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Thanks for all the food recommendations. Another idea - I was thinking of going to a Muay Thai boxing match one night. I found a couple arenas not too far away. One is called Rajadamnern and one is Lumpinee. Anyone ever been to either of them? I did see a fun story of a forum member bringing a young man to train - I wonder if he ever made it? Thanks.

Clever defense using King as shield. Self respecting tourist in Pattaya past midnight should be entertained by some girl or boy not wander through the markets

I've been to 13 of those cities....I'm surprised Houston isn't mentioned.

Sauna mania doesn't let you use sandals from outside as far as I know, not sure if you bring them in a backpack or gymbag is different, I only showed up with my sandals I was using and they said they are dirty because I've been on the street.

just another day in Pattaya…. From Pattaya News A South Korean tourist filed a report to Pattaya police in the early hours of May 30th, claiming he was kicked in the face twice by an exotic animal exhibitor. The tourist lost three teeth after getting kicked. The incident took place at the Runway Market on Pattaya Second Road. The victim, Mr. Munsu Park, a 38-year-old South Korean national, along with his older brother and girlfriend, traveled to the Pattaya Police Station around 2:06 AM to file an assault report against the Thai owner of an exotic animal show. According to Ms. May, the victim’s girlfriend, Mr. Park was visiting Pattaya for the first time. The three of them were walking through the Runway Market and spotted an exotic animal show. Mr. Park stopped to watch and take pictures with his phone. However, the owner of the animal show became upset that the tourist was taking pictures and demanded he stop. An argument ensued, and Mr. Park allegedly tossed the owner a 100 baht banknote, Ms. May said. This enraged the owner even more. The owner threw the money on the ground and reportedly proceeded to kick Mr. Park in the face twice. The tourist fell to the ground, sustaining three broken teeth, two loose teeth, and profuse bleeding. The three of them decided to file a complaint against the exhibitor after the assault. Meanwhile, the owner of the animal show, whose name was not revealed by police, claimed that he was angered by the tourist throwing money at him. He perceived it as disrespectful, especially because money in Thailand contains a portrait of His Royal Majesty The King, which caused him to kick the tourist in a fit of anger. He did not think about the consequences at that moment, but he now felt remorse and would willingly face the legal repercussions through the justice system The incident is under investigation. It is unclear if the suspect offered to compensate for the damages to the Korean tourist.

From Pattaya Mail By Barry Kenyon The extension of visa-free travel to 93 countries, including all those which are major players in tourism to Thailand, means that the overwhelming majority of foreign holidaymakers can obtain 60 days just by turning up. Nationals of those countries still needing a prior visa – for example Haiti, Pakistan, the Central African Republic, El Salvador, North Korea – send few vacationers in any case. The mammoth question for the 93 countries is now extensions and repeat performances. In other words, can these tourists extend their 60 days for another month at local immigration and can they do a border hop to start all over again? Nobody can confirm either possibility and a phone call to 1178, the immigration hotline, brought no clarification. That’s not surprising as the new visa rules for visitors were introduced by the foreign affairs ministry, whilst internal extensions are the responsibility of the immigration bureau, a totally separate and fiercely independent government bureaucracy. The new Destination Thailand Visa (DTV), so far, is incomplete. We know is a multiple entry visa, valid for 5 years and aimed largely at remote workers and digital nomads, for a maximum stay of 180 days with an extension of another 180 days. The cost is 10,000 baht (around US$270) per half-year with a security bond of 500,000 baht available. Some social media contributors have stated this visa can be used only twice in five years, 180+180 days as it were, whilst others have declared you can live in Thailand for the entire five years as an alternative to the Elite visa or the annual extension of stay based on retirement. Neither extreme makes any sense. There is very little news in the new policy for existing expats, apart from a temporary reduction in medical insurance required by some (not all) holders of retirement visas and their subsequent extensions of stay. However, there is an intriguing reference in the ministry of foreign affairs’ news release that the number of non-immigrant visas available will be drastically cut. The detail, once again, is guesswork but could include visas and extensions for retirees, foreigners married to Thais, work permit holders and international students being updated. Will the well-known difference between the 800,000 baht requirement for retiree visas and the 400,000 baht for married foreigners survive? Not mentioned in the DTV news release, is the awesome elephant in the room. That’s the requirement, already stated by the Thai Revenue authorities, for all foreign tax residents to register by early next year for possible personal income tax on overseas income. A tax resident spends more than six months in Thailand in the calendar year. If the Thai government is serious about encouraging expat numbers in Thailand, it should issue an unambiguous statement that foreign income or pensions already taxed will in the home country will not be subject to further inquiry in Thailand. The sense of relief would be audible from the Myanmar border to the southern islands beyond Phuket. But don’t hold your breath.

