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If that were true shouldn't providers have the opportunity to reply in kind by identifying clients who cheat or treat them poorly? Maybe a "Cheap Charlie Forum."

From Reuters Paetongtarn Shinawatra, Pheu Thai Party's candidate for prime minister, attends a general election campaign, in Ubon Ratchathani © Thomson Reuters AMNAT CHAROEN, Thailand (Reuters) -Touting her billionaire family's legacy of populism and massive election victories, Thailand's Paetongtarn Shinawatra is emerging as the candidate to beat in upcoming polls, betting that nostalgia can win millions of working class votes. Paetongtarn, 36, is campaigning hard in the vote-rich rural strongholds of the Shinawatra family's Pheu Thai political juggernaut, hoping to reignite the kind of fervor that swept father Thaksin and aunt Yingluck to power in unprecedented landslides. Political neophyte Paetongtarn is promising Pheu Thai will complete unfinished business from three stints in office since 2001, all of which were cut short by court rulings and military coups that it says were orchestrated by Thailand's conservative establishment. "We managed to fix everything in the first year but then four years later we were ousted by a coup, so there are things that we have not achieved," Paetongtarn told Reuters in her first formal interview with foreign media ahead of the election, expected in May. "So we go on each stage to tell people how our policies can change their lives. And only through stable politics can people's lives change in a sustainable manner," she said, while campaigning in the northeast. Thaksin and Yingluck were toppled by the army in 2006 and 2014 respectively, despite overseeing big economic growth. Both live in self-imposed exile to avoid prison convictions their allies say were designed to prevent their political comebacks. The baton has passed to Paetongtarn, Thaksin's youngest daughter, who is using the same playbook in offering minimum wage hikes, utilities subsidies and long-promised high-speed rail systems and infrastructure to manage floods and droughts. Pheu Thai's slogan is "Think Big, Act Smart", taking aim at incremental reforms by the military-backed governments of Prime Minister Prayuth Chan-ocha since he seized power in 2014. "The picture has to be big and we must be able to address longstanding problems that festered. These must be completely dealt with," said Paetongtarn. Though yet to be named as Pheu Thai's prime ministerial candidate, Paetongtarn is far ahead in opinion polls for premier, with twice the support of Prayuth. Pheu Thai is expected to win most votes, but could struggle to lead a government given the military's influence over an appointed Senate, which together with the elected lower house chooses the prime minister.

From Pattaya News Ekkamai – Pattaya/ 06:00-21:00 hrs (131 baht) Pattaya – Ekkamai/ 04:30-21:00 hrs (131 baht) Bangna – Pattaya/ 06:30-21:30 hrs (131 baht) Mo Chit – Pattaya/ 06:00, 08:00, 10:00, 12:00, 14:00, 16:00, 18:00 (131 baht) Pattaya – Mo Chit/ 05:00, 07:30, 10:00, 12:00, 14:00, 16:00, 18:00 (131 baht) From Pattaya (Jomtien Beach Bus Station) to Suvarnabhumi Airport/ 07:00, 08:00, 09:00, 10:00, 11:00, 12:00, 13:00, 14:00, 15:00, 16:00, 17:00, 18:00, 19:00, 20:00, 21:00 (143 baht) From Suvarnabhumi to Pattaya (Jomtien Beach)/ 07:00, 08:00, 09:00, 10:00, 11:00, 12:00, 13:00, 14:00, 15:00, 16:00, 17:00, 18:00, 19:00, 20:00, 21:00 (143 baht) https://thepattayanews.com/2023/02/19/pattaya-bus-operator-announces-change-of-schedule-for-several-routes-to-airport-and-hua-hin/

The only place that comes to mind is 39 Underground Sauna, a five-minute walk from the Saphan Kwai BTS stop. You can read customer comments at this site: https://www.travelgay.com/venue/39-underground/ Entrance fee: 200 bht, open daily 12-12

