TMax

It's immigration  that bugs me as a UK guy. The US is quite behind in using electronic monitoring,  such as we have in the UK. I recently discovered the MPC App, which did speed up my 2 recent entries, but it could be a lot better. I considered  Global Entry, but the procedure,  including an interview in the USA,  is inconvenient.  I have also found that officials still like to throw their weight around, on minor matters, 'stand in line', etc. As you say it all detracts from the experience  of travel. 

Air travel used to be something to look forward to, but today? Sigh. Not just the airlines, but the TSA usually rub me the wrong way here in the USA.
https://youtu.be/QKEdKdgi2hg

From CNN
Airline canceled your flight? The plane arrived hours late after a maintenance issue? The inflight Wi-Fi didn’t work?
New federal rules say travelers deserve cash refunds when inconvenienced by their airline – not vouchers or travel credits.
The rules, announced by the Transportation Department on Wednesday, also require airlines to provide upfront information about fees for baggage and changing flights.
Although many airlines have done away with change fees and disclose fees on their websites, Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg estimated more transparency with some airlines and websites would make it easier for travelers to shop around – ultimately saving consumers millions every year.
The rule would formalize a requirement that passengers receive refunds if a domestic flight is delayed by more than three hours or if an international flight is delayed by more than six hours.
It would also require a refund of any baggage fees for bags that arrive more than 12 hours late, and a refund of the fee for a purchased service like Wi-Fi or upgraded seating if the airline doesn’t deliver.
https://www.cnn.com/travel/new-federal-rules-airline-refunds-cash/index.html

Pent up demand and the JPY hitting long-time lows vs the USD and other currencies. I guess there is a lot of complaining by the locals about overtourism. I think the government is trying to get people to venture beyond Tokyo-Kyoto-Osaka
 
I'm headed there for a couple of weeks in October

I've never seen Japan so crowded - it was an unreal feeling being surrounded by so many people and never hearing a single word of Japanese spoken.
I only visited a few famous sites,  preferring to go to places usually only Japanese go to. So I managed to escape the crowds most of the time.
Don't let the crowds put you off - afterall, it was cherry blossom time and peak season.
Just make sure you don't go in summer, as it is the rainy season and the humidity is oppressive. Other times during the year the weather is great.

From National News Bureau of Thailand
Prime Minister Srettha Thavisin recently convened a meeting with Phuket’s government officials, consuls, and honorary consuls from 12 countries, along with local police units, to discuss and enhance measures aimed at boosting tourist safety and clamping down on crimes involving foreigners. The discussions focused on strategies to ensure that Phuket remains a safe destination for international visitors.
During the meeting, Srettha stressed the importance of protecting the lives and property of both residents and tourists. He advocated for the creation of a ‘Phuket Model’ that integrates tourism development with heightened safety measures and rigorous law enforcement. Specific attention was given to preventing accidents on roads and waterways, enforcing stringent fire safety regulations, and ensuring that all business operations are properly licensed.
The premier directed special attention to high-traffic tourist areas such as Patong and Bangla, insisting on a zero-tolerance policy towards drug use and public disturbances. Urgent upgrades were ordered for local police facilities to better equip them to handle these challenges.
Reflecting on his tenure, the prime minister highlighted the progress made in enhancing Phuket’s appeal as a tourist destination since his first visit after assuming office. He also called for a balanced approach to economic benefits, urging local stakeholders to consider national security as a crucial aspect of their tourism and business strategies. (NNT)
==================
From The Thaiger / Phuket News
Phuket hospital calls for law-abiding visitors
Vachira Phuket Hospital called upon the Russian community in Phuket to respect Thai laws and hospital regulations following a string of incidents involving Russian nationals. Recent episodes include a Russian man refusing to settle his medical bills, and a woman threatening hospital staff with a baseball bat.
A man of Russian nationality was arrested on April 19 for intimidating the staff at Vachira Phuket Hospital and declining to pay his outstanding medical bill. The hospital has declared it will not tolerate such conduct.
The letter appealing to the Russian community in Phuket was signed by Methavee Maneesri, the Head of the International Department at Vachira Phuket Hospital.
“Dear Russian Community in Phuket, please find the attached information from the police daily record regarding an incident [that occurred at Vachira Phuket Hospital]. The behaviour described in the report is unacceptable to us. I am ready to assist and cooperate with anyone involved in medical cases, provided they adhere to standard procedures and respect public laws and regulations.”
Methavee stressed the importance of respecting hospital procedures and public laws. She also reminded everyone that healthcare services are not free, encouraging everyone to have medical or work insurance and adhere to the waiting in a queue like Thai nationals do.
The letter, dated April 20, was sent to The Phuket News with a request to share the information in Novosti Phuketa, the Russian-language sister newspaper of The Phuket News.
Included with the letter was a copy of a Phuket City Police report corroborating Methavee’s complaint about an incident involving a threatening Russian patient. According to this report and Methavee’s account, a 48 year old Russian patient, Sergey Chent, received treatment on April 17 and left without paying his bill totalling 8,380 baht.
On April 19, Chent returned to Vachira Phuket Hospital for another medical consultation. Methavee and other hospital staff requested him to pay the outstanding bill of 8,380 baht. Chent refused to pay and threatened the staff, bragging about his connections with high-ranking police officers, influence, and wealth. He was accompanied by a woman carrying a baseball bat, according to the police report.
Continues at
https://thethaiger.com/news/phuket/phuket-hospital-calls-on-russian-community-to-respect-thai-laws

