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Post moved to Cambodia section of Gay Asia forum.

From The Nation The Thai Stamp Museum has announced the release of two sets of collectible postage stamps for 2025, one of which features a drawing by Her Royal Highness Princess Maha Chakri Sirindhorn. The first set comprises 10 stamps, each with a face value of 3 baht. These vertical stamps will feature a drawing of three snakes by the Princess, along with her signature. This will be the 11th release in the Princess’ Year of Zodiacs series, which has been issued annually since 2015. This year marks the Chinese Year of the Snake and the Princess drew three little snakes in green, pink and yellow, with the caption, “won’t take fish, but snakes”. The Princess explained that she wanted Thais to study issues thoroughly, instead of just learning things shallowly as the Thai idiom says, “learning like snakes and fishes”. The stamp’s design was created by Thanet Polchaiwong of Thailand Post. The second set of stamps, meanwhile, will be released on National Children’s Day on January 11 and will feature two designs based on “The Little Prince” by Antoine de Saint-Exupéry. https://www.nationthailand.com/news/general/40044722

From Pattaya News At 5:00 PM on December 30th, 2024, a 38-year-old Chinese man, name withheld at his request, filed a complaint with Pattaya police, claiming he was assaulted by security staff and associates at a prominent condominium in central Pattaya. Arriving at the station with blood on his face and supported by friends, the tourist alleged the conflict began after his online room booking, made through an independent agency, was abruptly canceled due to undisclosed “room issues.” Frustrated after paying 24,000 baht for two rooms and not getting support from the agency, he confronted the condo staff, according to the police. The situation escalated however when the condo staff stated to the Chinese tourist that they were not liable or involved with independent room bookings and that the tourist would need to resolve the issue with the agency himself. This further angered the tourist and he was asked to leave the condo premises, but when he demanded to speak to a manager or higher level authority security staff allegedly dragged him into a guard post, used foul language, and attacked him while throwing him off the property. The injured man claimed up to six individuals joined in, ignoring attempts by bystanders to intervene. Initially, police have recorded the complaint and are reviewing CCTV footage to identify and prosecute the alleged perpetrators. They also plan to speak with both the juristic office at the condo and the agency that booked the property. The name of the condo has been withheld by police pending further investigation. Police noted, however, that AIRBNB style bookings for less than a month are illegal in Thailand unless the property has a hotel license, so condo staff not wanting to get involved was not surprising. Additionally, many condo juristic offices have a “hands off” policy of dealing with disputes between tenants and landlords/agencies, instead usually directing the two parties to resolve any situations between each other or with legal assistance. However, regardless of whether or not the booking process was against regulations, any assault on upset people is unacceptable, stressed police, who also reminded both condo and property owners and tenants to immediately call police for assistance if a situation is escalating and not to attempt to resolve it themselves with physical action.

From The Nation The former PM’s return to Thailand after 17 years in exile marked a dramatic shift in Thailand’s political landscape and the decline of big power players In 2024, Thailand’s political scene was dominated by Thaksin Shinawatra, the former prime minister whose every move captured public attention. After 17 years in self-exile overseas, Thaksin made a highly publicised return to Thailand in August 2023. Though sentenced to eight years in prison, he never set foot in a jail cell, instead spending his detention in a VIP room in the Police General Hospital, citing deteriorating health. Thaksin remained in hospital “detention” long enough to qualify for a sentence reduction to one year, and was eventually granted a royal pardon on July 28. The clemency was granted as part of celebrations marking His Majesty’s 6th cycle birthday (72 years). A pivotal moment came when Srettha Thavisin, known for his tireless work ethic, was removed as prime minister by the Constitutional Court on August 14. The court ruled that Srettha had violated the Constitution and breached ethical standards by nominating former controversial lawyer Pichit Chuenban as a minister without portfolio. Pichit had been sentenced to six months in prison for contempt of court after attempting to bribe Supreme Court officials. Srettha’s dismissal opened the door for Paetongtarn Shinawatra, Thaksin’s daughter, to take over as Thailand’s 31st prime minister on August 16. Thaksin, meanwhile, has been a central figure of power, hosting coalition leaders at his residence to pave the way for Paetongtarn’s rise. He dismissed the meeting’s significance, jokingly referring to it as a gathering for instant noodles. Aware of the potential for external disruptions, including a possible resurgence of former deputy premier Prawit Wongsuwan, Thaksin acted decisively to consolidate power and avoid delays in positioning his daughter as prime minister. Continues at https://www.nationthailand.com/news/politics/40044691

Where I wish I was.......

