A Singaporean's guide to living in Thailand

[yinyang]

The disbanded Future Forward Party (FFP) is taking a defiant stance in the wake of the Constitutional Court's ruling against it, vowing
to set up a new movement to press ahead with a new wave of political campaigns outside parliament.


Speaking at the party's headquarters after the ruling, former FFP leader Thanathorn Juangroongruangkit announced the establishment of the Future Forward Movement to carry on the FFP's ideology.

The 16 party executives who were banned from politics will continue to work under the movement, Mr Thanathorn said. He also apologised to the public for failing to keep a promise to stop the military regime from clinging to power.


"This is not the time to be sad or cry. We have no time for those things. Don't change your mind. Don't lose your passion. Don't stop dreaming ... There is still the Future Forward Movement to campaign for progressive social and political agendas. There are still Future Forward MPs, and I believe they will carry on with the party's ideology in parliament," Mr Thanathorn said.

"Whichever party the MPs join, let's support them like you supported us," he said, adding that the Future Forward Movement will engage in local politics and will set up a foundation to improve education and the environment, working closely with the public.

• FFP dissolved, executives banned for 10 years
• Constitutional Court disbands FFP
• FFP dissolved, executives banned for 10 years

"Our journey is far from over and we will move forward in a new form," Mr Thanathorn said.

Former FFP secretary-general Piyabutr Saengkanokkul said he disagreed with the ruling, and that he and Mr Thanathorn will continue with political campaigns nationwide.

The Constitutional Court yesterday dissolved the FFP and banned its executives from politics for 10 years for accepting 191.2 million baht from an illegitimate source.

The court decided that the money party leader Thanathorn Juangroongruangkit lent to the party was considered "other benefits" under Section 66 of the Political Parties Act, which limits donations to 10 million baht per donor per year.


According to the court, the Election Commission, the petitioner in this case, was empowered to take criminal legal action against the FFP executives. They could face five years in jail if found guilty.

The European Union's Foreign Affairs and Security Policy spokesperson issued a statement saying the dissolution of FFP, one of the main opposition parties, is a setback for political pluralism in Thailand. The party won more than 6 million votes in the March 2019 election.

In terms of its economic effect, Tim Leelahaphan, an economist at Standard Chartered Bank (Thai) said, "We will see if there is resistance from the party's supporters.

"The risk is still low, in our view, but noise is rising. That is unlikely to help an already-slowing economy," he said.

 

[yinyang]

 

[Froggy]

For days wanted to have soto-ayam with begedil but living in Thailand no choice must do it myself from searching internet for recipe

Begedil - final mix of potatoes, beef and parsley

Ready to fry

Frying

Finally

Soto-ayam soup made from lots of spices and herbs

Preparing the chili

The chili with begedil and shredded chicken

Yellow noodle soto-ayam

Rice noodle beehoon soto-ayam

 

[Froggy]

A simple dinner alone now

Tomyam and Thai herb pork balls (larb moo thot)

 

[yinyang]

 

[Froggy]

Just had simple boiled rice porridge at a roadside food stall. Pork boiled rice only 40 baht ($1.80) and a fried omelette 10 baht ($0.45)

 

[yinyang]

 

[Froggy]

Went to lunch today close to office, a northern Thai restaurant. I love the decors

Khao soi - northern Thai noodle

Moo yong thod - fried sliced pork sausage

 

[yinyang]

Thais rank 2nd for time spent on mobile phones,
5th for overall Internet usage
National
Feb 24. 2020

By The Nation

Thais ranked second globally for time spent on their mobile phones and fifth for the amount of time spent on the Internet, according to a report by “socially led creative agency” We Are Social. Filipinos were ranked number one for overall Web usage.

According to the agency, 75 per cent of Thailand’s over 60-million population use the Internet – higher than the global average of 59 per cent – while the rate of mobile phone use is as high as 134 per cent. These figures do not include those used with IoT (Internet of Things) devices, in which 97 per cent of the population, or 50.18 million people, use the Internet for 4 hours 57 minutes per day.

When taking into account Internet usage across all devices, Thais averaged 9 hours per day compared to the world average of 6 hours 43 minutes. At number one, Filipinos averaged 9 hours 45 minutes per day, followed by South Africans, Brazilians and Colombians.

Thailand saw the world’s second-highest daily Internet surfing rate via mobile phones, while most developed countries had a usage rate lower than the world average. For instance, people in Japan used the Internet on average for 4 hours 22 minutes per day, with mobile phone use averaging only 1 hour 32 minutes.

The report found that Thais spend an average of 2 hours 55 minutes per day on social media; 99 per cent of users also watched online videos. The most popular websites are Google, Facebook and YouTube.

