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From Pattaya News A bus service from the Don Mueang International Airport to Pattaya is now available. The bus service has two round trips per day from 10:30 A.M. to 3:00 P.M.. (350 baht per person) From the Don Mueang International Airport to Pattaya: The bus ticket is available at the Bell Travel Service on the first floor Gate 10 at Domestic Terminal 2 or online ticket at www.belltravelservice.com . From Pattaya to Don Mueang International Airport: The bus service has two round trips per day from 6:00 A.M. to 3:00 P.M.. (350 baht per person) The bus ticket is available at the Bell Travel Service at Pattaya Bus Terminal (North Pattaya) or online ticket at www.belltravelservice.com .

From Pattaya News A massive explosion obliterated several Thai restaurants and a building in the center of Pattaya and seriously injured one Laotian worker. The cause of the explosion is still under investigation. The explosion shook parts of Pattaya at 5.50 a.m. early this morning, August 30th. The explosion was believed to take place inside a BBQ pork and chicken with rice restaurant called “Jae Jar” located in Banglamung’s Nongprue subdistrict, according to police reports. The restaurant was at the side of a two-storey commercial building and was adjacent to a noodle restaurant and a shrimp paste fried rice restaurant. All three were totally demolished in the explosion, said Kunlachart Kunlachai, police chief of the Pattaya Police Station who went to inspect the incident scene. Additionally, the explosion caused minor damage to places in nearby buildings, including an Indian restaurant called “Govindam,” Wichian Color Lab, and a barbershop. One unfortunate Laotian worker, Mr. Khith Lovanxay, 29, was discovered beneath the rubble of the first building with burn wounds and was rushed to a hospital.

From The Nation Thailand’s first high-speed railway will link up with the China-Laos high-speed railway in a network that will eventually connect Kunming in China to Singapore. First-phase construction of the project – a 250-kilometre high-speed railway from Bangkok to Nakhon Ratchasima – is on schedule for completion in 2026, government spokeswoman Traisuree Taisaranakul said on Sunday. The first phase consists of six stations – Bangkok’s Bang Sue Grand Station, Don Mueang, Ayutthaya, Saraburi, Pak Chong and Nakhon Ratchasima. She said the second phase – a 357-kilometre high-speed railway from Nakhon Ratchasima to Nong Khai – is currently undergoing environmental impact assessment. She added that the Department of Highways is cooperating with Laos on the construction of a bridge over the Mekong River for the high-speed railway.

From The Thaiger Thailand records its seventh monkeypox case A 37-year-old Thai woman in Bangkok became Thailand’s seventh monkeypox patient after testing positive late last week, the Department of Disease Control (DDC) said on Sunday. DDC Director General Dr Opas Karnkawinpong said the Bamrasnaradura Infectious Diseases Institute reported on Saturday that a woman had tested positive for the disease. Dr Opas revealed the patient had intercourse with a foreigner but had not travelled abroad recently. The patient developed a fever on August 20 and found blisters near her anus the following day. Two days later more blisters appeared in other parts of her body, making her seek treatment at a Nonthaburi province institute.

From Thai PBS World Deputy secretary-general of the National Anti-Corruption Commission (NACC), Prayad Puangchampa, was dismissed from service today (Monday), after he was found to be unusually wealthy by amassing 658 million baht in assets, many of which are being kept abroad. NACC Chairman Pol Gen Watcharaphol Prasarnratchakit signed an order dismissing Prayad from government service today. The NACC also agreed that his assets should be confiscated and become state property. The NACC faulted Prayad for allegedly deliberately concealing his assets by providing false statements about six of them when he assumed the post as deputy secretary-general on January 4th, 2017. The assets he allegedly attempted to conceal include six items, worth about two million baht, in the country and under the name of his spouse Thanipa, and four other items located abroad since 2019, worth about 225 million baht.

It seems that that was the point Gaybutton was trying to make. In that case I surely owe him an apology. “And now these three remain: faith, hope, and love. But the greatest of these is love.”

Like I said, happy to oblige. 😉

Please don't take offense if I fail to heed your advice and embrace La Cage Aux Folles as a prescription for how to lead my life. 🤣 Good luck to you, my friend, but I don't wish to die that way. I don't want to be that lonely old man withering away in farangland, thanking the almighty that I was wise enough to hold my emotions tightly in check.

Happy I could bring a bit of amusement into your day. As I said before, I acknowledge that you're speaking honestly--and I believe from the heart--about you've experiences. In my book you are providing a valuable reflection on your many years as a Pattaya expat. I hope you'll keep warning us for many more. But you're quick to dismiss others who've had different experiences and formed a different perspective. You're persuaded that only your take on the matter could possibly be true and others must be delusional.

Indeed they are not. Love is placing the other person's well being on a par with your own. It's being emotionally available as a confidant and friend. It's accepting the other person's foibles as he accepts yours. It's taking joy in each other's company. It's mutual affection and trust. It's the realization that you are unquestionably happy and fulfilled when you are together. I've found that I need that experience in my life. And I agree that it has nothing whatsoever to do with sex.

