reader

From Pattaya Mail Pattaya’s tourist police, in line with the directive from Commissioner, Pol. Lt. Gen. Saksira Phuek-Um, carried out a crackdown on criminal activities that could tarnish the city’s tourism image. This operation particularly targeted areas with high tourist footfall. The operation led to the arrest of two foreign tourists—a Chinese couple—caught filming inappropriate content on Pattaya South Road, on the sidewalk. The individuals, a man and a woman, admitted that they were photographers who enjoyed taking nude photos at various global tourist spots as part of their personal collection. They were unaware that their actions violated Thai law and apologized for damaging the image of Pattaya’s tourism. Continues at https://www.pattayamail.com/news/chinese-couple-arrested-for-filming-inappropriate-content-on-pattaya-sidewalk-in-violation-of-thai-laws-497117

Only when i breathe. 😉

Both @PeterRS and I have called attention to falling airline bookings and falling stock prices in the past few days. What a difference a day makes. Airline stocks can turn on a dime for several reasons that have caused Warren Buffett to avoid them as they make poor long-term investments. They're subject to fuel costs, the wealth effect, the movement of the S&P index and political crisis. In short, they can change on a dime. The only investors who make money on them are day traders who plan to own the stock for the day--or even just minutes--before selling.

And we're all better off it was so brief. But we shouldn't forget the architect of the fiasco: economist Peter Nazarro. He first made his appearance on the national stage during Trump's first term when he proved what a fool he was when he attacked Dr. Anthony Fucci, rejecting his efforts to combat Covid and persuading Trump that hydroxychloroqine was a surefire cure. It should have surprised no one that he had his sights set on China. As far back as 1979, while a student at Harvard's Kennedy School of Government, began authoring books (The Coming China Wars, Death by China) on the dangers China posed to not just the region but the world. Even as far back as 2016, he was advocating for strong tariffs on China. And when Elon Musk called him a moron yesterday, you get the idea of just how over the edge this guy is.

Trump telegraphed his intention, well ahead of tariffs announcement. From CNBC Trump’s morning ‘buy’ call nets huge returns for those who listened At 9:37 a.m. ET, just minutes after the opening bell, Trump posted on Truth Social that “THIS IS A GREAT TIME TO BUY!!!” That post ended with the letters “DJT,” which is both the president’s initials and the ticker for Trump Media & Technology, the parent company of Truth Social that he holds a majority stake in. Theoretically, for anyone who bought into the market that minute on Trump’s urging, they netted a big return. Stocks shot up in a historic reversal in afternoon trading after Trump announced a walkback on some tariffs, a stark turn after the unveiling of his plan to tax imports last week torpedoed the market. https://www.cnbc.com/2025/04/09/trumps-morning-buy-call-nets-huge-returns-for-those-who-listened.html

From The BBC The compound has been linked to improved cognitive performance and reduced anxiety – but are you getting enough of it? You may not have heard of choline before, but studies show that it's crucial for our health, at various stages of life. Choline is neither a vitamin or a mineral – it's an organic compound that's vital to the healthy functioning of the human nervous system. Now there's emerging evidence that consuming more choline can have a wide range of powerful effects, from improving cognitive performance to protecting against neurodevelopmental disorders, including attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) and dyslexia. The nutrient also seems to play a significant role in human neurodevelopment. In one study, babies who whose mothers took choline supplements during pregnancy gave birth to infants with higher information processing speeds – a measure of healthy cognitive functioning. Scientists say that choline is a wonder-nutrient, but that it has been hugely overlooked. So, where does choline come from – and are you getting enough of it? Every cell in our body contains choline, says Xinyin Jiang, professor of health and nutrition sciences at Brooklyn College in New York, US. Choline is an "essential" nutrient, which means we need it for our health, but our bodies don't produce enough on their own. Instead, we need to get some of it from our diets. In this sense, it's similar to omega 3 fatty acids, although it's actually closely associated with B vitamins, says Emma Derbyshire, science writer and founder and CEO of the consultancy Nutritional Insight. Choline can be found mostly in animal-based foods, including beef, eggs, fish, chicken and milk, but it's also in peanuts, kidney beans, mushrooms and cruciferous vegetables such as broccoli – although animal foods tend to contain more choline than plant-based sources. We need choline for numerous functions in our bodies, including liver function. Not having enough can cause a number of problems. Continues at https://www.bbc.com/future/article/20250408-choline-the-underappreciated-nutrient-thats-vital-for-our-brains