I've never visited Phuket and wonder if anyone has experienced the conditions described in this opinion piece from The Thaiger. Russian brotherhood stealing Phuket jobs Hotels are unwelcoming. In the massage parlours, everyone is tense. Down Walking Street, in the girly bars, excitement is high and the air is filled with fearful chatter. The girls are aquiver in anticipation. The Russian ‘brotherhood’ (bratva) stealing Phuket jobs is bringing a whole new style of beatings and rapes to Thailand’s peaceful brothels. How will the new regime of violence and exploitation compare to the old-school Thai versions? Phuket is besieged by foreign gangs. They call themselves mafias – or at least the media does – but they are certainly not. Mafia means something. These “groups” are nothing more than gangs of thugs on the resort island to help the locals with their accounts. The hospitality industry is worried. Executives are concerned that foreigners are exploiting laws to run businesses while taking up jobs meant for local people. Isn’t Phuket already an enclaved of overseas money launderers, slavers, pimps, tax dodgers and traffickers in a spectrum of legality? They’ve been there a long time. Once one of the most beautiful places in the world, Phuket today is more than a national embarrassment, it’s a matter of global shame. The last wave of occupiers – welcomed with open legs by poor politicos who now live in millionaire pool villas – destroyed more or less anything that was good on the island. The ecosystem is destroyed, the forests have been destroyed, local culture has been destroyed, and the soil has been destroyed. All the birds and animals are dead. The beaches are filthy, plastic-strewn and over-crowded. Speaking about tourism in the three Andaman provinces, Kata Group Resorts founder Pramookpisitt Achariyachai said some foreigners were breaching rules on jobs reserved for Thais. A small surprise considering that every news source in Thailand carries stories about labour shortages every day. Pramookpisitt is concerned that foreign groups may take control of the island, similar to what happened in Pattaya a couple of decades ago. Continues at https://thethaiger.com/news/phuket/russian-brotherhood-stealing-phuket-jobs

It's in keeping with Kimmel's style. I think he's the most popular late night host with gays so he knows his audience. Contact sports are steeped in erotic themes. Consider this introduction to The Language of the Game: How to Understand Soccer (Laurent Dubois, 2018): “Soccer is sensual. It is about the pleasure of watching athletes’ bodies, their faces, their motion, admiring and commenting on their hairstyles and tattoos. When we talk and write about soccer, we evoke—more often unconsciously than consciously—its sensuality. Its role as a source of pleasure……Soccer may be the most tantric of sports. Some of the greatest and most riveting of games end 0-0. Perhaps what is truly sensual about soccer is that it is about interplay, relationships, motion between people, all tied up with our deepest and most mysterious emotions.”

KIMMEL: "Now that the season's over, will you miss showering with the guys?" MAHOMES: "It is a perk of the job." ----- I'm wet all over again.

From The Thaiger Suvarnabhumi International Airport, Bangkok’s global gateway, plans to increase services to deal with the influx of arriving passengers. Thailand saw a swift surge in travellers after China’s recent decision to reopen its borders. The Airports of Thailand (AoT) announced Friday that the measures will help tackle delays in passenger servicing time, particularly during peak hours. They say they have already begun to improve service flow. The airport’s director said Suvarnabhumi received complaints about luggage claim delays from around 30 flights per day last month. It seems bad, but in December roughly 50 flights per day received delayed baggage complaints. This month continued the trend with delays reported in just 7% of daily flights, which is equivalent to approximately 15 to 20 flights per day. Transport Minister Saksayam Chidchob ordered the Immigration Bureau to increase its capacity to handle incoming passengers on February 8. The AoT has responded to the minister’s order by developing a range of plans to reduce delays and ease passenger congestion. These measures have been divided into short-term and long-term problem-solving solutions. For short-term problem-solving, the airport’s ground handling operators, THAI Ground (TG) and Bangkok Flight Services (BFS), are recruiting additional staff and acquiring more equipment to manage the spike in passenger numbers. In the longer term, AoT is looking to add a third ground handling operator. Any addition would have to be approved by the Cabinet first. Suvarnabhumi Airport will add more automatic passport checkpoints and pre-immigration kiosks. It will temporarily expand the period for carriers to provide self-handling services as well. The new priority zone and VOA checking area at the Satellite 1 building will also be expanded and are set to open in September. To help reduce congestion at passport-checking areas, the AoT plans to install auto passport checkpoint channels. The move to help outbound travellers with e-passports would be completed in November. The AoT has also addressed the shortage of taxi services at the airport by registering 3,909 taxis for service. The number of taxis will soon be increased to 4,500, according to Suvarnabhumi Airport’s director. The airport authorities also plan to develop the space between the passenger terminal and the Concourse D building. A reception hall for arriving passengers and those with visas on arrival (VOAs) will be constructed. They expect to provide the service for 2,000 inbound passengers and 400 people with VOAs every hour. The AoT says the second phase of the airport’s long-term solution to congestion problems is still being created. Construction is set to begin in November, though.

