Gaybutton

I've never used an avatar before, but now I think I've found one that fits the bill, so here it is! After all, over the years I've been called everything from a control freak to a son-of-a-bitch. Oh well, they say one picture is worth a thousand words . . . . Actually, my favorite avatar is zzrichard's "safe sex" avatar.

First, I see no post where anyone accuses you of being a pedophile. Second, if I missed such a post, you're going to have to explain to me how my saying "Gentlemen" lumps you within anything. Oh my God, I said "Gentlemen"!!! Isn't that terrible? Third, I haven't mentioned this before but you have kind of a bizarre writing style and sometimes it's difficult to figure out just what the hell you're talking about. We don't close threads around here unless people start violating the posting rules or the moderators determine there is a problem. I see no problems. You asked for advice. Now it seems to me that you resent receiving advice you don't want to hear. I think you were hoping to hear people telling you not to have concerns about the 10 year old. Also, others may find themselves in a similar situation one of these days. The advice being given on this thread doesn't necessarily apply solely to you and your own situation. I've given you my advice with complete sincerity. I believe everyone who has posted on this thread has done the same thing. Take it or leave it.

The following appears in the BANGKOK POST: _____ Cambodia Alleges Thai Troops Crossing Border Phnom Penh (dpa) The number of Thai troops in territory Cambodia considers sovereign increased Thursday, and local media reported fearful Cambodian residents had begun evacuating the area of a border dispute over an 11th-century Hindu temple. Preah Vihear, perched on a 525-metre high cliff on the Dongrak mountain range that defines the Thai-Cambodian border, turned into a flashpoint Tuesday when three Thai nationals entered the temple compound to protest UNESCO's July 9 listing as a World Heritage Site. "The troop numbers have increased, although I have no exact figure. They are at a pagoda about 200 metres from Preah Vihear temple," government spokesman Khieu Kanharith said. Late Wednesday he estimated that around 200 Thai troops were in Cambodian territory, while Cambodia had sent 380. Thailand maintains the area is a disputed no man's land and they are not in Cambodia. Local newspapers Thursday printed front page pictures of Thai troops standing at Cambodian checkpoints, with Cambodian Khmer-language signs clearly visible. Kanharith confirmed that Cambodia would hold talks with Thailand over the issue Monday and said Prime Minister Hun Sen had spoken with his Thai counterpart Samak Sundaravej by telephone Wednesday night. He said relation remain cordial and urged calm. Kanharith said Thailand called for the urgent meeting to defuse the row over joint claims to the temple ruins compound that has drawn hundreds of troops to both sides of the border. The emergency meeting of the General Border Committee will be held Monday in Thailand's border province of Sa Kaeo. It was not clear whether the meeting of the committee, set up years ago to cope with the two countries' border problems, would be attended by Thai Prime Minister Samak in his capacity as defence minister. Meanwhile both Koh Santepheap and the Cambodia Daily newspapers reported Cambodian residents had begun evacuating the area. "I don't feel safe because the Thai side is building up its soldiers as well as the Cambodian side," the Cambodia Daily quoted villager Kuy Sopheat, 49, as saying as he packed for his family. Around 900 Cambodian families live around the temple. Tensions began rising Tuesday, when Cambodia detained and then released three Thais it said had illegally crossed the border.

Sometimes people solicit the opinions of others because they are hoping to have their own opinion reinforced by having others tell them what they want to hear. If it doesn't work out that way, that's when they become upset.

He did say July 21, so he still has a couple days to make his decision. Here's another possibility: Why not reverse it? Instead of them coming to stay at your condo, why not go to Kanchanaburi yourself? That way, you can be the one who stays in a hotel - without having to deal with the 10 year old being under the same roof, can check to see if the 10 year old is really his brother, get your camcorder back, make your decisions as to whether you want the boyfriend in your life, and make an easy retreat if you decide things aren't going to work out. The worst that can happen would be, if nothing else, you get a short holiday out of it.

