Lipboy

Can anyone update me to what Live Music venues (that I might know?) are NOW still playing in Pattaya? As a UK resident I visited Pattaya most years from 2010 until my last visit in March 2019. I will be returning there in December 2022. 1. In Walking Street there was a live music venue approximately 150 yards from Beach Road end on the right hand side. It had table and chairs as you entered with a central bar (so you could walk to its rear area to left or to the right hand side of that bar). The live music (for at least 5 years from 2014 to 2019) was provided by a large group fronted by a big black guy and a white female singers + 4/5 members of their supporting band. Their stage was to the right hand side as you entered from Walking Street. Their gents toilet was in their rear left hand side corner. 2. Is the Bamboo Club/Bar still playing Live Music? This was situated - from the end of Beach Road turn left (i.e. do NOT enter Walking Street) and the Bamboo venue was about 30 yards from Walking Street on the Right Hand Side. Normally the live music was provided by a Thai group but featured popular Western songs. The long bar was to the Right Hand Side as you entered. The gents toilets were near the stage on the Right Hand Side. All drinks were served by Waitress’s 3. in Soi 8, going from Beach Road, about half way up on the Right Hand Side (close to the small Soi connecting to Soi 7) there was another very popular Live Music + singing. As you entered the stage was on the Left Hand Side with a lot of tables and chairs situated on the Right Hand Side. All drinks were served by waitress’s. 4. There was another nice small Live music bar on a small Soi connecting “i think” Soi 8 to Soi 7 with “I. think” a group from the Phillipines? 5. Facing Soi 6 from Beach Road, on the Right Hand Side, there was a large bar with 2 Pool Tables, many tables and chairs and a large central bar with the Live group on a stage facing beyond the bar and pool tables towards Beach Road. 6. Facing Soi 6 from Beach Road, on the Left Hand Side, there was a small bar (with NO live music) BUT if you walked to the left (i.e. from Soi 6 along Beach Road) for about 12 yards there was a small Live Music bar there. NOTE - walking inside this bar from Beach Road if you continued there was a multitude of other bars, etc AND another of my favourite Live Music venues in Pattaya called “Cloud 9” Are any of the above still open and playing Live Music + Singing again NOW?

My very good friend Konstantin lives in Moscow with his wife, two sons and his Father in Law in a high rise Apartment block. He is the Russian representative for a Machine Tool Company based in Switzerland. Many years ago his job was in the International Arms trade but he recognised this was full of corrupt individuals and a potentially dangerous trade to be connected with so “got out”. This was despite many of his fellow Russian Arms Dealers own many of the most expensive boats in European mariners. In our many exchange of WhatsApp messages over the last two years (since our first meeting in Germany) he has consistently criticised Putin. Since the invasion of Ukraine was forecast a few weeks ago he stated if it did occur he would probably lose his “very good job”, e.g. travelling all over Russia (by Plane, Train or Car) with a generous expenses account and a relatively good Salary (“I think”?) which allowed him to take some foreign holidays with his wife and many mini breaks within Russia with his two sons and his older daughter. He has in recent days reported that there are many protesters on the streets in Moscow demonstrating against Putin’s war on Ukraine and it is well known many are then arrested by the Russian Police. Below is a direct “word by word” WhatsApp message I received from Konstantin yesterday. “If someone publicly expresses his point of view on which opposes the official one he can be deprived of his citizenship” Last year the Russian Rouble lost about 50% of its exchange value with $ and in more recent days lost an additional 30%. So, for someone like Konstantin (and his Employer) this has already hit him hard. Putin is not a President he has ever supported and even less so now BUT……… ………. he told me yesterday he has to take even extra care because many of his friends do support Putin’s war in Ukraine. So, he finds himself in a particularly difficult situation. If Konstatin’s situation is repeatedly replicated then it will very difficult to topple Putin via mass public demonstrations if they then face arrest, the hostility of good friends and the prospect of withdrawal of their Russian citizenship (and all the unknown consequences this would entail?). it would seem that the only people who can force Putin from Government are those close to him either inside The Kremlin or his Military Chiefs? Problem is that Putin has over the last few years only promoted corrupt individuals who would lose their own privileges if Putin does not remain “all powerful”. Hopefully, these Oligarths, etc. will soon suffer the consequences of the Sanctions imposed in recent days by the USA, UK, The EU, Japan, South Korea and Singapore, and ???? others? Lets all hope that Putin will be removed from Power soon as otherwise all over The World we will suffer the consequences of this one mad man’s action that he took so recklessly last week for many years to come.

