THE WEEK AHEAD
MONDAY
Chulalongkorn University begins its 101st year today.
The UN High Commissioner for Refugees, Italian Filippo Grandi, arrives today for a four-day visit. He will visit a refugee camp in Tak.
A new law expanding and codifying the powers of the always interesting National Broadcasting and Telecommunications Commission (NBTC) will be force-fed through the National Legislative Assembly today. The amended NBTC draft bill cuts the number of commissioners from 11 to seven, all but one (consumer protection) from industry-friendly fields. Today is the deadline to submit your bid to partner TOT to provide 4G phone services on the 2300MhZ spectrum. French President Francois Hollande visits Singapore today, Indonesia tomorrow and Wednesday, and Thailand never.
TUESDAY
Another week, another World Cup qualifier for the War Elephants. Today they are in Tokyo for a 6.35pm match against Japan.
Badminton’s Indian Open begins today, with finals on Sunday. It’s the first of three consecutive weeks of Superseries events for All England runner-up Ratchanok Intanon and other Thai shuttlers. Laos will host the two-day, 14th Asean-Russia Senior Officials’ Meeting beginning today. There’s no big issues on the table except Putin’s Russia’s continuing effort to spread cheer and influence and markets for its excellent weapons makers.
Srisaket Sor Rungvisai aka Nokornloung goes to Government House for an adoring welcome from the prime minister after regaining the WBC flyweight belt last week.
WEDNESDAY
The Bank of Thailand’s Monetary Policy Committee meets today, but is likely unstirred by the US policy rate rise. The 39th Bangkok International Motor Show opens today and runs through April 9 at Impact Muang Thong.
The 45th National Book Fair and Bangkok International Book Fair open today at Queen Sirikit National Convention Center, and will stay open until April 9. Furniture Fun Fair opens today at Bitec Bang Na, and also will run through Sunday week.
The most important communications event since Babel Tower collapsed will occur this evening. Samsung will display the Galaxy 8, opened with face recognition (you don’t have to press a dumb button any more) and featuring Bixby, who is smarter than Siri, and also a battery that is less likely to explode. This evening, the Brexit Clock starts ticking down its two-year count to “Britain is gone”.
THURSDAY
Ageists running the National Legislative Assembly will try to ram through a bill barring prosecutors over 65 from serving on the Prosecution Commission. They claim the prohibition is necessary to give up-and-coming 64-year-olds a chance. The three-day Tao International Music and Underwater Festival begins today, “Tao” as in Koh Tao. Music is by 20 Thai and foreign artists, events all are centred on nature and conservation.
The Wonderful World of Disney on Ice is a good way to beat the heat for a couple of hours, each day through Sunday at Impact Arena Muang Thong. Info and tickets at ThaiTicketMajor.com Ariya and big sister Moriya Jutanugarn, along with Pornanong Phatlum and 100 other top-shelf women golfers start this week’s tournament at Mission Hills, California, late this afternoon.
FRIDAY
The “miracle of law” gets its biggest test today as the official statute of limitations runs out on grabbing wampum from Voldemort or his spawn.
Every passenger van in the country now has a GPS. We can be sure of that because the government ordered all vans to have a GPS by today or else something-something.
Pro Musica, under the baton of maestro Hikotaro Yazaki, will perform works by Toru Takemitsu, ML Usni Pramoj and Tchaikovsky this evening at the Siam Society.
The Imperial War Museum of London, one of the finest exhibits of warfare of all kinds, will preview its upcoming exhibition on the anti-war movement. Yes, really.
SATURDAY
Today is April 1. Hold that thought all day. Myanmar will hold by-elections for vacant seats in the Assembly of the Union, or parliament. Thais will be allowed to observe the election, in quiet groups of four or fewer.
The “fourth round” and 20th year of peace talks commence yet again tonight between the Philippine government and the Europe-based Communist Party of the Philippines at Oslo, Norway. Liverpool host Everton to start the weekend’s Premier League matches at the new, earlier (summer) time of 6.30pm. Burnley vs Spurs and Man United-West Brom are both at 9. Tomorrow night at 10, Arsenal play Man City.