Happy Sunday, Bangkok!
Another busy week in the Land of Smiles, with a lot of talk and panic surrounding a glut of news reports and government threats to ban Facebook access in Thailand.
Other news was the revelation that this country watches the most VR porn in the world, according to Pornhub statistics, and this incredible video was released, capturing the moment a monitor lizard swallowed a giant turtle whole.
Yikes.
Here’s what else has been entertaining and enraging Bangkok this week…
News
Many beaches and islands in Phuket, Krabi, Satun to close for 5 months
It was announced this week that a host of beaches and marine parks in the Andaman Sea would be closed to tourists for around 5 months during the 2017 rainy season in a bid to recover some of the marine life in the region.
The Department of National Park Wildlife Conservation and Plant Conservation will be closing the locations from 16 May to 15 October. They include the following:
- Similan islands
- Surin islands
- Koh Rok
- Koh Lipe
- Koh Rawi
Brit charged following road death of pregnant girlfriend in Phuket
Last week saw the sad death of Sophie Anderson, a 6-month pregnant vlogger, when she was hit by an 18-wheeler truck after falling off the back of a motorbike driven by her boyfriend, fellow vlogger Danny Glass. Glass — together with the truck driver — has apparently now been charged with death by reckless driving.
2 Brits and a Thai arrested for illegal stream of English Premier League
It was announced this week that Brits Daryl William Lloyd and Willion John Robinson, together with Thai Supattra Raksasat, were arrested in connection with the alleged illegal stream of English Premier League football broadcasts, following a complaint from Football Association Premier League Ltd. The websites in question include 365sport.tv and Thaiexpat.tv. The trio have apparently been charged with violating the Computer Crime and Intellectual Property Rights acts.
Blogs
Eating sushi off a naked woman in Bangkok
Sushi lovers and admirers of the female form may be interested in this account Nyotaimori in Bangkok. It’s a fun recap of what looks to be an at once bizarre and funny evening. Does eating sushi off a naked woman pose any philosophical questions of objectifying women? Possibly — but this is Bangkok, so enjoy.
Photos from Chiang Mai in 1984
Those of you that enjoy a walk down memory lane will enjoy this collection of photos from the sois of Chiang Mai back in 1984. The photos were taken by Doi Kuro, a Japanese photographer, and feature some wonderful portraits and street scenes.
7 days in the lesser-known Kohs
This is a great little travel guide to a week in Koh Chang, Koh Mak and Koh Kut — not quite the ‘lesser-known’ islands that the title proclaims but a great primer on anyone looking to diversify away from the usual Phuket/Koh Samui island fare.
A ridiculously in-depth guide to everything about Thailand visas
Whether you’re considering moving to Thailand, already here but facing a change in circumstances, or simply want to learn more about the visa opportunities (and challenges) on offer in the Land of Smiles, you’ll likely find your answer in this most comprehensive of visa posts. This should be a particularly good read if you can’t stomach asking the Thaivisa trolls a seemingly innocuous question, only for it to be completely ripped to shreds.
Forum Threads
How to be successful living in Thailand
A Reddit thread here on that most elusive of mysteries: how do you make permanent life in Thailand successful as an expat? Lots of advice, ranging from finding a good school to work at if you’re a teacher, where (not) to invest, health insurance vs social security, owning a condo and more.
YouTube
Would Sir like another Leo?????? pic.twitter.com/M9pEEnyXGM
— David Rice (@Ricicles237) May 16, 2017
Temporary Thai food. At a 5 star resort on Koh Chang which has no-one responsible for checking signage. pic.twitter.com/DlleDMR2bw
— Ian (@iamKohChang) May 16, 2017
Spending more time in Bangkok traffic from Suvannabhumi to home than sitting trough Chiangmai – BKK flight. How is that even possible?
— Ryn J. (@Ryn_writes) May 18, 2017
And that’s been The Week On Sukhumvit — see you next time!
