Weekly Reports on Pattaya activities Dec 26, 1999
WEEKLY REPORT FROM PATTAYA FOR DECEMBER 26, ’99
Summary:
- Downloading with Acrobat Reader 4.0 adds greatly to Weekly Report
- Jolly Boy air conditioning explained; wearing clean shorts O.K.
- Boy Zone due to open soon; Studio Group’s web site looks promising
- Snow arrives in Pattaya on Christmas Eve; crowd good despite cold
- Le Cafe Royale celebrates Christmas Eve, also
- Weather cools ardor for Koh Larn boat cruise
- Friend’s O-A Year long retirement visa approved at main immigration office
- Flamingo opens new “My Thai” bar, restaurant, jacuzzi and fitness garden; finds web site problems as hotel switches from free server
- Weather in Pattaya is unseasonably cool
DOWNLOADING WEEKLY REPORT REVEALS NEW DIMENSIONS; DOWNLOAD WITH ACROBAT 3 AND SEE MORE!
I had noticed that our webmaster had recently upgraded the Weekly Report downloading process and other web stuff through using the Adobe Acrobat Reader 4.0, which is readily available from our site. He even posted a notice saying: “Starting with this edition of Weekly Report, the Adobe Acrobatô software has been upgraded to version 4.0. Acrobat Reader 3.0 will not work. You need to download the latest Acrobat Reader to be able to view and print the newsletters. Please follow the link below.”
I found that I could still read and view the weekly report for Dec. 12 and Dec. 19, but until this past week, I had had no occasion to download them using Adobe Acrobat 4.0. WHAT A MASSIVE DIFFERENCE!!!!! On Dec. 12, unbeknownst to me, our webmaster had experimented with “livening up” the heading for the Weekly Report with bright colors, etc., but on Dec. 19, he has done a MASTERFUL job with his new title, “Pattaya Scoop”! I love it, and hope you will too. To see it, at least through last week, you have to go to the Weekly Report, select one of the last two issues, Dec. 12 or Dec. 19 — I suggest Dec. 19, because of the “Pattaya Scoop” and, assuming you had previously downloaded the Adobe Acrobat 4.0 (a very simple process — even I could do it without difficulties and it is a wonderful tool to have available time and again as you move about the Internet), you can see the NEW HEADING for the Weekly Report from Pattaya for Dec. 19: “Pattaya Scoop” “Weekly published by Pattayagay.com” — in gorgeous color, and with a colorful photo, too!!!!!!
Not only that, but he has interspersed through much of the report various other photos of the Pattaya area– several pictures taken at one of our finest local tourist attractions. And all that just in the first three pages!
I hope you will take the time to download Adobe Acrobat 4.0 if you haven’t already — just go to the Weekly Report page, and download directly from there– and then download any issue starting with Dec. 12. Fabulous. You might even take a few moments to drop the webmaster a note to tell him what you think of the upgraded features. <webmaster@pattayagay.com> Most of those pictures will remain only available through the Adobe downloading process, because otherwise the download time on just reading the weekly report could be excessive and self-defeating. But as an OPTION, it provides a truly beautiful set of pages to copy out and give to a friend! (Or keep in your own files.) I LOVE IT!!! THANKS, MR. WEBMASTER.
JOLLY BOY AIR CONDITIONING EXPLAINED.
A message about smokiness in Jolly Boy Boys Bar, located on the fourth floor of the beautiful new Jolly Boys Building on Day-Night Soi 2 (See www.pattayagay.com maps, or shortcut, www.serv.net/~idaho/maps.html , Dan-Night area), brought a quick response from Studio Group. One of the managers, Michel, has written to advise that the problem has since been corrected, and that the problem arose when one air conditioner was out of service. Now, we are advised, they have fans capable of completely changing the inside air within three minutes, which they can use in time of heavy smoking, or if smoke from their new smoke machine is excessive. He assures us the club does use the fans. He also advises that the smoke machine will not be used except when they have a show. About the air exchange fans, he advises: “Also we have a very (high performance) fan, which can change all air of the room in three minutes ! We use it many times in the night for 5/10 minutes : so strong, we are afraid to aspire a customer in to out ! … Joking !
