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From CNN 91-year-old male model with the face of a classic cinema star Celine van Heel began photographing her grandfather while staying with him during Covid-19 lockdowns. Now he has tens of thousands of followers online. One of The Spanish King’s most striking images to date appeared around Europe last year, as part of a campaign for moto outerwear brand Schott NYC. Photographed by van Heel in a retro bowling alley, Garcia-Carro drapes a red varsity jacket around his shoulders, thumbs behind his belt buckle and waistband of his slouchy khakis as highlighted strands of hair fall across his face. “It’s all about attitude,” Schott wrote in captions accompanying social media posts promoting the image. “His look, the way he looks at the camera — it’s simple, but it really defines him,” van Heel said of the image. In other shots from the campaign, García-Caro poses with younger models, standing out with his formidable presence. But behind the scenes, her grandfather was playful, bowling for real when they weren’t photographing. “It was so much fun. He always surprises me,” she said. Van Heel says she’s always been close with her grandfather, but their relationship grew during Covid-19 lockdowns in spring 2020, when she stayed with him and her grandmother in Spain for an extended period so they wouldn’t be alone. At the time, she was an executive assistant at the French fashion magazine L’Officiel and had never tried her hand at photography (It is now her full-time career). But shut in their home, she began styling and shooting García-Carro, curating an Instagram account for him that soon began attracting followers. “He’s always been super stylish,” she commented. “When he was young, he was already wearing these long fur coats like Macklemore… and aviator sunglasses.” García-Carro has lived many lives: a rancher in Argentina, restaurant owner in Uruguay and real estate agent in Spain among them. As a model, his first editorial — with Van Heel’s images — landed in L’Officiel China’s print edition in 2020. Soon, opportunities with other publications and brands followed suit, including Zara, with which he collaborated on a capsule collection that included a silk robe, pajamas, jeans and sunglasses. The Spanish King may appear much younger than 91 — van Heel jokes that “he’s made a pact with the devil,” especially since he still smokes and tans regularly — but he credits his late-in-life career with giving him “a new life, and so much energy.” “I look even younger than before! What I find most rewarding about modeling is to meet young people, to learn new things, to be active,” he said. “I don’t want to be sitting in my living room watching life go by.” Van Heel believes her grandfather is the perfect example of why no one should feel the need to act their age. “When you’re 70 or 80 years old, it doesn’t mean your life is over and you have to act like a sweet older grandma and do nothing else,” she said. “You can do anything at any age.”

I constantly find myself scanning the passing guys on sidewalks of Silom. If one catches my eye I just smile and look back after a few seconds. Certainly no guarantee but it doesn’t cost anything and occasionally I’ll get a hit because the Silom-Surawong rectangle is a target rich environment. We talk a lot about looking for smiles from others but it’s actually a reciprocal opportunity.

I’ve had three massages this trip at this shop and in all cases it was the eye contact from guys sitting outside. The service was very good on all counts. Left satisfied and would repeat. Be advised that the cubicles are quite small but are equipped with massage table. Shower is down the hall but beware of very slippery floor. one hour oil 590. I found selection of masseurs expands on weekend evenings.

My 2008 visit was delayed four days but I was rebooked OK on the first Northwest flight out of Narita when demonstrators ended boycott. It was businesses as usual on arrival as if nothing out of ordinary had just occurred. TIT From The Thaiger Thai tourism unaffected by political unrest unless airports shut In times of political upheaval, Thailand’s foreign tourists would not be significantly impacted, unless there was an incident akin to 2008’s airport disruption, according to former tourism and sports minister, Weerasak Kowsurat. Back in 2008, protesters had shut down Bangkok’s airports leading to a drop in tourist visits, impacting Thai tourism. Weerasak, now serving as a senator, insists that tourists are diligent in keeping up with their travel commitments, provided that the political demonstrations do not intervene with their plans. The democratic process, and any ensuing peaceful protests that come with it, are, by and large, viewed as domestic issues by tourists that can impact Thai tourism. During his time as tourism minister, Weerasak witnessed tourists unperturbed by nearby street protests while still on their holidays in Ratchadamnoen Avenue, where the ministry’s headquarters is located. Nonetheless, he stressed that an extensive disruption such as an airport seizure could lead to a drastic downturn in the inflow of tourists, just as it had in 2008. He pointed out the hefty setbacks to the country’s economy and Thai tourism sector caused by the 10-day closure of Suvarnabhumi and Don Mueang airports in 2008. The financial damage was estimated to be 200 billion baht. Three years later, a group of protesters were ordered by the Civil Court to pay 522 million baht as compensation for the losses incurred during this period, reported Bangkok Post. Weerasak urged the incoming tourism minister to have an open mind, listen to varying viewpoints, and establish a strong rapport with big corporations, local communities, and SMEs alike. He emphasised that the Thai tourism industry must equally address all these sectors.

