The Beer Bar

From Pattaya News A Taiwanese tourist was found dead under suspicious circumstances yesterday at his accommodation in Bangkok. He had arrived in Thailand just two days before, according to the Royal Thai police. The body of 47-year-old Chu Chiang Chen was discovered yesterday morning, November 16th, at his hotel on Soi Udomsuk (Sukhumvit 103), Bangna district, Bangkok. Bangna police chief Pol. Col. Suraphong Sukyam stated that police officers found the man lying deceased beside a bed with his legs and arms tied up. The victim’s room is located on the sixth floor of the hotel, whose name was withheld pending further investigation. Chu was found face-down with…

The following exhibit will be on display through Nov. 26 at the Bangkok Art and Culture Center, located opposite MBK and Siam Discovery. From Thai PBS World In the realm of photojournalism, James Nachtwey is a name with resonance and significance. He has traversed the globe, documenting the most pressing issues of our time with a lens that captures the essence of human suffering and resilience. With a career spanning over four decades, Nachtwey has dedicated his life to bearing witness to some of the world’s most significant and harrowing events and has covered nearly every armed conflict in the world. His evocative and heart-wrenching photographs ha…

This is one of the most disheartening reports of bullying I’ve read about in Thailand. A 15-year-old is suffering from a severe infection after a senior student forcibly injected a chemical into his penis at their school in Nakhon Si Thammarat. His penis is said to be permanently disfigured. From the Bangkok Post https://www.bangkokpost.com/thailand/general/2685109/boy-suffers-nerve-damage-in-school-penis-assault

Going through some files of old, interesting photos, I came across this one. I have no idea where or when it was taken although it is clearly in Japan. And it reminded me of a bar I occasionally frequented in the Shinjuku ni-chome gay district, although we are talking a good 30 years and more ago. Apart from the main streets in the area, there was a small one linking two others that had a dog leg in the middle. In that little linking street there were several bars including one which only had room to seat a few patrons at the bar and a couple of tables. Apart from it being a location where porn movies were made after hours, sometimes with a few customers seate…

I was at a restaurant the other day, and was most interested in the seafood stew (cioppino). I often get this dish served with the hard tails (exoskeleton) still on the shrimp, so I asked if I could have the dish with the tails removed. As often happens, the waiter said he'd have to ask the kitchen, but it was done. This always makes me wonder: are there people out there who enjoy digging into a soup (or risotto, pasta, jambalaya, etc.) to pick out the shrimp and remove their tails? Or are there those who actually eat the hard tail? What do those of you who enjoy these kinds of mixed seafood dishes prefer? Are there any of you who actually prefer the tails on? If so, why?…

From Tourism Authority of Thailand The Airports of Thailand Public Company Limited (AOT) has announced a new set of incentives, effective from 1 November 2023 to 31 March 2024, to stimulate international air traffic during the high season in support of the government’s tourism promotion policy. AOT has actively positioned its six airports – Bangkok’s Suvarnabhumi and Don Mueang International Airports, Phuket International Airport, Chiang Mai International Airport, Hat Yai International Airport, and Chiang Rai International Airport – as preferred destinations for airlines, thus encouraging the introduction of new routes to expand the air network and accelerate t…

From Pattaya News European travelers could potentially soon enjoy 60 days of exploration in Thailand without visa requirements, as reported by the Thai Tourism and Sports Ministry. Minister Sudawan Wangsuphakijkosol stated on Monday, November 13th, that the tourism ministry is contemplating proposing to the Thai Cabinet to extend the visa exemption period for visitors from 50 European countries from 30 days to 60 days.

Aside from the geopolitical issues, the move would be a morale killer for Thai cops who—in my personal experience—do an effective job of patrolling the tourist hotspots. From Thai Enquirer The recent announcement by the government of new Prime Minister Srettha Thavisin that it is considering inviting Chinese police officers to help patrol tourist hotspots in Thailand has sparked a wave of concern and debate. The plan, ostensibly aimed at bolstering security and fostering a sense of safety among the large number of Chinese tourists visiting Thailand, raises significant questions about sovereignty, the effectiveness of such measures, and the broader implications f…

From The Nation Prime Minister Srettha Thavisin met executives and students from Stanford University as well as key representatives of major US companies while attending the three-day APEC CEO Summit in San Francisco. His meetings on Tuesday focused on boosting confidence, strengthening relationships and positioning Thailand as a regional business hub in Asia. Expressing his government’s vision for propelling Thailand forward, Srettha invited Stanford University to become a key partner in this journey. He also lauded the ongoing collaboration with Kasetsart University in the Big Data training pro…

