Welcome to Pattaya
Pattaya wakes up slowly but surely
Mike Baird's Welcome
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Long Weekend on September 4th
On August 13th Thailand's cabinet has approved September 4th and September 7th as its last substitute holiday for Songkran it postponed earlier, creating an additional four-day holiday for the country's officials and bank employees.
Government offices - including immigration - and all main bank branches will be closed.
Warning
Outbreak of Dengue Fever
There have been 25'708 cases of dengue fever in Thailand with 15 deaths in the first 7 months of this year.
While Thailand seems to have the corona virus under control, the situation with dengue fever, another viral disease, is extremely worrying in the Kingdom.
Thailand's Public Health Officials advise people to make sure that there is no standing water around their homes, as this is a breeding ground for mosquitoes carrying the dengue virus.
Emergency Decree
On July 22nd the military-backed government has extended Thailand's state of emergency for a fourth time, to the end of August.
The emergency imposed late March gives Thailand's Prime Minister, Dictator, Songwriter and a man of many words Prayut Chan-o-cha sweeping powers, including a ban on large gatherings that prevents anti-government protests.
The latest extension is a consolidation of power, and an unnecessary use of power, said Anusorn Iamsa-ard, a spokesman for Pheu Thai, the largest opposition party.
But Thailand's Deputy Premier Gen. Prawit Wongsuwon, the man of 'borrowed' luxury watches, claims fear of a second wave of infections, and not politics, is behind the government's need to extend the emergency decree. The government is being cautious about a possible second wave of Covid-19 infections, he added.
Don't forget:
Thailand is still under Dictatorship!
Prayut Chan-o-cha and his vassals need the emergency decree to stay in power and to intimidate, arrest or simply let the opponents of their politics disappear without a trace.
Heartless Immigration
On July 26th Thailand's Immigration Bureau announced that it will not issue any further automatic extension for tourists after September 26th but tourists who can show evidences of illness, or obstacles such as no flights available, will be allowed an extension. Nevertheless, each extension will be granted for no more than 30 days.
Covid-19
Who measures measures Rubbish
Who measures measures rubbish is not only a popular joke among engineers, the sentence is also very well known among craftsmen and hobbyists. And the best thing of all? it's true!
The sentence also applies to the latest technological achievement, the Face Detection Temperature Measurement Sensors that we find nowadays in every airport and in every major shopping center.
During my last visit to Terminal21, my body temperature was measured several times - and as expected with very different results.
Right at the entrance, the computer-controlled measuring station showed 37.1 degrees, which made me shiver, because my personal thermometer showed a temperature of 35.7 degrees before leaving the house.
The following measurements confirmed the above-mentioned sentence: The devices showed body temperatures from 35.5 to 36.7 degrees.
For additional information please read Are thermal cameras a magic bullet for COVID-19 fever detection? and 'Fever detection' cameras to fight coronavirus? Experts say they don't work.
Japanese man found with COVID-19 after departing Thailand now tested negative
Double Pricing
Foreigners pay more
The otherwise interesting Phimai Historical Park in Nakhon Ratchasima (Korat)
The Military Junta as well as the current government under Prayut Chan-o-cha's dictatorship encouraged public & amusement parks as well as hospitals to apply the two-price system to pull the money out of the pockets of foreigners.
In order to hide the official entrance fee from tourists, the price for Thai people is usually only given in Thai numerals, as shown in the following example from the otherwise interesting Phimai Historical Park (Korat).
On August 30th, 2019 Thailand's Health Ministery announced the introduction of dual pricing at the country's public hospitals.
On October 1st, 2019, Thailand's health officials have instructed administrators at Thailand's state hospitals to begin implementing a new rate structure that significantly raises prices for non-citizens.
Under the new rules public hospitals are to charge patients at essentially four different tiers based on their legal status: Thai nationals, citizens of neighboring countries and working foreigners on non-immigrant visas. The fourth group consists of tourists and retirees.
While foreigners from other ASEAN nations will pay the same rates as Thai nationals, retirees and tourists from western countries pay much more, up to the double.
