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Stick has learned the ins and outs of Bangkok very well over the years while making more connections than AT&T. And he also knows his audience. Maybe he'll consider giving the other side of tracks some attention? Stranger things could happen in business matters.

Alexx gets the cigar. His prediction proved right on the money. From this week's Stickman column: "Today’s column is not the final Stickman column. Talks have been taking place behind the scenes….and that’s all I can say about that at this stage. I don’t wish to be coy and the truth is I really don’t know exactly what is happening myself. As soon as I know more and things become clear, I’ll tell you."

Flying, unfortunately, is likely to get more onerous. And if you're connecting to US or European destinations, plan on more vigorous examination of your luggage as concern over terrorism heightens. On a recent connection through Doha, my luggage was scanned upon arrival (as transit passenger) and again at departure gate where additional scanning machines awaited. One more reason I try to avoid flying on the jumbo A380. Had a similar experience at Abu Dhabi. But since Etihad has a US pre-clearence facility, you arrive as a domestic passenger, having already passed immigration and customs checks.

I'd go further and recommend that any non-Thai totally avoid using any Thai word or expression of profanity--even if pronounced properly. It's an invitation to violent confrontation that rarely ends well for farang.

From Coconuts Bangkok Bangkok has planned to adjust and change the numbers on 269 of its bus routes to correspond to new train stations in the future. This month, eight bus routes have started using their new numbers as a trial, to make sure citizens are prepared for the change. The buses must have clear signs stating where they stop, reported PPTV. All of the new numbers will have one or two English letters in them to designate the zones in the city and help tourists. For example, Bus 555, which runs to Suvarnabhumi Airport, will be changed to B53E. Wait, is this supposed to be easier for us to remember, right? While it hasn’t been revealed what each English letter stands for, Thai netizens are already moaning about them, as many locals cannot read English. “Are the English letters necessary? Do we need to know which bus runs in which zone?” a Facebook user commented. “I think it’s better to just have numbers. Some Thais don’t know English, but I agree with adjusting the routes to serve the future BTS stations,” another user said. “The old people who don’t read English are doomed. What are they gonna do? Meanwhile, Thai education is not developing,” said a very realistic netizen. Rotmaethai, a Facebook page that informs the public of news about buses, has published the new numbers for the 269 routes. It has not been reported when the city will implement the changes. https://coconuts.co/bangkok/news/erase-memory-bangkok-change-numbers-269-bus-routes/

Any on-line search will produce numerous sites about Thai swear words and profanity. I located two sources that agree that the term mentioned above is "yet mae." NOTE: I don't read or write Thai and am only reporting what I found.

From Channel News Asia BANGKOK: Visitors from Singapore and Hong Kong will be able to use automatic passport scanners in Bangkok airports soon, with immigration processing time reduced to 20 to 30 seconds, according to Thai news outlet The Nation. The system, which is currently reserved for Thai nationals, will be implemented "this month or next", police Lieutenant-General Nathathorn Prousoontorn said in the report on Tuesday (Aug 1). "Cooperation with Singapore on the matter is nearly 100 per cent complete, but for Hong Kong we need more discussions," he told The Nation. Eligible visitors who want to use these scanners will have to first register with the Thai immigration office before entering the country, the official added in the report. There are 52 automatic passport check machines at Suvarnabhumi and Don Mueang airports, and these scanners will be installed with software to read information on the passports of foreign visitors, reported The Nation. Visitors from these two countries were chosen in particular because of the high frequency of entry into Thailand annually compared to other countries, the report said. There are plans to extend the new system to border checkpoints in Nong Khai and Sa Kaew provinces, as well as to other countries with no-visa requirements such as Australia and parts of Europe. It will however not be offered to visitors from parts of the Middle East, South Asia and Africa due to "security concerns", The Nation added. http://www.channelnewsasia.com/news/singapore/singapore-hong-kong-visitors-can-use-passport-scanners-in-9081244

