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Excerpts from the Center for Aviation Thailand has six low cost airlines operating a combined fleet of 136 aircraft, according the CAPA Fleet Database. LCCs account for 45% of Thailand’s total commercial aircraft fleet and over 60% of the narrowbody fleet. Thailand’s LCC sector has grown rapidly since the first two LCCs, Nok Air and Thai AirAsia, launched in 2004. Growth has particularly accelerated over the past five years, driven partially by the late 2013 launch and rapid expansion of Thai Lion Air. Five years ago, in May-2013, there were only 42 LCC aircraft based in Thailand, including 28 at Thai AirAsia and 14 at Nok Air. Over the past five years the LCC fleet has more than tripled in size, and the total commercial fleet has increased by 50%. Summary Thailand's LCC fleet has more than tripled in size over the past five years, from 42 to 136 aircraft. Four LCCs have launched in Thailand over the past five years. There are now six LCCs operating in Thailand, three of which have widebody aircraft. Thai AirAsia is the market leader and has more than doubled its fleet over the past five years, from 28 aircraft to 59 aircraft. Thailand’s total commercial passenger aircraft fleet has expanded by 104 aircraft over the past five years, according to the CAPA Fleet Database. The LCC fleet has expanded by 94 aircraft while the full service airlines fleet has grown by only 10 aircraft. Thai Lionbecomes Thailand’s second largest LCC Thai Lion recently overtook Nok in terms of both fleet size and seat capacity. Thai AirAsia remains the market leader by a wide margin, and is about double the size of Thai Lion (both in terms of fleet size and seat capacity). Thai VietJet became Thailand’s fourth short haul LCC in 2016, when it launched scheduled services. Thai VietJet initially began operations in late 2014 with charters but has not expanded rapidly and is a relatively insignificant player, accounting for only 4% of Thailand’s total LCC fleet. In 4Q2017 Thai Lion became Thailand’s third LCC widebody operator, along with Thai AirAsia X and NokScoot. Thai AirAsia X launched in 2014 and NokScoot in 2015. Both currently only operate widebody aircraft, although later this year NokScoot plans to start operating 737s, which will be used to operate alongside 777s in the fast expanding Thailand-China market. Thailand is now the only country with three long haul LCCs. However, Thailand’s LCC widebody fleet is relatively small, with just 15 aircraft currently in operation. The LCC turboprop fleet is also very small as there is only one operator, Nok, with 10 aircraft. All of Thailand’s LCC have expanded rapidly Thai Lion has grown the fastest of Thailand’s LCCs, adding 30 aircraft since launching with an initial fleet of two aircraft in Dec-2013. Nok more than doubled its fleet in just three years, from 2013 to 2016, but has cut its fleet slightly over the past year as part of a restructuring aimed at returning to profitability. Nok currently operates 28 aircraft, which still represents growth of 75%, 12 aircraft, since Thai Lion launched in Dec-2013. When Thai Lion launched in early Dec-2013, Nok had 16 aircraft and Thai AirAsia had 34 aircraft. Thai AirAsia now has 59 aircraft, representing growth of 25 aircraft, or 74%, since Thai Lion launched. Thai AirAsia X, NokScoot and Thai VietJet are still relatively small, but all 17 of their aircraft are represented in the five-year growth figures as they are all less than four years old. LCCs drive rapid growth in Thailand’s domestic market The tripling of Thailand’s LCC fleet in five years has, not surprisingly, led to a similar increase in LCC capacity. Domestic LCC seats in Thailand have more than tripled, from approximately 11 million in 2012 to 33 million in 2017, according to CAPA and OAG data. LCCs currently account for approximately 70% of domestic seat capacity in Thailand, compared to slightly less than 50% five years ago. The total domestic market has more than doubled over the past five years, driven by a combination of economic growth, an expanding middle class and rapid LCC expansion. Average domestic fares plummeted as Thai Lion became the third LCC competitor on trunk routes, stimulating demand and persuading a segment of the population to trade bus and train journeys for air travel. Thailand annual LCC seat capacity: 2008 to 2017 There are currently 25 foreign LCCs serving Thailand, accounting for nearly 40% of the total international LCC seat capacity. Malaysia’s AirAsia is the largest foreign LCC, with a more than 7% share of international LCC seat capacity. Indonesia AirAsia also has a 2% share of international seat capacity in Thailand, giving the AirAsia/AirAsia X Group approximately a 45% share of total LCC international seat capacity from Thailand. Don Mueang’s LCC penetration rate in 2017 was 97%. The LCC penetration rate was slightly less than 10% at Suvarnabhumi, which is used by most foreign LCCs and nearly all full service airlines serving Bangkok. All of Thailand’s local LCCs are based at Don Mueang except Thai VietJet, which is based at Suvarnabhumi. Phuket had an LCC penetration rate of 44% in 2017, Chiang Mai 64%, Chiang Rai 76% and Hat Yai 84%, based on AOT data. Chiang Rai and Hat Yai are relatively small airports (less than 5 million annual passengers). Chiang Mai handled 10 million passengers in 2017, Phuket 17 million and Suvarnabhumi 61 million. Continues with chart https://centreforaviation.com/insights/analysis/thailand-low-cost-airlines-rapid-growth-as-fleet-triples-in-5-years-407712

