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Police in armed stand-off with gunman who allegedly killed 2 in Phetchaburi About 100 police officers have surrounded a house in Mueang district of Phetchaburi province this afternoon (Wednesday), where a man is holding out after he allegedly shot two people dead and injured another. Full Story: https://aseannow.com/topic/1290015-police-in-armed-stand-off-with-gunman-who-allegedly-killed-2-in-phetchaburi/

About 100 police officers have surrounded a house in Mueang district of Phetchaburi province this afternoon (Wednesday), where a man is holding out after he allegedly shot two people dead and injured another. Police have also cordoned off the Krungpetch Villa housing estate, in which the house is located. The gunman has been identified by eyewitnesses as “Anuwat” and they say that he was under stress ahead of a court hearing this afternoon. Full Story: https://www.thaipbsworld.com/police-in-armed-stand-off-with-gunman-who-allegedly-killed-2-in-phetchaburi/ -- © Copyright Thai PBS 2023-03-22 - Cigna offers a range of visa-compliant plans that meet the minimum requirement of medical treatment, including COVID-19, up to THB 3m. For more information on all expat health insurance plans click here. The most versatile and flexible rental investment and holiday home solution in Thailand - click for more information.

Thailand Records 5 Million Foreign Arrivals BANGKOK, March 22 (TNA) – Thailand welcomed more than 5.5 million foreign tourists in the first three months of this year, generating an income of 200 billion baht, said Deputy Government Spokesperson Traisulee Traisaranakul. Full Story: https://aseannow.com/topic/1290014-thailand-records-5-million-foreign-arrivals/

BANGKOK (TNA) – Thailand welcomed more than 5.5 million foreign tourists in the first three months of this year, generating an income of 200 billion baht, said Deputy Government Spokesperson Traisulee Traisaranakul. The country’s overall tourism situations have improved continuously. However, the increase in tourist numbers has caused airport congestion at check-in counters, immigration checkpoints. The airfares are soaring. She said the Transport Ministry convened a meeting today with agencies concerned such as the Airports of Thailand to discuss how to solve the problem. Full Story: https://tna.mcot.net/english-news-1139479 -- © Copyright Thai News Agency 2023-03-22 - Cigna offers a range of visa-compliant plans that meet the minimum requirement of medical treatment, including COVID-19, up to THB 3m. For more information on all expat health insurance plans click here. The most versatile and flexible rental investment and holiday home solution in Thailand - click for more information.

Malaysian opposition cries foul over planned “Thai Hot Guy” performance Source: Facebook/Malaysia Pub 马来西亚酒吧 Promotional material for the “Thai Hot Guy” event According to local media reports, a scheduled performance by Thai men wearing lingerie at a bar in the Malaysian capital of Kuala Lumpur next week has triggered controversy, with a senior opposition politician describing it as “immoral and disgusting.” Full Story: https://aseannow.com/topic/1290013-malaysian-opposition-cries-foul-over-planned-“thai-hot-guy”-performance/

Source: Facebook/Malaysia Pub 马来西亚酒吧 Promotional material for the “Thai Hot Guy” event According to local media reports, a scheduled performance by Thai men wearing lingerie at a bar in the Malaysian capital of Kuala Lumpur next week has triggered controversy, with a senior opposition politician describing it as “immoral and disgusting.” In response to the questions being raised by the opposition MP, a senior Malaysian official has also objected to the event, dubbed “Thai Hot Guy” [sic]. According to a Facebook post by Malaysia’s “Privacy Club Tun Razak”, the performance is scheduled to have its grand opening night next Thursday “where you can meet and probably dance along with the Thai Hot Guys.” Full Story: https://www.thaipbsworld.com/malaysian-opposition-cries-foul-over-planned-thai-hot-guy-performance/ -- © Copyright Thai PBS 2023-03-22 - Cigna offers a range of visa-compliant plans that meet the minimum requirement of medical treatment, including COVID-19, up to THB 3m. For more information on all expat health insurance plans click here. The most versatile and flexible rental investment and holiday home solution in Thailand - click for more information.

