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August 2016
Click here to read our July 2016 News.
New opening Hours for Pattaya's Bars, Clubs & Dancings
On July 7th, 2016, Pattaya Police Chief Col. Apichai Klobpetch announced new opening hours for Sin City:
Venues located on Walking Street and on Pattaya Beach Road can stay open until 04:00, bars, clubs and dancings outside this area must close at 02:00.
A Go-Go Bars are not allowed to open before 18:00. (This rule seems to be suspended, at least A Go-Go Bars on Soi Post Office and Soi Yamato resumed afternoon opening).
The police chief stressed that the new closing times would be strictly enforced.
Venues found to be flouting the rules would be prosecuted and shutdown for five years, Pattaya Police Chief Col. Apichai Klobpetch said.
It was anticipated that businesses located on Walking Street get some special treatment.
Walking Street's beach side is said to be under the umbrella of the Royal Thai Navy.
According to the law, all beaches in Thailand are public.
Thailand's Building Control Act stipulates that no building is allowed up to 10 meters from the beach, usually measured at high tide.
Doha Airport introduces Exit Tax
Every passenger leaving Qatar from Doha, including transit passengers, will be charged about US$10.00 for using its airport facilities.
The charge will be applied to tickets issued after August 30th and for any travel starting on December 1st onwards.
The tax will be used to further increase the airport's capacity and to invest in new infrastructure(s).
Airport fees have until recently been avoided by Gulf states. But Qatar is expecting a deficit of about US$12.8 billion in 2016, its first in 15 years, due to low natural gas and oil prices.
Cleaning Jomtien Beach
Yesterday Pattaya authorities began to reclaim footpaths on Jomtien Beach from encroching vendors and took action against a deckchair rental operator for intimidating tourists Bangkok Post reports.
Last week Pattaya Police already removed the street vendors and their cars from Pattaya Beach Road.
Dreamliner Nightmare
All Nippon Airways (ANA) announced yesterday that it would cancel some of its Boeing Dreamliner flights because of engine problems. The company announced that more groundings may follow.
Rolls-Royce engines are the source of the latest problem to hit Boeing's troubled 787 Dreamliner.
ANA is the biggest operator of the Boeing model with some 49 aircrafts, or around a tenth of the global fleet.
August 27th, 2016
August 28th, 2016
The haze is back
The annual Haze is Back across Indonesia, Singapore and Malaysia.
You can smell it inside buildings, it lingers in your hair and clothes and it makes your eyes itch.
Avoid to visit these countries for health concerns.
Choose Pattaya instead.
Our air is loaded with particulate matter (PM10) and fine particulate matter (PM2.5) only, generously distributed by the many Chinese Tour Busses...
How to loose 14 million Baht
Pattaya one shows how you can loose your money if you believe in the words of a village headman and buy some land from him.
We warn our readers since many years to be very careful in investing your hard earned money in this country.
The Plastics in your Food
In our January 2014 Publication we warned our readers of plastic particles in (sea)food and told you where they come from.
Yesterday BBC published a few reports about the still rising problem:
Please read the reports published by The Guardian during the last few months too:
It's not just the plastic that harms animals; the beads absorb toxic chemicals such as polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), making them poisonous to any creature that mistakes them for food or that eats another that has ingested the plastic — all the way up the food chain.
Because humans eat fish and other animals, these toxins can end up in our bodies, where they can alter hormones and cause other health problems.
The chemical compounds accumulated by the microbeads are extremely dangerous and are cancer-causing contaminants.
Thai Travel Insurance
To boost the industry, Thailand's Finance Ministry and the Tourism and Sports Ministry are considering offering travel insurance to foreign tourists, Bangkok Post reports.
As Expected
Thailand's Dictator General Prayuth Chan-ocha told the press the first time that he would agree to becoming the next prime minister if there are no good other options, Bangkok Post reports.
And who will decide over good or bad? His handpicket National Council for Peace and Order (NCPO) of course...