Many someone elses, I reckon. When the tourism authority makes no secret that it's chasing LGBT visitors it's because they're good for the economy. Excerpt from Beer Bar post: Mr Yuthasak said the TAT will target three tourist groups from Canada: free independent travellers, LGBT and millennials.

If it's beer, most Thai guys favor Leo.

From Bangkok Post The opening of the 28th overseas Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT) office in Toronto is set to spur visits from Canadians, who are some of the top spenders among international tourists. The TAT held the official opening of the office, its third in the Americas, last Monday, adding to the two existing offices in New York and Los Angeles. The new office is aimed at increasing Canadian visitors from 238,000 last year to 500,000 within the next few years. In 2017, Thailand welcomed more than a million visitors from the US for the first time. The TAT is confident that the number of visitors from the Americas will continue to rise, said governor Yuthasak Supasorn. Canadian tourists stay 18 days on average in Thailand and spend 80,000 baht per person per trip. Canadians generated 80 billion baht in tourism income last year, which is expected to increase by 8-10% this year. Mr Yuthasak said the TAT will target three tourist groups from Canada: free independent travellers, LGBT and millennials. Societal acceptance in Thailand will be a selling point for potential tourists. The agency will also promote Thailand as a film shooting location. https://www.bangkokpost.com/business/tourism-and-transport/1454994/tourism-authority-of-thailand-opens-toronto-office

Bt 500 is less than $15. When you consider fare, tolls and tip, it's a good price. And you don't have to worry about traffic jams running meter up. If it still sounds high, take the train but you're not guaranteed a seat which comes free with the taxi ride.

From NYTImes This is a story about love and betrayal. Andrea Barone was barely 18 months old when he first set out on the ice, his tiny legs shaking and pushing behind a chair along the cold surface. If, in Montreal, hockey is religion, then this was baptism by ritual, every morning practice, every unsteady drag of his skates drawing him closer to the game he was falling for. “We never had to wake him up in the morning,” Barone’s mother, Beba, said. “If the practice was at 7, he’d be up dressed and ready to go. He just fell in love.” Barone is 28 now, many years removed from those innocent skates under the eye of his father, Remo. Late last summer, during an interview at a Toronto coffeehouse, he was upset. Barone is sure of two things about himself: He is a hockey man, and he is a gay man. In the sport he has devoted his life to, this has proved an untenable intersection. In February, the NHL sponsored “Hockey Is for Everyone” events at games throughout the league — to foster more inclusive communities in the sport, it said. Players used rainbow-colored tape on their sticks, and teams hosted pride nights. And yet, for some time now, Barone has been trying to decide if hockey is still for him. In high school, as his excellence as a player faded, Barone became a referee. It was his way to stay in the sport, and he has been promoted through the professional ranks, reaching the ECHL, two levels below the NHL. Barone believes a call-up to the American Hockey League is coming soon, and from there, if all he has worked for goes as planned, he could reach the NHL in a few years. No man, working in any capacity, is known to be openly gay at hockey’s highest level. More than that, at a time when players from the NBA, the NFL and Major League Baseball have come out after retirement, the same cannot be said for any man formerly associated with the NHL. Barone has been trying, often in vain, to correct a culture that for decades has made little attempt to conceal its regular use of anti-gay language. The insults came from coaches, who would roll their eyes when warned against the use of homophobic slurs on the ice. Or they came from players, who used the barbs as a way to emasculate or demean the opponents across from them. For years, Barone handled the pointed words, the casual insensitivity that said to him that he and people like him were not welcome. It was, in some way, the price of living in this world as a gay man. He tolerated it until last spring, when an ECHL coach, whose team had blown a third-period lead in a playoff game, charged at him. In front of three other referees, Barone said, the coach used a graphic, expletive-laced anti-gay slur. Continues with photos https://www.nytimes.com/2018/04/23/sports/hockey/andrea-barone-gay-referee.html