Let me buy you a drink.

...and four times less than what's expected in New York or London.

All good things to those who wait.

Although the massage scene in and around Silom hasn't changed too much, new shops are popping up in greater Bangkok at a steady pace that it makes it impossible to get a complete and current handle on it, I find. Over the past year, shops that have minimum tips are holding steady in Saphan Kwai (800-1200). In Silom, only a few places (i.e., Senso) have minimum tip but they are experiencing uptrend. Otherwise I would say tip expectations are a bit higher than SK. Just talked with friend in Bangkok who works in bar and he says it is extremely busy with tourists. ST expectation for non-models is generally 2500.

No one outside of his hand-picked doctor knows his true medical outlook. Vance's succession could be the Black Swan event no one is taking about.

The guy who's maintaining lowest profile is JD Vance. Like any VP, his number one job is to inquire daily about health of the president.🙄

From Time Moo Deng might seem to most people like just an adorable viral baby hippo, but to the government of Thailand, where she’s from, she’s a cultural ambassador and shining example of the country’s push to boost what it calls its “soft power.” The term soft power was coined at the height of the Cold War by American political scientist Joseph Nye, who used it to describe “when one country gets other countries to want what it wants” without the use of force, in contrast to the hard power “of ordering others to do what it wants.” But in the last year and a half, since the Pheu Thai party came to power in August 2023, Thailand has sought to redefine soft power instead as getting others to want what it has—with a particular emphasis on highlighting the country’s cultural prominence to attract tourists and foreign investment. Moo Deng isn’t alone. Lalisa “LISA” Manobal, the Thai singer and member of K-pop powerhouse BLACKPINK, has also been hailed for her contributions to Thailand’s “soft power.” While Thailand’s cultural wave has been bubbling up for years and “soft power” was also promoted by previous governments, the major push kickstarted when Prime Minister Srettha Thavisin, just weeks after his election last year, announced the formation of the National Soft Power Strategy Committee (NSPSC), which laid out 11 key focus areas: food, gaming, festivals, music, film, literature, arts, design, sports, fashion, and tourism. In the months since, Thailand has supported extending its Songkran festival from three days to a month, legalizing same-sex marriage, and promoting Thai-made film and TV (from its own exports like the critically acclaimed How to Make Millions Before Grandma Dies and award-winning Hunger to international productions like the upcoming season of The White Lotus and the forthcoming installment of the Jurassic World franchise), among other measures—all in the name of boosting its “soft power.” Continues at https://time.com/7203306/thailand-government-soft-power-moo-deng-lisa-economy/

From MSN The Cambodian government decided to reduce e-visa fees for tourists and businesses or ordinary people from January 2025. It said in a news release on Dec. 28 that the fee for tourist type (e-visa T) would be slashed to $30 from the current $36 while that for regular type (e-visa E) would be lowered to $35 from the current $42. Cambodia is expected to welcome around 6.7 million foreign visitors and 22 million domestic tourists this year, surpassing the numbers recorded before the Covid pandemic in 2019.

There's a lesson in these tales. When you meet a truly loyal guy return that loyalty. They met as many butterflies as we meet guys who ghost us.

