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I can still recall the vending machines at Don Mueang airport that collected 500 baht cash departure fee before proceeding to immigration (you got receipt to show officer). That was when DMK was known as BKK in the days before Swampy. I think this is that receipt.

From Pattaya News PHOTO: พัทยา โฟกัส Pattaya Movie on The Beach is set to make a big splash from June 14th to the 17th, according to mayor Poramase Ngampiches. The aim of the event is to transform Pattaya City into a ‘city of movies’ by 2027 as well as to stimulate tourism in June. The event will feature an outdoor cinema where attendees can watch movies on the breezy beach of Pattaya over a four-day period . Two movies will be played each day in multiple languages, with films focusing on things in Pattaya. Selfie booths and food stalls will also be set up. Entry will reportedly be free. Pattaya is also looking at organizing a proper film festival in the future to become a centerpiece of arts, culture, and entertainment according to the mayor.

From Pattaya Mail By Barry Kenyon The latest notice from the Thai tourism ministry lists the exceptions to the rule that all foreigners must pay on arrival 300 baht at airports and 150 baht by land or sea. The fortunate ones are diplomats, infants under 2 years, those with work permits, single day and transit passengers and that famous expression: foreign residents in Thailand. The latter phrase is optimistically being interpreted by some expats to include themselves as they see themselves as “residents” by virtue of their annual, renewable extensions of stay based on retirement or marriage or because they are learning Thai. But the contextual meaning of “resident” here is “permanent resident” or that category of foreigner who holds a red police residency book and has no visa expiry date in his or her passport. Needless to say, it is a much sought-after status with a complex application procedure which can take years. The scheme has been delayed until September because of the publicized reluctance of airlines to include the tax in most airfares whilst skillfully excluding the 300 baht from the tickets of Thai nationals and the foreign exempt groups. It is not yet clear whether this dilemma will be resolved by taxing everybody and instituting a post-arrival refund policy, or by training travel agents what documentation to look for when deciding whether to include the tax. Of course, establishing a payment system on arrival at Thai airports would risk macro crowd control issues. Taxable foreigners arriving at land border crossings have their own issues such as needing change, paying in foreign currencies or offering online payments. How to avoid long queues of discontented travellers has not yet been resolved, according to the Tourist Authority of Thailand. The proposed solutions have included advance payment online, cash booths at immigration checkpoints and, latterly, the establishment of a private company to sort everything out. The Thailand Tourism Fee (TTF), according to the latest publicity circular, is to develop and keep up tourist destinations – presumably renovations and improvements – and “to provide medical insurance for tourists”. Without clarification, this seems to suggest that tourists – whoever they are – are automatically covered for medical emergencies and do not need their own insurance cover. But previous announcements suggested that government cover would be restricted to discretionary help in mass accidents such as cremation costs and compensation to family members. A spokesman at the tourist ministry said further information on TTF might be delayed until after the general election in mid May. Can’t come soon enough.

Nothing succeeds like success.

Conservative politicians are frequently too bizarre to contemplate not only in Thailand but in other places as well.

Could you please tell us how your sex money differs from regular money?

I didn’t mean to imply that it’s easy. I think it provides the opportunity to meet guys. As like every where else, no guarantees.

From Pattaya Mail By Barry Kenyon The suggestion of an executive of the Democrat party that Thailand should decriminalize sex toys after the next election has sent vibrations throughout the political spectrum. Here in Pattaya, other parties have hastened to disassociate themselves from the trivial and boring issue. “We should be concentrating on the economic and political future of Thailand,” said a senior Pheu Thai party member. Sex toys have been banned from sale in Thailand since a 1928 obscenity law although the penalties are rather lopsided: a mild US$1,800 fine or draconian three years in prison are mentioned in the criminal code. According to internet reports over the years, Pattaya has taken the brunt of the publicity. A tragedy occurred in 2006 when a British vacationer took a large female balloon doll back to his hotel room and tried to blow-inflate it without mechanical assistance. A fatal heart attack followed. Prosecutions have been rare. In 2018 a Pattaya night market was raided and thousands of liberators, rings, strap-ons arousal drugs and bondage gear were seized. Some of the equipment had names which require specialist interpretation, including erotic glider, the poached egg and the starfish. One of the salesmen arrested said his intentions were simply to improve the sex lives of old men, reduce rapes and save marriages. Whilst the Democrat party executive did mention those so-called bonuses of legalization, the real justification is certainly to make money. If sex toys were legal, then factories could be set up in Thailand to sell internationally. There is evidently a multi-billion market – in any currency – waiting to be exploited out there. Many would argue that a principal reason for the decriminalization of cannabis was similarly to encourage Thai exports as more and more countries legalize the weed or use it in medicine. It is inconceivable that the Thai sex toy legislation will be amended any time soon. The notion of every 24-hour convenience store having a sex toy section or even a selection of pornography for stimulation is too bizarre a prospect for conservative politicians to contemplate. The current situation may be ambiguous but it works. No formal displays, but sex toys are none the less available in ill-lit side-streets or on shopping carts which appear after midnight. After all, nobody wants to buy a dildo in the morning.

