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This happened in Thailand during current monsoon.

From Thairath / Thaiger Five people were injured, three seriously, following an explosion at a liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) plant in the Samut Prakarn province near Bangkok in the early hours of this morning. One of the big cylinders is believed to have exploded, spreading to others, and started a blaze at the V.I.P Petroleum plant, in the Bang Sao Thong district of Samut Prakarn province. Five Burmese employees, who lived near the plant in workers’ houses in the area, were injured in the fire, them of them seriously. A rescue team and firefighters’ report revealed there were a number of flammable items in the area, such as houses, cars, motorcycles, and tyres. It made the fire bigger and more dangerous. The area is also surrounded by LPG gas which is highly flammable. Firefighters and officers spent about one hour turning all LPG’s valves off to help control the situation. A 42 year old worker, Anuchit Jaidee, made public that the gas plant has about 30 workers, both Thais, and migrants. They start work at 8am and finish at 5pm, but added no one was working inside the plant during the explosion, which happened at 12.20am. Workers living in accommodation near the gas plant heard the loud explosion, went to investigate, and consequently, five of them got hurt.

NOTE -- I recall that Thai rejected higher offers in the pass because they did not deem bid high enough. From the Thaiger Thai Airways sells five Airbus A340s stored away for 13 years Thai Airways has found a buyer for five dusty Airbus A340s which have gone unused for 13 years. Thailand’s flag carrier has sold one A340-500 and four A340-600 planes for a total of 350 million baht. The buyer – whose identity remains disclosed – has already signed the paperwork finalising the deal, according to Chief Technical Officer of Thai Airways Cherdphan Chotikhun. The transaction will go through once it is approved by Thailand’s Minister of Transport, said Cherdphan. Since Thai Airways entered its debt rehabilitation programme two years ago, the airline has sold a total of 16 decomissioned planes. Prior to the most recent sale one A340-500 and four A340-600s, THAI sold one Boeing 737-400 and ten Boeing 737-400 planes, amounting to two billion baht. Cherdphan admitted that the airline struggled to shift the decomissioned A340s and there are still four more aircraft of the same spec for sale. THAI is currently engaging in discussions with prospective buyers for the remaining four A340s, said Cherdphan. =============================== From The Thaiger Thai AirAsia X to launch two Thailand – Australia routes Budget airline Thai AirAsia X will launch two direct routes between Thailand and Australia in December. The airline will fly from Bangkok to both Melbourne and Sydney, beginning December 1 and 2 this year, respectively. The Bangkok to Sydney route will fly four times per week on Mondays, Tuesdays, Fridays and Sundays. The Bangkok to Melbourne route will fly thrice a week on Wednesdays, Thursdays and Sundays. An 337-seat Airbus A330 will serve both routes with 12 Business Class seats and 365 Economy Class seats. Tickets are already on sale, with one-way economy fares from Melbourne to Bangkok starting from $299 AUD (7,552 Thai baht). A one-way Business Class ticket on a premium flatbed costs $1,199 AUD (30,293 Thai baht).

From Pattaya News A bus service from the Don Mueang International Airport to Pattaya is now available. The bus service has two round trips per day from 10:30 A.M. to 3:00 P.M.. (350 baht per person) From the Don Mueang International Airport to Pattaya: The bus ticket is available at the Bell Travel Service on the first floor Gate 10 at Domestic Terminal 2 or online ticket at www.belltravelservice.com . From Pattaya to Don Mueang International Airport: The bus service has two round trips per day from 6:00 A.M. to 3:00 P.M.. (350 baht per person) The bus ticket is available at the Bell Travel Service at Pattaya Bus Terminal (North Pattaya) or online ticket at www.belltravelservice.com .

