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The Bang Sue vaccination centre is offering free booster shots of Pfizer and Moderna vaccines for Thais and non-Thais from Monday July 11th until end of this month. Those interested in getting their third, fourth, fifth or sixth shot can make advance appointments, from tomorrow (Friday) at 9am, via the following channels: AIS True or press *707# and dial DTAC app NT On the day of the appointment, they must show their QR code/SMS/App “Vaccine Bang Sue” to the officials in order to facilitate the vaccination service. Alternatively, they can enter Bang Sue grand station, via Gate No 2, every day from 9am to 4pm and go through the normal registration process. They will be required to show their ID cards. Non-Thais, who include migrant workers, are required to show their “CID” number, starting with 60-, which was used to register for the Mor Prom app, or their passport number with their previous vaccination record. Full story: https://www.thaipbsworld.com/free-covid-booster-shot-on-offer-for-all-at-bang-sue-vaccination-centre/ -- © Copyright Thai PBS 2022-07-07 - 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!

MI5 head Ken McCallum (left) and FBI director Christopher Wray (right) made an unprecedented joint appearance in London. IMAGE SOURCE,UK POOL VIA ITN By Gordon Corera Security correspondent, BBC News The heads of UK and US security services have made an unprecedented joint appearance to warn of the threat from China. FBI director Christopher Wray said China was the "biggest long-term threat to our economic and national security" and had interfered in politics, including recent elections. MI5 head Ken McCallum said his service had more than doubled its work against Chinese activity in the last three years and would be doubling it again. Full story: https://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-china-62064506 -- © Copyright BBC 2022-07-07

The severe fallout from the pandemic and the sudden collapse of the tourism industry — which accounts for about 20 percent of Thailand’s gross domestic product (GDP) — has weakened the baht, pushing it to a five-year low. (Photo by Kiratikorn Naksompop Blauw) By Thai PBS World’s Business Desk On July 1, at some point during the day, the baht fell to 35.66 to the dollar, its weakest in five years. It closed at 35.63 at the end of the trading session on the first day of this month, according to Kasikorn Research Center. The many swings of the baht Since the 1997 Asian financial crisis, the baht has gone through four key cycles. To follow the bailout conditions set by the International Monetary Fund, Thailand, languishing in one of the worst economic crises in its history, on July 2, 1997, abandoned its fixed exchange rate policy of pegging the baht at 25 to a US dollar, as the central bank’s reserves were drained defending the currency against speculators. Once the Bank of Thailand (BOT) opted for the floating rate, the currency experienced a free fall. The baht plunged to a historic low of 56.50 per dollar on January 12, 1998. This, however, enabled an export recovery and tourist influx, which in turn swung the baht’s fortunes around. Later the baht became very strong, and was even dubbed “super baht”, as a booming tourism industry brought in about 40 million tourists annually before the COVID pandemic struck the country in early 2020. In the middle of 2019, the baht had strengthened to 27-28 against the dollar. Full story: https://www.thaipbsworld.com/bahts-current-slide-is-a-grim-reminder-of-its-crash-25-years-ago/ -- © Copyright Thai PBS 2022-07-06 - 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!

Picture: Thai Rath The Department of Disaster Prevention and Mitigation said that all 19 tsunami warning towers in Phuket were fully operational. The alarms were loud and warnings could be issued in five languages including Thai, English, Chinese and Russian, reported Thai Rath. This followed dozens of tremors reported by Thai seismologists that emanated from the area of the Andaman Islands, owned by India, and Myanmar around 400-500 kms from Thailand from Monday evening through Tuesday. A drill is set to take place in Thalang on July 20th when evacuation routes and procedures will be updated according to disaster mitigation plans. Phuket and large swathes of southern Thailand on the Andaman coast were badly hit in the Asian Tsunami on Boxing Day 2004 Thousands of Thais and tourists died mainly in Phuket, Phangnga and Krabi in the tragedy that claimed around 220,000 lives in Asia and even as far away as Africa. After the tragedy warning devices were installed in the sea and on land and signage can be seen throughout Phuket. -- © Copyright ASEAN NOW 2022-07-06 - 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! 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

The Board of Investment of Thailand (BOI) has confirmed that applications for the new Long-Term Resident (LTR) visa will open on Sept 1, 2022. The LTR visa was first mooted in September 2021 and aimed to attract foreigners of “high potential” to live and work in Thailand. The Thai government saw the visa as a way to encourage investment into Thailand and stimulate the economy as part of the country’s post pandemic recovery. Despite being approved by the Cabinet last year, details about the LTR visa had been scarce. Full story: https://www.huahintoday.com/thailand-news/10-year-long-term-resident-ltr-visa-to-make-living-in-thailand-easier-and-less-bureaucratic/ -- © Copyright Hua Hin Today 2022-07-06 - 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!

