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By Editor The most frequently asked question at the Be Well Medical Center is about Covid-19 vaccination boosts; to boost or not to boost. Should we get them? When? Which one? Dr Paemika Pidchayathanakorn, family doctor and partner at the Be Well Medical Center Dr. Paemika, general practitioner and family doctor, has some answers to these questions; her opinion follows. Dr Paemika Pidchayathanakorn, family doctor and partner at the Be Well Medical Center After consulting with colleagues in various countries, I must conclude that expert opinions and government directives on this matter globally differ; however, some conclusions are shared by many. Vaccinations have been crucial in containing Covid-19. Researchers are to be complimented for the speed in developing effective vaccines. While the immunization effect of the vaccines provides only limited protection for contracting and spreading of the virus, the real gain is that the risk of serious illness or death is significantly reduced; up to 10 times lower compared to unvaccinated persons as studies have shown. While all World Health Organization (WHO) approved vaccines have proven to be effective, many studies across multiple populations have shown that mRNA vaccines (e.g. Pfizer, Moderna) create a higher level of efficacy than vector vaccines (e.g. Astra, Sinovac). Consequently, many governments (including Thailand) and health professionals have suggested prioritizing mRNA vaccines, despite the higher costs. However, there are also studies showing good results of people using combinations of mRNA and vector jabs. Immunity wears off and the speed at which this decline takes place depends on the virus, the vaccine, and the person. It occurs quicker in older individuals. As Covid-19 and all of its future mutations are likely to stay around for a long time, there is a need to keep the immunization level at an optimum level. That is where boosters come in. The science is still developing, but for now, it seems that 6 months after the last inoculation a booster is due. This holds true first of all for the elderly population and for those with multiple underlying health conditions. Hence my advice to high-risk persons is to get a booster after six months. But also for anyone else wishing to reduce the chance of serious illness, including pregnant women (as recently recommended by The Royal Thai College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists), regular booster shots are to be considered. As far as children is concerned, we closely follow the government’s latest directions. The Royal College of Paediatricians of Thailand announced this week it will issue guidelines recommending mRNA- Covid-19 vaccine be given to children aged six months to five years. We now await confirmation of the Ministry of Public Health if this recommendation will be implemented. The U.S. FDA determined COVID-19 vaccines are safe and effective for kids 6 months and older. Surely many of you heard about the new shots from Pfizer and Moderna which are bivalent, meaning that they target both the original Covid strain and omicron’s BA.5 subvariant. These new vaccines, which are expected to show higher effectiveness, are already approved in other countries, including the EU, and we trust they will soon become available in Thailand as well. For some people this may be a reason to wait for the (next) booster, but I recommend high-risk persons not to delay and use the currently available vaccines. Billions of vaccinations have shown that the risks are greatly outweighed by the benefits. In case you have hesitations or questions about COVID vaccines, boosters, or side effects I propose that you consult your doctor. At the time of writing, boosters are available free of charge at both Hua Hin Hospital and the Hua Hin Red Cross. Hua Hin Hospital: Every Tuesday 9.00am to 11.30am Hua Hin Red Cross: Pfizer for above 12 years old; Monday to Friday 8.00am to 3.30pm -- © Copyright Royal Coast Review 2022-09-15 - 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. Monthly car subscription with first-class insurance, 24x7 assistance and more in one price - click here to find out more!

PHOTO: Prachachat By Nop Meechukhun Thailand has welcomed more than five million foreign tourists during the past nine months after the full country reopening, Thanakorn Wangboonkongchana revealed on Wednesday, September 14th. The former government spokesperson told the Associated Press that from January 1st – September 8th, a total of 5,018,172 foreigners had traveled to the Kingdom. The Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT) also estimated that the number would reach 10 million, according to the advanced flights and hotel bookings for the next three months. According to the TAT, the top five arrivals were from Malaysia with 751,397 travelers, followed by India (480,825 people), Lao PDR (310,464 people), and Cambodia (249,084 people). A record of 2,772,883 foreigners had entered the country through Suvarnabhumi International Airport while 749,567 foreigners had through Phuket International Airport. Full story: https://thepattayanews.com/2022/09/14/more-than-five-million-foreign-tourists-arrived-in-thailand-within-nine-months-former-government-spokesperson-reveals/ -- © Copyright The Pattaya News 2022-09-15 - 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. Monthly car subscription with first-class insurance, 24x7 assistance and more in one price - click here to find out more!

