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Sounds concerning, I have visited new smaller premises and previous over the the road countless times and often great fun and happy memories! I arrive back in Bangkok on Friday for a couple of weeks holiday and will certainly check it out and let you know what I can find out but fingers crossed they will sort it out

Yeah, all Joe's fault....for someone that's supposed to be in a nursing home, he sure does a lot of bad shit.....which is it, is his a mastermind that planned the super bowl win with what's her name and her bf, or is he an invalid.....can't have it both ways.

NOTE -- Was Barry K reading Vinapu's mind--or recent post--about Pattaya, and Soi 6 in particular? From Pattaya Mail By Barry Kenyon Stickman Bangkok, the leading bar and club commentator since 1998, claims boldly that Pattaya has shaken off its seedy reputation. In his weekly online article, for March 10, he argues Pattaya is moving rapidly towards diversification and respectability. What was once a playground for middle-aged white men is now very much a family holiday destination. For Stickman, Peak Pattaya was from 1998 to 2010 when the resort had transformed from something of a backwater beach destination to a developed (but not over-developed) resort which managed to maintain the old vibes but with more choices of places to go, shop and sleep. It was still a place dominated by middle-aged white men. Today, Stickman concludes, Pattaya is bland by comparison and not anymore off-beat or risque. Most old timers in Pattaya are going to agree with Stickman who, like Martin Luther at the time of the Reformation, said aloud what lots of people were thinking anyhow. Today’s Pattaya is a concrete jungle, as everyone sees on arrival, and is no longer a bargain for the economy tourist. The sex-dominated districts, such as Soi Six and Soi Buakhao, are fewer in number and probably less fun than they once were. Mobile phones have replaced furtive glances as you pass by. The Walking Street has changed beyond all recognition, more upmarket and with a future likely dominated by Indian dance clubs and bars essentially catering for Asian travellers. Stickman does not mention the gay scene centered on Jomtien Complex and Boyztown – he usually claims his readers wouldn’t be interested – but the changes there are significant too. Pickup bars and gogo joints have largely been superseded by businesses offering entertaining drag shows, which even your grandmother might enjoy, and relaxing venues where social rather than sexual intercourse seems to be the dominant conversation. Still, they are busy most nights. Putting the sex back in Pattaya, as you might say, isn’t an option. The Thai government is currently busy offering visa free travel to the diverse mega-markets of Russia, China and India amongst others. As Thailand’s birth rate continues to decline, largely because of the expense of raising families, young Thais have better options than selling their bodies. Pattaya’s successful MICE market (meetings and conventions etc.), the expanding five-star accommodation options, the much misunderstood Eastern Economic Corridor, the diversification of entertainment facilities catering for families (amongst lots of other factors) all point to a future very different from 15 years ago. Nostalgia for the past, of course, is a privilege of advancing years. Stickman acknowledges that, recalling some of the great characters of the past such as Glitterman who rode a beautifully decorated bicycle around Pattaya, or the guy with the parrot which he even took into the immigration bureau to renew his visa, or the lady who covered herself with tarantulas to shock first time visitors. All gone. Perhaps too sex in Pattaya will wither on the vine. Check out Stickman’s article on https://www.stickmanbangkok.com and decide for yourself. ==================== From Pattaya Mail Parliamentary delegation surveys EEC, highlights U-Tapao Airport’s strategic role A high-profile delegation led by Krumanit Sangpoom, Chairman of the Land Transportation Committee of the House of Representatives, embarked on a comprehensive tour of key infrastructure sites within the Eastern Economic Corridor (EEC) on March 10. The deputation, aimed to gain valuable insights, receive briefings, and engage in discussions regarding the development of this vital economic zone in Thailand’s eastern region. The visit, facilitated by members of the committee, encompassed three significant locations integral to the EEC’s development trajectory: Laem Chabang Port, U-Tapao Rayong-Pattaya International Airport in Ban Chang District, Rayong Province, and the Map Ta Phut Industrial Estate Office. Throughout the visit, the delegation actively participated in discussions and exchanged viewpoints with relevant authorities, addressing the progress, challenges, and obstacles encountered in advancing the EEC’s infrastructure and economic landscape. The valuable insights and feedback garnered during the visit, encompassing assessments of existing services, identification of areas for enhancement, and strategies for bolstering capacity, will be presented to the Cabinet for deliberation and subsequent action. The delegation reiterated its unwavering commitment to fostering the development of the EEC, acknowledging its pivotal role in shaping Thailand’s future economic trajectory. Furthermore, the strategic positioning of U-Tapao Rayong-Pattaya International Airport was underscored, highlighting its potential to accommodate a significant share of visitors alongside Suvarnabhumi and Don Mueang International Airports in the foreseeable future.

