reader

From Pattaya CCTV footage captured a violent brawl between two transgender individuals at a Pattaya beer bar, shocking passing tourists in the city some call a world-class family friendly resort city. The incident was captured on CCTV footage from a beer bar on Pattaya Central Road Sai 2. Two transgender individuals were seen pulling each other’s hair and slapping each other in full view of passing tourists. The incident occurred on February 15th, 2025, at 10:30 PM, but recently went viral on Thai social media. On February 22nd, The Pattaya News reporters visited the bar in the video and spoke with Teerawat, a transgender woman from Saraburi who works part-time at the establishment and was one of the individuals in the footage. According to Teerawat, she was the victim of an unprovoked attack. Teerawat recounted that on the night of the incident, she was playing pool with her foreign boyfriend when a mysterious ice cube suddenly fell to the ground near her. Looking around to identify the source, she noticed Bella, a 24-year-old transgender woman, sitting at a nearby bar. Bella was an old friend of hers and had previously been romantically involved with Teerawat’s boyfriend. Teerawat claimed that Bella then began to verbally taunt her. Despite the provocations, Teerawat ignored them until Bella approached her, twirling her hair before suddenly yanking it. A fierce brawl followed, with both individuals exchanging blows until bystanders stepped in, as captured in the CCTV footage. Following the altercation, Teerawat filed a police report at Pattaya Police Station. She alleged that Bella is part of a notorious group of transgender individuals known for using violence in the city. Teerawat also claimed she received threatening phone calls from senior members of the group, which warned her to “Watch your back.” Given these threats, Teerawat planned to file an additional report for harassment. Continues at https://thepattayanews.com/2025/02/25/transgender-brawl-erupts-at-pattaya-beer-bar/

From Pattaya Mail PATTAYA, Thailand – For decades, Pattaya has been known not only for its vibrant tourism scene but also for its long-running issues with motorbike rental operators allegedly acting as “parking mafias.” These groups have often been accused of monopolizing public parking spaces, intimidating business owners, and even forcing tourists into unfair rental agreements. A Systematic Control Over Parking Spaces Many motorbike rental businesses operate along Pattaya Beach Road and other tourist-heavy areas, where parking is scarce. Over the years, reports have emerged of rental operators illegally reserving public parking spaces for their own fleet of bikes. They often block spots using cones, chains, or even physically moving other vehicles to ensure only their rental bikes are parked there. Business owners, especially those running restaurants and shops, frequently complain that their customers are unable to find parking because these spaces are unofficially “claimed” by rental businesses. Intimidation and Local Conflicts Several incidents suggest that these rental groups do not just operate passively. Local restaurant owners and small business operators have reported threats and harassment when they attempt to use or challenge these spaces. Some claim that when they park their vehicles in front of their own businesses, rental operators either block them in or have their vehicles towed. This has led to ongoing conflicts, with authorities stepping in on multiple occasions to mediate. Involvement of Authorities and Crackdowns Despite numerous crackdowns, the issue persists. Pattaya police have, on various occasions, removed illegally parked rental bikes and fined operators, but the problem tends to resurface quickly. Some suspect that local enforcement is inconsistent, possibly due to under-the-table agreements between certain rental businesses and officials. Impact on Tourists and Business Owners Tourists, particularly first-time visitors, have also been affected. Some report being overcharged or forced to rent bikes after finding no available parking due to rental operators occupying public spaces. Others have fallen victim to rental scams, where operators claim damages on bikes and demand exorbitant fees. Will the Issue Ever Be Resolved? While authorities continue to make efforts to regulate motorbike rental businesses, the deeply rooted nature of this issue suggests it won’t be an easy fix. Stronger enforcement, clear regulations, and better parking management are necessary to prevent rental operators from exploiting public spaces at the expense of locals and tourists alike. Until then, the so-called “parking mafia” of Pattaya remains a challenge for both businesses and visitors, reflecting a broader issue of informal control over public resources in Thailand’s major tourist hubs. https://www.pattayamail.com/news/motorbike-rental-operators-in-pattaya-a-long-standing-parking-mafia-on-beach-road-491874

