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Surely obesity can be diagnosed from afar, but no physician worth his salt would diagnose diabetes or liver malfunction from afar. I'm not sure even graduates of George Santos Medical School would attempt it. As for drinking habits, the most comments you read on the boards is that older farangs tend to nurse a single beer all night. There's no denying that there's a large number of old gay men living in Patttaya. As with all old men, they share some common maladies. But does it serve any purpose to lump them together as the subject of ridicule on a forum dedicated to all gay men, especially when made by younger gay men. It's generally acknowledged that the majority of members of all three boards are older men. We know we're old and we know what are ailments are. We don't need to be reminded of that by a fellow forum member. Let's leave the clinical diagnosis to their real doctors.

The Thai government appears on the verge of pivoting yet again on the subject of Covid, according to an announcement by the Department of Disease Control (DDC). From the National News Bureau of Thailand DDC Director-General Dr. Tares Krassanairawiwong spoke of monitoring measures for COVID-19 amid increasing foreign tourist numbers and with Chinese tourists now making up a significant portion of arrivals. He said airports are implementing rigorous screening measures for international arrivals and these measures will be expanded to land border crossings. Dr. Tares said travelers who are required by their country of origin to take an RT-PCR test before re-entry would need to possess health insurance that covers COVID-19 treatment. At present, the countries requiring this are India and China. Dr. Tares said the collection of wastewater from aircraft for testing so far yielded samples of the Omicron BA.5 strain, which is found in Thailand. Results from these random tests are yielded about 1 week after a flight. In Bangkok, the DDC has prepared two vaccination sites for foreign tourists who want to get vaccinated. The first is the Bang Rak medical center on Sathong Tai Rd. The other is the Institute for Urban Disease Control and Prevention in Bang Khen district. The sites are expected to commence service next week and will also offer RT-PCR testing. Coordination is being made with health agencies in tourism cities such as Phuket, Chonburi, and Chiang Mai in setting up similar vaccine service points. The DDC chief explained that international travelers who purchased health insurance that covers COVID-19 treatment will be able to get treatment at any hospital. They will also be able to enter hotel quarantine if they only display mild or no symptoms. Dr. Tares said there is currently no need to open hospitels for Covid patients. ==================================== However, with another government agency eyeing a huge increase in foreign tourists, it's probably wise not to give too much credibility to either at this point. Tourism Ministry Eyes 80m International Tourists In 2027 BANGKOK (NNT) - The Ministry of Tourism and Sports hopes to drive up the number of international visitors to Thailand to 80 million over the next five years. This optimistic target will see the number of international visitors doubling the pre-pandemic figure, and exceeding the country’s current population of 70 million. Minister of Tourism and Sports Pipat Ratchakitprakarn said this target, once achieved, could raise the country’s tourism revenue from 1.93 trillion baht in 2019 to 5 trillion baht. He said this target also calls for an upgrade to tourism safety standards, in order to accommodate the influx of visitors.

You claimed you don't judge but you somehow managed--from a distance--to diagnose four medical conditions and "obvious drinking habits" from a group of strangers. That must have been some medial school you attended. Most internists require battery of tests and personal exams to do the same.

Physician, heal thyself. Luke 4:23

From Reuters BANGKOK, Jan 11 (Reuters) - Thai officials found assets belonging to adult children of Myanmar's junta leader during a raid on the Bangkok apartment of a Myanmar tycoon charged with drug trafficking and money laundering, according to an official record and two people with knowledge of the case.Title deeds and bankbooks belonging to Min Aung Hlaing’s daughter and son were found at the home of Tun Min Latt, 53, when he was arrested in the Thai capital last September along with three Thai nationals on charges of conspiracy to traffic narcotics and money laundering. Tun Min Latt, who has interests in hotels, energy and mining, is a close associate of Min Aung Hlaing, who seized power from the democratically elected government in February 2021, three sources with knowledge of the matter told Reuters last year. He has procured supplies for the military, the sources said. Publicly available pictures show them together at an arms fair in 2019. Tun Min Latt is in pre-trial detention; his lawyer could not be reached for comment. Min Aung Hlaing’s son Aung Pyae Sone and his daughter Khin Thiri Thet Mon, who along with their father have been sanctioned by the United States and Canada, did not respond to requests for comment by Reuters. The U.S said they had businesses that "directly benefited from their father’s position and malign influence".

