Rossco

I want to become an undercover agent....

They are the worst tourists imaginable and now the Russian Federation is trying to defend them. They do not speak Thai, They do not speak English, they spend no money and they are a sad breed. Amen Pattaya beginning to earn bad reputation with Russian tourists Friday, 30 November 2012 From Issue Vol. XX No. 48 By Vittaya Yoondorn 4 comments Russian Federation Consul Andrey Dvornikov told police and city officials that, due to increasing crime against tourists, Pattaya is gaining a growing reputation back home for being unsafe. At a Nov. 19 meeting between Thai and Russian officials and tour operators, the embassy counselor cited the increasing frequency of gold and handbag snatches and hotel burglaries, saying crimes are being reported in Russia with many travelers forming negative impressions of safety in Pattaya. Evgeny Pisarevskiy (center), Deputy Head of the Federal Agency for Tourism (Rosturism) and Russian officials address local officials and businesses about the challenges faced by Russian tourists in Pattaya. Dvornikov blamed the increase in crime to the termination of joint Pattaya Police-Royal Thai Navy patrols earlier this decade. Ended due to budget constraints, the Military-Police Cooperative Patrol Project was supposed to be restarted in May 2009 following a mandate from then-Gov. Senee Jittakasem. But despite calling the program “essential” for tourism, the plan was sent to a committee for study, never to reemerge. The Russian consul also was critical of Thai officials for the common practice of hotels taking tourists passports. He said passports were property of the Russian government and that Thai officials showed “negligence” in instructing hotels to demand and hold them. Dvornikov’s criticisms came as embassy and Pattaya officials met to address the major concerns faced by Russian tourists, with security and medical coverage topping the list. The forum also gave local business leaders a chance to meet with Russian tourism executives in hopes of keeping their business juggernaut going. The Russian delegation said their main concerns focused on information services for tourists, insurance, medical expenses and the general perception of security. Evgeny Pisarevskiy, Deputy Head of the Federal Agency for Tourism (Rosturism), pointed, in particular, to the disparity in the prices charged to Thais and Russians for medical care. Deputy Mayor Ronakit Ekasingh said communication remains the biggest obstacle Pattaya public officials and business owners have in dealing with Russians, due to low Russian-language fluency. But Ronakit also criticized Russian tourists, saying many can’t read or ignore warning signs posted around the city, leading to their injury or death. He said the city is addressing the language barrier by allocating funds to the Pattaya Business & Tourism Association to distribute for training. The deputy mayor also addressed the city’s highest-profile tourist problem: jet skis. He said the long-running extortion and intimidation scandal has gotten the notice of Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra, who designated the country’s national security director to oversee resolution of the issue. Still being debated in committee, the proposed solution involves requiring jet ski vendors to carry insurance to cover any damage. As for medical services, Ronakit said, the area is served by numerous rescue services that can reach those in need within 10 minutes. He suggested Russian tour operators enter insurance contracts with those agencies and area hospitals to improve efficiency. With Russian tourists having already spent more than 1 billion baht in the kingdom, Thai officials are keen to keep their largest new tourist bloc happy. As such, government and business representatives from both sides agreed to hold similar meetings again on a regular basis.

Mr Duke. A girl in every port........you must be an ex-Navy man......

An interesting thread about why people like or dislike Thailand and or Pattaya. Patience please and aplogies to those who have no idea of what I am talking about - I am getting old! In the 1950's and 60's in the UK there was/were: * Loads of small Mum & Pop shops to buy daily needs and soft drinks and sweets * Loads of open fresh produce markets * Specialist shops - Bakers, Butchers, Fishmongers who knew their produce * Seasonal produce - just like a free market * Things not wrapped in cellophane/saranwrap * No plastic bags * No recycling bins - kids collected soda bottles and reclaimed the deposits for another 'free' soda * Wash days for laundry and kids helped clean the family car * Kids had chores to do - earned their pocket money/allowance * Lack of petty rules and regulations - we knew a coffee was hot. * We knew the pavement/sidewalk was uneven. We saw a hole in the ground! * We knew a car was parked there. We knew not to park in front of a driveway * People taking their own responsbility * Things going on in the Streets - Carnaby Street in London * Opportunities as minors to safely cycle our bikes up to 10 miles away and knew how to fix a puncture * Away days, on our own, up to London armed with only enough for fares and food and some saved spending money * Walks or bicyles to school - no car ride and less congestion * School uniforms were regulated so all kids, rich and poor, looked the same * People worked even in menial low paid jobs and did not feel entitled to unpaid benefit * Dividends were paid on shares- the share value reflected a company's profit not some speculators inflated valuation * Respect for elders and authority - police, teachers etc * No need to have a sign reserving a seat for a disabled person/pregnant woman - you gave up your seat - if they were there. * People smiled. It suddenly dawned on me that most of that is still true of Thailand - I am not speaking of Pattaya, nor major cities, but of the real Thailand. Maybe, just maybe, that is why I like it here.