From The Patttaya Mail By Barry Kenyon The Canadian embassy in Bangkok has announced that it will no longer issue letters of guarantee about the income of Canadian citizens wishing to obtain annually-renewable visas in Thailand. The ruling also applies to the Canadian consulate in Chiang Mai. The announcement parrots the line used by the British, American and Australian embassies in the past – officers have no way of verifying the truth of claimed income or cash reserves in the home country. Those affected, principally retirees, will need either to show 800,000 baht in a Thai bank account (which never insisted on embassy confirmation) or use the method of transferring at least 65,000 baht on a regular and continuous basis for the preceding 12 months. Individual immigration offices may differ in the precise detail they require applicants to produce for retirement or marriage visas. The evidence can include detailed home-country bank statements and even proof of the source of the cash if monthly transfers are involved. Pattaya City Expat Club has a useful and detailed summary of the matter in its current newsletter, though obviously the remarks apply principally to Chonburi provincial immigration offices. The Canadian embassy states that the issuing of letters of guarantee had always been an informal arrangement, not a mandatory service required by immigration authorities. The embassy does not claim that abuses have actually been found. The latest ruling will likely require Canadian expats with annually renewable visas to have a bank account in Thailand. They may run into the problem that new bank accounts are more difficult to open at the moment because of the government crackdown on unrelated abuse relating to scams and fraud. New banking registration rules allegedly begin on March 1, including requirements for photo IDs and a restriction of one SIM card per bank account. However, there have not been any recent announcements by the Bank of Thailand about implementation. https://www.pattayamail.com/latestnews/news/canada-joins-uk-us-and-australia-in-refusing-to-verify-retirement-income-491858

From The BBC The estimated 2.3 million Filipino overseas workers form the economic backbone of their nation. The remittances they send home are vital; sustaining household incomes, driving consumer spending, supporting community development, and ensuring national economic stability - contributing 8.5% to GDP. In the first of our two-part series looking at the Philippine economy, Sam Fenwick meets overseas workers who send money home and those who have returned to set up businesses. Continues with audio story https://www.bbc.com/audio/play/w3ct5z7t

I’ve used it three times and was quite satisfied with all aspects of the service. Its location in Saphan Kwai can’t be beat. In short, I can recommend it without qualification. I believe my last visit was in 2023.

There was a discussion about this last Fall and some members reported that biz boarding pass was acceptable. I qualify for being 70+. Perhaps other members have recent experience.

In a reversal of form, legendary high-end Apple has introduced a new, cheaper phone while Oppo—long the home of the low cost mobile—is marketing a pricey folding model to compete with Samsung and Huawei models.. From The Verge iPhone 16E: all the news on Apple’s new $599 phone Apple has announced an update to the iPhone SE, but this time around, it’s called the iPhone 16E. As the rumors predicted, Apple’s new budget iPhone model has an updated design with a Face ID-enabled notch, replacing the old model that had a home button and Touch ID interface. Another new element is that this is the first iPhone with an Apple-designed 5G modem inside, the new C1, which Apple says is “the most power-efficient modem ever on an iPhone.” https://www.theverge.com/news/615399/apple-iphone-16e-event-specs-price-release-date-se ====== From MSN Chinese smartphone firm Oppo launches slim $1,870 folding phone Chinese smartphone firm Oppo has unveiled its new flagship folding phone Thursday, touting a slimmer body and artificial intelligence-focused features in a bid to compete with high-end foldable devices from the likes of Samsung and Huawei. The company's Find N5 phone that can fold in half, will retail at a starting price of 2,499 Singapore dollars ($1,867.70). When it's folded shut, the Find N5 looks like a normal bar-shaped phone with a 6.62-inch display. The device can then be folded outward to show a larger, 8.12-inch tablet. Most notably, the phone has an ultra-thin design. When closed, it measures 8.93 millimeters thick, while when opened out in tablet form, the Find N5 has a depth of 4.21 millimeters. That's slimmer than Samsung's Galaxy Fold 6, which the South Korean tech giant released last year. https://www.msn.com/en-us/technology/tech-companies/chinese-smartphone-firm-oppo-launches-slim-1-870-folding-phone-to-rival-samsung-huawei/ar-AA1zr6E3

