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Trump finds himself in the position to solidify his strong man image by orchestrating the end of Russia’s war in Ukraine soon after taking office. It echoes the opportunity that Reagan had when he succeeded Carter and negotiated the quick return of US hostages from Iran. Biden’s reluctance early on to give Ukraine tanks and planes at a moment when it could have crippled the Invasion set up this scenario. He hesitated and dithered and slowly but surely Russia gained the momentum. China, Iran and North Korea seized the opportunity to come to Russia’s side, weakening the efforts of the US and its allies over time. If there’s a lesson here is you don’t go to war piecemeal. And make no mistake, this is a war of attrition. America and its allies may not have troops on the ground but their reputations are at stake. Billons spent with nothing to show for it as Russia gets to keep what it has gained. Trump is despicable but he understands the use of power and that translates to fear. No one or their dog was afraid of Joe.

Ends today but would not be shocked if new ones are periodically offered.

I report on crime and mishaps in Pattaya but I’m always on lookout for a feel good story. I was lucky to find one today thanks to Bangkok Post. Two 14-year-old boys received public praise for returning a wallet containing cash and identification documents to police after finding it in an ice bucket outside a shopping mall in Pattaya on Thursday night. Noppadol Phuphiphat and Phattraraphol Ngao-ngam, both in Matthayom 2 (Grade 7) at Bannernplubwan and Watsuttawas schools respectively, were walking with a friend's older brother when they discovered the wallet outside CentralFestival Pattaya Beach in Bang Lamung district, Chon Buri. The two teens immediately took it to Pattaya City police station at 11pm, expressing concern for the owner's potential distress. Pol Capt Anan Mahakitassawakul, deputy investigation chief at the station, said the wallet contained 3,640 baht and 71 yuan, along with identification documents belonging to a Chinese tourist. The police recorded the incident and are waiting for the owner to claim the items. Witnesses at the station praised the boys for their honesty. https://www.bangkokpost.com/thailand/general/2906821/boys-praised-for-returning-wallet-found-in-pattaya

Pensioners worry about overseas transmitted income From Pattaya Mail Having talked to many retired expats over the past year or so, I know that their biggest worry is whether they need to obtain a tax identification number and complete a tax form about income remitted to Thailand from abroad in the calendar year 2024. The very prospect of having to deal with a second revenue department – after the first one in their home country – is decidedly not a welcome thought for those who spend 180 days or more here in a calendar year. There are certainly retirees here who won’t need to pay any Thai personal income tax in 2025. Those who have not transmitted any cash to Thailand in 2024 are clearly free as are those who can prove they have sent only “old” money, that is savings which were in their home country bank accounts not later than December 31 2023. Some foreign inheritances paid in 2024 might be another exempt category as long as the estate has been assessed by the home country revenue department. Many expats are confused by so-called double taxation treaties and understandably so. There are over 60 such agreements but they differ enormously in scope and detail. The fact of their existence does not automatically mean a person cannot be taxed in two different jurisdictions. I know that some expats have been to their local Thai Revenue Department (TRD) and apparently been told no need to register if they are living on pensions already taxed. But I would caution that many TRD officers don’t have fluency foreign languages which could lead to confusion or misunderstanding. The main intention of the Thai government is to broaden the tax base with Thai or foreign “residents” but I am sure the main targets are “big fish” such as those dealing in cryptocurrency, untaxed offshore bank accounts and foreign businesses which have escaped tax hitherto. I doubt very much that TRD will target foreign retirees living on already-taxed foreign pensions. Now that Thailand is a member of the international Common Reporting Standard, it will be much easier to identify “big fish” in international banking procedures. So should the typical retiree expat obtain a tax identification number and fill in a tax form relating to overseas income early next year? If you don’t, I doubt very much that there will be immediate consequences unless you are bringing in large, untaxed sums. On the other hand, you could be asked in later years to justify your self-exemption. There are many unknowns and it could take years for blurry issues to be resolved. For example, whether use of foreign credit cards in Thailand is remitted income or not is still much debated. Continues at https://www.pattayamail.com/latestnews/news/pattaya-tax-lawyer-pensioners-worries-and-overseas-transmitted-income-480825