by Namo Vananupong BANGKOK (NNT) - The acting prime minister has viewed an exhibit on Guiness World Records’ granting of the world’s longest piece of petrified wood title to a specimen in Tak province. Hopes are now pinned on the specimen enabling Tak to become a world-class geological tourism destination. Ahead Cabinet meeting, acting prime minister Gen. Prawit Wongsuwon viewed an exhibit on the world’s longest petrified wood specimen. The specimen was discovered in the area that will soon become Doi Soi Malai-Mai Klai Pen Hin National Park in Tak province. At 69.7 meters, it is the longest petrified wood specimen in the world, as certified by Guiness World Records (GWR). The environment ministry and the Geological Society of Thailand held a ceremony to acknowledge the new world record on July 8. The agencies now aim to elevate the petrified wood site to a world-class geological tourism destination. On this occasion, Gen. Prawit inquired about the discovery of the specimen and the process involved in wood petrification. He also urged everybody to help conserve this geological heritage site and treat it as a national treasure. Doing so would keep the site intact so the public and Thailand’s youths can keep learning from it. The previous world record for petrified wood belonged to a specimen discovered in Xinjiang, China. That specimen is a 38-meter-long piece of petrified wood. Thailand’s specimen is almost 70 meters long and has been certified by Guinness World Records as the world’s longest piece of petrified wood. Source: https://thainews.prd.go.th/en/news/detail/TCATG220914094732252 -- © Copyright NNT 2022-09-14 - 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. Monthly car subscription with first-class insurance, 24x7 assistance and more in one price - click here to find out more!

Picture: 77kaoded A 63 year old motorcycle taxi rider called Subin Waitook got far less than he bargained for after agreeing to take a farang to Central Bang Na. The agreed fee was 300 baht but when they got there the foreigner changed the goalposts and said they wanted to be taken back to Bearing BTS. Expecting to be paid a newly agreed 450 baht Subin held out his hand. Instead of Thai money the foreigner handed him what he thought was a 20 Euro coin. That would more than cover the journey, thought Subin as the foreigner hurriedly went up the BTS staircase and out of sight. Picture: 77kaoded Subin went back to the rank as proud as Punch only to get the sucker punch when he inquired of a buddy how much the coin was really worth. He was informed that he had been a bit of a plonker. The coin was a 20 cent coin making his windfall worth not 700+ baht but precisely 7.36 baht at yesterday's rates. Not surprisingly the "win" advised people to only accept fares in baht: "How are we to know what foreign money is worth?", he lamented. Picture: 77kaoded Before relating another tale of woe as to how a separate farang had asked him to take her to Robinson's from her hotel, didn't pay, asked to be taken back, then only paid 70 baht rather than double for the round trip, reported 77kaoded. Now he has the picture of a 20 cent Euro coin on his phone for posterity. -- © Copyright ASEAN NOW 2022-09-14 - 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. Monthly car subscription with first-class insurance, 24x7 assistance and more in one price - click here to find out more! Get your business in front of millions of customers who read ASEAN NOW with an interest in Thailand every month - email [email protected] for more information

Missing in Thailand! Tim Pösel landed in Thailand on August 16, 2022. He had the last contact with his family in Germany on August 20th when he texted with his mom on IG messenger. His whereabout/the domestic location in Thailand since the 20th August (Bangkok) untill NOW (13.9.2022) ARE UNCLEAR. No location is known. HE COULD BE ANYWHERE IN THAILAND. But for obvious reasons we try to track the "usual tourist/traveler routes" with priority. Tim is 24 years old and remarkably tall: 198cm. His mother tongue is Finnish, but he is also fluent in Standard German. According to the German embassy in Bangkok, he has not been arrested. A missing person report at the ROYAL THAI POLICE is filled. Questions: 1) Who saw him WHEN and WHERE in Thailand? Please e-mail any hints to his mother m_eloranta[at]yahoo.de or directly in Thailand to #supermanbangkok WhatsApp +66800704390 Please share the search tip and ask at the hostels if you are currently traveling in the south. In Thai: หายตัวไปในประเทศไทย! Tim Pössel เดินทางถึงประเทศไทยเมื่อวันที่ 16 สิงหาคม พ.ศ. 2565 เขาได้ติดต่อกับครอบครัวที่เยอรมนีครั้งสุดท้ายผ่านอินสตาแกรมกับแม่ของเขาเมื่อวันที่ 20 สิงหาคม Tim อายุ 24 ปี เป็นคนสูงมากๆ ส่วนสูงของเขาคือ 198 เซนติเมตร เขาพูดภาษาฟินนิชเป็นหลัก แต่สามารถพูดภาษาเยอรมันพื้นฐานได้ดี ข้อมูลจากทางสถานฑูตเยอรมันในประเทศไทยระบุว่าเขาไม่ได้ถูกจับกุม และได้มีการแจ้งคนหายผ่านทางสำนักงานตำรวจแห่งชาติแล้ว หากคุณพบเห็นเขา กรุณาให้ข้อมูลเพิ่มเติมว่า "คุณเห็นเขาเมื่อไหร่และที่ไหนในประเทศไทย?" ให้กับแม่ของเขาผ่านทางอีเมล์ [email protected] หรือติดต่อโดยตรงในประเทศไทยมาที่ #supermanbangkok , WhatsApp +66800704390 กรุณาแนะนำข้อมูลเพิ่มเติมในการค้นหา และโปรดช่วยสอบถามตามโฮสเทลต่างๆ หากคุณเดินทางอยู่ในภาคใต้

