Events
2nd annual Thailand Game Expo opens at BITEC in Bangkok

AIS and M Vision have kicked off the 2nd Thailand Game Expo at the BITEC centre (Bangkok International Trade & Exhibition Centre) in Bangna. 700,000+ visitors are expected to attend the Expo this year, which runs through to this Sunday (February 2) and product sales tipped to top 2 billion baht. The event is organised by AIS eSports.
Alistair Johnston, the MD of New Business at AIS , says the e-Sport industry and gaming business in Thailand continues to grow, with the e-port “ecosystem” spreading around the country.
“We expect the game industry to reach 27 billion baht in value by the end of this year, representing growth of around 15.8% over 2019. The majority of the revenue comes from sales of mobiles and tablets for e-sports at 19.1 billion baht, followed by PCs at 5.9 billion baht, or growth and consoles at 1.98 billion baht.”
eSports (also known as electronic sports, e-sports, or eSports) is a form of sport competition using video games. Esports often takes the form of organised, multiplayer video game competitions, particularly between professional players, individually or as teams. Although organized competitions have long been a part of video game culture, these were largely between amateurs until the late 2000s, when participation by professional gamers and spectatorship in these events through live streaming saw a large surge in popularity – Wikipedia
It is estimated that the number of ‘gamers’ in Thailand last year stood at 16.3 million, some 24% of the entire population. Game revenue in 2019 was quoted at 13.3 billion baht, an increase of about 16.6% year-on-year. 60% of Thai gamers are below the age of 24.
“eSports is widely recognised today as a sport of the digital age that responds to the lifestyle of the millennials. We have noticed a definite trend in esports growth both in terms of active players on all platforms and the market value of game and esports in Thailand with over 23 billion baht.”
Chinese telco giant Xiaomi (Thailand) is also taking part in the event and is offering discounts of up to 1,000 baht on 2 popular smartphones. It will also be displaying its latest innovation, the Mi Mix Alpha, a 5G concept smartphone with the world’s first Surround Display. Designed with a screen ratio of more than 180.6 per cent, the product allows display in almost all areas and comes with the world’s highest 108MP camera resolution. The Mi MIX Alpha is a titanium smartphone that uses the same grade of titanium alloy as the spacecraft which is three times stronger than stainless steel while weighing less. The device also uses a sapphire glass at the area of the back camera.
PHOTO: Mi Mix Alpha, a 5G concept smartphone with the world’s first Surround Display – IT City
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Air Pollution
Bangkok’s air quality is ‘unhealthy’ today | VIDEO

Air quality around Bangkok this morning is awful. Partly due to the lack of wind to blow the smog out of the area. To the south of Bangkok, Samut Prakan and Samut Sakhon, the air quality is even worse with visibility on the ground cut to less than a kilometre. You would be well advised to reduce you activities outside on a day of high air pollution in the capital. The rating by airvisual.com is ‘unhealthy’.
Readings around the inner city vary between 190 – 220. Areas to the east, including around Suvarnabhumi Airport, are higher.
A lot of the smog and smoke is flowing down from the north and north east where plantation fires rage, mostly unenforced, this time of the year, from December to May. Farmers have been told, repeatedly, to avoid buying off the waste after harvests of corn, rice and sugar cane but officials have been disinclined to enforce the laws. Many of the farmers have long-term contracts with some of Thailand’s leading agri-business conglomerates.
Bangkok and the central region can expect many more months, especially as the temperatures rise throughout February, March and April and the winds remain low as the north-easterly monsoon weakens.
PHOTO: View across the Bangkok skyline from Sathorn this morning.
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Coronavirus (Covid-19)
40 arrested in a suspected gambling house in Nonthaburi

Last night, police raided a house in Nonthaburi and arrested 40 people for allegedly gambling.
According to the deputy chief of the Central Investigation Bureau, 33 are Thais and 7 are migrant workers of the casino. The officials also confiscated decks of cards of the Dragon-Tiger game, plastic chips and some cash as evidence.
During the raid, the migrant workers allegedly revealed that the gambling operations at the home had only been going on for 2 days and that the owner planned to move it to other locations.
Police have been cracking down on gambling after the Covid-19 outbreak at a Rayong gambling den in line with the PM’s order made last week to shut down the illegal venues and tracking down “influential figures.”
SOURCE: National Thailand
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Thailand
Former finance minister proposes legalisation of gambling

With Covid-19 cases linked to some illegal gambling dens, causing a headache for health officials trying to track down elusive gamblers to contain the virus, the former Finance Minister floated the idea to legalise gambling.
The former Finance Minister and current leader of the Kla Party, Korn Chaitkavanich, claims legalising gambling will help contain the spread of Covid-19. He also hinted that it will gain more tax revenue. If it’s legalised, gamblers will spend their money in legal casinos that pay taxes, drawing in more money the government can use for public improvements, he says.
The Royal Thai Police spokesperson insists police are pursuing legal action against owners of the illegal gambling dens. Interior Minister Anuphong Paojinda has also told provincial governors to suppress illegal gambling dens and take responsibility if more gambling dens are found.
SOURCE: Bangkok Post
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