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From Thai PBS World Chalerm Burapha Chonlathit Road offers unobstructed views of the beautiful coastline. (Photo by Phoowadon Duangmee) Whilst tropical islands and seaside resorts make Thailand’s East spectacular, a road trip along its scenic coast is no less of a visual treat. From wild marshland and lush mangroves to historic riverfronts, a towering Roman Catholic church, lesser-known beaches and a border market, Rayong, Chanthaburi and Trat provinces have more to share with travellers than a typical tropical island holiday. The eastern provinces, with their remarkable contrasts, are a haven for those seeking incredible scenery and adventure. And th…

From The Nation. The Real Estate Trade Association of Chiang Mai Northern said on Thursday that around 1,000 houses worth over 3 million baht in Chiang Mai are now owned by Chinese nationals, with total value of at least 5 billion baht. “Chinese have been buying real estate in Chiang Mai for more than a decade,” said association president Non Hirunchetskul. “Popular methods include buying via online Chinese brokers, or Chinese-run Thai agencies investing over 40 million baht and thereby receiving privileges, or by marrying Thai nationals.” In a worrying new trend, Chinese investment groups registered with Thai nominees are buying properties in housing …

From The Thaiger Thailand introduced a law on Friday which requires passengers to sit down when travelling on a songthaew, a popular form of public transport. However, songthaew drivers say the law is detrimental to their livelihoods and are worried it could lead to extortion. A songthaew is a passenger vehicle converted from a pickup truck with two rows of seats. Songthaews have been used as a cheap form of transport for decades in Thailand, and are often packed out with passengers standing or hanging off the back. The new law, published in the Royal Gazette, aims to make the songthaew experience safer for everyone involved. But drivers say it’s impractica…

From The Thaiger Suvarnabhumi International Airport, Bangkok’s global gateway, plans to increase services to deal with the influx of arriving passengers. Thailand saw a swift surge in travellers after China’s recent decision to reopen its borders. The Airports of Thailand (AoT) announced Friday that the measures will help tackle delays in passenger servicing time, particularly during peak hours. They say they have already begun to improve service flow. The airport’s director said Suvarnabhumi received complaints about luggage claim delays from around 30 flights per day last month. It seems bad, but in December roughly 50 flights per day received delayed bag…

From Coconuts Bangkok Mixed news for series addicts on a budget: Starting today, Netflix has reduced the monthly rate for its basic package by 60% but users may not share their accounts. The basic monthly package now runs THB169, down from THB279. That means enjoying the latest episodes of psycho thriller You, searing K-dramas, or any of Note Udom’s comedy specials at 720p resolution, which qualified as HD in 2010. The package limits users to only one device at a time. Those already subscribed to the basic package will automatically pay the new rate on their next billing cycle.

From Channel News Asia By Pichayada Promchertchoo BANGKOK: Myoe has no plan to go back to his homeland in Myanmar. A coup d’etat two years ago has thrown his country into turmoil and filled his future with uncertainty. The raging civil war, persecution of dissidents and economic crisis made it hard for him to keep hoping that things would get better. The return of democracy began to feel like a distant dream as the weeks and months went by. Sad and dejected, the 37-year-old quit his job in the telecommunication sector. He said goodbye to his family in Yangon and moved to Bangkok in March last year. “I'm very excited and…

For you non-American readers, I write today to introduce you to the guy who makes my heart race every time he cocks his arm. I'm one of his legion of voyeuristic worshipers. My affair with him dates back to 2018 when he became the starting quarterback for the Kansas City Chiefs. Tomorrow he plays in Super Bowl 57 against the Philadelphia Eagles for the championship of the National Football League. Having witnessed all of the previous 56, I believe that I'm more excited than in any previous year. He works magic as both a passer and a runner. Agile and unpredictable--and more than a bit sexy, he rarely fails to satisfy his fans' desire for gridiron nirvana. W…