Thailand’s new traffic laws took effect on September 5. However, police have decided to be lenient for the first three months to give motorists time to adjust their road behavior. (Photo by Robert Eklund) By Thai PBS World’s General Desk The transition to new traffic laws, which list more types of offenses and harsher penalties for offenders, has already begun. Here is what you need to know: Three-month grace period Although the new traffic laws took effect on September 5, police have decided to be lenient for the first three months to give Thais time to adjust themselves or improve their road behavior. “We will fine traffic offenders based on the rates used since 2020 for the first three months,” said Pol General Preecha Charoensahayanont, deputy director of the Royal Thai Police Traffic Management Center. “We will also promote public awareness of the new laws during this period,” he added. For example, instead of slapping a speeding driver with the new 4,000-baht maximum fine, traffic police will issue fines of 500 baht during the grace period. Harsher penalties Jumping a red light or failing to stop for pedestrians at a zebra crossing carries a maximum fine of 4,000 baht under the new laws – up from 1,000 baht. Driving against traffic and not wearing a crash helmet or safety belt, meanwhile, come with a maximum fine of 2,000 baht – a fourfold increase from 500 baht. Those found guilty of driving without care for the safety or lives of others face a fine of between 5,000 baht and 20,000 baht and/or a maximum of one year in jail. The penalties are raised from a maximum three-month sentence and a fine of 2,000 to 10,000 baht. Drunk driving is punished especially harshly under the new laws. Convicted drunk drivers face a fine of up to 20,000 baht and/or a jail term of up to one year. If they repeat the same offense in the two years after their first offense, the resulting fine will come with a mandatory jail term. The fine can be as high as 100,000 baht and the jail term as long as two years. Full story: https://www.thaipbsworld.com/a-guide-to-thailands-new-rules-of-the-road/ -- © Copyright Thai PBS 2022-09-13 - 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. Monthly car subscription with first-class insurance, 24x7 assistance and more in one price - click here to find out more!

Sanook Thai Caption: Mysterious steam Sanook went to visit a 66 year old man called Thanakorn Angbunreuang in Chang Khlan sub-district of Muang Chiang Mai. He gleefully showed them where steam was coming up by a wall. He said you could feel heat in the area but he was assured there was no fire. He investigated and found fluctuating electrical currents. But a qualified electrical professional had assured him the electrics were all in working order. He said the house was built there 60 years ago and additional concrete was poured 20 years ago and there had been no problems since. He doubted the electrical expert and was preparing to seek a second opinion convinced it was an electrics issue. Watch the video HERE -- © Copyright ASEAN NOW 2022-09-13 - 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. Monthly car subscription with first-class insurance, 24x7 assistance and more in one price - click here to find out more! Get your business in front of millions of customers who read ASEAN NOW with an interest in Thailand every month - email [email protected] for more information

Daily News Thai Caption: Has anyone experienced more (refusals)? Daily News reported on a TikTok video that touched a nerve or two. A guy went online to have a go at taxi drivers who refuse to stop and take passengers in Bangkok. He claimed on the video to have set an all comers record for rejections before the 24th cabby finally let him sit down. He recorded all the excuses and disappointments as he waiting in vain in the rain. The media went with the caption asking its readers if they had been turned down by more taxis than this? -- © Copyright ASEAN NOW 2022-09-13 - 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. Monthly car subscription with first-class insurance, 24x7 assistance and more in one price - click here to find out more! Get your business in front of millions of customers who read ASEAN NOW with an interest in Thailand every month - email [email protected] for more information

Picture: Siam Rath Siam Rath reported that a husband and wife couple were gunned down as they drive a motorcycle along the Ban Sakhor Road in Yala, southern Thailand. They were ambushed by probably at least two men who fired from an M-16 at least 4 or 5 times. Abdul Loh, 64, and his wife Sareeda, 63, were riddled with bullets. The motive for the attack is under investigation with police admitting that it could be a personal vendetta as much as southern terrorism. -- © Copyright ASEAN NOW 2022-09-13 - 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. Monthly car subscription with first-class insurance, 24x7 assistance and more in one price - click here to find out more! Get your business in front of millions of customers who read ASEAN NOW with an interest in Thailand every month - email [email protected] for more information

By Adam Judd Pattaya, Thailand-Viral photos, included in this article, of what appears to be a young foreign man sitting on Pattaya Beach Road with beads and signs offering to sell them for one baht to fund his travel around the world have driven fierce debate on social media. The trend, which was common before Covid-19 but has been rarer in recent times, has been called “begpacking” by many. Essentially, it means that one is looking to either beg or sell small items, like the individual seen on Pattaya Beach, to fund their travel around the globe. In this particular case, the unidentified, young, long-haired foreign man was sitting not far from Mike’s shopping mall on Pattaya Beach in the evening of September 12th, selling one baht beads and necklaces. Signs asking to help support his travel were placed near him in Thai and English. Full story: https://thepattayanews.com/2022/09/13/viral-begpacker-photos-from-pattaya-beach-road-cause-polarizing-debate-on-social-media/ -- © Copyright The Pattaya News 2022-09-13 - 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. Monthly car subscription with first-class insurance, 24x7 assistance and more in one price - click here to find out more!