From Thai PBS World Four former police officers attached to Bangkok’s Huai Kwang police station were sentenced to five years in prison today by the Central Criminal Court for Corruption and Misconduct Cases. They were found guilty of malfeasance in office and corruption for demanding bribes from three Taiwanese tourists in exchange for dropping charges against them. The four were also ordered to return Bt27,000 bribery to the tourists. Two other officers from the same police station were acquitted by the court, due to insufficient evidence. The extortion, which took place on the night of January 5 in front of the Chinese embassy in Huai Khwang, wa…

From CNN The Chinese government has built up the world’s largest known online disinformation operation and is using it to harass US residents, politicians, and businesses—at times threatening its targets with violence, a CNN review of court documents and public disclosures by social media companies has found. The onslaught of attacks – often of a vile and deeply personal nature – is part of a well-organized, increasingly brazen Chinese government intimidation campaign targeting people in the United States, documents show. The US State Department says the tactics are part of a broader multi-billion-dollar effort to shape the world’s information environment …

From AFP A French court on Friday handed down jail sentences of up to 10 years in a people smuggling trial over the death of 39 Vietnamese migrants in a refrigerated container on the way to Britain. The bodies of the migrants who suffocated to death -- two of whom were just 15 years old -- were discovered inside the sealed unit at a port near London in October 2019. They had travelled in the truck from northern France to Belgium before crossing the Channel to Britain. Two ringleaders of the operation -- one Romanian and one British -- were convicted at a trial in 2021 in Britain and sentenced to 27 and 20 years in prison respectively. …

Experts predict that the coming months will be the best for more than two decades to witness the Northern Lights. The sun is in the midst of some cycle or other which indicates that the period from January - October 2024 will be peak viewing months. I spent ten nights in Scandinavia in November 2014 including a 4-day ferry journey up the Norwegian coast from Bergen to Tromso hoping to see the Aurora. I did not bank of mostly bad weather with cloud on most days. It was only on my last night in FInaldn's Ivalo north of the Arctic Circle that the sky completely cleared and there was a spectacular light show between 11:00pm and 1:00am. This year …

Life can be especially tough in transphobic and homophobic communities... https://nypost.com/2023/11/04/news/alabama-preacher-kills-himself-after-being-outed-as-transgender-curvy-girl/ "An Alabama preacher and politician killed himself Friday two days after being outed for having a secret life he shared online as a “transgender curvy girl.” F.L. “Bubba” Copeland, who was the mayor of tiny Smiths Station, with a population of just 6,756, as well as the pastor at First Baptist Church in nearby Phenix City, shot himself around 5 p.m. in front of sheriffs who were following him. Copeland was a married father of three. His suicide came after police were asked to do a…

From Pattaya News A 23-year-old Russian woman said she was attacked and robbed of her phone by two Thai men in Pattaya in the small hours of today, November 9th. The tourist, identified by Pattaya police as 23-year-old Ms. Aleksandra Rychkova, was found in a state of shock after she said she had been robbed while on her way to a condominium from a convenience store. The incident took place at 2 AM today near Jomtien Second Road, Nongprue sub-district, Banglamung district, Chonburi province. Ms. Aleksandra had suffered swollen bruises on her left temple. According to Mr. Wanchai Chaisorn, a 28-year-old condominium security guard who was the first to come to her …

Haven’t posted a feel good animal story in a while but I think this fits the bill. ========== From The Thaiger / Khaosod English The tale of Kanya, the lost wild elephant calf, has come to a joyful conclusion.Found wandering in a rice field in the Bueng Kan province, she has now joined a new family in Chiang Mai. The journey of Kanya, from Bueng Kan to Chiang Mai, is one worth revisiting. Kanya’s story began on the morning of September 12, when villagers found her alone in a rice field near the Phu Wua Wildlife Sanctuary in Bueng Kan province. Local officials, alongside the central inspection officers of the Phu Wua Wildlife Sanctuary, locate…

It's hard to believe that in a matter of hours in Europe the armistice following World War 1 will be officially marked. It's a time for remembrance - and yet sometimes I wonder remembering what? Unquestionably, the number of deaths and the tragedy of those who died in utterly horrible circumstances in the muddy trenches in Flanders, Ypres, Paschendale, the Somme and elsewhere in northeast France as competing armies fought for years over meters of ground. It was a war that wiped out almost a generation of young men, certainly from the UK. With many being first sons, it was to be one of the nails in the coffin of the entrenchant aristocracy. Do we mourn today at the de…

