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Picture: Siam Rath Top brass in the form of poster boy Thai cop Lt-Gen Surachate Hakpan went to Huai Khwang police station yesterday with his entourage to celebrate the fact that the downtown Bangkok police station had been named #1 in the met police. This is apparently for following the Royal Thai Police commander Gen Suwat Chaengyodsuk's master plan for community policing to the letter. This is the much vaunted "Smart Safety Zone 4.0" - a scheme that involves CCTV and buttons the public can press to report crime, even at night. Surachate - known universally by the moniker of Big Joke - was pictured giving station chief Pol Col Yingyot Suwanno his hearty congratulations for taking part so successfully in the pilot. Surachate said that the community policing initiative was so marvellous that the Thai police have been recognised internationally for it. Picture: Siam Rath ASEAN NOW believes he was referring to a recent police get together in Dubai where awards were handed out. Smart Safety Zone 4.0 is RTP chief Suwat's prime initiative and Big Joke leads the committee for its implementation and review along with other top brass. Siam Rath reported on the back slapping at Huai Khwang yesterday though unfortunately the station chief's face was hidden by his salute as well as his mask. Or was he just hiding his light under his bushel.... -- © Copyright ASEAN NOW 2022-06-17 - 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. Easiest way to own or rent a car in Thailand - 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

Father goes to police to have his own son arrested for gold, guns and Rolex theft - 12M baht involved Daily News Thai Caption: Arrest my own son A 71 year old father has gone to the Thai police after his youngest son stole valuables worth 12 million baht from his safe, it is alleged. He said he never thought he'd see the day when his own flesh and blood would do such a thing. Full story: https://aseannow.com/topic/1263088-father-goes-to-police-to-have-his-own-son-arrested-for-gold-guns-and-rolex-theft-12m-baht-involved/

Daily News Thai Caption: Arrest my own son A 71 year old father has gone to the Thai police after his youngest son stole valuables worth 12 million baht from his safe, it is alleged. He said he never thought he'd see the day when his own flesh and blood would do such a thing. Ekachai, now 72 in the body of the Daily News story, went to the Ayutthaya police with his eldest boy Pongpinit, 41, to meet the chief Pol Col Prawes Srinakh. He gave details about the theft that involved 12 guns, 200 baht weight in gold jewelry, nine Rolex watches, three Omega watches, land title deeds and a will all valued at 12 million baht. He'd kept all that in a safe on the second floor of a house in Phailing sub-district. It went missing on the 10th of June and investigators had already found no evidence that the safe had been forced. Picture: Daily News Pongpinit said his dad lived there alone. He and his younger brother live in Bangkok. In April his father had fallen down in an apparent accident and he had taken him to hospital. He was later transferred to a hopsital in Thonburi for a month. When he was allowed home he found the locks changed at the house and the keys to the safe missing. When the old man had recovered he remembered that Pongpiphat, his youngest had attacked him and was "looking after" the house. Picture: Daily News Ekachai said that he couldn't believe his own son would do this and steal from him and wanted him found and prosecuted. Meanwhile police had spoken to the youngest son who said he'd put the valuables elsewhere for safe keeping, not stolen them and did not attack his father. The valuables still belonged to his dad. Only a part of the haul has been found in the Bangkok residence of Pornpiphat who is now in custody. Police said it was a delicate family matter and they were trying to get to the bottom of it. -- © Copyright ASEAN NOW 2022-06-17 - 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. Easiest way to own or rent a car in Thailand - 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

Opinion: Stop spreading misinformation about marijuana, educate the public By Erich Parpart Misinformation concerning Thailand’s new marijuana laws spiraled rampantly last week, especially from government agencies. Full story: https://aseannow.com/topic/1263086-opinion-stop-spreading-misinformation-about-marijuana-educate-the-public/

By Erich Parpart Misinformation concerning Thailand’s new marijuana laws spiraled rampantly last week, especially from government agencies. First, Bangkok governor Chadchart Sittipunt claimed on Tuesday that the Bangkok Metropolitan Administration (BMA) found the world’s first case of a person who died from marijuana overdose. That was a baffling statement. About a day later on Wednesday, he walked that ill-informed claim, admitting that officials should see the autopsy report in detail. By Wednesday evening, the autopsy report was released. It showed that the 51-year-old had an underlying disease that resulted in death from heart failure. Full story: https://www.thaienquirer.com/40967/opinion-stop-spreading-misinformation-about-marijuana-educate-the-public/ -- © Copyright Thai Enquirer 2022-06-17 - 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. Easiest way to own or rent a car in Thailand - click here to find out more!