Unfortuantely the Russians through their general behaviour are quickly becoming detested in Pattaya. The majority do not speak any Englsih, let alone any Thai, they appear ignorant of any basic curtesy and manners and certainly make no effort, whatsoever to, ingratiate themselves. The Thai tourism authority clearly stated, 5 years ago, that their new target focus group for Tourism was Russian, Asian and Arabs - I hope they are satisfied with the results? The Russians, Indians and Arabs are quickly becoming renowned for being rude and mean.

La Bamba expanding into LadyBoy Bar and Guest House La Bamba opened in Dec 2007 after Club 131 was quickly vacated. The original lease was for 4 years - terminating Dec 2011. Sam the owner had lost interest so Nok and the team renewed the lease for 1 more year which expires in late Dec2012 The landlady got greedy and wanted not only a 67% increase, in monthly rental, but also key money per annum. Just do not understand her mentality as before La Bamba the building was a vacant for over a year (Birdie cargo). Basically the La Bamba team were in a panic as they need a good High season to get them through Low season. La Bamba is also their home. No negotiations on price so the alternative was to find a new venue - Soi Lenke/Soi Chayapum and Bukhouw were all possibilities. The La Bamba staff really did not want to move out of Soi 13/1 (Yamoto) but the rent hike on the current building was just too much. Buddha was on their side and a new venue, in the Soi, has been negotiated at a more reasonable rent. The new bar, still called La Bamba, will be open in late December this year - 4 weeks time. Work is in progress in the new bar.. No disruption to service. In fact a far better service. La Bamba is to become the first ever LadyBoy Bar and Guest House - you too can sleep under the same roof as: Nok, Cindy, Jen, Nancy, Veil (Will), Lanny, Patty etc etc. Prices per night will depend on your length of stay. Each room has its own shower/WC/AC/Fridge and small TV The rooms are basic small double bed rooms but clean and comfortable. Price per night up, to 7 days, is 500 baht High Season (Nov to Feb inclusive) and 400 baht Low season Longer stays by negotiation I know some guys, who live here, are thinking of renting a room for the long-term anyhow as a home from home. The building they are moving into was the Legless Arms - looks like it just got its Leg back...... Opening party to be announced soon - late December As you stand with your back to LaBamba there is an Internet/Photcopy shop directly opposite. The Legless Arms is next to this on the right side (with your back to LaBamba). Club 131 is the other side of the Legless Arms to the right again. Club 131 is still operating as a GG bar and has been up for sale for some while. PattayaPhotoGuide kept club131 on their street imagery... Legless-Arms /the new La-Bamba is next door.

Not seen Lanny in a couple of weeks - she generally does not like her photo taken so a candid Kodak moment is unlikely

Thought I would share the replies from both the Orphanage and Rotary - Rotary may actually DOUBLE the 100,000 we all gave. Many thanks to all the generous people from here on this Forum. Those who were actually there and those that sponsored/donated who were absent. This Forum was a source of financial support - 8 of the 40 Sponsors were from here. Hoping we can count on your support, again, in the future. Not only did you help two wonderful Charities but you also improved the image of LBs and gave them some much needed self-esteem. See Other Media Coverage at the end of this post. Some BMs have promised some further contributions so I am holding the account open until the end of this month. After giving to the 2 nominated charities we have about 57,000 baht still to donate. This was due to the Auction on the night. I will keep you up to date when we have decided on a beneficiary. The hotel were also delighted and have assured me that we can have 300 attendees next time. Somehow 26th October 2013 looks like a good day! Many Thanks Orphanage: 27 October 2012 The great success of the first LadyBoy Water VolleyBall (LBWVB) Charity Event 2012 held at the Areca Lodge, Blue Ocean Pool of the Evergreen Tower, was due to the untiring efforts and efficiency of no one else but Khun Tony. And with the overwhelming support of bar owners and high-spirited teams of players, the tournament was fun-filled for all concerned. Part of the proceeds will benefit the roof repair at Sotpattana School for the Deaf whose director was invited to the presentation ceremony at the end of the competition. Holding the THB125,000 cheque and Certificate of Merit, Rev. Michael Weera Phangrak extended his appreciation on behalf of the deaf kids. May your loving hearts, health, family, and undertakings be blessed. Congratulations on the successful LBWVB event with more to come annually. Rotary: On behalf of myself and RCES may I thank you wholeheartedly for your splendid imaginative effort and hard work that you put into the worlds first LBWVB competition. What a wonderful event. Further may I thank you for your superb generosity in sharing the results of your hard work with Rotary Club Eastern Seaboard with the magnificent donation of 100,000 Baht towards our water projects fund. If we, RCES are able to find a suitable foreign donor club we may be able to execute a Matching Grant with Rotary International which could more than double these funds. On their own the funds can provide clean drinking water for 100 families ie 500-600 people will benefit. As an incentive and achievement factor perhaps the winning team may know of a school/village that they would like to see these filters used. (Providing it fulfilled our criteria of no or very poor mains water and that the average family did not have sufficient income to buy water etc.) I am happy to go and visit the locations. This may create a stronger incentive to win next year. Your "Crazy Idea" is a winner, it fulfilled the promises made to sponsors and those who made donations, it created an afternoon and evening of entertainment and provided substantial awards and contributions to good causes where hundreds will benefit. Well done! Kindest regards, Carl. Other Media Coverage http://www.thaifokus...ier-in-pattaya/ http://www.pattaya10...at-local-hotel/ http://www.cntravell...eyball-thailand http://www.thaivisa....at-local-hotel/ http://www.eastnews....d/19548/page/2/ http://multimedia.qu...oto&media=46495