Damn! Once again. We agree. This isn't even a debate. You keep making my arguments for me Americans Remain Committed to NATO Two-thirds want to see U.S. increase or maintain commitment to NATO That poll is less than a month old. So, yes. Trump wants to bow down to Putin. Trump is okay with Putin's genocide. Trump wants to weaken if not destroy NATO. These are all among the many reasons this weak, corrupt, law-breaking, cop-bone breaking wannabe fascist will lose. You're just deeply fucked, @Moses. You keep saying outrageous shit. If you think Americans will elect Trump so he can bow down to Putin and destroy NATO, you are clueless in your denial. At no point have you rebutted my main point. You condone genocide. You think genocide works. You actually want MORE genocide. Now you want to argue that we can kill as many children as we want. We can kill as many women as we want. We can kill as many men as we want. See? Genocide works. We did it is Grozny. You just have to kill as many children, women, and men as it takes, dump them in mass graves, and pave them over in concrete and put new buildings on top of their bodies. Ain't it swell? Doesn't it look pretty? I'd say there's probably a 30 to 50 % chance that in a decade Chechnya will be an independent state, after the Russian Federation breaks up. That's a very hard one to call. What's easier to call, because it's inevitable, is that your genocide in Ukraine will weaken Russia - politically, economically, and militarily. It's happening right now. You can't deny it. Interest rates are soaring. Inflation is soaring. Bankruptcies are soaring. The US stock market keeps making new highs, and the average American's net worth is up 30 % since 2019. Vlad needs an inflationary pretend budget, and he needs to process hundreds of thousands of Russians into fertilizer, just to TRY to keep this genocide going. You think you are on a sustainable or winning path? Give me a fucking break. Yes. The Jew is a Nazi. Got it. Makes perfect sense. You're so far out there, @Moses, that I would not stop at the Pope. Let's bring in the master of fantasy, Walt Disney. You'll need it. Let's have happy talk about genocide. That's what you want, and what you actually need. Happy talk about the genocide, to try to think it is not just pure evil. When you wish for genocide Makes no difference where you die All the hate your heart desires Will come to you. As you build your war machine No cruelty is too extreme When you wish for genocide As Russians do Kill their babies rape their Moms Shell their cities with your bombs When you wish for genocide You always lose. Here's the thing @Moses. Thanks to your genocide, 90 % of Ukrainians love Vlad even more than Walt Disney. They just can't wait for Russian soldiers to kill their men, rape their women, and blow up their babies. It is sowing love and respect for Russians, which will build 100 years of peace. If that's the fantasy you want to believe, enjoy it while it lasts.

Dreams, dreams... Pope Francis already told what will be in the end: white flag, falling Nazi regime of Zelenskiy, demilitarization of Ukraine and neutral status. And I'm not sure if NATO will be the same to that time NATO as we know now, because Trump demonstrating clear intention to withdraw US from NATO.

