This strategic decision, made yesterday, June 25, aims to support the country’s ongoing economic recovery following the devastating impact of the Covid-19 pandemic. The fee exemption, which spares hoteliers from the annual charge of 40 baht per hotel room, will be in effect from July this year to June 2026. While this will result in a revenue loss of 54 million baht for the government, Deputy Spokesperson Karom Phonphonklang believes it is a necessary step. “Waiving the fee will help reduce expenses for hotel operators that have been impacted by the Covid-19 pandemic and may remain unable to recover.” Tourism is a cornerstone of the Thai economy, which has been struggling with high household debt, rising borrowing costs, and weak exports. The government is aiming for 3% economic growth in 2024, up from last year’s modest 1.9%. With tourism playing a critical role in this target, the fee waiver is expected to ease financial burdens on hoteliers and stimulate sector growth.

John Burdett explains it all in “Bangkok 8”.

From Thai PBS World Even more puzzling than the country’s two top policemen being sidelined simultaneously for alleged corruption is that both have been reinstated months later as if no damage had been done. In a development that critics call “a farce”, national police chief Pol General Torsak Sukvimol and his deputy Pol General Surachate Hakparn have been shifted from suspension in the Prime Minister’s Office back to their posts following the completion of an investigation by a three-man committee appointed by Prime Minister Srettha Thavisin in March. Critics say this “win-win solution” for the feuding top cops is not in the national interest since it leaves many questions unanswered, especially regarding allegations linking Torsak and Surachate to illegal and lucrative online gambling. Speculation abounds of a “secret deal” between the conflicting sides, while media have reported rumours that certain political heavyweights are paving the way for Surachate to become the next police chief in exchange for him helping to boost their party’s performance in southern provinces in the next election. Surachate, aka “Big Joke”, is a native of the southern Songkhla province and president of the Southerners Association of Thailand. Continues at https://www.thaipbsworld.com/secret-deal-or-political-intrigue-thailands-feuding-top-cops-reinstated/

From The Thaiger Thailand’s national parks achieved a monumental milestone, breaking revenue records by collecting a whopping 1.785 billion baht between October 1 last year, and June 20 this year. This incredible sum surpasses the total amount collected in the whole of 2023, which stood at 1.467 billion baht. Leading the charge is the Nopparat Thara Beach National Park, Phi Phi Islands, raking in an impressive 500.87 million baht. This park, a magnet for foreign tourists, has seen a dramatic increase in visitors, recording over 4.5 million foreign arrivals, a 41.5% rise from the previous year. In the past nine months, the park’s revenue surged from 300 million baht to over 500 million baht. Similan National Park follows with 243.66 million baht, renowned for its breathtaking underwater beauty. Khao Laem Ya – Mu Ko Samet National Park garnered 127.82 million baht, attracting visitors with its stunning coastal views. Ao Phang Nga National Park, famous for its dramatic limestone karsts, brought in 114.23 million baht. Doi Inthanon National Park, home to Thailand’s highest peak, completed the top five with 100.55 million baht.

I was in need of a print shop to make copy of visa for upcoming trip and was lucky to find one in the first block of Soi Saladeang (right side). The sign says passport photo and name of shop is Photo Unique. They also print photos. Prices are very reasonable. There used to be numerous places to get this work done when cyber cafes were popular. Mobile phones and tablets changed all that.

From Pattaya Mail By Barry Kenyon Thailand stands alone in its adoption of gay marriage. The ruling Pheu Thai party intends to go further and to recognize gender identity changes as well as to legalize prostitution, male as well as female. There is also a proposal to legalize commercial surrogacy for same sex marriage partners. The country is making a firm bid to be the world pride venue in 2028. Even a decade ago these moves would have been unthinkable in the land of smiles. The 10-member ASEAN is a commercial union, of sorts, but rarely interferes in each country’s domestic affairs. Nowhere is this clearer than in sexual law. Indonesia and Myanmar both have jail-time legislation which outlaws any kind of sex outside marriage, whilst Brunei can impose stoning to death for miscreants. Although the number of actual prosecutions in these countries is speculative, two Indonesian men each received 77 lashes in 2021 for “grossly indecent behaviour”. But the general idea seems to be to discourage coming-out, pride rallies and political campaigns on the “out of sight out of mind” principle. Other ASEAN partners lie somewhere in-between. In Singapore, gay sex is legal and also gender reassignment surgery which has been available since the 1970s. But there are few protections against discrimination and gay marriage is not available. Laos, Malaysia, Cambodia and Vietnam all recognize the legality of gay sex but not gay relationships. The Philippines is in a similar position, though its promotional tourist sites proclaim gays are welcome. Even the sexually-explicit Angeles City now has half a dozen gay bars or clubs, compared with none five years ago. Whether Thailand’s adoption of gay marriage in the fullest sense will impact other ASEAN nations remains to be seen. The pink pound is now mega-cash to the tune of US$6.5 billion or 1.2 percent of gross national product in Thailand, according to industry consultants LGBT Capital. In another context, Thailand’s lead in abolishing many visa restrictions on overseas visitors is being followed by several ASEAN partners. Further adoption of gay rights throughout south east Asia is no longer unthinkable.

