Gaybutton

I don't play golf, but I would think better golf courses would have rental clubs available. You might want to check into that. One thing you might be able to do, if you are from the USA, would be to buy clubs while you are here, donate them to one of the charities when you are ready to leave and let them use the clubs in one of their auctions or raffles, get a receipt, and take the tax deduction. Other than that, your alternatives are to pay the fees, buy clubs when in Thailand, or just don't play golf when in Thailand.

I spotted this story last night, but did not post it because it is inconsistent with a story that appears in the PATTAYA DAILY NEWS. One story has the arrest taking place at the Prima Place apartments, on Third Road. Another story has the arrest taking place at "Freema Mansion," which correctly would be Prima Mansion on Soi Rungland. One story has them all working in Sunee Plaza bars and says that Sunee Plaza is notorious for under-age boys and girls. Girls? Under-age girls? Working in Sunee Plaza? Where??? There are other inconsistencies as well, so until the local media can get accurate about it I thought it best to leave it alone. You can view the PATTAYA DAILY NEWS article at: Teenage Runaways Caught in Drug Party Pattaya Daily News – Pattaya news Powerful news at your fingertips

The old joke, years ago, when the Pope called a conclave of Cardinals to discuss the problem of priests diddling with the altar boys, he couldn't get them to attend until he promised that the entertainment would be the Vienna Boys Choir.

Oh well, that's one way to solve the inconsistency problem. I guess they didn't say why the consulates are going to stop issuing long-term visas. I wonder if that's just in the USA or if Thailand is stopping all consulates worldwide from issuing the visas. At least the Thai embassy will still issue the retirement visa. Actually, I don't consider it to be such a big loss. You can get the retirement visa just as easily right here in Thailand. The problems are the fact that it will be more expensive since applicants will have to pay to have their visas converted and will probably also have to make a trip to Bangkok to get the proof-of-income statement from the embassy and pay for that too. The thing is, the immigration offices within Thailand won't issue the retirement visa to people who don't have a Thai bank account and most Thai banks are refusing to permit people who don't hold a retirement visa to open an account. How do applicants get around that little Catch-22? The consulates in foreign countries issue the visa even if the applicant does not already hold a Thai bank account. If they're all being stopped, then the only way I can see to get around the problem if you don't already hold a Thai bank account is to apply for the retirement visa through the Thai embassy. So, you better hope the embassy won't require a Thai bank account and unless you live in the Washington, D.C. area, you also better hope a personal appearance at the embassy isn't required. For years I've been urging people to open a Thai bank account while they still can. For those who didn't listen and couldn't be bothered, you can't say I didn't warn you. We'll have to wait and see how this one plays out.

That's the problem and it isn't necessarily limited to retirement visa extensions. It's not even limited to Thai visas. For example, over the years we've had people write in telling us that their boyfriend fairly easily obtained a visa to travel to the USA. We've also had people write in telling us that it's impossible, and yet the circumstances were nearly identical. I have never had a problem of any kind at the Pattaya immigration office, but some people have said problems were all they had. We've also seen people tell us this office is easy, but that office is difficult. People write in to tell us the Thai consulate in one city is easy, but the Thai consulate in another city is a major pain. That even applies to banks. We've had our share of threads telling us one bank branch tells you something, but another branch of the same bank tells you something entirely different. Too much is left to the whim of individual officers. Even when standards apply it still seems to be left up to individual offices and individual officers. Sometimes immigration officers (and bank employees) are ignorant of their own regulations and policies. Obviously it shouldn't be that way, but since it is that way you have to be prepared as best as you can. The worst mistakes I see farang make are going in dressed like slobs and getting angry and belligerent with the officer if problems arise. Those are the best ways I know to get rejected.

They didn't ask you, but they did ask frodo. In other words, you can never be sure which officer is going to ask for what. Seems to me the best thing to do is have those kinds of documents with you just in case.

"If not, yer in the terlet . . ." - Jimmy Durante

Yes, but obviously you've accumulated enough to live on for the rest of your life. I'm talking about people who retired, didn't have much of anything accumulated, and also have very small incomes. These are the people who are living month to month and are almost always broke by the end of the month or even before. I'm sure they can survive, but beyond sheer survival, I don't think I would want to trade for their lifestyle.

The one I'm waiting for is when Yellowstone blows its top. If that happens, we've all had it.

I don't know how many people would have sufficient money in the bank, yet have an income of only 30,000 baht or so. Probably not very many. In any case, to legally obtain their visa, they have to prove it. The USA embassy takes your word for it and issues the proof-of-income statement based solely on your word, with no kind of proof or documentation of any kind to back up what you say. I have no idea what other embassies require. But what happens to these people if real proof is ever required and they don't have 800,000 baht in the bank? If that ever happens, now they have a slight problem.

Don't be so quick to thank me or throw out your aspirins. Maybe I wrote it, but I never said I meant it . . .

"How does one edit previous posts?" One doesn't. The board software sets a time limit for editing posts. If you have not edited your post within that time period, then the edit icon will no longer appear for you. There are three solutions: 1. Proofread carefully before hitting the POST button. 2. Ask GT to change the time limit. A substantial bribe might get him to do it. 3. Send a PM to me telling me what you want changed in which post. A substantial bribe might get me to do it. One thing to take into consideration. I don't think GT would mind me correcting spelling and grammar mistakes for you, but he would object strongly if I change what you said. So, since he's the boss, I won't change what you said. If that is what you want changed and find the edit button gone before you can make the change, then you will have to write a new, corrected version of your post or ask GT to make the change. I won't go against GT's wishes whether I agree with him or not.

Would you mind clarifying what you said here? I can't make sense out of it.

