Thailand - Historical ceremony begins

Bangkok at centre of the nation's attentions as mourners turn out to pay their final respects.

ALL ROADS LEAD to Bangkok today for the start of the Royal Cremation Ceremony for the much-revered HM the late King Bhumibol Adulyadej. 

People have travelled by buses, private cars, trains and planes during the past days in the hope of getting as close as possible to the “Father of the Land” one last time. 

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The late monarch reigned over Thailand for seven full decades until his passing last year. People have been mourning his departure and are now prepared to bid him a heartfelt farewell. 

As of press time last night, thousands of black-clad people were sitting or lying on footpaths near the nine entrances to the prime zones for members of the public to attend the Royal Cremation. They were to be opened today at 5am. 

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 Deputy Metropolitan Police Commissioner Maj-General Jirasan Kaewsaeng-ek said officials had started clearing the areas last night before the reopening this morning.

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 The Royal Cremation Ceremony will run from today until Sunday, with the actual cremation taking place tomorrow. 

“I took a van ride from Nakhon Sawan province to attend the ceremony this week,” Piyapas Saengkhieo, 46, said as she queued for a shuttle bus to Sanam Luang, where the Royal Crematorium now stands tall next to the glittering Grand Palace. 

Aree Kantasak, a 60-year-old farmer from Lamphun province, said she would stay at Sanam Luang until the Royal Cremation ceremonies end. 

“I am not sure how near I can be to the ceremonial ground, but at least, I hope, I will be here for him,” she said. 

Montha Kanha and six friends from the border province of Nong Khai took a train to Bangkok, bringing along food, clothes, umbrellas and medicines so they, too, would stand by their beloved late King one last time. “From my birth, I have seen a lot of his royal projects. His royal guidance, such as the sufficiency economy philosophy, can apply to all aspects of life,” the 58-year-old teacher said. “We wish to see him off to Heaven.” 

Wichitra Busaba, a 53-year-old teacher, flew from Loei province to Bangkok but was prepared to sleep on the streets near Sanam Luang over the next few days. 

“I am here to pay final farewell to the late King,” she said. 

The government has estimated that about 250,000 mourners will turn up in areas near Sanam Luang tomorrow. Others can place sandalwood flowers at 85 replicas of the Royal Crematorium and hundreds of temples across Thailand to pay their final respects to one of the greatest Thai kings. 

Mourners near Sanam Luang will have a chance to see the royal processions in honour of the late King with their own eyes. People in other areas, meanwhile, can watch on TV, as the ceremonies will be broadcast live. 

PM’s Office Minister Omsin Chiwaphruek yesterday advised mourners to lay prostrate when the royal processions passed them, adding that umbrellas should not be raised at the time. 

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 “The royal processions and people along the way will be recorded and televised worldwide. Let’s act properly for the good image of the Royal Thai Kingdom,” he said.

#Thailand - Long list of foreign guests to attend the Royal Cremation ceremony

The latest list of foreign dignitaries to attend the Royal Cremation of HM the late King Bhumibol Adulyadej scheduled for Thursday. 

1. Lesotho : Their Majesties King Letsie III and Queen Masenate Mohato Seeiso
2. Bhutan : Their Majesties King Jigme Khesar Namgyel Wangchuck and Queen Ashi Jetsun Pema Wangchuck)
3. Tonga : Their Majesties King Tupou VI and Queen Nanasipau’u
4. Myanmar : President U Htin Kyaw and his wife; Su Su Lwin
5. Laos : President Bounnhang Vorachith and wife Khammueng Vorachith

6. Singapore : President Madam Halimah Yacob and husband Mohamed Abdullah Alhabsee
7. Sweden : HM Queen Silvia
8. Netherlands : Maxima
9. Belgium : HM Queen Mathilde
10. Spain : HM Queen Sofia
11. Australia : General the Honourable Sir Peter Cosgrove and Lady Cosgrove
12. Canada : The Right Honourable Madame Julie Payette
13. Indonesia : Former president Megawati Soekarnoputri
14. Swiss Confederation : Former Joseph Deiss
15. Germany : Former president Christian Wulff
16. Bahrain : Prime Minister Sheikh Khalifa bin Salman Al Khalifa
17. Denmark : HRH Crown Prince Frederik
18. Norway : HRH Crown Prince Haakon Magnus
19. Luxembourg : Hereditary Grand Duke Guillaume Jean Joseph Marie
20. Malaysia : HRH the Sultan of Perak Darul Ridzuan Sultan Nazrin Muizzuddin Shah ibni Almarhum Sultan Azlan Muhibbuddin Shah Al-Maghfur-Lah and HRH Tuanku Zara Salim the Raja Permaisuri of Perak Darul Ridzuan
21. United Kingdom : HRH Prince Andrew, Duke of York
22. Japan : HIH Prince Akishino and HIH Princess Akishino
23. Qatar : HH Prince Thani bin Hamad bin Khalifa Al-Thani
24. Liechtenstein : HRH Princess Margaretha
25. Vietnam : Deputy President Dang Thi Ngoc Thinh
26. Cambodia : Prime Minister Hun Sen
27. Swaziland : Prime Minister Barnabas Sibusiso Dlamini
28. New Zealand : Former prime minister James Bolger
29. France : Former prime minister Jean-Marc Ayrault and wife Brigitte Ayrault
30. China : Vice prime minister H.E. Mr. Zhang Gaoli
31. Turkey : Deputy Prime Minister Fikri Işik
32. Korea : Vice National Assembly Speaker Park Joosun
33. Russia : Deputy chairperson of the State Duma of the Federal Assembly of the Russian Federation Olga Epifanova
34. Brunei : PM’s Office Minister, Second Minister of Foreign Affairs and Trade Pehin Dato Lim Jock Seng
35. United States of America : Secretary of Defence James Mattis
36. Philippines : Foreign Affairs Secretary Alan Peter S. Cayetano and wife Maria Laarni Cayetano
37. Sri Lanka : Foreign Minister Tilak Marapana and wife Stella Marapana
38. Nepal : Defence Minister Bhimsen Das Pradhan and wife Bidya Banmali Pradhan
39: Pakistan : Power Minister Awais Ahmed Khan Leghari
40. Bangladesh : Foreign Minister Mohammed Sahriar Alam
41. India : Deputy Foreign Minister M J Akbar
42. The Holy See : Apostolic Nuncio to India and Nepal Archbishop Giambattista Diquattro

