Leaderboard

This is one of the times I agree with @Moses. But asking SK to consolidate his thoughts and communicate concisely is like asking Putin to stop murdering, you to use google translate when attempting to communicate in English, or asking the fire hydrant to cross the street. Just for laughs and your own edification, just put whatever you were trying to say with "Than shorter then better" in google translate and see what it comes up with. One has to accept that in life there are many things which should happen, but never will. https://translate.google.com/

that is great idea indeed, such mini ASEAN Schengen zone. I'm pretty sure increased tourist revenue would make for lost income from visa fees. Long live President Vo for coming with that idea !

From Coconuts Bangkok A newly drafted marriage-equality law was approved by the cabinet this afternoon. The new bill, which will go into consideration by the parliament this Thursday, will, hopefully, give LGBTQ couples the same rights enjoyed by heterosexual couples in an effort to allow diversity in Thailand, according to Prime Minister Srettha Thavisin. Remember that civil union bill from the last government that would allow recognition same-sex civil partnerships? Yeah, this one kicks it up a notch. No more settling for the “not quite married” status quo. This time, it’s the real deal, with rings, cake, and maybe even a rooftop elopement overlooking the Chao Phraya (because why not?). The civil union bill, which failed to get the OK from parliament as it was dissolved by former Prime Minister Prayuth Chan-ocha ahead of the May elections, would have given the right for LGBTQ couples to adopt children, manage assets and inherit properties. It would not have given them the legality to marry. Only two countries in Asia (Taiwan and Nepal) are currently giving marriage equality the green light, and globally, we’re looking at less than 40 countries. So, yeah, this could be a pretty big deal for Thailand and for LGBTQ rights in the region. Parliament still needs to throw their thumbs up on Dec. 21.