PrikPot is an online Cannabis dispensary in Thailand that holds the value of “choice” very dearly. Since Thailand boldly became the first Asian nation to decriminalize the plant, PrikPot has boasted a constantly rotating lineup of varied strains and products to give their customers wide ranging choice when it comes to how they enjoy their weed. Now that mindset is taking a big stride forward as the company releases Dip Trip™, a smokeless Cannabis product ideal for anyone looking for different ways to experience weed. Designed and created wholly inhouse, Dip Trip™ comes in pouches with 0.4 grams of Decarboxylated Cannabis, keeping them free of all oils and extracts but more than ready to go. Dip Trip™ can be consumed through one of two methods: 1. Placed under the upper lip like Snus 2. Brewed to make a tea Learn more about Dip Trip™ here: https://go.prikpot.com/aseannowdiptrip The high quality and organic Cannabis in each pouch contains 16-20% THC concentration that delivers a strong and long-lasting high unlike any smoking experience from start to finish. Both methods of enjoyment are exceedingly simple and relaxing, offering customers the ability to harness the results of decarboxylation by activating cannabinoids with additives such as virgin coconut oil before consumption. It is a versatile product that allows for experimentation and discovery in uncovering one’s personal tastes. PrikPot has prepared in-depth instructions and recommendations for Dip Trip™, available to everyone online and delivered in printed form to customers with every purchase. Each canister contains 24 pouches, equaling 10 grams of Cannabis in total. Dip Trip™ is available for shipping now at the introductory price of 1,495 baht, including free shipping all over Thailand. The product is developed in collaboration with Siamsnus, Thailand’s leading manufacturer of snus. Find out more at https://siamsnus.com/ PrikPot is ready and willing to see to your cannabis needs through service, free shipping and ever-evolving product deals. Enter the discount code ASEAN10 during your purchasing process to receive 10% off today. Learn more at: https://go.prikpot.com/aseannowdiptrip

By Editor The first ‘Blue Dolphin’ ferry for a Pattaya – Samui route has been officially launched on Saturday, September 10th, with a test run. ‘The Blue Dolphin’ ferry, operated by the Seahorse Ferry, can accommodate up to 200 private cars and 586 passengers with a total of 15 rooms, with five room types. A one-way trip takes approximately about 13 hours. The ferry is described as being more like a cruise ship than a ferry boat, boasting seating options ranging from an entry level reclining seat, to a capsule bed, all the way to first class private quarters that look practically like a hotel room. Prices for the different seats, beds, and room types but it is believed that rooms will be somewhere around the 3,000 THB mark for the overnight journey. The ferry boat also does not skimp on facilities, with a restaurant, spa and massage services, and a variety of nightlife entertainment options. Like a cruise liner, the boat is fully fitted with a bar, karaoke bar, and a disco. Transporting a car or motorbike is easy as well, as the ship boasts two levels of car parking. The test run departed Pattaya on Friday late afternoon and arrived to fanfare in Koh Samui yesterday, A collection of travel industry professionals were invited to an opening night gala aboard the ferry boat featuring an open bar, impressive food spread and live music to celebrate the launch of the new route. When the regular service is launched, the ferry will run between Chon Buri province from Chuksamed Pier in Sattahip and Nathon Pier, the largest pier in Koh Samui where cruise ships have traditionally landed. Regularly scheduled trips are not yet available as the recent trip was a test run, but are expected by the end of September. Booking details will be via SPcruise.com, but the website is not yet live. Source: https://royalcoastreview.com/2022/09/pattaya-to-samui-ferry-launched/ -- © Copyright Royal Coast Review 2022-09-12 - 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. Monthly car subscription with first-class insurance, 24x7 assistance and more in one price - click here to find out more!