That den of spies (a CIA safe house) was located just above the original location of the Madrid Bar. For those veteran members who were lucky enough to visit before it shut its doors during Covid, you could see photographs on the walls behind those comfy leather booths that depicted some of those operatives drinking together. if you look carefully as you walk along Patpong 1 nearer the Silom end, you still still find the old—and shuttered—Madrid. What became of that memorabilia I don’t know. Maybe the Patpong Museum (Patpong 2, opposite Foodland) may have managed to get its hands on some. In any case, the museum does document that particular history among its displays and is worth a visit if you’re a history buff. Btw, the pizza at Madrid was among the best in town. Vinapu has posted that the cook has purchased the right to the name and opened a shop on Soi Charoen Krung 49 where he maintains the same high standard. https://restaurantguru.com/Madrid-Bangkok For you history buffs out there, here’s a vintage snapshot showing some of those spies drinking at the Madrid. Anthony Poshepny (aka, Tony Poe) is second from right. He is recognized as the inspiration for Col. Kurtz (played by Marlon Brando) in “Apocalypse Now.”

Prachachart Party leader Wan Mohamad Noor Matha will be the Move Forward-led coalition's House speaker candidate, PM hopeful Pita Limjaroenrat said on Monday. He was speaking at a press conference at ‎Lancaster Bangkok Hotel after ending the stand-off between Move Forward and Pheu Thai – the two biggest partners of the next coalition government. Pita said there will be two deputy House speakers -- a Move Forward and a Pheu Thai candidate. He said the eight-party coalition comprising Move Forward, Pheu Thai, Thai Sang Thai, Thai Liberal, Prachachart, Fair, Plung Sungkom Mai, and Peu Thai Ruamphalang parties have all agreed to support the candidates. Pita also pledged that Pheu Thai and Move Forward were ready to approve laws in the people's interest, including pardon for political prisoners and military reform. He said that this move would help boost the coalition's efficiency in forming the government based on transparency and the people's interest.

Tbh, I would have reacted same way if someone had passed same comment about my LT guy. Sorry, Lucky, but I totally missed your withdrawal post.

You just summed up my sex life: plain vanilla. 🙂

Find the other flavors tempting but always default to strawberry

This single cup drip maker from Vietnam has served me well.

Agree about irregularities with label, but those interviewed in 60 Minutes segment said that even expert tasting could no longer be basis for authentication because it’s subjective judgement. In the end, it’s a case where you either trust your supplier or you don’t. Not like buying Rolex in Patpong where you’re assured of provenance. 🙂

Oz, please note that I said “even if he was…” I did not infer that he did.

In 2017, 60 Minutes aired a segment on counterfeit wines titled “corkscrewed”. It centered on billionaire Bill Koch who spent $35 million investigating how he was hoodwinked into paying $400,000 for a fake. The probe revealed that even the most experienced experts in the industry were no longer willing to authenticate a bottle because they admitted that there was no conclusive way to test their judgement, thereby leaving them open to law suits.

100% of what? How did you establish he’s (1) working at Tawan and (2) not working in massage shop? I’m not saying you’re incorrect; just interested how you arrived at conclusions.

Even if he was pimping for his son, I think it’s admirable that his dad was taking an interest in his kid’s career.

Rebottling cheap wine and spirits has been a time-honored scam world wide for years. It’s most profitable customers are the wealthy who can’t pass up a potential bargain. Even when they realize they were taken in by their own greed, they’re too proud and embarrassed to acknowledge it.