Visited the moveable feast otherwise known as Phoenix Masssage at its new yet old home on Inthamara 25 last evening. Found at least a dozen guys (most appeared from Laos and Myanmar) gathered around pool table or lounging around in the reception area. The manager recognized me from my visit to Lat Phrao location. He asked me if I had made booking and I replied no and showed him photo of guy I had in mind from his recent LINE feed. He called out the guy’s name who came over, beamed a smile in my direction as boss told him what room to use. He turned out to be Lao and 23. Manager said the fee was 199 baht because promotion rate was still in effect and then showed me card with other price information. The normal one-hour rate of 700 is steepest in Saphan Kwai area, and about 300 more than the nearby KK and Home Spa. The 1200 tip, however, is on par with what I usually end up giving to masseurs who provide satisfactory service. We were soon on way to fourth floor and a fairly spacious room with massage table, AC and shower. The shower tiles were in good condition and room was clean. My guy stripped down immediately and invited me to join him for shower. He proceeded to thoroughly wash my private parts in almost a ritualistic manner that left little doubt that they’d play a role in rites that were to follow. Btw, shower is generous size. Although he had no English we managed quite nicely to find our way through the hour. As was the case in my initial visit at Lat Phrao, this is indeed a “full service” shop where customer satisfaction rates high. Guess you might say it as close as you’re likely to find to sure thing. After another washing after, I left with bottle of water and happy memories. I recognized the manager of one of the larger SK shops talking with shop manager as I left. Would I make a repeat visit? Yes. This shop differs from most of the competition because it doesn’t rely on free agents who circulate through multiple shops. If it can keep its cadre and service level high, it may survive this competitive environment. Only time will tell.

Fourth tourist dies of suspected methanol poisoning From BBC Australian teen Bianca Jones has become the fourth tourist to have died in a suspected mass poisoning in Laos. The 19-year-old's family confirmed her death to the media on Thursday. Hours earlier, the US State Department told the media that an American man died in the tourist town of Vang Vieng. Two Danish women, aged 19 and 20, also died last week in Laos, Danish authorities confirmed, declining to share more due to confidentiality concerns. The deaths remain under police investigation, but news reports and testimonies online from other tourists suggest they may have consumed drinks laced with methanol, a deadly substance often found in bootleg alcohol. Jones's friend Holly Bowles is in hospital on life support, while a British woman is also reportedly in hospital. New Zealand's foreign ministry told local media on Thursday that one of its citizens was also unwell from suspected methanol poisoning. It is unclear how many more people have fallen ill. Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said the department of foreign affairs had confirmed Jones's death. "Our first thoughts in this moment are with her family and friends who are grieving a terrible and cruel loss," Albanese said on Thursday afternoon. "This is every parent's very worst fear and a nightmare that no one should have to endure." He said he hoped Ms Bowles, who is currently at Bangkok Hospital, would recover well. The US State Department said it was "closely monitoring" the situation with regards to the American victim, adding that it was up to local authorities to determine the cause of death. Australian, New Zealand and UK authorities have each warned their citizens to be careful of methanol poisoning when consuming alcohol in Laos.

From Bangkok Post National police chief Pol Gen Kitrat Phanphet has ordered an investigation into allegations that a lecturer at the Police Cadet Academy and a police interrogator made a cadet intoxicated and molested him at the academy. Pol Gen Kitrat said on Wednesday that he instructed the commander of the academy that any wrongdoer would face strict disciplinary action and potential misconduct penalties. He also advised the affected cadet to file an official complaint. There were reports that the lecturer was a police major who taught English and law at the academy in Samphran district of Nakhon Pathom. The cadet was reportedly lured to a locker room near the rugby field last Saturday night. There, the lecturer and another officer allegedly had the cadet drink three bottles of liquor and two additional bottles of beer while attempting to masturbate him. There were also reports that the cadet may not be the only victim of the accused officers, who are former classmates at the academy. https://www.bangkokpost.com/thailand/general/2905690/police-chief-orders-probe-into-alleged-molestation-by-lecturer