Tim 'Sharky' Ward (pictured left) became an icon in the streets of Thailand after fleeing Australia in 2009 after getting into trouble with police. ● Tim 'Sharky' Ward moved to Thailand in 2009 after he became a police target ● Money lender, from the Gold Coast, built a reputation as the 'Shark of Pattaya' ● Heavily tattooed Kiwi was known for his intimidating bodybuilder physique ● Footage posted online by a fan shows he has undergone a drastic transformation ● The body builder has lost much of his muscle mass and has grown out his hair By TITA SMITH FOR DAILY MAIL AUSTRALIA A notorious money lender who was once dubbed Australia's toughest gangster has been spotted looking unrecognisable in Queensland. Former millionaire Tim 'Sharky' Ward, fled from the Gold Coast to the streets of Thailand in 2009 after finding himself in the crosshairs of the Australian police. The heavily tattooed Kiwi expatriate quickly forged a reputation in the Asian nation as the 'Shark of Pattaya', known for his intimidating bodybuilder physique and tough stance towards indebted borrowers. But after stepping out of the spotlight four years ago, the former nightclub owner quietly returned to the Gold Coast during the Covid pandemic - where he has undergone a drastic transformation. Footage posted on TikTok by a fan shows the once burly Ferrari fanatic - who built a cult following in the body building community - has lost much of his muscle mass and grown out his formerly close-shaved head and facial hair. 'Sharky lost his size,' the follower lamented, alongside a crying emoji. Full story: https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-10978639/Notorious-gangster-nicknamed-Sharky-looks-unrecognisable.html -- © Copyright Mail Online 2022-07-05 - 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. Easiest way to own or rent a car in Thailand - click here to find out more! Footage posted online by a fan has revealed Sharky has leaned down his muscle mass in recent years

File photo for reference only OPINION | by Michael Bridge Suvarnabhumi airport these past few days has experienced a big increase in traffic both inbound and outbound due to the relaxing of Covid regulations. “Travel will see a strong resurgence because conditions [for entry] will return to almost pre-Covid normality’ said a CAAT director. Well, his predictions seem to be coming true, as the urge to travel by a global population coming out of the pandemic and lockdowns is gaining momentum. We at AseanNow.com have received just under 11,000 views on the topic of surging airfares and to date nearly one hundred of you have posted a reply. Certainly, traveling overseas to say Europe is expensive as the route from Thailand is that much longer due to the additional miles flown to avoid Russian airspace. Also, that old chestnut of school holidays tends to put up airfares too. In the old days one could pick up a bargain by leaving it to the last minute, but this has all changed so people are having to grab a seat straight away to avoid even higher rates. This coupled with the fuel hikes have made airlines look at the budgets and schedules and inevitably we the passengers must pay more. As an example, on Wednesday, I went of Qatar’s website and got the lowest return fare offered in July was THB56,340. Now four days later the same fare had gone up to THB57.545. Here are a cross-section of some of your replies here. If you booked two months in advance tickets were still cheap up until about a month or two ago. $600 for a ticket from Bangkok to Toronto up until May but now it’s $4000. I booked a return flight to my home country back in April for October, it cost me 18,260 baht on sale, today it's on sale again at 22,595 baht, that's a 23.74% increase and on sale, WOW. There have been over two intervening years, and the price of oil and related fuels has gone up from about $50 to double that. The rise you see in flight costs doesn't seem so bad. Cashing in on school holidays. it’s a joke even I'm looking at flights for August one way £500 ish mark now ... I was looking this morning at quite a few reputable airlines. THB50k + for economy return to LHR and back THB150k + for business to LHR and back Yes, but be careful who you book with if in a desperate search. Meaning that there are some bad agents out there who will show attractive priced tickets but when the time to fly gets close you will get an email to say the flight price has changed etc. That is when the harm begins. Always better to book directly with the airline although it will be a bit more expensive. Sorry to say that some of these foreign agencies with agents calling themselves name such as Jimmy or David are to be avoided at all costs. Finally, the current expensive flights are caused by 1 / Fuel costs 2 / Reduced flights because of lack of check in staff and baggage handlers 3 / High season and school holidays. If a one-way airfare from Bangkok to Phuket is cheaper than a taxi ride from Phuket airport to a destination within the island, then there must be something definitely wrong. I just booked with Aegean Airlines / Saudi Airlines Business Class £1200.The wife got 6 weeks off plus it's her birthday. And I haven't seen her in over 2 years due to covid I leave on the 18th of July ... I'm so pleased right now actually I'm buzzing with the outcome. Recently booked direct return flights for BKK-LHR for Sept with Eva. Under 30K. Quite happy with that as I think not far off from pre-Covid price? Just booked Qatar BKK/LGW return....33,500 baht...so did quite well by the looks of it. I will not be booking air travel out of Thailand for at least the next 2 years. It’s just good luck and planning that I live in a tropical location anyway and have no real need or desire to spend the money or endure the hassle of aircraft and airports. Just crack another beer, stay by my pool, and watch the mayhem that is air travel at the moment, from as long a distance as possible. The bottom line is unless you must travel soon, try looking at the cheaper days to fly. Weekends are often busier and national holidays as well. Kayak the online booking website shows the cheapest days of the month to travel which could save you a few dollars or baht. -- © Copyright ASEAN NOW 2022-07-04 - 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

