Tuesday, September 16, 2008

My Public Transport Mode of Choice - The BTS Skytrain

My Public Transport Mode of Choice - The BTS Skytrain
bangkok ’s BTS sky train is a relatively fast and reliable way to make your way around town and to avoid the chaotic, traffic plagued roads below. As of now there are two sky train lines:




The Sukhumvit line has 16 stops and connects On Nut with Mo Chit, with en-route stops including Siam and Asoke (Sukhumvit). The Silom line has 7 stops and connects Sapan Taksin with National Stadium and its en-route stops include Silom aka Sala Daeng and Siam. The two lines connect at Siam.

bts Skytrain

The BTS Skytrain connects with its MRT Underground counterpart at Sala Daeng (Silom Underground), Asoke (Sukhumvit Underground) and Mo Chit (Chatuchak Underground). Most of my journeys on the BTS are between On Nut, Siam and Chong Nonsi where I get off and walk a bit further to my office.

The Skytrain fares are cheap starting from 15 baht to 40 baht which is still pretty much next to nothing. Tickets can be purchased from machines located at the stations. Unlike the MRT Underground ticket machines, a lot of machines for BTS tickets still only accept coins, not banknotes so you might have to change your note for coins at one of the information desks.

Back to the ticket machine, choose the zone your destination is in and it will automatically calculate the correct fare for you. You’ll be provided with a small cardboard ticket, roughly the size of a standard credit card to be inserted into a turnstile to access the platforms. Comes the end of your journey, you do the same to exit the platform but this time around it’s not returned to you.

Trains run from 6am morning to 12pm at night, are very frequently packed but thankfully are air conditioned. All upcoming stops are announced in both Thai and English.

If you live and work in bangkok and are tired of the shitty traffic here, I’d highly recommend adopting the BTS Skytrain as your primary mode of public transport.

Baiyoke Tower II, Bangkok

baiyoke tower
There’s dozens of skyscrapers Towering the skies of Bangkok but by far the tallest and most impressive has got to be The Baiyoke Tower II which was opened in 1998 and is about 310 metres high.



It’s also the 26th tallest building in the world. In fact, there’s roughly 2060 steps from bottom to top and it would take you over an hour to reach the top on foot - so much, much easier by lift!

Architecturally speaking, the piling of the building runs a staggering 60 metres deep underground, easily the height of a 20 storey building. Go up the lift to the 77th floor and from there you will find another lift to the 84th floor for the revolving deck.




baiyoke view

When you get there, you will understand why the viewing area is so attractive to both locals and foreign tourists alike. The views are simply amazing and up a little further is the wicked revolving deck that lets you enjoy the whole of Bangkok so far as your eyes can stretch.

Don’t forget to bring your camera as there’s some great photo oppornities and when you’re finished, there’s a nice little bar up there for you to sit, have a cold one and take in the great view.

baiyoke Bangkok

Open Monday-Friday: 10.30am to 10.00pm and weekends & bank holidays: 9.30am to 10pm

Fares: Adults - 120 baht, children - 60 baht

Thai Boxing aka Muay Thai



Even though I have relatively little interest in conventional boxing , I’m somewhat passionate about thai boxing aka Muay thai. I remember when my mate visited me a while ago we really wanted to experience a vibrant evening at a Muay thai arena - he chose Ratchadamnoen and we went there together. At the time we had quite a bit of cash to spare so decided to splash out on ring side seats that set us back 1500 baht (£25/$45) each. But every single penny was well worth it because we got to see the action so frighteningly close.

muay thai boxing That said, you can alternatively opt to spend a bit less on cheaper seats starting at, say, 300-400 baht up in the cages which to us looked like a bloody wicked atmosphere amongst the absolute frenzy of gambling locals. Generally speaking, the evening starts at 8-9pm and goes through till quite late so it does make for quite nice after-dinner entertainment. By the ringside, there’s a couple of young lads serving beer as well as other refreshments but be warned they can be quite pricey by Bangkok standards.

The evening programme covers boxers of differing weights and skills, though all the lads are strikingly fit and have muscles in places you might not think possible. Prior to the fighting, both boxers circle the ring in a mesmerising ceremonial dance before kneeling down to pray. There’s also a local music group that drums a somewhat hypnotic beat throughout the night. Even if you’re not a big fan of violence, I’d still urge you to attend - this is a major part of thai culture and tradition. And while Muay thai may have a brutal image, most fighters have nothing but complete respect for one another and it is quite rare for kicks to go anywhere above shoulder height but when they do you can easily expect some serious pain!

jatujak weekend market,Bangkok ตลาดนัดจตุจักร タイ バンコク

jatujak weekend market,Bangkok ตลาดนัดจตุจักร タイ バンコク






Jatujak Weekend Market
Everyone has heard of �Jatujak� the center of a great variety of goods, lots of shops, and Thai products, wholesale market for farmers� products and local handicrafts. Furthermore, this place is a big market for Thai local products export. The variety and lively atmosphere of Jatujak Market has added colour to the weekend for Bangkok people for long time. This place has helped create careers and added wealth to thousands of people and attracts huge numbers of foreign tourists. Jatujak has a long history of being the largest market in the world, covering 68 rai (1 rai = 1,600 square meters) and made up of 27 sections. It has 10,000 shops and 300 vendors.

Bangkok Thailand Pantip Plaza Compuer Mall

bangkok Pantip Plaza a huge multi story mall that has all sorts of electronics and computer equipemnt



The Plaza houses hundreds of hardware and software shops as well as a couple of booths on the ground floor. In this very same complex are fast food, restaurants, coffee shops and a somewhat scruffy food court. Near the main entrance, there’s even a KFC to cater to Chavvy visitors

Four Sexy Thai Girls Dancing at Pantip Plaza HQ



Four Sexy Thai Girls Dancing at Pantip Plaza HQ

Pantip Plaza, Pratu Nam

Pantip Plaza, Pratu Nam
pantip

By far the best place to go in Bangkok for any sort of computer-related products is the five-storey Pantip Plaza in Pratu Nam, near the impressive Central World shopping mall. Prices are predictably cheap and the range rather extensive, though not that many vendors speak an awful lot of English.

pantip bangkokThe Plaza houses hundreds of hardware and software shops as well as a couple of booths on the ground floor. In this very same complex are fast food, restaurants, coffee shops and a somewhat scruffy food court. Near the main entrance, there’s even a KFC to cater to Chavvy visitors!

In case you run short of cash, there’s plenty of cash machines within the mall as well as a money changer at the nearby bank. Watch out for Nigerian scammers though.

And while there is a huge variety of computer-related products for sale on the cheap, Pantip is most associated with the massive amount of pirated software available. A lot of them are located in booths right next to factor outlets. For some reason, they just co exist in perfect harmony. There are literally tonnes of different vendors shifting hacked versions of software of all sorts and they’re usually the most up-to-date too.

When in Pantip, haggling over price is what they call a time-honoured tradition. Last month I went to pick up a 160GB external hard drive that finally cost me a mere 2000 baht (£35/$65) and, yes, it did come with the box and 3-year warranty.