From Pattaya Mail By Barry Kenyon Myanmar’s military regime, which came to power in a February 2021 coup, is in serious trouble. The military leader senior general Min Aung Hlaing has admitted that the country could split if his forces are unable to stop an insurrection in the huge and lawless Shan state which borders China, the junta’s largest trading partner. Military spokesman Zaw Min Tun has separately conceded that several northern towns have fallen to the Three Brotherhood Alliance which has overrun dozens of military posts, forced the surrender of hundreds of soldiers and cut off the junta’s access to the 2,000 kilometers of the Chinese border. Jason…

Based on my experiences in Silom an Saphan Kwai, crossing main streets has become easier over the past few years. Not only at locations where lights are installed, but in those where crosswalks have been repainted. I cross Surawong several times daily and drivers seem more likely to yield than in the past. I make it a habit of waving to those operators who stop or slow as a gesture of respect. It may be far from perfect but it’s noticeable. From Pattaya News On November 7th, 2023, Mr. Ekwaranyu Amrapan, the spokesman for Bangkok Metropolitan Administration, publicly stated that Bangkok has taken steps to improve and install traffic lights for pedestrian cr…

From VN Express The Ministry of Foreign Affairs on Thursday said Myanmar authorities recently rescued hundreds of foreigners, including 166 Vietnamese citizens, from fraudulent casinos in its northern border areas. "Among the foreigners rescued, 166 Vietnamese nationals have been identified and have been taken to a safe place in the northern area of this country bordering China," the ministry's spokeswoman Pham Thu Hang said at a press meet. Hang said conflicts in northern and other parts of Myanmar, including Kayin state, are hampering efforts to reach and protect Vietnamese citizens. "The Vietnamese embassy in Myanmar is coordinating with au…

It's happened again. The "Just Stop Oil" activists have taken their grievances out on a painting in London's National Gallery, this time a work by Velazquez, the Rokeby Venus. Instead of spraying paint or another less damaging activity, this time the two youths took hammers and smashed the glass in front of the painting. It has now been taken down while conservators estimate the damage and try to repair it. The activists have in the meantime been arrested and will be charged with criminal damage. Photo: Kristian Buus/In Pictures/Getty Images https://edition.cnn.com/2023/11/06/style/just-stop-oil-rokeby-venus-intl-scli-gbr/index.html Celebrated artwork…

This post is very long, and I know some members abhor long posts. That’s their privilege and I suggest they simply click on to another topic. Others have in the past expressed their belief that history should be confined to the trash can. That, though, is a view with which I totally disagree. I believe passionately that we are where we are, as both individuals and nations, very largely because of past actions. And it is for that reason I wish to start a discussion on the present very dangerous situation in the Middle East. It seems to me that after the last ghastly ten days, only two countries will be metaphorically rubbing their hands in glee - Iran and Russia. The…

I’ve been experiencing many of the symptoms (with exception of difficulty breathing) described below for the past week and two other board members have likewise. From Thailand News Agency The Bangkok Metropolitan Administration Spokesperson Ekwaranyu Amrapan said that the Department of Pollution Control has predicted that there will be a high concentration of fine dust marked in orange with adverse effects on health from tomorrow to Sunday. However, there is still a chance of rain which may help reduce the level of fine particulate matter (PM2.5). People are advised to wear face masks when going outside. Vulnerable groups and the elderly should st…

From CNN Travel Savior of many a cramped pair of legs, the jet stream is well known for lopping roughly an hour off long haul west-to-east flights. But it’s working especially hard for travelers in economy class right now, with the jet stream over the Atlantic so strong that flights heading from the US to Europe are reaching speeds equivalent to that of sound. Sound travels at about 761 mph or 1,100 feet per second in “sea level standard conditions,” according to NASA – a little over 661 knots. In the past 24 hours, passenger aircraft traveling east from the US across the Atlantic have reached up to 778 mph. That’s a little over 200 miles per hour fa…

Hong Kong is still reeling from the law brought in by its Chinese masters 3 years ago. This effectively gives the Chinese-appointed Hong Kong government (yes, I know it's elected but only by an elite group from a small slate of candidates all approved by Beijing) even greater powers than those in China itself regarding subversion, terrorism and colluding with foreign powers. It's known as the "love China" law and extends right down into schools and publishing companies. As I have recently discovered, all books about Hong Kong, past and present, must now be censored prior to publication and certain words, phrases and events can not be included. Having initially failed…