From CNBC President Donald Trump has dramatically reversed course, dropping his country-specific tariffs down to a universal 10% rate for all trade partners except China. China’s tariff rate will jump to 125%, effective immediately, the White House says. White House advisors claim the flip flop was always the strategy, suggesting that the past week of massive tariffs that triggered huge market losses was all for show. Beijing has reciprocal 84% tariff rate on U.S. goods, effective April 10. The EU approved retaliatory tariffs on U.S. imports. China issued new travel warnings for its citizens about visiting the United States. Trump’s job approval rating fell as most Americans said his tariff plan goes “too far.” https://www.cnbc.com/2025/04/09/trump-tariffs-live-updates.html

Guy on the left checks all my visible boxes. Thanks, @Olddaddy 😎

If Max was performing in Bangkok, I believe he'd rapidly become Moonlight's hottest attraction. The total package is first class in every respect.

From Vox Could an inexpensive vaccine help stave off dementia? Anyone who has watched a loved one descend into the fog of dementia knows the tremendous toll that neurodegenerative diseases of aging can exact. Dementia currently afflicts over 55 million people worldwide; in the US, more than 6 million people — about 1 out of 10 of those 65 years or older — live with dementia. The economic cost of treating and the often uncompensated cost of caring for those sufferers is now more than $600 billion a year. As our population ages, that number will only grow, with one estimate projecting that the number of people with dementia will double by 2060. It is a fate that many of us will one day suffer — according to one recent study, adults over 55 have a nearly one in two chance of eventually developing dementia. But this week delivered one of the brightest spots in an otherwise dark field. According to a study that followed more than 280,000 people in Wales, older adults who received a vaccine against shingles were 20 percent less likely to develop dementia in the seven years that followed vaccination than those who did not receive the vaccine. This could be a big deal. There are very few, if any, treatments that can prevent or slow down dementia, beyond good lifestyle habits like getting enough sleep and exercise. The possibility that a known, inexpensive vaccine could offer real protection is enormously meaningful. We have good reason to be confident in the findings: While this study is perhaps the most prominent to show the protective effects of the shingles vaccine, other studies of the vaccine have come to similar conclusions. Continues at https://www.vox.com/future-perfect/407273/dementia-shingles-vaccine-alzheimers-virus-old-age?utm_source=firefox-newtab-en-us

From AFP Thailand revokes visa of US academic charged with royal insult A US academic charged with breaking Thailand's strict royal defamation laws was granted bail on Wednesday, his lawyers said, but remains in custody pending an appeal to immigration authorities who earlier revoked his visa. Paul Chambers, who has spent over a decade teaching Southeast Asian politics at a Thai university, was arrested on Tuesday after reporting to police to answer a charge of lese-majeste. His case is a rare instance of a foreigner falling foul of strict laws which shield King Maha Vajiralongkorn and his close family from any criticism and can lead to decades-long prison sentences. "The Appeal Court... issued an order granting bail for Paul," said a post on X from the Thai Lawyers for Human Rights group (TLHR) representing Chambers. "Paul will remain in custody at Phitsanulok Provincial Prison until the result of the bail request from immigration police is known." His lawyer Wannaphat Jenroumjit earlier told AFP that immigration authorities had visited Chambers in detention and informed him his visa had been revoked. Wannaphat said Chambers was "not confident but remains hopeful" in the Thai justice system. The Thai military filed a complaint against Chambers this year over an article linked to a think-tank website which focuses on Southeast Asian politics. https://www.msn.com/en-us/politics/international-relations/thailand-revokes-visa-of-us-academic-charged-with-royal-insult/ar-AA1CAEVD

