steveluv Twincharged November 10, 2020 Author Share November 10, 2020 https://asia.nikkei.com/Spotlight/Asia-Insight/Thailand-s-untouchable-monarchy-comes-under-unusual-scrutiny?utm_campaign=RN Subscriber newsletter&utm_medium=daily newsletter&utm_source=NAR Newsletter&utm_content=article link&del_type=1&pub_date=20201110190000&seq_num=2&si=44594 Thailand's untouchable monarchy comes under unusual scrutinyKing Maha Vajiralongkorn talks of compromise but calls for reform unlikely to go away MASAYUKI YUDA, Nikkei staff writerNovember 10, 2020 06:47 JST BANGKOK -- Early on Sunday morning, Arnon Nampa, 36, a human rights lawyer whose calls for reform of the monarchy date back over a decade, posted a long letter of rebuke to the king on social media from Chiang Mai, where he faces prosecution. It was Arnon who punctured the royal cocoon in July when he broke a long-standing taboo by advocating reform of the once inviolable monarchy at a student rally. The call was amplified the following month in a 10-point reform agenda read out at Thammasat University. The seemingly nonnegotiable message that has emerged from the rash of youth-led protests in recent months is that there cannot be meaningful political reform in Thailand until the monarchy - which its critics say is unaccountable and self-serving -- is brought back under the constitution. King Vajiralongkorn's constant absence is a major issue. Since his accession in 2016, the king has continued to reside in Bavaria in southwestern Germany. His father, King Bhumibol Adulyadej, who died in 2016, did not leave Thailand at all after 1967, apart from a fleeting visit to Laos in 1994, and for many decades spent eight months of the year outside the capital moving between four provincial palaces. His son's visits home usually last less than 24 hours. "He likes Germany because he can be free from ceremonies," Sulak Sivaraksa, 87, Thailand's leading social critic, told Nikkei Asia. Sulak had a 90-minute audience with the king in 2017, when they discussed the future of the monarchy. The other two key demands of the protesters are that the military-drafted constitution be amended in consultation with representatives of the people, and that Prime Minister Prayuth Chan-ocha, the former army chief who seized power in 2014, resign along with his cabinet. King Maha Vajiralongkorn receives a wilting red rose at a royalist rally -- red is the colour of the opposition, while yellow is a royal color. © Reuters On Saturday, key pro-democracy groups Free Youth and Free People posted a message to the king on social media: "If your words, 'We love them all the same,' are true, you should accept letters from everyone, not just those in yellow shirts who shout loudly 'Long live the king.' Treat everyone the same." Protesters were earlier told to write personal letters to the king. At about 6:30 p.m. on Sunday, riot police halted over 10,000 of them with two water cannon blasts when they tried to deliver their messages. The protest was moving toward the Grand Palace and the Privy Council Chambers where a protest note to the king was delivered by student leaders on Sept. 19. Police later described using water cannons as a mistake. A prepared statement was meanwhile issued online, and signed simply "People." "This kingdom is a land of compromise and love, not of cruel power and brute force," it said. "The three demands from the people are the utmost compromise." No officials were sent to receive the letters, and organizers described the protest as "symbolic" -- encouraging speculation that secret backchannel talks are already underway. Organizers maintained that officials remain unresponsive. The letters were left behind in four red wheelie bin mailboxes that police said would not be forwarded to the king because protocols had been ignored. Pro-democracy protesters flash trademark three-finger salutes as they pass a portrait of King Maha Vajiralongkorn on Oct. 14. © Reuters Sunday's protest started at nearby Democracy Monument, and followed a small royalist gathering there. "Let's gather at Democracy Monument on Nov. 8 to observe whether there's anyone who would insult the monarchy," one social media post read. The royalists sang the national anthem and dispersed, and a feared clash did not happen. The letter campaign followed some rare public comments made by the king on Nov. 1, the night after a blue moon. The roads outside the Grand Palace were shimmering belts of gold as an estimated 8,000 royalists dressed in yellow waited for a chance to meet the king -- normally the most elusive man in his own kingdom. The king had on an earlier occasion stepped away from his motorcade to mingle with ordinary royalists, and even posed for palace-approved selfies. The Thai press invariably maintain a respectful distance, but the king's relative accessibility has opened cracks. A smart foreign correspondent emerged from the crowd to perform a classic "doorstep" maneuver. "Your majesty, these people love you, but what do you have to say to the protesters?" asked Jonathan Miller, a correspondent for Channel 4 News in the U.K. and U.S.