bamnutsak

Alabama, that bastion of equal justice. Amazed they didn't just bring back the Guillotine.

Yes.

Thai people. For meth (yaba). 80% of the people (~210,000) in jail (~230,000) are there for drugs. 90+ % for yaba. Yaba is the gateway drug here, and the drug of choice. But much of the crystal meth, 75% of the meth, and ketamine are destined for other countries. Thailand just provides safe transshipment services.

Where is your Netflix account based? Thailand? Or elsewhere? If you turn off the VPN does Netflix load? Not sure about Nvidea, but if Android-based you should be able to go into the UI/Settings, find Apps, find Netflix, Force Stop, then re-open Netflix. That usually clears up network-related issues.

I'd ask around in the neighborhood. In mine, an elder gentleman visits every few months and performs this service for most of the houses on the street. He spends the better part of a day here.

Drug smuggling? In Thailand? I'm shocked. Round up the usual suspects - low-level users.

On January 26-27, National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan will meet with Chinese Communist Party Politburo Member, Director of the Office of the Foreign Affairs Commission, and Foreign Minister Wang Yi in Bangkok, Thailand. This meeting continues the commitment by both sides at the November 2023 Woodside Summit between President Biden and President Xi to maintain strategic communication and responsibly manage the relationship. https://www.whitehouse.gov/briefing-room/statements-releases/2024/01/25/statement-from-nsc-spokesperson-adrienne-watson-on-national-security-advisor-jake-sullivans-meeting-with-director-wang-yi/ Call me crazy but I feel like this is a "good" thing. National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan is traveling to Bangkok, Thailand from January 25-27. There, he will meet with the Prime Minister of the Kingdom of Thailand Srettha Thavisin and Deputy Prime Minister/Foreign Minister Parnpree Bahiddha-nukara. In these meetings, Mr. Sullivan will reaffirm the importance of the U.S.-Thailand treaty alliance and partnership and discuss opportunities to strengthen cooperation across a range of bilateral and global issues. https://www.whitehouse.gov/briefing-room/statements-releases/2024/01/25/statement-from-nsc-spokesperson-adrienne-watson-on-national-security-advisor-jake-sullivans-travel-to-thailand/ Interestingly, Thailand disavowed any connections to this meeting. Normally Thai officials are quick to claim credit for all sorts of diplomatic actions, and fake-quote other government's officials.

The issue of double standards, hypocrisy, and double-speak in the Thaskin "hospitalization scheme" has been raised in countless op-ed pieces and news articles. These came early, and often. MFP also questioned the "treatment" long before Pita was reinstated. An early one... Thaksin paradox to haunt many https://www.thaipbsworld.com/thaksin-paradox-to-haunt-many/

Trump, the petulant coward, stands up and walks out of court during closing arguments. https://www.pbs.org/newshour/politics/lawyers-have-final-say-in-e-jean-carroll-defamation-trial-a-day-after-trump-testifies That insult to the the court probably increased the damages + $50 M. Good thing Mr. Trump is so wealthy; he can afford it. He's going to go nuts on Truth Social and the campaign events. https://www.youtube.com/shorts/Jxw4932b4L8

Interesting that they scout the money exchange for victims.

From the linked article... He played down speculation that the party will be dissolved, because the petitioner only asked the court to order the party to cease attempts to abrogate or weaken the lèse majesté law, not to dissolve the party. Who is the "petitioner", and why are they allowed to stipulate the extent of the charges or punishment? And why can the Court restrict what citizens can discuss?

Not exactly an emphatic, ringing endorsement of this truly idiotic scheme.

It might be best to contact the Immigration office and ask them what documentation they require. This implies that you have a current extension of stay based on retirement. Is that using the 800,000 baht option? Or Thai wife option?

In Thailand? They call it "Tuesday".

Hard to believe that someone who has lived the Thai Life for 35+ years thinks one person (other than Rama 9) can change the Thai system, in any significant way. The powers-that-be have spent ninety-plus years clawing back control. There is no way they're going to give an inch to a progressive upstart.

It looks like they held many/most of the departures, with departure delays of 30 - 120 minutes Wed. AM https://www.flightradar24.com/data/airports/bkk/departures

Speed bump. Pita has shares in a long-defunct media company. Bad. Hauled into court, deprived of MP seat. Saksayam awards contracts as Minister of Transport to his own (shielded) company. Meh.

I'm not sure but I think I saw something (BP?) about the temporary loss of an automatic connection to APPS/APIS upon scanning of the passport. So the passenger may have to be screened manually against a paper list, or the officer needs to make a specific call/inquiry to the APPS database.

I think the "government's" strategy, that is to say, the PM's strategy, is to cry wolf about an economy in crisis so he can get his digital wallet scheme enacted. Of course, as PM and Finance Minister, screaming about a bad economy reflects badly on him. He's two carrots short of a bunch. This poor sap is going to be shown the door soon and was only placed in his position to take the blame for all of the problems from the eight-year rule or Prayuth.

Have to see the trend before COVID. What was the figure for all of 2023? 2022 figures (1.5 m) may have been a post-COVID blip?

There are very few fully refundable tickets. Most tickets have penalties for no-shows, cancellations, changes, and refunds. A throwaway on Thai Air Asia for DMK-PNH should be 2,000 THB or less.

Based on the two photos in the OP, it looks like this glitch affected both Departing Immigration and Arriving Immigration. Another black-eye for Thailand's aspirations to hit 40 million this year.

Article 49 No person shall exercise the rights or liberties to overthrow the democratic regime of government with the King as Head of State. Any person who has knowledge of an act under paragraph one shall have the right to petition to the Attorney-General to submit a motion to the Constitutional Court for an order to cease such act. In the case where the Attorney-General orders a refusal to proceed as petitioned or fails to proceed within fifteen days as from the date of receiving the petition, the person making the petition may submit the petition directly to the Constitutional Court. The action under this section shall not prejudice the criminal prosecution against the person committing an act under paragraph one. You don't have to convince me that political discussions about amending the Constitution, or Criminal Code, should be considered illegal. That said, staunch Nationalists and Royalists feel that allowing ANY discussions about the Monarchy needs to be dealt with extreme prejudice

Thai PM announces stimulus measures amidst economic crisis Prime Minister Srettha Thavisin, who also serves as the Finance Minister, said today the government is set to introduce a series of stimulus measures to bolster growth. Read the linked article several times, and did not see any "measures" presented. The PM cum Finance Minister appears to be in way over his head. PM Srettha, a former property mogul before assuming political office, repeatedly urged the central bank to reduce the interest rates that, according to him, are harming businesses. Hmm. Higher interest rates harm businesses, like his (real estate).

Nine-panel vote was 8:1. A potential one-week comeback. I hope he survives the verdict on January 31, Charter Court, where he is accused of violating Article 49 of the Constitution by seeking to overthrow the monarchy through his election campaign to amend the lese majesty law or Article 112 of the Criminal Code.