TallGuyJohninBKK

I'd support that, provided it actually meant ALL...including the Supreme Court.

How about a package deal -- both she and McConnell, both elderly and in poor health, both step aside... But nah...unfortunately, ain't gonna happen. "Senate Republican Leader Mitch McConnell declared again that he plans to finish his term as leader despite freezing up twice at news conferences over the summer, brushing off questions about his health as he sought to reassure colleagues he’s still up ..." https://abcnews.go.com/Health/wireStory/mcconnell-reassure-colleagues-health-vows-serve-term-senate-102979360

I always thought Anutin was an "influential figure." And he certainly long seems to have thought so!

Fact check: The mRNA coronavirus vaccine is a vaccine, and it is designed to prevent illness https://www.reuters.com/article/uk-factcheck-covid-vaccine/fact-check-the-mrna-coronavirus-vaccine-is-a-vaccine-and-it-is-designed-to-prevent-illness-idUSKBN2AM0SS

Indeed they did... Thailand welcomes crooks all the time... so why should other similarly valued countries be much different.

Cahill is a well-known and disreputable peddler of vaccine misinformation: Fact check: Severe adverse events are rare following mRNA COVID-19 vaccines https://www.reuters.com/article/uk-factcheck-adverse-events/fact-check-severe-adverse-events-are-rare-following-mrna-covid-19-vaccines-idUSKBN2AO2TN Irish Professor Makes Unfounded Claims About Long-Term Effects of mRNA Vaccines https://www.factcheck.org/2021/04/scicheck-irish-professor-makes-unfounded-claims-about-long-term-effects-of-mrna-vaccines/ "Explanation: Dr. Cahills assertions have no scientific basis. After extensive research to every credible database for scientific studies and clinical trials we were not able to locate the one she is referencing..." https://www.poynter.org/?ifcn_misinformation=according-to-dr-dolores-cahill-a-significant-percentage-of-the-people-who-received-the-mrna-vaccine-for-covid-19-will-die-within-a-year-her-conclusion-is-based-on-a-research-done-in-animals-which-sh and many more of the same....

He is and was a corrupt crook, and clearly was shown as such in the cases and verdicts against him. He used his tenure as PM to enrich himself, his family and those around him -- until finally fleeing the country to escape the consequences of his crimes.

There are numerous studies from different soures that all conclude the same thing in various ways and various places and times -- COVID vaccines saved vast numbers of lives. April 8, 2022 / 10:13 AM Study finds U.S. COVID-19 vaccinations averted 2.2 million deaths April 8 (UPI) -- A new study published Friday found COVID-19 vaccinations have prevented 2.2 million deaths in the United States. The Commonwealth Fund study said 17 million hospitalizations were averted by the vaccines between December 12, 2020, and March 31, 2022. https://www.upi.com/Health_News/2022/04/08/COVID19-commonwelath-fund-study-vaccines-prevented-millions-of-deaths/1421649425164/ etc etc etc. And those are just counting the COVID deaths that have been averted.... Before we even begin to start talking about the hospitalizations and serious illnesses averted, the costs to governments and the public health systems of those, etc etc.

Of course there's things every individual person can do via the choices they make in their lives... I chose to live in BKK specifically so I could rely on mass transit (BTS/MRT) and not have to drive or need a car. And then there's the folks here on the forum using EVs and installing solar power for their homes, etc etc. And at least for places outside of Thailand, that includes voting for and electing public officials who recognize that global warming and climate change are real risks to the world and its people.

This whole thread is a lot of anti-vax nonsense by the same familiar crowd of anti-vaxers and conspiracy theorists here... The contract conditions listed above are hardly surprising, given that Pfizer at the time, back early in the pandemic, was rolling out an entirely new vaccine on a rapid time schedule demanded by the world, even though it had already been widely tested in clinical trials. But, what ultimately matters in all this is that the COVID vaccines have worked and have saved, and continue to save, cumulatively millions of lives by protecting people from COVID death and illness... And, while there always is the possibility of side effects from any medication or vaccine, the past several years of worldwide COVID vaccine use and more than 13 BILLION doses administered worldwide have shown that serious side effects actually linked to the vaccines are very rare. Source link No Evidence Excess Deaths Linked to Vaccines, Contrary to Claims Online Posted on April 17, 2023 "COVID-19 vaccines substantially reduce the risk of dying from COVID-19, and serious side effects are very rare. Excess deaths among working-age adults in 2021 and 2022 were driven by COVID-19 and other factors, not vaccination. Faulty logic underlies claims that vaccines caused mass disability and economic harm." https://www.factcheck.org/2023/04/scicheck-no-evidence-excess-deaths-linked-to-vaccines-contrary-to-claims-online/ Benefits of Vaccination Outweigh the Risks Serious side effects that could cause a long-term health problem are extremely rare following any vaccination, including COVID-19 vaccination. The benefits of COVID-19 vaccination outweigh the known and potential risks. https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/vaccines/safety/safety-of-vaccines.html Coronavirus disease (COVID-19): Vaccines and vaccine safety 28 June 2023 "Like with any vaccine, some people will experience mild to moderate side effects after being vaccinated against COVID-19. This is a normal sign that the body is developing protection.... More serious or long-lasting side effects to COVID-19 vaccines are possible but extremely rare." https://www.who.int/news-room/questions-and-answers/item/coronavirus-disease-(covid-19)-vaccines

How can he be "released from prison" when in reality, at least thus far, he's hardly darkened the door of any Thai prison since his return to the country. A suite at the Police Hospital in Bangkok is not "prison."

