 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
Breaking News
September 2010
Click here to read our August 2010 News.
Bad News
On September 21st Pattaya City Hall informed its citizen that it has suspended its budget.
Business operations in the city will have to be patient during this time of slow economic growth until the high season, City Hall's Deputy Mayor said...
French Multipack
One 1.5 litre bottle of Coca-Cola costs 24 Baht at Carrefour. If you buy the 12-bottle multipack Carrefour asks 294 Baht, or 6 Baht to much!
Update: On September 29th a single 1.5 litre bottle was 23 Baht only, but the 12-bottle multipack was still 294 Baht: 18 Baht more!
Does Carrefour think that all its customers are stupid or are Carrefour's marketing managers the stupid ones?
Here in Thailand you have to check Multipacks and so called Promotions very carefully. Often these Special Offers are hidden scams.
No luck for Sin City
Sin City A Go-Go closed on September 28th.
The venue will reopen as an Arab disco.
In the dark
When First A Go-Go closed at the end of June, the management promised to reopen the venue on September 25th.
But on September 25th the bar was in the dark.
Winter Collection
We just got a copy of BigC's Winter Collection Fashion Catalog.
Most of the clothes published by BigC are for Children, Gays or Tom Boys only. Nothing for ordinary people like you and me, my lady said.
My wallet made a dido.
4 are bidding 4 Carrefour Thailand
Three giant Thai corporations are bidding for Carrefour Thailand: Oil giant PTT, the Central Group and Berli Jucker (BJC).
The forth bidder is French retailer Casino Group.
There are conflicting information if UK-based Tesco is still bidding...
Berli Jucker (BJC) reportedly offered the highest bid in the first round.
Update #1: Finance Minister Korn Chatikavanij said PTT should not bid for Carrefour. PTT is a state-owned company and shouldn't bid against the private sector.
Update #2: On September 22nd PTT withdraw its bid for Carrefour because key people in PTT opposed the move to purchase the 43-store network, PTT's assistant president said.
Preview
 The new venue called Motoroom on top of King Café on Walking Street will get a 'preview window' as its neighbour, the Moulin Rouge.
This preview windows are very popular with tourists from Asian countries, but this is the first window that looks like an artist's view of a (key?)hole...
Dolls in Chains?
During the early hours of Friday, September 17th, Pattaya Police from Soi 9 visited Walking Street in their attemp to crackdown on drugs - and its users.
 After urine tests at Walking Street's Dollhouse A Go-Go the police had to arrest 9 women and a male staff member...
City Hall breaks down the language barriers!
Pattaya City Hall held a press conference to publicize the introduction of its new Russian Language Training Programme.
The objective of City Hall's new campaign is to increase the numbers of Russian Tourists and to help break down the language barriers.
Each training programme runs over 34 sessions. The classes are free.
Timeout reopens
 Timeout, the ice cream bar on Walking Street, reopened on September 15th.
A short circuit closed the venue on August 27.
Stop Beach Markets!
Around 120 Thai Residents and Business Owners protested against the use of Pattaya's Beach Promenade for temporary markets.
Locals have had enough and want the weekend markets to stop, the protesters said.
They told the Deputy Mayor to either relocate or cancel the markets or the protests will continue.
The Deputy Mayor of Pattaya revealed that the markets were not authorized by City Hall and vendors are going there without permission.
It seems the lovely Deputy Mayor missed some important information: During all these markets I could see officials from police collecting (stall) money from vendors...
Authorized or not?
Paris back in Pattaya
 Paris Super A Go-Go on Soi Diamond reopened on Sunday, September 12th, with a small party.
The new owners closed the bar on Thursday, August 26th, for some refurbishing.
Chinese Fish & Chips?
 Chinese Chippy, the Chinese Snack Bar at the entry to New Living Dolls 1 A-Go-Go, is now advertising Fish & Chips.
Do you know?
 McDonald's food is significantly cheaper at its two new CentralFestival outlets than at its other branches on Pattaya's Beach Road...
It's simply not true that CentralFestival is Pattaya's most expensive shopping plaza: Most clothes at the center are sold at the same price as at Pattaya's so called 'Factory Outlets'. P(h)uket closed!
 Puket or Phuket (please feel free to choose what you prefer), one of 3rd Road's loudest noisemaker closed, but the venue already annouced that it will reopen as New Gen - and not as expected by some of its neighbours as Fuket...
