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A Singaporean's guide to living in Thailand
- Thread starter Leongsam
- Start date
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It's strange that Thai durians don't have a strong lingering odor like the ones from mudland.
- Joined
- Aug 8, 2008
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Behind Fashion Island
- Joined
- Oct 19, 2008
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Ah ok, not that far from where I stayed, at Pak Kret, relatively speaking.
- Joined
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https://www.bangkokpost.com/thailan...ian-variant-of-covid-19-confirmed-in-thailand
Indian variant of Covid-19 confirmed in Thailand
Government considers widening ban on foreign arrivals throughout subcontinent
published : 10 May 2021 at 14:51
People gather to receive their coronavirus vaccine doses at a vaccination centre in Karachi, Pakistan, on April 28. (Reuters photo)
The Indian variant of Covid-19 has arrived in Thailand.
The variant was detected in a Thai woman and her young son arriving from Pakistan, prompting authorities to consider widening the ban on international arrivals to other countries besides India.
Apisamai Srirangson, the assistant spokeswoman for the Centre for Covid-19 Situation Administration, said on Monday the woman and her three sons, aged four, six and eight, arrived in Thailand from Pakistan via Dubai on April 24.
All were in a state-arranged quarantine facility after the arrival and the first tests found the mother and her youngest son were positive, while the other children were not infected.
A whole genome sequencing test conducted at Chulalongkorn Memorial Hospital on Sunday confirmed the virus detected on them was the variant from India, named B.1.617.1.
"These were the first detections of the Indian variant in the country," Dr Apisamai said.
The B.1.617.1 variant was recorded for the first time in India in October before spreading to other countries. Pakistan, Nepal and Bangladesh were among the nations on the subcontinent where this virus was found. In Southeast Asia, Singapore, Malaysia and Indonesia have detected the same variant.
Dr Apisamai said authorities were worried by the arrival of this version of the virus and the new danger it poses. "There is concern about this variant and about the possibility that it could mutate in Thailand," she added.
Thailand has barred foreign arrivals from India since the beginning of this month due to worries about the Indian variant. The Thai embassy in India does not issue certificates of entry (COE) to any non-Thai nationals, effectively meaning they cannot travel to the kingdom.
The assistant spokeswoman said the Foreign Ministry and Department of Disease Control were on Monday holding discussions about halting the issuance of the entry permit in other countries to try to keep the Indian variant of Covid-19 out of Thailand.
She did not name the countries but said the variant had been recorded in Pakistan, Bangladesh and Nepal.
"There is a possibility of delaying COEs in other countries," she added.
Indian variant of Covid-19 confirmed in Thailand
Government considers widening ban on foreign arrivals throughout subcontinent
published : 10 May 2021 at 14:51
People gather to receive their coronavirus vaccine doses at a vaccination centre in Karachi, Pakistan, on April 28. (Reuters photo)
The Indian variant of Covid-19 has arrived in Thailand.
The variant was detected in a Thai woman and her young son arriving from Pakistan, prompting authorities to consider widening the ban on international arrivals to other countries besides India.
Apisamai Srirangson, the assistant spokeswoman for the Centre for Covid-19 Situation Administration, said on Monday the woman and her three sons, aged four, six and eight, arrived in Thailand from Pakistan via Dubai on April 24.
All were in a state-arranged quarantine facility after the arrival and the first tests found the mother and her youngest son were positive, while the other children were not infected.
A whole genome sequencing test conducted at Chulalongkorn Memorial Hospital on Sunday confirmed the virus detected on them was the variant from India, named B.1.617.1.
"These were the first detections of the Indian variant in the country," Dr Apisamai said.
The B.1.617.1 variant was recorded for the first time in India in October before spreading to other countries. Pakistan, Nepal and Bangladesh were among the nations on the subcontinent where this virus was found. In Southeast Asia, Singapore, Malaysia and Indonesia have detected the same variant.
Dr Apisamai said authorities were worried by the arrival of this version of the virus and the new danger it poses. "There is concern about this variant and about the possibility that it could mutate in Thailand," she added.
Thailand has barred foreign arrivals from India since the beginning of this month due to worries about the Indian variant. The Thai embassy in India does not issue certificates of entry (COE) to any non-Thai nationals, effectively meaning they cannot travel to the kingdom.
The assistant spokeswoman said the Foreign Ministry and Department of Disease Control were on Monday holding discussions about halting the issuance of the entry permit in other countries to try to keep the Indian variant of Covid-19 out of Thailand.
She did not name the countries but said the variant had been recorded in Pakistan, Bangladesh and Nepal.
"There is a possibility of delaying COEs in other countries," she added.
Care to share yr formulae in steaming CK ? What flour, water ant , etc ?Sunday made some chwee kueh
Prepare
Steam
Ready
- Joined
- Aug 8, 2008
- Messages
- 28,843
- Points
- 113
Yesterday passed by Pattaya on the way back to Bangkok. Haven't been into Pattaya for a while so decided to enter Pattaya to have a look at what's happening.