Monks fighting at Big C over alms positions - "They are nothing better than devils" says abbot Daily News Thai Caption: A devil grabbing merit! Thai social media and religious circles were abuzz with comment after two elderly monks were involved in a most unholy of confrontations. Full story: https://aseannow.com/topic/1263082-monks-fighting-at-big-c-over-alms-positions-they-are-nothing-better-than-devils-says-abbot/

Daily News Thai Caption: A devil grabbing merit! Thai social media and religious circles were abuzz with comment after two elderly monks were involved in a most unholy of confrontations. A 60 year old in saffron robes used a rock to whack an 83 year old monk causing him to need 13 stitches, reported Daily News. It happened outside a Big C in Bang Yai, Nonthaburi early on Wednesday morning as both monks were arguing about who had the right to stand where to receive alms. Picture: Daily News It was like taxi drivers arguing over a rank, notes ASEAN NOW. Local abbot at Wat Suan Kaew Phra Phayom Knayano saw it more in terms of Thai religious and animist beliefs. He said it was like "Praet Yaeng Bun Kan" - devils arguing over merit. Praet at a Thai temple Praet are tall devilish creatures believed to inhabit the underworld who are punished for their sins in life. Their grotesque images are often depicted in stone at temples throughout Thailand to warn the faithful. "Real monks don't do this," said Phayom. "Real monks follow the precepts and "binthabaht' (collect alms) in a spirit of togetherness. "If you can't behave properly why be a monk at all - just defrock yourself and go back to the laity". "This is just praet behaviour, nothing to do with proper monks". -- © Copyright ASEAN NOW 2022-06-17 - 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. Easiest way to own or rent a car in Thailand - 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

One dead two injured as pick-up overturns in Ubon - police await DUI checks Picture: Thai Rath Thai Rath reported on a single vehicle accident on Route 2050 in Rai Noi sub-district of Muang Ubon Ratchathani, NE Thailand yesterday evening. Full story: https://aseannow.com/topic/1263079-one-dead-two-injured-as-pick-up-overturns-in-ubon-police-await-dui-checks/

Picture: Thai Rath Thai Rath reported on a single vehicle accident on Route 2050 in Rai Noi sub-district of Muang Ubon Ratchathani, NE Thailand yesterday evening. Muang district police and rescue services found a white Isuzu pick-up with a punctured forward right tire overturned and building materials and beer cans spread all over the place. Unresponsive at the scene was Koson Wongklom who despite CPR was pronounced dead. He had been thrown out of the front passenger seat. The driver Saksit, 43, and Chartree, 25, who was in the back of the pick-up, both survived with minor injuries and were taken to Prince Hospital. A housing estate security guard said that CCTV there had caught the accident showing that the driver hit the central divider at a U-turn and overturned ending up on the other side of the road. Muang district police intend to charge Saksit with negligent driving causing death. As to whether drinking was involved they were conducting DUI tests. Saksit told them they had finished work and bought beer and were intending to drink it at home. -- © Copyright ASEAN NOW 2022-06-17 - 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. Easiest way to own or rent a car in Thailand - 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

