bamnutsak

Based on publicized interdictions Ketamine use seems to be on the rise. Not exactly good news for Thailand. Beyond methamphetamine, the region seized a record 27.4 tons of ketamine in 2022, an increase of 167 per cent, with all countries and territories in the region reporting an increase except Hong Kong, China. Notably, large mixed shipments of methamphetamine and ketamine were seized by authorities across the region, indicating organized crime continue to push the two drugs as a package to grow ketamine demand. https://www.unodc.org/roseap/2023/06/regional-synthetic-drugs-report-launch/story.html

Hard to notice anything over the rotting, fetid stench emanating from the sewer system after this week's massive rainstorms.

The PM can barely color coordinate his shirt, scarf and socks so expecting him to do something, anything about the air quality issue is unreasonable. He is so clearly in over his head it would be comical if the consequences weren't so dire. You know he's lost the plot when he says that gigantic buffaloes are "soft power". https://www.nationthailand.com/thailand/policies/40036555 I know he made a pledge to stay in Thailand for two months but honestly the country might be better off if he were to continue his international tour.

Interesting that the U.S. seemed to have had intel about an impending attack, although the 48-hour thing was off by a few weeks. Presumably they informed Russian officials. Location: Moscow, Russia The Embassy is monitoring reports that extremists have imminent plans to target large gatherings in Moscow, to include concerts, and U.S. citizens should be advised to avoid large gatherings over the next 48 hours. https://ru.usembassy.gov/security-alert-avoid-large-gatherings-over-the-next-48-hours/ US embassy warns of imminent attack in Moscow by 'extremists' https://www.reuters.com/world/us-embassy-warns-imminent-extremist-attack-moscow-2024-03-08/

He has a diplomatic passport I think. He travels internationally often, to clean up messes or brief other governments on issues, mostly on Thailand's efforts to control human trafficking.

I'm watching this on Netflix, which offers an English-language subtitle option. I can't imagine watching it without subtitles. I did read the first book in the series. The thirty-ep Chinese TV version gets mixed reviews, although it is exactly like the book. So far I'm liking this telling of a complex, and quite frightening, arc which starts with the oft-quoted Fermi Paradox.

At least the 2024 budget was finally approved, after having been delayed for five months, due to gross incompetence. Thai parliament approves delayed $96 billion budget for 2024 fiscal year https://www.reuters.com/world/asia-pacific/thai-parliament-passes-delayed-96-bln-budget-2024-fiscal-year-2024-03-22/

Does the 7/11 chime tone play when the doors open? They (CP Group) were supposed to finance a rail-link between SMK-BKK-UTP. Oops. EECO denies ultimatum to CP Group over high-speed rail project https://www.nationthailand.com/thailand/general/40035229

Like most Thais trafficked to other countries, which is often encouraged by the Thai government du jour, they are probably better off not going, be it Finland or Israel. Thai berry pickers and Finnish justice https://www.thaipbsworld.com/thai-berry-pickers-and-finnish-justice Prosecutors to consider suspected human trafficking of Thai berry pickers https://yle.fi/a/74-20062487

Insurgents launch 39 coordinated attacks in four deep South provinces Suspected insurgents carried out coordinated attacks on at least 39 locations in four southernmost provinces in the early hours of Friday, leaving at least one person dead, local security authorities said. https://www.nationthailand.com/thailand/general/40036626

The last time he was ousted he went to India and did the monk-hood thing. ‘BIG JOKE’ LEFT COUNTRY, DAYS AFTER GOV’T WARNING https://www.khaosodenglish.com/politics/2020/01/27/big-joke-left-country-days-after-govt-warning/ This is the equivalent of the Thai bus driver doing a runner after a "brake failure".

Yes, I didn't mean to imply that this stake was "liquid", but someone (Jared, Jeff Yass, Saudis) might be convinced to pay him $500 million today for a stake which might be worth $750 million, once all the hurdles are overcome. Certainly no more risky than taking potentially encumbered real estate?