Yup. You deserve the Petraeus Propaganda Award. You are proving it with every post. This is exactly why 90 % of Ukrainians don't want to make peace with your genocidal sadist. Putin is a man of genocide, not honor. He has made that very clear. At the end of 20 Days of Mariupol, it says, "An estimated 25,000 people are known to have died in the siege of Mariupol. The true toll is probably much higher." Can you show us the pictures where you rebuilt the 25,000 dead people? The film showed us the dead mothers your genocidal sadist kjiled. The film showed us the dead babies your genocidal sadist killed. Show us the pictures of how you rebuilt the dead. This is why 90 % of Ukraine does not want to make peace with your genocidal sadist. Ain't gonna happen, @Moses. Believe and dish out all the propaganda you want. But the hell will continue, thanks to what your genocidal sadist did. Can you estimate for us how many more Russians need to be processed into fertilizer? How high does inflation in Russia need to go? How high do interest rates need to go in Russia? How many bankruptcies? Educate us, please! This is not happening because of NATO. Not because of the US. Not because of Europe. It is happening because Ukrainians see Putin as the genocidal sadist he is, and Russians soldiers as the torturers and rapists and mass murderers that they are. How could they not? Everything you are saying confirms my points, and often restates them. I'll restate that I'm okay with saying the US committed genocide in Iraq. I opposed it. Most Democrats opposed it. Nancy Pelosi opposed it. How did it end? Very badly for the US. Even though we are far more powerful than Russia, and we had a world of allies. And yet somehow you want to believe the propaganda that it will end differently in Ukraine. Even though Ukraine is stronger, has way more allies, and probably hates you more. And already has demonstrated that they know how to kick your ass. What Ukraine proved in 2023 is that they don't have superpowers. They couldn't just walk through horrific killing fields of defense set up by Russia like heroes in a Marvel movie. But you are not winning a war that is a quagmire. And will continue to be a horror that drains Russia of blood and treasure. Just like our invasion of Iraq (or Afghanistan, or Viet Nam) did to the US. Grozny and Chechnya makes my point. It was an internal civil war, not an occupation of another country. And even then, it took about a decade to quell the war. The key verb is "destroy". That is correct. Russia destroys. Russia kills. Russia rapes. Russia tortures. Again, you are making my point. And yet you can't simply connect the dots of blood of how genocide works. Even though you are pointing to the US and describing, quite accurately, how it worked in Iraq. And how it will end for Russia in Ukraine. You condone the genocide, and deny the genocide. You condone mass murder. You just won't admit that this is precisely why 90 % of Ukrainians don't trust the genocidal sadist, and his rapist soldiers, who have done this to them. They found something like 800 Chechen bodies in mass graves from the 1995 Chechen war. They found something like 5000 bodies in mass graves from the second Chechen war. Did you restore them? Can you show us the pictures? Your point is this: "GENOCIDE WORKS." We committed genocide in Chechnya and it worked. We were willing to destroy everything, and kill everyone. We killed the men. We killed the women. We killed the children. Our strategy was to destroy, and commit genocide. And it worked! Woo hoo! If you think that will work in Ukraine, this is why I gave you the Petraeus Propaganda Award. Everything about Chechnya tells us precisely why Russia will lose in Ukraine. Chechnya has a bit more than 1 million people. In Ukraine, there are maybe 10 times as many WHO LEFT UKRAINE because of the genocide, and are absolutely determined to return from Poland or wherever they are. Then there's the maybe 37 million people still in Ukraine. You think this is like Chechnya? You think you can just destroy and destroy and destroy and keep on with the genocide and win that way? Show me one example in history where that actually worked. Every recent example - Iraq, Libya, Afghanistan, Viet Nam - shows why genocide and mass destruction doesn't work. It just dooms millions of Russians to suffering and being processed into fertilizer. This is not for me or you to decide. Personally, I hope that 90 % of Ukrainians get tired of the war. I hope they shift and maybe decide they can live without Crimea. And maybe just build a huge fucking wall and join NATO. But even that will take a very long time. The only other alternative is what happened to the USSR in Afghanistan. It ground Russia down (with only 10 % of the dead Russians we already have in Ukraine) and it ground the Russian economy and morale down. And that took many years. So it took 10 years of hell, mass murder, rape, torture, and genocide in Chechnya, which has 1 million people and is part of the Russian Federation. If you think it will ONLY take 10 years in Ukraine for Russia to win, you are deluding yourself, Gen. Petraeus. You are explaining why you will lose to us. And you don't even get it. You also don't get that the US does rebuild. The appropriate example, especially in Europe, is what happened after World War II. The US did occupy. The US and our allies came up with the Marshall Plan. We did rebuild Germany. It became a vibrant economy. It has been a strong ally to America. In my view, Germany was a good ally when Schröder opposed the Iraq War. We should have listened. I agreed with him. Germany is a strong ally now in welcoming Ukrainian refugees and opposing your genocidal sadist. Have you noticed that Ukrainians hate Russians, and the idea of being part of Russia? Have you noticed how they can't wait to be part of the EU and NATO, and build a wall between them and your genocidal sadist and his raping and mass murdering soldiers? So, again, all your points explain the details of why and how Russia will lose. The US is probably one of the best examples in all of world history of how you win a war and occupy the country of the loser. And rebuild it in a way that, 80 years later, it is one your strongest allies. Japan is another example. Although, as you like to point out, the US nuked Japan. Did you notice whose side Japan is on now? Do you understand why the Japanese people feel the way they do? We did nuke them, after they bombed the shit out of us and started the war. It is a great example of how you go from being enemies to being allies, based on mutual self-interest. Where did the Soviet Union or Russia ever do that? Poland? East Germany? Estonia? Lithuania? Afghanistan? Ukraine now? Give me a fucking break! All you have proven so far is that in a small part of your failing federation, genocide can be made to work. For now. If and when the Federation collapses, Chechnya will be an independent country. Thanks for pointing out how hollow all your propaganda is.

