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Star Petroleum Refining Plc (SPRC) has changed the repair plan to focus on fixing two ruptures in the submarine oil pipeline with special adhesive material. This process may take eight days. The company has abandoned its attempt to repair one of the failed valves with sealant after it failed the pressure test. Permission for the change has been granted by the subcommittee in charge of overseeing the maintenance operation. The company has expressed concern that residual oil in the pipeline may leak into the sea if it continues with the effort to fix the valve. Full story: https://www.thaipbsworld.com/oil-company-fixing-pipeline-in-the-gulf-of-thailand-after-failure-to-mend-a-valve/ -- © Copyright Thai PBS 2022-03-07 - Aetna 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

3 COVID consumer stimulus measures in Thailand have, to date, cost the taxpayer ~29 billion baht Three economic stimulus packages, introduced by the government to boost the purchasing power of consumers and to stimulate the economy have, so far, cost the taxpayer about 29 billion baht to support, Government Spokesman Thanakorn Wangboonkongchana said Saturday. Full story: https://aseannow.com/topic/1252510-3-covid-consumer-stimulus-measures-in-thailand-have-to-date-cost-the-taxpayer-~29-billion-baht/

Three economic stimulus packages, introduced by the government to boost the purchasing power of consumers and to stimulate the economy have, so far, cost the taxpayer about 29 billion baht to support, Government Spokesman Thanakorn Wangboonkongchana said Saturday. 40.72 million subscribers to the three packages have spent money wired into their bank accounts by the Finance Ministry. These include the 26.23 million subscribers to the 50:50 co-payment scheme, 13.26 million holders of state welfare cards and 1.2 million in a government funded scheme to increase the purchasing power of the less well off. Full story: https://www.thaipbsworld.com/3-covid-consumer-stimulus-measures-in-thailand-have-to-date-cost-the-taxpayer-54-billion-baht/ -- © Copyright Thai PBS 2022-03-07 - Aetna 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

Fire fighters containing forest fires in Ob Khan national park in Chiang Mai Chiang Mai Provincial Governor Prachon Prachsakul has ordered local officials and relevant agencies to assist in containing the spread of forest fires at Ob Khan national park in the province. Full story: https://aseannow.com/topic/1252509-fire-fighters-containing-forest-fires-in-ob-khan-national-park-in-chiang-mai/

Chiang Mai Provincial Governor Prachon Prachsakul has ordered local officials and relevant agencies to assist in containing the spread of forest fires at Ob Khan national park in the province. About 35 fire fighters from the national park and the Mirror Foundation, who have been battling the fires, have complained that there are not enough of them to cope with the fires, which have been burning for more than three days and stretch for about three kilometres through the forest in the park. Without timely reinforcements, they have expressed concern that the entire 6,000 hectare forest may be wiped out. Full story: https://www.thaipbsworld.com/fire-fighters-containing-forest-fires-in-ob-khan-national-park-in-chiang-mai/ -- © Copyright Thai PBS 2022-03-07 - Aetna 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

Can incoming Bangkok governor do anything about city’s failing safety records? EIU has reviewed the safety of key cities in the world every two years since 2015. The latest report shows Thai capital ranked 43rd among 60 cities in 2021. (Photo by Jessica Tan) Despite being Thailand’s most developed city, Bangkok has a poor safety record, as evidenced by high rates of traffic accidents, crimes and pollution year after year. Full story: https://aseannow.com/topic/1252508-can-incoming-bangkok-governor-do-anything-about-city’s-failing-safety-records/

EIU has reviewed the safety of key cities in the world every two years since 2015. The latest report shows Thai capital ranked 43rd among 60 cities in 2021. (Photo by Jessica Tan) Despite being Thailand’s most developed city, Bangkok has a poor safety record, as evidenced by high rates of traffic accidents, crimes and pollution year after year. Residents may be shocked to hear, then, that the city has had a “Safe Capital Strategy” since 2013. Another surprising fact is that this strategy is hardly mentioned in campaign platforms put forward by candidates for Bangkok governor. With the gubernatorial election just around the corner, several candidates have come up with safety-related policies, but none has focused on the Safe Capital Strategy that will remain in place until 2037. Full story: https://www.thaipbsworld.com/can-incoming-bangkok-governor-do-anything-about-citys-failing-safety-records/ -- © Copyright Thai PBS 2022-03-07 - Aetna 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

