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From The Nation Both foreign and domestic tourists can request a refund if they cancel trips within Thailand, but full refunds require that they cancel at least 30 days in advance, the Department of Tourism said on Wednesday in response to questions from tourists. Tourists have been asking the department, which is under the Ministry of Tourism, whether they can get refunds on tour packages and how they can file complaints if they do not receive refunds from tour operators. Tourists can receive refunds based on how far in advance they cancel their trips, the department said in a Facebook post. It outlined its policy on cancellations: Travellers can receive a 100% refund if they cancel a trip 30 days in advance. Travellers can receive a 50% refund if they cancel their trip 15 days in advance. Tour operators do not have to pay refunds to travellers who cancel trips less than 15 days in advance. Tour operators have to pay a 100% refund to travellers if a trip is cancelled, even if the cancellation is not their fault. Refunds will be paid after expenses, such as visa fees and ticket deposits (plane, train, and boat tickets), are deducted. Tour operators have to show evidence of other expenses. If other expenses are higher than the paid service fees, tour operators cannot ask travellers to pay the difference. Tourists can file complaints with the Department of Tourism if they have not received a refund or received an incomplete refund. The department can be contacted by telephone during working hours (02-219-4025) or through its call centre (02-401-1111) at any time.

Saturday June 3 is Visakha Bucha Celebration, a holy day in the Thai calendar. There will be no sale of alcohol from 11.59 pm on Friday June 2 for a full 24 hours.

I’ve been following this shop on Line and find myself impressed with videos. LINE: Apollo Massage BTS Bearing

UPDATE: It has been confirmed that the Yellow Line monorail will open for service from Samrong Station to Hua Mak Station, a total of 13 stations, on Saturday and then they will gradually increase the number of stations. Opening time is expected to be 9am-8pm. Stations Open: The 13 stations that will be open to the public for trial use, consist of Samrong Station, Thipawan Station, Si Thepha Station, Si Dan Station, Si Bearing Station, Si La Sal Station Sri Iam Station, Si Udom Station, Suan Luang Rama 9 Station, Srinakarin 38 Station, Si Nut Station, Kelantan Station and Hua Mak Station. News reports also stated that the MRT Yellow Line Project Lat Phrao - Samrong, a distance of 30.4 kilometers (km), is the first monorail line in Thailand with 23 stations. The Yellow Line electric train route starts at Ratchada-Lat Phrao intersection, runs along Lat Phrao Road until Bang Kapi Intersection and turns right onto Srinakarin Road, passing Si Nut, Sri Udom, Sri Iam intersections until reaching Sri Thepha intersection. Then turns right onto Thepharak Road. It ends at the intersection of Sukhumvit Road at Samrong station

While eating at Shenanigans on Surawong (corner Patpong One), waitress who remembered us from now closed Paddy Field (next to Foodland) stopped by table to say hello. Paddy. Field was run by same manager of popular Shenanigans. One of the classic lady bars of Patpong Two, Black Pagoda, appears to have closed. It was the only venue with a bridge that spanned the soi. Passed Screw Boy at 11:12 last night and it seemed that the entire stable (sans those serving customers inside or those who’d been already offed) were lounging around outside after show. It was an impressive and lively group.

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Noticed that there’s also a Don Don Donki at BTS level entrance at MBK.

ASEANS have no problem finding Thai-style rooms to rent that don’t involve contracts, just the habit of paying rent in advance. Many have roommates. A better way to evaluate your relationship is to pay attention to what he does as opposed to what he says. Meanwhile, you may wish to ponder the difference between affection and love.

From the Thaiger The Thai Cabinet approved an extension for over 200,000 migrant workers’employment contracts, allowing them to retain their jobs until the new government assumes office, according to Deputy Prime Minister Wissanu Krea-ngam. The decision impacts workers from Myanmar, Laos, and Cambodia, and comes after an initial rejection of the Labour Ministry’s request for an extension. The change of heart was prompted by concerns that the ongoing uncertainty over the government’s formation could result in a significant labour shortage. Wissanu stated that without the extension, migrant workers would need to return to their home countries and wait for the new government to take power before resuming their jobs in Thailand. However, he emphasised that the contract extension would only last for as long as the current government remains in its caretaking capacity, with the measure subject to review once the government is replaced. The deputy prime minister said “The employment extension does not require endorsement from the Election Commission (EC) as it does not involve the spending of state money.”