Kind of interesting how those folks posting here seem to operate in a fact-free world where the overwhelming consensus of climate experts worldwide is to be discounted and ignored, and what they read from Rupert Murdoch or see on some obscure YT video is to believed.

U.N. report warns nations have ‘rapidly narrowing window’ to cut emissions “We know much of what can and needs to be done,” one policy expert says. The question is: Will governments make good on their promises? The landmark 2015 Paris agreement, embraced by nearly every nation on Earth, “has driven near-universal climate action,” according to a detailed United Nation assessment released Friday, and yet the world remains woefully off track in its efforts to halt the warming of the planet. The findings published by the U.N. Framework Convention on Climate Change note that “there is a rapidly narrowing window” for the world to more quickly cut emissions caused by the burning of fossil fuels and avoid an ever worsening set of disasters that are likely as the atmosphere grows hotter. Friday’s report comes ahead of this year’s global climate summit, known as COP28, scheduled to kick off in late November in the United Arab Emirates. (more) https://www.washingtonpost.com/climate-environment/2023/09/08/un-climate-report-cut-emissions/

UK regulator approves updated Pfizer-BioNTech COVID vaccine Sept 5 (Reuters) - The UK drug regulator said on Tuesday it has approved an updated COVID-19 vaccine by Pfizer (PFE.N) and its German partner BioNTech (22UAy.DE) that targets only the Omicron XBB.1.5 subvariant. The vaccine, which like their other COVID shots will also be sold under brand Comirnaty, has been approved for use in individuals aged 6 months and above, the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) said. MHRA's approval for the shot follows the European regulator's clearance last week." (more) https://www.reuters.com/business/healthcare-pharmaceuticals/uk-regulator-approves-updated-pfizer-biontech-covid-vaccine-2023-09-05/

Moderna says new Covid booster works against the highly mutated BA.2.86 variant "Moderna’s latest Covid booster appears to work against the BA.2.86 omicron subvariant, the drugmaker said in a release Wednesday. The updated booster generated a strong antibody response against BA.2.86, according to Moderna. The variant has not yet gained widespread prevalence in the United States but has raised alarm among experts and health officials because of its high number of mutations. (more) https://www.nbcnews.com/health/health-news/new-covid-vaccine-2023-ba286-variant-moderna-rcna103603 https://investors.modernatx.com/news/news-details/2023/Moderna-Clinical-Trial-Data-Confirm-Its-Updated-Covid-19-Vaccine-Generates-Strong-Immune-Response-in-Humans-Against-BA.2.86/default.aspx

WHO airs concerns about global COVID trends At a briefing on global health issues today, the head of the World Health Organization (WHO) said there are concerning trends ahead of the Northern Hemisphere winter, including rising deaths in parts of the Middle East and Asia and increased hospitalizations in multiple regions. WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, PhD, included the caveat that data are limited, with few countries reporting information.... Tedros added that one of the WHO's biggest worries is the low number of at-risk people who have recently received a dose of COVID-19 vaccine." https://www.cidrap.umn.edu/covid-19/who-airs-concerns-about-global-covid-trends I have not heard or seen anything lately regarding whether Thailand has any plans to make available the newly updated COVID vaccines that will be rolled out in the U.S., U.K., and elsewhere in the coming months.

Moderna: Updated vaccine shows strong response against BA.2.86 "In related developments, Moderna today announced that a clinical trial with its research assay suggests the updated vaccine, which is under Food and Drug Administration (FDA) review, generates an 8.7-fold increase in neutralizing antibodies in people against BA.2.86. In a statement, the company's president, Stephen Hoge, MD, said that, taken together with recent findings suggesting a similar response to newer variants EG.5 and FL.1.5.1, the data confirm that the vaccine will continue to be an important tool for protection heading into the fall vaccination season." https://www.cidrap.umn.edu/covid-19/who-airs-concerns-about-global-covid-trends

From checking around a bit, that indeed appears to be the case... The new corruption allegations in the Red Bull case apparently involve, among others, a guy by the name of Pichai Lertpong-adisorn, the currently elected CM PAO chief whose candidacy back in 2020 was endorsed by Thaksin. The Bangkok Post reported that Lertpong-adisorn's prior alleged role in the Red Bull case involved him producing a new (bogus?) witness in the hit-and-run case that helped result in the dropping of criminal charges. The current governor of Chiang Mai, who has no involvement in any of this, is Nirat Pongsitthaworn. As confirmed in the following report: https://thailand.postsen.com/live-style/181486/Senator-Gong-the-Prime-Minister-of-the-Chiang-Mai-Provincial-Administrative-Organization-I-have-nothing-to-do-with-my-back-NACC-reveals-guilt-involved-in-Boss-Red-Bull-case.html "Mr. Pichai Lertpong Adisorn or former Sen. Kong, currently serving as President of the Chiang Mai Provincial Administrative Organization," "Today (September 6, 2023) Mr. Pichai Lertpongadisorn President of Chiang Mai Provincial Administrative Organization which is one of the accused at the committee NACC points out allegations of guilt disclosed in such cases that I know from the news that has been presented only that there is a misinformation...."

