reader

Vessey, there's a good chance that they were not the only couple having sex in the rain on a bridge in Bangkok at that very moment. After all, TIT, and that's why we keep coming back.

Thanks for your lesson in statistical analysis. But I think most readers here are pretty smart guys and can make prudent judgements based on the numbers. That's what I tried to do: present the information and allow people to decide for themselves. First, you mock the UNAIDS agency for citing Thailand's new national AIDS strategy, which provides a roadmap for ending the AIDS epidemic as a public health threat in Thailand by 2030. Second, you refused to believe that a study of saunas in Bangkok had ever been done. Third, when one was found, you did your best to discredit it. Fourth, when the major source of AVERT's data is found to be that same UN agency, you cherry pick numbers and use a combination of bold face and red ink to pound home what you think people must believe. Give the rest of us some credit for being able to interpret the impact of the reports. Informing folks is one thing; trying to scare them into what you want them to do is something else altogether.

It way have been wet but at least they didn't have to pay for a ST room. Extra points awarded for acrobatics. http://pattayaone.news/en/police-hunt-couple-filmed-romping-rain-motorway-bridge/

I took a second look at the AVERT link about Thailand and found that it relies on the UNAIDS website for its data. Went to the UN site and located the Thailand information: http://www.unaids.org/en/regionscountries/countries/thailand/ At that site you will see Thailand country report - 2015, a pdf that can be downloaded. (The 2015 report cites data collected through 2009-2014 which appears to be the most recent available). In some categories, Information for some years is partially or completely missing. In other years, the figures are unchanged across the years as is the case of the estimate of MSM (550,000) and total number of female and male sex workers (141,769). The percentage of male sex workers living with HIV in 2014 was 11.66%. Condom use among that group with their most recent client was 95.52%. Workers who knew their HIV status within the past 12 months was 54.37%. In the MSM category, condom use was reported to be 82.08%. Men living with HIV was 9.15%. In the category of young men ages 15-22 who have sex with men (YMSM), anal sex declined from 99% to 82% but receptive anal sex increased 55-74%. Condom use among the group remained stable at about 50%. This was for the period 2003-2014. Although not reflected in any table, the report contains a statement that the HIV status of MSM in Bangkok remained in the 20-30% range throughout the period. (This may be influenced by the Silom clinic experience cited elsewhere in this thread). For most of us, this isn't our first rodeo when we deplane at Swampy. The take-aways seem evident.

Excerpts from The Nation SEXUAL HARASSMENT and verbal abuse during the freshmen welcoming ceremony of the Faculty of Painting, Sculpture and Graphic Arts at Silpakorn University have been reported by incoming students. The Anti-Sotus Facebook page reported that freshmen students experienced serious abuse, including graphic sexual harassment, at the welcoming ceremony for the faculty at Silpakorn University on Saturday. Several accounts posted by freshmen who attended the ceremony described senior students giving dubious orders and committing many acts of sexual harassment and discrimination against freshmen, especially male students. The stories from anonymous students posted on the Anti-Sotus page described hazing, including forcing male freshmen to strip naked and shower together before ordering them to simulate sexual acts. Students also claimed that senior male students had rubbed their penises against freshmen’s buttocks. Another student wrote in a post that freshmen had been woken in the middle of the night and forced to take off all their clothes and lie down in positions in which the young students’ faces were aligned with each other’s buttocks. http://www.nationmul...tional/30326947

The authors said at the outset they deliberately avoided saunas that foreigners visit to keep results focused on behavior of Thais. If Babylon and Heaven had been included, mean age would probably have been in the 50's. Unless they're hooked up to a polygraph, that's always the situation in studies of this sort where participants agree to cooperate on basis on anonymity. That's why they spread their net wide (728 participants in six different locations).

Oscar's chose to raise the retail price on a bottle a beer by 30 baht (about 37%) on a cost increase of 2.66 baht (about 2.13%). In effect they increased their profit margin on the sale by about 34%, using the tax increase as the rationale. Will be interesting to see how other bars in Pattaya and Bangkok are responding.