-based CNN. "I have no comment," the king initially responded looking somewhat bemused. But he rallied: "We love them all the same," he repeated three times. "Is there any room for compromise, sir?" Miller asked. "Thailand is the land of compromise," the king said, before moving away uncomfortably with Queen Suthida shouting back, "We also love you." King Maha Vajiralongkorn supported by Queen Suthida as they mingle among royalists outside the Grand Royal Palace on Nov. 1. © Getty Images The king returned to Thailand on Oct 10. for what was to have been a week to mark the fourth anniversary of his father's death. That would have been among his longest stays since his accession, but with the youth-led protests continuing, and Germany going into lockdown, his stay has been extended to the end of December -- providing rare opportunities to engage with him. On Oct. 14, a royal motorcade carrying Queen Suthida and the king's fifth son, Prince Dipangkorn Rasmijoti, 15, briefly encountered a protest march heading for Government House. The still unexplained close encounter was a justification for the elevated "serious" state of emergency declared on Oct. 15. -- Thailand has been ruled under a state of emergency since March to contain the COVID-19 pandemic. Police used water cannons, tear gas and skin irritants the following day against peaceful demonstrators who were about to disperse -- an action that attracted widespread criticism. There has also been a foreign twist. On Oct. 26, the German embassy was the scene of arguably the most serious diplomatic incident in Bangkok since Palestinian terrorists seized the Israeli embassy in 1971. A smaller group of royalists delivered a letter, followed a few hours later by students who read out a detailed communication in Thai, English, and German. Among other matters, they wanted Berlin to investigate whether the king conducts Thai affairs of state on German soil, and whether he is liable for inheritance tax in Bavaria. As the embassy circulated a letter defending the right to peaceful demonstrations, and stuck resolutely to a middle path between the two groups, many were reminded that the king's desire to reside in Germany could exert some unusual external restraint on how the young protesters are handled. "Germany is currently holding the presidency of the EU Council, and is thus in a key position," Felix Heiduk of the German Institute for International and Security Affairs told Nikkei. On Oct. 31, the king boldly went ahead with a two-day graduation ceremony at Thammasat University, the very epicenter of recent student rebellion. Almost half of the 9,600 recent graduates opted not to receive their degrees from him -- foregoing a cherished rite of passage during the last reign. Throughout, the young protesters have stuck to their demand for royal reform. The political ruckus has many reasons according to Kasit Piromya, 75. The retired foreign minister and former leading Yellow Shirt believes there is a chasm after the 70-year reign of King Bhumibol, and that military government has not delivered on its promise to tackle political corruption. The economic crisis precipitated by the COVID-19 pandemic has aggravated everything. The king has attracted public ire by his absence in Germany, transferring Crown Property Bureau assets to his own name, and placing himself in the military chain of command when he is already titular head of the armed forces. "The king cannot just fly in from Germany, do royal activities, and fly back," Kasit told Nikkei. "These protesters are the generation that has been raised by their families to think outside the box," Kanokrat Lertchoosakul, an assistant professor at Chulalongkorn University specializing in student activism, told Nikkei. "They are not hesitant to argue or question." Protesters flash three-finger salutes inspired by the Hunger Games films. © Reuters But discussions stir tensions. "I tried to raise the debate about the monarchy's role when we were having lunch with my parents and grandmother," a 16-year-old protester nicknamed Noey told Nikkei. "At first, my parents were willing to talk, but we had to stop because the conversation made my grandmother uncomfortable." Sulak thinks the youth unrest is justified. "This is the first time with not only college and university students but also schoolchildren," he told Nikkei. "They are very articulate, and what they say also makes sense." On Nov. 4, over 20 protest leaders called a press conference at Sanam Luang to reiterate their three main policy planks. Student slogans reflect exasperation with the military interference in politics -- ostensibly in defense of the monarchy: "Down with feudalism! Long live democracy! End it in our generation!" they chant. Prayuth's coup in 2014 was the second this century, and the 13th since Thailand's absolute monarchy was notionally replaced by a constitutional variant in 1932. There is also deep suspicion of the compliant judiciary. In February, the opposition Future Forward party won 16% of the vote with major support from first-time voters and young urbanites, making it the third largest party. It was dissolved by the constitutional Court for accepting a large loan from its former leader, Thanathorn Juangroongruangkit, 41, who was also barred from politics for 10 years. But youthful rebelliousness