BANGKOK — Thai Airways is selling a pilgrimage flight that will let you “visit” 99 holy Buddhist sites around the country, but don’t expect to land at any of them.
The special, once in a lifetime, one-time only “THAI Magical Flying Experience” journey will allow customers to take off from Suvarnabhumi Airport and glimpse those 99 sacred landmarks, before returning to the same airport, the airline announced on Monday.
“For people who are looking for a pre-New Year’s trip, this offers both karma and a special experience!” the advertisement says.
Celebrity astrologist Katha Chinbanchorn will be on board to lead everyone through chants as they fly by the temples and shrines. Thai Airways’ famous food will also be served, along with a prayer book and amulet.
The three-hour flight will take off on Nov. 30 at 1:30pm and land at 4:30pm. The flight will first head east to Chonburi and Rayong provinces, then turn south over the Gulf of Thailand to Surat Thani, where Wat Chedi is situated. The temple is best known for a benevolent spirit Ai Kai “Egg Boy,” after words spread that it grants winning lottery numbers.
The plane will go north all the way to Sukhothai afterwards, tour the northeast, and touch down at Suvarnabhumi Airport.
Tickets start at 5,999 baht, with a business class option priced at the auspicious figures of 9,999 baht.
Reservations can be made by phone until Nov. 25.
The company, which had total liabilities of 332 billion baht, filed a restructuring plan back in May after a loss of passengers following the coronavirus pandemic that grounded its operations worldwide.
In September, the airline launched acafe selling in-flight meals on the ground in a bid to earn some revenues as the court deliberates on its reorganization.
Staff also started a food stall operation on Silom Road selling patong go, or deep fried doughs. In late October, the company began turning their life vests and slide rafts into bags.
Thai Airways acting president Chansin Treenuchagorn said thedough fritters were so popular that they sold out in a couple hours each day, earning the company 10 millionbaht a month, though some netizens are skeptical at the math.
A still from security camera footage shows police commandos approaching the suspect’s condominium room on Nov. 3, 2020.
PATTAYA — An American citizen killed himself inside his condominium in Pattaya on Tuesday early morning after going on a shooting rampage that injured one person, police said.
The suspect was identified as 25-year-old Michael Giavasis. He was reportedly found dead inside his room following an hours-long siege by the police. The man reportedly stole a pistol from a shooting range earlier on Monday evening before firing shots at the police. One reporter was injured.
According to police, the man went to the shooting range in Bang Lamung district and seized a handgun loaded with 10 bullets. He then fired two rounds at a shooting instructor and made his way back to his condominium in Pattaya City. The instructor was unhurt.
On the way, Giavasis allegedly fired two more shots, but hit nobody.
At the condominium, he went into an argument with a resident, where he shot another round into the air, and then fled into his condominium room, police said. When police commandos arrived at the scene, Giavasis turned his gun on them. One of the shots hit Channel 3 reporter Tiwakorn Krismanee who was covering the standoff.
The SWAT team broke into his room shortly after midnight and found the suspect dead on his bed with a gunshot wound in his head, media reports say.
His motives are not immediately clear. However, police said Giavasis had a history of substance abuse. He reportedly had a Thai wife, but they separated after he threatened her with a knife.
Police said his parents also recently arrived in Bangkok to visit Giavasis, but were unable to meet him prior to his death because they were put in state quarantine. His family has been notified of the incident, police said.
BANGKOK — For France, it was the storming of the Bastille. For the United States, it was the Boston Tea Party. For Thailand, the last straw that led thousands to revolt against the tyrannical regime was…. PornHub?
Thai netizens on Tuesday unleashed their fury at the government’s nationwide ban on the popular pornography website. Many are using the hashtag “Horny Power” on Twitter to publicize their dissent (mostly via memes), a play on the ultraroyalist term of “Silent Power.”
A real-life protest is also called for 4pm in front of the digital ministry, who’s responsible for blocking the U.S.-based website, but it remains to be seen whether anyone will show up at all.
Buddhipongse Punnakanta, Digital Economy and Society Minister, told reporters on Tuesday that the ban on PornHub was backed by a court order, and said the government had a duty to protect the younger people from inappropriate content on the internet.