From Pattaya News A massive explosion obliterated several Thai restaurants and a building in the center of Pattaya and seriously injured one Laotian worker. The cause of the explosion is still under investigation. The explosion shook parts of Pattaya at 5.50 a.m. early this morning, August 30th. The explosion was believed to take place inside a BBQ pork and chicken with rice restaurant called “Jae Jar” located in Banglamung’s Nongprue subdistrict, according to police reports. The restaurant was at the side of a two-storey commercial building and was adjacent to a noodle restaurant and a shrimp paste fried rice restaurant. All three were totally demolished in the explosion, said Kunlachart Kunlachai, police chief of the Pattaya Police Station who went to inspect the incident scene. Additionally, the explosion caused minor damage to places in nearby buildings, including an Indian restaurant called “Govindam,” Wichian Color Lab, and a barbershop. One unfortunate Laotian worker, Mr. Khith Lovanxay, 29, was discovered beneath the rubble of the first building with burn wounds and was rushed to a hospital.

From The Nation Thailand’s first high-speed railway will link up with the China-Laos high-speed railway in a network that will eventually connect Kunming in China to Singapore. First-phase construction of the project – a 250-kilometre high-speed railway from Bangkok to Nakhon Ratchasima – is on schedule for completion in 2026, government spokeswoman Traisuree Taisaranakul said on Sunday. The first phase consists of six stations – Bangkok’s Bang Sue Grand Station, Don Mueang, Ayutthaya, Saraburi, Pak Chong and Nakhon Ratchasima. She said the second phase – a 357-kilometre high-speed railway from Nakhon Ratchasima to Nong Khai – is currently undergoing environmental impact assessment. She added that the Department of Highways is cooperating with Laos on the construction of a bridge over the Mekong River for the high-speed railway.

From The Thaiger Thailand records its seventh monkeypox case A 37-year-old Thai woman in Bangkok became Thailand’s seventh monkeypox patient after testing positive late last week, the Department of Disease Control (DDC) said on Sunday. DDC Director General Dr Opas Karnkawinpong said the Bamrasnaradura Infectious Diseases Institute reported on Saturday that a woman had tested positive for the disease. Dr Opas revealed the patient had intercourse with a foreigner but had not travelled abroad recently. The patient developed a fever on August 20 and found blisters near her anus the following day. Two days later more blisters appeared in other parts of her body, making her seek treatment at a Nonthaburi province institute.

From Thai PBS World Deputy secretary-general of the National Anti-Corruption Commission (NACC), Prayad Puangchampa, was dismissed from service today (Monday), after he was found to be unusually wealthy by amassing 658 million baht in assets, many of which are being kept abroad. NACC Chairman Pol Gen Watcharaphol Prasarnratchakit signed an order dismissing Prayad from government service today. The NACC also agreed that his assets should be confiscated and become state property. The NACC faulted Prayad for allegedly deliberately concealing his assets by providing false statements about six of them when he assumed the post as deputy secretary-general on January 4th, 2017. The assets he allegedly attempted to conceal include six items, worth about two million baht, in the country and under the name of his spouse Thanipa, and four other items located abroad since 2019, worth about 225 million baht.

It seems that that was the point Gaybutton was trying to make. In that case I surely owe him an apology. “And now these three remain: faith, hope, and love. But the greatest of these is love.”

Like I said, happy to oblige. 😉

Please don't take offense if I fail to heed your advice and embrace La Cage Aux Folles as a prescription for how to lead my life. 🤣 Good luck to you, my friend, but I don't wish to die that way. I don't want to be that lonely old man withering away in farangland, thanking the almighty that I was wise enough to hold my emotions tightly in check.

Happy I could bring a bit of amusement into your day. As I said before, I acknowledge that you're speaking honestly--and I believe from the heart--about you've experiences. In my book you are providing a valuable reflection on your many years as a Pattaya expat. I hope you'll keep warning us for many more. But you're quick to dismiss others who've had different experiences and formed a different perspective. You're persuaded that only your take on the matter could possibly be true and others must be delusional.

Indeed they are not. Love is placing the other person's well being on a par with your own. It's being emotionally available as a confidant and friend. It's accepting the other person's foibles as he accepts yours. It's taking joy in each other's company. It's mutual affection and trust. It's the realization that you are unquestionably happy and fulfilled when you are together. I've found that I need that experience in my life. And I agree that it has nothing whatsoever to do with sex.