Who will win the Thai election on May 14? Thai election May 14, 2023 Thailand’s general election, set for May 14, is likely to be dominated by old grudges between the military/royalist/establishment and populist opposition parties – the same has been the case for every election and conflict over the past two decades. Full Story: https://aseannow.com/topic/1290009-who-will-win-the-thai-election-on-may-14/

Thai election May 14, 2023 Thailand’s general election, set for May 14, is likely to be dominated by old grudges between the military/royalist/establishment and populist opposition parties – the same has been the case for every election and conflict over the past two decades. The election will determine whether a democratically elected winner can stand up to the pro-military order or work with it, which will determine the political and economic trajectory of Southeast Asia’s second-largest economy. The election contest will be between the rural-based political juggernaut founded by telco tycoon Thaksin Shinawatra, and the conservative, Bangkok-based political elite, dominated by pro-military forces that have ruled since the last coup in 2014. The Shinawatra-backed parties have won every election in the past 2 decades and are set to win the 2023 election, potentially in a landslide. Full Story: https://phuket-go.com/phuket-news/national-news/who-will-win-the-thai-election-on-may-14/ -- © Copyright Phuket GO 2023-03-22 - Cigna offers a range of visa-compliant plans that meet the minimum requirement of medical treatment, including COVID-19, up to THB 3m. For more information on all expat health insurance plans click here. The most versatile and flexible rental investment and holiday home solution in Thailand - click for more information.

UNESCO Field Report: Demystifying Ancient Ayutthaya Ravaged by periodic war and marred by the inexorable march of time, the ancient ruins of Ayutthaya, Thailand’s pre-modern capital, seem to stand today as a captivatingly cryptic vestige of past splendor, perhaps divulging their secrets only to the few who devote themselves to the study and preservation of historical sites and traditional construction techniques. Full Story: https://aseannow.com/topic/1290008-unesco-field-report-demystifying-ancient-ayutthaya/