From Khaosod English BANGKOK — Vintage-hunters have reason to rejoice with the recent opening of The Camp Vintage Flea Market. Situated just off the famous Chatuchak flea market, The Camp is like a double-shot espresso – a small but highly intense experience for lovers of vintage clothing and furniture. What sets The Camp, which is operated by the folks behind the train markets of Sri Nakarin and Ratchadaphisek roads, is its commitment to keeping things on-theme, without being overrun by the cheap clothes and accessories that eventually creep into all markets. The Camp’s management will have to curate and approve each permanent shop in term of its products and decoration plans. The result is something unseen in Bangkok: Dozens of well-selected shops catering to lovers of all things vintage and vintage-inspired. “People are crazy here. Crazy about furniture, vintage clothes, designs. It’s really fun, not just for business but lifestyle,” said Ken Nakamura, a Japanese shop owner in the “Vintage Room” at the newly opened market. The Camp is open 11am to 10pm Tuesday to Thursday, and 11am to midnight Friday to Sunday. It’s closed Mondays. Get there by walking is located a minute walk west of exit No. 1 at MRT Kamphaeng Phet. Continues with map and photos http://www.khaosodenglish.com/featured/2018/04/22/tickle-that-vintage-fetish-at-bangkoks-newest-market-the-camp-photos/

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Money always wins out in the LOS. Even the highest-minded decision makers are prone to take a fresh look at a situation when the case is adequately presented by the right intermediary. If there's one philosophy that underpins the hi-so philosophy it's "nothing succeeds like success."

Use to visit DC regularly and recall many of the Dupont Circle area hangouts. One that stands out was Annie's Steak House on 17th st. which functioned more as an upscale diner that remained open to the wee hours. This 2017 article lists other venues, many of which I also recall. https://www.tripsavvy.com/best-washington-dc-gay-nightlife-1417468 Although I think The LOS will experience a consolidation of gay bars accessible and popular with visitors, the overall scene is far from what has occurred in the west . There will always be a place for high-end show bars that are cash cows (any business that proves a cash cow will find a place). Visitors will also keep the massage industry thriving, particularly in Bangkok. Those who don't feel comfortable entering a bar are more inclined to try the massage experience. They're assured of physical contact and that's a pretty good way to get newcomers in the door. I lament what has happened in New York, Boston and so many other US cities but I don't believe it foreshadows what's in store for Thailand where life is lived more outdoors year-round. Thais and other southeast Asians are more social and comfortable in crowds. That can be quite an attractive option to visitors from places where it's not.

From Bloomberg News The operator of Bangkok’s elevated metro system anticipates a tripling in profit over five years as the network expands and commuters flee traffic jams. BTS Group Holdings Pcl predicts about 6 billion baht ($192 million) of net income in 2022, up from 2 billion baht last year, Chief Executive Officer Kavin Kanjanapas said. Roughly two-thirds will come from the mass-transit business as new track takes daily ridership to some 2.5 million passengers from 700,000 currently, he said. While the so-called SkyTrain’s route length across Bangkok will climb to 49 kilometers by March next year from about 38 kilometers presently, one major challenge is overcrowding, especially in peak hours, with commuters jammed into carriages and sometimes unable to find room to board trains. "Crowding is to be expected during peak hours, just as in other big cities like Singapore and Hong Kong," Kavin said. "After peak hours, our train capacity can handle the number of passengers. We’re confident the existing numbers of trains are sufficient to meet demand." https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2018-04-19/bangkok-s-crammed-elevated-metro-sees-expansion-tripling-profits

I believe that you'll find that the more you frequent Twilight the less you'll have that experience. On my last trip, I was grabbed by 2-3 guys on my way to Maxi's on my first night. By the third night as I made my way to the bar, a few guys nodded to me but they knew I was headed elsewhere. They have remarkably acute memories. It's all part of the Bangkok experience. I miss it when I go home and again become invisible.

