Pattaya News Flash - The Source
Latest News
December 2017
Click here to read our November 2017 News.
Thailand made it to the Top
We congratulate:
Thailand made it to the Top!
World Atlas, a website providing online information on travel, society, economics and environment, ranked 30 countries around the world among their road safety'
Thailand tops the road death list. Its road traffic death rate (per 100'000 population) stands at 36.2, followed by Malawi (35) and Liberia (33.7).
To improve road safety, Thailand's Departement of Transport immediately announced more stringent standards for driving tests, including a finger-scanning system and a review of the individual's medical history.
The department is also considering to adopt the British system where those aged 70 and older are required to undergo a health check every three years.
But a psychologist told us: As long as Muay Thai remains the most popular sport in this country, nothing will ever change.
For additional information please read:
Thai People on the Fast Track
The Nation reports that more than a third the number of Thai couples who registered their marriage in 2016 got divorced the same year.
Who is lying and who is telling the truth?
Last month we reported about Pattaya's new but highly disputed deckchairs.
In an answer to our report some beach vendors now claim that they had to pay up to 4'600 Baht for each deckchair and that therefore the rent of 100 Baht is justified.
Perhaps somebody can clarify the matter - otherwise the people still are thinking that the notorious City Hall mafia is still alive.
Beach vendors also claim that all beach vendors had to buy the new chairs.
That's not true.
You still can rent 'old' but more comfortable sun loungers for 40 and 50 Baht along Pattaya beach.
It is true, however, that the plastic covers of the new deck chairs are completely unhygienic.
The surface is very difficult to clean.
How could I be so stupid
How could I be so stupid as to expose ring and watch to journalists?
Deputy Prime Minister and top Junta Leader Gen. Prawit Wongsuwan was given an ultimatum by Thailand's National Anti-Corruption Commission to explain the origin of his pricy luxury items that he never declared among his assets.
Khaosod English has additional information about this case.
The Nation: Scepticism abounds about Prawit's borrowed watch
Khaosod English: The dust under their feet
Khaosod English: What's with men and their watches?
Register your Face!
Register your Face!
Starting from December 15th all cellphone operators have to register their users on personal identity basis, which may call for the verification of the user's face or the scanning of the user's fingerprints, Thailand's National Broadcasting and Telecommunications Commission (NBTC) demands.
Foreigners (in Thailand officially called aliens) who hold a Thai SIM card need to register their face along with their passport. Passport biodata must match the scan.
But the offical announcements are inconsistent:
On the one hand they claim that only new buyers have to register, on the other hand the announcements say that cellphone operators have to register their users and all existing card systems must be replaced because Thailand is moving toward a digital era...
Wang Saen Suk
Wang Saen Suk
Spike from Pattaya Days visited Wang Saen Suk and points out to which excesses enlightenment can lead.
No Chang Umbrellas on Pattaya Beaches
Maj Gen Yutthachai Thienthong, chief of the 14th Military Circle, ordered stall holders renting out the new beach chairs to remove the sun shades sponsored by Thai Beverage Plc, the producer of the well-known drinking water(s).
The umbrellas could be violating the alcohol control laws, the General claims.
The stumbling block
For additional Information about the current situation in Thailand please read:
Police News
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.
Bath Bus Driver beats Tourist
A Pattaya Baht Bus driver seriously injured a Tourist from South Korea because he would not sit inside the vehicle because of his size.
For additional information please read the report published by The Nation.
Somchai Khunploem, the Godfather of Chonburi
Godfather of Chon Buri released from Jail
Somchai Khunploem, better known as Kamnan Poh, the Godfather of Chon Buri or the criminal Father of former Pattaya Mayor Itthiphol Kunplome was given special parole because he allegedly has stage-4 cancer and is older than 70 years.
In 2012, the Supreme Court sentenced Somchai Khunploem to 25 years in jail for masterminding the murder of Kamnan Yoon.
Click here to read more about the Godfather and his illustrious familiy.
Affordable & Tasty Foods in Pattaya
Free WiFi along Pattaya Beach
Free WiFi on Pattaya Beach
Pol Maj Gen Pinit Maneerat, the Military Junta's spokesman for Pattaya, announced that the city has invested 24 million Baht* to install a free WiFi system along Pattaya Beach for the general public and tourists.
It's the third time City Hall announces a Free WiFi service during the last 10 years or so.
The last two times TOT Public Company Limited, a Thai state-owned telecommunications company, was responsible for the (failed) service.
This time City Hall claims that they made a 1-year contract with state enterprise CAT Telecom Plc.
According to Pol Maj Gen Pinit Maneerat CAT installed 24 hotspots along Pattaya Beach, from Dusit Thani to the Bali Hai pier area.
To use the Free WiFi users have to register with their personal details. In return they will get two hours of free access per day.
For its Thai citizens Pattaya City Hall published an instruction to register (automatically?) - but not for the City's real breadwinner - the tourists.
*On November 26th, a spokesman from City Hall corrected the press release and said that the City has to pay 14 million Baht/year for the 24 hotspots.
Unusable!
Our Testrun on November 25th shows that - at least for tourists - the announced service is not usable.
Using a smartphone communicating in another language as Thai it is impossible to do the required registration.
