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Been away from posting for awhile.... this isolation thing is not working for me, but I can happily report that I am here, I am employed (!), and continue to prosper free of the shit from the demented "Daddy" site... (sorry, just had to throw the last thing in...) Musings of an ex-grad student: I hope that all of you are safe and healthy. This is a stressful and frightening time for everyone, and the uncertainty of where the pandemic is headed adds to our anxiety. Our schools are closing. Our favorite places are closed. Our communities are under emergency alert. We are told to practice “social distancing” to prevent the spread of the virus. And that is right — from a public health standpoint. But we cannot allow “social distancing” to be a metaphor for how we respond to this crisis and the profound social failure it reflects. This crisis threatens to amplify inequality in countless ways, and more than ever, we need to respond from a place of community, compassion, and solidarity. We should know some lessons from the history of crises. Elite groups always use crises to push “solutions” that enhance their power and profit. The same is already happening during this crisis, with Trump pushing tax cuts and bailouts that disproportionately benefit those who need no help, and angling to bail out his friends in the oil and gas industry as prices plummet. Private prison corporations continue to profit from the mass incarceration of immigrants and poor people in detention camps and prisons, where this virus will likely spread quickly, with devastating consequences. But we can also see the outlines of a more progressive response. Activists and social movements are demanding immediate steps toward free universal health care, paid sick days and paid family and medical leave, direct subsidies to those facing loss of jobs and income, an end to evictions, a moratorium on foreclosures and utility cutoffs, and emergency housing for all who need it. The coronavirus crisis is horrific, and even in its early days has led to great suffering, and widespread terror. But this crisis is not a time of retreat; it is a time to insist on, to organize for, an agenda of human rights and wealth redistribution. Has there ever been a time when the need for universal free health care was more essential — and more obvious? Or paid sick leave? Or for everyone to have guaranteed access to clean water and a safe place to live? So yes, please join me in washing our hands, and then raise them, to continue to fight for equality and justice.

well, yes, of course it is.... they are the barely-human equivalent of that mosquito that buzzes around your head while you are trying to read outdoors, BUT -- we also know that they lurk in the shadows of this site and hyper-sensitive as they are to any criticism, it is fun to publicly point out just what fools those mortals be...(and, to be honest, i just landed myself a great job so i am feeling kinda cocky, haha)

This is about to sound very self-righteous etc. which I despise, but is it not best just to dump those people out of your life, and move on?

thank you, my friend... i do not want to derail my own thread, but what you write about the absolutely irrational behavior(s) over at the Despicable Daddy site is true - the Gang of Deplorables run roughshod over all conventions of acceptable conduct and yet Dirty Daddy bans and scolds people who he disapproves of for reasons that are never made clear. The problem with Bnac, in specific, is that he actually seems to believe that his nonsensical postings are sound... He clearly has no ability to reflect upon his own behaviors, and he has a highly inflated sense of self. Forgive me for lapsing into moments of bitterness but when I feel as though I have been dealt a bad hand by someone, my reflex is to fight back which, when you think of it, may actually be related to the purpose of this thread!

From Khaosod English Otters Reconquer Thai Beach in Tourists’ Absence RANONG — Wiggling out from the water, rubbing their backs and bellies along the beach weren’t the usual crowd of tourists, but of rare sea otters. Residents of Koh Phayam in Ranong Friday spotted at least 10 smooth-coated otters playing on the beach, months after tourists left the island due to the coronavirus pandemic. “I’m so excited and happy to see them,” Jutharat Ladkaew, owner of a resort on Koh Phayam who posted photos of them online said. “Instead of sunbathing farangs and families vacationing, we have a new group of sunbathers.” Jutarat counted around 10 otters. They are believed to have swam from the mainland, around the wetland area near Kra Buri River which serves as a boundary between Thailand and Myanmar. “The otters are playing in the water, sunbathing in place of the farangs,” Sonchai Ui-tek-keng, president of the Tourism Council of Ranong said. “This shows that Ranong is so rich in biodiversity.”

It does always surprise me how far the disease of Christianity has spread.

