Another day of shame for the Buddhist faith after a drunken monk was arrested for causing chaos in the central province of Kamphaeng Phet. The monk went on the rampage smashing cars in the community with a beer can in one hand and an axe in the other.
The arrested monk, 49 year old Prayoon, defended his actions by claiming the beer helped lower the high cholesterol in his blood system and improve his diabetes and hypertension. It is unsure how the alcohol helped the damaged cars.
Locals reported the drunken monk causing carnage, on Phahonyothin Road in the Mueng district of Kamphaeng Phet, to the deputy district chief.
They were worried the monk would hurt himself and cause problems for pedestrians and drivers on the road.
A video posted by Thai news agencies shows the monk dressed in a traditional robe behaving inappropriately, staggering down the roadside. He is seen opening a can of beer and drinking it while waving an axe in the air with his other hand.
According to a report by One 31, the monk was also a nuisance in nearby restaurants and shops along the road. People also said that the monk tried to hurt himself by beating his chest and body. He was also seen smashing up parked cars.
The monk was reported to have mental health problems but he did not have any documentation to confirm this.
Prayoon informed officers that he drank beer because alcohol can help reduce fat in his body. He added that he had high cholesterol, diabetes, and hypertension, and drinking beer could help improve all of these illnesses.
Prayoon was not charged or prosecuted. He was sent back to his temple where his fellow monks said they would later help send him to the hospital to be treated for his illnesses.
This incident is only one in a number of shameful deeds this year involving monks.
Time to invest in a woolly sweater or two as Bangkok is transitioning into 'winter.' By the end of the month, the temperature in the capital could hit lows of 15 degrees Celsius, according to the Meteorological Department.
Yesterday, a chill was felt in the capital for the first time in a long time, reaching lows of 22 degrees Celsius. The department expects the temperature to continually drop over the next 10 days, before Thailandofficially enters 'winter,' or 'cold season,' on the last Sunday of October.
The department expects winter in Thailand to last longer than usual this year. It will be "cold" until mid-February 2023. January will be the coldest month, which is a nice time to travel to northern Thailand, suggests the department.
"Looking at last year's winter statistics, there was a period of 10 days when the temperature continually dropped. This year, the same thing is expected to happen in Bangkok over more than 10 days.
"The temperature in some areas will hit lows of 17 degrees Celsius and as low as 15 degrees Celsius in some areas.
"So this year, people in Bangkok should prepare to wear two layers of winter clothes to keep warm. We have not had such a cold winter in many years."
In northern and northeast Thailand, high-altitude areas such as mountain tops will experience very cold weather. Many areas will experience frost in the mornings and strong winds, said the department.
Without downpours of rain clearing away the dust, the problem of PM2.5 pollution in Bangkok will worsen in winter. You can prevent health problems caused by PM2.5 pollution by wearing an N95 mask and by purchasing an air purifier for your home.
Thailand's winter is synonymous with Thailand's tourist 'High Season.' Tourists prefer less rain and warm, but not sweltering, temperatures.
Many Russian draft escapees are working abroad as digital nomads under the radar.
After a seven months hiatus, Aeroflot flights from Moscow to both Phuket and Bangkok are scheduled to begin at the end of the month. This was confirmed by Vladimir Sosnov, the Russian consul general in Phuket, and by CNN correspondents who say that tickets are indeed on sale in the Russian capital. There have been no direct flights since March 2022, largely because aero spare parts have been hard to obtain since the imposition of western sanctions.
To date, about 90,000 Russians, mostly bona fide tourists or expats, have entered Thailand since the Ukraine war began last February. This largely reflects travel difficulties as air passengers must generally go first to countries – Turkey and the United Arab Emirates are examples – which offer visa-free entry to Russians and onward flights to Bangkok. In 2019, prior to the Covid pandemic, almost one million Russians entered Thailand in a similar seven months period.
Psychological pressures and loneliness can be a big problem for many leaving Russia in a hurry.
