Gaybutton

The following appears in the BANGKOK POST: _____ Songkran Booze Ban 'Useless' Published: 4/03/2009 Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva has been asked to consider three options on the ban of sales of alcoholic drinks during next month's Songkran festival. Business operators question the practicality of such action with one saying it would be of no benefit in cutting the road toll. The Public Health Ministry and relevant agencies Wednesday held talks with suppliers and hoteliers on ways to control alcohol sales during Songkran and other long holidays. Delegates said excessive drinking was the main cause of a sharp rise in road accidents during those periods. Mr Abhisit, as chairman of the government's alcohol control committee, will be asked to decide whether to ban alcohol sales throughout the entire Songkran holiday period, for five days or for just three days. Deputy Public Health Minister Manit Nop-amornbodi told a press conference Wednesday the ban should not apply to the start or the end of the holiday festival because road accidents usually peak between April 12 and 14, the middle of the Songkran festival. Mr Manit said apart from limiting the hours alcohol could be sold during long holidays, his ministry also planned to limit the places where alcohol sales could take place. Boon Rawd Brewery marketing manager Chutchai Wiratyosin said after the meeting that any restrictions on the hours and places alcohol could be sold would be useless. He said consumers could still go to shops where alcohol was sold and stock up before the start of the ban.

I hope you're right.

Congratulations. You've definitely convinced me. Now all you have to do is convince the powers-that-be.

The article is talking about widening Beach Road. That's the road along the beach that stretches from North Road (Pattaya Nua) to Walking Street. What Pattaya, in its infinite wisdom, is doing along Thappraya Road, the road that goes from the city to Jomtien Beach, is widening it, but also putting in a median strip. Meanwhile there are shops, restaurants, hotels, etc, on each side of the road along nearly the entire stretch. So, what do you think is going to happen? Cars trying to get from one side of the road to the other will no longer be able to simply make the turn. They'll have to find a place to make a U-turn. Unless someone knows something I don't, I see that causing major bottlenecks and traffic backups, worse than the situation already is.

Baht Likely to Weaken Further in Near Future: KRC BANGKOK, Mar 4 (TNA) – The baht is likely to weaken to around 37 to the US dollar in parallel with most currencies in the region, according to Kasikorn Research Center. The leading think tank said the baht had depreciated to a 2-year low of around 36.30 to the dollar this week in response to news reports that the Bank of Thailand (BoT) had intervened to stabilize the baht's value. The BoT’s move was made in harmony with those of other Asian central banks, which had attempted to rein in the volatility after many currencies in the region weakened to their lowest point in many years. In the near future, KRC said, the baht is projected to fall to around 36.5-37 to the dollar while the greenback is likely to strengthen against other currencies. More noticeably, the weakening of baht this year is absolutely different from that in 1997 as the currency depreciation does not result from the weakness of Thailand’s economic fundamentals, which are currently much stronger than in 1997 when the economic crisis erupted. The balance of payments and the current account balance are likely to record a surplus for this year. At the same time, Thailand’s foreign debts remain low, and international reserves exceed $100 billion. (TNA)

Unfortunately it doesn't work that way for everybody. The service I've received there has always been excellent, but I have not always been so fortunate with the competence of the doctors. Many of the doctors are not staff doctors. They have private practices and also maintain office space at the hospital. My chief complaint about this hospital is the cost. It is much more expensive to go there than any other local hospital. Also, some of the treatment that was recommended to me was unnecessary. The dental clinic is a good example. The dental clinic is excellent. Meanwhile, the local clinic I go to is staffed by several of the same dentists who also work at Bangkok-Pattaya. Their facilities are just as good as what you'll find at Bangkok-Pattaya, but the price is a fraction of what I have paid for precisely the same treatment at Bangkok-Pattaya, and their service is just as good as Bangkok-Pattaya. In my case, because of some of the unnecessary tests, the cost, personal experiences, and mixed reviews from people, I choose to go to Bangkok-Pattaya only in case of an emergency, and that's only because it's the closest hospital to where I live. If you're satisfied with the care and treatment you've received there and are willing to pay their price, that's your choice. My choice, if it's not an emergency that requires me to get to the nearest hospital as quickly as possible, is to start with either Memorial Hospital or Queen Sirikit Hospital (in Sattahip), or Dr. Belen.

That's precisely why they'll never do it that way. I'll be surprised if they ever do anything at all, other than talk about it. If it goes as usual, they'll hire some fly-by-night contractor to do the work, and then there will come the inevitable excuses as to why it's taking so long. The work will stop for months on end and will resume right in the middle of high season. Of course, rather than solve problems, they're more likely to create a nightmare. Don't you love my positive attitude?