From Channel News Asia By Pichayada Promchertchoo BANGKOK: Myoe has no plan to go back to his homeland in Myanmar. A coup d’etat two years ago has thrown his country into turmoil and filled his future with uncertainty. The raging civil war, persecution of dissidents and economic crisis made it hard for him to keep hoping that things would get better. The return of democracy began to feel like a distant dream as the weeks and months went by. Sad and dejected, the 37-year-old quit his job in the telecommunication sector. He said goodbye to his family in Yangon and moved to Bangkok in March last year. “I'm very excited and enjoying it even though I'm stressed every day because I'm freelancing with no fixed income,” he told CNA. Life in a foreign country is challenging for Myoe, who cannot speak Thai and has no regular income or work permit. He has to constantly fret over whether he can pay his rent on time, while searching for job opportunities that would allow him to work legally in Thailand. Still, he prefers it to returning home, where his future prospects seem bleak under military rule. Many Myanmar people share his view. There are signs that the country is suffering from a brain drain as professionals relocated overseas after the military under army chief Min Aung Hliang seized power on Feb 1, 2021. Continues at https://www.channelnewsasia.com/asia/myanmar-professionals-brain-drain-thailand-property-3233031

My experience has been quite the opposite. While the majority I don't expect to see again, I find many others (in Bangkok, at least) to be agreeable young men simply trying to make a life for themselves. Most come from other ASEAN countries. They often talk of their families and "dysfunctional" is hardly a word that comes to mind.

If you click on "Read 3 replies" you'll find a full description on Richard Barrow's latest train adventure in Thailand.

One evening I arranged to meet a guy who had given me a few massages during the proceeding week. He appeared on time at the designated meeting place (outside the Raya) at midnight. Things generally went well but there were some awkward moments. He slept soundly over night but declined invitation for breakfast. When we parted I was sure that was the beginning and the end of the affair. As I reflected on the evening over breakfast, I was puzzled. We had gotten along really well in his shop, laughing easily and feeling anything but awkward. But he was on his home turf then. I concluded perhaps he had been burned before by a farang he had met. Nevertheless, I tried to put him out of my mind. It was only a few days later when I passed his shop again and he was among the guys standing outside with menus in their hand. He beamed a smile at me and we chatted for less than a minute before we went inside for our third session. Everything went well. His English was almost non-existent at the time so as I was trying unsuccessfully to ask him a question as we walked out later he gestured to a coworker to act as interpreter. "You want to meet me after work tonight" was turned into Thai and the reply was a vigorous nod of his head and huge smile. So as much as I believe Vinapu's prince charming doesn't deserve another chance, I'm reminded that had I denied it to my masseur, I would have missed out on seven of the happiest years of my life. We remain together to this day.

I believe that the fee applies only to tickets sold on or after June 1.

Your experience calls to mind a sports analogy. Although Man U is one of football's great clubs, on very rare occasions it takes the pitch but fails to score. Some might call it karma or just the odds of playing the game. And like that storied team, you surprise none of us by your penchant for picking yourself up and moving from setback to new beginning.