Death toll rises to 22 The Bangkok Post reports that a woman who was seriously burned in the Mountain B fire has succumbed to her injuries.

Guess I'll just count myself as very lucky. The last six years of my life have been the happiest of the preceding 70. Up until that point I'd always considered myself a committed butterfly. I don't concern myself with "true" love. I'm perfectly happy just to have someone simply to love. I don't need a litmus test with which to measure it. We insulate ourselves by the use of language. We become "clients", young men become "professionals." That makes it easier to put the required emotional distance between us. For many, that's a healthy way to look at it. The parties part ways without emotional baggage. I tip my hat to all those who find contentment in their later years without any emotional attachments. At one time I counted myself in that camp. And then a simple smile turned my life on a dime. You may think of me as foolhardy and delusional. So be it. But you can't feel what I feel; know what I know. We all came to Thailand because we sought sexual intimacy we couldn't find at home. Please be tolerant of those of us who discovered emotional intimacy and affection in that same pursuit.

This forum regularly sees members unabashedly post about fucking boys, sucking boys, kissing boys and rimming boys. Odd how when someone suggests loving boys the naysayers come out of the woodwork. Just saying.

Amen.

The flip side of the question is likewise worth considering: How are customers different than say 20 years ago? They're older They're more suspicious They're more paranoid Other than that, I don't see a lot of difference 🙂

The following article appears in The Thaiger and The Nation. The Thaiger noted that the source of the the article references “Terminal 4” but perhaps meant the fourth floor departure level. From The Thaiger Suvarnabhumi Airport, Bangkok’s main international airport, is getting an upgrade: a new passenger validation system is being put in place. The new PVS will be launched in the airport officially on September 1 and will be found at Terminal 4 for both domestic and international passengers. [See note above). The PVS system is intended to speed up the process of screening passengers, making it more efficient while simultaneously giving a boost to Suvarnabhumi Airport’s security, according to an announcement by airport officials yesterday. The new systems will bring Bangkok’s main airport up to international standards in passenger security, requiring passengers to go through an automated screening process at kiosks. Travellers will have their boarding passes scanned by the PVS reader, whether they are paper documents or e-boarding passes, and the system will retrieve their travel information. Airport employees will still be on hand at nearby counters to help with any questions and guide any confused customers through the PVS automation system. The PVS will confirm each passenger’s travel information and provide an extra layer of security against fraud, as the airport explained. “The PVS will ensure that [the] passenger screening process is fast and accurate, and will prevent unauthorised persons from entering restricted or flight-controlled areas. This system will also prevent the reuse of boarding passes that have already been scanned.” For foreign travellers: Zone 2, rows J-K will have two counters for outgoing travellers Zone 3, rows S-T will have three counters for foreigners For Thai nationals: Rows C-D will have eight counters for outgoing travellers There are an additional two check-in counters in rows L-M that was not clarified if they were for Thai passport holders or foreign passport holders.

Glad you said that. You'll never regret being polite and smiling. It has to be about 12 years ago that I was approached by a gorgeous guy on Soi Tarntawan who was hawking for Super A bar. I can still remember his line" "You don't have to buy drink. Just go take a look." I had been to Super A before and knew I'd never find a guy this good inside so I replied, "you're a really cute guy; would you like to come to my hotel?" He seemed taken aback and after a few seconds responded with. "OK, 4,000 baht." I'd never heard a number like this before and I said, "you're not that cute." I regret it to this day. Not only because it was unkind, but it wasn't true. He was that cute. Those four words abruptly ended any opportunity I may have had with him. That I can still recall the exchange a dozen years ago makes it all so clear to me that I've never really forgotten him. When I passed by him a week or so later, he just looked down and shuffled his feet. Why didn't I just make a counter offer? Why didn't I apologize when I saw him again? Because I was stupid.

Do you think with just a little more effort (i.e., stay up till 3a.m.) you could get one of them down to 400 and 31 minutes?

And the delivery of gift to boy's bar also buys him a hell of a lot of face.

