tm_nyc

From MSN

At least once in their lives, devout Buddhists in Laos strive to visit a very special temple inside a natural landmark, the Pak Ou Caves, directly on the mighty Mekong River, the lifeline of Southeast Asia.
According to estimates, there are as many as 6,000 Buddha statues of various sizes and materials like wood and bronze in two limestone caves, put there by pilgrims over the centuries.
Buddha is depicted with various hand gestures - called mudras - each of which has a specific meaning.
"It is estimated that there are around 4,000 sculptures in the lower cave and around 2,000 in the upper one," says tour guide Somjai Simoonthong, who regularly brings tourists from all over the world here.
The cave temples can only be reached by boat along the Mekong. The journey from the popular tourist destination of Luang Prabang - the former capital of the Southeast Asian country - involves a boat trip of about two hours.
Inside the caves, a Laotian who lives in the US state of Colorado sprinkles a group of Buddha statues with water - as a sign of purification and respect. "I've wanted to travel here for so long, it's very important to me as a Laotian," he says.
Most people in the country believe that their ancestors entered the caves for the first time in the 8th century. At that time, Buddhism was not yet widespread, so the Pak Ou Caves were initially used as a shrine for the river spirits.
Continues with photos
https://www.msn.com/en-ca/travel/tripideas/the-sacred-pak-ou-caves-of-laos-home-to-some-6000-buddha-statues/ar-AA1nYfmm

Hi guys,
Just came back from a trip to Bangkok. It was mainly for work so I did not get to do much with the gogo/massage scene but thought I'd share what I did manage to do.
There were two main things I at least wanted to do on this trip; checking out the Tawan situation personally and checking out the Sol bar which I've passed by so many times in my previous trip but never walked in. 😅 I am happy to say that I accomplished both.
Tawan
On Tawan, I've shared my findings here. Hopefully, that answered some questions a few of the members here had.
Sol
I checked out Sol just once on this trip. The entrance fee was THB 450. The layout of the bar was quite nice, spacious stage and floor but there's an annoying pillar at the middle-front of the stage which kind of blocks part of the stage depending on where you sit. The boys were a mixed bunch, but most consisted of str8 looking twinks. There were a few older guys who are lean/muscular and there's one guy who, if I'm not mistaken, was from Tawan quite some time back. The show was the usual mix of the drag, sexy show and big cock show (the movements they used for their "sexy dance" is pretty much the same as with most other bars except Jupiter, which makes me wonder if they are trained by the same coach, or if that's just the Thai version of a sexy dance 😅). There were only 2-3 other customers there aside from me, so the boys were trying hard to secure an off (which can be a bit uncomfortable). Overall, it's not my kind of bar but the twink lovers here might actually enjoy it.
I'll continue with some brief update Jupiter, Moonlight, Hotmale and Dreamboys a little later.
 

Well, according to that Wikipedia page, these positions are a fairly new development, developed in the aftermath of the Weinstein scandal:
"...In October 2018, television network HBO adopted a policy of using intimacy coordinators for all its series and films with intimate scenes. Intimacy coordinators and workshops teaching best practices for intimate scenes began being used in London theaters in 2018. In January 2019, Netflix released Sex Education, its first production that used an intimacy coordinator, Ita O'Brien."
They may have just started using them at the LA Opera. It seems especially silly and wasteful to have such people at the opera (these are not exactly racy scenes), but I suppose the function is to shield the director from liability. More $$$ down the drain. 

Could be a combination of lawyer bullshit & union bullshit.

Could be a combination of lawyer bullshit & union bullshit.

Never been to Jomtien, or Pattaya for that matter, but your description reminds me of what I love about walking Lumpinee Park at Twilight. You can see those women dancing and the occasional young Thai guy practicing his moves on the periphery. You can feed the cats, turtles and fish. You can walk, jog or just grab a seat on a bench and watch the world of Bangkok pass by. The city's free--for an an hour or so--of any traces of hi-so and low.
 