I hope this is the case. In 24 hours or so I assume we will see the details. As with all things related to Thai Visas, I never get my hopes up. It always has, and always will be a pain in the ass.

Damn! That was quick! Thanks Randy.

One asshole, two questions, three videos, four verdicts. Question one. Now that a jury has confirmed that the whiny ass lying scumbag asshole is guilty, like we all knew he was, can't we just speed dial the other three verdicts? I have to believe even his cult tires of the whining lies. Question two. When do we get the third "DJT Does Crime The Best! " version of Randy Rainbow's Cell Block Tango?

From Time Out magazine / CNN Time Out’s Best Cities for Food 2024 1. Naples, Italy 2. Johannesburg, South Africa 3. Lima, Peru 4. Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam 5. Beijing, China 6. Bangkok, Thailand 7. Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia 8. Mumbai, India 9. Dubai, UAE 10. Portland, USA 11. Liverpool, UK 12. Medellín, Colombia 13. Seville, Spain 14. Porto, Portugal 15. Marrakech, Morocco 16. Lyon, France 17. Sydney, Australia 18. Montreal, Canada 19. Osaka, Japan 20. Copenhagen, Denmark https://edition.cnn.com/travel/time-out-best-food-cities-2024/index.html

Trump is so sick of winning, the guilty verdict must come as a relief. His constant declarations of innocence are laughable - except to the brainwashed, uneducated, hillbilly trailer-trash magamaniacs. If he were truly innocent, why didn't he testify to give us the real "truth"? Why has be never addressed all the evidence - the phone calls, multiple emails, receipts, documents, etc. Witnesses can lie but the physical evidence can't. It's that very evidence which proves the trial was not rigged and was not part of a Biden conspiracy. Trump has now joined all those criminals he says are crossing the border. How ironic! BTW, how come in the U.S., if you are convicted of a crime, you can become president but cannot vote? Am I missing something here??

Much more compelling question for Trump yet unanswered: Will orange make up artist be permitted to visit felon behind bars?

Convicted felon, check. Twice impeached, check. Liable for sexual abuse, battery and defamation, check. Braggart about sexually assaulting women, check. Went bankrupt running a casino, check. Found to have defrauded US on hundred of millions on business taxes with father, but revealed well after statute of limitations, check. Ran fraudulent university, check. The list goes on.

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Just pick up an inexpensive pair at one of the markets. Long time ago I started traveling with a pair, wherever I go for use in hotel rooms, beach, pool, saunas, etc.

Mewonders if Blanche will be part of the appeal process, since he did a stellar job.

Von ShitzInPantz guilty on 34 counts by jury. Found guilty by 12 jurors selected by both the prosecution and the defense on Each. And. Every. Count. Unanimously. How long before Von ShitzInPantz starts blaming his attorney, Todd Blanche, for the guilty verdicts? Do you think Blanche was smart enough to get his fee in full before the guilty verdict was announced?

I say we move directly to sentencing with two options: 1) a year in jail for each conviction - so 34 years (sounds fair, right) in a medium security facility with chance of parole after 10 years of good behavior. 2) No jail. $10mil fine for each conviction so $340mil (sounds fair, right) and corporal punishment of 34 smacks on the butt with a rolled up Forbes magazine in Times Square and broadcasted live on all major news channels (including Fox and Newsmax) delivered by Stormy Daniels. 😆

So much for Trump could shoot someone on Madison Ave in broad daylight and get away with it. He can't even cheat on his wife and lie about it successfully.

Would be disappointing if so. I wonder what the point would be? Might make it a little easier for employers to hire foreigners, but would entirely miss the market for digital nomads, and remote workers employed by non-Thailand based companies, who might like to spend a few months working in Thailand without worrying about VISA or tax issues. No issues with the "bond" payment for Digital Nomads who don't have a steady income, but an option should be there for employed remote workers who have a regular salary coming in to prove they earn $xxxx per month.