From Khaosod English A Lithuanian man sits slumped outside the condominium room in Pattaya while emergency responders and Pattaya police provide first aid to his British friend who severely injured himself playing Russian roulette with a gun, late on April 8, 2025 PATTAYA — In a shocking incident late Monday night, a British national was rushed to hospital with severe injuries after shooting himself in what appears to be a solo game of Russian roulette at a condominium in Pattaya, Thailand. Pattaya City Police responded to reports of a foreigner with a self-inflicted gunshot wound at a condominium located in Soi Chaiyapruek 1, Soi 3, Nongprue, Banglamung District, Chonburi Province. Police identified the victim as Michael James, a 30-year-old British citizen. When authorities arrived at the scene, they found him unconscious and bleeding from a gunshot wound to the forehead in his 11th-floor apartment. Emergency responders performed CPR before urgently transporting him to a nearby hospital. Upon searching the room, investigators discovered nitrous oxide canisters (commonly known as “laughing gas”), balloons used for inhaling the gas, and a .38 caliber revolver with one spent casing, which were collected as evidence. A friend of the injured man, identified as 29-year-old Mr. Alichanovas from Lithuania who shared the apartment, told police that prior to the incident, Michael had consumed cannabis and inhaled laughing gas. Continues at https://www.khaosodenglish.com/news/2025/04/09/british-tourists-russian-roulette-goes-wrong-in-pattaya/

From Pattaya News Bangkok, April 9, 2025 — Thailand’s Cabinet has greenlit two groundbreaking draft laws aimed at tackling the rising tide of cybercrime and bringing order to the digital asset sector, with both expected to take effect possibly even before the Songkran holidays this weekend. Announced by Digital Economy and Society Minister Prasert Jantararuangtong, the Royal Decree on Measures to Prevent and Suppress Technology-Related Crimes and the Royal Decree on Digital Asset Business Operations are set to be published in the Royal Gazette soon. The first decree targets cybercrime head-on, addressing issues like online scams, fraud, and data breaches that have hurt Thai citizens and businesses. Under the new provisions, financial institutions, telecom operators, and digital platforms will share accountability for preventing such crimes. A key feature is the empowerment of the Anti-Money Laundering Office (AMLO) to oversee swift reimbursement for victims, bypassing lengthy court processes if the financial trail is clear. The law also cracks down on personal data violations, introducing penalties of up to five years in prison or fines reaching 5 million baht for those caught selling sensitive information without consent. To ensure urgency, the decree will take effect immediately upon publication, skipping the standard 30-day delay. Continues at https://thepattayanews.com/2025/04/09/thailand-approves-new-laws-to-combat-cybercrime-and-regulate-digital-assets/

From Pattaya Mail Craft beers, which mean smaller breweries and expanding tastes, are spreading throughout the world. The latest addition, through the trade-name Beertique, is located on Pattaya’s breezy beach road in between the Tahitian Queen and Soi Post Office. Opened last month in a partnership by Pattaya businessman and investor Jessataporn Bunnag (Chang), the open frontage is proving a popular meeting ground for craft beer lovers. It’s familiar territory for Chang. “Over thirty years ago I opened Right Spot Bar at the very same location and before it became Hooters,” he says. “But the covid pandemic later closed Hooters, so we decided to expand Beertique in Pattaya with this great location facing the sea.” Apart from draught and bottled beers from across the globe, there’s a food menu with specialty pizzas and Thai or international choices. Chang acknowledges the customer base has changed dramatically over the years. “Right Spot mostly attracted British male vacationers on their own, but Beertique caters for today’s international travellers, often with families,” he says. “Beach Road with its neon signs is no longer a dark area after sundown and Beertique offers live music in the evenings from 8 pm.” https://www.pattayamail.com/latestnews/news/pattaya-beertique-beer-garden-takes-over-hooters-site-496937

