Leaderboard

I recently stumbled on this YT channel all about gay Tokyo. Here's a sample They talk about all sorts of topics and seem like sweet guys.

From Coconuts Bangkok Cal-Comp workers staged a protest Thursday night to complain about conditions and demand action by the factory’s management and health officials. Photo: Petchpoom Hot News By Chayanit Itthipongmaetee Sealed inside a factory to contain a COVID-19 outbreak, hundreds of frustrated and angry migrant workers say they’ve been left in the dark by power outages without adequate food and no medical care. The poor conditions that led more than 1,300 workers at the Cal-Comp Electronics factory in Phetchaburi province to protest, including loss of electricity for 12 hours, had not been addressed as of today, according to workers and an NGO there, and no Thai authorities had arrived to help. “We take care of each other. No officers here,” Tlay Nyo, one of the Burmese workers stuck at the site, said by phone in Thai. “There was no electricity for hours yesterday and we don’t know if it will happen again today.” The actual number of workers stuck at the factory is unclear. While media reports put it at 1,300, Tlay Nyo said there are at least 1,500 Burmese workers plus others who are Cambodian. While he said that he had received enough food, others said they did not. “At around 9am today, a worker told me they had not been given breakfast,” Than Zaw Htike of the Migrant Workers Rights Network, who is currently at the site, told Coconuts Bangkok. He confirmed Tlay Nyo’s assertion that there were no Thai officials present as of Monday morning. The number of infected workers has ballooned in the past week. Labor rights campaigner Andy Hall said the most recent count had put it at more than 3,500 people. Calls to Cal-Comp went unanswered as of publication time. It is owned by Taiwanese manufacturing concern New Kinpo Group. It supplies electronics to U.S. computer maker HP as well as Japan’s Hitachi and Konica Minolta, according to the Migrant Workers Rights Network. Two years ago it paid compensation to workers who were led into virtual slavery by large debts to the recruiters who got them jobs there. The Cal-Comp Electronics factory was ordered shut from May 21 through June 4 after nearly 700 of its 3,300 workers tested positive for COVID-19. Phetchaburi provincial health chief, Petcharuek Tansawat, said the closure of the factory was a “voluntary decision” by the management, who promised to care for the employees quarantined inside. Than Zaw Htike shared photos taken inside of the workers taking care of their own by checking each other’s blood pressure along with images of uncooked meat the workers were forced to eat last night because the electricity had been cut for hours. https://coconuts.co/bangkok/news/left-to-eat-raw-meat-in-the-dark-workers-sealed-in-thai-factory-protest-mistreatment/

There are more than 2 BJ bars now in Tokyo. I think they are a development of what are called the hattenba which started to appear in the early 1980s. A hattenba is usually a smallish apartment that has been converted using simple things like sheets to create a small maze. Some parts may be a little larger than others and have something like a sofa or a mattress. On entry you pay your entrance fee, go into the small changing room, use a small towel or just walk around nude. The aim is to find someone interesting to have sex with without worrying who might be walking around. Treffpunkt is well known and long established one in the Akasaka district but unless you know your way around Japan adresses, it is very difficult to find. Treffpunkt had only one tiny cubicle-like shower. So if there are several guys in front of you, it might be better to skip the shower and wait till you get home. These are definitely not saunas or bathhouses and there will be no other place to wash! Quick sex is the norm. Here are the two main Tokyo BJ bars. Note that anal sex is not permitted in these new style bars. On the map in this website, the Shinjuku GHbar is on the north east side of the massive Shinjuku station on the edge of the raunchy nightclub Kabukicho district. http://www.gloryholebar.com/en/ I'm not sure the library idea would work for foreigners. In Shinjuku ni-chome there are 2 or 3 shops selling gay books, DVDs, calendars, gels, toys etc. My guess is that these are of more interest to visitors, the more so as they are close to the foreigner-friendly gay bars and the popular 24 Kaikan sauna. For those interested, in Taipei the Gin Gin Gay Shop is very similar to those in Shinjuku ni-chome. The staff are particularly friendly and speak English. This is the location close to the Taipower Building subway station.

Today cases is 9020 and 98 death. Shouldve done the lockdown way earlier.