Moving homes in Thailand can be stressful OPINION | by Michael Bridge fie photo Having moved to Thailand in 2010, I arrived in Bangkok having very little knowledge of where to live. Full story: https://aseannow.com/topic/1263078-moving-homes-in-thailand-can-be-stressful/

file photo OPINION | by Michael Bridge Having moved to Thailand in 2010, I arrived in Bangkok having very little knowledge of where to live. Of course, most ex-pats at the time stayed close to Sukhumvit road, so I found a one-bedroom condominium for THB40,000 a month near Asoke. A lot nowadays, but after living in Dubai it seemed cheap at the time. I stayed in Bangkok for three years until the Red shirt riots and pollution got to me. I, therefore, decided to move to Pattaya for fresh air and more peaceful existence. Pattaya for Fresh Air So far, I have lived in several condominiums including Cozy Beach, Pratamnak, and an incredibly quiet Na Jomtien duplex in a fishing village. This week after three years of living in a condominium in Pratamnak I am moving again. My reason as an ex-pat nomad for this move, was I felt I needed a new view and a bigger swimming pool to get some exercise. Price was also a factor, as I realised with a world recession on the boil, that I needed to reduce my overheads. Condominium hunting I started to look for a new condominium to move to in early May, thinking that as this is the low season, I would have a pick of the crop. How wrong could I be! I started looking for somewhere around the Cozy Beach area and virtually every juristic I spoke to said their building was full. Of course, I went to several realtors as well, who suggested I look at their websites which I did. I noticed that most posted several condominiums in the rental sections, which when you clicked on their photos then told you it was rented for the next 3-9 months. Very frustrating!!! I was also surprised how many units had awful developer’s furniture packages, with two-seater sofa beds and queen-sized beds in very bright colours. If I were planning to buy a new condominium for rental income, I know that a decent furniture package in subdued colours would give my unit a head start. Anyway, having eventually looked at a variety of condominiums in Pratamnak and Jomtien areas, I eventually came across a place that suited me. Smaller but better Although my new condominium is slightly smaller, it does come with great sea views and a sea breeze to keep the place cool without going crazy with the air con. It also came with a large sunny pool and restaurant too. It is amazing what clutter we gather in our lives, so when it came to packing up, I was fairly ruthless with throwing items away. Of course, the physical move is a pain, but with some helpful Thais and a pickup truck it went smoothly. However, I was so exhausted that the unpacking will take a week to complete. Now all I need is to get the juristic lady to register my new address with the immigration. I think I may not be ringing any realtors for a bit hopefully. -- © Copyright ASEAN NOW 2022-06-17 - 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. Easiest way to own or rent a car in Thailand - 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

Foreigner arrested in connection with murder of ladyboy in Surin - he was "hiding in Pattaya" say media Daily News Thai Caption: Arrested! Daily News reported that the Surin police announced the arrest by Pattaya police of a suspect in the case of the murder of 31 year old transgender Theerapong. Full story: https://aseannow.com/topic/1263077-foreigner-arrested-in-connection-with-murder-of-ladyboy-in-surin-he-was-hiding-in-pattaya-say-media/

Daily News Thai Caption: Arrested! Daily News reported that the Surin police announced the arrest by Pattaya police of a suspect in the case of the murder of 31 year old transgender Theerapong. As reported by ASEAN NOW yesterday, Theerapong was found in a storeroom of a house in Kang-en subdistrict of Prasat district. Decomposition had set in and the murder was believed to have taken place elsewhere in the house some weeks prior. Pattaya police took a man called Mr Liternia into custody. His nationality could not be confirmed as yet. The media said he was hiding in Pattaya. He has been taken to Surin and DNA checks are being made. The media further reported that the scene of the murder was all quiet while the deceased's mother's property nearby was a hub of sad activity where a funeral was being arranged. This is due to take place imminently. -- © Copyright ASEAN NOW 2022-06-17 - 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. Easiest way to own or rent a car in Thailand - 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

NATIONAL NEWS from Surf 102.5 FM - Friday June 17 2022 Listen to the news: https://aseannow.com/topic/1263076-national-news-from-surf-1025-fm-friday-june-17-2022/