From Pattaya Today It looks like tourists and expats in Pattaya are wising up to some traditional scams. A recent survey by this newspaper, involving visitors and law enforcement agencies, has revealed that some traditional money traps have all but evaporated, at least for now! The renting of Jet Skis plagued the tourist industry for years. Typically, naive renters were charged large sums of money for damage to the Jet Ski – usually dents and crashes – which were there before the most recent transaction. City Hall, after ignoring the problem for years, has at last got its act together. The licensing system for Jet Skis has been modernized and the operators obliged to participate in a collective insurance arrangement. Other scams which also seem to be in heavy decline include touts wanting passers-by to rent timeshare apartments. The fraud included asking people to pay deposits on non-existent properties or to mislead customers into thinking they had exclusive use of the property whenever they came to Thailand. Reasons for the decline probably include greater checks by the Immigration Bureau on foreigners working in Pattaya illegally without work permits and the decline in the number of European visitors who might be interested in the concept. For various reasons, touts can’t make much progress with Chinese tourists who make up the majority of international tourists these days. Surprisingly, a dubious practice which continues to be popular is the “beer tower scam”. A group orders a 3-liter tower of draft beer but staff then insert a smaller tube with ice which reduces by up to 30 percent the space available for the beer. It is not suggested that this scam is commonplace in Pattaya and most bars, clubs and restaurants are more concerned these days with attracting customers rather than annoying them. If not exactly a scam, a common complaint by tourists this year remains harassment by transvestites. The most prevalent feature is the ladyboy gang who work in groups to try and distract a stranger by groping or kissing him whilst his wallet or possessions are stolen. The group then typically escape on waiting motorbikes. A spokesman for Pattaya police said arrests had gone up markedly in recent months and many non-Thai cross-dressers had been sent back home, usually to Cambodia or Laos. He advised tourists not to wear expensive jewelry at night, to avoid dimly-lit areas and to keep valuables in a secure pocket or money belt. http://pattayatoday.net/news/latest-edition/are-scams-diminishing/

From Coconuts Bangkok Police are searching for as many as three tech college students suspected of stabbing to death a student from a rival school. Chanon Chuankhunthod, 20, a student at polytechnic university Uthenthawai, died after trying to fight off attackers outside the downtown MBK Center mall on Tuesday. Chanon was the newest fatal student death in a long tradition of rival student gangs injuring and killing each other. Chanon was allegedly killed by students from Pathumwan Institute of Technology, located just a few minutes from the mall, reported Khaosod English. In a bid to prevent retaliation or other related incidents, Pathumwan Institute of Technology canceled classes through the end of the week and plans to open up again after the weekend. According to onlookers, the senseless killing started when groups of students from the rival schools met in the walkway from BTS National Stadium station to MBK Center. https://coconuts.co/bangkok/news/tech-student-murdered-outside-bangkoks-mbk-mall-gang-rival-school/ From Khaosod English BANGKOK — Chulalongkorn University’s vice president of student affairs apologized Friday for a professor who put a student in a chokehold during the school’s annual freshmen initiation ceremony. University Vice President Bancha Calapiron’s apology came a day after botany instructor and administrator Ruengwit Bunjongrat was filmed placing a freshman in a headlock during the campus event. “I really have to apologize on behalf of the professor,” Bancha said Friday. Supalak Damrongjit, the 21-year-old freshman Ruengwit placed in the headlock, filed an assault complaint with police after Thursday’s incident. Supalak said he was physically and verbally abused when he and the student body president, 20-year-old activist Netiwit Chotiphatphaisal, bowed instead of prostrated themselves on the ground to statues of two past kings credited with founding the university. “He put me in a headlock and yelled at me using curse words as he dragged me off the field,” Supalak said. “He called me a motherfucking kid, used ‘meung’ and asked me where [Netiwit] was.” Meung is a vulgar term of address also used casually between close friends. http://www.khaosodenglish.com/news/crimecourtscalamity/crime-crime/2017/08/04/chula-admin-apologizes-student-put-chokehold/

From Bangkok Post CHON BURI - A 23-year-old South Korean man fell to his death from a condominium building in the Pattaya area in the early hours of Thursday. The man's body (name withheld) was found in the car park by a security guard at View Talay Condominium 5 in tambon Nong Prue of Bang Lamung district. Pattaya police were advised of his death about 2.30am. The man landed on a car, breaking the rear windshield, before tumbling to the ground. He was wearing black shorts and a T-shirt. Police said he had been staying in a room on the 15th floor of the building. http://www.bangkokpost.com/news/general/1299154/korean-falls-to-death-from-pattaya-condo

Photo taken Thursday and published on Khaosod English:

Good point, z909, and very useful info on what to do with those leftover currencies we accumulate in our travels. --------- While on the subject of currencies, this article from The Nation today is noteworthy: A nine-member gang that allegedly printed and sold fake US dollar bills in Thailand has been bust in a combined operation by Thai police and US Secret Service officers. The arrest was announced at a press conference yesterday by Provincial Police Bureau 2 commissioner Lt Gen Jitti Rodbangyang, Chon Buri Police commander Pol Maj Gen Decha Songhong and a US Secret Service officer. Jitti said the nine suspects, including a Chinese man, Zhu Ifeng, 35, were arrested in the operation carried out from July 27 to August 1. Jitti said fake US100 bills with a face value of US1.262 million were seized. The authorities also seized three packs of white paper for printing the banknotes and six fake banknote detecting machines. Authorities also seized a skimming machine and nine fake electronic cards. Jitti said authorities found that Zhu and his Thai accomplices also stole data of credit cards to make fake cards to steal from the owners’ accounts. The US Secret Service officer said similar fake notes that seemed to be printed by the same mould have been found and seized in Thailand and neighbouring countries. Fake notes printed by the same moulds have been used at several Thai bank branches during the past four years, he said. http://www.nationmultimedia.com/detail/breakingnews/30322800