For those who missed Pattaya like myself I made 2 videos and wanna share them with those of you wondering the scenes in Pattaya these days.
This is a video entering Pattaya via the Motorway and driving along the Sukhumvit Road
This second and longer video below saw me started driving along the Pattaya's 2nd Road (at around (11am) then turning into the Pattaya Beach Road at the end of the 2nd Road near the Terminal 21 Mall. Driving along the Beach Road till it ended at the Pattaya Walking Street and then proceeded along Pattaya South Road towards Sukhumvit Road.
Hope you guys enjoy these 2 videos
For those who missed Pattaya like myself I made 2 videos and wanna share them with those of you wondering the scenes in Pattaya these days.
This is a video entering Pattaya via the Motorway and driving along the Sukhumvit Road
This second and longer video below saw me started driving along the Pattaya's 2nd Road (at around (11am) then turning into the Pattaya Beach Road at the end of the 2nd Road near the Terminal 21 Mall. Driving along the Beach Road till it ended at the Pattaya Walking Street and then proceeded along Pattaya South Road towards Sukhumvit Road.
Hope you guys enjoy these 2 videos
- Joined
- Jul 15, 2008
- Messages
- 20,465
- Points
- 113
Ambitious or big talk?
5m targeted for jabs in city
Mass inoculation push over 2 monthszngkk
Bangkok Post PUBLISHED : 12 MAY 2021 AT 04:00
Volunteers wait to be vaccinated before being trained to assist in the vaccination drive at CentralPlaza Lardprao shopping centre. They will get to work today in an area set aside by the centre for administering Covid-19 shots from 8am to 5pm every day. They expect to deal with at least 1,000 people a day. (Photo by Varuth Hirunyatheb)
Health authorities now aim to get around 70% of the capital's residents, or about 5 million people, vaccinated against Covid-19 in two months, according to a top Public Health Ministry official.
The move followed Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha on Tuesday voicing concern during the cabinet meeting that the number of people who have registered for vaccinations with the government was below target.
So far, more than 1.6 million people aged 60 and above and those with seven types of underlying health conditions have signed up for vaccines.
Of this number, more than 500,000 were in Bangkok and over 200,000 others were in the northern province of Lampang.
Sopon Mekthon, assistant to the public health minister in his capacity as chairman of the government's sub-committee on Covid-19 vaccination management, said the mass vaccination drive aimed to curb the serious outbreak in the capital, after a meeting of the sub-committee at the ministry on Tuesday.
Dr Sopon said the ministry will use both Sinovac and AstraZeneca vaccines during the mass inoculation campaign in Bangkok, adding that an additional 2.5 million doses of the Sinovac jab and 1.7 million doses of the AstraZeneca shot will be delivered to the country this month.
The ministry plans to use parts of Bang Sue Railway Central Station as a vaccination hub and to administer 100,000 doses per day in Bangkok.
In Bangkok, people aged over 18 years are eligible to receive Covid vaccines. However, they must not have any medical contraindications that might endanger them.
Dr Sopon went on to say that he was also confident that from next month, each month there will be 10 million more doses of Covid-19 vaccines available.
"So, we want every province to keep accelerating their vaccination programme," he said.
Sopon Iamsirithaworn, deputy director-general of the Disease Control Department, said the residents targeted included migrants and residents who aren't registered in the capital.
As of now, only 5% of the capital's residents have been vaccinated, he said.
Deputy Prime Minister and Public Health Minister Anutin Charnvirakul said the government now aims to get 70% of the entire population, or about 50 million people, vaccinated against Covid-19 by December.
The government has now set expanding its mass Covid-19 vaccination programme to cover more groups of people as a national agenda item, aiming to reach herd immunity against the coronavirus.
Prime Minister Prayut said he proposed at Tuesday's cabinet meeting to scale up the country's procurement, distribution and injections of Covid-19 vaccines.
"I'd like to invite everyone to come for a [Covid-19] vaccine. We need to vaccinate as many people as possible so that Thailand will be able to move forward," said Gen Prayut.
"All types of [Covid-19] vaccines the government has imported are effective, certified by the Public Health Ministry, used widely around the world on tens of millions of people including many country leaders," the prime minister said.
All of these Covid-19 vaccines have been proven to be almost 100% effective in preventing deaths associated with severe symptoms of Covid-19 infection, while the side effects of them are very minor, especially compared to the risk of death from actual infection, he said.
"I myself, the entire cabinet and other government and opposition lawmakers have all been injected with these vaccines without experiencing any [serious] side-effects," he said.
5m targeted for jabs in city
Mass inoculation push over 2 monthszngkk
Bangkok Post PUBLISHED : 12 MAY 2021 AT 04:00
Health authorities now aim to get around 70% of the capital's residents, or about 5 million people, vaccinated against Covid-19 in two months, according to a top Public Health Ministry official.
The move followed Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha on Tuesday voicing concern during the cabinet meeting that the number of people who have registered for vaccinations with the government was below target.
