reader

At least you didn’t have to but him a drink first.

Double A?

Thanks for the great reporting, shared meals and friendship. And for not picking same guy I wanted at Banana bar. 🙂

Congratulations on your first venue report. You provided helpful details of experience while respecting identities of masseurs whose company you enjoyed. Hope rest of your trip goes well!

Some stands have western sizes. Just ask.

From Pattaya Mail By Barry Kenyon Thai labour authorities have amended the MOU (memoranda of understanding) with the Myanmar and Cambodian governments to reduce the shortage of workers in various Thai industries. The economic migrants, mostly on two or four year contracts, are found principally in the tourist trade as hotel staff, labourers on building sites or highways, the fishing industry manning trawlers and factory food processing. Because of Covid, which saw many workers return to their country during the pandemic, their work permits expired or about to expire. Under the former regulations, there was a compulsory waiting period of 30 days before they were allowed to reapply. Another issue is that the transitional government of general Prayut Chan-o-cha made a hurried Cabinet decision to extend the expired permits to July 31 2023, with the proviso that the new incoming administration would have to sort out the issues. However, the latest agreements permit quick online registration for workers who are currently in Thailand and those who wish to return to work from Myanmar or Cambodia. If migrants work illegally, they risk deportation as well as loss of benefits such as automatic enrolment in the Thai health system. The Cambodian and Myanmar authorities have separately asked the Thai Department of Labour to reduce the visa fee from 2,000 baht to 500 baht, but that will require Cabinet approval once one is formed. Chonburi province in particular has hundreds of vacancies for workers from neighboring countries, especially hotel and restaurant staff (Pattaya), factory workers (Chonburi city) and trawler assistants (Sattahip and beyond). The problem is common to many countries with falling birth rates. The German coalition government is introducing a points system for foreign skilled, literate workers to make it easier for companies to recruit abroad. South Korea, which has the lowest birth rate in the world, regularly recruits Thai factory workers including those entering on a tourist visa which is technically out of order.

From The Nation The armed forces and the Royal Thai Police are discussing security measures to implement if turmoil and violence erupts should Move Forward Party leader Pita Limjaroenrat fail to be elected prime minister in the middle of next month, military and police sources said. They said the armed forces and police fear that supporters of Move Forward and its major coalition party, Pheu Thai, may stage violent protests if the Move Forward-led coalition of 313 MPs fails to win support from 63 senators or MPs from other parties to elect Pita as the next prime minister of Thailand. The coalition needs 63 more votes from either senators or MPs, or a combination of both, when the House and Senate convene for a joint session to elect Thailand’s 30th prime minister. Pita will need a majority of the votes from 750 MPs and senators to be elected prime minister. The joint session will likely convene July 13, Deputy Prime Minister Wissanu Krea-ngam. told a June 20 meeting of the caretaker Cabinet. The 500 newly-elected MPs will be sworn in at a state ceremony on July 3, according to a royal decree. The 500 newly-elected MPs will be sworn in at a state ceremony on July 3, according to a royal decree. House of Representatives secretary-general Pornpit Phetcharoen said on Saturday that after the July 3 ceremony was held on July 3, the House may convene its first meeting on July 4 so that MPs can elect the House speaker and two deputy speakers. Pornpit said most political parties had agreed to convene the House meeting at 9.30am on July 4 to elect the House speaker, but two or three political parties had yet to confirm the time and date. After the House speaker is elected, a joint session of the two chambers must be held within 10 days to elect the prime minister. Pita’s supporters are still keeping their fingers crossed for support from senators. Several senators have vowed not to vote for Pita as the next prime minister, saying his party is opposed to Article 112 (the lese majeste law).

In all my visits, bartender was a guy from Myanmar. I’d occasionally see a woman checking the stock and reviewing register transactions but she was manager of Freshboy that was leasing the space. Freshboy is now leasing the space immediately to right of the stairway that I believe goes by handle of Red Dragon. It’s the bar with pool table that attracts mixed clientele.

