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From Thai PBS World Director-General of the Department of National Parks, Wildlife and Plant Conservation, Rutchada Suriyakul Na Ayutya, was arrested today (Tuesday) on corruption charges. Armed with a search warrant, officials from the National Anti-Corruption Commission (NACC) and police from the Anti-Corruption Division (ACD) raided Rutchada’s office at 9.30am this morning and formally notified him of the charges. The search of his office uncovered 5 million baht in cash. He has denied all the charges. Rutchada was later taken to the ACD office for questioning. The arrest was the result of an investigation following a complaint received by the ACD from Chaiwat Limlikhitaksorn, former chief of Kaeng Krachan National Park in Phetchaburi, accusing Rutchada of transferring an official to as post in a rural area for refusing his demand for a 500,000 baht bribe. Rutchada was also accused of demanding money from budgets allocated to various units under the department, such as national parks, wildlife sanctuaries and fire-fighting units.

It continues to baffle me why China couldn't--or chose not to--develop truly effective vaccines, opting instead to mass produce far inferior versions. Worse, it only recently allowed the Pfizer vaccine to be imported in a ridiculously small amount of no consequence. From Thailand News Agency BANGKOK, Dec 27 (TNA) – The chairman of the Thai Chamber of Commerce and the Board of Trade of Thailand expects more than 5 million Chinese people to visit Thailand next year as the Chinese government announced to lift its COVID-19 control. Sanan Angubolkul, chairman of the Thai Chamber of Commerce and the Board of Trade of Thailand, shared his view as China planned to lift its mandatory quarantine on its visitors on Jan 8, 2023. He said that the decision of China would have positive impacts on Thailand and all sectors of the Thai economy. Chinese tourists would increasingly travel abroad and Thailand was their top destination and also was in its winter, Mr Sanan said.

Several video studies have been made on the Citicorp building. This is among them: ========================================== From the NY Times Dampening systems are not as alluring a draw as a slick lobby. One type, called a tuned mass damper, is made of steel or concrete, weighs anywhere from 300 to 800 tons and is housed with other mechanical equipment at the top of the building. A typical system can take up approximately 1,000 square feet of space and utilizes a double-height ceiling. Connected to the structure’s walls by a system of pistons and spring mounts, the damper acts like a massive shock absorber, pulling the building back toward its original position whenever high winds blow. https://www.nytimes.com/2015/08/09/realestate/keeping-skyscrapers-from-blowing-in-the-wind.html

From CNN The 91-story skyscraper, also known as 111 West 57th Street, contains 46 full-floor and duplex residences. Photos released this month by the designers show opulent lobbies decked out in limestone, marble, blackened steel and velvet, floors paved in smoke-gray solid oak and original artworks by Picasso and Matisse. According to Studio Sofield, Steinway Tower's interiors were designed to evoke the grandeur of New York's Gilded Age, a period in the late 19th century when the city's boulevards were lined with the stately mansions of robber barons like Andrew Carnegie and Cornelius Vanderbilt. It sits on a Midtown street, filled with gleaming towers, that has become known as "Billionaire's Row." At 1,428 feet, it is also one of the tallest buildings in the Western hemisphere, standing just short of two others in New York City: The 1,776-foot-tall One World Trade Center and the 1,550-foot-tall Central Park Tower. Super-slender skyscrapers, also known as pencil towers, became standout features of the Hong Kong skyline in the 1970s. Since then, major cities such as New York have followed suit. Residences in the Manhattan skyscraper, which was developed by the JDS Development Group and Property Markets Group, range in price from $7.75 million to $66 million.

This reminds of my first trip with my Viet friend to Hanoi. Although he had been to the city many times to visit his sister he'd never visited any of its museums. He was, however, was eager to guide me through them on a long weekend tour. He reacted in a similar fashion as his eyes opened to some of the history and culture of his own land. That was nearly five years ago but that experienced is firmly etched in my memory. I remain forever grateful to Divine Madman for suggesting the itinerary which we faithfully followed.

From Pattaya News It seems that Pattaya authorities have changed their mind and will go ahead with the firework display at the New Year countdown celebration on December 31st. According to a Facebook post from the Pattaya Mayor, the New Year celebration will include national-level fireworks displays but only on December 31st in Pattaya and Koh Larn. The fireworks will be prohibited only from December 29th to 30th as per the previous announcement. Apart from this, the authorities said the countdown event in Pattaya will feature concerts and other activities such as shopping and eating as usual.

From Vietnam Times The Dao Ngoc-Ngu Xa area is the second food street in Hanoi after the first came up at Tong Duy Tan-Cam Chi in Hoan Kiem District 10 years ago. Photo: PLO The zone covers two streets, Ngu Xa and Nguyen Khac Hieu, traversing the centre of Dao Ngoc - Ngu Xa, the folk name for a 4.5ha islet on Truc Bach Lake in Truc Bach ward. It is the second food street in Hanoi after the first came up at Tong Duy Tan-Cam Chi in Hoan Kiem District 10 years ago. The Dao Ngoc-Ngu Xa area will be closed to vehicles from 7 p.m. to midnight on Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays. Existing restaurants and market activities will be maintained while products recognised under the “One Commune, One Product” (OCOP) programme will be promoted. Traditional Ngu Xa bronze casting will also be introduced at the bronze casting museum. Apart from street cultural events on the weekend, there will be traditional activities at historical and cultural relic sites such as Than Quang Pagoda and Ngu Xa Communal House in spring festivals. The Truc Bach Lake area is home to many cafes and eateries. At night locals and tourists typically flock there to enjoy grilled dishes, including a unique specialty invented right there: pho rolls.