From The Nation Funeral in Chaing Rai 'drew Duangphet’s soul home' from UK The funeral for one of the 12 boys rescued from a flooded cave in Chiang Rai in 2018 was held at Wat Phra That Doi Wao in Chiang Rai's Mae Sai district on Thursday night. Duangphet "Dom" Promthep, 17, one of the Wild Boar football team members who – along with their coach – was trapped in Tham Luang Cave in 2018, died in England on Tuesday, after collapsing in his dormitory room on Sunday. He won a scholarship to study at Brooke House College, a football academy about 150 kilometres north of London, in August last year, and subsequently flew to England in September. Duangphet's parents and relatives, as well as other members of the Wild Boar football team, attended the funeral. Monks led by abbot Phra Kru Prayut Chetiyanukarn conducted the funeral rites using Duangphet's photo, clothes and shoes instead of his body, which remains in England. The funeral was held to make merit for Duangphet and lead his soul back to his hometown, the temple’s abbot said. "I believe that Duangphet's soul has returned to his hometown to meet his parents and friends who gathered to make merit for him," he said. He also expressed hope that Duangphet becomes his parents' son again in a future life, adding that those who attended the funeral had done their best to bring his soul home. The Royal Thai Embassy in London said Duangphet was sent to a hospital's intensive care unit after losing consciousness in his dormitory room on Sunday. "On Tuesday morning, Duangphet remained in critical condition before he died at 1.43pm [local time]," the embassy said, adding that the hospital had informed Duangphet's relatives.

From Pattaya News The chosen festivals are distinctive to their location, and are examples of the many unique and fascinating festivals that take place throughout Thailand each year. The Ministry of Culture has identified 16 distinctive festivals from around Thailand to be promoted on the international stage in line with the government’s Bio-Circular-Green economic model and the promotion of Thailand’s 5F soft-power foundations – Food, Film, Festival, Fight and Fashion. Bun Ban Klang Festival, Chon Buri This outdoor merit-making ritual in Phanat Nikhom District involves locals putting food onto banana leaves cut into squares, to ward off bad luck. The event is on from March-June 2023. Phuket Food (Creative City of Gastronomy) Festival, Phuket A fantastic occasion for food lovers, with plenty of food – both local and international – to be enjoyed. Chao Mae Lim Ko Niao Festival, Pattani A colourful homecoming festival for Chinese descendants of Pattani province. This year, the event took place on 2-8 February. Ban Chiang World Heritage Festival, Udon Thani A celebration of the historical significance of the World Heritage Site-listed Ban Chiang area, considered the most important prehistoric settlement so far discovered in Southeast Asia. This year, the event took place on 10-12 February. Hok Peng Festival to Worship Phra That Chao Phu Phiang Chae Haeng, Nan A worship ritual at Wat Phra That Chae Haeng, Phra Aram Luang, in Phu Phiang district. This year, the event is taking place from 28 February to 6 March. Hae Malai Khao Tok Festival, Yasothon A cultural celebration in which thousands of hand-made garlands connecting popped rice together are displayed on floats. This year, the event takes place from 1-5 March at the event’s grounds in front of Mahachanachai District Office. Hae Phra Khuen That Festival, Nakhon Si Thammarat This celebration sees the wrapping of a long piece of sacred yellow cloth around the base of a stupa at Phra Mahathat Woramahawihan. Wat Phra Mahathat. This year, the event takes place from 2-6 March. Korat Street Art, Nakhon Ratchasima A lively and colourful showcase celebrating creative works by regional artists. Sdok Kok Thom Festival, Sa Kaeo This festival highlights the renowned historical Sdok Kok Thom Khmer castle. Kram & Craft Sakon Festival, Sakhon Nakhon A festival in celebration of the local community’s cultural creativity, involving the use of natural plants to dye fabric. Vesak Day Festival, Mae Hong Son Known locally as Nataya Heng-sattha Gingala Nom Bucha Visakhaburamee, the event is a traditional merit-making ceremony held on Vesak Day, a sacred day to Buddhists and some Hindus. Tak Baht Dok Mai Khao Phansa (Festival of Floral Offerings), Saraburi A traditional merit-making ceremony involving the giving to monks of white Khao-Phansa flowers, also known as Dok Hong Hern (flying swan flower), held annually on Khao Phansa or Buddhist Lent Day. Phaya Sri Satta Nakarata Worship Ceremony, Nakhon Phanom A religious ceremony for the Naga believed to live in the Mekong River at Phaya Si Sattanakarat multipurpose yard, enshrined on the banks of the Mekong River. The event is on in July 2023. Hom Heet Toi Hoy Roi Jai Tai Lue (Tai Lue Local Festival), Phayao This event honours the Tai Lue ethnic community, and their distinctive traditions. Taking place at Wat Phrathat Sob Waen: Temple of the Tai Lue Culture, Chiang Kham Town, Yuan, Chiang Kham District, Phayao. The event is on from 15-16 July 2023. Phetchaburi City of Gastronomy Festival, Phetchaburi Another great event for food lovers, where they can enjoy fantastic local cuisine. Khom San Duang Festival, Lamphun Literally translated as a festival of a hundred thousand lanterns, this is a picturesque celebration that sees numerous floating lanterns let go into the sky during the annual Loi Krathong Festival at Wat Phra That Haripunchai Woramahawihan. https://thepattayanews.com/2023/02/15/bun-ban-klang-festival-in-chon-buri-with-other-15-distinctive-thai-festivals-to-be-promoted-internationally/