When connecting to @Pattaya City Free WiFi the display immediately asks for the passwort.
Moreover, the signal strength is satisfying only in front of a hotspot, in between it's mediocre and the signal is characterised by strong fluctuations with a maximum throughput of 1 Mbps.
The whole announcement of @Pattaya Free Wifi doesn't make sense.
It's nothing else than a bad joke!
Obviously the Government tries everything that Thailand remains a laughing stock
Update (December 1st):
Pattaya Mail writes that Surfing has taken on a whole new meaning on Pattaya Beach after the city launched free wireless internet access.
But they didn't check if the service is reliable - or not...
Immigration News
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!
New 10-year Visa
Thailand's interim Government announced on November 22nd, 2016, that foreign residents over 50 will be able to apply for 10-year visas.
The new Visa would replace one-year renewable visas and come in two installments of five years each.
Applicants must either earn a monthly salary of at least 100'000 Baht or have more than 3 million Baht in their bank account, which cannot be withdrawn within the first year after receiving the visa.
Applicants also must also have a health insurance that covers hospital stays and provides at least US$10'000 in annual coverage.
Visa holders will still have to check in every 90 days with the Bureau of Immigration.
Up & Down
Thailand's Military Junta cuts the visa-on-arrival fee for tourists from Andorra, Bulgaria, Bhutan, China, Cyprus, Ethiopia, India, Kazakhstan, Latvia, Lithuania, the Maldives, Malta, Mauritius, Romania, San Marino, Saudi Arabia, Taiwan, Ukraine and Uzbekistan from today 2'000 Baht to 1'000 Baht.
The 1'000-Baht fee for visas sought at Thai embassies and consulates would be lifted.
The reduction is applicable from December 1st, 2016, to February 28th, 2017, only.
The change was announced less than two months after the visa fee was increased to 2'000 Baht on September 27th, 2016...
New Rules
Foreigners who enter Thailand without a visa via a land border crossing can now do so only twice per calendar year.
Those who seek to enter Thailand without a visa via a land border checkpoint for a third time in a calendar year may be denied entry and asked to apply for a regular visa first.
Entries through international airports are not affected by this new regulation.
While eligible foreigners who enter Thailand under the "visa exemption" scheme would previously get 30 days exclusively at international airports but only 15 days at border crossings, this rule has now been relaxed and all foreigners will receive 30-day entry stamps also at land border checkpoints.
The new rules went into effect on December 31st, 2016.
Free visas extended
Bangkok Post reports that Thailand's Government extended by six months to August free visas at Thai consulates and embassies and discounts on visas on arrival for visitors from 21 countries.
Chonburi Immigration Office got new Chief
Chonburi Immigration Office got new Chief
Pattaya Mail reports on July 8th, 2017, that the Chonburi Immigration Office got a new Chief.
Pol. Maj. Satawat Srirattanapong, the new Chief, announced that people who are requesting a long-stay permit will be thoroughly investigated for the safety of the community and the nation.
Pattaya News Flash December 2017 - The Source
NightWalker\'s News
from the City where your Passion is still a Possibility©
Please Click for Mike Baird's Cartoons
For more Cartoons please click into the Picture or here for Mike Baird's Original.
Pattaya City Hall announced that this World Class City will celebrate the New Year traditionally - without rowdy rock concerts.
U-turn
On December 29th Pattaya Mail reported that City Hall decided on December 19th to launch a one Night long Pattaya Countdown at Bali Hai on December 31st featuring Seksan Sek Loso Sukpimai, former frontman of a 90s Thai rock band.
Update (December 31st): Khaosod English reports that Police arrested Sek Loso inside his house in Bangkok's Kannayao district.
Pattaya Countdown has to run without the widely announced headliner.
Building the stage at Bali Hai for a 'rowdy free' Countdown Rock Concert
Building the stage at Bali Hai for a 'rowdy free' Countdown Rock Concert
City Hall claims that its Countdown will start at 17:00 and end at 01;30
Our Officials destroy the 'Good Image' of Pattaya - nobody else
Pattaya Beach Vendors do everything to satisfy the Military Junta
Pattaya Beach Vendors do everything to satisfy Tourists Military Junta
Update (December 1st):
Last month we reported about the smoking ban on Pattaya's Beaches.
Today Pattaya Mail reports that Pattaya is seeking permission to zone an area of each local beach as a smoking zone.
Pattaya Mayor announces heavy 5'000 Baht penalties for those smoking on a Beach
Pattaya Mayor announces heavy 5'000 Baht penalties for those smoking on a Beach
If you can't miss your daily cigarettes please book your holidays in another country.
Obviously Thailand doesn't need you anymore.
Bangkok Post: Tourists unhappy with beach smoking ban in Pattaya
Pattaya Mail (December 15th): Marine chief defends beach smoking ban
Pattaya Mail (December 15th): Pattaya kicks off smoking ban PR push
Overloaded Baht Bus
The Farangs are here,
the Baht Buses are overloaded,
Jingle bells are blaring in every department store,
the money is rolling in:
Christmas has started on the 9th of December!
Still plenty of Rooms and Apartments available
Still plenty of Rooms and Apartments available
A few weeks ago, Sanpet Supabowornsathien, president of the Eastern Thai Hotels Association, said that the reservation rate of the hotels in Pattaya surpassed 90%.
