reader

I managed to get to get there once before it closed. Masonry was falling onto floor from above and some seating was roped off because of hazard. Glad to see the spirit of the place was preserved.

Excerpts from Khaosod English By Wirot Poonsuwan, Attorney-at-Law After panic erupted among thousands of Airbnb providers worried the days of sweet, tax-free income were over, the company told them Saturday that yes, they are breaking the law. “Travel is evolving rapidly, and existing rules in Thailand do not reflect how millions of Thais travel or want to use their homes,” read the email, which went on to say the company was “sharing best practices, case studies and our experiences” with the Thai government. It cited a Thai court of first instance ruling in January that owners of two condominium violated the Hotels Act of 2004 by renting their rooms out daily and weekly. The judgments confirmed the opinion of many lawyers that the daily rental business – and operating a hotel business without a license – is illegal. To a bunch of Thai lawyers, the issue is now settled: running an Airbnb business is illegal. For them, the question is no longer its legality, but whether the law will be diligently enforced, and how light or severe the punishment will be meted out. If there is another similar case, the condo owner will find it hard to escape conviction. The prescribed punishment under the Hotels Act for operating a hotel business without a license is one year jail term and a fine not exceeding ฿20,000 (USD$645) on top of a daily fine not to exceed ฿10,000 per day as long as the violation continues. Only daily and weekly rentals are illegal. The Hotels Act specifically exempts monthly rentals because a room rented by the month is not classified as a hotel room and is therefore okay. Even though the rulings were rendered by a court of the first instance, not by the Supreme Court, they will carry a heavy weight of court precedent to be followed by other courts in similar daily rental cases, the reason being that it’s an open and shut case based on a very clear provision of the Hotels Act. The remaining issue now is not whether the business is legal – quite clearly it is illegal. Most condo owners, since the court rulings, currently recognize the illegality but remain enticed by the handsome economic benefits. They have factored in that legal enforcement in the country is lax (See: Grab thumbing its nose at the government for years). The chance they will be caught and punished are remote. But you never know. The peace-loving neighbors of the condo owner, on the other hand, might not like to see strangers coming in and out of rooms next door. If there are no serious legal actions or complaints made by the neighbors or the condo juristic person management, the condo owners will just go on enjoying uninterrupted tax-free extra incomes. “Tax-free” because they are also not paying personal income tax required by the Revenue Code for this handsome cash either. One thing many condo owners overlook is that if they are prosecuted through to a conviction, even with a light punishment, there will have a permanent criminal record with the Thai police, which will hamper future employment forever. At this point, the pros and cons are getting more balanced! In the two court precedents above, the court was merciful and imposed only light punishment against a confession: the maximum fine of ฿20,000 was actually dropped to ฿10,000 and the confession further halved it to ฿5,000. The daily fine not exceeding ฿10,000 per day was reduced to ฿100 per day for 81 days totaling a negligible amount of ฿81,000 in one case, and ฿500 per day for 20 days totaling ฿10,000 in the other. And no jail! Largely, the fate of Airbnb’s business will decided by the condominium juristic person committee and the manager of the condominium juristic person – how strictly they will enforce the condominium rules in accordance with the law. If the committee or the manager is serious, they could file a complaint with the hotels registrar. In Bangkok that’s the director general of the Administrative Department, and in the provinces it’s the governor. The registrar could then assign the district chief to visit the condominium to investigate as demanded by the condo committee/manager. They will enter the rooms alleged, obtain the names of the condo owners, footage of security cameras showing tourists dragging their luggage in and out of the room, and other evidence of wrongdoing. The condo-owners will find it difficult to fight these obvious pieces of documentary evidence. The district chief will sue them in court and the co-owners will have a weak case there and have to confess in exchange for a lenient punishment. Truly, the fate of the Airbnb and daily rental business in Thailand will depend on the condo juristic person committee and the condo juristic person manager and how serious these condo management people will enforce the rules and the law. The reality is condo managements in general are reluctant to take on the violation and will act half-heartedly in a subdued manner when receiving complaints from other co-owners who live in the condo peacefully without doing the business. The net result will be Airbnb and the daily rental business will keep growing in prosperity despite the two court cases. http://www.khaosodenglish.com/featured/2018/06/24/thai-law-case-closed-on-airbnb-heres-why-it-wont-matter/