From Channel News Asia COVID-19 sweeps through Thailand's overcrowded prisons The Thai prison population stood at around 311,000 earlier in 2021, more than two-and-a-half times the system's official capacity. (Photo: AFP/WILLIAM DAVIES) BANGKOK: A coronavirus surge sweeping through Thailand's prisons has thrown the spotlight on the kingdom's overcrowded penal system, where some inmates have less space to sleep than the inside of a coffin. More than 22,000 people have tested positive inside jails, where inmates living cheek by jowl have been encouraged to keep wearing their masks even while they sleep. Authorities have floated plans to give early releases to prisoners with underlying medical conditions and have announced funding for more testing and medical care in recent days. But those behind bars say they have been kept in the dark about the seriousness of the outbreak. "Prisoners don't have the knowledge to protect themselves," said Somyot Prueksakasemsuk, a high-profile activist facing charges under Thailand's harsh royal defamation law. Somyot was bailed last month and told AFP that he had not been tested for COVID-19 once during his 10-week stint in custody. He was not worried about contracting the disease while in jail because he had no idea about the level of risk. "But after this I'm so scared (for everyone still inside) ... if you are inside the prison you are at risk, it's unavoidable," he said. Thailand's prison outbreak has skyrocketed from just 10 publicly announced cases a month ago and sparked growing public concern after a handful of prominent activists contracted the illness. The Thai prison population stood at around 311,000 earlier this year, the International Federation for Human Rights said - more than two-and-a-half times the system's official capacity. Four inmates in every five are serving time for drug charges because of harsh anti-narcotics laws that can see offenders jailed for a decade for possessing just a few methamphetamine pills. Many cells are so packed with bodies that some inmates only have half a metre of space. "That is less room for a body than the inside of a coffin," Justice Minister Somsak Thepsutin told local media in February. Somsak said he was examining ways to give early releases to prisoners with underlying medical conditions, possibly through a royal pardon. Even if the plan goes ahead, prisoners will still have to complete a quarantine before returning home. "For us to bail anyone or do anything, it has to be done properly," Somsak told reporters on Monday. "We can't allow them to spread infections." Rights groups say the plan should go further and urged authorities to also free non-violent offenders in order to reduce overcrowding. "Authorities should reduce the detainee population... of those held on politically motivated charges or for minor offences," said Brad Adams of Human Rights Watch. https://www.channelnewsasia.com/news/asia/covid-19-thailand-prison-jail-overcrowded-outbreak-14909396 ================================= From Tourism Authority of Thailand

I little Grunge never hurt anyone.... Everyone here too young to remember Grunge?

I'm with TMax. But there is no way I could afford it. It is a very expensive place to live. If your company is providing your accommodation, you have few financial worries. If you have to pay for your own accommodation, you have to be rich. I would not even mind the notorious Section A377 anti-gay law. I have known enough gay people who live in or have lived in Singapore and that has had virtually no effect on their lifestyles.

The Tourism Authority of Thailand has sent out a letter to people in the tourism industry saying that Phuket will open to vaccinated foreign tourists from 1st July. They do not need to do quarantine but they must stay in Phuket at least 7 days. Children only need to do rapid test. The TAT will start their official countdown next week with full details of the rules and what is open for the visitors. (From Richard Barrow)

Singapore has always been a virtual dictatorship - a hugely successful one (unless you are gay and want greater LGBT rights like many other countries). It depends on its economy being successful and its taxes being low. Other things like high-end apartments, all types of car and driving around may be expensive. But no way is the government going to start seizing money from mega-rich overseas tycoons. The only reason would be proven cases of money laundering, in my view. Singapore is probably the safest place for parking cash and assets, certainly in Asia.