The 'up and down' of Thailand's Dictator:
Prayut tries to quell 'outsider PM' speculation
PM's dithering risk for nation
Amendment must avoid deadlock, says drafter
Update (August 27th):
Update (August 30th):
Thailand's Dictator says media misunderstood him, no plan to stay on as PM
The Dictator's plan is far too ambitious
The surrealistic Justice of Thailand's Military Junta
A report published today by BBC shows how Thailand's Military Junta prevents the full investigation of a crime.
Obviously the 'bad man' in the background of any (bomb) attack has to point to Thailand's former Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra...
Despite all evidence in the latest series of bomb attacks points to the South, Thailand's Dictator General Prayuth Chan-ocha and his handpicket National Council for Peace and Order (NCPO) are still sticking to a domestic sabotage line.
Must Read!
How Nasa technology uncovered the 'megacity' of Angkor, published by The Guardian.
Playing Cat & Mouse with Thailand's 'Justice'
A Thai businessman charged with killing two graduate students with his Mercedes-Benz in March could not make his first court appearance Monday due to a mental breakdown.
His lawyer even asked the court to indefinitely postpone the trial on the grounds his client is unfit to stand trial...
The family of one of Jenphop Viraporn's victims says it's another cheap trick to delay justice.
For more information please read Thailand's Rich and Famous play Cat & Mouse with Thailand's 'Justice'
Tracking Foreigners in Thailand - or not?
On August 2nd, Thailand's National Broadcasting and Telecommunications Commission (NBTC) announced that all movements of Foreigners entering the Country of the Free Man (Thailand) will be tracked with the help of a special SIM card.
Read the reports published by Thailand's Newspapers:
Read here what the international press says about Thailand's plan to track Foreigners:
Despite the downplay by the NBTC mentioned above, the proposal is not off the table. We are sure, it will come back soon but very quietly.
Remember the Proverb:
Never trust any military person. Mystifying opponents is part of their profession.
Warning:
Bombs explode at Tourist Spots
Between Thursday night and Friday morning a wave of ccordinated bombings killed at least four people in Hua Hin, Phuket and on Phang Nga.
A spokesman from Thailand's Military Junta told the press that we still have no information about the perpetrator(s). But at this moment, we believe the attacks are all connected.
Despite saying that the Junta has no knowledge, the spokesman was quick to rule out it was linked to separatist violence in the Deep South of Thailand.
But it is a fact that past Sunday's charter referendum were hit by a spree of bombings and arson attacks bearing the hallmarks of local separatists. At least 35 small bombings rocked Thailand's Deep South.
On Friday morning Thailand's Dictator General Prayuth Chan-ocha ordered the security to be stepped up in the city areas, tourist destinations, and landmarks - and expressed his condolence to all victims of the blast.
He ordered Foreign Affairs Ministry to take care of the tourists.
For more information please read Khaosod english, The Guardian #1 and The Guardian #2 (includes travel warning).
At about 14:00 local time news services announced that security services are increasing presence at transport hubs. Phuket international airport, and some railways stations and roads have been closed in affected provinces. Later we learned that Phuket Airport Director Monrudee Gettuphan confirmed to The Phuket News that no flights have been delayed or cancelled so far.
Rip Off in Cambodia
The Cambodian Government announced that starting from February 1st, 2017, a one-day Pass to Ankor Wat will rise from US$20 to US$37, a three-day ticket from US$40 to US$62 and a one-week ticket from US$60 to US$72.
However, Cambodian citizens, as well as foreigners of Cambodian birth or whose parents are Cambodian, are exempt from paying the entrance fee, as are foreign children under 12 years old.
US$2 from each ticket sold will be used to support local children's hospitals, Angkor Enterprise, the state agency in charge of ticket sales, promises.
Angkor Wat is an UNESCO World Heritage site and attracted 2.12 million foreign tourists in 2015.
Revenue from ticket sales to foreign tourists visiting the archaeological park reached US$20.3 million in the first quarter of 2016.
Foreign investment plunges 90%!
Foreign direct investment (FDI) in Thailand in the first half of the year fell by more than 90% in value to the lowest mark in over a decade but the Military Junta remains 'optimistic', Bangkok Post reports.
