reader

From The Thaiger Thai banks have become the main financial lifeline for Myanmar’s militarygovernment, enabling it to buy goods and equipment for its brutal campaign against pro-democracy resistance and ethnic minority groups. This revelation comes from a UN report released yesterday, June 26, by Tom Andrews, the UN special rapporteur on the situation of human rights in Myanmar. The report details how Myanmar’s military junta, formally known as the State Administration Council (SAC), has circumvented sanctions from the US, EU, and other states by switching to new financial and military suppliers. With Singapore firms pulling out, Thai companies have stepped in to fill the void, keeping the junta well-armed. The report, titled Banking on the Death Trade: How Banks and Governments Enable the Military Junta in Myanmar, stated that over the past year, 16 banks in seven countries processed transactions for SAC military procurement, 25 banks have provided correspondent banking services to Myanmar’s state-owned banks since the coup. Since seizing power in February 2021, Myanmar’s military has violently suppressed nonviolent protests, leading to a full-scale civil war. They face accusations of widespread human rights violations, including the bombing of civilians. Despite international efforts to isolate the junta, gaps in sanctions enforcement have allowed it to continue its reign of terror.

War, offensives, politics, corruption. You name it and they combine to deaden our senses to humanity. This one story won’t reverse that but it reminds us what truly matters. From The Thaiger Thai teen caring for his grandmother receives public support Generous individuals rallied to support a devoted Thai teen who put his education on hold to care for his ailing grandmother. The 15 year old Ae’s daily struggle involves walking barefoot for over 14 kilometres to collect and sell recyclable materials to support his grandmother and younger siblings. The family lives in a modest house in a rural area, lacking both electricity and running water. Kind-hearted residents from various provinces sent a substantial amount of essential items to Ae and his family. Donations included clothes, shoes, school supplies, rice, dried food, and other everyday necessities. Ae expressed his heartfelt gratitude to the benefactors. “I am overjoyed and deeply thankful to everyone who has helped us. Your kindness has allowed me to return to school.”

He’d crawl if he had to. 🙂

Selected a guy from a massage shop tablet last night. Wasn’t the most handsome of the many offerings, but it was a combination of his masculinity and simplicity. After he arrived he used his phone translator to tell me we had met before at different Saphan Kwai shop over a year ago. He must have had good recall of the first time because he was already very much at ease. For the lack of a better word, it was a reunion of sorts and throughly enjoyable. Nothing wrong with chasing the bright light. I find myself doing it on occasion. But uncovering hidden gems can be equally rewarding—and satisfying.

Only thing I’d add for twink admirers is Good Boy has good representation.

I believe it was Moses who reports that only readers of this forum are actually dead (himself included).🙂

Available but did not fall within my range of potential massage candidates.

From CNN 2024’s Global Liveability Index: The top 10 1. Vienna, Austria 2. Copenhagen, Denmark 3. Zurich, Switzerland 4. Melbourne, Australia 5. Calgary, Canada 5. Geneva, Switzerland 7. Sydney, Australia 7. Vancouver, Canada 9. Osaka, Japan 9. Auckland, New Zealand https://edition.cnn.com/2024/06/26/travel/the-worlds-most-liveable-cities-for-2024/index.html

As many have noted, the Saphan Kwai area is a target-rich environment for massage seekers. Although all the shops are on the basic side, SK makes up for it with lower prices and generally larger selections of masseurs than you’ll find elsewhere in town. Most of the guys are free lancers and you’ll find many of the same faces at multiple shops. Having said that, there are some all-male shops scattered about that have dedicated cadres of boys serving only their shop. Last night I booked a guy at 15M which is less than a five-minute walk from the BTS station. Booking is fairly easy via LINE. I sent them his name and photo and requested one hour for two hours later. After initially reporting that he was unable to contact him, he sent me a message a few minutes later saying the boy called back and was available so I booked him. When I arrived at appointed time,my guy and three others were in the shop, any of whom would have been acceptable to me. Rooms are small but adequate with mattress pad on floor and aircon. Showered separately down the hall. There was a large lock box on wall but no key. Pleased to report that the young man provided very good service with skill and affection, fulfilling my expectations. Showered together and took turns soaping each other. Overall, a very pleasant experience worth repeating and tipped above the posted minimum. Prices for an hour vary around the area from promotions as low as 250 to the highest I’m aware of at 550. But I think you’ll find the average about 400 which it is at 15M. Getting there is fairly simple from Saladeang with a change of trains at Siam. Travel time about 25 minutes and RT fare less than 100 baht.

