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Had occasion to fly Delta twice in past year on short-haul routes. Doors closed and opened on time and economy seats quite comfortable. ================== From CNN A flurry of new international flight routes from the US One of the strongest indicators of how the tourism industry continues to court American travelers: newly launched airline routes and expanded service to the States. Although air travel demand has been growing globally since most pandemic restrictions have been lifted, tapping into the lucrative US market remains a top priority for many airlines, including both major carriers and budget operators. “Opening new routes is immediately an opportunity for DMCs to target those audiences,” Chaulet says. This June, British Airways started a new route from Cincinnati to London – an immensely popular destination for American travelers, especially royals watchers, over the last year – operating with a Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner on five weekly flights during the summer (and four in the winter). American travelers keen to experience New Zealand can take advantage of Qantas’s just-launched service from New York’s JFK to Auckland with three weekly flights, also on the Dreamliner. In addition, according to Allison, of Tourism Australia, airline seat capacity between the US and Australia is projected to reach 88% of pre-pandemic levels with 123 flights per week by the end of 2023. Turkish Airlines and Emirates also continue to expand their US routes. Turkish’s four-times-weekly service from Seattle to Istanbul launched in 2022, with Detroit and Denver slated to start in Q4 of 2023. And this April, Emirates launched the first-ever service from Newark to Dubai, a 14-hour journey. Meanwhile, the budget carrier segment is booming with new airlines and routes that service the States popping up with increasing regularity. One of the original players, French bee, launched in 2016 with nonstop flights from the US to Paris and Tahiti and has since expanded its US network significantly, with three additional routes from New York, Los Angeles, and Miami to Paris launched in 2021 and 2022.

When I passed by there about 9 last night, the bar had four male visitors being attend to by three young women. Location, location, location I guess.

Not to worry. Most plumbers over 18.

In the space occupied pre-covid by the original Red Dragon bar (just to left of. Freshboy stairs), a new lady cocktail bar had opened. I’d been a regular at Red Dragon because the beer was cheap and the Burmese bartender and Vietnam waiters from Freshboy were hot. I welcome any place that brings added life to Patpong but it reminds me so much of how I miss its predecessor.

Thanks a dozen times.

From Pattaya News The Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT) revealed that Pattaya has welcomed as many as 2.5 million tourists so far after the country fully opened for tourism until April of 2023. Despite being in the low season at the moment, the director of the Pattaya Office of TAT, Ms. Anoma Wongyai, told Thai media that there are still a considerable number of financially independent travelers (FIT) visiting Pattaya. So far after Thailand fully opened its borders to tourists until April of 2023, 2.5 million people have travelled to Pattaya, 1.2 million of which are Thais and 860,000 are foreign tourists. The latter mostly consisted of Russian, Chinese, Taiwanese, Koreans, and Vietnamese. As for Chonburi, it has welcomed as many as 7.8 million people in total with 4.8 million being domestic tourists and 3.2 million being foreign tourists. These visitors helped Chonburi rake in over 86 billion Baht, Anoma said.

Based on the following article, ASEAN workers can be expected to represent a strong presence in the massage shops and bars as well in other sectors of the Thai economy well into the future. From The Nation Thai universities are struggling due to lower enrolments because of the sharp decline in the number of new births over the past several years, an education professional said. Arnond Sakworawich, head of Business Analytics and Intelligence Program at the Graduate School of Applied Statistics of the National Institute of Development Administration (NIDA), said that most Thai universities have not been able to meet their enrolment targets. The number of vacant seats are more than the number of students enrolling, forcing many state and private universities to organise 3-5 rounds of admission sessions, but still failing to fill all the available seats, Arnond said. The current Thai higher education market is relatively small, with 200-300 universities taking in fewer students than their annual capacity. Additionally, there has been a continuous decline in the number of births over the past five years. Thirty years ago, Thailand had over a million births, but currently the number has dropped by half to 500,000-600,000 births per year. In 2005, Thailand started becoming an ageing society, and became a full-fledged ageing society in 2022 when registration statistics showed that the elderly population had reached 12,116,119, accounting for 18.3% of the total population of about 70 million. By 2027, Thailand is expected to become an ageing society at an advanced level, similar to Japan, with the elderly population accounting for 28% of the total population. The birth rate is very low, with only a 0.18% increase in population from new births. As the number of Thai students entering universities continues to decline while the elderly population increases, it undoubtedly has an impact on the entire Thai education system, Arnond said. State and private universities might struggle to survive in the next five years if they do not not adapt, possibly leading to mergers or closures, he said. Thai universities have managed to survive by actively recruiting Chinese students. At some institutions, Chinese students make up half of the total student population. Approximately 3 million Chinese students have enrolled in Thai universities, he said.