From Thai PBS World
Thailand is experiencing very hot weather across the country today, with the maximum temperature predicted to rise to 43oC in some areas of the northern region, according to the Meteorological Department.
Maximum temperatures in the northern provinces today are forecast too range from 38oC to 43oC, while the north-eastern region is expected to peak at 41oC.
The central region is also hot, with maximum temperatures varying from 39oC to 42oC. In Bangkok, the maximum temperature is predicted to reach 41oC.
 

Normally, I would have considered a Songkran trip but decided to spend 3 weeks in Japan instead, admiring the cherry blossons and enjoying the balmy weather.
On my return I got itchy feet again and planned a trip to Thailand and Cambodia last week but on checking the daily temperatures, I have since thought the better of it and will have to wait till it cools down a bit.
I remember doing a trip to Myannmar during April a few years ago when it was 42 degrees every day and I nearly died! We have these high temperatures here in Perth from time to time during summer - this year we had over a week of consecutive days over 40 - but I just stay home in the air conditioning. It's not a time to be out and about sightseeing.
BTW, Japan was ridiculously overcrowded with Chinese tourists. Unfortunately, they are back with a vengeance. Of course, they have as much right as anybody else to go on holidays; it's just that the sheer number is overwhelming. In the carpark near a famous temple in kyoto I counted 52 huge tourist buses!

I do love the old photos of places and those old ones of Asian cities the 👌 

No, but that's me seated in rickshaw in first photo.

did you take those photos?

From VN Express
By Mai Nhat

Saigon City Hall (now headquarters of Ho Chi Minh City People's Committee) was designed by architect Femand Gardès and built between 1889 and 1909. In the French colonial period, the building was originally called Hôtel de ville in French or Tay Xa Palace in Vietnamese. By the time of the Republic of Vietnam, it was used for government work and important meetings

The corner of Rue Catinat and Lagrandière (now Dong Khoi - Ly Tu Trong, District 1). The street is known as the "umbilical cord" of old Saigon, a nearly kilometer-long street that boasted the first commercial centers an d first hotels in Saigon.