Picture: Siam Rath Siam Rath reported on the latest serious crime committed by a monk. This one at a temple in Ratchaburi beggared belief. A monk who should have been caring for a nine year old novice instead beat him to death with a "talapat stick" after taking Ya Ba. The father of the child thought he could trust his "friend" the monk and knew nothing of his history selling crystal meth. ASEAN NOW cautions readers about the graphic nature of this story translated from the Thai media. At 5 am yesterday police captain Chukree Paduka of the Khao Din constabulary was called to the temple of Wat Khao Chong Pran in Taopoon sub-district. There the captain and medical teams found the pitiful sight of nine year old Phuphakan, a novice monk. He was dead. He had horrendous wounds to his bottom, body, and head including two severe indentations to his forehead and right side of his head. He was covered in bruises and had been dead for at least six hours. The man responsible was Attaphol, 30, who was supposed to be in charge of the care of the novices, a "phra phee liang". He was in tears and was taken away with the abbot to be defrocked ahead of his prosecution. He used a stick from a religious item called a "talapat". This is a kind of screen used by monks when chanting prayers to symbolically shield them from the laity. Attaphol told investigators that he had been in charge of the novices since April and admitted using the stick to hit them when they stepped out of line or were naughty or stubborn. He admitted taking Ya Ba on Wednesday then on Thursday evening he was teaching the novice but he couldn't get the hang of the prayers. So he had the little boy grasp his chest and hit his bottom ten times then made him sit down on his by now bruised backside. He then proceeded to hit his body and head with the stick and his bare hands a further ten times. The boy didn't fight back. He then took him for a shower and put him to bed before finding him dead in the monk's quarters where he also slept at 5 am. He told the deputy abbot immediately. He never thought he would kill the boy - he was just teaching him, he claimed. Picture: Siam Rath Police discovered that Attaphol had been jailed for selling 2 grams of crystal meth in Nakhon Pathom in 2011. On release he ordained into the monkhood and went to the temple. He had wounds to his right hand and left thumb consistent with using them as weapons to hit the child. The father of the little boy said that he never thought such a thing would happen. His child had always wanted to become a novice and he knew Attaphol and considered him a friend and trusted him with his son. This despite the fact that on a video call with his son he had seen wounds. This the boy explained as cuts from a cat and an accident with boiling water. The father said he had no idea about the monk's drug history. No charges were mentioned in the Siam Rath story. A monk would need to be formally defrocked first before they can be laid. -- © Copyright ASEAN NOW 2022-07-01 - 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. 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

A house panel is planning to propose to the Thai government the establishment of five legal casinos, with revenues taxed at 30%, believing that it would help reduce problems with illegal gambling dens. Pichet Chuamuangphan, the second vice-chairman of a house committee which studies the legalisation of entertainment complexes, said, after its meeting yesterday (Wednesday), that they have submitted their findings to the government for them to consider the establishment of legal casinos, one each in the north, northeast and central region, Greater Bangkok and the southern region. He said that such casinos would allow all forms of gambling, from traditional to online gambling. Pichet also explained that, for the legal casinos, the government would allow concessions with the private sector, from which the government will collect 30% tax, including local maintenance tax which can be used for the maintenance of such venues. Gamblers would need to be at least 20 years old to enter the legal casinos and provide their financial status before entering. Government officials would not be allowed to enter, unless they have permits. Full story: https://www.thaipbsworld.com/legalisation-of-5-casinos-proposed-in-thailand-with-30-tax-collection/ -- © Copyright Thai PBS 2022-06-30 - 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!

