Phuket news from the net.

[Shahnn]

From the beach
by Prowler

The bar situation in Patong has just went from the sublime to the ridiculous. Now we have the Tourist Police telling the bars that they can stay open until 4am but the "regular" police are still telling everyone to close at 2am!! Confusion reigns. Even Patong's newly elected mayor is pressing the governor to allow opening in the entertainment area to be extended to 4am.

It has been busy week in Phuket with both the Triathlon Race and the Kings Cup regatta taking place. There are plenty of lusty yachties ashore to sample the nightlife. Soi Bangla was temporarily converted to a pedestrian area hold a two day Seafood Festival where restaurants and hotels were able to supply food and drink to promote their establishments. There was a very nice group ladies doing a cocktail shaker display and most of us were not watching the bottles.

The Taipan swimming pool leisure complex is taking shape in Soi Sunset. This Soi has needed a face lift for some time. It may be a good place to hang out with a cold beer watching the babes in the pool. Also in Soi Sunset "BGs" American Diner opened on Saturday night with the owner Gordon promising to be a 24 hour fast food outlet - luckily they also serve beers!! The place is done out with rock and roll memorabilia and a sixties style juke box playing good oldies music.

Elsewhere in Patong the Tiger Bar complex in Soi Bangla beside the Thai boxing arena is now open.This area used to be a shopping area under Tiger Disco but now the shops have gone and twenty bars have appeared progress?

Another bar area just opened is the upper floor of Soi Easy. The logo of this area is the Belgian statue of the little boy pissing. The locals have already nicknamed it "the pissing Belgian plaza". It is in a central area but access to it is up the stairs leading to the Blue Note Bar or up the stairs to the Aussie Bar.

This is an interesting ruling from : The Thai Law Forum Nov 16, 2002
Oral Sex Innocent Fun for All!
A group of Thai judges gave a definition to conjugal infidelity. From now on, oral sex isn't adultery at all, and it isn't classified as "sex." Now, married men and women in Thailand can enjoy oral sex without shame, without the fear of being caught.
The Thai judges decided that it was actually very important to define what is adultery in fact and what isn't in order to make divorce suits connected with sexual relations easier. Forty five of the sixty judges and consultants said that sex is only when partners have genital contact. The rest of the judges insisted that sex was any kind of contact when the genitals of at least one partner involved. However, the majority dominated in the dispute, and oral sex was referred to the category of an innocent pastime no longer forbidden. The judges consider the recently passed verdict to be a very important decision, as it regulates relations between women and men. However, the decision is only a recommendation, and it can be applied optionally.
However, many judges think that the innovation will soon be introduced into legislation. The sexual tourism industry is prospering in Thailand; sexual amusements of all kinds are offered there. At the same time, although male, female, and trans-sexual prostitution is abundant in Thailand, officially, the country follows the strictest moral and ethical norms, saying that the population must behave decently. And the fact that oral sex is considered an innocent pastime now is a compromise between the political situation and reality.
Not sure where that puts the social order campaign!