“We are responding to calls from parents who are concerned for their children and youth,” he said.
In response to a reporter’s question, Buddhipongse also said the PornHub block was “not related” to a video of a certain important person on the website, despite speculation from some netizens.
For legal reasons, Khaosod English cannot mention the suspected material.
In hashtags and posts about the ban, the netizens are sharing ways to circumvent the block, which can be easily done with VPNs. An example can be found here.
Popular meme page Nang Fang Mook writes: “They banned PornHub. The next morning, we’re still using it.”
#HornyPower (palang ngian) is a wordplay on #SilentPower (palang ngiab), a hashtag used by pro-monarchy hardliners and military-affiliated accounts to show support for the establishment.
Some netizens say that the PornHub ban may end up adding more fuel to the ongoing pro-democracy protests. This widely reposted webcomic by @Jarkktwt shows a PornHub supporter joining the protest led by a schoolgirl, raging at the ban on his beloved website.
“In this country, we don’t even have the freedom to masturbate,” Ignorance Thailand page wrote, along with detailed instructions on circumventing the block.
A user named Jakrapetch Pawapoomin showed his support for the porn site in a public post Tuesday: “I oppose the PornHub ban,” he wrote, while wearing a PornHub shirt.
Thailand’s cybercrime law compelled all internet providers to block access to gambling and porn websites, though the ban is not consistent.
Despite the legal restriction, Thailand is one of the top 20 countries with the most PornHub traffic in 2019. It was also the country that used the website the longest, at 11 minutes 21 seconds.
The most popular searches in Thailand were “Thai,” “Japanese,” and “Korean.”
And while many netizens oppose the fresh ban on PornHub, a number of Thai feminists also fault the website for unethical practice and sexual exploitation by hosting some videos that featured individuals without their consent.
CHIANG RAI — Mountaintops peeking from a sea of fog, while groups of aunties in jackets raise their arms to the sunrise – that’s how Thais are greeting lower temperatures this week, a sure sign that the Cool Season is indeed around the corner.
This year’s Thai-styled winter will be colder nationwide by an average of 1C, said Seree Supratid, director of the Climate Change & Disaster Center at Rangsit University – and you will feel it.
“Isaan will be colder than the north this year. That doesn’t mean we will see snow or anything like that, since on average we’re 1C cooler than last year. But people will feel the difference,” Seree said by phone. “That’s because it’s been so hot these past three years.”
2020 is a La Nina year, in which the sea surface temperatures in the equatorial Pacific are lower than normal, in contrast to El Nino, where the oceans are warmer for a part of the cycle.
Will Bangkok feel the drop? Will there be a glorious week of Europe-like weather? Yes, and yes.
“Oh, for sure there will be that cool weather period. It will feel cooler than average as well, since worldwide weather is quite unstable,” Seree said.
The Thai “winter,” which began in late October, is expected to be gone at the end of February.
The Thai Meteorological Department Tuesday said that Thailand’s north and northeast will see cooler weather through Monday due to a high-pressure system moving in from China, with as much as a 4C drop in the regions.
Friday, Tropical Storm Koni will make landfall in Vietnam, resulting in rain for Thailand’s north and Isaan which will see lows of 22C and highs of 34C.
Bangkok will see lows of 23C to highs of 34C with a slight dip on Sunday and Monday.
Preecha Premfree, deputy director-general of the Department of Disease Control, said Monday that as temperatures drop, residents will be more at risk of contracting the flu, pneumonitis, diarrhea, measles, and hand, food, and mouth disease.
Preecha said that in 2020, about 113,000 people contracted the flu, a drop from 2019’s 396,000, which he attributes to the widespread habit of mask-wearing introduced by the coronavirus pandemic.
Visitors at Phu Chee Fah National Park in Chiang Rai on Oct. 25, 2020, where temperatures were at 17C.
Flowerbeds of begonias, petunias, verbenas, impatiens, and globe amaranths in full bloom are just one of the perks of colder weather at Flora Park in Nakhon Ratchasima on Nov. 1, 2020. Pongtep Malachasing, president of Wang Nam Khiao district’s tourism promotion organization, said that winter flowers are blooming in the 50 rai (8 hectares) park, a good time to visit.