From The Nation An Austrian man fell to his death from the fourth floor of his hotel room in Bangkok’s Khlong Toei district on Tuesday night (January 10). The deceased, identified as Mario Fruhwirt, 49, an Austrian national, suffered fatal injuries to his head after he fell from his room on to the hotel’s awning and landed on the ground, Lumpini Police Station officials said. Police found several empty cans of beer and a broken glass window panel in his room on the top floor of the four-storey hotel. Investigators speculated that the deceased might have been drunk and jumped through the window, breaking the panel. A hotel staffer said Fruhwirt had checked into the hotel alone on January 3 and was scheduled to check out on Saturday. Police are reviewing CCTV footage within the hotel to see if anyone had made contact with the deceased before his death. The Austrian Embassy has been informed to contact the deceased’s relatives to identify and take custody of the body.

CAUTION. Subject to change on a whim. 🙂 From the Thaiger The government announced plans to introduce its long-mooted 300 baht tourist fee for foreign visitors in June. The tourism fee was originally planned to be imposed on foreign travellers at the beginning of last year but the idea was put on hold after the spread of the Covid-19 Omicron variant and details of how the government planned to collect the money.

From Pattaya Mail By Warapun Jaikusol Pattaya Thais may still be wearing masks nearly all the time, but they’re using condoms less than before Covid-19. Nurse Nakanya Jantrakard of Pattaya’s Communicable Disease Prevention and Control Department, said both reported cases of AIDS and other sexually transmitted diseases have increased since 2019. While protection from the coronavirus seems forefront in the minds of Thais, particularly young ones, protection against sexually transmitted viruses and bacterial infections doesn’t seem as important now. Sex workers reportedly are using condoms less in the bedroom as well, but afterward are sure to mask up. In the meeting with charity networks, health workers and NGOs, representatives wrung their hands about the problem and wondered how they can reverse the trend.

Last time I experienced three-way was in Babylon during its heyday years but that occurred spontaneously and didn't require any planning. It's crossed my mind recently. The only thing holding me back is that I think the guys are most uninhibited when it's one-on-one situation. But I may be wrong judging from some reports on the board.

That's true, although they do have supplies of the Moderns and Pfizer jabs.

From Pattaya Mail Pro marksman surrenders for murder of Pattaya British expat A competitive marksman surrendered to police and confessed that he shot a 70-year-old British man because the expat “insulted and angered” him. Apichart Boonsawat, 32, turned himself in at Huay Yai Police Station Jan. 7, handing over the handgun used to gun down Neil Lewis Roger, 70, as he drove a motorbike on Soi Khao Makok 1 Jan. 5. An arrest warrant had been issued charging Apichart with murder and carrying a gun in public. In his statement released by police, Apichart, an acclaimed marksman who has won numerous competitions for precision shooting and legally owned the gun he used, said he had been waiting to turn on Soi Chaiyapreuk when Roger allegedly honked his motorbike horn and banged on Apichart’s car, yelling at him to turn. The suspect said he stopped the vehicle to talk to Roger only to get into a fierce argument, with Roger taking off on his bike. Apichart pursued, cut off the Brit and shot him four times in the back “because he insulted and angered me, causing me to go into a state of rage.” Apichart was scheduled to be taken for arraignment at the Pattaya Court Monday and was being held without bail. The 70-year-old Briton’s 38-year-old wife, Thitiphan Kummalard, said he had just returned from the United Kingdom Jan. 4 and had gone out drinking on Jan. 5. Authorities said he had been living in Thailand for about 20 years.

I wonder if that those who come up with these lists would rethink their ratings if they actually had visited some of these countries. Basing the ratings on 10 fixed criteria instead of actual experience, they come with weird findings that don't mesh with how gays actually vote with their feet: Vietnam D Japan D+ South Korea D+ Thailand C- Taiwan C

Do you happen to recall where "somewhere" is? I ask because expats may be interested in getting booster and wouldn't want to see them unnecessarily discouraged by rumor.