From Pattaya Mail By Barry Kenyon The traditional gay scene in Thai tourist cities has centered on westerners. But that scenario could be changing with marriage equality becoming legal early next year. Bangkok’s Rainbow Alliance points out there are three billion people living less than five hours flying time from Bangkok. They reside in countries where homosexuality is either frowned on or actually illegal. So the trickledown benefits to Thailand’s economy could be awesome. Thailand is the first country in south east Asia to legalize same sex nuptials. According to the digital travel platform Agoda, 4 million extra visitors could boost revenue by US$2 billion and lift the country’s gross national product by 0.3 percent. Thailand’s friendly gay image is a key plank of the international marketing plan to entice any and all interest groups as long as they’re not actually a threat to national security. The advent of the 60 days visa-free entry and of the five-years validity Destination Thailand Visa are just two examples of the strategy in action. As usual in Asian economic affairs, China leads the way. Owen Zhu, a Bangkok-based realtor, said that the purchase of Thai condominiums by Chinese gays was now mainstream as some look to establish second homes in Thailand with their partners, or anticipate longterm capital appreciation. What appeals to gay Chinese is “a place where you are accepted”. One pointed out in the South China Morning Post that you would never find a transexual receptionist at a business in China, a common phenomenon in Thailand. Chinese nationals buy 40 percent of all foreign property purchases in Thailand. Indian tourist numbers to Thailand have rocketed since the abolition of visa restrictions on entry although gayness is still a matter most prefer to keep private. There is heavy investment in the Thai hospitality industry, often via proxies in Dubai, but not directly in gay-orientated businesses. However, this could well change during the next few years. A spokesperson for Pattaya’s Walking Street Collective said, “There are lots of Indians already enjoying themselves in dance clubs, so it’s just a matter of time before the gay scene opens up.” There are other clues. According to Bangkok Pride, there are many Asians trying to register for their gay wedding in Thailand from January 2025, South Koreans and Singaporeans in particular. A Pacific-based gay tour operator, Thai Freedoms, is advertising Thai vacations in Malaysia and Indonesia where homophobia still rules the roost. A previous report by Agoda claimed that Thailand is the most popular destination for Japanese gay vacationers. Meanwhile, Thailand’s Boy Love website and mini-series dramas are popular throughout the region, clearly indicating how soft power or influences can stimulate the economy. This is not to say that western gay tourists are a relic of the past. The commercial gay scene is still mostly geared to them, although online dating apps less so. But the number of European and American visitors, as well as expats, appear to be declining, even though the return of the Trump administration in USA could witness more voluntary exiles including a fair proportion of gays seeking warmer climes. International Thai tourism has already experienced many shakeups as it has diversified its appeal beyond traditional western fun seekers. As Thailand’s business orientation continues to evolve, gay tourism can be expected to follow suit.

Had the pleasure of meeting TMax a few days ago at Foodland. It was interesting to compare notes on current and former massage venues around town with someone who made his first trip here four years before I did and still has excellent recall. Although he’s here for a short trip this time, I was impressed that he has been enjoying relaxing excursions on the river commuter boats and extended walks around the Silom area that I, too, like. These are some of the activities that can nicely fill out a day in my favorite town. Hope we can get together again when he plans to return next year.

I think you should forget all about owning a bar in Patttaya. With your people skills, and now your acknowledged availability—for a price, of course—it’s high time to began a new career as a guide for Siam Roads. Not everyone is looking for a buffed, cheery twink to take them around Sin City.

From VN Express Fake Vietnam Airlines websites are taking advantage of gullible customers to “sell” them flight tickets online, especially with the holiday season approaching, authorities have warned. Many websites similar to that of state-owned Vietnam Airlines are defrauding customers, the Ministry of Information and Communications’ Authority of Information Security said in a recent release. Fraudsters use address names such as "vietnamairslines" (with an extra "s") and vietnamaairlines (with an extra "a") to fool customers, and their websites look similar to the carrier’s. Customers are informed their chosen flights are full, but they can contact the seller on a phone number for more information. The fraudsters then ask the customer to make immediate payment to secure the last tickets available. Some receive a booking code on a legitimate Vietnam Airlines flight but it will soon be canceled automatically since the fare was not paid. The authority said: "All transactions are carried out online. After receiving the money, the fraudsters will cease all communication with the victims." It added that some customers have reported being fooled by "winning promotion tickets" messages which include a link. The fraudsters in this case steal the victims’ personal data or credit card information.

Phoenix today posted current roster for new location. Management appears to have backed away from “all-in, one price” promotion of 1600 baht in favor of conventional house fee plus masseur tip policy.

From Pattaya Mail A Mexican national was apprehended following a hit-and-run incident that critically injured a 22-year-old street cleaner on South Pattaya Road, November 18. The victim, Ms. Suchada Pilasuk, 22, an employee contracted by a cleaning company, was struck by a speeding white Toyota Fortuner while sweeping debris near a gas station. The impact sent her body flying onto the road, leaving her severely injured and bleeding. Rescue workers provided first aid before rushing her to a nearby hospital. The driver, identified later as 34-year-old Mr. Choo Caballero, fled the scene. However, a good Samaritan, Wattanakorn Waenkaen, pursued the vehicle on his motorbike, coordinating with others to block its escape. Police detained the driver and transported him to the Pattaya City Police Station amid concerns about a potential mob reaction. Witnesses, including the victim’s boyfriend, Apichai Prakobsaeng, reported that the Fortuner was traveling at high speed when it hit Ms. Suchada. The driver did not stop to assist and instead attempted to escape. Police conducted a breathalyzer test on Mr. Caballero, which revealed a blood alcohol level of 77 mg%, exceeding legal limits. Investigators are reviewing CCTV footage as part of the ongoing legal process to hold the suspect accountable. The incident has sparked public outcry over the brazenness of the act and the need for stricter enforcement of traffic laws.