Agree that the train is a great alternative. Airport Rail link has dropped the Swampy express service but the local will get you there in about 25 minutes or so with four stops in between. At 6pm. expect it to be packed so if you're not traveling light if may be a struggle. Think you're better off to start journey by 4p.m. or after 7p.m. (if schedule permits). And if you're going to take the train, getting on the MRT at Silom and transferring at Makkasan will be faster than taxi. MRT has frequent, rapid service. Link to interactive map below: http://bangkok.com/airport-rail-link.htm

I'm glad you weren't offended by his early behavior and that you both are now happily married. We're all free to interpret the actions of others in terms of how it affects us as individuals. When I'm the one paying the tab, I will always consider that type of behavior as offensive. I acknowledge that it may cost me the possibility of a good time behind closed doors, but that's a trade off I'm prepared to make. Like I said earlier, just too many great guys out there who willingly walk at my side. Only had that one who didn't.

From Bangkok Post The Marine Department is going to give facelifts to old ferry piers along a 35km stretch of the Chao Phraya River in Bangkok. It will start with three piers on Sathon, Ratchawong and Tha Din Daeng. (Photos by Krit Promsaka na Sakolnakorn) Property development is transforming land near the Chao Phraya River but one thing remains unchanged: A series of decrepit piers that lie along it. The condition of these wharves, with their wooden piers and floating rafts, has not improved for decades. Only basic maintenance work to keep them safe for use has been provided from time to time. Boat passengers can now expect change, however, because the Marine Department is commissioning the Urban Design and Development Centre (UDDC) to redesign and upgrade the piers under a project called "Active River Station". Under the scheme, three will be redesigned. The design project will serve as a prototype for the Marine Department, which aims to develop the area around scores of others that it operates. The three in question are Sathon, Ratchawong and Tha Din Daeng -- the top three in terms of handling the highest number of passengers, Tansorn Pornpanyapat, who is managing the project, told the Bangkok Post in an exclusive interview. The piers are busy because "they serve as important connection points for boat passengers to transit to other modes of transport such as the BTS Skytrain, Bangkok's buses, taxi motorcycles and taxis", said Mr Tansorn. Sathon Pier records 20,000 passengers a day on average, 90% of whom use the Chao Phraya Express Boat. The rest use it for simple river crossings. According to the UDDC's preliminary design, each of the three piers will be divided into three zones. The first zone would be the surrounding area, the second would comprise passenger waiting areas, and the third is the platform where people board the boats. "Moreover, there won't be any hike in prices as the department is duty-bound to ensure the convenience and safety of passengers on the Chao Phraya," said Mr Tansorn. https://www.bangkokpost.com/news/special-reports/1490834/pier-ing-into-the-future-of-the-chao-phraya-river

Proceed with abandon--which I'm very confident you did.

You got me, too. Can't explain it any more than you can. If I guy does it to me, I stop en route (and I have), give him fee agreed upon, and say adios. But that me. I'm not judging you or the guy. I just don't want anything further to do with someone who disrespects me, regardless of how legitimate he may believe his motive is. There are simply far too many others who are glad to be with me, door to door.

NOTE -- Unlike earlier crackdowns on visa-related violators, the target of most recent raids appear to be (judging from below photo and article details) a significant number of Myanmar nationals along with lesser numbers of Cambodians and Vietnamese. The car park in the photo's background looks familiar but I'm unable to identify to the buildings to either side. I fear that it may be in the Silom-Surawong area. From Bangkok Post Police arrested 107 foreigners for visa offences and illegal entry during coordinated raids at 83 locations across the country early on Friday. Three Thais were also held for other offences. The raids targeted locations in Bangkok and other provinces frequented by foreigners -- 30 schools (two international schools, four language schools, 24 secondary schools) and 53 other places. A total of 110 people were detained, three of them Thais, said Pol Maj Gen Surachate Hakparn, deputy commissioner of the Tourist Police Bureau. Eleven of the suspects (5 from Myanmar, 1 each from Vietnam, Cambodia, Nigeria, Russia, Germany and England) were charged with overstaying their visas, and 92 (59 from Myanmar, 11 from Laos, 9 from Cambodia, 5 from India, 3 from Vietnam, one each from Malaysia, China, Nigeria, the United States and Sweden) were charged with illegal entry. He asked operators of restaurants and other businesses in tourist attractions to alert authorities if they notice foreigners overstaying their visas or committing offences. https://www.bangkokpost.com/news/general/1490350/more-foreigners-rounded-up-for-visa-offences

