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From Channel News Asia MOSCOW: Russia announced on Wednesday (Jul 21) that a batch of its Sputnik V coronavirus vaccine was produced for the first time in Vietnam, which is battling a new wave of COVID-19 infections. The test batch was produced in partnership with Vietnam's state-owned pharmaceutical company Vabiotech, the Russian Direct Investment Fund (RDIF), which financially backed Sputnik V, said in a statement. The first samples from the batch will be shipped to the vaccine's developer - the Gamaleya Centre in Moscow - for quality control, the RDIF added. "RDIF and Vabiotech are actively cooperating in the technology transfer process to provide easier access to Sputnik V for the population of Vietnam," the fund's CEO Kirill Dmitriyev said in the statement. The president of Vabiotech, Dat Tuan Do, welcomed the announcement saying it "will help provide quality and affordable" vaccines to Vietnam and other countries in the region. Vietnam has recently faced a surge in new infections with the government putting about a third of the country's 100 million people under stay-at-home orders to contain the outbreak. https://www.channelnewsasia.com/news/world/vietnam-produce-russia-sputnik-v-covid-19-vaccines-first-batch-15262020

From Thai Enquirer Thailand moves to join COVAX Thailand will now join the COVAX programme, the National Vaccine Institute (NVI) said on Wednesday, after holding out from joining the international cooperation framework for months. “Even though we have tried our hardest, the vaccines that we have procured so far are still not enough for the current outbreak situation,” said Dr Nakorn Premsri, the director of the NVI, adding that there had been “many agencies and many regulations involved with the procurement.” To supplement current supplies, “we are looking to bring in second-generation vaccines that are effective against the mutation and we are expecting them to arrive by the first quarter of next year,” he said. The institute is at the stage of “beginning of the negotiation and the sending of a letter to Gavi to state the intention to join the COVAX programme.” The COVAX programme aims to provide equitable access to Covid vaccines globally and is co-led by the Coalition for Epidemic Preparedness Innovations, Gavi the Vaccine Alliance, and the World Health Organization (WHO). There are currently 172 countries participating as donors, recipients or some combination according to the WHO website. Thailand has so far been one of just a handful of countries not to join, which also includes Turkey and Russia. https://www.thaienquirer.com/30268/thailand-moves-to-join-covax-to-address-vaccine-shortfall/ =============================== From Bangkok Post Ambulance service overstretched, bodies left lying in streets Critics accused the government of allowing public health services to collapse after three people died on the streets of Bangkok and one was left lying in the middle of the road for hours before an ambulance finally arrived. The body that lay on the road for 12 hours was later found to be infected with Covid-19. The most mentioned case on social media was a man who collapsed and later died in the middle of Soi Ban Phan Thom, off Phra Sumeru Road. Chana Songkhram police chief Pol Col Sanong Sanemanee said on Traffic Police radio station that the man died about 5pm despite emergency responders' efforts to keep him alive. An ambulance did not arrive until 10.30pm, and took away the body. https://www.bangkokpost.com/thailand/general/2152531/health-system-in-crisis-critics-tell-government ==================================== Record 13,002 new Covid cases There were a record 13,002 new Covid-19 cases, and 108 more fatalities, over the previous 24 hours, the Public Health Ministry reported on Wednesday morning. There were 11,953 cases in the general population and 1,049 among prison inmates. Since April 1, around when the third wave of Covid-19 began, there have been 410,614 Covid-19 patients, 277,030 have recovered. Since the pandemic started early last year, there have been 439,477 Covid-19 cases, 304,456 of whom recovered. https://www.bangkokpost.com/thailand/general/2152383/record-13-002-new-covid-cases

From Pattaya Mail When Pattaya first shut down at the start of the coronavirus pandemic, Alisa Phanthusak Kunpalin thought that the iconic Tiffany’s Show she heads would be closed for at most three months. Sixteen months later, the stage lights remain dark, the seats empty and the feathered headdresses dusty. Alisa, Tiffany’s managing director, now fears it will be that way for some time. “I thought the government could control it,” Alisa said of the coronavirus’ spread. “But unfortunately, there are no signs of recovery.” The Tiffany’s Show, which had run continuously for 46 years until Pattaya shut down in March 2020. In between the three waves, the Beach Road theater reopened briefly and only on weekends and holidays, but it wasn’t enough to sustain the Tiffany cast of dancers, crew and administrative employees. “We were responsible for a huge slice of tourism income that poured from our sweats and tears,” one of the Tiffany transgender dancers, “Nong Kuk-Kik”, wrote on her Facebook page this week. “But now we face an indescribable situation with our income and daily lives.” To be fair, all of Pattaya’s entertainment sector has been wiped out by the three waves of business closures. The transgender cabarets are not unique. Thousands of women once worked as bar hostesses or go-go dancers on Walking Street, Soi LK Metro and the side streets in between. Hundreds of men did likewise in the city’s gay bars. Transgender women, with far fewer employment options, toiled in dingy Soi 6 brothels with only the youngest, tallest and fairest “ladyboys” lifting themselves out of the sex industry to join the famed Tiffany’s and Alcazar choruses. Continues with photos https://www.pattayamail.com/news/glamourous-life-just-a-memory-for-pattayas-ladyboy-cabaret-dancers-364103