Ravaged by periodic war and marred by the inexorable march of time, the ancient ruins of Ayutthaya, Thailand’s pre-modern capital, seem to stand today as a captivatingly cryptic vestige of past splendor, perhaps divulging their secrets only to the few who devote themselves to the study and preservation of historical sites and traditional construction techniques. With this in mind and with the aim of demystifying ancient Ayutthaya and disseminating valuable knowledge about its built heritage to a wider public, UNESCO organized a much-anticipated field trip to the storied city on February 25th, 2023, during which four leading experts provided participants with multifaceted insights into two important temples from the Ayutthaya era. Wat Phutthaisawan: a cosmos of details Prang and flanking mondop, Wat Phutthaisawan. Source: UNESCO / C. Wongot Commissioned in 1353 by King Ramathibodi I, founder of the Ayutthaya Kingdom, Wat Phutthaisawan is remarkable because both historical and archaeological records attest to its being continuously in use from the mid-fourteenth century to the present day. In 1935, Wat Phutthaisawan became one of the earliest temples to be registered as an ‘ancient monument’ by the Fine Arts Department of Thailand. According to Dr. Parisut Lerdkachatarn, Assistant Professor at the Faculty of Architecture, Rangsit University, King Ramathibodi I (or King Uthong) may have originated from Lopburi, which would explain why Wat Phutthaisawan appears to emulate the architectural layout of Wat Phra Si Rattana Mahathat, in Lopburi. At the heart of this layout is the prang (Khmer-style reliquary tower) representing Mount Meru, which, in Buddhist cosmology, is the sacred mountain at the center of the universe. Indeed, the prang is situated at the center of a square courtyard, enclosed by a covered gallery that symbolizes the boundaries of the universe. To the east are the ruins of the main vihara (assembly hall), which protrudes into the gallery, perhaps to allow historic congregations easy passage into the courtyard for circumambulation of the prang. Mr. Veerasak Sansaard explaining the historical geography of the late Ayutthaya Kingdom. Source: UNESCO / C. Wongot Throughout its lengthy history of continuous use, Wat Phutthaisawan has undergone at least three major restoration efforts, perhaps the earliest of which occurred during the late Ayutthaya period, as noted by Mr. Veerasak Sansaard, archaeologist at the Ayutthaya Historical Park. In other words, to the trained eye (and to the historian’s delight), architectural features of the various temple structures offer veritable snapshots of the evolution of built heritage from the time of the early Ayutthaya Kingdom onwards, documenting the process of successive stylistic commentaries upon the work of previous generations. For instance, Dr. Parisut speculated that the central prang may have originally been flanked by two other prangs, much like Phra Prang Sam Yot, in Lopburi, but these prangs perhaps were later converted into mondops (square or cruciform buildings) with pyramidal roofs. Mr. Veerasak remarked that the central prang itself has been upgraded more recently to reflect a smoother, more modern Rattanakosin-era (1782–1932) aesthetic. The main vihara (right) protrudes into the covered gallery, Wat Phutthaisawan. Source: UNESCO / C. Wongot Another highlight of Wat Phutthaisawan pointed out by Dr. Parisut is its impressive cluster of minor stupas, some of which display features typical of the early Ayutthaya period (e.g the octagonal base), while others are more characteristic of the middle and late Ayutthaya periods (e.g. as indicated by their bell shape and three-tiered singh bases). Mr. Suntan Viengsima explaining the carpentry techniques as indicated in the tool traces visible on the beams of the Residence of Phra Phuttakosajan, Wat Phutthaisawan. Source: UNESCO / C. Wongot Expert conservation carpenter Suntan Viengsima identified woodworking details that revealed the admirable technique of ancient carpenters, such as dovetail joinery in the tightly interlocking floor planks at the Residence of Phra Phuttakosajan, and the intricate mitre joinery visible on a window frame at the Vihara of the Reclining Buddha. Vihara of the Reclining Buddha, Wat Phutthaisawan. Source: UNESCO / C. Wongot Pointing to a large diagonal wood beam which helped to support the gallery’s roof structure, and which was put solidly in place untold years ago through adroit joinery, Mr. Suntan declared, “Nails had been available for a long time. But our ancestors were skilled enough to design such wood joinery as to render them unnecessary.” Diagonal wood beam put in place through joinery of covered gallery, Wat Phutthaisawan. Source: UNESCO / C. Wongot Wat Chaiwatthanaram: a microcosm of power, royal and divine Field trip participants at Wat Chaiwatthanaram. Source: UNESCO / C. Wongot If Wat Phutthaisawan is fascinating for its richness of structural and aesthetic details, Wat Chaiwatthanaram, even in its ruined state, immediately overwhelms one with its sublime grandeur. Located at the site of the former residence of King Prasat Thong’s mother, the temple was most likely constructed early in the king’s reign (r. 1629–1656), thus serving the dual function of marking his reign and commemorating his immediate ancestor, much as Khmer monarchs were wont to do. As Dr. Parisut elucidated, King Prasat Thong, who had usurped the throne, needed to invoke more ancient Khmer customs in order to associate himself with the glory of Angkor and thereby assert his legitimacy. Dr. Parisut Lerdkachatarn describing the layout of Wat Chaiwatthanaram. Source: UNESCO / C. Wongot Replicating the basic layout of Wat Phutthaisawan, albeit on a grander and more elaborate scale, the central prang of Wat Chaiwatthanaram similarly symbolizes the centre of the universe. Intriguingly, however, Dr. Parisut has inferred that the cosmic symbolism at Wat Chaiwatthanaram, when considered together with a set of stucco relief panels depicting scenes from the Buddha’s life, may also be consonant with King Prasat Thong’s aspiration to ultimately become the future Buddha. As a tribute to the king’s late mother, the temple features eight crematorium-style conical structures, equidistantly situated along the quadrangular gallery, called meru thit (aligned with the cardinal axes) and meru rai (located at the four corners). Reflecting the broad historical trend in which the ubosot (ordination hall) attains greater prominence within the temple complex until it eventually becomes the main building of Rattanakosin-era temples, Wat Chaiwatthanaram places the ubosot – rather than the vihara – in the east, here representing the front end of the temple complex. The central prang and its surrounding merus, Wat Chaiwatthanaram. Source: UNESCO / C. Wongot Ms. Waraporn Suwatchotikul, architect and manager of the World Monuments Fund’s Wat Chaiwatthanaram Conservation Project, recounted that the project was launched in response to the severe flooding of Ayutthaya in 2011, which caused the collapse of the temple’s southern wall. After pumping out floodwater and repairing the wall, the project expanded in scope to include the restoration of the merus and the gallery that connects them. Ms. Waraporn related that the current aim is to undertake exemplary conservation work that prioritizes the built heritage while being relatively free of time and budget constraints. When asked why the conservation team did not attempt to restore the temple to its full former glory, she cited the conservation principle of minimal intervention, especially when details such as the original paint color or decorative pattern cannot be ascertained. Nevertheless, as Mr. Suntan pointed out, by deciphering other clues like cavities carved out for wood beams, it was possible to imagine what the timber roof structure above the gallery would have looked like and even produce the sort of stunning two-dimensional, schematic reconstruction, that Ms. Waraporn showed the field trip’s participants. Ms. Waraporn Suwatchotikul (right) unveils the visual reconstruction of a meru and part of the covered gallery, Wat Chaiwatthanaram. The reconstruction was created by Patcharapong Kulkanchanachewin and published on Facebook (arch.kidyang) on 28 February 2023, and on Twitter @arch_kidyang, on 2 March 2023. Source: UNESCO / C. Wongot As the sun began to set on Wat Chaiwatthanaram, tinging the central prang with a soft golden hue, the ancient bricks seemed to be ‘humanized’ by a gentler warmth. After all, these bricks were indeed the product of human ingenuity and industry, the very tangible expression of the values which a society once held dear, and which were shaped, in the broadest strokes, by the ambitions of monarchs, the scourge of war, the material allure of commerce, the otherworldly aims of religion and the vicissitudes of fortune. This is what the ruins of Ayutthaya can teach us — if we learn to sensitize ourselves to their human and humanizing subtleties. Source: https://www.thailandnow.in.th/arts-culture/unesco-field-report-demystifying-ancient-ayutthaya/ -- © Copyright THAILAND NOW 2023-03-22 - Cigna offers a range of visa-compliant plans that meet the minimum requirement of medical treatment, including COVID-19, up to THB 3m. For more information on all expat health insurance plans click here. The most versatile and flexible rental investment and holiday home solution in Thailand - click for more information.

