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The following appears in the BANGKOK POST: _____ New Airport Faces Partial Shutdown Mistakes, Graft Found in Almost All Contracts AMORNRAT MAHITTHIROOK Poor construction at Suvarnabhumi may force parts of the new airport to be shut down for repairs. This would open the way for the recently abandoned Don Muang airport to be re-opened to serve Bangkok's air traffic needs. Deputy Transport Minister Sansern Wongcha-um said yesterday that following a recent report on the problems facing Suvarnabhumi airport, it was likely that part of the new facility would have to be closed and Don Muang airport would pick up the slack. Some people had suggested the airport, open less than three months, be completely closed for a revamp, with flights being redirected to Don Muang until the improvements are completed, Mr Sansern said. He was opposed to that. Trying to move everything back to Don Muang would cause chaos. The Council for Democratic Reform _ now the Council for National Security _ asked about the readiness of Suvarnabhumi airport just after the Sept 19 coup, but executives of the Airports of Thailand (AoT) had insisted the airport was ready for the scheduled Sept 28 opening. Opening the airport before it was completed had inevitably led to problems. If the opening had been delayed to allow work to be finished properly, the airport would have started on a more solid footing. The new AoT board appointed after the coup has discovered physical and managerial problems at Suvarnabhumi airport. Board member Yodyiam Theptranont, who heads a sub-panel investigating the problems, said the repairs would take a long time. He could not give a timeframe. Mr Yodyiam's report to the AoT board outlined a lengthy list of complaints and deficiencies, along with a list of recommendations on fixing the problems. The report attributed the faults to substandard construction, poor management and manipulation of designs and materials. The report said the airport's information technology facilities were incomplete and the upper floors of the car park building have no drains, causing rain water to flow into elevator shafts. Over 1,000 lamps had already burned out and not been replaced. Mr Yodyiam said AoT lacked an official with direct responsibility for the airport's construction, which had posed an obstacle in getting swift repairs. Another AoT board member, Tortrakul Yomnak, said many areas need repairs and a partial closure was likely. Chaisak Angsuwan, director-general of the Civil Aviation Department, said that due to the persistent problems, the department could not issue a permanent licence for Suvarnabhumi airport. It would, however, extend an interim aerodrome certificate for the airport for another six months in January, he said. Mr Chaisak said the airport needed to meet all physical and operational requirements before it could be given a permanent certificate. There were many cracks in the airport's taxiways, some serious and some not, and repairs would be time-consuming, he said. Many operations staff also have no expertise in using their equipment. Adm Bannawit Kengrian, chairman of the National Legislative Assembly's committee on Suvarnabhumi airport, said his panel had discovered mistakes and irregularities in almost all the airport's contracts. Names of those believed responsible would be announced in two weeks. Specifications in some contracts had been distorted, he said. Salaries paid executives of the Novotel Suvarnabhumi Airport Hotel were unusually high. Despite its claimed five-star status, the hotel had plywood doors. An inexperienced contractor operated transformers that supply power to visiting aircraft and six transformers had burnt out. The cost of digging ditches around the airport was inflated to three billion baht and hiring security guards to five billion baht. Any contracts where corruption was found would be scrapped, he said