Without license!
According to Government figures Phuket, the island, has 702 hotels with 42,684 rooms, but only 273 of these hotels are licensed...
Phuket authorities had set up a working group to deal with the issue.
Sport is dangerous!
I am shure, your doctor already told you to do some exercises. Sport is healthy he told you.
My own statistic shows the contrary: Almost all my friends died during their sporting activities.
And your doctor didn't tell you that according all available statistics western monks enjoy the highest life expectancy.
I know a few of them. They don't do any sport. They are praying, singing and enjoying a few glasses of red wine every day. They never said NO to a juicy steak, but they all avoided women.
Therefore: Go home. Say good bye to all the beauties here in Pattaya. Stay in your room. Drink wine with your friends - and wait for a new statistic.
This was my last contribution for today. I will take my bicycle to patronize all the beautiful ladies you turned down because you believe in all these silly statistics. Cloud statistics!
According to the statistics Japan is famed for its longevity.
But now Japan's Justice Ministry said that a search of family registries found that 234'354 people recorded as at least 100 years old could not be located at their listed address.
It is supposed that many of those whose whereabouts were unknown may have died a long time ago...
Moulin Rouge
 Since September 8th the Russian ladies from Moulin Rouge, newly announced as Walking Street's Gentlemen Club, have to dance again.
The club was closed for renovation since July.
Pedestrian
Festival in Pattaya?  Works are on the way for Pattaya's next big Festival... But what will happen without additional education of all that undisciplined drivers?
You like to get a bunch of SMS messages?
If you like to fill up your mobile phone's memory with a bunch of advertisements, mostly written in Thai, we recommend to buy CP's true move SIM-card during your next holiday.
You never know...
Last month local police officers arrested a 39-year-old Thai male. The man was charged of selling fake Viagra erectile dysfunction pills at his Pro Pharmacy shop in South Pattaya.
Remember: You are in Pattaya (Thailand) and you never know if you buy the original product or a lousy - and sometimes dangerous - copy of it.
New Police...
Pattaya just got a new police division to keep order in the city:
Department of Special Investigations (DSI).
We already have a countless number of police organisations having an eye on Pattaya:
Tourist Police, Traffic Police, Pattaya Police (working from Soi 9), Banglamung Police, Chonburi Police, Bangkok Police, Sattahip Police, Immigration Police, Military Police to name a few only - and now the new DSI.
We can be happy that all this officials are working for the welfare and the security of Pattaya's people only, without asking any kickbacks...
The DSI is the country's primary unit for the investigation of economic crimes and other special crimes, but on its first operation in Pattaya it conducted a raid on a number of Boy Bar's located in Soi Pattayaland 1! Pattaya's nightlife is attracting everybody, obviously even the boyz from DSI. As predicted
 The beautiful Watch Tower at Bali Hai shows the wrong time almost every day I pass...
Previous Publications
Previous 'News Flash' Publications
August 2010
July 2010 June 2010 May 2010 April 2010 April 1st 2010 March 2010 February 2010 January 2010 December 2009 November 2009 October 2009 September 2009 August 2009 July 2009 June 2009 May 2009 April 2009 April 1st 2009 March 2009 February 2009 January 2009 December 2008 November 2008 October 2008 September 2008 August 2008 July 2008 June 2008 May 2008 April 2008 April 1st 2008 March 2008 February 2008 January 2008 December 2007 November 2007 October 2007 September 2007 July/August 2007 June 2007 April/May 2007 March 2007 |
Pattaya News Flash September 2010 - The Source
 from Pattaya, South East Asia's Patchwork City.
NightWalker recommends Phatthaya
Warning
If you are a smoker: Avoid Bangkok!
Bangkok Metropolitan Administration (BMA) has assigned dozens of uniformed officials to enforce its littering law. The law says that dropping a cigarette butt, a bus ticket or anything else on a public street is illegal and can be punished with a fine of up to 2'000 Baht.
It is known by residents of the capital that this so called cigarette police only catch foreign tourists and ask a hefty 2'000 Baht fine. The uniformed officials were not policemen, but they are using scare tactics to intimidate foreign tourists.
It seems that the cigarette police is well trained to enforce just another set of double standards in this country. Everything else but an amazing Thailand...
