Pattaya Tourism and Information Blog

You’d probably walk straight past the tiny entrance to Guugle, so it’s fortunate that a handful of sexily-clad girls stand by the door to entice punters inside. Guugle is up on the second-floor and is a darkly-lit club with a range of shows and dancers.

If you want to ogle the girls at Guugle, head down to Walking Street – but make sure you check out our review of Guugle a gogo first (and try saying that after a few of their draught beers).

A bikini party filled with top Thai models is happening in Pattaya this weekend.

We were tagged in a Facebook photo, so presumably we’re invited. That’s good news, as dozens of sexy girls are apparently going to be pool-side at the Golden Cliff House, Pattaya, on Saturday, May 19 from 7pm-2am.

The VIP Party Bikini (their words, not ours) will feature models from various magazines (presumably not Horse and Hounds). The advert also promises ’50 bikini lady for special happiness. You may be lucky for to happiness.’

OK, so the grammar needs some work but I think we get the gist.

To get to ogle at the girls, you’ll need to pay 3,500 baht. A bikini contest will see one girl walk away with a prize while there’s also a raffle for guests. There’s only room for 100 guests, but those that do go will get free food and drink.

We are curious about the raffle, as the first prize is a ‘key’ while the runner-up can take a free ‘shower’ at Rasputin Pattaya. Pretty sure they’re euphemisms for something.

The girls will all be from Nutmodel Thailand. Trust us, you’re going to want to check out their site.

We saw the new American Pie Reunion movie at the weekend. It’s very funny. However, that’s not the point.

For while we were sniggering at the likes of Stiffler and co and their juvenile pranks, there were a bunch of teenagers next to us who were completely unaware of the movie.

It could well be that we are officially becoming a Grumpy Old Man. Or it could be that people are becoming more and more impolite when they go to the cinema.

The last few times we’ve watched a movie, generally at Central Plaza in Pattaya, that someone nearby has been on the phone or texting someone. Letting your phone ring in the cinema is one thing. We all forget to put it on silent sometimes. But to take the call while everyone else is trying to listen to the movie is the height of ignorance.

The kids next to me weren’t actually talking on the phone this time; they were too busy talking to each other. Presumably this is because the movie had an English soundtrack, so they could happily read the subtitles and still get what was going on. As well as talking, they insisted on updating their Facebook page. I could tell this as the bright blue light of Facebook was shining brightly next to me while I tried to block it out and focus on the film.

I’m not bothered about this being an 18 movie which, technically, these kids should not have been allowed to see – we’ve long since given up on rules and reality ever matching up in Thailand. We’re not even fussed about them chatting to each other. What annoys us no end is the complete lack of consideration for anyone else around them.

Thankfully, there was a happy ending to all this.

My iPhone has a wonderful app known as ‘Flashlight’, which emits a beam of light so strong it can almost be seen from space. After half an hour of being annoyed by their phone’s constant use, I turned on the Flashlight and shined it in their direction for a few minutes. Finally, they seemed to get the message.

Fans of Northern Soul music are in for a treat. The third Northern Soul Night is happening soon in Pattaya.

The event will take place at the Boomerang Bar on Saturday May 26. Doors open at 8pm and if you get there before 10pm you can enjoy the free-flowing wine and San Miguel beer. Boomerang Bar can be found on Soi Arunothai off Pattaya Klang.

Entry is 400B. Money raised from the night will go to help the Hand to Hand Foundation, a fantastic charity that helps disadvantaged people in and around Pattaya.

For more info, head to their Facebook page, Pattaya Soul Club.

In case you’ve never heard of Northern Soul, it’s what proper soul music was about before the likes of Alicia Keys and Jay Z were even heard of. Northern soul came from Northern England in the late 1960s and involves a type of American soul music, influenced heavily by the Tamla Motown sound. It attracted huge crowds at venues like the legendary Wigan Casino and tended to follow lesser-known soul artists.

We, for one, are definitely going to be there and can’t wait to hear some classic old-school tunes. Congratulations to the organisers for taking the time to bring back some real soul music – and also raise money for a great cause at the same time.

It’s very rare to see footage of HM the King speaking English. So this video we came acros on youtube gives a fascinating insight into the workings of the Thai Royal household.

Filmed in the 1980s by the BBC, the Soul of the Nation shows interviews of HM the King in his personal study. He discusses his role as King and how he tries to help his people.

There is also footage of him visiting the rural north-east (he’s the first Thai king to ever go there) and interviews with HM Queen Sirikit, also in English.

