The_Munchmaster

I can't remember but I thought I got a visa on arrival when I visited in 2012 and 2013?

I believe it is still maximum B20K fine and 10 years ban if over 5 years overstay

Wow, no bars at all?! I think the first time I went to Soi 33 was in 1992, when I started living in LOS, and I became quite a regular. I think there were 5 or 6 bars back then (Renoir, Vincent Van Gogh, Degas, Monet and a couple of others) although we mainly frequented Renoir. Over the years a few more opened on the main soi and sub sois and then it sort of took off and a map of the soi dated March 2010 shows about 40 bars, including many Japanese ones, and about 15 massage joints. So to go from 40 to 0 in 10 years would be a massive collapse!

'Dreich' is named most popular Scots word by Scottish Book Trust A word that is commonly used to describe the Scottish weather has been named the "most iconic" Scots word. "Dreich" - meaning dull or gloomy - topped a poll to mark Book Week Scotland, led by the Scottish Book Trust. It beat off contenders including "glaikit", "scunnered" and "shoogle". The charity said the first recorded use of the word "dreich" was in 1420, when it originally meant "enduring" or "slow, tedious". A total of 1,895 votes were cast in the annual poll. Top 10 Scots words Dreich - tedious; damp and wet glaikit - stupid or foolish scunnered - disgust or strong dislike shoogle - shake or move from side to side wheesht - call for quiet or silence fankle - to tangle or mix-up outwith - outside or beyond braw - fine or pleasant beastie - an insect or animal bumfle - an untidy bundle It was the second time "dreich" had finished first in a poll after it also topped a YouGov poll in 2013 of favourite Scots words. Marc Lambert, CEO of Scottish Book Trust, said: "We were overwhelmed by the many submissions for our iconic Scots words vote - it's certainly a subject close to people's hearts. "Dreich is such an evocative word with the ability to sum up the Scottish weather, or mood, perfectly. "It's also a word that is very well used here in Scotland and beyond." Rhona Alcorn, CEO of the Scots Language Dictionary, said: "Once again, dreich has been chosen as the most iconic Scots word, with glaikit taking the silver medal. "Dreich has been part of the core vocabulary of Scots for hundreds of years so it is especially fitting that one of its primary meanings is 'enduring, persistent'."

Sounds like the perfect place for it but I can't recollect it

Thanks for reminding me about Firecats. You had to climb two very steep flights of stairs expecting quite a small bar at the top but were greeted by this huge auditorium with very high ceilings, a bit like a tardus! There was a beam above the dance floor with a sliding pulley and the tuk-tuk was on the bar floor and was lifted onto the dance floor with the copulating couple inside. They also had a giant six legged octopus hanging from the beam and six girls would stand on the stage and stick the tentacles up themselves. But most bizarre was the show with one girl in a harness hanging from the pulley wearing a strap on dildo and another girl on all fours on top of a vaulting horse with her bum facing the girl with the dildo. The girl in the harness was pulled back with a rope by other staff and then let go such that she swung up against the girl on the hobby horse with the intention of trying to penetrate her but all that ever happened was that she kept knocking the poor lass off the horse and onto the stage, which she looked none the best pleased about!

Sad to hear but not unexpected 🙁

I'm hoping to be celebrating 60 years on the planet that month so where better to do it?

I doubt it's all about gogo bars, seems to be more about the history of the place and a bit about the bars. For someone who first went there over 31 years ago and knowing how much it has changed in that time I'm sure it will be very interesting, at least to me and I've no doubt many others. 👍

OK, it's a date!

Thanks for that, did try to post it myself but couldn't get it to appear as a video just as a link? Looks great though, PP has always been my favourite of the RLD's Wondering when I'm ever going to get a chance to visit again?

Did a bit of searching and it is a protocol, a cultural ritual protocol, introduced after France’s response to New Zealand’s haka in 2007, but nothing to do with kick off. World Rugby stated that "England have been fined for a breach of World Cup 2019 rules relating to cultural challenges, which states that no players from the team receiving the challenge may advance beyond the halfway line." So doesn't just apply to New Zealand's haka as Tongans and Samoans also do versions and would presumably apply if the English actually fancied doing some Morris Dancing!

England have been reprimanded and fined for their V-shaped formation when facing the haka before their World Cup semi-final victory over New Zealand last Saturday, the Guardian understands. World Rugby regulations state opponents must not cross the halfway line while the pre-match Maori war dance is being performed and six England players could be seen in breach of the ruling last Saturday. Eddie Jones was behind the idea to combat the haka and his captain, Owen Farrell, stood at the apex of the formation grinning while it was being performed. After the match, Farrell said: “We wanted not to just stand there and let them come at us.” Mako Vunipola added: “We knew it would rile them up”. Agreed, the Haka is a great dance, but why would there be a special law about where opponents can stand while "it's" being performed? If the Scots wanted to perform the Highland Fling before matches, or the English wanted to do some Morris Dancing, would the same rule apply?

Apparently it's open now 👍

Sorry, it's been so long I'd forgotten you don't have a sense of humour! 🙄 😞

I would say the Englanders are now favourites 🏉 🏆

Are you still sticking with that? 🤔

Saw a picture on FB the other day of Serge Martiniani from Le Bouchon and a couple of others standing outside what is soon to be the Patpong Museum. Did a search and found a recent article by Stickman about it https://www.stickmanbangkok.com/weekly-column/2019/10/the-museum-of-patpong/ and they have an under construction website. Should be very interesting.

Mister John (2013) "Gerry (Aidan Gillen) is a man whose marriage is heading for the rocks and a visit to his dead brother's family and hostess bar in Singapore brings him into contact with a decadent, ex pat' world that starts to fit him too well." Well that's 95 minutes of my life that I won't get back! Sounded right up my street but don't think I've ever watched anything so slow and dull 😴

Apparently this is the Soi 7 location, but opening next month?

Sounds like a book, "There and Back Again, A Mongers Tale by Baa99"

Looked a possibility but the Japanese international team were too good. They were actually world ranked 1 place higher than Scotland but now 2 places higher after that result as they've leapfrogged the French (no pun intended).

Your "sketchy little soi" will still be there although I can't recall any that warranted spending any time in them, i.e., any that had any bars in them?

A shame the Scotland v Japan match hadn't been cancelled! 😒 Great match though for non Scots.

Just watched two Tom Hardy movies, The Drop and Warrior (one after the other). Both decent films but although good Tom Hardy's acting is quite predictable