The Thai websites with the most visitors are Pantip and Sanook. The majority of searches were for sports, entertainment and gambling such as “football”, “movies”, “lottery”, “football results”, “check lottery”, etc.

Thais use Facebook the most – 95 per cent of all Internet users – followed by YouTube (94 per cent), LINE (85 per cent), Instagram (65 per cent) and Twitter (55 per cent).

As for e-commerce, 90 per cent of Web users in Thailand have searched for products and services on the Internet. As much as 82 per cent, or about 34.8 million, have bought products online – 69 per cent via mobile phone, with online purchases amounting to $4.31 billion (Bt135.7 billion), including electronic items ($1.5 billion) and fashion and beauty products ($1.03 billion).

Most consumers paid with credit cards (32 per cent), followed by e-wallet (25 per cent), and cash (12 per cent).

Up to 33 per cent used vehicle services via ride-hailing applications, with a market value of $682 million.


As much as 94 per cent of Thais own phones and smartphones, 50 per cent have PCs, 33 per cent tablets, 15 per cent smartwatches or smart wristbands, and 3.7 per cent smart home devices. Thailand has 400,000 smart homes with equipment worth $110 million, smart appliances worth $41 million, security systems valued at $25 million and $19 million of entertainment devices.

The report says that after taking into account all data, it can be concluded that Thailand has advanced to become a digital-based society.

Still, with easy access to digital devices and faster Internet speeds, the data reflects concerns that Thais are spending way too much time on the Internet and their mobile phones.

 

[Byebye Penis]

 

[Byebye Penis]

brothers, be safe in Thailand.

According to my reliable sources from Thai friends, Thailand has over 1000 cases and many dead.
As usual, if die before confirmed infected = not counted.

 

[yinyang]

Jump ship?

 

[Froggy]

Hearty breakfast before a long drive to Rayong this morning

 

[yinyang]

Thailand’s richest man is building Bangkok’s tallest skyscraper
PUBLISHED : 27 FEB 2020 AT 06:24
WRITER: BLOOMBERG

Standing at 318 metres, the Magnolias Waterfront Residences at IconSiam is Thailand's tallest building. (Photo by Patipat Janthong)

Thailand’s richest man wants to set another record.
Billionaire Charoen Sirivadhanabhakdi, via his recently listed property unit Asset World Corp, has his sights on building the nation’s tallest skyscraper.

Details are scant -- no official height has been set and completion isn’t expected until 2025 -- but the tower, at the centre of another $948 million project on the banks of Bangkok’s Chao Phraya river, is emblematic of Asset World’s aggressive growth strategy.

“It embodies what our company aims to do -- set new trends and lift the benchmark,” said Asset World’s Chief Executive Officer and Charoen’s daughter, Wallapa Traisorat. The skyscraper will be a “new landmark” and draw more visitors to Thailand, she said.
Its planned construction, however, comes at a difficult time for the Southeast Asian nation’s property and tourism markets. Bangkok is facing an apartment glut, with 100,000 empty units and more to come. And Chinese investors, who for years have propped up the real estate sector, are staying away because of the travel curbs and economic havoc caused by the coronavirus.

• Thailand’s richest man to build Bangkok’s tallest skyscraper
• Hotel bookings starting to recover: Asset World
• Dhanin richest man in Thailand

Foreigners are set to account for as little as 10% of apartment purchases in 2020, down from a fifth two years ago, consultancy Agency for Real Estate Affairs estimates.

Tourism in Thailand, meanwhile, which comprises around 20% of gross domestic product, is also taking a hit because of the outbreak. Receipts tumbled 3.6% in January from a year earlier to 188.8 billion baht, hurt by a 10% slide in outlays from Chinese visitors, data released earlier this week showed.

Ms Wallapa isn’t perturbed, maintaining the impact will be short term. Bangkok was named the world’s most-visited city in 2018 for a fourth consecutive year, ahead of Paris, London, Dubai and Singapore, according to a 2019 Mastercard Inc ranking.
“There will be growth this year,” she said, declining to specify any targets for the company. “The tourism industry has always managed to bounce back.”

Asset World is partnering with Adrian Smith + Gordon Gill Architecture, the firm behind the world’s tallest building, the Burj Khalifa. The skyscraper will surpass Thailand’s current record, the Magnolias Waterfront Residences at IconSiam, which stands at 318 metres and which was completed in 2018.

To be built adjacent to the company’s flagship riverside mall, Asiatique, the tower will house hotels, shops and offices. Its energy-saving design will mean there’s the possibility of harnessing wind power, Wallapa said.
Asset World is separately in talks with three hotel chains for possible partnerships and already works with brands including Marriott and Hilton, she said.