I think 7-Elevens are an underappreciated venue for late night dates. Consider the advantages: No. 1 The customers -- They're predominately male, commonly alone, possibly just getting off work, quite often attractive. No. 2 The employees -- They have all the same attributes as customers except just getting off work. But some shifts terminate after the restocking is accomplished in the early morning hours. No. 3 The location -- They're strategically situated near the gay venues along Silom and Surawong. None are more than a few minutes walk from wherever you are when you find yourself in need of company in the wee hours. But this is not work for the faint of heart. As always, the best opener is a smile. Just hanging around outside signals others that you're not waiting for a bus because foreigners take taxis at that hour.

Be careful what you hope for... He is out of a job.

From CNBC Tucker Carlson leaves Fox News in wake of Dominion defamation settlement Right wing primetime host Tucker Carlson is leaving Fox News immediately, the cable network announced Monday. The announcement came days after Fox News’ parent company settled Dominion Voting Systems’ defamation lawsuit for $787.5 million. “FOX News Media and Tucker Carlson have agreed to part ways,” the company said in a statement on Monday. “We thank him for his service to the network as a host and prior to that as a contributor.” There will be no sendoff for Carlson, as his last program aired on Friday. Carlson had signed off on Friday stating he would be back on Monday. The company wouldn’t comment beyond the release, and whether Carlson was being taken off air in response to the Dominion defamation case.

From the Thaiger Today, the Ministry of Commerce’s Director of the Trade Policy and Strategy Office, Poonping Naiyanapakorn, revealed that Thailand was the champion exporter of five outstanding Thai products in 2022. Thailand exported US$3.21942 billion worth of fresh durian in 2022, with the largest demand coming from China, Hong Kong, and Taiwan, respectively. Thailand takes up 93% of the global fresh durian market followed by Vietnam (6%) and Malaysia (0.7%). Thailand exported US$1.52380 billion worth of cassava in 2022, the biggest markets being China, the United States, and Vietnam, respectively. Thailand’s cassava represents 46.5% of the world’s cassava market, followed by Cambodia (34.1%) and Laos (9.1%). In 2022, Thailand exported US$2.7226 billion worth of condoms with the most demand coming from China, the United States, and Vietnam, respectively. Thai condoms comprise 44% of the world’s condoms, followed by condoms made in China (12.8%) and Malaysia (10.8%). Thailand exported US$469.69 million worth of canned pineapple in 2022, with the biggest markets being the United States, Russia, and Germany, respectively. Thailand’s tinned pineapple represents 36.4% of the world’s tinned pineapple, followed by exporters Indonesia (25.7%) and the Philippines (18%). Last year, Thailand exported US$2.28421 billion worth of canned tuna, the biggest consumers being the United States, Japan and Australia, respectively. Thailand holds a 24.8% share in the global canned tuna market, followed by Ecuador (15.2%) and Spain (9.5%).

The popular K-Man shop in Saphan Kwai (steps from the BTS station) has posted some new photos of "T&B"s in the past 24 hours. And here's a top for good measure.