File photo for reference only ANALYSIS | by Michael Bridge With the government’s announcement canceling the requirement for the Thailand Pass, hotel quarantine and pre-travel Covid-19 tests, Thailand is expecting a surge in air traffic. “Travel will see a strong resurgence because conditions [for entry] will return to almost pre-Covid normality’ said a CAAT director. Signs of recovery emerged in the first quarter of this year, when Thailand saw a total of 11.26 million passengers, up 2.5 million from the previous quarter. There were 108,987 flights throughout Thailand in the first quarter, up 21,277 from the previous quarter, according to CAAT. It is anticipated that Thailand’s aviation market is likely to be “the most active” in Asia along with Singapore which have also followed the relaxation of entry regulations. Domestic air travel is also recovering well thanks to relaxed rules, high vaccination rates, and the reduced severity of Omicron, he added. However, the growing demand for air travel is being offset by fallout from the war between Russia and Ukraine, the CAAT chief said. The rising cost of fuel is adding to airlines’ costs and would likely force them to raise airfares in the second quarter of this year. Crazy Price Rises Well, his predictions seem to be coming true, as the urge to travel by a global population coming out of the pandemic and lockdowns is gaining momentum. This coupled with the fuel hikes have made airlines look at the budgets and schedules and inevitably we the passengers must pay more. Only a few months ago it was possible to book a return ticket from Bangkok to London Gatwick for THB19,000 return with Scoot, the Singapore-owned budget airline. Now if you wish to book a return ticket with Scoot for travel in July the fare quoted online is THB31,400. Hardly a budget rate anymore! According to online booking system Kayak the cheapest flights out of London to Bangkok were flying with Thai Airways and ITA Airways at THB44,663. https://www.kayak.co.th/flights/ And the total trip each way with various stops is 25 hours, not exactly relaxing, more like an endurance test. In the past, I have flown with Qatar Airways to London via Doha for around Thb25,000. On their website the lowest return fare offered in July was THB56,340. Fares in Vietnam rise by the hour Airfares have risen in the last several months, with customers reporting hikes within hours, as summer travel demand booms after two years of Covid-19. A media representative for budget airline Vietjet said fuel accounts for around 40 percent of operating costs. When fuel prices crossed $100 per barrel, airlines’ operating costs increased by 50 percent, she added. International airfares have risen by 25-30 percent, with the HCMC-South Korea and HCMC-San Francisco routes recording prices of VND10-13 million and VND41-45 million, respectively. The US fares up by 50% More Americans are also taking to the skies this summer than there are available plane seats, driving up ticket prices as airlines grapple with surging fuel costs, staffing challenges and smaller fleets. Airfares at American Airlines, Delta Air Lines and United Airlines — the three largest domestic carriers — shot up nearly 50% for the week ending May 23 compared to a year ago, according to an analysis by Cowen, a financial services firm. It is also expensive to go by road for domestic trips, with petrol at an all time high, so perhaps the answer is to head for the railway stations. If you like an adventure, I suppose you could have flown to Hanoi and got a train to Kunming and then taken the trans-Siberian express to Moscow and trains to London. One problem here….the trains are not running through Russia for obvious reasons. So maybe you will need to book a slow boat to Europe instead. -- © Copyright ASEAN NOW 2022-06-29 - 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

By Goongnang Suksawat Patong – Six taxi drivers have been arrested yesterday (June 21st) after a video clip of motorbike taxi drivers fighting has gone viral in social media this week. Lieutenant Colonel Prasert Thongplew of the Patong Police told the Phuket Express, “The fighting was between Tuk Tuk taxi drivers and a private motorbike driver after they argued about taking customers and parking spots.” “Six people have been arrested yesterday as we have finished collecting all the details about the operators in Patong. Full story: https://thephuketexpress.com/2022/06/22/update-six-taxi-drivers-arrested-who-were-involved-in-a-street-fight-in-patong-says-it-was-a-misunderstanding/ -- © Copyright The Phuket Express 2022-06-23 - 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!

Thailand's nascent cannabis industry has a flagship online retailer straight out of the legislative gates. 09 June 2022 was the dawning of a new age in Thailand. That is not hyperbole or exaggeration. As a nation, Thailand has become the first in Asia to legalize cannabis, leading the way with a modern take on an industry with huge potential, and taking down unwarranted stigma from a crop that has myriad benefits. This raises some very prevalent questions from the uninitiated and experienced enthusiast alike: Now that cannabis is legal, what sources are reliable, safe and high-quality? Now that cannabis is legal, can this product come to me rather than me to it? Undoubtedly, PrikPot has the right answers to those and many more thoughts on interested individual's minds. With two-and-a-half decades experience in digital marketing and social media, the company brings a consummate approach to quality of service and communication with anyone interested in their products. The ink on the legislation passed earlier this month is barely dry and PrikPot.com already has a comprehensive list of premium cannabis strains that are 100% organic, developed by providers with years of growing expertise at their backs. Alongside a line up that will turn heads, customers will have the added pleasure of great value for money as PrikPot’s prices are not only competitive but include free shipping to any destination in Thailand. Buying from the site is seamless, efficient, and convenient from the first page one sees until the final click to confirm your order. That’s all it takes, and the cannabis of a customer’s choosing is on its way. At the time of writing, PrikPot’s cannabis listings include Sativa, Indica, and Hybrid strains, with some Keif thrown in for good measure. Here is a full list of what is on offer: Blue OG (Hybrid) Café Racer (Hybrid) Cookies Kush (Indica Gigabud (Indica) Jack Herer (Sativa) Kief (in limited quantities) Mandarin Cookies V2 (Hybrid) Monster OG (Indica) Original Trainwreck (Hybrid) Peach Sherbert (Hybrid) Silky Delight (Hybrid) Skunk #11 (Hybrid) Skywalker Haze (Hybrid) Strawberry Kush (Hybrid) Tropical Runtz (Hybrid) White Lavender (Hybrid) An impressive selection of entirely organic cannabis strains that will only grow from here. Making top-tier cannabis available to anyone in Thailand is not where PrikPot stops with their philosophy of quality over everything. Their ordering system allows for direct bank transfer or cash on delivery, the latter meaning a customer does not pay a single Baht until the courier hands them a package. Orders confirmed before 13:00 Monday through Friday will benefit from same day shipping and arrive at a customer’s door the next day. Any orders placed outside that window may take two nights to reach their destinations. Even with a comprehensive website, stellar product, attractive pricing and customer-friendly shipping options, PrikPot knows there will still be questions on their customers’ minds and inquiries they wish to make directly. For that, the company has grabbed the bull by the horns, allowing anyone to send a message through their website, chat live with an associate, or send emails to clear up any questions a customer may have. This is the full-service cannabis retailer that Thailand didn’t know it needed. It’s here and ready to serve. Members of ASEAN NOW are entitled to a 10% discount on all orders. Just enter the discount code ASEAN10 at the time of checkout. Learn more at: https://go.prikpot.com/aseannow