Draft escapee Vadim is a 26 year old Russian, currently residing in Pattaya, who says he fled Moscow via Turkey to avoid the compulsory call-up to the Russian military. He says that he expects more men, hoping to escape the draft, to arrive in Thailand once flights resume. "They are likely to be questioned by the police in Russia prior to departure and they won't carry too much luggage to avoid suspicion." But he expected many to get through. "Actually, Putin prefers people opposed to him to be out of the country."
His colleague Alexei, 28, said Thailand had its merits and disadvantages as a bolt hole for draft deniers. "Russians don't need a visa to come here for 30 days and extensions are easy to obtain. On the other hand, the work permit rules here are very strict." He said he had been a waiter in both Kazakhistan and Turkey, but that was impossible in Thailand. Alexei complained that he had met some official hostility even in Pattaya. "Bank accounts are very hard to open here and I was told by an official to forget the idea unless I could produce a 12 months' rental contract. That kind of discrimination doesn't seem to apply to other nationalities."
Aeroflot is beginning a new schedule of Thai flights at the end of October 2022.
Russian journalist Ekaterina Kogutov said the biggest problem for most escapees was how to support themselves abroad. "Some countries have given them refugee status, but others have banned them or made clear there is no state support." Thai authorities do not provide financial help. Ekaterina explained that many men who had fled here worked remotely as digital nomads beneath the radar. Others were self-sufficient for now or received financial support from their families in Russia.
Of course, most Russian draft escapees have transferred by land to those neighboring countries willing to admit them. Those fleeing abroad by air are likely to be the more affluent or well-connected and hundreds are known to have flown out by private jets. But now that Thailand is becoming more accessible by air, and with a history of welcoming one and a half million Russians in 2019, the arrival of more draft escapees is inevitable. A policy statement from the Thai government is clearly overdue.
The majority of international tourists in Pattaya at the moment are from Asia, mostly India while several hotel operators have made adjustments to their room and food offerings to accommodate the needs of these guests, who mainly stay in central and southern Pattaya areas and the city expects to see more tourists from Europe in November.
This 4-day long weekend gives an opportunity for Thai people to visit tourist attractions, with destinations around the country seeing large crowds of visitors.
The site of Doi Tung Development Project, one of the most famous attractions in the northern province of Chiang Rai, is seeing the return of visitors coming to admire several species of plants and flowers. Cooler air that reaches as low as 18C in the morning gives a refreshing change. Most visitors here come in large groups. A family from Surat Thani said they are impressed with the view, the beauty of the site, and the weather.
In the eastern region, the seaside city of Pattaya has seen an increase in hotel reservations. There are both Thai and international guests. Many hotels have introduced special offers for families looking to go on holiday during the school break.
The majority of international tourists in Pattaya at the moment are from Asia, mostly India. Several hotel operators have made adjustments to their room and food offerings to accommodate the needs of these guests, who mainly stay in central and southern Pattaya areas. The city expects to see more tourists from Europe in November.
In Phuket, shops selling tie-dye clothes in the old town are crowded with customers, leading to higher sales revenue. Customers, most of whom are from India and the Middle East, come to purchase these clothes to wear at the beach. (NNT)
The site of Doi Tung Development Project, one of the most famous attractions in the northern province of Chiang Rai, is seeing the return of visitors coming to admire several species of plants and flowers while cooler air that reaches as low as 18C in the morning gives a refreshing change.
Three new Covid-19 subvariants have been found within Thailand's borders according to Thai scientists. The global scientific community believes that the subvariants in the group found in the kingdom will become the dominant strains of Covid within the next few months. A separate strain, XBB, was found in three passengers from Thailand in Hong Kong, despite the variant not being identified in the kingdom yet.
The BF.7, BN.1, and BA.2.75.2 subvariants were found through genomic surveillance in studies conducted by Ramathibodi Hospital's Centre for Medical Genomics. They were found in samples that were gathered from people within Thailand, though not in big numbers according to the National News Bureau of Thailand.
There was only one case of the BN.1 subvariant found, two people infected with the BF.7 subvariant, and three infections of the B.2.75.2 strain. The three strains are all related as part of a subvariant group of the Omicron variant that swept the world previously. These are newer strains from a group that also includes the BQ.1.1, BA.2.3.30, and XBB subvariants, the last of which was recently found in Hong Kong in travellers from Thailand.