Managed to off one of the guys. ST tips - 3000, little higher than what I'd normally pay for ST (ard 2500) but taking into account that there's no off fee or drink charges, it's actually cheaper than the usual off. The experience was good, some muscle worshipping and good fun. The former doorman now plays the role of papasan and negotiated the fees for some of the guys who have limited English skills.
The guy told me that apparently, the reason for the closure was because of one of the twinks they added in their roaster (who was apparently underage?) which resulted in the owner's name being blacklisted. So, the plan to reopen supposedly now involves a proxy who will use his name instead, and they've supposedly completed inspecting the venue for reopening.
Anyway, that's his version of what he heard.
 

Could be a combination of lawyer bullshit & union bullshit.

Could be a combination of lawyer bullshit & union bullshit.

NOTE -- For those of us who've been visiting the Kingdom for a few decades or so, we've seen this movie before. Before long we'll be bemoaning a stronger baht and recalling the salad days of the dollar and pound.
From Thai PBS World
The sharp depreciation of the baht in recent weeks has revived the debate on the short-term prospects for the Thai currency. The baht fell below the threshold of 37 to the dollar, hitting a six-month low.
Among underperforming Asian currencies, the Japanese yen saw the sharpest fall of 155 to the dollar, a 10.5 per cent plunge in the current year, followed by the baht, which has depreciated 7-8 per cent.
The Indonesian rupiah is also on a slide, prompting the country’s central bank to raise the policy rate by 0.25 percentage point to 6.25 per cent on April 24 in order to stabilize the currency.
When asked whether the Bank of Thailand would take some actions to shore up the baht, Piti Disyatat, deputy governor of the central bank, said it was closely watching the movement of the Thai currency.
“The central bank does not want to see market dysfunction, such as market disruption or a liquidity crunch. So far, we have not seen such market behavior,” Piti said.
The baht’s slide against the strong dollar follows a trend across the region because the market is worried that the US Federal Reserve may keep the interest rate high for longer than earlier speculated.
Piti referred to the latest US economic data, which showed slower growth and persisting high inflation rates in the first quarter.
Wall Street too has adjusted its expectations of the Fed cutting the rate twice during the year to just once, probably in September.
The high US interest rate has contributed to the stronger dollar. The US Fed fund rate is at a 23-year high in a range of 5.25- 5.5 per cent compared with the 2.5 per cent rate in Thailand.
With an interest that is half of what’s on offer in the US, capital has flown out of Thailand’s stock and bond markets.
For instance, since early this year foreign investors have sold Thai shares worth over 66 billion baht as of April 26.
They have also dumped Thai government bonds resulting in capital outflows of a trillion baht.
Piti also feared that the ongoing hot weather might result in fewer visitors until May, which would affect current account flows. It was a seasonal factor, he said, assuring that foreign tourists would come back later this year.
Another seasonal factor leading to exchange outflows is payment of dividends to overseas shareholders in listed companies. The total amount of dividends is estimated at US$2 billion in the second quarter.
Piti was confident that rising exports, spurred by cheaper goods because of the baht’s decline, would bring in foreign exchange and shore up the value of the baht.
Piyasak Manason, a senior economist at InnovestX Securities Co, shared Piti’s view, arguing that the weaker baht would help boost Thailand’s exports.
The baht should weaken now as over the past 12 years it had appreciated about 17-18 per cent against the currencies of other countries in the region that are Thailand’ s export competitors, he said.
Generally, a stronger baht hurts Thailand’s export competitiveness  as it makes Thai products more expensive.
Piyasak projects the baht to rebound to 34.5 to the dollar in the fourth quarter based on assumptions that the US Federal Reserve would lower its policy rate in November.
https://www.thaipbsworld.com/the-declining-value-of-the-baht-what-does-it-mean-for-thailand/

https://shamelessmacktwo.travel.blog/2023/12/26/map-of-saphan-khwai-and-sutthisan-winitchai-area-december-2023/