A temperature of 7C was recorded at Doi Inthanon in Chiang Mai on Oct. 26, 2020. During the long weekend on Oct. 23 to 25, the Doi Inthanon National Park saw 15,000 visitors. Kriangkrai Chaiyapiset, park director said that visitors want to experience cold weather and the beautiful mountain top views – so much so that the park’s lodgings are fully booked through the end of January.
Phuluang Wildlife Sanctuary in Loei on Tuesday is seeing 12C temperatures, as much as a 3C drop after days of rain.
In the same province, Phu Ruea National Park’s 15C temperatures were greeted by tourists eager to experience the fog and cool.
A promotional image of Starbucks Nitro Cold Brew seen in Bangkok, Thailand.
BANGKOK (AP) — Starbucks said Monday it plans to open an outlet in Laos as it expands its network of more than 10,000 stores in Asian countries.
The company said it plans to open the shop in the Laotian capital Vientiane by next summer.
The outlet will be operated by Coffee Concepts (Laos) Ltd., a part of Hong Kong-based Maxim’s Caterers Ltd. Starbuck said in a statement that it intends to use its global scale to have a positive impact and career opportunities in the impoverished, landlocked country bordered by Thailand, Myanmar, Cambodia, Vietnam and China.
“We are pleased to introduce the Starbucks brand into Laos, which further builds on our 20 year relationship with Starbucks to grow the coffee industry across Asia,” said Michael Wu, Chairman and Managing Director, Maxim’s Caterers Limited.
Many Laotians drink powdered coffee drinks that include milk and sugar, as is true across much of Asia, but the country of 7.2 million is a coffee exporter and has its own artisanal coffee roasters and shops.
Before the coronavirus pandemic hit, Laos was drawing growing numbers of foreign tourists, with more than 4 million visiting in 2018. Local incomes have been rising, but still average around $300 a month.
The company said in a statement that it intends to take a “locally relevant approach” for its customers, both tourists and Laotions.
“We will take a thoughtful approach to driving sustainable growth in Laos and look forward to contributing to the country’s vibrant coffee culture,” Starbucks said.
Starbucks said it was monitoring the coronavirus situation but is still aiming at an opening in summer 2021.
Laos, a landlocked country bordered by Thailand, Myanmar, Cambodia, Vietnam and China, has so far reported only 24 COVID-19 infections, according to a tally kept by the Johns Hopkins University.
Such records are thought to understate the actual number of cases due to testing issues and large numbers of asymptomatic coronavirus cases. But pandemic precautions are severely limiting travel in the region.
“We will work closely with local health authorities, as we do in all markets, making decisions with the health of our partners and customers top of mind,” Starbucks said.
30 October 2020, Bangkok – UNDP Thailand, together with Krungthai Bank, launch “Koh Tao, Better Together” crowdfunding campaign, aimed at raising 1.944 million Baht to help small tourist boat drivers on Koh Tao who have suffered of the absence of tourists due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
This campaign will finance 200 local boat drivers to collect marine debris and clean the beaches on Koh Tao using a cash-for-work modality. The initiative is expected to reduce coastal environmental problems, marine debris pollution and restore the marine ecosystem.
To build forward better— for people, prosperity and the planet during COVID-19 crisis, the Biodiversity Finance Initiative (BIOFIN), under UNDP Thailand, collaborates with Krungthai Bank and Raks Thai Foundation to initiate a crowdfunding campaign that will mobilize financial resources to support the people most vulnerable to the ongoing economic hardship caused by COVID-19. A group of 200 registered boat drivers were identified as the direct beneficiaries.
As part of this effort, proceeds from the campaign will finance the boat drivers to collect marine debris and clean the beaches on Koh Tao through a short-term contract. They will each receive 3,000 Baht per month for a period of three months from October 30, 2020 to January 31, 2021.
“The COVID-19 pandemic has severely affected the tourism industry throughout Thailand, especially on Koh Tao of Surat Thani province where the income of local community, which is mainly dependent on tourism, has dwindled close to zero over the past several months,” said Mr. Renaud Meyer, Resident Representative of the United Nations Development Programme Thailand.
