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They sing for their supper at Nature Boy, too.

From Pattaya News An intoxicated British tourist was assaulted and left injured on Third Road in South Pattaya early this morning. At 3:06 AM on November 19th, Pattaya police received a report of a tourist being assaulted and injured on Third Road in South Pattaya. Upon receiving the report, officers coordinated with rescue volunteers from the Sawang Boriboon Thammasathan Foundation and rushed to the scene, along with reporters from The Pattaya News. At the scene, officers found an unidentified British tourist aged around 55 to 65 years old with a broken nose, bruises around his left eye socket, and multiple abrasions on his body. He was visibly intoxicated. Rescue workers provided first aid before urgently transporting him to a local hospital.A 41-year-old good Samaritan, Mr. Rattapon Rodson, told The Pattaya News that he saw a Thai man dragging the injured tourist out of a white pickup truck, which was suspected to be a mobile app taxi. However, he did not know if the tourist was assaulted by the unknown driver. Due to his intoxicated state, the tourist was unable to provide any details other than his nationality to the police at the time of the incident. Relevant authorities are reviewing CCTV footage to locate the driver and determine the cause of the incident.

From CNN CNN — Warning: This report contains graphic descriptions of sexual violence. It was the early hours of the morning when a guard entered Sohrab’s cell – a small, dark room with a barred window and a blanket on the floor – in Kabul’s sprawling Pul-e-Charkhi prison last August. The 19-year-old was escorted to another room in the complex, where he heard a Taliban member order the prison guards to leave and stop anyone else from entering. Panic set in, for Sohrab knew what these words often preceded. He had experienced physical violence at the hands of the Taliban before. “He grabbed me from behind, tore my clothes apart and raped me,” Sohrab – whose name has been changed for security reasons – told CNN in October. “For several days after that I had severe pain and bleeding.” Sohrab was being detained at Pul-e-Charkhi on the charge of sodomy, after family members found out about his and his boyfriend’s clandestine romance last year, he said. News of their relationship had spread through their tight-knit community, leading to his arrest and forced confession. monitors have told CNN that since 2021, when the Taliban regained power in Afghanistan, LGBTQ citizens have faced widespread sexual and physical violence in detention amid a systematic clampdown on minority groups. CNN has spoken to five LGBTQ Afghans who say they experienced physical abuse during time in detention, including – for some – repeated rape, electrocution, strangulation and flogging with metal chains. Transgender and gender non-conforming people are being “consistently” targeted at Taliban checkpoints due to their choice of clothing, human rights groups said. In response to CNN’s findings, a spokesperson for the Taliban’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs said that “acts such as sodomy, bestiality and other perversions that contravene Islamic law are illegal and perpetrators dealt with within the legal framework.” They added: “These allegations are fabrications as the alleged claims of torture, rape, persecution and mistreatment are themselves explicit violations of the legal framework.” CNN was able to locate the former detainees through two human rights charities: Roshaniya, a nonprofit organization working to relocate persecuted LGBTQ Afghans to safe countries, and Afghan LGBT Organization, a Czech Republic-based advocacy group established in 2021 to monitor human rights abuses in Afghanistan. A week after the first assault, his wounds still raw, Sohrab said he was raped again – and then a further four times by the same Taliban member. “My whole body was praying for my death,” Sohrab said. “Every time, he would threaten me that if I dared to tell anyone about the rape, he would kill me with his own hands.” Sohrab managed to leave Afghanistan, but lives in constant fear of further persecution, for the country he fled to also criminalizes homosexuality. Continues at https://edition.cnn.com/2024/11/19/asia/afghanistan-taliban-lgbtq-detention-intl/index.html

Monday evening took walk after getting massage and thought I’d share some photos that caught my attention. Keithambrose recently commented on how dark the massage shops on Soi 6 appeared to him. Well, he’ll be please to know that’s not the case with new Chillax shop illuminated Vegas style. I believe it was Floridarob and a-447 who introduced us to this place about a month ago. Mr. O’s is a bar that offers food, drink and intimate companionship on Soi Anuman Rajdhon (off Soi Tarntawan at Mango Tree restaurant). Although it wasn’t open at 8:20 when I passed by, it remains on my radar. It’s only steps from the long-standing Super A bar, massage parlor and other things. Further down on opposite side you’ll come to home of two old standards: Nature Boy and Golden Cock now under one roof. There are still a handful of members who have a soft spot (not in the biblical sense) for this bar that continues to carry on its lusty traditions.