OPINION | by Rooster The word coming from the BBC was that Queen Elizabeth was being monitored by doctors at Balmoral and her family members were travelling to her bedside. How serious it was was soon patently obvious in comments made by reporters and commentators on foreign news media outside the UK. A royal insider on Al Jazeera said he thought the queen would die within days if not sooner. A reporter said things you’d never hear in the UK, let alone Thailand, about impending doom. Though I’m not much of a royalist my wife gave me a hug and understood. We’d shared such moments nearly 6 years ago when she too had tears in her eyes and felt it was the end of an era that marked her and her family’s lives. Waking in the morning it was still a shock to see those words in the headline we all knew we’d read someday but preferred not to think about. King Charles III…….. For the great majority of British people - and huge numbers of people around the world - the news made us stop, reflect and think. Think about our own personal histories, our own lives, our own families, our own human frailties. And yes, our own mortality. I recalled back in 1997 when I had bawled my eyes out in Bang Na while watching the funeral of Princess Diana on hearing the heartfelt speech from her brother in the pulpit at Westminster Abbey. They were not really tears for the princess herself though I appreciated her humanity. They were tears for my own mother. She died when I was just 16 but I’d suppressed the emotions wanting to be a strong teenager. Now all alone and watching the TV in Bangkok in 1997 aged 36, I finally accepted my grief. My own loss. The death of Queen Elizabeth II, aged 96, having just celebrated her Platinum Jubilee after 70 years on the throne, is one of those life marking events for us all. Like people used to tell me where they were when JFK was shot. Like we remember where we were when the twin towers fell. They may not involve us directly but we feel a part of the event. It touches us all. It touches us deeply. That’s what it is to be human. I took my young children into bed - they’re 6 and 9 - and explained what had happened. And how their many expatriate English teachers at school might feel and what they might like to say. As a dad you could see it meant something to them too. It was a day they, too, might remember forever. Not least for the fact that they are growing up in a society where monarchy plays a daily role in many peoples’ lives. Thais will understand the British people’s sense of loss perhaps more keenly than any other nation. They went through their own national heartache when HM King Bhumibol Adulyadej the Great departed in October 2016. I remembered the tears in the street. The wearing of black for at least a year. The sense of personal loss from the lady at the noodle stand, the urgent calls from gran crying in Loei. The Queen, along with her husband the Duke of Edinburgh, who died last year, first visited Thailand in February 1972 when Elizabeth had been on the throne for around 20 years. This followed a visit to England by King Bhumibol and Queen Sirikit in 1960. Elizabeth returned to Bangkok and Ayutthaya for another state visit - her last - in late October 1996. Both times she was received by the Thai king, a man who could well understand the promises that she had made as a young lady for the good of her nation, the sacrifices that were necessary. They didn’t get everything right - who does? - but they were both sincere people. I don’t begrudge monarchs their wealth, their standing. Frankly I feel a little sorry for them. I remembered doing a school project about Edward VIII who abdicated for love. It seemed to me, as a young teen, a sad story. My mother was bitter at how he was treated. She was an ordinary London lass who instilled in me a humanity to think beyond the obvious. To think about the person. That’s why this event means so much. World News in the coming days - including here in Thailand - will be dominated by the death of Britain's beloved Lilibet. Some will use it as an occasion to expound their own views of monarchy, both good and bad. That’s understandable. But for this columnist, I’m thinking about a dear old lady who was a mum, a gran and a great gran, a lady who devoted herself to her family and her country. And whose departure from this Earth marks a poignant moment of reflection for us all. Rooster -- © Copyright ASEAN NOW 2022-09-10 - 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. Monthly car subscription with first-class insurance, 24x7 assistance and more in one price - click here to find out more! Get your business in front of millions of customers who read ASEAN NOW with an interest in Thailand every month - email [email protected] for more information

Photo credit: Russian Embassy Bangkok The Russian Foreign Minister noted Thailand's active role in integration processes in the Asia-Pacific region MOSCOW /TASS/. Russia is grateful to Thailand for an objective assessment of the events in Ukraine and understanding of the true causes of the situation in the international arena, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov said on Tuesday at a news conference following talks with Thai Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Don Pramudwinai. "We are grateful to our Thai colleagues for a balanced, objective and responsible position on what is happening in and around Ukraine, we are grateful for understanding the true causes of the current situation in the international arena and we’ve confirmed our willingness to share in detail our assessments of everything that is happening," the minister said. In addition, Lavrov noted Thailand's active role in integration processes in the Asia-Pacific region. "Given Bangkok's chairmanship in APEC (The Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation - TASS) this year, we agreed to continue substantive dialogue on the broad agenda of this forum, including preparations for the APEC summit to be held this fall in Thailand," the Russian top diplomat added. Source: TASS

by Joseph O' Connor Thai economy is currently chugging along in choppy waters as China’s problems grow and the US dices with recession. However, the key worry is, increasingly, the danger of a growing economic downside in China where a property market valued at twice the US national debt has already fallen by 40% threatening to deepen an already existing banking crisis. Thailand still aims for 3% to 3.5% growth this year while, unlike many western countries, planners are confident of reining in inflation towards the end of 2022 while maintaining steady export growth and driving a recovering foreign tourism industry. The key threat facing the kingdom and one that is still emerging is a deteriorating Chinese economy and the possibility of a shock wave created by a collapse of the Chinese property sector, in addition to rising insecurity caused by heightened tensions between the United States and its western partners and Thailand’s strategically important trading partner to the north. The jury is still out on whether the United States will enter a recession this year despite a technical recession in the opening quarters of 2022 and signs that rising interest rates are starting to dampen demand. This is a key factor for Thai economic planners as the United States is the country’s biggest export market as well as being a key investor and potential economic ally going forward as prospects begin to dim for China. Full story: https://www.thaiexaminer.com/thai-news-foreigners/2022/09/08/property-collapse-in-china-a-key-threat-thai-economy/ -- © Copyright Thai Examiner 2022-09-09 - 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. Monthly car subscription with first-class insurance, 24x7 assistance and more in one price - click here to find out more!