From Thai Enquirer By Pear Maneechote Two years ago, no one could have anticipated the world in which we live today, struck by one of the deadliest pandemics in history. With cases still soaring and more and more bodies lined up in Thailand, the battle here is far from over. There is no shortage of devastation or despair in our country, felt in hospital corridors, on the front page of the newspaper and on the dinner tables in our homes. But Thailand is not alone in this fight. The devastating third wave of the coronavirus pandemic, particularly surrounding the highly infectious Delta variant, has been ravaging Southeast Asia, leading to a record number of deaths and daily infections linked to the virus. Many have noted that most countries in the region are experiencing their “worst outbreaks since the pandemic began,” due to the emergence of the more aggressive forms of variants, lack of vaccines and spread of misinformation. Here’s the latest update on how other nations are doing in Southeast Asia. Indonesia is the new epicenter Indonesia has become the new epicenter of the pandemic as of this week. The country is ranked the highest in Southeast Asia, third in Asia, and 16th in the world. With a reported 2,911,733 million cases and 74,920 deaths, Indonesia has surpassed India and Brazil to become the country with the world’s highest daily count of new infections. But the exact numbers — including cases with asymptomatic patients, patients who have not been tested or those who have died at home — could be much higher. Much like Thailand, social media in the country is flooded with news of those affected by the outbreak, with netizens pleading for help and grieving the loss of their loved ones. Hospitals are overcrowded, and burial sites are running out. The current situation and economic hardship also make social isolation almost impossible, especially for those living on a daily wage. Many experts have cautioned that the country still hasn’t even reached the peak of the pandemic yet, and it may surpass India’s number of infections in the near future. Aside from the startling rise in infections, Indonesia is also facing a situation that Dr. Pandu Riono, a prominent epidemiologist from the University of Indonesia, calls “herd stupidity” due to widespread and rampant misinformation. According to Dr. Pandu, Indonesian government officials have been sending mixed messages and making poor decisions throughout this outbreak. Many citizens have also refused to follow strict health protocols and social distancing, as well as refusing vaccinations based on religious conspiracy theories. The vaccine rollout in Indonesia has been incredibly low, with only 6 per cent of the population vaccinated out of its 270 million inhabitants. So far, the government has only tested 15,793,858 of its entire population. The World Health Organization, since the onset of the pandemic last year, has already urged the country to perform more tests on its people, especially on suspected patients. Myanmar’s military coup The February coup in Myanmar, followed by the subsequent protests and civil disobedience movement led by citizens and healthcare workers alike, has crumbled the country’s healthcare system and deepened its already ailing economic recession. A nationwide lockdown and additional holidays have been imposed from July 17 – 25, in an attempt to contain the outbreak. But the country’s Covid-19 testing system and vaccination rollout, in fact, have collapsed ever since the military coup took place. In defiance of the military government, many citizens have refused treatment and vaccination. Doctors and patients have fled military-run hospitals because of anger and fear toward the military authorities and their refusal to cooperate with the regime. Families are searching for treatment and oxygen on their own, according to The Asian Times. According to the latest report by CNN, as many as one-third of all people tested in Myanmar have tested positive for the virus, with the UN’s special rapporteur for human rights warning that the junta-run country could become the next “Covid-19 super spreader state.” Myanmar is in a crisis. Hospitals and crematoriums are overwhelmed and are unable to keep up with the surge. Volunteers have been going door-to-door to collect the rising number of victims dying at home. Out of a population of 54 million, the junta-struck country has reported 234,710 cases and 5,281 linked to the coronavirus outbreak. Vietnam’s latest surge Vietnam was previously hailed as one of the world’s Covid-19 success stories, until the latest surge ravaged the country. Its largest city, Ho Chi Minh City, is now on the verge of medical collapse as the virus has spread rampantly into the commercial and supply chain hub since the beginning of June. “Vietnam is now officially entering the pandemic,” noted a prominent Vietnamese doctor, Dr. Tran Van Phuc, while adding that the country is also suffering through a low vaccination rollout. As of July 17, the communist-led nation has administered 4,261,252 vaccine doses across the country out of its 96.46 million inhabitants, accounting for only up to around 4.5 per cent of its total population. However, only 309,791 have got two doses. Over half of the country’s infections occurred during the past month, with 60,180 reported cases and 334 deaths linked to the virus. Health authorities believe that it all started with Ms. Loan, who started experiencing symptoms in April, attending a church service where people were not wearing masks back in Hanoi earlier in April of this year. To control the outbreak, the Vietnamese government advised its citizens in the capital city of Hanoi to stay at home and stopped all non-essential services. There has been a nationwide closure of indoor dining, salons, gyms, as well as a halt to domestic travel via rail and bus. “This outbreak is not the same as the previous ones,” said the country’s health minister Nguyen Thanh Long on Sunday. “We are preparing and standing ready for worse and worse scenarios.” Malaysia’s white flag In Southeast Asia, Malaysia has the third highest number of infections after the Philippines and Indonesia, with 927,533 cases and 7,148 deaths. The country is currently battling its worst pandemic to date, seeing an all-time high in daily infections consecutively last week, with its death toll tripling in the past two months. Due to the staggering rise in cases since May, Malaysia has gone into “full lockdown” nationwide since June 1, 2021, which includes an 8 pm curfew in the capital Kuala Lumpur and the neighboring state Selangor. The spike in cases has caused hospitals in some regions to reach full capacity, running severely low on medical supplies, with the entire healthcare system as a whole on the brink of collapse. Only 8 per cent of its 32 million people are fully inoculated, while 19 per cent have received at least one jab of the Covid-19 vaccine. Besides having severe economic effects on the country, the pandemic has caused major political instability and uproar against the government. Many Malaysians are now struggling for their lives and pleading for help. Statistics indicate that the suicide rate has gone up to alarming levels, with a total of 468 suicides reported during the first five months of 2021, up from 631 during the same period in 2020. With the #benderaputih (“white flag”) campaign, Malaysians, namely those belonging to lower-income households, have been flying white flags outside their homes and posting them on social media as a plea for help. Much like Thailand, celebrities, businesses and other citizens have offered their help by providing food and other necessities. Following the “white flag” campaign, some people have responded to the movement with another one by flying the black flag, a new campaign urging Prime Minister Muhyiddin Yassin to resign. This was led by opposition leader Anwar Ibrahim, who tweeted three black flag emojis earlier in July. https://www.thaienquirer.com/30156/southeast-asias-worst-wave/

Few gay athletes have captured our attention longer than has Tom Daley. With the Tokyo Olympics set to get underway this week, this look back on on his career reminds us that there's much more to his very public life than diving. From BBC Sport Daley with his son Robbie and husband Dustin Lance Black - they were married in 2017 By Nick Hope, BBC Olympic sports reporter in Tokyo The young boy facing the camera spoke with a smile, but everyone could see the steeliness in his eyes. "I want to get to the Olympics and win a gold medal," Tom Daley told the BBC in 2005. He was holding a picture he'd made - a drawing of himself doing a handstand on the 10m diving platform at the London Games, then still seven years away. "If I wasn't to win, it would drive me on to be at the next Olympics and get that medal then." Daley was just 11 when he stated that mission. What he's achieved since - including becoming world champion at 15 and twice winning Olympic bronze - owes much to a remarkable resolve that's also helped overcome struggles away from the pool. Growing up, he was bullied at school. In 2011, his father died at the age of 40. He feared the consequences of revealing his sexuality before coming out in 2013. Daley is Britain's most decorated diver, but he possesses a level of fame that far transcends his discipline. He has become one of sport's highest-profile gay athletes, a role model for others in the LGBTQ+ community. He has suffered several media run-ins during the course of a life lived under the spotlight. Now aged 27 and a father himself, he says he finds it "crazy" to see how "focused and obsessed" he was as a child. "If my son was talking like that at the same age, I'd be like 'wow, calm down, take your time, enjoy it,'" he tells BBC Sport. "But clearly there was just something in me that wanted it so much." Daley still wants that medal. And Tokyo - his fourth Olympics - arguably represents his last realistic chance to claim it. That same dream is still driving him today, but parenthood has given him a new perspective, on both triumph and trauma. Daley lived and breathed for the Olympics. He vividly recalls the efforts he went to, as an 11-year-old, to watch the men's synchronised 10m platform final during Athens 2004, when Leon Taylor and Pete Waterfield won silver for Britain. "We were on holiday in our caravan and everyone was going to the kids' clubs but I was determined to stay in and watch the diving so I was leaning out of the window with the aerial to try to get a better signal," he recalls while laughing. Four years later, Daley was already gaining more attention than his "idols" ever had. He had qualified for Beijing 2008, aged 13, and cameras were trained on his every move. He didn't challenge for medals in China, but the crowd loved watching the young teenager - cheering on 'baby Daley' throughout the event. A star was born. But back home, it wasn't all easy. "Some people at my school were so happy for me, but others started being really horrible and I was bullied," he says. "For a long time, I just kept quiet about it, but I bottled up so much that eventually I just couldn't train and it drained me so much mentally until I had nothing left. "It got to a point where I was always embarrassed to talk about diving and I couldn't take a compliment, because whenever someone said something nice, I had this fear I was going to be mocked." It left Daley wanting to be home schooled. Instead he was offered the chance to join Plymouth College towards the end of his first year of GCSEs, a month before the 2009 World Championships. In Rome, the revitalised 15-year-old graduated from medal contender to fully grown champion. While his landmark performance in the 10m platform was striking, what happened in the hour after was perhaps even more memorable. Daley rolls his eyes, but also smiles, when recalling the now infamous press conference. "I remember seeing my dad sneak in with a BBC journalist and he had this beaming smile," he recalls. "He put his hand up and said: 'I'm Rob, Tom's dad, and I want a cuddle.' I remember thinking: 'Oh my god...'" In the footage, Daley can be heard muttering "dad, this is so embarrassing" as he gingerly makes his way around the media scrum to his father - and another hoard of cameras. "I remember him saying: 'Tom I took you to all of your training sessions, taught you to ride a bike, I changed your nappies when you were a kid.' He said it was the proudest moment of his life to see his son become world champion. "When I look back, it was a very special moment as we'd achieved it together, and now as a father myself, I completely understand why he was so emotional." Continues with video https://www.bbc.com/sport/olympics/57817424

