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Walked by G-Zone this afternoon to find renovations under way. Manager said they will take five days.

And don’t for a moment think this isn’t exactly what the minority hi-so population wishes to see sustained in order to secure its grip on political and economic power.

I suspect the numbers are generated by inbound bank transfers and the legality of their status subjective at best. Since the Thai government has no cause to look gift horse in the face, they chose to concern themselves with other pressing matters like whether they should short circuit its tourism recovery by reverting to 30-day visa on arrival. This is, after all, still Thailand.

From The Thaiger The Thai owner of a handcrafted home goods store on Koh Pha Ngan in the southern province of Surat Thani refused to compromise with two German male models who stole products from her store twice on the same day yesterday, March 18. The owner of the Sprout store, Ploy, took to Facebook and Instagram to expose the two German thieves after they stole from her shop. Ploy shared CCTV footage of the foreign thieves and revealed the story to netizens in both Thai and English. Ploy managed to obtain the German tourists’ Instagram accounts and tagged them in her post as well. Judging from their Instagram profiles, they may work as models in their home country. Considering their careers and the designer brand items they used, Ploy said they could afford her products without resorting to theft. According to Ploy’s post, the two men entered her store for the first time at around 1.30pm and stole a bottle of body oil worth 550 baht. Emboldened by their successful theft, they returned to the store at approximately 4.30pm to steal a bottle of roll-on deodorant valued at 650 baht. One of the men contacted Ploy after discovering that their pictures and videos were shared by Thai netizens. The pair reportedly denied the accusation and feigned innocence. Ploy stated that she presented the evidence to them, prompting them to admit their wrongdoing. Unfortunately, they did not display any sense of guilt or remorse. Ploy reported the incident to officers at Koh Pha Ngan Police Station. The police encouraged the two men to pay for the stolen items and advised Ploy to drop the legal proceedings. However, Ploy refused to comply with the police’s suggestion, as the pair reportedly showed no remorse. She decided to pursue legal action to the fullest extent to set an example for other foreign tourists.Ploy insisted that the two must appear in court for their dishonourable behaviour. Should they fail to attend the court as scheduled and flee Thailand, they would be blacklisted and banned from re-entering the country. Continues with photos and video https://thethaiger.com/news/national/2-german-models-steal-from-koh-pha-ngan-shop-twice-in-one-day

From The Thaiger Thailand’s workforce abroad is pumping an astonishing 400 billion baht into the economy each year—much of it from illegal workers, according to Labour Minister Pipat Ratchakitprakarn. Despite government crackdowns, the number of undocumented Thai workers overseas remains high, with 382,699 working illegally last year alone. While Thailand sent 92,392 legal workers abroad in 2024, a drop of 11% from 2023 due to conflicts in Israel, remittances surged by 9%, reaching 267.8 billion baht, up from 245.7 billion baht in 2023.The rise is credited to the strong global demand for skilled Thai labour, particularly in construction, manufacturing, and agriculture. The top 10 destinations for Thai workers include Israel, Taiwan, South Korea, Japan, Hong Kong, Laos, the United States, Singapore, New Zealand, and Switzerland. https://thethaiger.com/news/national/illegal-thai-workers-send-billions-home-despite-crackdowns

From Pattaya News Pattaya City is set to host the AFC Beach Soccer Asian Cup Thailand 2025, bringing a vibrant day-and-night atmosphere to the Jomtien Beach Arena. The tournament, featuring a capacity of 1,800 seats and free admission, welcomes fans to grab tickets and catch the action live at the stadium. The competition field is located at Jomtien Beach (https://maps.app.goo.gl/e5HFZJWRPCfMwNud8), with the opening matches scheduled for March 20, 2025. The lineup includes Japan vs. Iraq at 3:30 p.m., Kuwait vs. Lebanon at 5:00 p.m., China vs. Saudi Arabia at 6:30 p.m., and hosts Thailand vs. India at 8:30 p.m. Fans can also tune in via live broadcasts on Facebook and YouTube through Changsuek and Futsal Thailand channels, as well as on Tsports Channel 7. Don’t miss this exciting beach soccer showdown! https://thepattayanews.com/2025/03/19/afc-beach-soccer-asian-cup-kicks-off-at-jomtien-beach-arena-from-thursday-free-admission/