From Thai Enquirer The Baht, which in October was trading around 38 to the US Dollar, has strengthened to 34 to the US$, and the currency is likely to continue to strengthen into 2023 as the Thai economy continues to recover and China’s reopening will help sustain recessionary fears from the west. The Thai Baht has benefited from the surge in the domestic economy as Thailand opened its doors to foreign tourists on July 1st, 2022. The currency has benefited from the weakening US Dollar that has seen the US Federal Reserve starting to slow its interest rate hikes that it has undertaken aggressively during 2022. “After being lackluster in the past 2 years, the Thai Baht looks set to outperform in Asia FX in 2023 as it receives a further bump in tourist arrivals due to reopening of China’s borders,” Heng Koon How, head of market strategy at United Overseas Bank (UOB) said in a note to clients. “The expected return to a current account surplus of 2.8% (of GDP) this year is another added boost to the THB. Taken together, we see a limited pullback in THB to 35 to US$ in H1 2023 despite a challenging global macro backdrop before a stronger recovery to 34 to US$ in Q3 2023 and 33 to the US$ in Q4 2023.” Continues at https://www.thaienquirer.com/47303/thai-baht-likely-to-continue-to-strengthen-as-asian-economies-could-benefit-from-chinas-reopening/

From Thai PBS World Bang Sue train station name plate change put on hold Under heavy criticism for what is being seen as a waste of taxpayers’ money, the State Railway of Thailand (SRT) has decided to postpone its plan to replace Bang Sue Grand Station’s name plate and the redesign of the SRT logo. An informed source said that the SRT has notified the management of Uniq Engineering and Construction (UNIQ) in writing of the postponement of the plan until further notice. Uniq was awarded a 33-million baht contract to change the nameplate to Krung Thep Aphiwat Train Terminal, a name which was presented by His Majesty the King last September. Installation work was scheduled to start on January 3rd.

It's become a fiasco to discern the actual travel requirements for entering Thailand because individual government agencies are issuing their own interpretation. The Health Ministry had declared one set of requirement only to revisit it the same day with a different version. The latest--and hopefully the accurate version--has been sent our by the Civil Aviation Authority of Thailand (CAAT) in the form of a "NOTAM" (Notice to Airmen), an internationally recognized notice containing information essential to personnel concerned with flight operations but not known far enough in advance to be publicized by other mean. From The Nation The Civil Aviation Authority of Thailand (CAAT) on Tuesday issued a new Notice to Airmen (Notam) that cancels mandatory Covid-19 vaccination. The previous Notam, issued on Saturday, required airlines to check passengers for proof of at least two vaccine jabs and minimum health coverage of US$10,000 before boarding. Issued just two days before China removed restrictions on international travel, the “two-jab plus insurance” rule sparked a backlash from Thai tourism operators who complained it had forced many travellers to cancel flights and bookings. The new Notam issued on Tuesday includes the following updates: 1. Vaccination is no longer required. 2. Passengers from countries that require an RT-PCR test on return are advised to have health insurance covering at least US$10,000 of Covid-19 treatment during their stay in Thailand, plus seven days. 2.1 Flight crew, students, and others on special business can use a letter from their host or other forms of insurance to cover the requirement. 2.2 Absence of health insurance is not a reason to deny boarding. 2.3 Passengers from countries that require an RT-PCR test will be checked randomly for proof of insurance. Those who cannot show proof will have to purchase health insurance before being processed by Thai immigration. 3. Thai passport holders and transit/transfer passengers are exempted from the health insurance check. 4. Airlines must comply with all regulations and guidance including asking passengers to wear masks at all times, except during meals or emergencies. 5. Passengers showing symptoms of Covid-19 during travel will be advised to test on arrival. Travellers from China will need health insurance as their home country requires an RT-PCR test on re-entry. The new Notam is effective until January 31.