3. or useless?

I live in the UK and just now considering visiting Thailand arriving towards the end of March (with my Thai wife and her 22 year old daughter) to visit family members, etc. About 3 months ago I thought Covid vaccinations rate of the Thai population were then about to be rapidly increased but either that :- 1. did not occur, or 2. the residents refused to get vaccinated, or 3. the Vaccines used were <deleted>. which of 1. , 2. , or 3. of the above is the TRUE fact? Also, I intend taking internal flights from Hua Hin to Chiang Mai and Chiang Mai to Ubon Ratchanthani so what pre check-in checks (with Covid being so rampant just now it seems within Thailand) do the airlines require for passengers using their Domestic routes? Are these checks different depending on who is the Airline operator? I intend flying to Thailand with Emirates who insist on a negative Covid PCR test within 48 hours of departure and this gives me greater confidence taking a 13 hour flight with them than if no testing is required for a 75 minute flight within Thailand. I suppose I could hire a car instead? I am classified by my Doctor to be “at high risk from Covid infections” but am now TRIPLE vaccinated with 2x AZ and 1x Pfizer. Are these (and others) “relatively good” vaccines FREELY available to ALL Thai residents, or not?

Playing loud music that disturbs you neighbours is unacceptable at ANY time. My next door neighbour (I live in Birmingham, England) has a large “outhouse” in his back garden (which is about 30 yards from my bedroom) in which he holds Party’s for his own household (his wife and 2 - sons aged about 12 and 15) and invited friends. These Party’s commenced about 4 years ago and at first loud music continued throughout the night, sometimes to 5am. The only redeeming feature was they were only held infrequently, e.g. about once per month. Even so if these Party’s had continued in a similar manner I would be considerably “cheesed off” by now and if they had not heeded my complaints I would have asked the Police to intervene in my behalf. If that has not worked then “who knows what action a upset man would do” (and I am not mentally disturbed “just now”?). Over the last 25 years I have attended many Murder (and other) Trials at my local Crown Court and it amuses me how stupid the Defendants are. Whatever the aggravation it certainly not worth being locked up for 1 year never mind for +15 or +30 years many get sentenced to BEFORE being considered to be released. You have to “not in your right mind” or “simply mental” or simply stupid” to act in such a manner. Of course it helps if the Police are not corrupt and there are Laws in place “to keep the peace”.

Our golfing group (+20 strong all from England) normally visit HH every February for +2 weeks but (for the 2nd year in succession) last week our Organiser cancelled our trip for next month after the Thai authorities re-introduced the Sandbox scheme (and did not include HH in it?) as a minimum 7 day delay (to be spent elsewhere in Thailand) before any onward travel to HH is allowed?

Will there be any tourists/visitors in Hua Hin/Soi Bindabaht to become customers for these bars/restaurants to welcome?

Be very, very careful whilst you are in Rio (and anywhere else I guess?). About 10 years ago I spent my last day in Rio (following a 6 week long trip around Antarctica, Chile, Argentina and Brazil) and met a “young” lady who drugged my drink (which knocked me out for a short time) and stole my UK bank debit card.and stole just over £4,000. The following year I played golf (at Black Mountain G..C. near Hua Hin) who had spent many years in Rio and he told me this crime had also occurred to him and was quite a common crime there? Most credit cards have a daily limit or a maximum credit limit so your losses maybe “negligible” (e.g. £4,000) BUT with your card being attached to a Savings Account your losses could be “considerable”?