Source - TheNation

 

#Bangkok - Online rumours create ‘false panic’ over floods.

Bangkok Governor Aswin Kwanmuang has dismissed online rumours that the city’s Saen Saep canal will be closed to allow the discharge of rainwater from the Northern provinces and is urging the public to follow truthful information on official websites and other reliable sources.

In addition, the government will take legal action against those who intentionally misled the public by posting old news dating back to the country’s massive floods in late 2011, according to chief spokesman Lt-General Sansern Kaewkamnerd.

As Bangkok was hit by heavy downpours from late on Friday night until the early hours of yesterday, some old news stories and images that appeared online suggested that a massive amount of water had been released from the Bhumibol Dam to Bangkok via the Saen Saep canal. These posts, which were extensively shared on social media, were disseminated to frighten the public, Sansern said.

He said those who posted the false information would be subject to criminal prosecution under the computer crimes and related laws.

According to Bangkok Governor Aswin Kwanmuang, the city’s administration has worked closely with the Department of Irrigation to manage the overall floodwater situation, and it is untrue that the Saen Saep canal would be shut as rumoured. He urged the public to update news on the current |situation via the Line ID @bkk_best, on |the website www.facebook.com/bkk.best |or the Bangkok hotline, 1555.

 

Aswin said the city had returned to normal with only a few major streets still flooded as of late yesterday. If there were no more heavy downpours spanning several hours, the situation would be all right, he said.

From 11pm on Friday until the early hours of yesterday, rainwaters reached the critical level of 214 millimetres, causing flash floods in 55 locations across Bangkok.

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Meanwhile, the Meteorological Department forecast there could be more rain in and around Bangkok due to the influence of a monsoon and a high-pressure system, but the tropical storm Khanun would have no effect on Thailand after making landfall in upper Vietnam.

Earlier yesterday, Bangkokians who had no urgent business were urged to stay home as many city roads were still inundated, such as Si Ayutthaya Road from the Phaya Thai intersection to the Urupong intersection and Rama VI Road, Rajaprarop Road, Ratchavithi Road, the Din Daeng area and nearby Vibhavadi Road.

Bangkok’s Phra Nakhon district recorded its highest single-day rainfall in a decade after torrential rains lashed the capital late on Friday and early yesterday, recording 214.5mm of accumulated rainwater. This was followed by Phasi Charoen district’s 214mm, Saphan Mon’s 208mm, Yan Nawa district’s 195mm, and Bueng Makkasan pond in Ratchathewi district’s 177.5mm.

Officials said the city had a capacity to drain rainwater in real time as long as a downpour did not reach more than 60mm per hour.

Former prime minister Abhisit Vejjajiva was one of the flood victims.

“It is the first time floodwater has got into my house. I did not lift things up. My car has already broken down,” he posted on his official Line account yesterday afternoon. The Democrat Party leader’s house is in Soi Sukhumvit 31.

Meanwhile, a former deputy Bangkok governor lashed out at the city administration for trying to please Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha by supporting his floating market policy and neglecting the draining of the capital’s canals.

Teerachon Manomaiphibui posted on his Facebook wall that from his experience as a deputy governor, he would urge the Bangkok Metropolitan Administration to drain all canals in preparation for heavy rain.

“The BMA should not be worried about the floating market policy of the prime minister,” Teerachon said. “The BMA should explain to the prime minister about the management of flood prevention in Bangkok during the monsoon season. If all canals are kept brimming in line with the floating market policy, flooding will occur immediately,” Teerachon posted.

“All water pumping systems must be turned on at full capacity to drain water. The BMA should not try to please the prime minister without explaining the truth to him.”

Source - TheNation

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More rains predicted for #Bangkok

The Meteorological Department on Saturday predicted more rains for Bangkok and its vicinity.

The department forecast fairly widespread thundershowers and isolate heavy rain for Saturday.

It explained that the rains would be unleashed by the influence of a monsoon and a high-pressure system, but the tropical storm Khanun would have no effect on Thailand.

The department said on Saturday that the storm was now over the upper South China Sea, west of Philippines. It is forecast to move to Hainan, China and upper Vietnam from October 15-17. It will then lose energy quickly after it makes landfall in upper Vietnam during that period.