Excerpts from Nikkei Asian Review What might three lively Roman Catholic priests from little villages in northern Italy be doing in a far-flung community in the hills of northern Thailand? Brewing some superb Italian-style espresso, of course -- and serving it at their own charming premises, Caffe Bruno. Father Bruno Rossi, one of the priests-cum-baristas, explained how caffeine and Catholicism mix. Well, first of all we are Italians, he said -- his countrymen reportedly knock back 14 billion espressos every year. Then, there are the children the priests look after. And third, he continued: "Who knows who might stop by for a cup and inquire what lies behind our roadside cafe?" Behind the building in the remote village of Chae Hom is a pasture of grazing sheep, as in a biblical scene. Beyond is a bright, inviting dormitory, one of four where more than 150 children from poor, remote villages are cared for while they attend nearby schools. From toddlers to teenagers, almost all are from hilltribe groups -- the Karen, Akha, Lahu, Yao and Hmong -- and less than half are Christians. Profits from the coffee operation go to scholarships for the children and lessen the mission's dependence on donations from Italy. Buying beans from tribal growers at above-market prices improves their living conditions. And the priests urge farmers to adopt organic practices and techniques that will yield what they proudly describe as "superior Italian coffee." "Before we opened our cafe, local people didn't really know much about us," said Father Raffaele Sandona. "After we opened, villagers, policemen, government officials came and asked what we were doing. It has become a window on our mission." The idea of serving coffee emerged more than five years ago as the taste for a fine brew -- as opposed to the ubiquitous instant stuff -- was seeping even into rural Thailand. The country's northern highlands were producing some fine beans, but the priests, who savor a good cup, still did not rate it too highly. So Rossi went off to Italy to learn about coffee (he is said to be the only priest with a diploma in coffee tasting) and was able to acquire a secondhand but top-quality 30-kg roaster machine from their homeland. Son of a carpenter and a jack-of-all-trades, Rossi designed and built the cafe himself. Through experimentation the priests began to learn how locals would take to their style of coffee. Initially, the verdict was "so-so," said Sandona, explaining that Thais often prefer brand-name products, particularly foreign ones like Starbucks, which tend to boost their self-image. "Then in 2014, we won a gold medal in Italy, and suddenly the same coffee was declared 'great'," he recalled, as he prepared penne pasta with homemade bread and pesto sauce for guests. https://asia.nikkei.com/Life-Arts/Life/Catholicism-and-caffeine-in-Thailand-s-hills

From Khaosod English BANGKOK — Despite blazing heat, crowds poured onto a centuries-old Chinese trading pier to admire sand pagodas and pay respect to their elders with a splash of scented water before continuing on to enjoy its vintage, riverside Sino-Thai architecture. The revival of Lhong 1919 and other old communities along the Chao Phraya River has brought new life – and revenue – to its dilapidated banks, as will commercial megaprojects such as the Iconsiam, which opens in October. Then there’s the government which, until a few days ago, was pushing hard for seven kilometers of concrete boardwalks. Bangkok seems intent on remaking its defining feature, but it’s less certain what it will look like, or whom it will be for. Will it be the adaptive reuse of historic infrastructure such as Lhong, Warehouse 30 or even Asiatique? Or the gleaming retail spires of familiar shopping malls? Ask people out enjoying its sights on the last day of Songkran, and find they want to see it improved, but not radically changed. “I think it’d be great if there’s a riverside walkway. However, for any development, we should consider preservation as well,” said Yanisa Saesiao, a first time visitor at Lhong 1919, adding that she likes the river the way it is now. She much enjoyed the atmosphere of the pier and hopes there will be more “antique and preserved” attractions coming to the river. Another reveler who would only give her name as Nant said she loves traveling along various riversides and is attracted to places with “traditional Thai style.” Yanisa and Nant were among those dodging Sunday’s watery warfare in favor of a low-key boat tour detailing how the capital’s waterways were once deeply intertwined with its livelihood. Visitors were able to hop on and off at different piers to visit key tourism spots such as temples and historic riverside communities. Nant said she would welcome a redevelopment project with the traditional touch that she adores. “The river doesn’t look so great now. Some areas are full of garbage. All of us need to work together to make it become more pleasant.” she said. “I’d like it if future projects can provide access to more older communities, but it has to be in a sustainable way to preserve their livelihood.” http://www.khaosodenglish.com/life/2018/04/16/course-correction-which-way-will-bangkoks-future-flow/

From Bangkok Post article: "Sources say the entry fee was 450 baht, tripled if the reveller was over 50." Don't mind when they lower entry fee younger guys but have no sympathy when they triple it for most readers here.