I'm very sorry to hear that. You're in the USA for a half hour and they steal your bike! I hope you get lucky and manage to get it back.

For those of you who don't know what kinds of seats are available on the various aircraft used by the airlines, you might want to check the following web site before you book your flight and before you decide upon an economy, business, or first class seat: http://www.seatguru.com

Here are a few photos of the name drawing: The names are all in. Marriott's Management Trainee mixing up the names. The magic moment when the winning name, lvdkeyes, is drawn! - And thank you very much, GaySacGuy, for supplying the photos.

I was hoping a non-resident could advise us residents. So far, as a resident I have no clue. I can guess, but that doesn't mean much. The only thing that makes any sense to me is that it will eventually be a connector to the Rt. 7 expressway to Bangkok. If it is to be something else, then I can't imagine what. I'm visualizing ten years from now: That flyover has been open for a month. The work on Thappraya Road is nearing completion. The city has decided to do something about the potholes on all the secondary streets. And plans for removing all the overhead wires and placing them all underground have been finalized and approved for two weeks. The work will begin in six months. Don't worry, though. I believe the powers-that-be have decided to speed up the works. I'm sure I read somewhere that they want to try to catch up to and keep pace with the speed of continental drift.

If obtaining a "critical mass" of posters was the goal, your idea might be considered. I'm sure GT will consider it anyway, but from where I sit, and I've consistently said this for many years, numbers of posts and numbers of members mean absolutely nothing. That's not what we're all about and that's not what we're trying to become all about. My personal position is that we're after quality, meaningful, reliably informative posts. We're after being a place for people to come when they wish to discuss issues intelligently. We're after being a place for people to come when they have questions, and know they will receive answers to the best of our ability to provide, without being ridiculed simply for asking. We're after being a place to come where people know that personal attacks and slanders will not be tolerated. Those are the kinds of people and posters I want to see on this board. If there are people out there who wish to join us with regard to that kind of posting, they're welcome to do so. If that attracts more posters, wonderful. If not, so be it. But I'm definitely not interested in sacrificing the kind of quality we've set out to achieve here for the sake of gaining numbers of posts and posters whose posts are, shall we say, of a different nature.

You might want to have a look at this link: http://www.chiangmaichimes.com/restaurants...chiang-mai.html I also found the following review: _____ Chez Marco Lovers of French and Mediterranean food are in for a treat at this laid back new bistro and wine bar on Loi Kroh Road. Charming French-Japanese owner Marco cooks up a storm of what he calls 'soul food' a selection of home-cooked Southern French specialties and Continental fusion fare, from tangy tapenades, cheesy bruschette and other light bites to more substantial pastas and steak dishes. Indulge in a feast of stuffed roast vegetables and goat cheese salad, followed by pan-fried chicken steak with creamy mushroom sauce or traditional lasagna al forno, or satisfy your sweet tooth with luscious chocolate mousse and créme caramel. Wash everything down with a glass of full-bodied red or crisp white wine Marco stocks a very decent selection of French, Chilean and Argentine vintages from exclusive importer, Wine Connection. Prices are reasonable and service is friendly, making this a great city snack stop-off. Open 2 p.m. - 1 a.m. daily 15/7 Loi Kroh Road Tel: 053 207032, Email: marcolejap@hotmail.com

The following appears in PATTAYA ONE: _____ Meeting Discusses Plans to Extend the Width of Pattaya Beach Road On Monday afternoon at Pattaya City Hall, Khun Itipon, the Mayor of Pattaya chaired a meeting which discussed proposals to extend the width of Pattaya Beach Road, a plan which was prompted following a recent traffic survey. This initial meeting discussed the feasibility of the plan and what effects it would have on beach road businesses if the plan came to fruition. The plans indicate that the entire 3km stretch of Pattaya Beach Road which finishes at the entrance to Walking Street suffers from acute traffic congestion problems and an 18 meter extension to the width of the road has been proposed which will allow for up to two more lanes of traffic and may allow the road to become two way in the future. Discussions are in an early stage and further meetings are expected in the coming months.

How do you know when you're leaving one region and entering another? Is each province considered a separate region?

Don't forget that the exchange rate fluctuates a little bit during the day, but the trend is certainly moving favorably so far. It's about time too! The Baht closed today at 36.02 to the US Dollar.