“UNDP Thailand is particularly concerned for the small tourist boat drivers of the island. Our studies have shown that 90% of them have had virtually no income for the past months given the very limited number of tourists who visit the island these days,” he added.
In addition to raising the funds for the small boat drivers, the campaign also aims to create more awareness on the conservation of coastal and marine ecosystems and the issue of marine debris which has become a global issue.
The expected outcome of this campaign is to “build forward better” for people (boat drivers and their families), prosperity (economy) and planet (biodiversity), which represent three of the five core areas of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
Mr. Payong Srivanich, President of Krungthai Bank said the bank’s most important mission is driving the country’s economy along with creating business growth to fully transform into digital banking and responds to customer demands in the age of technology disruption, in compliance with environment, social, and governance (ESG) responsibilities. Krung Thai is especially grateful to be a part of the “Koh Tao, Better Together” campaign by establishing a fundraising channel through an e-donation platform with a QR code, utilized by UNDP Thailand for the first time. This system facilitates Thai citizen donors for sending the donation information automatically to the Revenue Department for tax deduction. With the bank’s full range of fintech and digital banking services, it will support the donors with a fast, convenient,
and transparent financial system. In addition, Krungthai Bank will contribute 30 percent of the targeted total funding amount for the campaign as an initial donor.
“In addition to our social programs, the bank supports entrepreneurs in Koh Tao through various measures including credit loans and them to join the “We Travel Together” initiative to promote tourism and stimulate domestic spending. For environmental conservation, we promote jobs for members of the community in cleaning and collecting trash. This creates added value by turning the trash into useful appliances such as furniture, raising funds based on good governance.”
Mr. Chaiyant Thurasakul, Mayor of Koh Tao Municipality said Koh Tao is known as one of the world’s top diving destinations. Each year, more than half a million tourists, mostly foreign, come to visit the beautiful and rich underwater ecosystem of Koh Tao. Since the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic, Koh Tao’s tourism has been heavily affected. But at the same time, the marine and coastal ecosystems have improved and are ready to welcome tourists again.
“I would like to say thank you to UNDP Thailand for helping people in Koh Tao through this crowdfunding campaign. Since 2018, the BIOFIN project played a role in the development, rehabilitation, and conservation efforts on the island. This crowdfunding campaign will help small tourist boat drivers to survive the economic crisis brought on by the COVID-19 virus. Plans are also underway to rebuild the tourism sector while preserving the ecosystem and biodiversity.” said the Mayor of Koh Tao.
“Koh Tao, Better Together” is a kick-off biodiversity finance solution which UNDP Thailand is planning to bring to Koh Tao under the Biodiversity Finance Project (BIOFIN). It is also a demonstration of how the SDGs are being achieved at the local level.
Donors can support this campaign by scanning the Krungthai Bank’s QR Code or by transferring money to the “UNDP and Krungthai Bank Rak Koh Tao” Krungthai Bank Account number 034-1-81121-1.
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UNDP is the leading United Nations organization fighting to end the injustice of poverty, inequality, and climate change. It is working with network of experts and partners in over 170 countries to create sustainable integrated solutions for people and the world.
Learn more at th.undp.org and Twitter / Facebook: @UNDPThailand.
RAYONG — An opposition politician’s campaign in a local election went viral on social media Monday for posters that depict her as a cutesy anime girl.
A Move Forward party member’s campaign posters for local office depicted her as a in photos that went viral Monday
Move Forward Party member Sawangjit Laoharojanapan, who’s running for Rayong’s Provincial Administration Organization or Aor Bor Jor, said she hoped the unorthodox posters would send a message that her party wanted to connect with the younger generations.
“Our team has a lot of young, forward-thinking people,” Sawangjit said by phone Monday. “I wanted to show with this poster that we represent a new way of thinking and use the new media of the youth.
She added, “I want to see change in Rayong, and this cartoon is a symbol of that.”
“Changing Thailand starts with Rayong. For a better Rayong. Sawangjit Laoharojanapan,” each poster says, accompanied by an anime drawing of the 56-year-old candidate.
