Leaderboard

there are countries who incarcerated people for gay sex and now allow gay marriage. World changes and mostly for the better

From World Beach Guide Thailand is well known for its beautiful beaches and to some extent this has meant that many of the most amazing beaches are now over-crowded and heavily commercialised. However, you don’t have to go to far off the beaten track to still find a pristine gem and the island of Koh Kradan is home to just such a beach.This stunning stretch of powdery white sand remain a relative haven despite being only a few kilometres off the mainland. Ko Kradan is one of the Trang Islands, a group of around 40 large and small islands which form a major part of the Hat Chao Mai national park. Of all these islands and islets Koh Kradan is perhaps the most beautiful and largely unspoilt. Despite only being a couple of hours south of Phuket and even closer to Koh Phi Phi, Koh Kradan is a world apart, sharing all the natural beauty but without the crowds and noise. The waters of the Andaman Sea which surround the island are relatively sheltered and shallow, which means they are always warm i.e. ideal for swimming. On top of that they are crystal clear making for some excellent snorkelling in the protected waters. One thing to note though is the water is very shallow here at low tide and you’ll have to paddle quite a way before it’s deep enough to swim properly. For those feeling particularly energetic there is a popular kayak route around the island which can be completed in less than 3 hours, even at a leisurely pace. For those looking to just relax and soak up the sun and calm Koh Kradan is perfect. There are numerous hammocks suspended between the palm trees that fringe the beach. The main beach at Koh Kradan is the aptly named east facing Paradise beach. However there is another, equally appropriately named, beach on the other coast. Easily reachable by a short trail through the forest is Sunset beach where you can enjoy a peaceful view of the sun setting over the Andaman Sea. Getting to Ko Kradan involves taking one of the ubiquitous long-tailed boats and these are available from several locations on the mainland or many of the other islands. If you are planning on staying on the island there are several small resorts ranging from the upmarket but basic “flash-packer” style accommodation up to luxury beach bungalows. Nearest town/city Sikao Also known as: Paradise beach To view the full list of the 100 best beaches selected by the UK website: https://www.worldbeachguide.com/top-100-beaches-earth.htm

thank you. i used to know only two quarters. now i know three quarters. i am almost there.

One of the UK newspapers informs readers he was riding a moped in the early hours of the morning to get some food and had just arrived after 16 hours of travel on a bus to get to the island where it seems the accident happened. There are implications he was tired. There is an allegation that perhaps his helmet was stolen. No other details/suggestions are provided. Other questions that hopefully will eventually be provided. Might he have had a helmet but not fastened the strap? What was the nature of the accident? Did it involve another vehicle? How long did it take for him to receive medical treatment after the accident? We'll probably never find out. Like others, I wish him the best. Also like others have stated, read the small print in your travel policy and make sure you know the local laws regarding your activities whilst abroad. Thai law is very clear: drivers on motorcycles AND their passengers must wear helmets. As we all know, this is usually not observed by passengers (mea culpa!) But presumably if as a passenger the motorcycle I was riding was in an accident and I required medical treatment, the medical costs would not be covered by insurance.

And not even a good snappy comeback at that! She really thought she ate!

Wow. It took him hours to figure out that comeback. Mason Verger is getting slow.

My father was a doctor in the Air Force for much of his career. All doctors had to pull ER duty. He made me promise that I would never ride a motorcycle because of all the airmen he saw in his ER. I kept my promise except once( he was hot. AIDS took him like so many others). I don't want to trust a mode of transportation that if other people fuck up, you die. Trusting other people not to fuck up is a bad bet, I think.

It's easy to be critical of the individual we're discussing. Initially, reading the OP - I was (critical). However, hindsight gives each of us 20-20 vision. What we know about the incident is limited in scope and provided in newspaper reports which may or may not be an accurate portrayal. Was he wearing head protection? There seems to be uncertainty about that point. Maybe / probably he wasn't. He did pay for and obtain travel insurance. Think about it, though: It's probably true that a miniscule percentage of persons who purchase travel insurance read through the fine print or understand what is or isn't covered if a claim arises. Would he have acted similarly (not wearing head protection, if that's what happened) knowing his insurance wouldn't protect him / provide coverage? Only he knows. Each of us reading the discussion has probably engaged in behavior that's considered risky when we travel. Many of us (probably most of us) act spontaneously. I've been guilty of that behavior and will probably act without thinking things through in the future. Gay men aren't the only individuals who may act without forethought. I'm not inclined to contribute to the gofundme collection for this individual, but I do wish him speedy recovery.