Picture: Thai Rath Thai media continued to find every angle imaginable in the ongoing furor surrounding the removal of marijuana from the Class 5 narcotics list last Thursday. Now Thai Rath reported on a "warning post" online about a woman who said she had an allergic reaction to a ganja leaf she found in her Tom Jeut Mara - a kind of boiled soup with bitter gourd. She only found out after she had ordered it that it contained a marijuana leaf. But she went ahead and ate it and claimed she had a severe reaction. The shop has apologized and given her her money back. The story started to play out on Facebook in a post by Sirijan Teerawan who advised traders that not everyone can tolerate ganja in their food. She said she ate the dish in the evening and was feeling terrible in the night. She claimed she had a headache, dry throat, throat swelling, great thirst, difficulty swallowing, tiredness and stomach pains. She realised this was an allergic reaction. She treated herself with paracetamol and mineral salts. She claimed she was "tortured for three days". She was advising all her friends to watch out and check before they eat. She posted a picture of the leaf and her going to get treatment at Phanat Nikhom Hospital. The media caught up with the 27 year old at her home; she who showed all the evidence associated with her claims. She said the trader who sold her the item was in touch and had refunded the 280 baht she paid. She was happy at that and the concern showed by the trader for her well-being. -- © Copyright ASEAN NOW 2022-06-15 - 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. 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

The former police chief in the city of Nakhon Sawan Police Colonel Titisan Utthanaphon or ‘Ferrari Joe’ and six of his subordinates had the verdict of the court in Bangkok relayed to them on Wednesday last which saw six of them receive the death sentence which was immediately commuted to life in prison while one former officer received five years and four months for failure to perform his official duties, via a teleconference facility at the city’s infamous Bang Kwang Central Prison. This was followed by a statement from an official at the Office of the Attorney-General who explained to reporters that the judgement, in this case, is not yet finalised as even if the defendants do not appeal the verdict, it is still likely to be reviewed by the Court of Appeal as a matter of procedure. by James Morris and Son Nguyen The Ferrari Joe case involving the torture and murder of a 24-year-old drug suspect in police custody on August 5th last in Nakhon Sawan shocked and horrified Thailand. The case raised unsettling questions about the sense of impunity which drove the city police chief and his subordinates to act in the way they did. Later revelations about the mid-level young policeman’s extraordinary wealth also painted a disturbing picture. Ferrari Joe and his subordinates whose fate was relayed to them last week by a court verdict in Bangkok to the city’s central prison could still face a death sentence in a review by the Court of Appeal after six of the seven men including Police Colonel Thitisan Utthanaphon, received a life sentence for the murder under torture of drug suspect Jeerapong Thanapat in Nakhon Sawan on August 5th last. That is according to Itthiporn Kaewthip, an official at the Office of the Attorney-General who told reporters last Thursday that the verdict and judgement in the case cannot yet be considered final. Full story: https://www.thaiexaminer.com/thai-news-foreigners/2022/06/13/ferrari-joe-could-still-face-death-penalty/ -- © Copyright Thai Examiner 2022-06-15 - 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. Easiest way to own or rent a car in Thailand - click here to find out more!

By TTR WEEKLY BANGKOK: The long-awaited Emirates Premium Economy class is finally here, offering another Emirates onboard experience that opens for flight bookings from 1 August. The new cabin class, which offers luxurious seats, more legroom, and service delivery to rival many airlines’ business offerings, will be available to Emirates customers travelling on popular A380 routes to London, Paris, and Sydney from 1 August and Christchurch from December. This means travellers from Thailand via connecting flights in Dubai will also have a chance to book and secure seats for the new Premium Economy experience. Currently, Emirates is the only airline in the region to offer a Premium Economy cabin. Full story: https://www.ttrweekly.com/site/2022/06/emirates-premium-economy-arrives-in-thailand/ -- © Copyright TTR Weekly 2022-06-11 - 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!

Dismissed former superintendent of Nakhon Sawan police, Thitisan “Joe Ferrari” Uttanaphon and five former subordinates were sentenced to life in prison today (Wednesday), in connection with the death by torture of a drug suspect in their custody at the Muang district police station in August last year. A seventh police officer was given five years and four months, because he was not involved in the fatal torture of the victim. All seven former officers were found guilty of multiple offences by the Central Criminal Court for Corruption and Misconduct Cases this morning, including murder by torture, malfeasance in office and coercion. Thitisanm who confessed to all charges except murder by torture, and the five former subordinates were initially sentenced to death, but this was commuted to life imprisonment, with the court citing their attempts to try to resuscitate the victim, having him taken to hospital, their useful testimonies and their contribution towards the funeral costs and compensation for the victim’s family in mitigation. Full story: https://www.thaipbsworld.com/former-thai-police-officer-joe-ferrari-his-former-subordinates-get-life/ -- © Copyright Thai PBS 2022-06-08 - 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. Easiest way to own or rent a car in Thailand - click here to find out more!