PM Assures Public Safety Following Isotope Recovery BANGKOK (NNT) - Following the recent discovery of cesium-137 contamination at a factory in Prachin Buri province this week, Prime Minister Gen Prayut Chan-o-cha has reassured local residents of their safety and instructed authorities to conduct inspections. Full Story: https://aseannow.com/topic/1290007-pm-assures-public-safety-following-isotope-recovery/

BANGKOK (NNT) - Following the recent discovery of cesium-137 contamination at a factory in Prachin Buri province this week, Prime Minister Gen Prayut Chan-o-cha has reassured local residents of their safety and instructed authorities to conduct inspections. According to Prime Minister’s Office Minister Thanakorn Wangboonkongchana, the premier ordered relevant agencies to inspect industrial areas and said the government is working quickly to resolve the situation at Kabin Buri. The statement was made after a cesium-137 radioactive isotope cylinder, which went missing last week, was recovered during an inspection of steel smelting plants in Kabin Buri district’s industrial area. Prachin Buri provincial authorities later announced the closure of the smelting factory and implemented a lockdown of the area, ordering all employees to evacuate the facility for safety reasons. The Pollution Control Department has meanwhile concluded its investigation of radiation levels at six locations near the steel factory and reported that none of the sites were contaminated. Police are currently looking into the disappearance of the cylinder and how it was handled at the district metal factory. Source: https://thainews.prd.go.th/en/news/detail/TCATG230322135619617 -- © Copyright NNT 2023-03-22 - Cigna offers a range of visa-compliant plans that meet the minimum requirement of medical treatment, including COVID-19, up to THB 3m. For more information on all expat health insurance plans click here. The most versatile and flexible rental investment and holiday home solution in Thailand - click for more information.