The Department of Disease Control is pursuing information through International Health Regulations about those travellers. Few details have been released about the three passengers, including if they were Thai natives or foreigners and if they were originating in Thailand or just passing through in transit.
Hong Kong has found 29 XBB infections so far, with 24 of them caught upon entry at the international airport. The remaining five were identified within 2 days of their arrival into the special administrative region. The majority of those infected were from Singapore where Covid infections have nearly quadrupled in the past week and are predicted to rise to double or triple again in the near future.
The XBB strain found in those Thai passengers has not yet been uncovered within Thailand's borders, and authorities are stepping up efforts to detect it. Health officials have ordered samples be taken from travellers from Hong Kong, Singapore, and other XBB-infected nations. And Thai PBS World reported that international airports are increasing general monitoring.
These new subvariants have between 200 and 2,000 infections in the GISAID database that tracks the pandemic worldwide, but scientists believe they will surpass the BA.5 subvariant as the dominant strain soon. They worry most about the ultra-resistant BA.5.2.1.7 and BF.7 strains. Those subvariants have been proliferating in Asia, Europe, and North America and are worrisome because they evade antibody treatments, vaccines, and previous infections.
Following over two years of restricted travel and closed borders due to the COVID-19 pandemic, a core task for Thailand as host of APEC 2022 is to place tourism across the region back on a path of growth.
At the 11th APEC Tourism Ministerial Meeting held in Bangkok on 19 August 2022, it was highlighted that APEC member economies had the opportunity to coordinate their policies to revive the tourism and travel industry with not only enhanced safety but also greater sustainability, responsibility, and inclusivity.
The statement released from the APEC Tourism Ministerial Meeting reflected these aspirations by marking Regenerative Tourism as the goal for future tourism to and within the 21 member economies of APEC.
Ahead of the meeting, Thailand has declared that it will use its leadership role in 2022 to push forward the APEC Policy Recommendations on Regenerative Tourism with the aim of paving the way forward to a future of tourism that "ensures that the industry contributes to all types of well- being locally."
The goals of Regenerative Tourism are already in line with the Thai government's Bio-Circular- Green or BCG Economy Model, which has been implemented to revive Thailand's tourism industry safely, inclusively, and sustainably.
Endorsed guidelines by attending ministers have set a course for rebuilding the tourism industry across the region "through investment, the creation of employment opportunities, human resource development, occupational standards, and support for small businesses".
The guidelines update advice from the pre- COVID-19 era and emphasize the need to reduce barriers that have a direct impact on visitor exports and tourist flows in the region.
A core set of seven guiding principles were adopted to support Regenerative Tourism. They call for policies and programs to respect local resource custodians, traditions, and culture; to enhance sustainable and responsible travel and tourism; to encourage the exchange of information and open dialogue; to foster human resource development, skills training, and occupational standards tools for a stronger industry workforce, including workers with disabilities; to utilize innovative technologies to improve economic, social, cultural, and environmental well-being, as well as establish partnerships; to identify synergies and utilize resources through public-private partnerships to encourage tourism investment in the APEC region; and to strengthen the resiliency of tourism to prepare for future shocks.
The statement is an affirmation that tourism officials in the region are aware that smaller entities in the tourism sector have been impacted by challenges such as COVID-19 and that a re-energizing of travel should address such effects for prosperity in the long run.
Air travel in Phuket disrupted by floods, intercity buses not affected
A woman wades along a flooded road in downtown Phuket on Sunday. (Photo: Achadtaya Chuenniran)
Rare flooding in Phuket on Sunday continued to disrupt air travellers as passengers missed their flights out of the resort city, while those arriving struggled to reach their hotels or homes.
Several tourists missed their flights because of traffic congestion on roads to the airport due to flooding, although all airports extended service at check-in counters by 20 minutes to one hour, the provincial public relations office said, citing Ratchadaporn O-in, chief of the tourism and sports office in Phuket.
The situation was no better for those flying in, because public transport was hampered by vehicles stranded on roads, she added.
Phuket airport has requested travellers to leave for the airport three to four hours before their scheduled departures after torrential rain throughout the night submerged parts of the island. The famous old neighbourhood in downtown Phuket was one of the worst affected.
