Welcome to Pattaya
Enjoy your Loneliness at Jomtien Beach Enjoy Halloween on Walking Street and all over Pattaya
Some of the spooky creatures can only be seen on October 31st, others all year round. Thailand still under Military Dictatorship?
Cartoon: The Japan Times Thai Army Chief Gen. Apirat Kongsompong remarks deepen the divide in this country
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Pattaya City Hall plans Underground Toilets on its Beaches
Pattaya City Hall revealed that it plans to construct underground toilets along its beaches in Pattaya, Jomtien and Naklua.
In order to comply with Thai law, toilets must be built below street level, as the actual law prohibits construction on beaches, a City Hall spokesman said.
Obviously there are exceptions to this rule only for hotels, resorts and condominiums near Bali Hai and on Naklua's Wongamat. ...
Nevertheless, the planned toilets will provide access for all, including people with disabilities. However, City Hall has not stated whether the new 'bathrooms' will be flood-proof or not.
Do you remember Apple and/or Google?
The collapse of Thomas Cook has shaken the world, but Thomas Cook was not the first major company to have to leave this world in recent years.
Kodak, Nokia, Polaroid, Agfa, Gevaert as well as Perutz, they all have vanished in recent years. Mostly because they have missed out the trend to new technologies - or simply because the better is the enemy of the good.
Or do you remember Wordstar, Visicalc and GeoCities?
GeoCities was a once very popular web hosting service founded in 1994 and purchased by Yahoo in 1999. It was at one point the 3rd most-browsed site on the World Wide Web. We launched Sherlab and Pattaya-at-Night with the help of GeoCities.
Today, you might call GeoCities a provisional of Facebook. At that time, the term social media was not even known.
During my school days I learned that history repeats itself again and again. Obviously intelligent people like to make the same mistakes over and over again.
America is currently starting a trade war with China. Among other things, it is forbidding its technology companies the trading with Chinese companies, including Huawei.
This is dangerous, not so much for China, but for the USA itself.
Obviously someone has forgotten that in the upper floors of many high-tech companies (ethnic) Indians determine the fate of the companies. In R&D departements (ethnic) Chinese determine the technical progress and rarely native Americans.
It is already recognized today that not an European or American company builds the best CPU for mobile phones, but Huawei's subsidairy HiSilicon.
And just a few hours ago we learned that Alibaba's subsidairy T-Head has developed a new record-breaking AI chip: While it can take traditional GPUs an hour to run through and categorize the 1 billion new product images that are uploaded onto Taobao each day, the new chip called Hanguang 800 can complete the same task in five minutes, Alibaba Chief Technology Officer Jeff Zhang said during a speech at Alibaba Cloud's annual Apsara Conference in Hangzhou.
It is also known that Huawei and other Chinese companies are developing new operating systems for mobile phones based on Linux, just as Google's Android does.
So there's basically a chance that one day your grandson will ask you: Grandfather, who was Google, Apple and Microsoft?
And what will you answer him?
Look up at Huawei. They know whole the story.
Floods in Pattaya
To watch other great cartoons of Mike Baird, please click into the picture above
The Restaurant and Bar in front of the Thai Tong Elephant Village closed too
A few years ago myLady™ told me if the Russians do not come back, Jomtien will be a dead town.
Obviously she was right. No matter if you stroll through Jomtien's streets during the day or in the evening, you will hardly meet anybody during the week.
Only on weekends or during a public holiday Jomtien's beaches fill up with Thais from the nearby provinces.
But in contrast to previous years, many Thais bring their drinks and food from home and leaves streetdealers and restaurants empty-handed.
No wonder that almost 80% of the available business premises in the Rompho Market Area remain unused. In other parts of Jomtien we can see the same picture: More and more shops are closing.
And more and more people wonder if all the condos in Jomtien are empty or inhabited by invisible phantoms.
Without its Immigration Office in Soi 5, Jomtien would already be a ghost town.
In the last week of September the brand new SPARK Disco was opened on Naklua Road in the rooms of a former establishment known as Star Dice Club and / or Tawandang Star Dice Disco.
The new club runs a similar format as Differ, Yes! and Bone and some other currently popular Thai Pubs.
On Naklua Road - almost opposite the Aiyara Palace Hotel - Naklua's all new Loma Night Bazaar opened on September 27th.
The new market offers everything your stomach desires - at least if you are a Thai ...
A-One Hotel at the entrance to Soi 3 on Pattaya Beach Road claims that a Paradise is in Progress.
We will keep you up-to-date.
It is well known that the Red Vanda Bar in Soi 7 has been closed repeatedly in recent months without any reason being given.
Now the reason for the closures is known. The bar has a new owner and a new name: Bubpha Beer Bar.
Döner King, which describes itself in its own terms as the Original from Berlin, has closed its outlet on Pattaya Central Road. A note on the door says that the shop was moved to Pattaya 2nd Road.
