mauRICE

It's a translation thing although whether the shop was registered as a restaurant, pub or discotheque would have legal implications on its opening hours, capacity, etc. For example, having it registered as a restaurant would allow it to remain open till the wee hours, I think. I believe the venue that burned down last night was registered as a restaurant even though it had a capacity to sit 1200 people and the layout looked more like a large pub to me. Its the TiT way of getting around the more restrictive rules applicable to pubs, bars and discotheques. I'm too lazy to look up the details now but during the Santika fire hearings these terms were discussed extensively. I remember being amused at the way the system inherently provided mechanisms and enough room for it to be abused without anyone losing face or risk going to jail, as long as the appropriate palms were greased. Latest reports indicate that last night's venue only had four, very narrow emergency exits that weren't clearly signposted and many of the patrons had mistaken the restrooms for exits in the noise and smoke and ended up suffocating to death. Over the years I've noticed that emergency exits at some of these nightlife venues were locked to prevent patrons from running off without paying. TiT.

From looking at their last names and their faces, I'd say at least seven of these families are of Chinese descent but it could well be all of them are as some of their last names have been changed/bestowed by the ... for their contributions to .... When will it be enough for this lot?

Three major fire-related tragedies at nightlife venues with more than 120 dead in 17 years. They never learn or perhaps they just don't care. Life is cheap in the Land of Smiles. The circumstances preventing last night's victims from escaping could have been easily avoided. Read on. https://thethaiger.com/news/bangkok/from-santika-to-lat-phrao-bangkok-pub-fire-thailand-nightclub-tragedies

Most detailed report I've read thus far. https://www.channelnewsasia.com/asia/bangkok-bar-fire-27-killed-rong-beer-na-lat-phrao-6249566

Latest reports indicate that at least 27 people had been killed and 63 injured. https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2026/7/12/fire-engulfs-popular-bangkok-pub-killing-27-people-and-injuring-63

The cause of the fire is yet unknown but it was massive and spread very quickly. People were trapped in the restrooms. There are some very disturbing videos of the fire while it was still raging on Thai social media and you can hear the sound of people screaming. I've not shared them here out of respect for the victims. While it hasn't been confirmed, initial reports from survivors suggest that there weren't any fire extinguishers on the premises. The lack of fire safety measures at many of these old-style venues is shocking. Is anyone going to take responsibility for the death of these 30 people? Remember the Santika Pub fire in Ekkamai in 2009 which engulfed 67 lives? The case dragged on for years and after various palms were greased, two of the owners received three-year jail sentences, mere slaps on the wrists. They're now free men. https://today.line.me/th/v3/article/YaKoYXj

Two upcoming events in Supertown, Jomtien Complex. I'm glad to see that the bars have streamlined their publicity posters for the Swing Pattaya Pride Night this Saturday. I would love to try My Favorite Diner's chocolate milkshake. They weren't yet open when I was there.

Honestly, it was too quick and easy a death for someone like him.

Oh yes, I forgot. He really needs to remind us more often about that. 🙄

Now that's just ageist. 😠

Disco? I thought you'd cherish the idols of your youth like Nat King Cole, Bing Crosby, Billie Holliday, Ella Fitzgerald...

@Olddaddy will appreciate this. 😉

Udders you mean?😏

The genocidal Israelis have lost their greatest bootlicker. Out of the closet and into the ground. Hava Nagila. https://www.reuters.com/world/middle-east/israeli-officials-offer-their-condolences-after-death-us-senator-lindsey-graham-2026-07-12/

Dongtan Beach? It's still there, stretching from concessions 15 to 25 I believe. Pattaya gaynizens should be able to confirm.

There are rivers and streams where local youth go skinny dipping.

They put you in the cargo hold? 🤔

No, just telling it as it is that everything is relative hence we may have profound disagreements on Hotel X, Masseur Y and Restaurant Z. For example, I was in Pattaya last month and I thought the number of people around was just nice but many Pattaya regulars and veterans seem to think it was too quiet and the lowest of low seasons. I, on the other hand, don't go very often and took in everything as a treat. When asked about customer traffic, the boys I spoke to in Supertown and Boyztown said พอมีอยู่ or adequate, except when there was heavy rain.

Thank you for the warning. So do I. Yours are the only trip updates I bother to follow. 🤣😂😅

Glad to hear that Cam has made it home safe. All's well that ends well. I don't quite understand what you meant above. Weren't Cambodians allowed to return home when the war started? Secondly, why would they be allowed to do the border bounce during wartime, a grey practice the Thai government has been trying to discourage all nationalities from doing even during peacetime for purposes of staying in Thailand for extended periods and possibly working without the proper permits?

It depends on what one is accustomed to; if one's been living in dumps, then a jaunt at one of these Pattaya gay hotels could feel like having a suite in Mayfair.

Thank god for that. Having been to both Phuket and Pattaya recently and seen the physical state of many farang, I'm surprised the Thai authorities haven't made the wearing of the burqa mandatory at Thai beaches. As for the lumpy farang women getting away with being topless, I guess the authorities simply assumed no-one would want to look because, trust me, once seen it cannot be unseen! 🤒🤢

I know the guys and gals from Sunee Intimate Bar and M2M Bar (and I'm sure from the other venues too but I'm most familiar with these two from my recent visit) have been working very hard for their special shows next Saturday and I urge everyone in Pattaya and Bangkok to go support them if you can. They may not be world class but from the energy and creativity they put in, I could tell they took a lot of pride in their work and that's something I hadn't seen for a long time in gay-oriented performances in Thailand.

Why would it be "so alien to privileged western sensibility"? @jimmie50is American and I believe the issue of illegal migrants from Mexico and elsewhere has been one of the hot button issues plaguing American politics for as long as I can remember; unless @jimmie50 has been living under a rock or has a tin heart, he would have surely have heard and have feelings about it. Children have been cruelly separated from their parents and many have been incarcerated in cages at the Texas border while waiting their repatriation under the current administration. Even the mighty Obama had kicked out thousands including undocumented migrants who had paid into the system. Relatively speaking, the Thais have been quite kind to their neighbours who have snuck in to seek better economic opportunities and I don't see the Thai government planning to build a wall anywhere.

But plenty were willing to drop their pants? We were in Pattaya for four days recently; my partner had some work at Bangkok Hospital and he asked me to tag along. Pattaya keeps changing and I enjoyed myself this visit because I've accepted that the city is an aberration and not really "Thailand" in the cultural and communal sense that I've learned, understood and loved in the last twenty years. Even the languages I heard on the streets were alien and that's okay. I don't do trip reports as I feel that's more for tourists and Thailand is practically my second home. Moreover, I spend most of my time in Thailand away from the bars and fleshpots which seem to be of primary interest here. But at some point I will write about my visit to Supertown which I found very entertaining and also to Boyztown, which wasn't nearly as bad as some have made it out to be.