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From Pattaya Mail By Barry Kenyon Police from the Technology Crime Suppression Division worry that the English love of annual fun on April 1 has been adopted by Thais on social media in the last few years. So they are again reminding everyone this week that the (vague) computer crimes act lays down penalties ranging from 100,000 baht fine to five years in jail for false data which is likely to damage the country’s security, or might cause a panic, or could simply damage other people. To date, no actual prosecutions have ever occurred arising from the first of April’s “speak play” or “poot len”, howbeit with a couple of near misses. The advent of coronavirus in early 2020 led to a spate of longlasting Fool jokes about protecting yourself by drinking cow urine or sleeping with a sliced onion, but police expect this year to see a switch to politics with a general election due in mid May. For example, the current prime minister general Prayut Chan-o-cha was first parodied as Times magazine’s “man of the year” in 2017 in a falsehood which has appeared regularly in Thai social media ever since. And Thai political humor can be a great deal nastier than that. Last year, ThaiVietjet was threatened with prosecution after staff without permission posted an April 1 hoax message about a new air route to Germany which, some said, insulted the revered monarchy. In 2021, a Thai citizen was ordered to take down a Facebook account which claimed without evidence that there were earthworms instead of meat in a popular burger. Several people ended up in hospital after reading about what they had just eaten. One even tried to sue the social media platform. Fortunately, most Thai April Fool jokes haven’t attracted official attention. There have been “fun” reports in the past that tuk tuk rides in Bangkok would be free for one day, that the latest ice cream flavor was pork chunks and that shrimp cocktail was now a popular choice in the Kit Kat chocolate selection. Foreigners have also joined in over the years to claim variously that Thailand was changing from driving on the left to the right, that the last survivor of the Titanic had died on Jomtien beach and that the 90 day address report for expats had been abolished. According to Martin Wainwright, author of The Guardian Book of April Fools Day, one sour note is that genuine news coming out on April 1 may not be believed. In 2004 Google launched its email service with huge 1-gigabyte inboxes which many thought was a joke and technologically impossible at the time. Google later abandoned all April Fool jokes because of the confusion they can create. You got that one right Big Brother.

From The Nation Bangkok is fifth on Airbnb’s list of top trending global travel destinations for this year, with foreign tourists expected to return in full swing for the Songkran festival next month. Searches for what is known as “the world’s largest water fight” rose 310% year on year, the online marketplace for short-term homestays said. Bangkok is the most-searched Thai destination for the annual water festival, followed by Pattaya, Chiang Mai, Krabi, and Phuket, said Amanpreet Bajaj, Airbnb’s general manager for Southeast Asia, India, Hong Kong, and Taiwan. “With Songkran just around the corner, we are delighted to see the significant resurgence in international travel to Thailand on Airbnb,” Bajaj said. The surge in searches signals a strong recovery for tourism in Thailand, Bajaj said. “The growing excitement among global travellers to experience the country’s scenic natural landscapes, rich cultural heritage, delicious local cuisine, and world-class Thai hospitality, is extremely encouraging,” he added. Nights booked in Thailand on Airbnb’s platform more than doubled last year, with international travel leading the way. Travellers from the United States made up the majority of Airbnb guests visiting Thailand in 2022, followed by those from the United Kingdom, Europe, and the Asia Pacific region, including South Korea, Australia, and China.