I second @Keithambrose suggestion. Since you don't often go to the big city, you may not realise how Patpong road has changed. This blogpost from last December should give you an idea, complete with a few photos: https://shamelessmacktwo.travel.blog/2024/01/16/patpong-night-market-now-has-food/

+1 You might also wish to take them on a short field trip. Go down Surawong and pass by the massage shops. Plenty of cooked food vendors and attractive masseurs (or masseuses, depending on preference) along the way. If they seem to enjoy themselves, turn left on Soi Tarntawan (at 7-11) and continue to Soi 6 to complete the tour. I do it almost nightly and never seems to lose its charm.

You might get some ideas from this YouTube vlog. Night markets for food and shopping. https://youtu.be/ZITJZ-TJirY?feature=shared

Patpong 1, no traffic!

Icon siam

NEVER FORGET Trump, a deranged and petty person attacking an awards show tonight, is the same person Republicans want to lead the free world.

Stinky let a deadly virus into our country, said he had it all under control, and then shut down the country.

your presence 😉

And of course ScarJo on SNL!

me too and I know why I like all that space - I grew up in very smalI apartment where every square inch was utilized. One danger of big hotel room is that we may tend to spread our stuff all over and when packing something may be forgotten - see my last trip report where I confess to leaving about 100 000 riels in 5000 riel notes on the night desk. And no, I was not in rush when packing , it just happened.

Le Meridien is perfectly ok with joiners - both male and female. The Japanese guests often eat breakfast with their female overnight companions (from Soi Thaniya). I even saw one of @vinapu regular hunks with a guest during breakfast!

Metro Centrale near Central Station, quite popular, mixed public, nothing special. Saturdays and Sundays a must for the milanesi is Royal Hammam at Lambrate, easy to reach with the metro, nice sauna with big pool, people with attitude and mostly part of a circle of friends, interesting however because is the only place where you can find escorts from Egypt or generally North Africa, usual rate is 50 euro, 99% top. I hope it was helpful

document_5431401172776794860.mp4

I like jodd fairs. I find that it is one of the newer and cleaner night market. There are plenty of food and shopping options. Just take note that they have 2 locations. The original location is very close to rama 9 mrt station but is more crowded. The new location is slightly further from the nearest bts (ha yaek lat phrao) but I find it more spacious and might be more suitable for you.