From Pattaya Mail Nong Nooch Tropical Garden welcomed its second baby elephant of 2023. Park Director Kampol Tansajja presided over the April 20 blessing ceremony for the new calf, named “Plai Chai”, with Phra Khru Kittisophon, abbot of Wat Samakkhi Banphot temple in Bang Saray. Nong Nooch organized an elephant-dancing parade to celebrate the April 9 birth. A flower garland was placed the baby elephant’s head and it was sprinkled with holy water. “Plai Chai” is the offspring of cow “Pang Yok” and bull “Plai Ning Nong”. Both baby and mother were said to be healthy. Editor’s note: Pang and Plai are prefix names, used in Thailand for female and male elephants respectively. Phra Khru Kittisophon, abbot of Wat Samakkhi Banphot temple blesses the other elephants and their mahouts at the Nong Nooch Tropical Garden.

Fox owes it's success to lying. Like sanctions on Russia, it doesn't keep Putin from lying and it won't stop Tucker Carlson, et al, going forward, either. The ONLY thing that will is for viewers not to tune in and advertisers not to advertise. But since Fox is the most popular and profitable cable network, sadly neither scenario is likely.

A new 7-Eleven has opened on Surawong between Soi Tarntawan and the driveway entrance to Tarntawan Hotel. In the process, it gobbled up one of the mixed massage shops. This may turn out to be an even better after-hours cruising spot that Vinapu is known to periodically check out.

Ashley86 of TikTok fame?

Well, they still have to shell out the $787m but get a deduction that reduces their tax liability. They still end up losing hundreds of million. Not a win by any measure and remains the largest civil penalty.

From Reuters Pita Limjaroenrat, Move Forward Party's leader and prime ministerial candidate, poses for a picture during an upcoming election campaign event in Bangkok, Thailand, April 22, 2023. REUTERS/Chalinee Thirasupa By Juarawee Kittisilpa and Devjyot Ghoshal BANGKOK (Reuters) - Thailand's opposition bloc should stick together to dislodge the military from politics and form a government after an election in May, the leader of a popular opposition party told Reuters on the sidelines of a packed campaign rally on Saturday. Thailand's election, on May 14, is shaping up as a contest between pro-military conservatives and the populist opposition led by Pheu Thai Party and its ally the Move Forward Party. Two governments Pheu Thai supported were overthrown by military coups, in 2006 and 2014. "It's very clear that the current opposition is the right answer for the challenges being faced by Thailand, not the military-backed party that staged the coup," Move Forward leader Pita Limjaroenrat, 42, told Reuters backstage at the rally. Pita, whose progressive party is popular with young voters, sees the alliance with Pheu Thai as vital to beat Prime Minister Prayuth Chan-ocha after more than eight years in office. Former army chief Prayuth first seized power in a 2014 coup and stayed prime minister after the last election in 2019. He is contesting the upcoming election but recent opinion polls put him behind both Pheu Thai and Move Forward, who maintained first and second places. Move Forward has a strong base among urban voters, including those who joined a youth-led protest movement that emerged in 2020 to challenged Prayuth. Pita said that support bases complimented compliment Pheu Thai, backed by the working class and farmers in the rural north and northeast. Pita said the alliance between pro-democracy parties was needed to overcome the outsized influence of the 250-seat upper house Senate, appointed by the military government before the last election, which will vote to pick the next prime minister along with the 500-seat elected lower house after the May 14 election.

From Forbes Fox $787 Million Dominion Settlement Tax Write Off Is No Surprise The $787 million settlement by Fox News and Fox Corporation to resolve the Dominion defamation suit made big news, but the tax news that this is a deductible business expense to Fox should be no surprise. It appeared that Fox was likely to lose the defamation suit, and likely would have had to pay much more in a verdict. That made the settlement a good business move. Some sources are expressing shock that this kind of liability could be a legitimate business expense. Compensatory settlements by businesses are clearly deductible if they arise out of the business being conducted. Fox clearly meets that test. It doesn’t matter if the conduct producing the expense is later viewed as wrongful. The only exception is for certain confidential settlements in sexual harassment cases. In fact, even punitive damages are tax deductible when paid by businesses. Tax bills have been introduced in Congress over the years to change that, but the bills never gained traction. Sometimes, even amounts paid to the government are deductible, despite corporate wrongdoing. For decades, Section 162(f) of the tax code prohibited deducting any fine or similar penalty paid to a government for the violation of any law. That includes criminal and civil penalties, as well as sums paid to settle potential liability for a fine. This sounds absolute, but the law is riddled with exceptions. To begin with, the rules cover only government payments, and some companies find ways to write off even the biggest payments.