He told a complete nonsense.
Hotels not cooperating with the Chinese Tourist Mafia report thousends of unbooked rooms and apartments in Pattaya, Jomtien and Naklua.
Even for Christmas and new Year, usually the hotest time of the year, you still can get nice hotel rooms and apartments in this city.
Check Agoda, Expedia or any other hotel booking platform!
During his visite of the International Fleet Review even Thailand's Dictator General Prayuth Chan-ocha obviously became aware of the discrepancy between fiction and reality: If a beach is too empty, it feels lifeless, he said and added that the authorities should arrange appropriate activity zones so that visitors can choose either to sit and drink beer, to play sports or to shop.
A few days later, during a cabinet reshuffle, the Dictator replaced Tourism and Sports Minister Kobkarn Wattanavrangkul by Weerasak Kowsurat...
Ms Kobkarn Wattanavrangkul was known above all through statements such as Tourists don't come to Thailand for sex. They come here for our beautiful culture and We want Thailand to be about quality tourism. We want the sex industry gone.
But now the Lady had to go before she had the chance to modify the country.
Update (December 2nd):
On December 1st, Supawan Tanomkieatipum, President of the Thai Hotels Association (THA) told the press that hotel business in major areas such as Bangkok, Phuket, Pattaya and Chiang Mai are oversupplied. Nevertheless, hotels in Pattaya experienced an occupancy rate in October of 75.1%, up from 67% in October 2016, the lady claims.
Mrs Supawan also speculated that many foreign visitors stay at non-registered or illegal hotels.
Non-registered or illegal hotels are a major headache for the THA: They keep the room rates low...
Fats are healthier than carbohydrates
and they make you lean
Change your Mind
Thai women are now officially the second fattest group of people in Asia, behind only Malaysians
Wannee Nitthiyanan, the head of Thailand's Diabetes' Association, said last month that poor diet and insufficient exercise are to blame for the diabetes epidemic that is costing the country tens of billions of Baht a year in out-patient and in-patient health care.
Thai women's rising weight must also be due to their increasing consumption of fat, a Thai statistic claims.
Wrong! Scientist say, not fat makes you fat but carbohydrates!
A team of scientists studied the diets and mortality of more than 135'000 people across 18 counties and found that those with high carbohydrate intake had a higher risk of mortality than those with high fat diets.
Consuming more fat, whether that was saturated, polyunsaturated or monounsaturated were all associated with lower mortality, the study published by The Lancet shows.
Higher fat diets also appeared to lower the risk of having a stroke.
Processed carbohydrates may increase the risk of obesity, diabetes and heart disease more than fat does, another study published by the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition reveals.
An analysis of the study, overseen by Ronald M. Krauss, director of atherosclerosis research at the Children's Hospital Oakland Research Institute, found no association between the amount of saturated fat consumed and the risk of heart disease.
The finding joins other conclusions of the past few years that run counter to the conventional wisdom that saturated fat is bad for the heart because it increases total cholesterol levels.
Carbohydrate is the umbrella term for different types of starch and sugar found in a huge range of foods from hearty wholegrain bread, pasta and rice, to potatoes, pulses like chick peas and cannellini beans, fruit, cakes, chocolate, sweets, alcohol, fizzy drinks and the sugars added to processed food.
It's time to rethink - also for Thailand's Dictator General Prayuth Chan-ocha: He should stop urging people to eat more rice. It's simply unhealthy. It boosts obesity.
Scientists recommend:
Stop counting calories, eat high-fat foods – including saturated fats – and avoid carbohydrates, namely sugar and starch.
Please read too:
Update (December 3rd, 2017):
Spike from Pattaya Days joins the Fat is Healthy movement
Update (December 21st, 2017):
Spike from Pattaya Days reports that his wife has come along for the journey
Some people have to create new arguments to demonise McDonald's & Co.
Thai Rock Star collects money for needy hospitals
Running for the Health of Hospitals
On November 1st Rocker Toon Bodyslam started his first leg of the 2'191 kilometre charity run from Betong district of Yala province to raise funds for 11 hospitals across the country.
Toon intends to raise up to 700 million Baht from his 55-day run to help the following hospitals in need:
  • Yala Hospital in Yala province
  • Surat Thani Hospital (Surat Thani)
  • Ratchaburi Hospital (Ratchaburi)
  • Chaophraya Yommarat Hospital (Suphan Buri)
  • Saraburi Hospital (Saraburi)
  • Khon Kaen Hospital (Khon Kaen)
  • Chaopraya Abhaiphubejhr Hospital (Prachin Buri)
  • Nakornping Hospital (Chiang Mai)
  • Chiang Rai Prachanukroh Hospital (Chiang Rai)
  • Nan Hospital (Nan)
  • Phramongkutklao Hospital (Bangkok)
This is not the first time that the singer is running to get donations for hospitals.
Back in December 2016, Toon ran 400km for 10 days from Suankularb Wittayalai School in Bangkok to Bang Saphan Hospital in Prachuap Khiri Khan, taking 85 million Baht in donations from the people of Thailand.
