🗞️Thailand News Roundup: Carbon tax mulled, GSB bank shuns fossil fuel power businesses, LGBQT retirement hub touted, moneypox wants more clicks, homegrown C19 injection, and more grisly murders
Crikey, we are only eight days into September at the time of writing this...
I’ve compiled several stories which I think are worthy of your attention. Both for the outside world peeking in, and for readers based in Thailand who might’ve missed something.
🧾Carbon taxalicious
You might have woken up this morning asking yourself “I wonder what new methods the government is cooking up to shaft me again?” Well, how about a carbon tax that feigns altruism over environmentalism and punishing manufacturers, with a tag-on-lite-version for the individual serf’s vehicle?
The Excise Department is exploring the idea of a carbon tax for the energy and transport sectors to reduce carbon emissions, says director-general Ekniti Nitithanprapas.
He was speaking at the "Road to Net Zero" seminar held by Thansettakij newspaper on Tuesday, adding the world is prioritising environmental concerns and Thailand needs to adapt or will be forced to adapt.
The United States and the European Union (EU) plan to impose a carbon taxon imported goods.
I thought this was a sovereign nation that had never been colonised? Has it been colonised by stealth?
Quick look at the UK’s Absolute Zero doctrine:
Absolute Zero PDF Download.
I see, so Thailand “needs to adapt” = carrots. “Forced to adapt” = sticks. Do you prefer carrots or sticks, dear reader? Is there another option? Surely, there can’t be. NPCs constantly tell me with a lil’ smirk “there’s nothing you can do, just go along with it.” We could, well, um, what is it, ahh, uhh, not comply.
Back to the article:
In October, the EU is scheduled to impose its Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism (CBAM) on seven goods imported to the bloc, comprising iron and steel, aluminium, cement, fertiliser, electricity, hydrogen and other upstream goods such as nuts and screws made of steel.
Could that mean higher prices for the plebs? I’m sure it’ll be fine, we’ll get some CBDC token handouts and we can buy carbon credits to save the world, right? Right?
For the transport sector, the department revised the new excise tax rate for passenger vehicles by changing the tax collection basis from carrying capacity to the amount of emissions.
For instance, for a passenger car with less than 10 seats and an engine capacity of 3,000 cubic centimeters or less, the excise tax rate is 25% if the CO2 emission rate is less than 100 grammes/ kilometer, and 30% for CO2 emissions of less than 200g/km.
For imported electric vehicles (EVs), the excise tax rate is 8%, but is temporarily reduced to 2% based on government support measures for EVs.
What if I don’t have or want an EV? Call me old fashioned, but I like food and oil, not wokery and green energy. Perhaps I’m crackers and an extremist.
🖕🛢️Government Savings Bank gives fossil fuel biz the middle finger
Let’s see. Businesses across multiple sectors from manufacturing to the service industry are still on the bones of their arse - to quip a Britishism. What should we do? Finish them off for good of course! Don’t hate the player hate the game. Get with ESG or get f***** is the reinforced takeaway.
On a side note - I told Mrs. Creed about this next story and sternly-faced, she said “well then I’ll withdraw my savings from this bank and find another.” I love my wife, she be a unicorn and got red pilled faster than I did in my NPC days of long past…um, three years ago…
Government Savings Bank (GSB) plans to phase out lending money to fossil fuel power generation businesses, with no new loans to be granted to coal-fired power plants from this year.
The effort aims to slash the bank's indirect emissions of 1.68 million tonnes of carbon dioxide equivalent (tCO2e) by 2050.
"We will completely steer away from the coal-fired power generation business," said Vitai Ratanakorn, president of GSB.
This business will be added to what the bank calls an "exclusion list", which refers to businesses the bank will avoid.
The bank is using environment, social and governance (ESG) scoring by reducing interest rates and increasing loans granted to companies adopting ESG principles.
That will bloody show them, those dirty power gen biz bastards, trying to keep our lights on, our refrigerators refrigerated, and our air conditioners ventilating. How dare they? Also it reeks of the prelude to de-banking unfavourable businesses, then I guess you and I are next after that. It’s probably nothing.
What does our bible - Absolute Zero - have to say on this chicanery?
Oh, bollocks.
🏳️🌈Pride month all year round
Those resident in Thailand will know the running joke of how Thai media purports the country as being the “hub” of, well, just about everything from one time to another. Now we are primed to become a retirement hub for the sacred community.
Thailand has the potential to boost the pink economy by attracting international LGBTQ+ seniors who are looking for a place to retire.