Death toll rises to 22 The Bangkok Post reports that a woman who was seriously burned in the Mountain B fire has succumbed to her injuries.

Guess I'll just count myself as very lucky. The last six years of my life have been the happiest of the preceding 70. Up until that point I'd always considered myself a committed butterfly. I don't concern myself with "true" love. I'm perfectly happy just to have someone simply to love. I don't need a litmus test with which to measure it. We insulate ourselves by the use of language. We become "clients", young men become "professionals." That makes it easier to put the required emotional distance between us. For many, that's a healthy way to look at it. The parties part ways without emotional baggage. I tip my hat to all those who find contentment in their later years without any emotional attachments. At one time I counted myself in that camp. And then a simple smile turned my life on a dime. You may think of me as foolhardy and delusional. So be it. But you can't feel what I feel; know what I know. We all came to Thailand because we sought sexual intimacy we couldn't find at home. Please be tolerant of those of us who discovered emotional intimacy and affection in that same pursuit.

This forum regularly sees members unabashedly post about fucking boys, sucking boys, kissing boys and rimming boys. Odd how when someone suggests loving boys the naysayers come out of the woodwork. Just saying.

Amen.

The flip side of the question is likewise worth considering: How are customers different than say 20 years ago? They're older They're more suspicious They're more paranoid Other than that, I don't see a lot of difference 🙂

The following article appears in The Thaiger and The Nation. The Thaiger noted that the source of the the article references “Terminal 4” but perhaps meant the fourth floor departure level. From The Thaiger Suvarnabhumi Airport, Bangkok’s main international airport, is getting an upgrade: a new passenger validation system is being put in place. The new PVS will be launched in the airport officially on September 1 and will be found at Terminal 4 for both domestic and international passengers. [See note above). The PVS system is intended to speed up the process of screening passengers, making it more efficient while simultaneously giving a boost to Suvarnabhumi Airport’s security, according to an announcement by airport officials yesterday. The new systems will bring Bangkok’s main airport up to international standards in passenger security, requiring passengers to go through an automated screening process at kiosks. Travellers will have their boarding passes scanned by the PVS reader, whether they are paper documents or e-boarding passes, and the system will retrieve their travel information. Airport employees will still be on hand at nearby counters to help with any questions and guide any confused customers through the PVS automation system. The PVS will confirm each passenger’s travel information and provide an extra layer of security against fraud, as the airport explained. “The PVS will ensure that [the] passenger screening process is fast and accurate, and will prevent unauthorised persons from entering restricted or flight-controlled areas. This system will also prevent the reuse of boarding passes that have already been scanned.” For foreign travellers: Zone 2, rows J-K will have two counters for outgoing travellers Zone 3, rows S-T will have three counters for foreigners For Thai nationals: Rows C-D will have eight counters for outgoing travellers There are an additional two check-in counters in rows L-M that was not clarified if they were for Thai passport holders or foreign passport holders.

Glad you said that. You'll never regret being polite and smiling. It has to be about 12 years ago that I was approached by a gorgeous guy on Soi Tarntawan who was hawking for Super A bar. I can still remember his line" "You don't have to buy drink. Just go take a look." I had been to Super A before and knew I'd never find a guy this good inside so I replied, "you're a really cute guy; would you like to come to my hotel?" He seemed taken aback and after a few seconds responded with. "OK, 4,000 baht." I'd never heard a number like this before and I said, "you're not that cute." I regret it to this day. Not only because it was unkind, but it wasn't true. He was that cute. Those four words abruptly ended any opportunity I may have had with him. That I can still recall the exchange a dozen years ago makes it all so clear to me that I've never really forgotten him. When I passed by him a week or so later, he just looked down and shuffled his feet. Why didn't I just make a counter offer? Why didn't I apologize when I saw him again? Because I was stupid.

Do you think with just a little more effort (i.e., stay up till 3a.m.) you could get one of them down to 400 and 31 minutes?

And the delivery of gift to boy's bar also buys him a hell of a lot of face.