Daily News Thai Caption: Hothead tasered Daily News reported from Phuket where a man who has previously been arrested for using yaba (meth amphetamine mixed with caffeine, known as Ya Narok or the "hell drug" in Thai) was going berserk. Wichit police responded at a housing estate where the 35-40 year old Thai was smashing property including motor vehicles with an iron bar. He was also giving neighbors a tongue lashing. When police arrived he gave them a foul mouthed barrage as the situation only got worse and he refused to comply. Police took the decision to taser the man to get him into custody before he was taken to Vachira Hospital to be tested for drugs. The man is a yaba addict who frequently exhibits out of control behavior and has been convicted for criminal damage. He lives alone, reported the media, with relatives not wishing to have anything to do with him out of fear. The police asked for people who had suffered damaged to their property to come forward. -- © Copyright ASEAN NOW 2022-09-08 - 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. Monthly car subscription with first-class insurance, 24x7 assistance and more in one price - click here to find out more! Get your business in front of millions of customers who read ASEAN NOW with an interest in Thailand every month - email [email protected] for more information

Daily News Thai Caption: Subject to royal consent An announcement in the Government Gazette yesterday, subject to royal approval, revealed the annual Royal Thai Police reshuffle. Some 255 senior commanders will take up new positions come October 1st, reported Daily News who concentrated on the most important names. Top of the list was the new commander in chief of the RTP who will be confirmed as Pol Gen Damrongsak Kittipraphat - his nickname is Big Den, the notable one. He's the one on the left in the media's photo composite, minus his trademark glasses but with the prominent chin. On the right of the picture is Pol Lt-Gen Torsak Sukwimol - Big Tor - who moves up from assistant commander to deputy commander. Also following the same path - and easily the most recognisable face to both the Thai and non-Thai public - is the man in the center of the photo on the mike looking appropriately determined, suggests ASEAN NOW. That is none other than Pol Lt-Gen Surachate Hakpan, the poster boy cop of the RTP known wherever he goes - and he goes everywhere - as Big Joke (joke here means congee, a favorite dish of the Lt-Gen who hails from southern Thailand). The man is no joke in the other sense. Big Joke's spectacular rise and fall and rise again has led some to speculate that he is a chief of police in waiting. Others think that the charismatic cop who surrounds himself with a media savvy team may have a future in politics one day. The press and the public follow his every move. He rose to public attention as deputy commander of the tourist police and then the chief of immigration before he was sensationally sacked. It has been suggested that he got too big for his boots too quickly and for the best part of two years he was doing little more than shuffling paper at the PM's office. He even went on a sabbatical to India to take stock. Then his vehicle - a Lexus - was shot at while he was visiting a spa in Surawong, a downtown district of Bangkok. Fallout from that incident led to the demotion of a senior policeman under the command of then RTP chief Pol Gen Chakthip Chaijinda. The assailants on a motorcycle were never caught and the reasons for the potshots never ascertained. The reasons for his removal from immigration were equally shrouded in mystery. Though he was famous for trying to end the culture of "tips" in the organisation and, perhaps more tellingly, criticized the 2 billion baht implementation of the much vaunted Biometrics system. However, following his fall it didn't take too long before Prayuth Chan-ocha - who led the Police Commission before his sidelining recently amid suggestions he has completed his 8 year tenure as premier - named Surachate as an assistant commander with special roles. Once again Surachate was flying around the nation sorting out things from illegal fishing to human trafficking (both highly important for international recognition from other nations, especially the US). He was also put in charge by retiring RTP chief Pol Gen Suwat Chaengyodsuk of his personal baby, the "Smart Safety Zone 4.0" community policing initiative. Where Surachate's new role takes him is anyone's guess but there is no doubting that now he is dining at the top table. Whether that means dining at the top trough - a common sly remark often aimed at the propensity of the RTP to engage in corrupt practices - rather depends on one's view of the Lt-Gen. He has detractors who dislike his media presence as well as supporters who find him a breath of fresh air. Some even think he could be the one to end alleged long standing corrution in the RTP. Skeptics say that is impossible, it is too deeply ingrained in an organisation more akin to a quasi-mafia organisation than a responsible police force. Also rising from assistant to deputy commander - but not pictured - were lesser known figures Pol Lt-Gen Chinnaphat Sarasin and Pol Lt-Gen Kittirat Panpetch. Daily News also reported on dozens of lesser lights who have been reshuffled in this latest round of appointments that occurs at this time of every year in Thailand. Extra reporting and analysis by ASEAN NOW's news team. -- © Copyright ASEAN NOW 2022-09-08 - 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. Monthly car subscription with first-class insurance, 24x7 assistance and more in one price - click here to find out more! Get your business in front of millions of customers who read ASEAN NOW with an interest in Thailand every month - email [email protected] for more information

PHOTO: ข่าวคนชล By Tanakorn Panyadee Pattaya — An Indian man agreed to pay a Thai dance teacher 200,000 baht over an inappropriate touch on Pattaya Walking Street yesterday night, but police said he would still get charged as well. Pol. Maj. Thanya Udthong summoned Ms. NC (alias), a 43-year-old dance teacher, and the suspect identified by police as Mr. Sandeep, a 51-year-old Indian suspect, whom Ms. NC claimed inappropriately touched/grabbed her on Walking Street last night, September 6th. After being detained at the Pattaya police station, Mr. Sandeep asked the police to negotiate directly with the victim again, to which the victim agreed. Full story: https://thepattayanews.com/2022/09/07/update-indian-man-agrees-to-pay-200k-baht-to-dance-teacher-over-inappropriate-touch-on-pattaya-walking-street/ -- © Copyright The Pattaya News 2022-09-08 - 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. Monthly car subscription with first-class insurance, 24x7 assistance and more in one price - click here to find out more!

