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The new khlong park looks very nice. I just hope that's not khlong water spraying from those sprinklers.

They've done well, it looks really nice, just hoping it stays that way

From Bangkok Post No new Covid surge There were 22 more Covid-19 fatalities and 2,532 new cases registered during the previous 24 hours, the Public Health Ministry said on Sunday morning. This compared with 30 coronavirus-related fatalities and 2,766 new cases reported on Saturday morning. On Saturday, 3,771 Covid-19 patients were discharged from hospitals after recovering from the coronavirus. The Centre for Covid-19 Situation Administration (CCSA) said in the afternoon briefing that almost half of the new deaths occurred in the southern region. The 22 new fatalities were Thai nationals between the ages of 25 and 93, 10 of them in the southern region – three in Nakhon Si Thammarat, two in Satun and one each in Krabi, Chumphon, Trang, Ranong and Surat Thani. Bangkok registered one fatality while none were detected in the city’s adjacent provinces. The 2,532 new cases included 2,449 local infections and 60 imported cases. Bangkok had 414 new cases, followed by 179 in Chon Buri, 144 in Nakhon Si Thammarat, 79 in Samut Prakan, 73 in Prachuap Khiri Khan, 66 in Chiang Mai, 60 in Surat Thani, 55 in Kalasin, 54 in Trang and 51 in Pathum Thani. https://www.bangkokpost.com/thailand/general/2237923/2-532-new-covid-cases-22-more-death

Jupiter decided to cash in on Christmas spirit and last night drinks went up from 150-180 to prepandemic 400 but at least show was decent with Hooola hop guy performing. And that rare specimen of smiling Jupiter boy was present so no complains from the me. Audience equals number of boys, roughly 20 so it must be tough. Soi 4 restaurants busy, but world famous, Michelin stars awarded Foodland restaurant at 3 pm completely empty except other forum member and me dining on their fine offerings at half of soi 4 prices. Madrid tavern still sporting padlock. Earlier atop MahaNakhon despite fine, almost unbangkokian visibility also sparse, crowd looking farang and Middle Eastern. On Saturday one would expect at least 10 times more people. But I like that sparse crowds, sure at odds with business owners.

From Richard Barrow's Twitter site As promised, the Bangkok Governor opened the first section of the Chong Nonsi Canal Park on Christmas Day. This section, between Sathon Road and Narathiwat Ratchanakarin 7, is only 200 metre long, but by the time it is finished, it will run for 4.5km

I believe the canal was based on the one in Seoul. I've wandered along that one and I've got to say, it's absolutely beautiful - a great oasis in the middle of the concrete jungle. The Thais also know how to make beautiful things and so far, the canal looks fabulous, especially when it's all lit up. However, I read somewhere that they have nor taken water management into account so it may lose its appeal when the water starts to stink.

I use to live in that area and this would have been great. Is there anyway they can designate this a gay cruising area? I mean it would be great to have street trade in Bangkok and this beautiful walkway would make it easy.

From Thai Enquirer The number of daily Covid cases could reach 30,000 per day by mid-March if the majority of people and businesses fail to strictly follow prevention measures, the Ministry of Public Health warned on Monday. Thailand discovered more than 500 Omicron cases so far and the ministry does not want to suggest another lockdown. “We are now at a new crossroad because of the outbreak of Omicron and the new variant has a high transmission rate,” said Dr Kiattiphum Wongrajit, the ministry’s permanent secretary. “If we do nothing, the outbreak will be hard to control and it could take up to three to four months to control it and the daily number of cases could reach 30,000 cases,” he said. For the scenario where cases rapidly increase after the New Year season but people continue to get vaccinated, follow universal prevention measures, get tested regularly if they were at risk and businesses continue to adhere to the Covid-Free Setting regulations then cases could reach 17,000 cases by the end of January and decrease to around 16,000 by the end of March. For the best-case scenario where there is no rapid increase of cases after the New Year season with no major clusters and people and businesses continue to strictly follow prevention measures then cases could reach 14,000 cases by February and decrease to around 10,000 by the end of March. “If we prevent it well, cases could be around 10,000 and the outbreak would take around two months to control,” Kiattiphum said. “What the ministry wanted to see is obviously the best-case scenario so we all have to work together once more and we do not want to lock down the country,” he said. In terms of the hospital bed situation, only 13.7 per cent of the total 178,139 hospital beds around the country are occupied at the moment. There are now 514 Omicron cases in Thailand since the first case was discovered in late November. Of the 698 samples that were taken from around the country between December 24 and 26, 44.3 per cent were Omicron and 55.4 per cent were Delta. In a study with 100 Omicron samples that were discovered in Thailand, 48 were asymptomatic. Of the 41 cases that have symptoms, 34 patients have experienced mild symptoms including coughing (54 per cent), sore throat (37 per cent), fever (29 per cent), muscle ache (15 per cent), runny nose (12 per cent), headache (10 per cent), difficulty breathing (5 per cent) and less sense of smell (2 per cent). Seven patients, who were all vaccinated with two doses of Covid vaccines, have a lung infection but none of them require a ventilator and no one died from Omicron in Thailand so far. Out of 20 patients that were given Favipiravir, 10 of them have improved medical conditions within 24-72 hours after receiving the anti-viral drug. https://www.thaienquirer.com/36120/omicron-numbers-could-reach-30000-per-day-if-people-are-not-vigilant/

Or for those who recall with fondness Babylon in its salad days, a sort of outdoor "garden of earthly delights."

Saw it in Bangkok a week or so ago. But it was clearly not going to continue its run for more than a day or two. We saw it on an afternoon showing and there cannot have been more than a dozen people in the cinema.

I broke my Squid Game viewing to watch the first episode and ended up binging it practically in one sitting as was interesting. Who gets laid always trumps who loses their marbles.

168 at one time? Damn, such low numbers. I had more than that at my 50th BD celebration.

No, he's just being stupid, lol How many years have I been traveling the having world having AMAZING times?? He can live in his world, I live in mine.....

why go anywhere then? I had amazing sex in Morocco AND Egypt, something about meeting them before they become westernized?? Met some guys in Brasil and Thailand that told me Tunis is great......

From Pattaya News Hotel room bookings in Pattaya have dropped significantly after the Thai government suspended the “Test & Go” scheme earlier this week. This has led to a rising number of business leaders asking for Pattaya to become a Sandbox zone like Phuket during the suspension. Mr. Boonanan Pattanasin, the president of the Pattaya Businessmen and Tourism Association, told TPN media, “After the “Test & Go” no-quarantine tourism scheme for all international tourists has been suspended and only the Phuket Sandbox allowed with the other sandbox zones closed, the number of hotel rooms booked in Pattaya have dropped significantly.” “Many tourists are planning to come to Pattaya during the high season from January to February. We need either the “Test & Go” system to remain open for this registration so that tourists can come to Pattaya after New Year or allow Pattaya to become a Sandbox.” Boonanan added. “Pattaya is similar to Phuket. We have many tourism attractions and businesses and rely on tourism for about 85 percent of our GDP. Only having the Phuket Sandbox cannot drive the whole countries tourism economy.” Boonanan stated. https://thepattayanews.com/2021/12/24/pattaya-hotel-room-bookings-drop-significantly-after-test-go-scheme-suspended-more-business-leaders-call-for-pattaya-to-be-a-sandbox-again/