The Beer Bar

What country in the World 🌍 do you pay average of under the equivalent of 1,000 Thai baht ( other than Thailand) although inflation is seeing an end to that !!!!☹️ I'm thinking African countries?.

From Pattaya Mail By Barry Kenyon Pre-entry digital arrival forms for all foreigners coming by air, land or sea await the starting pistol in several weeks time. But the subject has dropped out of the headlines even though many international visitors have already booked their flights and accommodation. There are increasing concerns in the international travel world about the continuing absence of the actual digital forms and the lack of precise detail. Several airlines and internet travelblogs have already indicated concern that time is short if visitors are to experience a smoother experience at immigration and a welcome modernization of the travel expe…

From The Thaiger Phuket Kwaeng Court issued an arrest warrant for a Swiss man who allegedly kicked a female Thai doctor in the back outside his luxury villa in Phuket after he failed to appear in court as scheduled. The 27 year old Thai doctor, Tarndao Chandam, filed a lawsuit against 46 year old Swiss national Urs Fehr in February last year. She accused him of kicking her in the back and verbally abusing her for sitting on the staircase outside his villa on Yamu Beach with a friend. Fehr denied the allegation, claiming that he stumbled on the stairs, which caused him to accidentally kick the doctor. He and his Thai wife also stated that they misto…

Xiamen Airlines has returned a new Boeing 737Max aircraft to the USA in part retaliation for the tariff hikes. Boeing has an aircraft completion factory in Zhoushan where it carries out final work on the 737Max prior to delivery. Boeing's CEO told a Senate hearing just before the tariffs were introduced that the company sold about 80% of its planes overseas. It has been reported that China has asked Chinese airines to pause purchases of airline-related equipment and parts from American companies. Look at the Zhoushan factory site and it estimates that China will need 7,240 new aircraft over the next 20 years. I'd imagine the last thing Boeing wants it to have that fa…

From Bangkok Post A new generation of ecstasy pills embossed with the Labubu cartoon, seized in July last year. (Photo supplied) The Office of the Narcotics Control Board (ONCB) has issued a nationwide warning following the deaths of two individuals and the hospitalisation of another due to a suspected drug cocktail known on the streets as “Kanom” or “Labubu,” which circulated during the recent Songkran festival. Pol Lt Gen Panurat Lakboon, ONCB Secretary-General, said the agency received reports from Ramathibodi Poison Center about three individuals who collapsed after participating in water festivities in Bangkok. The victims reportedly …

For centuries, the English - and initially most of the upper classes - sent their children as young as 6 away to be educated at private boarding schools. These, it was believed, taught self reliance, independence and provided an excellent education which state schools could come nowhere near. Above all it provided the beginning of what was believed to be success in life. That belief followed the English colonists to the boundaries of the world. Beliefs! Where would we be without them? Only as each of us grows up most of us simply absorb the beliefs of our parents and their generation. In out later teens as we go out into the world and learn new facts, we may rebel ag…

From The Nation The official Facebook page of Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim, in his role as ASEAN Chair, recently posted a video summarising his official visit to Thailand from April 17 to 18. During the visit, he met with Thai Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra and former Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra. The video quickly gained attention—not for its diplomatic content, but for its background music: the Thai song “Om Phra Ma Phut” (“Swear on Buddha’s Name”), a rock ballad famously performed by Sek Loso (Seksan Sukpimai) and Bird Thongchai McIntyre, two of Thailand’s most iconic artists. As of 12 pm o…

From Bangkok Post A structural imbalance in a lift shaft may have contributed to the collapse of the State Audit Office (SAO) building during last month's earthquake, says Interior Minister Anutin Charnvirakul. Mr Anutin, who doubles as deputy prime minister, said initial findings point to structural issues contributing to the collapse, particularly those surrounding an asymmetrical lift shaft, as previously theorised by engineering expert Worasak Kanok-Nukulchai. The minister emphasised the need to focus on in-depth engineering calculations to ensure the findings are indisputable and scientifically sound. The minister also addressed reports the projec…

