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From Pattaya Mail Cabinet meeting has approved July 31 as an additional holiday, extending the upcoming weekend to a six-day long break, starting from July 28 (HM the King’s Birthday) to August 2 (Buddhist Lent) to boost domestic tourism. Deputy Government Spokesperson, Ratchada Thanadirek said for government agencies with responsibilities in public service or those involved in essential government duties, the respective agency heads will have the discretion to decide whether to proceed with operations during this period, considering the necessity and the potential impact on public services. In regard to state enterprises, financial institutions, and private sectors, each state enterprise and the Bank of Thailand and the Ministry of Labor will assess the appropriateness of observing the aforementioned day as a holiday in accordance with the relevant laws, said the deputy government spokesperson. Caretaker Prime Minister Gen. Prayut Chan-ocha approved the suspension of the Cabinet meeting for the following week. (TNA)

From Pattaya News Entrance fees for foreign visitors at ancient monuments and national museums in Thailand will be increased based on the Cabinet’s order last Tuesday, July 25th. The fee remains unchanged for Thais to “ensure that visiting cultural and heritage sites does not impose an additional financial burden on Thai tourists,” Ms. Trisulee Trisoranakul, Deputy Spokesperson for the Prime Minister’s Office, stated. The increase will be applicable to all foreigners, regardless of their marital status with Thais, whether they have children, have work permits and pay tax, or are merely passing through as tourists. 1) Historical Parks (Archaeological sites): Foreigners: 120-200 baht per person (previously 100 baht) Thai: 20 baht per person (remains the same) 2) Archaeological Sites or Important Places: Foreigners: 80-120 baht per person (formerly 50-100 baht) Thai: 10-20 baht per person (remains the same) 3) Small National Museums: Foreigners: 80 baht per person (previously 50 baht) Thai: 10 baht per person (remains the same) 4) Medium Size National Museums: Foreigners: 120 baht per person (formerly 50-100 baht) Thai: 10-20 baht per person (remains the same) 5) Large National Museums: Foreigners: 200 baht per person (previously 100-150 baht) Thai: 20-30 baht per person (remains the same) 6) National Museums with High Visitor Traffic (e.g., National Museum of Bangkok, Art Gallery): Foreigners: 240 baht per person (previously 200 baht) Thai: 30 baht per person (remains the same) The adjustment is due to the fact that the old fees had been in effect since 2008 and do not align with the increasing costs of preservation, restoration, and maintenance of historical sites, Trisulee said.

From The Nation Protesters call on Pheu Thai to maintain coalition integrity Pro-democracy protesters gathered at the Ratchaprasong junction in Bangkok on Thursday, demanding the resignation of senators and that the eight-party coalition remains intact and maintains its stance on forming a government. Several groups of protesters including the United Front of Thammasat and Demonstration, Mokeluang Rimnam, ThaluWang and People's Movement for a Just Society (P-Move), began demonstrating at 5pm. Protesters put up placards on the pedestrian bridge and sprayed messages on the road. They also staged a mock hanging from the pedestrian walkway in memory of the protesters who died during the demonstrations against the government led by former PM Abhisit Vejjajiva in 2010. Protesters urged senators to listen to the people's voice and Pheu Thai Party to maintain its stance on forming a democratic government with Move Forward Party. They also urged political parties and senators to stop thinking that amending the lese-majeste law aims to overthrow the monarchy, saying that it instead has the objective of seeking a fair and just solution for the country. If Pheu Thai betrays the coalition, it will face punishment from the people, said political activist Thatchapong Kaedam, adding that the party should strictly adhere to its stance to escape conservative parties' schemes. He added that former PM Thaksin Shinawatra and activists who fled Thailand to escape political charges had the right to return home, adding that all parties should respect the people's vote in a bid to prevent a repeat of the clashes between protesters and riot police at Din Daeng junction last year.