From Foreign Policy Even to those closely following Thai politics, Pita Limjaroenrat has never come off as an obvious threat to that country’s military-backed government. In fact, he doesn’t really sound like a politician from Southeast Asia at all. When the Thai parliamentarian first spoke to Foreign Policy at the Shangri-La Hotel in Singapore last summer, it was just weeks after Thai opposition parties—including Limjaroenrat’s Move Forward Party—had surprised analysts by winning big in Bangkok local elections. Off the back of those victories, Limjaroenrat had just wrapped up a meeting with one of the top officials in the U.S. State Department. Reflecting on recent gains by Move Forward—a party that is pro-marijuana, pro-same-sex marriage, and pro-reform, which are three rarities in Thai politics—Limjaroenrat, who has served in Thailand’s parliament since 2019, sounded a lot like former U.S. President Barack Obama. “In short, hope returns,” he said, echoing Obama’s catchphrase. “Hope returns to Thai politics. The politics of possibility is back once again. People are starting to believe in democracy once again.” Talking like the United States’ 44th president is no accident. Limjaroenrat admits he has borrowed from Obama’s playbook, employing a grassroots-fueled strategy across elections that he learned while shadowing campaign volunteers as a student at Harvard nearly two decades ago. In May’s national elections, this tactic helped Limjaroenrat’s progressive party win the most parliament seats of the 18 parties in the running. Limjaroenrat immediately declared himself Thailand’s new prime minister—a stunning result that sent shockwaves through the region and also raised questions. Most important, whether the Thai military would really allow a reformer to take power? Viewed in a certain light, Limjaroenrat is a typically pragmatic, suit-wearing politician. When students staged mass sit-ins in 2020 demanding major reform, for instance, he courted them without fully backing them. Nor did he share their wish to ditch the monarchy. (While Thailand’s politics for the past several decades have been characterized by a series of military governments, the generals still have to kiss the ring: The monarchy has proven the kingmaker in restoring civilian rule on multiple occasions.) “He clearly wants to be seen as a unifying figure, a moderate,” Aaron Connelly, who leads research on Southeast Asian political change and foreign policy at the Institute of International Strategic Studies (IISS), said of Limjaroenrat, whose toughest hurdle is yet to come. Limjaroenrat has formed an ad hoc coalition to govern Thailand, but it is still short of a majority in parliament. He can only ascend to the office of prime minister if he garners enough support in the House of Representatives—and the military-appointed Senate—in a vote scheduled for August. Then there’s also the into whether he was allowed to run for office while holding shares in media companies. Even if in the end he can’t break through, though, Limjaroenrat has mobilized a younger generation that is hungry for change. Continues at https://foreignpolicy.com/2023/07/01/thailands-obama-moment/

From The Nation A new government must be formed quickly to prevent protests triggered by political disputes from damaging the fragile recovery of the tourism industry, the Tourism Council of Thailand said on Saturday. The tourism industry has only recently recovered from the pandemic and is not yet strong, the council’s president, Chamnan Srisawat, said. Political turmoil and protests will damage the tourism industry – the country’s main economic engine, Chamnan added. He made the statement before meeting Move Forward Party leader Pita Limjaroenrat, the candidate for prime minister of an eight-party alliance. Some pundits have warned that massive demonstrations are possible if Pita fails in his bid to become Thailand’s next prime minister. His party won the most seats in the House of Representative in the May 14 election, and swept 32 of Bangkok’s 33 constituencies, but it faces hostility in the coup-appointed Senate. Chamnan said his council is ready to work with any new government. However, it had extended an invitation to Pita to be Thailand’s global tourism ambassador and Pita accepted the invitation on Saturday at an event that drew national media attention. Chamnan urged the next government to implement tourism policies to assist small business owners, noting that previous initiatives, like the Rao Tiew Duay Kan (We Travel Together) project, have expired. He also called for a simplified visa system to make it easier for foreign tourists to enter Thailand. In particular, he called for an easier visa process for Chinese nationals, saying they could significantly boost tourism revenues in the third quarter. ============== Prime ministerial candidate Pita Limjaroenrat on Saturday accepted an invitation from the Tourism Council of Thailand to become its brand ambassador, saying that after assuming office, he will travel overseas to meet leaders of foreign governments and promote Thailand as a destination. Pita met with the council’s president, Chamnan Srisawat, and other executives at the Rama Gardens Hotel to discuss ways to increase the number of foreign tourists to Thailand, particularly those from China. He noted that the number of foreign tourists visiting Thailand remains 30-40% lower than the pre-pandemic level, and that the drop in Chinese tourists was particularly steep. Before the pandemic, they accounted for 20% of all foreign visitors, but now they represent just 2%, he said.