From VN Express 2023 witnessed a fierce tourism recovery race in Asia as countries rushed to waive visa requirements and simplify entry procedures for international tourists. Vietnam Amid a sharp drop in the number of foreign tourists post-pandemic, Vietnamese tourism insiders insistently called on the government to make a breakthrough in its visa policy to attract visitors. On June 24, the National Assembly, Vietnam's highest legislative body, approved a government proposal to triple the validity of tourist visas to 90 days and allow visitors multiple entries, with effect starting from Aug. 15. Under the current immigration policy, Vietnam grants three-month tourist visas for citizens from all countries and territories. The government also tripled the duration of stays in Vietnam to 45 days for citizens of 13 countries unilaterally exempted from visas: Germany, France, Italy, Spain, the U.K., Russia, Japan, South Korea, Denmark, Sweden, Norway, Finland and Belarus. With changes in visa policy, Vietnam has received 11.2 million foreign tourists so far this year, smashing this year's 8-million target. The government eyes 13 million foreign arrivals by the end of this month. China Starting from Dec. 1, China waived visas for citizens from five European countries - France, Germany, Italy, the Netherlands and Spain - along with Malaysia. Citizens from these countries were allowed to stay in China for up to 15 days without a visa and the visa-free travel will last until November next year. The Chinese government claimed the policy has brought a positive effect. Daily average tourist numbers from those countries have risen by 39% in the first three days of December compared to on the last day of November, Reuters reported, citing China's foreign ministry spokesperson Wang Wenbin. Malaysians made up the largest group of foreigners to visit China following the visa exemption, according to China's National Immigration Administration. Chinese immigration authorities recorded a total of 1,113 Malaysian arrivals alone on the first day as the policy took effect. In a move to boost inbound tourism, China cut visa fees by 25% for travelers from some countries including Japan, Mexico, the Philippines, Thailand and Vietnam, from Dec. 11-31. The visa fee for Vietnamese citizens entering China starts from US$45. Thailand Amid a heating tourism race in the region, Thailand has taken bold steps to attract foreign tourists, especially Chinese arrivals. Starting from Sept. 25, Thailand offered visa exemption from tourists from China and Kazakhstan under a policy that would last until next February. Before the pandemic, China was the largest source of tourists for Thailand, accounting for 11 million out of a record 39.9 million in 2019. From November, the Southeast Asia's second largest economy began waiving visa requirements for arrivals from India and Taiwan. India has been Thailand's fourth-largest source market for tourism this year with about 1.2 million arrivals after Malaysia, China and South Korea, while arrivals from Taiwan have recently flocked to Thailand. Also from November, Thailand tripled the duration of visa-free stays for Russians to 90 days as it seeks to attract Russians on their winter escape. Thanks to swift visa exemption policies, Thailand welcomed over 25 million foreign arrivals so far this year and it is on course to meet its target of 28 million. Thapanee Kiatphaibool, governor of Tourism Authority of Thailand, credited the successful revival of the tourism industry to the government's economic and tourism stimulus campaigns. Malaysia Last July, the Malaysian government tripled the duration of the visa-free stay for Hong Kong passport holders to 90 days in a reciprocal move after Hong Kong offered the same privilege to Malaysians. Starting from Dec 1, Malaysia allowed 30-day visa-free entry for citizens from mainland China and India in a similar move to Thailand. Southeast Asia has recently emerged as a favored destination for Indian tourists, and Malaysia is the third Asian country after Sri Lanka and Thailand to allow them visa-free travel. China and India currently hold the positions of Malaysia’s fourth and fifth tourism contributors, underlining the growing importance of these two Asian countries in shaping Malaysia’s tourism landscape. Malaysia so far received 26 million foreign arrivals, becoming the most visited country in Southeast Asia. This was also the country's highest record since the pandemic outbreak in 2020. Malaysia's highest-ever record of yearly tourist arrivals was in 2014 with 27.44 million. Singapore Singapore and China will put in place a 30-day mutual visa exemption agreement early next year, the Singapore foreign ministry said. Chinese citizens are currently required to obtain a visa to enter Singapore. Singapore has surpassed Thailand to become the most favored outbound destination of Chinese tourists, according to quarterly survey by Singapore-based digital marketing firm China Trading Desk released last October. Deemed one of the world's safest places, Singapore, famous for its strict laws and low crime rate, has started benefiting from changes in Chinese travel sentiment. China is now Singapore's second-largest source of foreign arrivals with 1.23 million so far this year, after Indonesia. Indonesia Indonesia is considering granting visa-free entry to nationals of 20 countries, including the U.S., China, Australia, India, South Korea, Germany, Britain and France. The government will finalize the list of countries included in the provision within one month, its government said. There were more than 16 million foreign arrivals in Indonesia in 2019, according to official data. From January to October this year, Indonesia received 9.49 million foreign visitors, an increase of 124.3% from the same period in 2022.

Alive , alive. Merry Christmas to you and all as well

@floridarob Just a word of thanks for the tip Nok Laundry. Their service was excellent. In fact, when I asked the lady what time I should come back the next day to pick up my clothes (I sent them in at about 11am) she said to come back at 6pm. today. I did, and they were ready. Note: they close at 7pm. I have now included Nok Laundry in my new map of Pattaya 's gay area: https://shamelessmacktwo.travel.blog/2023/12/14/map-of-pattayaland-area-december-2023/

From The Nation Prime Minister Srettha Thavisin unveiled plans to enhance seamless tourism between Thailand, Vietnam, Laos and Cambodia after meeting the three leaders on Sunday. The meeting was held on the sidelines of the summit in Tokyo commemorating Japan’s 50 years of cooperation with ASEAN countries. Srettha said that in his discussion with Vietnam President Võ Văn Thưởng, both sides agreed to restore Cabinet meetings between the two countries. Vietnam has proposed to host the first such meeting in May next year. Srettha said the agenda of the meeting will include the price of rice to boost income for farmers. In the discussion, President Võ suggested that Thailand, Vietnam, Laos and Cambodia take steps to promote seamless tourism, so tourists can hop between countries without having to take separate visas. Srettha commended the idea as creative and said he would instruct Tourism Minister Sudawan Wangsuphakitkosol to discuss this issue and work on stimulating tourism across the four nations. In discussions with Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Manet, Srettha addressed several issues, including the setting up of a Thai consulate in Siem Reap to accommodate the influx of tourists visiting the renowned Angkor Wat temple complex. The Cambodian premier also thanked Srettha for the care provided to Cambodian workers in Thailand. In his talks with Indonesian President Joko Widodo, Srettha confirmed Indonesia’s purchase of 2 million tonnes of Thai rice. The surge in rice exports to Indonesia has been notable due to severe drought and delayed rainy seasons triggered by the El Niño phenomenon. Widodo also pledged to send officials to meet Agriculture and Cooperatives Minister Thamanat Prompow early next year. “This will help boost the price and demand for Thai rice,” Srettha said. The premier added that the president also expressed interest in Thailand’s 1-trillion-baht Land Bridge project, adding that further discussions will be held soon.