Lesson learned: mere presence of water sprinkler device in your room is no guarantee that it will function as intended. This is all too common defect in older buildings where maintenance is lax. That’s why I travel with small battery-operated smoke detector.

Freshboy #25 can sing really well as can certain gorgeous waiter from Hot Male beer bar.

The small red dot on Inthamara 25 (lower right) represents location of Phoenix Massage.

Never heard Floridarob sing. Rant, sure, but never sing. 😄

Have done so and found everything (room, masseur, facilities) satisfactory in all respects. The showers in the eight oil massage rooms can easily accommodate three, although two is enough for me 🙂. In my experience, I’ve found the shops on Soi 6 satisfactory although I have not sampled any of the all-Thai 9-Teen shops. Others, however, have and you can find their reports scattered about in individual TR’s.

The old shop on Inthamara 25 off Suthisan Winitchai Rd. Is again the new shop’s location. Inthamara 25 is situated roughly opposite KK Massage, about a 22-25 minute walk from Saphan Kwai BTS. Shop is on left side of Soi a short distance from intersection.

They sing for their supper at Nature Boy, too.

From Pattaya News An intoxicated British tourist was assaulted and left injured on Third Road in South Pattaya early this morning. At 3:06 AM on November 19th, Pattaya police received a report of a tourist being assaulted and injured on Third Road in South Pattaya. Upon receiving the report, officers coordinated with rescue volunteers from the Sawang Boriboon Thammasathan Foundation and rushed to the scene, along with reporters from The Pattaya News. At the scene, officers found an unidentified British tourist aged around 55 to 65 years old with a broken nose, bruises around his left eye socket, and multiple abrasions on his body. He was visibly intoxicated. Rescue workers provided first aid before urgently transporting him to a local hospital.A 41-year-old good Samaritan, Mr. Rattapon Rodson, told The Pattaya News that he saw a Thai man dragging the injured tourist out of a white pickup truck, which was suspected to be a mobile app taxi. However, he did not know if the tourist was assaulted by the unknown driver. Due to his intoxicated state, the tourist was unable to provide any details other than his nationality to the police at the time of the incident. Relevant authorities are reviewing CCTV footage to locate the driver and determine the cause of the incident.

From CNN CNN — Warning: This report contains graphic descriptions of sexual violence. It was the early hours of the morning when a guard entered Sohrab’s cell – a small, dark room with a barred window and a blanket on the floor – in Kabul’s sprawling Pul-e-Charkhi prison last August. The 19-year-old was escorted to another room in the complex, where he heard a Taliban member order the prison guards to leave and stop anyone else from entering. Panic set in, for Sohrab knew what these words often preceded. He had experienced physical violence at the hands of the Taliban before. “He grabbed me from behind, tore my clothes apart and raped me,” Sohrab – whose name has been changed for security reasons – told CNN in October. “For several days after that I had severe pain and bleeding.” Sohrab was being detained at Pul-e-Charkhi on the charge of sodomy, after family members found out about his and his boyfriend’s clandestine romance last year, he said. News of their relationship had spread through their tight-knit community, leading to his arrest and forced confession. monitors have told CNN that since 2021, when the Taliban regained power in Afghanistan, LGBTQ citizens have faced widespread sexual and physical violence in detention amid a systematic clampdown on minority groups. CNN has spoken to five LGBTQ Afghans who say they experienced physical abuse during time in detention, including – for some – repeated rape, electrocution, strangulation and flogging with metal chains. Transgender and gender non-conforming people are being “consistently” targeted at Taliban checkpoints due to their choice of clothing, human rights groups said. In response to CNN’s findings, a spokesperson for the Taliban’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs said that “acts such as sodomy, bestiality and other perversions that contravene Islamic law are illegal and perpetrators dealt with within the legal framework.” They added: “These allegations are fabrications as the alleged claims of torture, rape, persecution and mistreatment are themselves explicit violations of the legal framework.” CNN was able to locate the former detainees through two human rights charities: Roshaniya, a nonprofit organization working to relocate persecuted LGBTQ Afghans to safe countries, and Afghan LGBT Organization, a Czech Republic-based advocacy group established in 2021 to monitor human rights abuses in Afghanistan. A week after the first assault, his wounds still raw, Sohrab said he was raped again – and then a further four times by the same Taliban member. “My whole body was praying for my death,” Sohrab said. “Every time, he would threaten me that if I dared to tell anyone about the rape, he would kill me with his own hands.” Sohrab managed to leave Afghanistan, but lives in constant fear of further persecution, for the country he fled to also criminalizes homosexuality. Continues at https://edition.cnn.com/2024/11/19/asia/afghanistan-taliban-lgbtq-detention-intl/index.html