From Khaosod English SUVARNABHUMI — A potential tragedy was averted at Thailand’s Suvarnabhumi Airport when police successfully intercepted a British man attempting to jump from an elevated roadway, with crucial assistance from a Thai woman who acted as an negotiator during the tense situation. The incident, which occurred on February 21 at approximately 8:00 p.m. on Exit Route 1 of the airport’s elevated road system, was first revealed through social media on February 23 when the “Jor Jae Jab Jorn” Facebook page shared footage of the rescue operation. Police Colonel Jakrapong Nuchpadung, Superintendent of Suvarnabhumi Airport Police Station (Airport 1), reported that authorities received an alert about a foreign man sitting and standing precariously on the outer edge of the elevated roadway. Recognizing the high-risk situation, police quickly assembled a response team including tourist police and airport patrol units. https://www.khaosodenglish.com/news/2025/02/24/language-skills-swift-action-save-life-in-suvarnabhumi-airport-drama/

Mid-afternoon to early evening will likely provide best availability.

From The Thaiger Police officers last week interrupted a kinky group sex session involving at least six men in a public park in Bangkok’s Bang Khen district. Esor News shared a video and pictures of the group of men fleeing from police officers on Thursday, February 20. The video captured police officers blowing a whistle loudly and chasing the perverted exhibitionists as the men hurriedly left the debauched scene. As officers shone their torches on them, it became evident that they gathered near a large concrete pillar. The footage showing the men engaging in sexual activity was blurred. Thai netizens flooded the comments section with humorous remarks. “It’s a sin for you officers! You are interrupting people’s happiness.” “The only ones in the wrong are the police officers.” “Are they creating sex content?” https://thethaiger.com/news/bangkok/police-interrupt-group-sex-of-6-men-in-bangkok-public-park

From Bangkok Post The Ministry of Public Health yesterday confirmed the discovery of a new coronavirus, HKU5-CoV-2, by a laboratory in China but said no human infections have been recorded as yet. Dr Opas Karnkawinpong, permanent secretary of the Ministry of Public Health, said yesterday the virus found by a team of Chinese researchers at the Wuhan Institute of Virology is a variant within the Merbecovirus subgenus. "It is not considered a new strain or mutant virus. Instead, it is a virus in the coronavirus family, which has many subspecies," he said, adding that the research team found that HKU5-CoV-2 can enter human cells using the same gateway as the earlier SARS-CoV-2 (Covid-19), prompting fears of another pandemic. "However, there is currently no outbreak or epidemiological data related to the HKU5-CoV-2 strain in humans. Therefore, the public does not need to worry at this time," he said. https://www.bangkokpost.com/thailand/general/2966640/no-need-to-worry-about-new-coronavirus