In a civilized country only police can ask fines, but here in Thailand almost every single organisation seems to have the right to collect fines.
Update: On Sunday September 05 Manit Techa-apichoke, the deputy director of the City Law Enforcement Department, said foreigners who feel they have been unfairly targeted by the cigarette police should refuse to pay the fines. Members of the public and tourists should alert the nearest district office or police officer or call Bangkok City Hall's hotline at 1555 to report any attempts at extortion by city inspectors, Mr. Manit said. The departement already knows that some of its officials did not issue receipts... News from Naklua
Bars on Naklua Road closed
 The bars at the entry to Naklua Soi 31 had to close for a face-lifting and a new waterproof roof.
The End of Soho Square?
Or just a new beginning?
 Fantasy Sports Grill on the back of Soho Square closed.
At the moment only the buildings accommodating Utopia Lounge & Utopia A Go-Go, Pyramida, and the currently closed B-52 Dancing remain untouched.
Soi Buakhaow News
Pattaya's new Walking Street?
 On some websites from venues located on Soi Buakhaow I could read that the Soi will become Pattaya's new Walking Street. Without sidewalks it will be definitively Pattaya's most dangerous Walking Street. Almost every driver of a vehicle likes to show that he is the King of that Road and has the right to use both lanes for his racing exercises.
 Soi Buakhaow seems to attract customers as well as sexy ladies: The Tee Ruk (Darling) Bar near Soi Buakhaow's popular Night Market enlarged and incorporated the small corner shop. The bar has its own parking area for motorcycles.
 Near the entry to Soi New Plaza the Marquee Bar & Café opened. Its service girls are wearing attractive uniforms and always have a nice smile for visitors.
People on Walking Street
Pattaya is Fun
Open-minded Thai People...
or just another Scam?
OTOP: One Tambon One Product is a local entrepreneurship stimulus program designed by former Thai Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra during the 2001-2006 Thai Rak Thai government and is a success. The program aims to support the unique locally made and marketed products of each Thai tambon. The military junta that overthrew the Thai Rak Thai government in the 19 September 2006 coup changed the program's name to Local and Community Products, but the OTOP brand was kept. Nevertheless, with the exception of some bureaucrats, nobody else ever used the new description dictated by Thailand's military.
Happy Hand Massage Revitalized
Nana Bar and Massage reopened!
SPA in Pattaya
Not every SPA is a SPA
 The word SPA comes from the Latin phrase, 'sanus per aquam', or 'health through water.'
Modern SPAs have their roots in ancient towns famed for the healing powers of their mineral waters and hot springs. Travelers would come to 'take the waters' and restore their health.
Entrepreneurs in Pattaya and in other parts of Thailand like to play with words and their meanings. Therefore some of the news SPA in Pattaya (and Bangcock) are just places to have fun - as the new Super Model SPA Pattaya, located on Sukumvit Road, just at the gateways to & from the new highway.
 Shela closed!
 Shela, Pattaya's dance & meeting point with (leasable) Tom Boys, located near Pattaya's famous Hollywood Disco, closed.
I know a few of potential customers here in Pattaya and they all told me that they missed a certain ambiance: The Toms were to much boys, they told me.
Mamma Mia!
New beautiful Restaurant at CentralFestival
Since April 2003 Mövenpick's famous ice creams are manufactured by Nestlé's Swiss Premium Ice Cream business unit, operated by Nestlé Super Premium SA, headquartered in Lausanne, Switzerland. Pattaya News
Pattaya discovers Pedestrians, but...
Our Mayor's Dream had to leave Beach Road.
 It is Pattaya's Mayor Itthiphol Khunpluem's dream to bring some kind of a Skytrain to Pattaya. According to the first project the train had to run over Pattaya's famous 1st Road, the official name of Pattaya's Beach Road.
After spending millions of Baht for feasibility studies and countless meetings the responsible people presented a new monorail network running all along Pattaya's 2nd Road. The people supporting the crazy idea believe that Itthiphol's monorail would transform Pattaya forever.
Nevertheless, we believe that Pattaya's Monorail is the most stupid idea ever presented to solve Pattaya's notorious traffic problems.
As a Thai, Pattaya's Mayor should know that his compatriots don't like to walk. That means that every single train station will attract a bunch of new Baht busses and motorcycle taxis.