So far, more than 1.6 million people aged 60 and above and those with seven types of underlying health conditions have signed up for vaccines.
Of this number, more than 500,000 were in Bangkok and over 200,000 others were in the northern province of Lampang.
Sopon Mekthon, assistant to the public health minister in his capacity as chairman of the government's sub-committee on Covid-19 vaccination management, said the mass vaccination drive aimed to curb the serious outbreak in the capital, after a meeting of the sub-committee at the ministry on Tuesday.
Dr Sopon said the ministry will use both Sinovac and AstraZeneca vaccines during the mass inoculation campaign in Bangkok, adding that an additional 2.5 million doses of the Sinovac jab and 1.7 million doses of the AstraZeneca shot will be delivered to the country this month.
The ministry plans to use parts of Bang Sue Railway Central Station as a vaccination hub and to administer 100,000 doses per day in Bangkok.
In Bangkok, people aged over 18 years are eligible to receive Covid vaccines. However, they must not have any medical contraindications that might endanger them.
Dr Sopon went on to say that he was also confident that from next month, each month there will be 10 million more doses of Covid-19 vaccines available.
"So, we want every province to keep accelerating their vaccination programme," he said.
Sopon Iamsirithaworn, deputy director-general of the Disease Control Department, said the residents targeted included migrants and residents who aren't registered in the capital.
As of now, only 5% of the capital's residents have been vaccinated, he said.
Deputy Prime Minister and Public Health Minister Anutin Charnvirakul said the government now aims to get 70% of the entire population, or about 50 million people, vaccinated against Covid-19 by December.
The government has now set expanding its mass Covid-19 vaccination programme to cover more groups of people as a national agenda item, aiming to reach herd immunity against the coronavirus.
Prime Minister Prayut said he proposed at Tuesday's cabinet meeting to scale up the country's procurement, distribution and injections of Covid-19 vaccines.
"I'd like to invite everyone to come for a [Covid-19] vaccine. We need to vaccinate as many people as possible so that Thailand will be able to move forward," said Gen Prayut.
"All types of [Covid-19] vaccines the government has imported are effective, certified by the Public Health Ministry, used widely around the world on tens of millions of people including many country leaders," the prime minister said.
All of these Covid-19 vaccines have been proven to be almost 100% effective in preventing deaths associated with severe symptoms of Covid-19 infection, while the side effects of them are very minor, especially compared to the risk of death from actual infection, he said.
"I myself, the entire cabinet and other government and opposition lawmakers have all been injected with these vaccines without experiencing any [serious] side-effects," he said.
- Joined
- Jul 15, 2008
- Messages
- 20,465
- Points
- 113
Fate on TG, big haircut
Creditors vote Wednesday on THAI rehab plan
Some stakeholders reject debt haircut
Bangkok Post PUBLISHED : 12 MAY 2021 AT 05:00
Thai Airways aircraft remain grounded at Suvarnabhumi airport as the airline's creditors vote on Wednesday whether to accept its debt rehabilitation plan. (Photo by Apichit Jinakul)
If Thai Airways International Plc (THAI) were to go under on decision day, which is Wednesday, creditors would only be paid 12.9% of what is owed to them, a source at the airline warned.
On Wednesday, 13,000 creditors are voting on whether to accept or reject the debt rehabilitation plan prepared by the company. If they vote it down, the airline will be declared bankrupt and the creditors will walk away with 12.9% of what the airline owes them, the source said.
In the event THAI goes into bankruptcy, the next step involves appraising the airline's assets to determine how much the company is able to repay of its debts. The 12.9% estimation, which is a gauge of the airline's repayment capability, is based on the value of the assets the company currently holds.
In early March, the company submitted its rehabilitation plan to the Legal Execution Department, covering debts amounting to around 410 billion baht, after the proposed debt-restructuring plan had been accepted by the Central Bankruptcy Court. Major shareholders between themselves own about 180 billion baht of the total 410 billion baht's worth of THAI's debt.
But if the rehab plan gets adopted at today's meeting, the airline will probably be given a significant period of time to sort out its affairs and turn its financial woes around.
THAI's rehab plan calls for an extension of the repayment of debt stemming from debentures worth 70 billion baht to a 10-year period, with a debt moratorium allowed in the early stages of repayment, according to the source.
THAI is implementing rigorous cost-cutting measures which so far include shedding several thousand of its employees from its 20,000-strong workforce via early retirement schemes.
The source added the rehab plan does not stipulate that the Finance Ministry must secure a loan to ease the airline's liquidity crunch totaling 50 billion baht.
The plan loosely states that anyone can procure the loan, with the ministry helping during negotiations to obtain cash infusions.
The source said the plan also does not require a haircut to be made as several of the cooperatives form a large group of the creditors who own a combined 40 billion baht's worth of THAI's debentures.
The cooperatives objected to a haircut out of concern the move would mar the cooperatives' financial standing which could spark a panic withdrawal of savings by their members.