The bustling street in front of Ho Chi Minh City Hall has now become Nguyen Hue Walking Street.
Continues at
https://e.vnexpress.net/news/news/saigon-100-years-ago-through-foreigners-lenses-4734460.html

And naive tourists  carrying backpacks 

brazen act with so many people around

From Pattaya Mail
In the early hours of April 19, Pattaya’s tourist police officers swiftly intervened and arrested Sumaree Keemalae, a 59-year-old woman, in the vicinity of Walking Street, following a targeted theft aimed at a foreign tourist during the Songkran festivities.
The incident unfolded as a Chinese tourist couple immersed themselves in the celebration along Walking Street. Sensing a disturbance with his backpack, initially dismissed as mere suspicion, the tourist soon discovered evidence of tampering. Upon closer inspection, he found his backpack slashed and valuables missing. Reacting quickly, the man managed to grab Sumaree, whom he suspected of perpetrating the theft, and handed her over to nearby tourist police authorities.
During interrogation, Sumaree admitted to her involvement in the crime and divulged insights into the pickpocketing operation. She disclosed her role as part of a four-person group systematically targeting unsuspecting tourists during crowded events. Each member had assigned tasks, with one distracting the victim while another executed the theft. However, Sumaree’s capture by the tourist thwarted the operation, leading to her arrest. Further investigations revealed Sumaree’s extensive criminal record, with seven prior cases linked to theft.
Pol. Lt. Col. Piyapong Ensan, chief of the Pattaya Tourist Police, voiced concerns for the safety of tourists in Pattaya and urged visitors to remain vigilant, especially regarding their belongings. Emphasizing the importance of proactive reporting, he encouraged tourists to promptly alert law enforcement to any suspicious activities. Additionally, security cameras strategically placed in the area captured clear footage of the incident, providing vital evidence for the ongoing investigation.

From Pattaya Mail
By Barry Kenyon
The highpoint of the British addiction to Thailand was the year 2011 when there were almost 900,000 entries by British passport holders. The information was from the Thai immigration bureau, though it was likely a slight overestimate as it counted re-entries by the same person as additional individuals. These days the bureau sadly does not publish data in the same detailed way country by country. Meanwhile, another useful statistical source, the UK government’s shock annual report British Behaviour Abroad, was discontinued several years ago. Maybe it provided too many salacious stories about sex, drugs and awful traffic accidents.
The number of Brits declined in the mid-2020s to about half the 2011 totals. In spite of the covid pandemic, the international tourist numbers in Thailand are now approaching the 2019 figure of almost 40 million according to the Tourist Authority of Thailand. However, the principal recruiting grounds are now China, Russia and India whose nationals are no longer required to obtain prior visas. According to the Board of Investment, Brits have shown little interest in longstay visas such as the newish 10-year Long Term Residence which encourages the well-heeled to make a base in Thailand.
The decline in British tourist numbers to Thailand has several roots. There’s stiff competition from eastern Europe and sun-baked rivals in south east Asia. The rising cost of international air fares and immigration bureaucracy, notably the TM30 residence form which can carry a financial penalty if ignored may also be factors. Almost daily reports of Brits being arrested and jailed in Thailand and disturbing stories about the non-insured facing huge bills after a traffic accident surely play a role. The notion that Thailand is the Wild West where anything goes, assuming it was once true, is now buried six feet under.
The 2011 statistics showed there were around 60,000 Brits living in Thailand for most or all of the year. The UK Institute for Public Policy recently estimated the number at only 41,000 in 2024. For working expats, the opportunities in traditional industries such as oil and gas are smaller, whilst the Japanese and the Chinese are the dominant foreign presence in newer industries such as car manufacture and industrial estates. Working without a permit and using illegal Thai nominees in businesses these days are risky lifestyles with ongoing surveillance by police and employment officials.
British retirees have long been a feature of the expat population in Thailand, but their numbers are also in decline. Inflationary pressures, not to mention the high cost of inpatient hospital care, are significant issues especially as some British pensions – including the state one – are frozen from annual increases. Expat clubs in Phuket, Pattaya and Chiang Mai have been dominated of late by talk of the Thai Revenue policy to tax “assessable” foreign income with complaining British voices being amongst the loudest. Social media is abundant with English-speaking expats threatening to leave Thailand for pastures new in Cambodia, Vietnam or the Philippines where the tax authorities are, it is hoped, more indulgent. It certainly does look like the British love affair with Thailand is losing its magic.