Sawangjit’s team hired the “democracy-loving” CupCat Studio for the poster design. She said it’s her first time to be depicted in anime form.
“When I saw it, I really loved it. It has all of my characteristics and details, even my little earrings,” she said.
Candidates for the Aor Bor Chor race can register from Monday through Friday. It’s set to be the first local election since PM Prayut Chan-o-cha seized power in the 2014 coup.
UPDATE: Hours after this story was published and Yan Marchal’s lawyer got in touch with the police, the immigration said Marchal can continue to stay in Thailand and called the incident a “misunderstanding.”
BANGKOK — A longtime expat and politics commentator said Monday he was informed by the immigration bureau that he was to be deported for writing about the protests in Thailand on his Facebook.
Yan Eric Marchal, 47, said he was visiting the immigration’s “One Stop Service” center at Chamchuri Square to transfer his visa stamps to a new passport when the police told him the visas were already canceled, and they were going to deport him for the critical comments he made online.
“They told me ‘we already canceled your visa. You overstayed. You have to go,’” Marchal said by phone. “But I never received any notifications.”
Marchal is known for his social media posts that routinely criticize and mock PM Prayut Chan-o-cha’s administration. He also runs a public Facebook page where he posts comments about the protests, including references to the monarchy.
The French national said police let him take a look at a document detailing his deportation. The paper reportedly mentioned his Facebook posts that referenced the royal motorcade that pushed through a crowd of anti-government protesters in Bangkok on Oct. 14.
“I knew there’s a risk,” Marchal said. “I’m emotionally okay, but have to think what to do next.”
Marchal, who has lived in Thailand for over 15 years, had a brush with the authorities in June 2019 after he posted a video parody of PM Prayut’s ballad “Returning Happiness to the People.”
Police at the time asked Marchal to remove the video, but did not pursue any legal actions against him.
In late August, Marchal spoke to Khaosod English in an interview for a story on whether foreign nationals could face deportation if they take up activism in Thailand.
“Since we are here on a visa, it’s a risk that we face if they want to revoke it,” he said in the interview. “But I decide to be outspoken anyway because that is my nature.”
Photo: NYX Professional Makeup Thailand / Facebook
BANGKOK — An LA-based cosmetics company known for their lip creams and eye palettes will close all of their stores at the end of November, the company announced Sunday.
NYX Professional Makeup Thailand announcedthat their 38 store branches will close permanently on Nov. 30.
“Dear our fierce community. We regret to announce that as of 30th November #NYXcosmeticsTH will be closing our offline and online stores permanently,” the announcement said.
“We sincerely thank you for all the love, energy, passion and enthusiasm from our fierce beauty junkies community!”
The brand is managed by L’oreal Thailand and first officially opened its stores in March 2016. Before its official opening, Thais purchased NYX cosmetics through unofficial resellers.
In recent years, the cosmetics market in Thailand has seen the rise of multi-brand stores, and several foreign firms are pulling out of Thailand due to the economic downturn caused by the coronavirus.
NYX Cosmetics was founded in 1999 by Toni Ko in Los Angeles.
King Vajiralongkorn and Queen Suthida on Nov. 1, 2020.
UPDATE: Response from British journalist Jonathan Miller has been added to the story.
BANGKOK — Thai journalists struggled Monday to make sense of how a foreign correspondent managed to have an impromptu interview with His Majesty the King – an unthinkable act for many local media.
King Vajiralongkorn was asked by British journalist Jonathan Miller what he thought of the demands for monarchy reforms pushed forward by the pro-democracy movement. The interview aired on CNN and Channel 4.
The brief encounter is puzzling for many Thai reporters, since media coverage of royal events is strictly regulated by the palace authorities. Photographers are discouraged from taking close-up shots of the monarch. They must also bow when the Royal Family members walk past. Firing questions at them is out of the question.
Khaosod veteran photographer Seri Phuangsali said the impromptu interview was never seen before throughout his 29 years in the career.
“I think it’s exactly because he was a foreigner, that’s why he wasn’t blocked from getting so close,” said of Miller. “[For a Thai reporter], that would be very hard, because it’s never been done before.”