From The Diplomat By Luke Hunt Cambodian authorities were disbelieving when persistent reports began emerging early last year that Chinese organized crime syndicates had established a network of human trafficking operations based largely out of the southern port town of Sihanoukville. Several foreign embassies – all of them Asian – warned their citizens of the risks associated with traveling to this country and the United States dropped Cambodia to the lowest ranking on its annual Trafficking in Persons Report for failing to “meet the minimum standards for the elimination of trafficking.” Many of those scam operations were established by Chinese crimin…

If you click on "Read 3 replies" you'll find a full description on Richard Barrow's latest train adventure in Thailand.

https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/world/captain-of-soccer-team-in-famous-thai-cave-rescue-dies-at-18/ar-AA17vxD4?cvid=44cee92a3e3d4eaea64ddc6939426a2e One of the 12 miracle boys who survived nearly three weeks trapped in a cave in Thailand in 2018 has died at a soccer academy in the United Kingdom. His cause of death has been deemed an “accident” tied to a head injury, according to the BBC. Authorities have not confirmed whether it happened on or off the soccer pitch. Duangpetch Promthep, 18, known to his friends as Dom, became the public face as captain of the Wild Boar boys’ soccer team after their miraculous rescue from a flooded …

From Pattaya News The chosen festivals are distinctive to their location, and are examples of the many unique and fascinating festivals that take place throughout Thailand each year. The Ministry of Culture has identified 16 distinctive festivals from around Thailand to be promoted on the international stage in line with the government’s Bio-Circular-Green economic model and the promotion of Thailand’s 5F soft-power foundations – Food, Film, Festival, Fight and Fashion. Bun Ban Klang Festival, Chon Buri This outdoor merit-making ritual in Phanat Nikhom District involves locals putting food onto banana leaves cut into squares, to ward off bad luck.…

From the BBC A little puppy is found on the side of road in Thailand, bloody with no fur and hardly able to move. A few weeks later, the dog - now named Rodney - is up and about and capturing hearts on social media. The journey Rodney has taken - and that of many other dogs - has been documented and posted online by County Tyrone man Niall Harbison, who has made it his mission to save as many street dogs as possible. Mr Harbison runs a sanctuary on the island of Koh Samui, where he rescues, nurses and feeds dogs in need. "They're street dogs, which makes them a bit tougher because they have to be," he told BBC News NI. "But …

Just missing Pattaya and need to hear some music or spoken Thai here? https://streema.com/radios/Pattaya

Imma be a bit cryptic as far as screenshots about a recent experience, but interested in takes. Spanish language context & prostitution legal in terms of a one-to-one arranged date outside of exploitation or organizational illegality as per usual for countries with flex around commercial sex trade. Met at a setting with gogos & private dances. Took a private dance with one of the staff and all went well. I provided my contact and we connected quickly via WhatsApp. I am fairly experienced in these matters. On a follow-up day we arranged a love motel date via WhatsApp. It seemed to be a brief correspondence and I offered an amount that would be typ…

I wonder how long this gimmick will last? https://dearstraightpeople.com/2023/02/13/pj-loft-hotel-lopburi/

From The Nation Thailand's aviation sector is buzzing with activity in February as airlines have requested 6,318 flight slots at Thai airports, the Civil Aviation Authority of Thailand (CAAT) said on Monday. "The total number of flights in February this year now is 25,256," CAAT director-general Suttipong Kongpool said. He added that the number of flights in some weeks had increased to the level as before the Covid-19 pandemic in 2020, thanks to the government's move to lift travel restrictions in July last year. Suttipong added that 19 Chinese airlines have requested permission to operate flights to Thailand after China ended i…

From Pattaya Mail Wednesday is the first day that the tour group from China visits the station so there is a huge group of Chinese tourists at Mae Khlong station. ‘Folding umbrella market’ (Rom Hoop Market) or Mae Klong Railway Market is a local market in Samut Songkhram which is considered one of amazing unseen tourist attractions in Thailand. It is the one of its kind and no any place like this in the world. The local residents commonly call Siang Tai (life-risking) Market because the trains will run through at the heart of the market. The vendors have to rush to close their parasols and canvas that used to protect themselves against the su…

