By Barry Kenyon

[Jun]

I don't see the one off fee of 50,000 baht as reasonable. If I continue paying the annual extension fee of 1900 baht, in ten years that's 19,000 baht. This ten year visa would cost 31,000 baht more than that. Where does the "reasonable" part come in?

Good point.
It's reasonable compared with the cost of tourist visas.

However, compared with the retirement visa, one needs to look at the extra benefits received for the 31,000 per year. Which are not clear, so upon reflection I agree with you.
If the long term visa allows people to skip 90 day reporting at the immigration office, that's worth 3000 per year in convenience. However, I gather you can now report online.
If people don't need those idiotic re-entry permits, that would add some value.

But I do see something that stimulates my disinterest. Considering the age of many retirees, it isn't so easy to take it for granted that we'll still be alive ten years from now. I don't even take it for granted that I'll still be alive one year from now.

I don't take it for granted I'll live long enough to complete this post, at least not until the submit button has been clicked.

However, for the average male to have a an expected residual lifespan of 10 years or less, he needs to be 78 years old (UK data). So there is still a good target market for such visas.

Incidentally, Richard Barrow has the income requirement down as $80,000 per year. He lists the benefits as including exemption from the re-entry permit.

He describes the investment requirement as follows: "-In case of personal income below $80,000 but no less than $40,000/year, applicants must have the investment of no less than $250,000 in any of the following:
(a) Thai government bond issued by the Ministry of Finance with over 5 years of remaining maturity at the time of application
(b) Investment in a limited company or public company registered under Thai law, and investment in a venture capital company registered with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), Thailand, excluding investment in the Stock Exchange of Thailand (SET)
(c) Investment in real estate (condominiums) "

I presume that is excluding all stock market listed investments, rather than excluding buying shares in the stock market itself.

Also, having to prove some income, irrespective how much someone has accumulated in assets makes no sense.

[Gaybutton]

If the long term visa allows people to skip 90 day reporting at the immigration office, that's worth 3000 per year in convenience. However, I gather you can now report online.

That's right. The 90-day address report can now be done online. That's how I do mine. https://tm47.immigration.go.th/tm47/#/login

As for the rest of it, if Richard Barrow is correct, they might even get 3 or 4 people to opt for that visa. Sorry, Thailand, but I'm going to stick with the annual method.

[Gaybutton]

Neo Pattaya on back burner for now

By Barry Kenyon

June 21, 2022

The priority for Pattaya right now is to get foreign tourism back on track after a two-year hiatus. Recently-elected mayor Poramet Ngampichet has acknowledged that the city businesses must begin to make a profit from traditional markets. He has ordered a speedup on the city’s many road repair projects, even as new holes are still appearing downtown.

In 2020 the previous mayor Sonthaya Kunplume had launched the concept of neo (new) Pattaya which was designed, over time, to replace the traditional resort with its controversial reliance on mass tourism and night owls. It was envisaged that Pattaya might even become a business and tourism center like Miami which is the busiest leisure cruise port in the world, whilst also leading in commerce and investment.

Thanks largely to funding by the Eastern Economic Corridor, a joint Thai and international funding agency, ring roads have been completed and various enhancement subprojects in neighboring Naklua and Koh Larn begun or approved. Amongst ongoing neo-major projects are a hi-speed rail project linking the area with Bangkok and extended port facilities at Bal Hai. Meanwhile, Thai authorities have sought to boost high-value (wealthy) expats by visa concessions and by encouraging Pattaya as a MICE (conferences, exhibitions etc) center.

However, it has become obvious that Pattaya’s neo status lies in the distant future, if at all. Mayoral candidate Sinchai Wattanasartsathorn suggested that Pattaya must learn to walk before running. He pointed out that day-to-day issues such as drainage, traffic chaos, pollution and the disgraceful state of footpaths needed to be priority tasks. During the recent campaign in which Sinchai was placed second, he stressed that 90 percent of income came from short-term tourists who were not concerned about the resort’s eventual destiny.

Pattaya’s Walking Street illustrates the dilemmas. In 2020, the Department of Provincial Administration (which issues business licences) stated that no new permits would be issued on the seaward side of the thoroughfare as the buildings were on publicly-owned land and should be demolished. However, such licences were none the less issued for 2022 and frantic attempts are being made to restore the Street to its former glory in time for the autumn anticipated “high” season. There have been persistent rumors about the Walking Street making way for a family-orientated and business district, with zoos and upmarket malls, but no detailed plans have been published.