From South China Morning Post Bangkok’s Chinatown braces for gentrification now subway station is about to open Most Sino-Thai clans quit Sampheng, a warren of narrow lanes, years ago, but few sold their properties, and its patchwork of ownership may save the historic neighbourhood from mass development – though change will inevitably come Suwilai Boonthawatchai, 63, was born and raised in Sampheng, the narrow street that for two centuries defined the commercial heart of Bangkok, known today as Chinatown. “At night we could walk to the street food stalls wearing our pyjamas,” Suwilai recalls of her childhood in the area. “It was comfortable and safe. There were no thieves at all at that time.” Things started to change in the old neighbourhood in the early 1990s, when Thailand’s economy was booming and every household could suddenly afford a car. But there was no place to park in Sampheng, a warren of narrow lanes, wholesale and retail outlets, and crowded pavements. The ethnic Chinese residents started to move out to condominiums or the suburbs. The Boothawatchai family finally relocated 10 years ago, buying a house in a Bangkok suburb but keeping their Sampheng property as an office for their business – selling imported sewing machines and spare parts. “Because everyone else had moved, at night it was dangerous here … so many robberies. It forced us to leave,” says Suwilai, who like most Thais of Chinese descent is Chiu Chow, the dominant dialect group on the eastern coast of Guangdong province, in southern China. The Boonthawatchai clan’s Sampheng experience is typical of Bangkok-based Sino-Thai families. Many of the city’s most powerful business clans, such as the Chearavanonts of the Charoen Pokphand Group and Sirivadhanabhakdis of the TCC Group, started out as traders in Sampheng and moved out as their commercial empires expanded, but most still hold on to their original family compounds out of a sense of pride and in keeping with the Chinese belief that it would be unlucky to sell the place where your good fortunes began. That instinct to hold on to the family land may turn out to be Chinatown’s salvation amid the threat of commercial development and gentrification that will arise with the opening of a subway station near Wat Mangkon Kamalawat (Dragon Lotus Temple) in September next year. Its advent will bring to Chinatown something it has lacked for decades – easy accessibility. “I don’t know if it will kill Chinatown but it will definitely change Chinatown, a place that was extremely difficult for even Bangkok people to get around in,” says Chutyaves Sinthuphan, founder of Site-Specific Company, an architectural firm. Continues with photos http://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/travel-leisure/article/2141436/bangkoks-chinatown-braces-gentrification-now-subway-station

From Nation Multimdia Personal info at risk as TrueMove H customer data found in online folder THE National Broadcasting and Telecom Commission (NBTC) has sought an urgent meeting with executives of TrueMove H, one of the country’s three major mobile phone operators, to question a probable massive leak of customers’ personal data. The likely leak, including individuals’ ID cards and passport numbers, was first reported by Blognone, an online technology news service, when Niall Merrigan, a cyber-security researcher, said he had found the data under the folder name of Truemoveh/idcard with unrestricted access on the cloud storage facility of Amazon Web Service. The 32-gigabyte folder contained multiple years of personal data of TrueMove H’s customers in Thailand, including those from 2016 (14.5 gigabytes), 2017 (8.3 gigabytes) and 2018 (2.2 gigabytes). The folder shows a large quantity of personal ID card data, including photos and 13-digit numbers that were apparently used when customers first signed up with TrueMove H. The passport details of foreign customers in Thailand was in the folder, too. Due to its unrestricted access on the cloud-based data storage facility, such a massive data could be abused by unscrupulous people, affecting a large number of people in Thailand. TrueMove responded to Merrigan’s alert on the possible data leak on Tuesday and managed to restrict access to the folder which stored its customers’ private data. Takorn Tantasith, secretary-general of NBTC, said TrueMove H must explain during the April 17 meeting with the regulatory agency what happened to its customers’ personal data. There was a risk that a large number of individuals’ private ID card data could have been compromised due to it being stored in an unsecured way, he said. http://www.nationmultimedia.com/detail/national/30343191

From NYTimes Temples, floating markets, candlelight cruises, massages: you can create your own water-themed tour. The boat ride on the Mae Klong River in central Thailand was billed as a firefly cruise, but there was no sign of the blinking bugs a half-hour into our nighttime ride. We were on a narrow, wooden craft in Samut Songkhram, a small province about an hour southwest of Bangkok with a dozen other tourists in pairs on wooden benches. The engine roared as we plowed through the glossy, black water. The only lights came from the balconied hotels and elevated pagodas on the shore, and from a temple with a startlingly large and hunched black Buddha, in a golden robe with glinting white eyes. Then, as we rounded a bend and the skipper cut the engine, we drifted toward a twinkling stand of trees, the spindly limbs seemingly strung with strands of white Christmas lights. The fireflies weren’t floating around, but were parked on the branches, flickering in unison. For the next 20 minutes, the boatman steered us from bank to bank, drifting past the silent light shows, the stars so bright it was hard to distinguish their twinkle from the luminescence of the insects. Thailand may be famous for its tropical isles and aquamarine seas, but select rivers and canals in the country’s core offer opportunities for some astonishing adventures as well. Several major rivers like the Chao Phraya and the Mae Klong course south into the Gulf of Thailand, with dozens of tributaries and canals connecting along the way. Continues with photos https://www.nytimes.com/2018/04/10/travel/thailand-river-tour.html