The following appears in THE NATION: _____ Where Did Our Tsunami Cash Go? Western Countries Send Complaint to Police after Loss of Money Donated to Identify Victims Seven major Western countries recently submitted a joint complaint to the Royal Police Headquarters alleging that money intended to help identify tsunami victims had been stolen, according to informed sources. The sources, who asked not to be identified due to the sensitivity of the subject, said funds contributed by Finland, Germany, the Netherlands, Sweden, the United Kingdom, the United States and France amounted to almost Bt60 million. The money was donated by the citizens of those countries, who wanted to help victims of the tsunami that killed more than 5,000 people in the Phuket, Phang-Nga and Krabi areas. The source said more than 60 per cent of the funds were wasted and disguised as travelling and other miscellaneous costs. "To be frank, someone has stolen our citizens' money," said one of the sources, who has followed the victim identification process from the beginning. Thailand Tsunami Victim Identification (TTVI) was established by the international community in January 2005. With its disaster victim identification (DVI) operation, TTVI is considered the largest such multinational operation ever conducted. At one point there were at least 600 officials from Thailand and 30 other countries to help the victims. In a joint letter dated November 22 addressed to General Kowit Watana of the Royal Thai Police, diplomats raised two pivotal issues: the status of DNA data of over 400 bodies and the bodies of over 400 missing victims which have not been located. "Without any additional new information or discoveries of further bodies (now very unlikely), these last remaining bodies and missing people are sadly unlikely to be reconciled," the letter read. The source said the Public Health Ministry had constantly refused to hand back DNA data. "We want the data to be returned to the centre for further testing and matching," said the source. The issue was raised in the letter in a more polite way. It said that during the first 10 days after the tsunami, approximately 2,000 bodies were released to relatives. Among them, the diplomats believed, were some misidentified bodies. At the time, nobody wanted to raise any questions as efforts were concentrated on helping the tsunami victims. The diplomats also urged the Royal Thai Police to help ensure that DNA analysis is completed by tomorrow, the second anniversary of the tsunami. Since the letter's submission, there has been no response from the police or the Foreign Ministry, which was given a copy of the complaint. The most damaging part of the letter was the request to have an internal audit concerning the funds. The sources claim to have reliable information that the funds contributed by the seven countries were misused. It requested an internal auditing by "a reputable and qualified private accountancy company" covering the period from January 2005 until the present time. The sources said the US government had agreed to meet the costs of the audit using the funds available in the tsunami-related cooperative agreement with the TTVI and DVI, which began in January 2005. The letter said that "any such misuse would be an especially sensitive and distressing matter for us all, given the generous-spirited and cooperative nature of the whole DVI operation". According to General Amarin Niumsakul, assistant police commissioner-general, the letter from the envoys alleging misuse of funds was a serious allegation, which he said could be a misunderstanding. Deputy police commissioner-general General Achiravit Suwanphesad said the funds were used not only by Thai officials but foreign experts as well. The joint letter, which was also addressed to Foreign Minister Nitya Phibulsonggram, was signed by Sweden's Lars Erik Backstrom, German Ambassador Dr Christoph Bruemmer, Dutch Ambassador Pieter Marres, Swedish Ambassador Jonas Hafstrom, British Ambassador David Fall, US Ambassador Ralph Boyce and France's charge d'affaires Pascal le Deunff. This is the first time that such a large group of Western countries has questioned the integrity of Thai police in an official letter. The Nation _____ To view the letter, click the following link: http://www.nationmultimedia.com/specials/monday_letter.gif

So far I'm still fortunate enough not to need it, so I don't know very much about it, but I do have a couple of suggestions that come to mind. The first is to see your doctor. The side effects you describe sound potentially dangerous to me and there are alternatives, such as Cialis. I wouldn't take it again without consulting your doctor. The second suggestion is to base your use of it according to timing. One thing you could do would be to spend one evening simply scouting the bars, making notes to yourself as to which boys you probably would want to take "off." After you have your list, the next night, or even the same night, if you know in advance which bars and which boys at which you intend to "off," now you can time your taking of the Viagra before even entering the bar. If the boy has already been "offed" or turns out to have a pierced tongue or some other attribute that you dislike, you can simply move on to the next one on your list.

