PeterRS

A volcano to the east of Bali erupted yesterday sending a cloud of ash approx. 10,000 meters into the air. Although Bali's airport continues to operate, as a result some airlines including Jetstar, Virgin Australia, Air India, Air Asia, Tiger Air and a couple of others cancelled flights, Qantas and others are closely monitoring the situation. Best check with your airline if you have travel plans in the next few days. https://www.theguardian.com/world/2025/jun/18/bali-flights-cancelled-volcano-eruption-indonesia

I think all commentators here have stressed that it is way too early to know why this crash happened. But it is perfectly reasonable in my view to relate the problematic history of this particular aircraft which has been ordered grounded not once but twice - and for quite long periods. If you cast your mind back and recall the problems of the early DC10s, following fatal crashes in 1972, 1974 and 1979 the aircfaft was grounded, but only for 37 days. In 2013, the 787 was grounded for more than 3 months. Then deliveries of the aircraft were halted by Boeing for 18 months beween January 2021 and July 2022. That's a monstrous amount of time for an aircraft that had already been in service for years. Delivereies were again halted in February 2023, this time over a fuselage issue. Earlier this year the FAA asked Boeing to fix a critical sofware flaw in the Dreamliner when it was discovered that the aircraft's VHS communications system could switch between active and standby modes without any crew input. This could result in a failure of communication between the cockpit and flight controllers, with possible catastrophic results. An FAA mandated software patch fix was installed, but even then Qatar Airways announced the communications issues peristed in its 787s even after installing the FAA recommended software patches. Yet another FAA mandated directive was issued in late March this year when "excessive gaps" and "improper installation" were discovered in the forward pressure bulkead. This new airworthiness directive applies to all 787s in service with all airlines. Re the AI 787 which returned to Hong Kong on Monday, a similar unexplained descent had recently occurred in a LATAM aircraft. I write this having flown the 787 well over a dozen times and never had a worry. I happen to prefer the Airbus A350 for various reasons, but that is just a personal choice. But problems which seem to have habit of continuing in the 787 now start to concern me. When you add into the mix, the disaster of the 737 Max and its grounding for nearly 21 months, and then the continuing manufacturing problems Boeing has been encountering with mounting regularity with its new 777X which was supposed to enter service with Lufthansa in December 2019 (Boeing now says the launch will be later next year - Emirates, the largest customer for the plane with its order pared down from an initial 150 now to 90, estimates 2028), I think expressing a concern about Boeing and its manufacturing record is perfectly acceptable. The 777X issues and its huge delays are likely to cost Boeing massive penalties. Airlines have been forced to continue using the older less fuel efficient 777s in addition to retrofitting existing cabins with those they had planned for the 777X. This is costing airlines billions of $$$$. Law suits are bound to start flying around. https://aviationsourcenews.com/faa-to-mandate-further-boeing-787-structural-inspection/

We all seem to be forgetting that the Dreamliner, like the 737 Max, has had a troubed history. First it had to be grounded after it had entered service in 2011. On January 7 2013 a JAL 787 landed at Boston. As the aircraft was being prepared for its departure back to Japan, smoke was discovered in the cabin. Firemen disocvered a fire and a lot of smoke in the belly of the aircraft. Just two days later faulty wiring was discovered in the same area on a United aircraft. Soon after, an ANA 787 on a domestic flight had to make an emergency landing at Takamatsu airport after burning was smelled in the aircraft. On January 17 the FAA ordered all 787s grounded. After inspections, faults were found in the lithium-ion batteries which were basically self-combusting. Solutions were found and after four months the aircraft was permitted to return to the air. Yet on July 12, an Ethiopian 787 on its stand on the ground at London's Heathrow suffered major fire damage, again a result of a battery fire. At the end of 2014, the NTSB Report criticised the battery makers, Boeing and the FAA for lack of rigorous testing. It is extremely unlikely that the recent AI crash had anything to do with the earlier faults. But quality control issues have continued to dog this aircraft. In 2019 KLM launched an official complaint with Boeing about "loose seats, missing and incorrectly installed pins, nuts and bolts not properly tightened, and a fuel line clamp left unsecured." In 2020 the vast majority of the fleet suffered from depressions in the 787s tail fins. Workers at the Charleston Assembly plant had "had improperly discarded shims before the final installation of fasteners, which could lead to structural failure under limited loads." Eight 787s were grounded due to issues with the aircraft skin. In September 2021 Boeing admitted to further failures in the rear fuselage and the FAA started investigating Boeing's quality control lapses since the introduction of the arcraft and mandated additioal inspections to 900 of the 1,000 Dreamliners then produced. A further quality control issue relating to the horizontal stablizers was discovered in 893 of these aircraft. In Janary 2021 Boeing had already halted 787 deliveries, with very few then delivered until July 2022. In 2024 a Boeing engineer whistleblower claimed the 787 fuselage had been incorrectly assembled and that this could cause an aircraft to break up in flight. Early this year Italian authorities discovered a fraud scheme involving over 4,800 parts due to be installed in 787s. Certifications had been falsified. Faults continue. Just this month a newly delivered 787-900 to American Airlines experienced multiple technical faults that led to the cancellation of many of its early scheduled flights. "Challenges in delivering defect-free aircraft persist." https://www.aviacionline.com/boeing-787-dreamliner-a-history-of-technical-challenges-under-scrutiny-after-first-fatal-accident