From Khaosod English 11 ‘Forbidden’ Careers Opened to Foreigners BANGKOK — Nearly a dozen previously off-limits jobs were opened to foreign nationals Thursday, while a request retail service jobs be included was denied. A day after shop owners demanded the Labor Ministry decriminalize the hiring of foreign staff, it announced the rules would be relaxed to allow expats to do jobs including masonry, carpentry and shoemaking. In July, all foreigners will be able to work eight areas including unskilled agricultural or fisheries jobs; masonry and carpentry. They can also make bedding, knives, shoes, hats, dresses, pottery and ceramics, according to Labor Minister Adul Saengsingkaew. However, they may not own such businesses and must comply with other conditions. Foreigners can work as laborers without condition. Citizens from all ASEAN member states will also be allowed to provide certain accounting and civil engineering services and construction-related architectural work that does not require specialized expertise. The list of jobs did not include retail as Thai employers had called for Wednesday. But the top ministry official suggested there may be a loophole by which they could pass as laborers: Don’t let them touch any money. “They cannot handle money or give customers change,” Adul said Thursday. “They can just aid customers’ convenience by fetching items and arranging items.” Vendors who yesterday protested at the ministry to call for Burmese, Cambodian and Laotians to be able to work in retail were left puzzled by his comments. http://www.khaosodenglish.com/news/business/2018/06/21/11-forbidden-careers-opened-to-foreigners/

From Coconuts Bangkok The Patpong section of Silom might be best known as a red-light district, a seedy but fun late night destination that offers little in the way of high-quality food but a plethora of other unmentionable vices. The Steakhouse Co. plans to change that. The new steakhouse recently jumped into the fray of this nightlife area with their upmarket meat eatery, located near the mouth of Patpong Soi 2, just steps away from Foodland supermarket, in a space that, sources tell us, used to be a go-go bar called The Electric Blue. Today the space is focusing on selling USDA Angus prime, and Black Angus and Wagyu beef from Australia. The classy, hip-looking joint features dark leather seats, exposed brick walls, a long bar, and red mood lighting. It has an outdoor area overlooking the soi where you can eat, drink, smoke, or watch the talent walk by. Continues with pics https://coconuts.co/bangkok/food-drink/steakhouse-co-upscale-new-steakhouse-offer-new-kind-meat-market-patpong/

From Coconuts Bangkok The BTS might be about to get slightly less crowded, as officials are adding 22 brand new German trains to the Sukhumvit Line (Mo Chit to Samrong) in December. A ceremony to hand over the trains between Siemens, the German manufacturing conglomerate and the Bangkok Mass Transit System was held in Ankara, Turkey, on Tuesday. And if you, like us, were wondering why the handover was celebrated in Turkey, it’s because that’s where our future BTS trains were manufactured. https://coconuts.co/bangkok/news/brand-new-22-trains-added-bts-sukhumvit-line/

You have a refreshing take on Thailand and SE Asia that would be missed if you throttled back too much. You have great recall and offer perspectives most contributors cannot. You may be temporarily confined to Singapore but please don't let that keep you from participating in the forums. Best wishes for a rapid recovery. Although most of us never meet in person, we come know one another through what we write. And you write well.

I'm sure he must prefer, too.

Absolutely. If a guy walks slightly ahead or slightly behind me, he's trying to create distance between us and that doesn't bode well for what follows. But if he walks at my side and carries on a conversation--regardless of language discrepancy--I feel that he respects me and doesn't fear being seen with me. It also tells me something else about him: he doesn't lack self confidence and has a good self-image. Guys like that are almost always fun to spend time with.