From The Diplomat Building a huge dam just upstream from a legendary UNESCO World Heritage site in an earthquake prone region poses serious risk to the local population and the town of Luang Prabang, warns a leading Thai earthquake specialist. Dr. Punya Churasiri, formerly the earthquake expert at Chulalungkorn University’s geology department, has considerable field research experience in northern Laos. As construction on the dam moved forward, he told The Diplomat, “We worry about what could happen and the possibility of damage to the World Heritage site.” The main developer and builder of the dam is the Thai construction giant CH Karnchang corporation. The dam site sits precariously close to an active earthquake faultline only 8.6 kilometers away. A sharp reminder of the danger was provided on July 7, when a 4.7 strong earthquake was registered in Luang Prabang district. Many local people in the World Heritage city fear that the 1410 MW Luang Prabang dam could trigger another disaster after the Xepian Xenamnoi dam accident in 2018. Damage to the dam caused a massive flood that swept away villagers and villages alike, leaving 14,440 people homeless and 71 confirmed dead. The dam site is 25 kilometers upriver from Luang Prabang, a cultural mecca and cornerstone of Lao history. The city harmoniously blends old architecture and culture with the surrounding nature, flanked by the confluence of the Mekong and Khan rivers, all part of the protective UNESCO World Heritage zone. Among many issues UNESCO’s World Heritage Committee (WHC) will be considering at its annual session, which began on July 16 in China, will be the increasing impact of dams on World Heritage sites, most recently in the Selous Game Reserve in Tanzania and Luang Prabang in Laos. The potential for damage to the sites has prompted global outcry. In the draft decision the WHC recommended the government of Laos “to halt all construction activities until a full heritage impact assessment is carried out.” Continues at https://thediplomat.com/2021/07/the-threat-of-a-dam-disaster-in-luang-prabang/

From Coconuts Bangkok A file photo of Charnchai Tangsubmanee at his shop Guay Jub Ouan Pochana. Photo: Guay Jub Ouan Pochana / Facebook Foodies and customers who’ve queued at a well-known noodle shop in Bangkok’s Chinatown are mourning the death of its owner after learning he succumbed to COVID-19. Tributes from customers famous and ordinary were spreading for Charnchai Tangsubmanee, the 73-year-old owner of Guay Jub Ouan Pochana who sold aromatic and peppery rolled rice noodle soup from a small shophouse over five decades. “I was in shock,” once-mighty news anchor Sorayuth Suthassanachinda said of learning Charnchai’s death. “Whenever I went there, Charnchai always greeted me, and we’d always hit it off. His noodles were hot and delicious every time, too. May he rest in peace.” News of Charnchai’s death Saturday was just confirmed by his sons, Adulwit and Narudon Tangsubmanee. According to Adulwit, Charnchai received his first dose of AstraZeneca in June but tested positive for the disease late last month. Charnchai and his wife, who also contracted COVID-19, were admitted to the Thonburi Bamrungmuang Hospital. Guay Jub Ouan Pochana was recognized on the Michelin guide’s Bib Gourmand list in 2019. Last year, it was among 106 Bangkok restaurants found worthy of the same rating by the French tire manufacturer. https://coconuts.co/bangkok/news/years-of-sweat-won-fame-for-his-chinatown-noodles-bangkoks-covid-3rd-wave-killed-him-in-days/

From Thai Enquirer Angry netizens have called for a ban of food-delivery application foodpanda after the company said it would fire an employee for attending pro-democracy demonstrations on Sunday. The hashtag #แบนfoodpanda (#boycottfoodpanda) has been trending on Thai twitter for the past 24 hours with more than 1.13 million tweets as of Monday morning. Many of the posts see netizens vowing to delete their accounts. The outrage began after a foodpanda social media account said that it would fire a man seen in pictures wearing the company’s logo and taking part in Sunday’s protests. “Please be aware that foodpanda has a policy against all types of violence and terrorism and is ready to cooperate with authorities in pursuing offenders,” foodpanda said on its social media account. Amid online backlash, foodpanda later issued an apology regarding the earlier response, saying it is still examining what happened. “We apologize for disappointing all customers and partner restaurants,” the company said. One of the foodpanda riders posted on Facebook that he does not agree with a company that views its employees as terrorists. “If I’m going to lose my job because of the stupidity and selfishness of this company, I’d be content,” said the rider in defiance. His post has been shared over 39,000 times and received more than 95,000 reactions at the time of writing. Foodpanda is owned by Germany-based Delivery Hero and operates in multiple incarnations across 10 countries and territories. https://www.thaienquirer.com/30074/foodpanda-the-target-of-online-boycott-after-firing-employee-attending-protests/

I arrived in Bangkok a few days after the 2008 airport closing. The flight from Narita was full and the lines at immigration were normal--long. I've been in Bangkok while the red shirts occupied Lumphini Park and battled government forces. A few blocks down Silom Rd. it was business a usual. Tourists are a much hardier lot than might be imagined.

