Patanawet

If you look at the menu section on the PRIDE website, there are still many tapas and Spanish items.

Hello again anddy, TAPAS had a bit of a history. It is all a bit fuzzy in my memory now. TAPAS was originally where Banana BAR is now. Then somehow the little bar called Sugar Bowl (or something like that) was involved. Then Spanish on 4 became called TAPAS and there were two TAPASs in the soi. Eventually, the original Tapas became Banana. Well it was all something like that but as I say 'it's all a bit fuzzy'. Maybe someone cal recall more clearly.

Hi anddy, I asked around the soi last night and indeed it is a refurbishment and will open as a gogo bar next month (the upstairs Banana Room Club is the same owner as Welcome Pub opposite Balcony). Further good news, part of the soi is in for a bit of brightening and livening to happen soon, about the same time as the Grand Opening of PRIDE on the 20th of this month.

I do hope that this is not true. Months ago I was informed that there would be a big refurb in Banana and Banana Room Club at this time. I imagined that the gogo upstairs would be coming downstairs. I was told that the re-opening would be in October. I'll look for more info tonight.

Yes indeed. Looks like another u-turn from Boris. He makes more u-turns than Prayut and Trump combined. This from Bangkok Post: LONDON: Travellers from Thailand arriving in England will still be required to self-isolate for 14 days, according to revised guidelines. The updated guidelines published on the UK Government website late Friday list 59 countries and territories for which no quarantine will apply, starting from July 10. The United States and China are not on the “travel corridors exemption list”, but neither is Thailand, despite earlier reports that it would be

This year’s Songkran holidays will be tied in with His Majesty’s birthday, government spokesperson Narumon Pinyosinwat announced on Monday (June 29). The holidays will run from July 25 to July 28 (the King’s birthday), with Monday, July 27 marked as the first compensatory holiday for Songkran, which had been cancelled earlier this year due to the pandemic. Decision on compensation for the other two days of the three-day festival is still pending. The Cabinet has been postponing making a decision on new dates for Songkran holidays in line with measures to curb the spread of Covid-19. Source: https://www.nationthailand.com/news/30390541

The auspicious Buddhist holidays Asarnha Bucha Day and Khao Phansa (Buddhist Lent), also called “Vassa”, will be observed Saturday and Sunday (July 4-5), respectively. As both are major religious holidays, the sale of alcohol is banned by law across the country on both days. As such, the alcohol ban will start at 00:01am Saturday (July 4) and conclude at midnight Sunday night (23:59pm July 5). As both holidays this year occur on the weekend, the Cabinet last week proclaimed that the following Monday and Tuesday (July 6-7) will be substitution public holidays.

I think this refers to the free waiters supplied by the brewers to push their own products.

Let's wait for the result of tomorrow's (Monday) cabinet meeting. If the PM permits the opening of bars etc. nationally, it will then be for the provincial governors to decide for their own districts. My guess, for what it's worth (very little), is that bars will be able to open with entertainment but only till midnight. Of course, there is still then another level of permission needed -- the local B.I.B. !

BARS OPENING The government, on Monday,after the cabinet meeting, will announce yes or no and when nationally. BUT THEN it is up to the individual provinces whether to open or not.

It looks as though the next weekend in July will be a four day holiday with two of those days being 'Buddha' days. (Sunday the 5th Asalha Bucha day and Monday 6th Buddhist Lent Day). Almost certainly no alcohol on sale on the Buddha days and for the religious boys no alcohol (and other things) from the 6th for three months.

All businesses and activities suspended to control the spread of coronavirus disease will be allowed to resume on July 1 - including entertainment venues and "soapy massage" parlours. Full story: https://www.bangkokpost.com/thailand/general/1940316/all-business-to-resume-on-july-1

Fair enough. I'm sure you know much more than me.

I left Soi 4 at 9:30 this evening (Friday). Balcony terrace was packed. No spare chairs. A few inside as well Telephone and Connection were also busy. 'W' had customers as well. One of the bars further down the soi was open (is it Sports bar or the other one?). Tapas is closed but "G's was open. ADAM Massage was open Fork and Cork open. Jupiter and Banana closed. I believe that the 'restaurants' serving alcohol are licenced till midnight. It's so good to see lights and atmosphere in Soi 4 again. Do not listen to the doomsayers about Soi 4 going the way of Twilight, they know NOTHING! Fake news.

No it's not. The space is rented from Balcony. It is owned By Banana Club Room (or whatever).

The small host bars are actually gogo bars.

You probably go out without a facial mask as well do you?

And remind me, what was the given reason for the original ban from 2 till 5? was there a reason?

From B.P. just now: Sales of alcoholic beverages will be allowed again from Sunday but people will not be allowed to drink in restaurants when they reopen, the government said on Friday. The announcement was published on Friday in the Royal Gazette as part of the easing of some of the stringent measures imposed it the battle against the coronavirus. The decision represents an about-face by the government, which said earlier this week that the alcohol ban would remain in effect until May 31 after it renewed the emergency decree for another month.

True or not --I don't know. MPORTANT: The ban on sale of alcohol will be lifted on Sunday 3rd May. More information will be released tomorrow but it looks like the only stipulation is that you must takeaway. You cannot drink on the premises. Source: นักดื่มเฮ! เปิดขายเหล้า-เบียร์ แต่ต้องซื้อกลับ เริ่ม 3 พ.ค. เลขาสมช.ยัน https://www.khaosod.co.th/breaking-news/news_4053275

You might find the boys in Nature Boys are not so slow or shy

Years ago, sometime in the last century, we used to get from Boots the Chemist homemade wine-making kits. Oh what fun to have demijohns bubbling away in the airing cupboard.

Booze sales ban extended till end of April.