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From Coconuts Bangkok As we announced back in November, Thailand’s new smoking ban on 24 tourist beaches around the country takes full effect today. Though the law has technically been in place for 90 days, police designated that time as a grace period when those caught breaking the law would be warned but not fined. Now, those smoking in non-designated areas — including the use of vapes and e-cigarettes, which are illegal in Thailand anyway — can face harsh penalties including a fine of up to THB100,000 (about US$3,000) and/or up to a year in jail. To help people follow the law, smoking areas have been set up just behind the beaches with signs in Thai, English, and Chinese. There was also talk of using GPS signals to send text messages to people with tourist SIMS near beaches about the law. So far, the beach smoking ban has not been popular with Pattaya tourists, who have simply ignored the ban and smoked in the sand. The only beach in Pattaya that is part of the ban is Dongtan Beach, on the Jomtien side of the city. The pilot program bans smoking on 24 popular tourist beaches around the country after officials in Phuket realized how much smoking debris and cigarette butts were left on the beaches. In addition to Dongtan, other beaches taking part in the pilot program are: Patong (Phuket); Saeng Chan (Rayong); Laem Sadet (Chanthaburi); Bang Saen, Tham Phung, Sai Kaew, Dong Tan (Chonburi); Cha-am (Phetburi); Hua Hin and Khao Takiab (Prachuap Khiri Khan), Bo Phut (Koh Samui); Sai Ri (Chumphon), Khao Lak (Phang Nga); Koh Khai Nok and Koh Khai Nai (off the coast of Phang Nga); Chalok Baan Kao (Koh Tao); Klong Dao, Kor Kwang, and Phra Ae (Koh Lanta); Ban Chuen (Trat); Chala That (Songkhla); Samran (Trang); Plai Sai (Nakhon Sri Thammarat); and Wasukri (Pattani). https://coconuts.co/bangkok/news/no-butts-todays-day-fines-beach-smoking-take-effect/

NOTE -- Consolidated three current news items in this thread. From Aljazeera Centuries in the making: Will Thailand build a 100km canal? If Thailand's canal is ever built, it won't be the world's longest, but it surely will claim to have had the longest gestation period. The idea of building a shipping lane from one side of the country to the other, linking the Gulf of Thailand, or Gulf of Siam as it was known at the time, with the Andaman Sea and Indian Ocean, was first proposed by King Narai in 1677. Obviously, it didn't happen at the time. Throughout the centuries, however, the idea has repeatedly been brought up by monarchs, politicians, soldiers and businessmen, and, each time, the plans have been shelved because they've been deemed impractical, too expensive or detrimental to the nation's security. Now, in 2018, the proposal is back, thanks to a group of businessmen, former politicians and retired military generals who believe the time is right for the Thai government to commit to building the 100km canal. Continues with video http://www.aljazeera.com/blogs/asia/2018/01/centuries-making-thailand-build-100km-canal-180129140722240.html ------------------- From Khaosod English Thailand’s Amazing Tourism an Amazing Mess: New Minister BANGKOK — Thailand’s tourism boom is causing serious problems and the bureaucracy is ill-equipped to fix them. That no-punches spared assessment comes from none other than its new tourism minister, Weerasak Kowsurat. “The problems have been swept under the rug for 30 years now. At this time, it’s being lifted up a little,” the 52-year-old Harvard law school graduate said in an interview. “I don’t have enough time to change the rug. What I will do is pull the corners. You can show what’s under the rug if you grab the right corner.” Unlike the predecessor he replaced in November, Kobkarn Wattanavrangkul, a media-savvy figure known for her always-rosy take on Thai tourism – Weerasak is a policy pedant with a gloomier take on it’s mismanagement. During the course of an hour-long interview, the former Tourism Authority of Thailand board member kept circling back to the same threats confronting this critical engine of the national economy: Ever-growing hordes of tourists trampling sensitive beaches, cities and towns that never get their share and a bureaucracy that doesn’t know how to fix such problems. Continues with photos http://www.khaosodenglish.com/news/business/2018/01/31/thailands-amazing-tourism-amazing-mess-new-minister/ ---------------------- From Bangkok Post Thailand No.1 as world's cryptocurrency malware mining hotspot Thailand has become the world's leading hotspot for cryptocurrency mining malware, according to Palo Alto Networks, a network and enterprise security firm. Cryptocurrency-focused threats should be a focus of intelligence and preventive efforts for all defenders in 2018, as attackers have already introduced more large-scale attacks globally, Christopher Budd wrote on the Palo Alto Networks blog. The company found that XRMig, software that is used to mine the monero cryptocurrency, is being used to attack systems without the knowledge or consent of the victims. While XRMig itself is not specifically malware, it is being delivered using malware delivery techniques. The attackers are doing this by using URL shorteners to make XMRig look like other, legitimate and expected programs. Among the top 10 countries globally attacked, Thailand saw the most downloads of the new malware at 3,545,437, followed by Vietnam (1,830,065), Egypt (1,132,863), Indonesia (988,163), Turkey (665,058), Peru (646,985), Algeria (614,870), Brazil (550,053), the Philippines (406,294) and Venezuela (400,661). https://www.bangkokpost.com/tech/local-news/1405198/thailand-no-1-as-worlds-malware-mining-hotspot