NOTE --USD was trading at 32.81 on XE currency conversion site at time of this posting. From Bloomberg Thailand’s central bank left its benchmark interest rate unchanged near a record low, bucking a regional trend as more central banks tighten policy amid a global emerging-market rout. Five of the six monetary policy committee members present at the meeting voted to hold the one-day bond repurchase rate at 1.5 percent, where it’s been since 2015, according to a statement on the Bank of Thailand’s website on Wednesday. One MPC member voted for a 25 basis-point hike. All 22 economists surveyed by Bloomberg predicted the rate would stay on hold. The baht has slid 0.7 percent against the dollar this year, compared with a 6.6 percent slump in the Philippine peso and a 2.6 percent drop in the Indonesian rupiah. The Philippine central bank raised its benchmark rate for a second month on Wednesday. In Thailand, monetary policy stability is helping to support a pick-up in economic growth as exports climb and consumer spending strengthens. Growth reached a five-year high of 4.8 percent in the first quarter. Inflation climbed to 1.5 percent in May, staying inside the central bank’s target range of 1 percent to 4 percent for a second month. https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2018-06-20/thailand-bucks-southeast-asia-trend-by-keeping-rates-on-hold

From Coconuts Bangkok The Prince Theater Heritage Stay wasn’t always a hostel. It wasn’t always a porno theater either, but we’ll get to that in a second. Before the age of Netflix and megaplexes, the 1,200-seat Chalermthai Theater — seen below screening 1962 hit The Longest Day — was Bangkok’s most modern cinema and a hot spot for the city’s socialites and middle-class alike. But a few kilometers down the road, a considerably-less-glamorous cinema was operating. The Prince Rama Theater’s single screen served the working-class residents of Bangrak — a neighborhood once known for its clutch of shady brothels. Street food vendor Yai, 61, who has lived in Bangrak her whole life, remembers it well. “I was only 10 years old. The ticket was THB3.5 but I never paid,” she said with a smile. “I just snuck in to watch Petchara. Do you know who she is?” she asked of 1960s Thai film icon Petchara Chaowarat. We do. While the upscale Chalermthai Theater was torn down in 1989, the Prince Rama stubbornly stayed afloat for more than another decade, shifting its programming to a mix of Chinese historical dramas, Hollywood offerings, and, yes, porn. It played enough of the latter to eventually earn its (translated) nickname, “the Prince Porno Theater.” Today, you can still watch porn on the premises, you’ll just have to stream it on the internet like the rest of us — ideally with the curtains to your room drawn tightly shut. Dubbed the Prince Theater Heritage Stay, the cinema-themed hostel opened a few months ago, a transformation that mirrors the Bangrak neighborhood’s decades-long evolution into a major business district. The brain trust behind the hostel are neither ignorant nor ashamed of the building’s colorful past. Far from it. The Montara Hospitality Group sees the building’s past — porno period and all — as central to the hostel’s charm, even keeping a large movie screen front and center in the lobby. “We don’t want to twist the truth — we want its authentic history to live on. Travelers can get a nice room anywhere, but the idea that they stay at a hostel that used to screen porn in the past could be a funny story to tell their friends,” explained Montara CEO Kittisak Pattamasaevi. The lobby, which features a reception desk designed to look like a box office, now plays compilations of black and white movie clips, but evidence of the theater’s once-lewd leanings is hinted at in the hostel’s decor, with old posters of European pornos and British sex films like Nine Ages of Nakedness (1969) hung over the toilets in the private rooms. That’s a little less exciting than the good old days, when the Prince Porno Theater made big bucks from its “midnight round,” when they switched from R-rated films to those bearing a full “X” rating, according to the theater’s former projectionist. “They had what they called a ‘midnight round’ which showed porn from midnight for an hour. The midnight round was held four times a month. The ticket costed a THB100, and it was always packed,” recalled Surapol Karew, 60, who landed a job at the Prince Rama Theater in the late 1970s then stuck around 20 years. Surapol says the moviegoers who caught the midnight screenings were largely gay men and trans women, and that romance often bloomed in dark corners of the theater, the operation of which was tolerated as they ensured that the cops were regularly paid. “Even people from the upcountry like Khon Kaen [and] Sukhothai [provinces] came all the way here to see the movies. They got here on a tuk-tuk. The line of the tuk-tuks that stopped at the entrance was so long, the cops asked them ‘What’s on tonight?’ And the tuk-tuk drivers simply said ‘Porn!” Sorapol said, chuckling at the memory. Thankfully, the seats and other bits of the theater live on in a fashion, reclaimed to become a physical part of the new hotel. Continues with pics and history https://coconuts.co/bangkok/features/inside-prince-porno-bangkoks-former-adult-cinema-turned-hostel/