Stopped by Magic Touch yesterday and was warmly greeted by the manager. He showed me the rate card that indicated one hour oil was 580 baht. When I inquired if either of the two of the guys I had in mind were available, he reported that Mr. King is not there and Mr. Max had moved on to Dubai. As it turned out, only the manager was available at the moment, I thanked him for the information and said I’d drop by another time.

From Thai OBS World The Police Commission has voted 12-0 to endorse the order by Acting National Police Chief Pol Gen Kitrat Phanphet to remove Deputy Police Chief Pol Gen Surachate Hakparn from the police service. The commission spent two hours discussing the issue, after the Council of State, the government’s legal advisor, ruled that the removal order was illegitimate. Yesterday, Surachate submitted a petition to recently-reinstated national police chief, Pol Gen Torsak Sukvimol, seeking to revoke the acting police chief’s order of April 18, removing him from police service, after he had been charged with collusion in money laundering in connection with the BNK Master online gambling network. Also on April 18, Pol Gen Kitrat issued an order transferring Surachate back to the Royal Thai Police from PM’s Office before issuing another order dismissing him from the service. Both Surachate and Torsak were ordered transferred to the PM’s Office by Prime Minister Srettha Thavisin March over the conflict between them. After leaving the Police Commission meeting, the prime minister told the media that the Police Commission Secretary-General will hold a press briefing about the meeting today. Pol Gen Surachate has been fighting for his reinstatement as the deputy police chief, which would have paved the way for him to become the next police chief, as he is the most senior deputy police chief. He has also threatened to sue the prime minister, Pol Gen Kitrat, Pol Gen Torsak and retired deputy police chief Pol Gen Winai Thongsong if he is not reinstated.

From Pattaya Mail By Barry Kenyon CBRE Thailand, the market leader in real estate services, has told the Bangkok Postthat increasing the foreign ownership for condos to 75 percent is likely non-consequential right now. This is because very few condo projects have reached the current quota of 49 percent. Praphinleeya Phuengkhuankhan, head of residential sales, said, “An increase in foreign ownership quotas may not be significant for the market or the economy as demand from foreign buyers for any single project is not that high.” She added that even in resorts such as Phuket or Pattaya, non-Thai buyers prefer villas over condos. Nationally, the number of condo ownership transfers by foreigners accounted for 13.6 percent last year, up from 10.8 percent in 2022. However, foreigners tended to purchase condo units outside of Greater Bangkok with Chonburi province, including Pattaya, being a front runner. Foreigners are generally restricted from owning land in Thailand directly. However, they can own specified buildings on the land, such as condominium units, or lease land for various periods which are currently under review by the government. Some commentators believe that current ambiguities about taxing foreigners on remitted income from 2024, and the possibility of taxing them on worldwide income from 2025, is dampening condo sales by foreign investors.

From The Thaiger The Thai Cabinet made a bold move to bolster its tourism sector by extending a waiver on operating fees for hoteliers for another two years. This strategic decision, made yesterday, June 25, aims to support the country’s ongoing economic recovery following the devastating impact of the Covid-19 pandemic. The fee exemption, which spares hoteliers from the annual charge of 40 baht per hotel room, will be in effect from July this year to June 2026. While this will result in a revenue loss of 54 million baht for the government, Deputy Spokesperson Karom Phonphonklang believes it is a necessary step. “Waiving the fee will help reduce expenses for hotel operators that have been impacted by the Covid-19 pandemic and may remain unable to recover.” Tourism is a cornerstone of the Thai economy, which has been struggling with high household debt, rising borrowing costs, and weak exports. The government is aiming for 3% economic growth in 2024, up from last year’s modest 1.9%. With tourism playing a critical role in this target, the fee waiver is expected to ease financial burdens on hoteliers and stimulate sector growth.

John Burdett explains it all in “Bangkok 8”.