The group has a number of other ambitious plans in the wings, too. It aims to build Thailand’s biggest convention hotel by the beach in Pattaya on Thailand’s east coast and is set to become the nation’s largest hotel owner by 2025 with more than 4,000 rooms in the pipeline. The group added $3 billion to Mr Charoen’s fortune when it listed in Bangkok in October.

The development of the as-yet-unnamed skyscraper comes at a time Bangkok’s riverfront is experiencing a renaissance. Several luxury hotels have upped the ante, with a Four Seasons opening along the waterway and the venerable Mandarin Oriental nearing completion of its renovation.
Ms Wallapa doesn’t have any plans to stop either.
“We have the debt capacity to add more projects,” she said. “We focus on scale. We’ll keep expanding.”

 

[Byebye Penis]

Several suspected deaths reported in BKK outskirts. Gov never test so not counted. This is the only way to know that someone died from coronavirus in the neighbourhood.

 

[Froggy]

Visited an interesting place for lunch known as M Melon Farm. Its actually a melon farm growing Japanese melons and at the front is a small restaurant many dishes uses melon.

All vegetables are organically grown in the farm

Freshly blend 100% melon juice

Salad platter

Thai herb soup with melon

Sweet and sour mixed stir fry with capsicum, pineapple, melon and prawns

Stir fry gourd with eggs

Fish wrap salad

wrap with peanut sauce

This is how its wrapped and eaten

Spicy salad

Healthy lunch

Location - https://goo.gl/maps/3Z9yUBCRQG7WHRT46

 

[Froggy]

After lunch the owner took my colleague and I for a short tour

Mint

Enclosed farm

Melons 1 month old

These are 2 months old

 

[Froggy]

https://asia.nikkei.com/Politics/Th...date=20200228190000&seq_num=16&si=%%user_id%%

Thai students demand full democracy despite government warnings
Future Forward dissolution fuels anger of marginalized youth
MASAYUKI YUDA, Nikkei staff writer
February 28, 2020 13:56 JST

Protesters rally against the government at Srinakharinwirot University on Wednesday. Many students believe their demands for more democracy will fall on deaf ears. (Photo by Masayuki Yuda)

BANGKOK -- The dissolution of Thailand's second-largest opposition party has ignited unrest at universities as students organize demonstrations to demand more democracy, despite being warned by the government to stand down.

"We want our future back," Chonticha Jangrew shouted to a crowd of students at an anti-government protest at Srinakharinwirot University in Bangkok. "I am confident our new generation will not put up with being dictated to anymore," she said.

An alumnus of the university, Chonticha was one of a handful of student activists rallying against the junta in 2015, on the anniversary of the 2014 coup orchestrated by current Prime Minister Prayuth Chan-ocha. She ended up being arrested and spent 12 days in jail.

This time, hundreds of students gathered near the university's main playing field to hear her and several other speakers rail against the government. Some in the crowd held signs expressing opposition to the government's heavy-handed policies.

"The government curbed our rights in the name of national security," said a student at the event. "Imagine our future if this situation continues. It's time to fight," she said.

Similar protests were held at other campuses throughout the week. On Monday, hundreds of students at prestigious Chulalongkorn University assembled to make their voices heard -- a rare occurrence as students there are not known for their activism. The demonstrations were joined by a group at Triumudomsuksa School, the first high school to take part in pro-democracy rallies.

The government had advised schools to discourage large gatherings due to the new coronavirus outbreak. Students ignored the advisory, with many donning masks to guard their health as well as identities.

There is growing unease among students that the government is ignoring calls for more democracy. On Feb. 21, Thailand's Constitutional Court ordered the disbandment of Future Forward, the country's second-largest opposition party. Led by the charismatic young millionaire Thanathorn Jungroongruangkit, the party had pledged to reduce the military budget, extend civilian control of the government, and review the role of the monarchy in politics -- all positions that are strongly supported by the nation's youth.

The court ruled that the 41-year-old leader had funded the party illegally by providing a loan at an extremely low interest rate. The judgment came under fire from 36 law professors at Thammasat University.

Students ignored government advisories not to congregate, ostensibly issued over fears of the new coronavirus. (Photo by Masayuki Yuda)

Thai laws prohibit political parties from receiving more than 10 million baht ($320,000) in cash donations, properties, or any other benefits. The court said the low-interest loan was a form of benefit. Thammasat professors, disagreed, claiming the court was overinterpreting the law.

Before the ruling, the party held 76 of the 500 seats in the lower house of parliament. Upon dissolution, 11 executive members of Future Forward were banned from running for office or being involved in a new party for 10 years. The remaining 65 were given 60 days to join other parties.

