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From NHK Newsline A video look at the evolving styles of the Morlam music scene at a recent Thai festival. https://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/en/news/videos/20180129205029780/

It does. It's called Global Entry. Global Entry is a U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) program that allows expedited clearance for pre-approved, low-risk travelers upon arrival in the United States. Members enter the United States through automatic kiosks at the following airports: Abu Dhabi International Airport (AUH)* Anchorage - Ted Stevens International Airport (ANC) Aruba - Queen Beatrix International Airport (AUA)* Austin - Austin-Bergstrom International Airport (AUS) Baltimore/Washington International Thurgood Marshall Airport (BWI) Boston-Logan International Airport (BOS) Burlington International Airport (BTV)* Calgary International Airport (YYC) Charlotte-Douglas International Airport (CLT) Chicago Midway International Airport (MDW)* Chicago O'Hare International Airport (ORD) Cincinnati/Northern Kentucky International Airport (CVG) Cleveland Hopkins International Airport (CLE) Dallas/Ft. Worth International Airport (DFW) Denver International Airport (DEN) Detroit Metropolitan Airport (DTW) Dublin Airport (DUB)* Edmonton International Airport (YEG) Fairbanks International Airport (FAI) Ft. Lauderdale/Hollywood International Airport (FLL) George Bush Intercontinental Airport, Houston (IAH) Guam International Airport (GUM) Halifax Stanfield International Airport (YHZ) Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport (ATL) Honolulu International Airport (HNL) John F. Kennedy International Airport, New York (JFK) John Wayne Airport (SNA)* Lambert - St. Louis International Airport (STL) Los Angeles International Airport (LAX) McCarran International Airport, Las Vegas (LAS) Miami International Airport (MIA) Milwaukee - General Mitchell International Airport (MKE) Minneapolis/St. Paul International Airport (MSP) Montreal Pierre Elliott Trudeau International Airport (YUL) Nassau - Sir Lynden Pindling International Airport, Bahamas (NAS)* Newark Liberty International Airport (EWR) Oakland International Airport (OAK)* Orlando International Airport (MCO) Orlando-Sanford International Airport (SFB) Ottawa Macdonald-Cartier International Airport (YOW) Philadelphia International Airport (PHL) Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport (PHX) Pittsburgh International Airport (PIT) Portland International Airport (PDX) Raleigh-Durham International Airport (RDU)* Sacramento International Airport (SMF)* Saipan International Airport (SPN)* Salt Lake City International Airport (SLC) San Antonio International Airport (SAT) San Diego International Airport (SAN) San Francisco International Airport (SFO) San Jose International Airport (SJC)* San Juan-Luis Muñoz Marin International Airport (SJU) Seattle-Tacoma International Airport-SeaTac (SEA) Shannon Airport (SNN)* Tampa International Airport (TPA) Toronto Pearson International Airport (YYZ) Vancouver International Airport (YVR) Washington-Dulles International Airport (IAD) Winnipeg James Armstrong Richardson International Airport (YWG) There is another program (administered by Canada) called Nexus for Canadian and US citizens. Nexus is joint service of Canada Border Services Agency and US Customs and Border Protection designed for pre-approved, low-risk travelers. Members of the program can avoid long waits at border entry points by using reserved lanes at land crossings into Canada and the United States (including from Mexico), by using self-serve kiosks at airports in Canada, the US and some international locations, or by phoning border officials for a marine entry.

If you choose Tarntawan, ask to talk with "Mack" if you have any problems. He was a bellman when I made my first bkk trip and now can also be found behind the desk in multiple roles. Always found him eager to help. The elevator guard, bellman and sometimes waiter is a sweetheart who also was on hand 16 years ago. He works the 0600 to 1800 shift. Never seen him when he wasn't smiling; loves his job.

Agree. I've done this only once buy tipped the first guy 200 to eliminate any hard feelings.

A smile needs no interpreter or translation; it's message is universally understood. If I smile at a guy I'm interested in and he doesn't respond in kind, I've learned it's probably unwise to pursue the situation. When a guy smiles, he acknowledges my existence. It doesn't matter to me if he admiring the baht in my pocket, he's already made me feel better about him--and myself. The fact that he smiled doesn't guarantee a memorable event is in the offing. Without it, however, there will be no event.