First off I would never live in downtown Pattaya. I have never been much of a city/town dweller always preferring to visit town than live in it. So my frustrations with Pattaya are as a nocturnal visitor! Therefore I miss the 'experiences' of living downtown. The thing that should frustrate me is lack of regulations - sidewalks just as an example. Many times I park my car and the pasenger side door always scrapes the sidewalk. Ironically I also like the haphazardness of it all. I have learnt to walk in the road with caution. I generally 'touch park' - Parisian style. Motorbikes who use up a whole car parking space. Thoughtless parking. "Reserved" spaces - normally with a chair/bucket etc - who are they reserving the space for? The odour - Yes, Thailand is 3rd World but the stench in town can be overbearing. Bloody tourists - the Russians are really making a reputation as obnoxious in the extreme - a lot of their problem is that they neither speak Thai nor English. Loud mouthed beer swilling football supporters - not Thai. Thai Time - I swear Thais cannot tell the time nor adhere to an appointment. Street hawkers - actually I do not mind them - they are at least trying to make a living and not begging. I have learnt not to moan but just smile - maybe I am going native. For all the minor frustrations I like it BUT I prefer to live out of town. A number of guests over the last 6 years have all commented 'Same my village (Issan)' but only 13 Kms from Pattaya.

I enjoy the manic lifestyle. I often reflect what a guy like me would be doing back in his home country at age 60+ Many towns in the UK older people are concerned about going out late at night - here in Pattaya I have a great night out and meet some terrific fellow BMs. I can visit any one of literally hundreds of bars and enjoy a drink and the eye candy I can eat out relatively cheaply and certainly good value There are ATMs and Pharmacies and 711's all in abundance I can choose from a great selection of cuisine No Parking meters Baht Busses And Back home there are no LadyBoys. Confronted with the fact of my age and physical presence I would be lucky to grab a 50+ granny who may have her own teeth but will also be accompnaied by a load of emotional baggage - and she will probably cost me more that a BF and LT here.

More coverage on all these: The event has had some extraordinary coverage http://www.thaifokus...ier-in-pattaya/ http://gothaibefree....ty-in-thailand/ http://www.cntravell...eyball-thailand http://www.pattaya10...at-local-hotel/ http://www.thaivisa....at-local-hotel/ http://www.eastnews....d/19548/page/2/ http://multimedia.qu...oto&media=46495 Still awaiting a publication date on Pattaya Mail

Well at least one piece is not due to cosmetic surgery - all original

The difficulty in giving any advice is that we are all different. Age, financial stability, friends/family in our home country. Personally I went for the retirement visa - it looks like a pile of paper work but is actually quite simple. The major point is that you must 'show' that you have had 800,000 Baht in a Thai bank account for a period of up to 3 months prior. This may seem a nuisance but after the first year you just make your necessary annual transfer, into Thailand, and it becomes a rolling credit. I bought a house here - personally pleased I did as the exchange rate at the time was 75 baht to a GBP. Not 50 as it is today. Rentals have gone up around Pattaya and recently friends, who tried to extend their lease, got a shock as the lease had risen +25%. No it is not a Thai scam - property rentals are up. Renting outside of the town is much better value and discourages you from going to town/bars every night! As you are under 50 I would consider the Edu Visa as the school handle all the paperwork and no need to show 800,000 Baht on account. the cost of this visa, including all your classes and books, is 23,000 Baht per annum. I also understand that you are permitted to do some 'part time' work with this visa - I suppose they recognise that to improve your language skills - practice makes perfect. It really depends how long you want to stay. One friend of mine, under 50, reckons the 90 day visia suits him as he needs to return home every 3 months or so. Depends on your planned travel schedule. The 90 visa does not require funds on deposit but does require you leave (by Air) after 90 days. Certainly at your age I would be thinking about some other issues - your own retirement planning. When travelling and living in SE Asia will you continue to contribute to your Pension/401K etc? Impact on your career. Maintaining your core skill set. My best advice would be to NOT make a leap fo faith but really consider all implications of a move.