The source also said that more than 10 creditors were seeking to revise several areas of the rehab plan. Some have indicated they might opt to defer their vote in today's meeting.
Although the Finance Ministry has the largest chunk of THAI's shares, at 49.9%, it is not the biggest creditor. In fact, its portion of the debt is dwarfed even by the combined value of the airline's bonds held by the cooperatives.
Creditors vote Wednesday on THAI rehab plan
Some stakeholders reject debt haircut
Bangkok Post PUBLISHED : 12 MAY 2021 AT 05:00
If Thai Airways International Plc (THAI) were to go under on decision day, which is Wednesday, creditors would only be paid 12.9% of what is owed to them, a source at the airline warned.
On Wednesday, 13,000 creditors are voting on whether to accept or reject the debt rehabilitation plan prepared by the company. If they vote it down, the airline will be declared bankrupt and the creditors will walk away with 12.9% of what the airline owes them, the source said.
In the event THAI goes into bankruptcy, the next step involves appraising the airline's assets to determine how much the company is able to repay of its debts. The 12.9% estimation, which is a gauge of the airline's repayment capability, is based on the value of the assets the company currently holds.
In early March, the company submitted its rehabilitation plan to the Legal Execution Department, covering debts amounting to around 410 billion baht, after the proposed debt-restructuring plan had been accepted by the Central Bankruptcy Court. Major shareholders between themselves own about 180 billion baht of the total 410 billion baht's worth of THAI's debt.
But if the rehab plan gets adopted at today's meeting, the airline will probably be given a significant period of time to sort out its affairs and turn its financial woes around.
THAI's rehab plan calls for an extension of the repayment of debt stemming from debentures worth 70 billion baht to a 10-year period, with a debt moratorium allowed in the early stages of repayment, according to the source.
THAI is implementing rigorous cost-cutting measures which so far include shedding several thousand of its employees from its 20,000-strong workforce via early retirement schemes.
The source added the rehab plan does not stipulate that the Finance Ministry must secure a loan to ease the airline's liquidity crunch totaling 50 billion baht.
The plan loosely states that anyone can procure the loan, with the ministry helping during negotiations to obtain cash infusions.
The source said the plan also does not require a haircut to be made as several of the cooperatives form a large group of the creditors who own a combined 40 billion baht's worth of THAI's debentures.
The cooperatives objected to a haircut out of concern the move would mar the cooperatives' financial standing which could spark a panic withdrawal of savings by their members.
The source also said that more than 10 creditors were seeking to revise several areas of the rehab plan. Some have indicated they might opt to defer their vote in today's meeting.
Although the Finance Ministry has the largest chunk of THAI's shares, at 49.9%, it is not the biggest creditor. In fact, its portion of the debt is dwarfed even by the combined value of the airline's bonds held by the cooperatives.
- Joined
- Aug 8, 2008
- Messages
- 28,843
- Points
- 113
https://www.bangkokpost.com/thailan...sands-of-inmates-at-two-prisons-have-covid-19
Thousands of inmates at two prisons have Covid-19
published : 12 May 2021 at 17:25
Inmates at Bangkok Remand Prison pass the time reading books. (Bangkok Post file photo)
A total of 2,835 inmates at two main prisons in Bangkok - the Bangkok Remand Prison and Central Women's Correctional Institution - have been found to be infected with Covid-19, Corrections Department director-general Aryut Sinthoppan said on Wednesday.
Mr Aryut revealed the figures after democracy activist Panusya Sithijirawattanakul posted on her Facebook page after being released on bail that she was infected with the virus during her stay in detention.
Ms Panusya was released on May 6 after being detained for 59 days at the Central Women's Correctional Institution.
Mr Aryut said active case finding conducted on prison officials and inmates found that 1,795 prisoners at Bangkok Remand Prison and 1,040 at the Central Women's Correctional Institution - 2,835 in total - were infected with the Covid-19 virus.
Most of them were being treated at the field hospitals set up at the two prisons or the Corrections Hospital. Others in more severe condition were admitted to other hospitals outside, he said.
"The Corrections Department has ordered all correctional facilities to set up an area for quarantine and a field hospital, with doctors and nurses on duty to provide treatment for the infected inmates.
"We also plan to inoculate all detainees. We are only waiting for an allocation of vaccines from relevant agencies," Mr Aryut said.
The Corrections Department had conducted active case finding on prison officials and detainees. Those found infected were taken out for treatment and those deemed high-risk put in quarantine.
New inmates were to be placed in quarantine for at least 21 days and they must be tested for Covid-19 twice before being sent to different zones.
He said the number of infected inmates was small when compared to the number of infections throughout the country.
According to a source at the Corrections Department, as of May 5, there were 3,238 prisoners at the Bangkok Remand Prison and 4,518 at the Central Women's Correctional Institution,
The website prisonstudies.org reports there were 307,910 people being held in Thai prisons as of April 1 this year, including pre-trial detainees. The site, run by the Institute for Crime and Justice Policy Research, quotes the "national prison administration".