Paul Henstock, 54, was hoping for the holiday of his dreams (Image: Paul Henstock) He saved hard for this holiday - but now he struggled to get back home A Nottingham man has been left "trapped" in Thailand after his return ticket was cancelled two weeks before the flight. Paul Henstock, a taxi driver from Mapperley Park, was hoping to have the holiday of his dreams in Bangkok. But his dream holiday was ruined by a message he received on Wednesday (August 31), telling him that his flight back home was cancelled. The 54 year old, said he "woke up" to the news, and has immediately called the lastminute.com agency to arrange to get on another flight. He flew from the Gatwick Airport to Thailand on July 5, and was due to return home on September 11 on a flight provided by the Singaporean low-cost airline Scoot. He has spent £524.19 on his tickets purchased on lastminute.com. "I booked a ten week holiday to travel Thailand", Mr Henstock said. "I should fly home on September 11, which is just in a few days - but on Wednesday morning I woke up to a text from lastminute.com saying that my flight was cancelled." Full story: https://www.nottinghampost.com/news/nottingham-news/nottingham-man-dumped-thailand-after-7549016 -- © Copyright Nottingham Post 2022-09-06 - 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. Monthly car subscription with first-class insurance, 24x7 assistance and more in one price - click here to find out more!

By Tanakorn Panyadee Pattaya — A female dance teacher in Pattaya filed a report to police, claiming that a foreign tourist inappropriately touched her while on Walking Street. Ms. NC (alias), a 43-year-old dance teacher, filed a report with Pattaya police around 3 a.m. today, September 6th, following a surprising incident in which she claimed a foreign tourist sneaked up on her on Walking Street and inappropriately touched/grabbed her from behind. The victim said that she was a dance teacher in Pattaya and used to teach many famous actors. Yesterday, she went on a night out on Walking Street to enjoy the vibe when a foreign man secretly snuck up behind her and touched her without her consent. Full story: https://thepattayanews.com/2022/09/06/pattaya-dance-teacher-files-report-claiming-foreign-tourist-inappropriately-touched-her-while-out-for-a-stroll-on-walking-street/ -- © Copyright The Pattaya News 2022-09-06 - 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. Monthly car subscription with first-class insurance, 24x7 assistance and more in one price - click here to find out more!

Daily News Thai Caption: Totaled Daily News and many other Thai media reported on an appalling incident on the beach front at Ban Phe, Rayong, yesterday evening in which an apparently drunk British man in a pick-up killed and injured people before driving off and damaging four vehicles before overturning. Pol Capt Natthawat of the Phe Rayong police on the eastern seaboard was alerted to the incident yesterday evening and went with rescue services to the area near the Lotus store on the beach front road - Suan Son to Ban Phe Road - where they found an overturned four door pick-up. Inside was an apparently drunk Brtish man trapped in the driver's seat. Stephen P., 70, was given first aid. Picture; Daily News A police patrol nearby was giving CPR. But dead at the scene was Niran Pramuan, 53, and severly injured was 32 year old Chanasak. They were taken to Rayong Hospital. Witnesses reported seeing the foreigner reverse at high speed into the two men crushing them up against a lamppost. The driver then raced off colliding with two cars and two motorcycles before ending up on its side. Witnesses said that the British man lived locally and was a habitual drunkard who would drive in the wrong lane and that local people were fed up with his behavior. He was kept in custody while his injuries were treated as police prepared a breath test and for his subsequent prosecution. More on this as we hear of it. -- © Copyright ASEAN NOW 2022-09-05 - 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. Monthly car subscription with first-class insurance, 24x7 assistance and more in one price - click here to find out more! Get your business in front of millions of customers who read ASEAN NOW with an interest in Thailand every month - email [email protected] for more information