From Thai. PBS World Love yourself, accept who you are and communicate with others with positivity could be the first steps towards the equality and inclusive representation that LGBTQ+ members long for, a recent panel celebrating Month of Pride told its audience. Four panelists from the LGBTQ+ community shared their personal journeys of self-discovery, shedding light on the challenges they faced and underlining the significance of acceptance, empathy and understanding within society in the discussion hosted by W Bangkok Hotel as part of the many activities in Pride Month. Through their inspiring stories, LGBTQ+ panelists comprising the Editor of Time Out in Thailand Top Koaysomboom, Thai-Italian artist Silvy Pavida, TV host and celebrity chef Kristen Kish and Japanese DJ Noah shed light on the challenges they faced, the power of finding acceptance, and the transformative impact of representation. DJ Noah, who has been living in Japan for eight years, spoke passionately about the process of finding his voice amid societal expectations and personal struggles. “Pride means being true to myself. It is an escape from suppression, oppression and overall discrimination. We are here. We are breathing. We exist. That’s what Pride represents,” he said. Noah emphasized the crucial role of supportive communities and friends within the LGBTQ+ network, providing the foundation necessary for individuals to confidently express themselves. Through various forms of art and activism, Noah found liberation and became a staunch advocate for LGBTQ+ rights and visibility. For Silvy, it’s all about standing proud. “Pride is a feeling. To me, it is how you express yourself. It’s having self-respect. When you feel pride, you are allowed to be yourself and you are free to express yourself and let other people know you for who you are.” Being true to yourself is perhaps what Pride Month is about to most people. Chef Kristen agreed, saying, “Pride for me is finding new ways to love yourself.” Silvy stressed that seeing others who have overcome adversity and found success in their authentic selves instills hope and inspiration in those who may be struggling with their own identities. It is through representation that individuals find solace, a sense of belonging, and the courage to fully embrace their true selves. Continues at https://www.thaipbsworld.com/embracing-authenticity-amplifying-the-voices-of-the-lgbtq-community-in-pride-month/

No difference than hiring a plumber? Really? Well, three of those ground floor employees were offed from bar last week for karaoke session at local restaurant and members posted here about it. It was a lot of fun but did not involve sex. It’s not uncommon for guys to get offed simply as companions for dinner and drinks. Another thing you may be missing is that there are some regular customers who’ve come to think of those employees as friends. Discussing a friend’s sexuality would seem to me to be a violation of trust. But that’s just me. Customers tend to talk about their personal lives with bartenders. Most do so, assuming confidentiality exits between them. I’ve reread, too, but perhaps through a glass less darkly. There’s that magic word again. I think we all value it. If we all understood how TripAdvisor reviews can be manipulated, the less we read them the better informed we will be, I agree.

Finally something we can agree upon: you’re boring 12 ways from Sunday. 🤗

It’s not simply your language that’s crude, it’s your disregarded for an individual’s right to privacy. And calling someone “a great fuck” is unquestionably sexual innuendo. .

Flew on Laker’s airline to UK for Silver Jubilee. It was my first trip to Europe and spent the 10 days getting to know and appreciate London. As you point out, the new venture is ambitious but fraught with headwinds. With only a very small fleet, maintenance and other issues that the majors can handle can rapidly become a millstone.

Don’t hold your breath. You mentioned the individual’s given name aware this his place of business had been established in the thread. Then you speculated about his sexuality. You can’t weasel out by blaming others, “Leroy.” You don’t see a problem making a sexual innuendo about a named and known person in this a public forum? I don’t believe it. Do you believe this should be a sounding board that wholly disregards respect for individual privacy?

