THE WEEK AHEAD
MONDAY
It’s a make-up holiday for His Majesty the King’s birthday. Be decorous, please. BAT-crazed will vote (yes, really) for a new president today. Khunying Patama Leeswadtrakul, incumbent, or rival Jane Piyatat will take the helm of the Badminton Association of Thailand, concluding one of “those” elections. Khunying Patama was disgusted with Ms Jane’s attacks and electioneering on that Facebook thing, while Ms Jane was nauseated by the khunying’s revolting leadership of the BAT women for the last few years. A TV special this morning celebrates the 100th birth anniversary of Frank Sinatra. (Note to young people: an American singer.) Why do the French hate Thailand? This morning they will wrap up a day of nationwide regional elections. Next Sunday they will do it again. This in a country that lost more people in six days of violence than Thailand lost in a year.
TUESDAY
It’s the 74th anniversary of the Japanese army’s entry into Thailand. The three-man Danish group Michael Learns to Rock will perform this evening at Royal Paragon Hall, with tickets priced at 2,500-4,000 baht. Tomorrow, total coincidence, is Siam Paragon’s 10th anniversary. Myanmar ethnic groups will meet yet again in Nay Pyi Taw, in a three-day effort to forge a national peace pact with the government that will be headed by Aung San Suu Kyi. Seven Hong Kong policemen who beat up a pro-democracy protester last year go on trial today. The ruling United Malays National Organisation begins a five-day general assembly this morning. The future of Prime Minister Najib Razak is at stake, although he likely will survive.
WEDNESDAY
Rubber, meet road. Prime Minister Prayut, meet trade. It’s the day the general prime minister set for his International Trade Development Committee to discuss what to do about the rapidly failing export policies, and what stance to take on the China-led Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP, Thailand is a member) and the US-led Trans Pacific Partnership (TPP, Thailand is not a member). If fails again to address all three issues, it will go badly. Indonesians will go to the polls (yes, Indonesia has elections) to elect local leaders, the first such nationwide elections since the archipelago was hidden beneath the Panthalassa Sea. Madonna performs in Paris tonight and tomorrow, the first step on the road to Rebel Heart Tour Bangkok in February. Be still, my heart.
THURSDAY
Considering there is no actual constitution, it’s kind of nice having a day off for Constitution Day. And then three more. The second (and final) full rehearsal for the funeral of the late Supreme Patriarch will close most important roads in the general Rattanakosin region this morning. The full funeral is next week. Thongchai Jaidee and Kiradech Aphibarnrat lead the Thai field in the $1 million Thailand Golf Championship at the Amata Spring Country Club. Englishman Lee Westwood, the defending champion, Sergio Garcia of Spain and 2014 Masters Champion, American Bubba Watson, are probably the best known foreigners. The Tunisian National Dialogue Quartet, reconciliation icons for the age, will pick up their collective Nobel Peace Prize in Stockholm. In Thailand, reconciliation awards are still at the foundry.
FRIDAY
His Royal Highness Crown Prince Maha Vajiralongkorn will lead (officially) 99,999 Bangkokians in the Bike For Dad ride this afternoon. Police will close a total of 85 roads, some of them most of the day and until 10pm. You have been warned. Today is International Human Rights Day, and this year’s emphasis will be on violence against women and girls. The COP 21 meeting on global warming conference will be at crisis level this evening, so officials will change the definition of “Friday Dec 11” to “Sunday, Dec 11, sort of” to try to get something done. France today puts a family friend of Paris suicide bomber Omar Ismail Mostefai on trial for helping to enable the killer.
SATURDAY
The reason your daughter needs 5,437 baht is because she will have to find a ticket scalper to get to the absolutely essential concert by New K-Pop boy band sensations Day 6, or her life will be ruined. They play their first Thai concert at 4pm today at Muang Thai GMM Live House, Central World, and it is sold out. Saudi Arabia is ready for tomorrow’s nationwide municipal elections. With women as voters and candidates. Thailand is not. Match of the Day is at 10pm, Manchester City vs Swansea, followed at 12.30am by Bournemouth hosting Man United. Villa and Arsenal play at 8.30pm tomorrow, with Spurs-Newcastle and LiverpoolWest Brom following at 11pm.