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In its forecast issued at 10am, the Meteorological Department said a monsoon trough lies across the lower Central, the upper South and the East, while the high-pressure system still extends from China to the upper Northeast and the upper Laos.

This will result in outbreaks of rains and isolated downpours over the country.

Source - TheNation

#Thailand - Royal Cremation to feature gun-carriage procession for first time in 67 years.

THE GRAND procession for the Royal Cremation of His Majesty King Bhumibol Adulyadej will comprise six separate processions of Royal chariots and palaquins.

It will be the first time in 67 years that the public will witness the meticulous tradition of the third procession of the Royal Gun carriage, or Rajarot Puen Yai. 

The Rajarot Puen Yai is used in the royal cremation of a king or a high-ranking member of the Royal Family who held a military position. It has been used during ceremonies to carry the Royal Urn on three counter-clockwise rounds of the Royal Crematorium.

The use of this chariot was introduced in the reign of King Vajiravudh (Rama VI), to replace the traditional use of Phra Yannamas Sam Lam Khan (a palanquin with three poles). In response to the wishes of King Vajiravudh, King Prajadhipok (Rama VII) ordered the use of the Rajarot Puen Yai to carry the Royal Urn for King Vajiravudh around the Royal Crematorium.

Rajarot Puen Yai was used for the last time in the Royal Cremation of King Ananda Mahidol (Rama VIII) in 1950. 

The Royal Gun carriage, comprising two carts known as a limber and a caisson, represents that His Majesty King Bhumibol Adulyadej was the supreme commander of the country’s armed forces.

The front cart has been newly built, but the back cart is a restoration of the “Mountain 51” gun carriage with the registered number 21863 and the substitution carriage number 21866.

 The Royal Thai Army Ordnance Department in Nakhon Ratchasima undertook the restoration.

The new Royal Gun carriage has been fitted with a third wheel to enhance its strength and ability to balance.

 Decorations in traditional style have been designed by Fine Art Department artist Chanayotin Aupaluck. He says the design derives from original drawings made by Prince Narisara Nuwattiwong for the Rajarot Puen Yai Rang Kwean used in the funeral of King Rama VI.

The motifs have been hand-carved in teak.

“The traditional motifs include the lotus, used to decorate the base, and singha for each post of the base, which will hold the royal urn. Other krajang motifs are used for the wheels and along the carriage,” Chanayotin says.

“The metal construction of the chariot is coloured in dark army green and the carved wood is in an elegant golden shade.” 

The Royal Gun carriage weighs more than 1,000 kilograms, is 1.85 metres high and seven metres long. It will take about 40 men to pull it. 

Source - TheNation

#Thailand - Tourism Authority issues advisory for royal funeral

The Royal Household this week announced that the Grand Palace and Temple of the Emerald Buddha will be closed from October 1 to 29 as preparations are made for the funeral of His Majesty the late King Bhumibol Adulyadej.

Both will reopen on October 30.

The government earlier set the dates for the funeral rites and cremation as October 23 to 29. The Grand Palace will thus be closed for most of October in preparation and there will be some access restrictions to places nearby. 

The Tourism Authority of Thailand points out that foreign visitors can still find many wonderful places to discover in Bangkok, and alternative tours are readily available. 

The royal cremation will take place on October 26, proclaimed a national holiday as a mark of respect for the late King.

Visitors are reminded that this occasion will be a time of great sadness for Thais. The Tourism Authority recommends they behave and dress in a respectful manner – not just in Bangkok, but everywhere in the Kingdom. 

It also notes that banks and some government-related services will be closed on October 26.

Source - TheNation

#Bangkok named world’s top destination of 2017

Renowned for its street food, exciting nightlife, and loveable, eccentric culture, Bangkok has once again topped the chart of the world’s most popular destinations for international travelers, according to a report by Mastercard released this week.

In Mastercard’s 2017 Global Destination Cities Index, Bangkok is expected to welcome 20.2 million overnight visitors this year, a four percent increase from last year’s 19.4 million headcount. (Overnight tourists refer to those whose trip includes an overnight stay, so don’t confuse them with the total 32 million tourists last year.)

In terms of tourist spending, Bangkok came in fifth in the world, and Mastercard expects a 10.9 percent increase in tourism revenue from last year, with peak months for visiting being April, July-August, and December-January. 

 
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Regionally, tourists spend the most money in Singapore (which makes a lot of sense considering the higher cost of almost everything there). The city generated US$15.7 billion in tourism revenue last year and is expected to earn about the same this year, or 0.3 percent more, to be exact.

Globally, London follows Bangkok in terms of tourist arrivals, taking the No.2 spot for the second year. Paris, Dubai, and Singapore round out the top five.

Source - Coconuts.co 

 Here are top 10 travel destinations:

1. Bangkok, Thailand
2. London. England
3. Paris, France
4. Dubai, UAE
5. Singapore
6. New York, US
7. Seoul, South Korea
8. Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
9. Tokyo, Japan
10. ,,,,,,

Free Bangkok transit rides for Royal Cremation period

Free public transport in Bangkok will be provided from October 25-27 to help people coming into, and moving through, the capital to attend the funeral flower-laying sites for the Royal Cremation of HM the late King Bhumibol Adulyadej. 