Greg Watkins, a UK-based travel consultant, said, “Our customers right now want to return to Thailand for a fun-packed vacation. They will put up with the environmental problems because pre-entry registration and alcohol restrictions have largely been abolished (from July 1). However, if the Chinese return and the roads are clogged with tour buses, they are likely to look at less crowded destinations in Cambodia and Vietnam,” he said. A City Hall spokesperson commented, “Our priority now is the restoration of tourism, but neo-Pattaya projects are ongoing and will be continued.” In other words, neo-Pattaya is a dim light on the horizon.

https://www.pattayamail.com/latestnews/ ... now-401887

[Gaybutton]

Opponents of marijuana pull out all the stops

By Barry Kenyon

June 24, 2022

Those who want to recriminalize cannabis in Thailand are having a field day. Food stalls offering Pot Tarts and Night Nurse have appeared in Bangkok and Pattaya, leading to dire warnings of abuse by children getting hooked on the stuff. There are rumors of people dying or being hospitalized after consuming marijuana, whilst a vehicle accident in Jomtien was attributed to the weed within minutes of the crash. Schizophrenia, psychosis and depression are alleged to be another byproduct of legalization.

Lawmaker Taopiphop Limjittrakorn, from the opposition Move Forward Party, said the government had created gigantic confusion by limiting legal marijuana to medical and food use, but failing to criminalize pot smoking by clear policies. “If you release a tiger into the jungle, it’s hard to persuade it to come back,” he said. The project Smart Approaches to Marijuana is stressing that Holland, the widely-acclaimed success story of legalization, has in fact closed hundreds of coffee shops as tolerance recedes.

The Thai government has responded by ad hoc rules to try and restore order. Public smoking of cannabis as well as the sale of the weed to people under 20, plus pregnant ladies, was rush-published overnight in the Royal Gazette. Cannabis is banned from schools and universities and restaurants must inform customers about menu choices. An emergency health regulation, not technically a law, defines smoke from marijuana as a public nuisance with fines and jail time threatened. The flower and buds of the plant, but not the leaves and roots, have been categorized as a herbal narcotic.

Pending the passing of the Cannabis and Hemp bill, which will have to wait weeks or months to become law, the Thai police will likely adopt the same strategy as in illegal drinking during the pandemic. One or two riotous parties, heavy with smoke, will likely be raided in the full glare of publicity to encourage everyone else to beware, beware, beware. Foreign tourists will be warned about prisons and deportation, but will most likely be fined minimally and freed to avoid bad publicity and a fall-off in the number of international visitors.

Cannabis is here to stay even if there’s a legal muddle right now. If the drug has negative features, the same is true of alcohol consumption and cigarette smoking which do a lot more personal health damage than ganja beyond a shadow of a doubt. As regards the law, it is well to remember that all prostitution in Thailand is prohibited by the entertainment venue act of 1966 which was designed to protect public morals. An English translation can be exhaustively studied on the internet.

https://www.pattayamail.com/latestnews/ ... ops-402154

[Gaybutton]

First, I apologize for not publicizing this Pattaya Gay Pride parade until after the fact. That is because I didn't know about it until after the fact. If there was any advance publicity or announcements about it, I never saw anything and nobody told me about it.

If I had known about it I would have gone in support. I hope there will be good advance publicity next time. It's hard to attend or promote on the board a function if you don't know about it. And there have been all too many times when the only publicity I see about events are after they've already happened. If I'm coming across as complaining, good. I am complaining. Events, no matter what they are, ought to be well publicized in advance. Sometimes the media does publish about them, but the articles are too often buried where spotting them is unlikely.
____________________________________________________

Pattaya gay parade emphasizes equality and commercialism

By Barry Kenyon

June 25, 2022

Pattaya’s celebration of gay rights this weekend was the city’s first public parade in the unfolding post-Covid era where mask wearing has just become voluntary. Hundreds of people of all genders, sex workers, feminists and a large contingent of drag artists journeyed in an impressive display of unity and solidarity. As is now the norm in LGBTIQ+ demonstrations worldwide, glamor, gilt and glitter are the principal eye candy for onlookers.

The pink pound or gay dollar has always been an important cash source for international tourist-dominated Pattaya. Both City Hall and the Tourist Authority of Thailand were amongst the parade sponsors this year. The gay entertainment districts known as Boyztown and Jomtien Complex are in urgent need of resuscitation after more than two years in the financial desert. Yet the new commercialism goes deeper than that. For example, Starbucks and Swensens were both offering a discount ticket worth 100 baht (roughly two pounds or three US dollars) for anyone showing a hotel keycard or an email booking.