Although party supporters expected the 65 to stick with the opposition, in less than a week nine had defected to Bhumjaithai Party, a member of the ruling coalition. The move left Future Forward's 6.2 million voters in the March 2019 elections anxious that their views would not be represented.

"Students are awakened. The dynamic of change has started," Thanathorn said.

The prime minister seemed sympathetic, at least to a certain degree. "I am concerned about the gatherings. I understand their demand, but they should listen to many sources of information so that they have a better understanding of how the nation should progress," he said on Thursday.

Prayuth's ruling coalition vowed to help reconcile differences in the country, among them the generational divide between an entrenched ruling class and the country's increasingly dissatisfied youth.

The government, however, may be clueless. On Feb 14, Thailand's Culture Ministry revealed that Prayuth has ordered the production of at least one war film a year to boost patriotism and awareness of key institutions, such as religion and the monarchy.

The younger generation likely views these and other efforts as ways to force obedience rather than foster harmony. "The generations will never reconcile as long as Prayuth is the leader," a 19-year-old Srinakharinwirot student said.

So far, the gatherings have been peaceful and confined to campuses. However, Chonticha sees the movement gaining strength. "I believe university students will soon march to Government House or even Prayuth's residence," she said.

If the protests escalate, the country could see students manning roadblocks, a potentially dangerous development that in the past has led to police clashes and bloodshed.

 

[Froggy]

Chinese Cuisine in Bangkok's Hong Bao Restaurant

Braised and marinated pig's ear

Chinese wine chicken

Broad bean stir fry with prawns

Garlic chives stir fry with minced pork and chili

Braised duck with tofu and braised pig intestine

Tofu steamed with minced pork

 

[Froggy]

https://www.bangkokpost.com/business/1870949/panic-buying-hits-bangkok-stores

Panic buying hits Bangkok stores
Fear of deadly virus prompts hoarding
published : 4 Mar 2020 at 06:41

Shelves at a Tesco Lotus store are left empty as consumers stock up on basic consumer goods and rice amid fears over the spread of the coronavirus. Pitsinee Jitpleecheep

Shoppers in Greater Bangkok are quickly emptying supermarket shelves of long-lasting items like instant noodles, packed rice, tissue paper, tinned fish and drinking water as fears mount over the coronavirus epidemic.

Large retail operators including Tops Supermarket, Tesco Lotus, The Mall Group and Big C Supercenter acknowledged that these items have been snapped up quickly since the weekend.

They are also in consensus that fear of the deadly virus is the primary cause for the shopping spree.

"We have never seen these kinds of purchases," said Chairat Petchdakul, vice-president for supermarket merchandising at The Mall Group Co, the operator of Gourmet Market.

"At first we thought it stemmed from the payday, but the majority of the goods the shoppers bought were long-lasting items like instant noodles, drinking water and tinned fish," he said. "We then assumed that the demand was from growing concerns about the coronavirus epidemic. However, we will closely watch shoppers' behaviour again during these weekdays."

Mr Chairat gave assurances that supplies of the mentioned products are adequate, though with perhaps a slight delay in delivery from producers.

The Mall Group says it has doubled the inventory of goods from a 15-day supply to 30 days to prevent shortages and ensure that consumers have a sufficient supply of the products they are looking for.

A worker at the Gourmet Market in Siam Paragon, who asked not to be named, said shoppers were forming long queues at the tills to pay for groceries last weekend.

Workers at the Tops Chidlom branch, Big C Supercenter at Future Park Rangsit and Tesco Lotus on Nakhon In Road in Nonthaburi made similar observations of the buying phenomenon since last Friday.

Mintita Thowkam, 33, a company employee, said she's begun hoarding goods because she is afraid of the coronavirus and is not confident in the government's measures to control the spread.

"I don't know whether the government's agencies have efficient measures to handle big groups of Thai workers who are coming from South Korea," she said. "If the measures are not serious enough, the outcome will be terrible."

Thailand's embassy in Seoul has been informed by the South Korean Immigration Office that more than 5,000 Thais reported to the office from December last year to March 1, according to the Foreign Ministry.

"I'm quite worried about this, so I came to Tesco Lotus hypermarket for products to stock up for 1-2 months," Ms Mintita said, adding that she also found some products missing from shelves on Tuesday, including Mama instant noodles with tom yum kung flavour.

Pun Paniengvait, manager of the president's office at Thai President Foods Plc, the maker of Mama instant noodles, said supplies are assured because total production capacity for all instant noodle brands, excluding imported products, is about 10 million packets a day.

Production utilisation is now 70-80%, so production could still be extended to 15 million packets per day.

Per capita consumption of instant noodles in Thailand is about 45.9 packets per year.

"Don't worry about a product shortage," Mr Pun said. "The capacity is more than enough to serve the whole Thai population."