The BTS Skytrain’s On Nut-Samrong and Wongwian Yai-Ban Wa extensions, the Airport Rail Link, and the Mass Rapid Transit Authority of Thailand (MRT)’s Purple Line will provide 

free services for the three days, said MRT deputy governor for operations, Anusilp Sirivejchapan.

The MRT Blue Line services and the BTS Skytrain for On Nut-Mo Chit and National Stadium-Wongwian Yai routes would be free only on October 26 when they would remain open until 2am, Anusilp added.

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 From October 25-27, the Bus Rapid Transit services and public boat services at Khlong Phadung Krung Kasem and Khlong Pasicharoen will be free, said Bangkok Metropolitan Administration Deputy Governor Pol Lt-General Chinnatat Meesuk.

There will be a return to black-and-white TV broadcasts and a general toning down of all entertainment from October 23 until the end of the month out of respect for the late King’s funeral ceremonies.

Medical teams and qualified first-aid volunteers will provide assistance to people attending the Royal Cremation at Sanam Luang and the Grand Palace, as well as at designate sites nationwide from October 24 until the end of the cremation ceremony, according to Public Health Minister Dr Piyasakol Sakolsatayadorn. 

Dr Sopon Mekthon, permanent secretary of the Public Health Ministry, said the Public Health Emergency Response Division had been assigned to open a central public health emergency operation centre (EOC) during the Royal Cremation.

The Department of Medical Services would coordinate with hospitals to provide manpower for medical treatment. Teams would be stationed at 21 main service points in Bangkok and the vicinity and 113 designated sites to collect funeral flowers. At each province during the same period a provincial public health office head would open an EOC to manage medical services provided at each of the designated sites to collect funeral flowers.

The already-running joint operation centre for medical and public health has provided medical and first-aid services to 3.2 million people who visited the Grand Palace to pay respects before the Royal Urn. It will continue services until September 30 before its personnel would 

be moved to work with the EOC in central Bangkok.

Meanwhile, the number of people visiting the Grand Palace to pay their respects in front the Royal Urn yesterday morning reportedly reached the week’s peak of 32,000. Attendance has increased in recent days as the September 30 deadline approaches.

The Royal Household Bureau yesterday reported that 11,065,577 people had paid their respects over the past 324 days and, during the same period, public merit-making donations for the late King totalled Bt820 million.

Source - TheNation

#Thailand - River to be secure for cremation of King Rama IX.

The Marine Department on Monday announced its preparedness to provide security and direct water traffic during the royal cremation ceremonies for His Majesty the late King Bhumibol Adulyadej (King Rama IX) at Sanam Luang in Bangkok from October 25-27.

A water security co-ordination centre will be set up to oversee the operation around the clock during the period. 

Some 180 officers on 10 patrol boats would provide security in the Chao Phraya River from Krung Thon Bridge (Sang Hee) to King Taksin Bridge (Sathon) from midday to 9pm on October 25, from 6am to 11pm on October 26, and from 8am to 2pm on October 27.

All types of boat, except those from the state agencies providing security, will be banned from the immediate area. 

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 Chao Phraya Express boats will dock at Thewet and Yod Piman piers, because the Phra Arthit, Tha Chang and Rachinee piers will be closed. 

The cross-river ferries that normally provide services from Tha Phra Chan Nua, Maharat and Tha Chang piers would use Pin Klao pier on the Phra Nakhon side, while those normally providing services from Tha Tian would be temporarily based at Rachinee pier. Tourist boats will be able to use the Pin Klao pier in the north and the Rachinee pier in the south.

The Thai Boats Association’s boat rides for people heading to Sanam Luang to attend the royal cremation ceremonies will be available from Nonthaburi pier to Pin Klao pier and from Sathon pier to the Yod Piman pier.

Source - TheNation

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#Bangkok gets a ‘walk of fame’

The new pedestrian walkway at the Pathumwan intersection is as lovely as it is accessible to all

PATHUM MEANS “lotus” in Thai, and the new skywalk at Bangkok’s Pathumwan intersection is designed to resemble a vast lotus pond, a peaceful heaven above the clouds of exhaust fumes rising from the traffic sweeping along the road.

The elevated walkway – it still needs a name – encompasses 3,000 square metres and connects Siam Discovery, Siam Square, MBK, the Bangkok Art and Culture Centre and the National Stadium.

Siam Synergy – an alliance of entrepreneurs in the downtown Siam area – funded the Bt350-million project, which replaces a much narrower pedestrian bridge that people found less than “user-friendly”.

 

  The new skywalk, which the Bangkok Metropolitan Administration now owns, emerged from the concept of “universal design”, meaning it’s handy and helpful for everyone, not just shoppers. The needs of the elderly and disabled are attended to with ramps and stair lifts.

“This is a friendly-design skywalk, the first of its kind in Bangkok,” Nation TV host Krisana Lalai, who’s been using a wheelchair for 20 years, said on a recent broadcast of his show “Khui Kan Yam Chao”. 

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 “The old pedestrian overpass was not designed for the disabled, the elderly or tourists hauling large pieces of luggage,” said Krisana, who’s also president of the Friendly Design for All Foundation. 

“This one has the sloped ramps and lifts. The drain covers are aesthetically pleasing as well as functional and safe – no wide gaps to swallow my wheels.”

