A Singaporean's guide to living in Thailand

[shittypore]

Drinking Tis coffee for two weeks in bkk will my urine test positive of marijuana. Will Stoopid Spore Gahman sent us to Changi chalet upon our leeturn.

 

[Froggy]

Last Saturday while in Phuket had dinner at their so called authentic Thai restaurant Param Para

Complimentary - fried mussel omelette

First dish an entre which is 3 layers

First

Second

Top

Second dish - Satay (Pork, Beef, Chicken, Seafood)

Third dish is traditional stew pork

Last dish is chicken wings

 

[Froggy]

Evening at the resort

 

[Froggy]

We had our last meal in Phuket before we left for Bangkok

Morning glory

Beef and long beans

Pandan chicken

Pork satay

Its time to go home

 

[Froggy]

I needed a real break so yesterday (Friday) morning took a flight
Bangkok Airways lounge

Boarding

Taking off Suvarnabhumi Airport


Gift pack, bread and water

Landing at Ko Samui


Disembarking

Cart to the Samui Airport terminal

 

[Froggy]

The room in Samui

Pool in room

Relaxing at the pool side

Bath

 

[Froggy]

Lunch by the beach on Friday

Resort restaurant

Resort

Rose

Lunch


Nam tok grilled chicken

Crab omelette

Kwa ging pork

Spring roll

Lunch

 

[Froggy]

This is night time in the resort by the beach

Dinner

 

[yinyang]

Police crack down hard on latest rally
Rubber bullets and water cannon part of ugly ending to a day
that started with seizure of books on the monarchy
Bangkok Post PUBLISHED : 20 MAR 2021 AT 20:50

Riot police raise their shields as they restrain a demonstrator during clashes on Saturday night near Sanam Luang. (Reuters photo)

Police fired rubber bullets, tear gas and water cannon at protesters as another anti-government rally descended into violence on Saturday night.
The confrontation at Sanam Luang came after demonstrators used ropes to pull down part of a wall of shipping containers erected to keep them from advancing toward the Grand Palace. Waiting behind the containers was a line of riot-control officers and a water cannon truck.
After warning the crowd of about 1,000 not to advance any further, police initially fired water cannon into the air from behind the container barricade. But the crowd did not back off and riot police moved in.

Numerous scuffles erupted and the police response intensified. Video from the scene showed rubber bullets being fired, and witnesses said tear gas was also being used.

By 9pm, police had cleared the area around the containers but small skirmishes were continuing in nearby streets. Officers chased down some demonstrators and wrestled them violently to the ground.
Volunteer medics at the scene estimated that about 30 people had suffered injuries, and police said that five people had been arrested.
Some hardline demonstrators began regrouping at the Kok Wua intersection near Democracy Monument. Police were seen donning gas masks as they prepared to move onto Ratchadamnoen Nok Road.

The demonstration organised by the Redem (Restore Democracy) group was preceded earlier in the day by a raid on a publishing house and the seizure of a controversial book about the monarchy.
Redem, one of several groups in the increasingly splintered pro-democracy movement, has made reform of the monarchy the centerpiece of its campaign. It has made no secret of its hardline stand, announcing its latest rally by posting a notice online featuring a red guillotine.
Nonthaburi police, armed with a search warrant, visited Samesky Publishing Co, known for its liberal publications, around noon on Saturday.
They seized 179 copies of a booklet titled Monarchy and Thai Society, which is a transcript of a speech made by lawyer Arnon Nampa during a Harry Potter-themed rally staged near Democracy Monument on Aug 3 last year.
They acted after Redem posted on Facebook that 10,000 copies of the booklet would be distributed by a group calling itself Arnon’s Friends at the Sanam Luang rally site at 7.19pm.

Police said they needed to obtain evidence to build a case, and that the book could be illegal to possess, use or plan to use to commit a crime.
Same Sky Books later said on its Facebook page that while it had copies of the book, “we were not the ones who printed them”.
In response, Redem posted a link where people could freely download a PDF version of the booklet, urging people to read it together at 7.19pm.
Mr Arnon, together with several protest leaders, has been detained at Bangkok Remand Prison for almost a month on royal defamation and other charges. The courts have rejected six bail applications so far.