NOTE —. To those unfamiliar with the market, it serves as both a very popular wholesome and retail food center. Many of the city’s top restaurants source their ingredients there in the early morning hours before locals flow in for the fresh food at bargain prices. My guy loves to visit every few weeks. From Bangkok Posr The pavement next to Klong Toey Market on Rama IV Road offers plenty of pedestrian space after the Lao Market was recently demolished. (Photo: Somchai Poomlard) The Bangkok Metropolitan Administration (BMA) is renovating a walkway at Klong Toey Market on Rama IV Road after dismantling an extension market that had occupied the footpath for almost two decades. The street-side market, known as Rim Khlong Hua Lamphong Market, or Talat Lao for short, has long existed in the area. The sidewalk repairs around the market will be completed by April, resulting in a cleaner and more organised appearance for one of the capital's oldest fresh markets. Bangkok governor Chadchart Sittipunt previously said that the Lao Market in Klong Toey District had been in place since 2005, occupying a pathway of over 100 metres. The BMA implemented a policy to remove all stalls from the area following complaints about pedestrians being forced to walk on the road, risking accidents. Vendors were also accused of throwing waste directly into the canal, turning it into a dumping ground, causing foul odours and hygiene issues. The location was originally designated as a temporary vendor zone, with nearly 100 stalls selling food and supplies, primarily specialising in northeastern cuisine. On Aug 30 2018, the Klong Toey District Office formally revoked the temporary vendor permissions. However, sellers continued to set up street stalls until December last year, when the district office mobilised more than 100 officials, including personnel from the Department of City Law Enforcement and police officers from Klong Toey and nearby stations, to reclaim the area after giving stall owners several months to vacate. Officials successfully dismantled the market structures and cleared the area. While most vendors agreed to leave and return to their hometowns, others relocated their shops within Klong Toey. Market.https://www.bangkokpost.com/thailand/general/2966650/bangkok-administration-renovates-klong-toey-

Two visits to Saphan Kwai in the past week have reinforced my belief that 15M (and its sister shop 27M) along with Phoenix Massage are two of the most reliable shops for service and value. Every time I’ve showed up for appointment at 15M, guy was waiting for me. Service consistently meets high standard. This shop never offers promotions but with a 400 baht house fee for one hour and a stable of attractive and friendly guys, it has found the right formula for success. Made my 11th visit to Phoenix at 9:40 the other night. They were in second day of 250 baht promotion and all rooms were occupied. I agreed to wait 20 minutes until next room would be available. Guy I selected was shooting pool when I arrived but he came over and sat with me until room opened up at top of hour. The experience reminded me of sitting with guy you invited to join you at your table in Dragon and Koi.

From all account’s I’m hearing from the folks back home, the series is taking many westerners by storm. I think many see it as an escape from the cold of a very frigid winter and a very diabolical president.

Thank you.

I used accumulated Singapore miles for a one-way ticket last year because they were close to expiring but had to buy return on another carrier. Very difficult now to find seats using miles to SE Asia from North America. My approach now is to fly carrier that offers one-stop connection at best price regardless of awards program.

Sorry, was asking about cities where you found “not much gay life.”

What Vietnam cities are you referring to?

Trying to discern what Buffett thinks about market conditions is always a challenge. The following article reflects on his recent letter to shareholders. The mention of one of the things he considers good current opportunities are investment houses in Japan. From CNBC Warren Buffett amasses more cash and sells more stock The mystery over Warren Buffett’s surprisingly defensive stance deepened over the weekend. The 94-year-old CEO of Berkshire Hathaway sold more stocks in the latest quarter and grew a record cash pile even larger to $334 billion, but failed to explain in his highly anticipated annual letter why the investor known for his astute equity purchases over time was seemingly battening down the hatches. Instead Buffett said that this posture in no way represented a move away from his love for stocks. “Despite what some commentators currently view as an extraordinary cash position at Berkshire, the great majority of your money remains in equities,” Buffett wrote in the 2024 annual letter released Saturday. “That preference won’t change.” Berkshire’s monstrous ownership of cash has raised questions among shareholders and observers especially as interest rates are expected to fall from their multi-year highs. The Berkshire CEO and chairman in recent years has expressed frustration about an expensive market and few buying opportunities. Some investors and analysts have grown impatient with the lack of action and have sought an explanation why. Despite his repeated selling of stock, Buffett said Berkshire will continue to prefer equities to cash. Shareholders will have to wait a little longer it seems as the Omaha-based conglomerate net sold equities for a ninth consecutive quarter in the final period of last year, according to the company’s annual report, which was also released on Saturday. All told, Berkshire sold more than $134 billion worth of stocks in 2024. This is mainly due to the shrinking of Berkshire’s two largest equity holdings — Apple and Bank of America. Meanwhile, it appears Buffett is not finding his own stock attractive either. Berkshire continued its buyback halt, repurchasing no shares in the fourth quarter or in the first quarter through Feb. 10. This is despite a massive increase in operating earnings reportedby the conglomerate on Saturday. Buffett’s sitting on his hands amid a raging bull market that’s seen the S&P 500 gain more than 20% for two years in a row and move into the green again so far this year. Some cracks have begun to develop in the past week, however, with some concerns growing about a slowing economy, volatility from rapid policy changes from new President Donald Trump and overall stock valuations. Berkshire shares were up 25% and 16% respectively the last two years and are up 5% so far this year. Buffett did offer perhaps a small hint about stock valuations being a concern in the letter. “We are impartial in our choice of equity vehicles, investing in either variety based upon where we can best deploy your (and my family’s) savings,” wrote Buffett. “Often, nothing looks compelling; very infrequently we find ourselves knee-deep in opportunities.” Buffett did signal he would be deploying capital in one area: the five Japanese trading houses he began buying nearly six years go. https://www.cnbc.com/2025/02/22/warren-buffett-amasses-more-cash-and-sells-more-stock-but-doesnt-explain-why-in-annual-letter.html