Toon and his team hope to reach the border town of Mae Sai, Thailand's northernmost point on the Thai-Myanmar border and the end of the campaign, by December 25th, 2017, in good health.
We wish Toon all the best and keep our fingers crossed.
Running for the Health of Hospitals
Artiwara 'Toon' Khongmalai, lead singer of Thai rock band Bodyslam
Update (December 4th): Tired Toon Trotted Out in Bangkok
Update (December 9th):
Toon, the Marathon Man from Thailand's Bodyslam Rock Band, has achived his goal to raise 700 million Baht for ailing public hospitals 16 days ahead of schedule.
We pay tribute to the people of Thailand for their willingness to help the distressed hospitals.
Update (December 19th):
In an interview with Prachatai English Sureerat Treemanka from the People's Health Systems Movement claims that problems in Thailand's healthcare are much bigger than one rock star can solve them alone.
Update (December 24th):
Donations to Toon's charity run
surpassed the 1 Billion Baht mark
For additional information please read The Nation
Update (December 25th):
Toon Bodyslam completed his cross-country charity run today at 18:20
Update (December 27th):
Injured 'Toon' Turns Down Army Airlift
For additional information please read Khaosod English
How the Military Junta informs its Citizens
How the Military Junta informs its Citizens
Disguised Information
Since the 2014 Military coup, Thailand's universal healthcare coverage (UHC) has become a target for military government leaders and bureaucrats. They tell the people that the scheme has a poor financial model. Thailand's Dictator General Prayuth Chan-ocha even claims that the universal health care is a burden on finances.
Fact is that Thailand's UHC with its slogan 30 baht treats all diseases serves about 48 million Thai citizens and cost the Government about 165 billion Baht. That's a lot of money.
But the Military Junta doesn't tell the people the facts about their very own civil service welfare scheme. It costs the taxpayer over 80 billion Baht a year and covers about 4.9 million civil servants only.
This makes healthcare costs for a civil servant five times higher than those of a UHC beneficiary!
If the Government would merge the two schemes it could save billions of Baht.
Thailand's UHC is often dubbed as the masterpiece of Thaksin Shinawatra, who launched the scheme in 2002, but the man behind the scheme is Sanguan Nitayarumphong, a rural doctor. Since 1980, he tried to convince all opinion leaders that UHC could be possible in Thailand.
To undermine UHC, the Governmnt recently launched welfare cards for about 11.4 million poor people in early October. Observers believe that the cards can replace the UHC in the long run and would cut out about 37 million Thai people from the country's current healthcare system.
The profiteers? Bangkok's Elite and their hospital chains.
Update (December 19th):
In an interview with Prachatai English Sureerat Treemanka from the People's Health Systems Movement claims that Thailand's military government purchased weapons with a price tag that surpassed the 2.7 billion Baht public health budget.
Bangkok's Elite hunts down the Shinawatra Clan
Bangkok's Elite hunts down the Shinawatra Clan
Do you remember Suthep Thaugsuban?
Suthep Thaugsuban is one of Thailand's most corrupt Politicians and the self-appointed secretary-general of the now defunct People's Democratic Reform Committee (PDRC). On January 13th, 2014, he announced to paralyse Bangkok and shortly after the annoucement his movement took over the roads of the capital.
Observers still believe that he was choosen and supported (according to press reports the protest costed about 10 million Baht/day) by Bangkok's Elite to prepare the country for another Military Coup.
During his daily speaks he told the people that his movement don't will stop until whole the Shinawatra Clan will be 'out of the country' and the Clan's money will be confiscated.
When Thailand's new Dictator General Prayuth Chan-ocha 'solved' the country with the 12th Coup d'état on May 22nd, 2014, he started immediately to turn Suthep's words into reality.
The first action of General Prayuth Chan-ocha and his handpicket National Council for Peace and Order (NCPO) was to suspend the constitution and to inaugurate a new one that guarantees absolute immunity for all their infamies. Then they introduced new retroactive laws to impeach the Clan and its supporters.
For additonal information please read:
Do not Stop your Vehicle after this Line!
Do not Stop your Vehicle after this Line
Police is enforcing the law and cash in!
But why they don't look at more serious offences too, some of our readers asked:
  • Question: Many Chinese Tourist Busses are polluting the air with their black exhaust fumes and particulate. Why the Police looks on?
    Answer: If the international media would report about Pattaya's harmful air it would hurt the tourism industry.
  • Question: Most Chinese Tourist Busses are constantly ignoring red lights. Why the Police looks on?
    Answer: Should the police intervene, the international media would report about Thailand's dangerous bus drivers and that would harm the tourism industry.
  • Question: Many of Pattaya's Baht Bus drivers are ignoring almost all traffic laws, Bus Stops and the Fixed Bus Routes. Why the Police looks on?
    Answer: Baht Bus drivers are well organized in the Baht Bus Cooperative and that organisation would strike back. It's more lucrative for Pattaya Police to ignore the lawbreaker. A typical Win-Win Situation.
  • Question: The Military Junta fixed the prices for motorcycle taxi transportation, but the drivers still ask two or three times the allowed fee. Why the Police looks on?
    Answer: Motorcycle Taxi drivers are controlled by influent mafia bosses. It's better for our Police to cooperate with that people. A typical Win-Win Situation.