I think it's a good sign that these bars on the Patpong side of Surawong are tweaking their signature offerings. They appear to be positioning themselves ideally for high season. They know that they have to steer a careful course to attract the China and SE Asia trade, the locals and the farang (probably in that order) and now is the time to navigate. Moonlight certainly is cornering the top-end "show" market while the others continue to adjust. Even flagship muscle bar Tawan has added a few twinks to the mix. Earlier this year, gloom and doom predictions were coming fast and furious. Now we're hearing promising accounts from members on the ground. Lift a glass, lads!

Fuel costs -- Aviation Week sees increased travel demand and rising fuel costs putting carriers with the right mix of equipment having the advantage. Carriers with deep pockets have already begun hedging on fuel prices but that benefit will likely fade in a year. Being able to put the more fuel-efficient equipment on long hauls provides the needed flexibility. This may spell future problems for airlines deploying large numbers of the jumbo Airbus 380, leaving those with more twin-engine wide bodies (777, 787, A330, A350) better positioned. The mid-east carriers may be the first to feel the pain. Qatar is also hampered by the on-going air space restrictions enacted by neighboring states, leaving it with a narrow access corridor across the Persian Gulf between Doha and Iran. World Cup impact -- Many tourists are choosing to stay at home for the duration of world cup fever. Excerpts from Bangkok Post Pongpanu Svetarundra, permanent secretary of the Tourism and Sports Ministry, said on Monday the low season, Ramadan and World Cup were among the negative factors weighing on growth. Of all visitors last month, a majority of 2 million hailed from East Asia, followed by Europe, South Asia, America, Oceania, Middle East and Africa, he said. “We believe the growth will start accelerating in August, bringing in 3 trillion baht in revenue as targeted,” he said. https://www.bangkokpost.com/business/tourism-and-transport/1487754/tourist-arrivals-slowed-to-2-8m-in-may Germs on planes -- Consumer Reports health newsletter reports that seat back tables and belt buckles harbor the greatest source of germs and are more effective in spreading bacteria than circulating air. It recommends using alcohol swipes to disinfect. Although it didn't mention remote controls, those are commonly cited as the most contaminated items in hotel rooms. Visions from the air -- CNN has posted photo array that will be of interest to aviation enthusiasts, including many "boneyard" pics. https://www.cnn.com/travel/article/airplanes-life-span/index.html

"I call you, when I need you my heart's on fire You come to me, come to me, wild and wild You come to me Give me everything I need....... .....You're simply the best Better than all the rest" -- The great Tina Turner

....or are you just glad to see me? From Coconuts Bangkok Police arrested three daredevils yesterday afternoon after they hit up a trio convenient stores outside Bangkok while stark naked — a stunt they said was an attempt to imitate foreigners they saw on TV. The three unidentified men, aged 25, 26, and 27, made a separate visit to three 7-Eleven stores in the Ratchapreuk area — while wearing nothing but motorcycle helmets — at about 2am on Tuesday. The men told police the idea came to them amidst a usual hangout at home that night, explaining that they remembered seeing Western protesters riding bikes and marching naked on TV, reported Spring News. In the end, they challenged each other to strip and hit the stores naked and no one had the common sense to back down, according to police. A CCTV clip making the rounds shows one of the men running into a store while a seemingly unfazed employee rings him up. Asleep or too embarrassed to address it? https://coconuts.co/bangkok/news/three-thai-men-arrested-hitting-7-eleven-naked-say-tried-behave-like-foreigners-tv/

Nothing succeeds like excess. Way to go!

I, too, have a preference for length over girth....with a slight upward bend. But I'm never disappointed as long as the equipment presented is suitably engorged.

