More Thailand, Much Cheaper

You may have heard it, Thailand’s tourism industry is again suffering thanks to our red brothers promising a bright future and pure democracy. As a “side effect” there’s a flare up of civil unrest with reds hurting their very own people, upcountry migrant workers. Because, however looked at, as a result many tourists and business travelers have canceled or reconsidered their travel plans to Thailand.

In a country famous for its beaches, nightlife and friendly folks, people are suffering greatly as many towns and cities are heavily reliant on tourist dollars. The official Tourism Authority of Thailand was hoping that the days of economic downturn and riots that have put a dent in Thailand’s tourist industry were over.

However, the recent clashes and series of attacks that rather remind of Baghdad than Bangkok have caused more doubt and confusion in the minds of foreign tourists. Travel departments of many countries, such as Australia, the U.K. and U.S., have warned their citizens to reconsider, while some media have also done their best to play on the fears of tourists.

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May 9, 2010 | Filed Under News & Media, Nightlife & Entertainment, Politics, Sports & Fun, Travel & Tourism | 5 Comments 

Bangkok Fetish Festival

Yes we’re all tired, some upset, some still hopeful. Some puppet masters are playing us Pharisees and Philistines. Still trying to decipher Thaksin’s latest Hitler and gay phone-ins? Maybe you need a break from it all. Why don’t you just let go and head over to the 4th Bangkok Fetish Festival. For more than just fierce red rhetoric – or more than even a plain old BDSM session for that:

Starting right in time from the 19th to the 29th of March. Chances are that you can enjoy the red stage for many more days and nights to come – and still find an open door until the early morning hours at the BarBar Fetish Club over at Patpong Soi 2. There you can even suggest your own role play: you yellow, me red, slave, whatever. Now spank. Class war in action.

Maybe you need a really good spanking or wanna know about the latest fetish techniques. Yep, they’ll be on display. All the ladies enjoy the kick, we learn from BarBar’s website, and constantly develop new acts to stay on top of the scene. All your anger, let go. Maybe you deserve to be taught a lesson you bad bad boy/girl. Main color is black, so whatever shirt you wear will make for some nice contrast.

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March 18, 2010 | Filed Under Health, Body & Mind, Nightlife & Entertainment, Seriously, Not ..., Truly Bangkok | 2 Comments 

Dr. Saul: Thailand & The Desire Economy

Dr. Saul Kruggerand, the renowned Ph.D. economist and native of South Africa, whom we last heard from in his article titled Thailand to Tackle World’s Desire Deficit in which he outlined the present economic structure of Thailand’s Desire Sector (DS) along with an insightful and detailed estimate of the Desire Sector’s current contribution to Thailand’s overall GNP. In today’s post Dr. Saul analyzes Thailand’s plan to target and develop Thailand’s Desire Economy Sector in order to re-stimulate & maximize Thailand’s GNP.

“Dr. Saul,” as he is affectionately called by his students, having focused his highly-tuned analytical skills on the present structure and dimensions of the Thailand’s Desire Sector, now follows with a detailed analysis of the radical and heretofore overlooked proposal the Thailand government made at the recent G-20 and Apec meetings to further develop the Desire Sector of the Thai economy in order to help reduce the World’s Desire Deficit (WDD) as well as to make a surprisingly significant contribution to the re-stimulation of overall economic growth in Southeast Asia and the world.

Dr. Saul is himself a Yesbel Laureate with his Ph.D. from the prestigious London School of Economics LSE. Dr. Saul has worked with or along with the World Bank, IMF, Goldman Sachs, the Dubai Sovereign Fund, AIG Hedge Fund Division and George Soros. A generous grant from the Chuwit Foundation in Bangkok where Dr. Saul is the director of research and senior fellow has helped to fund Dr. Saul’s recent studies in this area. And now, without further introduction, here is

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January 26, 2010 | Filed Under Being Farang, Business & Economics, Culture Shock, Nightlife & Entertainment, Survey / Poll, Travel & Tourism | 27 Comments 

The Vongthip Letter Jan ‘10

Tiger, tiger, burning bright! The Year of the Fiery Tiger has arrived and promised to be no less ferocious than the Year of the Mad Bull that has just left! Those who did not believe in astrology, seemed to be hoping and praying that 2010 would be the beginning of a better decade than the “noughties.” Although the much feared global depression did not materialize in ‘09, world’s economists have been debating whether the recovery would be a W or a U shape.

Thailand has certainly done well to benefit from the global turnaround but we could have done much better, had it not been for the self-inflicted political crisis that has been haunting us in the last three years. The majority of the people have become totally fed up with the power hungry politicians and greedy bureaucrats. All they wanted was to be left in peace to get on with their lives, without having to look over their shoulders all the time, fearing another violent political break out.

Happy days: With the cool weather in the first half of 12/09, the country was able to celebrate HM the King’s recovery and his 82nd birthday with great joy and happiness. Most people vowed to do what they could to bring back peace and national unity, for the sake of HM’s happiness and Thailand’s survival as a peaceful and united nation. It was anyone’s guess, how this could be done while Thaksin & Co. were raising even louder war cries for their fight “to restore democracy and justice” in 2010.

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January 6, 2010 | Filed Under Business & Economics, Nightlife & Entertainment, Politics, The Vongthip Letters | 7 Comments 

Why Are Thai Women Not Like That

“I can’t believe that Thailand has become like this,” she says.

“Why does no one think of Thailand in that light?”

“Why do Thai women let people do that to them?”

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December 30, 2009 | Filed Under Culture Shock, Nightlife & Entertainment, Society | 33 Comments 

Hail 2010, Year of More Liberal Booze

As we all know, being a wine lover in Thailand is an elitist thing. Imports being taxed over 200%, because wine lovers are considered to be snobs who can afford any price. An average bottle sets you back at least the double of the price you pay in the West. Or even in Vietnam or Cambodia for that, former colonies still honoring their former master’s way of life.

Some good news for a change. There’s a fierce price war between local alcohol producers and importers looming. Prices could fall, partially at least. Starting 2010 the Asean Free Trade Area Afta will be fully established. Afta reduces and – for some products – entirely drops import taxes. Darn free trade and globalization. Meaning imported alcohol will also be cheaper. Import duty on alcoholic beverages is cut down to zero, nullifying the customs tariff.

That doesn’t go down well with our purists who not only pushed for laws that reinterpret what a beer calendar can look like. The radicals of Chamlong Srimuang’s Santi Asoke sect successfully prevented legal Thai companies producing legal alcoholic products from listing on the Thai stock exchange. Perfectly consistent with his yellow insurrection against Thai democracy. But change is in the air:

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December 26, 2009 | Filed Under Business & Economics, Food & Drink, Health, Body & Mind, Nightlife & Entertainment, Society | 5 Comments 

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