The Australian Research Centre in Sex, Health and Society, La Trobe University, published a study of behavior in six Bangkok saunas in 2012. The report can be downloaded at the link below. The saunas included Farose 2, Beach, Paradise, Torpedo, Cruising and 39 Underground. Some random findings: - The median age of the 728 participants was 31.5 years - The median per visit time was 3 hours, about 45 minutes of which were spent having sex - 56% of participants reported having sex with one partner while 28% reported having two partners per visit Breakdown of socioeconomic demographics, sexual position preference, HIV status and testing and other pertinent data are included in the report. http://arrow.latrobe.edu.au:8080/vital/access/manager/Repository/latrobe:35645;exact=sm_title%3A%22The+Bangkok+Sauna+Study+%3A+Findings+from+a+survey+of+gay+men+in+Thailand.%22

From The Nation New excise taxes will see “moderate” rises in the prices of alcoholic beverages, sugary drinks and cigarettes, the Director General of Excise Department Somchai Poolsavasdi, said on Saturday. He told the press conference that new taxes rates effective immediately would not increase the price of many items, and that some items would be taxed less. He said producers may absorb rising costs for products facing high market competition, but in any case consumers would not pay much more for these products. The new excise system is based on retail price, while the previous system was based on ex-factory or CIF (cost, insurance and freight) prices The details are as following: The tax per bottle of wine priced more than Bt1,000 will be Bt110 upwards, depending on the price. The tax on locally made wine will decrease by Bt25 per bottle. The tax per can of beer will be Bt0.50 higher, and for bottles of beer it will be Bt2 .66 more. For higher-priced beer, the tax will decrease by between Bt0.99 and Bt2. White spirit will be taxed more by Bt0.84-3.49 per bottle. For other kinds of locally produced spirit, the additional tax will be Bt8 per bottle for 28 per cent alcohol content and Bt30 for 40 per cent alcohol content . The tax on other imported spirits, such as Johnnie Walker Red and Blue Label Scotch whisky, will be a little less, from Bt3 to Bt26 depending on alcohol content. For cheap cigarette brands, the tax will add Bt4 to Bt15 more per pack, while higher-priced cigarettes will be taxed at Bt2-10 more per pack. Sugary drinks also be subject to higher taxes. Soft drink taxes will be Bt0.13 to Bt 0.50 per bottle, but sugar-free soft-drink will be taxed less by Bt0.28 Bt0.36 per bottle. Energy drinks will be taxed more, ranging from Bt0.32 to Bt0.90 per can or bottle. Green tea will be taxed Bt1.13 to Bt2.05 more per bottle, and the tax on coffee will be Bt1.35 more per bottle or can. http://www.nationmultimedia.com/detail/breakingnews/30326861

The link in post #2 deserves spending some time exploring and not just for the statistical data. It suggests that msm across the globe, many of whom are too young to have lived through the worst years of the AIDS crisis, are less likely to exercise caution that became common in the 80's and 90's. And there's evidence that older men are becoming less careful than they have been in the past. Based on what I've observed over 15 years of visits, the number of men practicing safe sex is regressing in saunas. The reasons can include reduced availability of condoms and lubricants on premises and reduced inhibition due to anonymity and drug use. I also think that the role that bars and clubs once played in educating the community by distributing condoms and information has slackened off significantly. Likewise, there's fewer men looking for sex partners in the bars as apps proliferate. This is understandably a less than pleasant topic of discussion but I believe most agree that it's one we need to have from time to time. A cursory of on-line search about sexual behavior of msm in Asia did produce one study specific to men who visited saunas in Taiwan, https://link.springer.com/article/10.1186/1471-2334-11-334 Other generalized msm studies of interest: China study: http://journals.lww.com/stdjournal/Fulltext/2008/04000/Concordance_Between_Sexual_Behavior_and_Sexual.19.aspx Philippines study: http://www.academia.edu/23848894/MSM_Sexuality_and_HIV_Risks_The_Case_of_MSM_Sexual_Identities_Behavior_and_Risks_in_Iloilo_City

As high season approaches, it's becoming increasingly clear that the strengthening baht is showing few signs of retreating. Meanwhile, the Bank of Thailand is ignoring pleas from the Finance Ministry to cut rates so it's probably prudent to plan on receiving no more baht than you'd get if you were arriving today (see link to exchange rates following this article). And if things change for the better, you can be happily surprised. Excerpts from The Nation BOT unfazed by call for rate cut The Bank of Thailand is confident on the country’s outlook for economic growth, despite the concerns over a strong baht that prompted a call by the Finance Ministry for a cut in interest rates. The Finance Ministry this week urged the cut in rates in order to ease upward pressure on the baht. But Bank of Thailand governor Veerathai Santiprabhob said a reduction in interest rates would not deter the capital inflows that have been pushing up the currency. Veerathai said investors had shown confidence in the recovery of the economy and thus an interest rate cut would be unlikely to slow the pace of baht appreciation. He said the spread between Thai interest rates and those in other countries may not deter capital inflows as investors are also motivated by other factors in addition to yield, noting that shorter-term bond yields are lower than the policy rate of 1.5 per cent. He said the central bank had been closely watching exchange rate movements and is ready to intervene in the market when the baht rises too strongly in the short term, as this would affect consumption and the whole economy. However, the central bank cannot fight the trend and exporters have to learn how to hedge against exchange rate volatility. "The problem is US dollar weakness. It has depreciated by 10 per cent while the baht moved up by 7-8 per cent from early this year,” Veerathai said. “This suggests other currencies have appreciated more than the baht.” Veerathai was confident that the baht would move in line with other regional currencies and thus result in the country not being at an export disadvantage with competitors. He said that while the inflation rate is lower than targeted, the country was not experiencing deflation as the economy is still growing. Separately, the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (Unctad) – worried about the sustainability of the global recovery – has called for an end to austerity and for more spending to boost demand like the New Deal after World War II. http://www.nationmultimedia.com/detail/Economy/30326709 Today's Exchange rates: http://www.xe.com/currencytables/?from=THB