And a Merry Christmas to you too. You're entitled to your opinion, but I never did like when someone chops a business apart and expresses his view as fact instead of as an opinion. Howard's happens to be the hotel of choice for a great many "farang," and that includes many who can easily afford to stay anywhere they wish, in the lap of luxury. Perhaps your concept of what constitutes a 'decent' hotel differs from the opinion held by others. Most people I know who have stayed at Howard's return there every time they visit Pattaya and wouldn't even consider staying elsewhere. Sometimes I wish they would. I often pick up my friends when they're staying at Howard's and the soi is not the easiest street to drive. The hotel is inexpensive. If you're expecting a 5-star hotel at that price you won't get one, but most people I know consider it an excellent value for the money and are quite satisfied with the rooms. The gentleman asked for a hotel in or around Sunee Plaza and Howard's is one of the best available in that area. How about letting people try it and judge for themselves instead of coming online, registering here, and making your first post on this message board for no apparent purpose other than to demean a perfectly good accommodation.

We went to the News Cafe again a couple of nights ago, this time five of us, and again we all greatly enjoyed it. While we were there two more friends entered and said they came because they read the review I posted here. Today I was at the beach and ran into them. They both said they like it very much and went a second time, this time with their Thai boyfriends. The boyfriends also enjoyed it. One of them highly recommended the "toast skagen," item number 2 on the menu as an appetizer. I'll be sure to give it a try next time I'm there, which will be soon, for sure. This restaurant is quickly becoming a "must" on your list of places to eat when visiting Pattaya.

The following appears in the BANGKOK POST: _____ Storms Create Southern Disasters Chumphon (TNA) Two more southern districts along the Gulf of Thailand have been declared disaster zones while strong waves continue to pound the region and damaged houses, officials said. The Department of Disaster Prevention and Mitigation warned the southern provinces the high waves will continue until New Year. Anucha Moekkhawet, the department director, said that the coastlines of provinces along the Gulf of Thailand will remain endangered for another week at least. Pathiu district in this province was declared a disaster zone Saturday by the provincial governor after mighty waves as high as four metres initially destroyed six houses. The Royal Thai Navy has set up a 24-hour relief center here to help people impacted by the waves. Another disaster zone was declared in Chaiya district of Surat Thani province after waves eroded seven kilometres of Sai Kaew beach and more than 30 temporary shelters of fishermen were washed away along with a number of fishing boats. Army officials yesterday inspected villagers in Tha Chana district of Surat Thani who were affected by powerful waves and found that many of them were suffering from stress, headache and high blood pressure. Soldiers built retaining walls from some 4,000 sandbags more in a bid to fend off the waves. In Songkhla province near the Thai-Malaysian border, military engineer units helped the villagers build breakwaters of rock to prevent the waves from destroying a Thai Muslim cemetery located near the beach. A lecturer at a Bangkok university blamed the El Nino weather phenomenon for the unusually high waves that are ravaging the coastlines of southern provinces along the Gulf. The lecturer said a crash between the cold air mass from China and warm sea water in the Gulf had created unusually strong surf that surged against the Gulf of Thailand coastline, creating problems in many areas.

A highly popular gay hotel in the Sunee Plaza area is Howard's. You'll find all the information at the following URL: http://www.howards-pattaya.net

And a special thanks to you for providing this web site. Happy holidays to all.

BANGKOK, Dec 23 (TNA) Worries over new reserve measures on local banks aimed at curbing short-term capital inflows coupled with the upcoming holidays, are likely to depress both the Thai baht and the stock market next week, according to a report issued by Kasikorn Research Centre. The report said the baht -- which slipped to Bt36.41 against the dollar late Friday -- is expected to move within Bt36.20-Bt37.00 per dollar next week due to various factors. These factors include reserves to be made by commercial banks in anticipation of large withdrawals by customers ahead of New Year while investors are still concerned about the direction of Thai currency and overseas banks closed because of the Christmas and New Year celebrations. Late Monday (Dcember 18), the Bank of Thailand (BoT) shocked both the currency and equity markets with its announcement that foreign inflows would be subject to a 30 per cent reserve requirement. But Pridiyathorn Devakula, deputy prime minister and finance minister, clarified Tuesday night that the order would not be applied to foreign direct investment (FDI) and equity investments after the Stock Exchange of Thailand (SET) composite index tumbled 14.84 per cent and over Bt800 billion in value was wiped out in the market's largest one-day loss since the SET established 31 years ago. The SET composite index, closed at 680.31 points on Friday, down 7.6 per cent from a week ago, is expected to continue retreating next week due to persisting worry about the central bank's new measures. The BoT is scheduled to announce key economic data for November next Friday. Most investors will be absent from the market due to the year-end holidays. (TNA)-E111