From Coconuts Bangkok Private health care professionals reacted today to a decision preventing them from providing free medication used to prevent HIV infection. After a Health Ministry decree that private clinics may no longer give away supplies of so-called PrEP and PEP drugs went into effect today, the head of chief AIDS prevention at the Thai Red Cross said it created a needless barrier for patients. “It’s clearly a health rights violation that bars people from accessing health care services,” said Nittaya Phanuphak Pungpapong, who heads AIDS prevention efforts for the Thai Red Cross Society. “This makes the goal to end HIV/AIDS by 2030 go off track.” rEP, aka pre-exposure prophylaxis, is highly effective at reducing the chance of contracting HIV from sex or drug use. PEP, or post-exposure prophylaxis, is effective at preventing the disease after exposure. The decision to cut government spending on private health care services was announced late last month by top officials, including a representative of the agency which decides public health care priorities, as a cost-saving measure. As a result, commercial and nonprofit private clinics announced they would no longer provide the drugs for free. On Friday, Swing Thailand, a private group focused on Thailand’s sex workers, announced it would no longer provide free PrEP and PEP medication as of today. “SWING clinic Silom branch and Saphan Khwai branch will not provide PrEP, PEP service due to the announcement of the Ministry of Public Health as non-hospital services are not allowed to pay for PrEP, PEP,” it announced. “The SWING clinic would like to apologize to all service users. We tried our best to fight. but can not do anything contrary to the order announced by the Minister of Public Health.” The drugs are still available from public hospitals. Under the rules, people using their government-administered health care benefits and public employees can receive both drugs at public hospitals. A Swing representative said Monday that they were concerned that public hospitals lack the specialized expertise of some private providers. The group has also said that state-funded clinics are often inaccessible to sex workers. The Rainbow Sky Association, a community organization promoting sexual diversity, announced that its clinics stopped dispensing antiviral drugs to new customers on Saturday and will no longer supply existing customers today because it was against the law. “Fah See Rung Medical Technology Clinic in Ramkhamhaeng and Chonburi will not be able to provide PrEP because it is against the Medical Facility Act,” it said in a statement. Pulse, which operates a chain of commercial sexual health clinics in Bangkok, said it has supplied and will continue to supply the drugs for a fee.

Although I'm sure you can purchase one at a private hospital, all of the government hospitals and distribution programs are free. They are even inviting foreigners to participate.

TIT.

From Pattaya News Two Russian tourists filed police reports in separate cases yesterday, January 8th, claiming their money secured in safe boxes at the same Pattaya hotel had disappeared. The first victim, Mr. Oleg Gipke, came to report the case at the Pattaya police station at 10 PM. He told the police that he was staying at a hotel in Pattaya and kept his 5,000 dollars in a safe box provided by the hotel. Pattaya Police withheld the name of the hotel pending a further legal investigation. Mr. Gipke said that on January 4th, he noticed an irregularity with the safe though he did not describe the nature of that irregularity. He then opened the safe, counted his money, and found that around 1,000 US dollars were missing from his stack of money. He then asked the hotel’s staff to check CCTV recordings but got refused because the staff said he must first file a police report. This led to Mr. Gipke reporting his grievance to the police last night. It was unclear why there was a delay in the original incident and the police report. Another case, which was almost exactly similar to Mr. Gipke’s incident, happened with Ms. Natalina Chernova, a Russian national. She also came to report her missing cash yesterday at the Pattaya police station, saying her money worth 4,000 US dollars had vanished from her 16,000 US dollar stack. Ms. Chernova said she kept her money in a safe box, and she was staying in the same hotel as Mr. Gipke. The two victims did not know each other, The Pattaya News notes. The incidents reportedly baffled the two victims as their money had disappeared without a trace, and only a portion of it vanished. Pattaya police are now examining CCTV footage of the hotel and inquiring with staff for more leads.