Hotels in Thailand’s Phuket and Krabi stop accepting credit cards from Russian tourists Hotels and resorts in Thailand’s provinces of Phuket and Krabi have stopped accepting credit cards from Russian tourists, after many of them find themselves unable to pay credit card bills following the exclusion of seven of Russia’s major banks from the SWIFT financial global messaging system. Full story: https://aseannow.com/topic/1252507-hotels-in-thailand’s-phuket-and-krabi-stop-accepting-credit-cards-from-russian-tourists/

Hotels and resorts in Thailand’s provinces of Phuket and Krabi have stopped accepting credit cards from Russian tourists, after many of them find themselves unable to pay credit card bills following the exclusion of seven of Russia’s major banks from the SWIFT financial global messaging system. A senior executive of the Melia Hotel said that several hotels on Phuket have been trying to consult with the Bank of Thailand about this problem and ways to accept payments from their Russian clients. He also said that about 15% of advance bookings made by Russian tourists have been cancelled since Europe and the United States imposed the harshest ever sanctions on Russia, in response to the invasion of Ukraine. Full story: https://www.thaipbsworld.com/hotels-in-thailands-phuket-and-krabi-stop-accepting-credit-cards-from-russian-tourists/ -- © Copyright Thai PBS 2022-03-07 - Aetna 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

Russian embassy warns outsiders not to volunteer to fight in Ukraine The Russian Embassy in Bangkok has warned outsiders, including Thais, not to volunteer to fight against Russian forces in Ukraine, saying that they will be regarded as mercenaries and will not be protected or treated as prisoners of war in accordance with the international human rights laws if they are captured. Full story: https://aseannow.com/topic/1252506-russian-embassy-warns-outsiders-not-to-volunteer-to-fight-in-ukraine/

The Russian Embassy in Bangkok has warned outsiders, including Thais, not to volunteer to fight against Russian forces in Ukraine, saying that they will be regarded as mercenaries and will not be protected or treated as prisoners of war in accordance with the international human rights laws if they are captured. Moreover, they would face legal action, said the embassy, quoting the Russian Defence Ministry in its Facebook page yesterday. While the Ukrainian Embassy is appealing for foreign volunteers to fight for Ukraine, the Russian Embassy claims to have received many letters from foreigners living in Thailand and Thais expressing support for Russia, with some even saying they are prepared to fight alongside the Russian troops. Full story: https://www.thaipbsworld.com/russian-embassy-warns-outsiders-not-to-volunteer-to-fight-in-ukraine/ -- © Copyright Thai PBS 2022-03-07 - Aetna 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

to continue: Thailand Live Monday 7 March 2022 https://aseannow.com/topic/1252505-thailand-live-monday-7-march-2022/

Russian invasion creates a multitude of problems for tourism file photo The latest data from ForwardKeys reveals that Russia’s invasion of Ukraine prompted an instant spike in flight cancellations to and from Russia. Full story: https://aseannow.com/topic/1252503-russian-invasion-creates-a-multitude-of-problems-for-tourism/