The refuse is collected in the late evening an early morning hours in Silom area. Rats have learned the schedule and race to get their share. Even rodents have a fantasy life. Lol

From The Nation The Thai Parliament president has called a joint meeting of the Houses of Representatives and the Senate next Friday (August 4) to elect Thailand’s new prime minister if the Constitutional Court rejects a petition challenging a parliamentary vote that blocked the renomination of Move Forward Party leader Pita Limjaroenrat. Wan Muhamad Noor Matha, the speaker of the House of Representatives who doubles as Parliament president, said on Thursday that if the court accepted the petition by the Ombudsman’s Office for hearing and issued an injunction, the election of prime minister would have to be postponed further. If that happens, the joint meeting of both Houses scheduled for August 4 would deliberate a bill to amend Article 272 of the Constitution, which was submitted by the Move Forward Party, Wan Noor said. Move Forward’s amendment bill seeks the removal of Article 272, which empowers the Senate to join the lower House in electing Thailand’s prime minister. The Senate will have the power for five years from May 2019 when the first National Assembly convened after the 2017 Constitution came into effect. This power held by the unelected senators, which expires in May 2024, has been blamed for Pita’s failure to get sufficient parliamentary support to become prime minister. He obtained only 13 votes from the 250-member Senate. The Constitutional Court’s judges are scheduled to meet next Thursday (August 3) to decide whether to accept the petition by the Ombudsman’s Office.

From The Nation Don Mueang travelator incident leads to removal of airport director The director of Don Mueang Airport is among 68 senior officers being transferred in the latest organisational restructuring of Airports of Thailand Plc (AOT), an informed news source said. An AOT board meeting on Wednesday resolved to transfer 68 senior officers of levels 9 to 11 to different positions, effective August 1 and October 1. The reason for this restructuring is to improve the efficiency of AOT’s operations, the source added. Among the senior officers affected are Karun Thanakuljeerapat, director of Don Mueang International Airport in Bangkok, who was ordered to serve as an advisor at AOT headquarters. He will be replaced by Wijit Kaesaithiam, who is currently the director of Chiang Mai International Airport. Karun’s transfer came after AOT’s investigation of the accident at Don Mueang International Airport on the morning of June 29. A passenger had her left leg amputated after getting stuck in a moving walkway at the South Corridor Pier no. 4-5 of Domestic Terminal 2. The source said the investigation found that the accident was caused by one of the travelator’s plates slipping off its frame due to missing screws. Investigators reportedly found three loose screws in the pit beneath the travelator. The travelator was originally installed in 1987 and underwent a complete part upgrade in 2015 by the original manufacturer. It has five safety sensors but lacks one at the floor plates because it is an old model, said the source. AOT director Kirati Kitmanawat reportedly said that the board has proposed the hiring of a third-party investigator to check the conditions and safety of all walkways and related equipment at Don Mueang Airport to restore passengers’ confidence. The investigators must be experts in escalators, elevators and travelators. The airport will also install additional CCTV cameras at all walkways to monitor if there is any damage or missing parts, he added. Finally, the airport will hire an external audit company to audit the maintenance of all mechanical equipment in the airport. The report will help identify any shortcomings in airport operations and will be used to improve its standard operation procedures in both normal and emergency situations.

The point I was trying to make is that the majority members of this forum are here because of their interest in Thailand as a place to visit or live. That's why "Gay Thailand" forum draws so many hits. The most popular posts within the forum invariably relate to trip reports and venue reports. Readers have also displayed a taste for controversy, Take this thread, for example. Although it was started only a few months ago, it's attracted 5.3k views and received 132 replies. (And those numbers only count views by logged on members; not the many many non-members who view the site). But returning to the discussion of the top locations that attract gay visitors (and their pink dollars), Out Traveler came up with this list for 2023: https://www.outtraveler.com/print-issue/best-places-for-lgbt-travelers#rebelltitem3 ================ InterNation, a site dedicated to expat living and working, came up with this list of the The Top 10 Destinations for Expats in 2023 (this is not an exclusively gay list): 1 | Mexico 2 | Spain 3 | Panama 4 | Malaysia 5 | Taiwan 6 | Thailand 7 | Costa Rica 8 | Philippines  9 | Bahrain 10 | Portugal

Rats are commonplace in cities worldwide whenever major construction projects are under way--a condition that certainly describes what's going on around Silom. As the critters are displaced by the demolition, they scurry about in search of food and new quarters. Returned recently from a two-month trip to Bangkok and and it was not uncommon to see rats moving about. Fortunately, there's also many natural predators (stray cats, dogs and yes--even snakes) around these sites that help police the population.

