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Opening Rates: Monday, August 20: _____ US Dollar: 34.19 Euro: 46.015 British Pound: 67.48 Australian Dollar: 26.9775 Canadian Dollar: 32.0 _____ Closing Rates: US Dollar: 34.15 Euro: 45.96 British Pound: 67.735 Australian Dollar: 27.2425 Canadian Dollar: 32.0425

The following appears in the PATTAYA CITY NEWS (click link for photos: http://www.pattayacitynews.net/news_18_08_50_3.htm ): _____ South Pattaya Bars Checked by Bangkok and Local Police Despite Calls for Leniency in these Low Season Months On Friday Night, Police and District Officials made checks on bars located in the South Pattaya area. Checks on licenses, explicit shows and employees were made. We begin at Soi Sunee Plaza in South Pattaya where Banglamung District Licensing Officials accompanied by Police Colonel Sutin, the Superintendent of Pattaya Police and a group of Officers inspected many bars. Almost 100 people were checked to ensure they were carrying their ID Cards and if they had recently consumed met-amphetamine. License checks were also made on many of the bars. At the end of the exercise, 20 people were arrested after failing urine tests. There were no licensing irregularities found. We also joined a group of Police Officers from the Children and Women’s Division from Bangkok who inspected a number of bars on Walking Street led by Police Colonel Norasak, Deputy Commander of the Unit and Police Colonel Worapong, Commander of the Eastern Region. The group was checking mainly the Go-Go bars for explicit shows and performers who were showing too much skin. No arrests were made, however the officers did lodge complaints to a number of Bar Managers regarding performers who were seen to be wearing costumes which revealed too much of their bodies. We spoke with a number of bar owners located on Walking Street and around South Pattaya who mentioned that in these low season months they are finding it hard to attract customers and would like authorities to allow a certain amount of leeway regarding activities inside the bars, however this bar inspection seems to suggest that the Police will not allow any forms of explicit shows and even require performers to cover-up more than before, which could have an adverse affect on Tourism here in Pattaya if this apparent crackdown continues.

There are also threads about this on the Gay Ting&Tong message board (see http://www.gaytingtong.com/topic1740.html ) and the Baht-Stop message board (see http://www.baht-stop.com/forums/index.php?showtopic=2563 ). I took a look at the threads on Sawatdee, Baht-Stop, and Gay Ting&Tong. I had no problem getting in. There really isn't any information on the Sawatdee thread that isn't also posted here, Baht-Stop, and Gay Ting&Tong.

Last night a friend and I took a little tour of Sunee Plaza. Several of our friends like to hang out at the Corner Bar and we were on our way there to catch up with them at about 9:00 PM. As we passed one bar, someone told us a raid is expected at about 10:00 PM. In other words, Sunee Plaza was tipped off. When we caught up with our friends at Corner Bar, they also told us a raid is expected at about 10:00 PM. At about 9:40, that's when we began to see the under-age boys starting to make their exit from Sunee Plaza. A few minutes later I wanted to leave. I had no desire to be around when a raid occurs. Naturally, just my luck, my car was parked just outside of Sunee Plaza. Guess who discovered he had a flat tire! My friend called his own boyfriend, who has a tire pump. While we were waiting for him to arrive, we cooled our heels at the Po Pot restaurant. Sure enough, at about 10:20 the police started arriving . . . in droves. Pickup truck after pickup truck, loaded with police officers, entered Sunee Plaza. A large number of individual officers also arrived on motorcycles. We saw them block off Sunee Plaza. Any under-age boys or boys on drugs were now trapped. From what I understand, the police drug-tested and checked ID's of every single boy in Sunee Plaza, whether they were working in a bar or not. I have a feeling, though, the police didn't reel in too many boys considering that just about everybody in Sunee Plaza knew the raid was coming, at least an hour and a half in advance. The bars had plenty of time to get rid of their under-age boys and I'm sure the boys on drugs had plenty of time to escape as well. Once I had the tire in decent shape I wasn't about to hang around to watch the rest of it, but any boys who ended up caught in the net would have to be either deaf or total idiots. Everyone knew this raid was coming. Now, why would I be thinking that there just may be someone in the police department who gets paid to tip off the bar scene when a raid, especially a major raid, is about to occur?