From The Nation ▪︎ People living in dark red provinces (maximum and strictly controlled areas) are not allowed to go outdoors unless necessary. ▪︎ Curfew hours are imposed from 9pm to 4am. ▪︎ Restaurants, shopping malls and convenience stores must be closed from 8pm to 4am. Provincial governors must close venues and ban activities that could pose risk of Covid-19 infection for 14 days. ▪︎ Checkpoints will be set up to prevent people living in dark red provinces from inter-province travel. ▪︎ The number of passengers in public transport is limited to 50 per cent (only in dark red provinces). Meanwhile, the number of dark red provinces has increased to 13. They are: Bangkok, Chachoengsao, Chonburi, Nakhon Pathom, Nonthaburi, Narathiwat, Pathum Thani, Pattani, Ayutthaya, Yala, Songkhla, Samut Prakan and Samut Sakhon. https://www.nationthailand.com/in-focus/40003394

From Variety / MSN %7B%7B © Totem Films C.B. Yi’s Un Certain Regard title “Moneyboys” is a moving exploration of Chinese rural-to-urban migration that feels authentically emotional despite being peppered with incongruous moments and details. The film follows Fei (Kai Ko), who moves from the countryside to different Chinese megacities to support his family as a hustler. When he realizes that they accept his money but not his homosexuality, their relationship breaks down. Although set in China, “Moneyboys” was filmed entirely in Taiwan. Linguistic inconsistencies also rear their head unexpectedly to jar viewers otherwise immersed in the film’s melancholic mood, with Beijing accents mingling with lilting Taiwanese intonations in the same village where neither should be at home. And while leading man Kai Ko delivers a nuanced, heart-rending portrayal of the hustler Fei and real chemistry with his male love interests Long (Bai Yufan) and Xiaolai (JC Lin), none of them publicly identify as homosexual. First-time director Yi waited nearly ten years for the chance to shoot “Moneyboys,” intending all along to do so in China. At the last minute, however, he moved production to Taiwan, which required a rush to adjust the story but also cut costs and brought in financing from the Taipei Film Commission. He doesn’t attribute the shift to censorship, saying that the choice was made for budgetary reasons before he submitted the script to China to get approved for a shooting permit, and because it was easier to work with Taiwan’s more Westernized production system. Shooting in China, he admits, would have yielded a “totally different” film, but he’s satisfied with the final results. “I didn’t make a film of total realism. If I wanted to have a realistic film, I would have done direct cinema or documentary. I made this with an artistic mindset and with the situation I was given, which forced me to adapt,” Yi says. Yi was born in China but immigrated to Austria as a teen, and is most comfortable in German. A Sinology major, he first encountered the topic of gay prostitution nearly two decades ago while studying abroad to improve his language skills at the Beijing Film Academy, where he discovered that a classmate was hustling on the side to help his ill mother. Yi first planned a documentary about money boys, but later morphed it into a fiction over concerns that it might put subjects at risk in a country where prostitution remains illegal and there are few legal rights for LGBTQ citizens. As censorship tightens in the mainland, the “Moneyboys” model of a China-born director with foreign citizenship making a China-set film shot outside the country with foreign funding and crew may become an increasingly common avenue for cinematic explorations of otherwise taboo Chinese subjects. %7B In a choice between 'death or penitentiary,' an addict discovers recovery and… %7B Appeals court sides with CDC, Norwegian Cruise Lines over DeSantis on… %7B © Totem Films C.B. Yi’s Un Certain Regard title “Moneyboys” is a moving exploration of Chinese rural-to-urban migration that feels authentically emotional despite being peppered with incongruous moments and details. The film follows Fei (Kai Ko), who moves from the countryside to different Chinese megacities to support his family as a hustler. When he realizes that they accept his money but not his homosexuality, their relationship breaks down. Although set in China, “Moneyboys” was filmed entirely in Taiwan. Linguistic inconsistencies also rear their head unexpectedly to jar viewers otherwise immersed in the film’s melancholic mood, with Beijing accents mingling with lilting Taiwanese intonations in the same village where neither should be at home. And while leading man Kai Ko delivers a nuanced, heart-rending portrayal of the hustler Fei and real chemistry with his male love interests Long (Bai Yufan) and Xiaolai (JC Lin), none of them publicly identify as homosexual. More from Variety Cannes Un Certain Regard Grand Prize Winner 'Unclenching the Fists' Sells to Mubi For North America, U.K. (EXCLUSIVE) 'Babi Yar. Context' Review: Sergei Loznitsa Grapples With a Heinous Massacre The Fanny Pack Is the New 'It' Bag: Here's How Your Favorite Celebrities Are Wearing Them First-time director Yi waited nearly ten years for the chance to shoot “Moneyboys,” intending all along to do so in China. At the last minute, however, he moved production to Taiwan, which required a rush to adjust the story but also cut costs and brought in financing from the Taipei Film Commission. He doesn’t attribute the shift to censorship, saying that the choice was made for budgetary reasons before he submitted the script to China to get approved for a shooting permit, and because it was easier to work with Taiwan’s more Westernized production system. Shooting in China, he admits, would have yielded a “totally different” film, but he’s satisfied with the final results. “I didn’t make a film of total realism. If I wanted to have a realistic film, I would have done direct cinema or documentary. I made this with an artistic mindset and with the situation I was given, which forced me to adapt,” Yi says. Yi was born in China but immigrated to Austria as a teen, and is most comfortable in German. A Sinology major, he first encountered the topic of gay prostitution nearly two decades ago while studying abroad to improve his language skills at the Beijing Film Academy, where he discovered that a classmate was hustling on the side to help his ill mother. Yi first planned a documentary about money boys, but later morphed it into a fiction over concerns that it might put subjects at risk in a country where prostitution remains illegal and there are few legal rights for LGBTQ citizens. As censorship tightens in the mainland, the “Moneyboys” model of a China-born director with foreign citizenship making a China-set film shot outside the country with foreign funding and crew may become an increasingly common avenue for cinematic explorations of otherwise taboo Chinese subjects. Equal Opportunities? For a director who has spun such an intimate portrait of gay love, Yi at times appears less versed than one might expect on the politics of its representation or the state of LGBTQ issues in China and Taiwan, the latter of which in 2019 became the first in Asia to legalize same-sex marriage. In Hollywood, the question of whether straight or cisgender actors should play gay or trans characters is an ever-evolving hot-button issue. Although Yi hadn’t considered the topic, when pressed he says that while the intention behind the idea of reserving gay roles for gay people was a good one, “it also leads to problems” by being too reductive. “Many heterosexual actors wanted to be part of the project because they were touched by the story and wanted to support the LGBT community, and that empathy…is a [positive way] of spreading more understanding of LGBT issues worldwide,” Yi says. “I also think playing a homosexual role gives heterosexual male and female actors the opportunity to fulfil their curiosity and satisfy their subconscious desires to live [the experiences] of LGBT people.” He elaborates: “Film is not really politics: it has some politics, of course, but not the kind of outside politics where you go to a demonstration. Everything in film is there to tell a story, but the stories have political messages and issues packed within them. I just want the best actors to play the characters; to forbid anything or to question that minimizes the artistic work.” His stars both concur. “The character is what the director chooses him to be…Homosexuals should also play straight men, and so on, as long as the actor develops the character well,” adds Ko. Lin says what matters most is how convinced the audience is. “I think there should be equal opportunities to take on roles no matter what your identity, as long as you’re good at your craft and willing to take on the challenge.” Yi wasn’t sure if an actor could openly identify as gay in China, but notes that while in Beijing he saw many women holding hands in the streets. “I think homosexuality in China is not a big issue, because it’s common. In the 1990s, they already said it’s not a disease, or something like that.” China decriminalized homosexuality in 1997 and declassified it as a mental disorder in 2001, and while mores are slowly changing, gay content is still regularly censored in film, TV and online media — most recently via the mass deletion of social media accounts for LGBTQ student groups and research associations at most major universities just last week. Bai, who adroitly plays a young villager who follows Fei into the world of prostitution, is a rising commercial star in China who also appeared this month in a very different sort of film: the historical propaganda film “1921,” a tribute to the Chinese Communist Party. While he is on screen at Cannes learning to turn tricks, Bai is in theaters in China as the staunch military leader Ye Ting, who joins the Communists after leaving the Kuomintang, the party that went on to rule Taiwan and is still one of its most powerful factions. There is past precedent for Chinese actors playing controversial gay roles pushing on unabated to mainland stardom. For instance, Chen Sicheng and Qin Hao, the leads of Lou Ye’s 2009 Cannes competition title “Spring Fever,” are now top industry figures even though that film resulted in Lou receiving a five-year ban from filmmaking. Continues at https://www.msn.com/en-us/movies/news/e2-80-98moneyboys-e2-80-99-director-cb-yi-balances-gay-love-story-between-china-and-taiwan/ar-AAMeJZm