From Nikkei TOKYO -- Thaksin Shinawatra, the Thai prime minister ousted by the military in 2006 who has lived in self-exile since 2008, said that he expects Thailand to have a coalition government after the May 14 general election even if the largest opposition Pheu Thai Party wins a majority in the lower house. "I believe it will be a coalition government, definitely," Thaksin told Nikkei Asia in an exclusive interview in Tokyo, adding that he is confident Pheu Thai will win at least 250 seats in the 500-seat chamber. Thaksin also told Nikkei that he would not want the new government to issue an amnesty allowing him to return home, however strongly Pheu Thai performs. He will return to Thailand of his own accord at some stage, even if it means serving a jail term. "I think about going home all the time, but I don't want the government to issue an amnesty for me," he said. Thaksin declined to say whether Pheu Thai is making any deals with other political parties to form a new government. "I am just a founder of the party -- not a member -- so what I can do is observe the election from a distance," he said. Thaksin Shinawatra, a billionaire telecom tycoon, gained prominence in Thai politics in 1998 when he founded the Thai Rak Thai Party, which won a landslide election victory in 2001. He set up a single-party government after a number of small parties were absorbed by Thai Rak Thai, which literally means 'Thais Love Thais.' Thailand's House of Representatives was dissolved on March 20, paving the way for a general election on May 14, when more than 52 million eligible voters will have the opportunity to elect a new government. This follows nine years of military-dominated rule that produced Thailand's 20th constitution and imposed an unelected Senate able, among other things, to dictate the choice of prime minister. Of the 500 seats in the lower house, 400 have been assigned to local constituencies, and 100 are allocated on a party list basis from the overall election result to provide an element of proportional representation. Thaksin is fielding his youngest daughter, Paetongtarn Shinawatra, to lead the Pheu Thai election campaign, but it is unclear if she will be its prime minister candidate. Thaksin was the first elected Thai prime minister to go full term, and in 2005 was reelected with 377 seats. His youngest sister, Yingluck Shinawatra was elected prime minister in 2011, and removed in 2014 by court order shortly before the current prime minister, Prayuth Chan-ocha, staged his coup as army chief. Pheu Thai was set up in 2007 as a reincarnation of Thai Rak Thai. It won the largest number of seats in the 2019 election, but without a majority was unable to form a coalition government.

The massage shop guys I keep in touch with (all in Silom area) report having a minimum of two customers today and on busy weekend days 3-4. I mentioned this before but I think it's worth repeating here. They much prefer older (grandfather type) clients because they consistently tip better and are more appreciative and respectful. Younger clients (particularly those from northeast Asia where is no tipping culture) are generally poor tippers. I believe the "ickiness" factor is a more western concept. I have yet to experience it and I'm certainly older enough to be their grandfather. I wouldn't be returning 2-3 times a year to bkk if I did.

If news out of the US State Department is any indicator, the desire to travel is continuing unabated. Washington CNN — US Secretary of State Antony Blinken said Thursday the State Department is facing an “unprecedented demand” for passports, and has increased staffing and resources to deal with it. Blinken said the current wait time for a regular passport is “about ten to thirteen weeks, and for an expedited passport about seven to nine weeks.” The State Department is “getting 500,000 applications a week for passports,” which is 30 to 40% more applicants this year than last year, Blinken told a House Appropriations subcommittee budget hearing. He noted that the department had launched a pilot online renewal platform so Americans who already have a passport can renew online, but it has “now halted it to make sure that we can fine tune it and improve it before we roll it out in a bigger way.” “We expect that 65% of renewal customers for passports will be able to do so online once this program is fully up and running,” Blinken said. “I think it’s really important that we be as clear and transparent as possible with people who are looking for passports to know what they can expect,” he said. On visas, Blinken said delays have begun to improve. The priority is the categories “for students, for temporary workers, for business travelers, maritime crews,” he said, noting, “we’ve tried to make sure that they are served and we are at pre-pandemic levels or better in those categories.”

A little known fact about an aircraft's "attitude" at cruising altitude may help explain the one-inch deviation: From Airliners.net The incidence angle of the aircraft at cruise altitude is based on the specific airfoil (wing profile), the fuselage profile, and the center of gravity of the aircraft in particular. It so happens that most airliners have an aerodynamics combination that require a positive fuselage incidence angle in order to stay level at cruise - resulting in a slightly nose up position at cruise.