From Coconuts Bangkok The fight against Thailand’s draconian booze laws continues next month when a community of brewers gathers for what’s billed as Thailand’s “biggest craft beer event ever.” The inaugural Beer People Festival will run March 11 and 12 – inside The Street Ratchada shopping mall, where more than 200 labels will be shown off by brewers from throughout the country. Among the 400 expected flavors are barrel-aged mango papaya salad, tom yum soup, coconut and coffee stout, and more. Apart from craft beer, people can also expect to taste over 30 locally made liquors such as Thai whisky, rice whisky, and sato (Thai rice wine). The event is organized by the Prachachon Beer (“Beer People”) community that was founded four years ago by Thanakorn “Benz” Tuamsa-ngaim. Beer People Festival will run 11am to 9pm on March 11 and March 12 on the fifth floor of The Street Ratchada. The shopping mall is a short walk from MRT Thailand Cultural Centre. https://coconuts.co/bangkok/food-drink/bangkok-to-host-its-biggest-craft-beer-event-ever-in-march/

The Chon Buri governor says he recommends that the club, that reportedly lacked a license, be closed for five years. Somehow I'm confident the relative parties will stumble upon another method of resolving the matter. 🙂

The Bangkok Post is reporting that The Dragon Man Club in tambon Nong Prue was raided by Pattaya police at 3:30a.m. yesterday. Police said that they found about 50 people dancing and drinking in the "gay club." Fifteen tested positive for drugs and were taken to the police station. Cops observed that "many used condoms were found all over the place". It is unknown if they were collected as evidence. Photo from club's Facebook page.

From the BBC A little puppy is found on the side of road in Thailand, bloody with no fur and hardly able to move. A few weeks later, the dog - now named Rodney - is up and about and capturing hearts on social media. The journey Rodney has taken - and that of many other dogs - has been documented and posted online by County Tyrone man Niall Harbison, who has made it his mission to save as many street dogs as possible. Mr Harbison runs a sanctuary on the island of Koh Samui, where he rescues, nurses and feeds dogs in need. "They're street dogs, which makes them a bit tougher because they have to be," he told BBC News NI. "But underneath they're these lovely characters if you can draw it out of them." Continues with video https://www.bbc.com/news/av/uk-northern-ireland-64650047 If you're a dog lover like myself,you may enjoy this vido about Harbiso's efforts to save stray dogs on Koh Samui.