Never heard of it but don' think I'd be complaining if any LT offs had this condition. 🙂
From CNN
A 38-year-old man repeatedly tries to force his wife to have sex in the middle of the night but has no memory of his actions when he wakes up.
A married woman in her mid-20s often tears off her clothing and masturbates but remembers nothing when her partner rouses her.
For a dozen years, a 31-year-old man masturbates while asleep, at times injuring his groin. Embarrassed due to his unconscious behavior, he avoids relationships for eight years.
These are all clinically documented cases of sleep sex, or sexsomnia, part of a family of sleep disorders called parasomnias that include sleepwalking, sleep talking, sleep eating and sleep terrors.
While it may seem as if people are acting out dreams, many parasomnias occur when the brain is not in a dream state, said Dr. Carlos Schenck, a professor and senior staff psychiatrist at the Hennepin County Medical Center at the University of Minnesota.
“These are disorders of arousal,” said Schenck, who has studied parasomnias for decades. “They most often occur during the slowest, deepest stage of sleep, called delta sleep. It’s like an alarm or trigger goes off in the central nervous system, and you go from your basement to your roof in no time flat.
Continues at
https://www.cnn.com/2024/04/28/health/sexsomnia-sleep-sex-explainer-wellness/index.html
 

From Thai PBS World
oreign Minister Parnpree Bahiddha-Nukara says that he has resigned from his ministerial position, stating that he wishes to “uphold his principles”, without offering any further explanation.
His resignation comes as the cabinet reshuffle is announced in the Royal Gazette, which sees him removed from the deputy premiership but retaining the foreign minister portfolio.
“I am confident that my past works, as the deputy premier and foreign minister, have brought benefits to the country. I did my job to the best of my ability and my work was effectively implemented,” said Parnpree.
He added that he has not yet informed PM Srettha Thavisin of his decision, and his resignation will come into effect today.
He said he believes that a suitable person will be found to fill the roles of deputy prime minister and foreign minister.
Asked if he will continue working with the Pheu Thai party, Parnpree, a long-time senior member of the party, said he still loves the party but does not know yet and needs more time to think about it.
His resignation letter went viral on social media. When reporters asked him whether the two-page letter, addressed to the prime minister, was real, he replied “yes, it’s more than real.”

Agree.  Both KL & Penang are good options: flights are cheap & no visa to hassle with.  Penang is perfect for a long weekend.

From Thai PBS World

Art enthusiasts in Bangkok rejoice! One of Thailand’s prominent collectors, Sermkhun Kunawong, is set to open the doors to his private collection on May 4, transforming it into a stunning new museum experience.
The Kunawong Museum House is not your typical museum.
Stepping inside the 5,000-square-meter space in Lat Phrao is like entering a living testament to Thai art of various fields and eras. More than 1,000 pieces – paintings, prints, sculptures, furniture, photographs, headpieces, Khon masks, and decorative arts – by Thai masters as well as rising and popular names weave a visual tapestry, narrating the artistic evolution of Thailand from the past to the present.
The display is unique and lively. Each room in the building has its unique character and is decorated with valuable artworks of various kinds.
Antique furniture is everywhere and, pleasingly, the artworks are mostly at eye-level, inviting exploration in an open and accessible environment. They are also unconfined by glass or (visible) security measures.
Those into Thai culture will not be disappointed as the display includes enamel from the Ayutthaya and Rattanakosin periods, Buddha statues, Buddha cabinets, Chadanangs, flame tiaras, and Buddhist scripture boxes from the reign of King Rama IV, displayed on exquisite Thai stands from the reigns of King Rama IV and V.
Puppet cabinets showcase various works. All these works are treasures that should be kept for posterity to admire and be proud of in our civilization.

If you go:
Baan Kunawong Museum is located on Soi Lat Phrao 54. It’s open for viewing every Saturday-Sunday from 9.30am to 6.00pm
Entry is 450 baht, and visitors must be 13 years of age or older. Bookings can be made at https://www.zipeventapp.com/
Continues with photos at
https://www.thaipbsworld.com/art-collector-opens-treasure-trove/

while wholeheartedly I agree with Thailand top position, rest is bit questionable -  relatively low place of India or Italy with relation to Greece, absence of Mexico , USA , Spain , France , Turkey and UK and prominent position of Emirates makes me wonder. 
Truth is , always  those types of rankings produce results questionable results. Me and my travelling friends often recall similar ranking from one of luxury travel magazines in early  90 ties when Palm Springs California came on top of most desired cities to visit leaving in the dust behind Paris, Rome , Rio, Tokyo, NY and all other worthies including   St.Olaf,  MN