Trying to make mathematical sense of Trump's tariff formula left me scratching my head because it was so easy to get lost in the weeds. This morning I came across this CNN piece which makes what I believe is the best attempt to do something logical with a seemingly illogical process. ====== Breaking out whiteboard to explain Trump’s tariff math https://edition.cnn.com/2025/04/08/politics/video/trump-tariff-math-digvid

Not since the days of Moonlight's Babe has one guy generated so much attention in a relatively short time than Max. By any measure, he's incredibly handsome, sexy and talented. I tip my cap to all of the above who shared their personal encounters.

From CNN Editor’s note: CNN Chief Medical Correspondent Dr. Sanjay Gupta and writer Sandee LaMotte are part of the study covered in this story and have written about their experiences. CNN — When Penny Ashford’s father was diagnosed with early-stage Alzheimer’s disease at age 62, she knew the devastating brain disorder might one day steal her memory. In her late 50s, her free-floating anxiety turned to outright panic when she began struggling to find words. “I couldn’t tell a story. I couldn’t get my words out,” said Ashford, now 61. “I remember sitting at a dinner party one time, and I couldn’t finish my thoughts. It was the most unbelievable moment. “I came home and sobbed and told my husband, ‘Something is wrong with me. I can’t talk,’” she said. “I was petrified.” Today, after a complete revamp of her lifestyle and overall health, Ashford’s struggles with retrieving words have eased, while measures of amyloid and tau proteins and neuroinflammation — all hallmark signs of Alzheimer’s — have fallen. Ashford knows about these improvements because she’s part of a unique study tracking her progress via key blood biomarkers now being used to help diagnose early dementia. Instead of relying on painful spinal taps and expensive brain scans, these blood tests are heralded as a new, less invasive and time-consuming way to determine risk and aid in an earlier diagnosis of Alzheimer’s. The preliminary data, presented Monday at the American Academy of Neurology annual meeting in San Diego, analyzed biomarkers on 54 participants in an ongoing preventive neurology study called the Biorepository Study for Neurodegenerative Diseases, or BioRAND. Continues at ‘Amazing’ reduction in Alzheimer’s risk verified by blood markers, study says | CNN

NOTE -- What struck me about the following article is what information it omitted. None of the unstable buildings are identified. Information about hotels and apartment buildings would be a major consideration in public awareness. From The Thaiger The Department of Public Works and Town & Country Planning announced the results of building inspections following a recent earthquake. Some 55 buildings have been deemed severely damaged and are prohibited from use. Meanwhile, 6,487 buildings remain operational, and 361 have moderate damage. Yesterday, April 7, the Building Damage Inspection Centre, in collaboration with various engineering bodies including the Council of Engineers, Engineering Institute of Thailand, Building Inspectors Association, and private sector volunteer engineers, conducted inspections on buildings reported damaged. The buildings were categorised into three groups for inspection and results were reported accordingly. The first group included public buildings such as hospitals, schools, and government offices in Bangkok. The inspections, coordinated by the Department of Public Works and Town & Country Planning, found that out of 559 buildings inspected between March 28 and April 6, 511 were safe for use (green), 46 had moderate damage (yellow), and two were severely damaged and closed (red). The second group involved private sector buildings such as high-rises, large-scale buildings, hotels, condominiums, dormitories, and shopping malls, which require annual inspections under building control laws. The Bangkok Metropolitan Administration (BMA) is responsible for notifying building owners to conduct inspections as per orders issued on March 31 by Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Interior Anutin Charnvirakul. This includes structures like high-rise buildings, large complexes, entertainment venues, and residential blocks over specific size thresholds. Continues at https://thethaiger.com/news/bangkok/earthquake-leaves-55-buildings-unusable-inspections-continue