Anutin Charnvirakul is Thailand's Public Health Minister und one of Prayut Chan-o-cha's Deputy Prime Ministers. Since he criticised 'Western tourists' for not wearing face masks and suggested they be expelled from the country for putting others at risk during the coronavirus outbreak, he is very known for his racist comments. He also claimed that Farangs never shower and told reporters these kinds of people, we should kick them out of Thailand. The sentence that Chiang Mai was better when it had many Chinese tourists and not bad and dirty Europeans was also published on Anutin's twitter account.
On July 9th the very same Anutin Charnvirakul had to offer a public apology for not wearing a face mask, while attending a social event to commemorate US United States Independence Day, at the US Embassy in Bangkok.
Why nobody kicks him out of the government and out of the country? Because he is a close friend of Thailand's dictator and a shareholder of Sino-Thai, an Engineering & Construction Company that is a member of the BBS consortium to built the 290-billion-baht Eastern Airport City Project at the Military's U-tapao airport in Sattahip.
For additional information and warnings about parks and organisations ripping off tourists please click 2pricethailand.com or Two Price Thailand on twitter.
Money helps
Also under Prayut's Dictatorship
Some people still remember the Monday morning in September 3rd, 2012, when Vorayuth Yoovidhya, an heir to Thailand's Red Bull energy-drink fortune, allegedly sped down a Bangkok street in his silver Ferrari and crashed into a police officer on motorcycle patrol. The police officer died at the scene. Vorayuth, who goes by the nickname Boss, did not stop. He drove his battered sports car home.
When police detained Vorayuth, he admitted to hitting the officer, but said the man had darted in front of his Ferrari. He was released on bail and has been free for the past few years.
A few days only after the accident the Yoovidhya family paid the officer's siblings 3 million Baht to avoid a civil lawsuit.
An examination of the suspect's Ferrari allegedly showed that Yoovidhya was travelling at an average of 177 kilometres per hour at the time of the hit-and-run - with an error margin of ± 17km/h.
He was charged of reckless driving causing death of which the statute of limitation would last until 2027.
Vorayuth's alleged crime made headlines a few times when he failed to appear for an indictment hearing in Bangkok. According to his lawyers, Vorayuth had fallen ill or was on an important business trip in a foreign country.
About eight years from the accident, two new specialist witnesses, police majors, inspected the damage to the Ferrari and the victim's motorcycle, compared it to other accidents, and agreed the Ferrari could not have been travelling at 170km/h at the time of the crash and was not exceeding 80km/h.
Another specialist who is an university engineering lecturer was brought in in 2017 to calculate the speed of both vehicles involved in the crash. He told investigators the Ferrari was likely travelling at 76.175km/h.
And in December last year (!), two other witnesses - among them an 'Air Marshal' - were interviewed. They told investigators they were driving behind the suspect and the victim just before the accident happened.
In addition, three activists claim they have evidence that Vorayuth Yoovidhya had illegal chemical substances, including cocaine, in his system during his fatal hit-and-run, but these written records from the head of the Forensic Pathology programme at Mahidol University's Faculty of Medicine at Ramathibodi Hospital were never included in a police investigation file ....
PS. According to usually well-informed sources on the internet, the 'Air Marshal' is connected to Prayut Chan-o-cha and Prawit Wongsuwon. The sources claim that 300 million Baht was donated to the government and the police, but Prayut Chan-o-cha and Prawit Wongsuwon denied the allegations.
If a person who staged the coup can grant himself immunity or a person who hid his assets under the pretext of a dead friend's watches, the Red Bull incident is just another classic case of the rotten Thai legal system being manipulated by Thailand's Elite.
What a coincidence: Khaosod English reports that a key witness in 'Boss Red Bull' case died on July 30th in accident.
For additional information please read:
Accident research has made great progress in the last decade, but so has corruption in Thailand.
Royal Thai Police (RTP) in hot water:
Bangkok Post: Police reform at standstill
Strange:
It usually only takes a few days for Thailand's security organs to know the exact whereabouts of dissidents who are forced to move abroad, but they are said to have no precise information about the location of members of wealthy parents belonging to Bangkok's Elite
Hotels in Thailand
We are Scammers
Thailand's Ministry of Tourism launched a campaign called We Travel Together, designed to boost domestic tourism and Thailand's sluggish economy.