From Thai PBS World
On CEOWORLD magazine’s list of “World’s Best Countries To Visit In Your Lifetime 2024”, Thailand is ranked top, according to Government Spokesman Chai Wacharonke.
The ranking is based on feedback from over 295,000 readers, making it the highest level of participation in the magazine’s history.
According to CEOWORLD, Thailand offers a diverse range of experiences, such as wild nightlife, delicious food, vibrant art and culture, great shopping options, winding rivers and canals, Buddhist temples and night markets. Visitors can also visit more peaceful locations in Bangkok, such as Bang Krachao Island.
The rankings are:
1. Thailand, 72.15%
2. Greece, 67.22%
3. Indonesia, 65.15%
4. Portugal, 64.32%
5. Sri Lanka, 60.54%
6. South Africa, 59.76%
7. Peru, 59.76%
8. Italy, 57.77%
9. India. 57.65%
10. The United Arab Emirates, 57.38%

Sometimes..... mixed responses.. ie no response, a one word response, a few normal responses and one enthusiastic response. That last one was a super hot OF guy in France and then I discovered on Hunqz he was an escort. I messaged him with  a tip and mentioned I'd be in France in a few months. He replied he would love to meet. I had to go to a city some distance from Paris and wasn't sure he'd actually meet. But he did, he is a wonderful guy and I had a wonderful evening. So fairy tales do come true. I have a question. I've stopped using OF.... to be more specific they've stopped used me. They say because of legislation in my jurisdiction I have to provide a photo of myself to use a credit card. I'm in Canada and there's no law about a photo.

I just returned from 12 days in Da Nang, Vietnam - as I needed to escape Thailand's Songkran water splashing madness.
I LOVE Da Nang - a mid size city right on the South China Sea with little to no pollution as the winds from the sea keep things fresh.
I live in Jomtien, Thailand and I found that Da Nang from a financial point of view to be between 20% to 30% cheaper than what things cost in the Pattaya area - I believe that is because the VND - Vietnamese Dong currency is not doing well at the moment.
I hired a local gay guide to show me around and he was great - DM me if you want more info about him.  No sex - but a great kind guy who has his own car and could take me out of Da Nang to nearby Hue (to see the imperial city), Hoi An where we went to the nearby off-shore island of Cham to do snorkeling and on return to Hoi An proper we visited the unique coconut island water farm in those typical round circular Vietnamese boats (this was one of the highlights for me on this trip to Da Nang).
The other thing that I did was rent a motorbike for several days and I just LOVED driving out of Da Nang up into the surrounding hills where you have an amazing view of all of the beaches and the Da Nang city skyline off in the distance.
Da Nang has 1 gay bar = https://www.facebook.com/qbardanang1
I did not visit it as I was too busy touring around and getting my daily massages in my lovely 22nd floor AirBnB that overlooked the entire South China Sea.  
To meet guys, the number ONE app is BLUED - now renamed to HeeSay.  Hornet is not big in Vietnam like it is in Thailand.  and then there is Grindr (which I hate).
Just from the HeeSay app alone - I received over 300 messages in 12 days - truly off the scale - for sex, dates (even for just a romantic walk on the Da Nang seaside), massages, and general queries.
Food was great and my gay tour guide turned me onto a different type of Vietnamese coffee - which is called - Cà Phê Muối = sea salt cream coffee - this is now my MOST favorite Vietnamese coffee.
so, I guess I need to do a trip report - how do I hate those - as they are so much work to write a proper one with maps, photos, info, etc. - but I will do it eventually.

This bar needs to be checked out.  Its Facebook page is https://www.facebook.com/pages/Sake-Pub-สาเก-ผับ/341416052585697  where its address is stated as 60/1 Soi Damnoen Klang Tai. This seems to be a tiny road 250m south of Khaosan Road and  350m east of Sanam Luang. I reckon it is in the vicinity of Google Coordinates 13.756346380428468, 100.49797434403985.
There are some interesting pictures on its Facebook page around April 8th or 9th. Here's a Songkran poster from April 12th:
 
And on Youtube, a video from 2019:
Almost certainly a bar for Thais rather than foreigners.
 

