The Beer Bar

From Pattaya Mail By Barry Kenyon In spite of many predictions and promises, there is still no final Cabinet approval for the long-anticipated high-speed train network linking the two Bangkok airports with the now-expanded U-tapao airport near Rayong. According to the Eastern Economic Corridor, which sponsors Thai and foreign mega-projects, a final sign-off will be left to the government incoming after the general election expected in May. There still needs to be negotiation about construction and expropriation of property details. The 220-billion baht project will allow super-fast, express trains to travel at speeds up to 250 km per hour. Supporters of the…

From Thai PBS World The Bangkok Metropolitan Administration (BMA) will resume free electric boat services on the Phadung Krung Kasem Canal this Wednesday, after the suspension of the service last September. The service is from Hua Lamphong railway station, through Bo Be market and Pan Fah Bridge to the Phra Sumen Fort in the Ratchadamnoen area, covering a distance of about five kilometres. Krungthep Thanakom, an investment arm of the BMA, has been assigned to select a private company to operate the service. It is reported that the BMA has decided to cut the cost of operating the service from 2.4 million baht to 1.8 million baht/month. The BMA als…

Unhealthy air... The forecast isn't great https://www.iqair.com/us/thailand/bangkok Outdoor activity limits urged by authorities https://www.euronews.com/green/2023/03/10/its-very-hard-for-me-to-breathe-lately-thick-smog-covers-bangkok-and-hospitalises-thousand

From The Thaiger The Bank of Thailand announced new measures to protect consumers from cyber risks in mobile banking transactions. Biometric scans, such as facial scans, will be required for high-value transactions, including digital money transfers of over 50,000 baht per transaction, transfers over 200,000 baht per day, and credit transfer amounts of over 50,000 baht per transaction. Banks must adopt these measures by June, the central bank said on Thursday. Bank of Thailand governor Sethaput Suthiwartnarueput said the amount of 50,000 baht was chosen because it is a frequent target of fraudsters. While the measures may inconvenience consumers, they will incre…

From CNN Travel CNN — If crowded airports are a sign, travelers are keen to get back into the skies. And if you’re flying long haul, in a few years you could have an even longer option. Qantas has announced from late 2025, it will fly passengers on nonstop flights from Australia’s east coast to London that would see you in the air for more than 19 hours in one stretch. That’s compared with current flights that take the best part of 24 hours but are broken up into shorter legs. So what will happen to your body during one of these longer flights? Is it any different to what happens when you fly long-haul now? 1. You can become dehydrated Dehydration …

From what I hear, more and more people are routinely getting banned from that so-called Company of Men site. It seems as though the only people who can survive the constant purges of the cabal-in-charge are the people who constantly post QAnon conspiracy claims and insult anyone who dares to push back. Logical minds need not work too hard to detect a connection between organized right wingers and this site which at one time discussed male escorts and masseurs. I remain open to be proven to be wrong. But unlikely.

I asked this in 2016 so thought it was time to ask again, Going back to Pattaya for first time since covid, what are the options for some adult fun in the afternoons , they will probably be the only times I can get away by myself?

From Pattaya Mail / NNT The 668-kilometer rail line, which features 12 stations, will be divided into two phases, with the first phase covering over 380 km from Bangkok to Phitsanulok, and the second phase covering a further 288 km from Phitsanulok to Chiang Mai. Thailand and Japan are set to embark on the first phase of a high-speed rail project linking Bangkok and Chiang Mai province. Officials from the Department of Rail Transport (DRT), the Office of Transport and Traffic Policy and Planning, the Public Health Management Office, the Office of the National Economic and Social Development Council, and the State Railway of Thailand attended a rec…

I'm glad to hear that scumbag won't see the outside of a prison for the rest of his life. He should get extra punishment for having such ugly sons! What an appropriate last name.

From The Thaiger Thailand is expecting to welcome six million tourists from Europe this year, generating over 420 billion baht in revenue. The figure represents approximately 80% of pre-pandemic levels. The Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT) Governor Yuthasak Supasorn expressed confidence in Thailand’s ability to maintain its popularity as a tourist destination for European markets. He noted that pent-up demand for travel among Europeans should hopefully continue for one to two years. The TAT estimates a total tourism revenue for Thailand of 1.5 trillion baht for 2023. To capitalise on the European demand, at the ITB Berlin 2023 trade show, Princess Ubolratana…

From Thai Train Guide By Richard Barrow Excavation of what will be Thailand’s longest tunnel has officially begun in northern Thailand. The 6.2 kilometre long tunnel is part of the Den Chai to Chiang Khong railway that is now being built to connect Thailand with Laos. Of particular interest for tourists is that this new line will also have a railway station on the outskirts of Chiang Rai city. If the double track line is finished on time, it is expected to open for service in 2028. The Den Chai – Chiang Rai – Chiang Khong railway line will have a total distance of 323.10 kilometers. It is part of the development plan of the railway system in Thailand…