From The Thaiger Despite a slight relief due to declining jet fuel prices and increased flight capacity, airfares are expected to remain high in the post-pandemic travel surge and are unlikely to revert to pre-pandemic levels soon. AirAsia Aviation’s CEO Bo Lingam spoke on the changes in travelling patterns post-pandemic in an interview. “[The aircraft] load factor is around 90%, this was unheard of pre-Covid.” The aviation sector has undergone significant changes following the pandemic, with pent-up travel demand driving ticket prices higher than inflation rates in many regions. Concurrently, supply chain issues, such as aircraft delivery delays and unexpected engine maintenance, have hampered airlines’ abilities to expand flight offerings. AirAsia aims to leverage this robust demand to create the world’s first low-cost carrier network by 2030, centred on its Southeast Asian hubs. This year, the airline added flights to Almaty, Kazakhstan, and launched operations with its Cambodian unit. The next milestone is the commencement of flights to Nairobi, Kenya, in October. AirAsia aims to leverage this robust demand to create the world’s first low-cost carrier network by 2030, centred on its Southeast Asian hubs. This year, the airline added flights to Almaty, Kazakhstan, and launched operations with its Cambodian unit. The next milestone is the commencement of flights to Nairobi, Kenya, in October.

From The Thaiger Thailand’s Ministry of Finance announced the collection of value-added tax (VAT) on imported goods, which aims to address disparities between foreign and domestic sellers in terms of tax obligations, effective from July 5 to December 31, 2024. The Royal Thai Government Gazette published the Ministry of Finance’s declaration today, June 24. The declaration focuses on customs duty exemptions for items valued at 1,500 baht or less, aiming to create a fairer marketplace for consumers. The government’s policy seeks to resolve the unfair competition between foreign sellers, who are not subjected to VAT, and local sellers, who must pay this tax. This measure is also in line with international agreements that mandate a minimum value threshold for imported goods to justify customs duties.

NOTE — in other words, hoteliers are in favor of stifling competition. They ignore fact that “daily” rental is prevented by law in Bangkok. From The Thaiger The Thai Hotels Association (THA) expressed strong opposition to the government’s plan to allow foreigners to own up to 75% of condominium units, warning that it could lead to intense price competition and market disruption. Concerns were raised during a meeting where members discussed significant issues impacting the hospitality industry. During the meeting, Tourism and Sports Minister, Sermsak Pongpanich delivered a speech on the direction of Thailand’s tourism and government policies to support the sector. The minister also welcomed input from the association members regarding their challenges. Key issues highlighted by the members included land and building taxes, along with the government’s consideration to increase the foreign ownership limit of condominiums from 49% to 75%. The association argued that this change could negatively impact the hotel business. President of the THA, Tianprasert Chaipattananon, stated that the Ministry of Finance is preparing to propose this policy to the Cabinet. He voiced strong opposition, claiming that the policy would facilitate the renting out of condo units daily, directly competing with hotels and potentially sparking a price war.

Sorry to learn that you have passed and have now joined us, the living dead. 🙂

I was taking a shortcut from Rama 4 to Surawong this afternoon when I came upon signs by a sub Soi, advertising Magic Touch Massage. There was a young man standing nearby who asked if I was interested. Told him I was on my way to an appointment but I’d be interested in seeing the shop. He guided be down the short soi and turned right where the shop came into view. Without time to investigate any further, I accepted a business card, thanked him and moved on. As I walked on I jogged my memory and recalled a shop by the same name that once occupied one of the shop houses on the main sub Soi (Soi Wat Hua Lam Phong) several years past. After returning to my room later, I tried to connect via the LINE address on the card but received a message that it was oversubscribed (never seen that before). A cursory search produced a lead on the Travelgay website. https://www.travelgay.com/venue/magic-touch-by-the-tree-bangkok There’s also a Facebook page: https://en-gb.facebook.com/MagicTOUCHbangkok/ Some pics of Massuers that caught my attention: Mr. King The reviews are a bit conflicting. Some say no extras while others praise them. In any case, another shop is always welcome. Directions: The entrance to Soi Wat Hua Lam Phong is immediately to the right of Le Meridien Hotel and directly opposite Cafe Amazon on Surawong rd. Look for sign on your left.

According to you, only the dead. How can us ghosts derail anything.

Have to tell you, Moses, I’m feeling pretty good about now. Have gotten you to make a dozen posts full of nonsense and self promotion. Sure, you derailed the thread but it demonstrates that things can’t be that busy on the SR front if the boss can take that amount of time to talk to dead folks.

If everyone died along with forum format, why are you still promoting SR here with photos of every old and new guide in your business? And why do you choose to continue to post your political nonsense to dead people? Shouldn’t a man of your education be posting on social networks and give us ghosts some peace?

Sorry, Moses, don’t believe that anymore than I believe you other claims. You’ve continuously used the forum to boost Siam Roads.

Siam Roads, Moses. Think of what’s good for business. Think like an oligarch!