Link Complete end to lockdown on July 1 State of emergency likely to end June 30 The government has set July 1 for the lift of all business and activity lockdowns ordered earlier to cope with the coronavirus disease 2019 (Covid-19), said the National Security Council chief. These include interprovincial and international travel, as well as the end of emergency decree and curfew. NSC secretary-general Gen Somsak Rungsita said on Thursday that the lift of restrictions would be a complete reopening of the country. Officials would next month prepare measures for the reopening. "Authorities will have serious discussions because after the emergency decree ends, other laws will be used instead," he said. "People's cooperation is important. This concerns the use of face masks, social distancing, hand wash and limited activities. As long as the disease is spreading worldwide, we will have to fight against it for a while." Gen Somsak said the executive decree on public administration in emergency situations would end in June and the ban on international travel would continue until then. The full reopening will come after the third phase of the relaxation to take place in June. The government's Centre for Covid-19 Situation Administration (CCSA) will on Friday finalise details on what businesses could resume and on what conditions under the third phase of relaxation in June. On Wednesday, his committee on business easing did not reach a conclusion on high-risk activities that were suspended and seriously affected the economy, he said. For next month, Gen Somsak said that curfew hours would be further shortened and more restrictions on inter-provincial travel would be lifted under the third phase. CCSA spokesman Dr Taweesil Visanuyothin on Thursday said more activities at malls would resume and athletes' practicing grounds would reopen. Operators and customers would be required to use Thai Chana mobile application for checking in and out of premises since the businesses allowed to reopen in this stage are medium- to high-risk ones. Prime Minister's Office Minister Tewan Liptapallop said movie theatres would not reopen because operators said there was no new movie during this time. "It is not because we oppose the reopening, but operators say there are no new films to screen at the moment," he said. He also said the government was considering financial aid for temples where all activities stopped including donations from the public.

You might want to look at World Nomads. [For U.S. residents - what they cover isn't the same for U.K residents or other countries - but feel free to check you non-US peeps] World Nomads does not have a pandemic/epidemic exclusion ("our plan does not exclude losses associated with pandemic or epidemic conditions; meaning that if you, your traveling companion or family member were to become sick (after you purchase the plan) as a result of the COVID-19 virus, you could still receive benefits for losses covered by the plan.") Also, there is no exclusion for travel during a State Department/CDC "essential travel only" period. There is a pretty decent set of FAQs. https://www.worldnomads.com/usa/help/insurance/recent-events/coronavirus-faqs The FAQs discuss the trip cancellation/interruption aspect of the policy as well as the health insurance aspect, which is what the Thai gov't is looking for. (Same for Vietnam and Cambodia, I think?) Given that right now the focus is on letting in only a select few work permit types (and similar), with each case reviewed by the embassy, I certainly have no clue how this requirement will play out for "regular" tourists. Also no guarantees that this won't change at any time......

So I want to muse about values, but I do need to remind you that there are people who do not have them. Who are they? Well, some are at other sites, posting as normal gay men but they don't believe in wearing masks. Surprised? Don't be. I will keep you informed in my posts here,every time I post, on and on and on. One guy, as a matter of fact, let's call him BandC, he doesn't even open doors for women! I kid you not. Our values include things like that. More tomorrow about BandC and his ilk! (Just kidding, SAS!)

Duh, I think we know that already without you giving voice to them in your posts. Our whole life has been spent dodging them. You are just trying to justify your refusal to move on.

SAS, you write intelligent posts that make strong points, then you give another stage to the idiots at Daddys like the guy you cite. Why keep giving him space here? Just ignore him. Your posts will outlast anything he writes.

I totally agree. Several members on the other site should have been kicked out long ago. Especially when one members bragged about being straight. That was fine for someone who made positive contributions. He did not.

Vinapu - your guess is music to my ears. I am following developments with rapt attention and am hoping for news that a gay bar has re-opened

I receive a news alert when airfares to/from the SF Bay Area are lowered. I didn't opt for one when they increased... In the past weeK I've received notices of availabilities in the $400-$500 range for Viet Nam, Cambodia, Hong Kong, Thailand, the UK, Turkey...the offers had to be booked within a week of the notice, but could be booked for almost anytime in the next 8 months.

Gentlemen.... I think we actually all agree - BUT - I claim an "exemption" here - for those of us who have been personally and viciously attacked, as I have been, by Daddy and his psycho fellow travelers it is important that we get to air our disgust and to hit back in any way and on any forum we can. Mind you. as I have pointed out to a member here already, it is crystal clear that the Daddy-psycho contingent members such as Bnac are deeply angry and unhappy souls who display their misery by their posts (content and tone)... but still I love to kick a person when he is down, haha!