From Thai PBS World Even more puzzling than the country’s two top policemen being sidelined simultaneously for alleged corruption is that both have been reinstated months later as if no damage had been done. In a development that critics call “a farce”, national police chief Pol General Torsak Sukvimol and his deputy Pol General Surachate Hakparn have been shifted from suspension in the Prime Minister’s Office back to their posts following the completion of an investigation by a three-man committee appointed by Prime Minister Srettha Thavisin in March. Critics say this “win-win solution” for the feuding top cops is not in the national interest since it leaves many questions unanswered, especially regarding allegations linking Torsak and Surachate to illegal and lucrative online gambling. Speculation abounds of a “secret deal” between the conflicting sides, while media have reported rumours that certain political heavyweights are paving the way for Surachate to become the next police chief in exchange for him helping to boost their party’s performance in southern provinces in the next election. Surachate, aka “Big Joke”, is a native of the southern Songkhla province and president of the Southerners Association of Thailand. Continues at https://www.thaipbsworld.com/secret-deal-or-political-intrigue-thailands-feuding-top-cops-reinstated/

From The Thaiger Thailand’s national parks achieved a monumental milestone, breaking revenue records by collecting a whopping 1.785 billion baht between October 1 last year, and June 20 this year. This incredible sum surpasses the total amount collected in the whole of 2023, which stood at 1.467 billion baht. Leading the charge is the Nopparat Thara Beach National Park, Phi Phi Islands, raking in an impressive 500.87 million baht. This park, a magnet for foreign tourists, has seen a dramatic increase in visitors, recording over 4.5 million foreign arrivals, a 41.5% rise from the previous year. In the past nine months, the park’s revenue surged from 300 million baht to over 500 million baht. Similan National Park follows with 243.66 million baht, renowned for its breathtaking underwater beauty. Khao Laem Ya – Mu Ko Samet National Park garnered 127.82 million baht, attracting visitors with its stunning coastal views. Ao Phang Nga National Park, famous for its dramatic limestone karsts, brought in 114.23 million baht. Doi Inthanon National Park, home to Thailand’s highest peak, completed the top five with 100.55 million baht.

I was in need of a print shop to make copy of visa for upcoming trip and was lucky to find one in the first block of Soi Saladeang (right side). The sign says passport photo and name of shop is Photo Unique. They also print photos. Prices are very reasonable. There used to be numerous places to get this work done when cyber cafes were popular. Mobile phones and tablets changed all that.

From Pattaya Mail By Barry Kenyon Thailand stands alone in its adoption of gay marriage. The ruling Pheu Thai party intends to go further and to recognize gender identity changes as well as to legalize prostitution, male as well as female. There is also a proposal to legalize commercial surrogacy for same sex marriage partners. The country is making a firm bid to be the world pride venue in 2028. Even a decade ago these moves would have been unthinkable in the land of smiles. The 10-member ASEAN is a commercial union, of sorts, but rarely interferes in each country’s domestic affairs. Nowhere is this clearer than in sexual law. Indonesia and Myanmar both have jail-time legislation which outlaws any kind of sex outside marriage, whilst Brunei can impose stoning to death for miscreants. Although the number of actual prosecutions in these countries is speculative, two Indonesian men each received 77 lashes in 2021 for “grossly indecent behaviour”. But the general idea seems to be to discourage coming-out, pride rallies and political campaigns on the “out of sight out of mind” principle. Other ASEAN partners lie somewhere in-between. In Singapore, gay sex is legal and also gender reassignment surgery which has been available since the 1970s. But there are few protections against discrimination and gay marriage is not available. Laos, Malaysia, Cambodia and Vietnam all recognize the legality of gay sex but not gay relationships. The Philippines is in a similar position, though its promotional tourist sites proclaim gays are welcome. Even the sexually-explicit Angeles City now has half a dozen gay bars or clubs, compared with none five years ago. Whether Thailand’s adoption of gay marriage in the fullest sense will impact other ASEAN nations remains to be seen. The pink pound is now mega-cash to the tune of US$6.5 billion or 1.2 percent of gross national product in Thailand, according to industry consultants LGBT Capital. In another context, Thailand’s lead in abolishing many visa restrictions on overseas visitors is being followed by several ASEAN partners. Further adoption of gay rights throughout south east Asia is no longer unthinkable.