Once again, folks, I don't make these things up. The following appears in the PATTAYA DAILY NEWS: _____ CUNNING MONK BEGUILES WOMAN INTO BLACK MAGIC SEX CEREMONY IN PATTAYA MOTEL A woman was told she needed to use a black magic spell to make her man fall in love with her. She then asked a monk to perform a sacred ceremony for her, which involved her having to have sex with the monk in order to make it more efficient. Police later found the wrongdoers naked in a motel room. The woman admitted she had done wrong, but claimed she was led astray. The cunning monk was banished from the monkhood. On July 16, 2008, at 3am, senior police officers, Pol.Col.Nopadol Wongnom, Pattaya Superintendent, Pol.Maj. Passakorn Pai-Jit, Chief Officer and Pol.Capt. Prinya Dech-Thamarit, Deputy Officer, were notified by villagers that a monk had rented a motel room to sleep with a woman. The incident was at Good View Resort, North Pattaya. A police team accordingly went to investigate. Arriving at the V.I.P. motel, a staff member pointed out the unnumbered room to the police. The police then knocked on the door and asked the people inside to open it, but when they refused, police asked a staff member to use a spare key to open the room. Gaining entry, police were shocked to see a middle-age woman and a bald-headed man, naked and cuddling on the bed. There was also a monk's saffron robe and a woman's clothes on the bed. The police then asked them to put on their clothes. The room's occupants were later identified as Mrs. Thanawan Pak-utsa (49), a merchant from Nonthaburi province and Mr. Prakong Phu-ging-ploy (44) or "Pra Prok-krong Thanawaro" , a monk from Bpothi-sri-tha-gnarm, Kalasin province. Mr. Prakong aka Pra Prok-krong later confessed to police that he and Mr. Somchai Kamjing, (48), his driver, had rented 3 rooms at the motel for two nights. He had apparently made an appointment with Mrs. Thanawan and Mrs. Siri Pak-utsa (63) to see him in room C 7, in order to perform a black magic ceremony to make a man to whom she was attracted fall in love with her. However, she was told by the monk that in order to make the rite effective, the woman has to have sex with the monk and also release some fish, to which she agreed. The monk boasted to police that he had many women followers in the Pattaya area who come to see him all the time for various favours. Examining an ajacent room, C 8, police found various materials for conducting the ceremony, such as: a Buddha image, holy thread, incense sticks and candles. Mr.Prakong admitted that he had had sex as part of the ceremony once with the woman before the police arrived. Mrs. Thanawan claimed that she was in love with a certain man, who appeared immune to her charms. She said she had money, but could not make the man fall in love with her, so she sought Pra Prok-krong to do the magical ceremony for her, which involved sleeping with him. Besides, she confessed, she was also fond of Pra Prok-krong because she had found him charming. Even though she knew that it was wrong, she maintained she had been led astray into sleeping with him. After the investigation, police took Pra Prok-krong before the monk dean of Wat Chai-mongkol, requesting that he be banished from the monkhood.

Gentlemen, let's not get into a pissing contest, ok? Asmerom asked for advice and people have given it. Now he has to decide whether to heed the advice. I see no need for that to degenerate into a war of words.

Don't you love it when things like this happen? It makes me wonder how many more are out there doing the same thing.

Those are the only two possibilities, lack or understanding or deliberate twisting? I believe my arguments are valid on their own, with no need to twist anything. What, exactly, do you think I twisted or misunderstood? Do you believe that to take a stance on any aspect of your own argument that is different from what you are saying means that I don't understand your argument? Ok . . . Here's one part of your argument about which I disagree and will now twist: "It's better to be safe than sorry." I agree with that statement, but I disagree that it applies to the current argument. I don't think there is any threat to anyone's safety at all, regarding CCTV cameras in bars. Again, you can be as paranoid and fearful as you wish. According to my interpretation of your argument it's not safe to visit any gay area of Pattaya at all. Personally, I would feel a lot less safe trying to get past US Customs if I happen to have a photo of my neighbor's kid with me than I would feel while inside a gay bar in Pattaya.

This is the "For Sale" ad for The Birdcage, that appears in PATTAYA PEOPLE.

Were you able to find out what they charge for a six-pack of rope?

I hate to break the news, but it's no more cleaned up now than it ever was. Several of the bars still have under-age boys and there are still quite a number of under-age street kids roaming around.

Rachain Kluanklard A.C.E.S. Advisors Co., Ltd. 15/35 M. 5 Naklua Banglamung Chonburi 20150 aces@loxinfo.co.th telephone: 038 411 127 On North Road (Pattaya Nua) look for The Balcony restaurant, a little to the west of the Tesco-Lotus on the same side of the street. The office is on the 4th floor of the same building the restaurant is in.

There's no way to answer that one. There is no particular average. I've seen some come and go as quickly as a couple of months and others have been there since before I ever started coming to Thailand. Often, a bar closes, but a new one opens at a different location and the owner is the same person who owned the bar that closed. Now there seems to be more closings than openings. I've been saying for a long time that I can't see how these bars can remain open when they have very few customers and sometimes no customers at all. How can they afford to pay the bills and the boys? Obviously they can't and now that problem is catching up and forcing several to go out of business. Just within the past several days Pattaya has lost Bondi, Birdcage, and Villa Rouge. Minou is closed, but I don't know anything about that or whether they will reopen. Gentlemen Club is gone. The old location of Star Boys is being gutted out. Gacuya is gone, although Louis opened Tai Boys again in a different location. The old location of Tai Boys is now a Family Mart. Just a few years ago there were four go go bars on Soi Day-Night. Now there are none. Some may remember the Moonlight Bar, near Pattayaland on Second Road. It's been gone for years now. Playboy and Boys Studio are both long gone. I can't remember the name of the bar, but a few years ago the first gay bar in Pattaya that featured a swimming pool and swimming show opened about halfway to Jomtien Beach from Pattayaland on Thappraya Road. It too is long gone. The ICON Hotel and the show bar are both gone. A few other bars that once existed in Sunee Plaza are gone. The old Monty's pool is still closed. That buffet restaurant right next door has a For Sale sign up. Between the costs of running a bar, paying the staff, dealing with the Police, and the lack of customers, the prognosis seems awfully gloomy to me. It hasn't been all that long since most of the bars were packed almost nightly and there was no shortage of customers even in low season. Now, high season can't even compare to the low season that existed not all that long ago. Right now it's the middle of low season. I'm almost ready to rename it 'dead season.'