Despite the fact that Hedda and I disagree on this, if he was a lawyer I would indeed want him as my defense attorney. A good attorney will provide the best possible defense for his client, and I can't think of anyone who could do it better. What some fail to realize is that it's actually possible to disagree with people and still hold the greatest respect for them.

Two Faces, in Jomtien Complex is hosting a Christmas Eve charity party. The details are in the file below. I copies their flier verbatim. Obviously it was not written by a native English speaker, but I think you'll get the idea. This is the flier that was distributed at the beach. I'm sorry, but I do not have any information other than the flier. I do not know what charity is to be the recipient of the proceeds or what percent of the gross will be donated.

Just one. Most of the time when boys order a drink, it's a soft drink. From what I have been told, they get a 20 baht commission for a soft drink and get nothing for a hard drink or beer. Also, I believe, but I am not sure, that the drinking age applies to customers, not to people working in the bar. As I said, I am not sure on this one, but it is my understanding that as long as a boy is at least 18 years old and is drinking as an employee of the bar, then no law is being violated. That makes no sense at all, so that's why it's probably true. Nevertheless, perhaps someone who knows more about it can clarify it for us.

Well, golly gee. And all this time I thought I was an incomplete dunce.

The following appears in the BANGKOK POST: _____ Phuket Struggles to Handle Excess Waste Garbage Overload Puts Resort Island in Crisis ACHADTAYA CHUENNIRAN Phuket _ Provincial officials are struggling to prevent the island province from being flooded with garbage as an increasing amount of waste has placed the resort island in crisis. The province's waste incinerator, with 250 tonnes-a-day capacity, cannot cope with the 450 tonnes of garbage a day, said Nakhon Phuket Municipality chief Somjai Suwansupana. She blamed inefficient garbage sorting for the high volume of waste and the poor operations of the incinerator as organic waste hindered the incineration system. Previously, the municipality hired a private firm to sort garbage but it did not work out. It now plans to build a second incinerator, Mrs Somjai said. The burner costs around 1.3 billion baht which, she says, is affordable given the municipality's revenues. Besides, she said, the municipality is preparing to ask for a government subsidy. However, an environmentalist is cautioning against the plan, which is seen as a short-term measure. Piriyut Wanapruk, director of the Development of Environment and Energy Foundation, said the island needed better waste management to reduce garbage. He said authorities should encourage local communities to sort the garbage because different types required different methods of disposal. The foundation, which conducted a study on Phuket's waste management found that the waste was composed largely of organic waste, or ''wet garbage,'' leftovers and other residues from households and hotel kitchens. This waste is causing a problem for the incinerator because its dampness requires the burner to use more electricity, resulting in lower efficiency. It must be buried, but the island's landfill is inadequate. In an attempt to reduce the amount of rubbish, provincial officials have asked two municipalities _ tambon Thep Kasatri and tambon Choeng Talay, to join a pilot project to make use of the garbage. They are being urged to turn the organic waste into fertiliser. A first fertiliser factory was built last year in tambon Thep Kasatri and a second is expected to be constructed soon in tambon Choeng Talay. To solve the problem long run, the province must curb the increase in its garbage each year from 7% now to less than 5%, Mr Piriyut said.