NOTE —- With scammers, corruption and bad behavior making the news all too often, here’s a welcom relief from the norm. Although the reward he received was small, his character towers above the rest. From Pattaya Mail Scrap collector finds and returns 100,000 baht UDON THANI, Thailand – Capt. Methee Thapsuri, Deputy Investigation Officer of the Klang Yai Police Station in Ban Phue District, Udon Thani, was at the station when a 28-year-old man, Boonkong Munmueangpak, or Namfon, came in to report that he had found a large sum of money on March 13. Namfon, who lives in the rural village of Nong Waeng, Nam Som District, works by collecting recyclables and selling them to support his grandmother. While cycling with a cart filled with old goods, he had found a stack of 1,000-baht banknotes worth 100,000 baht on the side of the road near the Thai Capital Company’s branch in Ban Phue District. The police carefully counted the money, confirmed it amounted to 100,000 baht, and registered the report. They then accompanied Namfon to the location where he had found the money, taking photographs as evidence and reviewing nearby CCTV footage to trace the rightful owner. While investigating, a 41-year-old woman, Ms. Piyanuch Srithong, arrived at the scene with her family. She explained that she had lost the money while conducting business in the area. The police invited her in for questioning, and after confirming the details, it was determined that the money belonged to Ms. Piyanuch. She was immensely relieved and grateful when the police returned the full sum to her. In gratitude, Ms. Piyanuch praised Namfon for his honesty and good deed. She offered him a reward of 3,000 baht and even arranged for him to be driven home with his bicycle and cart. She was deeply moved by his honesty and his circumstances. During their conversation, Ms. Piyanuch shared that she had been buying rubber from local farmers and had borrowed 450,000 baht by pawning 11 gold necklaces. After reviewing the cash at her buying station, she discovered 100,000 baht was missing, which prompted her to search for it. Continues with photos https://www.pattayamail.com/thailandnews/scrap-collector-reports-found-100000-baht-to-police-says-i-didnt-even-consider-keeping-the-money-its-not-mine-493999

G-Zone Massage reopened last night under new management and now in the process of staffing up. I understand that all three new investors have experience in managing shops and providing massage service.

NOTE — file under TIT. From Pattaya News In a shift in immigration policy, Thailand is reportedly planning to reduce its visa-free stay period for tourists from 60 days back to 30 days, which The Pattaya News previously noted was lobbied for by the hospitality and tourism industry at a recent conference. This proposal, which has gained traction among Thai authorities, aims to address concerns over illegal employment, illegal condo and villa rentals, a rising number of criminal incidents involving foreigners, and the exploitation of the visa exemption scheme by foreign nationals. The change, if implemented, would mark a reversal of a tourism-friendly measure introduced in July 2024, reflecting the government’s efforts to balance economic benefits with stricter oversight. Thailand’s visa-free entry program has been a major part of its tourism-driven economy. In July 2024, the country expanded this scheme, increasing the visa-exempt stay period from 30 days to 60 days for citizens of 93 countries, including major tourism markets like the United States, the United Kingdom, China, Russia, and India. However, the policy has not yet been officially enacted, leaving room for further deliberation or adjustments. Stakeholders, including tourism associations and foreign embassies, may weigh in before a final decision is made. Travelers planning trips to Thailand in the coming months should monitor updates from the Thai Immigration Bureau or consult their local Thai embassy for confirmation. https://thepattayanews.com/2025/03/18/thai-government-agrees-in-principle-on-reverting-visa-free-stay-from-60-days-to-30-days/

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Thank you. And it came in time for me to correct it. AI isn’t so intelligent….and neither am I. 🙂

Doesn’t leave much then to the imagination. 🙂

Definitely Bostonian, and only a Bostonian would recognize and appreciate it. To wit, the classic line from “Good Will Hunting”: ‘How do you like them apples’

On per capita basis, Pattaya and environs may be suicide capital of “free” world.

Trump and Musk very likely already have school lunch programs in crosshairs.