Is this the one? I saw a new place on Facebook : https://www.facebook.com/odelicejomtien https://odelicesjomtien.business.site/

Why is it that Daddy's site has so many more posters than we do? They seem quite content, and their contributions are often very good. I suggest, again, that we try to focus on getting more posters, keeping them after they start, and forget trashing the other site. Don't get me wrong, there are many valid criticisms, especially from those of us banned from the site. When someone leaves that site to come here, it's perfectly appropriate for them to tell us why and bash a bit. But once you get that out of the way, focus on making this site great and forget about past transgressions. Move forward. Just my opinion.

From Coconuts Bangkok Automated people movers designed in Canada and built in China will soon arrive to whisk passengers between commercial developments on the Chao Phraya River. The first of several Bombardier Innovia APM300s will arrive next month to service the Gold Line which will connect the BTS Silom Line to waterfront properties – namely the Iconsiam shopping mall, a city management firm announced yesterday. Though marketed as a monorail, the Gold Line will more resemble another retro-futurist Disney ride: the PeopleMover. Its three people movers, with two cars each, ride on wheels which follow a rubber track. Each train will hold about 140 passengers. When it launches in October, Thailand’s first operator-free train will run at a maximum 80kph. Manit Techaapichok of City Hall project management firm Krungthep Thanakom Co., said work completion was at a very specific “88%.” The cabinet approved the line in 2016 and expected it to be completed two years ago in time for the mall’s opening. Though criticized as a gift to developer Siam Piwat’s Iconsiam shopping mall outside the city’s master transportation plan, the developer underwrote its estimated THB3.8 billion cost. It will connect the existing BTS Krung Thon Buri to three new stations at Thonburi, Charoen Nakhon and Khlong San. A future expansion will close the loop by linking it up to the Purple Line.

From CNN How Vietnam managed to keep its coronavirus death toll at zero (CNN)When the world looked to Asia for successful examples in handling the novel coronavirus outbreak, much attention and plaudits were paid to South Korea, Taiwan and Hong Kong. But there's one overlooked success story -- Vietnam. The country of 97 million people has not reported a single coronavirus-related death and on Saturday had just 328 confirmed cases, despite its long border with China and the millions of Chinese visitors it receives each year. This is all the more remarkable considering Vietnam is a low-middle income country with a much less-advanced healthcare system than others in the region. It only has 8 doctors for every 10,000 people, a third of the ratio in South Korea, according to the World Bank. After a three-week nationwide lockdown, Vietnam lifted social distancing rules in late April. It hasn't reported any local infections for more than 40 days. Businesses and schools have reopened, and life is gradually returning to normal. To skeptics, Vietnam's official numbers may seem too good to be true. But Guy Thwaites, an infectious disease doctor who works in one of the main hospitals designated by the Vietnamese government to treat Covid-19 patients, said the numbers matched the reality on the ground. "I go to the wards every day, I know the cases, I know there has been no death," said Thwaites, who also heads the Oxford University Clinical Research Unit in Ho Chi Minh City. "If you had unreported or uncontrolled community transmission, then we'll be seeing cases in our hospital, people coming in with chest infections perhaps not diagnosed -- that has never happened," he said. So how has Vietnam seemingly bucked the global trend and largely escaped the scourge of the coronavirus? The answer, according to public health experts, lies in a combination of factors, from the government's swift, early response to prevent its spread, to rigorous contact-tracing and quarantining and effective public communication. Vietnam started preparing for a coronavirus outbreak weeks before its first case was detected. At the time, the Chinese authorities and the World Health Organization had both maintained that there was no "clear evidence'' for human-to-human transmission. But Vietnam was