From Thai Enquirer Economists in agreement on strategy Economists are unanimous in their call that the Monetary Policy Committee (MPC) is likely to lower the interest rates during its next meeting this month as the Bank of Thailand could be one of the key agencies that would need to put its best foot forward to help rescue the possible impact of the ‘reciprocal tariff’ that was announced in the wee hours of April 3. “We now view that the central bank may potentially respond with further easing of the policy rate further to support growth, given the immediate and significant downside risks on growth” Enrico Tanuwidjaja, economist at UOB in Singapore said. Enrico says that given the uncertainties surrounding the tariff negotiations, weaker near-term outlook, exacerbated by the recent earthquake and low credit growth, he expects 2 (not just 1) additional 25 basis points (bps) rate cuts to be delivered each in April and June. He says that by lowering the policy rate to 1.50% by the 2nd quarter 2025 is something he expects, and additional cuts may follow if the growth outlook continues to deteriorate. Other economists were in agreement that the central bank would need to take the lead in pushing for an economic recovery. Pipat Luengnaruemitchai, economist at Kiatnakin Phatra Securities, came out to say that there is a higher risk from the US trade policy is another headwind to the broker’s baseline growth forecast. “We continue to expect 2 more rate cuts in 2025 and another cut in 2026, with risk of further cuts, considering the downside risk from slower tourism, earthquake, and the US tariffs,” Pipat said. Pipat said that he now thinks the MPC will cut rates in its April meeting after this tariff announcement due to rising uncertainties which could have a negative impact on growth. Notably, the MPC no longer expressed concerns about household debt, which had been the key reason not to cut. Enrico of UOB says that on the monetary policy front, he believes there is still room for the central bank to further ease the policy rate to support growth and the broader economy, given the BoT’s recent policy stance, which prioritizes growth. Continues at https://www.thaienquirer.com/54060/analysis-economists-are-unanimous-that-monetary-policy-could-be-key-to-mitigating-impact-from-trumps-tariff/

That's why Singaporeans come to Bangkok. 😊

From The BBC Sri Lanka's capital is transforming floating garbage patches into biodiverse wetlands which are teeming with life. Pay Drechsel is going for his daily morning walk around Thalangama Wetland, in Sri Lanka's capital Colombo. The Sun casts a warm glow over flowering pink water lilies as a farmer scrubs down his water buffalo. A kingfisher hovers nearby. Soon, photographers will arrive to capture curved-necked egrets, waders probing for crawling worms, and little cormorants diving for freshwater fish. Thalangama Wetland and its surrounding swamps, reedbeds, canals and rice fields teem with life. But this hasn't always been the case. About 15 years ago, these ecosystems were degraded and filled with rubbish. They were "dirty, very dirty", says Drechsel, interim country manager at the International Water Management Institute (IWMI) in Colombo. He recalls how he spent one Christmas almost a decade ago cleaning the lake, scouring for piles of rotting garbage leaking contaminants into the water, and sorting waste for recycling. To his surprise, passersby stopped and started helping him. "I realised it's not only me, locals also appreciate it," he says. "But like me over all the years, they may have been waiting for someone to take the lead." The community came together to keep the massive wetland complex clean, forming the Thalangama Wetland Watch. Residents organise weekly collection runs, piling up sorted waste at a small collection unit which the municipality sends off for recycling. School kids volunteer, kayaking through the lake to dig up invasive water hyacinth. Home to over two million residents, Colombo is built on and around a massive network of wetlands. In 2018, Colombo became one of the 18 Ramsar wetland cities in the world – an accreditation which recognises cities for their commitment to restore, safeguard and value wetlands, with 25 new cities added to the list in 2022. As Colombo is located in a river basin, the city is naturally prone to floods. Colombo's wetlands act as a flood buffer, with 40% of floodwaters draining into wetland areas. They also sink carbon, purify the air and control temperatures. As temperatures warm and rains become more erratic, "wetlands are important to the city to mitigate climate change impacts", says Chethika Gunasiri, an environmental scientist at the University of Tokyo who was part of Colombo's Ramsar application. "Wetlands help Colombo mitigate pollution and natural disasters. They help reduce human stress as more and more people are now living in high rise buildings," she adds. Continues with photos https://www.bbc.com/future/article/20240917-how-sri-lanka-is-cleaning-up-wastelands-and-reviving-colombos-wetlands