Update (August 3rd):
Big C deal blamed for 90% drop in FDI
Please read too:
Are Days Numbered For The Thai Tourist Industry?
Don't let your children play on Pattaya Beach!
The Rats are back!
The rats are back on Pattaya Beach and our Officials from City Hall close their eyes.
According to a report published by Pattaya Mail on March 11th, the City already launched a new offensive on beachfront rats.
It seems the 'offensive' was launched for publicity only. The rats still enjoy a happy life on Pattaya's Beach and its Promenade...
For additional Information about the current situation in Thailand please read:
Pattaya News Flash does not report about the daily crimes in Pattaya.
It you are interested in - and you should for your very own security - then please click Pattaya Daily News and Pattaya One.
Pattaya News Flash reports about the funny side(s) of this World Class Resort.
No News
No News are Good News.
But the best
is yet to come: We update NightWalker's News Page as soon as we get new information.
Important Notice
Since General Prayuth Chan-ocha and his Military Junta launched their Coup d'état on May 22nd, 2014, Thailand's Visa ground rules are constantly changing. More over, not every consulate can issue all the different Visas. Some smaller consulates even display notices to the effect that non-immigrant visas are unavailable.
Our advice: Before booking your holidays please contact the Embassy in your country to obtain information about Thailand's latest regulation(s) and check the Chonburi Immigration Website or the website of Thailand's Immigration Police.
Update (March 2016):
New Overstay Regulations
Thailand's new immigration policy will take effect on March 20th of this year.
Please click for details!
Busy Immigration
Pol Lt Gen Nathathorn Prousoontorn, chief of the Immigration Bureau, informed the media that between October 2015 and March 2016 Thailand's Immigration deported a total of 486'947 foreigners who overstayed their visas. Another 323'575 foreigners overstaying their visas still remain at large.
If the numbers mentioned above are correct, the Immigration Bureau deported about 2'700 people a day...
Congratulation!
Never trust a statistic that you have not manipulated yourself!
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Pattaya News Flash August 2016 - The Source
from the City where your Passion is still a Possibility©
August 1st: Switzerland's National Day - 725 years Prosperity without Dictatorship
P.S. Pattaya News Flash is published in Switzerland
Thailand's Voters back the second draft of the Constitution
They done it again
With the help of Thailand's Military Bangkok's Elite presented Thailand's voters an even for academics abstruse template and suppressed virtually any public discussion about the proposed charter.
Probaly one of the many reasons that instead of the 80% turnout expected by Thailand's Election Commission (surveys even predicted a 90% turnout), only about 55% of Thailand's potential voters went to the poll stations.
On August 6th, a day before the poll, The Nation wrote that some people still don't know what the referendum is all about. Moreover, Officials at polling stations were reluctant to explain extra questions to voters and/or polling staff were simply unable to explain additional questions, the newspaper reported.
The Result
YES votes: 15'562'027, NO votes: 9'784'680(unofficial result as published by Bangkok Post) YES votes: 16'820'402, NO votes: 10'598'037 (official result as published by Bangkok Post) From 50'071'589 eligible voters, only 29'740'677 exercised their right last Sunday. What the Nation gets
What happened in front of the Plebiscite
How long will the Thai junta remain in power,
Prachatai English asks. The Nation:
A part of Jomtien's new Beach Promenade is already open to the public
During most nights the popular seating area is without lighting,
probably to support the City's Pickpockets. For more Cartoons please click into the Picture or here for his Original Cartoon.
D'Luck Cinematic Theatre
Kaanshow is preparing the opening of its D'Luck Cinematic Theatre on Jomtien's Thepprasit Road at the end of the year.
According to D-Luck's Website the Cinematic Theatre will have a combined performance area of over 1'000 square meters and is able to accommodate an audience of up to 1'400 people per show.
To transport the audience to and from the event it will need 140 miniVans or about 50 China built Tourist Busses. Kaan announced to provide two shows each day, (exept Mondays). Therefore the number of cars could double...