is unlikely to dissipate. Schoolchildren who participated in recent pro-democracy protests will vote in 2023, adding to the youthful reformers who voted for Future Forward in 2019. Official efforts to reassert authority over the once relatively submissive majority Buddhist population have so far failed. More people came out on the streets after police first used water cannons. Attempts to shutter news organizations and social media sites have foundered. A court order to shut down VoiceTV was rescinded, while an anti-monarchy Facebook group, Royalists Marketplace, defied a shutdown order by slightly renaming itself. It rebounded with over two million members. On Wednesday, Prayuth signed a motion to go before parliament regarding constitutional reform, which requires a national referendum. Paiboon Nititawan, deputy leader of the Palang Pracharat party in the ruling coalition, supported the idea of a referendum. "I believe that majority of Thai people would disagree with rallies that violate the monarchy," he said. Prime Minister Prayuth Chan-ocha looks on during a two-day special parliamentary session in late October that failed to resolve Thailand's political deadlock. © AP "The youth calls for structural reforms are not possible because the elites cannot see the entrenched structural problems," Puangthong Pawkapan, a political scientist at Chulalongkorn University, told Nikkei. "Even if the elites do see them, they will not bring change to the system -- the stakes are too high." Sulak has always argued that constructive criticism is the best way to protect and perpetuate the monarchy. "People already feel that the monarchy may not even survive," he said, "if the monarchy is not accountable, if there is no criticism and unless it benefits people." "This is the bet of their life for the next 60 years," Kanokrat said of the protesters. "Changes have to take place. It is the time to hold serious discussion so that we can live together," she added. Additional reporting by Marwaan Macan-Markar and Apornrath Phoonphongphiphat. ↡ Advertisement 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
steveluv Twincharged November 11, 2020 Author Share November 11, 2020 On my way to office this morning stopped for breakfast at my favourite Thai beef noodle stall 5 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Adrianli Hypersonic November 11, 2020 Share November 11, 2020 Looks like hotpot to me. First time see such setup. Ownself cook the noodle. 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Neutrino Supercharged November 12, 2020 Share November 12, 2020 22 hours ago, steveluv said: On my way to office this morning stopped for breakfast at my favourite Thai beef noodle stall Wah, beer before work !!! 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
steveluv Twincharged November 14, 2020 Author Share November 14, 2020 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jamesc Hypersonic November 18, 2020 Share November 18, 2020 Thailand take airport security very seriously. Terrorists won't stand a chance, see only they will surrender. 4 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
steveluv Twincharged November 21, 2020 Author Share November 21, 2020 Simple breakfast at a Thai countryside food stall Breakfast - Boiled rice with minced chicken + omelette + coffee Freshly brewed coffee 5 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
steveluv Twincharged November 24, 2020 Author Share November 24, 2020 (edited) Went to a gas station for dinner, Texas Chicken. This is a typical Thai gas station with all its amenities. Original and crispy Edited November 24, 2020 by steveluv 5 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Adrianli Hypersonic November 24, 2020 Share November 24, 2020 7 minutes ago, steveluv said: Went to a gas station for dinner, Texas Chicken. This is a typical Thai gas station with all its amenities. Also, parking is free!!! I missed it. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
steveluv Twincharged November 24, 2020 Author Share November 24, 2020 15 minutes ago, Adrianli said: Also, parking is free!!! I missed it. Yes as long as you desire. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
steveluv Twincharged November 24, 2020 Author Share November 24, 2020 https://asia.nikkei.com/Economy/Thailand-offers-cheap-residency-visas-for-condo-buyers?utm_campaign=RN Subscriber newsletter&utm_medium=daily newsletter&utm_source=NAR Newsletter&utm_content=article link&del_type=1&pub_date=20201124190000&seq_num=4&si=44594 Thailand offers cheap residency visas for condo buyersGovernment push aims to attract overseas money as COVID ravages real estate A construction boom in Bangkok, and other Thai cities, has led to a supply glut. © Reuters JASON TAN, Contributing writerNovember 24, 2020 13:03 JST BANGKOK -- Thailand will provide a two-year window to receive its much-touted residency visa for free or at a discount through property purchases in a bid to lure foreign buyers to its slumping real estate market that has been saddled by COVID-19. The government approved the new package in early November, according to people familiar with the program. Foreigners are prohibited from buying land in