By Editor Regulations of the Department of National Parks, Wildlife and Plant Conservation National Park have announced dual-pricing entry fees for national parks, forest parks, botanical gardens and arboretums. Effective from 7th June. The announcement shows a continuation of the long-standing dual pricing policy with foreigners being asked to pay higher fees, in this case, five times those asked of Thai people. For example the cost for Thai children is 10 THB, but for non-Thais 50 THB. For adults the fee will be 20 THB, but 100 THB for foreigners. Thai Seniors over 60 years of age are free, whereas foreigners still pay the 100 THB fee. Keep up to date with all things Thailand - Join our daily ASEAN NOW Thailand Newsletter - Click to subscribe A common reaction to dual pricing policies from ex-pats is for them to say they will simply stay away from these attractions. Dual pricing for long-term residents is one of the most contentious aspects of living in Thailand for many ex-pats who comment about their significant financial contributions to the Thai economy. In 2020 Yuthasak Supasorn, governor of the Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT), said the TAT would discuss stopping dual-pricing for expatriates with the National Parks, Wildlife and Plant Conservation Department. Mr Yuthasak then said the move will let expats save money, allowing them to spend more as a key target to boost domestic tourism. He said the agency wants to introduce an identity card for expats, helping to distinguish them from tourists so they will be charged the same price as locals. “The key factor is we have to treat expats like like, without discrimination or a negative attitude towards foreigners,” he said. However these intentions appear to have fallen on deaf ears, especially those of national park officials. Dual pricing is not just a Thai phenomenon with many countries having such practices, albeit more subtle and much more restrained than Thailand’s national park policies. Source: https://royalcoastreview.com/2022/06/dual-pricing-reconfirmed-in-thailand-national-parks/ -- © Copyright Royal Coast Review 2022-06-06 - 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.

by ASEAN NOW The Thailand Department of Disease Control (DDC), has been warning that this year’s seasonal dengue outbreak could be more severe than usual, following three early deaths in 2022. This is already half the total for all of 2021. Dr Opas Karnkawinpong, director-general of the DDC, said that as summer approaches, cases of dengue fever, as well as other diseases such as diarrhea and heatstroke, increase dramatically. According to Dr Opas, only six people died from dengue last year, but three dengue fatalities have already been reported in the first three months of 2022. All three deaths involved patients who were either recovering from or actively being treated for COVID-19. Other countries have been affected Thailand is not alone as the Philippines have reported this week that in Zamboanga City their City Health Office (CHO) said Tuesday that it has recorded a total of 2,223 dengue cases with nineteen deaths in the city since January. Over in Singapore, the number of cases reported so far this year has already exceeded the whole of 2021 and is already climbing towards the levels in 2020 when Singapore saw its worst dengue outbreak. To borrow terms, officials there said that we’ve become familiar with over the last two years of the COVID-19 pandemic, the effective reproductive number – the number of people infected by the mosquitoes infected by one dengue carrier – needs to be kept below 1 to curb transmission. Keep up to date with all things Thailand - Join our daily ASEAN NOW Thailand Newsletter - Click to subscribe And that isn’t currently happening. Experts there know some circumstantial factors that may be responsible for the current outbreak. The recent warm weather is conducive to mosquito population growth. DENV3, the current dominant serotype behind most cases now, has not circulated at such levels before 2021. The European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control reported that in 2022, and as of 5 May, 785 736 cases and 588 deaths have been reported. The majority of cases have been reported from Brazil (607,546) and most deaths are from Indonesia (229). Since the previous CDTR published on week 14, 492 404 new cases and 181 new deaths have been reported. According to their figures in 2022 up to April 25th Thailand had 889 cases and no deaths have been reported. This is an increase of 276 cases and no deaths since 5 April 2022. What is Dengue? Dengue is a viral infection transmitted to humans through the bite of infected mosquitoes called Aedes aegypti, which usually bite between two hours after sunrise and two hours before sunset. The most common symptoms are fever with any of the following: nausea, vomiting, rashes, aches, and pains, like eye pain or typically behind the eyes, muscle, joints, or bones. Dengue and COVID-19 share some early clinical symptoms, like fever, body ache and fatigue, so more may have sought medical attention in the past two years or so. The availability of rapid diagnostics in GP clinics is another factor. Of course, there are small steps most of us are already familiar with, such as removing stagnant water, using the myENV app to get alerts about clusters, as well as the increased use of sprays, long-sleeved and legged clothing, and residual indoor spraying around the home. Fortunately, there are long-term technological solutions around the corner, the two most likely over the years ahead of being the use of Wolbachia mosquitoes and dengue vaccination. Singapore has been leading the way internationally in using Wolbachia mosquitoes since 2016 in a suppression strategy – where male mosquitoes infected with the Wolbachia bacteria are released to mate but the resultant eggs cannot produce offspring, thus making the wild population crash. The data from the pilot field sites in Tampines and Yishun over the last few years suggest the approach is remarkably successful in cutting mosquito populations there. We can live in hope, meanwhile during the hot rainy season be alert for those pesky mosquitoes. -- © Copyright ASEAN NOW 2022-06-02 - 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. 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 Editor Yesterday (31st May) the Kanchanaburi Provincial Court sentenced former Hua Hin resident Shane Kenneth Looker to 8 years imprisonment for murdering a 31 year old Thai woman, Laxami “Look” Manochat, in 2014. The court ordered Looker to pay a total of 12.5 million baht to Look’s family. The court initially sentenced the 51 year old British man from Stoke-on-Trent to 16 years imprisonment but cut the sentence in half because he confessed to the crime. Initially he had said he “categorically had absolutely nothing to do with this woman’s murder.” Looker was not present in court but listened to his sentence via video call from Kanchanaburi prison. Look’s mother and daughter were present at the court to hear the sentence, along with representatives from the British embassy. Keep up to date with all things Thailand - Join our daily ASEAN NOW Thailand Newsletter - Click to subscribe The court heard that several witnesses had seen Looker and Look together on the night she was last seen in Bangkok and clear CCTV footage allowed police to quickly identify the murderer. In addition, DNA traces of were found in samples taken from Look’s fingernails. The pair were seen walking through a hotel together on Sukhumvit Soi 5 on November 1st 2014, after Looker picked her from a bar in the Nana area of Bangkok. Look was not seen again after that night. Police later discovered the body cut into pieces, still wearing black stilettos, a black dress and underwear. It is not clear how Look’s body ended up in Kanchanaburi. Police believe the murder took place on the night of November 1st, before Looker left Bangkok for Hua Hin where he owned a property. It is believed he spent weeks lying low in Hua Hin before crossing over into Malaysia by train. He then flew to Ibiza in Spain where he owned another holiday home. Kanchanaburi Provincial Court approved an arrest warrant on January 28th 2015, on charges of “murdering and hiding, moving or destroying a body in order to conceal the death or cause of death.” Looker was arrested in Spain in June 2017 and remanded in custody. After years of appeals, he was extradited from Spain and sent back to Thailand in July last year. Police met him at Suvarnabhumi Airport, handcuffed him and detained him. Thai authorities had reportedly offered assurances under EU law that he wouldn’t face the death penalty if found guilty. Source: https://royalcoastreview.com/2022/05/former-british-hua-hin-resident-sentenced-for-murder/ -- © Copyright Royal Coast Review 2022-06-01 - 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.

