"The 35 year old manager" Balcony? The managers might wish they were 35 years old, but not quite.

It's not Telephone that is having 12 year anniversary, it Balcony, on the 6th, 1800 to 2100.

This is the Bangkok Post, it's probably made up. The same edition had an article on keeping gold fish and it had many glaring errors. A few of which could have been cleared up if they had a 7th grade biology book on hand.

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Add me to the list of locals that are a bit wary of believing everything that the Bangkok Post publishes. I've been reading that paper for the past 18 years and they just can't resist a good stereotypical and/or sensational article, especially if its about what they consider to be sex tourism, or the local gay bar scene. It's been a few years since their last scandalous expose, so maybe the're to unleash another "hard-hitting" report. Not what I would call quality journalism.
Of course what they print is not all trash. They do employ a few good editorial writers and reporters, and sometimes manage to report a story accurately ... but it doesn't happen with enough consistency. I know I'm getting off subject here a bit, but then again accurate reports about what is happening with bars in the Silom area would be much appreciated. I have the itch to go out bar hopping again (it's been several months since I've hit the bars) but if there isn't much happening (depleted ranks of dancers) I'd rather wait.

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is it that unsafe to be in Bkk now? Im supposed to fly to Bkk this Sunday, but Im not committing much other than a flight ticket just yet. has things simmered down?

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This is very true. I've also met someone at least once who was serving drinks on the terrace. He now lives in Paris.

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-- Today, (06th.), it was raining fairly hard here in Cent'l. BKK. from approx. 06.-08.oo.hrs. - possibly it may have cooled some of the hot heads and started persuading some wavers to think about returning to MORE permanent shelter in their home-country?
- From an entry in > The Baht Stop < * I have been given to u'stand. that the gen'l. hygiene conditions in the area around LUMINI PK. leave something to be desired; the rain will not improve them and again might encourage some who are MORE easily discouraged, either by the elements or because of other reasons?
- Possily Mother Nature and Olde Father Time will succeed in dispersing the red shirts & their supporters where the gov't. and its supporters have failed?

-- * Thread: 'Red shirts accept Abhisit's road map ... '; posting #3., (E&OE.. Usual disclaimer.),.

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-- Today, (06th.), I left SILCOM. at approx. 11.30hrs. and walked counter-clockwise around to the TAWANA BKK. HTL.,
- Along Tnn. Si Lom fewer mil'y. seen on-duty - a good few, (without fire-arms.), out shopping; but o'side. the line of shops by the DUSIT THANI HTL., (wch. incl. the AU BON PAIN shop that had a window blown-in.), a strong force of riot-gear clad police. No obvious & overt police-presence was seen in that htl's. grounds, and no police-presence across the tnn. by the former ROBINSON'S.
- MRT. Silom has been RE-OPENED.
-- Not too much of a police-presence seen along Tnn. Rama IV. until the HENRI DUNANT i'sect.: a mixed gp. of about ten mil'y. & police seen around the ROADHOUSE and a possibly equal number cater-corner under a tent.
-- Along Tnn. Suriwong small gp. of mil'y. seen seated in the small soi by the JIM. THOMPSON shop.
- A gp. of about thirty mil'y. seen between P. PONG 1. & 2.;
- A gp. of about ten mil'y. opp. the MERIDIEN HTL.;
- A small gp. of mil'y. along Tnn. Than Tawan/SiLom 6..

-- As for Soi Twilight, - off S'wong. rd. - (at approx. 12nn.), YELLOW MASSAGE CLOSED, BUNNY, BKK. & MARIO had their doors OPEN but no masseurs seen sitting o'side.;
- DICK'S. CAFE. OPEN, but no customers seen.

-- While the sit'n. has the potential of becoming very volatile I'd say that right now the existing scene appears to be quiet.
- Visitors to BKK. would be most welcum; but should take good care to observe a few fairly obvious & safety precautions for their own good.

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thanx a million for the info, sextile... i shall be flying to bangkok this Sunday then

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-- Today, (O6th.], evening most of the poor but honest side-walk vendors along tnn. Si Lom & S'wong. & stall-holders in P. Pong I. night mkt. had set-out their stalls.
- One might suppose that were there the slightest indication that the red shirts might make a sortie from their encampment and along tnn. Si Lom then the stall-holders' sensitive antennae would pick it up.
- At the Skywalk from BTS. Sala Daeng, (S2.], to MRT. Silom the mil'y. have pulled-back their barrier several yds. - thus allowing access to the small shops thereon.