  • Question: Almost all motorized road users are ignoring all kind of pedestrian crossings. Why the Police looks on?
    Answer: Pattaya's Policemen are motorized road users too - not pedestrians!
Please Click for Mike Baird's Cartoons
For more Cartoons please click into the Picture or here for Mike Baird's Original.
Emergency Room
Midnight Pattaya
During August 2016 an 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 claimed it will built two modern glass palaces with Coyote Clubs, Bars, Night Clubs and a Hotel with a large parking space.
Midnight Pattaya also claimed that the first venues will open during 2016 and 2017.
With the exeption of a Liquer outlet on Marine Plaza nothing ever happened. The whole area is still a (quiet) working place.
Midnight Pattaya
Midnight Pattaya
Midnight Pattaya
Midnight Pattaya
In recent weeks, a few activities have been spottet in an open area behind the liqueur shop, where the Midnight Pattaya website announces a beer garden. Nevertheless, the whole place is surrounded by walls. It looks like a ghetto and does not seem like a very welcoming place.
The whole project looks like a reprise of the Soho Square disaster.
Midnight Pattaya: The Terrace
The area behind the liqueur shop is announced to open as
The Terrace, Open Air Club and Restaurant
Should the patient survives our emergency room, you will read it here.
Poised to continue
Police discovered a new Source of Income
New Source of Revenue
Police on Walking Street discovered a new source of income
Some members of the corps are even so greedy that they even forget to play with their smartphones, otherwise their favourite activity.
Before you pay, read the banner carefully:
It clearly says maximum penalty is 2000 Baht.
Even better: Smile at the marshal(s) and use the litterbox!
Mint Bar Closed Down
Mint Bar, located at the Rompho Bar Complex, closed down.
Tik Tak Bar Closed Down
Tik Tak Bar, also located at the Rompho Bar Complex and the direct neighbour of Mint Bar, closed down too.
Poised to continue
No News so far
We are collecting the latest news. Please come back in a few days.
Poised to continue
McTukcom
On December 28th McDonald's officially opened a fast food outlet at Tukcom South Pattaya.
The new eatery replaces the ATM machines as well as the Bank Office.
Christmas at Soi New Plaza
Christmas at Soi New Plaza
Christmas at Soi New Plaza
Christmas at Soi New Plaza
Christmas at Soi New Plaza
As in 2015 the New Plaza Party Street, located between Pattaya's Second Road and Soi Buakhaow, opposite the entry to Soi 7 and Soi 8 staged the ultimate Christmas Party.
See you again at the New Year's Party.
It will definitely top the missing Pattaya Countdown.
Christmas time must be a threat to the ruling Military Junta with almost all Tourist destinations in this country in the hands of bodies in red clothes.
Please read to:
Soldiers, Cops Crash Redshirt New Year Party
Redshirt Told Not to Give Away Shinawatra Calendars
Domicil on Pattaya Second Road
Domicil, the well-known Austrian Restaurant reopened its branch on Pattaya Second Road, located inbetween Soi 7 and Soi 8.
For many months lovers of Austrian food had to go to a side lane at the Memorial Hospital to enjoy their favorite foods.
Those days are over. You can enjoy your food on Second Road again.
New Motorcycle Shop
Pattaya's dominant motorcycle dealer Mityon opened a new store on Pattaya South Road dedicated for Indian Made Royal Enfield Bikes.
The new shop is located opposite the Shell Service Station.
Christmas at CentralFestival
To celebrate Christmas, CentralFestival Pattaya Beach opened a Chang Beer Garden with live music under a giant but artificial Christmas tree.
Bamboo Bar reduced Dancing Floor
Not everybody goes to Bamboo Bar, nevertheless the venue is still a very popular meeting place, even with its much reduced dancing space.
Perhaps Bamboo's management likes to help MiaMi on Walking Street to get some revellers, but some regulars are already eying Gulliver's Walking Street to shake their bodies and not the too chromy MiaMi...
We keep you posted.
T-Junction Indian Dance Bar
On Saturday, December 2nd, T-Junction opened its Indian Dance Bar on Thappraya Road, a few meters in front of the street's 3rd Road junction.
From Changthong to Zip
The wellknown Changthong Hotel on Soi Diana changed its name to ZIP Hotel. It also got some facelifting, but it is still a small, cosy, affortable and guestfriendly Hotel.
The Chang Thong (Golden Elephant) at the entrance disapeared, but not the Changthong sign at its storefront. The hotel has 23 guest rooms on 5 floors, a large lobby with bar and restaurant and free Internet. All rooms have digital key code safes. The hotel has no balconies nor does it has a swimmingpool, but it is located a few meters only from Soi Buakhaow, Soi LK Metro, Soi Lengkee and Pattaya's Second Road.
A good choice to enjoy Pattaya.
EM's Bar closed
On our Tour de Pattaya we noticed that EM's Bar, located on Soi 8 at the Baron Bar Complex, was in the dark and therefore empty.
Ashwin Kitchen closed
Ashwin Kitchen, an Indian Restaurant also located on SOI 8, closed down too.
On The Block
During October 2017 we reported that a restaurant called Sweetish opened on the beach side of Royal Garden Plaza.