Spread out over the six-month period the total figure seems a lot lower than I would have guessed. "Vigorous". 5-5-5 I'd be willing to wager that they could round up 700 in one day, if they were incentivized, and were not paid off by the Thai smuggling/employment cartels.

I wonder if he can put up part of his stake in "DJT" (TruthSocial), the total of which is valued at $3.5 Billion today. Trump could score $3.5 billion from Truth Social going public. But tapping the money may be tricky. Former President Donald Trump could soon receive a windfall valued as much as $3.5 billion, with shareholders of a publicly traded funding partner voting Friday on whether to merge with his Trump Media & Technology Group. The vote is taking place about one month after the two companies received regulatory approval to proceed with the long-delayed merger. https://www.cbsnews.com/news/trump-media-dwac-merger-vote-3-5-billion-lock-up-cbs-news-explains/

He also got rid of the tip-jars in Immigration. https://aseannow.com/topic/1059713-the-jokes-on-you-as-surachate-takes-over-immigration-promising-no-tip-department/

"Surveil"? Time to resurrect the tourist tracking scheme? https://aseannow.com/topic/1189954-thailand-to-track-tourists-with-digital-wristbands/ If only the PM showed such vigor in tackling the PM2.5 issue.

Of course trump is partners with a Las Vegas casino owner. Why am I not shocked? Maybe Phil Ruffin will offer to "help out" with this bond? Trump tax records expose more than $21 million in highly unusual payments from the Las Vegas hotel he owns, an engineered windfall in 2016 as campaign funds dwindled Donald J. Trump needed money. His “self-funded” presidential campaign was short on funds, and he was struggling to win over leery Republican donors. His golf courses and the hotel he would soon open in the Old Post Office in Washington were eating away at what cash he had left on hand, his tax records show. And the president’s long-hidden tax records, obtained by The New York Times, also reveal this: how he engineered a sudden financial windfall — more than $21 million in what experts describe as highly unusual one-off payments from the Las Vegas hotel he owns with his friend Phil Ruffin, the casino mogul. https://www.chicagotribune.com/2020/10/09/trump-tax-records-expose-more-than-21-million-in-highly-unusual-payments-from-the-las-vegas-hotel-he-owns-an-engineered-windfall-in-2016-as-campaign-funds-dwindled/

Could Trump be forced into bankruptcy? Hear why former investment banker thinks so https://edition.cnn.com/videos/politics/2024/03/20/trump-bond-bankruptcy-william-cohan-sot-ip-vpx.cnn?utm_source=ground.news&utm_medium=referral

New York attorney general disputes Trump's claim that he can't secure $464 million to post bond A lawyer for New York Attorney General Letitia James on Wednesday disputed former President Donald Trump's claim that he can't secure more than $460 million needed to post bond and appeal the civil fraud ruling against him, writing in a filing that the court should deny Trump's "extraordinary request" to appeal without posting the full amount. In his response on Wednesday, Dennis Fan, a senior assistant solicitor general for the state, called Trump's filing "procedurally improper" and said the court should disregard it. He wrote that Trump's issues should have been raised in an earlier filing, and could have been, since "their efforts to obtain that bond began before their stay motion was filed and indeed before judgment was even entered." https://www.cbsnews.com/news/trump-fraud-judgment-bond-new-york-attorney-general/ [PROPOSED] AFFIRMATION IN SURREPLY TO MOTION FOR A STAY PENDING APPEAL https://eddsa.blob.core.usgovcloudapi.net/public/2024_01134_PEOPLE_OF_THE_STATE_OF_v_PEOPLE_OF_THE_STATE_OF_EXHIBIT_S__14.pdf

Who ordered the Code Red? https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IuF7kcSFkBM

I am not a tax attorney, but this might trigger the Gift Tax?

and? What are you suggesting? That the provenance of the oil on these ships is challenging to determine?

^ Quickly. She said maybe, within 30 days. Mar-a-lago, which she suggested, has quite a few stipulations re: use. I don't think it could be razed and redeveloped.

Divining Rod would be my guess.

Have tried to figure out what's going on with this one... Can anyone tell me what the "uncomfortable truth" is?