The juries of his peers have believed Spacey and that's where it counts. He was the son of a physically and sexually abusive father. There was a scene in House of Cards where, just after becoming president, Frank Underwood visits the grave of his father and pisses on it. Art imitating life. I read Wikipedia's biography of Spacey yesterday after the verdict was announced. I was taken aback by his achievements over decades. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kevin_Spacey

FRom BBC Hollywood actor Kevin Spacey wept in court as he was cleared of all charges in his sexual assault trial in London. Jurors at Southwark Crown Court returned not guilty verdicts for nine sexual offence charges relating to four men between 2001 and 2013. Speaking afterwards, Mr Spacey said he was "grateful" to the jury as he thanked them for their deliberations - which took more than 12 hours. Outside the court the Oscar winner added he was "humbled". The US actor was acquitted of seven counts of sexual assault, one count of causing a person to engage in sexual activity without consent and one count of causing a person to engage in penetrative sexual activity without consent. After the verdict was read, he put his hand on his chest, looked at the jurors and mouthed "thank you" twice before they left the room. Addressing journalists on the court's steps Mr Spacey said there was "a lot for me to process". "I would like to say that I am enormously grateful to the jury for having taken the time to examine all of the evidence and all of the facts carefully before they reached their decision," he said. "I am humbled by the outcome today. I also want to thank the staff inside this courthouse, the security, and all of those who took care of us every single day." Jurors rejected the prosecution's claims Mr Spacey had "aggressively" grabbed three men by the crotch and had performed a sex act on another man while he was asleep in his flat. Prosecutors told the jury the star had left the four complainants feeling "small, diminished and worthless". Mr Spacey, who turned 64 on Wednesday, denied all charges - saying the allegations against him were "weak", "madness" and a "stab in the back".

From Thai PBS World / AFP Taiwan staged its first-ever military drill at Taoyuan International Airport on Wednesday, briefly halting commercial traffic as soldiers practised defending the facility against a simulated attack by Beijing. The exercise is part of Taiwan’s week-long massive wargames — the annual “Han Kuang” (Han Glory) drills — which this year has included protecting civilian airports as Beijing ramps up military and political pressures on the island. This is the first such drill held at Taiwan’s biggest airport near the capital since it opened in 1979. Analysts said Taiwan is drawing experiences from Moscow’s invasion of Ukraine, which last year fended off a seizure by Russian paratroopers at an airport just outside Kyiv. “Seeing the experience of the Russian-Ukrainian war, the Battle of Antonov Airport is a successful counter-offensive of the Ukrainian forces in the defence of Kyiv,” said Su Tzu-yun, a military expert at Taiwan’s Institute for National Defence and Security Research. He added that Taoyuan airport’s proximity to a “red beach” — using a term for a potential landing point for amphibious assaults — makes it especially important to protect it. “If it were to be seized by China, Chinese paratroopers would join the attack against our troops guarding the beach,” Su told AFP. Continues at https://www.thaipbsworld.com/taiwan-defends-largest-airport-against-simulated-chinese-attack/

I agree that Thailand and SE Asia are not the most popular destinations for US gays who travel out of country. I'd expect Mexico, South America and Europe rank higher. However, even without knowing the number of registered members or where they come from, I think the visible data like what countries they are posting about is the key to projecting their favorite destinations. People tend to read and write about what they know and like. By far, the most read forum is "Gay Thailand." It draws the widest readership (133.2k posts). "Latin American Men and Destinations" comes in a distant second (32.3k posts).

I would think that accurately describes the majority of members.