From CNN Some thrill seekers describe bungee jumping as a near-death experience, but few come quite as close as one man who managed to survive his cord snapping in Thailand. Footage of the terrifying ordeal went viral this week after the 39-year-old tourist from Hong Kong went public with his story. The tourist, who asked to use only his first name Mike to avoid online harassment, took a swan dive off of a 10-story-high podium in the town of Pattaya while on holiday in January this year. Fortunately, the jump was made over a body of water. The bungee rope snapped milliseconds before Mike neared the bottom of his jump, slamming him into the water below. “I landed on my left side so the injuries were more serious there,” Mike told CNN, recounting how he was left covered in bruises. “It was as if someone just beat me up real bad.” “It was really high so I closed my eyes. I planned to open my eyes again when I bounced back up,” said Mike. “I realized the cord had snapped when I opened my eyes and I was surrounded by water.” He managed to resurface and swim despite his feet being tied together by the lower half of the snapped bungee cord. His plunge was witnessed by friends who were with him at the Changthai Thappraya Safari and Adventure Park. Located in the northwest of Pattaya, the amusement park offers activities ranging from ziplines to live-round shooting. Mike said the park refunded the cost of his jump and paid for x-ray and ultrasound scans in Thailand. Continues with video https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/world/tourist-survives-bungee-jump-fall-in-thailand-after-cord-snaps/ar-AA18YK5Z

From The Nation Three new cases of monkeypox have been detected in Thailand, raising the number to 18 since the first was detected in July of last year, the Department of Disease Control (DDC) said on Friday. The three patients hospitalized with the infectious disease are all men, and their ages range from 21 to 40 years, DDC director-general Dr Tharet Krutnairawiwong told a press conference. Two of the men were close friends, Tharet said. He said one of the three patients is a foreigner. All three patients had mild cases and are recovering at Bamrasnaradura Infectious Diseases Institute. After three weeks – when they are no longer contagious – they will be discharged from the hospital, Tharet said. Since Thailand classified monkey pox as a serious communicable disease requiring close surveillance on May 25 last year, a total of 18 cases have been detected in Thailand, including the three new cases. The first case was detected on July 21 last year. Investigations of the three new cases convinced health officials that the men were admitted to hospital before they were able to spread the virus, Tharet said. The virus is spread through contact with an infectious blister or through sex with infected people.

Nice facilities. Good to hear it's near Blue Line stop. Looking over photo array, Pae (aka, Pea) was working at 365 The River shop during my last visit. 👍

News article out of Phuket reports that the crackdown was fallout from human trafficking arrests in a Patong bar that had ripple effects, triggering spot checks in Pattaya and Bangkok.

From The Thaiger Airports of Thailand (AOT) is ready to invest US$1 billion (36.8 billion baht) to improve and expand the capacity of the low-cost terminal of Bangkok’s Don Mueang Airport, AOT announced yesterday. AOT plans to increase capacity from 30 million to 40 million passengers per year by 2029, with construction beginning this year, according to a statement from AOT. The project will “increase national income as a whole such as income from tourism, income from service sector related to tourism,” AOT said. AOT plans to add 12 aircraft parking stands and 11 jet bridges to Don Mueang, according to the statement. Once complete, the airport’s capacity will almost rival that of Suvarnabhumi Airport which can handle 45 million passengers per year.

The lie-flat economy concept is a spinoff on the existing crew sleeping pods that long-haul aircraft are equipped with for the attendants and relief pilots on break. The problem I see with them is what do you do with passengers when it's time for landing, take-off and meal service when they need to be seated upright. At the moment premium economy is probably the better option for those wanting greater recline and seat pitch. A typical 787 arrangement:

From Pattaya News UPDATE: Pattaya Police Holds Press Briefing into Massive Indian Scam By Tanakorn Panyadee Five Indian phone scammers and 15 Thai accomplices were arrested following a major scam bust yesterday across Thailand. The suspects swindled 365 American retirees out of over three billion baht, according to police. The raids carried out by the Cyber Crime Investigation Bureau (CCIB), police commandos, and officials from the Anti-Money Laundering Office struck 36 premises in Chonburi, Rayong, Roi Et, and Surat Thani, and resulted in the arrest of over 20 phone scam suspects. Pol. Gen. Torsak Sukwimol, deputy national police chief, told a press briefing today, March 22nd, that the suspects mainly targeted elderly American citizens and had tricked 365 people into transferring them three billion baht. The Royal Thai Police are joining forces with the US Federal Bureau of Investigation and US Secret Service to hunt for 16 remaining fugitives. On Tuesday, March 21st, Pattaya Police arrested one Indian alleged scammer and seized from him 162 bank account books, 61 smartphones, two cars, and one firearm. According to Gen. Torsak, a group of Indian and Thai nationals formed a call center gang to scam retirees in the United States. The group swindled money from the victims by saying the victims were involved in legal cases, posing themselves as FBI officers, or hacking the victims’ computers. Between 2020-2021, there were 72,000 reported cases with damages totaling more than 3 billion baht. The victims varied in occupations, such as doctors, university professors, dentists, military personnel, and business owners, Gen. Torsak said. Most of them were swindled out of their hard-earned life savings. The syndicate operated as a network with different roles to move and hide the assets obtained from their criminal activities. They used Thailand, Cambodia, Singapore, Malaysia, Hong Kong, the United Arab Emirates, Peru, and Poland as sources for stashing the scammed money. After investigating and collecting digital evidence, police discovered that there was more than 1 billion baht circulating within the scam gang’s network. Bank accounts belonging to legal entities within the network, as well as gold shops, restaurants, and entertainment venues in Chonburi were also found to have been used to launder money. ========================== From The Thaiger Police nab Chinese kidnapper at airport Police arrested a Chinese man before he boarded a flight out of Thailand last night. He is one of three men who abducted a Chinese woman and her brother-in-law in Pattaya on Monday for a ransom of 4.7 million baht. The two hostages were saved by police and returned home at 2am today. On Monday, 33 year old Ma Mingshan from China reported to the police that his 33 year old wife San Qi Qiang and his 50 year old brother were abducted from their Nissan car on Pornpranimit 21 Road, on their way back from dropping his three year old son at school.

From Thailand News Agwenxcy Thailand Records 5 Million Foreign Arrivals BANGKOK, March 22 (TNA) – Thailand welcomed more than 5.5 million foreign tourists in the first three months of this year, generating an income of 200 billion baht, said Deputy Government Spokesperson Traisulee Traisaranakul. The country’s overall tourism situations have improved continuously. However, the increase in tourist numbers has caused airport congestion at check-in counters, immigration checkpoints. The airfares are soaring. She said the Transport Ministry convened a meeting today with agencies concerned such as the Airports of Thailand to discuss how to solve the problem. According to the Tourism and Sports Ministry, 5.5 million foreign tourists travelled to Thailand from Jan 1- March 18 with tourism revenue reaching more than 215 billion baht. (TNA)

From Thai PBS World Malaysian opposition cries foul over planned “Thai Hot Guy” performance According to local media reports, a scheduled performance by Thai men wearing lingerie at a bar in the Malaysian capital of Kuala Lumpur next week has triggered controversy, with a senior opposition politician describing it as “immoral and disgusting.” In response to the questions being raised by the opposition MP, a senior Malaysian official has also objected to the event, dubbed “Thai Hot Guy” [sic]. According to a Facebook post by Malaysia’s “Privacy Club Tun Razak”, the performance is scheduled to have its grand opening night next Thursday “where you can meet and probably dance along with the Thai Hot Guys.” Yesterday (Wednesday), the opposition PAS party urged the authorities to reconsider the permission granted for the event, which it called “insensitive”, “immoral” and “disgusting”. PAS secretary-general Takiyuddin Hassan said the event “clearly goes against local values and is insensitive towards Islam as the official religion”. “What’s more, it’s going to be held during Ramadan,” he said in a statement. He described the event as “hedonistic” and promoting obscenity and promiscuous sex, based on promotional material translated into English from the original Chinese text. The opposition raised the issue in the Lower House of the Malaysian parliament, prompting Deputy Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department, Datuk Wilson Ugak Kumbong, to state that the scheduled performance has nothing to with the government’s development plan, known as “Malaysian Madani”. Meanwhile, Prime Minister Anwar’s political secretary, Azman Abidin, confirmed that the bar in question does not have an entertainment licence. He said authorities are considering whether to take action, if it is found that the organisers have violated any rules and regulations.”

Usually no more than a day. Please let us know if closings continue longer.

I doubt you'd get the opportunity to pay because he'd beat the shit out of you first. Or maybe that's just what you're hoping will happen.