Many of you know Mr. Kenyon and many of you have probably received his help and advice over the years. He is a familiar figure and can almost always be found helping people at the Pattaya Immigration Office. The following appears in PATTAYA ONE: _____ The British honorary consul in Pattaya has announced that he will stand down in June 2010 when his current contract expires. The British embassy in Bangkok is expected to advertise the vacancy via its website and in local media over the next few weeks. Barry Kenyon, who is 68, has been attached to the British embassy since 1997, and became the resort

Just in case you want the answer as to whether donations were returned, you might want to have a look at the following thread on the Gay Ting & Tong board: http://www.gaytingtong.com/viewtopic.php?f=48&t=6597

Most who live here and are having troubles because of the exchange rate manage to find ways to cut back. It means some can't go out to the bars as often, or drink as much, or take boys off as often. It is easy to cut back on food prices by eating at less expensive restaurants or cooking at home. People find ways to cope. Walking more often instead of taxis. Using a fan more than air conditioning. Moving to a less expensive place. Taking in a roommate. Some people started out with a rock bottom income in the first place. Now, if they've used up all the ways they can cut back and have no other alternatives left, then I suppose they can take lessons from the boys who manage to live on incomes of 3000 or 4000 baht a month. However, if someone really is trying to live here on that kind of a budget, then they're living here illegally if they're lying about their income when they get their visa. Even if they're living here at the minimum legal income, that still enough to live decently. They may not be able to lead a life of wealth and splendor, but they can live an acceptable lifestyle. I know farang who are living here on incomes less than 35,000 baht per month and yet they manage to survive. I wouldn't want to have to live here on an income that low, but people do what they have to do. Of course, obviously they're lying about their monthly income. If the embassies and/or Immigration ever starts requiring more proof, that's when they can really start laughing . . .

I believe in them too. I've seen three of them, all in one night. It was Christmas Eve. They tried their damndest to convince me to stop being so cheap. It didn't work . . . One young Thai gentleman who dropped by was convinced my house was haunted, well partially. He wouldn't use my bathroom. He was convinced ghosts were in there. He was serious. The rest of the house was ok. Just the bathroom had ghosts. He ended up taking a whiz on a tree outside. That, at least, was safe. I never did get an explanation as to why he thought I had a haunted toilet, but that's what he believed. The Ghost of Christmas Turd I guess. . .

Wine Dinner at Restaurant Poseidon hosted by Kim Schnyder Friday, March 12, 2010 White Asparagus with Smoked Salmon with home-made Hollandaise Sauce ***** Chilled Avocado Cream Soup ***** Trout au Blue With boiled Potatoes or Roasted Pork Medaillon with Apple Calvados Sauce served with Potato Gratin ***** Sweet Dream-light Mascarpone Cream enhanced with mixed Berries Apperitif Prosecco Cuvee Rose, Follador IGT, Italy White Wine La Carraia Chardonnay, Italy Red Wine La Carraia Sangiovese, Italy The price for this dinner is 1,500 baht net/person For further details and bookings, call Kim 081-983-4182 or 038-303-300

It seems right on topic to me. I'd be interested in the same information.

The following appears in PATTAYA ONE: for photos see: http://www.pattayaone.net/pattaya-news/14799/we-witness-an-exorcism-of-a-16-year-old-girl-in-bang-saray _____ We Witness an Exorcism of a 16 Year Old Girl in Bang Saray 1st March 2010 A chilling story now from Bang Saray, located on the outskirts of Pattaya where reports spread throughout a small village of a young girl whose body had been taken over by ghosts. The problem began when the girl aged 16, visited a local haunted house with friends. When she returned home she had changed. She stopped eating and was speaking as if she was a man. Her father, Khun Bia aged 52, assumed she had become possessed by an evil spirit and called in the services of a man known as “Edward” who claimed he would be able to rid her body of the evil spirits. He arrived at the house and chanted over her possessed body and at the end of exorcism the girl appeared to be back to normal. We were invited to watch Edward at work but cannot verify the story at this time. However if you are a believer in ghosts and know somebody who may be possessed we can put you in contact with “Edward” who can help.

Why all the speculation? Isn't anyone just going to go over there and ask?

I stopped in at Mr. Moo today and bought some streaky bacon, 255gm for 67 baht. They don't carry smoked bacon, so I'll give it a try next time I stop at AKA. Mr. Moo has a web site at: Welcome to Mr Moo Co. Ltd.

That photo, Astrrro, is the area I'm referring to and that photo shows the entirety of the Red-Shirt activity I've encountered in Pattaya. I've been saying all along that I expect nothing to happen. One thing strikes me as odd, though. We haven't heard a thing from the Yellow-Shirts. What happened to them? In any case, I said at the outset that there will be little or no serious response to the Thaksin verdict. So far that has been the case despite the media managing to convince people that there will be a response on a scale tantamount to a revolution. All hype and bullshit. A major Red-Shirt rally is scheduled for Sunday, March 14. Just how major it will turn out to be remains to be seen. The main reason I still expect no major serious reactions is because I believe the Thai people are the same as everyone else. People might say, "Isn't that terrible?" and then pretty much forget it. People have their own lives and their own problems. I never did believe all that many people were going to get themselves all upset because of Thaksin's money. You're talking about people who are lucky to scrape together lunch money. Somehow I doubt they have all that much sympathy for a man who still has billions. With all the arguments about how wonderful Thaksin is for the country or what a nightmare he is for the country, life still goes on. People are fickle and quickly move onto the next item of interest and stop thinking very much about the last item of interest - yesterday's news. You want me to prove it? Ok, ask yourself how long it's been since you paid much attention to or discussed what's going on in Haiti . . .

I believe you're right. That's the only place I know of that fits the description.