There's always something bizarre going on with the banks. If you're being charged to update your passbook with a machine, try going to one of the tellers and have the teller update it. I believe there's no fee that way. For awhile Bangkok Bank was charging me 30 baht whenever I would make a deposit, and that was by cash machine or depositing via a teller. That lasted about a month. Then all of a sudden the charge for a deposit went away and now there is no charge again. It all goes on my "I Don't Get It" list. I don't see why there should be a charge if you use an ATM in a province different from the one where you opened your account. It all goes through a main central computer, so what's the justification? My favorite is when one branch of a bank tells you one thing, and then you go to another branch of the same bank and they tell you something entirely different.

Beats me why anybody would want it at all. I wouldn't want to live that way and I wouldn't want to subject my family to it. However, obviously there are plenty of people who would do just about anything to get it. They can have it. Even if Obama utterly fails, I still wouldn't vote for a Republican. Somehow, the thought of anybody following in the footsteps and policies of Nixon, Ford, Reagan, Bush Sr. and Jr, is about as nauseating a prospect as I can think of. I'd rather see a Democrat fail than a Republican succeed. I have to publicly admit, and publicly embarrass myself, that for a long time I fell for the Republican bullshit. I've learned my lesson. I won't make that mistake again.

For whoever was the original author of this, perhaps that wish has already been granted.

I'm not worrying, but I'm interested. I don't think it's too early for that. Neither do the Republicans.

WASHINGTON (CNN) -- Romney Picked as 2012 GOP Front-Runner Conservative activists on Saturday named former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney the winner of a poll for best 2012 GOP presidential candidate. The poll marked the third consecutive year Romney came out on top. Louisiana Gov. Bobby Jindal placed second in the annual poll, conducted at the Conservative Political Action Conference. Romney received 20 percent of the vote and Jindal got 14 percent. Close behind were Texas Rep. Ron Paul and Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin, who each received 13 percent of the vote. The results were culled over two days from 1,757 of the party activists who came to Washington for the annual conference and filled out ballots on Thursday and Friday. Nearly 60 percent of the straw poll participants were between the ages of 18 and 25. More than half of the conference attendees this year were college students. The choices in the poll were: Florida Gov. Charlie Crist; former House speaker Newt Gingrich; former New York City mayor Rudy Giuliani; former Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee; Jindal; Paul; Palin; Minnesota Gov. Tim Pawlenty; Romney; South Carolina Gov. Mark Sanford, and "Undecided." There was also space on the ballot for a write-in candidate. The results could go a long way in shoring up a presidential hopeful's conservative resume, as was the case with Romney when he won the straw poll in 2007 for 2008. The eventual Republican nominee, Sen. John McCain, finished fifth in the 2007 vote, and lost to Romney in 2008 as conservatives at the conference expressed frustration that the Senate maverick was close to cinching up the nomination. In criticizing Obama and House Democrats in a speech Friday, Romney -- often interrupted by standing ovations -- made clear that he intends to remain a player in Republican politics as he eyes a potential presidential bid in 2012. CPAC attendees also were able to vote on their approval of President Obama and Republicans in Congress. Only 4 percent said they approve of the job Obama is doing. CPAC ended Saturday with radio talk show host Rush Limbaugh delivering the keynote address. Limbaugh called on conservatives to take the country back. "I want to tell you who conservatives are. We conservatives have not done a good enough job of just laying out basically who we are because we make the mistake of assuming that people know," he said. "We love people. When we look out over the United States of America, when we're anywhere, when we see a group of people such as this or anywhere, we see Americans." In order to take the country back, Limbaugh said, "All we need is to nominate the right candidate. It's no more complicated than that." Limbaugh praised Obama as one of the most gifted politicans he has seen, but said, "It just breaks my heart that he does not use these extraordinary talents and gifts to motivate and inspire the American people to be the best they can be. He's doing just the opposite." Limbaugh accused Obama of wanting people to be in fear instead of motivating the country. In the absence of a clear GOP leader, a political ad airing Friday put out by supporters of Obama implies the conservative radio host has himself become the de facto head of the Republican Party. The ad argues that the Republican leadership in Congress is following Limbaugh's lead in opposing the Obama administration's $787 billion stimulus package. "So who are Republican leaders listening to?," the announcer asks before the 30-second ad cuts abruptly to footage of Limbaugh saying, "I want him [Obama] to fail." It was paid for by Americans United for Change and the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees (AFSCME) union, two groups that supported Obama during the election and are advocating for his agenda. In response to the ad, the Republican National Committee said, "The Democrats are running a permanent campaign rather than doing the bipartisan work of governing." Read about the new ad "These ads are part of the Democrats' larger strategy to do something, anything, to try to take the focus off their massive spending binge," RNC spokesman Alex Conant said. Meanwhile, throughout the conference, other Republican leaders and rising stars took turns at the podium. Pawlenty told the conference audience Saturday that Republicans must do a better job of reaching out to working-class voters, a group he said agrees with the GOP on most issues, from gun rights to health care to education. The problem, Pawlenty said, is that lower and middle income voters -- a group he terms "Sam's Club voters" -- don't believe Republicans "are for the working person." He said the party must stress its commitment to job creation and market itself "with a feel and concern and tone and an understanding of the importance and the challenges of the working class of this country. "And it doesn't mean we have to sacrifice our principles to do it," Pawlenty said. Like most of the Republicans who have addressed the annual gathering of conservatives this week, Pawlenty characterized the White House economy recovery package as a "sprawling spending buffet." The governor bemoaned the president's budget plan, unveiled earlier this week, which predicted a $1.75 trillion deficit for the upcoming fiscal year. "A day or two later the Democrats convened a fiscal responsibility summit," he said. "What's next? Are they going to have Rod Blagojevich convene an ethics summit?" Pawlenty and his wife Mary also spoke Friday night to a closed-door reception for "Rebuild the Party," a Web-based grassroots initiative to modernize the party. On Friday, Romney and Gingrich packed the ballroom. Texas Rep. Ron Paul also drew a big crowd and lots of applause. Paul said the conservative movement has struggled to define what it means to be a conservative.