How do they manage to write this kind of report, focusing on the arrest of a mere interpreter, and make no mention whatsoever about what happened to the alleged porn performers involved. What's more, no mention of what nationality the performers were... though seemingly they were Thai, not Chinese, as the article talks about the Thai intepreter being needed to convey instructions to the performers. Didn't really know the Chinese were much into porn consumption???

Trust what they actually do.... not what they say.

New weekly COVID hospitalizations (in red below) reported by the Thai government (if their numbers are to be believed) are down to their lowest levels since April... under 200 per week nationwide, and reported COVID deaths are down to about 1 per day (shown in gray below). https://ddc.moph.go.th/covid19-dashboard/?dashboard=main Of course, no one publicly has any idea how many people in Thailand continue to come down with some variant of COVID and don't end up being hospitalized or formally counted anymore, since the government these days only reports hospitalizations and deaths. Still, if true, that's a whole lot better than the U.S., for example, where COVID hospitalizations have been steadily rising for more than two months now, and COVID deaths just have starting rising again lately...although still at low levels. COVID markers continue rise in the US and globally August 26, 2023 ... "In the United States, COVID hospitalizations have been rising for 7 straight weeks from a very low level, and last week, hospitalizations rose 21.6% from the week before." ... "Deaths, one of the CDC's other main indicators, rose this week for the third week in a row, up 21.4% from the previous week." ... Early indicators also rose, including emergency department (ED) visits for COVID, which rose 20.4% compared to the week before." https://www.cidrap.umn.edu/covid-19/covid-markers-continue-rise-us-and-globally https://covid.cdc.gov/covid-data-tracker/#datatracker-home

The primary foot soldiers are paying the price for attempted insurrection. Now how about the general, or "The Don" in mafia terms, who orchestrated it all, along with his various "made men" who played other leading roles? Were it not for "The Don," none of this would have happened, and the hundreds of common folks already convicted and sentenced for resulting crimes thus far wouldn't have landed in the slammer. The Leaders, those who created and promoted the whole thing, need to be held to account, not just the foot soldiers only.

Call me a cynic, but I believe PT got the one and only thing they really cared about -- getting Thaksin back into Thailand, and de facto in charge of the government by proxy. Once that was accomplished, all the campaign puffery for ordinary Thais becomes irrelevant (for PT).

The Washington Post has a very long, detailed report forecasting the damage to human health and increased deaths that are likely to occur around the world in coming years due to climate change. The report also specifically talks about the various geographic areas projected to reach a critical heat-humidity threshold just under 90 degrees, and for how long, as the so-called wet bulb globe temperature, beyond which the risks of heat illness become very severe. I'm limited by forum rules as to how much of the article I can quote, so below is just a brief excerpt: The Human Limit An exploration of the insidious threat that climate change poses to human health, from malaria to extreme heat. "The Post analysis showed that by 2030, 500 million people around the world, particularly in places such as South Asia and the Middle East, would be exposed to such extreme heat for at least a month — even if they can get out of the sun. The largest population — 270 million — was in India, followed by nearly 190 million in Pakistan, 34 million across the Arabian Peninsula and more than 1 million apiece in Mexico and Sudan. ... “We can say now that people are dying from climate change, and that’s a different kind of statement than we would have made before,” said Kristie L. Ebi, a professor in the Center for Health and the Global Environment at the University of Washington who co-authored the 2022 Lancet Countdown report. https://www.washingtonpost.com/climate-environment/interactive/2023/pakistan-extreme-heat-health-impacts-death/ The report also has a search box that allows you to search by any given city for what the report's future heat projections show, with some of the examples listed below:

Katelyn Jetelina is a prominent, respected U.S. epidemiologist who blogs regularly on public health issues including COVID, translating science into layman's terms. She just now has issued some positive, reassuring news on the latest research suggesting that the BA.2.86 variant may not pose as much of a risk as previously feared. Some highlights from her recap of the latest BA.2.86 research quoted below: BA.2.86 update Sep 5, 2023 --"We thought BA.2.86 would escape our antibodies ~10 times more than XBB (the most recent Omicron subvariant to sweep the U.S.), but it’s only escaping 2-3 fold." [meaning it seems less immune evasive than had been feared] --"Infectivity. BA.2.86 has a more challenging time infecting our cells than XBB." [meaning it's not as infective] --"Previous XBB infection helps protect against BA.2.86." [there had been prior concern it might not] https://yourlocalepidemiologist.substack.com/p/ba286-update As she summarized all of the above: "Many of us took a big sigh of relief after seeing specific results over the weekend."