Tourism police and a representative of the Tourist Assistance Centre help travellers check in at Phuket airport. (Photo: Phuket public relations office)
The chaos came as many holidaymakers were leaving the island at the end of the four-day weekend for government and state enterprise officials that started on Thursday.
Flooded roads forced Phuket Smart Bus Co to temporarily suspend its airport bus services in Kamala, Cherng Talay, Surin beach and Ban Kian to avoid flooding.
Airport Bus Phuket No. 8411, a service from another company leaving Bus Terminal 1 in the city, has had to change its regular route.
"Passengers should prepare at least four hours for the trip," it said on its Facebook page, and advised customers to watch for updates to their schedules.
A bus from Phuket to Phatthalung leaves the island on a flooded road. (Photo: Phuket public relations office)
Adcha Buachan, the provincial land transport office chief, said all buses leaving Phuket for other provinces continued regular service from two city bus terminals. No passengers were stranded at the bus stations, he said, adding that services could yet be adjusted depending on the flood situation.
Only service by vans and small vehicles was suspended due to the high level of water on some roads, the official added.
More worrying days ahead
As officials tried to help people on the island affected by floods, weather forecasters warned of yet more rain or even downpours to lash Phuket and other provinces along the Andaman coast on Monday.
"Ranong, Phannga, Phuket, Krabi, Trang and Satun should beware of possible flash floods and runoff," said Charan Yiemvej, the forecaster on duty at the Meteorological Department in Bangkok.
The chance of rain on the island was 70% from Monday to Wednesday, according to the department.
The recent mass shooting in Nong Bua Lam Phu province was the deadliest in Thailand's history. The tragedy revealed even more shocking statistics, particularly the country's high ranking for gun violence and possession. It also restarted the conversation on gun laws.
Gun violence trend
Thailand is currently ranked 15th among countries with the highest number of gun-related deaths, and ranked 2nd in Southeast Asia, according to the World Population Review website.
Countries with the highest number of gun-related deaths are Brazil, the United States, Mexico, India and Columbia, while the Philippines has the highest number of deaths in the ASEAN region.
While it seems like gun violence and mass shootings are becoming more frequent, Southeast Asia, in fact, has less gun violence than other continents. Gun violence is much higher in the Americas.
The United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) also sees a downward trend in gun violence and homicides in Southeast Asia. Therefore, recent mass shootings in Thailand, both in Nong Bua Lam Phu and Nakhon Ratchasima in 2020, are considered quite "unique" for the region.
"In Southeast Asia and in Thailand, despite being appalling and tragic, we're not at levels that we can see in other continents," said Julien Garsany, the Deputy Regional Representative for Southeast Asia and the Pacific of the UNODC.
Availability
As to why Thailand has the highest gun possession in ASEAN countries, Julien explains that it's mainly because of theavailability of guns, both legal and illegal. Such weapons can also be easily purchased onthe black market and online.
According to the Small Arms Survey (SAS) in 2017, Thailand has the highest number of guns in the possession of private individuals among ASEAN member countries.
Among a total of 10,342,000 guns recorded, 6,221,180 were legally registered and the rest were illegal. This means that 15 in every 100 people in Thailand possess a gun.
Updated information, however, is not available from the SAS, but it is widely believed that actual gun possession is much higher.
The UNODC representative also noted that most of the illegal firearms in Thailand were obtained through trafficking in such weapons along the borders. This indicates that there are internal conflicts and ongoing instability within the country.
"For instance, on the borderswith Malaysia, Cambodia and Myanmar we can see these flows of firearms going two ways, they can be more easily acquired. When you have instability, obviously you will have more availability of weapons."
Uncommon but too familiar
Although deadly mass shootings are quite rare, gun violence is not uncommon in Thailand. Whether shootings occur between partners, family members, neighbours or even colleagues, people who follow the news are all too familiar with such stories.
Besides the Nong Bua Lam Phu massacre, one of the most recent shootings was in Ubon Ratchathani province in August this year, which involved two rival gangs in the parking lot of a superstore. Two people were killed and seven people were injured.