From Pattaya News By Tanakorn Panyadee An Indian man and his Thai wife have been taken into custody by Pattaya Police today for allegedly scamming multiple American victims of over three billion baht. Deputy National Police Chief Pol. Gen. Torsak Sukwimol, accompanied by a commando unit and officers from the Cyber Crime Investigation Bureau (CCIB), conducted a raid on a house in Pattaya’s Banglamung district today, March 21st, at 10 AM. The raid was prompted by a notification from the United States Embassy, which stated that the dwelling was being used as a hideout by scammers. After searching the house, Gen. Torsak told The Pattaya News that he has arrested an unidentified Indian national aged between 50-60 years old and his Thai wife aged around 40-50 years old. The two have been accused of duping numerous American citizens of over three billion baht in total damages and had fled to Pattaya, according to the United States Embassy. Gen. Torsak said police seized several car keys, bank account books, smartphones, and weapons from the two suspects. A press briefing will be hosted at 10 AM tomorrow, March 22nd, to provide further details about the case. =========================== Chinese Woman Abducted for 4.7 Million Baht Ransom in Pattaya A Chinese woman has been abducted while getting her kid at a school in Pattaya. Her husband filed a complaint with the police, saying the suspects wanted 4.7 million baht in exchange for his wife’s freedom. Mr. Ma Mingshan, 33, visited the Pattaya Police Station to file a report yesterday, March 20th. He said his wife, Ms. Shan Qi Qiang, 33, has been taken away by anonymous abductors while she was going to get her 3-year-old son at an international school in Pattaya. Mingshan said the suspects forced their way into his wife’s SUV Nissan Terra and abducted her along with the vehicle. They then contacted him via WeChat and ordered him to transfer 1 million yuan, equivalent to 4.7 million baht, to them. The incident happened in Soi Chaiyaporn Pranimit 21 in Pattaya. Police are working with Mingshan to try to liberate the hostage. The Chinese husband revealed the abductors frequently called him yesterday to demand money, asking him to pay in stable cryptocurrency. The man already transferred about 500 USDT stable coins (about 17,140 baht), while the suspects wanted about 150,000 USDT. The wife, according to police, is safe as the suspects let her talk with her husband via WeChat. However, her location is still unknown. The motive behind the kidnapping is believed to be related to a conflict of interest between Mingshan and the suspects involved in the healthcare business in Myanmar. Pattaya Police said all involved parties probably know each other. The victim’s car was ditched in the middle of a deserted field, police said.

From Pattaya Mail By Barry Kenyon Imminent strike action by passport staff in UK could affect the waiting time for new passports in Thailand or elsewhere. The current process here requires Brits, in person or by authorized proxy, to show documentation at Trendy House in Bangkok for onward dispatch to UK for processing and completion. However, the British embassy website has not changed its advice that passport renewals take around 11 weeks “but could be longer”. The UK employs 4,000 passport staff, although the industrial action for better pay involves only about a quarter of them. Suella Braverman, the home secretary, said she did not expect undue delays as most routine applications were completed ahead of time. Jessataporn Bunnag, who owns a Pattaya law firm which handles many passport applications on behalf of customers, said waiting times for renewals were currently about eight weeks. But he added that first time applications and passports for children took longer because of documentary checks by the Home Office. The problem for overseas renewals is that the spring months, April and May in particular, are the busiest time as many Brits prepare for summer vacations abroad. During the Covid crisis, waiting times almost doubled as working hours in UK were drastically curtailed. A spokeswoman for Thai immigration advised Brits to apply for replacement visas early, pointing out that visas cannot be extended beyond the passport validity and entry to Thailand requires a minimum of six months still remaining before expiry. Some countries now allow expats to renew passports by mail without an embassy visit. The US embassy promises only a two weeks processing period for most applications. British embassies worldwide ceased issuing ordinary passports over 15 years ago as a cost-saving exercise by London. However, they still issue “emergency” passports to enable stranded Brits to return home in a crisis. They can also certify a British passport, a process sometimes required by foreign banks and immigration authorities.

