Gaybutton

Not necessarily. Some do, some don't. Many apparently never look at their guestbooks or they simply don't understand the English. Many don't set up their own profiles and get help from someone who speaks and writes English much better than they can. If you see boys who seem to continually change their user names, that's usually a 'red light.' I stay away from them. Some change their names if they simply haven't gotten any 'bites' under their current name. Some change their names so that they appear in the "New User" column when people log on, figuring they will get more hits that way. It doesn't take long to get a feel for which ones are the bad apples. The same is true for those guestbooks. It becomes rather easy, after a while, to tell who is writing something negative because that's what happened and who is writing out of some sort of vindictiveness.

That is kind of bizarre, especially since he's the one who initiated contact with you on Gay Romeo. I'm glad you took it in stride and didn't let it bother you or stop you. "It is all a part of life's great pageant, you know?" - Peter Sellers, 'A Shot in the Dark'

If that is your preference, then why look for a hotel or guesthouse at all? It sounds like renting a condo would better suit your needs. As for a DVD player, you can buy them used, very inexpensively, at local pawn shops. Then, when you are ready to leave, you can give it to your favorite boy as a gift.

Of course the question is reasonable. But lvdkeyes has provided the answer, hasn't he? At least enough of an answer to also make it reasonable to give it a try. If it were me, no matter where my home country is, I would ask my bank about fees for a cash advance via debit card in a foreign country. Then I would call again later, speak to a different agent, and see if I get the same answer. If I like what I'm hearing, then once I'm in Thailand I would do a cash advance for a small amount of money and see what the charges actually turn out to be. If I'm not being charged, now I would know I can do cash advances without problems. On the other hand, if I find that I'm being charged that dreaded 3%, then I would go back to doing my transactions at ATMs where I'm not charged the 150 baht fee.

Ok, I thought your upcoming trip was going to be your first time in Pattaya. Since you are already familiar with Pattaya, then please let us know what you think of the Orchid Guesthouse once you stay there. Apparently, according to HeyGay's post, it is gay friendly, so I see no reason for you not to give it a try.

In that case, why are you disputing the actual experience lvdkeyes has had? You do have confidence in actual experience, don't you? We're talking about a cash advance on a debit card, not a credit card. The difference is a credit card is doing exactly that - extending credit. A debit card is not extending credit. It is debiting funds already present in an account. Lvdkeyes is using a debit card and is being charged a flat fee and not being charged a percentage. What's the problem? I don't understand the point you are trying to make.

Like I said, I've never heard of it. If you have, that's wonderful and maybe it is a great place to stay after all. Meanwhile, I would still recommend that someone who has never been to Pattaya before would be far better served staying in the well known, established gay accommodations, close to the major gay venue areas. Do you disagree with that?

I never asked that question. However, he indicated that his preference is Indian boys, so I asked why he is coming to Thailand rather than India. Isn't that terrible?

I don't know anything about it. It's a nice location, but awfully close to all that Thappraya Road construction. If you are considering staying there, I suggest you ask them about their policy about bringing boys to your room. Nothing in their ad indicates whether it is a gay friendly place or not. If this is going to be your first trip to Pattaya, I suggest you stay in established gay accommodations. I suggest you choose The Ambiance, Le Cafe Royale, Howard's, or Two Guys. You can't go wrong with any of those choices and their staff is quite accustomed to dealing with first-timers here. They'll know your questions, problems, and concerns before you even know them and they'll know the best ways to help you have the best possible experience here. While that guest house may turn out to be a wonderful place to stay, I've never heard of it, which means it is not a place popular for gays and may not even be gay friendly. You can always check it out while you're here and stay there next time if it suits your needs, but I would stick to the established gay accommodations if I were you. Also, if you have been a reader on this message board for any length of time, then you probably already know that I am always willing to meet and personally help out first-timers here. If that interests you, then send an Email to me at gaybutton@gmail.com and I'll be happy to help you however I can.

Do you get much of that? I get the ones from Ghana, but only about 1 per month or so. I've never gotten any from India and only 1 from the Philippines.

I don't mean this in any way as a snide remark, but I'd like to ask why, if you prefer Indian boys, you plan to come to Thailand. If you like Indian boys, then why aren't you going to India? There are plenty of Gay Romeo boys in India too.

It seems to me that by making one quick call to your issuing bank and you can find out.

