MAY

- ONG BAK 3
Tony Jaah puts on a few pounds and learns to dance.
- Naresuan-Gate
Half of the B200 million budget from the Ministry of Culture to support Thai cinema goes to King Naresuan, causing an uproar. It later gets halved when financial support for the film from other ministries comes to light.
- B36 billion
Amount transferred by Siam Commercial Bank from accounts held by the Shinawatra family to the Ministry of Finance, making the grand total seized B46 billlion.
- ATTACK!
The Thai Army launches an all-out assault on the Red Shirt camp and arrests its core leaders. The protests last over two months and leave 91 dead and some 2,100 injured. Red Shirts also torch parts of CentralWorld, Siam Square, Channel 3 and Victory Monument.
- TRENDING: ALL-NIGHT HOUSE PARTIES
With the curfew declared on May 19-29, Bangkokians take to partying at home or clubbing from dusk till dawn as it is stricly forbidden to be out and about from 8pm-6am. 
- BRT
The Bus Rapid Transit system opens, connecting Sathorn to the depths of Southern Bangkok.
- TRENDING: BANGKOK Love-in
On May 28, BK Magazine and A Day Bulletin simultaneously release post-protest covers with giant hearts (red for BK, pink for A Day). Soon, the “We (heart) Bangkok” gimmick is everywhere, culminating in the BMA’s Together We Can campaign.
- B170 billion
The Defense Ministry budget for 2011, nearly twice what it was in 2006 (B86 billion), before the coup.

JUNE

- Plastic Bag Crackdown
The BMA promises to launch a “No Bag No Baht” campaign at nine BMA markets to be enforced from June 5 onward. The bags showed up, but not the penalty for not bringing your own.
-WORLD CUP FEVER
The amount of money gambled in Thailand reaches B37 billion.
- FRENCH IS THE NEW ITALIAN
4 Garcons, Table de Tee, Triplets—finally Thais are cooking French food and bringing prices down, making the stodgy cuisine fun all over again.

JULY

- TRENDING: GOVT. FLEXESMUSCLES
First, red shirt activist Sombat Boonngamanong is arrested, then the “Kor Thod Pra Thet Thai” (Apologise Thailand) ad is banned; then student protesters in Chiang Rai are arrested and given a psychiatric evaluation.
- FACEBOOK KILLER
In Chonburi, on Jul 20, a man shoots his wife and himself because he catches her chatting with another man on Facebook.
- TRENDING: COCKTAILS DONE RIGHT
Bangkok is increasing committed to quality cocktails. With Soul Food Mahnakorn (opened in September), Fat Gut’z (July), Hyde & Seek and WTF (both in April), we now have four places that craft their drinks with attention and talent.
- NICHKHUN
K-Pop + Thai = [shrieks]

AUGUST

- TRENDING: INDIE CINEMA
In the wake of Apichatpong’s victory, auteur cinema in Thailand enjoys a brief surge of popularity. Anocha Suwichakornpong’s Mundane History, which won multiple awards at international film fests, kicks off the Director’s Screen series on Aug 5. Brown Sugar, an erotic series of shorts comes out on Aug 26, Agrarian Utopia screened Sep 2 and the 14th Thai Short Film and Video Festival runs Jul 1-Aug 1.
- 77
Number of provinces in Thailand since Bueng Kan’s upgrade.
- Hello Stranger
Bangkok Love Story production house GTH, Shutter director Banjong and A Day editor Zcongklod team up to bring us this feel-good romantic comedy which fanned the K-craze.
- Airport Link opens
Finally, an alternative to the dodgy taxi  ‘no meter’ mafia.
- GOOD COUNCIL
A handful of Bangkokians vote for  a sweeping Democrat majority in the district and city council elections.
- SPIRITS
TCDC’s spooky exhibition triggers screams with its dark rooms and grotesque figures. Originally charted to end in Nov, it is extended to Jan 9 due

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