From Bangkok Post The Department of National Parks, Wildlife and Plant Conservation (DNP) has unearthed details of the gorilla baby smuggling network based at Chatuchak Market, says DNP director-general Atthapol Charoenchansa. The buyer who tried to bring in a baby gorilla from Türkiye was a millionaire businessman who collects exotic animals, he said without disclosing details. He also ordered a crackdown at the market for being involved in ordering the gorilla, classified as endangered by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) and listed in the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species (Cites) which regulates export/imports of the species. The infant gorilla was smuggled in a wooden box on a flight from Nigeria to Bangkok and was confiscated by the Customs Enforcement Smuggling and Intelligence Directorate at Istanbul Airport in Türkiye on Dec 21. The shipment was supposed to contain 50 rabbits. Mr Atthapol said the person who made the order lives in Asia and collects exotic animals. Investigators found the case was tied to a shop in Chatuchak Market as it acts as a centre for ordering and selling exotic animals from abroad. "When someone wants exotic animals, they go there because it has a network for importing and exporting exotic animals," he said. Pol Maj Gen Watcharin Phusit, commander of the Natural Resource and Environmental Crime Suppression Division (NED) said police searched the pet shop on Friday. The shop is owned by TK Farm in Nakhon Pathom which police raided on Dec 25. The company is registered as an animal importer and breeder. https://www.bangkokpost.com/thailand/general/2929597/baby-gorilla-probe-reveals-smugglers-at-chatuchak

UPDATE From Bangkok Post The three victims of the hotel fire near Khao San Road in Bangkok have been identified – including a Brazilian woman whose boyfriend proposed to her last week – as tourism authorities were preparing compensation. The three who perished in the blaze at The Ember Hotel on Tanee Road near Khao San Road late Sunday night were identified as a 24-year-old Brazilian woman, Pimentel Canales Albuquerque, a 27-year-old Ukrainian man, Tuzov Victor, and a 35-year-old American man, Freeman Timothy Jr. The woman died in the room where the fire is believed to have started. The two men were pronounced dead at Vajira Hospital and Samitivej Chinatown Hospital. Seven people were injured, including an electrician at the hotel, Sorawut Liewhamai, and two Netherlanders, Marvin Holtkamp and Nadine Hueftlein. The Bangkok governor said the hotel had been developed by the modification of 11 connected commercial building units covering a combined area of 1,515 square metres. The hotel opened in April 2022. There were two fire exits and sufficient fire extinguishers, but no sprinkler system because it was a small hotel that was not required to have such equipment, he said. Amorn Pimanmas, president of the Thailand Structural Engineers Association, said the fire likely started in the bed in Room 511 because its mattress was completely burnt and only coil springs were left. The structure of the hotel was intact, he said. It was reported that three Korean men had stayed in Room 511, but they were not there when the fire broke out. A hotel staff member rushed to the room at the sound of the fire alarm. When the employee opened the door, black smoke quickly billowed out. Detectives were looking for the Korean men to question them about the possible cause of the fire. Natthriya Thaweevong, permanent secretary for tourism and sports, said the government would pay 1 million baht in compensation for each death case and 500,000 baht for each injury case. https://www.bangkokpost.com/thailand/general/2929935/bangkok-hotel-fire-victims-identified-compensation-prepared

UPDATE: Khao San hotel fire From The Nation Three people died and seven others were injured in a fire that broke out at a six-storey hotel in the Khao San area of Bangkok’s Phra Nakhon district at around 9.40pm on Sunday. According to Bangkok officials, the fire started on the fifth floor of the hotel, where 39 hotel staff and tourists were staying. Three bucket trucks were deployed to evacuate people stranded on the roof and inside the building. Firefighters were quickly on the scene and brought the fire under control within an hour. Of the total 75 guests, one woman was found dead inside a room on the fifth floor. Another two died later at the hospital. The seven injured people were two Thai men, a Japanese man, a foreign woman, a German man, a German woman and a Chinese man. Bartender Pattarapol Kopornsrisanga said he noticed smoke while working on the sixth floor and told guests to evacuate immediately. He added that many of the residents escaped either by heading down to street level or up to the roof, but admitted that he was in a state of panic. Nongnuch Srilom, a merchant who witnessed the incident, said she heard a sound before she saw the smoke. Tourists ran from the hotel to seek assistance, and some collapsed to the ground. She expressed concern that the fire had broken out in a predominantly tourist area. https://www.nationthailand.com/news/general/40044632