Seems a bit complicated but I'm sure you've found a way to work around it or you wouldn't keep returning.

From Wikipedia .... the mission relocated to a new site on the corner of Phloen Chit and Roads in 1922. Originally a rural location on the outskirts of the city, the area soon developed into one of the city centre's prime locations. The compound remained a leafy oasis amidst its densely developed surroundings throughout the 20th century, but was sold to Central Group at record-setting prices, first partially in 2007, then completely in 2017. In 2006, as part of its plan to downgrade several embassies and consulates to divert funds to other activities, the British Foreign Office sold about 9 rai (1.4 ha; 3.6 acres) or about a third of the embassy's estate—the portion fronting Phloen Chit Road—to Tiang Chirathivat Real Estate Company, whose owners also operated Central Group. http://www.gaythailand.com/forums/topic/11580-uk-to-sell-bangkok-embassy/

Here's a post from last year by Vessey that's worth a look if you find that this topic interests you. http://www.gaythailand.com/forums/topic/10729-face-book-groups

From The Guardian (UK) The scale of financial pressure on the British diplomatic service has been underlined by a Foreign Office announcement that it is raising £420m by selling its embassy in Bangkok. The sale is the largest land deal in Thai history and the Foreign Office’s biggest ever sale. The department said the proceeds would be reinvested elsewhere in the overseas estate and would fund 30-40 modernisation projects around the world, including in Washington DC. The Foreign Office has long complained that its budget is being cut to the bone at a time when the parallel budget of the Department for International Development is booming. The UK foreign secretary, Boris Johnson, has been looking to see how he can capture parts of the DfID budget without breaching international rules on the definition of aid. A series of pooled budgets have been established, including the conflict security and stability fund. The transparency of the spending in these budgets has been repeatedly challenged. The Bangkok embassy is being sold to a joint-venture consortium of Hongkong Land, a member of the Jardine Matheson Group, and Central Group. The new Bangkok embassy building will be based in the AIA Sathorn Tower in the central business district. https://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2018/jan/31/cash-strapped-foreign-office-puts-bangkok-embassy-up-for-sale

Who you kidding, Prom? If the headline had read "Cop uses sex to lure Canadian" you still would have read it. "Sex" was the word that got your attention; it gets us all. Read Grindr, Hornet, Romeo, Blued? It's all clickbait, or more accurately, dickbait, but you still gobble it up. You claim that BIB usually refers to boyS in brown. Well this time it didn't. Hope it didn't ruin your day. But it's nice to know you're on acronym patrol.

You're the only troll on this forum, Stevie, so it's gotta be you. Surely you recognize the image. Consult mirror for confirmation.

From Bangkok Post Tourist Police Bureau deputy commander Pol Maj Gen Surachet Hakphan, left, and senior officers question the 25-year-old Canadian who accuses a Lumpini traffic policeman and his accomplice of trying to frame him with drugs and extort him.(Photo taken from @1155TPB (Tourist Police Bureau's Facebook page) A traffic policeman based at Bangkok’s Lumpini station has been dismissed from the force and faces "drastic action" for allegedly trying to extort a Canadian national by placing drugs in his possession. Pol Maj Gen Mongkhol Warunno, chief of the Metropolitan Police Division 5, signed the order dismissing Pol Snr Sgt Maj Cherdchai Phuchuaytuam on Monday. Pol Snr Sgt Maj Cherchai, 46, of Lumpini police station, and an alleged accomplice, Chakrit Teeluay, 37, were arrested at a room on the sixth floor of The Blue Apartment on Soi Sribampen in Thung Mahamek area, Sathon district, on Monday for extortion. The arrests were made after a 25-year-old Canadian man, a foreign language instructor, filed a complaint with Thung Mahamek police and tourist police on Sunday. He alleged the two suspects tried to wrongfully detain him and place illegal drugs on him at an apartment room around 10.30am on Sunday. Instead, he managed to flee. Pol Maj Gen Surachet said the accused officer would face "drastic action". According to the Tourist Police Bureau website, the Canadian had been lured to the room by a man on Facebook to have sex. When the Canadian arrived and saw his Facebook "friend" and a companion, he quickly turned to leave. The man, who was later identified as Pol Snr Sgt Maj Cherdchai, and his companion, identified as Mr Chakkrit, had tried to detain him. The Canadian managed to get away and later that day filed a complaint with Thung Mahamek police. https://www.bangkokpost.com/news/general/1404490/cop-sacked-accused-of-framing-extorting-canadian