Look younger. Dye it pink or pale blue!

For those who remember the early 1990s and the children's entertainer Pee-Wee Herman, there used to be a sick joke. Question: "What links the man who shot Ronald Reagan and the one who sat in front of Pee-Wee Herman?" Answer: "They were both shot in the back". The reference is of course to two events. The shooting of President Reagan by John Hinckley and the arrest of Pee Wee Herman for being caught masturbating in a Florida cinema. Not being American, I had never heard of Pee-Wee Herman until that event. I thought then, as I still do, that it was a strange name for a children's entertainer. But he was hugely popular. At the Sundance Film Festival earlier this year, a new HBO documentary about the life of Herman (Paul Reubens) was shown. Titled "Pee-wee as Himself". it tore back the outward facade and impish grin of the actor Paul Reubens' iconic character and "offered audiences a rare gimpse at the tender, tormented and fiercely private man behind the [trademark] bow tie." Much of the film centres on the comments of Reuben's youger sister, Abby Reubenfeld, who came out of the closet soon after her brother had slammed the door of his well and truly shut. She is now a pioneering LGBTQ rights attorney and talked to The Advocate about her brother and their relationship. Even in discussions with his sister, for a long time Paul refused to come out. In the early 1970s he did establish a relationship with a man named Guy Brown, but he pushed Brown away to focus on his career. If the cinema incident was deeply embarrassing, worse followed in 2002 when he was investigated for possessing child pornography. The charges were ultimately reduced because it was bascially a collection of gay erotica. But again the damage had been done. When he was diagnosed with cancer, the deeply private man did not share the information. Reubenfeld not unnaturally sees her brother's legacy as bitter sweet. "A brillliant performer who made generations of kids laugh while hiding his own deepest truth." She hopes the documentary will help "others understand not only the cost of fame, but the courage of quiet survival." https://www.advocate.com/arts-entertainment/paul-reubens-sister-interview

Second Air India Dreamliner Appears to Experience Technical Issues An Air India Boeing 787 departed Hong Kong for Delhi at 12:20 pm yesterday. After reaching a height of 22,000 ft, the aircraft appeared to descend. The captain of AI315 suspected a technical issue. After informing HKATC that he suspected a problem and would like to remain close to Hong Kong, the captain soon informed HKATC "We don't want to continue further" and returned safely at 1:15 pm. The aircraft remained at Hong Kong for technical checks and passengers were routed on other flights. https://www.nbcnews.com/news/india/air-india-dreamliner-returns-hong-kong-technical-issue-rcna213205

Years ago I was doing a project for Bangkok's Oriental Hotel (now the Mandarin Oriental). Not feeling well on one visit, I made an appointment to see the hotel doctor. A pleasant Indian, after checking my name and room number, instead of my age he asked "How young are you?" I was far from young but I thought that rather a nice way to bond with a patient!

No one cares? So you think it is perfectly aceptable to make remarks about another poster which are not true? I certainly do not wish to derail a topic about hot guys but I think if another poster basically lied about what you had written you would take him up on it. A simple answer from @khaolakguy would suffice and end the matter.

Sorry if I misquoted you. I should also have been more accurate. I was not referring to MBs. I always found they delivered exactly what they promised. Japanese whom I met at parties, for example, and who had missed their last trains home could seem shy with a foreigner, but get them into bed and they completely changed. I found it great. Never ended up with a corpse and I'm sorry you did.

So it is up to foreigners to adapt as much as possible to the Japanese way of doing things. Plenty of foreigners do but some tend to think the Japanese way of doing things should be adapted to more western ways. I have always found that taking things as they come is the best way. Sometimes you will never attract that great looking hunk you are chasing. At others, a little gentle persistence and he is in your arms. I think as @joizy noted in a different Japanese post, often you get a shy Japanese guy into bed. he can quickly become more of a tiger! In all my years visiting and living in Japan, I went to all three 24 Kaikans many times, but never in the afternoons except at a week-end. Too many Japanese have to study or work on week-day afternoons. Only at the original 24 in Akasaka would there sometimes be quite a few much older Japanese in week-day afternoons but they just did not interest me.