NOTE -- For those with an interest in Thai political history, this piece helps explain how the graduates of an elite military academy have come to govern the country. From Thai PBS World The rise to power of ‘big brother’ Prawit Wongsuwan Deputy Prime Minister Gen Prawit Wongsuwan is generally considered a weak link in Prayut Chan-o-cha’s administration, tainted by the scandal over a multimillion-baht wristwatch collection, despite his repeated denials of corruption. But in a twist of fate, he finally finds himself in the top post of prime minister, thanks to a legal dispute over the tenure of his junior Army classmate. The Constitutional Court on Wednesday voted 5:4 to suspend PM Prayut from duty after it decided to accept a petition filed by the opposition asking for a ruling on his eight-year term as prime minister. Prayut will be suspended as PM until the ruling is delivered, though he can continue to serve as defense minister in the Cabinet. Prawit, who is leader of the ruling Palang Pracharath Party, tops the hierarchy of the six deputy prime ministers, so he automatically became caretaker prime minister following Prayut’s suspension. Prawit will remain as caretaker PM until the Constitutional Court issues its ruling on Prayut’s tenure. Prawit, now 77, is known as the “big brother” of the Burapha Payak (“Tigers of the East”) military clique of officers, who typically start their careers in the 21st Infantry Regiment based in Prachinburi. This group includes former Commander-in-Chief Anupong Paochinda and his successor Prayut. The trio of generals is dubbed the “3Ps” – Prayut, Prawit and “Pock” (Anupong). While Prayut led the coup that toppled the Yingluck government in 2014, Prawit is widely credited with helping the military prolong its power after the 2019 general election. In June 2020, as chief party strategist, Prawit was elected as Palang Pracharath’s new leader. He won the top seat uncontested, announcing he would accept the post to end internal disputes as it would allow him to handle party infighting. “They [the factions] must be reconciled,” he said. His rise to party chief was expected to quell an ongoing power struggle within Palang Pracharath, which has many factions. Prawit, now 77, is known as the “big brother” of the Burapha Payak (“Tigers of the East”) military clique of officers, who typically start their careers in the 21st Infantry Regiment based in Prachinburi. This group includes former Commander-in-Chief Anupong Paochinda and his successor Prayut. The trio of generals is dubbed the “3Ps” – Prayut, Prawit and “Pock” (Anupong). While Prayut led the coup that toppled the Yingluck government in 2014, Prawit is widely credited with helping the military prolong its power after the 2019 general election. In June 2020, as chief party strategist, Prawit was elected as Palang Pracharath’s new leader. He won the top seat uncontested, announcing he would accept the post to end internal disputes as it would allow him to handle party infighting. “They [the factions] must be reconciled,” he said. His rise to party chief was expected to quell an ongoing power struggle within Palang Pracharath, which has many factions. Continues at https://www.thaipbsworld.com/the-rise-to-power-of-big-brother-prawit-wongsuwan-new-caretaker-pm/

21st victim dies The Bangkok Post is reporting that the Mountain B fire has claimed its 21st death when a man succumbed to injuries in a Bangkok Hospital. Nineteen victims remain hospitalized, seven of them relying in ventilators.

From Pattaya News Sixth Case reported in Thailand Thailand yesterday (August 26th), reported the sixth confirmed case of Monkeypox which is a Thai woman in Maha Sarakham, in the northeast of Thailand. The director-general of the Department of Disease Control, Dr. Opas Karnkawinpong, revealed that the latest patient was a 21-year-old Thai woman who is a massage worker who recently came back from Qatar. – August 10th a red rash started from her genitals while she was in Qatar. – August 21st she returned back to Thailand and arrived at her home in Maha Sarakham. – August 22nd went to a local hospital with fever and swollen lymph nodes. – August 24th she was confirmed with Monkeypox. Dr. Opas added, “It is obvious that the patient was an imported case from abroad. There are four high risk contacts and 24 low risk people from this case. The patient and risk cases are now under close observation of medical personnel and Public Health officials. The Director-General urged the public to remain calm as the disease is not easily contracted.”

I'm not a Jupiter fan but judging from all the posts about it I believe it operates differently from just about all of the other bars in the Silom area in respect to both ST and LT pricing. It seems that there are no "going rates." Each guy is his own, individual profit center. He's free to try to charge what the market will bear depending upon demand at any given moment. Keep in mind you're always free to make a counter offer but as Vinapu has said it's not the same as bargaining over a Persian carpet: haggling is unlikely to improve your experience. The guy you like will have a price range in mind and you should, too.

When my cable bill hit $89 eight years ago I cancelled it in favor of an old fashioned tv antenna. I get 64 channels, giving me all the news, sports and entertainment options I need. Consequently I'm spared the scores of cable news offerings that prove more political than informative.

From Reuters BANGKOK, Aug 26 (Reuters) - Thailand raised its daily minimum wage for the first time in more than two years on Friday, the labour ministry said, as it seeks to help workers cope with rising living costs and the economic impact of the COVID-19 pandemic. A committee made up of government representatives, companies and labour groups agreed to raise wages by an average of 5.02% from Oct. 1, Boonchob Suthamanaswong, the ministry's permanent secretary, said in a statement. The minimum wage was last hiked in January 2020, by 1.6%-1.8%. The exact rates differ slightly between regions with the three most industrialised provinces - Chonburi, Rayong and Phuket - and the capital Bangkok, at the top end of a 328 baht and 354 baht ($9.11-$9.84) range. The raise makes Thailand's monthly minimum wage - at 9,840 to 10,620 baht ($273.33-$295.00)- among the highest of its peers in Southeast Asia with such measures. By comparison, Vietnam, a regional manufacturing base, has a monthly minimum wage of between 3.25 million dong and 4.68 million dong ($138.82-$199.90). ($1 = 36.00 baht) ($1 = 23,412.0 dong)