From Pattaya Mail By Barry Kenyon The unfortunate British tourist Pamela Gatehouse is facing medical and repatriation costs of around 80,000 pounds (3 million baht) and much more if a private plane evacuation proves necessary. Her husband says their travel insurance proved worthless because they visited India before Thailand, a technicality which invalidated all claims. Inevitably, the British embassy was contacted but there is no slush fund to cover non-insured tourists or expats. Indeed, the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office in London has in the past pointed out that British taxpayers cannot, and should not, subsidize overseas tragedies no matter how pitiful. Any other policy, of course, would open the floodgates as Brits abroad would queue up in huge numbers to benefit from the unexpected generosity. Gofundme might help a bit – it has provided over 7,000 pounds (30,000 baht) to date in the Gatehouse case. Traditionally, most of the cash in medical emergencies is volunteered in the first few days, soon drying up. The only other routes to try are compassionate friends and relatives back in the UK or negotiations with the private hospital to arrange a discount. There have been examples where hospital administrators have knocked off 10 percent as the case nears outpatient status. Worth a try. It is a common myth that travel insurance, which the Gatehouses paid for, covers any and all medical issues abroad. Allianz Travel Insurance points out that “if a situation is not specified in the terms, it’s not covered”. Claims are regularly rejected because of ambiguous terms such as pre-existing conditions, foreseeable events and risky behaviour. Travel insurance is a competitive, even cut-throat industry, with companies trying to look as cheap as possible whilst maximizing their own escape clauses. In the past 12 months, Brits in Thai hospitals for serious operations (assuming they had any insurance) have been rejected by their cover companies for not wearing a crash helmet, failing breath or drugs tests, negligence in personal conduct, inadequate vehicle insurance, self-incrimination (overstaying a visa), failure to return regularly to UK, refusal to accept outpatient treatment when offered and a host of other phrases which disguise the horror of individuals’ misfortunes. As regards compulsory medical insurance, Thai authorities are diffident. Cheap package deals for the millions from India, China and Russia would rise in cost if mandatory cover was introduced. A few expat visas such as the 10-year Long Term Residence and work authorizations require it, but well over 90 percent of foreigners can visit without any insurance requirement. Meanwhile, the Thai health authorities regularly grumble about foreigners’ unpaid bills. In early 2024, the Thai government launched a medical support scheme for foreign tourists which was centrally funded with 50 million baht (11 million UK). It was discretionary, complicated and not well publicized after the initial press conferences. There were the usual warnings about carelessness, intention to take part in an illegal activity or risky conduct. Much of the fund was spent on compensation for the relatives of foreigners who died in traffic accidents. The scheme ran until December 2024 but has not been renewed so far as is known. A recurrent promise of the government has been to introduced a travel tax of 300 baht (7 pounds) on all foreigners arriving in Thailand. The revenue would be used to repair or renovate public monuments visited by tourists with a smaller percentage perhaps paying the costs of foreigners’ accidents. Maybe anyway. But there has been no travel surcharge to date and no recent announcements. When it comes to significant medical treatment in any south east Asian country, you are essentially on your own. On the other hand, 99 percent of travellers won’t have a problem. https://www.pattayamail.com/latestnews/news/everyone-passes-the-buck-on-paying-for-emergency-medical-treatment-in-thailand-491691