The latest, according to the BoT (Bank of Thailand) is the baht is now expected to undergo mood swings. They expect quite a bit of volatility. According to the BoT, the baht is going to be up and down, and that is going to occur frequently. If you are someone who gets his retirement income direct deposited into a Thai bank account, then whatever the exchange rate is at the moment the money is placed into you're account, that's what you'll end up with. The following appears in THE NATION: _____ Continue Hedging, Firms Told BOT Expects Baht Volatility Published on August 18, 2007 The Bank of Thailand yesterday warned exporters to continue hedging their foreign-currency income because the baht is expected to experience volatility. BOT Governor Tarisa Watanagase said exporters should not expect the baht's recent weakness to persist. The currency could swing up and down so robustly that firms would have to constantly cover their risk. "Exporters should not believe that the baht will be like this for long. They must take care of themselves by hedging their income continuously, instead of covering the risk for only some periods," she said. The baht has weakened gradually over the past few weeks as foreign investors unloaded their stocks on the Thai bourse and shifted the money out of the country to raise their liquidity, which was affected by sub-prime mortgage loans in the United States. The currency opened at Bt34.56-Bt34.58 to the US dollar in the onshore market yesterday and closed at Bt34.50-Bt34.55, after dipping to Bt34.68. In the offshore market, the baht was quoted at Bt33.20-Bt33.50 at 5pm. The stock market fluctuated yesterday, dropping to 732.78 at one point before closing at the day's high of 758.42, up 1.03 per cent, on retail investors' expectations that the new constitution will be passed at the weekend referendum, paving the way for a general election in December. The trading value on the stock market was Bt23.55 billion. Foreign investors were net sellers to the tune of Bt6.8 billion, making their cumulative net sales since August 1 about Bt40 billion. The BOT said earlier this week that about half of the capital from net foreign selling in the stock market had left the country. The direction of fund flows has reversed from the beginning of July, when foreign investors were rushing into the country to grab cheap stocks. The central bank has been blamed for allowing the baht to appreciate relentlessly without active intervention, causing the currency to break historical levels several times. As of August 10, net international reserves were US$86.6 billion (Bt3 trillion), of which $73.4 billion was gross reserves and the remaining $13.2 billion was net forward position. The net foreign reserves were $12.7 billion higher than at the end of last year, reflecting the level of the BOT's intervention in the foreign-exchange market. About 40 representatives of the central bank, the Finance Ministry, academics, bankers and businessmen are to convene on Monday to discuss the foreign-exchange market along with the economic outlook. Tarisa said the meeting would brainstorm the medium-term picture in the light of the current fluctuations in the economic situation. "We are ready to listen to recommendations and will get a very good result," the central bank governor said. Meanwhile, assistant governor Suchada Kirakul said she was confident that the general election would be held, regardless of whether the constitution draft is approved. The election will be held on December 26 if the draft is passed, and will be delayed only slightly if another constitution has to be adopted instead, she said. The economy will not be affected much if the draft is not accepted because the government's budget for the 2008 fiscal year has been already approved, she added. "It is different from last year, when the 2007 budget approval was delayed and there was uncertainty, as a result of which budget disbursement was frozen," Suchada said. Tarisa, along with Finance Minister Chalongphob Sussangkarn and Deputy PM and Industry Minister Kosit Panpiemras, met Prime Minister Surayud Chulanont earlier yesterday to brief him about the economic situation. Kosit said the recent worry about sub-prime debts in the US would not impact the Thai economy, especially in the real sector. The important thing is that the central bank monitors the liquidity in the financial system by keeping track of financial transactions. "As for the situation in the stock market, no one knows the exact amount or for how long foreign investors will sell. But I think the situation in the stock market is still normal. There are still several other factors. The stocks can go down, and then they go up," Kosit said. The industry minister said exporters were unlikely to be affected by the fears of a global credit crunch as Asian economies are still growing well. Government spending has already injected funds into the economy and private investment has recovered, he said, adding that consumers would also be more comfortable about spending after the constitution referendum. Chalongphob warned that Thailand was likely to face pressure from a second round of capital inflows and that businesses should prepare for the situation. Wichit Chaitrong, Anoma Srisukkasem The Nation

In the "All Seasons Hotel Pattaya" thread below it was mentioned that the hotel charges a 300 baht joiner fee. Wowpow responded with: The subject of joiner fees has come up before, but it almost always is about how much certain hotels charge or whether any fees are charged at all. I don't recall any threads ever discussing why joiner fees are charged in the first place. I can understand joiner fees if someone has booked a room for one, but two people end up sleeping in that room. I doubt that it has anything to do with breakfast because few hotels are going to charge 300 baht for breakfast and most hotels issue breakfast vouchers if breakfast is included. If someone joins for breakfast, but is not booked into the hotel, they normally receive a separate bill, just like going to any restaurant. To my mind it is perfectly fair to charge a joiner fee if an extra person, not booked into the hotel, is sleeping in a room that was not booked for him. That's fine if someone is sleeping over. But what about "short time" guests? Some hotels ask a joiner fee as soon as they see a "farang" heading for his room with a boy. If that same "farang" is headed for his room with another "farang," nobody bats an eye. I don't see the justification for charging a joiner fee if someone is visiting one's room for a couple of hours, whether "farang," Thai, or anything else, even when the reason for the visit is perfectly obvious. To me, under those circumstances the hotel is taking advantage of the customer, just like the hotels that force their customers to pay for a Christmas or New Year's dinner whether they want it or not. I'm curious what your opinion is.

