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As near as I can recall from my December visit, rates appear down across the board by at least 20%. Looking at the pics of masseurs on website, the guy I chose was either the second from right in either the top row or bottom row (they look somewhat alike to me). He was 35, said he use to work at Arena and provided excellent service. Don't see any evidence that the restaurant is open, but there are numerous photos at FB page, two of which show the restaurant and bar. https://www.facebook.com/myherobangkok/

From Daily Mail (UK) Police in Thailand are trying to establish if a retired British teacher committed suicide because he was receiving lower pension payments. Trevor Roberts was found dead in the Nan River in Phitsanulok, 300 miles north of Bangkok on Thursday. Police were told by the 74-year-old's Thai wife that he had been complaining about his British pension, leading officers to consider whether this could be the reason for his death. His sister-in-law, Phuangthong Nuanjan, has told police that Mr Roberts and his wife had been arguing lately because he was receiving less pension money than before due to changes in the way it was paid. Although there have been no changes to British pensions, UK citizens living abroad have been hit by a fall in the value of the pound, causing many to suffer such heavy losses that they have even been considering returning home. http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-4500158/Retired-teacher-kills-Thailand-Pound-fall.html

A young Thai man saw an opportunity and took it. Aware that he could use a bath, he improvised when he spotted a broken water pipe that was creating a pool by the side of the road in Pattaya. He proceeds to demonstrate how it's done with aplomb while maintaining his dignity. That a passerby decides it's worthy of posting illustrates that we're constantly under observation when we walk out the door. According to the Pattaya Daily News, the person who posted it on FB makes sarcastic comments (you Thai speakers can judge for yourself). You can find the article along with link to FB video here: http://pattayadailynews.com/well-played-man-taking-a-baht-at-broken-water-pipe/

Moses, I'm sure Kaung could lead guys to places described in this travel article that trumpets the benefits of visiting Myanmar and other experiences the article omits: http://www.vogue.com/article/why-to-visit-myanmar-instead-of-thailand

see post #6 above.

When he gets back to Spain, he'll have a bevy of women--and no shortage of hopeful guys--queued up to be screwed by this now celebrity stud. And all it cost him was 500 baht. Who says the cost of living is going up in Thailand!

It wasn't that difficult when you watch the clear video at link below. Police report that they "were still looking for the woman." And I'm sure they are. From Khaosod English KOH SAMUI — A man whose roadside coupling on Samui became the subject of an on line sex clip was made to apologize to reporters and the public on camera after being fined by police Tuesday. Pons Crespo Arnau, 28 of Spain, admitted to being the man in the viral video that appeared to show him having sex in broad daylight along a beach road Monday. He was fined 500 baht for public obscenity. “I am so sorry for everybody in Thailand,” he said, making a wai gesture, to a reporter who followed him out of the police station. “I know it’s not good, but I drank too much.” Arnau said he just met the woman, who he said was Russian, Sunday night. They drank until morning before going to the beach. Police were still looking for the woman. http://www.khaosodenglish.com/culture/net/2017/05/09/spaniard-made-apologize-film-samui-beach-sex/

From NY Times BANGKOK — On a broad parade ground not far from the Grand Palace, Thai masters are constructing a vision of heaven — an elegant, nine-spired funeral pyre for King Bhumibol Adulyadej that will send his soul into the afterlife later this year. Built to represent Mount Meru, the center of the Hindu universe, it will embody the highest of Thai arts and architecture, with delicate towers adorned with images from mythology and from the life of the king, who died last October at the age of 88, after 70 years on the throne. The cremation is planned for Oct. 26, the second of five days of funeral ceremonies. It will be witnessed by 8,000 invited guests as well as millions of Thais around the nation. The main cremation tower will be 165 feet tall, with a seven-tiered roof and spire, surrounded by eight smaller pavilions representing mountains that surround Mount Meru. Ponds at the pyre’s four corners represent the Cosmic Ocean that flows around it. There will be a small garden with a plot of rice and vegetation commemorating the king’s commitment to rural development. The pyre’s iconography will portray some of the king’s accomplishments, including dams, wind farms, reservoirs and irrigation projects. It will have paintings of angels and mythical creatures, and hundreds of sculptures, including a statue of the king’s favorite dog, Tongdaeng. Continues with photos https://www.nytimes.com/2017/05/08/world/asia/king-bhumibol-thailand-funeral-pyre.html

A mortician should never give up hope.

