THE WEEK AHEAD
MONDAY
Jatupat “Pai Dao Din” Boonpattararaksa can make his seventh application for bail today. If you have been avoiding the Royal Thai Navy’s inspection of Andaman coast piers because you make your living in illegal fishing, good news: the inspections end today, so you can get back to your dirty work.
It’s the fourth anniversary of peace talks with the Barisan Revolusi Nasional (BRN), without a sliver of hope of actual peace in the deep South.
The World Government Summit 2017 begins today, ends tomorrow in Dubai. There will be 4,000-plus attendees from 130-plus countries, and not a single political leader among them, but it’s a “summit”.
TUESDAY
Guys, don’t forget, OK? Meanwhile, while you’re out driving today, be careful because there will be many tight-lipped old people trying to stop young people from noodling, which they only do on Valentine’s Day, right?
What better day than international lovers’ day to start Asia’s largest international war games. The commander of all US troops in the Pacific will kick off Cobra Gold 2017 this morning. Bangalore will host India’s Aero India, the country’s biggest air show, while Hong Kong voters will cast ballots to choose the final candidates for territory leader. Uefa Champions League football is down to 16 teams and starts the knockout stage. Tonight the prime match is PSG vs Barcelona. Then, 24 hours later, Bayern Munich play Arsenal while Real Madrid host Napoli. All games are at 2.45am.
WEDNESDAY
The five-day Thai International Travel Fair 2017 begins today at the Queen Sirikit National Convention Center. Hosts are the Thai Travel Agents Association (TTAA) and the Tourism Authority of Thailand. Details at www.titf-ttaa.com. The Christian incumbent goes up against two prominent Muslims in today’s election for governor of Jakarta. It’s pretty tense because the governor has been charged with insulting Islam.
New York City’s “environmental fee” will add a 1.75-baht tax on every carry-out bag from every store — plastic, cloth or paper — unless politicians delay it again.
THURSDAY
Ariya Jatunagarn and the rest of the world’s top women’s golfers begin play today in the Australian Open at Royal Adelaide. Next week, Thailand. Foreign ministers of the Group of 20 biggest industrialised and developing nations begin a two-day meeting in Berlin today.
Comic Con begins a three-day run exactly where you expect it to be. In Jeddah. Mind you, the only billing it has to live up to is that it is the Middle East’s largest pop culture and entertainment festival, raising the obvious question: There’s a competition?
FRIDAY
It is the 250th anniversary of the day Thon Buri was declared the capital of Siam. The highlight of a festive weekend will be a performance of Hanuman Wooing Wanarin, a khon episode written by Thon Buri’s founder, King Taksin the Great. Today is the deadline for 23 Koh Samet resort owners to raze all their buildings or watch the National Park, Wildlife and Plant Conservation Department’s bulldozers do it for them tomorrow.
The biannual Chiang Mai Documentary Arts Festival begins a week-long run, featuring photography and film. Details are at www.facebook.com/TheCDAF. The demolition order covers all of Khao Laem Ya-Koh Samet National Park in Rayong.
SATURDAY
Today is the deadline for the government to submit the revised version of the amendments to the amended constitution to His Majesty the King for royal endorsement.
Asean foreign ministers begin a threeday retreat amid all the hardships of the Boracay resort island.
There are no Premier League games this weekend. FA Cup action sees Burnley host Lincoln City at 7.30pm, followed at 10 by Huddersfield-Manchester City, and then at half-past-midnight, Wolves host Chelsea. Tomorrow night, it is Fulham vs Spurs at 9pm, then Blackburn Rovers vs Man United.
Angelina Jolie and Cambodian human rights activist Loung Ung will preside at Siem Reap over the premiere of the Khmer-language
Netflix flick First They Killed My Father, a thriller about the Khmer Rouge days based on Ung’s memoir of the same name. Japanese budget carrier Peach Aviation begins the first direct, non-stop flights between Bangkok and Okinawa in all of history.
The 2017 Asian Games begin in Sapporo and last until Feb 26.