From Khaosod English Three foreign tourists have died following a fire that broke out at The Ember Hotel, a six-story building in Bangkok, late Sunday night. One tourist was pronounced dead at the scene, while two others passed away at the hospital. Another victim remains hospitalized for smoke inhalation. Police Lieutenant General Siam Boonsom, Commissioner of the Metropolitan Police Bureau, revealed that the fire originated in room 511 on the fifth floor. Surviving tourists are providing statements at Chana Songkhram Police Station as investigators work to determine the cause of the blaze. The forensics team is currently collecting evidence to build a case against those who may be responsible. The Pharam Radio Center received the fire alert at 9:30 p.m. on December 29 at The Ember Hotel on Tanee Road, Talat Yot, Phra Nakhon district. Bangkok’s Fire and Rescue Department deployed three aerial ladder trucks to rescue guests trapped inside the building, with some tourists taking refuge on the hotel’s rooftop. Emergency responders rushed four tourists suffering from smoke inhalation to nearby hospitals. Firefighters finally contained the blaze by 10:30 p.m. Bangkok Governor Chadchart Sittipunt and Deputy Interior Minister Teearat Samretwanich arrived at the scene at 11:00 p.m. Governor Chadchart reported that nearly 40 tourists and hotel staff had fled to the building’s rooftop out of the total 75 guests staying at the hotel. Three aerial ladder trucks were used to gradually evacuate the victims. “The fire spread was limited due to the swift response from firefighters,” Chadchart stated. “However, heavy smoke posed a significant challenge.” He ordered the temporary closure of the hotel pending a thorough safety inspection. “We must restore tourist confidence in safety measures, especially with New Year’s Eve countdown celebrations approaching,” he added. https://www.khaosodenglish.com/news/2024/12/30/investigation-underway-as-bangkok-hotel-fire-claims-tourist-lives/

He was unlucky as America's 39th president but he was the most successful after leaving office. The winner of the Nobel Peace Prize, Carter conducted himself in a manner best described as the antithesis of Trump. R.I.P.

From NY Times A passenger plane carrying 181 people crash-landed on its belly on Sunday at an airport in South Korea, hitting a barrier and exploding into an orange fireball in the worst aviation disaster in the country in almost three decades. Most of the people on board the plane, a Boeing 737-800 operated by Jeju Air, were killed, officials said. The plane, Flight 7C2216, had taken off from Bangkok and was landing at Muan International Airport in South Korea’s southwest when it crashed around 9 a.m. local time. Officials said the plane had broken into so many pieces that only its tail was identifiable. The plane was carrying 175 passengers and six crew members. As of Sunday evening, the official death toll had risen to 177, according to the National Fire Agency. Two crew members had been rescued from the aircraft’s tail section, and emergency workers continued searching the wreckage. Officials were investigating why the landing gear appeared to have malfunctioned, and whether birds had struck the plane or if bad weather had been a factor, Ju Jong-wan, a director of aviation policy at the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport, said at a news briefing. As the plane was landing, he said, the airport warned it about a potential bird strike. The plane issued a mayday alert shortly after, he said, then crash-landed. The muddy tidal flats near Muan International Airport and much of the west coast of the Korean Peninsula are favorite resting places for migrant birds. Photographs in local media showed flocks of birds flying near the airport on Sunday. https://www.nytimes.com/2024/12/29/world/asia/what-to-know-south-korea-plane-crash.html