And let us not forget the horror that is Myanmar where the profits from jade and drugs keep the powerful in control. From the BBC Children perish as bombs rain on resistance By Moe Myint, Grace Tsoi and Joel Guinto in London and Singapore "The earth shook," says cattle farmer Win Zaw, recalling the sunny morning last week when he heard a military aircraft approaching, and then an explosion. He didn't think it was his village - Pa Zi Gyi in north-east Myanmar - that had been hit. But when he phoned his wife, he learnt that the military had bombed the place where villagers had gathered for a rare feast of curried noodles, rice and pork. Their seven-year-old daughter, Soe Nandar Nwe, had been among them. He says he rushed to the site of the attack and tried looking for her among the carnage. "I searched for my daughter in the smoke, and through the charred remains. All I could think of was finding her." He was looking for any sign of her favourite outfit - a white, floral dress that she wore that day. But he says he found no trace of her, or his mother-in-law who had been with her when the bomb fell. Villagers later told the BBC that a military jet dropped a bomb where people had gathered for the meal, and then a helicopter gunship fired at the village for 20 minutes. Soe Nandar Nwe, 7, wanted to become a teacher Two years after a coup plunged Myanmar into a civil war, the country's military rulers have increasingly taken to the skies to reduce resistance literally to ashes. Last Tuesday's attack, which killed 168 men, women and children, is among the deadliest so far. Last year, the military struck a school, killing several children, and later that month, a bombing of a concert killed about 50 people. Between February 2021 and January 2023, there had been at least 600 air attacks by the military, according to a BBC analysis of data from the conflict-monitoring group Acled (Armed Conflict Location and Event Data Project). The civil war has claimed thousands of lives, displaced some 1.4 million people and left nearly a third of the country's population in need of humanitarian aid. The United Nations has said the regime could be liable for crimes against humanity and war crimes. Hnin Yu Wai was three years old Continues at https://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-65295867

From AFP Cambodian leader Hun Sen's eldest son was officially promoted to the rank of four-star general on Thursday, in another sign of plans for him to succeed his father. Hun Sen has publicly backed Hun Manet to lead the kingdom in the future. Hun Manet, who is commander of the army, received the four-star rank at a ceremony attended by more than 1,000 senior military officials. Defence minister Tea Banh, who presided over the ceremony, said Hun Manet's promotion reflected his efforts "to serve the nation, military and Cambodian people". Hun Manet -- who was educated in Britain and the United States -- has been officially backed by the ruling party as a future prime minister, and has been active on social media in recent months to increase his public profile. The prime minister, who has wound back democratic freedoms and used the courts to stifle opposition, frequently characterises his children's achievements as the product of education and training, and rejects claims of nepotism. At the last general election in 2018, Hun Sen's party won every seat in parliament after the Supreme Court dissolved the main opposition, the Cambodia National Rescue Party (CNRP) a year before. A court last month found Kem Sokha, a co-founder of the CNRP, guilty of conspiring with foreign entities to overthrow Hun Sen's government. He was sentenced to 27 years in prison and immediately placed under house arrest.