And to those of you highly sensitive gits, don’t be offended by the guys approaching you saying “CD” (”seedy” more like) in a bid to sell you pornos. They do this to virtually everyone regardless of your horny look or not. Obviously, they’re just doing their job so it’s best just to ignore them unless you want to add some new titles to your fast-growing collection!

Song Salueng Bar, Thonglor

On soi Thonglor there are a couple of cool bars and clubs that are worth spending your evening in. I have been to most bars in this area but by far the most established and notable has got to be Song Salueng (สองสลึง) bar on soi 21. And here’s my review:



The club: one beautifully, uniquely designed hall with rather neat table settings that are also relatively easy to navigate your way through. Upstairs on the balcony, there’s a couple of comfy couches perfect for those unable/unwilling to compete for limited dancing space downstairs. There are two bars on both ends of the club with quick and reliable service. Outside there’s a long array of equally comfy seats and tables with a lovely view if you fancy a ciggy or some fresh air.

The music: as the bar is a single two-storey room with no alternative choice of music other than what is offered, you have to most of the time make do with live bands playing all the usual Thai tunes but hip hop hits are introduced once every hour while the bands take turns so make the most of them before the loud mouthed lads return to the stage.

The crowd: mostly youngsters but a fair number of people of working age too. Westerners are something of a rarity so expect surplus attention here. Girls are lovely by Ekamai/Thonglor standards and sometimes even inviting so join in with them and good luck.

The price: Whiskey (Red Label 1 Litre) - 1600 baht. Mixer - 50 baht. Beer (Heineken) - 200 baht

Bangkok at Nana plaza night


Bangkok at Nana plaza night Right opposite The Mothership and im sure all you Bangkokonians know what im saying answers on a postcard

Huay Kwang Night Market

Huay Kwang Night Market
If you’re out quite a lot in Bangkok you probably agree with me that the closing hours are such a pain in the arse for us party animals and there ain’t much we can do about it but moan, moan and moan. Fortunately enough though, there’s a couple of after hours clubs that remain open until as late as 5 am in the morning for those of you hardcore clubbers.

As a fun-loving young man, I enjoy partying to bits but after closing hours usually get too knackered to carry on elsewhere. But I do often get starving having spent hours boozing and bopping the night away and when I do, I usually end up finding somewhere to eat with my mates. There are plenty of late night eateries in Bangkok but by far my most favourite has got to be the wicked Huay Kwang night market, about 5 minutes away from Ratchada/RCA and 10 minutes from Sukhumvit (with no traffic).

huay kwang night market

In a nutshell, it’s a night market packed with clothing, jewellery, fake stuff stalls and a couple of worthwhile restaurants. I’ve been to two and the food served there is not bad at all. It’s a bit busy but surely worth it as once you’ve sat yourself down you’re bound to be surrounded by beautiful fellow diners who offer an amazing view and make the already good meal even better!

Apparently the night market is primely located not too far from the nearby road strip with loads of karaoke bars, gentlemen’s clubs etc. and this is precisely why you normally see many girls on their own in sexy clothing straight out from work. Most of them pop by to spend their not-too-hard-earned cash while some just come to grab good food like the rest of us.

huay kwang night

Here’s the deal: this might be a bit cheeky but you could actually try your luck with some of these girls but just make sure they’re absolutely on their own and with no cocks around. When in an eatery, it’s not unusual for people to start talking to each other so those of you with extra guts fuelled by beers should love it here.

Funnily enough though, the easiest place to start chatting girls up in the Huay Kwang night market is in fact along the long pavement where they stop by stalls to buy clothes and girlie stuff. And while there’s tonnes of techniques available, improvisation will usually do the trick.

Spanky Nana Plaza Nightlife Bangkok


Spanky Nana Plaza Nightlife Bangkok
Nanaplaza

Thailand truly is a tourist's dream; pristine white bea- ches, beautiful green golf courses, blue seas perfect for scuba diving, and of course there is the nightlife...

The nightlife in Thailand can be rather overwhel- ming, there is just so much to do. Bangkok alone is home to a few dozen discos, almost a 100 GoGo bars, hun- dreds of karaoke bars, and literally thousands of pubs and cafes. With so much to choose from there is bound to be a place you like.

However, since there is so much to do, a guide to the nightlife in Thailand is invaluable.
Please allow us, Nanaplaza, to be that guide.

If this is your first visit to Nanaplaza.Com, we recommend that you read this page first. It will help you get the most

Soi Cowboy Spice Girls - Bangkok Nightlife Street

Soi Cowboy Spice Girls - Bangkok Nightlife Street




What's with all the stuffed animals, is it like a carnival where you win prizes xD ? its like going to the fair for the 1st time, us blokes like to make the girls happy and buy toys like that,i dont just have a drink and fun greatest man place on earth

Bangkok’s Metered Taxis

Bangkok’s Metered Taxis

Today I’ve been out to do a bit of grocery shopping on metered taxis so I thought it’d be interesting and useful to those of you new to Bangkok to offer my take on one of the most popular modes of public transport in Bangkok. So here it is:

You’ll have little difficulty finding a metered taxi in Bangkok - they’re absolutely everywhere! The majority of them are bright coloured in pink, blue, yellow etc. so you surely can’t miss those ones. Just look for the ‘Taxi Meter’ sign and signal to the eager driver and if the taxi is free he will stop and pick you up.

Thanks to the chaotic nature of Bangkok’s traffic, you’re unlikely to get too far too fast in a metered taxi. If you happen to be close to an Underground or BTS skytrain station, I’d then recommend you to use one of those as your usual means of public transport around town, otherwise I’d recommend metered taxis over tuk-tuks any day of the week. Tuktuks are good fun for a 1 off trip but you really can’t rely on them to get you where you’d like to go without a time-wasting stop at a shop, where the driver typically earns nice commission.

As a rule of thumb, the meter starts at a mere 35 baht when you’re picked up. The fares of course are bloody cheap relative to Western standards, with a journey of a couple of kilometres costing between 100-200 baht. In fact, the seemingly long journey from central Bangkok to Suvarnabhumi airport ought to cost no more than 300 baht.

In addition, most taxi drivers in Bangkok are extremely friendly so you might like to make friends and learn a bit of Thai from them too. A few of them can also be more sophisticated than you may think and have some great stories and views to share so next time you get stuck in traffic in a metered taxi you know exactly what to do!

Saturday, September 13, 2008

Pattaya Snaps by David Kuri and Duncan Stearn

Pattaya Snaps by David Kuri and Duncan Stearn

Pattaya Snaps

Pattaya Snaps
Every year, thousands of foreign males make their way to Pattaya and fall in love, not with the beaches or the scenery, but with some of the beautiful, stunning and sensual women who have made this seaside resort famous around the world.

Inside the covers of this unique photographic compilation (including rare shots inside a prominent a-go-go bar) are some of the city's most alluring and attractive women, and the majority were completely unaware they were the focus for a camera lens.

Guide to the Bar Scene in Thailand

Guide to the Bar Scene in Thailand
Guide to the Bar Scene in Thailand
English - Thai - Bar Guide: Bar girl small talk
This book will be your guide to the bar scene in Thailand.