Excerpts from South China Morning Post Cathay Pacific Airways has said it will save HK$2.2 billion (US$288 million) by delaying the delivery of long-haul aircraft and switching to smaller long-range planes as the company confirmed a HK$31.7 billion order for 32 short-haul aircraft. The airline is cutting costs and restructuring in a bid to return to profit after producing the worst half-year results in almost 20 years last month. The carrier said it will downsize six of its 26 Airbus A350-1000 planes for half a dozen smaller A350-900 planes, raising it from 22 to 28 aircraft. It will also delay the delivery of five more A350-1000 aircraft by one year to 2021. Meanwhile the carrier is seeking to impose pay freezes and changes in pension benefits for its pilots to slash HK$1 billion in cockpit crew costs. Expansion is still on the airline’s agenda though. Cathay Pacific on August 31 announced it woulld fly to Dublin, Brussels and Copenhagen. The airline will close its Dusseldorf route at the same time. http://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/economy/article/2111083/cathay-pacific-save-hk22-billion-changing-investment-new

From Pattayaone An artist’s impression of what the future might have in store for Pattaya’s famous Walking Street was posted online by Sophon Cable. As authorities continue efforts to change the iconic nightlife spot. As you can see from the picture gone are the bright neon signs, Go-Go bar hoardings and nearly all of the people! It now resembles nearly all urban streets found all over the world which might attribute why there are so few people in the picture. Even “Skyfall” a popular Go-Go bar now looks more like a well-known Swedish furniture store than a place to go for a night out. The rendering comes after a recent campaign by authorities to rid the famous street of its Neon signs which they say need to be removed for fire safety reasons, though not many bars seemed to have got the memo at the moment.Another meeting was held this week chaired by Saksit Yaemsri and engineering chief Sompramai with Walking Street business owners in attendance. Continues at http://pattayaone.news/en/walking-street-artists-impression/

From The Nation Chang Chui market is a new hip creative space covering an area of 11 rai on the Thonburi side of Bangkok. Destined to be a creative community where new-generation artists and designers can unleash their artistic ability without restraint, the market packs an art gallery, a theatre / cinema, co-working space, cafes, restaurants, a tea house, a music store and many unique and creative shops, all under one roof. The creative space, officially known as “Thailand Tomorrow” in English, is the brainchild of Somchai Songwattana, CEO and art director of Thailand’s pioneering fashion brand FlyNow. Infused with vintage-style architecture, it is made up of many separate structures designed under the “nothing is useless” concept, with the reuse of old materials throughout. Aged teakwood window frames, massive old glass windows and used corrugated zinc sheets and wrought iron are fused in a unique way into something much-like traditional Chinese shop houses, giving shoppers a feeling of nostalgia. Several eccentric sculptures have been thrown in to give the place a modern art vibe. Chang Chui’s icon is a decommissioned Lockheed L-1011 TriStar airplane that sits right at the center of the market. Named “Naoh,” a spoonerism of Noah’s Ark, the plane is being transformed into a fine-dining restaurant with exotic décor and an eclectic mix of vintage furniture, stuffed animals, sculptures and luxury chandeliers. Run by Michelin-starred chef Andy Yang, the restaurant will serve a range of creatively-designed dishes. Under the airplane is the “Runway Bar”, where diners can have a drink in a vibrant atmosphere as the sun goes down. Film buffs and lovers of drama should check out “Dujit Arai Kor Chang”, an old-style theatre from a bygone era where various performances and well-curated documentary features take turns on the stage. Music lovers can’t miss “Chang Cheum Live House”, where CDs and vinyl records are on sale and local bands play for the crowds. Bookworms can browse a selection of old and contemporary books, as well as stylish handmade stationery at “mali mali”, or flip through books while sipping a coffee in the laid-back ambience of “Yon Yarn Hall”, where “Booksmith” and “One Ounce for Onion” coffee shop share space. Getting there Chang Chui is located at 460/8 Sirindhorn Road, Bang Phlat District, Bangkok. To get there with public transportation, take the BTS Skytrain to Victory Monument Station and then air-conditioned BMTA bus No. 515 or 539. Opening hours Tue – Sun: 16.00 – 23.00 hrs. (closed on Mondays) Green zone (alcohol-free): from 11.00 hrs. Admission Tue – Fri, 20 baht, Sat – Sun, 40 baht Check schedules of performances and activities on www.changchuibangkok.com http://demo.nationmultimedia.com/detail/Travel_log/30326679