NOTE -- For those with an interest in Thai political history, this piece helps explain how the graduates of an elite military academy have come to govern the country. From Thai PBS World The rise to power of ‘big brother’ Prawit Wongsuwan Deputy Prime Minister Gen Prawit Wongsuwan is generally considered a weak link in Prayut Chan-o-cha’s administration, tainted by the scandal over a multimillion-baht wristwatch collection, despite his repeated denials of corruption. But in a twist of fate, he finally finds himself in the top post of prime minister, thanks to a legal dispute over the tenure of his junior Army classmate. The Constitutional Court on Wednesday voted 5:4 to suspend PM Prayut from duty after it decided to accept a petition filed by the opposition asking for a ruling on his eight-year term as prime minister. Prayut will be suspended as PM until the ruling is delivered, though he can continue to serve as defense minister in the Cabinet. Prawit, who is leader of the ruling Palang Pracharath Party, tops the hierarchy of the six deputy prime ministers, so he automatically became caretaker prime minister following Prayut’s suspension. Prawit will remain as caretaker PM until the Constitutional Court issues its ruling on Prayut’s tenure. Prawit, now 77, is known as the “big brother” of the Burapha Payak (“Tigers of the East”) military clique of officers, who typically start their careers in the 21st Infantry Regiment based in Prachinburi. This group includes former Commander-in-Chief Anupong Paochinda and his successor Prayut. The trio of generals is dubbed the “3Ps” – Prayut, Prawit and “Pock” (Anupong). While Prayut led the coup that toppled the Yingluck government in 2014, Prawit is widely credited with helping the military prolong its power after the 2019 general election. In June 2020, as chief party strategist, Prawit was elected as Palang Pracharath’s new leader. He won the top seat uncontested, announcing he would accept the post to end internal disputes as it would allow him to handle party infighting. “They [the factions] must be reconciled,” he said. His rise to party chief was expected to quell an ongoing power struggle within Palang Pracharath, which has many factions. Prawit, now 77, is known as the “big brother” of the Burapha Payak (“Tigers of the East”) military clique of officers, who typically start their careers in the 21st Infantry Regiment based in Prachinburi. This group includes former Commander-in-Chief Anupong Paochinda and his successor Prayut. The trio of generals is dubbed the “3Ps” – Prayut, Prawit and “Pock” (Anupong). While Prayut led the coup that toppled the Yingluck government in 2014, Prawit is widely credited with helping the military prolong its power after the 2019 general election. In June 2020, as chief party strategist, Prawit was elected as Palang Pracharath’s new leader. He won the top seat uncontested, announcing he would accept the post to end internal disputes as it would allow him to handle party infighting. “They [the factions] must be reconciled,” he said. His rise to party chief was expected to quell an ongoing power struggle within Palang Pracharath, which has many factions. Continues at https://www.thaipbsworld.com/the-rise-to-power-of-big-brother-prawit-wongsuwan-new-caretaker-pm/

21st victim dies The Bangkok Post is reporting that the Mountain B fire has claimed its 21st death when a man succumbed to injuries in a Bangkok Hospital. Nineteen victims remain hospitalized, seven of them relying in ventilators.

From Pattaya News Sixth Case reported in Thailand Thailand yesterday (August 26th), reported the sixth confirmed case of Monkeypox which is a Thai woman in Maha Sarakham, in the northeast of Thailand. The director-general of the Department of Disease Control, Dr. Opas Karnkawinpong, revealed that the latest patient was a 21-year-old Thai woman who is a massage worker who recently came back from Qatar. – August 10th a red rash started from her genitals while she was in Qatar. – August 21st she returned back to Thailand and arrived at her home in Maha Sarakham. – August 22nd went to a local hospital with fever and swollen lymph nodes. – August 24th she was confirmed with Monkeypox. Dr. Opas added, “It is obvious that the patient was an imported case from abroad. There are four high risk contacts and 24 low risk people from this case. The patient and risk cases are now under close observation of medical personnel and Public Health officials. The Director-General urged the public to remain calm as the disease is not easily contracted.”