Excerpts from Nikkei Asian Review BANGKOK -- Thailand will require anyone buying a SIM card in the country -- a central part of mobile phones -- to register fingerprints or facial scans in a government database, a security measure that some worry could be abused to give the ruling junta broad surveillance capabilities . The government launched a biometric registration system for prepaid SIM cards in December. This will be extended in February to include postpaid contracts, covering nearly all SIM cards sold in the country. The fingerprint and facial scans are linked to the SIM cards' respective phone numbers and stored in a database operated by the National Broadcasting and Telecommunications Commission. If SIM card suppliers -- including mobile carriers such as Advanced Info Service, Total Access Communication and True -- fail to comply with the registration requirement, they could face fines or have their licenses suspended. Authorities believe that tying SIM cards to biometric data will help deal with a wide range of offenses beyond terrorism as well, helping police apprehend criminals while also providing a source of evidence. "We also want to require registration of previously purchased SIM cards in order to protect the public," NBTC Secretary-General Takorn Tantasith said in November. But some worry that the system will be ripe for abuse. Combining personal identifiers with location and other data that can be gleaned from a phone could give authorities a detailed picture of a given person's day-to-day activities. The requirement applies to international visitors as well. https://asia.nikkei.com/Politics-Economy/Policy-Politics/Thailand-to-require-biometric-registration-for-SIM-cards

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From NHK Newsline A video look at the evolving styles of the Morlam music scene at a recent Thai festival. https://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/en/news/videos/20180129205029780/

It does. It's called Global Entry. Global Entry is a U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) program that allows expedited clearance for pre-approved, low-risk travelers upon arrival in the United States. Members enter the United States through automatic kiosks at the following airports: Abu Dhabi International Airport (AUH)* Anchorage - Ted Stevens International Airport (ANC) Aruba - Queen Beatrix International Airport (AUA)* Austin - Austin-Bergstrom International Airport (AUS) Baltimore/Washington International Thurgood Marshall Airport (BWI) Boston-Logan International Airport (BOS) Burlington International Airport (BTV)* Calgary International Airport (YYC) Charlotte-Douglas International Airport (CLT) Chicago Midway International Airport (MDW)* Chicago O'Hare International Airport (ORD) Cincinnati/Northern Kentucky International Airport (CVG) Cleveland Hopkins International Airport (CLE) Dallas/Ft. Worth International Airport (DFW) Denver International Airport (DEN) Detroit Metropolitan Airport (DTW) Dublin Airport (DUB)* Edmonton International Airport (YEG) Fairbanks International Airport (FAI) Ft. Lauderdale/Hollywood International Airport (FLL) George Bush Intercontinental Airport, Houston (IAH) Guam International Airport (GUM) Halifax Stanfield International Airport (YHZ) Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport (ATL) Honolulu International Airport (HNL) John F. Kennedy International Airport, New York (JFK) John Wayne Airport (SNA)* Lambert - St. Louis International Airport (STL) Los Angeles International Airport (LAX) McCarran International Airport, Las Vegas (LAS) Miami International Airport (MIA) Milwaukee - General Mitchell International Airport (MKE) Minneapolis/St. Paul International Airport (MSP) Montreal Pierre Elliott Trudeau International Airport (YUL) Nassau - Sir Lynden Pindling International Airport, Bahamas (NAS)* Newark Liberty International Airport (EWR) Oakland International Airport (OAK)* Orlando International Airport (MCO) Orlando-Sanford International Airport (SFB) Ottawa Macdonald-Cartier International Airport (YOW) Philadelphia International Airport (PHL) Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport (PHX) Pittsburgh International Airport (PIT) Portland International Airport (PDX) Raleigh-Durham International Airport (RDU)* Sacramento International Airport (SMF)* Saipan International Airport (SPN)* Salt Lake City International Airport (SLC) San Antonio International Airport (SAT) San Diego International Airport (SAN) San Francisco International Airport (SFO) San Jose International Airport (SJC)* San Juan-Luis Muñoz Marin International Airport (SJU) Seattle-Tacoma International Airport-SeaTac (SEA) Shannon Airport (SNN)* Tampa International Airport (TPA) Toronto Pearson International Airport (YYZ) Vancouver International Airport (YVR) Washington-Dulles International Airport (IAD) Winnipeg James Armstrong Richardson International Airport (YWG) There is another program (administered by Canada) called Nexus for Canadian and US citizens. Nexus is joint service of Canada Border Services Agency and US Customs and Border Protection designed for pre-approved, low-risk travelers. Members of the program can avoid long waits at border entry points by using reserved lanes at land crossings into Canada and the United States (including from Mexico), by using self-serve kiosks at airports in Canada, the US and some international locations, or by phoning border officials for a marine entry.