We discovered the resized bar in the corner 2nd Road / Soi 4.
A second outlet opened a few days ago on Soi Buakhao at the Tree Town Foodpark
PattayaSweethearts.com reports that due to missing licenses Pattaya's Authorities have closed the Bollywood A Go-Go Bar in Soi Pattayaland 1 (officially known as Soi 13/3).
You don't have to pay a fortune for delicious Vietnamese food.
On Pattaya South Road, at the entrance to Soi 12, a new and very clean Vietnamese restaurant prepares fresh food around the clock at very reasonable prices.
In the rooms of the former Wine Lovers Bar the Triple J Restaurant opened and serves a sensational breakfast for 99 Baht.
The new restaurant is located in an unnamed Soi to the right of the Tukcom IT Mall on Pattaya South Road.
Now recommended by Affordable & Tasty Foods in Pattaya Edition 2019
At the Southern Part of Pattaya Second Road another Indian Restaurant has opened. Udta Punjab claims to be a Restaurant, Bar and Café serving Indian and Thai Food as well as Seafood.
An area formerly known as Duck Square near South Pattaya's Big C (also known as Big C Jumbo) has been redesigned in recent months. It is now populated with small restaurants and a large Thai venue called Milk Club.
Do not take the expression too literally, the club does not feed dairy cows ...
Opposite the already iconic 7-ELEVEN building on Pattaya South Road (also known as Pattaya Tai), a small but cosy restaurant has been opened where Budweiser beers are offered.
It is so popular with the IN-people of this town that the sign decided to stand on its head.
On Pattaya 3rd Road near the Yes! Pub, the Frasca & BBQ open air Seafood Buffet opened. Prices start at about 400 Baht/person, excluding drinks.
Like every year at this time, the Pfälzer Bier Stüble in Soi 7 reopened in the last week of September.
Enjoy authentic German food at reasonable prices.
Under the meaningful name "Show Black", an art center on 3rd Road has opened its doors to (Chinese?) tourists.
We will keep you up-to-date.
Photo by TaaSaparot@twitter.com
Pattaya City Hall invested millions of Baht in this small Soi at Soi Buakhao's R-Con Hotel to prevent flooding of the area. And what has the work of the "Professionals" done for the residents? Nothing!
Let's hope that this "Professionals" don't do the same work on Pattaya Beach Road ...
Office in Soi LK Metro was in the dark on October 20th.
We will keep you up-to-date.
A small building located between a Dental Center and Annie Jack's Bar is on the block. It was the home of a Boots Pharmacy Branch for a (very) short time.
We will keep you up-to-date.
Annie Jack's Bar in Soi Buakhao - to the right of the now defunct Boots Pharmacy, is on the Block too.
We will keep you up-to-date.
Lone Star, the popular Texas Grill in Soi Lengkee (off Soi Buakhao) moved to new larger rooms.
It occupies now the building that was the home of a Retox Live Sport Restaurant near the 3rd Road end of Soi Lengkee.
At the time of writing there are still some retox sign around, but we were told that the retox group is 'out of business'.
A Rock Factory will soon be opened in the rooms of the former Rich Bar.
The new venue is announced to be a Live Music Club as well as a Restaurant.
Update (October 9th):
The Rock Factory opened today!
On September 30th Soi LK Metro's Boom! Bar reopened.
The bar has been closed in the first days of September without giving any reasons.
Since our last round in Soi Chaiyapoon some new bars have opened in the street connecting Soi Buakhao and Pattaya 3rd Road.
Jie Jie Bar as well as Delirious, both employ very nice and sexy ladies.
Defacto's is also a newly opened bar in Soi Chaiyapoon and offers a good view of the busy street.
Tree Town has partially opened its Food Court. You can buy your food and drinks at the nearby booths and enjoy them under a shady and dry roof.
The Foodpark seems to be built for eternity: Chairs and tables are made of concrete.
Update (October 9th):
Some kitchens are now also under the roof of the new Foodcourt!
The Queen Vic, a Restaurant & Guesthouse with affordable prices in Soi Honey (off Soi Buakhao), struck the sail on the last day of September and closed the door for good.
We will keep you up-to-date.
An Indian Restaurant managed by the Yor Indo Thai Group is on the Block. It is located to the left of the still popular Benelux Bar in the Southern Part of Soi Buakhao - and a few meters only from the beautiful Harry House & Bakery.
We will keep you up-to-date.
In between the popular Playgirls and Candy Bars the Poison opened.
We have already (visually) checked the ladies of the new bar - and the result?
They are all far too beautiful to be poisoned.
Exotica is the name of a new bar in one of the rooms where until recently Sexy in the City was located.
The new Sexy in the City is still in the works
Update: We were told, that the new resized Sexy in the City Bar opened on October 15th.