not taking any chances. "We were not only waiting for guidelines from WHO. We used the data we gathered from outside and inside (the country to) decide to take action early," said Pham Quang Thai, deputy head of the Infection Control Department at the National Institute of Hygiene and Epidemiology in Hanoi. By early January, temperature screening was already in place for passengers arriving from Wuhan at Hanoi's international airport. Travelers found with a fever were isolated and closely monitored, the country's national broadcaster reported at the time. By mid-January, Deputy Prime Minister Vu Duc Dam was ordering government agencies to take "drastic measures" to prevent the disease from spreading into Vietnam, strengthening medical quarantine at border gates, airports and seaports. On January 23, Vietnam confirmed its first two coronavirus cases -- a Chinese national living in Vietnam and his father, who had traveled from Wuhan to visit his son. The next day, Vietnam's aviation authorities canceled all flights to and from Wuhan. As the country celebrated the Lunar New Year holiday, its Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc declared war on the coronavirus. "Fighting this epidemic is like fighting the enemy," he said at an urgent Communist Party meeting on January 27. Three days later, he set up a national steering committee on controlling the outbreak -- the same day the WHO declared the coronavirus a public health emergency of international concern. On February 1, Vietnam declared a national epidemic -- with just six confirmed cases recorded across the country. All flights between Vietnam and China were halted, followed by the suspension of visas to Chinese citizens the next day. Over the course of the month, the travel restrictions, arrival quarantines and visa suspensions expanded in scope as the coronavirus spread beyond China to countries like South Korea, Iran and Italy. Vietnam eventually suspended entry to all foreigners in late March. Vietnam was also quick to take proactive lockdown measures. On February 12, it locked down an entire rural community of 10,000 people north of Hanoi for 20 days over seven coronavirus cases -- the first large-scale lockdown known outside China. Schools and universities, which had been scheduled to reopen in February after the Lunar New Year holiday, were ordered to remain closed, and only reopened in May. Thwaites, the infectious disease expert in Ho Chi Minh City, said the speed of Vietnam's response was the main reason behind its success. "Their actions in late January and early February were very much in advance of many other countries. And that was enormously helpful ... for them to be able to retain control," he said. The decisive early actions effectively curbed community transmission and kept Vietnam's confirmed cases at just 16 by February 13. For three weeks, there were no new infections -- until the second wave hit in March, brought by Vietnamese returning from abroad. "We have a very strong system: 63 provincial CDCs (centers for disease control), more than 700 district-level CDCs, and more than 11,000 commune health centers. All of them attribute to contact tracing," said doctor Pham with the National Institute of Hygiene and Epidemiology. A confirmed coronavirus patient has to give health authorities an exhaustive list of all the people he or she has met in the past 14 days. Announcements are placed in newspapers and aired on television to inform the public of where and when a coronavirus patient has been, calling on people to go to health authorities for testing if they have also been there at the same time, Pham said. As of May 1, about 70,000 people had been quarantined in Vietnam's government facilities, while about 140,000 had undergone isolation at home or in hotels, the study said. The study also found that of the country's first 270 Covid-19 patients, 43 percent were asymptomatic cases -- which it said highlighted the value of strict contact-tracing and quarantine. If authorities had not proactively sought out people with infection risks, the virus could have quietly spread in communities days before being detected. "The country understands that these things need to be taken seriously and complies with guidance from the government on how to prevent the infection from spreading." Continues with video https://www.cnn.com/2020/05/29/asia/coronavirus-vietnam-intl-hnk/index.html