Siam Rath carried a report in the lead up to the official relaxation of rules on the use of mariuana and hemp products that come into force on June 9th. They quoted a deputy at the Ministry of Public Health called Dr Thongchai Kiratihattayakorn as saying that House representatives and the Department of Land Transport were still in the process of clarifying the law. But his advice was not to use weed products - marijuana or hemp - and drive. This, he admitted was not specifically the remit of the MoPH who were more concerned with the annoyance caused by smoke from weed. Keep up to date with all things Thailand - Join our daily ASEAN NOW Thailand Newsletter - Click to subscribe The report went with the headline that those who use weed and drive could expect similar penalties to those who drink and drive. Confusion still reigns in Thailand as to how the law will be applied and if and how it will be enforced, notes ASEAN NOW. In a sense it is a moot point because the ingestion of more than tiny amounts of THC - the drug that makes users high - remains illegal no matter what. -- © Copyright ASEAN NOW 2022-05-30 - 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. 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: Yaba for 2 baht a pill Daily News reported on the arrest of a married couple in Lamphun in northern Thailand by Division 2 of the Region 5 police. Suphakrit or Khom, 38 and his wife Sirilak or Orm, 42, were arrested in a sting at a longan orchard in Meuang Nga district, Lamphun on Saturday. 7,600 yaba pills were in their Chevrolet vehicle. The suspects said that they had no jobs and needed money during the pandemic. Keep up to date with all things Thailand - Join our daily ASEAN NOW Thailand Newsletter - Click to subscribe They said they bought the drugs on a Line app by the name of "Tiger J.". The drugs were left by the side of the road for collection. They bought 8,000 pills for just 2 baht each then sold them for between 30 and 100 baht each. They had been doing this for a long time and had made a handy profit. Police are expanding the inquiry to get to the suppliers. The suspects in this case were charged with attempted dealing and possession of the yaba, a kind of methamphetamine mixed with caffeine that is highly popular in Thailand. -- © Copyright ASEAN NOW 2022-05-23 - 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. 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: Thai Rath Thai Rath reported on the surprise closure of a major shopping center in Chiang Mai in the north of Thailand. Promenada Chiang Mai in Muang district - home to a hundred outlets and hundreds of employees - has temporarily shut down from May 5th until further notice. A Filipino senior executive at Promenada said that the 42 employees had not lost their jobs, they were working from home for now. Employees in the 100 outlets were mostly from big chains that could absorb staff in other branches. Cashflow and the effect of the pandemic over the last two years has been blamed. Keep up to date with all things Thailand - Join our daily ASEAN NOW Thailand Newsletter - Click to subscribe Deputy governor Weeraphan Dee-orn was meeting with officials from the Labour Ministry to work out how to help staff affected by the temporary closure. He didn't deny suggestions from sources that the shopping center had had their utilities cut off due to non-payment. He said it was incumbent on everyone to make sure they paid their bills on time. But he added that talks with the firm and its investors indicated that there would soon be good news on the way regarding the reopening of the shopping center. The center was built with a huge investment from abroad, said the media. -- © Copyright ASEAN NOW 2022-05-07 - 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. - Follow ASEAN NOW on LINE for breaking COVID-19 updates 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: Daily News Daily News reported that a 48 year old Thai wife arranged to have her 63 year old Danish husband murdered in Thailand for 500,000 baht. Via an older friend it was arranged that a relative would drive into the foreigner as he rode his motorcycle by a field. But despite a serious collision that left a hole in a windshield - a picture in Thai Rath was published - Mr. Larsen survived with serious injuries. Picture: Thai Rath The plot to get 10 million baht in life insurance soon unravelled and three people are in custody. Mr Larsen remains in Srisawan Hospital in the central/northern province of Nakhon Sawan. Yesterday Pol Maj-Gen Attasit Sutsanguan, Region 6 deputy, gave details of the case. Now in custody after warrants were issued on charges of arranging murder are Mr Larsen's wife Pratheep Fang Larsen, 48, and Jemjan Khamkaew, 60. On Thursday of last week, 21st April, the small sub-police station of Nong Krot received a report of a collision between a car and a motorcycle in Beung Pla Thu sub-district of Ban Photphisai district. A grey Toyota with Lampang plates had collided with the bike ridden by Mr Larsen propelling him into a field. Driving the Toyota was Ekkasit Wichajan, 24. Ekkasit claimed it was an accident and it appeared that way at first, said Attasit. But soon there appeared inconsistencies and it became obvious this had been deliberate and was a staged accident. Keep up to date with all things Thailand - Join our daily ASEAN NOW Thailand Newsletter - Click to subscribe Picture: Daily News Under intense interrogation Ekkasit broke down and admitted that he was hired by his relative Jemjan to kill Mr Larsen but failed. It emerged that Pratheep Larsen had paid her friend 500,000 baht to arrange her husband's death so she could claim 10 million baht in life insurance. The Larsen's have two children and had been living in Denmark for many years. But they came back to Thailand and couldn't return because of the pandemic. They had purchased tens of rai of land for 20 million baht but a dispute arose. The wife wanted a divorce but the husband opposed this. They could not get back to Denmark because of the pandemic. It was also reported that ten years ago Jemjan was charged with organising someone's murder but was acquitted. Ekkasit was promised a new car for killing Mr Larsen but after he failed he was given just 10,000 baht for his trouble. All three are now in custody as Mr Larsen recovers in hospital. -- © Copyright ASEAN NOW 2022-04-30 - 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. - Follow ASEAN NOW on LINE for breaking COVID-19 updates 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 Erich Parpart The Ministry of Finance’s Fiscal Policy Office (FPO) slashed its economic growth projection for 2022 down to 3.5 per cent on Wednesday, citing consequences of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. “The conflict between Russia and Ukraine has affected consumer confidence and prices of products in the country,” said Pornchai Thiraveja, FPO’s director-general. Join our daily ASEAN NOW Thailand Newsletter - Click to subscribe The FPO said the invasion is leading to inflation in Thailand, caused by higher global energy prices. The war is also leading to a slowdown in economies of major trading partner countries, especially in Europe and the United States. Full story: https://www.thaienquirer.com/39737/russia-ukraine-war-continues-to-impact-thai-economy-ministry-of-finance-says/ -- © Copyright Thai Enquirer 2022-04-28 - 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. - Follow ASEAN NOW on LINE for breaking COVID-19 updates