-- I think that a lot will depend upon how PM. Abhisit's road map is perceived and how it will work-out actually in practice; the two main & opposing parties are still quite some distance apart from any signs of a meaningful agreement/reconciliation.

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I wonder how the Euro crisis has been affecting (or will affect) Thailand tourism. As an American, I always wondered how Europeans and British could take all that holiday time. I wonder if it's a whole new world now.

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It's partly why the Euro is in crisis

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-- On this moring's, (07th.), Yahoo! news'-bar I see that with the prospects of a well-hung Parliament in GB. the GBP. has fallen against the USD.; possibly we'll see the same against the THB.? One hopes not.
- Reportedly in Euroland GB. is 2nd. only to Greece in the o'all. size of its public debt; observers have noted and reported on that fact and that none of the three leaders of the British political parties has told the electors how he proposes to handle this massive debt - is their silence golden, I wonder?

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Easy for GB to handle its massive debt, just print more GBP to pay. The US did already in the recent financial crisis. The Greeks cannot devalue its currency by printing more Euro, they are not the sole owner of Euro.

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-- Retournons a nos moutons!.

-- Today, (07th.), forenoon - workers were seen dismantling the plyboard barriers & scaffolding fronting SILCOM. along tnn. Si Lom;
- SILCOM. has reverted to its 21.oo.hrs. CLOSING time.
- Noted many MORE people lunching. in the various eateries.

-- A rough & ready head-count of soldiers seen during my walk-back at around 12.nn.:
1.- O'side. SILCOM --------------- 03;
2.- Tnn. Thaniya ----------------- none;
3.- 'tween. the P. Pongs ---------- 24;
4.- Opp. LE MERIDIEN HTL. -------- 09;
5.- O'side. 7/11./tnn. Than Tawan - 06.

-- Possibly a s-l-o-w return to the 'Status quo ante demonstrationem.'?

-- At 17.oo.hrs. we walked from SILCOM. to CHAMCHURI SQ.; this time - noting an INCREASE in the mil'y. presence along the way - I made a rough & ready head-count of the riot-police seen:
1.- O'side. SILCOM. -------------------------- 14;
2.- At i'sect. with Tnn. S'daeng. -------------- 14;
3.- O'side. ZUELLIG BLDG. -------------------- 28;
4.- In the DUSIT THANI HTL. forect. -- possibly 3O+?
5.- Opp. & o'side. former ROBINSON'S - possibly 3O+?
6.- At the Henri Dunant i'sect. ---------------- O5.

-- Walking past BB. INN we were o'taken. by about 5O or so mil'y., who were foregathering in the car-pk. by MRT. Sam Yan.

-- At approx. 2O.15.hrs. we passed-by the DUSUT THANI HTL.
1.- INCREASED mil'y. & police presence on both sides of tnn. Si Lom;
2.- A score or so of mil'y. sitting in the ROBINSON'S car parking exit;
3.- MORE mil'y. o'side. the CHARN ISSARA I. TOWER;
4.- At the start of tnn. S'wong. the mil'y. had set-up lanes separated by water-filled & orange barriers; tfc.was being waved through by mil'y. carrying red-lit batons;
4.- INCREASED presence o'side. the JIM. THOMPSON SHOP;
5.- As we passed-by the a/m. shop a file of some 7O+ policemen - soft & black caps, green neckkerchiefs, white tee-shirts & dk. brown trousers - came-out from the small soi and walked along tnn. S'wong. away from tnn. Rama IV.;
6.- INCREASED mil'y. presence between the P. Pongs;
7.- In Tnn. Than Tawan a small barricade across the st., with the mil'y. waving through tfc. with their red-lit batons.

-- Noted plenty of civilians eating at the side-walk eateries along tnn. Rama IV. & S'wong..

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thanx for the update, sextile hope everything is fine from now

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Although you don't see police and soldiers, I think there are probably a lot of undercover people, hidden cameras, etc. I read somewhere over a year ago where someone posted that there are undercover police in Patpong area (so be careful about going after underage people, etc.).

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