 Chadatip Chutrakul, chief executive at Siam Piwat, a partner in Siam Synergy, told Krisana on the show that he was the main inspiration for the skywalk.

“Three years ago I saw you struggling to cross the intersection from the side where Siam Paragon, Siam Centre and Siam Discovery are. You were doing a survey of friendly-design construction and found the stairs too narrow. That’s when I decided to build a new walkway that would be accessible to all.”

READ CONTINUE at TheNation

Move to exempt Thais from immigration form

Agency boosting staff and counters at Don Muang airport in bid to alleviate huge crowds of arriving passengers.

EXEMPTING Thai nationals from filling out immigration forms is among the measures being considered to help relieve the overcrowding of arrivals at Don Muang International Airport.

Immigration Bureau commander Pol Maj-General Nattorn Prohsunthorn said yesterday that his agency had discussed the passenger backlog problem with executives of the airport. 

They agreed to increase the number of immigration counters and outsource some of the work.

 He said one of the measures being considered was for Thai passengers to no longer be required to fill the departure and arrival TM6 form.

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The immigration police chief said his agency wanted the proposed exemption to be implemented as soon as possible and it was seeking to expedite amendments to relevant regulations.

He dismissed concerns that cancellation of the requirement would adversely affect national security, pointing out that authorities already have a database of Thai passengers.

“The Immigration Bureau has also sought permission for foreign passengers from certain countries to pass through the automated passport control channels” that are now reserved for Thai passport holders, to help relieve the overcrowding, Nattorn said.

Contingency plans

He said that from tomorrow, the number of immigration officials at Don Mueang airport would be increased to 100, from 42 at present, and they would work four shifts around the clock.

He also said Airports of Thailand (AOT), which oversees Don Mueang airport, has agreed to create space to set up more immigration counters. Within two weeks, the number of immigration counters will be increased from 25 at present to 39, he said.

The Immigration Bureau chief was speaking to The Nation after inspecting immigration operations at Don Mueang airport yesterday, where there were still long queues of arriving passengers.

Over the past year, the number of passengers passing through Don Mueang airport every day has increased to 40,000, up 400 per cent from 2012, when it was reopened as Bangkok’s second international airport.

 On Tuesday, Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha ordered relevant agencies to tackle the problem of long immigration queues at the airport.

The PM instructed the Immigration Bureau, AOT and the Transport Ministry to prepare contingency plans to deal with chaos similar to that seen at the airport last Friday night, when almost 10,000 passengers had to wait up to five hours to be processed by immigration officials. The chaos was blamed on the delay of over a dozen flights. 

Meanwhile, the Immigration Bureau yesterday described as “inaccurate” media reports that the prime minister had signed a new ministerial order last Friday to exempt all passengers from having to fill the TM6 form when they leave and enter the country.

In a statement, the bureau said that the order, effective from October 1, would cancel the existing TM6 form and replace it with a new one that asks for information necessary for the Ministry of Tourism and Sports in analysing and planning tourism marketing strategies.

“Passengers still have to fill the form when they leave or enter the country,” the Immigration Bureau statement said.

The Ministry of Tourism and Sports clarified yesterday that from October 1, the existing TM6 form would be replaced by a new one – in which both the “departure card” and the “arrival card” will be on the same page. 

The ministry said in a statement that an electronic alternative to collect necessary passenger information would be needed before the TM6 form was eventually scrapped.

“The relevant state agencies are in the process of doing so,” the statement added.

Recently, Somkiat Tangkitvanich, president of the think-tank Thailand Development Research Institute, said the TM6 form cost Bt5 each and that almost 7 million Thais travelled overseas, according to the 2015 statistics.

He noted that all the information that passengers have to fill in is already on the passport, which has to be produced while passing through the automated passport control machine.

Source - TheNation

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What happened in Thailand

What happened in Thailand
Many have financial problems
The can not loan more from the banks / Than the go loan from the loan-sharks.
Than the real problems started.

After a while, the can not pay on time.
The loan shark say, no problem. we go help you, and want replace the Thai staff, for one of them. (Indians, Pakistani, ....)
Slowly the go take over their business.
And the lazy, stupid Thai stay with empty hands on the street.

You never known, how the became in such big problems.

One of the reasons is the lazy staff in the shops / restaurants / bars / hotels / ...
The like to play with their mobiles (games)
The not give any service, the say easily ''mee mie'' - means no have.

This major problem you see on every place in Thailand on the moment.
Especially in Bangkok, Pattaya, Phuket, Samui, ......

You recognize them on the pushing smooth takings.
Same, ''we have your size'' - ''we have your color'' - ''we discount you''

A example in Bangkok is MBK and PANTIP PLAZA
You get crazy about all the pushing sales tricks from these outsiders
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Line's adventure park to make global debut in #Bangkok

Line Village Bangkok says it will open a Line Village merchandise store on Friday before fully opening its doors in the capital's Siam Square at a cost of 500 million baht (US$14.7 million). (www.facebook.com/linevillagebangkok/ File) 

 The world's first indoor adventure park featuring friend characters of Japan's immensely popular messaging app provider Line Corp. will open later this year in Bangkok.

Line Village Bangkok says it will open a Line Village merchandise store on Friday before fully opening its doors in the capital's Siam Square at a cost of 500 million baht ($14.7 million).