All told, 73 people are reported to have been charged with lese majeste under Article 112 of the Criminal Code since November, when Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha vowed that “all laws” would be used against critics of his government.
Police told a briefing on Saturday that they had prepared 3,000 men to handle any developments later in the day.
They insisted on the need to erect long barriers of double-stacked container barriers and razor wire to protect important places near Sanam Luang, such as the Grand Palace, Bangkok City Pillar Shrine, Wat Phra Si Rattana Satsadaram and the National Museum.
At least four groups under the Ratsadon umbrella had announced plans to join the rally. They are Free Youth or Redem, from 6pm to 9pm; Free Art (6.30pm), Arnon’s Friends (7.19pm) and Ratsskate, which invited people to skateboard at the site.
In spite of police efforts to stop the distribution of Mr Arnon’s booklet, several physical copies were also handed out at the rally site.
White kites were also sold, and people were invited to have headshots of detained protesters screened on them in colours of their choice. The idea was to fly the kites above the Grand Palace grounds.

Kite-flying was once a common activity at Sanam Laung until it was fenced off and reserved for royal ceremonies almost 10 years ago.
Since last year, police have built 179 cases against protesters, 129 of which have been sent to public prosecutors, according to police.

Protesters pull down a shipping container set up to block access to the nearby Grand Palace. (AFP photo)

A demonstrator flies a kite bearing an image of jailed activist Arnon Nampa. (Photo by iLaw)

 

[yinyang]

International pageant beauties visit Khlong Ong Ang
Nation
Mar 20. 2021

By THE NATION

Sixty-three Miss Grand International contestants from around the globe on Friday visited Bangkok’s famous canal, Khlong Ong Ang, in Phra Nakhon district prior to the pageant final round, which will be held on March 27 at Show DC Hall in Bangkok.

The canal recently won the 2020 Asian Townscape Award for Landscape Improvement Project.

UN Habitat Fukuoka selected Khlong Ong Ang as one of six places in Asia that demonstrated outstanding improvement in landscape, art, culture, safety and quality of life of people in surrounding communities.

Khlong Ong Ang weekend market and walking street opens Friday through Sunday from 4pm until 10pm. It features live music performances, street art exhibitions and a variety of products and street foods from local retailers, as well as a free kayaking trip in the canal.

 

[Froggy]

This morning woke up 5.45am go beach to take this

 

[Froggy]

I was pretty annoyed by the dogs at first when they kept running around in front of my camera when I was taking the time laps video (above) however watching them having fun really made my day

Looks like they appreciate a sunrise too

So cute and lovely, love them.

 

[Froggy]

Was a big surprise to find an authentic Japanese restaurant in Samui, Kobori Japanese Restaurant https://g.page/Kobori-Japanese-Restaurant?share

Great sake again another surprise

Owner and chef

Inside the restaurant

Edamame

Gyoza

So fresh the sashimi

Really surprised to get this during this period because so few tourists

Hokke, so juicy on the inside

I highly recommend anyone who is craving for Japanese food in Samui to visit Kobori

 

[Froggy]

Good Monday morning. What a glorious morning waking up to a view like this.

 

[yinyang]

Sinkies at #32?

Thailand's 'happiness' ranking unchanged in global report
Bangkok Post PUBLISHED : 21 MAR 2021 AT 18:54

Youngsters smile at the camera at Bang Sao Thong Klang School in Samut Prakan on Nov 12, 2020. Thailand's ranking in the World Happiness Report this year stays put at 54th. (Photo by Somchai Poomlard)

Thailand stayed at 54th in the rankings of the World Happiness Report that saw Finland on top of the globe and Singapore the best among Asean members.
The UN-sponsored report kept the Thailand in the same position as last year, two places below the 2019 ranking.
Finland was judged the world's happiest country again, while Singapore received the highest position among members of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations – at 32nd.

The Philippines was ranked 61st, followed by Vietnam at 79th and Malaysia at 81st, one notch ahead of Indonesia.

Laos, Cambodia and Myanmar rounded out the rankings of Southeast Asian countries at 100th, 114th and 126th respectively. Brunei was not in the report.
The annual report calculates the rankings from a number of factors, including gross domestic product and life expectancy, using data from the Gallup World Poll as the main source.
Despite staying at 54th among 149 countries in the report, Thailand was among nations praised for their success in containing the Covid-19 outbreak.

The country was at 116th among countries around the globe devasted by the pandemic, the Centre for Covid-19 Situation Administration reported on Sunday, citing Worldometers data. Thailand registered 90 new cases on Sunday, bringing the total number of confirmed cases to 27,803.

 

[yinyang]

Tourists flock to Rayong beach to revive their mood with cannabis drink
National
Mar 23. 2021

By THE NATION

Rayong’s Laem Charoen Beach was bustling with tourists again after the government lifted controls recently.
ADVERTISEMENT

Another reason for the crowds was the innovative cannabis-laced beverage being sold by vendors.

Thailand recently removed cannabis from its list of banned narcotics.