Excerpts from The Nation By Phatarawadee Phataranawik The grandest-ever Royal crematorium for the late HM King Bhumibol Adulyadej will be finished by September 30, in time for His Majesty King Maha Vajiralongkorn to install the top of the nine-spired funeral pyre on October 18. This will mark the official completion of construction, Deputy Prime Minister General Tanasak Patimaprakprn confirmed on Wednesday afternoon at a press conference at the National Museum. The cremation of the late King Bhumibol will take place on October 26, the second day of five-day funeral ceremonies. Thai masters are busy finishing the “architecture of heaven” – an elegant nine-spired funeral pyre for the late King Bhumibol that will send his soul into the afterlife in late October. After the royal funeral ceremony, the government will allow the general public to visit an exhibition about the late King Bhumibol from November 1 to 30. The Culture Ministry will produce a special exhibition for the blind to touch and to hear audio The ministry will also distribute 3 million leaflets to visitors. Around 100,000 people are expected to visit the crematorium per day. Continues with new photos http://www.nationmultimedia.com/detail/breakingnews/30326605

Excerpts from The Beijinger Beijing officials have initiated a city-wide investigation after a scandal has implicated a number of local five-star hotels for lax hygiene standards. The Beijing Health and Family Planning Commission announced Tuesday that they will investigate all five-star hotels in the city a day after an undercover report revealed local luxury hotels didn't clean their guest room, reusing bed linen and not cleaning their toilets. Chinese public hygiene regulations demand hotel operators adhere to a "one customer, one-time use" policy in which facilities are freshly cleaned for every new client. Additionally, Chinese hospitality regulations say bed linen and pillows must be changed for each customer. Serendipitously, the Beijing Health and Family Planning Commission released its summer inspection report on the city's 691 hotels just one day after the scandal broke. Forty-six Beijing hotels failed to meet city standards, 35 of which were punished. https://www.thebeijinger.com/blog/2017/09/07/city-wide-investigation-launched-beijing-5-star-hotels-exposed-reusing-dirty-linen

From Pattaya Mail An artist’s rendering of what the new rail line might look like. The State Railway of Thailand next month will request 28 billion baht to construct a high-speed train line linking Pattaya with the region’s three main airports. PATTAYA – The State Railway of Thailand next month will request 28 billion baht to construct a high-speed train line linking Pattaya with the region’s three main airports. Chonburi Deputy Gov. Phawat Lertmukhda chaired an Aug. 30 public hearing at the Asia Hotel about the project connecting U-Tapao-Rayong-Pattaya Airport with Bangkok’s Suvarnabhumi and Don Mueang. SRT development director Julthep Jithasombat said the agency will set forth its formal plan at a meeting next month and make the budget request under the government’s Eastern Economic Corridor project. If approved, construction would begin in 2018 with the line opening in 2022. The planned route calls for a standard-gauge set of tracks to run from Don Mueang to the terminus of the existing Airport Rail Link in Makkhasan, Bangkok, to Suvarnabhumi and through Chachoengsao and Chonburi to Pattaya, U-Tapao and Rayong. Continues with map http://www.pattayamail.com/news/srt-request-funds-pattaya-bangkok-high-speed-rail-line-oct-185487

From The Nation New HIV infections in Thailand have dropped 50 per cent in six years – the biggest decline in Asia and the Pacific, according to the Joint United Nations Programme on HIV/AIDS (UNAIDS). And UNAIDS has applauded Thailand’s Ministry of Public Health for its bold new national AIDS strategy, which provides a roadmap for ending the AIDS epidemic as a public health threat in Thailand by 2030. Admiral Narong Pipatanasai, Deputy Prime Minister and Chair of the National AIDS Committee, launched the 2017-2030 National AIDS Strategy at the Government Complex in Bangkok on Wednesday. The 13-year plan would ensure an effective, cost-efficient and high-impact HIV response, he said. A recent UNAIDS report has found that annual new HIV infections have dropped 50 per cent in Thailand between 2010-2016, the steepest decline for any country in Asia and the Pacific. “Thailand stands out in the Asia-Pacific region for its achievements in overcoming AIDS,” said Patchara Benjarattanaporn, UNAIDS country director for Thailand. “In just one generation the country has gone from having the fastest growing epidemic in Asia to the slowest. The country’s epidemic is concentrated among key populations, including men who have sex with men, transgender people, people who inject drugs and sex workers. http://www.nationmultimedia.com/detail/national/30326588