It's getting to be Groundhog Day in Pattaya. From Pattayaone Bang Lamung district chief Naris Niramaiwong joined an entourage of local police and soldiers parading through Pattaya on Tuesday. According to the chief they were doing important work under government orders to clear up the illegal sex trade in karaoke shops, beer bars and soapy massage establishments or ap-op-nuat, reported Siam Chon News. They were also on the lookout for illegal immigrants, illegal foreign workers and signs of human trafficking and other illegal activity. Naris – who in February mounted a similar raid embarrassing a UK man caught with his trousers down in a short time room above a Go-Go establishment on Valentine’s Day – said it was part of improving tourism at the resort. He also didn’t want the resort to be called “sex capital of the world” anymore, reported Siam Chon News The report of the party’s activities did not mention a single arrest or incident encountered by the group on their foray into the resort’s nightlife. http://pattayaone.news/en/yet-another-sex-clean-pattaya/

From Khaosod English BANGKOK — Powerful stories, LGBT luminaries and fabulous events are coming to the capital with the return of an annual event dedicated to celebrating gay pride and ending discrimination. Next week is IDAHOT, an event known less concisely as the International Day Against Homophobia, Transphobia and Biphobia. On May 17, the LGBT community and its friends will come together at a contemporary art space to show the power of diversity and support under the slogan "We are a #RainboyFamily. Talks, exhibitions, performances and more events will be held all day. The event will take place at the Bangkok Art and Culture Center, best reached by skywalk from BTS National Stadium. For event schedule: http://www.khaosodenglish.com/life/arts/2017/05/09/rainbows-pride-soar-bangkok-next-week/

That's true but it's the declining birth rate accounts for the rapidly aging population. Thailand birth rate per 1,000 persons:

Probably less than a ST room and but they couple gets the fame and the ride tossed in. Cheap at twice the price. Seems that there's something about Phuket that brings out the best in foreigners. Another couple has been taped having sex on the beach in daytime. But it didn't draw the same attention as the yuk-yuk pair (even the nearby dog appears bored). Article and photo from Phuket Gazette http://www.phuketgazette.net/thailand-news/Another-foreign-couple-wanted-committing-sex-acts/66570

From Bangkok Post By Wichan Charoenkiatpakul Every day, thousands of people from all walks of life pass through Hua Lamphong railway station in Bangkok. The station has been serving travellers in Thailand for more than. 100 years. Some are full of hope of finding a new life in the big city on arrival. Some are bidding farewell to their families and friends. Some are lost in the flow of people. Hua Lamphong has witnessed lots of emotions. The station was considered modern when it opened in 1916 after six years of construction, but in the next few years Hua Lamphong will become a memory. The State Railway of Thailand plans to relocate Bangkok’s central station to Bang Sue in 2019. Hua Lamphong will then be turned into a museum. Continues with pics http://www.bangkokpost.com/learning/easy/1245383/hua-lamphong-enters-its-last-2-years

From Khaosod English AYUTTHAYA — A policeman in Ayutthaya province is under investigation for breaching discipline by announcing he will wed his fiance, a police commander confirmed Monday. Lance Cpl. Thanadech Sukthawinand launched to online fame last week after a wedding invitation, which showed him in a police uniform, surfaced on social media. His supervisors soon launched a probe to ascertain whether he breached any unspecified regulations by getting married. “We are now investigating the matter. We have not taken any action against him yet,” Col. Samart Kaewmanee, head of Wang Noi police, where Thanadech is assigned. “We want to find out the facts first.” But when pressed on what offense the lance corporal might be guilty of, Samart would not say. “Actually, I don’t even really want to talk to the media about this,” Samart said, laughing. The wedding is set to take place Wednesday in Roi Et province. On Friday, an image purported to be an internal Ayutthaya police memo ordering the investigation was posted to social media. Reached for comment, provincial police commander Thanasak Panyaem referred inquiries to Samart. But Thanasak told Matichon on Friday they merely wanted to find out whether Thanadech had a wife or children, and whether he was eligible to marry. The colonel also reportedly said police officers were free to live in accordance to their sexual orientation, as long as their conduct is in line with regulations. Same-sex marriage is not recognized under the law, but it is also not illegal and same-sex weddings are commonplace. Paisarn Likhitpreechakul, an activist with the Foundation for Sexual Orientation and Gender Identity Rights and Justice, said it’s the first time he heard of a police officer being investigated for marrying someone. Continues with pic http://www.khaosodenglish.com/politics/2017/05/08/cop-review-openly-marrying-boyfriend/