When the event was kicked off a number of people doubted it could be delivered. Right up until zero hour neither myself, nor the Bar owners, were 100% sure how it would turn out. It would have only taken, if the media were present, one bad incident for them to focus upon to undermine all the work and sensationalise it. Of course I am delighted it went off so well with no hitches nor incidents. One our professional photographers will be posting selected photos on a proactive media web site that distributes photos to all media. An article will be published (soon) in Pattaya Mail with accompanying edited photos. I have written/registered the Event with Guiness Book of records - awaiting reply - it is the firts LadyBoy Water VolleyBall event in the world and Ananconda are world Champions! Video was taken BUT it needs a great deal of work as so many BMs are uncomfortable about their appearance. It is far more difficult to 'photo-shop' video. In many ways I think the privacy issue is over-reacted to. It was a Fund raising event - 1/3 of attendees are not 'into' LBs but attended as it was for Charity. Members of Rotary club with wives, my neighbours etc. Let us take one step at a time. It was a resounding success but not many would have forecast that belief. We now have a solid base on which to build. Let us not put the roof up before the walls! My position, this time, was that we would control all media in house.

I promised from the beginning that a set of accounts would be published immediately after the event. I also promised that ALL Sponsorship and Donations would go to Charity and not subsidize the Event itself: Summary: Event Income: 91,200 - Ticket sales 23,872 - Bar entry 63,580 - Auction 178,652 - Total Event Income Event Expense: 41,250 - Hotel+Buffet 25,000 - Prizes (C&D contributed theirs to Charity) 8,185 - Misc & Charges 74,436 - Total Event Expense 104,216 - Event Profit (178,652 - 74,436) 124,176 - Sponsors 52,962 - Donations 1,500 - Other 282,854 - Total Net Raised 225,000 - Paid to the Orphanage and Rotary 57,854 - Surplus For a full set of accounts please see document attached PS There may be some minor final adjustments as some people have asked to contribute after the event. AcctPublish.pdf Certificate Master Final V1.3.doc

A couple of important items to close off on LadyBoy Water Volley Ball - 2012 Accounts Copy of Certificate I promised from the beginning that a set of accounts would be published immediately after the event. I also promised that ALL Sponsorship and Donations would go to Charity and not subsidize the Event itself: Summary: Event Income: 91,200 - Ticket sales 23,872 - Bar entry 63,580 - Auction 178,652 - Total Event Income Event Expense: 41,250 - Hotel+Buffet 25,000 - Prizes (C&D contributed theirs to Charity) 8,185 - Misc & Charges 74,436 - Total Event Expense 104,216 - Event Profit (178,652 - 74,436) 124,176 - Sponsors 52,962 - Donations 1,500 - Other 282,854 - Total Net Raised 225,000 - Paid to the Orphanage and Rotary 57,854 - Surplus For a full set of accounts please see attached document. PS There may be some minor final adjustments as some people have asked to contribute after the event. Certificate Master Final V1.3.doc AcctPublish.pdf

Thanks guys for the kind words. The biggest reward was seeing everyone smiling and looking so happy. The atmosphere was brilliant - carnival/festival and everyone in great spirits. Only 2 weeks before some bar staff seemed so disinterested I hit a low point in planning and even wondered if all the teams would show. Thay all did with pazazz and style. They could not even be with out their high heels when out of the pool. The Hotel were fantastic - the Drink coupons prevented any disputes over any bins and resolved the language barrier as we had many non English speaking guests. Dear Mr. Tony, First of all, thank you very much that you selected Areca Lodge for your party and charity. Not only you and your guests enjoyed that, but all our staffs also. Anyway, I thought, yesterday should have some error and uncontrollable factor; we would like to apologize for that. Looking forward to welcome you again. What about doubling the size? Same month next year. 300 people and 12 teams. Target 500,000 to 1,000,000 Baht for Charity. Volunteers? Package deal with Hotel to include accomodation + Ticket to the event. Invite Guiness Book of Records - World Championship LadyBoy Water Vollley Ball Anaconda are World Champions today because it has never been done before.

News link Yes the wording is correct - gets the readers attention http://www.pattaya103.com/pattaya-ladyboys-take-over-260000-baht-at-local-hotel/

Only one day to go - SOLD OUT The teams seem to have finally realised the day has come - all the bars are excited. I am excited. The Hotel is excited. The DJ is excited. My friends are excited - I just have to make sure nancy is NOT excited. Oh my Buddha Late pic of the Pink Pooksters

Lots of Photographic material next week. 27th Oct The transformation last time from the beach to the evening was stunning.

Team TJ Tanya, Lara, Jenny, Jeal, Natty