On our 'Tour de Pattaya' on October 3rd, we also visited Soi 6. At Good Fellas Bar we stood in front of closed doors.
Nobody could give us reliable information about the reasons for the closure.
Update: A day later, on October 4th, the bar reopened.
Apparently, this bar is run by a management that does not have the need to inform its customers about possible closures.
One of the very few who does it the correct way is the owner of KHAO RAI STEAK on Pattaya 3rd Road.
He not only serves one of the best pork steaks* in this city, he also informs his customers weeks in advance about his days of rest.
*His steak costs (unbelievable) 85 Baht including a small salad and a few french fries. I usualy order the steak with a simple but tasty pepper sauce (no surcharge!).
And KHAO RAI STEAK serves a real steak, not an escalope (Schnitzel) like most Thai restaurants.
In the rooms where the Wicked Hippo Bar used to be in Soi Diamond, the Hops Bar is currently under construction.
It's planned to open in the next few days.
Update (October 29th): Hops Bar opened during the last weekend of October
Wildcats A Go-Go, located in Soi BJ, off Walking Street, had its last night on October 26th.
The management claims that most of its staff moved to the Iron Club A Go-Go.
We will keep you up-to-date.
On a site that has been vacant for a long time and later been announced as Walking Street Nightmarket, an impressive building is currently under construction.
When I asked the people what it would become, they replied: Surprise!
Nevertheless: We will keep you up-to-date.
Wicked Hippo closed down (again).
The New Carousel Bar resized from two to one unit.
Update (October 29th): The New Carousel Bar closed down too.
Something new is emerging in the space that has become vacant. The construction work suggests that a new A Go-Go Bar - or a jewellery shop - is being built.
Jewellery or A Go-Go, for some people there is hardly any difference.
The building opposite is still a construction site of the Windmill Group.
When the door was open you could bet on an short-time hotel - but let's be another surprise!.
On Octobber 20th, Harem A Go-Go Club was in the dark and is now on the Block.
Obviously, it is too expensive for most men to support more than one lady ...
Ginza A Go-Go, a bar designed to attract visitors from Asia, but preferably from Japan, closed down and is on the block.
The Happy Singh Restaurant at the Bali Hai Bar Complex closed down its Club Bollywood, a Mujra and Indian Dance bar on the second floor of the building.
PattayaSweethearts.com reports that Golden Club A Go-Go opened on October 15th. The new venue presents its sexy Ladies in the completely redesigned rooms of the former Sugar Baby A Go-Go Bar.
The new club also provides a 'preview Box' as some tourists enjoy at Russian bars. But I'm very skeptical. I don't think this works with Thai ladies. It is true that Thais are extremely narcissistic, but in a completely different sense than their counterparts from Russia or Japan.
PattayaSweethearts.com reports that Super Model A Go-Go had a soft 'reopening' on August 10th.
The venue was opened first on July 7th, 2019, closed its doors on August 7th, 2019, and has been on the block since then.
On October 9th, a lucky day in Thailand, Hidden A Go-Go was reopened under a new management.
The venue closed on April 8th, 2019, and has been available for sale ever since.
Update (October 29th): Nomen est omen
The Pattaya News reports that the owner of Hidden A Go-Go obviously vanished without paying the staff ...
The Bar closed down (again) on October 29th:
YES!, the Go-Go Club on Soi Diamond, off Walking Street, reopened on October 1st.
The venue closed down on August 10th, 2019, without giving any reasons.
WARNING: YES! changed its format, It's now a Boys A Go-Go Bar for Gays!This kind of entertainment is usually found at Sunee Plaza and at Boystown but not on Walking Street!
On October 3rd we saw a few people in front of the closed Super Model A Go-Go who recruited staff for the still closed bar..
Until a few days ago a banner was used to find a buyer for the venue.
We will keep you up-to-date.
The former Century Drug Store and Souvenir Shop at the Bali Hai Entertainment Complex is now a Coffee & Snack Bar called Toby's.
The very popular Coffee Terrace of the still closed King Seafood was reopened. It got new colors, new furniture and some very nice table lamps from IKEA.
Update (October 10th): King Seafood has today also opened a part of its restaurant, namely the popular terrace with a view to the sea.
A busy Thai Lady
To watch other great cartoons of Mike Baird, please click into the picture above
Good Morning Pattaya
The Face of a Security Man
Same as Security Men in Walking Street
Banana Bus
Special Design for Thailand
If you take a trip, then you'll experience something
No Fun but Reality: State Railway of Thailand (SRT)
Best Selfie
Monkeys everywhere?
Police in Training
Reducing Carbon Dioxide (CO2)
Your Flight to Thailand
... and back home
Parking Problem solved
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Pattaya Tourist Guides
These Tourist Guides were designed by Pattaya's #1 Cartoonist Mike Baird.Please click on the images above to see more and larger copies of his work.
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