From The Thaiger The State Railway of Thailand (SRT) is offering trips on a slow train to monkey city, from Bangkok to Lopburi in the Northeast Thailand, on the refurbished Kiha 183 diesel-powered trains from Japan. The train leaves Bangkok’s historic Hua Lamphong Railway Station at 12.15pm and arrives A Thailand’s famous monkey city, Lopburi at 2.45pm. The return trip departs at 8.30pm and ends in Bangkok at 11.05pm. The trips this weekend and next will cost 599 baht. Only 200 seats will be available each day. The slow train to monkey city leads to a sightseeing tour of the historical area of Lopburi, which dates back over 3,500 years, as well as …

From Pattaya Mail HM King Bumibol and Queen Sirikit both music aficionados met with Elvis Presley on the set of G.I. Blues during their visit to Paramount Studies. On this occasion HM King Bhumibol presented Elvis with a combined cigarette and lighter case produced by the Thai Nakorn company. This company was the best silversmith in Bangkok at the time and were bestowed the Garuda emblem by HM the King. The engraving on the front of the box read, “To Elvis Presley Hollywood 1960” and on the inside of the box, the words “King Bhumibol Adulyadej To the King of Rock ดnด Roll” were engraved. Included in the engraving was the stamp of the producer of the box “THAI N…

In his column in he Pattaya Mail, Barry Kenyon suggests that the 45-day visa on arrival (originally set to expire on March 31) is being extended to the end of 2023. The last I read that the Tourism Authority had recommended the extension but I'm unable to confirm that it has received government approval. By Barry Kenyon Thailand is no exception to the worldwide rule that immigration entry procedures depend on your nationality. Below we list some of the most popular countries – which provide the majority of tourists to Thailand – and update the rules for those who have not obtained a prior visa before departure at their local Thai embassy. Since October 2022, mor…

From TAT / Pattaya Mail The Amazing Muaythai Festival 2023 held during 4-6 February 2023 at Rajabhakti Park, HuaHin, Prachuap Kiri Khan successfully promoted Muay Thai to the world. The event showcased Muay Thai exhibition, Muay Thai industry promotional activities, and sales of merchandise and local cuisine to enjoy. The highlight of the event was the mass performance of the traditional “Wai Kru” ceremony with 3,660 participants, led by the famous Muay Thai fighter Sombat “Buakaw” Banchamek, successfully setting the new Guinness World Record. (TAT) Continues with photos https://www.pattayamail.com/thailandnews/amazing-muaythai-festival-in-hua-hi…

In his column in today's Pattaya Mail, Barry Kenyon casts a jaundiced eye on the influx of Chinese tourists. ------------------------------ Warnings from the World Health Organization and others about the upsurge of covid cases in China abound. But they have done little to curb the enthusiasm in Thailand and most regional countries to put out the welcome mat whilst the boom opportunity exists. In 2019, Chinese package tourists abroad spent US$254 billion, according to Statista, and tourism-focused businesses are gasping for revival. The average spending per individual was US$1,470, or 47,000 baht, though it is unclear how that relates to zero-sum tourists who pa…

Came across this site, is pretty addictive if you have some free time and want to see how well you remember what was going on in what year! https://www.chronophoto.app/game.html

From Thai PBS World Thailand’s dry season is forecast to begin at the end of February, 1-2 weeks later than normal, but average temperatures will be higher than last year, reaching 40-43°C in some areas from mid-March to mid-April. According to the Thai Meteorological Department, the average maximum temperature this summer is forecast to be at 35.5°C in the north of the country, which is close to normal, but higher than last year’s 34°C. Thailand’s north and north-east will be cool in the mornings, from the end of February to mid-March, but hot during the day time. Temperatures could reach 43°C in some areas, which will result in summer storms from mid-Marc…

From Thai PBS World Thailand was shocked recently by reports of online fraud victims claiming that hackers had secured access to their personal information through their charging cables, and used the stolen information to illegally transfer money out of their bank accounts. How to avoid online attacks After consulting with the Thai Bankers’ Association, the Bank of Thailand (BOT) clarified that the online fraud cases had not been caused by scammers hacking their devices through their charging cables in public places. The victims had downloaded trojan applications without knowing that hackers use malware to take control of their mobile phone remotely. The BO…