Opening Rates: Friday, August 17: _____ US Dollar: 34.42 Euro: 46.1 British Pound: 68.12 Australian Dollar: 27.07 Canadian Dollar: 31.815 Closing Rates: _____ US Dollar: 34.31 Euro: 45.995 British Pound: 67.645 Australian Dollar: 26.5775 Canadian Dollar: 31.7325

The exchange rate is rapidly moving in favor of the US Dollar. Only this morning the opening rate was 34.01. Less than three hours later it is 34.15. While this motion continues, I will do what I was doing when the dollar was weakening. I'll post the daily opening and closing rates on this thread. As of 11:45 AM, Thursday, August 16, the exchange rate is as follows. This message will be edited after today's closing to also show the closing rate: US Dollar: 34.15 Euro: 45.625 British Pound: 67.58 Australian Dollar: 27.2375 Canadian Dollar: 31.3575 _____ Closing Rates: US Dollar: 34.27 Euro: 45.855 British Pound: 67.77 Australian Dollar: 27.385 Canadian Dollar: 31.54

For whatever reasons, the US dollar to baht exchange rate has been improving every day lately. I don't know why, but as long as this trend continues, I certainly won't argue about it. Here are the exchange rates as of 8:25 AM, Thursday, August 16: US Dollar: 34.01 Euro: 45.39 British Pound: 67.375 Australian Dollar: 27.615 Canadian Dollar: 31.2575

Let's not keep harping on this. Enough has already been said. This time I'm the one locking the thread.

This morning I went to the Pattaya Immigration office and asked. Naturally, nobody had any idea other than to tell me it is in the Chang Watthana area, not far from the Don Muang airport. According to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs web site ( http://www.mfa.go.th/web/1.php ) the address is: Ministry of Foreign Affairs 123 Chaengwatthana Road Laksi Telephone: 02-981-7171 See: http://www.mfa.go.th/web/143.php for a map. I have placed another map for you on this post, both in English and Thai. The green circle in the center of the map is the location. Hopefully that will all provide you with enough information to get there without too much trouble. I don't see any BTS or MRT stations in that area. Probably the best thing to do is call the number from a taxi and let them tell the taxi driver how to get there. I haven't tried the number, but I think it is a land line number, meaning that you shouldn't need to dial 082. Of course, if 02 doesn't work, then try it with the 8.

If you look at the pinned topic, you'll see how to get rid of the centering. That's the best we can do until the programmers fix the problem.

It's not so much of a joke. I consider that to be quite a compliment. I'm just as sorry for the boy, his family, and what you're going through as I can possibly be. This is not the time for people to be doing any flaming. As far as I'm concerned you should feel free to write all you want about this terrible incident on this board. Those who prefer to send E-mail to you for fear of being flamed if they post about it here have no need to worry. Rest assured, if anyone is so incredibly low as to try to flame you for it or flame anyone who desires to express his sympathies, then they'll quickly discover that I intend to live up to that compliment. pax vobiscum

You are probably correct. It turns out that the Ministry intends to charge 400 baht for the stamp.

I guess I better pin this topic for a while.

A tip-of-the-hat goes to Wowpow. He discovered the method and posted it on the Beer Bar forum. I think it should be posted here too, since this is the most widely read forum on this board. Here's how to set everything back to normal: 1. Scroll all the way down to the bottom of this page. 2. You'll see a box that says "IPB 2.2.0 Default," with a drop-down arrow next to it. 3. Click the drop-down arrow. 4. Select "Test Default" That restores everything to normal. Thank you, Wowpow.

A full, detailed story about this, with photos, is on the Pattaya Daily News web site at: http://www.pattayadailynews.com/shownews.p...NEWS=0000003619

I too am deeply saddened to know something like this has happened. Nearly every day the news has stories about young people who die like this. Too often it is someone who probably never caused anyone else any harm in his life, and yet his life is suddenly cut short in such a needless, useless way. Despite our personal differences, EarWig, I am truly sorry. I'm glad to know that whoever did this has been caught, but I realize that doesn't help very much.