Seri, who’s covered numerous royal ceremonies and appearances, said the palace usually allows photographers to take photos only from designated spots. Although reporters can generally take photos of the Royal Family when they are outside palace grounds from any angle, they could never get a close-up photo.
Jonathan Miller, who represented Channel 4 and CNN, interviews His Majesty the King on Nov. 1, 2020.
“I always have to use a wide angle lens,” he said.
The strange setting led some netizens to suspect the conversation between Miller and the King might have been staged, but the journalist himself said that was not the case.
“It was not authorised but foreign media were invited by PRD [Public Relations Department] to attend the event,” Miller said. “My team and I intended to attempt an interview but what happened was entirely spontaneous.”
“Reaction? I sensed that Buddha Issara was not best pleased but there was no immediate adverse reaction.”
Miller and a cameraman approached King Vajiralongkorn for his comments on the protests while His Majesty the King and other members of the Royal Family were greeting a crowd of supporters who gathered in front of the Grand Palace on Sunday night.
King Vajiralongkorn and Queen Suthida on Nov. 1, 2020.
Peerawat Chotithummo, president of the Thai Broadcast Journalists Association, said he believed the news agency Miller worked for was authorized to bring in a camera and other equipment, since it was “impossible to sneak” items of that size in without approval.
He said Miller was perhaps on the ground to cover the crowd of supporters welcoming His Majesty the King, and then took his chance to throw questions at the monarch when he was close by.
“Nowadays, news reporting is more relaxed. Normal people are taking clips when greeting the king,” Peerawat said. “For that international reporter, they were reporting on the people coming to greet the king, when at that moment he was able to ask his questions.”
Police spokesman Kissana Pattanacharoen declined to comment on royal security protocol. He said it is the responsibility of the palace’s Aide-De-Camp Department.
New Normal?
Thai news channels usually use feed from the Television Pool of Thailand to report on royal news and the monarchy’s activities.
TV Pool was founded in 1968 to give live coverage on important events, mostly involving the Royal Family, the government, and state agencies. In one day, Channel 7 might provide TV pool footage for other channels to use, while on another day Channel 3 might be the one providing the footage.
Photographers and news cameramen who are present at those events are routinely required to check in their equipment beforehand.
King Maha Vajiralongkorn and Queen Suthida greet supporters in Bangkok, Thailand, Sunday, Nov. 1, 2020.
When asked if Thai reporters would be able to lob questions at the monarch like Miller did, Peerawat from the broadcasting association said, “There is no law about that, but we have procedures when reporting on royal news.”
Seri, the Khaosod photographer, also said he noticed the palace has somewhat eased its regulations to allow for closer royal interaction with members of the public and the media.
In the past, the crowds wishing to greet His Majesty the King and Royal Family members were expected to keep their heads down and refrain from taking photos when they walked past.
King Vajiralongkorn and Queen Suthida on Nov. 1, 2020.
But when Their Majesties the King and Queen made their appearance on Sunday, scores of people were apparently permitted to take photos and even selfies with them without intervention from the authorities. The brief interview might be seen as proof of the relaxed atmosphere.
“His Majesty the King has been closely greeting citizens in a close manner, and the photos taken of the event show that,” Seri said.
‘Land of Compromise’
In the interview, Miller had asked His Majesty the King, “These people love you. But what do you say to the protesters who’ve been on the streets who want reform?”
“I have no comment,” he replied. “We love them all the same. We love them all the same. We love them all the same.”
“Is there any room for compromise, sir?” Miller said.
“Thailand is the land of compromise,” the king said.
The king, Queen Suthida, and Princess Sirivannavari then crossed the road to greet supporters on another side. Channel 4 said that the king and princess had an “intense and animated discussion about what’s just happened.” Then, the princess approached Miller to give a comment.
“We love Thai people, no matter what. And this country is peaceful. I love it. I’m very happy. This is the real love. And you can see, right?” she said.
King Rama X has been greeting royalist supporters up-close in recent days. On Oct. 23, the King personally praised a man who confronted the pro-reform protesters by holding up a portrait of the late King Bhumibol, saying he was “very brave.”