Didn’t go upstairs. Only observed Midnight bar. I plan to give new HM owners another week or so before seeing show,

Under new management, the staff at Midnight Bar (formerly known as Hot Male Beer Bar) appears to have settled on new attire for bar staff of white shirts. Under the predominant blue lighting, they do indeed stand out. Freshboy, which for a long time utilized a few waiters to act as barkers, now has 2-3 dedicated staff in red polo shirts on the soi, doing the job. And they must be effective because the house was packed Saturday night for the shows. Even some of the benches boys use when not on stage were occupied by customers. A non member tells me that he went to Atlas Bar Friday. Show started at 10:50 with total of 16 customers. He didn’t see any twinks and there was no f show. Saw one guy get offed. A member reports that a bodybuilding competition scheduled for next month has been postponed.

From theconsrructor.org Viscoelastic dampers have been successfully incorporated in a number of tall buildings as a viable energy dissipating system to suppress wind-and earthquake-induced motion of building structures. A tuned mass damper, also known as a harmonic absorber or seismic damper, is a device mounted in structures to reduce mechanical vibrations, consisting of a mass mounted on one or more damped springs. Its oscillation frequency is tuned to be similar to the resonant frequency of the object it is mounted to, and reduces the object's maximum amplitude while weighing much less than it.

From CNN Imagine you’re booking a flight. For most people, it’s an easy decision: the cheapest fare or the easiest route will be the one to win out. But for many, it’s a different scenario. They’re willing to spend more, fly at awkward times or even make multiple connections to reach their destination — all to earn airline loyalty points. This is the dance of the frequent flyer program — often a costly dance, but one that reaps benefits in the form of lounge access, free seat selection, priority security and other things that make flying in the crowded 21st century a little more bearable — as long as you spend or fly enough to earn enough points to reach the “elite” tiers of airlines’ loyalty programs. But with airlines increasingly changing their programs to make it harder to accrue status, has the points bubble burst? “Earning real value from airline loyalty programs is tougher than ever,” says Kyle Olsen, travel products editor at CNN Underscored. “Airlines have raised [flight] redemption costs and made rewards less valuable. Higher spending requirements make status harder to achieve. Dynamic pricing means award flights cost more points than before.” This year, three carriers in the Oneworld airline alliance — British Airways, Iberia and Qantas — will change their loyalty schemes. From April, it’ll be harder to achieve status on the first two, while from August, spending loyalty points on Qantas will require a higher spend. Rob Burgess, editor of “avgeek” website Head for Points, calls it a “downward trend.” “BA and Iberia are turning their programs into recognition schemes for their biggest spenders rather than loyalty schemes,” he says. Those Oneworld changes come on the heels of Delta Air Lines, whose much criticized toughening up of their own program made it tougher to acquire status last year. CEO Ed Bastian cited crowded lounges as one reason for the changes. Suddenly the “elites” weren’t feeling so … elite. So are loyalty programs worth it anymore? And with suggestions that airlines are no longer interested in rewarding the little guys, are there any that still work for the average Joe? Continues at https://edition.cnn.com/travel/airline-loyalty-programs-points-2025-changes/index.html

You’re not wrong; it does.