Anyone know if Le Prive remains a gay owned mini-hotel? It is/was located on Thappraya Soi 1 and has/had six self-contained bungalows set around a pool. It has a bar and served an excellent breakfast but no other meals. I have not stayed for around 8 years. It was run by a gay French guy. The gate was locked at 10:00 pm each evening but guests were given keys to open the gate. Joiners were always welcome.

Never a problem. They have always welcomed guests of guests.

@khaolakguy - you made a statement. I asked for clarification of your statement. I ask again. "Who have I driven off?"

Now that is non-Japanese thinking, with respect! As for the jig-saw puzzle, you have to remember that in 1945 Tokyo was massively firebombed with much of the city totally detroyed. It was then largely a city made of wood and as it obvious today, much of the city had to be reconstructed. To Japanese, the addresses all make perfect sense. And once you get then hang of it, it does make perfect sense (well, almost perfect!). I always recommend to friends planning to visit Tokyo that they first get a bilingual Japanese/English atlas. These are absolutely invaluable when trying to find a location in the city. They give you the ward, neighbourhood, block and building name or number. So the building does not need a name. Even if you get slightly lost, the disrict and block numbers are usually written on small plaques affixed to telephone poles or anything upright. Most common problems arise with the 3 digits following the ward - as in 東京都台東区浅草2-3-1. These refer to the sub-area (like Shinjuku ni-chome), the block in which the area is located and the building number. My guess is that if you had used their form of address rather the foreign form, you would have had much less difficulty! I see that using the Google map on Yutaka's page provides all the block numbers. As for wearing masks, it's nothing to do with the epidemic. It's merely traditional in Japan where so many pepople are packed tightly together amost everywhere, especially on public transport. Why shouldn't they wear masks? But I agree there is a very Japanese concern about appearing ignorant or stupid in front of foeigners. That is also both historical and cultural. I remember on one of my first visits to Japan I was tryng to find the famous Sony Building not far from the Ginza. Politely i asked a Japanese couple. There was the customary intake of breath followed by a brief conversation. They then pointed me in the direction. I thanked them. Only they had sent me in competely the wrong direction. It is not in the Japanese make-up to admit you do not know something!

It's decades since I was there but by far the biggest sauna then was close to the Palais Garnier Opera House, Le Continental. Not sure when it closed but I recall its patrons included many, many Asians, mostly Vietnamese. Many Vietnamese families had taken refuge in Paris following the country's withdrawal from indo-China. I suspect, therefore, that there should still exist a considerable Vietnamese twink presence in many of the city's saunas.

Illegal strutures are far from uncommon in Thaland, sadly. In Bangkok there was the famous case of the luxury Aetas Hotel in Soi Ruamrudee, the road that runs just behind All Seasons Place on Wittayu. In the late 2000s, a developer was given approval by the City governor and planning department to construct a twin tower hotel consisting of 18 and 24 stories on Ruamrudee. The problem was the permission was against the law. This states in that part of Bangkok a roadway must be at least 10 meters wide before a high rise building can be constructed at its side. Ruamrudee is at east a couple of meters less in width which limits building heights to 7 or 8 storeys. By 2010 with the hotel complete residents in the soi complained to City Hall. Research showed the permits to have been illegally issued. In 2012 the owners were instructed to demolish the building. Two years later it was still accepting residents. In December that year the Supreme Administrative Court gave the Bangok City Government 60 days to ensure the hotel was demolished. Yet the verdict was not enforced and the hotel remained standing and doing business until 2017. No doubt by then the investors had begun to make their money back and were finally happy to obey the law they had flouted for many years. Did anyone go to jail? Was anyone fined? Joke! TIT You'd think developers would have learned their lesson. Not when it comes to cash, they haven't. As reported earlier this month in Thailand Construction News, 13 high rise buildings in the city "violate costruction laws." https://thailand-construction.com/thirteen-bangkok-high-rise-projects-violate-construction-laws/

The Sofitel So was mentioned in a recent thread. For those with a sweet tooth, it has a dedicated chocolate delicatessen on the ground floor. The Sukhothai a little further down Sathorn also serves an intensely chocolatey buffet in place of its regular afternoon tea every Saturday. I love chocolate but even this is way too much for me. There's also a cheaper Chocolate Cave buffet at the Cocoa XO buffet at the Centara Grand rooftop which includes cognac pairing.

Fair point. And I should have included at least the approx. date in the original post.