By the way, most of the staff of the former Kaos- Villa Rouge has moved to the K-Boys bar. Many of the same boys, mama-sans, staff, etc. are there now.

I agree with Luvthai. While I have no reason to suspect there is an intent to set you up for blackmail, the times are dangerous regarding gay farang with an under-age boy under his roof, no matter how innocent it might be. I like the hotel idea. You can always concoct some sort of a story that gives legitimacy to a reason why you can't have any guests at the time they will be there. You could also be honest with the boy about your concerns and explain it is a risk you don't want to take. After all, it's your home and you shouldn't have to be fearful in your own home. If you have some time before they arrive, maybe it would be a good idea to consult a reputable Thai attorney about your concerns. If this was a few years ago, I would have said you're creating a problem that doesn't really exist. Today, however, I think if it were me I would have similar concerns. I also agree with Luvthai. The kid stole your camcorder. Ok, now he says he regrets it, he's sorry, and wants to return it, but do you really think it's such a good idea to have that same boy stay in your home? Maybe his conscience won't bother him so much over the next item he decides to take on a little journey away from home.

The following appears in PATTAYA ONE: _____ American Jumps to his Death from North Pattaya Hotel Police Lieutenant Colonel Pongsawat from Pattaya Police Station was called to the Markland Hotel located in Soi 1 off Pattaya Second Road early on Wednesday Morning to investigate reports of an apparent suicide involving a foreign man. At the scene, Police inspected the body of Mr. Christopher Kerry Rozier aged 41 from California, USA. He was known to be residing at the R-Con Apartments in Soi Boekeow in room number A315, however Police are unsure why he apparently chose the Markland Hotel to jump from. The body was found on a flat roof of an adjoining building. An apparent suicide note was found in his trouser pocket which requested that two people back in the USA should be contacted, one of which was his former Thai Wife, Khun Sujittra who resides in USA. The note also gave permission for his organs to be donated to someone in need and he requested that his body be cremated here in Thailand. A motive behind the apparent suicide has not been determined at this point and staff at the R-Con Apartments mentioned that Mr. Rozier informed them that he would extend his stay at the Apartments earlier this week. The American Embassy have been informed of the death and Police are continuing their investigation into the death at this time.

I can't help but wonder how many people who are posting on these threads about CCTV on this and other boards are actually here in Pattaya and seeing for themselves. LP is right. I've looked for these cameras and I can't spot any of them. Also, some people are under the impression that only the gay bars are required to have these cameras. The requirement applies to every bar in Pattaya, whether gay, straight, mixed, or what-have-you. It's not even limited to the bars. Many hotels have them too. It's hard for me to believe that any rational person is actually convinced that the police are going around to every bar every day, or even some of the bars some of the days, collecting the CCTV tapes, and then are sitting there viewing them all in an attempt to see if any farang happened to be seated with an under-age boy, which in itself isn't even illegal. Just for the sake of argument, let's suppose that's exactly what the police are doing. Ok, under poor lighting conditions and poor quality tapes, they would have to be able to identify the farang, identify the boy, find out the boy's actual age, find out the name of the farang, find out where he is staying, or conduct some sort of a stake-out in hopes that same farang will show up again, and then arrest him. This whole thing keeps moving further and further toward the top of my "I Don't Get It" list. If nothing else, the requirement is only that the bars have CCTV cameras installed. I know of no actual requirement that they even be in working order or even activated. Someone said he heard that one bar owner is turning tapes over to the police in order to keep out of trouble himself. That was based on an Email a user received and to my knowledge, nothing about that was ever substantiated. That was weeks ago already. Supposedly, the bar in question is one of the bars that routinely hires under-age boys. Ok, anybody heard about any arrests as a result of those tapes? Has anybody even heard a rumor about such an arrest? Certainly, if that was the intent of those tapes, the police have had plenty of time to start arresting people. Somebody else said maybe there have been arrests, but the media isn't reporting it. Right. Every time a pedophile is arrested the media is always champing at the bit to publicize it and the police love to parade those who have been arrested in front of the news cameras, but they're keeping quiet about CCTV tape arrests? Somebody is going to have a very difficult time convincing me that is the case. Folks, for all we know some of these bars may have had CCTV cameras in place ever since they were first invented. Everybody seems to be assuming that none of the bars ever had any until it became mandatory. I make no such assumption. Some people are saying the cameras are an intrusion on privacy. I disagree with that because I don't see how people can be sitting in a go go bar, in full view of anybody else who happens to be in there or walks in, and then figures his privacy is being invaded. I also remind you that Thai law does not include western ideas about privacy rights. Toto, I don't think we're in Kansas anymore. In short, and this is only my opinion and I do make room for the possibility I could be totally wrong, but I think this whole thing has been blown way out of proportion, to the point it has virtually become paranoia. You can do what you want, think what you want, and be as afraid as you want to be, but as for me I'm not going to start worrying until there is something to worry about. When I see that people have been so much as inconvenienced because of the CCTV cameras, let alone actually arrested or questioned, that's when I'll start worrying. Until then, life goes on . . .