Many of you, especially residents here in Pattaya, are sick and tired of the length of time it has taken for the Thappraya Road construction project to be finished. This has already been going on for nearly 5 years and now, right in the middle of high season, it's worse than ever. The city now promises everything will be complete by April. Anybody wanna bet? Of course, even if they really do get the project finished by April, I can't help but wonder how long it will be until they start digging it up again. After all, don't forget that Pattaya is going to be Thailand's first city with all electrical wiring going under the ground. Nothing along the project area, or anywhere else in Pattaya for that matter, suggests that work getting that done has even started. I shudder to think what the city will go through if they ever do. If you are angry and frustrated, you're not alone. The following appears in the PATTAYA MAIL: http://www.pattayamail.com/current/news.shtml#hd1 _____ Long-Delayed Thappraya Road Construction Angers Residents and Business Operators City Assures that the Over-Budget Road Work will be Complete by April by: Phasakorn Channgam Construction on the Thappraya Road leading from Pattaya to Jomtien Beach and extending into Jomtien Second Road will be complete by April, Pattaya officials say, bringing an end to a long-delayed project that continues to incite bitter complaints from residents and motorists. The project stretches from Bali Hai Pier along Thappraya Road turning left at the Macchanu circle into the new Jomtien 2nd Road and on to Sukhumvit Road opposite the Four Regions Floating Market. Officials announced that the construction “is now 70 percent complete”, but businesses and residents affected by the dust and diggings are skeptical about the claim. Said one businesses operator along the pot-holed, muddy and dusty road, “This has become a mother of all jokes. We have been suffering in these conditions for the past 4 years. Our business has dropped to almost nothing. Customers don’t bother to stop and risk breaking their limbs just to come and dine and shop in our establishments. City Hall should be ashamed of themselves. The high season has come and almost gone. We have lost the best period of our incomes.” Another resident commented, “The stretch of Thappraya Road that runs for a couple of kilometres from the Third Road overpass to the beach on Jomtien has seen a road widening scheme that has been going on seemingly forever and for a period appeared to be abandoned. We have seen the traffic lights at Thepprasit junction immobilised for months by design and only recently re-introduced. During this period we have witnessed countless accidents and several fatalities at the Thepprasit junction area alone.” He continued to say, “Almost every tourist visiting Pattaya will take a trip along this road at some point to visit Jomtien Beach and of course tourists on Jomtien Beach will do the reverse. What kind of impression will they get as they bounce around in the back of a baht bus that is trying its best to avoid potholes and roadwork obstacles only to arrive at an endless traffic build up at Thepprasit? I would say it could be the, “I’m not coming back”, impression.” Begun in 2005 with a budget of 488 million baht, the project has faced continual delays and cost over-runs due to property owners refusing to turn over land as ordered by the government until they received more compensation. Currently 28 plots with 17 owners remain in contention and the price tag has jumped to 1.1 billion baht. Pattaya Deputy Mayor Ronakit Ekasingh remains confident, saying “the problems will be worked out and the entire project completed by April.” Ronakit acknowledged that the drawn-out construction has been a source of traffic congestion, pollution and complaints for too long. He said that besides property disputes the project was delayed by digging problems, laying of water pipes in some areas and the failure of the Provincial Electrical Authority to relocate high-voltage lines from the Pratamnak Hill Junction to the Hanuman Circle. “Pattaya City receives regular complaints about these issues from residents and drivers on Thappraya Road,” he said. “They consist of problems with dust, traffic jams, and the delay of project operations. However, Pattaya City once again is asking the public to forgive us for this inconvenience.” Sounding very convincing, Ronakit said “At the end of February residents should see road-surface work from the Bali Hai bridge to Rompho Market around the back of the Macchanu circle completed. The 2nd road running parallel to Jomtien Beach Road between the market and Sukhumvit Road will be done by April 2010.”

No, it wouldn't. A cash advance is limited only by the amount currently in the account the cash advance is coming from. Also, just to make sure, it is always a good idea to alert, by telephone, both the agent who answers your call and the fraud department of your card issuing bank, that you are traveling to Thailand, where you will be, in what city you intend to make large cash advance withdrawals, even from which bank if you happen to know, the dates you will be there, and the approximate amounts you intend to withdraw. That way they'll have that information on record and should not block anything. Also, just in case, ask them for a number to call in the event that a problem does arise. That may actually be too much information. All they wanted from me was to know that I will be making a large cash advance via my debit card in Thailand and the dates I expect to be in Thailand. When I made the final payment on my house in Pattaya, I withdrew over 400,000 baht via cash advance on my USA debit card with no problem whatsoever. I had made the calls I suggested above. I was in and out of the bank in less than 15 minutes. Just make sure you have your passport with you - the real passport, not a copy. If you are making the withdrawal in a Thai bank where you have an account, have the bank book with you too.

Please don't stop. Your reports, especially with all the details, are the greatest trip reports I've ever read. They certainly are not boring in any way. Quite the opposite. It's almost like being there with you and the information you are providing is very helpful and I'm certain many people are benefiting from it, including some bar owners who I know damned well are reading this thread. The fact that this thread has been read over 300 times already ought to tell you that people are very interested in your reports. You just can't stop now. If you do, it would be like reading a book that you can't put down, and finding that half the chapters are missing. To me, your reports have created the best thread I've seen on this, or any other board, in a very long time. I, for one, can't wait until your next chapter of "The Adventures of Firecat69."