The campaign will cover 40 percent of a hotel's room rate, not exceeding 3'000 Baht/night, for each eligible recipient to the partial financial aid, plus a maximum of 600 Baht in daily grant for food and other expenditure for (Thai) consumers.
Almost 4 million people have signed up for the package since online registration began.
But as soon as people tried to register with the tourism promotion campaign, hotels showed inflated room rates.
A survey showed, that many hotel rised roomrates after the tourism stimulus was announced.
A netizens wrote on her Facebook page that a hotel she planned to stay at had advertised a rate of 2'200 Baht/night, but the amount increased when she tried to register with the tourism promotion campaign. The new rate was now 4'000 Baht /night, or 2'400 Baht after the 40% discount rate.
The Government had to warn all hotels joining the programme not to increase their room rates to take advantage of the 40% subsidy from the government. Any hotels caught price gouging will be scrapped from the programme immediately, Traisuree Taisaranakul, a deputy government spokeswoman, said on July 19th, 2020.
Rip-offs are already commonplace in some hotels in Thailand.
Mike Baird's Cartoon: Check again!
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Big Business
Corona Test Scam in Thailand
While an individual Corona (Covid-19) test in many parts of Europe costs 33 - 90 Euro (1'200 - 3'300 Baht), foreigners in Thailand have to pay between 6'000 and 18'500 (!) Baht for the very same procedure!
Rip-offs of foreigners is already commonplace in many hospitals in Thailand.
Missing Maintenance
50% of Pattaya's CCTV systems are still out of order
Pattaya Mayor Sonthaya Kunplome had to admit that 50% of the CCTV cameras installed in Pattaya are malfunctioning (Editor: due to lack of maintenance).
Lack of maintenance is an old problem, not only in Pattaya, but everywhere in this wannabe "high-tech" country: The officials install something for a lot of money and then let it rot - and why? They can't fill up their pockets with maintenance, but with new installations they can.
Therefore, the mayor announced that the city of Pattaya has decided to spend 50 million Baht for a wireless connection for its constantly failing surveillance cameras.
The wireless network is intended to remedy the frequent malfunction of the more than 2'000 overhead cameras installed in this (once very) funny city.
Sonthaya Kunplome also announced that Pattaya will probably install 1'000 more surveillance cameras starting next year to increase the security of its citizens and tourists and to improve the city's fight against crime.
Jomtien
City Hall is Creative
Day after day, our officials develop new ideas to destroy a road that has just been opened to traffic.
Jomtien's Second Road is such a case. It was given a new surface a few months ago. Now it is being ripped open again to install new and bigger sewers.
At the same time City Hall removed all the never used but already rusted shelters at the bus stops in this street.
Just another waste of taxpayer's money.
Naklua
Steaks from 49 Baht
All Day Steak opposite the JP Hotel on Soi Photisarn serves tasty steak from 17:00 until 23:00 7 days a week.
Italy is in Naklua
Fusillo reopened on Naklua Road and brings back real Italian spirit and taste to fun city.
The restaurant looks nicer than ever before. Barracuda eradicated in Naklua
What for many years was known as the Barracuda Bar on Naklua Road is now a restaurant called Best Restaurant.
A noble claim, but judge for yourself!
79 Baht Breakfast in Naklua
At Fluffy - a nice bingsu and coffee shop - on Naklua Road you can now get a delicious breakfast for 79 Baht, including coffee or tea. The venue also serves a steak with French fries and salad for 89 Baht. Try it out!
Irish Sports replace the Moon
On Naklua Road, in the rooms where Blue Moon offered entertainment to Asian guests a few weeks before the corona pandemic began, is now Ryan's Irish Sports Bar. The pub moved from its former location in the same street to a much bigger and better place. Enjoy the new location!
Pattaya
New Gentlemen Club
On Soi Bong Koch, off Pattaya Third Road, Malibu Club opened next door to the well-known Babylon Club.
#1 closes down
Nai Por, Pattaya's #1 Buffet Restaurant located opposite the Roong Reuang Bus Terminal on Pattaya North Road, closed down.
Thailand's rigorous Corona hygiene processes and requirements for large buffet restaurants can simply not be met.