The current issue of Aviation Week magazine has several articles (none available on line) about Asian and Gulf carriers that some may find of interest. AIR ASIA -- Plans to resume flights to Europe have been put on hold. However, it has 10 Airbus A350's on order that would enable non-stop European service upon delivery expected in 2020. Late next year the LLC expects to take delivery of the first two A330-neos with five more due the following year. Meanwhile, Air Asia may lease some older A330 models to ramp up service to Australia, China, Japan and S. Korea. NARROW BODY BOOM -- LLC's are placing huge orders for new narrow body (single aisle) equipment with IndiGo (409), Lion Air (408) and Air Asia (395) leading the pack. MALAYSIA AIRLINES -- This carrier is embarkd on one of the industry's most ambitious turn-around projects and hopes to become profitable in 2018. MAB has phased out its Boeing 777-200ER fleet as it cut nany European routes in favor of building up its Asia-Pacific network, particularly to China. It may lease used A330's to meet the goal. MAB is considering offering lie-flat beds in premium class and Wi-fi for service on China, Hong Kong and India routes. The carrier has six A350's on order to replace the A380 service to London. The 380's will be transferred to a new charter unit being established for religious pilgrimage flights. For its narrow body needs, it has 25 new Boeing 737MAX-8 and 10's on order, but delivery isn't expected until 2021 (the 10's will be used on secondary Chia destinations). ETIHAD AIRWAYS -- In the competitive Gulf market, Etihad finds itself caught in a bind of its own making. Eithad is the largest shareholder of now bankrupt Air Berlin. The effect could have a very negative effect on its global plans. The trouble began when Etihad brought into numerous secondary or seriously troubled carriers to grow quicker than it could organically. This included Alitalia, Air Berlin, Air Serbia, Darwin Airlines, Air Seychelles, Jet Airways and Virgin Atlantic. With Etihad's exit from the investor scene, the European airline landscape could see drastic changes in the near term.

There's an old expression "you can't tell the players without a program ('scorecard' often substituted)". Never is it more applicable than in LOS.

Excerpts from Reuters article BANGKOK, Sept 12 (Reuters) - Thailand’s military government has suspended international flights by Thai airlines that have not received new operator certificates from the country’s aviation body, a spokesman said. The measure will affect 12 airlines which together have a market share of only 2 percent and so will have little impact on the country’s tourism-dependent economy, the head of the Civil Aviation Authority of Thailand (CAAT) said on Tuesday. Thailand’s aviation industry has been under scrutiny after the U.N.’s International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO)downgraded the country in June 2015, giving it a red flag for missing a deadline to resolve significant safety concerns. Chula Sukmanop, director general of CAAT, told Reuters the suspension will affect 12 airlines, including Orient Thai Airlines and Thai Vietjet Air. https://www.reuters.com/article/us-myanmar-rohingya/myanmar-faces-mounting-pressure-over-rohingya-refugee-exodus-idUSKCN1BN0AQ

Well, you certainly wouldn't be the first person to label a news report they disagreed with as "fake news."

I try to be judicious in how much of an article I copy so not to take up too much space. But I always post link to original article for those who wish to pursue it in greater detail. But your posting this 42 days after the OP and 11 days after nynakedtop's post suggests there's another issue at hand.

I suppose SA is whatever you want it to be. It's a go-go on first floor where boys who happen to be there at the moment will do a little dance and try to entice you to buy them drinks. If you don't want to drink you can just choose a guy and off him or take him upstairs for massage (500 either way). But primarily it bills itself as a go-go. The sofas are now downstairs and second floor has been divided into rooms with a central shower. If you were there before, you've got the idea.

NOTE -- I don't recall seeing this particular description of the cremation process before and cannot verify details elsewhere. Excerpt from Nikkei Asian Review On Oct. 26, a coffin carrying Bhumibol's body, which still lies in the Royal Palace, will be brought here and elevated to the top platform of the crematorium to be incinerated in an electric oven. https://asia.nikkei.com/Politics-Economy/Policy-Politics/All-of-Thailand-readies-for-late-king-s-funeral-in-October