 

I recently used Independence.   The young man (20) was just as described on the website.    There site has good search features. I gave Independence my top 3 choices from their site and my first choice was available.     Their communication was good.  
Reservation was all done via email, arrangements make to meed outside a metro station.    I was 5 minutes early and he was 7 minutes late.   But that was not a big problem.   He met me, and we walked about a block to the place.    I paid him and he took the money downstairs and was back in a minute.   
He did not speak any English, other to day I was "Big". (language was not a problem, we knew what we were there for).   Im just average by US standards.    We got undressed and showered , that was a nice way to start.    Then the fun started.   
He was very satisfying, like to kiss, suck and topped me .  All in all money well spent.  
I find it amazing how many of these establishments there are and so many boys available .   Not to here in Dallas, probably a good thing, saves money.   lol. 
 

From Thai PBS World
Singapore Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong will step down next month and his deputy Lawrence Wong will take over, the second non-member of the Lee family to lead the wealthy nation.
“I will relinquish my role as Prime Minister on 15 May 2024 and DPM (Deputy Prime Minister) Lawrence Wong will be sworn in as the next Prime Minister on the same day,” Lee said on social media on Monday.
Wong, who is also the finance minister, was chosen as Lee’s heir-apparent in 2022 from a new generation of lawmakers from the People’s Action Party (PAP) which has ruled uninterrupted since independence in 1965.
“I accept this responsibility with humility and a deep sense of duty. I pledge to give you my all in this undertaking,” Wong said on social media.
The 51-year-old, US-educated economist is widely seen as a social media-savvy stalwart who effectively handled the Covid-19 crisis when he oversaw the government’s pandemic taskforce.
 

I am afraid most of you have missed Songkran, luckily someone filmed it
Warning, if you don't know the channel you can get lost in it for hours.

From The Nation
The body of a foreign tourist who dropped a water pistol in the Saen Saep canal and jumped in to retrieve it was recovered on Sunday evening.
On Sunday at 7 pm, authorities received a report of a missing person near Pratunam Pier along Khlong Saen Saep. They collaborated with a water rescue team and forensic doctors from Ramathibodi Hospital to investigate.
The incident occurred at the Khlong Saen Saep Pier, under the Chalerm Lok Bridge. The water rescue team swiftly located the deceased male shortly after arriving.

Initial findings suggest that the victim, a foreigner visiting Thailand for the Songkran festival, lost his water gun in the canal and drowned while trying to retrieve it.
Witnesses, among them other tourists, attempted to intervene but were unable to come to his rescue, but promptly alerted authorities to ask for assistance. The precise cause of the incident is currently under investigation. The foreigner has yet to be named.
==================
In another incident, the Bagnkok Post reports that a 54-year-old man from Japan fell to is death from his seventh floor hotel room in the Lumpinee district Monday.
 
 

From Pattaya Mail
In a concerted effort to safeguard public safety amid the Songkran festivities, the Policy and Planning Division of the Pattaya Municipal Administration has launched a proactive campaign to convey a critical message: the strict prohibition of high-pressure water guns, commonly known as PVC pipe-guns.
Security teams are taking to the streets to disseminate this urgent warning, emphasizing the inherent dangers associated with the sale and usage of these banned water guns. The force generated by high-pressure water guns poses a grave risk, capable of causing serious injuries upon impact, particularly to the delicate organs such as the eyes, potentially leading to irreversible blindness. Moreover, these prohibited devices pose significant hazards to motorcyclists navigating the city’s thoroughfares.
 

if will is in order ? But still there's consideration for partner's health to consider 

And we have our own older daddies in these forums who are planning to bareback in Thailand. They come here to seek advice. 😶 🙄 😳

Happy Songkran 2034 !!!
on serious note it seems that increased popularity of barebacking backed up with treating PREP as cure all contributes to those increases.

The Bangkok Post is reporting that sexually transmitted diseases are rising rapidly among the nation's youth.
Cases of syphilis have tripled since 2028.
Those in the 15-24 year-old group now account for 47% of new cases of HIV.
The Disease Control Department recommends that condoms always be used.
https://www.bangkokpost.com/thailand/general/2775464/sexually-transmitted-diseases-surge-among-young