Listen to the news: Thailand's prime minister Prayut called an urgent meeting with his economic teams yesterday to discuss how to tackle rising energy prices and inflation. Thailand's inflation hit a nearly 14-year high of 7.1 per cent in May. The Thai baht is at a five-year low against the U.S dollar. A former finance minister has suggested the government provide an additional 60-billion-baht loan to improve the liquidity of the Oil Fuel Fund, that has been used to subsidize pump prices. He added Oil prices are unlikely to be reduced for several years even after global oil prices stabilize, in order to top up the oil fund which is in the red by nearly 200 billion baht. A main suspect in the murder of a Thai couple in Taiwan is expected to surrender to police in Chiang Mai today. The 35-year-old is wanted for the murder of 32 year old Prasert Norat, and his wife Pot-janee who was five months’ pregnant.. He fled to Thailand after leaving the dead couple in a parked car in Taipei. Thai police charged three social media influencers with lese majeste (offending the royal household) yesterday over a controversial social media advertisement. Disability campaigners also described the advertisement as distasteful, The advertising firm and shopping platform Lazada have issued apologies. Their lawyer said the trio had been freed on bail and that they denied the charges. Bangkok's new governor says several locations in the capital are being considered for a new walking street, which will help stimulate the economy. A priority is to find areas large enough to accommodate street vendors and establish places where people can buy food at an affordable price and make a living... Region: Myanmar: planned executions of at least 2 two anti-coup dissidents scheduled for yesterday had not taken place according to observers in Myanmar and Human rights groups. Phil Robertson, the Deputy Director of Human Rights Watch’s Asia, said that without transparency from the military junta, researchers were unable to confirm whether the prisoners are still alive. Japan's ruling Liberal Democratic Party pledged to secure enough budget to fundamentally strengthen the country's defense capability within five years. Tokyo's defense budget has been around 1 percent of its GDP in recent years. Sunny becoming cloudy with isolated showers Chiang Mai: Bright but cloudy with isolated thunder showers 32C Bangkok: Bright with Thundershowers 35C Pattaya and SE: Sunny partly cloudy Dry 32C Phuket and the South: Bright, partly cloudy 29C Hua Hin: Sunny becoming cloudy, perhaps an isolated showers later this afternoon 33C Listen Live: Surf 102.5 Facebook: Surf 102.5 -- © Copyright SURF 102.5 FM 2022-06-17 - 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. Easiest way to own or rent a car in Thailand - click here to find out more!

Thai hackers with minimal education were taught by a foreigner - 10M baht in losses Picture: Thai Rath Thai Rath reported that Thailand's technology police - so called cyber cops - had arrested four members of a hacking gang. Full story: https://aseannow.com/topic/1263075-thai-hackers-with-minimal-education-were-taught-by-a-foreigner-10m-baht-in-losses/

Picture: Thai Rath Thai Rath reported that Thailand's technology police - so called cyber cops - had arrested four members of a hacking gang. They managed to get into multiple accounts on Line after hacking into a Facebook account. There are 10 million baht in losses. They were trained in hacking by someone across the border. Arrested in a hotel in Mae Sai, Chiang Rai were local residents Somchai, 22, and a 17 year old youth named only as Long. Taken into custody after their accounts were used were two Bangkokian members of the gang Sunee, 18 from Taling Chan and Sarocha, 28, living in Phayathai. Pol Maj-gen Monthian Phanim said that the gang had hacked the Facebook account of a senior retired civil servant called Suthee in Khon Kaen, NE Thailand. Pretending to be him they contacted senior civil servants in the area convincing them to give phone numbers and one time passwords enabling them to use Line accounts. From this they managed to borrow large sums of money by various means. They all admitted that they had only P6 education, the end of primary schooling, but had got hacking training from an expert across the border in a neighboring country. They have all been charged with computer crime related to hacking and use of data to gain financial advantage. -- © Copyright ASEAN NOW 2022-06-17 - 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. Easiest way to own or rent a car in Thailand - 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

World Sports News - Friday 17 June 2022 by Chili Radio Listen to the news: https://aseannow.com/topic/1263071-world-sports-news-friday-17-june-2022-by-chili-radio/

