reader

From Coconuts Bangkok Bang Sue Grand Station, an upcoming transportation hub in Bangkok’s suburbs, will replace Kuala Lumpur’s Grand Sentral as the region’s largest railway station when it opens in 2020. The Bang Sue Grand Station will sprawl over 300,000 sqm. It will serve as a connecting point for the Airport Rail Link, three MRT lines, and high-speed rails that travel outside of the capital, according to recent updates reported in the Thai edition of China’s Xinhua News. Those high-speed rails will connect to the north (to Chiang Mai), as well as incorporate the Bangkok-Hua Hin line. The site, currently under construction, will replace the old-school Hua Lamphong station, which has been Bangkok’s main transportation point since its opening in 1916. Will the real thing look as good as its rendering? We’ll have to wait until the third quarter of 2020 to find out. Continues with photos https://coconuts.co/bangkok/news/bang-sue-grand-station-bangkok-get-largest-train-station-southeast-asia/

From CNN Singapore (CNN) — A 250-meter-long bouncing net three stories above ground. A 50-meter-long suspended bridge with glass-panel flooring. Walking trails amongst a lush jungle of animal-shaped topiaries in a five-story terraced garden. A 40-meter-tall waterfall cascading from an opening in a vaulted glass roof canopy. An art sculpture made up of four giant, integrated slides. And that's just scratching the surface. The thrilling attractions at Singapore's SGD$1.7 billion (US$1.27 billion) Jewel Changi Airport, an addition to Changi Airport due to open in 2019, will boost the already impressive offerings of a facility that's been voted best in the world for six years in a row. With its "delicate" latticework of glass panels framed in steel, the distinctive donut-shaped Jewel is first and foremost a central hub, connecting three of Changi Airport's current four terminals. But it's also potentially a destination in its own right, featuring a large mall to entice locals and visitors alike. Conceived by Moshe Safdie as a new "magical garden," hopes are high that the award-winning architect's impactful building will become as celebrated as his Sky Pool at Marina Bay Sands. Continues with video https://www.cnn.com/travel/article/jewel-changi-airport-singapore/index.html

Can recommend The Sympathizer (Viet Thanh Nguyen), winner of the 2016 Pulitzer Prize for Fiction. Set in Saigon, Los Angeles, Thailand and reunified Vietnam, it touches on topics readers here have discussed from time to time: loyalty to boyhood friends, corruption, the war, Viet culture and discrimination experienced by those of mixed heritages. It's a thriller that's difficult to put down and would be, I think, ideal for a long international flight. Available in paperback.

Think it's likely that girlfriend or wife are also demanding their company. But when twinks are offered an evening in AC room with comfortable bed, it's a much easier choice. To paraphrase Ceasar, We came, we saw, we took what was on offer.

I suspect these tag-alongs aren't really interested in having sex but rather collecting stories to tell their peers. Certainly warn them about not going any place on second floor in Patpong. Tell them to be sure to have 100 bht notes to tip ladies in the ground floor bars. That should satisfy them. Taken them to the S and M bar on Patpong 2; that would make for a fantastic story back home. There's no shortage of massage shops along Suriwong, catering to visitors. Encourage them to get a private oil massage. You can't accompany them to the room and they're free to make up any account they wish of the event. It's an economical take in and all they'll probably want to do after is have a drink and talk among themselves about how great it was.

Good question. Couldn't find anything specific about the new service but going back four years ago when Singapore was flying an Airbus 340-500 non-stop on the same route in a 100-seat, all-business class configuration, think I found the answer. Flight Aware shows SQ21 departing Newark and flying a polar route over Canada, the ice cap and down over Russia, China and SE Asia into Singapore, in a flight time of 18 hours and 4 minutes. Flight Aware shows SQ22 departing Singapore and flying an easterly route over the Aleutians, Alaska, Canada and down into Newark, in a flight time of 18 hours and 47 minutes. If the airline flies the same route on the EWR-SIN leg, think I might be a bit uncomfortable in a twin-engine aircraft flying so far from an airport while over northern Canada and the ice cap. Wouldn't have any qualms on the return flight as it mimics the route I've flown many times (with stops in Tokyo) on other carriers in 777's. Here are links to those flights that show routing. https://flightaware.com/live/flight/SIA21 https://flightaware.com/live/flight/SIA22