file photo The latest data from ForwardKeys reveals that Russia’s invasion of Ukraine prompted an instant spike in flight cancellations to and from Russia. Before the outbreak of war, the top twenty destinations most booked by Russian travellers in March, April, and May were, in order of total bookings, Turkey, the UAE, the Maldives, Thailand, Greece, Egypt, Cyprus, Armenia, the Seychelles, Sri Lanka, Hungary, Bulgaria, Mexico, Spain, Azerbaijan, USA, UK, Qatar, Italy and Uzbekistan. Russian tourism has also suffered as on 25th February, the day after the start of the invasion, every booking that was made for travel into Russia was outweighed by six cancellations of pre-existing bookings. The source markets exhibiting the highest cancellation rates, in order of volume, were Germany 773%, France 472%, Italy 152%, the UK 254%, India 285% and Turkey 116%. The invasion also triggered a collapse in the market for Russian outbound travel. Destinations which suffered the highest immediate cancellation rates, in the period 24th – 26th February, were Cyprus (300%), Egypt (234%), Turkey (153%), the UK (153%), Armenia (200%), and Maldives (165%). Thailand’s hospitality industry is suffering Here in Thailand, it is unclear how many Russians and Ukrainians canceled holidays or how many are still in the country. As we are now starting to find out, many Ukrainian and Russian tourists in Thailand have also been facing problems with financial transactions and travel following measures launched by various countries banning and blocking services by Russian banks and close airspace to Russian aircraft. Having arrived in Thailand, in the thousands, during February, they have now found themselves stranded by both fallout from the international sanctions as well as a lack of flights back to Russia or Ukraine. For the Russians the government needs to allow Russian planes to come here to take these tourists back rather than just leave them to create more problems. Many Russian and Ukrainian tourists have not been able to use their credit cards. Meanwhile it is also reported that some Ukrainians have wanted to stay in Thailand until the situation in their home country improves, but have not been able to pay for accommodation or food with their credit cards, the tourism official says. Others who have wanted to travel back cannot due to canceled flights. From a humanitarian point of view, the Thai government needs to help them immediately with free accommodation and food. Prospects look bleak as March continues with both the sanctions and the invasion of Ukraine ongoing. However, according to the Tourism Authority of Thailand, we can now expect the resorts to eventually fill up again with visitors from India and Saudi Arabia. -- © Copyright ASEAN NOW 2022-03-07 - Aetna 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

Thai citizen found dead at Cambodia’s Poipet casino A 19-year-old Thai man was found dead on Thursday at a casino in Poipet, according to local media in Cambodia, who reported that the death may be linked to a housing scam. Full story: https://aseannow.com/topic/1252405-thai-citizen-found-dead-at-cambodia’s-poipet-casino/

A 19-year-old Thai man was found dead on Thursday at a casino in Poipet, according to local media in Cambodia, who reported that the death may be linked to a housing scam. The man was working as a marketing assistant for the Crown Casino in Poipet and appears to have fallen from the 11th floor of a building in the Crown Casino compound. Investigators have already ruled out suicide, according to a police report. Full story: https://www.thaipbsworld.com/thai-citizen-found-dead-at-cambodias-poipet-casino/ -- © Copyright Thai PBS 2022-03-05 - Aetna 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

Government to Set Up National Shipping Lines by Natthaphon Sangpolsit BANGKOK (NNT) - The Ministry of Transport is considering setting up state-owned national shipping lines to help connect shipments between the Gulf of Thailand and the Andaman Sea, as part of the government’s Land Bridge campaign. Full story: https://aseannow.com/topic/1252401-government-to-set-up-national-shipping-lines/

by Natthaphon Sangpolsit BANGKOK (NNT) - The Ministry of Transport is considering setting up state-owned national shipping lines to help connect shipments between the Gulf of Thailand and the Andaman Sea, as part of the government’s Land Bridge campaign. Transport Minister Saksayam Chidchob said the proposed shipping lines would support the nation’s maritime logistics system. The lines can be operated by state enterprises or subsidiaries of the Port Authority of Thailand. Services will be overseen by three separate entities comprising a domestic shipping company, a company operating in the Gulf of Thailand and a firm operating in the Andaman Sea. The national shipping services would help provide logistics connectivity between ports in Chumphon and Ranong provinces, in tandem with the government’s Land Bridge campaign. Minister Saksayam said the proposal would be presented to the Cabinet this year, with completion set for 2029. He added that his ministry hopes the development effort will make Thailand one of the world’s top logistics players. -- © Copyright NNT 2022-03-05 - Aetna 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

Thailand Saw Six-Year High in FTA Requests Among Exporters in 2021 Natthaphon Sangpolsit BANGKOK (NNT) - The Department of Foreign Trade (DFT) is helping Thai exporters to minimize taxes and tariffs, after the Kingdom saw a surge in the number of free trade agreement (FTA) applications from local businesses in 2021. Full story: https://aseannow.com/topic/1252399-thailand-saw-six-year-high-in-fta-requests-among-exporters-in-2021/