When you click on a boy's profile, you will see a "send message" button. Click on it, write your message, and send it. Usually a simple "Hello, nice to see you" is good enough to initiate a chat. If you use common sense, there is nothing to be scared of. Many of the boys are money boys and are also bar boys. Many are sincerely looking for a relationship. Many really do like sex with older farang and are not necessarily looking for money at all. If you are chatting with a boy who you think might be a money boy, ask him. Most of the time they will be honest about it. After all, if he wants money why would he lie about it? Then he won't get any. If you want to meet him, tell him what your offer is. He'll either accept it or he won't. Normally, if you are interested in meeting him for short time, he'll probably accept whatever you normally pay for short time. If you are reluctant to give him your telephone number, you can simply arrange to meet him at a specified place and time. Try to make it somewhere he is likely to know and can easily get to. The Starbuck's Coffee at Tuk Com is usually a good neutral spot. The entrance door to the Friendship Market is also good. Most of the time the boy will offer to come to you, wherever you are staying. If you are staying in a hotel, you can have him come to your hotel and meet him in the lobby. Offer to pay his taxi fare. If he is a bar boy, you can ask him which bar and his badge number. You can meet him at the bar where he works and decide whether to go any further on that basis. If he gives you his own phone number, if you are still reluctant to call him, then call him from a pay phone or your hotel room phone.

Not a bad idea at all. Is this your way of volunteering to be the first one banned?

Exactly. If someone already has a Thai bank account or can open one (I think, but am not sure, that Kasikorn Bank, aka K-Bank, still lets farang open an account with the 30-day privilege), then all he has to do is come to Thailand, go and get a cash advance for however much he needs, then deposit the cash into his Thai bank account and no more searching for ATMs that don't charge the 150 baht fees, no more worrying about dealing with travel checks, no more worrying about a lost or stolen foreign debit card, no more worrying about the possibility of your home bank locking your debit card, and no more worrying about anything else . . . all for $3. If there is a better solution, I'd like to know what it is.

You can set the font colors when writing a post, but I think what RichLB is talking about is when he is trying to read a post. If there is a way to change the font colors for reading posts that already exist, I don't know how to do it.

In 'morning'? Is that anything like in 'mourning'? Do you think I'm mourning in the morning? Do you think I spent my morning mourning? I'm going to keep my thoughts private, for once. Enjoy that. It may be the only time it will ever happen . . .

6 boys and this was only your second day here. You don't waste time, do you? You're going to need a vacation from your vacation. That merits some sort of award. Well, all I've got to offer is two quotes instead of my usual one quote: "Live each day as if it's your last. Some day you're sure to be right." -Edward Woodward, 'Breaker Morant' "I'm in the mood for love Simply because I've got one . . ." - Don Ameche, 'Cocoon' No wonder you take the baht bus. You don't have time for a leisurely stroll. Do you realize how envious a lot of people reading this, who are stuck back home and can't be here, must be? I'll bet many would almost be willing to murder their mother if they could be doing what you're doing right now. And you're going to be here for how many more days?

Well, I've said it once and I'll say it again. I don't understand why those of you who are eligible don't simply open a Thai bank account and however you want to do it, a transfer while still in your home country, travel checks, cash, or whatever, just put the funds you'll need while in Thailand into that account and be done with it. Then you won't have any of these problems. Those of you who can, but don't, you're on my "I Don't Get It" list.

I'm disappointed that they don't have Jimmy Swaggart, Oral Roberts, or the PTL Club. Always my favorites! I remember when Mark Russell sang a song about good ol' Jim and Tammy Bakker on one of his comedy specials. Here it is, sung to the tune of "It's a Small Small World" Come with us, be born again In Jim and Tammy Land, amen! We pray to St. Mercedes Benz In Jim and Tammmmm-meeeeee Land Come to Jim and Tammy Bakker Land Where a hotel room costs a hundred grand So send your check to PTL And if you don't, then go to Hell In Jim and Tammmmm-meeeeee Land

I have a feeling they don't get it either. Consider it added.

I have UBC. They just did the same thing. I discovered it when I saw an Email notice on the television screen. It was written entirely in Thai, so I didn't know what the notice was all about until I discovered that the channel lineup had been changed. UBC actually changed their channel lineup right in the middle of programming. I was watching something on the History Channel and suddenly the screen went blank and a "searching for signal" notice came up. Then, a couple minutes later, the Email notice came up. When the "searching for signal" notice disappeared I decided to channel surf and look for something else to watch, when I spotted the same program I had been watching now continuing on a completely different channel.