From The Thaiger Despite a slight relief due to declining jet fuel prices and increased flight capacity, airfares are expected to remain high in the post-pandemic travel surge and are unlikely to revert to pre-pandemic levels soon. AirAsia Aviation’s CEO Bo Lingam spoke on the changes in travelling patterns post-pandemic in an interview. “[The aircraft] load factor is around 90%, this was unheard of pre-Covid.” The aviation sector has undergone significant changes following the pandemic, with pent-up travel demand driving ticket prices higher than inflation rates in many regions. Concurrently, supply chain issues, such as aircraft delivery delays and unexpected engine maintenance, have hampered airlines’ abilities to expand flight offerings. AirAsia aims to leverage this robust demand to create the world’s first low-cost carrier network by 2030, centred on its Southeast Asian hubs. This year, the airline added flights to Almaty, Kazakhstan, and launched operations with its Cambodian unit. The next milestone is the commencement of flights to Nairobi, Kenya, in October. AirAsia aims to leverage this robust demand to create the world’s first low-cost carrier network by 2030, centred on its Southeast Asian hubs. This year, the airline added flights to Almaty, Kazakhstan, and launched operations with its Cambodian unit. The next milestone is the commencement of flights to Nairobi, Kenya, in October.

From The Thaiger Thailand’s Ministry of Finance announced the collection of value-added tax (VAT) on imported goods, which aims to address disparities between foreign and domestic sellers in terms of tax obligations, effective from July 5 to December 31, 2024. The Royal Thai Government Gazette published the Ministry of Finance’s declaration today, June 24. The declaration focuses on customs duty exemptions for items valued at 1,500 baht or less, aiming to create a fairer marketplace for consumers. The government’s policy seeks to resolve the unfair competition between foreign sellers, who are not subjected to VAT, and local sellers, who must pay this tax. This measure is also in line with international agreements that mandate a minimum value threshold for imported goods to justify customs duties.

NOTE — in other words, hoteliers are in favor of stifling competition. They ignore fact that “daily” rental is prevented by law in Bangkok. From The Thaiger The Thai Hotels Association (THA) expressed strong opposition to the government’s plan to allow foreigners to own up to 75% of condominium units, warning that it could lead to intense price competition and market disruption. Concerns were raised during a meeting where members discussed significant issues impacting the hospitality industry. During the meeting, Tourism and Sports Minister, Sermsak Pongpanich delivered a speech on the direction of Thailand’s tourism and government policies to support the sector. The minister also welcomed input from the association members regarding their challenges. Key issues highlighted by the members included land and building taxes, along with the government’s consideration to increase the foreign ownership limit of condominiums from 49% to 75%. The association argued that this change could negatively impact the hotel business. President of the THA, Tianprasert Chaipattananon, stated that the Ministry of Finance is preparing to propose this policy to the Cabinet. He voiced strong opposition, claiming that the policy would facilitate the renting out of condo units daily, directly competing with hotels and potentially sparking a price war.

Sorry to learn that you have passed and have now joined us, the living dead. 🙂

I was taking a shortcut from Rama 4 to Surawong this afternoon when I came upon signs by a sub Soi, advertising Magic Touch Massage. There was a young man standing nearby who asked if I was interested. Told him I was on my way to an appointment but I’d be interested in seeing the shop. He guided be down the short soi and turned right where the shop came into view. Without time to investigate any further, I accepted a business card, thanked him and moved on. As I walked on I jogged my memory and recalled a shop by the same name that once occupied one of the shop houses on the main sub Soi (Soi Wat Hua Lam Phong) several years past. After returning to my room later, I tried to connect via the LINE address on the card but received a message that it was oversubscribed (never seen that before). A cursory search produced a lead on the Travelgay website. https://www.travelgay.com/venue/magic-touch-by-the-tree-bangkok There’s also a Facebook page: https://en-gb.facebook.com/MagicTOUCHbangkok/ Some pics of Massuers that caught my attention: Mr. King The reviews are a bit conflicting. Some say no extras while others praise them. In any case, another shop is always welcome. Directions: The entrance to Soi Wat Hua Lam Phong is immediately to the right of Le Meridien Hotel and directly opposite Cafe Amazon on Surawong rd. Look for sign on your left.

According to you, only the dead. How can us ghosts derail anything.

Have to tell you, Moses, I’m feeling pretty good about now. Have gotten you to make a dozen posts full of nonsense and self promotion. Sure, you derailed the thread but it demonstrates that things can’t be that busy on the SR front if the boss can take that amount of time to talk to dead folks.