Thousands of inmates at two prisons have Covid-19
published : 12 May 2021 at 17:25
Inmates at Bangkok Remand Prison pass the time reading books. (Bangkok Post file photo)
A total of 2,835 inmates at two main prisons in Bangkok - the Bangkok Remand Prison and Central Women's Correctional Institution - have been found to be infected with Covid-19, Corrections Department director-general Aryut Sinthoppan said on Wednesday.
Mr Aryut revealed the figures after democracy activist Panusya Sithijirawattanakul posted on her Facebook page after being released on bail that she was infected with the virus during her stay in detention.
Ms Panusya was released on May 6 after being detained for 59 days at the Central Women's Correctional Institution.
Mr Aryut said active case finding conducted on prison officials and inmates found that 1,795 prisoners at Bangkok Remand Prison and 1,040 at the Central Women's Correctional Institution - 2,835 in total - were infected with the Covid-19 virus.
Most of them were being treated at the field hospitals set up at the two prisons or the Corrections Hospital. Others in more severe condition were admitted to other hospitals outside, he said.
"The Corrections Department has ordered all correctional facilities to set up an area for quarantine and a field hospital, with doctors and nurses on duty to provide treatment for the infected inmates.
"We also plan to inoculate all detainees. We are only waiting for an allocation of vaccines from relevant agencies," Mr Aryut said.
The Corrections Department had conducted active case finding on prison officials and detainees. Those found infected were taken out for treatment and those deemed high-risk put in quarantine.
New inmates were to be placed in quarantine for at least 21 days and they must be tested for Covid-19 twice before being sent to different zones.
He said the number of infected inmates was small when compared to the number of infections throughout the country.
According to a source at the Corrections Department, as of May 5, there were 3,238 prisoners at the Bangkok Remand Prison and 4,518 at the Central Women's Correctional Institution,
The website prisonstudies.org reports there were 307,910 people being held in Thai prisons as of April 1 this year, including pre-trial detainees. The site, run by the Institute for Crime and Justice Policy Research, quotes the "national prison administration".
- Joined
- Aug 8, 2008
- Messages
- 28,843
- Points
- 113
"You snakes. You brood of vipers. How will you escape being condemned to hell?"
https://asia.nikkei.com/Spotlight/M...=1&pub_date=20210512190000&seq_num=2&si=44594
Thai PM and Myanmar junta chief stay engaged via back channels
Talks between Prayuth and Min Aung Hlaing illustrate bonds between militaries
Thailand's Prime Minister Prayuth Chan-ocha, left, and Myanmar Senior Gen. Min Aung Hlaing: Min Aung Hlaing was the first Southeast Asian military leader who reached out to Prayuth after he overthrew an elected Thai government in 2014 as army chief. (Source photos by Reuters)
MARWAAN MACAN-MARKAR, Asia regional correspondentMay 12, 2021 11:19 JST
BANGKOK -- Thailand's pro-military government has tapped its back-channel contacts with Myanmar's armed forces to shape Bangkok's diplomatic options following the turmoil and bloodshed in its neighbor since the February coup in Naypyitaw.
Prime Minister Prayuth Chan-ocha tipped this element of Bangkok's approach by skipping the recent summit of Association of Southeast Asian Nations leaders in Jakarta. He sent Foreign Minister Don Pramudwinai instead for the ASEAN gathering convened to chart a regional response to Myanmar.
Prayuth seemingly missed his chance to engage with Senior Gen. Min Aung Hlaing, Myanmar's military chief and junta leader, who flew to the Indonesian capital for the April 24 summit -- his first overseas trip since the power grab.
But criticism of Prayuth prompted this retort from a confidant: "The P.M. does not have to attend the ASEAN summit to engage with [Min Aung Hlaing]."
Pressed to elaborate, the source in the prime minister's inner circle told Nikkei Asia that Prayuth benefits from direct links cultivated by members of Thailand's army over the past decade with counterparts in the Tatmadaw, as Myanmar's military is called.
"We have maintained back channels, and [Prayuth and Min Aung Hlaing] can communicate without having to meet," he said. "They have talked since the coup."
"They know how to engage," he added, but the source declined to reveal the substance of their discussions.
Prayuth, now a retired general, overthrew an elected Thai government in 2014 when he was army chief. He led the Thai junta for five years until the 2019 general election, which paved the way for his 2-year-old pro-military governing alliance.
This chemistry between the two militaries has not been lost on veteran Thai diplomats who engaged with a broad range of Myanmar's political players prior to the putsch.
"The two militaries think alike as comrades-in-arms, and they can understand each other well," said Kobsak Chutikul, a former Thai ambassador. "The Thai and Myanmar militaries have a lot of contact at many levels -- local commanders, border commanders, regional commanders and even at the highest level, the central command."