The venue already closed down, the shop is on the block.
A Go-Go Bar in Soi 8 closed down but reopened a few days later
A Go-Go Bar in Soi 8 closed down
Sexy Girls A Go-Go Bar, located on Soi 8, closed down, with almost no hopes for a reopening.
Update(December 23th): On our Tour the Pattaya on December 22nd we first thought we saw a Fata Morgana, but it was real life! The club was open. People told us that the Go-Go Bar reopened today.
Poised to continue
Tea Point opend
Tea Point opened a Bar and a Restaurant in the Southern Part of Soi Buakhaow.
Thanya's Food Park
At Soi Buakhaow's Tree Town Thanya's Food Park opened to serve coffee, any other kind of drinks, sweets and ordinary food in an airconditioned room or in fresh air on a nice terrasse.
Enjoy it: Soi Buakhaow is probably the city's only street ignored by air polluting Chinese tourist busses.
To open soon
To the right of the Food Park a Beer Garden will open in a few weeks time.
We keep you posted.
Piss Stop Bar closed for good but reopened a few days later!
Piss Stop Bar closed down
Police closed Piss Stop Bar, located a few meters from Soi Buakhaow Night Market, and arrested its owner and his girlfriend because of alleged drug trafficking.
The notice at the bar says: Piss Stop closed for good...
For additional information please read the reports published by Pattaya Daily News and The Nation.
Urgend update: On December 28th Piss Stop Bar reopened as if nothing had ever happened...
We keep you posted.
Poised to continue
The End of the Gold Rush?
On December 25th Gold Club A Go-Go was in the dark again. The venue just opened last month on November 22nd.
We keep you posted.
The Thirsty Camel
The recently opened Snippets Sports Bar changed its name to The Thirsty Camel.
Poised to continue
New A Go-Go Club opened
In the rooms of the former Mandarin A Go-Go Club a venue called 4Play opened its door.
New life sprouts in the middle of winter time
Work began in the rooms of the former Admiral Lord Nelson Inn, once a lively bar and guest house in Soi 6, to create something new.
The 'something new' becomes a 7ELEVEN Mini Mart - what else?
Poised to continue
Music at its best
Usually the drummer is responsible for the drive in an orchestra. Not so at Lucifer's Muzzik Café: Here the Bass Guitar Player is driving the entire band and determines the rhythm.
You have to experience it yourself to believe it! It is wonderful!
A great musician and a real personality!
Perfect Bass Player
Indian Nightclub opens with Problems
The opening of Walking Street's latest Indian Nightclub Mauja was scheduled for December 30th at about 22:00.
It should not be.
For an 'unknown' reason PEA, the Provincial Electricity Authority, could not - or would not - provide the required power to the new club.
Therefore the management decided to organize its very own Power Generator, but that was not in the sense of our Police. The exhaust gases of the generator could affect the health of the people, the well educated men from Soi 9 claimed and prevented the opening for the time being.
After much discussion - and a lot of phone calls, an agreement was finally found: The mangement installed two 18-inch fans and were then able to start the generator in the presence of the police.
Shortly before 24:00 the evening was saved and the revellers could marvel at the new club.
Indian Nightclub opens with Problems
Indian Nightclub opens with Problems
Reincarnation of Candyshop
On December 30th CandyShop reopened fully refurbished and in new splendor.
The new 'Dancing' seems to be a successful copy of Lucifer's Muzzik, but about two times its size and with the very same small dancing area.
Obviously, the new club meets the tastes of its customers. On the evening of the opening the bar was full of happy revellers.
Probaly just another threat to MiaMi.
Sugarbaby in the dark
On December 26th and December 30th Sugarbaby A Go-Go was in the dark.
The management transferred the remaining beauties to Annabelle's.
Obviously Pattaya has more A Go-Go Clubs than A Go-Go Dancers, myLady says. And she's right.
Dancing all night long is hard work and that's not what most ladies need. They need money ASAP, not work.
We keep you posted.
CoCoon Nightclub
CoCoon, the eye-catcher
CoCoon, Pattaya's latest Nightclub had its - very - soft opening on December 23rd at the entrance to Walking Street's Soho Square.
The completely renovated building was the home of Reggae Rock & Soul Bar (formerly also known as Utopia Rock House) and Upstairs A Go-Go.
The building already got a nickname: The Egg!
For additional information please click here and/or here, CoCoon's Websites.
At least an important part of the venue - the entrance - was anything than finished.
Only the Welcome Ladies from Russia gave a professional impression but also a warning: Check the prices before you place your order.
Nevertheless, the egg is a real eye-catcher!
CoCoon Nightclub
The unfinished first floor of CoCoon on December 23rd, 2017
Police raided A Go-Go Club
On December 22nd at about 00:30 our lovely Police raided the newly opened Marilyn Monroe A Go-Go Club.
According to the Police, the venue opened without having the required licence(s).
Obviously something got wrong...
We keep you posted.
Police raided Muzzik Café
On December 22nd our busy Police also visited Lucifer's Muzzik Café and stopped the musicians playing their popular songs.
Our lovely Police complained that the required licence(s) doesn't match the name of the advertised business.