The link to that editorial is: http://www.bangkokpost.com/news/local/1252...ory-gay-reality That editorial brought out something I hadn't really thought of. The gay farang community was certainly upset over this, but how did the gay Thai population feel? Are they outraged over the few people responsible for the threats that shut down the parade or do they view the entire Red Shirt movement as supportive of this incident? Are Thai gays willing to speak out about it? You might be interested in the following: http://blog.nationmultimedia.com/SoHo/2009/02/28/entry-1 ____________________ Here is another editorial I found in the BANGKOK POST: _____ Rak Chiang Mai 51: A pride or a disgrace for Chiang Mai? by Veera Prateepchaikul Organisers of last Saturday’s Gay Pride parade in Chiang Mai are demanding an apology from the Rak Chiang Mai 51 group for what they described as an uncivilized action by some 30 red-shirt hooligans who broke up the parade with force and intimidation. There is not much that the organisers who comprise non-governmental organizations working on HIV/Aids problem can do towards the Rak Chiang Mai 51 group as they are too civilized. But they should have known better that even a verbal apology from the group would be impossible because the self-righteous group believes they are above the law and thus immune to any legal sanctions. According to news reports, some 30 red shirts went to Tawan Trendy Mall where a stage was built to welcome the Gay Pride parade which was due to kick off from Buddasathan, through the Night Bazaar and finally ending at the mall. Once there, the red shirts launched verbal attacks against the event claiming that it was unsuitable and would tarnish the city’s reputation. The gang then dismantled the stage and threatened to resort to violence if the parade was to be held, forcing the organisers to call off the event. This latest thuggish act by the red shirts associated with the Rak Chiang Mai 51 has not only shamed the northern capital well-known the world over for the friendliness and hospitality of its people but may turn away many would-be visitors. Several state agencies have avoided Chiang Mai as a venue of their seminars or meetings for fear that they will be disrupted by the red shirts. For those who may not have any memory about the notoriety of the Rak Chiang Mai 51 group, the followings are some of the incidents perpetrated by the group’s red-shirts: A few days before the breakup of the Gay Pride parade last Saturday, dozens of red shirts went to Chiang Mai provincial hall where hundreds of corn farmers were protesting and demanding help from the government. The red shirts tried to intervene but they were rejected by the farmers who made clear they did not want politics to get mixed up with their protest. But the red-shirt leaders felt offended by the rejection and engaged in angry arguments with the farmers. Luckily, there was no violent incident. On January 23, a few hundred red shirts led by Mr Petchavak Wattanapongsirikul, self-appointed leader of Rak Chiang Mai 51 raided a branch monastery of the Santi Asoke sect in Chiang Mai under a false pretext that some illegal objects might be hidden in the premise. The red shirts’ blatant act stunned the Santi Asoke followers who are mostly children, women and the elderly. However, these people did not put up any resistance and allowed the red shirts to make the arbitrary searches which produced nothing illegal. A similar ugly incident occurred in Lampang province when some 300 Rak Chiang Mai 51 red shirts went to Lampang Regent Lodge hotel to make searches after it was reported that Chaiwat Sinsuwong, a People’s Alliance for Democracy leader, was due to attend a seminar organized by PAD’s Lampang chapter. And there was that shameful incident which happened at Chiang Mai University when one red-shirt protester slapped the face of a female lecturer who tried unsuccessfully to talk reasons with a group of red-shirt protesters who attempted to break up a get-together party of the university alumni in search of Deputy Prime Minister Suthep Thuagsuban who was reported to attend the event as an alumnae. But the worst violent incident involving the Rak Chiang Mai 51 group was the red shirts’ raid last year of a community radio station of a PAD follower in the northern capital. The father of the station owner who was a very old man was allegedly beaten to death by the red-shirt protesters. Of all the violent incidents involving Chiang Mai’s red shirts, the Rak Chiang Mai 51 leaders have never made any apology or shown remorse for the death of the poor defendless old man beaten to death in a cowardly manner by the red shirts. The reluctance of the Chiang Mai police to take legal actions against the law breakers seems to have emboldened the Rak Chiang Mai 51 to the extent that they believe they can take law into their own hands and can escape scot free for all the violence perpetrated by their street thugs. Despite the notoriety of the Rak Chiang Mai 51 and the shame the group has brought on the northern capital, one may wonder aloud what has happened to the city and its people? How can they be so apathetic and so tolerable with such senselessness without uttering a voice of protest?