From the BBC By Jonathan Head Phyo Wai Hlaing, a 21-year-old wi-fi technician, had been missing for a week in July 2021 when his father received an anonymous phone call telling him to go to a bridge far from his neighbourhood in Myanmar's largest city, Yangon. There the street food vendor was told that his son had been arrested. A few days later he read about it in the state-run newspaper. Phyo Wai Hlain was among a group of 29 who were arrested and accused of storing explosives for use in terrorist attacks and for supporting People's Defence Force insurgents who are fighting Myanmar's military government. Also in that group was Si Thu Aung, a 19-year-old, first-year engineering student. Witnesses told his mother they saw him being taken away by police the day after Phyo Wai Hlaing went missing. Both young men had disappeared into Myanmar's gulag, a network of prisons and interrogation centres used for decades to detain and torture dissidents. At its heart is Insein prison, a name that has come to symbolise the repression imposed by successive military regimes. That is where Phyo Wai Hlain and Si Thu Aung first went after being sentenced to seven years in prison. The BBC has been speaking to some of the detainees' families, and to Maung Pho, an artist, who used his six-month incarceration to make detailed drawings of life inside Insein, which he has now been showing at exhibitions in Thailand. Stamped into the map of northern Yangon like a giant wheel, Insein prison is one of the more sinister legacies of British colonial rule in Myanmar. It was built in 1877 in the form of a panopticon, giving a central guardhouse a clear view to all corners of the "wheel". It is Myanmar's largest prison. Most political prisoners serve at least part of their sentences there, usually the many months in detention before their trials. Some do not survive the experience. Continues at https://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-65959508

From The Nation A ceremony was held in front of the Tham Luang cave in Chiang Rai province on Saturday to mark the fifth anniversary of the global mission to save young footballers and their coach who were stranded in a flooded cave. Photos of ex-Thai Navy Seal diver Saman Kunan, who died during the mission, ex-Chiang Rai governor Narongsak Osatanakorn, who died on Wednesday, and Wild Boars football team member Duangphet Promthep, who died earlier this year in England, were set up in the area to commemorate their passing. The ceremony was presided over by Mae Sai district chief Narongpol Kid-arn and included the offering of alms to 39 monks and a religious ceremony to pay respects to sacred things in the cave and pray for the prosperity of all those who were involved in the brave rescue mission. The members of the Wild Boars football team, as well as relatives, were present at the ceremony. Ceremony at Tham Luang marks 5th anniversary Ceremony at Tham Luang marks 5th anniversary

Most of the masseurs I’ve met are very nice guys. When I recall their faces months or even years later it’s the times when they stopped being performers and we were able to share intimate moments. I think all of us, including our paid partners, have a basic need to be ourselves, even if briefly.

Had occasion to fly Delta twice in past year on short-haul routes. Doors closed and opened on time and economy seats quite comfortable. ================== From CNN A flurry of new international flight routes from the US One of the strongest indicators of how the tourism industry continues to court American travelers: newly launched airline routes and expanded service to the States. Although air travel demand has been growing globally since most pandemic restrictions have been lifted, tapping into the lucrative US market remains a top priority for many airlines, including both major carriers and budget operators. “Opening new routes is immediately an opportunity for DMCs to target those audiences,” Chaulet says. This June, British Airways started a new route from Cincinnati to London – an immensely popular destination for American travelers, especially royals watchers, over the last year – operating with a Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner on five weekly flights during the summer (and four in the winter). American travelers keen to experience New Zealand can take advantage of Qantas’s just-launched service from New York’s JFK to Auckland with three weekly flights, also on the Dreamliner. In addition, according to Allison, of Tourism Australia, airline seat capacity between the US and Australia is projected to reach 88% of pre-pandemic levels with 123 flights per week by the end of 2023. Turkish Airlines and Emirates also continue to expand their US routes. Turkish’s four-times-weekly service from Seattle to Istanbul launched in 2022, with Detroit and Denver slated to start in Q4 of 2023. And this April, Emirates launched the first-ever service from Newark to Dubai, a 14-hour journey. Meanwhile, the budget carrier segment is booming with new airlines and routes that service the States popping up with increasing regularity. One of the original players, French bee, launched in 2016 with nonstop flights from the US to Paris and Tahiti and has since expanded its US network significantly, with three additional routes from New York, Los Angeles, and Miami to Paris launched in 2021 and 2022.

When I passed by there about 9 last night, the bar had four male visitors being attend to by three young women. Location, location, location I guess.

Not to worry. Most plumbers over 18.

In the space occupied pre-covid by the original Red Dragon bar (just to left of. Freshboy stairs), a new lady cocktail bar had opened. I’d been a regular at Red Dragon because the beer was cheap and the Burmese bartender and Vietnam waiters from Freshboy were hot. I welcome any place that brings added life to Patpong but it reminds me so much of how I miss its predecessor.

Thanks a dozen times.