For one regular who prefers short pants, the manager assures us: For customer with short pants, we don’t agree when it’s people with bad looking (shorts); OK if people come in with short pants, but looking clean : no problems. Just such of dirty people we want to refuse.
BOY ZONE DUE TO OPEN VERY SOON ON SOI VC JUST PAST TOP MAN BAR; WEBSITE HAS “FLASH” FEATURES FOR GROUP
Michel, one of the managers of Studio Group which is also going to operate the new “Boy Zone”, writes that they now have a big advertising sign in front of the three shophouses in which the bar will be located to announce the opening soon of another “boys bar” in the Sunee Plaza area. The bar is expected to be open before the New Year’s Weekend. “We hope now in few days.” As to its location, he explains that it is on Soi VC Hotel, just past the easternmost Sunee Plaza soi. “When you start from Top Man, next is White Night, next a small restaurant and the three next units it’s us ! Boy Zone.”
As for Boy Zone itself, Michel promises, “When it’s open we will take some pictures and add on website ! Because we will make lot of modifications soon ! Look for example at : www.gaypattaya.com/flash/
This URL takes you to a “flash”-type aplet which provides music and simulated motion, and also offers you the opportunity to opt for a short “small movie” of the boys dancing. Worth checking out. They already offer some photo galleries and several small movies to choose from, as well.
Please note that this website, www.pattayagay.com, has no affiliation whatsoever with Studio Group’s website,www.gaypattaya.com/
SNOW IN BOYZ TOWN DID COME ON CHRISTMAS EVE!
SNOW FALLS AT BOYZ TOWN ON CHRISTMAS EVE AS BBB USES SNOW MACHINES BLOWING SNOW ON CROWD
Boyz Town got the “snow” people had been talking about (but which BBB wouldn’t confirm until virtually the last minute), starting about 8 p.m. on Christmas Eve. The snow, manufactured by movie-type snow machines operated by BBB employees, blew snow like flakes and bubbles into the sky for almost one hour Friday night. The crowd gathered enjoyed the spectacle, but the weather (being almost cold enough for real snow, it seemed — though it really wasn’t THAT cold) did put a damper on the crowd, as most people were bundled up to see the spectacle. The unseasonably cool weather did contribute to the feeling that the snow was realistic, however.
Pictured below is one of the employees with the “snow making machine” on the second floor of the Boyz Boyz Boyz building.
LE CAFE ROYALE CELEBRATED CHRISTMAS IN BOYZTOWN TOO
While Boyz Boyz Boys produced the major snow effects for the Christmas eve event, with snow machines operated on both sides of the street, two on the Boyz Boyz Boyz building and one on the Throb building, Le Cafe Royale also decked its facilities out for the holidays, too.
Inside, Le Cafe Royale had a special Christmas Eve event, featuring their “star”, Ian, as Mother Christmas.
WEATHER COOLS ARDOR FOR BOAT CRUISE TO KOH LARN;
LE CAFE ROYALE EVENT GOES, BUT WITH FEWER GUESTS
It is too early to say for sure how many guests accompanied the staff of Le Cafe Royale on their annual cruise to Koh Larn Island during the Christmas-New Year’s season, but this year it ran into a problem way beyond its control. Temperatures in Pattaya dropped into the downright cool section of the thermometer, especially for tropical Thailand, and this caused at least this writer, and probably many others, to change their plans. Great as the cruise has been in past years, and even though the weather warmed up slightly before the 11 a.m. departure time on Monday, Dec. 27, several of us who had “planned” on the trip regretfully changed our plans and stayed home. Best wishes to Le Cafe Royale on the success of the trip, but I fear this weather has to have dealt a blow to its participation.
FRIEND’S O-A RETIREMENT VISA GRANTED WITH NO PROBLEM; IMMIGRATION OFFICE IN BANGKOK PROVIDES FAST, EFFICIENT SERVICE, WITH NO HINT FOR REWARD!
A good friend of ours now has his one year visa, and multiple re-entry permits for the ensuing year, following a visit to the main Immigration Office on Suan Phlu Soi in Bangkok last week.