There I was, perfectly willing to give you all due credit for breaking the news about this "secret". You're an honest guy, Bucky.

Not read Chinese but can read your English post. You let the cat out of the bag.

This being my 16th year of traveling to LOS, I've always found entry process remarkably simple although albeit a bit slow at times. Once you reach an immigration station, however, processing time is 60-90 seconds. Never been asked a question. At least that's been my experience.

Haven't been to the UK for about seven years. Do they have those unmanned gates now for citizens of allied nations?

Well it's not a secret anymore.

So you're saying that the Chinese will be treated better in NYC than Bangkok. Interesting.

Depending on what airport you enter the US through, the experience can differ, even for citizens. There are two general types of questions agents ask. One type is designed to gauge your reaction and tend to be more subjective. The other is objective and used to confirm identity.

From Khaosod English BANGKOK — Had too many beer-soaked nights and in the mood for something lighter – but not mocktail light? Problem solved. The man behind a Ngam Dupli-area watering hole recently added his own enhanced Kombucha to its pour-ready offerings, making it the first Bangkok bar, he believes, to serve the tea brew on tap. On the mezzanine of his bar, I Hate Pigeons, Natatchakorn Thanapubodee recently fermented a blend of black and green tea leaves with fruits, lemon, and honey for aroma and flavor. Said to have been brought from Asia during World War 1, the probiotic beverage became a thing in California about 20 years ago due to its alleged but unproven health benefits. Sales have exploded in the past few years as it’s become a fad and referred to by some as an “immortal health elixir.” While its health benefits are unclear, the low-alcohol content can give one a mild buzz that may feel like good health. Natatchakorn used his homebrew talents. He used force carbonation to make it fizzier and headier before letting the wonders of fermentation go to work. Three weeks later, he got an amber-colored fizzy tea-based drink with sweet and tangy flavors. The first sip could remind you of apple cider vinegar. While traditional kombucha – about 0.5 percent alcohol by volume – may be too boring for a craft beer bar, his juice has a little more edge with an alcohol content closer to 1 percent. The first and second batches have already sold out. A third is on its way and will be available early February. A 200 milliliter glass goes for 140 baht. I Hate Pigeons is located on Soi Sribumphen, near Soi Sathorn 1. It’s a 15-minute walk or short taxi ride from MRT Lumphini exit No. 1. http://www.khaosodenglish.com/life/arts/2018/01/26/bangkok-bar-brews-first-kombucha-tap/

The following links contains many posts about Vietnamese boys: http://www.gaythailand.com/forums/topic/11456-screw-boys-14th-november/ http://www.gaythailand.com/forums/topic/11419-the-alternative-to-classic-gogo/ http://www.gaythailand.com/forums/topic/10810-vietnamese-boys

Just reviewed all seven pages of this thread. A significant majority of posts (beginning with post #1) are about Vietnamese boys already. I don't think later posts went off topic because they were all an outgrowth of the discussion of Vietnamese boys. The topic title (Screw Boys 14th November) was simply an identification of the venue on a particular night. If I was to start a new thread titled Vietnamese boys, I'd post a link to this thread because it's the repository for much of the thoughts of multiple members on that subject. Adding the tagline "Vietnamese boys" to the existing topic heading would serve the same purpose, no?

Indeed they do. And with inflation on the rise in all of these nations, more fluctuations are inevitable. A 10-year view of the USD/BHT: http://www.xe.com/currencycharts/?from=USD&to=THB&view=10Y A 10-year view of the GBP/BHT: http://www.xe.com/currencycharts/?from=GBP&to=THB&view=10Y A 10-year view of the EUR/BHT: http://www.xe.com/currencycharts/?from=EUR&to=THB&view=10Y

Dignity expresses the idea that a person has the right to be valued and respected. We are all free to practice or reject it. Up to you.