Not to worry. Eventually this dispute will be settled by the careful and orderly examination of documents and compromise by the relative parties.

You're right about the gay scene changes in the other major cities you cite. It's agreed that much of the activity has moved on line. But I'm making the case that Thailand--Bangkok, in particular--is different. I don't think that there's any debating that increasing wealth is a main factor in the rising numbers of gay Asians arriving in Bangkok over the past decade. But we've witnessed the positive effect this has had on the sustainability of venues in the Silom/Surawong area. They make it possible for the places that we all attend to thrive. It was the virus that curtailed not only westerners but Asians alike (and when I say westerners, I included those from Australia and New Zealand). The return of gay visitors will be slow and unpredictable because no one can chart the future of the virus. That, I maintain, is the biggest factor in how this all plays out. If Thailand can get its act together and muster an effective response, sometime next year gays worldwide will be more comfortable in returning in numbers. But they won't be coming to enjoy a "new" Thailand. They will be returning to the same conditions that attracted them in 2019: a lot of sanuk and an ample helping of sleaze. When it comes to gay men, the sleaze factor should never be underestimated. Too much sleaze has been drained out of western cities over the past 40 years. That has helped propel Thailand into the go-to destination for those who craze it. We relish the rough edges that places like Bangkok and Pattaya provide. We've heard many posters describe the experience of arriving in bkk with feelings of euphoria even before they make it to the arrivals hall. You don't get that arriving in London or New York. Bangkok is unique in this respect. It's that enchantment, mixed with a generous amount of passion, I'm counting on to make all the difference.

From Bangkok Post Record 11,397 new Covid cases, 101 deaths reported Sunday The country had a record high of 11,397 new Covid-19 cases and 101 fatalities over the previous 24 hours, the Public Health Ministry reported on Sunday. There were 11,079 cases in the general population and 318 among prison inmates. Since April 1, when the third wave of Covid-19 began, there have been 374,523 Covid-19 patients, 256,484 of whom have recovered. The previous high of new daily Covid-19 cases was at 10,082 reported on Saturday. The Centre for Covid-19 Situation Administration said 60 of the fatalities had been registered in Bangkok, 15 in Samut Prakan and five each in Nakhon Pathom and Pattani. The rest were distributed among 12 other provinces. Bangkok led all provinces in the number of new cases at 2,166, followed by Pathum Thani (684), Samut Sakhon (677), Chon Buri (660) and Samut Prakan (604). https://www.bangkokpost.com/thailand/general/2150683/record-11-397-new-covid-cases-101-deaths-reported-sunday =================================== Siriraj doctor calls for end to Sinovac imports The government should stop importing Sinovac vaccines as they are not effective enough to fight the Delta variant of Covid-19, a medical expert said. Speaking in a Clubhouse chatroom, Prasit Watanapa, dean of the Faculty of Medicine of Siriraj Hospital, said Sinovac vaccines were not effective enough to boost immunity responses so they were not suited to deal with the highly-transmissible Delta variant. "Pfizer vaccines are better. From now on, the government should avoid placing orders for Sinovac vaccines because they have efficacy problems. It should look at vaccines of high quality such as AZ [AstraZeneca] and J&J [Johnson & Johnson], mRNA vaccines and protein subunit vaccines such as Novavax,'' Dr Prasit said. https://www.bangkokpost.com/thailand/general/2150515/siriraj-doctor-calls-for-end-to-sinovac-imports

From Channel News Asia Protesters denounce Thai PM for COVID-19 pandemic handling Pro-democracy protesters gather at Democracy Monument before marching to Government House to demand the resignation of Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha in Bangkok on Jul 18, 2021. (Photo: Lillian SUWANRUMPHA / AFP) BANGKOK: Thai police deployed water cannon against protestors in Bangkok on Sunday (Jul 18) as demonstrators defied COVID-19 restrictions to call for Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-Cha's resignation and mark the one-year anniversary of a pro-democracy movement. The kingdom is currently facing its worst-ever COVID-19 wave, registering record numbers of cases daily as hospitals buckle under pressure. Exacerbating the toll has been the government's slow procurement of vaccines for the public, which has drawn criticism from all sides as Thailand's economy is kneecapped by increasingly severe restrictions on businesses. Defying rules prohibiting gatherings of more than five people, protesters piled mock body bags with red paint near the intersection of the capital's Democracy Monument ahead of their march on Government House. They were led by a frontline group wearing gas masks and hard hats and were joined by motorbike drivers who hoisted the body bags on their vehicles. "We will die from COVID if we stay home, that is why we have to come out," shouted a protest organiser, who listed three demands.