Thailand, but they can buy condos or apartments. For buyers who purchase one or several units amounting to 10 million baht ($330,200), they will receive a five-year residency visa worth 500,000 baht at no charge or at a discounted rate, according to Somchai Soongswang, president of Thailand Privilege Card, which operates the residency visas for the government. The visa, called Easy Access, will entitle members to perks, including a VIP guide at the airport, expedited immigration and passport control, free limousine transport from the airport to a hotel or residence 24 times a year, and other favors. Somchai did not discuss other details but told Nikkei Asia the program should be launched by the first quarter of 2021. The program will run for 24 months and real estate purchased must be move-in ready and not under construction. "Developers have a lack of cash flow, some have high debt and the new program will help them not lay off staff," Somchai said. Major developers Sansiri and Pruksa have each laid off hundreds of employees recently. Pornnarit Chuanchaisit, president of the Thai Real Estate Association, told local media that more than 2,000 workers in property companies would likely be laid off in the fourth quarter if the government fails to take measures to blunt the impact of the pandemic. Thailand, especially in the capital Bangkok and popular tourism destinations like Pattaya and Phuket, has embarked on a condo-construction spree in the past few years amid an influx of overseas buyers from mainland China, Hong Kong, the U.S., Singapore and Taiwan. From 2010 to 2018, an average of 105,000 new units debuted in Bangkok yearly, according to Bank of Ayudhya's research unit, Krungsri Research. But sales totaled only about 96,000 units per year, leaving a supply glut. Even before the pandemic, Chinese money started to ebb from Thailand's property market in 2019, due to a stronger Thai baht and simmering U.S.-China trade war. A Bangkok property agent targeting Chinese buyers told Nikkei that some Chinese have decided to cash out on their purchases this year, but found no buyers. Some forewent their down payment to keep their cash, while others deferred buying plans. Thailand first rolled out its residency visa program, dubbed elite visas, in 2003 to target high net-worth individuals for long stays in the country for five, 10 or 20 years. Every nationality is welcome, but a member has to pay 500,000 baht to two million baht at one go when their application is approved, depending on the visa package they choose. Most elite visa members are mainland Chinese, Japanese, South Koreans, Britons and Americans. Currently, elite visas have nine packages with different lengths of stay and prices to choose from, but none of them tie with property buying. That means a condo buyer is not automatically entitled to long-term residency in the country, but has to apply separately for a retirement, work, investment visa or purchase an elite visa for long stays. The elite visas achieved record new members for its fiscal year ended in September -- 2,674 new members were added, a rise of 24.8% year-on-year. To cash in on the uptrend, Thailand Privilege Card rolled out a new type of visa package in October. The Elite Maxima Health costs 1.5 million baht for five years. Members receive health and wellness privileges, such as annual medical checkups, access to local and overseas hospitals, 5 million baht in health insurance coverage per year. The members will also be covered for their quarantine hotel stays upon entry to Thailand for up to 100,000 baht. 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
steveluv Twincharged November 24, 2020 Author Share November 24, 2020 Sometimes yes sometimes its really nice to have a nice meal alone without anyone without having to worry to take care of the other person, without having to worry what to talk or what can be spoken. Just chilling alone . . . . First time having this Japanese gin Onion soup Foie gras Cod Simple, just 3 items, relaxing meal. 6 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
steveluv Twincharged November 27, 2020 Author Share November 27, 2020 Breakfast - Thai Kway Chap (rice roll noodles with pig offals) The old shop The ingredients Breakfast 5 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
steveluv Twincharged December 2, 2020 Author Share December 2, 2020 https://asia.nikkei.com/Business/Food-Beverage/Japan-s-sushi-chain-Sushiro-going-to-Thailand-and-China-in-2021?utm_campaign=RN Subscriber newsletter&utm_medium=JP update newsletter&utm_source=NAR Newsletter&utm_content=article link&del_type=4&pub_date=20201202090000&seq_num=19&si=44594 Japan's sushi chain Sushiro going to Thailand and China in 2021With population at home aging, group bets on Asia for further growth A Sushiro restaurant in Tokyo. The chain will slightly decrease the number of its shops in Japan but open many more abroad. (Photo by Ken Kobayashi) NANA SHIBATA, Nikkei staff writerNovember 29, 2020 09:30 JST TOKYO -- Japan's Sushiro Global Holdings, operator of sushi chain Sushiro, will enter Thailand and China next year, betting on Asian markets abroad for further growth as its home market faces a rapidly aging population. Japan's