From Paattaya News By Tanakorn Panyadee Pattaya mayor Poramase Ngampiches and city officials met on Wednesday to discuss new parking spots after parking on the Pattaya Beach side is set to be banned from March 1st. On February 15th, the mayor announced on social media the return of the ban on parking on the Pattaya beach side of the road from March 1st in response to increasing traffic issues. The mayor said he was finding new parking spots for tourists, which may include a parking space at the wastewater treatment plant in South Pattaya near Walking Street. People could easily get to Walking Street and Bali Hai Pier from this spot, according to the mayor. The ban on parking, which will go into effect from March 1st, is also applicable to buses and boats, Poramase said, adding they would need to relocate to Bali Hai Pier. Boats will no longer be allowed to pickup customers on the beach directly and tour buses should only drop off and pickup passengers at Bali Hai Pier.

In his column in today's Pattaya Mail, Barry Kenyon reports that expats will not be exempt from the fee. "Some press reports maintain that “expats” in general will be exempt. In reality, long stay retirees, married foreigners, Elite card holders and students have not been given an opt-out. The term “expat” in this context means “those paying Thai income tax on earnings” and rules out any foreigners without a blue book issued by the Department of Employment – with the exception of diplomatic passport holders and infants. With tourism again booming in Thailand, up to 4 million baht may be gathered for the Thai treasury in under a year. The money will spent mainly on improving tourist infrastructure, according to previous remarks by the Tourist Authority of Thailand, but around 10 percent will be available on a discretionary basis for public hospitals which have failed to get seriously ill or deceased foreign patients to pay their bills. The policy does not mean that foreigners in any shape or form will be relieved of the need to buy medical insurance. The fund is not a welfare scheme and hospital compensation will be limited to special or notorious cases, such as major traffic accidents or environmental disasters with multiple loss of life, for which special permission from the government will need to be sought by the hospital in question. There will likely be further clarification of the detail once the policy is publicized in the Royal Gazette. Worldwide, travel taxes are becoming more common. Bali already has such a tax added on to all flight tickets, whilst the Philippines wants to introduce one to develop “local culture”. The European Union will tax non-EU nationals by November 2023 but will exempt babies and those over 70. Many Caribbean destinations already charge an entry fee, ranging from US$12 to US$50."

And sometimes a more obscure reason may actually be the one in play. I discount "I don't want to be seen with him" for two reasons. First, they could have just taken seats remote from one another. Second, this guy works publicly in a popular bar in he country's largest city where he can easily be observed in the company of numerous foreigners. Despite his claims he doesn't go with customers, it's fair to assume this wouldn't be his first rodeo. Then you have the mysterious "delivery" on he evening he was scheduled to meet Vinapu in PP. It's unlikely it was a shipment of dragon fruit from China. And then there was the request for a new suitcase that PC had been counting on Vinapu to deliver to him on arrival. If you were planning to bring something surreptitiously into another country, wouldn't it be nice if you could somehow get another person to carry your bag--and on a separate flight--because your own baggage exceeded what was allowed (or some other excuse). Perhaps he got cold feet at the last minute as he began to realize Vinapu wasn't about to buy such a yarn. Maybe he ended up using the ticket Vinapu had purchased for him and went about his business in Bangkok? In hindsight, it's easy to see the red flags popping up. But in the heat of the chase, we're all subject to being thrown off the scent by the cloudy mist of lust and attraction. And there's always the possibility that there was nothing untoward going on here, aside from a deceptive young man trying his best to extract rewards for services he had no intention on delivering.

In this undated team photo taken prior to becoming trapped in the cave, Dom can be seen sitting on left.