From The Nation His Majesty the King’s second-oldest son, Vacharaesorn Vivacharawongse, headed back to New York on Monday after his two week trip in Thailand. Vacharaesorn posted photos of himself and his followers at Suvarnabhumi Airport in Samut Prakan province with the message, “See you again #ThailandI❤️you #ileaveonlytoreturn". A bit later, Bangkok Post reporter Wassana Nanuam posted a short video clip on her Facebook bidding farewell to Vacharaesorn with the message, “Till we meet again”. Wassana hopes the King’s son makes a third visit to the kingdom. Vacharaesorn, 42, who works as a lawyer in New York, travelled to Thailand earlier this month to attend Father’s Day celebrations on December 5, at which he commemorated his grandfather’s birthday by laying flowers at his statue in King Rama IX Memorial Park in Bangkok’s Dusit district. He had visited many places in Thailand during his second trip, including sampling dishes at a famous roadside eatery in Bangkok ‘Jay Fai’, applying for his first Thai ID card and a new Thai passport, and planting mangrove trees at the Klongkhlon Mangrove Reforestation Project in Samut Songkhram province. He also witnessed the traditional Thai way of life near the Bangkok Noi canal.

He must be a virgin.

I wonder why gay guide is needed if most of the gay venues are concentrated in one small are in Patpong .

I've been flying Cathay Pacific, ANA and Singapore airlines in recent years and have enjoyed gay-themed movies on all flights. Cathay Pacific seems to make it easiest to locate by listing LGBT+ selections on line by the month. https://entertainment.cathaypacific.com/catalog?template=movie&id=23014145

I am delighted that it worked out that way. That's what it's all about. The money you spent was well worth it and probably will not break the bank . It will come back. But nights and memories like that cannot be replaced.

That's lie, dear. Budget'24 of education is +5.6% to 2023. Budget on social projects +19.1%. Budget on healthcare is +3.2%. Your sources lie to you. In addition, you forgot that the main costs for education and schools, as in the United States, are borne not by the federal budget, but by the budgets of the constituent entities of the federation and local budgets. Federal budget expenditures on education are the costs of maintaining the ministry and the Academy of Sciences + few federal UNI.

You're being too optimistic, What middle ground is left? Happy Holiday Season to you and all members.

I didn't think I needed to qualify with "everyone except the most stupid idiots." Just like when Trump said "Proud Boys, stand back and stand by: " his implicit backing of white supremacy groups is well-understood by everyone (except the most stupid idiots).