Search for a missing trawler crew continues in the Gulf off Chumphon Search and rescue teams resumed their search today (Wednesday) for one crew member and the decapitated body of another, after their trawler collided with an oil tanker in the Gulf of Thailand, about 35kms from the Lang Suan estuary in Thailand’s southern province of Chumphon yesterday. Full Story: https://aseannow.com/topic/1290006-search-for-a-missing-trawler-crew-continues-in-the-gulf-off-chumphon/

Search and rescue teams resumed their search today (Wednesday) for one crew member and the decapitated body of another, after their trawler collided with an oil tanker in the Gulf of Thailand, about 35kms from the Lang Suan estuary in Thailand’s southern province of Chumphon yesterday. The force of the collision threw five of the trawler’s crew into the sea. Three were, however, rescued by the crew of the tanker. A Fisheries Department patrol boat soon arrived at the scene to search for the missing crew. They found the severed head of one crew member, but not his body. Full Story: https://www.thaipbsworld.com/search-for-a-missing-trawler-crew-continues-in-the-gulf-off-chumphon/ -- © Copyright Thai PBS 2023-03-22 - Cigna offers a range of visa-compliant plans that meet the minimum requirement of medical treatment, including COVID-19, up to THB 3m. For more information on all expat health insurance plans click here. The most versatile and flexible rental investment and holiday home solution in Thailand - click for more information.

Anutin insists there is no pre-election political deal Deputy Prime Minister Anutin Charnvirakul insisted today (Tuesday) that his Bhumjaithai Party has not made a pre-election deal with any political party. Full Story: https://aseannow.com/topic/1289901-anutin-insists-there-is-no-pre-election-political-deal/

Deputy Prime Minister Anutin Charnvirakul insisted today (Tuesday) that his Bhumjaithai Party has not made a pre-election deal with any political party. Anutin raised journalists’ eyebrows when he embraced Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha in front of them following the weekly Cabinet meeting today. “There is nothing to it. No deal has been made with any party,” Anutin said. Full Story: https://www.thaipbsworld.com/anutin-insists-there-is-no-pre-election-political-deal/ -- © Copyright Thai PBS 2023-03-21 - Cigna offers a range of visa-compliant plans that meet the minimum requirement of medical treatment, including COVID-19, up to THB 3m. For more information on all expat health insurance plans click here. The most versatile and flexible rental investment and holiday home solution in Thailand - click for more information.

Transgender influencer “Nara Crepe Katoey” arrested on fraud charges Transgender influencer Aniwat Pratumtin, aka “Nara Crepe Katoey”, was taken into custody by consumer protection police today (Tuesday) on charges of public fraud and false advertising, in connection with the online sale of gift sets. Full Story: https://aseannow.com/topic/1289892-transgender-influencer-“nara-crepe-katoey”-arrested-on-fraud-charges/

Transgender influencer Aniwat Pratumtin, aka “Nara Crepe Katoey”, was taken into custody by consumer protection police today (Tuesday) on charges of public fraud and false advertising, in connection with the online sale of gift sets. Police carried out searches at two locations in Ayutthaya today and found the suspect at one of the locations, which is the house of Aniwat’s boyfriend. Police seized four smart phones, one i-Pad and six bank account books. In the other search of a shop-house, police seized numerous gift boxes. Full Story: https://www.thaipbsworld.com/transgender-influencer-nara-crepe-katoey-arrested-on-fraud-charges/ -- © Copyright Thai PBS 2023-03-21 - Cigna offers a range of visa-compliant plans that meet the minimum requirement of medical treatment, including COVID-19, up to THB 3m. For more information on all expat health insurance plans click here. The most versatile and flexible rental investment and holiday home solution in Thailand - click for more information.