There's another innovation in the works that may well have a greater impact than the Airbus 350-900ULR. Boeing has announce a new generation of its workhorse wide body 777 that will be larger but featuring folding wingtips that will allow it to fit into existing wide-body gates. From UPI The Federal Aviation Administration has signed off on proposed designs for the newest version of Boeing's 777, which will feature retractable wings. Boeing said the 777X design will expand the wingspan to 235 feet. That's too wide for most airports, so the tips of the wings can retract and reduce the span to 212 feet -- small enough to continue using terminals designed for older 777s. The wings won't fold while in flight, only while the plane is on the ground. Engineers have developed primary and secondary latch systems that will keep the wings fully extended during flight. The standard wingspan is just under 200 feet. By contrast, wings on Boeing's 787 measure 197 feet and 117 feet on its 737. A wider wingspan boosts fuel-efficiency by lowering drag. The 777X will carry as many as 425 people. Continues with video https://www.upi.com/Top_News/US/2018/05/25/Boeing-777X-to-have-retractable-wings-a-first-for-passenger-travel/7521527255838/?spt=rrs&or=3

From NYTimes Got 18 hours and 45 minutes? That’s the length of a new flight between Singapore and Liberty International Airport in Newark. Service on what Singapore Airlines says will be the longest commercial flight in the world begins on Oct. 11. The flights will become daily beginning on Oct. 18. Singapore Airlines will be the first airline to use Airbus’s A350-900 U.L.R. (for ultra long range) planes, which have extra fuel capacity, are made of a carbon fiber that is lighter than the aluminum of traditional jets and burn less fuel because they have only two engines, compared with the four on many other long-haul jets. The flights will have 161 seats — 67 in lie-flat business class and 94 in premium economy, which uses bigger seats that have more legroom than traditional coach seats but do not have the ability to become a bed. “The nonstop flight length is at least about two to three hours shorter than the one stopper, maybe even four hours,” in terms of door-to-door travel time for most customers, said Mak Swee Wah, the airline’s executive vice president, commercial. The company has not yet released pricing information. https://www.nytimes.com/2018/05/30/business/newark-singapore-longest-flight.html

From Khaosod English BANGKOK — A military unit overseeing motorcycle taxi services will encourage riders to register with private ride-hailing applications to ease conflict while new rules are being written. Responding to growing anger which led to a recent mass protest of win motosai at the headquarters of Grab, the largest such service, Maj. Gen. Piyapong Klinpan said the 11th Army Military Circle will meet Thursday with motorcycle taxi representatives, application service providers and other related officials to find a solution. “The problem is people are sick of motorcycle taxis and turn to the GrabBike application for an alternative,” he said. “Riders from the application coming to the win’s area upsets them and leads to fighting.” He said the unit supports the idea of win registering with any ride hailing service, whether Grab, GoBike or Banana Bike, provided they cooperate with transportation regulations. Piyapong added that lawful solutions are needed “to provide the most convenient variety of service options to the people.” Earlier this month, the special military unit responsible for national security matters stepped in to mediate the war for customers between traditional providers and Grab as complaints about street brawls poured in. It said the company agreed to pull unlicensed vehicles while the transport department drafts new rules that support application-based services. Win currently cannot pick up customers outside their registered areas, while GrabBike riders go anywhere for fares. Hundreds of win riders held a rally to Grab main office on May 17 in hope of pressuring the company to shut down unregistered taxis. http://www.khaosodenglish.com/featured/2018/05/30/military-urges-motosai-to-register-with-app-any-app/

I've often agreed with a fellow board member that the guys in jeans we were observing on soi Twilight outside their bars were sexier than some inside just wearing briefs. It allows the imagination--and lust--to flourish. Same same when viewing those assembled outside massage shops. As you aptly put it, there's something for everyone. It's just a matter of going with an open mind....and wallet.

From Coconuts Bangkok Starbucks’ new, much-heralded policy of allowing people to chill in their stores whether they’re customers or not isn’t the only big news out of the US-based coffee giant this week. They’ve also opened what’s being called their “second-largest” store in the world yesterday, and it’s right here in Bangkok. The brand new store — dubbed the second-largest by the mall’s PR team — is located on the first floor of CentralWorld and features a co-working space and two meeting rooms. It looks nearly as neat as the world’s largest Starbucks, in Shanghai, which stretches over some 2,694 square meters. https://coconuts.co/bangkok/food-drink/bangkok-gets-second-largest-starbucks-world-photos/