From The Thaiger A brawl erupted between a Thai transwoman and a foreign man at a hotel in Phuket after the foreigner refused to pay upon discovering her gender. A source, who wishes to remain anonymous, reported the altercation between the Thai transwoman and the foreign man to the local news Facebook page, Phuket Times, on November 18. The page shared a post. The Facebook page provided more details in the comments section. According to the news source, the foreign man asked the transwoman to leave the hotel, stating that he did not know she was not a woman. During the argument, they threw items at each other in the hotel room, causing chaos in the hotel. The incident reportedly took place in the Patong area of Phuket. In a related story reported in February, a Thai transwoman attacked three foreign men with a knife at a hotel in Phuket after the men called her and two other transwomen to the hotel but paid only one of them. The transwoman claimed that the men had attacked her first, so she acted in self-defence.

We recently comments by members about toxic alcoholic drinks routinely served in Cambodia bars. This article as a reminder that bordering Laos shares same problem. From the Thaiger Two Melbourne teenagers are fighting for their lives in Thailand after allegedly downing poisoned vodka shots, raising alarm among travellers in the region. The pair, both 19 years old and fresh from university holidays, were rushed to hospital from the Laotian capital, Vientiane, with police suspecting their drinks had been laced with lethal methanol. Those dreams of carefree travels have quickly turned into a nightmare for the best friends, believed to be Beaumaris Secondary College graduates, as they face a precarious battle for survival. They’re now receiving critical care in hospitals in Udon Thani and Bangkok. One father has rushed to stand vigil at his daughter’s bedside. The crisis doesn’t end there: two people are feared dead in the local area, and ten more are critically ill following methanol poisoning. Chaos reigns as another traveller, struck down by the toxic wave, reported six individuals were admitted to her hospital in Vientiane, all with methanol poisoning from Vang Vieng, a hot spot for adventurous tourists. Her group suffered the fallout firsthand after accepting free shots, the disastrous outcome left six of them hospitalised. A staff member at Nana Backpacker Hostel in Vang Vieng recalls the group of Aussie teens staying the previous week. The girls ventured out for a lively night only to be found seriously unwell the next morning, requiring immediate hospitalisation. “I am so sad. They were very friendly.” Melbourne radio station 3AW Drive host Jacqui Felgate spoke to the father of one of the girls who said his daughter was in “grave” condition. The radio host added a sombre touch to the story. “I think it’s one of those stories where if you have teenage kids, you go home and hug them a little tighter.” Methanol, typically an industrial solvent, can be catastrophic if consumed, with just 25-90ml proving potentially fatal. In countries with high alcohol taxes, it’s often illicitly mixed into drinks as a cheap ethanol substitute, warns the Methanol Institute. Travel insurance agency Cover-More urges caution: “Methanol is highly toxic and can lead to blindness, coma, and death.” They advise sticking to alcohol from reputable venues and avoiding dubious bucket cocktails and cheap mixes. Methanol, typically an industrial solvent, can be catastrophic if consumed, with just 25-90ml proving potentially fatal. In countries with high alcohol taxes, it’s often illicitly mixed into drinks as a cheap ethanol substitute, warns the Methanol Institute. Travel insurance agency Cover-More urges caution: “Methanol is highly toxic and can lead to blindness, coma, and death.” They advise sticking to alcohol from reputable venues and avoiding dubious bucket cocktails and cheap mixes. https://thethaiger.com/news/national/melbourne-teenagers-fight-for-life-in-thailand-after-toxic-vodka-shots

Great way to generate business.

This isn’t my first rodeo and have never heard a massage account even remotely approaching this. You’d like to think these guys are more attuned to sexual health issues but obviously wasn’t the case here. Reckless was indeed the optimal definition. And somehow I’m inclined to believe this pony express substitution was prearranged.

Your artificial creations are good quality, Moses, but afraid I’ve become spoiled by real thing. 🙂

Have posted two reports already.

Well as much as I’ve enjoyed our little chat, I’m going to get a massage. I have no idea what you’ll do.

These signs have just been posted along Walking Street. Only fair that you get full credit for breaking story first.

So you heard same rumor?

Anything possible in Putin land. 🤫

Again, Aeroflot not in habit of reporting incidents that occur within its vast territory. https://www.airlineratings.com/airlines/aeroflot/safety

I’ll take Wikipedia report over any other made up lists from doubious, uncited sources. Hell, Aeroflot had long standing reputation for flying within Russia with SRO policy (Standing Room Only). Most crashes occurring within country never reported to outside world. 😃 Btw, cause of Tenerife incident had nothing to do with aircraft malfunction but was communications issue between controllers and pilots in low visibility conditions.