The bonds stem from the 2,400-km border shared by the countries, a line longer than Myanmar's boundaries with China in the northeast and India in the west. Troops from Thailand's Third Army, which handles security in the country's northern sector, watch a line that stretches across mountainous terrain, remote and porous valleys as well as busy border towns where people and goods flow both ways.
Those troops now face refugees crossing from Myanmar as the Tatmadaw's campaign to repress anti-coup protesters has resulted in over 750 deaths. The border is also a route for the movement of illegal weapons and the multibillion-dollar narcotics trade from drug labs in northeastern Myanmar.
The Thai military traditionally calls the shots in shaping the Southeast Asian kingdom's foreign policy toward its immediate neighbors.
But Min Aung Hlaing also was the first Southeast Asian military leader to reach out to Prayuth after he staged the 2014 coup, praising him for the putsch. Two years earlier, Min Aung Hlaing had sought the blessing of Thai Gen. Prem Tinsulanonda -- a former army chief, former prime minister and president of the royal advisory Privy Council -- to become his "adopted son."
Thailand's personal ties with Min Aung Hlaing were elevated to new heights in 2018 when he was awarded the country's Knight Grand Cross of the Most Exalted Order of the White Elephant, a royal decoration normally given to military officers and civilians who have been recognized for distinguished service. It was bestowed "in honor of the support he has shown for the Thai military," the Bangkok Post, an English-language daily, reported at the time.
Min Aung Hlaing's bonds with Thai military counterparts reflect the dramatic change in relations between the two neighbors, once marked by historical animosities, deep suspicion and border skirmishes.
Bangkok's security policy toward Myanmar over a decade ago was illustrated by its "buffer zone" strategy, which allowed armed ethnic rebels in Myanmar fighting separatist wars against the Tatmadaw to operate along the Thai border. Tension was rife along the border at the time, said a security analyst, with the ethnic fighters serving as useful proxies for the Thai military.
"There was a lack of trust between the two countries in those days because of the buffer zone policies," said Sihasak Phuangketkeow, former permanent secretary of Thailand's Foreign Ministry. "But not so now, and the Thai military's border policies changed for many reasons, including the realization about the scope of border trade."
Cross-border trade between the countries totaled $5.4 billion for the fiscal year 2018-2019, according to the Thai ministry of commerce. It was driven by Thailand pouring investment into infrastructure to bolster economic ties and the many new checkpoints opened for Thai businesses to tap. Prior to the coup, Kasikorn Research Center, a subsidiary of KBank, a Thai bank, forecast that in Mae Sot, the busiest border crossing, trade would reach 100 billion baht (about $3.3 billion) by 2021. The robust cross-border trade follows the nearly $11 billion in foreign direct investment Thailand has sent into Myanmar over the past three decades, coming third after China and Singapore.
"Thailand deals with Myanmar on a daily basis, at many levels, so the government's response to the coup will have to factor multiple challenges," Sihasak said, echoing sentiments from some in Thai military circles that the country is the "only frontline state" in relation to Myanmar, unlike other ASEAN members. "Our diplomatic language will naturally be more restrained, and we will not be able to talk like Indonesia or Singapore about Myanmar."
Prayuth's approach reflects this, influenced by what his military advisers say about the inner workings of post-coup Myanmar.
"Staying engaged is our priority," the source in the prime minister's office said. "We are closer than you think."
https://asia.nikkei.com/Spotlight/M...=1&pub_date=20210512190000&seq_num=2&si=44594
Thai PM and Myanmar junta chief stay engaged via back channels
Talks between Prayuth and Min Aung Hlaing illustrate bonds between militaries
Thailand's Prime Minister Prayuth Chan-ocha, left, and Myanmar Senior Gen. Min Aung Hlaing: Min Aung Hlaing was the first Southeast Asian military leader who reached out to Prayuth after he overthrew an elected Thai government in 2014 as army chief. (Source photos by Reuters)
MARWAAN MACAN-MARKAR, Asia regional correspondentMay 12, 2021 11:19 JST
BANGKOK -- Thailand's pro-military government has tapped its back-channel contacts with Myanmar's armed forces to shape Bangkok's diplomatic options following the turmoil and bloodshed in its neighbor since the February coup in Naypyitaw.
Prime Minister Prayuth Chan-ocha tipped this element of Bangkok's approach by skipping the recent summit of Association of Southeast Asian Nations leaders in Jakarta. He sent Foreign Minister Don Pramudwinai instead for the ASEAN gathering convened to chart a regional response to Myanmar.
Prayuth seemingly missed his chance to engage with Senior Gen. Min Aung Hlaing, Myanmar's military chief and junta leader, who flew to the Indonesian capital for the April 24 summit -- his first overseas trip since the power grab.
But criticism of Prayuth prompted this retort from a confidant: "The P.M. does not have to attend the ASEAN summit to engage with [Min Aung Hlaing]."
Pressed to elaborate, the source in the prime minister's inner circle told Nikkei Asia that Prayuth benefits from direct links cultivated by members of Thailand's army over the past decade with counterparts in the Tatmadaw, as Myanmar's military is called.