Now if the poll was limited to members here I think we'd be looking at a number >95%.

From Pattaya Mail Thais’ love of somtam is leading to higher cancer rates and deaths, the head of the Chonburi Cancer Hospital told medical professionals in Pattaya. Dr. Sutat Duangdeeden was the lead speaker at the center’s 8th annual cancer seminar at the A-One Royal Cruise Hotel. Sutat said rates of deaths caused by cancer in Thailand have increased in recent years with 60,000 cases now reported annually. Fatality rates also are increasing. While he noted that causes of cancer vary, Thais’ love of “pla ra” or raw fish used in somtam, as well as other undercooked foods are responsible for increased rates of worm infections, which can lead to liver cancer. http://www.pattayamail.com/news/somtam-slowly-killing-many-thais-cancer-center-says-172563

You may have a fair to middling chance of not being noticed engaging in all-out hanky panky on a deserted darkened beach, but in the back of a tuk-tuk in central Phuket not so much. The dash cam in the car behind captured the action, although lack of resolution leaves a lot to the imagination. The guy who took the video claims it was a man and a woman but, judging from the quality of the video, who can say for sure. The Brit tabloids love nothing better than sex in Thailand and the Sun, Mirror, Mail and Star all covered it but only the Sun didn't pixelate the video. https://www.thesun.co.uk/news/3495759/randy-tourists-face-arrest-after-being-filmed-having-sex-in-a-tuk-tuk-on-thailand-party-island-phuket/

From NY Times Descending from China in grand, graceful arcs, the upper Mekong unfurls in a tranquil, lulling sheen. Only battlement ruins to the south betray the region’s heritage, a blood-soaked clash of empires, contested by Thai, Burmese, Laotian and Khmer armies for centuries. Fortresses and royal cities are now all but swallowed by jungle and farmland. The once-remote Golden Triangle at the northern tip of Thailand is now a haven for peaceful contemplation in dozens of temples and shrines, from gilded palaces to secret grottoes, where you can meditate to the sound of water dripping on limestone or the chattering of monkeys. One mountain outcropping has become a favorite for passing elephants, who gaze over the mists to Myanmar and Laos beyond. Over the last few decades the area has been rediscovered. As they reclaim it from the drug smugglers and blissed-out backpackers who made it notorious in the 1970s, travelers today find a bracing climate — it can be 25 degrees cooler at night here than in the coastal cities — along with natural beauty, verdant courtyard lodgings, riverfront restaurants and street markets where a handful of fat, juicy grilled cicadas can cost just a dollar. Continues with map, photos https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2017/05/04/travel/what-to-do-36-hours-in-the-golden-triangle-thailand.html

And not without good reason. Many guys appear to have adapted the NRA mantra and believe that the only thing that stops a bad guy with a knife is a good guy with a knife. And everyone believes they're the good guy. It's wise not to anger a Thai, and the younger they are the quicker they are to anger. Just a recent example: From Bangkok Post NARATHIWAT - An 18-year-old youth allegedly caught on camera entering a hospital emergency room and murdering a rival lying helpless in a bed there was taken to the scene for a crime re-enactment on Thursday. Assaree Sae, of Muang district, was taken to Naradhiwas Rajanagarindra Hospital’s emergency room for the crime re-enactment. Assaha Jaelor, 34, was stabbed to death in the room while being treated for injuries on the afternoon of April 28. A police investigation found that Assaree and two accomplices had brawled with the victim and his friends at the provincial Red Cross fair on April 28. Assaha was injured and was taken to the hospital and admitted to the emergency ward. It is alleged that the suspect and one accomplice raided the emergency room where the man was being treated and killed him. The third waited on a motorcycle outside. http://www.bangkokpost.com/news/general/1243507/teen-charged-with-slaying-rival-in-hospital-ward

Find it hard to believe that someone in a position of influence would exercise it for personal gain. It just seems so out of character for how stuff gets done there.