From Pattya Mail By Barry Kenyon Soi Buakhao, or White Lotus Street, is booming post-covid as the cheaper version of the more famous Walking Street. Daytime beers can cost as little as 55 baht, or just over one pound sterling. There’s an echo of knees-up Blackpool with some of Soi Buakhao’s bars and restaurants having English-sounding names: Hungry Hippo, Butcher’s Arms, Churchill’s Munchies (now seemingly closed), Nicky’s, Stag’s Head, Cheeky Monkey, Crazy Dave’s and Witherspoons to name but a few. Not that the comparison should be pressed too far: Pattaya doesn’t have a tower circus and Blackpool lacks cannabis cafes. British expats have long dominated the Pattaya bar scene in south Pattaya. Phil Gardner, a Soi Buakhao retiree for 15 years, explained, “The beer is cold and the women beautiful, so there’s nothing more to be said.” He points out that the district’s visa shops, which can simplify obtaining extensions from immigration for a fee, are especially popular with budget-minded expat Brits. New nighteries, especially go go clubs such as Lips Lounge in nearby Soi Honey, are still being launched. Nearby, Soi L.K.Metro and Tree Town are still expanding their venues specializing in female eye candy. Several are managed by Brits. So successful has Soi Buakhao become in attracting revelers that some businesses have moved out. British born Dave Collier, who runs the popular second-hand book depository Canterbury Tales with his Thai wife, moved from Soi Pothole (adjoining Buakhao) last year to a less noisy and far less hectic district a couple of miles away. Another Brit, Shaun Sharples, who started a very successful fish and chips business in Tree Town, is currently awaiting the total renovation of brand new premises some distance away. “Our business isn’t dependent on loud music blaring out from nearby clubs,” he explained. “Many of our customers want to eat in peace.” Unlike Walking Street, Soi Buakhao has a daytime life of its own. There are two bustling markets where you can buy everything from fruit and veg, microphones and flashlights to second-hand clothes, pots of glue and hair dryers. You can change currencies, visit pharmacies, massage parlors and barbershops, or watch the world go by sipping beer in open bars facing dense traffic and a lack of pavements. There are several English-sounding cafes provoking intense rivalry on Pattaya social media about which one serves the best English breakfast. Or the worst. One candidate, Cheap Charlie’s, is so successful that another branch was opened up in the Jomtien immigration street. There are some cannabis outlets in the Soi Buakhao neighborhood, though fewer than expected after decriminalization of the weed last summer. Phil Gardner said, “Many of the regulars are over 60 and often retired. They want to spend a few relaxing hours drinking with their mates or being merry with the ladies. The trouble with pot is that you smoke it for a few minutes and that’s your evening’s entertainment gone.” He also points out that gay opportunities in Soi Buakhao are limited. “You’ll find ladyboys and transvestites in some bars, but the real gay scene is centered elsewhere in Boyztown and at the Jomtien Complex.” He adds that the gender of some cross-dressers is hard to determine. “I always tell new guys to look for the Adam’s apple which means there’ll be a banana too.” That’s education Pattaya style. ================== From Pattaya News Pattaya Pioneers Free Condom Machines Named “Love Bang, Love Safe” In a bold move to promote safe sex, the Pattaya National Health Security Office (NHSO) has recently introduced a new initiative: a free condom vending machine called “Love Bang, Love Safe”. Yes, you read that right. And no, it’s not a new club or a questionable dating app. The idea behind this machine is simple: To encourage people to practice safe sex and prevent the spread of sexually transmitted infections, especially during the last Valentine’s Day, Dr. Chadet Thammathatchaaree, Secretary-General of the NHSO, said on Tuesday, February 14th. The machines are placed at three spots around the city. One is at Bali Hai Pier with a big and clear message emblazoned at the front that says “Love Bang, Love Safe (เลิฟปัง รักปลอดภัย)”. Well, although the message is meant to be creative and informative, it also has a certain cheeky charm to it that makes it hard to ignore. Dr. Chadet said the machines will pop out a brightly colored condom after pressing some buttons. The condom is part of the gold card universal health care program and is totally free. Dr. Chadet revealed that the response to this machine so far has been overwhelmingly positive because of its convenience and accessibility. Five sizes are available.