Natthaphon Sangpolsit BANGKOK (NNT) - The Department of Foreign Trade (DFT) is helping Thai exporters to minimize taxes and tariffs, after the Kingdom saw a surge in the number of free trade agreement (FTA) applications from local businesses in 2021. The Department of Foreign Trade reported a 6-year high growth in the number of applications from local companies to leverage FTAs and preferential tariffs on the Generalized System of Preferences (GSP) in 2021. DFT Director-General Pitak Udomwichaiwat said the combined value of FTA leverages in the export sector was recorded at US$76.3 billion last year, a 31.4% growth year-on-year. Businesses leveraging FTA benefits mostly sell their products to Southeast Asian markets, followed by China, Australia, Japan and India. Automobiles, fruits, air conditioners and chicken meat were key products to those markets. The United States was the main market for GSP products with a 91.82% share. Key products included rubber gloves and air conditioners. The DFT said the U.S. Congress was reviewing new criteria for countries eligible for GSP benefits. The criteria will include the environmental aspect and labor welfare. The DFT chief said the value of international trade activities that leverage FTAs and GSP is expected to grow even further this year, thanks to the ratifying of existing FTAs among members of the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP). Pitak said his department now provides consultation services to businesses looking to take advantage of FTAs and other agreements Thailand has with its trading partners. -- © Copyright NNT 2022-03-05 - Aetna 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

Agriculture Ministry Commences This Year’s Rainmaking Operations by Natthaphon Sangpolsit NAKHON SAWAN (NNT) - The Ministry of Agriculture and Cooperatives recently initiated its annual rainmaking operations to help combat drought and wildfires in Nakhon Sawan Province. Full story: https://aseannow.com/topic/1252398-agriculture-ministry-commences-this-year’s-rainmaking-operations/

by Natthaphon Sangpolsit NAKHON SAWAN (NNT) - The Ministry of Agriculture and Cooperatives recently initiated its annual rainmaking operations to help combat drought and wildfires in Nakhon Sawan Province. The commencement ceremony was chaired by Agriculture and Cooperatives Minister Chalermchai Sri-on. Rainmaking or cloud-seeding procedures are handled by the Department of Royal Rainmaking and Agricultural Aviation. The launch featured a fleet of flying airplanes from the rainmaking department and the Royal Thai Air Force. Minister Chalermchai said many areas in Thailand were facing water scarcity, with water levels in major dams and reservoirs reportedly seeing significant drops. There is a possibility of wildfires every summer that bring heavy smoke and dust particles to local communities. The cloud-seeding operations are intended to help prevent and mitigate these issues. This year, ten cloud-seeding operation centers will be set up in high-risk areas, equipped with 24 planes from both the rainmaking department and the air force. Samroeng Sangphuwong, director-general of the rainmaking department, said authorities have been working with local communities to identify hotspots and prevent wildfires. -- © Copyright NNT 2022-03-05 - Aetna 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

Show some humanity, support Ukraine and don't blame ordinary Russians Anyone who has spent some time in Thailand has met them, usually in bars nursing a drink for several hours and regaling anyone who'll listen to their bigoted views on Thailand, convinced that because you might be the same skin color - usually white - that makes you all part of the same "club". Full story: https://aseannow.com/topic/1252397-show-some-humanity-support-ukraine-and-dont-blame-ordinary-russians/