The following appears in the BANGKOK POST: _____ Film Festival Postponed Until July KONG RITHDEE The Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT) has decided to postpone the Bangkok International Film Festival from next month to July 2007, TAT announced yesterday. It cited the recent decision of a potential cinema venue not to proceed with further discussions with TAT because of financial considerations as the main reason. Last year the festival took place at Paragon Cineplex of Siam Paragon shopping mall. According to TAT, every Bangkok multiplex expects to reap big business from the Jan 18 release of MC Chatrichalerm Yukol's ''The Legend of King Naresuan'', and is reluctant to spare screens for the festival. Originally, the festival was scheduled to take place from Jan 29 to Feb 5. TAT last month cancelled a contract with the American firm which ran the festival for the past four years. In an unexpected move, the tourism board has invited Kriangsak Silakong, director of the competing World Film Festival of Bangkok, to serve as the festival's interim director

While Pattaya is enjoying some of the finest weather we've had in quite some time, other areas of Thailand are not so fortunate, as the following article by TNA illustrates: _____ Three Provinces Declared Disaster Zones Due to Strong Waves SONGKHLA, Dec 22 (TNA) Four-metre (13 ft) waves in the Gulf of Thailand pounding several coastal areas prompted three Thai southern provinces -- Songkhla, Surat Thani, and Nakhon Si Thammarat -- to declare disaster emergency zones along their shorelines. Songkhla governor Sonthi Thechanun has declared coastal areas in two districts -- Ranod district and Chana district -- as disaster zones following powerful waves hitting the shorelines there. The local meteorological department forecast that strong winds and rough seas in the Gulf of Thailand would continue through Saturday (December 23). Songkhla's head of the disaster prevention and mitigation said that the pounding waves damaged 15 seafront houses and a road in two districts. Agencies concerned will build temporary shoreline breakwaters to prevent more damage. In Surat Thani, four-metre waves washed away 22 houses in a fishing village in Tha Chana district and about 50 people became displaced. Five metre waves and rough seas continued on Friday. Surat Thani governor Niwat Sawatkaew is cooperating with local military units to help evacuate people in 150 village households to safe areas. A sandbag embankment was built as a breakwater and a school in the village closed indefinitely until the situation returns to normal. In Donsak district, surging waves damaged eight houses, leaving 30 villagers homeless. The governor has declared Tha Chana district and Donsak district disaster zones and ordered all small boats anchored. In Nakhon Si Thammarat, the 54 kilometre shoreline from Huasai district to Laem Talumphuk in Pak Phanang district is also a critical area, following high waves that smashed the shores and caused inundation in the two districts. (TNA)-E004

Best of luck to you and to whoever ends up with Niddy's Nook. One question . . . what about your service that provides a means for "farang" to be able to send money, at an excellent discount, to their Thai boyfriends? Will that continue at least until the restaurant is sold? Do you have plans to continue offering that service after the restaurant has been sold?

I'm glad you at least managed to get the call through after all the frustration. I hope things go smoother for you from now on.

The following appears in the PATTAYA CITY NEWS: _____ Details of the Pattaya New Year Countdown 2007 Released The New Year is now just over one week away and one of the highlights on Pattaya

I'm sorry you had a bad experience. I don't understand what you mean by, "did not response over claiming." In any case, I hope you give the restaurant another try. I think the majority of people who have been there feel as I do, that it is an excellent restaurant. I once had a bad experience at Lux'or, but that doesn't mean it's not a great restaurant. It is a great restaurant, but there are nights when everything just goes wrong, and that sometimes happens to every restaurant.

I wonder if those who felt I was wrong about suggesting a caning for this guy still feel the same way, in light of the article Wowpow posted. I don't know about you, but given a choice between a caning or 75 years in prison, I'd say a sore ass would be the better choice. Thailand does not take kindly to this sort of crime and I would guess that also applies to prisoners. Unfortunately for this person, I don't think he'll have to worry about 75 days in prison, much less 75 years, once the other prisoners realize why he's there. My guess is he's in for an experience, to put it as mildly as possible, that few would envy. In any case, in Thailand you do not . . . repeat: do not deliberately insult His Majesty the King. What on earth possessed this man to do such a thing goes beyond me.