That's obviously the way our World Class Police protects the City's Tourists...
For some unknown reason, Lucifer seems to be the favorite spot of our Police.
We keep you posted.
New Indian Restaurant opened
Opposite the new Raas Indian Dance Club an all new Indian Restaurant just opened its door. It's called Taj on the Beach.
New Indian Dance Club
Topaz, an Indian Belly Dance Bar, opened to the left of the Nasha Nightclub.
Emerald by Tony's
Tony's Entertainment Complex once again started a new Discotheque, this time called Emerald, obviously it replaces the not very successful Endorphine.
We keep you posted.
Shu Shu - the Sake Bar
Walking Street's one and only Sake Bar called Shu Shu opened on December 7th at the entrance to Soi Happy A Go-Go in a beautiful Japanese style environment.
Shu Shu - the Sake Bar
Kama Pattaya Club
Kama Pattaya Club, an all new Indian Dicotheque, opened on December 1st on Soi 16, off Walking Street. It features the latest in Sound and Lighting, a huge LED Video Wall and 3D Laser Light Shows. The club was scheduled to open on November 24th, but Pattaya's artisans needed a lot more time than expected to finish their work.
Kama Pattaya Club
To attract freelancers, the club offers free drinks to unaccompanied ladies.
Mauja Club
Mauja Club announces that it will open soon a new glamorous venue in the rooms of the former Russian Cafe and Food Fair Restaurant.
Mauja Club
As the photo above shows, Pattaya's Professionals are working hard - and even during the night - to make an opening this month possible.
It is a race against time.
We keep you posted.
Candy Shop closed
On December 21st the former Candy Shop Dancing closed down for a complete refurbishment.
Virgins closed
On December 21st Virgins, a Men's Club presenting Hot Russian Girls, was in the dark. Probably the management couldn't find any virgins anymore...
Living Dolls Showcase closed its doors
On December 11th, Living Dolls Showcase, a well-known and respected Club A Go-Go, has closed its doors and lights.
The club reopened a day later after some small refurbishements.
Living Dolls Showcase reopened a day later
Living Dolls Showcase reopened a day after its unexpected closure
Mandarin A Go-Go closed down
On December 7th, Mandarin A Go-Go closed down.
The venue already closed down on July 1st, 2017, but reopened a few weeks later on July 28th.
Four different Brands
within one single Month!
4 different Brands within about 1 Month!
Within about 45 days only, the very same shop changed its name four times!
First the failed Burger World* - a venue trying to sell Australian meat burgers at premium prices - was rebranded as Salar Iranian Restauarant*, then, before Salar even opened, it got the Akbar Joojeh* brand and on November 27th the venue changed its name once again to Zeytoon Restaurant*.
Bet that this is not its last name?
Updated
As expected above, on December 9th the large Zeytoon Restaurant advertisement disappeared from the neon sign and was replaced by a simple menu card...
* Burger World is a fast food restaurant from Beavis and Butt-head.
Akbar Joojeh Restaurants can be found mainly in Iran as well as in Dubai and are serving Persian food.
Salar branded Restaurants usually are of Iranian origin, but are popular in the United States featuring World fusion cuisine with strong French and Peruvian influences.
Zeytoon branded Restaurants can be found mainly in the United Kingdom (UK) and in the United States of America (USA). They usually serve Afghan as well as Persian food.
4 different Brands within about 1 Month!
4 different Brands within about 1 Month!
4 different Brands within about 1 Month!
4 different Brands within about 1 Month!
Poised to continue
No News so far
We are collecting the latest news. Please come back in a few days.
Poised to continue
Lucky Investors!
Lucky Investors!!
What luck for the investors of the Waterfront Towers that the authorities have stopped the work on the building: The exhaust fumes of the Chinese tourist buses that have to follow the new traffic regulations on Bali Hai would cost them their lives in the short or long term.
Poised to continue
Please Click for Mike Baird's Cartoons
Overweight
Big Brother(s)
High-Tech doesn't work in Thailand
Enjoy the Floodings
Cargo
Don't touch it, it's my Coke!
World Class Resort speaks Thailish
I hate everyone
Deadly Food at McDonald's?
Wrong Color
The Military Junta ordered beach vendors to remove sun shades sponsored by Thai Beverage Plc. Obviously Chang's 'drinking water' has the wrong color...
Amazing Switzerland
Pattaya News Flash is published in Switzerland
Happy Xmas You Bastards
Seen last year at Pattaya Days
Enjoy your Life
Ikea Enjoys your Life
This Month
Opened:
Tequila Canteen
Soi Yamato
Trench Town
Soi Buakhaow
Bad Girls A Go-Go
Walking Street
Imli Indian Grill
Walking Street
Amigo Tailor
Soi Diamond
Reincarnation:
Volare Italian Restaurante
Soi Buakhaow / Soi 15
Gold Club A Go-Go
Soi LK Metro
Moved:
Bronx Pizza
moved from Soi Diana to Tipp Plaza (Beach Road)
Closed:
German Imbiss
Beach Road
Lek A Go-Go
2nd Road (North Pattaya)
Last month's Highlight:
International Fleet Review
For more information click November 2017 News.
Don't let the EU take control of the UK!
Don't let the EU take control of the UK!