Bar beer, go-go bars, massage parlour, Patpong, Soi Cowboy, Nana, bar fine, sex shows, katoeys, rules to play by...

This book covers it all and more...

Friday, September 12, 2008

PayPal is an e-commerce business allowing payments



PayPal
is an e-commerce business allowing payments and money transfers to be made through the Internet. PayPal serves as an electronic alternative to traditional paper methods such as cheques and money orders. PayPal performs payment processing for online vendors, auction sites, and other commercial users, for which it charges a fee. It sometimes also charges a transaction fee for receiving money (a percentage of the amount sent plus an additional fixed amount). The fees charged depend on the currency used, the payment option used, the country of the sender, the country of the recipient, the amount sent and the recipient's account type[citation needed]. On October 3, 2002, PayPal became a wholly owned subsidiary of eBay.[1] Its corporate headquarters are in San Jose, California, United States at eBay's North First Street satellite office campus. The company also has significant operations in Omaha, Nebraska, Scottsdale, Arizona; and Austin, Texas in the U.S.; India; Dublin, Ireland; and Berlin, Germany,and now also in Tel-Aviv, Israel after PayPal acquired an Israeli startup called FraudSciences [1] for $169 million.[2] As of July 2007, across Europe, PayPal also operates as a Luxembourg-based bank.

BUX.TO : One of the Best PTC ever seen

BUX.TO :One of the Best PTC ever seen
One of the Best PTC ever seen . This is the site you can believe 100 Percent . It has been more than one year spend with this site , and i am fully satisfied with this site . I recommend this site , for every one who like to earn through PTC .



For viewing the ads/Click :: 0.01 $
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How AdBux Works

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At AdBux, you will accrue points, that translate into REAL dollars to view websites, complete offers, sample products, signup for free trials, play games, shop online, and much more. With over 900,000 members and thousands of advertisers, AdBux is the ultimate online rewards program.

Earn Points to View Ads
Advertisers will pay you, as a consumer, to look at websites that interest you. We have three different ad types with a variety of different prices so, the points you earn will vary with each view. Your point earning potential increases if you use our Affiliate program. With every friend that you refer to AdBux, you can earn increase point value.

Earn Points to Complete Offers
Advertisers will often buy traffic to their website in LEAD BASED form. Instead of a user simply visiting the website and earning a small amount of points per visit (as above), users can visit the site and complete a registration, submit an e-mail address, take a survey, sign up for a trial based membership, etc. and earn several points or more. Some offers pay up to 30 points!

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With AdBux Leads, you can purchase REAL, un-referred sign-ups who have APPROVED their e-mail address, confirming their validity who are NOT currently active. After purchasing the leads, you will be able to message them using the AdBux messenger (only with a Premium Membership). The messenger will automatically send the message to their e-mail address and into their AdBux messenger inbox.
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As a user, you have the option of upgrading your account to a Premium Account, which offers you a variety of additional point earning options. These features include; more ads, extra downline stats, more interest choices for ad targeting, and the ability to message your downline. Being a Premium Member also shows the advertisers that you have buying power, which gives them even more of a reason to target you as a consumer. Check out our "Upgrade" page within the members’ area to view current pricing.

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Yes, it can take a little more time to complete an offer but, the benefits are clear. Complete offers and one can build their point balance quickly. AdBux members (who complete offers) have been paid up to $5781.00 (USD). The majority of their points have been accrued by completing offers, as opposed to clicking on ads.

When completing offers, it’s best to set up an email account through Google, Yahoo or Hushmail, as you will receive emails. You should always check your email box in order to validate any offers you have completed as if you don’t validate an offer, you will not receive credit for the offer. In fact, the emails you will receive will also offer additional links (to other sites) in which you can earn even more money by completing surveys.

Yes, the easiest way to earn points is by clicking on ads and other bux sites only offer ads and do not provide high-paying offers to their members. The AdBux Advantage is that we concentrate on providing high-paying offers to our members. Those who take advantage of completing offers, reap the benefits!
Adbux is in the talk for last 2 years . Some say that it is a scam . But i say it pays for genuine clickers . I got paid twice through adbux .


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libertyreserve

libertyreserve

Liberty Reserve is an online payment system and provider of digital gold currency (LR-gold). They are an offshore company incorporated in Costa Rica, launching their USD backed digital currency (LR-USD) in 2002 and they also have a Euro backed digital currency (LR-EUR). Their gold backed digital currency was launched in 2005. Liberty Reserve is a member of the Global Digital Currency Association (GDCA), a voluntary regulatory body in the industry.

Liberty Reserve's web site is suffering a massive DDoS attack since May 1, 2008 according to the information provided on their blog. It's not the first time the site is under a DDoS attack, the blog talks also about implementing a permanent solution to the problem.

Wednesday, August 20, 2008

bangkok tonight classifieds

bangkok tonight classifieds Bangkok teen kills taxi driver, imitating online game Grand Theft Auto
Bangkok Post reports that a Polwat Chinno, a 19 year old Mathayom 6 (12th Grade) student stabbed a taxi driver to death in Bangkok yesterday, acting out a robbery he copied from the online game Grand Theft Auto (GTA). Police were called in by the neighbors to Soi Charan Sanitwong 77 in Bang Phlad district about 2.30 am after being woken up by a constantly blowing car horn and saw people struggling inside a pink color taxi.Police arrived and saw the student trying to steer the taxi backwards, but the soi (street) was a dead end. The teen had locked himself in the car but was finally persuaded to get out of the cab.The body of the taxi driver named Mr. Kuan Pohkang, 54, from Maha Sarakham, was on the back seat. He was stabbed about 10 times by two sharp knives that were found nearby. There was blood all over the vehicle.Police said Polwat confessed to being addicted to the online game Grand Theft Auto and said killing seemed easy in the game. He imitated a scene where a criminal kills a driver for his car to escape police. The game allows people to play the role of a criminal in a big city and climb up the criminal ladder. They are given various missions to complete, such as bank robbery and assassinations."I needed money to play the game every day. My parents give me only 100 Baht a day, which is not enough. I am also fed up with them fighting. They are civil servants and do not make good money," he said."Today (Saturday) my mother gave me 500 Baht, so in the evening I went to the Lotus superstore and bought knives." He flagged down one taxi near his house on Soi Charan Sanitwong 75, but the place was crowded so he did not make a move. He tried again and was picked up by Mr. Kuan the victim, hoping the older man would not resist him.When the taxi arrived at the destination, he pulled out a knife and held it against the driver's neck. He said he did not intend to kill him but the driver reached for a metal bar under a console and tried to hit the boy. He stabbed the driver several times, killing him, then dragged the body onto the back seat and sat behind the wheel. He could not drive, but thought it would be easy like in the game. He was still struggling with the car when police arrived.Mr. Manon Pohkang, 25, the victim's son, said he was shocked by the sudden loss of his father, who was the family's bread winner and was trying to repay loans to a bank and some loan sharks. "He was a nice man, who harmed no one," he said.Polwat was charged with robbery causing death and possession of knives.Teenage kids are so addicted to online games these days that they are mixing up virtual reality with the real world. It is such a tragic incident. I hope that the government takes stricter measures to control internet cafes to avoid such an incident in future. I used to enjoy playing GTA but not on the killing part, more of the relaxed driving part with my favorite music playing in the car, and then hijacking the next car that looks cooler.

bangkok tonight one late night in bangkok

it seems that almost 3/4 of the population in bkk moonlight as an ah-go-go boy or girl. just like how we earn easy money by giving tuition. one late night over beer, fruit tea n coffee in a 24-hr joint off silom bangkok. we were attempting to make conversations with the ah-go-go boy, ahlong. luckily, ahlong was a thai-chinese so language wasnt much of a barrier since he could converse in chinese. jan wanted him to guess our occupation so she formulated an mcq n asked him to choose :-
a) insurance agent
b) teacher
c) zookeeper
d) dentist
doesnt need a rocket scientist (let alone an ah-go-go boy) to get the correct answer, right? :o)
last june’s trip to bkk was abt the best bkk trip that i’ve ever made. more highlights in future entries.