Saipan Keerana, the owner of Kreung Deum Arom Dee (Drinks for Good Mood) café, said: “I opened this café to earn extra income and offer a variety of beverages, such as fruit juice, tea and coffee.

“Now that the government has legalised some parts of the cannabis plant, I started using boiled cannabis leaves to make a refreshing beverage and it has become a big hit,” she added.

“These cannabis drinks come in many flavours, and we add a leaf or two of cannabis, so the consumer can experience the real taste of cannabis.”

The government now allows the use of some parts of cannabis and hemp plants as food ingredients, including bark, stem, stalk, fibre, root, leaves and extract that contains no more than 0.2 per cent cannabidiol and tetrahydrocannabinol.

This move aims to turn cannabis and hemp into cash crops.

 

[yinyang]

Plane tickets cheaper than Bangkok bus fare in new TAT promotion
National
Mar 24. 2021

By The Nation

Travellers, it’s time to check your pockets for change. On Tuesday, six Thai airlines launched special promotions with tickets for domestic routes starting from Bt8.

Organised by the Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT), the "Thai Travel Fleet is Even More Amazing" campaign aims to lure back passengers with low fares and Covid-safe transport.
The special fares are being offered by Nok Air, Thai AirAsia, Thai Lion Air, Thai Smile, Thai Vietjet, and Bangkok Airways.

Nok Air
30 per cent discounts plus Nok CareKits consisting of disposable seat covers, alcohol pads, and face masks on every seat.

Thai Airways
30 per cent discounts on domestic flight bookings from March 22-28 for travel from March 29-September 30.

Thai Lion Air
Weekday tickets from Bt99 (excluding airport tax) for bookings from April 1-30 to travel on April 1-September 30 (Monday-Thursday, excluding public holidays). Discount vouchers via Klook.

Thai Smile Airways

Fares on all domestic routes start at Bt8 with full service. Promotion available for one day only on March 26 (Friday) for travel from April 1-October 30.

Thai Vietjet
Fares start at Bt99, or Bt480 including taxes and fees, for bookings from March 23-December 31 to travel from March 24-December 31.

Bangkok Airways
50 per cent discount on round-trip fares if you apply for the FlyerBonus points reward programme and register via bangkokair.com/halfprice from 8am on March 24 to 8pm on March 26.

 

[yinyang]

6 Bangkok restaurants on Asia top 50 list
Bangkok Post PUBLISHED : 26 MAR 2021 AT 05:00

Gaggan Anand, left, Jay Fai, centre, and Thitid 'Ton' Tassanakajohn pose for a photo following the virtual announcement at Le Du restaurant in Silom. More than 300 experts voted to rank 'the best' 50 restaurants and bars in Asia.  Somchai Poomlard

The induction of six local restaurants onto The World's 50 Best's Asia's 50 Best Restaurants 2021 list was announced in Bangkok on Monday.
Awards were given to these restaurants during a virtual ceremony at Le Du restaurant in Bangkok on Monday.
The World's 50 Best is an organisation that ranks restaurants and bars around the world. Every year it surveys the top restaurants and bars in Asia to be placed on the list.

Six restaurants in Bangkok made it onto the Asia top 50 list this year, with Le Du taking the No 4 spot, and one-year-old Nusara debuting at No 20.

"I'm very grateful that we can have [our] Thai restaurants -- each with its own style -- accepted, especially by locals, since the awards were more localised this year, Thitid "Ton" Tassanakajohn, chief patron of Le Du and Nusara, said.
Gaggan Anand Restaurant, owned by Kolkata-born chef Gaggan Anand, debuted at No 5.
Chef Anand closed his first Bangkok restaurant -- previously voted No 1 for a record four times in a row from 2015–2018 -- to open Gaggan Anand Restaurant, a reincarnation of the eatery with a subtle name difference in 2019.

"I feel amazing because it's good -- especially in Covid times -- that we are surviving with fine dining on a day-to-day basis," he said.
"This is the biggest motivation we have when we have no work," Chef Anand added.
"I'm very grateful and thankful to all my fans, friends and whoever thought we could be here, and support us in this new restaurant that we created from nothing."

The other local restaurants that made the list are Sühring at No 6; Sorn at No 11; and Gaa at No 46.
Legendary Bangkok street food chef Supinya "Jay Fai" Junsuta, whose restaurant received a Michelin star in 2018, was the recipient of the Icon Award -- Asia 2021.