The adventure park will showcase the houses of Line sticker characters -- Brown, Cony, Moon, James, Boss and Choco -- as well as photo shoot spots and digital games.

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 It anticipates 12 million visitors a year. Ticket prices will be around 800 baht. Kampanart Wonghongkul, chief executive officer of Fire Dragon International Co., says his Thai firm has been granted a license by Line Friends Corp., a subsidiary of the Tokyo-based messaging app company, to run the amusement facility. He expressed hope that Line Village will become a new tourist attraction in Bangkok.

According to Line Thailand, the Southeast Asian country is its second-largest market after Japan as more than 94 percent of Thais using mobile internet are Line users. 

 Read also: LINE introduces WAVE, its first smart home device

Source - TheJakartaPost
 

#Bangkok - Suvarnabhumi Standoff: Airport claps back after being called ninth worst

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Since being rated the ninth worst airport in the world last week in a report by the website airhelp.com, Suvarnabhumi has released a statement calling into question the survey, its data-collection methods, and their low score.  

In a Thai statement published on its Facebook page, Suvarnabhumi Airport called the survey unreliable and its methods unscientific.

The airhelp report, released last Monday, said that it took into consideration reviews from passengers regarding customer service, security, comfort, check-in, user experience, and quality of facilities at 76 airports around the world. Suvarnabhumi International Airport was rated 68, scoring just 6.3 points out of a possible 10. 

 

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The Bangkok airport said that, while they are open to criticism and suggestions for improvement, they never provided any info to airhelp and have a much higher rating on the better-known site FlightStat, which tracks flight data and airports. 

They also accused airhelp of only taking into account reviews written in English while the majority of reviews for the Bangkok airport are written in Thai.

Below is a translation of the statement released by the airport about the recent ranking:
Suvarnabhumi Airport will take comments from the passengers or the organizations who conducted the survey into consideration, as Suvarnabhumi views that this information is greatly beneficial to the management of the airport. We know that this information reflects the thoughts of the passengers. 

The ranking on airhelp.com was conducted for the first time this year, claiming that the survey was conducted between Dec. 2016 – March 2017 from sources that have no standards. Regarding the rankings for on-time performance, quality and service, and passenger sentiment categories, the survey does not declare the merits and demerits of the airports ranked in the list.
They address each ratings category individually:

1. On-time Performance
www.airhelp.com does not clearly state their source for the ranking. Suvarnabhumi insists that it has not provided any information regarding its performance to this website.
However, Flight Stats, an organization collecting real-time information on air traffic, ranks Suvarnabhumi at 13th place in the category of Global Hub Performance in May 2017.

2. Quality and Service
Airhelp.com stated that it sourced the information from SKYTRAX star ratings collected between Dec. 22, 2016 – March 20, 2017. There is no evidence that SKYTRAX confirms the correctness of the information for Airhelp.
The Airport Council International ranked Suvarnabhumi as the 10th best airport in the world last year.

3. Passenger Sentiment.
Airhelp.com stated that it sourced from Twitter. We found that Airhelp only conducts their ranking from English-language tweets and its own tools.
Suvarnabhumi Airport welcomes the results of all surveys if these surveys are from reliable or well-known organizations such as the Airport Council International, which ranked Suvarnabhumi 10th best airport in the world.

Probably worth pointing out here that the Airport Council International is a lobbying group for airports.

Source - Coconuts.co

#Thailand - Temples transformed: superheroes bolster Buddha's ranks

Superheroes are coming to the rescue of Thailand's temples, where monks have commissioned giant statues of comic book icons and toy robots to entertain children while parents donate to their coffers.

Instead of the traditional tranquil Buddhas and mythical beasts that adorn most monasteries in the land, the shimmering Wat Ta Kien temple outside Bangkok is guarded by three towering Transformer robots.

The enormous and intricate sculptures, made from bits of scrap metal and painted bright orange, yellow and blue, "have no spiritual purpose", explained monk Pra Vichien. 

"It's for children so they won't get bored when they come to the temple with their parents," he said.

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Other temples are following suit in a country whose monasteries compete to draw visitors and keep donations flowing.

At least four Buddhist temples across Thailand and a meditation centre have bought superhero statues, according to Pairoj Thanomwong, the Thai artist who runs the workshop where the sci-fi monsters and comic book figures are manufactured.

Armed with blow torches, heaps of metal bolts and twisted car parts, the artists piece together the elaborate sculptures in a warehouse in central Thailand called "Ban Hun Lek", which translates to "House of Iron Robots".

The largest sculptures -- around seven to eight metres high -- can be sold for thousands of dollars, he said.

The factory also sells its wares to local restaurants and bars but its biggest customer base lies abroad, especially in Europe, with around 80 per cent of sales made to overseas clients who have seen the statues on social media.

Pairoj started with comic book classics but has expanded production to to include everything from steely desks and chairs to polished replicas of luxury cars and motorcycles. 

Nearly 90 per cent of the materials are recycled metal, a cost-cutting measure that also means each piece is unique. 

Tastes have changed quickly since he went into business, he said.

"In terms of the products that people like, it evolves over time," Pairoj explained. 

"Over the past 10 years, people used to like (characters from) Aliens and Predator, but now they like the Transformers."