"We have maintained back channels, and [Prayuth and Min Aung Hlaing] can communicate without having to meet," he said. "They have talked since the coup."
"They know how to engage," he added, but the source declined to reveal the substance of their discussions.
Prayuth, now a retired general, overthrew an elected Thai government in 2014 when he was army chief. He led the Thai junta for five years until the 2019 general election, which paved the way for his 2-year-old pro-military governing alliance.
This chemistry between the two militaries has not been lost on veteran Thai diplomats who engaged with a broad range of Myanmar's political players prior to the putsch.
"The two militaries think alike as comrades-in-arms, and they can understand each other well," said Kobsak Chutikul, a former Thai ambassador. "The Thai and Myanmar militaries have a lot of contact at many levels -- local commanders, border commanders, regional commanders and even at the highest level, the central command."
The bonds stem from the 2,400-km border shared by the countries, a line longer than Myanmar's boundaries with China in the northeast and India in the west. Troops from Thailand's Third Army, which handles security in the country's northern sector, watch a line that stretches across mountainous terrain, remote and porous valleys as well as busy border towns where people and goods flow both ways.
Those troops now face refugees crossing from Myanmar as the Tatmadaw's campaign to repress anti-coup protesters has resulted in over 750 deaths. The border is also a route for the movement of illegal weapons and the multibillion-dollar narcotics trade from drug labs in northeastern Myanmar.
The Thai military traditionally calls the shots in shaping the Southeast Asian kingdom's foreign policy toward its immediate neighbors.
But Min Aung Hlaing also was the first Southeast Asian military leader to reach out to Prayuth after he staged the 2014 coup, praising him for the putsch. Two years earlier, Min Aung Hlaing had sought the blessing of Thai Gen. Prem Tinsulanonda -- a former army chief, former prime minister and president of the royal advisory Privy Council -- to become his "adopted son."
Thailand's personal ties with Min Aung Hlaing were elevated to new heights in 2018 when he was awarded the country's Knight Grand Cross of the Most Exalted Order of the White Elephant, a royal decoration normally given to military officers and civilians who have been recognized for distinguished service. It was bestowed "in honor of the support he has shown for the Thai military," the Bangkok Post, an English-language daily, reported at the time.
Min Aung Hlaing's bonds with Thai military counterparts reflect the dramatic change in relations between the two neighbors, once marked by historical animosities, deep suspicion and border skirmishes.
Bangkok's security policy toward Myanmar over a decade ago was illustrated by its "buffer zone" strategy, which allowed armed ethnic rebels in Myanmar fighting separatist wars against the Tatmadaw to operate along the Thai border. Tension was rife along the border at the time, said a security analyst, with the ethnic fighters serving as useful proxies for the Thai military.
"There was a lack of trust between the two countries in those days because of the buffer zone policies," said Sihasak Phuangketkeow, former permanent secretary of Thailand's Foreign Ministry. "But not so now, and the Thai military's border policies changed for many reasons, including the realization about the scope of border trade."
Cross-border trade between the countries totaled $5.4 billion for the fiscal year 2018-2019, according to the Thai ministry of commerce. It was driven by Thailand pouring investment into infrastructure to bolster economic ties and the many new checkpoints opened for Thai businesses to tap. Prior to the coup, Kasikorn Research Center, a subsidiary of KBank, a Thai bank, forecast that in Mae Sot, the busiest border crossing, trade would reach 100 billion baht (about $3.3 billion) by 2021. The robust cross-border trade follows the nearly $11 billion in foreign direct investment Thailand has sent into Myanmar over the past three decades, coming third after China and Singapore.
"Thailand deals with Myanmar on a daily basis, at many levels, so the government's response to the coup will have to factor multiple challenges," Sihasak said, echoing sentiments from some in Thai military circles that the country is the "only frontline state" in relation to Myanmar, unlike other ASEAN members. "Our diplomatic language will naturally be more restrained, and we will not be able to talk like Indonesia or Singapore about Myanmar."
Prayuth's approach reflects this, influenced by what his military advisers say about the inner workings of post-coup Myanmar.
"Staying engaged is our priority," the source in the prime minister's office said. "We are closer than you think."
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https://www.bangkokpost.com/opinion/opinion/2114915/klong-toey-in-big-trouble
Klong Toey in big trouble
BANGKOK POST EDITORIAL COLUMN
PUBLISHED : 13 MAY 2021 AT 04:00
NEWSPAPER SECTION: NEWS
As the health authorities race against time to tackle the Klong Toey cluster, another crisis is looming in the country's biggest slum.
Due to overcrowding that makes social distancing hard, and poor sanitary conditions, Covid-19 spread quickly after the first cases associated with the Thong Lor cluster were detected, with contagion going at alarming an rate of 4.5%.
Many were infected while waiting for a family member to be transferred from their home to the hospital. The outbreak has caused many problems for community members. Some have lost relatives, others have had to take care of family members in critical condition, taking on the financial burden as they struggle to make ends meet.