Listen to the news: Football - The Egyptian Football Association has sacked Ehab Galal as coach after just three games in charge of the national team. 54 year old Galal replaced Carlos Queiroz in April after the Pharaohs failed to qualify for the 2022 World Cup. He was dismissed after a shock 2-0 defeat to Ethiopia in a 2023 Africa Cup of Nations qualifier and 4-1 friendly loss against South Korea. EFA board member Hazem Emam said they will look to appoint a foreign coach. EPL side Arsenal are closing in on the signing of Porto midfielder Fabio Vieira for 40m euros and The 22-year-old has yet to win a senior cap for Portugal but was voted player of the tournament at last year's European Under-21 Championship and Aberdeen have accepted a £5m offer from Liverpool for 18-year-old right-back Calvin Ramsay. The Scotland Under-21 international has agreed a five-year contract and is expected to finalise the move following his medical in the next few days. Inter Milan are hoping to secure the return of Belgium striker Romelu Lukaku from Chelsea. Lukaku is so keen to go back to Inter after a difficult season with the Blues that he would take a hefty wage cut. Download the Chili Radio app : https://chiliradio.app for Chili Pop and Chili Classics. -- © Copyright Chili RADIO 2022-06-17 Chili Radio: https://chiliradiothailand.com Listen Live: https://chiliradio.asia - 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. Easiest way to own or rent a car in Thailand - click here to find out more! Edited 23 hours ago by webfact