The following appears in the PATTAYA CITY NEWS: _____ French National Arrested by Immigration Police and Charged with Having Sex with Minors We now take you to the Immigration Office located in Soi 5 off Jomtien Beach Road where Police Major Tanapat from the Special Investigations Unit received instructions from Police Colonel Itipon, the Superintendent of Pattaya’s Immigration Office that a complaint had been received detailing allegations that a French Tourist was conducting sexual activities with minors. The suspect was known to be staying at the Rainbow House Apartments in Soi 17, South Pattaya. A team of Immigration Officers went to the location and to the room of the suspect, number 107. After some time, the door opened and Mr. Luc Bernard Michel Rousselle aged 57 from France looked fearful when he realized those knocking on his door were Immigration Officers. Inside the room was a 14 year old boy on his bed who was wearing no cloths. Mr. Rousselle and the boy were taken to the Immigration Office where the 14 year old confirmed that he had been taken back to the suspect’s room in exchange for 600 Baht in cash. The deal was struck when the pair met in Soi Sunee Plaza in South Pattaya. The suspect was later transferred to Pattaya Police Station where he is now facing charges of conducting sexual activities with minors in exchange for money.

For the past several days the exchange rate has been moving steadily in favor of the US dollar and the predictions I have been reading suggest that the trend will continue. As stated in a thread below, only a few weeks ago the baht nearly got into the 32s. Now it is close to getting back into the 34s. That is still a miserable exchange rate, but it's a whole lot better than if it got into the 32's. First, the latest exchange rates, followed by an article that explains what is going on. Closing rates for August 7: US Dollar: 33.73 Euro: 46.435 British Pound: 68.32 Australian Dollar: 28.775 Canadian Dollar: 31.8125 The following appears in THE NATION: _____ Money From Sell-Off 'Still Here' Fears of a Cash Exodus After Bourse Tumbles Published on August 8, 2007 There are no signs of a capital outflow from Thailand, says a senior central-bank official. This is despite the current sell-off of Thai shares by foreign investors, which has reached a value of Bt18 billion. Bank of Thailand Assistant Governor Nitaya Pibulratanagit rushed to soothe a jittery market yesterday by saying foreign money that had recently left the Thai stock market remained in Thailand. Rather than taking their money out of the country, foreign investors are exercising their choice to leave it in special non-resident accounts for stock trading. Nitaya said there was no need to seek a clearer picture. Her comments came amid rising fears that foreign investors would shift their money to other countries after the sharp tumble in the Thai stock market. Foreign investors who have so far this year snapped up Thai shares with a net position of Bt120 billion have turned to unload the stocks since late last month, sparked by growing anxiety over the impact of the US sub-prime home-loan crisis. The Thai stock market has lost about 8 per cent. The Stock Exchange of Thailand Index yesterday moved like a roller coaster. It started with a strong gain as investors tracked a sharp rise on Wall Street and in regional stock markets. However, the euphoria succumbed to profit-taking, with the local market closing 0.18 per cent lower at 814.4 points, off of an intra-day low of 805.9. Turnover was thin at Bt16.94 billion. Although the percentage fall in Thai shares was lower yesterday, foreign investors continued to dump them heavily for a net value of Bt2.61 billion. This indicates that the selling spree will continue. "If the US catches cold, so do we," said Finance Minister Chalongphob Sussangkarn. "However, the impact will be limited." He said the US deputy treasury secretary, whom he met at the recent Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation forum's Finance Ministers' Meeting in Australia, told him the impact would not be severe. "Current measures to stem the baht's appreciation will be sufficient. The baht has started to weaken. Any new measures might create volatility for the baht," he said. The baht weakened yesterday to end at 33.88/33.90 to the US dollar after opening at 33.85/33.87. Wachovia Securities said in a note that fears of a credit crunch in the US were rising and credit spreads continuing to widen. "Mortgage lenders are reporting funding difficulties, and some hedge funds are receiving calls resulting in forced-selling as leverage is reduced. All of this is beginning to create illiquid market conditions, potentially jeopardizing stock-market exuberance. Fundamentally, however, we still think a credit crunch will be avoided, because non-financial corporate balance sheets remain strong, lowering the risk of default, while the outlook for economic growth is healthy," the company said. "Valuations are also becoming more attractive, although they tend to overshoot in panic situations, just as they do during periods of exuberance." However, Dow Jones Newswires reported that turmoil in the US home-mortgage market was starting to pinch even buyers of high-end homes with good credit records, in the latest sign of rising anxiety among lenders and investors. A jump in jumbo-mortgage rates for prime borrowers is the latest gust in a sub-prime storm that has sunk two hedge funds run by Bear Stearns Companies, knocked American Home and dozens of other lenders out of business, battered an already-weak housing market and fueled weeks of stock-market turmoil.

