The controversy over the TM30 reporting procedure shows no sign of going away.

Immigration officials are continuing to insist on imposing a law that demands the owner of a hotel or other premises reports the presence of a temporary non-immigrant resident staying on their premises within 24 hours of their arrival.

The details of this law are complicated and a source of anxiety for all those affected, which must include all non-Thais - and not only so-called expats.

But what is the reason for the sudden re-emergence of this 40-year-old law? No one is able to provide a clear-cut answer, but here are some possibilities:

The most likely explanation is national security in the face of recent acts of terrorism and increasing trans-national crime. It is vital for Thai authorities to know the location of foreigners entering the country, be they good or bad.

Another possible reason is simply good accounting, to learn more about the habits of visiting foreigners.

Reports that many nationals from India and China are living here illegally, prompting a crackdown.

Yet another possibility is a tightening up on Airbnb and other largely unregulated accommodation booking sites which have proved very popular with tourists to the detriment of the hotel industry and also to the tax authorities since the revenue from such arrangements go under the radar.

Imposing TM30 efficiently and effectively clearly takes many working hours, which will no doubt prove burdensome to the authorities. That may come as some kind of compensation for foreigners still trying to understand the law. 

By Colin Hastings

Dick says practicing dentistry at JUSMAG was an incredibly unique experience mostly because of the quality and diversity of his patients, who came from all corners of the world. His dental friends in the US always told him how fortunate he was to have such a diverse patient population.

Working in Bangkok also allowed him to travel to all parts of Asia, including eleven trips to his then favorite destination, Nepal. Besides accompanying a wildlife biologist/friend into Chitwan Park to radiocollar various large animals such as sloth bear, gaur, and tigers, he went on various treks in the Himalayas, and in 1998 he spent two weeks trekking to the base camp of Mt. Everest. This remains the most difficult trek he ever undertook, primarily because of the elevation and inclement weather.
 
Dick’s memories of his time in Thailand are wide and varied. They include numerous upcountry travels to northern Thailand in the late 1970s, often by motorcycle, visiting the hill tribe people along the remote border areas with Burma, and getting to know some of the village headmen who controlled the poppy harvests. Trekking across the border into Burma at various times, he photographed the complete poppy harvest, from which opium (and ultimately heroin) is produced.
 
These areas were tightly controlled by the various opium warlords and access was very limited. “You could tell which villages were involved in the drug trade by the quality of the houses, roads, and vehicles," remembers Dick.

His travel companions often included famous Bangkok-based journalists John McBeth, David Hatcher and Rodney Tasker among others – who were making a name for themselves reporting on the region’s political and military upheavals at that time.
 
This same group, together with famed Australian combat cameraman Neil Davis who was killed in Bangkok in 1985 while filming a minor Thai coup attempt, would convene in Bangkok at either the Foreign Correspondents Club at the Dusit Thani or the Grand Prix bar in Patpong run by Mick Menard.

The world in 1969
• The Beatles' last public performance
• First Concorde test flight
• Boeing 747 jumbo jet makes its debut
• Woodstock musical festival
• Charles Manson cult murders five people
• Neil Armstrong and Edwin 'Buzz' Aldrin became the first humans to set foot on the Moon.
• Civil war in Biafra
• Richard Nixon becomes President of the United States
• Charles de Gaulle Resigns as French President
• Top films: Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid, Easy Rider, Where Eagles Dare
• Top musicians: The Rolling Stones, James Brown, Marvin Gaye, Cream, Jimi Hendrix

Don’t miss out on the opportunity to Turkey in luxurious style with Emirates.
​
Why Turkey? Turkey is the country which straddles over two continents, a monumental border which divides Europe and Asia. Truly a World Heritage country bursting with exceptional art, culture, and uniquely beautiful architectures. Situated in Turkey is one of the seven Wonders of the World, with magnificent nature that would capture your attention like no other places can. Additionally, don’t miss out the opportunity to cross out another one of your bucket list by enjoying a hot air balloon ride over the natural wonders of Cappadocia! Runaway to Turkey and gain a full Turkish holiday experience with the one and only, Emirates Airline. 
 
If you want to travel to Turkey in luxury and in style, look no further than flying with Emirates. Put your trust in us and we will take you on an unforgettable and comfortable journey to your prime destination: Turkey. How? you ask. Let us show you the way.
 
Your journey in comfort starts from the moment you choose to fly with us! Let us save you the hassle of carrying heavy luggage and flight and hotel booking. Simply book a tour with ‘Tour Krub’ and you will be guaranteed a full and unique Turkish holiday experience like no other! 

Located between Sathorn and Silom, a collection of trendy dining venues
 
Comprising three sides of a square, Sathorn Soi 10 and 12 is one of Bangkok’s most cosmopolitan dining-out areas, with almost 20 modern restaurants covering a wide range of cuisines, including French, Italian, New Zealand, Japanese and several excellent regional Thai outlets.
 
Most restaurants have reserved though limited parking spaces, but with easy access to the BTS Chong Nongsi station via a small alley next to the Mahanakorn building, many people take the train. This is especially convenient early evening when the main Sathorn Road and Silom Road, which flank this area, can get extremely busy.
 