From CNBC Supplements that claim to improve appearance have grown in popularity in the past decade. From 2011 to 2020, the percentage of Americans who reported taking a hair, skin and nail vitamin in the past month rose from 2.5% to 4.9%. But experts warn about side effects and dangers. Skin, hair and nail supplements often contain much more biotin than the human body needs, for example, a research paper published in the Journal of the American Academy of Dermatology has found. High doses of biotin “can alter test results that healthcare providers may order, like thyroid testing, cardiac testing [and] potentially even vitamin D testing,” Dr. Rebecca Hartman, an assistant professor of dermatology at Harvard Medical School and one of the authors of the paper, tells CNBC Make It. The daily recommended dose of biotin for adults is 0.03 milligrams. In some cases, supplements had 650 times that amount, according to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration. High levels of biotin to that degree can potentially lead to false diagnoses of hyperthyroidism and affect doctors’ abilities to detect heart attacks in patients, Hartman told TODAY in June. Dr. Adam Friedman, chair of dermatology at the George Washington University, says these side effects can sometimes be deadly. “Someone died because a heart attack was missed [during testing],” Friedman explains, saying that the patient’s troponin levels weren’t showing any sign for concern. “They weren’t elevated in this one individual who was taking a biotin supplement for hair growth.” Biotin, or vitamin B7, is commonly found in most foods and multivitamins, so people rarely need supplements, anyway, says Friedman. “If you were biotin deficient, you wouldn’t be going to Walgreens to buy a bottle of biotin,” he says. “You’d probably be in the hospital.” Claims that suggest biotin is good for hair, skin and nail health are mostly anecdotal, Hartman says, adding, “Most Americans are getting the small amount needed already through their daily diet.” While preliminary data shows that collagen may make your skin healthier, Hartman says more research is required to solidify that claim. Regardless, a well-rounded diet is the most natural and safest way to get “beauty” nutrients like biotin and collagen, the researchers agree. Foods that are rich in biotin include: Egg yolk Beans Nuts Seeds These foods help promote collagen production: Meats Bone broth Gelatin Dairy Beans Soy Fruits, leafy greens, and root vegetables for vitamin C, zinc, and copper, which help produce collagen Before taking any supplement, it’s important to ask yourself these questions: Does it actually have the active ingredients it claims to have? What evidence supports using this particular amount of this particular product? Is this a trusted company to buy this specific product from? Has it been third-party tested, and does it contain any contaminants? Have I checked in with my doctor before taking it? Continues at https://www.cnbc.com/2023/07/22/natural-ways-to-get-beauty-nutrients-like-biotin-and-collagen-in-food.html

From Thai PBS World Rumour mills fired up shortly after Paetongtarn Shinawatra announced that her father Thaksin will end his self-imposed exile and return to Thailand on August 10. Today (Wednesday) is Thaksin’s 74th birthday and he is said to be in Hong Kong, where he will host a birthday party. It is believed that some senior politicians will travel to Hong Kong to join the celebration for Thaksin. It is for sure that, when they meet with Thaksin in Hong Kong, high on the agenda will be how to break the ongoing political impasse, which is seeing the Pheu Thai party, so far, failing to convince parties outside the eight-party alliance to join the coalition. Pheu Thai has tried hard to build a bloc of at least 375 House votes for its prime ministerial candidate, so that it would not have to rely on the senators’ support. The party does not want to repeat Move Forward’s failure to gain enough senators’ votes, which sank Pita Limjaroenrat’s dream of becoming the next prime minister. Some political observers claim that Move Forward may back down from its campaigns to amend the lèse majesté law. All the parties outside the coalition have refused to get involved, because of this policy. Now that Pheu Thai leads the negotiations in forming the government and Thaksin is known to be the boss behind all Pheu Thai moves, Move Forward has to talk to the right man if it wants to be in the government, said a political observer. Move Forward’s core members, like Thanathorn Juangroongruangkit and secretary general Chaithawat Tulathon, have separately denied that they either travelled to Hong Kong to meet Thaksin or were informed about the trip.

What about it? It's a cultural norm in Asia that the older man pays for meals, entertainment and alike. Actually, that's not unheard of in the west, either.