From Bangkok Post The Ministry of Labour will work with the Thai Massage Association in France to upskill spa workers, increasing their chances of securing jobs there. Permanent secretary Boonsong Thapchaiyuth held talks with Sasima Park, president of the Association Française Nuad Thai & Spa (AFNTS) at the ministry to discuss initiatives aimed at upskilling Thai workers in the sector. He thanked the association for its role in providing employment opportunities for Thai workers. Thai workers seeking to improve their skills in massage and spa services can now contact the DSD for certification, which will help them secure legal jobs in France, he said. Currently, there is no Thai Labour Office in Europe, but this may be reconsidered in the future as the number of Thai workers in France increases. https://www.bangkokpost.com/thailand/general/2981125/thai-govt-eyes-grip-on-massage-in-france

From Pattaya News At 11:30 a.m. on March 16, 2025, Police Lieutenant Manasak Pholyiam, Deputy Inspector of the Pattaya City Police Station, received a report about the discovery of a foreign national’s body lying dead beneath a mobile phone signal pole on Koh Larn. Upon arriving at the scene, inside the fenced area of the mobile network signal pole—which stands at least 30 meters tall—the body of a foreign national was found. The deceased was later identified as a 54-year-old Czech national. The body was lying face up, wearing a long-sleeved black hooded shirt, blue shorts, and gray socks. Both of his legs were broken, and he had been dead for at least 5-6 hours. There were no signs of a struggle around the scene, but a backpack, presumed to belong to the deceased, was found nearby. Inside the backpack were a passport, cigarettes, and a blue document envelope containing the deceased’s identification papers. The police collected these items as evidence. The victim’s full name was withheld per editorial policy to allow time to contact his embassy and family. Police Lieutenant Manasak Pholyiam revealed that preliminary investigations suggest the deceased may have climbed the signal pole before jumping to his death, likely indicating a suicide. Further investigation revealed that the deceased had come to the island as a tourist, renting a motorcycle for three days without booking a room and evidently sleeping in the jungle, before the tragic incident occurred. However, the police will send the body for a detailed autopsy at the Police Hospital and coordinate with his embassy to jointly investigate and determine the exact cause of death. Just one week earlier a Japanese tourist was found hanging near a viewpoint at Koh Larn, also suspected to be a death by suicide. Continues with photos https://thepattayanews.com/2025/03/16/mysterious-death-of-a-czech-national-found-dead-under-a-telephone-signal-pole-on-koh-larn/I

From Patttaya News Thailand has been named “Best LGBTQ Destination” at the Spartacus Travel Awards 2025, based on votes from readers of Germany’s Spartacus Magazine and input from a panel of travel and lifestyle experts. The award was presented at a ceremony held earlier this year, reinforcing Thailand’s reputation as a top global destination for LGBTQ+ travelers. Deputy government spokesman Anukool Pruksanusak stated that the award reflects Thailand’s welcoming and inclusive environment for LGBTQ+ tourists. Factors contributing to the recognition include the passing of the Equal Marriage Act in January under the government’s policy, as well as the presence of LGBTQ-friendly hotspots in major cities like Bangkok, Pattaya, Phuket, and Chiang Mai. Continues at https://thepattayanews.com/2025/03/16/thailand-wins-top-lgbtq-travel-destination-award-for-2025/

From Pattaya Mail By Barry Kenyon With a couple of weeks left to sign up with the Thai Revenue Department (TRD) for cash transmitted from abroad in the calendar year 2024, questions still abound. It all depends whom you ask. Some Thai tax lawyers, for instance, say the tax net includes use of overseas credit cards and transfers via Wise, others argue it’s more complicated than that. Some claim that everyone who was present in Thailand for 180 days plus last year needs to file, an observation hotly disputed by others who stress no need if you didn’t transfer “assessable” income. Benjamin Hart, a naturalized Thai citizen and managing director of Integrity Legal, in his videos has argued forcefully that typical pensioners living here on pre-taxed income in their home country should not be fooled by foreign “tax-pimps” who have no authority anyway under Thai law. He does caution that those in doubt should consult a native Thai tax consultant, emphasizing that there has been no change in Thai law, merely a revised interpretation by TRD. Other commentators last year went further and predicted that the matter might well be contested in the Thai courts with a likely win for the tax residents under financial threat. However, no such legal challenges have apparently been initiated. Pinsai Suraswadi, newly appointed director general of TRD, has stated that expats, Thai or foreign, who are tax residents should file paperwork by March 31 with a further week’s leeway for online submissions. He was very candid that the specific amount payable would depend on the nature of such income and the tax treaty with their country of origin. He also conceded that the entire move to involve foreigners and their transmitted income was due to rising public debt, slow economic growth and an ageing population. Data collected by the Pattaya Mail and feedback provided to Facebook groups strongly suggest that each TRD office is interpreting the rules in its own way. In Bangkok, several expats showed detailed financial paperwork and were told nothing (or just 3,000-4,000 baht) to pay. In Chonburi, some assessments have been made without any paperwork required beyond passport and address confirmation. In Surat Thani, one expat said the officer was interested in double taxation, another being sharply advised to the contrary. Rather like the Destination Thailand Visa in a very different context, officer discretion in embassies, rather than agreed rules, is the order of the day. Continues at https://www.pattayamail.com/latestnews/news/no-sign-of-a-common-thai-policy-to-tax-expats-on-overseas-remittances-494166