Source - TheNations

#Thailand - 7.5m people pay respects to late King

People from all walks of life and from all over the country have visited Bangkok to pay their respects before the Royal Urn of His Majesty the late King Bhumibol Adulyadej inside the Grand Palace’s Dusit Maha Prasart Throne Hall.

The Bureau of Royal Household reported on Friday that 7,544,644 people had paid their respects before the Royal Urn in the past 219 days. During the same period, the public also donated more than Bt592 million towards merit-making for the late King.

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Source - TheNation

 

Alleged traffickers charged with forcing Thai women to US for sex

 

Chicago customers of a Thai prostitution ring became key players in the nationwide operation — renting out apartments for the women, shuttling them from airports and even entering into a sham marriage with a brothel boss in order for her to work legally in the US, Chicago Sun Times online reported on May 25.

Cook County Sheriff Tom Dart said, “This is a unique twist I haven’t really seen before.”

 A federal indictment unsealed Thursday charged 21 people across the country — including six in the Chicago area — with being involved in sex trafficking. A related indictment in October charged 17 others, reported the online.

The Cook County Sheriff’s Office worked with the U.S. Homeland Security Investigations agents to shut down Thai brothels in the Chicago area and arrest six people authorities identified as participants.

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 Mohit Tandon, 37, of Burr Ridge, is charged with being a “facilitator” in an international prostitution ring.

Those charged include: Matthew Mintz, 25, Wilaiwan Phimkhalee, 38, Kanyarat Chaiwirat, 50, and Thoucharin Ruttanamongkongul, 34, all of Chicago; Mohit Tandon, 37, of Burr Ridge; and Richard Alexander, 52, of DeKalb, the online reported.

The new indictment says sex traffickers in Thailand arranged for hundreds of Thai women to travel from Bangkok to Chicago, Minneapolis, Los Angeles, Las Vegas, Dallas, Atlanta and other cities to engage in prostitution.

 The traffickers painted a rosy picture of the United States when they recruited the women, according to the indictment.

But the women were forced to pay leaders of the ring for debts supposedly associated with their travel and housing — making them sex slaves, the indictment says. Their debts ranged from $40,000 to $60,000.

Many of them were required to undergo cosmetic enhancements such as breast enlargement before they traveled to the United States, officials said.

Phimkhalee, Chaiwirat and Ruttanamongkongul allegedly acted as “mamasans,” running brothels in the Chicago area. Phimkhalee also is described in the indictment as being a sex trafficker.

Tandon, Alexander and Mintz are described in the indictment as “facilitators.”

Source - TheNation

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Bangkok roads flooded following heavy overnight rains

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Heavy rains throughout Wednesday night and Thursday morning have caused flooding on many Bangkok roads, leading to severe traffic congestion during the morning rush hours.

[See also: Five flood-hit Bangkok schools closed
More photos from Ratchadaphisek scene
More photos from Moo Ban Chonlathep in Bang Phli district, Samut Prakan ]

The Bangkok Flood Prevention Centre issued a statement, warning motorists to avoid the following eight roads:
1. Ratchadaphisek Road from the Ratchayothin intersection to Lat Phrao Road

2. Ngam Wong Wan Road at Pongphet Market and Soi Shinnakhet
3. Lat Phrao Road from Pradit Manoontham Road to Soi Lat Phrao 97
4. Pattanakarn Road from the Klong Tan intersection to Klong Lao
5. Ramkhamhaeng Road in front of the Bang Kapi electricity office
6. Srinakharin Road near Wat Sri-Iam
7. Srinakharin Road at the Krungthep Kreetha intersection
8. Sukhumvit Road under BTS Baring station.
On some roads waterlogging was as high as 40 centimetres.
The floods prompted Sompong Wiengkaew, director of the Bangkok Metropolitan Administration’s Sewerage and Drainage Department, to inspect some roads at 4.40am.
He said many roads were flooded late Wednesday night but the waters had receded by Thursday morning while his department officials were racing against time to drain the water.
The water level subsided on the Ngam Wong Wan-Pong Phet Road and vehicles could use two right lanes while the left lanes on both sides were still flooded.
He said the road in front of the Criminal Court was still inundated.
His department reported at 4.45am that Klong Chao Khun Sing in Wang Thong Lang district had the heaviest rainfall – 156.5 millimetres.

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Source - TheNation

#Thailand - New safety rules for public transport vans enforced.

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The Land Transport Department has begun enforcing strict safety rules targeting public transport vans - including a 13-passenger limit.

The rules also require vans to have an emergency exit that can be opened from the inside with a visible, reflective Thai sign identifying it, a 20 centimetre-wide walking space to reach the emergency exit and at least three glass-breaking hammers on the left, the right and the back of vans.

Van operators who fail to comply with the rules face fines of Bt500 to Bt5,000 and having their license suspended for up to six months.

On the first day of enforcement of the new rules on Monday, in which fines were capped at Bt500, many vans at Bangkok's Victory Monument complied with the requirements. 

Reducing the seating capacity from 15 seat to 13 aims to ensure there is enough space for passengers to quickly reach the emergency exit.

The department will also require fixed-route vans in Bangkok and elsewhere to submit their vehicles for an inspection and registration check on June 5 or July 5. 

Chartered vans will be inspected on August 5. 

Those who fail to comply face a maximum fine, the department warned.

Source - TheNation

Ps,  13 persons exclusive luggage is anyway to much.