From CNN The United Kingdom’s highest court ruled that the legal definition of “woman” excludes trans women, in a case with sweeping consequences for how equality laws are applied. Britain’s Supreme Court ruled unanimously that the definition of a woman in equality legislation refers to “a biological woman and biological sex.” The court was deciding on whether trans women with a gender recognition certificate (GRC) – which offers legal recognition of someone’s female sex – are protected from discrimination as a woman under the nation’s Equality Act 2010. A group of campaigners in Scotland brought the challenge in 2018, arguing that those rights should …

From Bangkok Post Two Indian men abducted for ransom by a gang led by their compatriots were rescued on Friday in Samut Prakan, along with a third intended victim. Thai police have seven suspects in custody. Police arrested Deep Sandhu, a 32-year-old Indian national, and six other male suspects — five Indians and one Pakistani — at a house in tambon Samrong Nua of Muang district in Samut Prakan, Pol Lt Gen Sayam Boonsom, commissioner of the Metropolitan Police Bureau, said on Friday. The officers also rescued three Indian men from the house. Two of them had been abducted by the suspects who demanded a ransom of 2.5 million rupees (977,000…

From The Thaiger Is Bangkok finally getting the makeover it desperately needs? The capital is set for a long-overdue shake-up, as officials prepare to modernise the decades-old law that governs the city, and it could change how Bangkok is run for generations to come. The Bangkok Metropolitan Administration (BMA) announced plans to revise the BMA Act 1985, a 40 year old law that city leaders say no longer meets the needs of a bustling 21st-century metropolis. Aekwaranyu Amrapal, BMA spokesperson, said yesterday, April 17, that the proposed amendments aim to “enhance efficiency in line with the challenges facing a modern city.” “After nearly three years …

From The Nation A five-day celebration across Bangkok will mark 243 years since the founding of the Thai capital, showcasing the nation's rich heritage and artistic traditions The Thai Ministry of Culture has announced a collaborative effort with both public and private organisations, alongside a network of religious, artistic, and cultural bodies, to stage a grand commemoration entitled "Under the Royal Auspices: 243 Years of Rattanakosin City". The festivities are set to unfold across three key locations in Bangkok from the 23rd to the 27th of April, 2025. Culture Minister Sudawan Wangsuphakijkosol detailed that the …

From The Thaiger Scammers beware, the Royal Thai Police (RTP) are now armed with cutting-edge Israeli tech to crack phones, catch fraudsters and bring cyber crooks to justice faster than you can say “call centre con.” The RTP beefed up their cybercrime-fighting arsenal with state-of-the-art digital forensic tools from Israeli firm Cellebrite, giving officers the power to extract crucial data from phones and hunt down online criminals with precision. RTP Inspector General Thatchai Pitaneelaboot told officers that sophisticated tools like these are vital in a world where scammers are getting bolder, sometimes even trying to fool the police. “Some scammer…

NOTE -- Is anyone aware of current availability of Covid vaccines in Bangkok or Pattaya that is available to non-Thais? From The Nation A respected virologist from Chulalongkorn University on Monday warned individuals with comorbidities to brace themselves for a possible Covid-19 infection, stating that a surge is highly likely during the long Songkran holidays. Professor Yong Poovorawan, head of the Centre of Excellence in Clinical Virology at CU’s Faculty of Medicine, posted on his Facebook page that a study conducted by his centre showed a spike in Covid cases following last year’s Songkran celebrations. He explained that the SARS-CoV-2 vir…

(AI as usual)

Given the extensive posts on Myanmar in another thread (yes, I'm guilty!), I suggest we should start a new one since a lot is happening in that country. First, there is a massive amount of reconstruction required in various central parts of the country. The new capital of Naypyitaw was the second most badly hit after Mandalay with the Prediential Palace, the Parliament Building, the War Office and other buildings badly damaged. Since the capital is only around 20 years old, the junta leader has ordered those who constructed the buildings to rebuid them! Yet, he has also awarded a contract to Aung Pyae Sone who just happens to be the junta leader's son, to rebuild dam…

From Bangkok Post The family of a 26-year-old British man who is missing in Thailand is appealing for help in locating him, after not hearing from him for more than a month. The last time that Daniel Davies made contact with his family was March 13, when he was reportedly staying at the Hangover Hostel on Koh Phi Phi Don in the southern province of Krabi. British media quoted the family as saying it was “highly out of character” for Daniel not to stay in touch. They filed a missing person report with Dyfed-Powys Police in Wales, who alerted their counterparts in Thailand. Daniel is described as about six feet tall with a slim build, blonde hair a…