....and other things. 😊

From Bangkok Post Parliament President Wan Muhamad Noor Matha has indefinitely postponed Thursday's planned joint sitting to vote for a new prime minister, pending a Constitutional Court ruling on the rejected renomination of Move Forward Party leader Pita Limjaroenrat. Mr Wan said on Tuesday that he made the decision after consulting with legal officials of the House of Representatives and his advisers. They were of the view that if the prime ministerial vote went ahead on Thursday, it could potentially lead to problems when the Constitutional Court makes its ruling afterwards, the House speaker and ex-officio parliament president said. With Thursday's meeting posponted, Wednesday's planned meeting of whips from the coalition allies, other political parties and senators was now unnecessary, he said. Another reason for delaying the joint sitting was that many elected MPs and senators were worried they would not be able to attend ceremonies to celebrate His Majesty the King's birthday in their respective provinces on Friday if the sitting was prolonged, Mr Wan said. The joint sitting for a prime ministerial vote could be put back on the parliamentary agenda after the court's ruling. The parliament president earlier set Thursday for elected representatives and appointed senators to vote again for a new prime minister, possibly from Pheu Thai, the second largest party in the same alliance led by Mr Pita's MFP. MFP has agreed to let Pheu Thai take the lead in nominating a prime minister and forming the government. It also faces a challenge because many parties outside the coalition bloc disapprove of MFP’s political platform and plan to revise Section 112 of the Criminal Code, the lese majeste law. The eight parties in the coalition were scheduled to meet on Tuesday afternoon to hear a progress report from Pheu Thai. But the meeting was cancelled at the last minute, with Pheu Thai conceding it had little progress to report so far. Meanwhile, MFP insists it will continue its efforts to have Mr Pita installed as prime minister.

From Thai PBS World Third-culture kids are a distinct group of people who spend a major portion of their upbringing outside of their parent’s native culture. Third culture kids usually accompany their parents’ on postings abroad, relocating for a length of time to one or more countries. This lifestyle comes with its own set of challenges and rewards. Home is “everywhere and nowhere” is the experience and feeling of many third culture kids on the journey between worlds and discovering their identity. These are the kids who don’t have a straightforward answer when asked where they are from. Often, when asked to specify their ethnicity, on university applications, for example, they identify themselves as global or international citizens. We spoke with Kyle Dante, a Filipino who was born and raised in Thailand. Now, he works as a marketing manager for a hotel and a few food and beverage outlets. His parents moved to Thailand to study master’s degrees at the Asian Institute of Technology and they’ve been here ever since. That’s why he has not had a chance to live in the Philippines. “It’s a real struggle, in terms of trying to sort out your identity. I think never really consider any place as home. I lived in Thailand, but I was not Thai. I couldn’t speak the language. I always felt and still am treated like an ex-pat, like a foreigner. Even when I go to the Philippines, which is considered my home, my motherland, I don’t speak the language. I’ve never lived there. I am not very integrated into Filipino culture, so I never really felt Filipino either”, he said. Third culture children are a growing group of people. While it’s hard to pinpoint exactly how many there are, according to Interaction International, it’s estimated that there are 230 million people who could call themselves third culture kids. If they were to claim a place on the globe as their own and gather all together, they would become the fifth most populous nation in the world. It is understandable that, while living overseas, families tend to find comfort and build relationships with other ex-pats, as they undergo similar experiences. He also said he has more freedom to explore, which also brings opportunities for him to go to other places, explore other countries and be more ambitious and adventurous. It really opened his eyes and opened up a range of opportunities. Third culture kids have a lot to offer in terms of their perspectives, experiences and skills. As they move through different countries and cultures, they develop unique qualities, which set them apart from others. These include adaptability, empathy, resilience and flexibility. They can use these qualities to their advantage as they pursue higher education, careers and personal goals. The journey of a third culture child is not always easy, but it is undoubtedly rewarding. As they continue to explore the world, they leave gather a wealth of experience and memories that shape them. By Thi Dieu Linh Nguyen, Thai PBS World

Much of the action does seem down by the Silom end as you described. Close to Surawong, there are three cannabis shops all right next to each other and none seem to be doing much business.

Don't squander your money. Hold out and you might get them for $28. 😄

Although this offer has expired, it may be worth checking with some of the larger Bangkok hospitals for availability.

It must be clear by now, even to you, Mavic, that there will never be an end to this yarn. You're obviously frustrated that you've been taken in by a newbie way above your pay grade. 🙂

With some great waterfront hotels to choose from.

Thailand remains a bargain once you get here. It's getting here that's more expensive.