THE WEEK AHEAD

MONDAY

The 77-storey, 314-metre MahaNakhon building in Chong Nonsi, even weirder-looking than its two-capital name, will hold light shows at 7.30 and 8.25pm to celebrate its official opening as Thailand’s tallest building. It towers a full 10 metres over Baiyoke Tower II. The War Elephants leave for Saudi Arabia and Game 1 in their quest to reach football’s 2018 World Cup. They play at 12.30am in Riyadh, then come home to face Japan on Sept 6 at Rajamangala National Stadium in Game 2 (7.15pm) of the one-year Group of Death to decide just one qualifier from Thailand, Australia, Japan, Iraq, UAE and the Saudis. Near-legendary German-Finnish internet pirate facilitator Kim Dotcom begins his appeal in Auckland today against a court order to extradite him to the United States.

TUESDAY

If you’re keeping track, today’s meeting at the public prosecutor’s office to decide whether to indict sect leader Phra Dhammachayo on embezzlement charges is exactly the eleventeenth such conference. The Brazil senate opens the impeachment trial of sidelined President Dilma Rousseff this morning. The US Open of tennis stages its first night games of the two-week tournament in New York, also this morning. As a public service to old people not feeling old today, it’s the 50th anniversary of the final Beatles concert, held in San Francisco.

WEDNESDAY

The Philippines is calling bids today to buy 250,000 tonnes of white rice, and Thai exporters will be bidding. Today is the last chance to view the legacy of Queen Savang Vadhana, the Queen Grandmother, for another year. The museum sponsored by Her Majesty the Queen is open just three months each year, but details are online at QueenSavang.org. New Myanmar leader Aung San Suu Kyi and many of the ethnic groups battling the central government for 50 years will maybe, probably, hopefully sign a peace treaty after the 21st Century Panglong Conference that starts today.

THURSDAY

Asean countries and Japan begin war games today in Chon Buri with disaster relief exercises. AM-HEX 2016 will last 11 days. You officially don’t have cable TV’s hard luck story CTH to kick around any more. The network officially closes today, although there’s plenty of unfinished business. Rajthanee Hospital hopes to raise 1.2 billion baht with its initial public offering starting today at the Stock Exchange of Thailand. You can now apply to run along with 8,000 others in the 32nd annual Chombueng Marathon in Ratchaburi on Jan 15. Organisers expect 10,000-plus applicants and will hold a lottery to pick those who can run. See Chombueng.com.

FRIDAY

Residents of historic Mahakan Fort have until midnight to move out so that bulldozers can raze the site — unless sanity is implanted at City Hall at the last moment. US President Barack Obama, who visited Thailand for almost one day in 2012, arrives in China today on a trip that included an overflight of Thailand on Tuesday on his way to three days in Laos. Half-Filipino Dave “Batista” Bautista plays Thai-Thai martial artist Tong Po, who performs very serious butt kicking in the possibly hilarious film Kickboxer :

Vengeance released to theatres and digital HD around the world today.

SATURDAY

Three years ago this morning, young, privileged Vorayudh “Boss” Yoovidhya was cruising home in his Ferrari when he struck, killed and dragged a policeman, then tried to claim his servant did it. Seems he is missing and police are just so upset they can’t find him. Speaking of privilege, the convicted criminal and heir to Samut Prakan province, Chonsawat Asavahame, will probably walk free tomorrow. This will anger some people. Premier League action gets right to the nitty-gritty at 6.30pm with the Manchester derby at Old Trafford. Our very own Leicester City play at Liverpool at 11.30pm. The UK Green Party, led by Australian former Bangkok Post sub-editor Natalie Bennett, begins its three-day annual party conference this evening in Birmingham. It is Vietnam’s National Day, marking the 1945 post-war declaration of independence by Ho Chi Minh. The Group of 20 begins its two-day annual summit in Hangzhou tomorrow. Meanwhile, Hong Kong votes for a new Legislative Council, the first elections since the huge democracy protests of 2014.