From Bangkok Post Fate of 100m-dose vaccination hangs in the air Leaked correspondence between the Thai government and the Covid-19 vaccine manufacturer AstraZeneca has raised a big question about the former’s commitment to administer 100 million doses by the end of this year. Isra News Agency on Saturday posted a letter sent by Sjoerd Hubben, vice-president for global corporate affairs of AstraZeneca Inc, to Public Health Minister Anutin Charnvirakul 22 days ago. The letter explains to the ministry that the most Thailand would get from the European drugmaker’s local contract manufacturer would 5-6 million doses a month, which is consistent with their earlier discussions. Siam Bioscience Co Ltd, a company owned by His Majesty the King, was retooled to manufacture the vaccine. The government subsidised 600 million baht for the upgrade and officials later said the company would pay back the sum in the form of shots. The letter caught many by surprise since the government had repeated many times that 100 million doses would be administered by the end of the year to inoculate at least 70% of the population, with 61 million of them being locally produced AstraZeneca. On various occasions, the government assured people that AstraZeneca would supply at least 10 million doses a month for the rest of the year. The question that naturally followed is what vaccines the government would buy to achieve that goal, especially when all sides have agreed that Sinovac, which is the most readily available, cannot effectively shield against the Delta variant of the coronavirus. Sinovac also costs at least four times more than AstraZeneca. According to the letter, the Ministry of Public Health to date has placed two orders for 61 million doses of AZ vaccine in total. The first, concluded in January this year, was for 26 million doses, and the second, closed in May this year, was for 35 million doses. These 61 million doses were part of the 175 million that Siam Bioscience has been contracted to make. Thailand is to get 34.9% of its output, or 5-6 million doses a month. The rest will be shipped to other countries, AstraZeneca says in the letter. Furthermore, the letter revealed that in early September last year the government was committed to buying only 3 million doses a month. Therefore, AZ says it hopes Thailand should be pleased that it is now receiving 5-6 million doses a month. The company also mentioned that it had urged the government back in September last year to enter the Covax vaccine-sharing facility, along with buying directly from manufacturers. Thailand is one of a handful of developing countries that have not joined Covax. The dates when the agreements were actually concluded, as mentioned in the letter, also raised eyebrows. It showed the agreement for the second batch of 35 million doses was concluded as recently as May this year, even though the third wave has been raging through the country since the start of April. Mr Anutin told Isra that Thailand had in fact reserved the supply early this year. In any case, the cabinet approved the budget for it on March 5 and it took two months after that to sign the agreement. Dr Nakorn Premsri, director of the National Vaccine Institute, on July 2 was the first to reveal the shortfall of AstraZeneca supplies. Deputy Public Health Minister Sathit Pitutecha also admitted on Thursday that AstraZeneca would not be able to deliver all 61 million doses under the two contracts until May next year. The original deadline was supposed to have been December. Contrary to what people had assumed earlier, he said 10 million doses a month was in fact Thailand’s capacity to vaccinate people, not the number of vaccines it would get from AstraZeneca. He said the company had seen the vaccination plan but had said nothing. The revelation had led some Thais to think it was AstraZeneca that had failed to honour the contract, potentially derailing the country’s immunisation plan. The Opposition even urged the government to exercise its authority under the vaccine law to ban exports of Thai-made vaccines when there are shortages in the country. https://www.bangkokpost.com/thailand/general/2150423/fate-of-100m-dose-vaccination-hangs-in-the-air

I guess you have to actually read it to answer those questions. Take Alex Kerr's "Bangkok Found," in which he portends the slow demise of the Bangkok gay scene, and compare it to his latest book, "Another Bangkok." Based on the interview with him that I posted in another thread, he doesn't seem to have much now to say on the topic. Nevertheless, there are likely many readers who'll find his observations about architecture and culture of interest. Lots of articles and opinions posted on the forums aren't directly related to the gay scene. They do, however, provide a broader context for understanding what's happening in east Asia, the geographical center of interest of most readers. You have posted many such items and they have certainly helped us form a greater appreciation of what the region has to offer.

The gay scene has not left Thailand. While the physical manifestations of it have temporarily retreated, the gay scene certainly continues to exist in the consciousness of Thais and foreigners alike. Gays certainly do not suddenly become non-gay because their favorite venues are not available at the moment. Their inclinations and desires persist. Our identities exist in our minds, and for a while longer we'll have to be content to live off those memories. And for those still in the country, the gay scene--as mentioned above--is accessible electronically. Even if the hi-so proponents may wish to sweep "sex capital of the world" from the narrative of guide books, the gay scene will continue because it's an irrepressible force of nature: the nature of men who have sex with men. One of the pleasures of international travel is that gay men still understand how to find like-minded individuals, even if there's a lack of venues. And beyond looking on line, there's always the eyes. Isn't that how we spotted other gays before any of the electronics existed? If you walk down Silom, or just about any crowded road, and can't find a local guy who may be interested in sex--or at least getting to know you, you're probably not paying attention. Despite the naysayers' claims, Thailand is not suddenly about to reverse form. Bangkok is not going to become London; Pattaya not St. Kitts. Even the Tourism Authority (TAT) acknowledged Thursday that getting tourists back to Bangkok is job one: "The worsening Covid-19 situation in Thailand has led the Tourism and Sports Ministry to reconsider the country's reopening strategy, admitting some target destinations are still marred by soaring infections. However, the ministry insists on reopening Bangkok by this year as the capital is the heart of the tourism industry in Thailand." There are gloomy days ahead. Opening plans will be delayed. But the government is all too well aware that it must get the doors reopened. The transportation infrastructure and hospitality sector haven't gone away. More important, tourists from across the globe have not forgotten why they want to return. When the great cities of the world get back into the tourism business, they, too, know that what made them so damn successful in the first place is something that should not be tampered with. Whether it's Rio, Paris, New York, London, Tokyo or Bangkok, tourists will want more of the same. Count on it.

From The Thaiger US, other embassies offered AZ jab to citizens Good news! Several foreign governments including the United States, Australia, New Zealand, and Austria announced they would offer vaccines for their citizens currently in Thailand. But bad news – supplies ran out long before most people received any notification of the opportunity. Many countries had claimed it was impossible to assist their expats in Thailand in getting vaccines, while France and China were easily able to offer vaccines to their citizens. Now a tiny supply came and went without a chance for most to get access to vaccination. The US Embassy finally responded to angry expats who complained they pay US taxes (one of the few countries in the world that taxes citizens living abroad) but don’t even get vaccines as the US donated millions to Southeast Asia and Thailand. They posted around 8:30 am a notice that AstraZeneca vaccines would be available tomorrow at 4 pm in Bangkok, but the online registration form was closed within 2 or 3 hours. Australia offered a similar flash sale on vaccines, posting this morning that vaccines would be available tomorrow at 1 pm for anyone who registered before 10 am, though the form remains open this afternoon. They say any application received now would be rejected. Citizens in New Zealand got 2 extra hours to grab their spaces, though that window has closed already as well. Registration was through email, so there’s no registration page to check to see if it remains open or not. Similarly, Austria made an announcement this morning but accepted emails until 2 pm to try to receive one of the 100 vaccines allotted for Austrian citizens. Vaccinations are set to be given tomorrow at 4 pm in the Bang Sue district of Bangkok at SCG Headquarters, which stresses that anyone without a confirmed appointment will not be given a vaccine. The vaccination opportunity seemed to materialize out of thin air with no information being shared in advance of registration and no details on how the quick window came about. No one seems to know if this is a one-off chance for foreigners, offered and expired in just a few hours after months of expats struggling and begging for help procuring vaccines. There is nothing scheduled as of yet for future vaccinations for the people who missed this opening. https://thethaiger.com/coronavirus/us-nz-oz-austrian-citizens-brief-shot-at-covid-19-vaccines