Tample in Bangkok Tours

Wat PhrakaewWat Phrakaew (with the Emerald Buddha)

and the Royal Grand Palace, are easily the most visited tourist sites in Bangkok. The complex was built during the Rattanakosin area (Bangkok), but incorporates various older architectural styles. Visitors are guided first to the Wat Phrakaew compound, and when exiting this compound enter the Royal Palace compound. Ideally one would need from 4-6 hours (with some drink stops) to cover the most important parts at leisure.Wat Arun or the 'temple of dawn' is located on the Thonburi site of the Chao Phraya river. It was once home to the Emerald Buddha. The major prang was built in the beginning of the 19th century, in what can be called Khmer-Thai style.Wat Traimit, Temple of the Golden Buddha, houses a 5 and a half ton Buddha image, which was only discovered some 50 years ago, having been plastered to avoid detection.

Wat Pho (Wat Phra Chetuphon)

BangkokWat Pho consists of a large compound just a few hundred meters south of the Royal Palace. It houses a marvellous 46 meters long, gilded reclining Buddha, in its own Vihara.Phra Maha Chedi Sri Rajakarn consists of four huge pagodas, corresponding to the reigns of the four first Thai kings of the Chakri dynasty.Wat Pho has long been involved in health. Different statues of hermits in exercise postures can be seen. At present Wat Pho is still a center for traditional Thai massage, which can be experienced in situ.The main chapel boundary wall is decorated with bas-reliefs from the Ramayana. You will see copies of the images on transparent pages all over Thailand.Wat Pho is a definite must on your visit to Bangkok.Wat Benchamabophit, BangkokAlso called the 'Marble' temple, since it is made of Carrera marble. Built by King Chulalongkorn (King Rama V) The main Buddha image is a copy of the famous Phra Phuttha Chinnarat at Phitsanulok.The gallery around Wat Benchamabophit has a substantial collection of Buddha images in different styles. They are both original Buddha images, and copies of original sculptures or bronze statues. (The image on the right here is in the 'Lopburi' style.Similar to other large temples, the compound around Wat Benchamabophit is quite spacious and makes for a pleasant walk. The monks' living quarters are quite colorful.Wat Bowonniwet, Loha Prasat, Golden Mount, Democracy Monument (Bangkok)As most other large temple complexes, Wat Bowonniwet offers, besides the religious buildings, gardens and greenery, and a possibility to get away from Bangkok's stiffling heat and congestion. An unusually large number of cats seem also to have found a home there.Loha Prasat, a quite original building, houses a Buddha relic.Golden Mount is most suitable for a visit in the late afternoon. Close to sunset, the light conditions are marvellous arond the gilded Chedi. Although only modestly elevated above the city, it offers a good view of the surroundings.Mahakan Fortress is a remnant of the old fortifications around Bangkok.Closeby is the Democracy Monument on a busy intersection. The central structure has a sculpture of a book on top, representing the constitution.Wat Suthat, Giant Swing

Wat Ratchabophit, City Hall, BangkokWat Suthat houses well known wall paintings (although rapidly deteriorating, with the best preserved ones high up the walls) and statues of Buddha surrounded by his disciples. There are some marvellous mother of pearl decorations on the doors.Closeby is a large square, with the Giant Swing, on which quite a few young men lost their live, before its use was prohibited. City Hall, a rather drab building is on the opposite site.Wat Ratchabophit is within close distance of the more visited Wat Pho. It has its own distinctive architectural style, small, with European influenced inside decorations.