What a difference a year--or even six months--can make. if you want to get a handle on what's happening with the baht vs. various currencies, I find this site simple to use. The USD has been among the poorer performers vs the baht this year. Meanwhile, the Euro, Australian and Canadian currencies have rebounded. The pound has been the more erratic. This doesn't predict the future but selecting the 10-year chart view can be instructive. http://www.xe.com/currencycharts/?from=EUR&to=THB&view=1Y

From BK Insiders Guide to Bangkok Held for the first time in Bangkok last year, The Big Bad Wolf Book Sale returns for its second edition this Aug 11-27 offering more than three million English-language books at heavily discounted prices. The 17-day event will take place 24 hours a day at Hall 9 (Impact Forum) at Impact Muangthong Thani giving book lovers a chance to pore over fiction and non-fiction titles covering cooking, sports, children books, graphic novels and much more, all at 60-80-percent discount. This self-described biggest book sale in the world originated in Malaysia before moving onto Indonesia and Thailand. The event can be reached via taxi or Impact Link van service from BTS Mo Chit (exit no.4) or MRT Chatuchak (exit no.3). Tip: Anyone who visited last year's event would know it gets freezing late at night, so this a rare chance to dust off that old jacket in the back of your wardrobe! http://bk.asia-city.com/news/news/big-bad-wolf-book-sale-bangkok

This BBC link allows you to listen (on demand) to the pronunciation of some common Thai words and phrases: http://www.bbc.co.uk/languages/other/thai/guide/phrases.shtml

Nothing in terms of public sex exceeds what I experienced at The Adonis, a former legit first-run movie theater (Tivoli) given over to gay films from 1975 to 1988. The interior was huge with at least one balcony. On weekends, the crowd swelled by hundreds as the "bridge and tunnel" crowd from new Jersey poured into midtown. It became so infamous that a porn flick (A Night at the Adonis) was filmed there. Here's a great excerpt from a review of the place (see link): In the late 70’s the Adonis was a sexual amusement part. While the images of Jack Wrangler and Movies by Joe Gage flickered on the screen men in the aisles, the seats, the balcony and anywhere they could would act out their own sexual fantasies. Sundays were so crowded that it was hard to find a seat in Adonis but that was all that was hard to find. Men would literally avoid the seats under the balcony’s edge at busy times for fear of being showered with semen from above. http://www.back2stonewall.com/2013/02/adonis-movie-porn-theater-nyc.html

Excerpts from Khaosod English BANGKOK — While the country is not lacking for teen melodramas, less commonly aired issues of youth sexuality and identity are coming to the screen Thursday in a fusion of documentary and dramatization. Stories of Bangkok youth and their search for identity and place in the gender spectrum are brought into focus by “#BKKY,” which follows Jojo, a 17-year-old high school senior, as she grows close to a female friend. Jojo becomes uncertain about her sexual identity when she meets skateboarders Jeff and Jasper. Prior to filming and writing the screenplay, Nontawat interviewed 100 adolescent boys and girls in Bangkok – high school juniors and seniors between 17 and 19 – asking them mostly about love, family and their dreams. “It’s an important transitional period. I remember it was very fun at the time and things changed so fast,” the 34-year-old filmmaker said. “Now I want to know, how are the teenagers doing these days? What do they think? What are the issues?” For the docudrama, he cast four of his teen interview subjects in roles. And many elements remain true. Jeff (Jeff Watson Kiatmontri) and Jasper (Jasper Dohrs), as in the film, grew up abroad and are skaters. In real life, Jojo (played by Ploiyukhon Rojanakatanyoo) and Q (Anongnart Yusananda), used to date girls. Asked if he set out to make an LGBT film in the first place, Nontawat said that wasn’t his original intention. “It’s coincidental that most of the interviewed teens – 60 of 100 – openly talk about their sexual orientation and diverse gender identity. Some said they liked both boys and girls,” Nontawat said. “I also noticed that many kids from all-boys and all-girls schools are more open-minded than those in co-ed schools." “I hope that many parents will watch this and understand their kids in this modern society better, so they can live together in harmony,” Nontawat said. The film premiered in October at the Busan Film Festival and has shown at LGBT film festivals in many cities including Quezon, Glasgow and Boston. It won the Jury Prize at the Hamburg International Queer Film Festival. “#BKKY” opens Thursday in Bangkok. Continues with film clip http://www.khaosodenglish.com/life/entertainment/2017/07/30/taboo-breaking-director-turns-lens-teen-sexual-identity-bkky/

Dusit Thani is in its final year of operation. It closes at end of June and will be demolished (along with other Dusit properties on lot) and replaced by high-rise complex of hotel, apartments, offices and shopping mall. Agoda is offering rate of about 4k bht in early December.