Sadly, for you, no one believes your claims. Everybody knows the truth and you can’t get around that with lame attempts. it seems you never learned what the oligarchs did: business trumps politics. But too never to learn.

You can’t escape fsct that the children were originally kidnapped by Russian soldiers and taken across border to Russia

The 2,183,000 are documented citizens in US. Odd that you’re talking about trafficking for prostitution. Why don’t you tell us how many Russians have been trafficked to Phuket and Pattay. But please keep this up. It’s a great business strategy for Siam Roads.

Pravda is Russian state propaganda agency. Not even Russians believe it.

You conveniently overlook the fact that the largest Vietnamese diaspora worldwide exits in Orange County, California. Population: 2,183,000. Russia has 13,954.

Tell that to children Russian soldiers kidnapped and taken over border by land to be brainwashed. That not some propaganda but widely verified reports from multiple agencies and UN.

From The Nation Looking back at the biggest news in the Thai capital market over the past year, the colossal fraud at Stark Corporation Public Co Ltd undoubtedly stands out, causing alarm among stock market participants. This company once had a valuation as high as 60 billion baht and was even included in the SET100 index, which lists the top 100 largest companies in the Thai stock market. Stark borrowed huge sums of money from banks and bondholders, resulting in damages amounting to tens of billions of baht to the lenders. The grand Stark fraud began when Phelps Dodge, an American electrical wire manufacturer, decided to sell its troubled Thai business. The buyer was Vanarat Tangkaravakun, the eldest heir of the TOA paint empire, for approximately 3 billion baht. However, the deeper aspects of acquiring the electrical wire manufacturing business involved a key aide, Chanin Yensudchai, who masterminded the deal. Chanin, a former executive of Phyathai Hospital, had experience in business acquisitions and assisted Vanarat in strategising the business takeover. Phelps Dodge's Thai operations had been plagued by losses, but surprisingly, in just a few years after Vanarat’s acquisition, the company was in the black. By 2019, Vanarat decided to list Phelps Dodge on the Thai stock market, not through a typical IPO but through a process called reverse takeover, also known as “backdoor listing”. continues at https://www.nationthailand.com/business/trading-investment/40039046

The Dusit chain has seven other properties in Bangkok. https://www.dusit.com/find-a-hotel/thailand/

From Thai Enquirer Three major cases went before the Constitutional Court last week. Of the most anticipated cases — the potential dissolution of the Move Forward Party and ouster of Prime Minister Srettha Thavisin — we received word that the court will need more time for deliberation next month. The Constitutional Court did make one major ruling, however, on the legality of the Senate election procedures. The court had received a petition claiming that the law governing how the new Senate is to be elected violated the 2017 constitution. The constitution had mandated that the election process should be as insulated as possible from political influence; the petitioners claimed that the rules did not observe the spirit of the charter. The Constitutional Court’s opinion is that the election procedures are legal. This now opens the way for a new upper house. The current election process for the Senate has never been tried before, and it has been described as perhaps the most complicated method for selecting any body of parliament in the world. It is so byzantine that I will refer you to Dr. Napon Jatusripitak’s excellent explanation for a full explanation rather than attempt to summarize it here. The gist of it, though, is this. Previously, the Senate had been fully appointed, handpicked by members of the previous military government. Now aspiring candidates were asked to apply, and they then went through multiple rounds of selection at the district, provincial, and (soon) the national levels. The candidates vote amongst themselves. It is a system has created perverse incentives for the Senate candidates. Instead of survival of the fittest the rule drafters have instead built an electoral arena more suited for the endurance of the weakest. Why support a stronger candidate if you are a weaker candidate, who will minimize your own chances of getting through? While fame and fortune is not necessarily a benchmark for senatorial capability, it is indeed odd that in the provincial round, many of the most well-known candidates did not make the cut. Former senator Rosana Tositrakul, for example, who once received the most popular votes in a senate election, was voted out. The same went for other famous politicians and media personalities. One unsuccessful candidate, Nuttaa Mahattana, put it well: “When people choose a candidate, they choose based on who they want to do the job. When candidates pick amongst themselves, they will often vote with the goal of taking themselves as deep into the selection process as they can. How would I eliminate other contenders? Who can I trade votes with?” One consequence of the fall of so many “big names” is also the difficulty in predicting how the next Senate will behave. Until we see the final list of candidates who made it through, and examine closely their previous backgrounds, we cannot speak with any certainty on how the next Senate will lean. There is already speculation, however, that former prime minister Somchai Wongsawat, a brother in law of Thaksin Shinawatra, is a possible candidate for Senate President. As it stands, he has a good chance of becoming a senator, having won the most votes in Chiang Mai so far. If that scenario is realized, that would indicate that the next Senate is likely to have a very different makeup to the current one. It could be friendlier to the current government, several of whose members were behind the ethics case against Srettha. Gone would be the final vestiges of former deputy prime minister Prawit Wongsuwan’s decisive influence over the upper house. continues at https://www.thaienquirer.com/52454/the-next-senate-will-be-very-different/