From Thai Enquirer What does it mean for us to excavate, understand, and retell the past? At what point do narratives become fiction, and how do we retell history? What does it mean for us to take on that role of a storyteller? Emma Larkin (pseudonym), award-winning author of several non-fiction books on Burma, tackles these issues in the process of making her fictional debut, “Comrade Aeon’s Field Guide to Bangkok.” Divulging on her writing, her career, and what it means to articulate a city as vast and immeasurable – and with as complicated a past – as Bangkok, Larkin explores different modes of memory and how we write history. Writing non-fiction has been Larkin’s strong suit: her memoir, “Finding George Orwell in Burma,” has won numerous awards. “Comrade Aeon” is a decisive step not only from Myanmar to Thailand, but also from non-fiction into fiction. Despite such a change, however, Larkin confidently strides into the new chapter of her career. “It’s liberating,” she says, “shifting from non-fiction to fiction.” In the process of writing non-fiction, there’s great responsibility in telling that story given the deeply sensitive political context of places like Myanmar: “someone’s given you their safety,” says Larkin. “Their safety is in your hands once they tell you their story. It can be quite constraining to the creative process.” Fiction, however, allows for exploring all sorts of topics with the aide of allegory and allusion, letting subtext fill in the gaps where something more explicit is too dangerous. “If you were writing a non-fiction book about Thailand, it would be very hard to tell a complete story,” she explains. “It’s always struck me that in places … where you have controlled access to certain aspects of the news, fiction plays an important role in all of our lives,” Larkin continues, “there’s rumours, there’s belief systems built around the lack of access to the truth, there’s all sorts of fictions that interplay in our day-to-day life and the way we perceive governments, each other, and history.” “Comrade Aeon” becomes a vehicle not just to tie together the different realities of Bangkok, but also to explore “the cycles of history” that Thailand is prone to. Though she chose to write about Black May, what Larkin is really interested in is how Thailand is haunted by “a recurring cycle of unfinished, incomplete stories.” “It’s quite spooky how there are so many unresolved issues in Thai history,” she elaborates. “Things happen that never get resolved and they just trail along across decades like ghosts.” Will we ever address our past? Can we? The answer remains perpetually unclear in the seemingly endless regimes of military dictatorships and media censorship that the country is constantly under. But if there ever were a time that we lay our roots bare, Larkin envisions it to be very similar to what unfolded in Myanmar in 2012, after elections are held for the first time since 1990. https://www.thaienquirer.com/29926/fiction-memory-and-reclamation-an-interview-with-emma-larkin/

From Bangkok Post Syn Mun Kong Insurance on Friday announced it was cancelling its Covid-19 insurance policies with customers, saying the rapidly deteriorating situation made the risk unmanageable. In a message on its Facebook page, the SET-listed insurance firm said Covid 2-1 insurance policies for all clients would be terminated 30 days after they receive a letter from the company officially notifying them of the change. The company would return any insurance premium insurers paid in the 15 days after the policy being cancelled, but would not give them back the money they had paid before the decision to terminate the product, the announcement said. The Syn Mun Kong announcement said the decision to cancel the insurance was due to the worsening Covid-19 situation in Thailand. The number of new infections continued to surge and put pressure on the public health system. The crisis made it impossible for the company to forecast an end to the problem and the pandemic affected its risk management, the company said. Customers rapidly aired their anger at the decision, both on the company's Facebook page and other social media platforms, with the Syn Mun Kong hashtag in Thailand topping Twitter. Many customers said they felt cheated by the company and had lost trust in the firm. "How could you do that? Don't expect people to buy other insurance from you from now," one said. https://www.bangkokpost.com/thailand/general/2149979/syn-mun-kong-cancels-covid-insurance-cites-health-crisis ==================================== From Thai Enquirer Tighter Covid restrictions coming “very soon” Stricter Covid restriction measures are coming, the government said on Friday, as the latest steps have not stopped the latest surge of infections. “The results from five days of the current measures were discussed at the meeting, and led to the concern that there might be a need for stricter measures,” said Dr Apisamai Srirangson, the assistant spokeswoman for the Centre for Covid-19 Situation Administration (CCSA). “There might be a need to close down more businesses and as many as we can,” she added. She did not give a timescale for the new measures but said it would be “very soon”. The state-of-emergency decree to prevent the spread of Covid, which has been in effect since March 26 of last year, has also been extended for the 13th time and it will be in effect until the end of September. Nationwide, there were 9,692 confirmed cases and 67 Covid related deaths in the past 24 hours. https://www.thaienquirer.com/30016/tighter-covid-restrictions-coming-very-soon/ ============================== From The Thaiger Covid-19 visa end date extended to September 27 Contrary to the historically last-minute announcements regarding visas for foreigners in Thailand during the pandemic, the Covid-19 visa has been extended nearly 2 weeks before its current July 29 expiration date. The new extension on the Covid-19 visa allowing foreigners to stay longer-term in the country will allow people to continue on this special visa type until September 27. The Covid -19 visa was originally created to deal with the problem of foreigners who came to Thailand before the pandemic and then found themselves unable to travel home due to closed borders, flight cancellations, travel restrictions, or outbreaks in their home country. Many were stuck waiting for flight options to become available or restrictions at home to be lifted, so am amnesty was developed allowing foreigners to stay longer than the normal 30 or 60 day standards allowed by Thai immigration. Officials reminded that visa extensions can be requested up to 45 days before the current stamp’s expiration date, so there is no need to wait until the last minute and end up in long queues and crowds. https://thethaiger.com/hot-news/visa/covid-19-visa-end-date-extended-to-september-27

From Books on Asia Podcast On this episode of the Books on Asia Podcast, sponsored by Stone Bridge Press, we have returning to the show Alex Kerr, author of such notable books as Lost Japan, Dogs and Demons, Finding the Heart Sutra and Another Kyoto. Today Alex is going to talk with podcast host Amy Chavez about his latest book "Another Bangkok" released July 1, 2021. He introduces Thailand’s capital city via its architecture, arts and culture, and shows us how they are similar to Japan.