Race?

'The Quarter' is a chain, so there are several. The one on Tarntawan is called The Quarter Silom. What is being discussed here is The Quarter Saladaeng. I know of one more: The Quarter Hualamphong.

Riding without a helmet is foolish. Since none of us were at the crash, none of us know if that is true. And if stupidity were fatal, humanity would have disappeared as a species long ago.

Although not in Thailand, I thoroughly recommend the still relatively undeveloped Vietnamese island of Phu Quoc. It's actually situated under Sihanoukville but is Vietnamese. It's like Phuket used to be and has some marvellous hotels depending on your budget. I used points to stay at the Marriott Resort which was magnificent. Pricey but there are cheaper hotels on different beaches. There is a daily Thai Vietjet flight from BKK. Bangkok Airways used to run a daily flight from BKK which may return to the schedule in the next few months. On mainland Thailand I'd also recommend Khao Lak. This is located about 100 kms north of Phuket airport and is basically a series of hotels well set apart as to be all but invisible from each other. Fabulous sandy beaches and lots of local small eateries on the beach if you wish to avoid the hotel coffee shops/restaurants. There are several excursions including, if I recall correctly, one to one of the Andaman Islands (but that needs checking). Again the Marriott Resort is excellent but also pricey. The only time to avoid are European holidays like Easter and Christmas when it is packed mostly with German tourists. My photos were taken the week after Easter when the hotel was still 100% full. But you can see how empty the beach was.

Is there a place I can get a proper massage in Rio? I know some places offer sensual massage for 150 or 200 like spa H or solaryun, but I have a feeling that their skill is not that great. My goal is get a proper massage with strong pressure and if it is done by a hot guy, great then, even better if he is willing to do + for an extra. If not, I am just happy with a good massage. No outdoor places like on beach though.

From The Nation Thailand’s heat index – a measure of temperature and humidity – will soar as high as 45.8 degrees Celsius (114.44 Fahrenheit) on Wednesday, according to the Thai Meteorological Department (TMD). The department forecast the hottest areas in each region as follows: North: Tak province, heat index of 41C Northeast: Si Sa Ket, 38.4C Central: Bangkok’s Bang Na district, 45.5C East: Chonburi, 45.8C South: Phang Nga, 43.3C The heat index, also known as the “felt air temperature”, combines air temperature and humidity to measure how hot the weather actually feels to the human body. A 32-41C heat index triggers the “alert” level at which people working outdoors for extended periods can experience heat exhaustion resulting in nausea, headache, muscle ache, and dizziness. A 41-54C heat index triggers a “warning” level as people working outdoors can suffer heatstroke which comes with more severe symptoms than heat exhaustion.

PS Londoner , there's no such word as falangS , try farang. (no plurals in Thai). Woops sorry I become a pedant again. sorry. OK let the purist let fly.

And The Quarter Ari at 428 Phahonyothin Rd.

Thais do not purposely walk outdoor or expose to the sunlight. They do everything to avoid getting dark skin.

On the positive side, early mornings were delightful. We are early risers and my delight was a 0630 walk along Jomtien beach....a walk shared by, I noticed, many others. But not by a Certain Person who preferred to stay in the room, much to my disappointment! Come to think of it, most of the walkers and joggers were falangs.

Here in Oregon, we had the same problem initially. Not enough supply for the new demand so prices were high. Then everybody got on the bandwagon and prices crashed.

Around 2 months ago I started seeing weather people predicting an exceptionally hot summer. They turned out to be right, For those who are used to Fahrenheit temperature, 45.8°C = nearly 115°F. I don't plan to be out in it any more than I have to. For some strange reason I don't care to risk heat stroke. I'll be spending most of the day indoors with air conditioning. Fortunately the morning temperatures up to about 11:00am are no problem and evenings and night are also cool enough. But between around 11:00am until around 5:00pm, that's when the most severe temperatures occur.