From Channel News Asia BANGKOK: From cashless payments to automated parking lots, Bangkok's famous Chatuchak market will be undergoing a "4.0" digital transformation. According to the State Railway of Thailand (SRT), the market will become a cashless commercial area by June, reported Bangkok Post on Friday (Jan 26). Visitors will be able to pay for items by using a single card or by Quick Response (QR) code on their phones, said SRT's director for land development, Siripong Preutthipan. With a budget of more than 100 million baht (US$3.2 million) on upgrading Chatuchak market, SRT also plans to build automated parking lots, according to the report. Each lot, which will be able to accommodate 100 cars, will cost around 40 million baht to build, said Mr Siripong. "The systems will comprise automated ticket dispensaries given out to vehicles as they enter," he said. These new initiatives are in addition to the current Chatuchak Guide mobile app which lists the stalls according to category and stall ratings, said Mr Siripong. There have also reportedly been discussions about building air conditioned toilets, with SRT talking with private firms for construction rights. But it will cost more to use the upgraded toilets. Currently, Chatuchak market has eight locations for toilets, but they are due for improvement, said Mr Siripong as reported in Bangkok Post. He added that the upgraded facilities will be ready by the end of the year. https://www.channelnewsasia.com/news/asiapacific/bangkok-s-chatuchak-market-to-go-cashless-by-june-9899840

We can't disregard another's dignity without sacrificing our own in the process.

Excerpts from Bangkok Post In June this year, United Kingdom Visa & Immigration will relocate its visa decision-making centre for Thai nationals from Bangkok to New Delhi in India. The embassy claimed there will be no changes to the visa application process in Bangkok and Chiang Mai, or to overall service times. The move is to maximise new technology and allow for independent visa decision-making, the British embassy announced yesterday. The embassy said that the move to New Delhi will maximise the benefits of new technology that allows for visa-decision making to be "independent of the country of application". It did not state if any problems had emerged in the decision-making processes at the VFS-Global centres in Bangkok and Chiang Mai to spur the move to New Delhi. Applicants in Thailand will see no change to visa service standards and can still apply for visas online and submit their biometrics and documents at the two visa application centres managed by VFS-Global, the embassy added. https://www.bangkokpost.com/travel/news-and-pr/1398866/uk-shifts-thai-visas-to-india

Ironic that the two new 747-800's that the air force purchased were originally ordered by a Russian carrier that went bankrupt before they could be delivered.

You've settled on a system you're comfortable with and that's fine. But you've mentioned a few times that you only tried a massage shop once. I'd hesitate to extrapolate that one "OK" experience and assume that all massage shop experiences will be similar.

From The Nation Bangkok Art and Culture Centre brings the unique Isan way of life and traditions to the Thai capital with the “Isan Contemporary Report” exhibition that opens next Friday (January 26) and runs until April 15. The exhibition will take visitors to explore the different phenomena reflecting the dynamic growth and self-determination of the Isan people as they face up to global change. The exhibition also includes “Common Exercises: Isan Contemporary Report”, a collection of paintings, photographs, videos and installation arts by 12 groups of Isan artists and photographers. Visitors can participate in the Exhibition Education Activity consisting of Curator and Artist Talks, workshops and board games, the Storytelling Activity for Kids that blends Isan culture with story-telling; and the Inspired Books Activity that presents talks on Isan literature. The Music & Art segment introduces an interesting line-up that includes Tum Tern Mor Lam, VKL Khun Narin Pinprayook, Rasmee Wayrana aka Rasmee E-sarn Soul and DJ Maff Sai. http://www.nationmultimedia.com/detail/art/30336778

From The Nation Unseasonal heavy rain on Wednesday morning triggered flooding in downtown areas of Bangkok and caused the traffic havoc. Bangkok Flood Control Centre said on Wednesday before noon that there was heavy rain in many districts of Bangkok, including most of Thon Buri, Ratchathewi, Yannawa and Pathumwan. The highest rainfall as of 11.50 am was 76.5 millimetres in Pathumwan district. The heavy downpour during the morning rush hours triggered floods on many streets. The Drainage and Sewerage Department of Bangkok Metropolitan Administration (BMA) said there was minor flooding of around 15 centimetres deep at Ratchaprasong Intersection at around 11.40 am. The department expected that the flood would recede within one hour. However, people in the area reported on social media that the floodwaters were so high that the pavement was submerged in some parts of Sukhumvit Road. Rains also flooded many sois (minor streets) nearby, which resulted in heavier traffic than usual throughout the inner parts of Bangkok. http://www.nationmultimedia.com/detail/breakingnews/30337046

Too bad Shameless Mack isn't still around; you could collaborate. All too complicated for me, I'm afraid. I don't use the massage only shops because I know where I can find what I'm looking for elsewhere. Like I said, it ain't rocket science in my experience. To each his own but I do admire your ingenuity.