From Khaosod English BANGKOK — Two Japanese movies – a romantic-fantasy and a manga-inspired jazz-theme drama – showing on the last day of a soon-to-vanish standalone cinema have been booked out by fans. There are no more seats for the May 31 nighttime screenings of Japanese films “Kids on the Slope” and “Tonight at Romance Theatre” – the venue’s final day. Theater owner Apex Lido posted online that the 6:45pm “Tonight at Romance Theatre” and 8:45pm “Kids on the Slope” are thoroughly booked. Because after that, it’s curtains for the 49-year-old, centrally located movie house. But don’t despair: High demand led the theatre to add 27 seats for both showtimes. Tickets will be sold first-come, first-served at the box office starting at 10am Saturday. Apart from the Japanese films, the movies that will close out the theatre (for which seats remain available) are Star Wars spin-off “Solo: A Star Wars Story,” French post-World War I drama “See You Up There,” gay romance “God’s Own Country,” noir thriller “Terminal” and superhero sequel “Deadpool 2.” The theatre’s long run will also finalized by the Silent Film Festival organized by the Thai Film Archive. Silent films showing Thursday are Erich von Stroheim’s “Foolish Wives,” two-reel silent short film “45 Minutes to Hollywood” and Buster Keaton-starring comedy “Sherlock Jr.” Since property owner Chulalongkorn University’s New Year’s Eve announcement that the cinema would ends its five-decade run following its contract expiration, movie fans have been trickling in to bid Lido farewell. A whiteboard was installed for people to leave their goodbyes. “Thank you. Watching movies becomes my hobby because of you. You make who I am today,” a fan noted. Lido opened June 27, 1968, with 1,000 seats and French action-adventure film “Guns for San Sebastian” on its single large screen. It’s been part of the Apex theater chain which originally consisted of Sala Chalerm Thai, Siam, Lido and Scala cinemas. It remains to be seen whether Lido will be demolished too or remade into another department store. http://www.khaosodenglish.com/featured/2018/05/25/last-call-lido-cinema-adds-seats-for-final-sold-out-shows/

From BBC Skirting the edge of Bangkok’s restless Chinatown district, barely noticeable among the sagging electrical wires that drape over the city like bunting and the flurry of street hawkers offering colourful fabrics and sparkling baubles, the Nightingale Olympic department store has been both a retail and a psychological anchor of the neighbourhood for almost nine decades. All but forgotten, the multi-level cabinet of curiosities stands as a monument both to its own history and to that of the woman who has kept it alive. Now 96 years old, Aroon Niyomvanich started her career at Nightingale Olympic, the city’s first major department store, when she was just 10 years old. “I was born into the store,” she told me from behind her desk in a corner of the main selling floor. Inside, the Nightingale Olympic feels more like a living museum diorama than a department store – a Wes Anderson movie come to life. Shelves full of 1950s hosiery in original boxes sit across from stiff-stringed tennis racquets from the ‘70s. In the lingerie section, large, lacy bras hang precariously on rusty tenterhooks, seemingly kept upright by the makeshift counterweight of a 1960s Nightingale promotional bag. Display cases jaundiced with age hold bottles of rare, evaporating Schiaparelli and Christian Dior perfumes. There are deep, progressing fissures in the necks of the store mannequins, and much of the stock looks as if it might turn to dust if handled. A glass case behind Niyomvanich’s desk holds a mélange of disparate items, ranging from family photos to sports trophies to a small collection of action figures. A calendar open to a page of King Maha Vajiralongkorn, one of many images of the Thai royals around the store, hangs prominently on the wall. “Everything here has meaning,” she said. Given that this neighbourhood is showing the telltale signs of redevelopment (a hipster barbershop has just opened across the street), I asked her if anyone has ever offered to buy the Nightingale Olympic, a question that prompted a wry smile. “No-one would dare ask,” she said. Continues with photos http://www.bbc.com/travel/story/20180524-bangkoks-forgotten-shopping-centre

From Khaosod English BANGKOK — The decision to build new airports at two top tourist destinations was welcomed by the head of the tourism department Friday as a means to support ever-growing tourist arrivals. Two days after the national airport operator announced it would build two new airports to service Chiang Mai and Phuket, Yuthasak Supasorn, director of the Tourism Authority of Thailand, said it was a good sign for the industry, which is a significant source of income to the country. “It would help ease the congestion in both places,” he said. “Especially for Chiang Mai’s airport, which doesn’t operate at all hours, the expansion will be of great help.” Nitinai Sirismatthakarn, president of Airports of Thailand, or AOT, said Tuesday it approved 120 billion baht to build the new airports over the next five years and expects them to be operating by 2025. He said both would have capacity for 10 million passengers and international flights annually. Last year, 9.9 million passengers passed through Chiang Mai’s airport (CNX), while that of Phuket (HKT) welcomed 16.2 million passengers, according to AOT. http://www.khaosodenglish.com/featured/2018/05/25/chiang-mai-phuket-second-airports-will-be-great-help/

Sometimes just a smile will suffice to break the ice.