After returning from Singapore with a visa which had been changed in ink by the issuing authority, but without putting the official stamp over the correction, our friend approached the main Immigration Office with serious qualms. He found fast and efficient service, with friendly, helpful officers who spoke English. Not only was the “admitted until” date stamp on his passport officially changed to give him the full year he had been promised, but he was able to get a multiple re-entry permit good for one year also, all with only minimal time expended.
The friend was expansive in his praise of the main office of the Immigration Service, where he felt the officers with whom he dealt acted speedily and knowledgeably, and in a very friendly manner. Moreover, our friend emphasized, there wasn’t the slightest hint that money or any other gift would be necessary, welcomed or was in any other way suggested. He went through the process without any hint or suggestion that more was expected or desired.
Now he is concerned about how the matter will be dealt with next December when he seeks the first annual renewal. But with this experience in the main office, his spirits are lifted considerably.
FLAMINGO HOTEL CHANGING TO DIFFERENT HOST … PROBLEM NOW — MY THAI NOW OPEN, BAR, RESTAURANT, POOL TABLE, JACUZZI AND “FITNESS GARDEN” IN JUNGLE LIKE SETTING
The Flamingo Hotel, situated on Day Night Soi 2 (see Maps), has just opened its “My Thai” open bar, restaurant, pool table, jacuzzi and “fitness garden” on the side of the hotel opposite the Auguste Renoir restaurant. The My Thai area just opened within the past two weeks or so, and is now operating, except the jacuzzi’s heater has not yet arrived, and therefore it is not getting much use at the present time. The entire area is basically open to the street, with a jungle-like atmosphere created by many plants scattered throughout the large area. At the same time, Flamingo’s website appears to be temporarily out of service, The owner, Jaap, advises that he is in the process of switching from a free web page service which used lots of advertising banners, to one he pays for, and the new service has apparently not started operating, while the old one has pulled the pages off the screen. The URL remains the same, and should be operating again soon. The URL is www.flamingo-hotel.com The website accepts reservations on line.
WEATHER IN PATTAYA CONTINUES UNSEASONABLY COOL; SOME WARMING ASSURED BY WEATHER FORECASTERS
Pattaya, the tropical paradise, has for the past week or so, been unseasonably cool, with temperatures each night getting down into the low 40s, fahrenheit, which is equivalent to the single digits, celcius. Although normally temperatures in Pattaya seldom go below 60 degrees fahrenheit, except for an occasional unusually cool evening, temperatures for almost a week have now been hovering just above the 40 degree level (F), in this city where very few, if any, public facilities, business places, homes or even hotels have central heating or any significant amount of available in-room heating.
The cold spell hitting Pattaya extends through most of Thailand, with several deaths in the northern areas reportedly caused by exposure or faulty attempts to obtain heat in an unsafe manner, as with use of charcoal stoves in unventilated areas. Temperatures in and around Chiang Mai have been barely above zero (celcius) (32 degrees fahrenheit), with some mountain areas reporting even colder levels. Today’s (Monday’s) Bangkok Post reports that temperatures are expected to rise gradually until Thursday, and then may drop again, if an expected cold wave from Mongolia continues its way into Thailand.
To me, it seems almost ludicrous to be “complaining” about the “cold”, having spent fifteen years in some of the most morthernmost areas of the United States, where temperatures below zero degrees fahrenheit are pretty much standard throughout the winter months. But there, as in almost all locations in the US, virtually every home has a form of internal heating, central heating, a fire place, or a pot bellied stove, or something similar, and those with central heating usually turn on the heat when temperatures drop to around 60 degrees fahrenheit or lower. But here, virtually no one has heat to turn on. (As one friend suggested, we can at least turn on our ovens, as his mother did as they were growing up; and that certainly works, but gas-fired stoves here are not hooked up to public gas mains, and rely upon bottled gas, which may be depleted quickly with a couple of nights’ use!) The Thai people cope with the weather as best they can, and take it with minimal complaints. But everyone is cold.
Pictured below, is one motorcycle taxi driver who has built a fire in a metal can, to burn wood to keep warm. Whatever works!
That’s it for this week, folks. Sorry for the delays.
Gay Pattayan December 27, 1999
E-mail: gaypattayan@pattayagay.com