OPINION | by Rooster For me it all began in early 2019 before the March general election. I’d been riding my bike and saw a bright green marijuana leaf on a billboard for the Bhumjaithai candidate. Surely not. I did a double take then stopped at the next poster barely able to believe my eyes as I read the Thai over and over. They were proposing to ease regulations to allow every household to grow six plants. It was Anutin Charnvirakul’s plan, I’d barely heard of the man. I put it on the back burner in my mind thinking that’s never going to happen, it’s just a gimmick. Total skepticism took over, especially in my beloved yet conservative minded Thailand where Go-Go bars flourish but officialdom deny prostitution. Nope, if you enjoy dope it’d be living on the dark side of illegality forever. Fast forward to just over three months ago when it was announced that cannabis was to be totally removed from the Class 5 narcotics list. Still skeptical, I imagined they’d let people grow hemp and put boring leaves in their Tom Yam. I admit I translated stories that were wide of the mark - the Thai press could barely believe it. THC content would be 0.2%, nobody would be able to get high, maybe CBD oil for insomniacs. Forget recreational use. Mystery surrounded what they meant by extracts. Surely the regulations couldn’t only refer to that. But they did. Today, nine days after the official start of the new era, many have realised how wrong we were. Thailand has done something amazing and the vibe is mostly so positive it beggar’s belief. On Wednesday afternoon I went to the brilliantly named Sukhumweed shop on Soi Kluay Nam Thai, Sukhumvit Soi 42. (it’s 50 paces from the Rama IV end on the left) where I met founder and owner Soranut “Beer” Masayavanich. The front of the Soi 42 shop I’d driven past his unpretentious little shop sandwiched between food sellers across from derelict looking buildings. But when I looped back a familiar and delightful aroma wafted out into the street as a customer left. Aha! Inside were about 15 people queuing patiently for service. Most were foreigners. With prices starting at around 500 baht for just one gram and a sign saying 3,000 baht for 3.5 grams for one variety it was not surprising to see few Thais. A plant on a table inside the shop The customers were sniffing Jealousy, Deadly Swabi, Citradelic Sunset and Orange Pie in neat jars, listening to the advice of the sales ladies, before deciding which one to choose. Beer was behind the counter with plastic gloves on raking in the cash. While I waited I spoke to some of the tourists. Ben, 29, from Australia said he and his pals had been to Highland Cafe opposite Union Mall in Chatuchak, but it wasn’t open yet. So they’d hotfooted it to Soi 42 and were just blown away. “I wish it was like this in Australia,” he said, while admitting that it was a similar price. “This is going to be great for tourism”, he said as his friends heartily agreed. They were stunned that the rumors they’d heard on social media were true and were going back to their hotels very pleased with their purchases. “I lived in Thailand before and speak Thai,” said Ben but I never thought this day would come. Inside the Soi 42 shop Another in the line was Jimbo, a UK man from Cambridgeshire, who is a blogger who knows his ganja and was having no problems filming. He’s been living in Thailand for 23 years and had been fairly confident that good news was in the air. He’d just come from a classy dispensary in Saladaeng where Gorilla Glue #4 with 27% THC (tetrahydrocannabinol that makes you high) was available. “Just wow!” was his comment as he explained about “sativa and indica”. He couldn’t wait to get home and have a “neat joint” that would be “great for his insomnia”. Yogi, a Swiss expat who has been in Bangkok for 4 years and works in IT said he lived locally and the shop was brilliant for him. He’d been to a place called Candyland in Pattaya that had been operating for some time where he reckoned the walk-in trade alone was doing 100,000 baht business an hour. He said it was very well organised in Pattaya and you could even smoke on the premises, a no-no for Sukhumweed. Hashish was also rumored to be available at the resort. . An Indian tourist from Calcutta overheard the conversation and asked if he could take his purchase with him to Samui. The consensus was that it’d be better to buy there where there are plenty of shops. Several people chipped in about India: “Your country was where I learned what smoking really was!” “Oooh the Bhang Lassies!” “Ah Manali hash!” The Indian smiled in appreciation of the recognition of his wonderful homeland. We were all friends together. Jars displaying the wares in Sukhumweed After a quick chat with a diminutive lady from Italy also patiently waiting in line, the ebullient Beer was finally free for our prearranged interview. He’s a musician and former actor whose thespian career took a dive after he was busted. Unperturbed he spent the next twenty years paying fines, growing and selling and living in the shadows of the considerable ganja counter culture in Thailand. All while strumming on his acoustic guitar. Beer out front of his shop in Soi Kluay Nam Thai He was preparing for legalization and was ready on the dot on June 9th. The Bangkok native has three farms growing weed in Nong Khai in the north east. Everything is locally grown and he’s determined to improve the standard of marijuana in Thailand “just like they've done in the US”. He speaks English at a fast pace with a US lilt. Beer has some excellent connections so he was always confident legalization would come and his investments wouldn’t be wasted. An advantage not enjoyed by many. He has an uncle called Marut who is a Bhumjaithai party list MP. Beer is working with him and others on an advisory committee to promulgate the new laws that he said would be announced if not in September then hopefully by December, the end of the current parliament. “We’re under orders to get it sorted,” he said. “I’ve been with MPs on fact finding missions to the US”. “So did they smoke?” I asked. “No, they didn’t, they are still a little reticent. But I hotboxed them in the car!”, he added referencing a term that means smoking in a confined area supposedly intensifying the drug’s effects. Beer has two partners - old friends Siraphop “Non” Rahong and Parin Tongwaranan. Non sells apparel and has connections to a hospital while Parin deals with the growing side and has a brand of equipment called T-REX. Beer said that about 80% of his customers so far had been foreigners, the rest Thai. “Thais mostly have their own network built up over many years”, he said. He predicted that the ganja price would increase in the coming months as it was running out fast but it would level off and eventually drop. Asked what a key tenet of government policy would be in the future he had one word: Taxation. “So have the police paid you a visit yet?” I inquired. “Funnily enough one of my first ten customers last Thursday was a junior cop half in uniform from the Thong Lo station”. The cop said after asking about a purchase: “Will I get busted for this?” Beer - formerly on the receiving end of several constabularies - was delighted to tell him it was all legal! So what do you think this will do for tourism?, I asked. “It’ll put it one thousand million percent up,” he enthused. “Sun, sea, sand, great food, nice ladies - and now WEED! What’s not to like!” Beer proudly poses with his sign outside Sukhumweed Reminded that many of Rooster’s readers are retirees he said that weed is great for them too, whether smoked or in edibles or just using the CBD oil for medical conditions or sleeplessness. His shop has plenty of CBD products, too, along with bongs, papers, and