From The Nation The State Railway of Thailand (SRT) is urging tourists to opt for a 15-minute train ride across the Laos border instead of wasting time stuck in traffic on the Thai-Lao Friendship Bridge. SRT said on Tuesday that four trains have been plying between Nong Khai and Thanaleng stations since September 16 last year. The train trip costs just 20 baht per person. Tourists are advised to carry their passport or border pass to cross over to Laos and back. The four border trains are: • No 481: Departs Nong Khai at 7.30am and arrives in Thanaleng at 7.45am • No 482: Departs Thanaleng at 10am and arrives in Nong Khai at 10.15am • No 482: Departs Nong Khai at 2.45pm and arrives in Thanaleng at 3pm • No 484: Departs Thanaleng at 5.30pm and arrives in Nong Khai at 5.45pm Thanaleng Railway Station is in Dongphosy Village, some 17 kilometres from Vientiane. SRT said it will later seek cooperation with its Laos counterpart to extend the rail line to Khamsavath Railway Station in Vientiane.

At the Saphan Kwai shops I'm familiar with, guys are all free agents and set their own minimum tip. It seems to be currently in the 800-1,000. T&B's were originally on the higher end but that's that's not always the case now.

From The Nation A spectacular light show is transforming Bangkok’s historic Hua Lamphong Station to celebrate the 126th birthday of the railway in Thailand. The week-long light show kicked off on Saturday as part of an event called "Unfolding Bangkok", initiated by the Creative Economy Agency to promote tourism at attractions across the capital until September. Hua Lamphong Station is being splashed with colour to celebrate its 106-year history as the national rail hub, which ended in January when 52 long-distance trains were moved to the new Krung Thep Aphiwat Central Terminal in Bang Sue district. The State Railway of Thailand marks its 126th anniversary on March 26 – the date when King Rama V opened Thailand's first railway from Bangkok to Ayutthaya in 1896. The country’s first line stretched 71 kilometres. The national network now boasts almost 4,500km of track, not including mass transit routes in Bangkok.

From Thai News Agency BANGKOK, March 20 (TNA) – His Majesty King Maha Vajiralongkorn has endorsed a decree to dissolve parliament, paving the way for elections. The royal decree on House dissolution has been published in the Royal Gazette and takes effect immediately. An election must be held in 45-60 days after the house resolution. Deputy Prime Minister Wissanu Krea-ngam said he expected the Election Commission to announce the election date this Friday and it would likely be held on May 14. (TNA)

I had two long (eight week) visits last year) and generally found Soi 4 busy almost every evening with a mixture of locals and tourists. The show bars there and elsewhere were doing a respectable business. Since I spent much more time in the massage shops, I have more confidence in my comments about those. More than half the time I chose shops in the Saphan Kwai area where I had--with few exceptions--consistently good luck. In the Silom-Surawong rectangle, I found it's hard to miss among the all-male shops on Silom Soi Six. I can't comment on the new 9-Teen shop because it hadn't yet opened before I left. From what I've heard from members since it did open its doors is that the facilities are good but it won't take on non-Thai masseurs. I keep in touch with some of the massage boys I've known for several years and they tell me that business continues to be fairly brisk with international visitors steadily increasing. But even these guys echo what fedssocr says about the midday heat. On sunny days, customers don't tend to arrive in numbers until after 1600 but continue late into the evening. There are many other shops to explore in the area along Surawong, Silom, Silom Plaza, Saladeang and--for those who like to walk--Soi Suan Plu.

That job does (or at lest did) exist in porn industry for years. Here's Wikipedia's description: A fluffer is a person employed to keep a porn performer's penis erect on the set] After setting up the desired angle, the director asks the actors to hold position and calls for the fluffer to "fluff" the actors for the shot. These duties are considered part of the makeup department. While fluffing does not necessarily involve touching the actors, it could entail sexual acts such as fellatio or non-penetrative sex. There was a 2002 movie entitled The Fluffer. Sean McGinnis (Michael Cunio) is fresh from film school and has moved to LA to break into the movie business as a cameraman. But, legit film is a tough nut to crack and Sean takes a job with Hollywood's stepchild - the porno industry. He starts work at the Men of Janus production company, specializing in gay porn, because of his obsession with one of the stars, Johnny Rebel (Scott Gurney), and soon agrees to regularly help "prepare" the actor before the camera rolls in "The Fluffer."