I didn't go for a sleep study, but I studied in my sleep . . . way back when they used to sell language instruction records, to learn in your sleep. I wanted to learn Spanish. The trouble was the record kept skipping, so I only learned to stutter in Spanish.

Thank you for the information, but why didn't you ask? Also, I'm pinning this topic. Obviously this is now a requirement, so everyone who needs to report his address needs to be aware of it.

A Message by George Carlin: The paradox of our time in history is that we have taller buildings but shorter tempers, wider Freeways, but narrower viewpoints. We spend more, but have less, we buy more, but enjoy less. We have bigger houses and smaller families, more conveniences, but less time. We have more degrees but less sense, more knowledge, but less judgment, more experts, yet more problems, more medicine, but less wellness. We drink too much, smoke too much, spend too recklessly, laugh too little, drive too fast, get too angry, stay up too late, get up too tired, read too little, watch TV too much, and pray too seldom. We have multiplied our possessions, but reduced our values. We talk too much, love too seldom, and hate too often. We've learned how to make a living, but not a life. We've added years to life not life to years. We've been all the way to the moon and back, but have trouble crossing the street to meet a new neighbor. We conquered outer space but not inner space. We've done larger things, but not better things. We've cleaned up the air, but polluted the soul We've conquered the atom, but not our prejudice. We write more, but learn less. We plan more, but accomplish less. We've learned to rush, but not to wait. We build more computers to hold more information, to produce more copies than ever, but we communicate less and less. These are the times of fast foods and slow digestion, big men and small character, steep profits and shallow relationships These are the days of two incomes but more divorce, fancier houses, but broken homes. These are days of quick trips, disposable diapers, throwaway morality, one night stands, overweight bodies, and pills that do everything from cheer, to quiet, to kill. It is a time when there is much in the showroom window and nothing in the stockroom. A time when technology can bring this letter to you, and a time when you can choose either to share this insight, or to just hit delete... Remember; spend some time with your loved ones, because they are not going to be around forever. Remember, say a kind word to someone who looks up to you in awe, because that little person soon will grow up and leave your side. Remember, to give a warm hug to the one next to you, because that is the only treasure you can give with your heart and it doesn't cost a cent. Remember, to say, 'I love you' to your partner and your loved ones, but most of all mean it. A kiss and an embrace will mend hurt when it comes from deep inside of you. Remember to hold hands and cherish the moment for someday that person will not be there again. Give time to love, give time to speak! And give time to share the precious thoughts in your mind. AND ALWAYS REMEMBER: Life is not measured by the number of breaths we take, but by the moments that take our breath away. If you don't send this to at least 8 people....Who cares? George Carlin

I now have confirmation that is acceptable to me. The Birdcage bar has closed.

There is a long thread on the Baht-Stop forum about this subject. I've stated my opinions on that thread, so I'm not going to repeat them here. But I will say that a friend and I went through most of the Sunee Plaza bars this evening. Between the dim lighting and the strobe lights I doubt that the CCTV cameras could pick up a decent image of anyone. To my mind, it's all very simple. If you have misgivings about the CCTV cameras, then don't go into the bars. We can post back and forth from now until Kingdom Come our opinions about it, the intrusion on privacy, the potential for blackmail, and God-knows-what, but meanwhile the cameras are there to stay. The bar owners are not at fault. They had to comply. So, to me the bottom line is: If you oppose the CCTV cameras, then what do you think can be done about it?

The latest information I have is that Birdcage has indeed silently closed. I cannot confirm that yet, but my information is coming from highly reliable sources. At this moment, that's the best I can tell you.

The Bondi hotel and bar, in Jomtien Complex, has closed. I'm very sorry to see yet another gay establishment close its doors.