those wonderful jars. “Brick weed” or Thai stick - a more traditional high with a much lower THC content that many old timers will be more familiar with - is also available in the shop for 100 baht. Beer said he once thought about running for senator of Nong Khai, but his life in the shadows put paid to that. So what about selling to Thai youth? “Oh no, I’m old school about that,” said the man who has a hit song “Too Cool For School” even though he admits starting to smoke at 15. “I don’t even like kids going into bars and I don’t want them smoking until they’re older. We have a bouncer on the door, anyone in school uniform won’t get in and if they look too young they have to show ID. “We also don’t allow smoking on the premises or outside, I don’t have a licence to allow that. Tourists will have to go on their hotel balconies as well as remember not to annoy people with the smoke in the street. Most of them get it and take our advice - they come from countries where they are used to the rules,” he added fearing no problems from foreigners being stupid in the kingdom and letting the side down. Reiterating his desire to improve Thai weed he said that recently his company won the coveted “Kanchana Cup” (a play on the Thai Covid app Thai Chana and Kancha, the local pronunciation for weed). “We beat one of the industry leaders for a change,” he added. I asked Beer about alcohol and weed. “Hey, with a name like mine of course I drink. But weed has helped me drink less and I think that is what could help your expats. Enjoy some of this great drug and drink less - that’ll be great for their health”. Next stop was Pa Ou, 49, who was clearly beaming behind her mask as she prepared smoothies and orange drinks in the shop next door. “So how’s business since the ganja shop opened?”, I asked. “It’s doubled and nearly all my customers are now foreigners from next door na kha,” she said. We parted with a “wai” as a foreigner and his Thai girlfriend lit up something away from people in a derelict lot across the road. It’s hard to wait any more when you’ve been waiting so long. Next stop was Highland Cafe, the place in Chatuchak, one of many now in the Thai capital that has been openly operating for months. Here at 4.45 pm I counted 62 people - mostly 20 something Thais - waiting in a snaking line outside. The queue outside Highland Cafe on Wednesday So many people in fact that the staff had introduced a ticketed waiting system for entry - barred to anyone under 20 according to a Thai sign on the window. Several Thais said they were regular customers while new ones said they were curious and wanted to find out more. They were not sure what to expect but staff were on hand to advise. Under 20s are not allowed inside Highland Cafe One westerner was Josh, from Germany who’d been working in Thailand for 4 years. He’d already been waiting in the dying afternoon sun for 45 minutes. The German expat outside Highland Cafe waiting his turn “I want some CBD oil for my cooking,” he said, “I’m not looking for THC today”. He got ticket number 100 as the line slowly got smaller. Yes, it was an amazing day in Thailand that I thought would never come. I’m on a sabbatical from marijuana at the moment to build up my tolerance levels. But I’ll be back. I’d made a purchase of paneer and garam masala from the Lee Peng shop in the market at the Asoke intersection. Another thing that India taught me. And so to a brief round up of the week’s news that was of course dominated by all the marijuana stories. Anutin told new Bangkok governor Chadchart Sittipunt not to politicize the issue after the former Pheu Thai man claimed a 51 year old man had overdosed on weed. The BMA then announced that it wasn’t true. Then Dr Somsak, the director general of the department of medical services said that weed causes “addiction and traffic accidents” and the ministry only supports cannabis for medical conditions. Clearly “Reefer Madness” (the famous movie that set generations back) is still alive and kicking. Earlier Khun Thaejing of the anti-drink driving foundation had also expressed his concern about DUI of drugs. Next, Daily News reported that a lady went on Facebook to claim allergic reactions from weed in her Tom Jeut Mara soup. The vendor gave her 280 baht back while a Chula scientist warned about cooking too many ganja leaves and getting “mao”. Bless! You’d need a whole skip load at 0.3% THC, reminiscent of trying to get drunk on shandy as a kid. The MoPH announced what they referred to as regulations to prevent recreational use with fines of 25K and 3 months jail. This is er…smoke and mirrors. All they are doing is spouting regular smoking rules and effectively announcing their tacit approval that if you don’t bother anyone then go ahead and enjoy dope in private. Just not in so many words, a typical Thai trait. In Pattaya another “Beer” - appropriately enough - was finally confirmed as the new mayor. He was pictured wearing a “Beer Loves Pattaya” t-shirt. Just as well it wasn’t around the other way or he might get done for advertising the demon drink. In Wang Nam Khiaw there was an almighty kerfuffle when a couple posted their sex antics at a resort on OnlyFans. Their steamy session got out to Line and the district chief and a tourism official called for their heads while locals spoke of bringing the area into disrepute. Much of the furor centered around crossing out the word for green (khiaw) and replacing it with siaw (sexy) making Wang Nam Siaw; that sounds more like “Pleasure Palace” than the beautiful rolling hills the area in Korat is famous for. In international news Donald Trump called the investigation into the Capitol Hill riots a “kangaroo court” while former attorney general Bill Barr countered that Trump was “detached from reality”. And there was me thinking he was a reality TV star. Frankly though, democrats saying this was an “attempted coup” played more into Republican hands. I was in Sri Racha following the news on Fox in a cheap hotel. It’s been a while since I watched that channel, and it will be a longer while again. It’d be better to get your news from Viz. Netflix said they planned to back a reality TV show based on the dystopian classic from South Korea, Squid Game. Contestants will take part in a series of challenges, hopefully not resulting in their deaths. In sports news it was a mixed week for England. Their cricket team finally won a test series against New Zealand while their footballers were thrashed at home by Hungary. Better news came for Australia with the Socceroos beating Peru to qualify for the Qatar World Cup though NZ missed out to Costa Rica. In Malaysia the authorities got a step closer to ending the death penalty with that mandatory punishment ending for certain offences in October. Back in Thailand I was delighted to win the Eastern Scrabble Championships in Sri Racha becoming the oldest winner of a tournament in Thailand. I’m 61 next month. The Thai Crossword game association, as they are known, are refusing to sanction the new US dictionary that wanted 400 slurs taken out. So I was able to play YID and ABO to my heart’s content. Finally, there was great sadness, and more than a little comment, in Chiang Mai with the death of a 83 year old British biker. A Chinese woman apparently pulled out on him. I didn’t know Keith McVeighty but clearly many on the forum did. He once competed in the TT race on the Isle of Man, where he hailed from. It was a tragedy for a fellow biker but at least he died doing something he loved. We can’t ask for much more. Rooster -- © Copyright ASEAN NOW 2022-06-18 - 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. Easiest way to own or rent a car in Thailand - 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