The Santa Cruz Church is located in Kudi Chin, a neighborhood in Bangkok that's also known as "Little Portugal." From National Geographic Bangkok’s Kudi Chin neighborhood, in Thonburi on the western bank of the Chao Praya river, is a sleepy one; a jumble of narrow alleys and old houses, some on stilts. It is sometimes called Little Portugal, as it is home to a number of Thais descended from the Portuguese, who had settled here in the late 18th century. The Portuguese were the first Western nation to contact the ancient Thai kingdom of Ayutthaya in 1511. They soon became a prominent trading partner, and introduced a number of fruits and vegetables, which are now staples in Thai cuisine. As Edward Van Roy writes in Siamese Melting Pot, tomatoes, chillies, peanuts, potatoes, and maize came to Thailand via Portugal. Some of the Thai names for vegetables reflect their imported origin; for example, potatoes are called man farang, or Western tubers, while the Thai name for papaya, malakor, is derived from Malacca, the Portuguese trading outpost from where they first traveled to Thai shores. The Portuguese also introduced new cooking techniques. “They taught Thais their sauces and stews,” says Navinee Pongthai, who runs Bangkok’s Baan Kudichin Museum about Thailand’s Portuguese history. “Meat stew, chicken stew, these are dishes that came from the Portuguese. The Portuguese-inspired Thai stews often have more sauce and stew compared to the Chinese style stews.” Baking, deep-frying, roasting, and stuffing were also introduced, all of which are now part of Thai cooking. Thai dessert-making was also transformed by the Portuguese. At the time, Thai desserts were mainly made of rice flour, palm sugar, and grated coconut, perfumed with jasmine blossoms or pandan leaves. Eggs were introduced in desserts by the Portuguese, as was the use of coconut cream to substitute for dairy, as cows were considered sacred. Continues at https://www.nationalgeographic.com/travel/article/best-portuguese-food-in-bangkok?utm_source=firefox-newtab-en-us

From Pattaya News On April 7, at 4:00 PM, Police Lieutenant Janda Dermphan, Deputy Inspector of Banglamung Police Station, along with investigative officers, Pattaya tourist police, and rescue personnel from the Sawang Boriboon Thammasathan Foundation, responded to a report of a foreigner falling to their death from a high-rise building. The incident occurred at a condominium in Soi Naklua 16.The scene unfolded at a 40-story condominium complex, where authorities discovered the body of a 26-year-old Russian woman, identified only as Ms. K, lying lifeless in a garden area below. The deceased was found face down, naked, with a green towel draped over her lower body.Initial investigations revealed that the woman resided alone on the 14th floor of the condo. However, over the past two to three days, a Russian man, whom she had recently met, had been visiting her room daily and was present at the time of the incident.The man claimed that while he was using his laptop with his back to the balcony, the woman was in the bathroom. He overheard her speaking on the phone, possibly arguing with someone he believed to be her boyfriend. Shortly afterward, she emerged from the bathroom in a hurry and allegedly ran and immediately leapt from the balcony.Police have sent the body to the Forensic Institute at the Police Hospital for an autopsy to determine the exact cause of death. Authorities are coordinating with the Russian Embassy and proceeding with legal protocols as the investigation continues. https://thepattayanews.com/2025/04/08/russian-woman-mysteriously-falls-to-death-from-the-14th-floor-of-pattaya-condo-police-investigate-fellow-countryman/

Monday was last night before Songkran that Freshboy guys could take day off so only about 20 reported for work. As luck would have it, customers were in an offing mood. By 12:30 a.m. there were only four boys left on stage and at least one of them got called down and offed before closing. According to my informant, this was a first in quite a while.

I. too, travel with portable smoke detector. Not unusual for older hotels and Airbnb's to have inoperative or disconnected hard-wired detectors.