I think they got am and pm confused:

Mostly a parking lot ..... https://www.google.com/maps/@13.7284335,100.5302142,3a,75y,325.4h,83.64t/data=!3m7!1e1!3m5!1ss9itJ8SPiP2Clv0d70CLxg!2e0!5s20110901T000000!7i13312!8i6656

Thank God I am not in Thailand now, and will avoid it.

You're to be admired for your logical foresight. No one would debate that. But we can't go back in time and make Josh Richardson whole again. His family is indeed begging friends and strangers to come to his rescue. We can't can't change that. What we can change is how we respond to this crisis in the young man's life.

From Pattaya MAil By Barry Kenyon The opposition Pheu Thai party is the leading contender both in Chonburi province and nationally to head the next government after the May 14 poll. However, the party’s long-standing policy promise to recriminalize cannabis as a narcotic is reducing its popular appeal locally where there are 300 retail outlets, mostly clustered in the Pattaya area. The owners and managers of the seaside shops, cafes and dispensaries envisage their precious investments going down the drain. This financial panic is mirrored by the farmers, both commercial entrepreneurs and private plant growers, who keep the good times rolling. Although the 10 Chonburi House of Representatives seats, including Pattaya, are being contested by a multiplicity of parties, big and small, the main adversary of Pheu Thai is the United Thai Nation (UTN) party whose chief strategist is transitional prime minister General Prayut Chan-o-cha. UTN has invested heavily in the pro-cannabis Pattaya sentiment and is keen to benefit from widespread business concerns about making recreational use of the weed illegal once again. Other competing parties which wish to keep the ganja joints open are Bhumjaithai (which piloted the decriminalization through the Thai parliament) and the Palang Pracharath Party (headed by deputy prime minister General Prawit Wongsuwan). The Move Forward Party wants much stricter controls in return for legality, whereas most other political groupings agree with Pheu Thai that smoking pot should be a no-no. Supporters of marijuana recreational use say it is less harmful than cigarettes and an excellent boost for international Thai tourism. Opponents claim that most Thai citizens are against liberalization and that youths are being lured into unsavory practices. Last year, the health ministry introduced a parliamentary bill to regulate access to and use of the weed, but it was stuck in committee and has become lost in the runup to the general election. Public smoking remains illegal which may explain why most weed outlets in Pattaya appear quiet on the inside. The smoking is done in private with motorbike taxis even delivering to your home address. Pattaya’s investments in Puff Haven, High Noon Harvest, Grateful Growers and Beautiful Buds will hang in the balance for sure next month. The concern is that they’ll go to pot.

I also don't see the benefit of someone calling him unlucky and begging others for money, but hey ho, here we are. There are risks we take because we understand the risk and either have the risk within our own capabilities or can mitigate it. Then there are risks like not wearing a helmet where literally everyone around you has an impact on that risk. I've ridden motorcycles for decades, I mitigate the increased risk of riding one by wearing appropriate protective gear, taking advanced riding courses and always riding defensively. I still also know that can all be undone by another road user not paying attention and some risk still exists.

I don't think anyone, including the victim, doubts the wisdom of wearing head protection. I've used a motor bike for short trips and have never worn one. I don't even recall being offered one. I believe we all take risks--in one form or another--in our behavior when on holiday. I just don't see what's to be gained by calling a man fighting for his life stupid.

Doubtful, but I will try my best!

Unless you happen to "show up" unexpectedly 😉

When I was a young man and read of old(er) men getting up multiple times overnight to urine, because of prostate problems - I thought that was the later life I was destined for. At 59 my body presented another choice, however: prostate cancer. Now, without a prostate (was removed), and cancer-free ... I piss like an 18 year old. The trade-off: It's the rare day I get a hard-on, and what had become a happy life as a (mostly) top ... vanished as if overnight (after surgery). I'm okay with that though ... because I'm alive. 😁

This is great news! And quite timely for my July trip!

I asked the tout outside Hotmale tonight. He said it was opening next month in its previous place.

What's harsh is giving your loved ones and family the job of raising £200k and getting you home because you were too stupid to wear a helmet.