From CNN The pandemic almost killed it and its production endedsooner than anticipated in 2021, but the A380 simply refuses to die. With more and more superjumbos soaring back into the skies amid a post-pandemic resurgence in commercial aviation, the aircraft is back in the spotlight as one new airline is built around it. Global Airlines, a British startup that aims to offer transatlantic flights starting next year, has acquired a 16-year-old A380 as the inaugural aircraft of an all-A380 fleet — at least initially — and is in the process of refurbishing the plane to its own specifications. It’s a rare used-market move for an aircraft that passengers adore but that airlines have struggled to turn profitable due to its operating and maintenance cost, as well as its huge size. “It’s a fantastic aircraft when you use it in the right way and on the right routes,” says Global Airlines CEO James Asquith. “We will be looking to invest significant amounts on refurbishing the A380 we already have and the future ones that we’re looking to bring into the fleet.” Asquith previously founded Holiday Swap, a home-swapping travel platform which is also Global’s parent company, and he holds the Guinness world record for the youngest person to visit every country in the world. “I’ve flown on about 280 different airlines and sat there seeing what’s good, what doesn’t work and what can be improved,” he says. “We’ve structured this in a way that financially allows us to do a lot of the exciting things that no new airline that isn’t government-funded has been able to do in the last 40 years.” Continues at https://edition.cnn.com/travel/a380-global-airlines/index.html ============ Best airlines for 2023 The World’s Top Airlines of 2023, according to Skytrax 1. Singapore Airlines 2. Qatar Airways 3. ANA All Nippon Airways 4. Emirates 5. Japan Airlines 6. Turkish Airlines 7. Air France 8. Cathay Pacific 9. EVA Air 10. Korean Air 11. Hainan Airlines 12. Swiss Int’l Air Lines 13. Etihad Airways 14. Iberia 15. Fiji Airways 16. Vistara 17. Qantas Airways 18. British Airways 19. Air New Zealand 20. Delta Air Lines World’s Best Cabin Crew 2023 1. Garuda Indonesia 2. Singapore Airlines 3. ANA All Nippon Airways 4. EVA Air 5. Hainan Airlines 6. Qatar Airways 7. Cathay Pacific 8. Thai Airways 9. Emirates 10. Japan Airlines World’s Best Low-Cost Airlines 2023 1. AirAsia 2. Scoot 3. Indigo 4. Flynas 5. Volotea 6. Transavia France 7. Sun Country Airlines 8. Southwest Airlines 9. airBaltic 10. Jet2.com 11. easyJet 12. Vueling Airlines 13. Ryanair 14. Jetstar Airways 15. flyDubai https://edition.cnn.com/travel/skytrax-world-airline-awards-2023/index.html

From The Thaiger Bangkok’s historic Hua Lamphong railway station, with its Italian Neo-Renaissance-style architecture, is gearing up to host prominent events while continuing to provide suburban commuting and tourism train services. This comes on the heels of extensive renovations that have transformed the 107 year old station to accommodate both roles effectively. Ekkarat Si-arayanphong, head of the State Railway of Thailand (SRT) governor’s office, highlighted that SRT governor Nirut Maneephan has been actively involved in the preservation and maintenance of Hua Lamphong, also known as Krung Thep station. The aim is to turn the railway station into a venue for major events. In the past, Hua Lamphong hosted events like ‘Hua Lamphong in Your Eyes and Unfolding Bangkok,’ attracting over 30,000 visitors daily, consisting of both Thai citizens and foreign tourists. SRT is now looking to collaborate with more public and private organisations interested in utilising Hua Lamphong’s space for events that will enhance the station’s value. Ekkarat revealed plans for Hua Lamphong to further develop as a location for organising significant international events. Additionally, seven more antique trains that played essential roles in Thailand’s rail transport history will soon go on display at Platform No 4, a part of the designated exhibition area, with further exhibitions to be added later, reported Bangkok Post.

Leroy82, I’ll take you at your word that you’d be flattered that someone said you’d make a great fuck. But would you also be flattered when they gave your given name and identity where you worked and in what city? Because that’s the information you provided to the world about this young man. Essentially, you’re outing another person on a public forum.