Thailand's airlines facing difficult times

Thailand's airlines
By Nicholas Ionides
Thailand, one of Southeast Asia's most competitive markets for low-cost airline operations, is undergoing a period of major change as high fuel prices and weakening demand force much-needed restructuring.
The biggest change of late has been the recent grounding of domestic low-cost operator One-Two-Go. It claimed it was due to a need to restructure financially but Thai authorities insist it was a forced grounding due to preliminary findings of concern from the ongoing investigation into a fatal crash at Phuket a year ago.
A forced grounding or one that was coming anyway as a result of financial woes, One-Two-Go and most other Thai airlines have been facing troubled times of late, requiring quick corrective action. It is something they are not used to the country's three low-cost airlines - the others being Nok Air and Thai AirAsia - had all seen generally good times in terms of traffic growth since their launches in 2003 and 2004. The market has roughly tripled in size since then, from around 4 million passengers annually to more than 12 million.
In the weeks before its grounding, One-Two-Go had already parked some of its Boeing MD-80-series aircraft to help it cut costs. It said it was because of high fuel prices and weak economic conditions in Thailand that were impacting demand.
Udom Tantiprasongchai, chief executive of One-Two-Go's parent Orient Thai Airlines, told Airline Business sister publication Air Transport Intelligence that the carrier had been reducing operations "because the economy is so bad".
He said fuel price hikes had hit airlines in Thailand particularly hard as the country's carriers have to pay value-added tax on fuel, unlike in some other countries. But he also said the carrier will return some of its grounded aircraft to service when the peak tourist season begins later in the year. On its website it says it hopes to be flying again in September.
One-Two-Go is not the only Thai carrier that has radically reduced operations in recent weeks, however.
Nok Air, which is 39%-owned by national carrier Thai Airways International, has also been cutting back as a result of losses. It recently suspended its only international service, from Bangkok to Hanoi in Vietnam, and suspended services on several domestic routes. It also reduced frequency on many other domestic routes and will be reducing the size of its fleet.
The carrier, which has nine Boeing 737-400s and one ATR 72, is seeking to wet-lease aircraft out to other operators as a result of its cutbacks. It recently agreed a deal to wet-lease to Myanmar Airways International a 737 for international services between Yangon and both Bangkok and Kuala Lumpur. MAI had previously been wet-leasing an MD-82 from Orient Thai but this deal ended when its One-Two-Go unit was grounded.
Nok chief executive Patee Sarasin, a former advertising industry executive turned airline boss, told local media recently that if oil reaches $170 a barrel "I am better off selling noodles" - a joking reference to the fact that he owns a noodle restaurant in Bangkok.
The Sydney-based Centre for Asia Pacific Aviation says that "Nok's outlook is tenuous", adding in jest that as food prices have also been going up "Patee Sarasin might have just as much trouble selling noodles".
Analysts say one of the problems facing Thailand's low-cost carriers is they have focused so heavily on winning market share in the domestic market, which is particularly price sensitive. This has made it difficult for them to pass on higher fuel costs through increased fares as this has a particularly harsh - and immediate - effect on demand.
Thai domestic market 2008-2004
Airline
ASK share August
2008
2007
2006
2005
2004
Thai Airways
52.8%
41.9%
44.9%
53.6%
59.2%
Thai AirAsia
23.2%
17.0%
13.4%
10.1%
8.1%
Bangkok Airways
15.1%
10.5%
11.9%
13.7%
11.1%
Nok Air
6.8%
14.1%
17.7%
10.6%
7.3%
Orient Thai/One Two Go*
0.8%
15.4%
10.3%
9.5%
9.2%
Others
1.4%
1.0%
1.7%
2.6%
5.1%
NOTE: *Orient Thai and One Two Go Airlines missing data for 2008.SOURCE: Innovata.
"The Thai domestic market is small and a big portion is transfer traffic from Bangkok which they can't get," says Mark Webb, a Hong Kong-based airline analyst. "It's hard to see how anyone makes money on it."
Nok and One-Two-Go have faced particularly tough times as they now rely exclusively on domestic operations (although One-Two-Go's parent Orient Thai operates limited international services).
Malaysian low-cost carrier AirAsia's 49%-owned Thai associate, Thai AirAsia, has also been losing money as a result of market over-saturation. Analysts have generally been critical of the carrier and its continuing weak financial state when compared to that of the main Malaysian operation, although some say it is in a somewhat better position than its rivals within Thailand as it also focuses on international services to better balance things.
AirAsia group head of finance Rozman Bin Omar says he sees things eventually turning better in Thailand as well as in Indonesia, where it has another 49%-owned associate carrier.
"Recently there have been some shake-ups in the industry in Indonesia and Thailand with some airlines cutting back capacity and even closing down," he says. "This bodes well for our Indonesian and Thai JVs. We remain strong in these two markets and our position will be even stronger as we replace the older 737s with the new Airbus A320s."
Full-service carrier Bangkok Airways, meanwhile, says it is not making cuts to domestic routes as a good portion of its traffic is feed from international services. It focuses more on this higher-yield traffic, much of it from foreign connecting passengers, and links several resort destinations. Analysts say this puts it in a better position than the budget carriers but they note that political instability could impact inbound tourism and in turn affect Bangkok Airways as well.
The airline says it is making some international route cuts to help it deal with increases in fuel prices, but stresses that this will enable it to allocate capacity elsewhere where demand is stronger. It adds that it will be suspending services between Bangkok and Shenzhen in China on 15 August and suspending services between Bangkok and Fukuoka in Japan on 1 October. In addition, Bangkok Airways will reduce frequency between Bangkok and Hiroshima in Japan on 1 October to two flights per week from three.
"Everyone has to tighten their belts now," says Bankgkok Airways. "We are going over all the routes that make the least money and we will adjust our network as we need to. But we are looking to increase our flights in other areas and we will announce those when they are ready."
Thai Airways, meanwhile, relies more than most other Thai carriers on international traffic, including those transferring to its domestic flights which it scaled back radically several years ago.
However, it too has been making international network cuts as a result of rapidly eroding earnings. It recently said it would sell its ultra-long-range Airbus A340-500s and has dropped non-stop services from Bangkok to New York. Bangkok-Los Angeles will also be switched to one-stop services soon and the carrier has reduced the frequency of services to several other international destinations.
Thai says that despite continuing increases in revenues, yields have been falling as its ticket and fuel surcharge hikes have not been able to keep up with fuel price rises.
Thai domestic market 2008-2004
Airline
Weekly seats available August
2008
2007
2006
2005
2004
Thai Airways
135,001
132,598
142,598
155,019
162,682
Thai AirAsia
54,552
50,820
38,962
26,866
22,344
Bangkok Airways
46,699
40,671
45,937
49,320
36,110
Nok Air
17,324
44,349
57,567
29,800
20,860
Orient Thai/One Two Go*
1,800
45,732
32,760
26,740
23,684
Others
4,880
4,354
6,352
8,890
17,116
NOTES: *Orient Thai and One Two Go Airlines missing data for 2008.SOURCE: Innovata.
Analysts say Thai's business model, which is focused largely on long-haul leisure traffic, leaves it at a disadvantage in the current environment to other Asia-Pacific flag carriers. Singapore Airlines, for example, focuses far more on high-yield business traffic, which allows it to pass on fuel price hikes to passengers more easily.
Thai's board is increasingly concerned about the carrier's deteriorating financial state. In June, at a tense board meeting at which directors discussed how the national carrier is in "crisis" due to rising costs, president Apinan Sumanaseni was abruptly stripped of his management powers, which at Thai is the equivalent of being sacked.
The airline's chairman stepped in and managed to convince several fellow board members to reconsider the move and Apinan was promptly reinstated. But whether he will survive another ousting attempt by board members opposed to him remaining in the job is still in question.
The carrier said in a stock exchange announcement that Apinan will from now on be under "close monitoring by the board of directors". With the market undergoing such a dramatic period of uncertainty, this is probably something all other airline boards in Thailand are doing with their top managers as well.

Home Mortgage Loans for Foreigners with Bangkok Bank

Home Mortgage Loans for Foreigners with Bangkok Bank
A foreigner in Thailand desiring to buy a house, a condo, or land must be in possession of a resident permit, passport, work permit, house registration, and foreigner voucher. They also need to have income of at least 200,000 baht per month. If a foreigner abides by these conditions, he or she can buy property in Thailand and mortgage the property with Bangkok Bank. The mortgage documents will not need to be sent to Singapore for review.
If the foreigner is not in possession of the required documents, yet desires to have property in Thailand, the foreigner will need to marry a Thai national, and have the Thai buy the property in his place. However, the foreigner cannot be owner of the property, i.e. claim title deed rights to the property. The mortgage documents will also need to be sent to Singapore.
Bangkok Bank will provide a loan of not more than 70% of the requested loan to foreigners for purchasing a house with property, a town house, a condo, or construction of a home. The bank’s mortgage assessment guidelines depend on the assessment of the Land Department and the market price. Processing a request for mortgage credit takes around 14 working days.
In the event a foreigner has possessory rights to Nor Sor 3 land, the foreigner can request a mortgage loan from Bangkok Bank if the foreigner provides evidence of land ownership or possessory rights.
The fee for registering a mortgage at the Land Department is the responsibility of the borrower. The rate is 1 percent of the mortgage price.
Request for mortgage credit for buying land must be for construction of a home on the land only, in an appropriate location, and not more than 1 rai.
For more information, please contact Bangkok Bank directly at 333 Silom Road, Bangkok 10500, email info@bangkokbank.com, tel + 66 (0) 2 230 1000 or 66 (0) 2 231 4333.