'This article is an independent opinion piece of the Rooster' Anyone who has spent some time in Thailand has met them, usually in bars nursing a drink for several hours and regaling anyone who'll listen to their bigoted views on Thailand, convinced that because you might be the same skin color - usually white - that makes you all part of the same "club". When asked about what they are doing in the kingdom, what they know about Asia, they mumble something about their experience in 'Nam. Then when asked to explain they use that wonderful, revealing cliche that explains all: "If I told you that I'd have to kill you". Such numpties - usually living in a cheap one room hovel with the occasional visit of some local, tattooed scrubber - have over the last two decades mostly moved online, especially during the pandemic. Here they are safer than ever from scrutiny, able to expound their ignorant nonsense with little censure notwithstanding the occasional moderator ban, that cows them into temporary scaredy-cat submission. Before they take to the internet afresh, too pathetic to troll intelligently, putting links to spurious websites that allegedly back up their absurd narratives. They are invariably Thai bashers who when challenged say their Buriram girlfriend told them some "secret" home truth backing up their pitiful, ill-informed, rhetoric and hyperbole. They belittle moderate, sensible people as naive. ASEAN NOW has many of them. They are thankfully drowned out by the majority of sensible posters. But their voices are shrill from behind their keyboards, like the loud western tourist holding court disturbing other diners at the next table in the pizza restaurant. They are the modern day, pathetic keyboard warriors whose closest encounter with a weapon is a bum gun, shooting skidmarks off their ample backsides. Armed with a second hand laptop or cheap phone perched on their thighs - not a moment to waste online as we're reminded of their hobbies, usually earning daily fortunes in Bitcoin trading, subjects us mortals are too stupid to understand. They were out in force on the forum this week, with the ongoing war in Ukraine acting as an ideal backdrop to frame their agenda expounding their "oh-so-well-informed" understanding of world events. This was never more clearly seen than the reaction to a story about a Thai man called Chanapong. The 27 year old had bravely gone to the Ukrainian embassy in Bangkok to offer his assistance to a country thousands of kilometers away - not because he wanted money, not because he had a specific political agenda, but because he was a human being; because he had humanity. The warriors strode manfully into action (they never read the stories - they don’t have time for that before sharing their vitriol!) Where were you when Thailand needed you on the streets Chanapong?, They demanded. Don’t you know that ping pong bombs are not mortars? Have you ever been anywhere near a real army? Why did Thailand roll over in World War II - just like you will in Kyiv after you get your mercenary check and slip across the border into Europe to claim benefits…blah, blah, blah. They have no knowledge of the bravery of Thais in their ‘Nam, the resistance in the face of terrible odds in the 1940s. And in this specific case no interest in Chanapong’s service with the RTAF, his involvement in the democracy protests and his sensible warnings that signing up for Ukraine’s defence would be no picnic and only those with military experience should apply. Chanapong, reportedly among many others, was interested in going to Ukraine’s aid. We should be praising such people not criticising them; celebrating their humanity in trying to help in a dire situation on a faraway continent. Elsewhere, the keyboard warriors demanded that Russians in Thailand be abused and deported. Had they missed the news of thousands of outraged ordinary Russians on the streets of their country - despite the appalling propaganda they are subjected to on their state television and media - risking their personal liberty to stand up to the maniacal Putin and a regime they would gladly nuke if they had THEIR fingers on the proverbial red button. My! How they revelled in the story about Russian - and incongruously even Ukrainian - tourists suffering financial and travel hardship in Thailand due to the swift and draconian sanctions affecting ordinary, peaceful people just on holiday in the kingdom. People should be focusing on who is responsible. It's Putin and his crazy dreams. And his wealthy and supportive oligarchs. Picking up on Putin’s alarming, biased, rhetoric, the warriors even referred to the Nazi collaborators of World War II Ukraine as if that issue - itself a highly complex, varied and unclear period of world history - somehow justified the abuse of Ukrainians in the 21st century. Some even pointedly observed how Russians on “baht buses” (they don’t know the Thai for these vehicles) deserved everything they got for their booriah behavior to and from Jomtien (where it’s nice) and Pattaya (where it’s horrible) and where they guzzle on borscht and abuse the waitresses. One such comment got seven "likes". This casual racism is part of their stock-in-trade; they switch to Indians sharing beers with straws or Chinese tourists pooping in the streets when that narrative better suits their cause. Confront them and you’re “woke”or a “virtue signaller” hoodwinked by the government, a victim of Western media, a lefty liberal puppet of Biden. Funny how they always seem to lament the passing of