From Coconuts Bangkok Prime Minister Prayuth Chan-ocha today ended weeks of speculation by announcing he would jump ship from the party created to usher him into power under rules favoring military-aligned rule for a new political party. The former junta leader who overthrew the last fully civilian government in 2014 said he will seek the premiership again with the newly formed Ruam Thai Sang Chart Party when general elections take place as scheduled in May. “The Ruam Thai Sang Chart Party has proposed that it is willing to support me as the prime minister in the next election,” Prayuth said at the Government House this morning. “So, today, I decided to make it known publicly that I will move to the Ruam Thai Sang Thai party.”

It's been over a week since updated news has been released on the condition of Princess Bajrakitiyabha, the eldest daughter of King Vajiralongkorn, who collapsed while training her dogs north east of Bangkok in mid-December. The most recent statement said her condition was stable at a certain level. The Palace released news of other members of the Royal family today. Her Royal Highness Princess Maha Chakri Sirindhorn has been advised by her doctors to reduce her Royal duties for while after they diagnosed her with an irregular heartbeat. Thailand’s King and Queen, who were diagnosed with COVID-19 on December 17th, have now tested negative for the virus and can resume their Royal duties as normal, the Bureau of the Royal Household said in its announcement on Monday. After having tested positive for COVID-19, doctors administered medication to Their Majesties until their conditions returned to normal and the latest rapid antigen tests produced negative results.

No, I am not including Prime Massage. I'm only including the six shops before he dogleg turn. As you know, Prime is not a full-service shop. I spent a lot of time in those shops on my last two trips and I keep in touch with guys who work in two of them so I feel very confident in my estimates. Besides Soi 6, you have multiple shops on Surawong Rd., Silom Rd., Soi Saladeang and the Silom Plaza (Best and Arena). When I left in late November, business in most of the shops appeared to be brisk. Judging by some recent and current trip reports, members are partaking in both on a daily basis. I agree that the massage business historically serves more customers, but I don't believe the bar business is failing. It's temporarily deprived of a historically strong source of customers from China. When that business returns--and it will--the fate of the bars will be known.

From VN Express The Cambodian Ministry of Tourism confirmed it does not require tourists to show $1,000 to $2,000 in cash upon entering the country. The clarification comes after a number of airline employees asked tourists to show they had $1,000 or $2,000 in cash before boarding flights bound for the country, the Khmer Times reported, citing a source in the ministry.

From Thai PBS World Navy divers search sunken HTMS Sukhothai for missing crew A team of 53 navy divers and medical personnel dove down to the sunken HTMS Sukhothai today (Sunday), to find out whether any of the missing crew members are trapped in the ship. Captain Pongsak Ramnut, chief of the diving and demolition division of the Naval Ordnance Department, led the mission. Before the mission, he said that all the divers had been warned not to dive too close to the sunken ship, because it is unstable and could move if struck by a strong current. All divers, he added, were told to take their own safety as their first priority, because the Royal Thai Navy does not want to see any further loss of life. The sunken ship rests at a depth of about 40 metres, off Bang Saphan district of Prachuap Khiri Khan. Sea conditions remain rough and the currents are strong, which could pose problems for the divers, he said. The search for missing crew continues for the seventh day today and the focus has now turned to the area around the site of the sunken vessel, where eight bodies have been recovered in the past two days, leaving 14 still unaccounted for.

Thanks for the detailed report on Dreamboy. I never tire of reminding folks that the waiters from Freshboys, and staff from Hot Male beer bar (as Vinapu duly noted), are offable. And in my experience, a lot of fun in and out of the room.

I believe your number for Freshboys is quite low, although probably about right for Hot Male show bar (some nights the HM beer bar below has more 🙂) As for massage shops in Silom-Surawong, I think your way on the low side. On Silom Soi 6 alone you can find 70+ guys working in the six shops on any given day. Being friendly with a handful of them, each guy averages at least a few customers per day and sometimes 3-4 in high season. Add to that all the other shops in the area and you're easily in the 250-300 zone. Speaking from my not inconsiderable contribution to the effort, I agree that locals make up the bulk of the customer base in Saphan Kwai but I don't see how that reflects on the go-go bar business. Two different types of business. Many guys patronize both.

Best English has always been spoken in Brooklyn.

Strongly agree. It would provide another opportunity for those would-be inductees for Putin's war to escape.

@ichigo don't forget waiters at Freshboys are also offable (600 baht fee, others 500).