From the Thaiger Phuket has experienced a concerning surge in Covid-19 infections over the past month, according to the Provincial Public Health Office. Deputy Chief Dr Muanprae Boonlorm highlighted that Vachira Phuket Hospital has seen a rise in Covid-19 patients since the Songkran holiday in mid-April. The number of hospitalisations due to pneumonia and Covid-19 related fatalities have also increased compared to the February to March period, BangkokPost reported. Dr. Muanprae attributed the increase in infections to people being lax in practicing preventive measures and a lack of fourth or fifth booster shots. Most of the fatalities between April and this month were among the ‘608’ at-risk group, which includes individuals aged 60 and over, those with underlying conditions, and pregnant women. Many in this group were found to be unvaccinated or under-vaccinated, with some receiving their last booster shots over a year ago. Despite the rising infections, Dr. Muanprae assured that the province has the capacity to handle hospitalisations from Covid-19, with only 15-20% of beds in Covid-19 wards currently occupied. Thais who have not received a booster shot in the last six months to a year can obtain their injections for free at any hospital on the island. Dr. Muanprae advised checking the availability of the vaccine with local hospitals, as some provide the vaccination service only once a week.

Agree that a fare increase is warranted but frequently obscure terms in the original enacting legislation (or contracts) for individual system operators tie their hands on fare changes. Given the nature of airport ops, some shifts begin and end at odd times, although agree bulk are geared to needs of passenger loads. The train is such a key asset to any international airport I hope a solution short of reduced train frequency is found.

I use the air train regularly and I see many airport workers, especially when departing the airport station. Some 95 carriers use the airport and there are tons of associated businesses and services with thousands of employees and the train is how most of them get to work.

Countless number of tops can be found in Bangkok bars and massage shops where they decidedly represent the majority.

Agree that the fare is low and I’d gladly pay more for the convenience. When the line first opened there was a higher cost express service with only a few stops between airport and Phaya Thai. That, however, was discontinued. The line also serves commuters and the critical means for workers to get to and from airport so those fares need to kept affordable. A practical solution might be for employers to subsidize workers for higher fares while travelers pay a more equitable fare.

Reminder that Bangkok Pride 2023’s main event—the parade—will take place Sunday, June 4, beginning at 2p.m. Whether it draws the huge turnout organizers are hoping for remains to be seen. What has been lacking (at least in the English language media) has been a comprehensive listing of all the month-long events. Silom and Patpong venues don’t seem to be participating in any official capacity although I’d be surprised if Soi 4 didn’t see an uptick in activity while the massage shops and Patpong gay bars get some overflow business. ================== From a press release: Bangkok Pride 2023 is expected to have hundreds of thousands of participants on a 1.5 kilometer long road from Pathum Wan Intersection to Ratchaprasong Intersection (Rama 1 Road) and a stage to celebrate the pride in front of Central World Plaza Is the heart of the heart, able to accommodate about 15,000 people, while the entire Ratchaprasong intersection can accommodate about 400,000 people.

One Spa is offering a package of 50, one hour massages for 10,000 baht with no expiration date. That’s an average of 200 per session, half regular rate. Management claims it can be shared with friends but doesn’t comment if your estate can inherit unused sessions should you succumb to exhaustion.

From CNN Uganda’s President Yoweri Museveni has signed some of the harshest anti-LGBTQ laws in the world, the speaker of parliament said, defying international pressure. The bill includes the death penalty for “aggravated homosexuality’ which includes sex with a minor, having sex while HIV positive and incest. The bill criminalizes sex education for the gay community and makes it illegal not to expose what it calls perpetrators of aggravated homosexuality to the police. It calls for “rehabilitation”– widely discredited conversion therapy – for gay offenders. Museveni sent the bill back to parliament for revisions earlier this year. The latest version of the bill passed earlier this month. Uganda’s longtime president has already faced extensive criticism from Western governments, including the US, over the law. A similarly homophobic law was struck down by the courts in 2014.

