'Pai' freed on bail, vows to continue with protests
Jatupat “Pai” Boonyapattaraksa while being detained at the Region 1 Border Police Bureau in Pathum Thani on Oct 13. (Photo courtesy of Thai Lawyers for Human Rights)The Court of Appeal has approved bail for northeastern activist Jatupat “Pai” Boonyapattaraksa in two cases for a surety of 70,000 baht each. Earlier, the Criminal Court denied him bail twice, describing his actions as seditious and citing a likely repeat of such behaviours. The Court of Appeal already approved his temporary release on bail but he has yet to apply for it. A number of youth protesters arranged to meet in front of the prison to demand the releases of their friends and welcome Mr Jatupat on Saturday evening.
Source:Bangkok Post
October 23, 2020 09:48 UTC
Friday: 8 new Covid cases | Bangkok Post: learning
(Photo by Chaiyot Pupattapapong)Eight more Covid-19 cases, including a two-year-old, were reported on Friday, bringing the total to 3,727 cases. The first case was a Thai air crew member, 31, who arrived from the UAE on Oct 9 on the same flight as two previous cases. The second case was a Thai soldier, 32, who returned on Oct 12 from South Sudan on the same as flight 15 previous cases. The sixth and seventh cases were Thais from Bahrain — a restaurant employee and a two-year-old girl. The CCSA also reported all 40 tourists from Shanghai on new special tourist visas who arrived on Tuesday tested negative.
Source:Bangkok Post
October 23, 2020 08:25 UTC
'CIA'-like street-food vendors first on rally scene
'CIA'-like street-food vendors first on rally sceneProtesters have quickly noticed that they are often second on the scene at proteste venues, behind food vendors setting up their carts and readying themselves for a busy night. But protesters have quickly noticed that they are often second on the scene, behind food vendors setting up their carts and readying themselves for a busy night of brisk sales. Business has been booming since the protest movement kicked off in July, with the vendors now a regular feature on the sidelines. Cooking for democracySome vendors have their cooking stations attached to their motorbikes, making it easier to high-tail to the rally zones. "But I've been coming every day so I've gotten used to it."
Source:Bangkok Post
October 23, 2020 04:18 UTC
TEST YOURSELF: Get some K-pop | Bangkok Post: learning
Photo courtesy of NetflixBlackpink documentary director talks about the K-pop idolsTest Yourself is where you can improve your reading skills. Read the following story by Tatat Bunnag from the Bangkok Post. Prior to filming and starting the project, she had little to no knowledge about Blackpink and the K-pop industry. I knew who Blackpink were but I knew very little about them or K-pop in general. During her time there, Suh had the opportunity to spend some time with and film each member of Blackpink.
Source:Bangkok Post
October 23, 2020 04:07 UTC
Three dead in gas pipe explosion | Bangkok Post: learning
(Photo by Ton Prakan)SAMUT PRAKAN: Energy company PTT is investigating the cause of a gas pipe explosion in Bang Bo district yesterday afternoon, which killed three women and injured more than 50 people. The company said the explosion happened after natural gas leaked from a pipe leading to the Asia Industrial Estate Suvarnabhumi at about 1pm and caught fire. Police said the explosion was on 200 Years Road, opposite Preng police station, and caused nearby residents to flee. Some of their homes were seen engulfed in flames, which quickly spread, and other residents were evacuated by police. The victims were identified as Mali Boonman, 81, who died in her house, and Lamai Harnhiran, 82, who died in hospital.
Source:Bangkok Post
October 23, 2020 02:26 UTC
Iraq's 'stadium of horrors' in ruins, but the game goes on
The high concrete stadium tiers surrounding it -- with all seats torn out -- look dangerously close to collapse. "After this was destroyed, there's no other stadiums in the city to play football," Fathi said, waving his hand at the crumbling building. In 2017, Iraqi and coalition forces forced the hardened insurgents out in a grinding urban battle that left ancient Mosul in ruins. The bullet-riddled 20,000-seater stadium, home to Mosul Sports Cub, was not spared, caught up in the deadly battles for control. With thousands of roaring fans passionately backing their team, locals dubbed it the "stadium of horrors" for visiting teams.
Source:Bangkok Post
October 23, 2020 02:15 UTC
Asean must help Rohingya
Asean must help RohingyaThree years on from when the Rohingya, a Muslim minority population in Buddhist-dominated Myanmar, were forced to flee and seek refuge in neighbouring Bangladesh and Thailand, their plight remains delicate as ever, especially amid a pandemic that has only added complexities to an already multi-faceted problem. Despite international pressure, Myanmar, together with Asean, has been unable to deliver a lasting resolution to a humanitarian crisis that rivals no other. The "boat people" -- as the Rohingya are referred to -- continue to live in squalid conditions in camps like Cox's Bazar where fears of Covid-19 have led to a rise in sexual and gender-related violence. At the last Asean summit in June, leaders focused almost exclusively on how member states could lead a unified pandemic response to counter historic contractions of their respective economies. Despite this, Asean has stood firm in its stance that it trusts Myanmar's Commission of Inquiry to investigate rights violations, a probe that will have no oversight and surely be biased.
Source:Bangkok Post
October 22, 2020 23:26 UTC
Cool season begins | Bangkok Post: learning
Provinces were warned to brace for floods as a result of storms still battering the country. Despite the rainy season officially ending, some areas will continue to experience heavy rainfall, the department said. The RID said it needs to discharge water from the dam as its reservoir is full. The kingdom on Thursday officially entered the cool season, according to the Meteorological Department. Photo by Panumet TanraksaClick "play" to listen to Cool season begins and "Download" to keep this file for educational purpose.