The Pattaya Mail later reported that the fire occurred at the Treetops condominium on Thappraya rd.

Observed workers on site and welding this morning at site of Tawana Hotel construction job.

From Tourism Authority of Thailand The Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT) is delighted to welcome ITA Airways’ inaugural Rome-Bangkok flight, enhancing travel links and fostering stronger tourism and business ties between Thailand and Italy. This new direct route provides Italian travellers with streamlined access to Thailand’s renowned attractions and vibrant culture. The inaugural ITA Airways Flight AZ0758, an Airbus A330-900neo with a seating capacity of 291, arrived at Suvarnabhumi Airport from Rome yesterday, carrying over 300 passengers and crew, including ITA Airways executives and prominent Italian travel industry leaders. Operating with five weekly flights, ITA Airways’ new route connects Italy and Thailand as part of the airline’s expanding intercontinental network and is anticipated to be a highlight of the 2024/2025 Winter season.

From Pattaya News Tourists were evacuated in chaos after a fire broke out at a Pattaya condo early on the morning of November 17th. At 7:10 AM, Pattaya police received a report of a fire at a condominium near Jomtien Beach in Pattaya. Firefighters and rescue teams from the Sawang Boriboon Foundation rushed to the scene with three fire trucks. The fire occurred in a 15-story building, with flames and smoke billowing from a room on the 6th floor. Emergency responders quickly evacuated both Thai and foreign tourists from the building. Firefighters used hoses to extinguish the blaze and successfully brought the situation under control. According to fire officials, the building had an internal fire suppression system, but it reportedly failed to work due to a lack of water in the system. The cause of the fire has yet to be determined, but officials believed it was due to an electrical short circuit . Officials collected evidence, while coordinating with relevant agencies to thoroughly inspect the building’s fire suppression system and overall safety measures. There were no injuries reported in the fire and an investigation was continuing.

From Pattaya Mail On Wednesday, November 13, 2024, the Pattaya City Expats Club (PCEC) had two speakers on diverse topics. Barry Kenyon spoke about various Thai immigration matters followed by Amy Falken’s motivational talk on embracing success with the fq3C system. Barry provided valuable insights into the complexities of Thai visas, the government’s focus on tourism, and the latest trends in visa applications. The talk was informative and provided the attendees with a comprehensive understanding of the current state of Thai immigration matters. Barry began by describing the complexity of Thai visas, referring to them as “alphabet soup,” and explained the various visa types and their requirements. He highlighted the Thai government’s keen interest in encouraging long-term tourism to boost the national treasury, now offering 60-day visa exemptions to tourists from many countries. One of the significant trends Barry discussed was the shift to online visa applications. He mentioned that embassies are increasingly preferring digital submissions over in-person visits. Additionally, Barry talked about the upcoming electronic travel authorization, which will require tourists to apply online before arriving in Thailand. Barry also touched on the involvement of multiple government agencies in visa authorization, including the Ministry of Tourism and the Board of Investment. He provided detailed information on various retirement visas, such as OA, O, OX, and LTR visas, each with specific requirements and benefits. A fairly new visa, the Destination Thailand Visa (DTV), aimed at digital nomads and remote workers, was also discussed. Barry noted that the DTV is not a substitute for retirement visas. Lastly, Barry briefly mentioned the personal income tax implications for individuals spending over 180 days in Thailand, which may or may not subject them to Thai personal income tax. Continues at https://www.pattayamail.com/latestnews/news/barry-kenyon-shares-visa-insights-amy-falken-shares-success-tips-at-pattaya-city-expats-club-480334

If you’re flying Aeroflot, neither are you From Wikipedia Founded in 1923, Aeroflot, the flag carrier and largest airline of Russia (formerly the Soviet Union), has had a high number of fatal crashes, with a total of 8,231 passengers dying in Aeroflot crashes according to the Aircraft Crashes Record Office, mostly during the Soviet era, about five times more than any other airline.[1][2] From 1946 to 1989, the carrier was involved in 721 incidents. From 1995 to 2017, the carrier was involved in 10 incidents. In 2013, AirlineRatings.com reported that five of the ten aircraft models involved in the highest numbers of fatal accidents[3] were old Soviet models. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aeroflot_accidents_and_incidents

See post below

There’s a crane on site so I assume it’s a work in progress. Will keep an eye on it. The Rose Hotel (behind Meridian Hotel) can be scene with it’s oft-mentioned, shaded swimming pool in this photo. …

Truly remarkable specimen. He appears to be preparing to perform colonoscopy with his iPhone Pro. 🙂