Image credit: Spencer Davis/Unsplash BY CHAYANIN THAIJONGRAK Despite some concern regarding the Covid-19 situation after the Songkran holiday, the Public Health Ministry’s plan to declare Covid-19 endemic by July still persists. Thailand’s Public Health Ministry is still looking forward to declaring the prolonged Covid-19 as an endemic by July 1, 2022. Although it has been predicted that we could see a spike in cases and death rates after the Songkran festival, Dr Chakkarat Pitayowonganon from the Department of Disease Control states that it will take roughly two to four weeks to conclude. As of today’s prediction, the worst-case scenario can reach over 100,000 cases per day, according to the Centre for Covid-19 Situation Administration. Join our daily ASEAN NOW Thailand Newsletter - Click to subscribe Fortunately, we’re now seeing a decline in the number of infections, from about 30,000 PCR tests per day before Songkran to 16,000 cases at the time of writing. Dr Chakkarat mentions that he is not much worried about the after-festival situation, for the risk group is mostly working people who already received booster vaccines and are likely to develop only mild symptoms. Full story: https://www.prestigeonline.com/th/travel/destinations/thailand-covid-endemic-july/ -- © Copyright PRESTIGE 2022-04-20 - 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. - Follow ASEAN NOW on LINE for breaking COVID-19 updates