Monday evening took walk after getting massage and thought I’d share some photos that caught my attention. Keithambrose recently commented on how dark the massage shops on Soi 6 appeared to him. Well, he’ll be please to know that’s not the case with new Chillax shop illuminated Vegas style. I believe it was Floridarob and a-447 who introduced us to this place about a month ago. Mr. O’s is a bar that offers food, drink and intimate companionship on Soi Anuman Rajdhon (off Soi Tarntawan at Mango Tree restaurant). Although it wasn’t open at 8:20 when I passed by, it remains on my radar. It’s only steps from the long-standing Super A bar, massage parlor and other things. Further down on opposite side you’ll come to home of two old standards: Nature Boy and Golden Cock now under one roof. There are still a handful of members who have a soft spot (not in the biblical sense) for this bar that continues to carry on its lusty traditions.

From The Thaiger A brawl erupted between a Thai transwoman and a foreign man at a hotel in Phuket after the foreigner refused to pay upon discovering her gender. A source, who wishes to remain anonymous, reported the altercation between the Thai transwoman and the foreign man to the local news Facebook page, Phuket Times, on November 18. The page shared a post. The Facebook page provided more details in the comments section. According to the news source, the foreign man asked the transwoman to leave the hotel, stating that he did not know she was not a woman. During the argument, they threw items at each other in the hotel room, causing chaos in the hotel. The incident reportedly took place in the Patong area of Phuket. In a related story reported in February, a Thai transwoman attacked three foreign men with a knife at a hotel in Phuket after the men called her and two other transwomen to the hotel but paid only one of them. The transwoman claimed that the men had attacked her first, so she acted in self-defence.

We recently comments by members about toxic alcoholic drinks routinely served in Cambodia bars. This article as a reminder that bordering Laos shares same problem. From the Thaiger Two Melbourne teenagers are fighting for their lives in Thailand after allegedly downing poisoned vodka shots, raising alarm among travellers in the region. The pair, both 19 years old and fresh from university holidays, were rushed to hospital from the Laotian capital, Vientiane, with police suspecting their drinks had been laced with lethal methanol. Those dreams of carefree travels have quickly turned into a nightmare for the best friends, believed to be Beaumaris Secondary College graduates, as they face a precarious battle for survival. They’re now receiving critical care in hospitals in Udon Thani and Bangkok. One father has rushed to stand vigil at his daughter’s bedside. The crisis doesn’t end there: two people are feared dead in the local area, and ten more are critically ill following methanol poisoning. Chaos reigns as another traveller, struck down by the toxic wave, reported six individuals were admitted to her hospital in Vientiane, all with methanol poisoning from Vang Vieng, a hot spot for adventurous tourists. Her group suffered the fallout firsthand after accepting free shots, the disastrous outcome left six of them hospitalised. A staff member at Nana Backpacker Hostel in Vang Vieng recalls the group of Aussie teens staying the previous week. The girls ventured out for a lively night only to be found seriously unwell the next morning, requiring immediate hospitalisation. “I am so sad. They were very friendly.” Melbourne radio station 3AW Drive host Jacqui Felgate spoke to the father of one of the girls who said his daughter was in “grave” condition. The radio host added a sombre touch to the story. “I think it’s one of those stories where if you have teenage kids, you go home and hug them a little tighter.” Methanol, typically an industrial solvent, can be catastrophic if consumed, with just 25-90ml proving potentially fatal. In countries with high alcohol taxes, it’s often illicitly mixed into drinks as a cheap ethanol substitute, warns the Methanol Institute. Travel insurance agency Cover-More urges caution: “Methanol is highly toxic and can lead to blindness, coma, and death.” They advise sticking to alcohol from reputable venues and avoiding dubious bucket cocktails and cheap mixes. Methanol, typically an industrial solvent, can be catastrophic if consumed, with just 25-90ml proving potentially fatal. In countries with high alcohol taxes, it’s often illicitly mixed into drinks as a cheap ethanol substitute, warns the Methanol Institute. Travel insurance agency Cover-More urges caution: “Methanol is highly toxic and can lead to blindness, coma, and death.” They advise sticking to alcohol from reputable venues and avoiding dubious bucket cocktails and cheap mixes. https://thethaiger.com/news/national/melbourne-teenagers-fight-for-life-in-thailand-after-toxic-vodka-shots