Opinion

Short of physically blocking and shutting down all the major international airports in Thailand or overthrowing the government, there is nothing that will stop the influx of Chinese tourists back to Thailand starting today. Those who fear that Chinese tourist re-spread coronavirus will have no choice but to take better care of themselves, wear masks, get a booster shot, and avoid crowded tourist venues, hoping for the best for Thailand in the weeks and months ahead.

Every year end, many journalists cannot escape wondering what the news of the year is. This time of the year is upon us again. I am a non-believer in the concept of news of the year, or person of the year, for the following reasons, however.

Bhumjai Thai Party leader Anutin Charnveerakul has emerged as a serious contender to become the next PM after 34 MPs from various other political parties defected to join his party on Friday.

The pledge by the main opposition Pheu Thai Party to raise the minimum wage from around 350 baht per day to 600 baht within five years, or by 2027, if elected to run the next government, has raised a lot of eyebrows and ignited a fierce debate as to whether it is appropriate or even realistic and whether it will do more harm than good to the Thai economy or not.

The prosecution of naturalized Thai businessman Tu Hao, aka Chainat Kornchananand, who is charged with drugs dealing, and multiple raids of his glitzy real estate and other assets estimated at 5 billion baht at various parts of Thailand over the past ten days have made many Thai anxious again that Chinese businessmen, particularly the grey business type (and China) are swallowing up Thailand, reducing the kingdom into a mere economic vassal state of China.

In what has become a vicious cycle, riot police needlessly and heavy-handedly disperse protesters using rubber bullets and more, leading to serious injuries or even death, and this is followed by demand for accountability and transparency.

Examine the just-concluded APEC 2022 Summit in Bangkok positively and one can learn a few things about the propaganda.

It took just a few weeks for the Prayut Chan-o-cha government to cancel its controversial policy to allow foreigners to own up to one rai of land if they invest 40 million baht for three years. Well, the Cabinet on Tuesday decided they would not swim against the tsunami of criticisms and the allegation that they are literally “selling off Thai land” – particular close to general election time.

Thailand has become a beauty-pageant organizing superpower over the past few years and decidedly with late last month’s purchase of Miss Universe brand by a tycoon and transgender activist Chakrapong “Anne” Chakrajutathip. Chakrapong paid 20 million U.S. dollars and is now in control of Miss Universe Organization (MU), which was partly and formerly owned by Donald Trump.

Well, if you are still undecided, here is the answer by foreign ministry spokesman Tanee Sangrat nearly two weeks ago after a group of foreign Twitter users criticized Thailand’s foreign policy towards Russia following my column on Thailand’s vote to abstain during the recent U.N. General Assembly from condemning Russia’s annexation of Ukrainian territories.