Happy Sunday, Bangkokians!
It’s been one of those weeks, hasn’t it?
There’s been the sad news that Sukhumvit nightlife stalwarts Checkinn99 and Cheap Charlie’s are to close in their current locations – we’re hopeful for successful relocations – and yet more stories about people’s private parts coming under attack from various creatures hiding out in their toilet.
Is it just us, or are the snake-attacks-bum-slash-genitals stories becoming more common? Should we be more proactive in checking the bowl before we take a seat? It’s a public service campaign in the making.
Of course, that’s not the only topic occupying Thailand this week – here’s the best of the week’s news, views, videos and social media updates.
News
Pattaya fried chicken vendor lops off cheating husband’s penis
OK – we’re pretty sure that this is worse than the toilet python penis story of a couple of weeks ago. A street vendor in Pattaya apparently found out her husband was cheating on her with a good friend (the cad!) and, in a macabre case of payback, sought her revenge by luring him into a “sexual situation” before taking to his member with a box cutter, leaving it “barely attached”.
What was that about Thai girls and jealousy?
Underage girls and tea money logs found at Nataree Massage
Nataree Massage – a popular parlour on the Ratchadaphisek Road – was raided this week and consequently shut down. Underage girls were found working on the premises and a log of financial payments showing ‘tea money’ given to various parties. Around 115 were reportedly arrested on charges related to trafficking and prostitution.
Bang Fai rocket festivals ordered to hold fire
The notorious Bang Fai rocket festivals – complete with real deal rocket launchers and consequent casualties – have been reined in by PM Prayut Chan-o-cha, who has announced safety measures will be strictly enforced during the imminent rocket season. Operators will need to request permission before launching rockets and designated launch sites will be earmarked. The rocket festivals are held every year throughout the Isaan region.
Blogs
Bangkok has him now
This well written blog talks about the author’s first time experiences in Bangkok, and how he enjoyed his stay in the city much more than he had expected to. This is a surprisingly common trope in many Bangkok travel blogs – you know, ‘I watched The Hangover and thought I’d hate Bangkok, but when I arrived it was actually great!’
That kind of thing.
Bangkok seemingly more than any other popular city seems to attract this type of prejudgment (almost always from Western travel bloggers); is this because there’s so much ‘unknown’ in this city? It’s difficult to imagine many people judging Paris from The Da Vinci Code or New York from Sex and The City II.
A mini food guide to Sathorn
Sathorn is the neighbourhood forever destined to be in the shadow of its glitzy neighbour, Silom, but there’s plenty going on in this Bang Rak pocket – especially when it comes to good eats. This in-depth guide from food connoisseur BKK Fatty runs through what to do and where to eat when you find yourself in Sathorn of an afternoon.
Living a life in the air as a blogger
The popular luxury travel blog With Husband In Tow, which is semi-based in Bangkok, examines the reality of a life spent mostly in the air as they travel the world. A must-read for aspiring travel bloggers – while the experiences offered by stays scattered between Asia and Europe are undoubtedly rewarding, they look at some of the compromises of that life, including a lot of cramped legs in economy travel and the merits of living an expat life versus a nomadic one.
Forum Discussions
How much do you pay in rent?
Redditers are asked to contribute what they pay in rent or mortgage for their Bangkok condo or house. The range looks to swing between ฿4,500 a month in Ramkhamheang to a whopping ฿140,00 for a two-bed in Silom. Admittedly, it is in State Tower…
What’s the best thing you’ve done since moving to Thailand?
A mixed bag of responses here: “leave” is every other post, but there’s lots of funny and heartwarming messages otherwise. A few of our faves:
Congrats!
YouTube
Pretty epic storm from around 12 minutes in…
Sound advice
There’s one positive to riding a motorbike to work in #Bangkok You never arrive tired. Scared and a little shaken, but never tired
— Glenn (@_GlennCollier) June 7, 2016
1 thing I’ll always remember that surprised my wife on her 1st trip to the US years ago was that old people had real jobs too. #Thailand
— Lucky Erawan (@LuckyErawan) June 7, 2016
Getting drunk because you’re drinking a lot because your food is really spicy #ThailandProblems
— Alec Peeples (@abroadwithalec) June 7, 2016
And that’s been The Week On Sukhumvit – see you next time!
Featured image is of the Dome at Lebua State Tower (Creative Commons by Cesar Garcia Pont) photoshopped with an image in the public domain