Me too, excellent example at Le Meredien, not that expensive! The suite also has a double shower for ease of showering with your companion! And a Japanese toilet.

And now you are ruled by a dictator with dementia

Congratulations, @Moses. I am proud to bestow on you the esteemed Gen. David Petraeus Award For Military Propaganda And Bullshit. Petraeus had a knack for explaining how the Afghan surge was going to work beautifully. And then how the Iraqi surge was going to work beautifully. Needless to say, by the time he started cheerleading for Ukraine's 2023 offensive, hearing Petraeus on TV talking about how successful it was going to be sounded like ................. well, bullshit. Sounds like you're reciting the bullshit and propaganda you hear and read from Vlad's war planners. I'm not good at military strategy. Which is why I'm good at saying there are some very common sense things that aren't that complicated that anyone can understand. The rhetoric about taking back Crimea always seemed particularly overconfident. After Russia had months to set up defenses in the areas they occupied, it seemed predictable that it would be a huge challenge to get through them. And - what a complete surprise! - it was. That's why I give Gen. Milley credit for not spouting bullshit. And instead advocating negotiating for peace while your enemy is weak. Problem, as @reader noted, is who actually believes Putin is honorable, or keeps his word? What also seems common sense is that all the rules of occupying wars apply here. It's their country, not yours. They hate you, they want to get rid of you, they want to kill you, and they will gradually and incrementally do that. If Russians want to keep fighting and turning millions of yourselves into fertilizer, maybe that will work. But the history of this is that you're in for years and years and years of hell. Just like in Viet Nam, Afghanistan, and Iraq, to name the most obvious quagmires. It's already fucking up Russia's economy badly, and that will just continue and escalate. You don't want to believe it. Fine, Gen. Petraeus. Cheerlead and bullshit all you want. I don't see Vlad stopping. And I think Milley was right. He can't win militarily, and neither can Ukraine. My guess is the most likely thing that will change is Ukraine may eventually decide that they were overconfident. And that some of this territory - especially Crimea - will never be part of Ukraine again. But that is a long way off. 90 % of them don't want to make peace with Russia on Russian terms. Again, because Putin is a man of genocide, not honor. So I think you're stuck with a future of trying to keep an economy based on genocide and turning Russians into fertilize going. Best of luck. And congratulations on you new honor, @Moses. Too bad I can't give you an Oscar, as well. That went to the people who documented Vlad's genocide., The global effort to document the genocide and the horror of Putin's Russia is just getting started.

@TotallyOz can this be pinned ?

Obviously silly study by someone desperate to prove a point. Real-life studies are obviously what are important.

Really, now. These men obviously didn't always have phimosis, etc. They can certainly remember how the sex (or masturbation) was before and how it was after. Not at all complicated, nor difficult to understand.

yes all sounds hyper shady... wrought with red flags

I finally texted my contact working there a long time with a binary question: re-opened or not. Very cryptic response sent Sunday afternoon. Just that there is a problem now.