Same thing you did when it happened in the past. 🙂

Sanctions may indeed be more symbolic in effect but anything that makes it more difficult for banks or generals to function nsmoothly in international financial circles well worth the effort. Meanwhile, Prayut paid outgoing homage to Myanmar’s ruling generals in a meeting that caused dismay among other ASEAN neighbors. From Thai PBS World. Prayut government’s undiplomatic meeting on Myanmar shows Thailand in a bad light The informal meeting arranged by Thailand’s caretaker government on the Myanmar crisis has only provided a comfort zone for the junta across the border, but dealt a blow to Thailand’s international reputation and deepened divisions within ASEAN, according to experts. Foreign Minister Don Pramudwinai invited ministers and senior officials from ASEAN and its dialogue partners to the discussions on the ongoing crisis in Myanmar on June 19 in Pattaya, turning a deaf ear to criticism and condemnation domestically and internationally for the reckless initiative of a caretaker government. Prime Minister General Prayut Chan-o-cha defended the initiative, arguing that his government needed to protect Thailand’s national interests in Myanmar as well as border trade and security. Thailand has suffered the most from the situation in the neighboring country, as it shares more than 3,000 kilometers of land and maritime boundary. Border trade with Myanmar is worth billions of baht annually and Myanmar is a major source of gas supply for Thailand, he argued. Professor Ukrist Pathmanand of Chulalongkorn University’s Institute of Asian Studies doubted if such a hustled meeting could serve the national interest other than the personal interest of the Thai elite in the caretaker government. Gas concessions in Myanmar might serve the country’s energy security but it also profits big corporates in the sector, he said in an interview with Thai PBS World. “Don’t forget, we have a lobbyist working on Myanmar issues for this caretaker government.”

+1 We forgot about our offs and petty concerns. We were all Thais for those fateful days.

From Bangkok Post CHON BURI: The Pattaya City Administration plans to introduce four monorail lines to ease traffic congestion. It will begin with a 9.9-kilometre "Green Line" route which will connect the future high-speed... https://www.bangkokpost.com/thailand/general/2596913/pattaya-to-construct-4-monorail-lines

From Thai PBS world The United States on Wednesday imposed sanctions on Myanmar’s defense ministry and two banks used by the ruling military junta to buy arms and other goods from foreign sources. The U.S. Treasury Department said in a statement the military has relied on foreign sources, including Russian entities under sanctions, to purchase and import arms, equipment and raw materials to manufacture weapons to support its “brutal repression”. Washington accused the defense ministry of importing goods and materiel worth at least $1 billion since the 2021 coup in which the military leaders seized power. State-owned Myanmar Foreign Trade Bank (MFTB) and Myanma Investment and Commercial Bank (MICB), were also hit with sanctions. The Treasury said they allowed revenue-generating state-owned enterprises, including Myanma Oil and Gas Enterprise (MOGE), access to international markets. The banks receive and transmit foreign currencies for Myanmar’s government. “ Burma’s military regime has leveraged state-run access to international markets to import weapons and materiel, including from sanctioned Russian entities, to continue its violence and oppression,” the Treasury’s Under Secretary for Terrorism and Financial Intelligence, Brian Nelson, said in the statement. The United States and other Western nations have imposed several rounds of sanctions on Myanmar’s military leaders since they seized power in a coup in 2021, overthrowing the democratically elected government led by Aung San Suu Kyi and killing thousands of opponents in a crackdown.

1. The “afters” don’t always come in a specific order. 2. I evaluate a massage on the experience as a whole, not solely on the end. 3. Some guys (a minority in my experience) understand this. 4. I very seldom extend a massage.

I was walking on Silom past Soi 4 and a guy wearing yellow shirt smiled and asked “massage?” as he offered a menu from Adam. He held the smile and I said “sure.” On the short walk back he inquired “body to body?” My reply was the same. Adam is probably the best located shop in Silom (opposite Pride), yet many folks walk by without even seeing it en route to Circus, Balcony or Jupiter. Even though I was once a regular customer, in recent years I’ve given it a pass in as I discovered the opportunities in Saphan Kwai and other destinations. Today’s massage renewed my connection with the shop where I first met some memorable guys. Originally agreeing to one hour (450), midway through the session I told him I wanted to extend it an additional half hour (200), my first 90-minute one of the trip. It was time and money well spent. The room was on the third floor with massage table and shower down the hall. Water provided on arrival and tea after.

Agree. and just having wealth doesn’t seem to make victims any wiser because they’re the ones getting burned. Greed—like lust—can make fools of us.

Making a sexual supposition about another person you specifically identity by given name could easily be taken in intended or unintended ways. Remember this is a public forum.