Pattaya simply can't afford Monorail. It will cost a fortune to maintain it. And the humidity of Thailand will make it subject to corrosion and early failure!
The City of Pattaya has a proven record showing that it is not capable to provide the necessary maintenance works for its streets, road surface, street lighting, sidewalks, surveillance systems, clock tower or its beaches.
To easy the traffic congestion, Pattaya should restrict the movement of the big tour busses, keep the Baht busses going on a more service minded attitude and ban the Baht bus rowdies from the streets.
Latest: Thai government has approved an investment loan to build a high-speed rail train line linking Bangkok and Rayong. Todays trains run once a day in either directions. It is not known if the high-speed trains will stop at Suvarnabhumi Airport, at Pattaya's new International U-Tapao Airport in Sattahip or at the world's most famous beach resort of Pattaya (also known as Phatthaya). Update: On September 6th City Hall and Prapat Krangphanich, a planner with the Chotejinda Moosell consulting company, presented the latest news about Pattaya's controversial Sky Train. According to the presentation the rail line would start at City Hall on North Pattaya Road and turn onto Second Road at the dolphin circle. BigC's CentralCenter would house the first station, CentralFestival is planned to be the second station. After crossing South Pattaya Road the projected train would stop at Pattaya School No. 8. The sightseeing tour would end at the Bali Hai Pier. The presentation could not change our mind. We still believe that Pattaya's Monorail is the most stupid idea ever presented to solve Pattaya's notorious traffic problems. We are sure that Itthiphol's train would be ignored by locals and Pattaya's visitors as well. The complete planning is a waste of time and money. The people involved in the planning of the project are the only ones that will profit from Mayor Itthiphol Khunpluem's crazy idea... Seen in Pattaya
Eat as fast as you can!
Sorry, but I don't know reading...
 Lay Down in Pattaya...
 Do not believe any advertisement! You don't need an expensive mattress to have a good sleep - all you need is to lay down in Pattaya...
Low Season Fun?
 |
 Pit saysI am smart!
I am intelligent and smart.
I am not a simple broker, I am an entrepreneur.
I am buying houses and I am an everyday investor.
It's not self-knowledge. Bloomberg-TV tells me this stupidity about its viewers every few minutes. It's by far the most dubious advertisement I ever saw and heard. Thai Wisdom #1
My motorcycle runs faster if I don't wear a helmet.
Thai Wisdom #2
Only fools and lushes are wearing a helmet after midnight.
Thai Wisdom #3
Only misers are wearing helmets, all other people like to support our police.
Thai Wisdom #4
Broken lights extend the life cycle of the battery.
iFarang™
Furious Lady
My lady was angry: The 'stupid' police fined her for driving a motorcycle without a valid licence.
Why I need a licence? I already know to drive a motorcycle, she told me...
Amazing Thailand.
iFarang™ ©2010 Pit saysWho needs a
Fashion Week? The medias, nobody else.
Thailand today...
Corruption is
everywhere! When Thaksin was running the government he was the centre of corruption, but in Prime Minister Abhisit's administration corruption had spread to all ministries, People's Alliance for Democracy (PAD, the Yellow Shirts) leader Sondhi Limthongkul said.
Thailand today...
Freedom of Speak?
It was well known that Thaksin Shinawatra was no friend of the media, but he was put in check by the courts.
Today we have a prime minister who benefited from political and military upheavals and there's now a lot of trouble, more than we ever had in this country.
With Abhisit Vejjajiva as Prime Minister things have turned out to be quite disappointing and unfortunately got worse, the outgoing executive director of the Southeast Asean Press Alliance (Seapa) said.
Thailand today...
Cash In
After the military coup from September 19th 2006 the military's budget has almost doubled.
Under the Thaksin Shinawatra government the military got 85 billion Baht a year.
Under Thailand's new government run by Abhisit Vejjajiva with the help of the military, the military's budget jumped to 154 billion Baht this year.
For next year 170 billion Baht are projected.
Since the coup the army has actually taken on a new role as political manager.
Among Thailand's neighbours, military power has only reached this level in Burma (also known as Birma, but officially the Union of Myanmar).
Thailand today...
3G Disaster
An aution of licences for the planned 3G network was halted by the Central Administrative Court. The Supreme Administrative Court upheld the ruling. CAT Telecom's labour union initiated the appeal.
