Anyone for bridge ? Better not in Pattaya

Hi

"The Army,Pattaya Police and District Officials, conducted a raid on a 2nd floor rented apartment in South Pattaya on Monday Night which was being used by a Bridge Club for foreign nationals.

Officers received a tip-off from an informant of a regular gathering of foreign nationals in a rented room above the Alto’s Restaurant & Bar in Soi 2 off the Thappraya Road in South Pattaya. The Jomtien & Pattaya Bridge Club meet 3 times a week and is a popular pastime for foreign nationals, mostly British, who live in Pattaya.

Over 50 officers stormed the premises and found 8 tables and 32 foreign nationals, consisting of 26 men and 6 women who were playing the popular card game “Bridge”.

No money was changing hands, however the officers scoured the law books and found an offense was being committed and therefore the alleged organizer of the event, Mr. Jeremy Watson aged 74 from UK was detained for further questioning."

Note they  brought soldiers along.

"One of the card players contacted Pattaya One to update the story.

He revealed that ALL of the card players were arrested and eventually released from Pattaya Police Station at 03.00am after almost 12 hours in custody and paying 5,000 Baht Bail each. They will all appear in Court later on Thursday, even the 84 year old Dutch lady featured in one of our photographs from the scene."

http://pattayaone.net/pattaya-news/221251/british-led-card-room-raided-officials-south-pattaya/

The Pattaya style pork scratchings sellers

Hi

This first guy quite a familiar sight in naklua, looks somewhat ghostly as he chalks his face white.

Goes around selling the Pattaya version of pork scratchings

One of the rival sellers, she also has been around quite some time.

Load up that motorbike

The following picture not an unusual sight at all in Pattaya as they use motorbikes to carry a wide range of items and will frequently overload them.

This one being used for a laundry delivery

Pattaya today

Hi

It has been a hot day, temperature around 31/32 C .
Usually from early April to late May/early June can be the hottest time of the year with the temperature hardly dropping at night.

The high humidity level ( approx 75 % ) makes it feel hotter still.
It certainly is important to be drinking enough water.

Some rain is forecast for the coming week which could make it feel a little more comfortable albeit just temporarily.

Whilst out for a walk and to do some shopping, took a quick photo of the current exchange rates between some popular currencies and the Thai baht.
Currency exchange booths all over the city, some marginally better than others.

Nearby one of the many fruit stalls at a market

Royal Masala restaurant review

Hi

Royal Masala restaurant is one of the newer Indian restaurants in Pattaya, located on Pratumnak Road.

I tried it last week.

Popadums, a small onion and tomato salad to accompany,  nan bread,then chicken tikka masala as a main served with pilau rice.

1 large ( 660 ml ) beer and the total bill came to a fairly reasonable 600 baht ( approx US $ 18 )

The mobile sellers

Hi

There are many mobile sellers of goods here in Pattaya, amazing just what can be bought when sitting at a bar/restaurant or just out on the streets generally.

A welcome snack cake seller, cost just 10 baht per piece, about 20 pence UK.

Or maybe some plants

Pattaya cables

Hi

They are not in to neat placing of cables here, some places look like spaghetti junction :