If you choose Tarntawan, ask to talk with "Mack" if you have any problems. He was a bellman when I made my first bkk trip and now can also be found behind the desk in multiple roles. Always found him eager to help. The elevator guard, bellman and sometimes waiter is a sweetheart who also was on hand 16 years ago. He works the 0600 to 1800 shift. Never seen him when he wasn't smiling; loves his job.

Agree. I've done this only once buy tipped the first guy 200 to eliminate any hard feelings.

A smile needs no interpreter or translation; it's message is universally understood. If I smile at a guy I'm interested in and he doesn't respond in kind, I've learned it's probably unwise to pursue the situation. When a guy smiles, he acknowledges my existence. It doesn't matter to me if he admiring the baht in my pocket, he's already made me feel better about him--and myself. The fact that he smiled doesn't guarantee a memorable event is in the offing. Without it, however, there will be no event.

There I was, perfectly willing to give you all due credit for breaking the news about this "secret". You're an honest guy, Bucky.

Not read Chinese but can read your English post. You let the cat out of the bag.

This being my 16th year of traveling to LOS, I've always found entry process remarkably simple although albeit a bit slow at times. Once you reach an immigration station, however, processing time is 60-90 seconds. Never been asked a question. At least that's been my experience.

Haven't been to the UK for about seven years. Do they have those unmanned gates now for citizens of allied nations?

Well it's not a secret anymore.

So you're saying that the Chinese will be treated better in NYC than Bangkok. Interesting.

Depending on what airport you enter the US through, the experience can differ, even for citizens. There are two general types of questions agents ask. One type is designed to gauge your reaction and tend to be more subjective. The other is objective and used to confirm identity.

From Khaosod English BANGKOK — Had too many beer-soaked nights and in the mood for something lighter – but not mocktail light? Problem solved. The man behind a Ngam Dupli-area watering hole recently added his own enhanced Kombucha to its pour-ready offerings, making it the first Bangkok bar, he believes, to serve the tea brew on tap. On the mezzanine of his bar, I Hate Pigeons, Natatchakorn Thanapubodee recently fermented a blend of black and green tea leaves with fruits, lemon, and honey for aroma and flavor. Said to have been brought from Asia during World War 1, the probiotic beverage became a thing in California about 20 years ago due to its alleged but unproven health benefits. Sales have exploded in the past few years as it’s become a fad and referred to by some as an “immortal health elixir.” While its health benefits are unclear, the low-alcohol content can give one a mild buzz that may feel like good health. Natatchakorn used his homebrew talents. He used force carbonation to make it fizzier and headier before letting the wonders of fermentation go to work. Three weeks later, he got an amber-colored fizzy tea-based drink with sweet and tangy flavors. The first sip could remind you of apple cider vinegar. While traditional kombucha – about 0.5 percent alcohol by volume – may be too boring for a craft beer bar, his juice has a little more edge with an alcohol content closer to 1 percent. The first and second batches have already sold out. A third is on its way and will be available early February. A 200 milliliter glass goes for 140 baht. I Hate Pigeons is located on Soi Sribumphen, near Soi Sathorn 1. It’s a 15-minute walk or short taxi ride from MRT Lumphini exit No. 1. http://www.khaosodenglish.com/life/arts/2018/01/26/bangkok-bar-brews-first-kombucha-tap/