Latest travel restrictions “need immediate amendment” From Pattaya Mail By Barry Kenyon Effective early today Monday January 9 Thai time, airlines round the world are instructed to ensure that their passengers to Thailand have documentation to prove at least two anti-covid jabs, no matter how old. The exceptions are children under 18, pregnant mothers, Thai nationals and foreigners holding Department of Employment work or labor permits. Unvaccinated passengers must show a doctor’s letter why they are jabless, presumably for reasons of pre-existing health conditions. However, some unconfirmed reports say unvaccinated tourists are being allowed to board by some airlines with the proviso they will be delayed for testing by Thai health authorities on landing. The latest regulations do not, immediately, include land border crossings. Consequently, the hi-speed rail route from the Chinese border to Vientiane, capital of Laos, is booked solid because of its proximity to the major crossing point at Nong Khai via the Friendship Bridge. Other reports indicate that passengers from Europe are trying to exchange their air tickets to Bangkok for Cambodia’s Phnom Penh or Siem Reap airport. From Cambodia, entry by land to Thailand is fairly straightforward via several immigration check points. nbound air passengers to Thailand do not require any travel insurance, or hospital cover for covid, unless their next air destination after Thailand is a country which insists on covid checks on entry. Examples include China and India which both require RT-PCR tests before boarding flights there. The required Thai insurance is a minimum of US$10,000 and must cover potential hospitalization whilst in Thailand. Whether the Thai health system can provide enough RT-PCR tests, within 48 hours of the flight to China for example leaving, is unclear. Pattaya hospitals told Pattaya Mail they don’t have the stocks. Unconfirmed reports say self-administered antigen tests may replace hospital-stamped certificates to cope with that issue. The international press and social media are dismayed by the sudden imposition of new health requirements just as Thailand recovers from the covid-induced tourist starvation. They argue that the measures are a botched attempt to deal with high covid infection rates in China without seeming to single out China for special treatment. The Thai tourism minister and the Tourism Authority of Thailand are both pressurizing the Cabinet to reverse the restrictions on the grounds of “non-feasibility”. In Thai fashion, any changes will be announced without prior warning. In the meantime, passengers with questions should consult their airline as the main thrust of checking has been thrown on check-in staff. Further checks at Thai immigration on landing are unlikely except on a random basis in order to avoid more chaos. Unless you are coughing or sweating of course.

From Pattaya Mail Long-time resident and former Honorary British Consul in Pattaya, Barry Kenyon provides a very informative talk on Thai laws and court system and how to stay safe legally. The guest speaker for the Pattaya City Expats Club (PCEC) at their Wednesday, January 4, meeting was Barry Kenyon who offered some wise advice on how to stay out of legal trouble while living in Thailand. His talk covered reasons why foreigners are typically arrested in Pattaya and what happens to them as well as areas foreigners get involved in civil cases such as disputed wills or seeking compensation. He also pointed out some key differences between Thai and Western courts and offered some advice to follow if you by chance are arrested. Barry also covered what made several elderly Pattaya Bridge Club players get their 15 minutes of fame in 2016 when 30 members of the Pattaya Bridge Club were arrested for alleged gambling including himself. Barry is imminently qualified to offer general advice on how to stay safe legally in Thailand. He has lived mostly in Pattaya for the past 30 years. During this period, he has worked in various capacities for the British Embassy, including being the Honorary British Consul in Pattaya and a volunteer assisting Expats at Pattaya’s Immigration Office. He has had a varied past career as a Latin teacher, a police officer, and a college executive. He is now largely retired but is a part time advisor for a large international law company based next to Jomtien immigration. He also writes for the internet and Pattaya Mail mostly on tourist and immigration subjects. Alcohol is usually involved for most foreigners that get arrested whether it be driving or belligerence leading to more serious offenses such as assault or other violent acts. Barry noted that in cases of assault, there must be medical evidence to support the allegation. Another area where many foreigners may be arrested is for committing drug offenses. Foreigners violating Immigration law by overstaying their permitted time in Thailand is another leading cause for their being arrested. Barry noted that overstay offenses are now more easily detected through use of better technology. Barry also described several issues involving working illegally in Thailand. Barry also explained the differences between Thai court procedures and that of Western countries. One being there are no jury trials in Thailand eliminating the adversarial aspects during court proceedings. The case is heard by Thai judges and a case may drag on for a lengthy period as the trial may involve several sessions with months between them thus dragging on for years. Some other differences is there is no transcript of the testimony and legal precedence does not play as important a part with judges having wide latitude on judging a case as well as in imposing sentences. He also highlighted some areas of civil law such as disputed wills and divorces along with the method used to collect damages if one wins a judgement. He also offered advice on how to act if you are arrested, the first being to remain calm. He mentioned that while being processed and before being placed in a cell, you will likely still be in possession of your mobile phone; use it. Call your friends to let them know where you are and what is happening. He did mention that having a good attorney to call can be beneficial, but then defined a good attorney is one that doesn’t turn their phone off when they go to bed. Barry also emphasized that you should not sign any documents which will be in Thai and most likely an admission of guilt. As part of his presentation, Barry mentioned several aspects of the infamous Bridge Club raid of 2016 in which he and 29 other elderly participants were arrested and that it took over 3 years to finally resolve the case. Although the gambling charge was eventually dropped, there were in fact some violation of other Thai laws including a very old one adopted during the Japanese occupation of Thailand during WW2. MC Ren Lexander than mentioned some upcoming events before calling on George Wilson to conduct the Open Forum portion of the meeting where the audience comment and ask questions about Expat living in Thailand. To view Barry’s presentation, visit the PCEC’s YouTube Channel at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6icUdorzzz4. To learn more about the PCEC, visit their website at: https://pcec.club.

