Thousand of music lovers and party revelers are expected in town this weekend [along with lots of traffic] as the city gets set to host the 12th edition of the Pattaya International Music Festival.

It all seems a bit last minute but the event will take place from Friday March 22 to Sunday March 24.

Four main stages have been erected for this year's festival:

• The Reggae stage will be in South Pattaya (next to Walking Street entrance);
• Central Festival Pattaya Beach will host a range of local and regional contemporary music acts;
• the open ground in Central Pattaya (next to Hard Rock Hotel) will be used for the Variety stage,
• Soi 4 Beach Road will feature traditional Thai culture shows and music.

See article for detailed schedule of musicians taking part

The government is aiming to complete the country's first high-speed train between Bangkok and Pattaya by 2018.

Three other lines linking the capital with Phitsanulok, Nakhon Ratchasima and Hua Hin are also scheduled to be completed the following year. The planned four high-speed rail routes are part of infrastructure projects under the 2-trillion-baht borrowing plan to be tabled before the cabinet for its approval next Tuesday.

Chula Sookmanob, director of the Transport and Traffic Policy and Planning Office, said the government expected to invite bids for the four high-speed trains in September. Bidders will be required to specify their technology for the train in the bidding contest to enable the government to project the construction cost. Interest is expected from Japan, China, South Korea, France, Germany and Spain.

The projects could reduce Thailand's fuel costs by at least 100 billion baht a year and cut travelling time between Bangkok and the provinces within a 300km radius to 90 minutes from three hours.

British Ambassador Mark Kent has announced that Bert Elson had been appointed Honorary Consul to Pattaya. Mark Kent said:

I would like to congratulate Bert on his appointment and I am delighted to welcome him to the team. All of us at the Embassy are looking forward very much to working with Bert in the coming months and years. A few weeks ago it was announced that Bert had been awarded the British Empire Medal in the New Year's Honours list; well deserved recognition of the excellent work that Bert already does amongst the British community in Pattaya with the Royal British Legion.

Elson will be offering emergency assistance to British nationals in Pattaya, as part of the Embassy consular response coordinated by the Consular Team in Bangkok -- in the same way as the Honorary Consuls in Koh Samui and Phuket. The Consular Team in Bangkok will continue to handle the day to day consular business in Pattaya, such as hospitalisations, arrests and prison visiting. Elson will not be carrying out any documentary or notarial duties.

If you are a British national who needs help, please contact the British Embassy in Bangkok in the first instance.

Bert Elson is noted for his eatery Tropical Bert's on 2nd Road near Soi 6