Don't sell yourself short, Stevie. You were robbed of it all right. But at least it was a victimless crime. You're aware, of course, that it's common practice in many Asian cultures to display wealth in this manner, not just the Chinese guy who you castigate here. Although I don't recommend that farangs wear gold on vacation, I respect the right of anyone to wear whatever they wish. You say you have "little respect for guys who wear jewelry." Reminds me of your oft-stated position on guys with belly fat and fail to keep their bodies slim and smart like you do. Doesn't quite square with the "live and let live" motto you're so fond of saying now does it?

Stevie, I beginning to appreciate the wisdom of your logic: blame the victim! So if someone picks your pocket, steals from your room or assaults you, you're fine with that. And I'm sure, as you say, that the thief used the income to feed some poor people. He certainly didn't waste it on drugs. "We"? Can't speak for you, Stevie, but suggesting that criminals be held accountable for their actions doesn't quite equate with advocating Sharia law. I think you fall into that category of liberal who hasn't yet been mugged.

Although there are many unknowns at this point, it's interesting to look back on the Spring of 2015 when he was announcing the pending demise of the column. Then came the news of the investor who reportedly rescued it all. But the details remain murky and will likely remain so as Alexx suggests. I believe that this column tells us a lot about his motivations for wanting to leave the LOS. He's certainly disillusioned with the city that once enchanted him but likewise seems a bit reluctant to disengage from the column. It's been around since 1998 so it's easy to understand the attachment. https://www.stickmanbangkok.com/weekly-column/2015/05/the-last-month-explained/

For someone who knows that "Thai ladyboys have been known to steal from tourists for ages," you seem remarkably ignorant of criminal procedure. The police "inspected around crime scene, questioned eyewitnesses and collected CCTV footage." They present the evidence to a magistrate, obtain an arrest warrant and execute it in Udon Thani. You ask if the necklace was recovered as if the whole case would fall apart if it wasn't. You read the article and know that the disposition of the stolen item is not mentioned. However, robbers rarely hold onto commodity items that they steal. Their objective is to convert it into cash as rapidly as possible (i.e., "fencing") which achieves two of the thief's three objectives: income and disposal of evidence. (The thief has already accomplished the first one that must always precede the others: acquisition). Successful prosecutions are commonly brought in these types of cases on the basis of preponderance of evidence such as CCTV, interviews, and admission of guilt. What puzzles me is what would prompt you to be laughing out loud at the commission of a crime. Doesn't Pattaya have enough crime already to keep you entertained?

You asked and answered your own question. In Pattaya, it obviously is a business.

From Pattayaone A Lady boy has been arrested over a robbery which took place in Pattaya on July 25th. He previously managed to get away with a gold necklace worth roughly 100,000. Pol Maj Col Piyapong Ensarn, inspector of Pattaya tourist police, was accompanied with police officers to track and hunt Mr Itthipol Srichumpon aged 23 after he had robbed a foreigner. The incident took place in the night of July 25th around the South Pattaya area. The officers were told by Mr Li Zhengyu aged 37 from China who revealed that he was smoking in front of a hotel when a ladyboy came closer and tried to charm him before she suddenly snatched his white gold necklace estimated to be worth around 100000 baht and ran away. The officers inspected around crime scene, questioned eyewitnesses and collected CCTV footage, but the victim wasn’t holding his breath and was realistic that the chances of catching the thief were slim. However, using the evidence collected, the officers managed to track the culprit down and brought arrest warrant to arrest him at his home in Udon Thani.

From Bangkok Post Travellers have been told to allow for at least three hours if they're going from downtown Bangkok to Don Mueang airport by road as roadworks in the area get under way. The Highways Department plans to rebuild a ramp connecting the airport with the adjacent Vibhavadi Rangsit Road. The work is part of a project to expand the outbound Vibhavadi Rangsit Road opposite the outbound Vibhavadi Rangsit Road opposite the airport. The plan is to demolish the ramp and rebuild it so the entrance to the ramp will be located closer to the nearby rail track and away from the point of traffic congestion. Once the ramp entrance has been moved, there will be space to construct a third lane on the road which will improve traffic flow. During the closure, motorists heading to the airport from downtown Bangkok should take the U-turn near the air force base on the road and enter the airport through either entrances 3 or 4. http://www.bangkokpost.com/news/general/1296891/don-mueang-off-ramp-closed-for-repairs