It’s a great place to stroll on a Sunday when the traffic disappears. The ambiance is almost Greenwich Village, if you let your imagination wander.

Who does what:

• Café Inn – Pleasant coffee shop, right next to alley connecting to Chong Nongsi BTS station.
• Supanniga – Thai Eastern and Isaan cuisine.
• The Running Dog – Japanese style dog-friendly cafe.
• PlaaGut – Southern Thai specialties, linked to the Running Dog café.
• Revolucion Cocktail Bar Bangkok – Famed for its cocktails and Salsa dance club.
• Another Cup – Great for breakfast and cosmopolitan set lunches.
• Sorrento – Serving contemporary and classic Italian, European dishes.
• Ryunabe – Hotpot restaurant serving Cantonese-Japanese fare.
• Blue Parrot – A genuine oasis with swimming pool and kids play area, for lunch and dinner.
• Marcel – Relaxed French bistro.
• Di Farina Pizza – Big selection of wood-fired, thin-crust pizzas.
• Rocket – Swedish-influenced coffee shop with interesting variety of mostly western dishes.
• Kai – Serving modern New Zealand fare using imported ingredients.
• Café des Stagiaires – French cuisine plus Thai favorites
• Bunker – The area’s hot spot headed by top Thai and French chefs.
• Charm Eatery & Bar – Homemade Thai dishes. 

Eighteen years after 9/11, questions are still being asked about the attack on New York’s Twin Towers while evidence suggesting it may well have been an inside job continues to mount.

Every aspect of the tragedy has been scrutinized far more thoroughly than the official 9/11 report, with senior professionals around the globe, including pilots, architects, scholars, engineers, military personnel, firefighters and police, rejecting the US government’s version of events. The majority of Americans now apparently share their view.

They’re troubled on numerous practical levels, far too many to mention here, but which include the credibility of the terrorists and their supposed backers, the astonishing shortcomings of the US defence shield on the day of the hijackings, the possible use of modified aircraft and even a missile in the case of the attack on the Pentagon, and the unlikelihood that three modern buildings could have collapsed with such ease, precision and similarity, unless by planned demolition.

Bangkok has always been a foodie paradise, Thanks to the astonishing preponderance of Thai restaurants serving some of the best World’s most delicious food unique to this Country.

In recent years, that wonderful Stock has been enhanced by a host of Newcomers from overseas bringing with Them all kinds of brilliant culinary ideas and Influences. Today, Bangkok is today without Question the gourmet capital of southeast Asia, attracting worldwide attention.
 
The following seven pages feature those Bangkok restaurants recognized as star performers in the 2019 Michelin guide.

CANVAS
Canvas serves six and ninecourse tasting menus that change seasonally to reflect the best local ingredients at each time of the year. The restaurant works closely with farmers and suppliers to source ingredients of top quality from all regions of Thailand. The cuisine is influenced by international favorites, local street food and markets, traditional Thai preparations, modern techniques, and the city of Bangkok itself.
Sukhumvit 55
099 614 7811

​By Ken Barret
 
Bangkok-based architects The Beaumont Partnership are steering the renovation of this historic Yangon colonial club.

​Rudyard Kipling never went to Mandalay. The rascal. Instead, like the self-respecting journalist he was, he had one of his best ideas in a bar. In his case it was the Pegu Club, where, on the only night he ever stayed in Rangoon, he spent the evening dining on mutton and listening to the tales of war from the British troops on their way to and from Mandalay.
 
The next day his ship sailed across the Gulf of Martaban to make an unscheduled stop at Moulmein. Stretching his legs for a couple of hours onshore, he visited the Kyaik Than Lan Pagoda, where rather than contemplating the splendour of the architecture he was smitten by the beauty of a Burmese girl he saw upon the steps.
 
There is nothing of Mandalay itself in Mandalay, only the yearnings of a veteran soldier, now back in the cold and wet of London, longing for the Burmese girl he had left behind at Moulmein. Yet even today the poem, one of the best known in the English language, evokes the image of a faraway exotic oriental kingdom. Kipling’s visit to the Pegu Club had been in March 1889, just a couple of years after the end of the Third Anglo-Burmese War. For many years after, the club was an unofficial seat of colonial government. When the Japanese took Rangoon in World War II, it became an officers’ club. After the war the RAF tried restoring the club to its former self, but Burma’s independence came in 1948, and the Tatmadaw officers moved in.
 
The Burmese socialist government in 1975 nationalised the club, but by that time it had long ceased to function. Quickly, the Pegu Club was forgotten, the name remaining only in the name of a bus stop, the waiting passengers lounging against a blank wall behind which was a compound overgrown by rank jungle. Adventurous sightseers could enter through a watchman’s gate, but the blackened teak structures were desolate and depressing, like the remains of a lost civilisation. A few years ago the sentry gate was locked, and no one could get into the compound. Was the club about to be levelled and the land redeveloped? Myanmar is not great on publicity, and no one knew.