Some tops from KK Massage.

From The Thaiger
A bombshell announcement rocks the media landscape as Voice TV, the longstanding bastion of pro-Thaksin views, announces it is shutting down.
The board of Voice TV declared the end of its 15-year run, leaving some 100 journalists and staff members facing the axe. The abrupt closure has left tongues wagging, with no immediate rationale provided for the drastic move.
Established back in 2008, Voice TV initially made waves as a niche satellite channel before expanding its reach to digital terrestrial platforms in 2014. However, in a twist of fate in 2019, the channel relinquished its digital TV presence amidst financial turmoil, reverting to satellite broadcasts and online streams via Facebook and YouTube.
Renowned for its unwavering pro-Thaksin stance, Voice TV’s pundits have often rallied behind the Shinawatra family, raising eyebrows and courting controversy. Notably, the channel’s former anchors have made waves in the political arena, with figures like ex-Future Forward luminaries Pannika Wanich and Piyabutr Saengkanokkul transitioning from news desks to parliamentary seats, reported Thai PBS World.
In related news, the Supreme Administrative Court delivered a final blow, dismissing the Prime Minister’s Office secretariat‘s hefty 2.8 billion baht lawsuit against iTV Public Company. The lawsuit, stemming from a joint agreement with Shin Corp to operate a TV station using the UHF spectrum, has been a thorn in the side since 2007, persisting through numerous administrations.
============================
Anti-corruption commission lets go of Yingluck’s exoneration
Thailand’s National Anti-Corruption Commission (NACC) has unanimously chosen not to contest the Supreme Court’s ruling, which exonerated former prime minister Yingluck Shinawatra and five others from malfeasance charges linked to a 240-million baht public relations campaign, according to an insider familiar with the situation.
The NACC filed allegations against Yingluck, former Prime Minister’s Office minister Niwatthamrong Boonsongpaisan, Yingluck’s secretary-general at the time, Suranand Vejjajiva, Matichon Plc, Siam Sport Syndicate Plc, and Siam Sport director Ravi Lohtong. They were accused of abusing their authority by neglecting to hold public tenders for the PR campaign from August 2013 to March 2014. Consequently, Matichon and Siam Sport, the media firms, were favoured and received the contracts.
Yingluck, Niwatthamrong and Suranand commissioned Matichon to manage a campaign in 12 provinces to boost infrastructure projects, which the government intended to fund with a 2 trillion baht loan.
The NACC stated that the 240 million baht spent on the campaign was squandered when the promotional roadshow was cancelled following the Constitutional Court decision that the proposed legislation for borrowing was unconstitutional.
However, the Supreme Court ruled that there was no harm to the state concerning the PR fund distribution and contract award to Matichon and Siam Sport, as government organisations and the Cabinet had endorsed the Yingluck government’s transport infrastructure projects. The Budget Bureau also agreed that Yingluck, as prime minister, could allocate a contingency fund for the PR project. Therefore, the NACC had no legal grounds to appeal, the source said.

Grammer?

From The Nation

Anzac Day was marked on Thursday with special remembrance rites in Kanchanaburi, honouring soldiers who died building the Death Railway in slave-like conditions during World War II.
Presiding over the ceremony were Australian Ambassador Angela Macdonald, her New Zealand counterpart Jonathan Kings along with deputy chief of Australia’s Joint Operations, Rear Admiral Justin Jones. Also present were representatives of the Thai armed forces, other embassies as well as descendants of the prisoners of war who lost their lives on the Death Railway.
The event was held at the Hellfire Pass Memorial Museum.
The first Anzac Day was held in 1915 in honour of members of the Australian and New Zealand Army Corps (Anzac), who fought in the Gallipoli Campaign during World War I, which resulted in heavy casualties on both sides.
Now, Anzac Day is marked on April 25 every year, and has been expanded to honour all Australians and New Zealanders “who served and died in all wars, conflicts, and peacekeeping operations". It also recognises the contribution of veterans and those currently serving.
In his speech, Jones said it was an honour to participate in the ANZAC Day remembrance at the Hellfire Pass, which was part of the Death Railway, where some 12,800 prisoners of war and 90,000 Asian workers were killed.
Macdonald said the rite was to remember and honour Australian troops who have sacrificed their lives to serve and protect the country, while Kings remembered New Zealand troops who died fighting for peace. He wrapped up his speech by declaring “ka maumahara tonu tātou ki a rātou” in Maori, meaning “we will remember them”.
 