Poised to continue
No News so far, please come back in a few days.
Poised to continue
Girls are working on Soi 6
Working Girl, the new A Go-Go Club on Soi 6, opened on August 10th with a grand Party.
On Soi 6 too
In addition to the successful Bars on Soi Buakhaow and on Soi LK Metro, there is a Scooter's Bar on Soi 6 too, a few meters from Pattaya Beach Road only.
Poised to continue
Café Racer Music Bar opened
Wall of Death's Café Racer Music Bar opened opposite of Billabong and Kilkenny.
Poised to continue
Rock Street
Rock Street will be the name of the new Live Music venue from Blue Sky Group.
As mentioned in June the new venue replaces Blue Sky's Cosnovy A Go-Go Club.
It seems that the construction workers working around the clock to make possible an opening before the end of this month.
Enlarging
The Stone's House, just across the street of Blue Sky's new Rock Street, added the rooms of the former Food Court to its obviously successful Rockpalast.
Format change
The new Sopar Bar, the successor of Climax Rock House, announces itself now as Reggae, Rock & Soul Bar.
It was first introduced as Walking Street's Reggae venue.
It's hard to find musicians in Thailand playing authentic Reggae sounds - and playing only Reggae inspired music simply doesn't enjoy the ear(s).
Egicogroup announced a prestigious project on our old fashioned Walking Street.
To the left and to the right of the entrance to Soi BJ the company plans to built two modern glass palaces with Coyote Clubs, Bars, Night Clubs, a Hotel as well as a Public Car Park (in a street that is closed during the nightly hours...).
The new buildings will replace the already closed Nam Bar and Harem 2 A Go-Go as well as the still open drug store to left and the still noisy Blue Sky III as well as the closed Champion and Spicy Girl (ex Guugle) to the right of the street.
The company claims the new buildings will be ready to open during 2017.
New Walking Street Buildings to open soon...
Poised to continue
At the entrance to BigC North Pattaya you can dispose your used batteries for recycling. Please use the opportunity, it's the only one we know in Pattaya.
For more Cartoons please click into the Picture or here for his Original Cartoon.
12 million Thais may lose their jobs
Go Pattaya!
A joint study released last month by the Quality Learning Foundation (QLF), Dhurakij Pundit University (DPU) and the World Bank (WB) claims that over the next 20 years about 12 million Thais may lose their jobs to robots and dehumanised smart systems.
The study says that administrative and office workers with basic skills are most at risk from the impact of the world's fourth industrial revolution.
Complex-problem solving, critical thinking and creativity will then become the top three priorities for skilled workers, requirements Thailand's current education system simply can't satisfy. It is designed to produce workers that are based on mass production. Thailand's education system still creates a workforce that does not match the jobs available - today as well as in the long run.
To make their living, Thailand's school leavers have to take jobs matching their abilities.
We will greet them in Pattaya, Phuket and Hua Hin.
The drawbacks of Thailand's new PromptPay e-money service
Fifteen commercial banks and four specialised financial institutions in Thailand are to begin registration for PromptPay, a mobile P2P service developed by Bank of Thailand (BOT) and the Thai Bankers' Association.
To transfer money with the new E-payment transfer service the user simply has to link his national ID or mobile phone number(s) to his account(s) for successful transactions.
With PromptPay people and private sector can transfer money via electronic channel faster and cheaper, Thailand's Government claims.
The estimated service fee will be free for transaction amount less than 5'000 Baht, 2 Baht per transaction from range 5'000 Baht to 30'000 Baht, 5 Baht per transaction from range 30'000-100'000 Baht and 10 Baht per transaction for payment amount 100'000 Baht and more.
According to Tongurai Limpiti, the Bank of Thailand's deputy governor overseeing financial institution stability, PromptPay will not impose any charge when transferring money to different banks or to the same bank in a cross-clearing zone.
During the PromptPay registration procedure the system will inspect participants' identity, bank account and mobile phone details.
Fund transfers via PromptPay will start in late October, 2016. The next phase is aimed at e-payment for public utility services.