In Cartagena, you have to remember that this is really three cities -- the old Walled city and next-door Getsemani, the Hotels along the water in Bocagrande and the suburban outpost of El Castillo, and the main city of Cartagena proper (including the Manga neighbourhood). You want to spend time in the Walled City, walk around and soak in the ambience. Grab a drink at Cafe del Mar and watch the sun set. Visit Gabriel Garcia Marquez's former home. Have lunch by the pool at the Santa Clara hotel (a former monastery). Explore the graffiti covered streets of Getsemani and walk under the hanging umbrellas that protect you from the sun. As others have pointed out, the beaches along Bocagrande are not great. The best beach is in El Castillo next to the Hilton hotel. It is a public beach so feel free to set up there. Otherwise, you can grab a day charter from Muelle de la Bodegita where dozens of companies will sell you packages for day trips to Cholón (over priced but popular), Playa Blanca and Barú. There are tons of shops, restaurants and smaller bars in Bocagrande-El Castillo, which becomes very lively in the evening. You are definitely going to want to go out at least once. There are dozens of rooftop bars/clubs in the walled city. The best known are Alquímico, Tsunami, and Ajeno. The scene at Donde Fidel (on the street across from the Hard Rock) is fun and you will get different entertainment looking for tips. As far as Baranquilla goes, it is not well developed for tourism. It actually came into existence because of its location on the Magdelana river so it has extensive history and interesting culture. Unless you are very comfortable with the language and know some locals, there is little to see and do outside of Carnaval each year. The suggestions to explore Tayrona and Santa Marta are good ones since both are relatively close. You may also want to just spend more time exploring the many sites around Cartagena such as El Tutumo (mud volcano -- fun half day outing), see the flamingos at the Avario nacional de Barú, swim with photoplankton at night in Barú, learn about AfroColombian culture with a day trip to San Basilio del Palenque, or tour the mangroves outside Cartagena. There are many other options to see - do so I encourage you to keep exploring the many possibilities for your trip here. Enjoy your time in Colombia.

Alan Lichtman? lmfao!

Yes, I saw one of my companions breakfasting with another client at Le Meredien! He grinned at me!

From Pattaya Mail The 16th World Wai Kru Muay Thai Ceremony will be held on 16-17 March 2014 in the ancient capital of Ayutthaya, about an hour’s drive north of Bangkok. Multiple events are scheduled at Wat Langkha Khao, while the sacred Wai Kru ceremony will take place at Wat Mahathat, with the temple’s ruins serving as a dramatic backdrop. The much-anticipated event is returning after four years of hiatus. Its previous edition in 2019 attracted a record number of participants to Ayutthaya, with more than 1,500 Muay Thai boxers from 70 countries. Muay Thai boxers make it a tradition to participate in the annual World Wai Kru Muay Thai Ceremony in Ayutthaya at least once in their lifetime. They come from around the world to express their gratitude to masters and trainers in the time-honoured ritual while celebrating the aged-old martial art of Muay Thai. For full schedule of events: https://www.pattayamail.com/thailandnews/world-wai-kru-muay-thai-ceremony-in-ancient-capital-of-ayutthaya-march-16-17-454545

From Thai PBS News The Livestock Development Department has warned cattle raisers be on alert for anthrax, after three Laotians living in Champasak province in southern Laos are reported to have fallen sick after eating raw beef. Somchuan Ratanamungklanon, the department’s director-general, said that livestock officials, based in north-eastern provinces bordering with Laos, have been instructed to prepare to vaccinate cattle. He added that cattle farmers have also been instructed to report immediately to livestock officials in their localities if any of their cattle, goats or sheep become sick and die rapidly and must not move, slaughter or eat such animals. Kaenika Oonchit, deputy spokesperson for Government House, said that officials, based at animal quarantine centres along Thai-Lao border, have been ordered to strengthen order controls, to prevent smuggling of cattle, goats or sheep or their meat into Thailand. Anthrax is a serious infectious disease caused by the Bacillus anthracis bacterium. It occurs naturally in soil and commonly affects domestic and wild animals. Humans can become infected through direct or indirect contact with sick animals. There is no evidence that anthrax is transmitted from person to person, but it is possible that anthrax derived skin lesions may be contagious through direct contact or through contact with a contaminated object.

I tend to stay at hotels not too close to (but not that far from) the bars (like Bandara Suites, At Ease Saladaeng, Silom Serene etc.) and so far, had no issues with bringing guests back in other than the knowing smiles of the doorman or receptionist 🤣🤣.

unfortunately it was not me, that guest breakfasting with said hunk. Meridien is not my league when comes to accommodation unfortunately, LOL

Well being London it's very diverse. Though definitely fit and attractive guys gets to picked up first. I hooked up with a Saudian with a very upper class english accent and a Singaporean guy.