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Legendary broadcaster Paul Harvey Dies (CNN) -- Paul Harvey, the legendary radio host whose career sharing "the rest of the story" with listeners spanned more than 70 years, has died, according to ABC Radio Networks. He was 90. Harvey died at a hospital in Phoenix, Arizona, where he kept a winter home, said Louis Adams, a spokesman for the networks. He was surrounded by family members when he died, Adams said. Known for his deliberate delivery and pregnant pauses, Harvey's broadcasts were heard on more than 1,200 radio stations and 400 Armed Forces networks and his commentaries appeared in 300 newspapers, according to his Web site. He had been hosting his radio shows part-time for much of the past year, after recovering from physical ailments including pneumonia and the death of his wife, Lynne "Angel" Harvey in May 2008. "My father and mother created from thin air what one day became radio and television news," said Harvey's son, Paul Harvey Jr., in a written statement. "So, in the past year, an industry has lost its godparents and today millions have lost a friend." Born in Tulsa, Oklahoma, Harvey began his radio career in 1933 at KVOO-AM there while he was still in high school, his Web site says. He helped clean the station and was eventually was allowed to fill in on air, reading news and commercials. "Paul Harvey was one of the most gifted and beloved broadcasters in our nation's history," ABC Radio Networks President Jim Robinson said in a written statement. "As he delivered the news each day with his own unique style and commentary, his voice became a trusted friend in American households." Some critics faulted Harvey for the way he seamlessly intertwined news stories with advertisements, which he often read in his own voice in the middle of a story. But his accolades were plentiful -- from his 1990 induction into the National Radio Hall of Fame to receiving the Presidential Medal of Freedom from then-President George W. Bush in 2005. "Paul was a friendly and familiar voice in the lives of millions of Americans," Bush said Saturday in a written statement. "His commentary entertained, enlightened, and informed. Laura and I are pleased to have known this fine man, and our thoughts and prayers are with his family." No cause of death was immediately known.

My congratulations too. I gave lvdkeyes a call when I returned home from the breakfast. He told me GT had already informed him and he said, "I'm just stunned!" He said he didn't come to the breakfast because by the time he woke up this morning it was already too late for him to get there. On top of that, Pattaya had another heavy rain storm this morning. For those of you who did not know about the breakfast, GT was generous enough to host a breakfast at the Marriott this morning for invited guests. The guests invited were those who were eligible to win the contest and some additional people who post on the board and are local in Pattaya. We wanted to make sure we had people who could attest to the fact that nothing was 'rigged.' Those in attendance, along with GT and myself, were PattayaMale, GaySacGuy, and Shebavon. Although they were not contenders to win, Geezer and RichLB were also with us. Yes, as GT says, the names went into a real hat. Our hostess was a young Dutch lady who is a management trainee at the Marriott. We asked her to do the honors when it came time to draw the winning name. GaySacGuy was the official photographer for us. Today he is returning to Ubon Ratchathani. After he arrives home he'll get the photos posted. GayThailand is also leaving us this evening. He's headed off to the USA and expects to return to Thailand in about two months. So, a good time was had by all. I'm almost sorry to see the contest come to an end. I got so used to counting and tallying posts that now I'm going to have to figure out something else to do! Again, congratulations to lvdkeyes. For those who didn't win, now is the time to start trying to convince GT to sponsor another contest . . .