Not sure how sensible this was, but it's an interesting look inside now

If the pay raises being negotiated by major US carriers are a harbinger of future air fares, we'd best get use to it. Although there will always be times when fares go on sale ,it's not surprising that the trend is moving only in one direction as demand continues to strengthen. Delta Airlines last week offered pilots a 34% increase over for years and American Airlines today announced a 40% package over the same period. Both also offereed profit-sharing and other benefits. CNBC reports that "a captain flying narrow-body planes would make $475,000 at the top of the scale, up $135,000 from current pay, while the most senior captains of wide-body planes would make $…

From The Thaiger THAI Airways has announced its summer schedule and expanded its services around the globe. The flagship carrier of Thailand will add 39 routes to Europe, nine to Asia, and 30 routes to China for the summer. THAI Airways European and Australian routes 1 Bangkok – London every day, 14 flights per week 2 Bangkok – Paris every day, 7 flights per week 3 Bangkok – Zurich every day, 7 flights per week 4 …

From The Nation The ashes of 17-year-old Duangpetch “Dom” Promthep – one of 12 young members of the Wild Boars football team rescued from a flooded cave in Chiang Rai in 2018 – were given to his family at Suvarnabhumi International Airport in Bangkok on Saturday, after being blessed upon their return from England.

From The Thaiger Thailand is set to welcome three new airlines, P80 AIR, Really Cool Air, and Landarch Airline, this year. The ultra-low-cost airline from Malaysia, MYAirline, is also preparing a new route to the Land of Smiles. DailyNews reported today that the three new airlines have applied for operational licenses with the Civil Aviation Authority of Thailand (CAAT) and the approval process is expected to be completed by 2024. P80 AIR, and Really Cool Air will operate both domestic and international flights, while Landarch Airline will focus solely on domestic flights. Landarch Airline plans to use a small 10-seater aircraft to offer flights between eac…

Suvarnabhumi Airport is enhancing its passenger and baggage security under an Automatic Return Tray System (ARTS). As a resuly some zone screening points will be closed for the month of March. See details below.

Electrical short circuits are the most commonly cited cause of fires is Thailand by police who have the authority to determine origin. From Thai PBS World The 3-storey building of the Fifth Division of the Central Investigation Bureau (CIB) on Bangkok’s Sathorn Road burned down early this morning, together with many criminal case documents. No one was in the 42-year old building at the time of the fire, but seven cars parked close by, including the official car of the division commander, sustained heavy damage. Several fire trucks rushed to the scene and traffic was closed off up to one kilometre from the building during the fire. Explosions were heard…

From Reuters Two Labrador dogs, which have been trained by British police, are to be flown to Thailand to help crack down on the smuggling of critically endangered pangolins, the Zoological Society of London (ZSL) said on Tuesday. Pangolins, nocturnal creatures famed for their full armour of scales, are the most trafficked mammal in the world according to the World Wildlife Fund, and all eight species are on the red list of threatened species and at risk of extinction, the ZSL said. The two dogs, Buster and Bess, who have already undergone an eight-week training programme with London's Metropolitan Police, will be sent to Thailand to complete their tr…

From Pattaya Mail The European Olympic Committees (EOC) has officially announced the inclusion of Muay Thai, or Thai boxing, at the European Games 2023, to be held in Krakow, Poland. The EOC also remarked that Muay Thai is one the fastest growing combat sports in terms of athletes and spectators. The website of European Games 2023 has this to say about Muay Thai: “Muay Thai has its origins in Asia. Several countries claim to be the birthplace of the sport, but there is no doubt that Thailand has made the greatest contribution to the development of Muay Thai. It became the national sport and it’s the most popular there.” At each Muay Thai bout in the Europea…

From Gulf Business Oman’s Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) said that the Sultanate’s airspace will be open for all civilian carriers, a move that will also shorten Israeli airlines’ flight time to destinations in Asia after Saudi Arabia took a similar move last year. “Enforcing international and local requirements against discrimination in dealing with civilian aircraft, the Civil Aviation Authority confirms that the sultanate’s airspace is open to all carriers that meet the requirements of overflying,” the CAA said in a statement on its Twitter page on Thursday. The opening of Oman’s airspace comes after months of diplomatic efforts between the US, Oman a…

I've noted with chagrin most hotels have dropped offering individual shampoo bottles and mini soaps in favor of big dispensers. I guess the switch reduces plastic waste, but I prefer the old way. How about you?

The following link contains dramatic video from an officer's camera that captures the moment leading to his death. Highway deaths are all to common in Thailand and the video demonstrates why. From Coconuts Bangkok Police today were hailing one of their own killed in the line of duty for his bravery after he was killed during a pursuit in north metro Bangkok. The agency responsible for policing the highways recognized the bravery of Sgt. Maj. Setthakan Loykhampom who was killed yesterday in Pathum Thani province after a routine stop led to a high-speed pursuit because the suspect feared that he would be busted for possessing a vape. The 36-year-old dri…