Here's a summary of the latest research (randomized clinical trials) from Cochrane, in studies including hundreds of thousands of people: Cochrane Library has reviewed these studies: https://www.cochranelibrary.com/cdsr/doi/10.1002/14651858.CD006207.pub6/full?highlightAbstract=covid%7Cmask "...We included 12 trials (10 cluster‐RCTs) comparing medical/surgical masks versus no masks to prevent the spread of viral respiratory illness (two trials with healthcare workers and 10 in the community). Wearing masks in the community probably makes little or no difference to the outcome of influenza‐like illness (ILI)/COVID‐19 like illness compared to not wearing masks (risk ratio (RR) 0.95, 95% confidence interval (CI) 0.84 to 1.09; 9 trials, 276,917 participants; moderate‐certainty evidence. Wearing masks in the community probably makes little or no difference to the outcome of laboratory‐confirmed influenza/SARS‐CoV‐2 compared to not wearing masks (RR 1.01, 95% CI 0.72 to 1.42; 6 trials, 13,919 participants; moderate‐certainty evidence). Harms were rarely measured and poorly reported (very low‐certainty evidence)..." (RCT means randomized clinical trials, the most rigorous form of scientific scrutiny) https://www.cochrane.org/CD006207/ARI_do-physical-measures-such-hand-washing-or-wearing-masks-stop-or-slow-down-spread-respiratory-viruses "Ten studies took place in the community, and two studies in healthcare workers. Compared with wearing no mask in the community studies only, wearing a mask may make little to no difference in how many people caught a flu-like illness/COVID-like illness (9 studies; 276,917 people); and probably makes little or no difference in how many people have flu/COVID confirmed by a laboratory test (6 studies; 13,919 people). Unwanted effects were rarely reported; discomfort was mentioned... Four studies were in healthcare workers, and one small study was in the community. Compared with wearing medical or surgical masks, wearing N95/P2 respirators probably makes little to no difference in how many people have confirmed flu (5 studies; 8407 people); and may make little to no difference in how many people catch a flu-like illness (5 studies; 8407 people), or respiratory illness (3 studies; 7799 people). Unwanted effects were not well-reported; discomfort was mentioned..."

When the lads are good to me over time I am good to them. If we know the scene we see when there are few customers and not likely to be many more. The problem now is that westerners are fewer because of inflation (eg flights) and wars, and the Asian customers go to see the shows but do fewer offs. I spent so much cash the last two trips since August but I have to do something for lads I like when times are hard for them. I may sound soft but I have also had cash borrowed by about 4 Vietnamese men, even years ago, repaid this year. Culturally debts should be repaid before the Tet holiday.

some of the more generous "like minded" members of this forum might be around to show you the ropes. There's a lot of good advice in the forum about gogos and other venues. But it will take you some time to read through. Maybe Mack's blog would be helpful? But I think these sorts of venues are generally fairly similar everywhere. So if you have experience in other places you should find the scene in Thailand to be pretty straightforward

I know. Thanks for being honest. Russia is NOT a democracy. So what happens in a democracy like the US or Ukraine must be perplexing to many Russians. You live in a country run by an authoritarian and butcher who kills or jails his political opponents and won't hold real elections. Sorry about that, @Moses. It kinda sucks. ☹️

I've been told , Somyot, Somsak are more masculine names, even though Somchai is a very popular name, it always gets a laugh. I think because many people name their pets Somchai, lol

Since when has Somchai been less masculine? Funny that, I have a Thai name too. It's Mek. I gave up on getting them to do the long vowel in Mack.

Clock is ticking as they say ...more so than other s 🕓🕔🕔🕔🕔😁 We cant take it with us ,spend it and enjoy it I say .... before we go 😉

Again, yes you do.... Follow along below and stop dragging this out.......***********LOOK AT THE QUOTATION MARKS- From Peter's post******* I was replying to Vinapu, quoting Peter. This would make another good one " I deliberately choose not to visit gay venues " They'll have to be a * though.... * Anymore 😉 The last part I added, because Peter , the saint today, that used to frequent the gay money-boy businesses and saunas back in his heyday. I'll draw sketches if that'll help 😁 The funny thing is anyone that knows me well, or has met me for more than a minute, is probably laughing their ass off or shaking their head wondering when this is going to end. You can end their misery now.....your call.

Yes you did, don't know how you got into the thread, I was quoting and replying to Peter until you started the argument trying to come to his rescue I guess....🙄