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Exotic pet cafes in #Thailand cause delight and concern.

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Visitors enjoy experience; critics fear trend will feed illegal wildlife trade

It is a Sunday afternoon and a sunlit cafe on Bangkok's outskirts is buzzing with patrons. The air smells of french fries and disinfectant. Kittens and corgis are darting around between the legs of customers, who are trying to poke at two parakeets shuffling warily along the edge of a wooden shelf.

Excited murmurs ripple through the crowd as a waitress announces that the playpen is ready for the next round of customers. One by one, the patrons squirt disinfectant on their palms and enter a glass-walled room to cuddle a squad of meerkats.

Asia may have seen its share of pet cafes, but none quite with the menagerie offered in Thailand. Aided by relaxed laws and a thriving wildlife market, at least four exotic pet cafes have sprung up recently around the capital.

Animal activists, however, fear this trend will feed demand for smuggling and breeding of exotic wildlife purely for entertainment.

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Little Zoo Cafe, with one branch in Bangkok and another on its outskirts, touts raccoons, fennec foxes and silver foxes. The Animal Cafe, tucked in a quiet neighbourhood in Yannawa district, boasts a white-faced owl as well as caracals and a serval - both African wildcats. Zoota Bistro, housed in a shopping mall in northern Bangkok, advertises close encounters with a South American squirrel monkey, wallaby and furless sphynx cat.

Together with the existing mix of cafes nationwide featuring cats, dogs, bunnies, Siberian huskies, parrots and sheep, they are drawing steady interest from both Thais and tourists looking to touch creatures they can usually see only from afar.

"Kawaii (cute)! Kawaii!" Ms Kiyoko Nagashima, a 44-year-old sales executive from Japan, squealed upon entering the Animal Cafe last week, as she spied the exotic cats prancing around two soft-lit glass enclosures.

"I came here because I saw on Facebook that you could hug a raccoon," she told The Sunday Times. "In Japan, you can see them only in the zoo. You can't hug them."

Typically, customers must buy at least one food item and drink before they can interact with the animals. The prices are marked up - one meatball pasta dish at the Animal Cafe, for example, costs 320 baht (S$13).

Customers are made to clean their hands and take off footwear before entering the playpens. "Play" is supervised by staff, who sometimes scoop up the critters and place them on customers' laps.

Some of the more knowledgeable employees explain the animals' behaviour. At the Little Zoo cafe, for example, as meerkats clambered onto their human visitors and tried to search the contents of their pockets, one employee explained that this is how the creatures forage for food in the desert sand.

A Wildlife activist and founder of Wildlife Friends Foundation, is critical of the trend, saying the artificial environments of these mini petting zoos could stress the animals. Owls, for example, are nocturnal by nature, but "if you keep them awake the whole day, they will be so tired they will sleep at night".

According to a 2013 report on the illegal wildlife trade by the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime, Thailand is "mainly a consumer and trans-shipper of pets and high- value luxury items", with the rising sales of illegal wildlife on the Internet posing a challenge to law enforcement. Raids and Customs seizures in the past have turned up everything from pangolins to otters.

While the pet cafes typically do not use endangered animals, activists warn that Thai law provides little protection for non-native species. Also, some wild-caught animals have been known to be passed off as captive-bred.

"It is a bit difficult to differentiate between which is traded legally and illegally," says Ms Nancy Gibson, founder of Thailand-based Love Wildlife Foundation.

Animal Cafe co-owner Athit Samatiyadekul, 36, says his operations are all above board, and he has the paperwork to prove it. One raccoon, he said, was bought from a fur factory in Europe for 35,000 baht.

"We give them food. We give them a job. And we give them love," he told The Sunday Times. He started his cafe last year to showcase some of his personal collection of wildlife, which includes about 300 iguanas, some 80 giant tortoises, arowanas and Alaskan malamutes. He breeds caracals and servals, which he sells for 250,000 baht each.

He said the cafe is not profitable but he keeps it afloat by infusing money that he earns from his job as the marketing director of Sirivatana Interprint, one of the region's largest printing companies. The same applies to his partner, a friend who runs a Thai boxing gym, apparel store and restaurant.

"In other restaurants, people will eat many things," he said. "Here, they come to play with the animals and to take selfies, so they buy the cheapest food."

Yet they keep it running because "we like people to come here to be happy". Unconvinced members of the public have complained about the cafe to the wildlife authorities, he reveals.

On the day he was interviewed by The Sunday Times, officials turned up to check his paperwork - the second time in a year.

UP CLOSE AND PERSONAL

Kawaii (cute)! Kawaii! I came here because I saw on Facebook that you could hug a raccoon. In Japan, you can see them only in the zoo. You can't hug them. - MS KIYOKO NAGASHIMA, a 44-year-old sales executive from Japan, on the exotic cats at Animal Cafe.

CAN'T TELL THEM APART

It is a bit difficult to differentiate between which is traded legally and illegally. - MS NANCY GIBSON, founder of Thailand-based Love Wildlife Foundation, on wild-caught animals being passed off as captive-bred.

BENEFITS FOR ANIMALS

We give them food. We give them a job. And we give them love. - MR ATHIT SAMATIYADEKUL, Animal Cafe's co-owner, on the animals at his eatery.

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Source - TheNation

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