leading conveyor-belt sushi chain, to be renamed Food & Life Cos. in April, is planning to open its first restaurant in Bangkok next spring. The move is part of the company's strategy to increase overseas sales to about 10% of total sales in fiscal 2021, through next September, from around 0.1% in fiscal 2018. Sushiro plans to open 24 to 28 restaurants overseas in fiscal 2021, up from 20 in 2020, while new eateries in Japan will decrease by three to five. The Thai opening will be followed by entering the Chinese market. Sushiro will set up its Chinese business unit by December and plans to open one restaurant by next September. The chain will join other Japanese sushi shops vying for a piece of the lucrative Chinese market, such as Kura Sushi. Although due to the COVID-19 outbreak Kura Sushi has put off its plan announced early this year to enter the market, it still aims to enter China within three years. To double overseas sales to 300 billion yen ($2.9 billion) by 2030, Kura plans to open 1,000 restaurants, mainly in Asia. A year after debuting on Nasdaq, Kura Sushi listed on the Taipei stock exchange in September to improve its presence in the region. A company spokesperson told Nikkei Asia that expanding in Asia is an inevitable step toward becoming a global brand like McDonald's. The representative added that the region's rising population is another reason for the expansion of the chain, which has already opened about 450 restaurants domestically. Even before the coronavirus outbreak, Japanese sushi chains were rapidly expanding abroad under pressure from the aging of the population at home, but the crisis pushed them to move even faster. It remains unclear when the industry can get back to normal at home. A Kura Sushi restaurant in Osaka. © Kyodo Akihiko Koga, CEO of Japan Food Culture, a Singapore and Tokyo-based consultancy for Japanese food franchises seeking expansion overseas, told Nikkei, "Many Japanese restaurants are now trying to diversify their business after the coronavirus outbreak." Before the pandemic, he said, chains mainly were operating in Japan, offering dine-in and takeout options, but now "they are forced to consider three options: domestic dine-in and takeout businesses and foreign markets," in particular Asian markets. A complication is that each country and region has different coronavirus measures for restaurant operations. Koga said, "Taiwan, Singapore and Hong Kong are relatively recovering from the pandemic" in terms of the ease of operating food chains. Speaking of his reasons for focusing on Asian markets, Sushiro Global Holdings CEO Koichi Mizutome said, "[Asia has] rice culture, and [Asian people] have a higher tolerance for raw fish." He added, "People understand Japan, and many people have traveled to Japan." In contrast to Sushiro and Kura Sushi, another major Japanese chain, Genki Sushi, opened three restaurants overseas but closed nine from April to September, partly due to the pandemic. Genki Sushi expanded into foreign markets starting in the early 1990s, almost two decades before Kura Sushi and Sushiro. Genki launched operations in Singapore in 1994 and opened restaurants in Hong Kong and Malaysia in 1995. But the competition is now intensifying. Political uncertainties could also affect sushi chains. The massive pro-democracy protests in Hong Kong last year had a negative effect on some businesses and restaurants. Student rallies in Bangkok this year led to the shutdown of parts of the capital's commercial center. In South Korea, the nearest foreign market, Sushiro closed seven sushi bars in fiscal 2020 due to anti-Japan consumer sentiment as well as the impact of the pandemic. But Sushiro CEO Mizutome said political uncertainties are "temporary," adding, "Food is an essential part of our lives." 4 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
steveluv Twincharged December 8, 2020 Author Share December 8, 2020 Breakfast today at a countryside food stall I frequent whenever I come here My $4.90 freshly cooked breakfast Krapow moo saab (Thai basil pork) with sunny side up Yam pla kapong (sardine with Thai herb salad) 6 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Adrianli Hypersonic December 8, 2020 Share December 8, 2020 Very big breakfast. 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
steveluv Twincharged December 10, 2020 Author Share December 10, 2020 McDonalds breakfast in Thailand Northern part of Bangkok, Rangsit, McDonald's restaurant Mr. MaDonald taking a break Order counter Diner McCafe Breakfast menu Normal menu My breakfast (note: each meal comes with 2 hash browns) 7 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Meanmachine 6th Gear December 10, 2020 Share December 10, 2020 Makan@McDonald's is now a new concept of fast foods, no more service as compared to the first ground break in the early 1990s i noticed the pricing is much more affordable than here, the patties are still grilled over the timer, breakfast menu is more healthier then fried items, i preferred the sausage with McMuffin with eggs, not the hash brown ( fried ) ↡ Advertisement 2 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
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