Many of you know Hugh Millar from the days when he was a manger at The Ambiance. Many of you also know that when the Mata Hari restaurant moved from it's prior location to the new Jomtien location, Hugh took over the premises and created the Symphony Brasserie. As the review explains, Hugh has dropped the 'brasserie' part and it is now the Symphony restaurant. I can't recommend the restaurant highly enough. Hugh does a marvelous job there at very reasonable prices. The food is always excellent, beautifully presented, and the service is superb. If you have not tried the Symphony restaurant, then you are missing a wonderful dining experience. You can read the review at: http://www.pattayamail.com/current/dining.shtml

What do you think is going to happen with the exchange rate? With all the publicity about the Bank of Thailand's recent interventions and the Thai stock market crash, I was expecting the baht to take a very hard hit. It hasn't happened, at least not yet. At the moment of posting this message, the exchange rate 36.29 baht to the US dollar. That certainly is a difference since only a short time ago, the exchange rate nearly went below 35 to the US dollar. But from all the publicity I was expecting the baht to weaken considerably more than it has. I thought we might be seeing exchange rates getting close to 38 or 39 to the US dollar as a result. What do you think is going to happen? I'll start off by saying I think the baht will weaken slightly more, and then stabilize. I don't foresee the baht falling below 37 to the US dollar any time soon.

The following appears in the BANGKOK POST: _____ Monday is D-Day for Struggling Elite Card CHATRUDEE THEPARAT The future of the Elite Card, a pet project of former prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra intended to attract affluent tourists, is expected to be decided on Monday. Tourism and Sports Minister Suvit Yodmani will be presented with two options for the future of Thailand Privilege Card Co (TPC), the government-owned company set up to market the Elite Card. The first option is to dissolve the company and the second is to continue it but with a clearer financial plan and closer supervision by the ministry to ensure that it could generate income. However, dissolving TPC could be risky as the government could be sued by existing cardholders, said Seri Wangpaichitr, a former Tourism Authority of Thailand governor who sits on a committee that's evaluating several projects initiated by the former government. TPC was set up to sell and manage memberships of the one-million baht Elite Card that promises a wide range of lifetime privileges to well-heeled tourists. Holders receive fast-track immigration clearance, multiple-entry visas and discounts at hotels, resorts, restaurants, spas, golf courses and more. Mr. Thaksin gave the company a target of one million members by 2008, but so far only 1,734 cards have been sold. The Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT) owns 100% of TPC with registered capital of 500 million baht. TPC's four authorised agents will hold a press conference today on the company's performance and marketing plan for 2007 to 2010. According to a source familiar with the venture, the agents would call on the government to continue TPC, saying they have already conducted marketing activities in several countries. They projected that within three to five years, the company would play a significant role in promoting the Thai tourism industry, generating both direct and indirect investment of up to 15 billion baht.

The following appears in THE NATION: _____ Don Muang May be Re-Opened: Official The government is considering reopening Bangkok's old international airport, just three months after it closed to make way for the much-heralded Suvarnabhumi airport, an official said Thursday. Chiaisak Angkasuwan, director general of the civil aviation department, said there was a chance commercial flights would resume at Don Muang airport because of unsolved problems at Suvarnabhumi, which means 'golden land' in Thai. "We are considering reopening Don Muang airport as problems at Suvarnabhumi airport have yet to be resolved due to poor management," said Chiaisak. "Don Muang could be reopened for domestic flights and those of low-cost airlines, but I could not say when," he told AFP. The decades-old Don Muang closed its operations on September 28 when all commercial flights moved to Suvarnabhumi airport, which the government boasted would be Southeast Asia's largest aviation hub. But almost three months after opening, the new airport has lingering problems led by inadequate bathrooms and seating areas, dirtiness and safety concerns for female flight attendants, who have complained of sexual harassment by construction workers at the site. Low-cost airline operators have asked airport officials to let them move back to Don Muang, saying the new airport has become congested and their costs rose after relocation to Suvarnabhumi. Agence France-Presse