Trump, revelling in the prospect of that megalomaniac’s possible return to Washington. Not that some officials in Thailand were much better. The comments of foreign minister Don Pramudwinai were sadly understandable but thoroughly inappropriate and unwelcome as the international community - in business, public and sports as well as at state level - heaped appropriate pain on everything Russian through sanctions (in this regard individual Russians have to expect pain, hopefully severe enough to inspire them to force a regime change in time). Don - predictably for pocketbook conscious Thailand - refused to directly condemn Russia and Putin. I get the point about continuing to press for diplomacy, and understand how much worse things might get if the nutter in the Kremlin is backed further into a corner where the world may truly fear his unpredictability. I fear his stated view that 'if there is no Russia then there will be no world” madness. But the time for rapprochement is gone, a united front is the only way so grow up Thailand and stand strong with the rest of the world. Even China has - despite its role in cordial relations with Russia - is nervous, prepared to act as peace broker. India, too, used language to quietly condemn the invasion - they can’t go further due to their dependence on Russian missile systems in defence of their country against attack from Pakistan. Thailand is a small player in all this but people are watching; it’s well documented how pathetic their laughable “leadership” as part of the toothless and risible reaction of ASEAN to the ongoing situation in Myanmar has been. Cozying up to the generals there as well as the ghastly post-Blue Diamond money grab in getting into bed so swiftly with the regime in Saudi, a regime run by a human rights abusing alleged murderer desperate for public recognition and legitimacy. Does Thailand not realise that sucking up to these horrendous bedfellows reflects so badly on them in the international arena. Yes, not every tourist cares - but there are plenty that do and in a world where news is available 24/7 and there are huge numbers of other options for a holiday, many will vote with their feet if they are not satisfied with the stance of a foreign government. Then Thailand's UN rep voted with 140 countries apparently contradicting the government back in Bangkok. This, however, was to condemn violence not Russia itself. Prayut refused to do that at a cabinet meeting hiding behind neutrality showing a sickening lack of backbone. One poster got 50 likes for simply writing: $ The conflict in Ukraine is multi-faceted and Rooster does not profess to have any answers. Like many people I am following from afar, trying hard to fathom the present situation and the short, medium and long term consequences in a social media and news landscape rife with fake news and misdirection. But I’m determined to always call out keyboard warriors. Determined like Chanapong to show some human spirit albeit in a far lesser capacity than his obvious bravery and that of millions of Ukrainians and many Russians standing up to tyranny. With such a focus on the outside world, the last seven days of news in Thailand paled into insignificance. Rooster took time off translation duties for a few days in deserted but pleasant Pattaya! Hops still has great service and pizza! The beach and even the sea appeared clean. The “condo-hotel” was cheap even though they moved us in the middle of the night when the electricity failed! Pattaya Park was great value and quiet and a great day out for me and the four children, together at last after several years of pandemic partition. The road to and from Bangkok - Route 7 - was fast and safe and reasonably priced. A good time was had by all even if the wind on the beach blew all that expensive sand in our lunchtime som tam! Continuing stories in the Thai news included the disappearance and subsequent finding of the body of actress Taengmo in the Chao Phraya. Mystery still surrounded what happened to her as every Thai outlet from Amarin TV to Thai Rath speculated on the case. Another case, and finally this week, was the latest in the hunt for the two gunmen who killed gangland figure Jimi Sandhu in Phuket last month. One of the hitmen has been arrested in Canada and both him and his pal were reportedly 'suicidal'. The reason being, wait for it, the Thai police. The RTP were basking - for once - in the good press about their speedy work in establishing the identities, movements and DNA of the gunmen. The story even led to the words Royal Thai Police and efficacy in the same sentence. Now there's a first! Rooster -- © Copyright ASEAN NOW 2022-03-05 - Aetna 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

Thais told to beware of Russia’s sharp power, uphold principles rather than taking sides By Thai PBS World’s Regional Desk OPINION A father presses his palms against the window as he says goodbye to his daughter on a train to Lviv at the Kyiv station, Ukraine, Friday, March 4. 2022. The father has to stay behind to fight in the war while his family leaves the country to seek refuge in a neighboring country. (AP Photo/Emilio Morenatti) Thailand, notably its divided society, must act on principles rather than taking sides or remaining neutral over a Russia-Ukraine conflict that is set to develop into a new cold war and reshape global geo-politics, scholars say. Full story: https://aseannow.com/topic/1252396-thais-told-to-beware-of-russia’s-sharp-power-uphold-principles-rather-than-taking-sides/