I am curious on this one. I don't speak Russian. And you're a sweetheart. So help me out, @Moses. I've read a lot about how Vlad has a policy to pay Russian families to turn their husbands and sons into fertilizer for cows to shit on. Basically, they get pushed into the army, they go to the front, they die, they become grass for cows to shit on. The families of the dead guy/fertilizer gets paid to tolerate Vlad's butchering of Russians and Ukrainians. That is how Vlad's War/Sadism Economy works. Something like this: Is this part of the budget on social projects? Because unlike health care or education, it is getting a significant increase. Although, given how much money is going into direct butchering - defense and security forces - even a 19 % increase means it gets a smaller percentage of Vlad's overall War/Sadism Economy budget. This is what the Russian translation says. So that is good news for Russian seniors, and the Russian working class. At least in the short run. It seems to me to reflect how desperately Vlad wants to win. He's paying off seniors and workers to tolerate his War/Butchering/Sadism Economy. Seriously. Is that what Trump and Republicans are for? More money for Russian workers, so they tolerate Russian soldiers killing Ukrainian children, while Republicans cut taxes again for the richest Americans? And maybe also more tax cuts for the wildly profitable corporations that helped spike prices for their products because they could? I want that debate! How about we instead raise taxes on the rich, mostly to help Americans, but also to pay for the small percentage of the US budget it takes to help Ukraine? Bottom line that fact-oriented Republicans and Democrats understand. Vlad has to spend a massive and unsustainable share of his budget to slaughter Ukrainians and attack democracy. Americans have to spend a very small share of our budget to defend Ukrainians and democracy. Vlad's budget is not sustainable, and it is based on fantasy. It makes up a fantasy oil price, and fantasy GDP growth, and a fantasy exchange rate. What it also confirms is that Putin is desperate, and playing against time. He doesn't really have the money to fund his War/Sadism/Butchering Economy for the long term. The second biggest growth category in Vlad's butchering budget is a 50 % increase in public debt. The Americans and Chinese, wisely, would rather build out electric cars or AI. As opposed to turning themselves and their neighbors into fertilizer. So Vlad can't just keep blowing up budgets - and budget deficits. On blogs like this, I know I am a man of many words. And many facts. But in 2024, the split screen ad I want is mostly images, not words. I want Trump praising Putin for attacking US political and legal institutions. And attacking democracy. And I want Putin boldly calling for House Republicans to go to their kitchen, pull out a knife, and castrate themselves. And then put their testicles in a jar and give them to Vlad, to proudly display to the Russian people. Because that is what Vlad is counting on Republicans to do. Castrate themselves, and support or at least tolerate his attacks on Ukraine, the global economy, the international order, democracy, US elections, and US legal and political institutions. Sorry, but how does this help Trump and Republicans win? I want Trump talking about this 24/7!

At least I figured out how to use google translate for your graph, so others can understand:

You're like Putin's news, which dominates Russia. You edited what I said to ignore the intentional killing of children and the rape of women. You really don't like facts, do you? So you are saying the problem is the US and EU are helping Ukraine defend themselves from a war Putin started that primarily focuses on killing Ukrainians? You really are Russian, aren't you? That's doesn't need a long response. It's just stupid, and sick. And, again, the premise of your argument - that somehow Boris Johnson runs Ukraine - illustrates your contempt for facts and truth. For same strange reason, Ukrainians just don't want to be War Economy Vlad's powerless pigs for slaughter. In New Poll, 89% of Ukrainians Reject Ceding Land to Reach Peace With Russia Ukrainians back Zelensky’s position that peace talks can’t grant Russia land it has seized, WSJ-NORC poll finds

From Thai PBS World The Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York, or The MET, has agreed to return two artefacts, including a bronze statue of Lord Shiva, known as the “Golden Boy”, which were smuggled out of Thailand over 50 years ago. Culture Minister Sermsak Pongpanich said on Sunday that a representative of The MET spoke with the director-general of the Fine Arts Department, Phanombut Chantarachot, last Sunday, to hand over a letter from the MET’s director, informing the Thai government of the return of the two ancient sculptures. The “Golden Boy” statue was discovered in Ban Yang, in the Lahan Sai district of Buri Ram, near the Cambodian border, during an archaeological dig at Prasat Ban Yang ruins over 50 years ago. The other bronze sculpture, about 900 years old and 43cm tall, features a female figure in a kneeling position, with one knee on the floor and the other straightening up, and two hands above the head in a “wai” posture. The sculpture bears traces of being decorated with silver and gold ornaments Minister Sermsak said The MET has checked the origin of the two statues and found that they were connected with Douglas Latchford, an American antique trader, who was indicted by the New York attorney’s office for illegal trading of antiques in 2019 and 2021, prompting The MET’s board to remove the two statues from the museum’s inventory. The two statues will be handed over to the office of the Thai consul-general in New York.

