MILESTONES

APPROVED: By the cabinet, three new national holidays and the elimination of one. Effective immediately, Coronation Day will no longer be celebrated on May 5, as it marked the coronation of the late King Bhumibol. A new Coronation Day holiday will be announced in due course. Meanwhile, the country will celebrate the birthday of His Majesty King Maha Vajiralongkorn Bodindradebayavarangkun on July 28 and mark the death of King Rama IX on Oct 13.

DEMONSTRATED: By the CEO of the airline holding the world record for bumping passengers because of overbooking, how to handle public relations problems. Oscar Munoz, named “Communicator of the Year” by PRWeek in March, explained that beating, injuring and ejecting an Asian-American doctor who was sitting quietly in his paid-for seat was “re-accommodating” the man.

TRANSFERRED: For 30 days to allow an investigation, Prawet district police chief Pol Col Thongchai Wilaiprom. It’s probably nothing, but superiors noted that after Col Thongchai and his men made a drug bust and seized 76kg of marijuana, only two arrested men and 37kg of weed were re-accommodated back to the eastern Bangkok evidence room. Probably, the other 39kg just got lost along the way.

ANNOUNCED: By Chang beer tycoon Charoen Sirivadhanabhakdi, plans for a “mixed-use” mall-condo complex to replace the old Suan Lum Night Bazaar. Thailand’s richest man promised to leave 50 of the 104 rai green. While everyone knows Bangkok will never have enough malls or condos, Mr Charoen’s “One Bangkok” project seems a carbon copy of the Central-Dusit project on the other side of Lumpini Park.

BANNED: By Beijing, any mention of feng shui in real estate advertising, effective immediately. Chinese authorities are trying to cool a fast-expanding property bubble, and figure the country’s top 15 real estate portals are fuelling it.