Source:Bangkok Post
October 22, 2020 23:15 UTC
Old is gold: Like humans, aging chimps prioritise important friendships
Old is gold: Like humans, aging chimps prioritise important friendshipsMale friends groom one another, hunt and share meat together, collectively patrol the boundaries of their territories, and form alliances to attain and keep high rank in their groups, which in turn leads to more individual reproductive success. For example, a 40-year-old male had on average three times as many high-quality friendships and one-third as many asymmetric friendships as a 15-year-old. Finally, while the older chimps spent more time by themselves than the younger ones, when they did choose to mingle it was with important social partners. It had been theorized that, as people age, they focus on their oldest and most important friends rather than looking for new ones because of their approaching sense of mortality. Strong friendships might also help aging chimps continue to thrive despite a decline in their health and social status, they added.
Source:Bangkok Post
October 22, 2020 18:11 UTC
Yoga: first choice or last resort?
"And now, Yoga", the opening epithet that launches Patanjali's famous compilation, the "Yoga Sutras". After bravely signing up on a yoga studio membership, I attended my first class in October 2016. Of all the classes available, I picked Bikram Yoga (now known as Hot 26), erroneously thinking I would work up a small sweat. Yoga has been arranged into eight levels, or limbs, as expounded in the yoga sutras. Author: Marcus Tan, Therapist, Yoga Alliance SingaporeFor further information, contact Marcus Tan at Instagram and Facebook @asanaswithmarcus.
Source:Bangkok Post
October 22, 2020 09:00 UTC
State of emergency ends in Bangkok | Bangkok Post: learning
Riot police wait behind razor wire for political demonstrators at Tuek Chai intersection in Bangkok on Wednesday evening, just before the prime minister offered to end the state of severe emergency declared in Bangkok. (Photo: Pornprom Satrabhaya)Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha has revoked his state of severe emergency declaration in Bangkok on Thursday, saying the violence that prompted it is over. It said the state of emergency declarations were issued on Oct 15 and 16 to stop offences against the royal institution and unrest. Therefore, he had revoked the state of emergency declarations and related announcements. He offered to lift the state of emergency, and asked that his opponents to reciprocate by toning down their speeches.
Source:Bangkok Post
October 22, 2020 05:48 UTC
Thursday: arrivals from 7 countries found infected | Bangkok Post: learning
One is a maid aged 52 who arrived on Oct 10 on the same flight as five previously confirmed cases. The other is a masseuse aged 55 who returned on Oct 17 and tested positive for Covid-19 on day 3. The two cases from Yemen arrived on Oct 9 on the same flight as four previously confirmed cases. He tested positive on day 9 and had a fever two days earlier. He arrived on Oct 16 and tested positive on day 3.
Source:Bangkok Post
October 22, 2020 05:03 UTC
'I don't let fear hold me back': Vietnam filmmakers challenge censors
The latest movie to test the waters is "Chi Chi Em Em" -- or "Sister Sister" -- featured at Asia's biggest film festival this week after a strong performance at the Vietnamese box office. "I don't let fear hold me back," she added, before the movie was screened at the Busan International Film Festival in South Korea this week. According to government guidelines, Vietnamese films must demonstrate "good ideological content" to pass the censorship board -- and pornography, violence and hostility towards the state are not allowed. "It needs a lot of voices and a lot of films to create a real change," the 30-year-old said. "Chi Chi Em Em" is another example of progress, according to director Uyen.
Source:Bangkok Post
October 22, 2020 04:30 UTC
Three-man US-Russian crew returns to Earth from ISS
NASA astronaut Chris Cassidy and Russian cosmonauts Anatoly Ivanishin and Ivan Vagner landed around 150 kilometres (90 miles) southeast of the Kazakh city of Zhezkazgan at 0254 GMT, footage broadcast by the Russian space agency Roscosmos showed. The three-man crew had blasted off minus the unusual fanfare in April with around half the world's population living under national lockdowns imposed to contain the spread of the coronavirus. The mission coincided with the arrival at the space station in May of the first astronauts to blast off from US soil for almost a decade. First-time-flyer Vagner was a rare Roscosmos presence on the micro-blogging platform, where most NASA astronauts have a profile. The ISS, has been a rare example of cooperation between Moscow and Washington.
Source:Bangkok Post
October 22, 2020 03:22 UTC
First batch of tourists Covid-free | Bangkok Post: learning
Chinese tourists arrive at Suvarnabhumi airport on Tuesday. (Photo by Somchai Poomlard)The result of the first Covid-19 test on arrival for 39 Chinese tourists who travelled using the special tourist visa reported no positive cases. Another two groups from China are scheduled to arrive on Oct 26 and Oct 28, while Scandinavian travellers are ready to arrive in November, said Phiphat Ratchakitprakarn, the tourism and sports minister. If a new flow of tourists arrive without any positive cases, the government is ready to implement a more relaxed quarantine, but this requires approval from the Centre for Covid-19 Situation Administration first, said Mr Phiphat. "The Tourism and Sports and Foreign ministries will allow tourists from low-risk cities with zero new cases for more than 30 days."
Source:Bangkok Post
October 22, 2020 02:37 UTC