No matter how many times I click "Delete and Report Spam" on my cell phone, I keep getting spam texts, especially from political organizations, but also from others (job offers, and so on). There are some data removal services which claim to at least "reduce" the amount of this spam, but I can't find any hard data about how much they reduce. Is it 90%? 20%? 50%? I'd only be interested in shelling out the $$ if the reduction is at least 80%. Anyone here have experience with these services? What kind of improvement can I expect?

From The Nation The Bank of Thailand (BOT) plans to introduce regulations this month making financial institutions and payment providers liable for losses from call centre scams. Roong Mallikamas, Deputy Governor for Financial Institutions Stability, made the announcement following the publication of the Royal Decree on Measures for the Prevention and Suppression of Technology Crimes (No. 2) BE 2568 (2025) in the Royal Gazette on Saturday (April 12). The BOT supports the principles outlined in the Royal Decree and has collaborated with relevant agencies to provide input and improve the content to strengthen measures for combating te…

From Bangkok Post A former chief of the National Office of Buddhism (NOB) accused of embezzling temple funds has been arrested in Texas, according to a source. Nopparat Benjawattananan, who fled overseas after the scandal surfaced in 2017, was detained on April 11 at a hospital by the US Marshals Service ahead of a formal extradition request expected from the Thai government. His arrest follows a request by Thai officials who want him extradited to face charges related to the alleged embezzlement. The extradition process could take some time. https://www.bangkokpost.com/thailand/general/3002391/former-chief-of-national-office-of-buddhism-held-in-us

The New Yorker has a long article on Brazilian politics, featuring the most powerful judge Alexandre de Moraes. I found it to be a very interesting read. https://www.newyorker.com/magazine/2025/04/14/the-brazilian-judge-taking-on-the-digital-far-right

From Vietnam News When exports of goods are subject to high tariffs, Indonesia must look to other sectors that can serve as a balance for its economy, she stressed, adding that tourism is a form of service export that is not impacted by trade tariff policies. HÀ NỘI — Tourism industry can serve as an economic defence tool helping Indonesia mitigate negative impacts caused by US reciprocal tariffs, Indonesian Minister of Tourism Widiyanti Putri Wardhana has said. According to the minister, the tourism sector, classified as a service industry, is not subject to such tariffs and continues to generate foreign exchange. Widiyanti made the statement in respo…

From The Thaiger The factory at the centre of Thailand’s latest construction scandal was raided today as investigators ramped up scrutiny into the supplier linked to the catastrophic collapse of the State Audit Office (SAO) building in Bangkok’s Chatuchak district. The Department of Industrial Works’ “Sud Soi” team, under the Industry Ministry, stormed the Xin Ke Yuan (SKY) Steel Ltd facility in Rayong’s Ban Khai district after the company failed to meet the April 10 deadline to submit documentation detailing its steel production process. Their visit follows alarming test results from the Iron and Steel Institute of Thailand, which revealed that SKY’s 32mm …

At my last dental visit, my dentist straight out told me (falsely) that I wasn't flossing my teeth (which I do). I then informed her that I do, indeed, floss my teeth every day, to which she had the gall to say "No, you don't!". I wouldn't have minded if she had started by saying "Are you sure you're flossing your teeth every day?", but to make that statement, and then tell me I was lying to her, I couldn't accept. I definitely have my faults, but being a liar isn't one of them. My next dental check-up will be with someone else. This was rather nervy behavior in my view. Have any of you had similar experiences?

Last Friday US Secretary of State Marco Rubio made the most inane of comments: “'If you’re not coming to the United States to join a Hamas protest, or to come here and tell us about how right Hamas is, or … stir up conflict on our campuses and create riots in our streets and vandalize our universities, then you have nothing to worry about,' he told reporters in Brussels." Funny! I was always taught that in making public statements about any touchy subject you rolled out only good news - even though it may not be not so good! Rubio's stupidity has not stopped the fall-off in tourists from Europe to the USA already furious at Trump's behaviour in office aligned to…