Bangkok Bistro: Thai Food at its Best

by Adam
I am rather reluctant to write this food blog because I don’t want to reveal this hidden gem to the Boston Food World-at-Large.Bangkok Bistro: Thai Cuisine. Do not be fooled by the restaurant’s décor. Outside the restaurant is pink. Inside, the walls are a turquoise green, there are fish tanks everywhere, pictures of Bangkok, etc. Endure this, and you will be rewarded with the best Thai food I have ever tasted. Seriously. If you can make it to the restaurant for lunch (they are not open for lunch on Monday, but these specials apply for the weekend as well), then you should order off of their lunch specials menu. For $8.95 (the price has gone up recently) you get a bowl of Tom Yum Soup (the best version of the soup I’ve ever had), an entrée and a side appetizer. Even at $9 it is still worth it. Even though I’ve had the Tom Yum Soup multiple times, every time I eat it I am still hit by the spices and immediately have a coughing attack that lasts for a minute exactly. But I can’t help myself…the soup is too good to let a little tickle in my throat stop me. The lunch version of the soup contains 2 pieces of chicken and 1 shrimp. If you order it separately you can specify chicken or shrimp and then you get more meat. They add mushrooms right before serving and, even though I’m not really a mushroom fan, I love them in this soup. A tip if you are ordering this soup to take-out is to ask them to include the mushrooms on the side and then they do not shrivel up in the hot broth! I know my stuff.For the appetizer sides, I highly recommend three: the spring rolls, the golden triangles, and the chicken wings. The spring rolls are crunchy and delicious…but after one of them I am usually satisfied. So what I like to do is ask for 1 spring roll and 1 golden triangle: the best of both worlds! The golden triangle is also crunchy but contains a vegetable puree inside that nicely offsets the sweet dipping sauce it is served with. While the chicken wings look very similar to a chicken wing you would order at a Chinese restaurant, the spice rub they add gives them a unique taste—I would say a little curry and a little cumin might be used.The entrée portion at lunch is nicely sized. I have 2 favorites—Pad Thai and Yellow Curry with either beef or chicken depending on my mood. The Pad Thai is slightly sweet and contains big pieces of chicken and small shrimps. They do not overload it with too many peanuts or bean sprouts—something I appreciate very much. The Yellow Curry is served with a generous portion of rice. The sauce contains potatoes and pineapple. Mostly I order the yellow curry because I like the pineapple and potatoes it comes with—there are many other curries (red, green, masaman, basil, “wild wild wild,” choo chee, mango, panang…) and they are served with other vegetables (eggplant, peppers, bamboo, onion, carrot, baby corns).I love the people that run Bangkok Bistro. I frequent the restaurant so much that they have come to recognize me when I come in. Their customer service is wonderful, and on occasion, they have provided us with a sampling of some of their favorites dishes: their shumai (shrimp dumplings) are tender little bites of goodness, the satay (both chicken and beef) are well flavored and come with cucumber sauce and peanut sauce. Tip: If you order the Bistro Sampler you get the best of all of their appetizers. Finally, their Thai iced tea (although too sweet for me) is a favorite with many other visitors.I have also been to the restaurant for dinner, and while you don’t get the same deal as the lunch special, the food is just as good at night! My advice for dining there at night is this: bring a friend or a date who will have a good sense of humor about the décor, order the Tom Yum Soup (if you cough like I do when you eat it, it will be a great ice breaker), order a sweet dish and a spicy dish (they can make their drunken noodle dish VERY spicy on request) and share a great evening of food and fun! Bangkok Bistro gets an A.

99 years Bangkok Hilton for teenage drug smuggler

Micheal Cornell, a 19 year old British youngster has been sentenced to 99 years Bangkok Hilton by a Thailand court, which translates in imprisoned for live at Klong Prem prison, nicknamed "The Bangkok Hilton".
The father of the British boy now starting to serve his 99 year "Bangkok Hilton" sentence in Thailand for drug smuggling said today he was "absolutely devastated" by the sentence past on his son.
Michael Connell, 19, was arrested at Bangkok Don Muang airport last November when 3400 class-1 ecstasy tablets were found hidden in 2 body lotion containers in his luggage.
Connell, from Bury, Greater Manchester, escaped the death sentence in Thailand, by admitting yesterday to the Bangkok court, that he was trying to smuggle 2,9 million Baht (US$ 74,500) worth of drugs into Thailand. The sentence passed on him yesterday, was 99 years imprisonment at the "Bangkok Hilton".
Micheal's father, Derek Connell, said the family had hoped for a sentence of only 25 years, after pleating guilty, and said they planned to appeal the judgment of the Bangkok court.
Derek Connell further said: "We had been told that the death penalty or live imprisonment would be reduced to only 50 years and even maybe to 25 years because of the young age of Micheal."
"But that didn't happen. Micheal admitted to his crime and the Thailand justice department hit him with the full 99 years. I'm devastated but what can we do? We will appeal the decision and just take it from there on.", Derek added
Mr Derek Connell, a 48-year-old British taxi driver, has visited his son only once in the prison in Thailand but could not be present for the sentencing yesterday. He was told the terrible news by a British Embassy official and has not been able to speak to his son since the sentence was passed yesterday.
He said his son, who is currently held at Klong Prem prison, which is dubbed the "Bangkok Hilton", writes regular letters to the family which describe the prison's conditions as "bad" but does not mention any further details.
"When I visited the "Bangkok Hilton" jail they take you to the prison area they want you to see, a little area which has tropical plants and little ponds with "Koi Carp" fish in them. But it is a complete different story in the actual jail. People who have seen the conditions say they are horrendous, worse than you can imagine Hell.", Derek Connell said.
Mr Connell, who lives in Bury, admits he believe his son tried to smuggled the drugs into Thailand to pay off a small debt.
He said: "Michael is 19 but has a mental age of a 14 old. From what I can gather, he got into debt, probably just a few hundred pounds, and he was persuaded to smuggle the tablets to Thailand to pay off the debt. Micheal is very naive and he has learning difficulties, so he was the perfect target for drug dealers that always need someone to do their dirty courier work.

Bangkok Hilton

Bangkok Hilton is a six-part Australian mini-series, made in 1989 by director Ken Cameron. In 2000 it was released on DVD in the United Kingdom, with a four-and-a-half hour running time; there is also another DVD edition with a drastically shortened length. The title of the mini-series is, in the story, the nickname of a fictional Bangkok prison in which the protagonist is imprisoned.
There are actually three hotels in Bangkok currently affiliated with the Hilton Hotels Corporation: Millennium Hilton Bangkok, Conrad Bangkok and Conrad Residences. At the time the movie was made, Hilton International Bangkok (opened in 1983) was also in business. It is now owned by Raffles International and is known as Nai Lert Park Bangkok.

Bangkok thailand airport

Notice - from September 28, 2006 at 3am all commercial flights in and out of Thailand, and also all domestic flights land and depart from Bangkok's new International Airport - Suvarnabhumi, Since then the airport hotel is the Novotel Suvarnabhumi Airport Hotel - end Notice -

This review is valid only while Don Muang is still in full commercial operation - Bangkok Airport is split into three major terminals, two International (1 and 2) and the domestic terminal. Don Muang as it is called, may not be the most sophisticated airport in the world but it works, and is well spread out with handy electronic walk ways, throughout the airport.