From the Bangkok Post The timeworn sandstone lintel from Prasat Khao Lon is elaborately carved into leaf motifs surrounding a Kala face. A trip to the Bangkok National Museum is a great way to get some recreational activity in and learn about the country's prized lintel artefacts and ancient kingdoms. The exhibition "The Return Of The Lintels From Prasat Nong Hong And Prasat Khao Lon To Thailand" will chronicle their lengthy journey and allow future generations to appreciate the opulence of Thai cultural heritage. These two lintels were crafted to be significant architectural features for highly revered sanctuary compounds -- reminiscent of Khmer-style influence -- in Buri Ram and Sa Kaeo, according to a report on excavations of ancient monuments conducted by the Fine Arts Department in 1959 and 1960. The carved stone lintel from Prasat Nong Hong portrays god Yama (Shiva) riding a buffalo (Nandi bull) above the Kala face. "The notion of collecting antiques began in Europe and came to Thailand during the reign of King Chulalongkorn. At that time, the first museum was established but artefacts were still being exported as part of commerce, while foreigners who worked with various Thai authorities were frequently given art objects like ceramic ware as gifts. Furthermore, it's possible that some artefacts were taken out of the country during the Indochina War and Cambodia's civil war," said Prateep Phengtako, director-general of the Fine Arts Department. Sitting near Nang Rong Canal in Buri Ram, Prasat Nong Hong was first listed as a national ancient monument in the Royal Gazette, Volume 52, published on March 8, 1935, and the sanctuary's boundaries were registered in the Royal Gazette, Volume 99, part 155, on Oct 21, 1982. Dating back to the 16th and 17th centuries, the site is home to three Khmer-style brick prangs on a laterite square base, whose south tower was once embellished with a carved stone lintel the depicting god Yama (god Shiva) riding a buffalo (the Nandi bull) above the Kala face. In Sa Kaeo, Prasat Khao Lon stands on its namesake hilltop atop Khao Lon and was designated as a national ancient monument in the Royal Gazette, Volume 52, published on March 8, 1935. The timeworn sandstone lintel is beautifully carved into leaf motifs surrounding a Kala face, according to a survey conducted by the Fine Arts Department's 5th Regional Office of Fine Arts in 1960. These two ancient lintels were stolen and reappeared in the Asian Art Museum of San Francisco, California. "Our mission focuses on ancient architectural elements in historical sites which no one can claim ownership over. It's different from other antiques like votive tablets and tableware that anyone can possess and pass down from generation to generation because they were exported goods during the Ayutthaya period," Prateep said. Ownership of antiques was legal prior to King Prajadhipok enacting the Act on Export of Antiques and Objects of Art in 1926 to regulate the export of artefacts. Following the Siamese Revolution of 1932, several laws were issued and amended, including the Act on Ancient Monuments, Antiques, Objects of Art and National Museums in 1934, which stated that the export of antiques and art objects out of the Kingdom required the permission of the director of the Fine Arts Department (FAD). This provision is still in effect today under the Act on Ancient Monuments, Antiques, Objects of Art and National Museums of 1961, as amended in 1992. After the three-month exhibition in Bangkok, the pair of historic lintels will be temporarily relocated to the national museums in Surin and Prachin Buri until the FAD and local authorities can find a safe place to store them. The Prapatphiphitthaphan building offers visitors a new visual experience. Continues with photos https://www.bangkokpost.com/travel/2149083/a-stroll-down-history-lane The Bangkok National Museum is open from 9am to 4pm, Wednesday to Sunday. Admission is 30 baht for Thais and 200 baht for foreigners. For more information, call 02-224-1333.

From Bangkok Post AstraZeneca has asked Thailand to extend the timeline for the delivery of 61 million doses of its Covid-19 vaccine by five months, a deputy minister said on Thursday, a move likely to disrupt further the country's sluggish vaccine rollout. Deputy Health Minister Sathit Pitutacha said AstraZeneca currently had the capacity to produce 15 million doses of vaccine per month at its production facility in Nonthaburi and that capacity could expand in the future. The company has promised to deliver 40% of what is produced there inside the country, the deputy health minister said, adding that the government will ask the company for more doses. "We must negotiate with them because in this situation we need more vaccine," Mr Sathit said. "We want 10 million doses because the original plan was 10 million doses," he said referring to the previous monthly delivery target. A day earlier, the government said it was considering imposing limits on exports of locally manufactured AstraZeneca Covid-19 vaccine to fight its own outbreak. The country is suffering its worst outbreak yet and reported a record 98 coronavirus deaths on Thursday, taking total fatalities to 3,032 since the pandemic began last year. The Centre for Covid-19 Situation Administration also reported 9,186 new coronavirus cases, bringing total infections to 372,215. https://www.bangkokpost.com/thailand/general/2149195/astrazeneca-seeks-to-extend-delivery-timeline-for-61m-vaccine-doses ================================= From PBS World / Thaiger Thailand to purchase another 120 million vaccine doses for next year Thailand’s National Vaccine Committee has approved the purchase of an additional 120 million vaccine doses for 2022. However, it has yet to approve a draft announcement on the export of AstraZeneca doses manufactured in Thailand, due to concerns over insufficient doses for Thai citizens. Thai PBS World reports that Nakorn Premsri from the National Vaccine Institute says the extra 120 million doses are earmarked for those who have yet to receive a dose, as well as those in need of booster shots. The plan is also to keep some doses in reserve, in the event of a further outbreak. He adds that the NVI will also work with the Department of Disease Control to purchase up to 100 million vaccine doses, as new daily infections approach the 10,000 figure. It’s understood the NVC wants officials from the DCD and NVI to meet with AstraZeneca and its local supplier to make changes to the number of doses planned for export, as well as those reserved for local use. Thai PBS World reports that such a move will mean amending the agreement between the government and Siam Bioscience, the local manufacturer. Siam Bioscience is expected to produce 180 million doses of AstraZeneca this year, with Thailand currently set to receive a third of those. Meanwhile, government spokesman Anucha Burapachai says the plan is still to combine vaccines from different manufacturers, in an effort to combat the highly contagious Delta variant. However, there has been no confirmation of when the policy might come into play. The proposal has prompted concerns among the Thai public, following a warning from the World Health Organisation regarding what it describes as the “dangerous trend” of combining vaccines when there is insufficient safety and efficacy data. https://thethaiger.com/coronavirus/thailand-to-purchase-another-120-million-vaccine-doses-for-next-year

From Pattaya Mail At least 400 Pattaya-based foreigners have already taken advantage of the Astra Zeneca free inoculation scheme on offer at Bangkok’s Ban Sue Central Station, currently a government-run vaccination center. The scheme invites people of any nationality aged 75 and over to walk-in, without prior registration, any day in office hours until the afternoon of Sunday July 18. Customers can live anywhere in Thailand and need take only their current passport and proof of address, such as their driving licence or house registration paperwork, without any copies being necessary. There is a strict check on age: the walk-in service is not now available to younger expats under 75 (although it was briefly last week). There is a blood pressure test which has a generously high-limit of around 170/100 to allow for nerves or the “white-coat syndrome.” Following a registration process, the first-dose of the Astra Zeneca vaccine is then administered by nursing staff who require the patient to sit in a reserved area for 30 minutes’ rest before being allowed to exit the building. There is nothing to pay. The organization is very good and the whole experience on site is normally two hours or less. Wheelchairs are available and there are friendly Thai staff on hand to assist, if and when necessary. Carers are usually admitted but will not be vaccinated unless qualified by age. Continues with photos https://www.pattayamail.com/news/hundreds-of-elderly-pattaya-expats-take-advantage-of-free-walk-in-covid-vaccination-363380