THE WEEK AHEAD
MONDAY
The Counter Corruption Division is to rule officially today whether to charge accused leopard poacher and construction Thaicoon Premchai Karnasuta with attempted bribery. The Italian-Thai magnate is due back from Bangladesh in time for the ceremony.
It is Fun Fair week, all week through Sunday, at Bitec Bangna, with separate display areas for furniture, electronics, fashion/jewellery and wedding. After the drama and near riot of Catalan separatism, the Barcelona-centred region’s parliament will select a leader — and he probably will be jailed separatist Jordi Sanchez, which will not please the phu yai of Madrid.
TUESDAY
The Barisan Revolusi Nasional (BRN) will mark its 58th anniversary of the fruitless effort to separate three and a half southern provinces — by hook, crook, war or negotiations. The founding ceremony was at the Yala City school, Thamawitya Muniti.
Today is Thai Elephant Day, the purpose being to at least think about protecting the great beasts.
The best muay Thai fighters in the world go to Ayutthaya this week for a series of wai kru ceremonies to honour the sport and teachers.
China’s National People’s Congress reviews legislation to create a national anti-corruption agency. Another Tuesday, another US local election, as voters in Pennsylvania will elect a congressman and test Donald Trump’s hold as well. The anti-Trump Democrats have fielded a young Marine combat veteran.
WEDNESDAY
Last chance (say prosecutors) for 34 people to report and face charges of insurrection and terrorism during the Recommended. For the first time by the Customs Department for all travellers leaving-and-returning to Thailand, a declaration at the time of departure. It’s easy, says department chief Kulit Sombatsiri. All you need for each item — watch, necklace, camera, laptop, phone, etc — is a paper form filled out by hand in duplicate, two photos of the item, proof of purchase, serial numbers and a bunch of pre-flight time to have them stamped, certified, checked and returned. Then when you come back to Thailand and do it again, no customs payment. Mercedes-Benz will lay the cornerstone at the old Thonburi Automotive Assembly Plant in Sathon for its new plant to make plug-in hybrid electric vehicle (PHEV) lithium-ion batteries for its 5,000 Thai-assembled cars, and then for the world.
Champions League second-leg matches are early today and then again late tonight, or early tomorrow if you prefer. (First leg scores in brackets). First up, Man United host Sevilla (0-0) while Roma play Shakhtar Donetsk (1-2). Then it is Besiktas vs Bayern Munich (0-5) and Barcelona-Chelsea (1-1). All games at 2.45am.
THURSDAY
Wise people today will be either wearing a helmet of Kevlar or tin foil, because China’s first space laboratory will be hurtling to Earth. China claims it has no idea if it will land in the centre of Bangkok, but they would say that, wouldn’t they? Thailand’s biggest House and Condo Expo begins a four-day run at the Queen Sirikit National Convention Centre. Ariya, Moriya and the other Thai professionals are playing in the LPGA tournament at Phoenix, Arizona, starting tonight.
Former energy minister Pichai Naripthaphan is to report to police today to be charged with “entering false information on to a computer system” last July. The comments could win him years of free room and board at state expense. They criticised Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha with too much conviction. Speaking of conviction, Sek Loso faces the court today to learn the verdict in his foolish discharge of a pistol at a southern temple.
FRIDAY
Protest leader Rangsiman Rome of the Democracy Restoration Group, free on bail of 50,000 baht, has to report back to police and the court today. He wants people to oust the NCPO, which is a bit of a coincidence since the NCPO is trying hard to oust the DRG.
The annual “Art of Salt” exhibition opens today in Ban Laem district, next door to beach resort Cha-am in Phetchaburi. There’s also a salt museum, salt souvenirs and, for the jaded, actual bags of real salt. MotoGP begins a new season today in Qatar. It will be in Buri Ram from Oct 5-7. K-pop boy band Exo return, this time for three concerts, one per day at Impact Muang Thong, starting tonight at 8. It’s their fourth trip to Thailand.
SATURDAY
Unless you like it loud, avoid Bitec Bangna, where another Transmission Festival will blast trance and house at you. Tickets through Ticketmelon.com and it will probably sell out. An Asean-Australia Special Summit takes place today at Sydney. Interesting, since Australia was one of the few governments to ban visits by high-ranking members of the NCPO.
China’s version of a parliament — 3,000 bent-over rubber-stampers — will debate whether to remove term limits so that Xi Jinping can be president and whether to allow Premier Li Keqiang to remain for another five years. Warning, there is a spoiler ahead. The parliament will approve both.
Cynical left-wing US comedian Doug Stanhope will dish out prickly bile and disrespect members of the audience who pay 1,250 or 1,650 baht to see him starting at 8pm at Westin Grande Sukhumvit this evening.