The new system is part of the government's e-payment initiative. It is estimated the e-payment system, which will transform Thailand into a cashless society, will help save costs of 70 billion Baht a year in printing and transporting banknotes and cheques.
Security concerns
According to Predee Daochai, Chairman of Thai Bankers' Association and President of Kasikornbank, PromptPay will provide a high level of security.
However, legal experts have raised concerns about security, privacy, crime and computerisation.
They also fear that without society being able to understand the pros and cons of electronic cash, the full benefit of the cashless society may never be realised.
More importantly, with Thailand being one of the world's top 25 targets for malware attacks and Bangkok a prime target of hackers in Asia-Pacific, legal experts are worried about the security risks of contactless payment.
According to law experts PromptPay is a centralised system. Therefore electronic payments for online transactions will be easier to trace and tax evasion, money laundering, corruption and illegal funding of organised crimes and terrorism would be noticeable if transferred via PromptPay.
But the biggest concern for PromptPay is that Thailand still lacks a consolidated personal data protection law in general.
The public needs reassurance that every person who illegally accesses and discloses their personal data is to be punishable by law.
Moreover, Thailand has laws allowing authorities such as the Revenue Department to access data and documents, particularly if fraud is suspected. That means it will be an easy task for the Revenue Department to catch up all people with an yearly income of more than 150'000 Baht and to send them the lovely and eagerly awaited tax bill.
Pattaya's women with generous donors will have a rude awakening...
In addition, Thailand's Anti-Money Laundering Office (Amlo) has the power to gather evidence for the purpose of taking legal proceedings under the Anti-Money Laundering Act. Similarly, Amlo has the power to gather evidence for the purpose of the seizure, attachment or confiscation of property under the Counter-Terrorism Financing Act or other laws.
Happy banking!
Update (August 19th, 2016):
Bangkok Post reports that Thailand's Revenue Department has been instructed to seek ways to increase the number of taxpayers. The target number of individual taxpayers is 20 million based on the size of the country's workforce.
PromptPay is the perfect tool to reach the goal.
Update (August 24th, 2016):
Small-business owner's Bank account cleaned out by cyber thieves
Update (August 29th): Cyber-banking gang busted
Government Savings Bank (GSB) shuts some ATM machines after 12 million Baht found missing
10'000 ATMs nationwide hack-prone
GSB's ATMs hacked, 12 million Baht stolen
Manhunt for ATM robbers kicks off
Thailand is in critical need of a cybersecurity centre that can immediately tackle a cyberattack
Criminals find ATM hacking easy via the net
Update (August 28th): Thailand's Police trying to piece together ATM theft jigsaw
Update (August 29th): Phang Nga ATM hack linked to criminal gang
Please read too:
Holiday Inn prepares new Express Hotels in Pattaya
On Soi Buakhaow, between the new Pattaya City Hospital and the Sunview Place Hotel, there is work underway to create the first Holiday Inn Express Hotel in Pattaya.
On an empty space on Soi Phratamnak, just opposite of the Camelot Hotel, you also can see a sign obviously announcing a Holiday Inn Express Hotel.
During 2012 Holiday Inn already announced to build a hotel on this site, but dismissed the idea a few months later and during 2013 the company put the property on sale. It seems the management changed its mind again.
Perhaps Holiday Inn learned that this area of Phratamnak Road is very popular among (financially strong) Indian tourists.
Workers are scraping at least a part of the never used 680 Million Baht Port
On July 12th we saw this neon sign on Walking Street.
The Tourist Police placed it at their Checkpoint - just about 5 meters in front of a beggar... The Awful English Language
Never Today - but always tomorrow
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Enjoy your Life
This Month
Additional Information:
Opened:
HVM Bar Soi Buakhaow
Mods and Rockers Soi 7
Bee Corner Bar Soi 6
DClub Walking Street
Closed:
Las Vegas III A Go-Go
Subway 2nd Road
Ping! 3rd Road
Amethyst A Go-Go
Kiss A Go-Go, Lk Metro
Red Square Walking Street
Daruma Sushi Walking
The Champion A Go-Go
Food Court Walking Street
Big Event:
For more information click July 2016 News.