From Thai PBS World Free COVID-19 vaccinations stepped up ahead of increased foreign arrivals Due to an anticipated increase in foreign arrivals, Chinese tourists in particular, everyone, especially the those over 60, people with chronic diseases, pregnant women, those who weigh over 90kg, small children and those who have not been vaccinated, have been urged to get vaccinated against COVID-19 or to get booster shots. COVID-19 infections are on the rise in several provinces. In the north-eastern province of Nakhon Ratchasima, for instance, over 600 cases were reported last week alone, with 14 fatalities, most of whom were unvaccinated. The vaccination services are free of charge for Thais and foreigners at state hospitals or health centres nationwide. In Bangkok, people who want to get vaccinated with the Pfizer vaccine can just walk in to the Institute of Dermatology, near the Victory Monument, or make advance bookings. The institute will provide a free vaccination service from 9am until 3pm on January 12th, 13th and 16th to 20th. Those who received their last vaccine dose over four months ago are advised to get another booster shot. ======== Barry Kenyon writes in today's Pattaya Mail that "All air passengers of any nationality, aged 18 and over, will need documentary proof of at least two anti-covid vaccine shots. The same paperwork could be required too by Thai immigration on landing, although this latter step may be on an occasional or random basis as the main thrust is on the shoulders of the air carriers. Unvaccinated or undocumented travellers will likely be refused boarding as will those who appear sick. "Most air arrivals will not be required to show tourist or anti-covid health insurance under the CAAT ruling. However, those arriving in Thailand with onward tickets to destinations which require RT-PCR clinical testing as part of that country’s immigration requirements will need Thai insurance. For example, both India and China both require all entrants, including their own nationals, to have RT-PCR health tests within 48 hours of their flights from Thailand. Thus Thai health insurance is needed for such travellers in case they fail their pre-flight covid examination here. "No guidance is given in the CAAT circular about the details of such insurance. It will presumably need to specify potential hospitalization in case of proving covid-positive whilst in Thailand. As with the vaccination record check, the main responsibility will be with the airlines to check carefully the onward travel plans of their customers, or risk heavy fines if they are less than diligent. The extra costs of insurance could deter some Chinese tourists from visiting Thailand as the financial blow has already caused some Indians to cancel Thai holidays. It is also unclear whether Thai hospitals and clinics have the staff or resources suddenly to guarantee thousands of RT-PCR within 48 hours of intended departure at a low cost, a potentially mammoth task."

From Thai PBS World Princess Bajrakitiyabha remains unconscious and under treatment in hospital Her Royal Highness Princess Bajrakitiyabha Narendira Debyavati has been and remains unconscious, and doctors are still treating her with medications. She is also on a life support system, to support the function of her heart, lungs and kidneys, and to enable close monitoring of her condition, the Bureau of the Royal Household said on Sunday. The Princess fell unconscious due to a heart problem and was admitted to King Chulalongkorn Memorial Hospital on December 15th. Doctors at the hospital have attributed the initial collapse to an extremely irregular heart beat, induced by Mycoplasma infection, resulting in unconsciousness.