Quell surprise! The Trump lover who is fact free and the Putin lover who is fact free are teaming up on me!!! Why am I not shocked? My sources do not lie, dear. In fact, your sources confirm my point: From the English translation of a Russian article using your chart: The President of the Russian Federation signed the law on the federal budget for 2024: what you need to know What will the record 36.7 trillion rubles be spent on and what will the deficit be? Putin is flooding money into a War/Sadism/Butchering Economy that focuses on the areas that kill Ukrainian soldiers. The security forces he wants to plow lots more money into are the very same ones who rape Ukrainian women and intentionally kill Ukrainian children, or cart them off to Russia. It's a budget dedicated to sadism and butchering. It is who Vlad is. It is what Vlad does. To his credit, he puts his money where his murder is. I stand by my point. As more and more money is spent on butchering Ukrainian soldiers, women and children, two things will definitely happen. One, Ukrainians will deepen their resolve to never give up. (See, Afghanistan, USSR invasion. See Iraq, US invasion.) So it guarantees hundreds of thousands more dead Russians. Which is not something Russians like. Two, it guarantees less money for everything else in Putin's already weak economy. Health services and education both suffer in either relative or absolute terms. Or both, eventually, as Putin bleeds out both Ukraine and Russia like they are both his powerless pigs for slaughter. Sorry. There is no way Ukrainians are going to be pigs for slaughter. Their resolve to kill every Russian they can will only deepen. It has already. The polls are clear that Ukrainians are less open to a peace agreement than a year ago. Because the only thing they trust Putin to do is sit back and get rich as their women are raped and their children are slaughtered. You think Xi Whiz wants World War 3? Come on! Putin is not only a sadist. He is a stupid one. Whatever the US does or does not do, and whatever the EU does or does not do, we know for sure Xi Whiz does not want World War 3. Or a global depression caused by China. Especially after what COVID did to global public opinion about China. So despite all his nice language about human rights, Xi is apparently fine with Vlad murdering a certain number of Ukrainian kids to keep the US and EU distracted. But the EU is already saying, "Xi, get the fuck out. We don't like doing business with you." That's not what Xi had in mind when he became Vlad's bosom buddy. Because the economy of Germany, let alone the whole EU, makes Russia a pathetic weak economy in comparison. So Putin is like Xi's little pit bull on a leash. And if things go bad for Putin, which they inevitably will., that's when Putin becomes Xi's pig on a leash. And we all know what happens with pigs when they are no longer useful. Again, if you don't believe me look at the entire history of invasions like this in this century. It never works. And it ain't gonna work in Ukraine. Here's another way to think about it. It's pretty clear that The US is leading the technological race in AI. It's pretty clear that China is leading the technological race in electric cars. What is Russia leading the race in? Building weapons to kill Ukrainian soldiers, Ukrainian women, Ukrainian children, and democracy. I am glad Trump supporters and Putin supporters are standing together for this cruel and unpopular agenda. It shows what you are really for.

https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2023/11/7/russia-and-myanmar-start-first-maritime-exercises Myanmar and Russia have drawn closer since the February 2021 coup, which triggered a violent crisis that has killed nearly 4,200 civilians and forced hundreds of thousands from their homes. Moscow, itself isolated on the global stage since it launched its full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, has become a major supplier of weapons and equipment to the Myanmar military. The first Myanmar-Russia Maritime Security Exercise (MARUMEX) involves ships and aircraft and is being held in seas 85 nautical miles (157 km) west of Myeik from November 7 to 9.

@stevenkesslar Let me help you. Because nobody reads your posts. Than shorter then better. Nobody reads long posts in the age of Twitter. 10-12 lines maximum. This 10-12 lines still needs to be divided into 2-3 paragraphs, because it is difficult for the human eye to hold a line of 80-100 characters (that’s why a column in a newspaper is 32-48 characters) There can only be one title per post and it must be at the top. Large font size in the middle of the text is perceived by the brain as a scream. You speak, and suddenly start yelling. This is unnatural behavior. This looks crazy. Like Ransom note.