The National Telecommunications Commission (NTC) said the agency was now unsure of its legal status to issue licences and would need a judgement from the Constitution Court. The NTC will refund the 1.28 billion baht deposit put down by each of the three bidders as well as their 500'000 baht processing fee.
CAT Telecom is a state run enterprise too.
TOT's 3G nationwide project is not affected by the court's ruling because the agency obtained its 3G licence before the NTC came into existence.
Thailand's Telecom sector remains in disarray...
Thailand today...
New Military Coup?
A Chiang Mai MP said on September 3rd that he has information which led to the belief that there would definitely be a military coup in October.
The coup makers had already drafted a new constitution and prepared to make a general the new prime minister after the coup, Surapong Towichakchaikul said.
In the meantime the Centre for the Resolution of the Emergency Situation (CRES) announced it is stepping up security measures by keeping 464 spots in Bangkok under watch around the clock.
According to the CRES the 1st Army Region, Metropolitan Police Bureau (Metropolitan Police Divisions 1-9) and the Bangkok Metropolitan Administration are in charge.
Army commander Anupong Paojinda is the military chief of the CRES.
Technology News
Sluggish Sales
Acer's netbook with Intel's latest dual-core Atom N550 processor was hitting the markets in September only and not as announced in August, as vendors were (and are) conservative about netbook sales.
Other players, including Asustek Computer, Gigabyte Technology, HP, Lenovo, Micro-Star International (MSI) and Samsung Electronics will wait until October or November to launch their dual-core Atom N550 models.
Micro-Star International (MSI) decided to slow down its advance to dual-core netbooks. The company will focus mainly on single-core models and will gradually step out of the netbook market.
On the other side, HP is set to start pushing netbooks strongly and plans to become the second-largest netbook brand in 2011. Intel has recently supplied Hewlett-Packard (HP) a large volume of its dual-core Atom N550 processor.
HP had to pay only US$65 for the processor, 25% lower than Intel's official quote of US$86.
Acer, Samsung and Asustek are currently the top-three brands in the netbook market.
Intel announced that Atom N550 based netbooks from OEMs will hit the market starting for now through end of the year.
Acer's D255 at Tukcom
Acer's netbook with Intel's latest dual-core Atom N550 processor is on sale now at Tukcom for 11'759 Baht (10'900 Baht without VAT), but without Windows OS.
The OS supplied with the netbook is Linpus Linux Moblin M.
It is very likely that you can buy the computer cheaper in your country.
Usually you can't get any bargains in Thailand for computers, cameras and other electronic products.
Update: Since a few days an Acer Dual OS version (including Windows 7 Starter and Google's Android) is available for 12'990 Baht, excluding VAT, but including Intel's Atom N550 Dual Core CPU, 2 GB DDR3 RAM, 320GB HDD and a 6-cell battery.
No Bargain in Thailand
Nikon is manufacturing its Nikon D90 flagship camera here in Thailand.
Nevertheless, you can get it a lot cheaper in your home country.
The body-only version of Nikon's D90 costs here in Thailand 32'900 Baht (including 7.5% VAT). In European countries the same camera costs at least 6'000 Baht less, despite the fact that you have to pay a higher VAT in your country!
Nikon's D90 Kit costs here in Thailand 43'900 Baht, that's almost 10'000 Baht more than in your home country!
Walkman overtakes iPod
 Sony's new Walkman overtakes Apple's iPod in Japan. The new Walkman not only has a more pleasant design, but also a much better (OLED) display, customers say.
120-megapixel CMOS sensor
Canon Inc. announced it has developed a CMOS image sensor with more than 120 million pixels. It is the world's highest resolution image sensor for its size.
The so-called APS-H-size sensor measures 29.2-mm by 20.2-mm and contains 13'280 by 9'184 pixels (121.96 million pixels). The advantage of such an extremely high-resolution sensor is that images can still be at high resolution - similar to film quality - after zooming and cropping, Canon said.
Canon's new sensor has a maximum output speed of approximately 9.5 frames per second, supporting the continuous shooting of ultra-high-resolution images.
Last Word
Patchwork is Art.
Pattaya-at-Night is Art -
Patchwork News Art. Double-Click
Try it:A double-click in an empty space brings you back to the top of the page!This feature should work on most browsers.
| |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