Well done to the always-excellent Richard Barrow for unearthing this little gem. If you haven’t ‘friended’ him on Facebook yet, you should do so.

A Thai restaurant has been named as one of the top 50 places to eat in the world.

Nahm, which can be found at the Metropolitan in Sathorn, Bangkok, gained the number 50 spot in the list by theworlds50best.com.

The site praised Australian David Thompson, who opened the second of his London-based Thai restaurants in Bangkok. The site praised the results, saying some were surprised by the move, but : “Two years later, many will have revised their views, given the quality of Thompson’s high-reaching cooking, which has flashes of haute cuisine without straying too far from tradition. Dishes contrast salty and sweet and hot and fragrant – so while some are delicate, others are punchy and powerful.”

Given the amount of incredible restaurants in Thailand (and Pattaya) it’s a little strange that only one just makes it into the top 50 list. We guess it’s a subjective thing, but our vote would go to Auntie Mae’s som tam stall just down the road.

http://www.theworlds50best.com/awards/1-50-winners/nahm/

Pattaya police have again taken a trip down the notorious Soi Six to raid many of the bars there.

Around 100 officers sealed off most of Soi Six as they carried out drug tests at 70 various short-time bars. Of the 400 girls tested, 60 failed.
Concerned about the number of bar girls taking the illegal drug ‘ya ba’ (crazy drug) and ‘ya ice’, the local governor ordered cops to go in and perform the bust.

Maybe aware of what was coming, everyone had the proper ID cards and no underage girls were found.

The police carried out similar raids on Soi Six about a year ago, where a farang pretended to hire a girl and then officers swooped to make an arrest. Not great for business, but if it removes drugs and underage girls from the scene, we guess it

has to be good. As long as they don’t start doing it every week.

Check out our nightlife section on our main site (pattaya24seven.com) to see some pics and reviews of gogo clubs in Walking Street.

Among our new entries are Rhino and Peppermint gogo clubs.

Just a day after a blast that killed 12 people at an industrial estate near Pattaya, a gas leak put 50 people in hospital.

Work at a chemical plant on the Eastern Seaboard Industrial Estate was suspended after an emergency shutdown that caused a chemical leak.

Chlorine leaked from the Aditya Birla Chemicals (Thailand) factory in Rayong.  The smell of gas spread and made dozens of people feel dizzy, according to The Nation. Around 50 people were taken to hospital, with seven of these remaining in overnight.

The latest accident happened less than 24 hours after a massive fire and explosion happened at the Bangkok Synthetics (BST) petrochemical factory in the nearby Map Ta Phut industrial estate.

Several people were taken to a field in nearby Ban Chang, where they were given treatment.

Yet again it seems as though faulty equipment or poor health and safety standards has led to deaths and injuries.

Last year we remember a mysterious ‘chemical cloud’ floating towards Pattaya and people were advised to stay indoors.

Thailand needs to wake up to stringent safety standards and a stronger work ethic when it comes to industrial estates. The famous laid-back attitude of Thais is admirable in many cirumstances, but not when you’re handling potentially lethal chemicals.

Prime Minister Yingluck’s visit to the injured is a good move, but practical checks and safety methods are needed, or our industrial estates will look like they adhere to the same safety principles as those held by Homer Simpson.

  Looking for a great beach near Pattaya? You could always try Nam Rang, a fantastic beach within 30 minutes drive time of Pattaya.

The beach is packed at weekends with Thais, who sit munching som tam and grilled chicken, but during the week it’s deserted. Several shops sell all manner of Thai snacks, which are then delivered to your spot on the beach (a numbered flag stuck in the sand helps them spot where you are).

The beach itself is pretty clean, despite the large numbers that come. That’s mainly because the area is managed by the Thai army, so it’s kept in good condition. The water is also clean and you can swim safely in it.

To get to Nam Rang Beach from Pattaya, get on Sukhumvit and start heading south (past Jomtien). After about 20 minutes you’ll have gone past Bang Sare. Here, you have a choice, turn left on to the 332 and then right onto the 331, or keep on going straight.

Either way, you’ll soon see signs for Utapao Airport. You need to go right past the entrance to the airport, so follow these and eventually you’ll turn off Sukhumvit. Drive past Utapao Airport and keep going until you see a military checkpoint. Turn left here and follow the road along – a security checkpoint will take 20B per car (free for bikes) and you’re there.

Free parking can be found right next to the beach, and the shops are also right by the sand. If you walk a little farther along there’s a quiet beach beyond some rocks but, as there’s little shade, it doesn’t get many visitors.