THE WEEK AHEAD
MONDAY
The Badminton World Federation is to announce its male and female Players of the Year, and if it’s not Ratchanok Intanon, there clearly is no justice. It is the final day of the 33rd Thailand Motor Expo at Impact Muang Thong, where sales have supposedly been even worse than last year. It’s also the last day of the pre-sale of tickets for the April 7 Coldplay tour. See if you’re eligible at Livenation.asia.
Bluport Hua Hin Resort Mall has a special exhibition of music and the late King Bhumibol. It features all 48 of his compositions, his saxophones, rarely seen vinyl records of his songs and more.
It is the first anniversary of the signing of the Paris Agreement on global warming, how cool is that?
TUESDAY
Bidding opens today on the five railway projects the military government has been pushing for two years. Contracts will be signed exactly on March 21, mark your calendar.
Christine Lagarde becomes the second consecutive French IMF chief to go on criminal trial early today when she faces charges of negligence aka corruption when she was a cabinet member.
The US Fed, the country’s central bank, begins a two-day meeting this evening that is likely — repeat likely, not certain — to raise interest rates tomorrow, which will suck out US market and bond investors and hammer the baht. Weird fact: None of that is bad. Tonight/early tomorrow marks the very peak of the Geminids meteor shower. Look in an arc from north-west to north-east.
WEDNESDAY
The first match of the home-and-away, two-leg final of the Suzuki Cup kicks off this evening between Thailand and Indonesia in Jakarta. The War Elephants come home for the climactic match on Saturday at Rajamangala National Stadium, kickoff at 7pm.
Speaking of Ratchanok, as we were two days ago, tonight is the start of the US$1 million Dubai World Superseries Finals. At press time, it was still touch and go whether she would be fit enough to compete.
The always interesting Philippine President Rodrigo “The Punisher” Duterte begins a three-day state visit today to Singapore, a nation famous for hanging druggies, not shooting them down in the street. Afterwards, he’s set to carry on to Cambodia, fulfilling his duties as a future Asean Summit 2017 host.
THURSDAY
The Command Centre for Combating Illegal Fishing is to post a letter to the European Union containing a report explaining how Thailand has totally wiped out all illegal fishing and please remove the yellow card.
The annual Thailand Yacht Show begins today at Ao Po Grand Marina. It runs through Sunday.
The Thai PGA Tour resumes play with a 5-million-baht tournament at Singha Park Khon Kaen Golf Club. The tournament will end on Sunday. Chinese solar products supplier GCL System Integration Technology is to formally finish the construction today of two five-megawatt solar plants located in the Pantai and Khok Kham areas of Samut Sakhon.
The European Union begins a two-day summit at Brussels this evening.
FRIDAY
One more time, the Supreme Court will try to read its decision in the “Finland Declaration” defamation suit brought by Voldemort against yellow-shirt mogul Sondhi Limthongkul and friends. The case began in 2005. The court’s last attempt to deliver the final ruling took place a month ago. Criminal and Appeals Court have thrown the case out, so the Supremes will rule whether that is appropriate.
A government ferry committee will announce today whether it is serious about a Pattaya-Hua Hin link, or whether it will continue its fairy tale about a twohour trip starting on New Year’s Day. The 10-day (deep breath) Thailand Best Buy 2016 and TFA Premium Furniture Outlet expo opens today at Queen Sirikit National Convention Center. Organisers expect 220,000 visitors.
SATURDAY
The Suzuki Cup final kicks off at 7pm at Rajamangala National Stadium — Thailand vs Indonesia. The two-day Bangsaen 21 Marathon events begin today. The Chiang Mai Marathon is tomorrow. Crystal Palace host Chelsea to start the Premier League weekend at 7.30pm, followed by Stoke-Leicester and, at half past midnight, West Brom vs Man United. Man City and Arsenal have game of the week tomorrow night at 11. Museum Siam’s annual Night at the Museum marks “In the Reign of King Rama IX” today and tomorrow, 4-10pm. Actual fishermen come to Bangkok today from Prachuap Khiri Khan, Nakhon Si Thammarat, Satun, Songkhla Lake and Trat with the best of their recent catches. The former Root Garden, now Suan Kru A-njoon Malik, is the site in Thong Lor Soi 3.