Chef Supinya has been cooking at her open-air shophouse for more than 40 years, turning her modest restaurant into a coveted destination.
The Icon Award honours culinary art figures making contributions to their community and the broader restaurant industry.
More than 300 members of the Asia's 50 Best Restaurants Academy are said to survey potential recipients every year.
The No 1 spot went to The Chairman in Hong Kong, while No 2 and 3 went to Odette in Singapore and Den in Tokyo, respectively.
The organisation also unveiled restaurants that were ranked below No 50. Japan and Thailand took nine placements each, while China took eight and South Korea took four.

The restaurants in Thailand are: 80/20 at No 55; Samrub For Thai at No 59; Raan Jay Fai at No 62; Paste at No 70; Le Normandie at No 74; Bo.Lan at No 78; Baan Tepa at No 79; Nahm at No 80; and Quince at No 97.
Over 300 members of the academy, including chefs and culinary experts, voted to include these restaurants on this year's list.

 

[yinyang]

Phuket 'to reopen by July'
No quarantine for those with jabs
Bangkok Post PUBLISHED : 26 MAR 2021 AT 04:00

Beach chairs lie empty on the resort island of Phuket in January. (Photo: Achadthaya Chuenniran)

The government is expected to give the green light today to allow tourists who have been vaccinated against Covid-19 to visit the island of Phuket without having to undergo the mandated quarantine period, starting in July.

Supattanapong Punmeechaow, deputy prime minister, said the Centre for Economic Situation Administration (CESA), will today consider a reopening plan approved by business operators on the island.
The meeting will be chaired by Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha and the plan could serve as a model for the reopening process for other provinces that rely on tourism.

Local entrepreneurs and communities have agreed the island province could reopen to foreign tourists, Mr Supattanapong, who is also the energy minister, said.

He said these entrepreneurs and communities are confident Phuket's tourism infrastructure is still able to accommodate "quality visitors."
"Phuket has been recognised by foreign tourists," Mr Supattanapong said. "But local businesses and people have suffered during the second wave the Covid-19 pandemic.

"They have joined forces and offered to be a reopening model for major tourist provinces," he added. "There are flights to the province and hotels to attract quality tourists.
"They believe if the government supports the plan, the province should reopen before October," the deputy prime minister said.

Previously, provincial authorities and the local private sector came up with a reopening plan, known as the Phuket Tourism Sandbox, to allow inoculated foreign tourists to visit the province from July 1, brought forward from the original planned Oct 1.
Yuthasak Supasorn, governor of the Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT), previously said the reopening plan will depend depend largely on vaccine allocation to the Andaman Sea island.

He said herd immunity must be achieved by inoculating 70% of the population before foreign visitors are allowed in by the reopening date.
The plan is said to include a vaccination proposal, complete with the number of doses needed and an inoculation timeline suitable for a safe reopening of the tourist island.
Mr Yuthasak said communities are expected to support this plan more so than last year's Phuket model as the current one is more elaborate and able to guarantee health safety measures.

According to the sandbox proposal, at least 466,587 residents living on Phuket need to receive two doses each. The proposal aims to secure 933,174 doses.
To reach the herd immunity goal within a specific time frame, the first round of inoculations should start on April 15, while the second should be rolled out from May 15.
Under the plan, tourists who want to join the proposed quarantine-free programme are required to show a vaccine certificate, vaccine passport or International Air Transport Association (IATA) travel pass.
However, foreign tourists are still required to take a PCR test at the airport and activate the ThailandPlus tracing app while in Phuket, according to the plan.

Kusak Kukiatkul, Phuket's public health chief, on Thursday said the island will receive its second batch of 100,000 Covid-19 vaccine doses on Monday to prepare for the planned reopening.
Dr Kusak said tourism is the main source of income for Phuket.
Priority groups to receive the jabs first will include public health officials in close contact with Covid-19 patients, employees in the local service industry, such as hotel, airport and dock workers, and people with underlying health problems.
The second batch of vaccines will arrive on Monday and the vaccination plan will start on Thursday, Dr Kusak said, adding that Phuket residents have been urged to register for vaccination at the provincial public health office.
"Don't worry because the outcome of the first round of vaccinations was very satisfactory -- with little side effects reported," he said. "It is similar to general vaccinations."

He added that if the 100,000 doses can be administered to people in Phuket within one month, the number of jabs is expected to be increased during additional rounds of vaccination to achieve the 70% immunity goal in the province.
The government plans to distribute 800,000 doses of China's Sinovac vaccine, which will arrive in 22 provinces in the kingdom in April.
The first group includes Samut Sakhon, Bangkok, Tak, Pathum Thani, Samut Prakan and Nonthaburi, while the second and third include tourist and border provinces, such as Phuket and Surat Thani and Songkhla, Sa Kaeo, Chiang Rai, Mukdahan, Narathiwat and Ranong.

 

[yinyang]