Speaking at a conference on "Thailand Gets Ready to Become A Key Destination for LGBT Retirement" organised in Bangkok last Thursday, Dr Chaiwat Songsiriphan, founder and medical director of the Safe Clinic, a private human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) and sexually transmitted diseases (STD) clinic, said Thailand could be a key retiree destination for LGBTQ, as people in the country have a high tolerance of gender diversity.
"We are also known as a LGBTQ tourism destination, LGBTQ parties and nightlife entertainment," he said.
Is it me, or is the “pink economy” new to you? Also, it is strange to hype up this new retirement hub in the same breath as HIV/AIDS clinics?
"Amid the rise of LGBTQ, Thailand could be the very first country to catch up with this trend and create a new sector -- LGBTQ retirement," he said.
It’s so trendy!
VAIDS?
🐒💉Look over here! Monkeypox is very bad
They be “grappling” folks. Tireless work. Outstanding humanitarian efforts. Perhaps we should stand outside our homes at 8pm each evening and clap for the NHS BMA to show our appreciation…
The Bangkok Metropolitan Administration (BMA) is offering monkeypox(mpox) treatment and prevention consultations at clinics after a sharp rise in the number of cases of the disease.
Eighty monkeypox cases were found in Bangkok last month, which was higher than in June and July, mostly in tourist areas, said deputy Bangkok governor Tavida Kamolvej. Some of the reported cases were in people below the age of 18.
Terrifying stuff. Truly. Another month, another casedemic. T’is the era of scamdemics after all. Perpetual fear and propaganda bombardment. Trust the experts and trust the science.
According to the BMA’s Health Department, BBK Pride Clinics are operating in public health centres across the capital — offering sex education and advice about sexually transmitted infections (STIs).
They can also receive gender-affirming hormone therapy, gender-affirming surgery and mental health treatment at the clinics.
Gosh, I almost spat out my Huai Hom coffee from Mae Hong Son when I read that cheeky little segue from monkeypox to friggin’ gender transitioning! I guess they pack in as many agendas as possible, and aim to prey upon and manipulate the youngest, most impressionable minds that waltz into those gender mutilation Pride clinics. It’s all a conspiracy. Really, it is an open conspiracy🤫.
👨🏼🌾Homegrown C19 injection almost approved
As the ban the jab movement gathers steam State-side, Thailand soldiers on with the new batch, and it’s homegrown baby! You can support the local economy.
The development of Thailand’s first Covid-19 vaccine is in the home stretch and it could be ready for use as a booster shot early next year, according to the National Vaccine Institute (NVI).
About 4,000 volunteers recruited by Nakhon Phanom Hospital participated in the third stage, with each being given a 10-microgramme shot as a booster in December last year. The test results will be available in the middle of this month, Mr Nakhon said.
All I can say to those 4,000 volunteers is “na song sarn” น่าสงสาร. (I feel sorry for you).
Police officer killed after playing it by the book
This is a sad story, and although I know little of the deceased, it does seem as if he was a rare diamond in the rough amongst the police ranks for not caving to pressure from influential people expecting nepotistic promotions for family.
An influential kamnan in Nakhon Pathom has surrendered to police after agunman killed a highway police officer and injured another following anargument over a promotion at the kamnan’s home late Wednesday night.
Witnesses said that before the shooting took place, Mr Praween had tried to talk Pol Maj Sivakorn into switching his nephew, a son of his younger brother, from an assignment at a patrol car to a motorcycle patrol squad, but Pol Maj Sivakorn rejected the request. He reportedly said promotions must adhere to regulations and be based on performance.
Mr Praween became angry, pounded his fist on the table and walked away. Five minutes later, Mr Thananchai appeared and started shooting.
Patricide
Another murder, committed by the son against the father. Again, we know little of the circumstances and the background. Yet with this spate of murders, as also reported in the previous Thai News Roundup, one wonders if the C19 injections are making people go crazy and homicidal.
A 19-year-old man was arrested after his French father was found beaten to death with a hammer at their home in Phra Khanong area of Bangkok.
Neighbours told police the man and his son had quarreled loudly for about 15 minutes on Friday evening. Since then, the house had been dark and silent.
Police suspect the young man had a quarrel with and then killed his father with the hammer found at the scene.
Rescue workers told police they had previously visited the townhouse twice to take the son for mental treatment. He refused to go.
Nicholas Creed is a Bangkok based dissident blogger. All content is free for all readers. Any support is greatly appreciated.
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It is amazing that you could do a news round up of Thailand or any other "western democracy" and they would be indistinguishable. If you hadn't mentioned Thailand this could be the US, UK, France, etc., etc., etc.. It's almost as if we all have exactly the same government.
It's like this stuff was all written by the same PR department all over the world...your wife sounds like a smart cookie I'm jealous at your ability in Thai language. I muddle through at best and butcher it so bad I don't try to speak it almost at all...