The EU (read: Merkel, Jucker & Co.) asks for a special treatment for EU citizens, including the right to vote in the UK...
Note: The EU acts like a carcinoma.
More Information
Pattaya claims to be a world-class beach resort. It's a lie! The city is not even capable to present an event calendar.
Most events are announced only a few days before they happen.
Other cities or even whole regions publish event calendars or event books covering all events of a year.
Pattaya suffers from megalomania.
Events 2017: Published by Baden-Würtenberg (Germany)
Published by Baden-Würtenberg (Germany)
Kantah Bopha
Beat Richner
(Beatocello)
and his Children's Hospitals in Cambodia
Kantah Bopha
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
The Kunplomes
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 then the LCA (life cycle assessment) turns completely to the worse.
Nature destroyed by solar cells
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?
No Nuke Please!
Never forget Chernobyl, Hiroshima, Nagasaki & Fukushima!
Never use a technology you do not master 100%!
February 17th, 2017:
Robot probes show Japan reactor cleanup worse than expected!
Let's celebrate:
70 Years of Transistors
On December 23rd, 1947, two employees working at Bell Labs in the US state of New Jersey, John Bardeen and Walter Brattain, assisted by William Shockley, created the first working point contact transistor.
The device was a forerunner of components that would replace the bulky, fragile vacuum tubes used at the time to amplify or switch electrical signals.
The first working Transistor Radio was presented by Texas Instruments on October 18th, 1954.
In September 1960 transistors had started to be built into mass-produced consumer devices.
Today, the number of transistors that can be crammed onto a microchip doubles every 18 months as the size of the transistor halves every three years.
This continual remorseless shrinking process keeps the electronics industry in a state of perpetual revolution.
Today, 10 million transistors could be placed in a pin head. The typical smartphone boasts around 85 billion of them.
The technology has transformed the world.
Its inventors were awarded a Nobel Prize for their work in 1956.
Check your Health with a Smartphone
MediaTek, the World's #2 in smartphone chips, announced a biosensor that monitors six types of health functions from a smartphone.
The customizable device will allow smartphone manufacturers to make handsets with health-monitoring functions.
A smartphone equiped with the new function will measure the following six health data points in about 60 seconds:
  • Heartrate – heartbeats per minute
  • Heartrate Variability – variation in the time between heartbeats
  • Blood Pressure Trends – a range of data over a period of time
  • Peripheral Oxygen Saturation – the amount of oxygen in the blood
  • Electrocardiography (ECG) – the electrical activity of the heart over a period of time displayed as a graph
  • Photoplethysmography (PPG) – the change in volume of blood
Say goodbye to Facebook?
According to a recent research, Facebook is struggling to compete with Snapchat and Instagram for the attention of teenagers.
The teenagers are the coming generation. The over 17-year olds will die in the longterm and so will Facebook, the logic says.
That's perhaps the reason why Zuckerberg, the de facto owner of Facebook, purchased Instagram in 2012. His attempt to acquire Snapchat in 2013 was unsuccessful.
iPhone X component suppliers suffering from weakening shipments
Apple's key component suppliers are suffering from declining component orders for the iPhone X.
In November component orders were around 30% lower than Apple's earlier forecast.
Cracking the Enigma code in 19 minutes
A company called Enigma Pattern cracked the almost uncrackable Enigma code in 19 minutes only.
Read here how they did it and they will answer the question if your money is still save in your bank too.
Android slims down!
Not only we humans tend to gluttony, the same applies too to operating systems of computers and smartphones.
The engineers at Google have recognized this and start by launching a stripped down version of Android Oreo on the Indian subcontinent.
Android Go, the stripped down version of Android Orea 8.1, will be able to support handsets with RAM as low as 512MB but will load apps designed for Android Go 15 per cent faster compared to regular apps.
Android Go will not only benefit phones on low RAM but also devices with storage up to 4GB.
Do you remember the good old times when Microsoft's first Windows had to run on computers with 256KB of memory.
At that time a machine with 768KB was already High Class!
Let's hope some Ladies on Pattaya Beach will take Android as a model.
Apple develops cheap iPad
Our source in China reports that Apple is developing an inexpensive 9.7-inch iPad priced at around US$259 for 2018.
During the last few months Android-tablets as well as iPads have been seeing weakening sales.
Apple is likely outsourcing the production of its new iPad to Compal Electronics.
It will reach the shops during the second quarter of 2018 and could ring in a new wave of price competition among Amazon, Apple, Huawei, Lenovo and Samsung.
Sherlab.com
If you are involved in Electronics, you badly need Sherlab.com
NightWalker\'s Technology News
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.
Do not ride Jet Ski in Pattaya!
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!
Update
(published by Pattaya Mail):
Problems with Jet Ski operators unsolved.
Avoid Pattaya's Islands
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.
Avoid mosquitoes, they spread the Dengue Fever
Date-rape drug warning
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 on Pattaya's Beach Promenade
Ladyboy Pick-Pocket Gangs are working almost daily on Pattaya's Beach Promenade!
Necklace Snatch
Never wear Gold in Pattaya!
Between 30 to 50 snatching valuables cases are reported to Pattaya's Police every single month.
Age is just a number
Newbies please read
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