Makan in Thailand

[Mooose]

recently did some travelling in thailand in our 2021 nissan almera, the fuel economy is amazing .. best of 25.1km/l but averagely 22-23 km/l on e20 (20% ethanol mix) .. top up about B1300 (28-29 litres @ 44-45 baht per litre) each time can do 650km .. 

[steveluv]

I received a traditional Thai gift from a Thai friend, Luk-Chup, a Thai dessert or you can also call it sweets or snacks. Its so beautiful that I don't feel like eating them.

 

[steveluv]

I cooked crispy noodle last night for dinner

 

[steveluv]

Suvarnabhumi Airport this morning about 8am

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IoEBj1THpH0

[steveluv]

My breakfast at the airport - chicken porridge and egg

[steveluv]

Arrived

 

 

[steveluv]

Traditional Singapore breakfast 

 

[steveluv]

Scenes of Singap[ore's Holland Village at about 5pm

Dinner at Baden

 

Scenes of Holland Village at about 10pm

[steveluv]

Visited the old estate Tanglin Halt

Hawker centre

This stall selling prawn noodle is really good

Delicious soup

[steveluv]

https://asia.nikkei.com/Politics/Turbulent-Thailand/Thailand-s-Prayuth-Chan-ocha-fights-economy-Thaksin-s-popularity?utm_campaign=GL_asia_daily&utm_medium=email&utm_source=NA_newsletter&utm_content=article_link&del_type=1&pub_date=20220718190000&seq_num=2&si=44594

Thailand's Prayuth Chan-ocha fights economy, Thaksin's popularity
Ruling coalition frays ahead of no-confidence motion and eventual elections

Thailand's Prime Minister Prayuth Chan-ocha walks past an honour guard in Bangkok in May.   © Reuters
YOHEI MURAMATSU, Nikkei staff writerJuly 18, 2022 12:00 JST

BANGKOK -- Eager to keep his job once his term expires in March, Thai Prime Minister Prayuth Chan-ocha this month has been trying to quash rumors that he will be replaced due to the country's suffering economy, taking to the internet and visiting his supporters.

But his campaign comes with his ruling coalition on the verge of suffering a defection and on the eve of a no-confidence showdown in the lower house.

"If I can continue [as the leader,]" the prime minister told supporters in a rural part of northern Thailand, "the projects will proceed faster."

It was the first time Prayuth made it clear in public that he intends to remain in office for a second term. Previously statements had expressed an intention to serve a full term.

The following day, Prayuth posted a video of himself on his government's website, pledging to rebuild the economy by building infrastructure and promoting the electric vehicle industry. He promised his measures would start showing results within two years, asking the public to keep supporting him so he can complete long-term programs.

With a lower house election to take place by next May at the latest, Prayuth's recent remarks seem to indicate a determination to continue heading the government beyond that period.

Prayuth has led Thailand since May 2014, when as army chief he pulled a military coup, then remained as junta chief until elections were staged for one house of parliament in March 2019. With the upper house hand-picked by the military and holding great power to put a prime minister in place, Prayuth was able to officially assume the prime ministership under a quasi-civilian government.

In a policy speech in July 2019, when the ruling coalition was formed, the pro-military leader vowed to pull Thailand out of its middle-income trap, one many developing countries fall into when they gain a certain amount of economic strength. Then the pandemic struck.

In 2021, Thailand's economy grew 1.5%, the worst performance among major Southeast Asian nations. It is expected to plug along at a relatively low 3% or so this year.

Prayuth can do little about the biggest drag on Thailand's economy, tourism, which in normal times accounts for more than 10% of the country's gross domestic product. Although Thailand is now allowing international arrivals, a big tourism rebound is unlikely due to the relentlessness of COVID-19 and repercussions, especially those pertaining to energy costs, from Russia's invasion of Ukraine.

But Thailand, whose economic recovery has been slower than those in neighboring countries, has other concerns.

"The population has peaked out, and foreign companies' investment appetite has diminished," said Seiya Sukegawa, a visiting professor at the Thai-Nichi Institute of Technology in Bangkok.

At the household level, Thais keep having to borrow to make ends meet. According to the Bank for International Settlements (BIS), Thailand's household debt in 2021 reached 91% of GDP, up 10.8 percentage points from 2019, before the pandemic, and much worse than the emerging economy average of 51%.

Their harsh economic reality has many Thais yearning for a return of the Shinawatra family. Thaksin Shinawatra, a former prime minister who led the country to high economic growth, is now living in self-imposed exile, having been convicted of abuse of power. His sister Yingluck, another former prime minister, is also a fugitive.

Thaksin has continued to influence Thai politics from abroad, which shows in an opinion poll conducted by the National Institute of Development Administration in June. In the survey, 25% of respondents favored Thaksin daughter Paetongtarn as the next prime minister. Prayuth came in No. 3 at 12%, outdone even by Pita Limjaroenrat, the leader of Move Forward Party, at 13%.