Another shooting occurred in Ayutthaya in the same month, where three people were injured in a gun fight in broad daylight, involving over a dozen men from two rival ice factories.
Apart from the accessibility of (illegal) firearms, the media also plays a huge role in influencing people to believe that having a gun is the only way to protect themselves.
Gun violence is often portrayed in several Thai soap operas. [Image Credit: CH7HD]
Thai dramas often portray the use of guns as means to vent jealousy, anger, hatred or despair. Most scenes depict gun violence as a means to take revenge on enemies or to end tangled problems, such as love-triangles, fighting for inheritance or hierarchicaloppression.
Gun violence is often portrayed in several Thai soap operas. [Image Credit: CH3Thailand]
Feeling the necessity to possess a gun also indicates that Thai people have no trust in the state. As Thai criminologist, Associate Professor Police Lieutenant Colonel Dr. Krisanaphong Poothakool explains, people no longer believe that the police can effectively protect them when they are in trouble.
"On the other hand, why don't people in the UK, Japan, or Singapore believe that they have to possess a gun? Because their government reassures them that, if there's a crime, the police can take prompt action and provide justice."
Gun welfare program
Thailand's Interior Ministry also has a "gun welfare"program, where state agencies, such as the Royal Thai Police, the Customs Department and state enterprises, import guns through local gun traders for their staff at a much cheaper price.
Whether the reason is for self-defense, for protection of property, for sports or for game hunting, there is no limit on the number of guns an official can buy under this program. That means, they can use this "privilege" to purchase as many firearms as they wish.
"People nowadays have this belief that they should keep firearms as assets," said Associate Professor Dr. Piyaporn Tunneekul, a criminologist from Nakhon Pathom Rajabhat University who does research on firearms possession in Thailand.
Under the gun welfare program, as Dr. Piyaporn explains, an official must retain possession of a gun for up to three years. Once the three-years expires, they can sell them. She feels, however, that the scheme should be limitedto one firearm per person, and owners have to sell or destroy their old gun before purchasing a new one.
"That is why the statistics look very high, because one official possesses more than one firearm, while it is very difficult for ordinary people, like us, to acquireone. This reflects how guns are symbolic of power, and Thai people want to have power over others."
Despite this "privilege", what also remains problematic is how police officers, who have already been dismissed from service, still have access to these weapons. This is apparently the root cause of the Nong Bua Lam Phu mass murder, where the ex-policemen, who was fired from this job for drug abuse, used his guns to commit the crime.
Dr. Krisanaphong strongly believes that Thailand's gun control should be increasedand that the process for issuing gun licenses needs to be reviewed. Authorities should also consider revoking gun licenses ofpeople who are convicted of serious wrongdoing.
"This is a loophole that we seriously need to look at," he said. "So far, there has never been a review nor an investigation ofofficials or criminals who have been convicted of drug abuse or other serious offenses, or even those displayingaggressive behaviour, posting rude or threatening messages on social media. We don't have such information on our databases yet."
Solution
It seems like the mass murder at a childcare centre in Nong Bua Lam Phu province has, at least, prompted some changes.
Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha recently held his first meeting on gun and illegal narcotic control, to develop guidelines for solving drug abuse problems and gun-related violence effectively. They also discussed the idea of revoking the gun licenses of people who are deemed to be a threat to society or who are addicted to drugs.
The Royal Thai Police arealso initiating the idea of confiscating weapons from police officers who misbehave or who are prone to gun violence, even if they are purchased legally. This measure may also include retired police officers.
Although amending the existing gun laws is the main priority, Dr.Krisanaphong thinks that both short-term and long-term strategies should also be implemented to curb gun-related violence.
"Once we learned that the gunman was an ex-policeman, who had a history of drug abuse and used his firearms to commit the crime, we now have to find out who else has been dismissed from the police force or been involved in drug abuse while on duty."
Other strategies, as the criminologist suggests, include having clear rules on revoking gun licenses,as well as confiscating guns from police officers who have committed drug-related crimes or other serious offenses, to prevent similar tragedies.
Mental health evaluations of police officers who possess firearms, at least once a year, are also necessary as a long-term strategy.
The government should also set a limit on the importation offirearmsunder the "gun welfare" scheme, to avoid officers hoarding firearms.