From Pattaya News The Thai Marine Department is set to propose to the Cabinet to establish the country’s first large-scale international yacht/cruise ship port in Pattaya, worth over 7.4 billion baht. The mega-project, which will be located near the Bali Hai pier if approved, aims to benefit from the growing popularity of yacht tourism, with over 31.5 million tourists travelling by yachts and cruise ships globally this year and is expected to reach 36 million by 2024, according to Mr. Wannachai Butthongdee, Director of Engineering Division of the Marine Department. The construction will expectedly begin in 2026 and finish in 2029 if approved by the Cabinet. Mr. Wannachai added that Thailand is ranked third as the most popular destination in Asia in terms of the number of visits by large luxury yachts. The new port in Pattaya will be located approximately 1 kilometer away from the coastline and will have the capacity to accommodate two luxury cruise ships simultaneously. “Thailand has been welcoming an average of 500 luxury yacht trips per year. The majority of these yachts are can accommodate approximately 1,000 passengers,” Mr. Wannachai said. “As for large luxury cruise ships, they require temporary anchoring methods and smaller boats to transport passengers to the shore, which is not convenient for travel.” In light of this, the Marine Department is planning to develop cruise ports in other areas as well including Koh Samui in Surat Thani province, and Krabi province. The new port will be able to handle up to 1,500 cruise passengers per hour when it is used as a home port, or between 3,500 and 4,000 passengers per hour when it serves as a port of call, Mr. Wannachai stated.

Media news follow-up accounts of this incident provide more insight into the possible mechanism of injury. The Bangkok Post reports that the roller bag wheels appear to have become entangled in the “comb” at the end of walkway, causing it to break. This may have been how the user’s leg was drawn into the enlarged space. Meanwhile, Thai PBS World Carrie’s the following account: The accident on an escalator at Don Mueang airport yesterday (Thursday) might have been caused by a small object falling into the end of the escalator, causing a gap in the floor panel that trapped the leg of a passenger before it stopped automatically 20 seconds later, said Boonpong Kitwattanachai, an advisor to the mechanical engineering committee of the Thai Engineering Institute of Thailand. He said that a floor panel was found to have fallen under the escalator, indicating that the bolt which attaches the floor to the escalating rail had failed. ============ The accident, in which a female passenger lost part of her left leg when she fell on an escalator at Don Mueang International Airport on June 29th, was not the first time that a passenger or their property has been pulled into an escalator mechanism at the airport. On July 30th, 2019, an accident caused by an escalator in Don Mueang International Airport was shared on a passenger’s Facebook page, after one of his shoes was damaged by being pulled into the mechanism while he was on the escalator. According to the post, he was on the way back with his family after a night flight from Osaka to Don Mueang International Airport. He was on the moving walkway and, as he was about to step off, he felt something pulling his left shoe into the mechanism. He could not release it, because the force was too strong. He quickly pulled his foot out of the trapped shoe and, in less than a second, his shoe was drawn into the mechanism. ========== The accident on an escalator at Don Mueang airport yesterday (Thursday) might have been caused by a small object falling into the end of the escalator, causing a gap in the floor panel that trapped the leg of a passenger before it stopped automatically 20 seconds later, said Boonpong Kitwattanachai, an advisor to the mechanical engineering committee of the Thai Engineering Institute of Thailand. He said that a floor panel was found to have fallen under the escalator, indicating that the bolt which attaches the floor to the escalating rail had failed. For the sake of safety while riding on the escalator, Boonpong suggested passengers to keep one hand on the handrail and avoid using their cell phone.

I feel confident some lucky lawyer will get to the bottom of this.