From Coconuts Bangkok Ever mixed coffee and Coca Cola? Yeah, neither have we, and yet we’re about to get the chance to find out what it tastes like when limited-edition “Coke Plus Coffee,” a coffee-cola hybrid launched in Japan and Australia late last year, hits Thailand in just over a week. The Thai version, which will enter the market on June 1, features Robusta coffee, the type of bean popularly grown in southern Thailand, and get this … it’s being marketed as “health drink,” because it has 50 percent less sugar than a regular cola. Yep, you read that right. The product is being aimed at students and workers who need a little pick-me-up in the afternoon... https://coconuts.co/bangkok/food-drink/robusta-cola-coke-to-launch-coffee-cola-hybrid-in-thailand/

For those who like that sort of thing, that is the sort of thing that they like.

NOTE -- Must have walked by this place under construction a hundred times on my last trip but little did I suspect what would emerge. The spot was once an Irish pub that did a respectable business, even though it was located at the corner of Silom and Thaniya, the soi where Japanese men go to shop for golf paraphernalia by day and nookie by night. But now it's ......how do I say this on a gay forum......it's--forgive me--a Hooters. With just about all of us lamenting the impending shutdown of Soi Twlight at the other end of Thaniya, now Bangkok's third branch of the bouncing boobs is open for business. Not that there's anything wrong with that. I don't feel threatened when I walk down Patpong and see more in-your-face stuff but somehow Hooters rubs me the wrong way. And I think I know what it is. It's an attempt to make sex wholesome. If I wanted wholesome sex I'd stay home. Or get married--to a woman. But, damn it, would not go to Bangkok. Enough of my raving. See it for yourself, thanks to the magic of You Tube.

From Wall Street Journal PANG-ASOK, Thailand— Li Guanghe has built some of the most technically complex railroads in China. Now he faces his toughest challenge yet: working abroad to deliver a flagship rail project in Thailand that could make or break China’s hopes of selling high-speed trains abroad. Exporting high-speed rail is one of the ambitious elements of President Xi Jinping’s Belt and Road initiative, which aims to upgrade trade and transport networks from Africa to the Pacific. But despite throwing its diplomatic weight behind high-speed rail, China has struggled to convince would-be partners to commit to the costly technology. After years of stalling, Thailand in November started work on the $5.5 billion first phase of a high-speed railway that Beijing hopes will eventually form part of a China-to-Singapore route—a potentially lucrative prize for Chinese rail contractors. Now the heat is on Mr. Li to complete the initial 157-mile stretch connecting Bangkok with the city of Nakhon Ratchasima. “There’s a lot of pressure,” said Mr. Li, a chief engineer with state-run China Railway Design Corp. , and the man in charge of the project. Construction vehicles rumbled over the soil of this freshly turned site in Pang-Asok, a small rural town in northeast Thailand surrounded by cornfields and foothills. The proposed 2,200-mile Pan-Asia Railway would run south from China to Singapore, via Laos, Thailand—its 1,000-mile central section—and Malaysia. The system would be completely new; there is no high-speed rail in Southeast Asia today. Continues at https://www.wsj.com/articles/railroaded-the-chinese-high-speed-train-network-no-one-else-really-wants-1526644804

Thanks you, Peter, for clarifying that. Heading should have read "Air Asia nixes starting new airline in Myanmar." Here's some additional content from the same article that may be of interest: Shares in AirAsia Group fell as much as 10 percent on Monday in the first trading session since Fernandes apologized for endorsing former Malaysian leader Najib Razak days before he lost a general election last week to veteran politician Mahathir Mohamad, 92. Fernandes apologized and said he was under intense pressure to support the Najib government. The Malaysian Aviation Commission (Mavcom) on Tuesday refuted accusations by Fernandes that it had told the budget airline to cancel all additional flights intended to help voters return home before polling day. The regulator said it had filed a police report against Fernandes. Fernandes told Reuters in Bangkok he would not comment on the police report and referred Reuters to statement by AirAsia on Tuesday saying it "strongly refutes" the report lodged by Mavcom.