From Richard Barrow Train Guide

The State Railway of Thailand (SRT) is excited to announce its special tourist train trips for May and June 2024. Passengers will get to experience the KIHA 183 train, under the concepts of “Exploring with the Breeze” in May and “Clear Sky, Open Forest, Diverse Flora” in June. The trips will cover a variety of routes, catering to different interests such as spirituality, nature, and shopping, eating, and relaxing. Trips will be offered on both a day-trip and overnight basis, every Saturday and Sunday for two full months.
Tickets go on sale on April 22, 2024, at 8:30 AM. There are only 202 seats available per trip, so book early! The price includes train fare, air-conditioned bus fare, entrance fees to various attractions, all meals and drinks, and accident insurance. Tickets can be booked at all railway stations nationwide and online through the SRT’s D-Ticket system. For more information, please call the Customer Service Center at 1690, 24 hours a day.
Here is a breakdown of the trips:
May: Exploring with the Breeze
Trip 1 and 2: Day trips to Saraburi Province (May 4-5)
Visit Wat Tham Phra Phosat, Sangsuk Market, Phra Phutthabat Noi, and Manasikarn Price: 1,499 baht per person Trip 3: Overnight trip to Chonburi Province (May 11-12)
Enjoy the beach, participate in the Night Run On The Beach (Doraemon Run) Price: 3,999 baht per person Trip 4 and 5: Day trips to Chachoengsao Province (May 18-19)
Take a boat tour on the Bang Pakong River, visit Wat Wirachot Thammaram, and see the Glass Ubosot Price: 1,499 baht per person Trip 6: Overnight trip to Phetchaburi Province (May 25-26)
Visit Mrigadayavan Palace, Phra Phraya Si Phra Kiree Shrine, and enjoy beach activities Price: 3,999 baht per person June: Clear Sky, Open Forest, Diverse Flora
Trip 7 and 8: Day trips to Lopburi Province (June 1-2)
Plant rubber trees, build homes for hornbill birds, experience the “Lao Wieng” community, and visit the Singburi Contemporary Museum Price: 1,499 baht per person Trip 9: Overnight trip to Chachoengsao and Nakhon Nayok Provinces (June 8-9)
Swim in Nang Rong Waterfall, take a rubber boat ride at Khun Dan Prakan Chon Dam, see the beautiful butterfly garden, and visit Wong Rattana Manee Maha Nakhon Racha Naga Cave Price: 3,999 baht per person Trip 10 and 11: Day trips to Prachinburi Province (June 15-16)
Visit Wat Kaew Phitchaya, the Prachinburi National Museum, Khao E-Toh Forest Park, release fish, plant casuarina trees, and shop for local products Price: 1,499 baht per person Trip 12: Overnight trip to Prachuap Khiri Khan Province (June 22-23)
Swim at Suan Son Pradipat Beach, visit Rajabhakti Park, Wat Huay Mongkol, Khao Tao Reservoir, and the first Royal Irrigation Project of His Majesty King Bhumibol Adulyadej Visit the Cicada Market and Hua Hin town Price: 3,999 baht per person Trip 13 and 14: Day trips to Ayutthaya Province (June 29-30)
Visit the “Baan Pa” Self-Sufficiency Learning Center, take a boat tour on the Chao Phraya River, see Wat Yai Chai Mongkol, and check in at the Japanese Village Price: 1,499 baht per person If you have any questions about these trips, feel free to join our Asian Train Guide Facebook Group.