From CNN By Maggie Hiufu Wong, CNN — “Goodbye, Kai Tak, and thank you.” It’s been 25 years since Richard Siegel, Hong Kong’s then-director of civil aviation, bid farewell and turned off the lights at Hong Kong Kai Tak International Airport. On July 6, 1998, the city’s main air hub closed its doors, moving services to the bigger and swankier new Hong Kong International Airport in Chek Lap Kok. The retired facility was rechristened as Kai Tak Cruise Terminal, the largest cruise terminal in town, in 2013. The 25-year-old “new” airport has pulled off numerous achievements – it’s frequently named one of the top five airports in the world. It’s a repeat winner of Skytrax’s World’s Best Airport Dining award. It’s been the world’s largest cargo airport every year since 2010, except for 2020. Yet fond memories remain for those who had a chance to fly through the old Kai Tak, or simply witness the remarkable airplane landings that made it famous. Before its closure in 1998, Kai Tak (the first recorded flight from the site took place in 1925) was regarded as one of the most difficult airports in the world for pilots to fly in and out of. As it sat in the middle of Kowloon City, with a runway protruding into the sea, landing in Kai Tak was a hair-raising event even for experienced pilots. Former Cathay Pacific Airways’ general manager of operations andnow-pilot instructor Russell Davie has more than 30 years of flying experience. “As a pilot, it was totally unique. It was the only major airport in the world that required a 45-degree turn below 500 feet to line up with the runway, literally flying between the high-rise buildings, passing close to the famous orange and white Checkerboard Hill (also known as Kowloon Tsai Hill) as you made that final turn toward the runway,” he told CNN Travel. Daryl Chapman, a teacher and aviation photographer from Britain who has lived in Hong Kong since 1987, spent countless hours photographing the amazing scenes of large aircraft swooping in over the Hong Kong skyline. (See a gallery of his work above.) “Kai Tak was very different to most international airports because it was right in the city,” recalls Chapman. “Lion Rock (a prominent hill in Hong Kong) blocks the standard straight-in approach; thus planes had to make that special turn over Kowloon City while landing on runway 13.” “This was quite a challenge, especially in strong wind conditions,” Davie says. “As Cathay pilots, we had plenty of practice and became very adept at flying the approach. “The approach was quite a challenge for pilots from other airlines, especially in more demanding flying conditions, as they might only come to Kai Tak once a year.” Continues at https://edition.cnn.com/travel/article/hong-kong-kai-tak-airport/index.html

From Archaeology.org Khmer-Period Carvings Unearthed at Buddhist Shrine in Thailand Share Thursday, June 29, 2023 (Nakhon Ratchasima Provincial Administrative Organization) Organization) NAKHON RATCHASIMA, THAILAND—The Bangkok Post reports that a decorative lintel and a stone gate have been earthed in northeastern Thailand at the site of Prasat Ban Bu Yai, a shrine built by King Jayavarman VII some 1,000 years ago on the road connecting Angkor and Phimai. Rakchart Kiriwattanasak of Nakhon Ratchasima Provincial Administrative Organization Council said that the carvings on the lintel depict the god Indra riding on the back of the elephant Airavata. Previous excavations at the site have uncovered three other lintels; a well-preserved Shiva linga; a tympanum, or triangular wall surface decorated with carvings of a hermit; and stone pillars carved with floral patterns and mythical golden lions holding garlands. To read about fire shrines that Jayavarman VII built along road networks throughokut the Angkor Empire, go to "The Pursuit of Wellness: Rest."

For those who remember the days when Vietnam performers were well represented on stage at Screw Boy, word has it that four can currently be found across the way at Dream Boy.

From The Nation The chief of the Eastern Economic Corridor Office on Thursday said that the construction of a high-speed railway linking three airports will be a year behind schedule. EEC chief Jula Sukmanop said Asia Era One Co Ltd, the concessionaire of the Don Mueang-Suvarnabhumi-U-Tapao high-speed railway, could not begin construction this year as it was still awaiting an approval of investment privileges from the Board of Investment. Jula said the construction would take four years and if it started next year, the high-speed railway would begin operations in 2028, a year behind schedule. Jula said Asia Era One blamed the delay on government agencies for failing to facilitate construction. The company has called on the government to amend the 50-year public-private partnership contract to minimise delays. The proposal has met strong opposition from the Pheu Thai, which says such a contract amendment must wait to be approved by the next elected government.