Thai Prime Minister Prayut Chan-O-Cha Marks His 69th Birthday The Thai Prime Minister Prayut Chan-O-Cha marked his 69th birthday today, March 21st, 2023. Full Story: https://aseannow.com/topic/1289888-thai-prime-minister-prayut-chan-o-cha-marks-his-69th-birthday/

The Thai Prime Minister Prayut Chan-O-Cha marked his 69th birthday today, March 21st, 2023. The occasion was marked mostly by work as usual in Bangkok and the PM said to the Thai media that his focus was on the upcoming election campaign trail. Elections in Thailand are set for May and the Prime Minister hopes to retain his seat, which will be based on MP’s and not directly voted for, but some polls have shown flagging popularity for Prayut. Full Story: https://thepattayanews.com/2023/03/21/thai-prime-minister-prayut-chan-o-cha-marks-his-69th-birthday/ -- © Copyright The Pattaya News 2023-03-21 - Cigna offers a range of visa-compliant plans that meet the minimum requirement of medical treatment, including COVID-19, up to THB 3m. For more information on all expat health insurance plans click here. The most versatile and flexible rental investment and holiday home solution in Thailand - click for more information.

Radiation experts checking Kabin Buri foundry Thailand’s Office of Atoms for Peace (OAP) has temporarily stationed a team of experts at the foundry in Kabin Buri district of Prachin Buri province, where a metallic cylinder containing caesium-137 had been melted down. Full Story: https://aseannow.com/topic/1289687-radioactive-caesium-137-found-in-smelting-works-factories-sealed-off/?do=findComment&comment=17969102

Radiation experts checking Kabin Buri foundry Thailand’s Office of Atoms for Peace (OAP) has temporarily stationed a team of experts at the foundry in Kabin Buri district of Prachin Buri province, where a metallic cylinder containing caesium-137 had been melted down. Kitkawin Aramrun, head of the nuclear and radiation emergency operation centre of the OAP, said today (Tuesday) that the experts will conduct radiation checks at the foundry and in its surrounding areas and will plot their readings on a map. He maintains that, so far, radiation has not been detected outside the compound of the foundry but, more importantly, the experts will carefully check for radiation and will confine the radiation within the compound. Full Story: https://www.thaipbsworld.com/radiation-experts-checking-kabin-buri-foundry/ -- © Copyright Thai PBS 2023-03-21 - Cigna offers a range of visa-compliant plans that meet the minimum requirement of medical treatment, including COVID-19, up to THB 3m. For more information on all expat health insurance plans click here. The most versatile and flexible rental investment and holiday home solution in Thailand - click for more information.

Pattaya Police Bust Alleged Indian Scammer An Indian man and his Thai wife have been taken into custody by Pattaya Police today for allegedly scamming multiple American victims of over three billion baht. Full Story: https://aseannow.com/topic/1289887-pattaya-police-bust-alleged-indian-scammer/

An Indian man and his Thai wife have been taken into custody by Pattaya Police today for allegedly scamming multiple American victims of over three billion baht. Deputy National Police Chief Pol. Gen. Torsak Sukwimol, accompanied by a commando unit and officers from the Cyber Crime Investigation Bureau (CCIB), conducted a raid on a house in Pattaya’s Banglamung district today, March 21st, at 10 AM. The raid was prompted by a notification from the United States Embassy, which stated that the dwelling was being used as a hideout by scammers. After searching the house, Gen. Torsak told The Pattaya News that he has arrested an unidentified Indian national aged between 50-60 years old and his Thai wife aged around 40-50 years old. The two have been accused of duping numerous American citizens of over three billion baht in total damages and had fled to Pattaya, according to the United States Embassy. Full Story: https://thepattayanews.com/2023/03/21/pattaya-police-bust-alleged-indian-scammer-in-pattaya-for-scamming-american-victims-of-three-billion-baht/ -- © Copyright The Pattaya News 2023-03-21 - Cigna offers a range of visa-compliant plans that meet the minimum requirement of medical treatment, including COVID-19, up to THB 3m. For more information on all expat health insurance plans click here. The most versatile and flexible rental investment and holiday home solution in Thailand - click for more information.

Phuket enjoying boom in real estate sales with luxury villas, condos sold out PHOTO: Flickr/Bertrand Duperrin The Phuket Real Estate Association says the island province is enjoying a “golden year” for property sales, as condos and luxury villas are in the ‘boom’ phase of the island’s usual boom-bust cycle. The association’s president, Phattanan Phisutvimol, says property sales have been on the up since Covid-19 began to abate last year. Full Story: https://aseannow.com/topic/1289875-phuket-enjoying-boom-in-real-estate-sales-with-luxury-villas-condos-sold-out/