From Khaosod English BANGKOK — Business owners say they are unable to find Thai employees to staff service jobs and are urging the government to relax its restrictions on foreign employees. The Group of Entrepreneurs with Foreign Workers said they would take an online petition to the labor ministry this month ask that Laotian, Burmese and Cambodian workers be allowed to work legally in two of the 39 occupations forbidden to foreigners. “The problem is we can’t find any Thais who want to do these jobs,” the group’s Piphooake Sakullim said. “It’s not like we’re leaving behind Thais. But when you put up a sign asking for an extra worker for six months, and no one applies, how is your business supposed to go on?” “I always give Thais the chance for a job first, but they’re really hard to find. They leave after a little bit. Therefore, I want to give hardworking aliens a chance for an occupation,” reads one of several dozens signs shown. http://www.khaosodenglish.com/news/business/2018/06/13/let-us-hire-foreigners-short-staffed-shop-owners-demand/ Link to list of occupations that foreigners are not permitted to perform: http://www.mol.go.th/en/content/page/6347

NOTE -- The link contains a brief video of the giant new airport under construction in Beijing that features seven runways. Excerpts from South China Morning Post Issue has long dogged Cathay Pacific amid intense price war in Asia, as low-cost carriers chip away at market share and Middle Eastern and Chinese airlines lure travellers with cheaper long-haul tickets Will Cathay Pacific Airways launch a budget airline or won’t they? Hong Kong’s flagship airline once again faced this question at the aviation industry’s annual summit in Sydney last week. Its CEO Rupert Hogg was cautious: “We are not blinkered in looking at all of these [low-cost] models and how they are developing. We can learn the lessons from them if there are lessons to be learned. “We’ll make that decision if and when we get to a point where we can execute against it and we think it’s the right one.” This issue has long dogged Cathay amid an intense price war among airlines in Asia, as low-cost carriers chip away at their market share and Middle Eastern and Chinese airlines lure travellers with cheaper long-haul tickets. Cathay Pacific says it would not think about adding a new budget carrier until at least 2024 by the time the third runway is ready at Hong Kong International Airport. Until such a time, the airport is all but full to add more new flights. In 2017, the airport handled 73 million travellers. Some full-service airlines have launched budget carriers to woo new travellers and cater to price-conscious ones, while preserving their premium brand. But earlier this year, Cathay chairman John Slosar referred to advice he received from a former United Airlines’ CEO and said he was convinced the airline should look at how to compete better rather than “go down the path of setting up all these different airlines”. On the sidelines of the International Air Transport Association (IATA) conference in Australia, Hogg said Cathay had been closely watching the response to budget airlines globally and “whether they gain market share, whether they are making money”. With Cathay now carrying as many as 438 people per flight on routes also served by budget carriers, Hogg was asked whether this meant it would always prefer larger planes to maximise its take-off and landing slot at busy airports. Budget carriers typically use planes that can carry up to 186 passengers. Cathay is also keenly aware of the need to woo a new generation of passengers. IATA expects 7.8 billion people to travel in 2036, double today’s number. More than half of that growth will come from the Asia-Pacific region, with 2.1 billion new passengers taking to the skies, increasing the market size to 3.5 billion travellers. Asia’s two biggest low-cost airlines, Air Asia and Jetstar earned HK$3.1 billion and HK$2.48 billion in the most recent financial years respectively. Air Asia also flew 39 million passengers in 2017, some 5 million more than Cathay Pacific and Cathay Dragon combined. “There is always going to be the challenge anywhere where infrastructure opens up where you have new capacity available at one end but you have got to have capacity available at the other end in terms of the route,” Hogg said. To illustrate his point, he highlighted Beijing’s mega Daxing International airport set to open next year. When airlines move there, it does not mean they can add on extra flights to popular international destinations, as it depends on capacity at the end point. On the upside though, Hogg said Asia was ahead of others in building airport infrastructure. “The key is to keep building in front of the curve. And Asia has a better track record than other parts of the world,” Hogg said. Continues with videos http://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/hong-kong-economy/article/2150113/cheap-flights-hong-kong-cathay-pacific-again-faces P.S. The current edition of Aviation Week reports that LCC Norwegian is hemorrhaging cash and is now a prime takeover target.