The parade comes at a pivotal moment for gay rights in Thailand as a bill to grant same-sex civil union status is currently wending its bureaucratic way through parliament. This is seen as more likely to pass than full marriage because of opposition to complete equality in sections of the military-backed government. The Pattaya pressure group Alliance for Gender Equality says not to worry as, even in the UK, gay civil unions historically preceded marriage. They point out that homosexuality was classified in Thailand as a psychiatric disorder as recently as 2005. Never try to hurry the Orient is the rule of thumb.

As ever, Pattaya’s resident drag queen population had some refreshing perspectives. Eggz Benedict – a candidate for the title Miss Tiffany Universe sporting a see-through scarlet dress, scant underwear, green eye shadow and blue lipstick – only wanted everyone to understand she is just the same as they are. Dawn Patrol – emphasizing it wasn’t her real name – offered an unusual insight into Thai immigration procedures. “My Swedish boyfriend wants to marry me so that his retirement visa will require a smaller deposit in the Thai bank.” Nuff said.

Story and photos: https://www.pattayamail.com/latestnews/ ... ism-402327

[2lz2p]

Events, no matter what they are, ought to be well publicized in advance. Sometimes the media does publish about them, but the articles are too often buried where spotting them is unlikely.

I fully agree - too often an event is announced (or not) just before the event takes place. There was a notice posted on the Boystown Face Book page, but it was posted on the day of the event(they now have many photos of the event) - https://www.facebook.com/BoystownPattaya. The Pattaya News did have an article, but it was posted just the day before - https://thepattayanews.com/2022/06/24/v ... g-parades/ - again a very late announcement.

[Gaybutton]

And I spotted neither of them. If you had not posted those links, I still wouldn't have spotted them. Even if I had spotted them and posted about it, on such short notice I doubt many board readers would even have seen the post until it was already too late.

I read The Pattaya News every day, but never spotted that article. Where was it buried?

An event publicized the day before or the day of - what good is that. This pride parade had to have been planned many days or even weeks ago. Why no publicity about it. If I knew, I would have posted the information at least a week, probably more, in advance.

I'm still complaining - and unfortunately for future events I'm expecting the same. Either no publicity at all or very short notice publicity - and whether I find out about it in time for publishing it to even make any difference is a matter of luck. Unless they start giving prominently displayed advance publicity, and at least publish it several days in advance, we'll probably just continue finding out about after it has already happened.

In his article Barry Kenyon wrote, "The gay entertainment districts known as Boyztown and Jomtien Complex are in urgent need of resuscitation after more than two years in the financial desert." I don't know why he left out Sunee Plaza, but if these venue areas "are in urgent need of resuscitation", letting us know about events when it is already too late - that is not going to help to bring about any 'resuscitation'.

Give us sensible advance notice.

[Trongpai]

It was in The Pattaya news.com many weeks before the event. They gave the date and route but omitted the time! Somehow I learned it was from 1600. Also lots of face book entries like M2M. There were advance signs along Beach road and in Central Mall. I road in the M2M float until I got tired of the slow progress of the parade and I got out and walked.

Comparing it to the Pride parade in Bangkok this was much better but not as well attended. Pattaya had actual floats and vintage cars. There were shirtless good looking boys of all genre both in the parade and as spectators. There were lots of gay special interest organizations but it was not overtly political. Most in the parade were not wearing masks, a few clear face shields here and there.

Not to insult or pigeon hole anyone here on the boards but there were not many senior citizens farangs in the parade or as spectators. I asked several Pattaya expats about the parade and Pride and universally got I don't know and don't care as responses. The venues that get discussed here like the go-go's and host bars did not participate. They did not in Bangkok either. By design or choice, I don't know.

The good news is that there were no hate groups counter-protesting or violently attacking Pride like so many other places in the world.

[Gaybutton]

It was in The Pattaya news.com many weeks before the event. They gave the date and route but omitted the time! Somehow I learned it was from 1600. Also lots of face book entries like M2M. There were advance signs along Beach road and in Central Mall.

Oh well, somehow I missed all of it. Ok, then I can't complain about a lack of publicity about it although I haven't been in the Beach road or Central Mall area in ages. I'm almost never in that area.

However, my complaint about lack of timely publicity about many other events still stands. Again, too many times I don't seen anything at all about some events until after it's over.

It would be very helpful if some of you see notices about any of these events - bar events too - but don't see anything about it on the board, please assume I haven't seen anything about it and send me a message to let me know and/or feel free to post about it yourself. I do the best I can, but by myself obviously it isn't always enough.

[Jun]

somehow I missed all of it

A You Tube video (link below). At least on You Tube we have the option of skipping some of the ladyboy coverage or going through it at 2x speed.



There are other videos on You Tube, including this one which would almost leave you with the impression it's a lady boy parade. Undaunted would be delighted. I skipped through it in about 5 minutes. Link deliberately set to start at 14 min.