All three terminals are connected land side via air conditioned passage way, it would take roughly 20 minutes to walk from the domestic terminal to International terminal 1.

Inside the airport there are food and beverage outlets, even pubs to help you pass the time. However most of these are before you pass through immigration. In between terminal 1 and 2 you will find on the second level, Burger King, Kentucky Fried Chicken, Pizza Hut, a Thai restaurant, and a couple of Pubs the best of which is the Hofbrauhaus.

Once however you have passed through immigration, which can take a long time depending what time you actually are departing your choice is very limited. There is a Kentucky Fried Chicken, which can be found close to the security pass for gates 40-49, and there is also a small restaurant style cafeteria which is on the second level, upstairs. The choice is very limited and consists of mainly a few Thai dishes. There are also a few little cafe style cafeterias dotted around the airport, which serve delicacies such as hot dogs and a few sandwiches. Other than that, the only other place for food and beverage, would really be the lounges which you can only access, if a) your are travelling in the appropriate class (namely business or first), b) you are a "Gold" card member with that airlines frequent flyer programme, c) You belong to a club such as Priority or d) you pay.

Depending what time your flight is leaving, passing through immigration can take anywhere from 5 minutes to 40 minutes or even longer. As I write this I am sat aboard Thai airways and the queue in immigration was frightening, a whole group of tourists seemed to descend upon the immigration queues, just as I arrived. There are ways to avoid these minor inconveniences, if you are travelling Thai, and you are in business or first class then the ladies and gentlemen in white coats (no jokes please !) will escort you through immigration without you even having to queue. These kind people can be found at the special check in areas, for first and business class Thai Airways, some other airlines do also offer this 'Fast Track' service so check with the airline when you check in .

Once you have passed through immigration you can then either go to the lounge (if applicable as stated above), go shopping, or simply laze around.

The lounges at Don Muang are generally very good, yet basic, with a lot of airlines having just finished their lounge renovations, most lounges at this airport are non smoking. One exception to this is Thai. Thai has three lounges for business class passengers and the one situated in the middle of the airport offers guests a smoking lounge on the upper floor, as does their newest lounge which offers great views of the airport.

As for shopping at Don Muang, the airport consists of one Duty Free outlet, King Power Duty Free. All general Duty Free items are available at reasonable prices. There are other shops scattered around, however it generally tends to be cheaper to buy the same goods in downtown Bangkok, especially such as books etc. so do think about what you need to take back before leaving.

The Domestic terminal is very simple, they have a very basic Thai airways business class lounge, and about three Burger Kings in the one terminal !

Book shops can be found in each of the terminals but as mentioned before the choice is limited and more often than not the same book may have been cheaper downtown.

If you are arriving at Bangkok International Airport, you will be able to buy Duty Free before passing through customs. These shops are just after immigration and are located at either end of the baggage reclaim area. Cigarettes are a good buy with a packet of Dunhill International Red costing 490 Baht but alcohol tends to be a little expensive, a bottle of Balvenie 10 yo will cost you roughly 1,600 Baht. Wine is definitely expensive so if you enjoy a good claret then bring it in with you.

If you are meeting friends at the airport be SURE to ask which way out of customs you should turn. At the domestic terminal this will not be a problem however in both the International Terminals this can cause confusion and mild panic, as you can turn both right and left ! Generally the meeting area is on the left if you have your back to customs, however the right side is always less crowded and you will find your friends/family much easier here

Thursday, July 24, 2008

Sukhumvit : Museum of horrors

Sukhumvit Road, as the rest of Bangkok and Thailand is continuously changing, and in this case not necessarily for the better.A lot of time has passed since the economic crisis started in 1997, and while there is encouraging news lately, a large proportion of the urban populations seems to be suffering more and more in the last few years. While this was a rare sight in the mid 1990's, you will see quite a few homeless people spending day and night just standing or lying around on the pavement, in dirty clothes and unwashed in months. They probably survive on handouts from the many food stalls around Sukhumvit. The number of beggars has risen exponentially over the last year. They crowded around the skytrain exits and around the pedestrian bridges over the road. They are not just regular beggars, but most of them feature gross physical deformations, due to leprosy, road accidents or congenital malformations. It really is a museum of horrors, although one seldom stands still and reflects on them. Quite a few of them have open wounds. It may be heartless to say, but most likely some of them reopen them before going to work, to evoke compassion and pity from the many tourists who crowd the street.
It is also not uncommon to find beggars simply lying on the pavement (usually with gross limb deformations) while pedestrians have to navigate around them. Even in poorly lit areas this can happen, and the chances of stepping on them, are quite real, and possibly is what is hoped for. On one of the pedestrian bridges a young woman has taken the habit of positioning her about 6 months old child in the middle of the walkway, also probably hoping for an 'accident' which would create a situation where she could ask for compensation from a guilty feeling tourist who just stepped on the child. Yes, I know I am overly cynical about all this.
I seldom give to beggars nowadays, although I can make an exception for a women with child sitting by the roadside. Rumour has it that some gangs control the beggars, and that they make a lot of money overall. Most likely this is an urban myth, created so people do not feel guilty passing by these people, and neglecting them. My personal opinion is that this problem should be solved by the Thai people themselves. It is not up to the tourists visiting and looking for entertainment. If they are 'real' beggars, the Thai government, charities and Thai rich tycoons should be doing something about it. If it are illegal immigrants or if gangs are involved, it is up to the police department. Surely, it is a real eyesore, and is one further step in the degradation of . Sukhumvit Road

Shark Go Go Bar is a top place in Soi Cowboy

You are invited in Soi Cowboy’s best place to enjoy an unforgettable time with the most beautiful Thai dancer ladies in Bangkok, Thailand.
Entertainment with Night Parties with lucky draw, theme night parties and much more are proposed every night by the SHARK Go Go Bar…
The bar features an air-conditioned luxury interior with private seating booths, 2 floors with glass dance floor, Snooker & Bar, Terrace Bar, VIP room, Free Internet...

'Turnover' at bars in Nana Plaza and Soi Cowboy

Historical background and explanation :Girls at the bars of Patpong, Nana Plaza and Soi Cowboy dance on stage in shifts. The girls are divided in two or three groups who alternatively dance for 3 to 5 consecutive 'songs'. Up to a few years (there were less bars, and the bars possibly had more girls on average) there were always three shifts. In between dancing, the girls had ample time to go and sit with the customers, get some lady drinks, and get acquainted.
The last few years the three-shift system all but has disappeared. Most likely the bars employ less girls on average, and they try to make the most out of them and out of the customers. As a result, the girls have less time to get acquainted with the customers. When coming off stage, they typically linger around a bit, go to the bathroom, chat with their friends, before walking around trying to catch the eye of a customer, and sit down with him. After a minute or two, the customer might buy a lady drink, she has to get it (another few minutes), and before you know she is back up on stage dancing. The customer may wait for her, she may come back to finish her drink with you, but more likely than not, by the time she comes back off stage, the customer has moved on to another bar.All in all, this is a great way to increase the number of lady drinks, but once the customers have picked up on this, it is kind of a turndown.
Now some bars have gone to some extremes, limited the number of songs per shift to only four, and having two shifts of girls overlapping on stage for one song. Girls may be off stage only for the duration of 3 songs (about 10 minutes), so you can calculate how much time you can spend with them. The bars who have this kind of rather offputting policy, we list as 'fast-turnover' bars.
On the other hand, some bars still have girls dancing in three shifts (the really busy bars usually), have shows in between shifts, keep the girls longer on stage, on still have girls entering the dancing stage, one after another, and not in groups. These bars we would classify as 'slow-turnover' bars, and might be more enticing to visit. Though they are not all fully described on this website, a lot of the very small bars at Soi Cowboy and Nana Plaza fall into this category, and therefore may be more attractive to visitors who want to interact and chat with the girls.