Nong Prue administrative authorities inspect wire disentangling operations around Soi Boonsampan Nong Prue administrative authorities inspected wire disentangling operations on Soi Boonsampan in Banglamung, today, June 16th. Full story: https://aseannow.com/topic/1263042-nong-prue-administrative-authorities-inspect-wire-disentangling-operations-around-soi-boonsampan/

Beach goers concerned about vendor encroachment, traffic on extended portion of Jomtien Beach By Goongnang Suksawat PHOTO: Footpath Thai Style Jomtien, Pattaya, Chonburi – Beach goers are concerned on less free space and vendor encroachment on the newly extended Na Jomtien Beach despite a large warning sign which was placed stating that the usage of the beach is for the public and not vendors and businesses. Full story: https://aseannow.com/topic/1263068-beach-goers-concerned-about-vendor-encroachment-traffic-on-extended-portion-of-jomtien-beach/

PHOTO: Footpath Thai Style By Goongnang Suksawat Jomtien, Pattaya, Chonburi – Beach goers are concerned on less free space and vendor encroachment on the newly extended Na Jomtien Beach despite a large warning sign which was placed stating that the usage of the beach is for the public and not vendors and businesses. The story came to light after a photo of almost no visible space for walking on the beach due to being taken over by seating and vendors was posted on the Facebook Page ‘Footpath Thai Style.’. This is despite warning signs which were placed by the Na Jomtien Municipality telling people merchants and vendors are forbidden on the new extended Jomtien Beach for personal benefits. The beach is for public use only. Full story: https://thepattayanews.com/2022/06/16/beach-goers-concerned-about-vendor-encroachment-traffic-on-extended-portion-of-jomtien-beach/ -- © Copyright The Pattaya News 2022-06-17 - 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. Easiest way to own or rent a car in Thailand - click here to find out more!

Video clip of two people fighting on Bangla Road in Patong goes viral on social media By Goongnang Suksawat Patong – A video clip of two people fighting on Bangla Road in Patong has gone viral on social media. However, Patong Police said no one officially filed a police report on this incident. Full story: https://aseannow.com/topic/1263066-video-clip-of-two-people-fighting-on-bangla-road-in-patong-goes-viral-on-social-media/