From BBC China's first domestically-manufactured passenger jet has successfully completed its maiden commercial flight. State TV showed the C919 rising into the skies above Shanghai, heading to the capital Beijing early on Sunday. It was built by the Commercial Aviation Corporation of China (Comac) in the hope of breaking the dominance of Airbus and Boeing's single-aisle jets. But the 164-seater still relies heavily on Western components, including engines and avionics. State-backed China Eastern Airline has ordered five of the planes. Comac - which plans to produce 150 planes annually in five years' time - says it has already secured more than 1,200 orders for the C919. Some experts, however, say that most of these orders are believed to be letters of intent from domestic customers.

Just received confirmation from Prince Massage. It opens June 15.

Not your mother, Old Dad.

Heard a rumor last week that The Prince Men’s Massage may be planning to reopen. For the uninitiated, Prince for years was known as the top of the line in its field with great facilities and a stable for everyone. Some said it was just a cut above Hero (briefly to become My Hero, as Vinapu recently noted). So on this overcast and breezy Sunday morning I set out to attempt to confirm the rumor. I set out from Silom and took Convent Rd. to Sathorn where I turned left and took pedestrian bridge to opposite side and then onto Soi Suan Plu. Eight minutes later I turned up Suan Plu 6 and soon located it’s last known address: 253/4. There is some refurbishment going on so I was unable to find a sign. in any case, if it’s indeed reopening (and count me among those with fingers crossed) it won’t be today. The area is not unfamiliar to me. Over a dozen years ago, when Babylon ruled the sauna word—at least for westerners and their admirers, I stayed in the area. As I walked back, I came across an old massage shop still doing businesses on Suan Plu. Indra Massage (which no connection to a shop of same name that graced Soi Tarntawan for many years) was already open for business and it wasn’t 10a.m. yet) Here’s a review of The Prince from 2019: https://www.thaipuan.com/the-prince-men-massage/

From the Thaiger Tourist Police in Chon Buri teamed up with Pattaya authorities in a visit to Pattaya Beach last night. The authorities aimed to clamp down on troublesome activities on the beach posed by sex workers, transgender women, homelesspeople and beggars. This was to ensure the safety of tourists. The initiative was in line with the policies of the Deputy National Police Chief and Tourist Police Commander authorities, who have tasked the Tourist Police with dealing with any possible crimes against tourists and ensuring their safety. Regarding this operation, Chon Buri authorities expressed their willingness to help and accommodate people in need, providing support until they can secure stable employment and become self-reliant. The tourist police have urged the public to report any suspicious behaviour or trouble caused to tourists, encouraging people to contact them through the hotline at 1155.

From the Nation Bangkok’s Airport Rail Link operator has been losing approximately 70 million baht per month as passenger traffic has not returned to pre-pandemic levels yet, the State Railway of Thailand (SRT) said. The monthly passenger numbers currently come in at 1.87 million, down from 2.5 million before the pandemic, SRT governor Nirut Maneepan said on Friday. The railway links Suvarnabhumi International Airport to downtown Bangkok. The SRT is in the process of transferring the Airport Link’s management rights to Asia Era One, a subsidiary of Charoen Pokphand (CP) Group. CP Group also leads the consortium that won the 276.5-billion-baht contract for a high-speed railway linking Don Mueang, Suvarnabhumi and U-Tapao airports. The Airport Link transfer, however, is pending as the contract requires adjustments related to the drop in passengers. Nirut said SRT was willing to let Asia Era One pay the 10.67-billion-baht fee for management rights in instalments instead of a one-time payment, though it will be charged a monthly interest. Under the contract, Asia Era One also needs to contribute part of its profits to SRT, but it must shoulder its losses on its own. Asia Era One has been unofficially operating the Airport Link since October 25, 2021. Nirut said judging from an average loss of 70 million baht per month, it will have already lost at least 1 billion baht since taking over. He also said that though the transfer of management is not completed, the authority has received several complaints from Airport Rail Link passengers about service quality, such as air conditioners not working, overcrowding and long waits. “We will discuss these issues with Asia Era One and find ways to fix them as soon as possible,” he said. Nirut said SRT was willing to let Asia Era One pay the 10.67-billion-baht fee for management rights in instalments instead of a one-time payment, though it will be charged a monthly interest.