Surely you’re joking, Mr President?

YES! The great weird-fiction author H.P. Lovecraft (what a name! ) once referred to his idiot publisher/editor who mangled his stories with absurd edits as ’that God-damned dung-of-a-hyena August Derleth.’ Oddly apt in the case of daddy.

Surely pigs deserve more respect than this comparison gives them.

I rather stop reading your messages in this thread, Tasso. Right now.

How very unusual of him. Even sad pigs are correct twice a day. Wish him a speedy recovery.

White people don't get to decide what is racist and what is not.... and don't get to tell people of color what to do about it. That's all.

Thanks, man....the quest for gainful employment kind of ate up a lot of time and energy but now that I can move on from that, I promise you will soon grow tired of me here (haha...) SOD (Sad Old Daddy's) don't know what they been missing!

II watched the first episode of Devs, felt like a stupid person's idea of a smart show. Throws some big words and ideas around but then misses the point or leaves gaping holes... meh. Did watch the new Ghost in the Shell on Netflix. It's got a very interesting story but the music isn't as memorable as all past Ghost in the shell and the animation feels like it's all in a game engine (entirely possible) and worse, animated with a gamepad.

except you're free to come and go, or not go, and, well, everything else.....

As my business is now closed already for 6 weeks due to Covid-19, I am getting bored and take some time to write a report about my latest trip to LOS. During winter, some take a shortski for a long weekend. I don’t like that, so I have booked a 5 day 4 nights trip to Bangkok at the end of January: leaving on Thursday evening after office hours, taking an overnight flight to BKK arriving on Friday afternoon and leaving Tuesday morning and be home on Tuesday evening. Back in the office on Wednesday morning, only missing 3 work days. As I only have a direct flight with Thai leaving at noon and arriving at 6 AM in BKK, I had to take a connecting flight. Last year, I used Aeroflot through Moscow, but this time Finnair was the cheapest, only 505 EUR. The day before departure, I got an email from Finnair that my flight was overbooked and offering compensation for voluntary denied boarding. Didn’t react to it, as I was not sure which leg of my flight was overbooked. After my first flight to Helsinki, I got the same email for the second time. Looked at the departures in Helsinki and noticed there was a Finnair flight to Moscow, which would give a nice connection to the Aeroflot flight to BKK I used last year. Arrival difference in BKK was about 3 hours, and I would still have my full first evening. I volunteered, and had to choose between 300 EUR cashback on my credit card or a flight voucher of 500 EUR. Hesitated a bit, but choose the 500 EUR flight voucher valid for 1 year. 3 hours less in BKK, but probably my next trip for free… Friday evening As usual, I have booked a suite on the top floor of the Raya Surawong hotel. I really like that hotel and all the boys know it. It is so sad to see Soi Twilight closed, but I’m up to discovering the new bars. But first, I decide to go to Golden Cock bar. I am lucky and get into some hot action with 3 of the boys. I really like that they are so open to each other. I left happy and gave a nice tip to the 3 boys. Afterwards, I visited Lucky Boys, which I really like. Even when crowded, it feels like you have enough air to breed, as it has many seats and a very high ceiling. Mamasan from X-boys recognized me immediately. It is really a “supermarket of boys” as so many cute guys are on stage. Had a drink, watched a show, selected a boy and we went back to my hotel room. Boy was from Cambodia, would do everything and kept that promise. Gave him a well deserved tip when saying goodbye and added him on my Facebook. I stayed in bed and had nice dreams…

One of the issues affecting foreigners seeking to get back to Thailand as soon as feasible is the "transit" status of connecting airports. Scanning through today's news came up with some information on Singapore and Hong Kong airports. However, the reports about both Singapore and Hong Kong are sketchy on details and it's uncertain if the new rules announced by Beijing will affect transit passenger traffic in Hong Kong. SINGAPORE From Reuters Singapore, a regional travel and tourism hub, will gradually allow travellers to transit through its Changi Airport from June 2, the city-state's aviation regulator said on Wednesday. Currently, foreign passengers may only transit through Singapore if they are on repatriation flights arranged by their governments. In March, visitors were banned from entering or transiting through the city-state to help combat the COVID-19 pandemic. "This is part of Singapore's strategy to gradually re-open air transport to meet the needs of our economy and our people, whilst ensuring sufficient safeguards for safe travel," the Civil Aviation Authority of Singapore said. It said airlines should submit their proposals for transfer lanes, which will be evaluated taking into account aviation safety, public health considerations, as well as the health of passengers and air crew. Changi Airport, among the world's busiest last year, recorded 25,200 passenger movements in April, crashing 99.5% from the year ago. HONG KONG From South China Morning Post Transit through Hong Kong International Airport (HKIA) to and from mainland China will not be allowed in the first phase of opening up transfer travel in the city from June 1 as coronavirus measures are eased. Cathay Pacificconfirmed the restrictions after two sources said transport officials in Hong Kong had instructed the firm and Hong Kong Airlines that they could not fly transit passengers to the mainland in a meeting with company representatives earlier this week. “In this first phase, transiting to and from destinations in mainland China is not available,” Cathay said on its website. According to a third source at the meeting, officials explained that they did not want to overwhelm transit facilities, citing the need to slowly build up the airport’s capability otherwise it could not cope. China currently has the highest demand for air travel anywhere in the world. The Hong Kong administration earlier announced that transiting would be allowed at the airport starting from June, a move to relax travel restrictions imposed to combat the Covid-19 pandemic. But no details had been unveiled. “Airlines have the utmost responsibilities in ensuring, at the point of check-in at the origin ports that the transit passengers will be accepted at the final destinations. It is the responsibility of the airlines to conduct all necessary verification at the origin ports,” the Airport Authority Hong Kong (AAHK) told carriers in a briefing on Friday. Airlines said they had been hit with a raft of other restrictions on transit passengers too. As part of HKIA opening up, any transit passengers with tickets sold before May 29 would not be accepted for travel, according to instructions from the AAHK, which runs the Asian megahub. Tickets could only be sold on the same booking by the same airline groups, such as Cathay Pacific and Cathay Dragon, but interline or code-share arrangements involving a foreign airline connecting onto a Cathay or Hong Kong Airlines service was not permitted. Also, passengers who have stopovers of more than eight hours in Hong Kong will not be permitted to travel, with the AAHK hoping to avoid the risk of contact and transmission of Covid-19 among passengers.