For me? You're the one with your panties in a twist..... some fantasy of yours to have "an English lesson argument" with someone, are you that lonely....BKK isn't that far from the west coast, those Thai boys might appreciate it more than me (or is it I) 🙄

That's progress. 😉 But believe me, I'm not surprised. Either that you don't like facts. Or that you are proud of the fact that you don't like facts. I kind of figured that out a long time ago, when that whole "I won the election thing" happened. And also when I figured out that Trump seems more worried about the "hostages" that attacked the Capitol after he rallied them on than he is about the actual hostages in Israel. Thankfully, you did not read my second and third paragraphs, in your own words. So you won't feel insulted. And you learned no facts that challenge your beliefs. Congratulations!

Oh, you are still alive. Merry Christmas.

Anxious to know Scott's verdict on this guy

Well, strictly speaking, "Trump Says All Immigrants Are "Poisoning The Blood" of the US" is a lie, because that's not what he said. However, when Trump talks about "blood," everyone knows what he means, and that's pretty disturbing.

miracles do happen after all

The Met museum was shamed in the December 17th issue of 60 Minutes by Anderson Cooper. However, I would ask the OP not to further defame the United States. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Douglas_Latchford "Douglas Arthur Joseph Latchford (15 October 1931 – 2 August 2020) was a British art dealer and smuggler... Latchford was born on 15 October 1931 in Mumbai, India, which was at the time under the British Raj. He was educated at Brighton College in England before returning to India shortly before Independence. Latchford initially worked in the pharmaceutical industry in Mumbai. He moved to Bangkok in 1956, and in 1963 established a drug distribution company. Latchford also invested profitably in Thailand land development and became a Thai citizen in 1968. He was briefly married to a Thai woman and took a Thai name, Pakpong Kriangsak. A long-time devotee of the sport of bodybuilding, Latchford became a patron of the sport in Thailand and was the honorary president of the Thai Bodybuilding Association from 2016 until his death...". It looks as though he died before he could be brought to justice.

I may have copied this by mistake and thanks to Mr. Vinapu . Thanks to your messages and reports, I discovered Bangkok nightlife

I do not lie. Perhaps you should be asking Plump why he lies so much.

A continuation of his election denial would be no surprise. Sadly the Repubs use the border to stir up the electorate and win votes. They have not passed any new immigration policy, long time.

We have learned to know his TRUE intent behind his words.

He should have built a wall!!! Maybe Mexico would help pay??? Maybe Steve Bannon could help???

Borat would be very happy

I was in Doubleshot in Jomtien this morning at 04.01 and taking a pee before leaving. As I left the toilet I passed about 10 personnel in uniform who were entering the bar. My ladyboy friend urged me to leave immediately, which I was going to do anyway. As tonight was the first night of legitimate opening until 04.00 ( which is why we were still there)this was obviously planned. Be interesting to see what happens.

best way to avoid that and any other unauthorized charges is to stock up on change and pay exactly what is due. It does happen occasionally that change is not coming forward , specially in bars and I learned that lesson long time ago. On another hand is not that frequent so we can treat as extra tuition fee for bar hopping course.

Apologies for getting Matthew Shepard mixed up with Key West. Unforgivable mistake.

Regretably it is not the cinema's choice to make. It is the studios and the movie distributors. But I can remember at least one time when there was an intermission 'built in' to a movie. When Ben Hur came out, it had a running time of 3 hrs. 32 minutes. Not surprisingly it did have an intermission and no doubt the cinemas were pleased, for it gave them a chance to sell tons of ice creams and soft drinks, as well as the merchandise which accompanied the movie. Today, as long as i know how long a movie will last - and I can't think of any that is as long as Ben Hur - I'm happy to avoid drinking for a couple of hours and then have a pee in advance before sitting through it. If in desperate need, there is usually a toilet somewhere nearby.

Hard to believe it was over 30 years ago. I had just moved to Portland. Which is where the film was set, as you know. Gus Van Sant was a groundbreaker. Drugstore Cowboy was another one of his great early films. And, yes, that scene was remarkably tender, and sweet, and also sad. Probably the best part of a very good movie. Although there is also that brief memorable moment on the motorcycle. But only because Keanu looked so incredibly pretty. 😍