Witherspoons @beachroad
On Pattaya Beach Road, Witherspoons opened a restaurant in the rooms of the miserably failed J Boon Seafood Outlet in front of the currently closed Basaya Hotel.
New Owner
The well-known Deli Diner to the right of Tukcom South Pattaya not only got a new owner but also an all new menu card with additional european food and pizza.
No more FryDay
Fry Day, a well-known British restaurant in Soi New Plaza for the past nine years, has finally closed.
Closed
Triple J, a small but nice restaurant, located on a Soi without a name, off Pattaya South Road, but to the right of Tukcom, had to close due to health reasons of the owner.
The venue is available for rent or for sale. If you are interested, please call 038 282 494 or 063 168 9926
New Hotel
The lengthy construction work on the Mike Shopping Mall was used to convert a part of the shopping center into the Kavara Hotel.
Redirection
Trench Town, Pattaya's Reggae Bar on Soi Yamato, closed its venue (temporarily?) and redirect its customers to its native venue on Soi Buakhao.
We will keep you up-to-date.
Central Shopping Arcade
The Little India Restaurant is closed for 'renovation'.
We will keep you up-to-date.
Kiss Food & Drinks in Pattaya Second Road at the entrance to the Central Arcade offers an incredibly affordable menu: Fried chicken with chili and basil, rice, a fried egg and a bottle of drinking water for a mere 35 Baht!
Soi 7 & Soi 8
The almost iconic Sailor Bar & Restaurant on Soi 8 is open and is waiting for guests.
The restaurant is well-known for its reasonably priced Western food and tasty cocktails.
The Big & Whistle Pub, the successor of the former Pig & Whistle Pub, is now open in Soi 7.
Hustlers Snowman
Hustlers Diner & Sports Lounge announces that the legendary Snowman will play his Blues every Sunday at 20:00.
The venue is located at Pattaya 3rd Road, just a few meters from the famous Buffalo Bar and opposite Mityon's recently reactivated X-speed shop.
Made in Thailand
Soi Buakhaow
From Negan to MoMA
The successor to the failed Negan Bar on Soi Buakhao will soon open as MoMA Kitchen & Bar and in the same design as its neighbour, the Black Snake Club, suggesting that both establishments are run by the same management.
Blue Café
The recently opened Blue Café, located on Soi Buakhao between the Climax and the Zero Bars, seems to be the area's new meeting point for coffee lovers.
The former R-Con Bar at the R-Con Residence Hotel on Soi Buakhao is up for rent!
Soi Honey (Soi 11)
The well-known Malee Restaurant on Soi Honey, off Soi Buakhao, closed down for good.
The building is up for sale.
If you are interested, please call 089 109 5619.
We will keep you up-to-date.
Soi Chaiyapoon
PattayaSweethearts reports that on July 17th Moon Light A Go-Go opened without much fuss on Soi Chaiyapoon, off Soi Buakhao.
Soi LK Metro
Soi 15
On Soi 15, off Soi Buakhao, the Banana Men Club, a badly failed gay karaoke bar, closed down for good.
The venue is up for sale. If you are interested, please call 086 359 7819.
We will keep you up-to-date.
Soi 6
Walking Street
Rest in Peace
Pattaya's infamous Walking Street is now an ordinary Driving-through and Parking Street. RIP
Revitalised Walking Street bars as of July 31st, 2020
Taboo A Go-Go already closed the door and is waiting for better times
Dolls A Go-Go reopened on Juli 31st Tony's Entertainment Complex is going gay
What was Tony's by Nashaa Club is now LE STUD by Nashaa Club.
Like its counterpart in Montreal, the club is a gay pub.
Mike Baird's Cartoon: New normal Dancer
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The Fun starts here
Accompanied only
Crisp & Juicy
We are Australian
The Naked Truth
Boling or Bowling?
New Airline?
Early practice
Sanitizer in Brasil
Not wear anything!
Something has gone wrong
Not affected?
We love the Rain
Amazing Switzerland
August 1st
Swiss National Day
Switzerland: 729 years without dictatorship, but Covid-19 brought the country to its knees
Mike Baird presents:
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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