From Pattaya News The Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT) revealed that Pattaya has welcomed as many as 2.5 million tourists so far after the country fully opened for tourism until April of 2023. Despite being in the low season at the moment, the director of the Pattaya Office of TAT, Ms. Anoma Wongyai, told Thai media that there are still a considerable number of financially independent travelers (FIT) visiting Pattaya. So far after Thailand fully opened its borders to tourists until April of 2023, 2.5 million people have travelled to Pattaya, 1.2 million of which are Thais and 860,000 are foreign tourists. The latter mostly consisted of Russian, Chinese, Taiwanese, Koreans, and Vietnamese. As for Chonburi, it has welcomed as many as 7.8 million people in total with 4.8 million being domestic tourists and 3.2 million being foreign tourists. These visitors helped Chonburi rake in over 86 billion Baht, Anoma said.

Based on the following article, ASEAN workers can be expected to represent a strong presence in the massage shops and bars as well in other sectors of the Thai economy well into the future. From The Nation Thai universities are struggling due to lower enrolments because of the sharp decline in the number of new births over the past several years, an education professional said. Arnond Sakworawich, head of Business Analytics and Intelligence Program at the Graduate School of Applied Statistics of the National Institute of Development Administration (NIDA), said that most Thai universities have not been able to meet their enrolment targets. The number of vacant seats are more than the number of students enrolling, forcing many state and private universities to organise 3-5 rounds of admission sessions, but still failing to fill all the available seats, Arnond said. The current Thai higher education market is relatively small, with 200-300 universities taking in fewer students than their annual capacity. Additionally, there has been a continuous decline in the number of births over the past five years. Thirty years ago, Thailand had over a million births, but currently the number has dropped by half to 500,000-600,000 births per year. In 2005, Thailand started becoming an ageing society, and became a full-fledged ageing society in 2022 when registration statistics showed that the elderly population had reached 12,116,119, accounting for 18.3% of the total population of about 70 million. By 2027, Thailand is expected to become an ageing society at an advanced level, similar to Japan, with the elderly population accounting for 28% of the total population. The birth rate is very low, with only a 0.18% increase in population from new births. As the number of Thai students entering universities continues to decline while the elderly population increases, it undoubtedly has an impact on the entire Thai education system, Arnond said. State and private universities might struggle to survive in the next five years if they do not not adapt, possibly leading to mergers or closures, he said. Thai universities have managed to survive by actively recruiting Chinese students. At some institutions, Chinese students make up half of the total student population. Approximately 3 million Chinese students have enrolled in Thai universities, he said.

From Thai. PBS World Love yourself, accept who you are and communicate with others with positivity could be the first steps towards the equality and inclusive representation that LGBTQ+ members long for, a recent panel celebrating Month of Pride told its audience. Four panelists from the LGBTQ+ community shared their personal journeys of self-discovery, shedding light on the challenges they faced and underlining the significance of acceptance, empathy and understanding within society in the discussion hosted by W Bangkok Hotel as part of the many activities in Pride Month. Through their inspiring stories, LGBTQ+ panelists comprising the Editor of Time Out in Thailand Top Koaysomboom, Thai-Italian artist Silvy Pavida, TV host and celebrity chef Kristen Kish and Japanese DJ Noah shed light on the challenges they faced, the power of finding acceptance, and the transformative impact of representation. DJ Noah, who has been living in Japan for eight years, spoke passionately about the process of finding his voice amid societal expectations and personal struggles. “Pride means being true to myself. It is an escape from suppression, oppression and overall discrimination. We are here. We are breathing. We exist. That’s what Pride represents,” he said. Noah emphasized the crucial role of supportive communities and friends within the LGBTQ+ network, providing the foundation necessary for individuals to confidently express themselves. Through various forms of art and activism, Noah found liberation and became a staunch advocate for LGBTQ+ rights and visibility. For Silvy, it’s all about standing proud. “Pride is a feeling. To me, it is how you express yourself. It’s having self-respect. When you feel pride, you are allowed to be yourself and you are free to express yourself and let other people know you for who you are.” Being true to yourself is perhaps what Pride Month is about to most people. Chef Kristen agreed, saying, “Pride for me is finding new ways to love yourself.” Silvy stressed that seeing others who have overcome adversity and found success in their authentic selves instills hope and inspiration in those who may be struggling with their own identities. It is through representation that individuals find solace, a sense of belonging, and the courage to fully embrace their true selves. Continues at https://www.thaipbsworld.com/embracing-authenticity-amplifying-the-voices-of-the-lgbtq-community-in-pride-month/