This is your second one word response. It's perfecty easy to look it up in wikipedia or Thai Tourism sites. As you will see the dates change every year because they coincide with the beginning of the Buddhist Lent. https://www.holidify.com/pages/ubon-ratchathani-candle-festival-1905.html

Perhaps unfortunately Ueno is less cosmopolitan than Shinjuku, there are few schools nearby and so most of the patrons work for a living. Late afternoons onwards are the times to go.

There was a time after "Phantom of the Opera" that everyone assumed Andrew Lloyd Webber had finally lost his mojo. None of his six later shows worked and most lost a lot of money. Even "Sunset Boulevard" which he and the producers assumed would be the next "Phantom" pot boiler made milions in losses. Since then he has largely remounted versions of earlier musicals like "The Sound of Music". Now though, he is becoming flavour of the month again. His Broadway revival of "Sunset Boulevard" in a very different type of production just walked away with the Tony Award for the Best Revival of a Musical. It was his first award for 30 years. Nicole Sherzinger also walked away with the Best Leading Actress in a Musical Award for the lead role in "Sunset". Elsewhere revivals of "Starlight Express" are enjoying huge success in London, and revivals of "Jesus Christ Superstar" and "Evita" are already in rehearsal. https://www.theguardian.com/culture/2025/jun/14/andrew-lloyd-webber-is-hot-again-with-help-from-new-kids-on-musicals-block it's unlikely that his net worth in recent years ever fell much beyond £1 billion. Now it will balloon upward again. He once boasted of having the finest wine cellar in London, only he always bought 2 cases of only the very best. One was for his own consumption; the other to sell when as inevitably happens with fine wines, the price went up. Effectively his own cases therefore cost him nothing!

Just for a change, you might want to try the 24 Kaikan in Ueno which is probably the second gayest location in Tokyo after Shinjuku ni-chome. A slightly larger facility but on 11 floors that is about a 12 minute walk from Ueno station. It tends to have a slightly older crowd on average This is a German site and while the text is in English the map is of Berlin!! But it's easy to scroll it over to Tokyo''s Ueno district. https://travelm.de/en-US/place/chij5yvbzjqoggarjwttjv3pyro-en-24-kaikan-hotel-and-sauna-ueno Just come out of the east side of Ueno station, turn left and eventually you will see the sign on the other side of the road.

A pity bordering on a disaster, alas! I think I am right in suggesting that in the lead up to his 2016 election Trump had always said he would rip up that agreement despite its being agreed by the world's major powers and approved by most others. As usual Trump lied when he claimed that the agreement would result in the US paying Iran $150 billion. He had no intention of paying Iran 1 cent. In fact the amount was $100 billion and it was not the USA's cash. It was Iran's money frozen by the US authorities. One of the strongest advocates against the deal, although not in the administration at that time, was John Bolton. In recent days he has again claimed it is time to wipe Iran's nuclear facilities off the map. The really sad aspect of this whole debacle is that Iran is not only a beautiful country with a long and distinguished cutural history, its people are among the most educated, friendly and virtually to a man loathe the regime they live under. History cannot be unwound, but had the CIA and its British allies , greedy for Iran's oil, not deposed Iran's democratically elected Prime Minister in the early 1950s, then backed with masses of cash and military power the megalomaniac Shah, before siding with Iraq in the ensuing ghastly 8 year Iran/Iraq war, everything could have ended up being so different. On my visit a few years ago I noticed this outside the old US Embassy. None of the passers by took the remotest interest in it!

I assume you mean when is it held. The Thai name for the Fesival is Phi Ta Khon and this year the Festival is unusually from July 25 to 27 which means it is not over a weekend. The dates change a bit every year as they are related to the Buddhist calendar. Expect to get at least 6 months' notice of the 2026 Festival, If you plan to attend, immediately book your hotel. The only hotel very close to the town is the Phunacome Hotel on a hillside above the town which runs a regular shuttle up the hill. As a result it gets booked up very quickly for the Festival dates. A key element of the Festival is fertility rites and the importance of the phallus. You see them everywhere! Not the real life variety, unfortunately!!!

A belief in ghosts is a key part of Thai cuture. Ghost Festivals therefore take place in many cities around the country. The most impressive I believe is the one in Dansai, a small town of around 10,000 in Loei Province close to the Mekong. You can get there by flyig to Loei and then taking a minimbus to Dansai. The one problem is that there is only really one decent hotel in the town, up on a nearby hotel. But participants come from near and far and Loei itself has quite a number of hotels. Fertility rites play a big part in the Festival. It is the amazing variety of costumes worn by the guys that make it all very special. Other aspects of the parade include young men carrying a variety of offerings, a skeleton orchestra, a dance for the older generation and lots of phalic symbols. The Festival lasts three days but the Parade is always only on the Saturday. Lots of very handsome young men but no gay bar or facility in Dansai, For these you probably have to go to Loei.