This is an excerpt taken directly from the Film Fest website listed above: "The LGBT+ Film Festival will explore the diverse facets of the community through films, special events, talks, and live performances and a special art exhibition. It is going to be a safe place for discussions about important issues, such as marriage equality and equal opportunity. We are aiming to bring the LGBT+ community and the world together to celebrate diversity, creativity and strength." The event is not billed as an all-Asian film fest. It does, however, includes a movie about a Filipino mechanic and a Taiwanese aborigine student, and another film set in the Philippines.

I'm confident ChristianPFC will not forget us and we'll soon be reading about the delights of Taiwan. We remain your loyal followers, Christian!

From Coconuts Bangkok Photographer Dax Ward has been shooting abandoned places throughout Thailand, South Africa, and his home country, the United States, since 2016. Coconuts previously featured his photos of abandoned trains in Thailand, and ahead of his first solo show in Asia — opening this Friday at Sathorn’s JAM Cafe — we followed Ward to one of his recent shooting locations to talk about his work and upcoming exhibit, “Abandonia”. A few of his photo series, such as those of Chonburi’s abandoned Batman nightclub and Thailand’s airplane graveyard, have been published by The Guardian, The Daily Mail, CNN Style, The Sun, (and interestingly) The Weather Channel. Yesterday, we followed Ward around a block of abandoned apartments in Samut Prakarn, one of the locations featured in “Abandonia”. The construction project clearly came to a sudden halt — there’s one tower that ends just halfway through. Ward says that he tries to get permission from the owners to visit the abandoned places he shoots, but he’s also not opposed to climbing a wall or bribing a security guard to gain access. He doesn’t feel bad about doing that because: “When I go to a place, I never intend to do any damage. I never break a lock. I just walk in and document the history and state of the place before it disappears.” He also notes that Thai trespassing laws are based more on the intent of the person than their actual presence in a forbidden place. So, if they found glass bottles or spray paint on you, you might be in more trouble than if you were walking around with a camera. The owners of some places that appear in “Abandonia”, such as a movie theater that he shot outside of Sukhothai, were actually thrilled to show him around. They were glad to have someone interested in hearing their family’s story — of how hard they tried to keep the place running, but ultimately had to close it down due to competition from nearby mall theaters. Exhibit location JAM Cafe 41 Soi Rong Nam Kang BTS Surasak Continues with photos and map https://coconuts.co/bangkok/lifestyle/abandonia-exploring-abandoned-sites-photographer-dax-ward-ahead-solo-show-jam/

Tale of the Lost Boys From Khaosod English BANGKOK — From road-tripping drag queens in a 1994 dramedy to Parisian AIDS activists protesting their government, eight movies will screen in July at the LGBT+ Film Festival. To celebrate gender diversity, an alternative cinema in Bangkok’s Sathorn area will host the LGBT+ Film Festival featuring not only eight films with LGBT individuals, but talks, live performances and an art exhibit. Feast on beefcake and male authority when the six-day festival shows French biopic “Tom of Finland,” about postwar homoerotic artist Touko Laaksonen, as well as “The Queen of Ireland,” a documentary about Irish drag queen and gay rights activist Panti Bliss. Tickets will be available online from June 1. The event will run July 3 to July 8 at the Bangkok Screening Room in Soi Sala Daeng 1. It can be reached by foot from BTS Sala Daeng exit No. 4 or MRT Lumphini exit No. 2. Link to event site with map (located near So Sofitel https://bkksr.com/lgbtff2018 http://www.khaosodenglish.com/life/arts/2018/05/15/feel-the-pride-at-june-lgbt-film-fest/

NOTE -- Getting up close and personal with arriving big jets has been long a traditional draw for many visitors to the island of St. Maarten in the Caribbean but Phuket is now attracting the same thrill-seeking tourists. From The Nation A meeting was held yesterday, led by the Phuket International Airport General Manager Petch Chancharoen, to discuss a YouTube post showing photos from the airport’s neighbouring beach. YouTuber “Donprozento” posted a video on March 10 showing tourists taking photos of an aircraft landing at Phuket. The meeting addressed how to prevent potential danger to tourists taking photos and problems that could be caused by a drone. CCTV cameras have been installed near the area as well as three-metre fences and warning signs. Security staff member are patrolling the area every hour. “The law will be strictly enforced for any offence. Both Thai and foreign tourists must not take pictures in this restricted area. Continues with pics and video http://www.nationmultimedia.com/detail/breakingnews/30345724