From Pattaya News At 06:06 AM, Pattaya police received a report of a violent fight on Pattaya Third Road. Following the report, police, along with rescue workers from the Sawang Boriboon Foundation and The Pattaya News reporters, rushed to the scene. Upon arrival, authorities found Mr. Seita Tanabe, a 27-year-old Japanese man, who had been stabbed in the chest with a knife and was bleeding heavily. Rescue workers provided first aid and performed CPR before rushing him to the hospital. However, he was later pronounced dead at the hospital. The other person involved, identified by police only as Mr. David, a 36-year-old British-Thai man, was found with a swollen face, body scratches, and a torn shirt. He appeared heavily intoxicated. Mr. David was reported to have stabbed Mr. Seita. He reportedly showed no remorse at the scene as he made an “I love you” gesture to officers while being arrested and appeared to be smirking in photos taken after the horrific incident. A knife used in the attack was found at the scene and was collected as evidence. An eyewitness, identified only as Mr. Bank, last name withheld by request, told The Pattaya News that before the incident, he and Mr. Seita saw Mr. David arguing with his foreign girlfriend. Both he and Mr. Seita tried to stop the argument, which caused Mr. David to punch Mr. Seita in the face. The nature of the argument with the foreign woman and her identity were not disclosed by Pattaya police as of press time. Mr. Bank then tried to separate the two, but shortly afterward, Mr. Seita retaliated by punching Mr. David. The situation escalated when Mr. David drew a knife and stabbed Mr. Seita in the chest, causing him to collapse in front of everyone. Police arrived shortly after and arrested Mr. David. https://thepattayanews.com/2024/12/29/fight-in-pattaya-ends-with-british-thai-man-stabbing-young-japanese-man-to-death/

A trusted source tells me that the audience in FB's is western and Asian mix. Females come in small groups or with their bf's and their interest is mainly in seeing the show, although they may call down a guy if they can chat with him. Probably the same at GB and DB.

Bad example. BBC is totally free. CNN and CNBC are both free but you can subscribe to additional content if you wish. All the Thai and ASEAN news sites are free. Agree.

NOTE -- Jujube, also known as the Chinese red date, is a round fruit commonly grown in Southeast Asia. The bright red jujube fruit is about the size of a plum. Inside the fruit is a white pulp covering the jujube seed. Jujube fruit is rich in fiber, vitamin C, and anti-inflammatory plant compounds. In traditional Chinese medicine, jujubes are consumed to improve sleep and remove toxins. Jujubes have been grown in China for over 4,000 years. From Bangkok Post Most fruit samples randomly tested by the Thai Pesticide Alert Network (Thai-Pan) contained hazardous residues that exceeded the safety standard, particularly jujubes and oranges. Thai-PAN coordinator Prokchol Ousap said on Friday that the network collected 85 samples of apples, dragon fruit, guava, jujubes and oranges, both imported and domestically grown, from supermarkets and fresh markets across 12 provinces, including Bangkok, Chiang Mai and Rayong from Nov 27 to Dec 11. She said the fruits underwent multi-residue testing for 419 chemicals at BVAQ Laboratory in Thailand. The analysis revealed pesticide residues exceeding the safety standard in all fruit types tested, she said. https://www.bangkokpost.com/thailand/general/2928616/tests-show-high-levels-of-pesticide

From Bangkok Post Police have arrested a man who they say hired a young social media influencer to guzzle a 350ml bottle of whiskey that led to the latter’s death at a party in Chanthaburi The arrest took place when officers raided the suspect’s house on Saturday in search of evidence that might link him to a gambling website. Officers from the Cyber Crime Investigation Bureau (CCIB) and local police in Chanthaburi raided the house of Ekkachart Meephrom, aka “Em Ekkachart”, in tambon Huai Sathon of Tha Mai district in the eastern province. Mr Ekkachart was in the house during the raid. The officers seized a pistol, bank passbooks, mobile phones and SIM cards for examination to find out whether he was connected to the gambling website curriculum51. During the operation, the officers also informed him that they had obtained an arrest warrant for him on a charge of recklessness causing death in connection with the alcohol-drinking challenge that led to the death of Thanakarn Kanthee, 27. https://www.bangkokpost.com/thailand/general/2928870/arrest-made-in-influencers-alcohol-challenge-death