A quick review of some known--and a few not so much--bars in our favorite area. From The Edge Financial Daily A dynamic metropolitan, Bangkok is constantly evolving, surprising visitors with new highlights. In the evenings, it is heaving with greater action, especially at the bars and clubs found all over the capital. As each of these hotspots offers a unique experience, you will be spoilt for choice. Here are our recommendations on where to pull up at a table, kick back and chin-chin (bottoms up) with inimitable drinks in hand. Continues with photos http://www.theedgemarkets.com/article/travel-chinchin-bangkok

For me, without sweet memories I wouldn't have the impetus to plan another trip. Or to borrow from the Bard, past is prologue. But I vigorously applaud whatever works for others and provides the stimulation for repeat visit.

Thanks for sharing your trip with us. The details kindle memories and memories are what sustain us until we begin packing for our next trip. Is there a better way to get old?

Just received message that police will allow water on soi 4. However, I'm unable to confirm.

If you go back to the OP, you'll understand why I'm posting this update. Be forewarned, however: if you're not a baseball fan (or fan of hunky Japanese guys), stop here. From Los Angeles Times The anticipation increased with every zero that was posted on the Angel Stadium scoreboard. This was going to happen. Shohei Ohtani was going to pitch a perfect game. Marcus Semien ruined the fantasy, but only for the day. The seventh-inning single by the Oakland Athletics shortstop felt more like a delay of the inevitable than a death of a dream. So the expectation remained when the Angels' 6-1 victory was complete, only in a slightly altered form. http://www.latimes.com/sports/angels/la-sp-angels-ohtani-hernandez-20180408-story.html It was not even 10 o'clock on Sunday morning. The Angels would play the Oakland Athletics, but not for another three hours. At that hour, the players usually speed right on into the parking lot. Not on this day. "There's a carnival going on out there," one of the players said as he walked into the clubhouse. So is Shohei Ohtani. The Angels sold out. They sold 44,742 tickets, more than for opening day, more than for any regular-season day game since they downsized their stadium 20 years ago. Ohtani's fastball ran as fast as 99.6 mph. His last fastball – on his next-to-last pitch, his 90th – hit 98 mph. He got strikeouts with his wicked splitter. He dropped in a curve at 68.5 mph, just for the heck of it, to a stunned Matt Joyce. "That's as good as game as you could ever see pitched," said Angels manager Mike Scioscia, a man who does not traffic in hyperbole. http://www.latimes.com/sports/angels/la-sp-angels-athletics-20180408-story.html

From Bangkok Post A seasonal downturn in the baht driven by dividend outflows and a lack of tourists could be worse than usual this year amid rising global bond yields and less liquidity, according to Kasikornbank. A dropoff in tourists after the Songkran festival in mid-April and payouts to foreign stock investors usually spell declines for the currency in May. Last year was the first time the baht managed to rally in that month since 2009. Rising developed-market bond yields and the gradual winding down of stimulus by the European Central Bank could prompt overseas investors to rebalance their portfolios away from emerging markets like Thailand, said Kobsidthi Silpachai, head of capital market research at Kasikornbank. “The baht may see bigger downward pressure this year than usual,” he said. “Many clients are asking about this dividend season, while exporters are hoping for some light at the end of the tunnel.” A decline in the baht may provide some relief to exporters who have complained about an 11% rally against the dollar over the last 12 months. Some 87 billion baht ($2.8 billion) of stock dividends will be paid out to non-resident investors in April and May this year, Kasikornbank estimates. If the dollar rises beyond its 50-day moving average against the baht, that could open the way for the Thai currency to test its support area between the March 2 low at 31.587 and the 31.638 trough on Feb 22. Beyond that, the next support lies at the low of 31.957 reached on Feb 9. The currency traded at 31.4172 to the US dollar at 6pm on Monday. https://www.bangkokpost.com/business/news/1443458/cruellest-month-for-baht-could-be-worse-than-usual-this-year

Check Agoda.com website and select "Silom" under pull-down Neighborhood menu. Nantra Hotel would be in your price range.