Thailand's opposition parties have filed a no-confidence motion against Prayuth, with parliamentary debate beginning Tuesday. The motion comes with the 19-party ruling coalition beginning to fray. The Thai Economic Party, a medium-size coalition member, on Wednesday stated it will vote for the no-confidence motion.

Even without the Thai Economic Party, the ruling coalition enjoys about a 15-seat majority in the 484-member lower house. But if more defections follow, they could end the Prayuth era.
 

[steveluv]

Its a very wet morning today nevertheless took a bus to Tiong Bahru for breakfast

First is the famous Tiong Bahru lormee, raining heavily so not many customers

My $5.50 lormee

Next is this chwee kueh stall

My $3 chwee kueh

Got my kopi-o from this stall and here's my $9.60 breakfast 

 

[steveluv]

 

https://www.thaipbsworld.com/thailand-reports-first-omicron-ba-2-75-sub-variant-case/

Thailand reports first case of Omicron BA.2.75 sub-variant
July 20, 2022

The Centre for Medical Genomics at Ramathibodi Hospital has reported the country’s first case of the COVID-19 Omicron BA.2.75 sub-variant infection, in the southern province of Trang.

The case was found among several specimens collected for the Department of Medical Sciences on June 28th. The department conducted genetic sequencing and uploaded the findings to the GISAID database on July 18th. It was identified as the BA.2.75 sub-variant.

This sub-variant was first detected in India in early June and has spread to several other countries including the United States. Scientists had decoded the matching genetic makeup in 338 cases by yesterday (Tuesday).

According to the centre, the BA.2.75 sub-variant can evade immunity more effectively than other sub-variants and become resistant to vaccines, which were developed from the Wuhan strain of the virus. It is suggested that any synthetic antibody medication to be administered to patients must be tailored to match with their virus strain of infection.

It was observed that the BA.2.75 sub-variant, which spread rapidly in India, has now subsided, probably because many people in the country, who had been infected by the BA.2 sub-variant, may have developed some immunity.

Two BA.2.75 sub-variant cases have been detected in Singapore, in two passengers arriving from India on July 17th. Asymptomatic, both are now in quarantine.

The centre noted that the BA.2 sub-variant did spread widely in Thailand, before the arrival of the BA.4 and BA.5 sub-variants.

It also said that there is no clear evidence that BA.2.75 is more virulent or severe than the other Omicron sub-variants.

[steveluv]

Lunch with some friends at Yishun after work.

 

Very good bak kut teh, better than the Song Fa in Bangkok

[Kklim]

6 hours ago, steveluv said:

 

https://www.thaipbsworld.com/thailand-reports-first-omicron-ba-2-75-sub-variant-case/

Thailand reports first case of Omicron BA.2.75 sub-variant
July 20, 2022

The Centre for Medical Genomics at Ramathibodi Hospital has reported the country’s first case of the COVID-19 Omicron BA.2.75 sub-variant infection, in the southern province of Trang.

The case was found among several specimens collected for the Department of Medical Sciences on June 28th. The department conducted genetic sequencing and uploaded the findings to the GISAID database on July 18th. It was identified as the BA.2.75 sub-variant.

This sub-variant was first detected in India in early June and has spread to several other countries including the United States. Scientists had decoded the matching genetic makeup in 338 cases by yesterday (Tuesday).

According to the centre, the BA.2.75 sub-variant can evade immunity more effectively than other sub-variants and become resistant to vaccines, which were developed from the Wuhan strain of the virus. It is suggested that any synthetic antibody medication to be administered to patients must be tailored to match with their virus strain of infection.

It was observed that the BA.2.75 sub-variant, which spread rapidly in India, has now subsided, probably because many people in the country, who had been infected by the BA.2 sub-variant, may have developed some immunity.

Two BA.2.75 sub-variant cases have been detected in Singapore, in two passengers arriving from India on July 17th. Asymptomatic, both are now in quarantine.

The centre noted that the BA.2 sub-variant did spread widely in Thailand, before the arrival of the BA.4 and BA.5 sub-variants.

It also said that there is no clear evidence that BA.2.75 is more virulent or severe than the other Omicron sub-variants.

Aiya! Been planning to go late August

[steveluv]

2 hours ago, Kklim said:

Aiya! Been planning to go late August

Lai lah lai lah nothing one lah

[steveluv]

This morning went out to have fishball noodle. Took this bus

Even though it was 8.30am it wasn't crowded at all

The fishball noodle stall

My breakfast

[Adrianli]

6 hours ago, steveluv said:

Lunch with some friends at Yishun after work.

 

Very good bak kut teh, better than the Song Fa in Bangkok

Of course. You are eating from the source country.😆

[steveluv]

Living on US$1,750 (S$2,430) a month in Bangkok