From Bangkok Post Princess allows new vaccine imports His Majesty the King's sister has approved coronavirus vaccine imports by an institution she sponsors, bypassing the government as it deals with surging infections and growing public anger over a slow and chaotic rollout. The secretary-general of the Chulabhorn Royal Academy wrote on Facebook that the "alternative vaccines" would supplement the government campaign until it could meet the country's needs. The government, which has long insisted it must handle all vaccine imports, will next month start its mass immunisation drive, which relies heavily on AstraZeneca vaccines manufactured locally by a company owned by the king. The announcement in the Royal Gazette took some in the government by surprise, and comes as the country suffers its most severe Covid-19 outbreak so far and growing unease about the vaccine plan. The decree was announced late on Tuesday and expanded the Chulabhorn Royal Academy's ability to respond to coronavirus. It was signed by Princess Chulabhorn, its chairwoman and the youngest sibling of King Maha Vajiralongkorn. "The Royal Academy will procure 'alternative vaccines' until vaccines that are produced in the country reach a capacity that can sufficiently protect against outbreaks," its secretary-general, Nithi Mahanonda, posted on Facebook, adding that it would comply with regulations on imports and registration. Health Minister Anutin Charnvirakul said he was unaware of the royal order before it was published. "I just saw the announcement last night," Mr Anutin said when asked about it during a local television interview. "But if it is a benefit to the country, we are ready." The Chulabhorn Royal Academy, which includes a hospital and research institute, will organise a news conference for Friday about what it said was its importation of the vaccine of Sinopharm. Thailand is expected to approve the Chinese vaccine for emergency use this week. It was not immediately clear how many vaccines the academy would import and when, as well as whether they would be free. https://www.bangkokpost.com/thailand/general/2122619/princess-allows-new-vaccine-imports ================================================== From The Thai Enquirer Opinion: A royal intervention in the healthcare arena is a rebuke against Prayut Any political science student would have been taught that the defining concept of a functioning state is the monopoly on the legitimate use of force. This notion was first proposed by the great political scientist Max Weber in 1919. In 2019, 100 years later, the Coronavirus may have given us a new definition of what it means to be a state. If we were to re-define the Weberian concept to fit with today’s most pressing concern, it is probably not far-fetched to claim that instead of the monopoly on the use of force, it is rather the monopoly on the legitimate implementation of healthcare policy that is the most important indication of a well-functioning state. The announcement in the Royal Gazette that the Chulabhorn Royal Academy can ignore and bypass the Prayut government’s policy to centralize the procurement of the Covid-19 vaccines is not only an embarrassment to the government, but also tantamount to a pseudo power-grab, at least within the healthcare realm. (Read more here) The Chulabhorn Institute and the Royal Academy are scientific research organizations, named after and chaired by HRH Princess Chulabhorn. Specifically, the decree grants autonomous power to the Institute in negotiating and importing Covid-19 vaccines with the manufacturers both in Thailand and abroad. This was a right that was reserved for only the Thai government. Any effort to procure the vaccines was supposed to be centralized at the Ministry of Health. While the announcement is most certainly a benevolent gesture by the Institute, it highlights the royal frustration and the split among the ruling elites over how the Prayut government is handling the crisis. HRH Princess Chulabhorn is taking the matter in her own hands. She is trying to do what she can to alleviate the dire healthcare situation and to compensate for the delay in vaccine procurement by the Ministry of Health and its relevant agencies. But the royal move, exercised in this manner however well-intentioned, calls into question the political legitimacy of the government and its authority in the management of the crisis. It is a no-confidence censure and a royal rebuke of both Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha and Minister of Health Anutin Charnveerakul. At the moment, Thailand is ranked sixth in ASEAN in the vaccination rate, behind Singapore, Cambodia, Indonesia, Malaysia and Myanmar. We have only fully vaccinated 1.4% of our population and there are 104 countries in the world ahead of us on this metric. At the current rate, some estimates claim that it would take us more than 7 years to get to the goal of 100 million doses administered. On top of this, there are questions over whether we would have enough vaccines at all and how much longer would the delivery be delayed. Making the matter worse is the inability of our leadership to communicate coherently and effectively which has further hampered people’s confidence. While the royal intervention may be welcomed by those who have become hopeless in the current situation, it points to a larger problem in our society. When our top institution becomes too involved in people’s welfare, whether it exercises that power directly or through an agency, it exposes itself to being politicized and thus such a move is a double-edged sword that could end up hurting its own reputation and sanctity. It may have helped obviate the need for the royal institution to feel like it needs to save Thailand from sinking deeper into a health-care abyss, if our governance is cushioned by an effective, democratic check-and-balance system that can hold our government accountable in times like this. When we do not have that system to rely on–and we rarely ever do in our political history–we become accustomed to waiting and seeking a politically exogenous intervention. Sometimes, this materialized as a military putsch. At other times, we had extra-judicial interference. This time, it came in a form of an ostentatious royal intervention with a health-care twist. For now, we can be sure that the ruling elites have split and that move by HRH Princess Chulabhorn has highlighted the royal anxiety over the government’s mishandling of the crisis. What this means in practice is that our government is no longer in control of its health care apparatus and there is a functioning, competing alternative health-care system led by HRH Princess Chulabhorn herself. If Prayut and Anutin do not step up their game quickly, it will be to no one’s surprise when a more powerful intervention beyond the healthcare arena finally takes place. And sadly, it will once again happen at the expense of Thai democratic development. https://www.thaienquirer.com/27935/opinion-a-royal-intervention-in-the-healthcare-arena-is-a-rebuke-against-prayuth/ ==========================================

Going to throw my 2 cents into the pot..and since this is posted to the Latin America forum, may I suggest that the best cities in Latin American to meet local boys in the local bars/clubs (not sex adjacent) are: - Havana, Cuba (they are always looking for foreigners, especially to pay for a night out that might cost you a whopping $15 total) - Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic (healthy gay scene around El Conde and the local boys love to dance and fuck til late. Just be prepared to pay) - Bogota, Colombia (Chapi-gay lives up to its name, there are always boys looking for something exotic -- meaning your white ass because you are not local) - Rio de Janeiro, Brazil (see Santo Domingo, same rules apply) - Mexico City, Mexico (twink quotient is super high, Mexicans love to meet new people and everyone is a stranger in DC. Plus strippers/go-go's leave 'em horny by end of the night) - Santiago, Chile (they don't see a lot of tourists, the locals will seek you out) - LIma, Peru (If you don't look like an Andean local, you are going to stand out and Peruvians are curious about the world) - Buenos Aires, Argentina (few foreigners i.e. non-latino travel this far; locals are friendly, proud and neurotic. Always very social) Good luck with your hunt! Mac

The organiser Rafael says he's thinking of next month... I'll let you know as soon as I find out.

Actually, I'm glad CNN did it, but I wish they did it quietly, with no announcement at all. Why? Because the Trump supporter brigade hates CNN to the point that they now are likely to give their full support to Santorum. I believe CNN's intent stands a good chance of backfiring. Don't be surprised if Santorum will now be the hero of Fox News and the like, and sympathetic to him because poor Rick is CNN's victim.