No difference than hiring a plumber? Really? Well, three of those ground floor employees were offed from bar last week for karaoke session at local restaurant and members posted here about it. It was a lot of fun but did not involve sex. It’s not uncommon for guys to get offed simply as companions for dinner and drinks. Another thing you may be missing is that there are some regular customers who’ve come to think of those employees as friends. Discussing a friend’s sexuality would seem to me to be a violation of trust. But that’s just me. Customers tend to talk about their personal lives with bartenders. Most do so, assuming confidentiality exits between them. I’ve reread, too, but perhaps through a glass less darkly. There’s that magic word again. I think we all value it. If we all understood how TripAdvisor reviews can be manipulated, the less we read them the better informed we will be, I agree.

Finally something we can agree upon: you’re boring 12 ways from Sunday. 🤗

It’s not simply your language that’s crude, it’s your disregarded for an individual’s right to privacy. And calling someone “a great fuck” is unquestionably sexual innuendo. .

Flew on Laker’s airline to UK for Silver Jubilee. It was my first trip to Europe and spent the 10 days getting to know and appreciate London. As you point out, the new venture is ambitious but fraught with headwinds. With only a very small fleet, maintenance and other issues that the majors can handle can rapidly become a millstone.

Don’t hold your breath. You mentioned the individual’s given name aware this his place of business had been established in the thread. Then you speculated about his sexuality. You can’t weasel out by blaming others, “Leroy.” You don’t see a problem making a sexual innuendo about a named and known person in this a public forum? I don’t believe it. Do you believe this should be a sounding board that wholly disregards respect for individual privacy?

From CNN The pandemic almost killed it and its production endedsooner than anticipated in 2021, but the A380 simply refuses to die. With more and more superjumbos soaring back into the skies amid a post-pandemic resurgence in commercial aviation, the aircraft is back in the spotlight as one new airline is built around it. Global Airlines, a British startup that aims to offer transatlantic flights starting next year, has acquired a 16-year-old A380 as the inaugural aircraft of an all-A380 fleet — at least initially — and is in the process of refurbishing the plane to its own specifications. It’s a rare used-market move for an aircraft that passengers adore but that airlines have struggled to turn profitable due to its operating and maintenance cost, as well as its huge size. “It’s a fantastic aircraft when you use it in the right way and on the right routes,” says Global Airlines CEO James Asquith. “We will be looking to invest significant amounts on refurbishing the A380 we already have and the future ones that we’re looking to bring into the fleet.” Asquith previously founded Holiday Swap, a home-swapping travel platform which is also Global’s parent company, and he holds the Guinness world record for the youngest person to visit every country in the world. “I’ve flown on about 280 different airlines and sat there seeing what’s good, what doesn’t work and what can be improved,” he says. “We’ve structured this in a way that financially allows us to do a lot of the exciting things that no new airline that isn’t government-funded has been able to do in the last 40 years.” Continues at https://edition.cnn.com/travel/a380-global-airlines/index.html ============ Best airlines for 2023 The World’s Top Airlines of 2023, according to Skytrax 1. Singapore Airlines 2. Qatar Airways 3. ANA All Nippon Airways 4. Emirates 5. Japan Airlines 6. Turkish Airlines 7. Air France 8. Cathay Pacific 9. EVA Air 10. Korean Air 11. Hainan Airlines 12. Swiss Int’l Air Lines 13. Etihad Airways 14. Iberia 15. Fiji Airways 16. Vistara 17. Qantas Airways 18. British Airways 19. Air New Zealand 20. Delta Air Lines World’s Best Cabin Crew 2023 1. Garuda Indonesia 2. Singapore Airlines 3. ANA All Nippon Airways 4. EVA Air 5. Hainan Airlines 6. Qatar Airways 7. Cathay Pacific 8. Thai Airways 9. Emirates 10. Japan Airlines World’s Best Low-Cost Airlines 2023 1. AirAsia 2. Scoot 3. Indigo 4. Flynas 5. Volotea 6. Transavia France 7. Sun Country Airlines 8. Southwest Airlines 9. airBaltic 10. Jet2.com 11. easyJet 12. Vueling Airlines 13. Ryanair 14. Jetstar Airways 15. flyDubai https://edition.cnn.com/travel/skytrax-world-airline-awards-2023/index.html