I should have specified the Myanmar guys who work Hot Male beer bar. 🙂

I've had enjoyable experiences at the Paradise Massage and the Ma Ha Massage on Soi 6 (right side coming from Silom Rd.) Recommend talking with prospective masseur before committing to avoid disappointment. If you want your pick of the crop, the early bird gets the worm. Do NOT fret about being awkward or only customer at the time. You'll be in better position to see what guys direct smiles your way. And don't be hesitant to smile back at those who ring your bell.

From Vientiane Times VIENTIANE ( Vientiane Times/ANN) — A Russian airline is eyeing Laos as a new potential regional hub — thanks to ongoing international developments, according to a top company official."Given the current international environment, Laos is now a new potential hub for the airline," the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the RUSASIA, Mr Roman A. Virich, said in Vientiane. The top manager of the Russian company, which operates Ural Airlines, spoke in an exclusive interview with Vientiane Times on December 19. He discussed his airline's business strategy and performance of the first Vladivostok- Vientiane flight. Mr Virich said that the Lao government's policy to transform this landlocked nation into a land-linked nation and the limitation of flights from Russia to Asean has provided a great opportunity for the company to launch the Russia-Lao connection. Ural Airlines launched the Vladivostok- Vientiane flight in October, becoming the first civilian flight between the two countries.Lao and Russian policymakers believe that the establishment of an air connection between the two countries would promote tourist exchanges and economic cooperation between the two nations. It takes six hours for the 168-seat airbus to connect the Laos and Russian cities. "Apart from promoting the Laos- Russia tourist exchange, we expect to fly international passengers who want to travel from the Asean countries to Russia and vice versa," he said, adding that passengers from Vietnam, Thailand, and other countries who are suffering due to the limitation of fights to Russia can now catch a flight from Vientiane. When asked about the performance of the Vladivostok- Vientiane flight, Mr Virich said that the company is satisfied with the growing list of passengers, adding that the company is planning to increase one more flight in the near future. "There will be two flights between Vladivostok and Vientiane in a week in the near future to meet the growing demand of passengers," Mr Virich said, the Vladivostok- Vientiane flight, Mr Virich said that the company is satisfied with the growing list of passengers, adding that the company is planning to increase one more flight in the near future."There will be two flights between Vladivostok and Vientiane in a week in the near future to meet the growing demand of passengers," Mr Virich said, adding that the airline believes that the additional flight would make a significant contribution towards the Laos- Russia economic cooperation and tourist exchange.

I agree most of the Viet guys I meet have some decent English ability. Especially the waiters at Freshboys. Met quite a few guys from Myanmar working massage in Saphan Kwai who had limited English but those who worked in Patpong bars tended to be more conversational. Depending on how long they've been working in bkk, I found that Lao and Thai guys had enough English to make themselves understood. Same I think for Cambodians.

Since I was intimate with numerous guys (mostly in massage situations) during my seven-week stay, I wasn't surprised to develop flu-like symptoms. Just saw it as inevitable given that--short of wearing a mask and maintaining some distance--to avoid airborne viruses in sexual situations. There's no free lunch, I guess. 😊

From Thai PBS World Six more bodies found floating in Gulf of Thailand The team searching for crew, missing from the sunken HTMS Sukhothai, found six more bodies drifting at sea off the Bang Saphan district of Prachuap Khiri Khan today (Saturday), reducing those still unaccounted for to 16, according to the Royal Thai Navy. The remains were recovered by naval vessels and taken ashore for identification by forensic science officials, he said. Six bodies have, so far, been confirmed as members of the crew of the ill-fated HTMS Sukhothai and seven other bodies, including one which was discovered at sea yesterday evening, are in the process of being identified, which will take 3-4 days. RTN Spokesman Admiral Monthatphalin said that 76 crew members have been rescued, out of a ship’s compliment of 105. He said that divers from HTMS Kraburi have been sent to search for missing crew, who might be trapped inside the sunken ship, and to survey the vessel ahead of a salvage operation adding, however, that strong undersea currents are hampering dive operations.

I agree. In my experience, guys are much more willing to discuss their personal background (family and other jobs) but I don't recall any having talked about customers other than commenting on where they come from. Most guys seem more interested in the guy they're with at the moment. And that's fine with me.

I take an Airbnb apartment and stay exclusively in Bangkok for 30-day minimum. Have been coming to Thailand for 20 years and have done my share of traveling throughout the region. I've come to know bkk and chose to spend all of my time there (I acknowledge I'm in the minority). As for the number of gay international tourists, your estimate is better than mine. As for the number of gay local residents, I wouldn't hazards a guess. My experience is that many men--from throughout East Asia--who'd never identify as "gay" will on occasion engage in sex with men. That's one of the reasons I keep returning. From the owners' business standpoint, drinks represent their main income source. Off fees are a distant second. For the performers, it's just the opposite, as you suggest. How a customer decides whether to off a guy varies. Personally, I make that that decision early on based on one simple criteria (does he smile specifically at me more than once) and one slightly complex factor (a combination of curb appeal and sexiness that translates into the promise of a satisfying experience). Since I've been doing this for many years, I've tweaked the methodology to an automatic response that's more instinctive than objective.