From Coconuts Bangkok The glory that was Pantip Plaza, circa 2008. Photo: Sergey/CC BY-SA 2.0 Zig-zagging up and down escalators to compare prices on hard drives and video cards while weaving past hawkers chanting “sexy movie, you buy.” Shopping for hardware, pirated software, and VCDs at Pantip Plaza was once a Bangkok rite of passage. That era formally ended two years ago, and now the former IT mall on Phetchaburi Road’s next chapter is reopening as a “wholesale food department store” called AEC Food Wholesale Pratunam. Pantip Plaza (really Pantip Pratunam, as there are also Pantips in Ngamwongwan, Bang Kapi and Chiang Mai) had been dead for about five years. It was wounded by the transition to online shopping and died after a THB300 million (US$8.7 million today) renovation that took two years, during which 80% of its IT tenants left and visitors fell 60%. When it fully reopened in 2016, they did not return. The owners of the 67,000sqm space have lurched between plans since. Asset World Corp. first announced in late 2020 that it had partnered with Chinese investors to turn it into the succinctly named “AEC Trade Center – Pantip Wholesale Destination,” some kind of marketplace it thought would lure online sellers looking for physical space. That plan didn’t survive the pandemic Yesterday, Asset World (AWC) announced that with its partner Yiwu (“the world’s largest wholesale market for miscellaneous goods from Yiwu, China!”) that the new AEC Food Wholesale Pratunam will be some kind of wholesale food marketplace when it opens later this year. AWC CEO Wallapa Traisora used the words “hub” and “synergy” enough times to doubt they are really sure what it will be. But with the nation’s largest corporate conglomerates signed on; from CPF and ThaiBev to Thai Union, Betagro, and Tipco; it really doesn’t have to make sense to make money. Asset World is the property arm of TCC Group, which like Chang-making megabrewer Thai Beverage, is owned by billionaire Charoen Sirivadhanabhakdi. Its property portfolio includes the riverside Asiatique mall and Gateway Ekamai. ======================== From Coconuts Baangkok Thai brewfan ordered to pay massive fine for saying he liked a beer An ardent beer fan and advocate for reforming the nation’s draconian brewing laws was sentenced to jail time and a hefty fine today, all for posting a photo of a beer he tasted. The court said he “enticed” others to drink. Artie said that he negotiated the penalties reduced to six months and THB150,000. But he also must pay additional fines of THB5,000 per day for refusing to “correct” his posts as ordered. The suspended sentence means he will remain free if he abides by the court’s requirements. The police said that if he commits another offense within a two-year probationary period, his term will be enforced. Artie’s page, which has more than 70,000 followers, shows that he has continued to post similar photos of craft beer, with some of their labels blurred. He also uses his platform to promote opposition parties challenging the government in next month’s election. Artid “Artie” Sivahansaphan, who uses Facebook to talk about his love of Thai craft beer culture, announced this morning that he was originally given a sentence of eight months in prison, suspended, and a THB200,000 fine for illegally promoting beer by simply posting about one that he tried and liked. “I just posted a photo of beer,” he told Coconuts. “I made a page about craft beer, and posted a picture of this beer, and what it’s about, which is really normal. But in this country we have laws that prohibit us from talking about alcohol.”

From The Nation A 52-year-old Belgian man reportedly jumped twice from a condominium in Pattaya on Thursday morning, successfully committing suicide on his second attempt. The incident took place at 4.30am in Chonburi's Bang Lamung district. Police and rescuers found the body of Kris (surname withheld) lying on the ground next to the condominium. The victim is thought to have hit a garage roof, which was found broken, as he fell. Police cordoned off the scene for investigation while the body has been taken to the Police General Hospital Institute of Forensic Medicine in Bangkok for an autopsy to establish the cause of death. Sombat Sasamrong, a 55-year-old security guard at the condominium, said the Belgian man attempted suicide twice. He jumped from the condo's second floor but was only injured after hitting the ground the first time, the guard said. He added that he could not stop the victim from picking himself up and returning for a second attempt.

From Tourism Authority of Thailand The Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT) is organising the ‘Vijitr’ extravagant light-and-sound events across the five regions of Thailand between April and June 2023, in line with the strategy to promote meaningful travel experiences and the drive towards more sustainable tourism. TAT has scheduled to stage the ‘Vijitr’ extravagant light-and-sound events in the five regions of Thailand – Central, Northeastern, Northern, Southern, and Eastern Regions. Central Region: “Mu Light Experiences – Vijitr Mu-te-lu)” 29 April-7 May at ICONSIAM, Central Post Office also known as Grand Postal Building, and Wachirabenchathat Park (Rot Fai Park) in Bangkok Northeastern Region: “Vijitr Nakhon Phanom – The City of Happiness on the Mekong River” 27 May-4 June on the banks of the Mekong River in Nakhon Phanoms. Southern Region: “Vijitr – The Story of Nakhon Si Thammarat” 20-28 May at various landmarks in Nakhon Si Thammarat Northern Region: “Vijitr @ Chiang Rai: Wiang of Light” 20-28 May at various landmarks in Chiang Rai Eastern Region: “Vijitr @ Rayong: The City of Happiness in the East” 27 May-4 June at Mangrove Forest Learning Center, Phra Chedi Klang Nam, Rayong