Republicans just gave SNL their next cold open. Priceless! https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2024/mar/08/katie-britt-sotu-reaction

Entertaining but take with a pinch of salt as the pinkish colour of Thailand suggests around one third of males are circumcised while, my research suggests a much lower proportion. I am willing to undertake more research and will be setting up a funding page to facilitate that.

Le meridien, W, The standard, Crowne plaza, Pullman G Bangkok and even Sofitel are some luxury hotels close enough to the scene and all have no issues with guests.

Was here few months ago. A bit dodgy place to find under the bridge with drunk homeless people. However it is near Waterloo station so it's easy to find. The bartender is soo hot. A 6 foot+ 90's matinee blonde that came out of a magazine cover. Entrance is at £20.

Hilton Garden Inn Silom had nobody there to stop you from bringing in a guest. You just walked in and made your way to the elevators.

Hilton Millenium no problems at all. Have to meet in lobby because of lift key card but nothing said.

It's very hard to visualise how much labour and skill went into building these monuments and sculptures. It's no easy thing to shape stone and rock into these complex forms.

Iconic Wat Si Chum in Northern Zone with 15m tall Buddha

For the past umpteen years I have used the "yellow bank" ATMs. I always got a near-current exchange rate (a 1% currency conversion fee) and it allows a daily withdrawal of 30k baht. The service fee (200B) has always been refunded by my bank back home, so I was always happy. Last night, for the first time, a new screen appeared just at the very end of the ATM withdrawal process which asks if you want THEM to do the conversion to US dollars? I foolishly pushed "ACCEPT" which was a BIG mistake -- the receipt slip informs me that they took an additional 5% currency conversion fee for the privilege of doing the conversion!! This means I lost more than $40 on that transaction! I am really pissed! I knew the moment I pushed ACCEPT that I had made a mistake, but there is NO WAY to cancel or reverse your choice once you push that button (which is far bigger than the other buttons). I was in a hurry and it cost me dearly. So please, any Americans out there, please be careful with this raunchy (at best!) business practice. I was going to go back to the Yellow Bank to complain this morning but I realized it would do me no good. SO please be careful! (I don't know if this scam, and yes it is a scam, is also being done for pounds and euros, I hope not.)

Good for Rob. That type of sneaky "theft" really needs to be called out! As for me, I was withdrawing quite a lot of money (30k) and I didn't want to dawdle near the ATM for obvious security concerns, and I was not expecting that stealth screen, so I rushed, which cost me dearly alas.

When I initially started visiting Thailand often many years ago I used to always use the ATMs then as their fees increased, coupled with my own UK bank fees, I looked after a holiday and realised just what this small benefit was actually costing me - and it was a fortune! I now simply take sufficient UK notes, pack them in to a couple of envelopes, place in buttoned trouser pockets for my flight then straight in to the room safe on arrival, I then exchange with the best rates (defiantly I think in Bangkok Super Rich Silom road and larger notes give the best rates, but always a long wait!) however other than a rip of sudden emergency ATM saves me a fortune! Additionally more Thai establishments accept credit or debit cards, some such as Chase don't charge a currency conversation fee and the rates their rates seem to normally reflect the acceptable rates from change places, so I increasingly use plastic!

Back in 2017 I visited South Korea and what I did was to contact various massage shops ahead of time where I corresponded with various managers who were able to: hook me up with masseurs who were willing to also be my tour guide, hook me up with massages after the daily tour was completed - this included arranging a massage with someone from north of the border who was living in Seoul, hook me up with a masseur/tour guide - all in one - where we could sleep together and go on side trips outside of Seoul. The reason that I went this route was that I could not find anything comparable to what we have here in Thailand (Bangkok / Pattaya). I was VERY satisfied with all of my arrangements - but the fees to make it happen was on the high side - as the masseurs were often playing a dual role and organizing transportation, tours, and massages with extras.