More Information
NightWalker's Pictures
Disco's in Pattaya Thailand's Fruits Tasty and Affordable Koh Samet Oil Disaster Thailand's Workforce Settling Down Chonburi's Godfather City Hall's Efficiency USA control Europe Turmoil in Thailand Junta reigns Thailand
Beach Promenade:
Paloma's Destruction Artist's Sketches Beach Destruction I Beach Destruction II
Previous Publications of Pattaya News Flash
Wikipedia about Pattaya No Alcohol Days
Thailand's National No Alcohol Days include Buddhist holidays and election days.
On all oher days alcohol can only be sold between 11:00-14:00 and 17:00-24:00.
Vendors caught breaking the ban are liable to a prison sentence of up to six months, a 10'000 Baht fine or both - but local Police use their own discretion to decide which venues need to be visited and fined...
Don't start laughing:
Do not try to buy non alcoholic beers (available from Clausthaler and Oettinger in this country).
The shops won't sell them during dry days.
Some not even sell Soda Water, because Thais and their Police associate it with (Thai) Whisky...
There's a sucker born every minute...
The Godfather's Story
Never forget:
It's not your Face and not your Body that makes you sexy.
It's your MONEY!
Electric Vehicles use batteries and batteries are not only a threat to our planet during manufacturing, the 'Recycling' of batteries is still an unsolved problem in most countries.
If the power for charging the batteries is generated by fossil or nuclear power plants than the LCA (life cycle assessment) turns completely to the worse.
Nature destroyed by Solar Cells - Please click for a larger picture
Solar Cells are a threat to our planet:
The higher the efficiency of a Solar Cell the more Cadmium it contains.
Cadmium is banned from most products in almost all countries, but it can be used without restrictions in Solar Cells. Who controls the 'Recycling' of Solar Cells?
Never forget Chernobyl, Hiroshima, Nagasaki & Fukushima!
Never use a technology you do not master 100%! Secure money transactions?
Thailand's National Broadcasting and Telecommunications Commission (NBTC) announced its own fingerprint scanning application for using mobile phones to conduct ('secure') money transactions.
The NBTC urges mobile operators to promote the system when it is launched.
Secure money transactions? We have our doubts. The internet aleady is full of 'instruction' to produce fake fingerprints:
Intel recalls over-heating smartwatch
Intel recalls its Basis Peak watches because they overheat and are causing skin burns.
Sony goes CMOS
Sony, which holds a 40% share of the image sensor market, is to switch its marketing focus for CMOS image sensors.
To hold its technical edge, Sony has enhanced its image sensing technology through acquisitions.
Top 5
The Top 5 Smartphones producers are:
Milking Foreigners!
Thailand's National Parks, Wildlife and Plant Conservation Department ordered that admission fees for foreigners at national parks throughout the country have to be 400 Baht.
Entry charge for Thai nationals remains 40 Baht for adults and 20 Baht for children.
To cover the inequity the local's prices are printed in Thai script only.
No progress on Jet Ski saga:
Pattaya City Hall still doesn't do anything to stop the scam!
All the announcements made during last year were City Hall Blah-Blah only...
As long as Jet Ski vendors - respectively their victims - fill up our officials' pockets nothing will happen! The boats are overloaded, don't provide lifevests for all passengers, are badly maintained and aren't covered by adequate insurance policies.
Pattaya's lazy and allegedly corrupt Officials promised to check owners, personnel and boats regularly, but they don't. According to Pattaya Police, it is common in this resort that foreign tourists get drugged and robbed in their hotel rooms, apartments or houses by prostitutes or ladyboys. Ladyboy Pick-Pocket Gangs are working almost daily on Pattaya's Beach Promenade! Never wear Gold in Pattaya! Between 30 to 50 snatching valuables cases are reported to Pattaya's Police every single month. Education is the most powerful weapon which you can use to change the world
Newbies please read
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