Probiotics and prebiotic foods are recommended to help support the immune system. (Photo by Nirzar Pangarkar) By Veena Thoopkrajae Life in Thailand may seem to have returned to normal, but the coronavirus that has plagued the world for the best part of three years is still making its presence felt with more than 30,000 confirmed cases reported each day. The real figure is, however, likely to be much higher, with the Center for COVID-19 Situation Administration (CCSA) estimating that the daily figure is probably between 60,000 and 70,000, as not everyone reports a positive test to the authorities, especially if their symptoms are mild. Deaths too remain elevated, with 236 fatalities recorded between August 7th and 13th, mostly among the elderly, those with underlying diseases, and pregnant women. While most do go on to make a full recovery within 10 days or so, the Public Health Department says as many as 30-50% of people who had been infected with the coronavirus continue to experience symptoms after the virus has already cleared in what has become known as long COVID. Signs and symptoms of long COVID Dr Rapeepan Rattanawongnara Mord, professor of Department of Infectious Disease of Internal Medicine, Ramathibodi Hospital, Mahidol University’s Faculty of Medicine, is the author of a paper on long COVID symptoms that was published on the RAMA Channel website. Managed by Ramathibodi Hospital’s Faculty of Medicine, the website provides articles and videos about health issues. The doctor describes long COVID as a wide range of new or ongoing health problems that may be experienced more than four weeks after first becoming infected with the coronavirus. The most commonly reported symptoms are fatigue (58%), headache (44%), attention disorder (27%), hair loss (25%) and shortness of breath (24%), studies find. Less common are fever, dizziness, shortness of breath, fainting, chest pain, coughing, stomach pain, diarrhea and loss of appetite. Full story: https://www.thaipbsworld.com/long-covid-what-to-expect-what-to-eat-and-what-to-avoid/ -- © Copyright Thai PBS 2022-09-03 - 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. Monthly car subscription with first-class insurance, 24x7 assistance and more in one price - click here to find out more!

By Online Reporter Thailand is now welcoming applications for its new 10 year Long-term Resident Visa (LTR Visa), which is aimed at attracting foreigners of “high potential” to live and work in the country. The LTR Visa formally came into effect on September 1, with the government seeing the program as a way to encourage new investment into the country. The 10 year LTR visa will be offered across four categories: Wealthy Global Citizens, Wealthy Pensioners, Work-from-Thailand Professionals, and Highly-Skilled Professionals. Across each of the four categories, holders will need a personal income of USD 80,000/year. Full story: https://www.huahintoday.com/thailand-news/thailands-new-10-year-long-term-resident-visa-ltr-visa-is-now-available/ -- © Copyright Hua Hin Today 2022-09-02 - 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. Monthly car subscription with first-class insurance, 24x7 assistance and more in one price - click here to find out more!

Pumpkin with the anti-Prawit photo. The Thai headline says, “I pity Thai people.” Image: TV Channel 7 TNR Staff A YOUNG German man displayed a photo of caretaker Prime Minister Prawit Wongsuwan with a red cross over it at the central traffic island in Taphong intersection, Mueang district of Rayong province, yesterday (Sept. 1) and upon being questioned said he did so because he felt sorry for the Thai people, TV Channel 7 said. Identified only as Pumpkin, 35, he had also yesterday displayed the same image at Orchid intersection on Sukhumvit road, Rayong’s Mueang district. Reporters went to interview him and he told them that he lives in Rayong with his Thai wife and the reason he displayed this photo of Gen. Prawit is because he pitied the Thai people who had to cope with a government that did not help. Full story: https://thainewsroom.com/2022/09/01/young-german-man-displays-anti-prayut-photo-in-rayong/ -- © Copyright THAI NEWSROOM 2022-09-02 - 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. Monthly car subscription with first-class insurance, 24x7 assistance and more in one price - click here to find out more!

(Left) French Tourism Minister Olivia Gregoire told a press conference in Paris this week that tourist spending in July and August nationally was 22% ahead of the level seen in 2019 and that foreign visitor numbers had already returned to 2019 levels. The situation is in marked contrast to Thailand where government spokesperson Rachada Dhnadirek emphasised that the country’s target in 2022 for foreign tourist numbers was 25% of the number seen in 2019 with figures released by the Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT) showing that from January to the end August 2022, the spend per foreign tourist was down by at least 11.5%. The situation raises disturbing questions about the setback suffered by the kingdom’s foreign tourism sector since 2020. by Joseph O' Connor Figures this week from Paris show a French foreign tourist industry achieving revenues nationally at 22% ahead of figures for 2019 while Thailand will be aiming to achieve, at best, only 33% of the numbers seen three years ago or a 67% loss. This news must be disturbing for the sector in Thailand and raises questions about the permanent damage inflicted on the Thai industry since 2020. Thailand’s foreign tourism sector appears to have suffered permanent damage due to the country’s emergency since 2020 with projected visitor numbers and a foreign tourism revenue stream this year which will be between 65% and 75% lower than that seen in 2019. The situation is in marked contrast to France which recorded bumper visitor numbers in July and August with expenditure in hotels up 22% on 2019 figures. On Tuesday, executives at the Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT) talked up the possibility of targeting wealthy Indian families to come to Thailand to celebrate wedding events as the kingdom approaches the high season for the foreign tourism sector which begins in October. Full story: https://www.thaiexaminer.com/thai-news-foreigners/2022/08/31/thailand-tourism-industry-damaged-contrast-to-france/ -- © Copyright Thai Examiner 2022-09-01 - 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. Monthly car subscription with first-class insurance, 24x7 assistance and more in one price - click here to find out more!