"The amount of imported firearms must coincide with the number of officials who really need to use them, whether it's police officers, soldiers or security officials," said Dr.Krisanaphong.
"Let's say you set a limit to no more than 5 million firearms across the country, authorities must find out whether the number of firearms in the market has reached 5 million. If it has reached the limit, then you cannot import any more of them," said Dr. Piyaporn.
Similarly, the UNODC believes that gun measures need to be fixed at the regional, national and institutional levels.
"There are two main UN international instruments that exist. The first one is the UN protocol against illicit trafficking and manufacturing of firearms, and another one is the UN arms trade treaty," said Julien.
"None of them have been ratified by Thailand or other countries in Southeast Asia."
Apart from considering the UN's international protocols on firearms, the UNODC suggests that the government seriously needs to revise the existing gun laws and contemplate the real purpose of gun possession.
Also, the police force and the military, which handle weapons on a daily basis, need to detect early warning signs as to whether certain officers are potentially dangerous and are likely to cause harm to others with the use of firearms.
In fact, one mass shooting is already way too many.
By Nad Bunnag and Jeerapa Boonyatus, Thai PBS World
Pattaya business and tourism chief bemoans dearth of Russians, Chinese
Boonanan Pattanasin, president of the Pattaya Business & Tourism Association, lamented the continued absence of Russian tourists in Thailand, suggested the government should "do something" about it.
Pattaya's top business leaders want Thailand to do something – although he can't say what – to allow Russians to use credit cards in Thailand again.
Boonanan Pattanasin, president of the Pattaya Business & Tourism Association, lamented the continued absence of Russian tourists in Thailand.
Visa International and other credit and debit card companies disabled cards linked to Russian bank accounts. Boonanan suggested the government should "do something" to get around that, although the issue is beyond the scope of Government House.
Boonanan is also upset China continues to limit foreign tourism due to that country's Covid-19 controls. Without Russians and Chinese tourists, Thailand must subsist on Indians, Turks and Thais this quarter, he said.
Currency Exchange booths in Pattaya are busier than ever, though international credit and debit card companies have disabled cards linked to Russian bank accounts.
Thai tourists continue to make up 80% of visitors to Pattaya and they should easily fill hotels for big year-end events such as the International Fireworks Competition, Loy Krathong and the Pattaya Countdown, Boonanan said. But, outside of those events, Pattaya must do more to promote tourism.
Boonanan said that he will ask the central government to again consider nightlife zoning in Pattaya and allow entertainment venues to open until 4 a.m. He also asks the powers that be to improve and increase operations at U-Tapao International Airport, making it a hub for air travel comparable to Bangkok's Suvarnabhumi Airport.
The PBTA doesn't expect Pattaya tourism to recover to 2019 levels for one or two years, he added.
Boonanan Pattanasin said that operations at U-Tapao International Airport should be increased and improved to make it an aviation hub comparable to Bangkok International Airport.
The Meteorological Department (TMD) issued a warning to people in the northeast, east and central regions of the country to brace themselves for heavy rain as Tropical Storm Sonca hits Thailand today.
The storm will bring heavy rain and strong winds to several provinces in the Northeast including Khon Kaen, Maha Sarakham, and Ubon Ratchathani.
The weather guys also warned of flash floods in the mountains.
Small fishing boats are advised not to set sail in the coming days.
The south is expected to experience heavy rain from Sunday until Thursday due to a low-pressure front.
Northern parts will see cooler weather as a high-pressure area in the South China Sea causes temperatures to drop in the morning
The depression might worsen the northeastern flood situation with water already dangerously high in dams and reservoirs across the region.
Rain will increase in intensity on Saturday affecting Bangkok, Pathum Thani, Samut Prakan, and Nonthaburi.
Water from the north will increase the level of water in the Chao Phraya River, especially in Nakorn Sawan, making floods a cause for concern.
According to the Department of Disaster Prevention and Mitigation, 28 provinces in the northeast, lower north and central regions are still affected by floods caused by the passage of storm Noru last week.
Floodwaters have affected 325,000 families. Water levels are still rising in the northeast and the central provinces.