Even those recovering from the virus cannot resume a normal life immediately as they are required to complete a 14-day quarantine. Such requirements may be possible for state officials or company workers with a monthly salary who can adopt the work-from-home module, but it is difficult for people who earn a living through hard labour, mostly on the daily minimum wage. Until now, no state agencies have a plan to deal with this tough economic issue affecting a large group of Klong Toey's community dwellers.
Moreover, a number of businesses are facing crunch time as a result of state restrictions, including a ban on dine-ins at restaurants and constant closures of markets, which are a major source of employment for the Klong Toey community. Under such unfavourable circumstances, those businesses have to adopt cost-cutting measures and have dismissed some workers.
One problem that cannot be ignored is the social stigma. It must be admitted that Klong Toey is a residential area for low-paid workers. But after emerging as the virus epicentre, an accompanying social stigma may cost these workers their jobs as employers may dismiss them to prevent Covid transmission.
Prateep Ungsongtham, a prominent slum leader, said the Klong Toey community now depends entirely on donations, such as food and necessities. There is no assistance from the state.
Despite Bangkok Governor Aswin Kwanmuang soliciting help, recruiting volunteers in various fields such as medical services and food distribution, City Hall is one step behind the problem.
At the same time, the government has designed its relief package to curb economic hardship and boost consumption. Yet the financial package fails to address social and economic impacts that low-income community dwellers are subject to. Apparently, there is a big gap in state help that must urgently be addressed.
For instance, state agencies must provide a support system to enable those affected by the virus to resume a normal life, or a campaign against social stigma through education, ensuring that everyone remains on high guard against the virus.
As a saying goes, it's better late than never. On the contrary, the state must think about a relief package that is practical enough for this highly vulnerable group, and also one that addresses mental recovery, to ease the devastation and prevent drug use and suicide. Needless to say, the slum communities have hard times ahead, as hope for employment or re-employment is dim and the virus continues to rage. Without jobs or income, there could be higher crime rates affecting other groups of society.
The state must work out, with the help of other sectors, a medium- and long-term job creation plan for this vulnerable group to prevent any further social turbulence.
Klong Toey in big trouble
BANGKOK POST EDITORIAL COLUMN
PUBLISHED : 13 MAY 2021 AT 04:00
NEWSPAPER SECTION: NEWS
As the health authorities race against time to tackle the Klong Toey cluster, another crisis is looming in the country's biggest slum.
Due to overcrowding that makes social distancing hard, and poor sanitary conditions, Covid-19 spread quickly after the first cases associated with the Thong Lor cluster were detected, with contagion going at alarming an rate of 4.5%.
Many were infected while waiting for a family member to be transferred from their home to the hospital. The outbreak has caused many problems for community members. Some have lost relatives, others have had to take care of family members in critical condition, taking on the financial burden as they struggle to make ends meet.
Even those recovering from the virus cannot resume a normal life immediately as they are required to complete a 14-day quarantine. Such requirements may be possible for state officials or company workers with a monthly salary who can adopt the work-from-home module, but it is difficult for people who earn a living through hard labour, mostly on the daily minimum wage. Until now, no state agencies have a plan to deal with this tough economic issue affecting a large group of Klong Toey's community dwellers.
Moreover, a number of businesses are facing crunch time as a result of state restrictions, including a ban on dine-ins at restaurants and constant closures of markets, which are a major source of employment for the Klong Toey community. Under such unfavourable circumstances, those businesses have to adopt cost-cutting measures and have dismissed some workers.
One problem that cannot be ignored is the social stigma. It must be admitted that Klong Toey is a residential area for low-paid workers. But after emerging as the virus epicentre, an accompanying social stigma may cost these workers their jobs as employers may dismiss them to prevent Covid transmission.
Prateep Ungsongtham, a prominent slum leader, said the Klong Toey community now depends entirely on donations, such as food and necessities. There is no assistance from the state.
Despite Bangkok Governor Aswin Kwanmuang soliciting help, recruiting volunteers in various fields such as medical services and food distribution, City Hall is one step behind the problem.
At the same time, the government has designed its relief package to curb economic hardship and boost consumption. Yet the financial package fails to address social and economic impacts that low-income community dwellers are subject to. Apparently, there is a big gap in state help that must urgently be addressed.
For instance, state agencies must provide a support system to enable those affected by the virus to resume a normal life, or a campaign against social stigma through education, ensuring that everyone remains on high guard against the virus.
As a saying goes, it's better late than never. On the contrary, the state must think about a relief package that is practical enough for this highly vulnerable group, and also one that addresses mental recovery, to ease the devastation and prevent drug use and suicide. Needless to say, the slum communities have hard times ahead, as hope for employment or re-employment is dim and the virus continues to rage. Without jobs or income, there could be higher crime rates affecting other groups of society.
The state must work out, with the help of other sectors, a medium- and long-term job creation plan for this vulnerable group to prevent any further social turbulence.
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