Because the boys receive 100 baht commission on each drink a customer buoys for them, the credit has to be carefully credited to their number at time check is settled. This can take some time when more than one boy is involved. Good to hear you had a good time.

From Reuters / The Nation About 30 % of first-time users in Japan of offshore online casinos became indebted within a week after starting gambling at the sites, a Japanese survey has shown. "I'm astonished at the speed," said Noriko Tanaka, representative director of the Society Concerned about the Gambling Addiction. "We need drastic measures, such as cutting off access from Japan" to foreign online casino services, she emphasized. In Japan, professional baseball players and show business people were found to have played online gambling, causing controversy as the illegality of the practice was not widely known. The Tokyo-based society conducted the internet questionnaire survey on 93 men in their 10s to 50s who had received support from the organization. All of them gave their answers. Respondents who started online gambling after learning of it on "advertisements or social media" accounted for 23.7 %, the biggest group. Those who "became interested by watching videos on YouTube or other services" came next at 22.6 %. Other popular answers included they "liked gambling and games" and "friends or acquaintances recommended" online gambling to them. Of the total, 30.1 % started borrowing money "within a week" after using online casino services for the first time, and an additional 33.3 % did so "within a month." Those who borrowed "within a half year" reached 11.8 %, while 9.7 % borrowed "within three months." Those who did not borrow at all came to 7.5 %. Continues at https://www.nationthailand.com/news/world/40047466

NOTE — Authorities were reportedly absolutely shocked to find that this activity was occurring on Soi Nana. From Pattaya News Authorities in Thailand’s capital conducted a late-night sweep this week in the Soi Nana district, a well-known nightlife hub off Sukhumvit Road, resulting in the arrest of 13 foreign women suspected of engaging in prostitution-related activities. The operation was led by Lumpini Police in collaboration with officials from the Ministry of Social Development and Human Security (MSDHS). The detained women, identified as eight Tanzanians, four Vietnamese, and one Uzbek national, were apprehended during a targeted crackdown on Tuesday night. Police and MSDHS officials descended on Soi Nana, also known as Soi 4, a bustling strip lined with bars and entertainment venues, following reports of illicit activities. The suspects were subsequently transported to Lumpini Police Station, where they now face charges related to maintaining public order and potential violations of Thailand’s prostitution and immigration laws. This latest operation is part of a broader campaign by Thai authorities to address unregulated sex work and improve the image of key tourist districts. In December, a similar crackdown took place in Pattaya as we reported here. Lumpini Police have stated that investigations are ongoing, and additional measures may be implemented to prevent similar activities in the future. Thai activists are proposing to decriminalize prostitution to Thailand and urging government to consider their bill, but even if passed would likely not include foreign workers and only be for Thai nationals. https://thepattayanews.com/2025/03/16/thirteen-foreign-women-arrested-in-soi-nana-prostitution-crackdown-in-bangkok/ ============ Two Indian Men Arrested for Alleged Sexual Assault of German Tourist Koh Phangan, Surat Thani Province – On Friday night, March 14, 2025, Thai authorities arrested two Indian men suspected of sexually assaulting a 24-year-old German woman following the popular Full Moon Party on the island of Koh Phangan. The Full Moon Party, held monthly on Haad Rin Beach, attracts approximately 20,000 international visitors, particularly backpackers and thrill-seekers, under the glow of the full moon. According to Thai media, the alleged assault occurred after the party, with police responding swiftly to detain the suspects. The victim, a German national, is among the many European tourists who visit Thailand annually. Thailand has implemented measures to address such incidents, including increased police presence at popular tourist spots like Koh Phangan and stricter penalties for sexual crimes. Thai authorities have not released the identities of the suspects or the victim, respecting privacy laws. https://thepattayanews.com/2025/03/16/two-indian-men-arrested-for-alleged-sexual-assault-of-german-tourist-after-koh-phangan-full-moon-party/