I stand--sit, actually--admonished. You think?

From The Nation Preserving vintage rail stations Nakhon Ratchasima governor Wichien Chantaranothai's has received some local support for his ongoing bid to raise funds to buy and conserve 10 picturesque old railway stations along the Chira Road-Khon Kaen route, which are earmarked for demolition.As Ch-Kanchang Co Ltd civil engineers were surveying the 60-year-old Noen Sung Train Station for demolition on Wednesday, Noen Sung district residents – many of whom were there to take free train rides – said they thought it would be a shame if this old station was demolished and backed the governor's bid to conserve it and nine other stations. Sompit Khayaiklang, 62, said that while it would be unfortunate to lose the station she has used since childhood, she agreed with the construction of a new station and double-track development. "I want the related agencies to conserve the building, maybe moving it to a public land and turning it into a library or museum," she said. The 10 railway stations in Muang, Noen Sung, Khong, Bua Yai and Bua Lai districts earmarked for demolition are Ban Koh, Nong Maew, Noen Sung, Nong Ploung, Pol Fai Songkhram, Bang Makha, Ban Don Yai, Khong, Noen Thong Lang and Nong Bua Lai. http://www.nationmultimedia.com/news/national/30314118 From Channel News Asia Locals protesting China's Mekong project KHON PI LONG, Thailand: China's plan to blast open more of the Mekong River for bigger cargo ships could founder on a remote outcrop of half-submerged rocks that Thai protesters have vowed to protect against Beijing's economic expansion in Southeast Asia. Dynamiting the Pi Long rapids and other sections of the Mekong between Thailand and Laos will harm the environment and bring trade advantages only to China, the protesters say. "This will be the death of the Mekong," said Niwat Roykaew, chairman of the Rak Chiang Khong Conservation Group, which is campaigning against the project. "You'll never be able to revive it." Niwat said blasting the Mekong will destroy fish breeding grounds, disrupt migrating birds and cause increased water flow that will erode riverside farmland. Such opposition reflects a wider challenge to China's ambitious "One Belt, One Road" project to build a modern-day Silk Road through Asia to Europe. http://www.nationmultimedia.com/news/national/30314118 From South China Morning Post Japan's new luxury train East Japan Railway’s new luxury sleeper train providing a cruise experience with a modern Japanese taste debuts May 1, with operator JR East on Wednesday giving members of the press test rides on the brand-new “Train Suite Shiki-shima”. JR East, which serves Tokyo and other areas in the eastern part of the main island of Honshu, will offer from May to November a four-day trip on the train covering Hokkaido and parts of northeastern Japan and a two-day trip around Yamanashi, Nagano and Fukushima. The fees range from 320,000 yen ($2,856 USD) to 950,000 yen ($8,428 USD) per person when two people share a room. West Japan Railway, which serves Osaka and other areas in the western part of the main island of Honshu will launch its version of the luxury sleeper train called Twilight Express Mizukeze in June. More photos http://www.scmp.com/magazines/style/travel-food/article/2091508/japans-new-luxury-sleeper-train-ultimate-travel

From The Nation Airlines have resumed using both runways of Suvarnabhumi International Airport after maintenance on the northern end of the airport's east runway was completed two days ahead of schedule. The reopening of the east runway means to airport is again operating at normal capacity - two runways servicing 68 flights per hour, Airports of Thailand's (AOT) Suvarnabhumi Airport general manager Sirote Duangratana said. The completion of the maintenance work meant all aircraft, including the superjumbo Airbus A380, began using the east runway again from 7am on Monday following an inspection and safety tests, he said. The work began on March 3. Sirote said the runway improvement enabled the airport to accommodate increased flights and support the country's growth in air transport.