J-Bars as bars that are mostly frequented by Japanese customers

J-Bars as bars that are mostly frequented by Japanese customers. How this came about, we have no way of knowing. Most likely some bars are actively promoted, talked about at certain websites, and mentioned as Japanese-friendly in Japanese guidebooks.
In any case, some of these bars are among the most busy at Nana Plaza and Soi Cowboy. The Rainbow bars at Nana Plaza, and Baccara bar at Soi Cowboy are the most popular venues for Japanese visitors to the nightlife scene.
Historically Japanese visitors had their own entertainment venues around Silom and scattered in karaoke bars and lounges around town. Often, signs would tell visitors only Japanese customers were allowed inside. But over the last few years Nana Plaza and Soi Cowboy have become popular with this group of visitors. Most likely, these venues are much cheaper to visit.
The coming of the Japanese has some important consequences for the bars involved, the bar girls, and the (farang) customers.The bars, that have a lot of Japanese customers, seem to be doing well, kind of without exception. The Rainbow bars at Nana Plaza actually still have lower beverages prices than most, so customers are not overcharged, even if they can be assumed to have more to spend.
The girls benefit, because this group of customers spends much more on drinks and on the girls. We have it from good sources (that is, the girls themselves) that minimum short-time pay starts from 2,500 baht and up (4000 baht is not unusual). Once the girls have tasted this, it is very understandably very hard for them to accost a farang customer, who still may want to bargain for a 1,000 bath outing. We fully also understand this situation. After all, when working for a certain salary, would we accept and continue working is the salary dropped by half the next month?
While they still may like individual customers, most of the girls dancing and working at J-bars, hardly make eye contact with farangs, and concentrate on the Japanese customers. It has to be said, there seem to be two distinct groups of Japanese visitors to the bars. One group are the people who work here for a Thai-Japanese company. The other group consists of tourists. Most of the latter group seem to be rather young people, fashionably dressed, with blonded hair and the like, and are very popular with the bargirls. No way the average, middle-aged, bald and overweight farang can compete with these young people.
Since the Japanese seem to be much more attracted to beauty and cuteness, the girls in the bars tend to be better looking than average, and certainly better looking than in most of the other bars. It has become fashionable since a few years for bar girls to adapt the Japanese custom of dying one's hair, and you will find few girls with (attractive) Asian black hair. The fact that a lot of the girls in these bars are good looking, makes them still attractive to visit to farang customers, even though their chances of attracting the girls are minor (unless they indicate wanting to spend a lot of money)
Japanese customers (and other Asian visitors) are spreading out, and we do not know what the long-term effect of this will be on the nightlife at Nana Plaza and Soi Cowboy. After all, Asian tourists have long overtaken farang tourists to the land of smiles, and this now shows itself at the nightlife venues, that up to about 7-10 year ago were almost exclusively visited by customers from Europe and U.S.A.

Rainbow 1

The first of the Rainbow bars. It is the first real a-go-go bar on the right of Nana Plaza ground floor.The bar is medium sized, but is always rather packed with people. It is part of the busy, most interesting corner of Nana Plaza, which also includes Playskool, Hollywood, and the bigger sister bar Rainbow 2.
Always a lot of girls on stage at Rainbow 1, making it rather crowded. We checked it our lately, and found that no less than about 150 girls are actually working at Rainbow 1! If you go around midnight, about a 100 of them will already have left the premises. Who thinks there is no money to be made in the gogo bars?There is no lack of girls, and therefore the girls dance in three shifts. Most bars nowadays have only two. As a result the girls have lots of time in between dancing, and this is clearly to the benefit of the customers. They do not disappear right away, after you buy them a drink, as in most places around Nana Plaza.
Possibly the bar appeals more to some customers than its sister bar Rainbow 2, which possibly due to its size, has a little bit less atmosphere.
Drink prices are at 125 baht for a beer.

Thursday, July 10, 2008

tiger sexy dancer and go go night entertainment patong

Tiger bar area sexy dancer and go go night entertainment patong

thai bangkok go go bar nanaplaza

abngkok nightlife
abngkok nightlife bbangkok nightlife vangkok nightlife nangkok nightlife gangkok nightlife hangkok nightlife bngkok nightlife bnagkok nightlife baangkok nightlife bsngkok nightlife bzngkok nightlife bqngkok nightlife bwngkok nightlife bagkok nightlife bagnkok nightlife banngkok nightlife babgkok nightlife bamgkok nightlife bahgkok nightlife bajgkok nightlife bankok nightlife bankgok nightlife banggkok nightlife banfkok nightlife banhkok nightlife bantkok nightlife banykok nightlife banvkok nightlife banbkok nightlife bangok nightlife bangokk nightlife bangkkok nightlife bangjok nightlife banglok nightlife bangiok nightlife bangook nigh

Thailand Scenes thru bloodshot eyes

Thai scenes and nightlife done to popular music. Scenes of Bangkoks' Sukhumvit Rd, Soi Cowboy, Patong Beach, Sukhothai and Chiang Mai

Soi Cowboy Slides

A laid-back slide-show of one of Bangkok's famous entertainment venues. Laid-back too, in comparison to say, Patpong or Nana.

The Lifestyle Bangkok Party Indians

A glimpse of the Thai and Bangkok-Indians nightlife party experience and a bit more

Bangkok Nightlife ll


Bangkok Nightlife ll

Bangkok Nightlife

Bangkok Nightlife

Soi Cowboy Spice Girls - Bangkok Nightlife Street

Soi Cowboy Spice Girls - Bangkok Nightlife Street

Tata Young




Tata Young (born December 14, 1980 in Thailand) is a Thai American singer, model and actress.

A Thai superstar at age 15, she became an international success with the release of her first English-language album I Believe in 2004. She remains one of the most popular performers in Thailand, and is a perennial "favorite" pick by magazines and music-video channels.

Nat Kesirin White T- Shirt Beach Photoshoot

Nat Kesirin White T- Shirt Beach Photoshoot


Sexy Thai Model Nat Kesirin ( Nong Nat / Nat Chanapa ) in a White T-Shirt Beach Photoshoot.

Nat Kesirin White Shirt and Bikini at the Beach

Nat Kesirin White Shirt and Bikini at the Beach

Here we have sexy Thai Model Nat Kesirin ( aka Nong Nat ) wearing a White Shirt and Bikini on the Beach.

Girl on bus

Girl on bus
Girl on bus