In the past few days the exchange rate has been steadily improving for the US dollar. Only about three weeks ago the exchange rate came close to getting into the 32s. The lowest I recall seeing the rate was 33.02 baht to the dollar. The exchange rate seems to be getting better. It's slow, but at least it has been steady over the past several days. The closing rates for August 6 were: US Dollar: 33.69 Euro: 46.48 British Pound: 68.715 Australian Dollar: 28.6325 Canadian Dollar: 31.725

The following appears in THE NATION: _____ How the people feel about the charter With fewer than two weeks to go before the referendum on the junta-sponsored draft charter, The Nation asked voters their thoughts. Published on August 6, 2007 lNutthawat Subsin, 26, Chiang Mai Are you seriously asking this question. Absolutely. I will endorse this draft because people's participation is more open. lSirikarn Pongsutham, 25, graduate student. (She will endorse the 2007 draft constitution even if it evolved from a coup.) I want a national election to end the chaos. After that I want to it to be revised again. lJiranan Hanthamrongwit, new-media journalist for prachatai.com. I will reject the draft charter because the Council for National Security, which is not elected, has their hands all over it. They appointed all 35 charter drafters. I also couldn't accept a partially appointed Senate that will have the power to remove members of Parliament elected by the people. lKarin Klinkajorn, urban-planning lecturer, King Mongkut Institute of Technology I'm going to vote against it because it's illegitimate. It's dictatorial to tear down the [1997] charter. And the junta appointed people to write the new charter by themselves, the Constitution Drafting Assembly. lSamak Saensam-arng, a Bangkok taxi driver of Surin It's not convenient for me to go back [home] to vote but I dislike coups because they're like someone with a gun robbing you. lKham Napa, Bangkok domestic worker of Nakhon Ratchasima I'm not going to cast a vote because I must earn money and have no time. I would have endorsed it, though, if I had the opportunity. I would do it because it will then become the people's charter and I want to be a part of that. lSakdina Chatrakul na Ayudhya, labour expert and activist I haven't decided whether to endorse it or reject it but it's pretty much meaningless to me. This draft charter is not good enough. I wish there was a third box on ballot paper for people who wish to vote against the process. Right now the referendum is becoming a political tool - to accept it is to accept the junta and to reject it is to support Thaksin Shinawatra. lPavadee Dhramanuwong, 29, officer(She will not make a decision until she has read the draft.) I've read two pages so I cannot make my decision right now. Sorry, I have a lot of things to do. Pravit Rojanaphruk, Pongphon Sarnsamak

I love the term "soft opening." A few people I know could give a whole new meaning to that . . . The following appears in the PATTAYA CITY NEWS: _____ Bali Hai Plaza Soft Opening There is a new shopping center which is currently in the process of opening located in the grounds of the Bali Hai Port at the South End of Pattaya Beach. It is called the Bali Hai Plaza and features 4 floors of high quality shops including Clothes Shops and restaurants. The man behind the Plaza is a well known figure in the South Pattaya area, Khun Suntorn who is also the chairman of the Walking Street Committee. At this soft opening of the Plaza was Khun Niran, the Mayor of Pattaya along with the former Superintendent of Pattaya Police Station, Police Colonel Somnook along with a host of other local dignitaries. Not much is known about this new Plaza as yet, however it will surely become a popular shopping option for those that visit the Port and who reside in the South Pattaya area.

Sometimes there is a much simpler way to get to where you're trying to go. I don't know if this would have applied in your case, but in general if you have a mobile phone, a phone number for your destination, and there are taxis available, then all you need to do is call the number for your destination and have the venue give the address information to the taxi driver. Even if you don't have a mobile phone, if you're starting from your hotel, have the hotel call, get the directions, and have them either write out the information for a taxi driver or have someone accompany you to the taxi and explain where you're going.

Upon reading the full story and realizing that this man shoplifted the item, then tried to escape with it, and even denied any wrongdoing when he was caught, I think the consequences of his actions were quite reasonable. He was given the choice of paying ten times the price or ending up in a Thai court. If this had happened in the USA, it would have ended up costing him a hell of a lot more than the equivalent of 10,000 baht. He would have been arrested, would have had to post bail to get out of jail, would have had to appear in court, and would have ended up paying a fine and court costs. In this case he received a slap-on-the-wrist and was sent on his way. My opinion is, if anything he ought to be grateful that nothing more came of it. After all, he's the one who decided to try to steal the item. I believe, at least in this case, the punishment fit the crime.