Gaybutton

If your friend is right, then it would be simple to find out. There is a BTS stop at On Nut and the Tesco/Lotus is right there at the BTS exit. I have never tried bathroom pickups and I have never dialed any phone numbers inscribed on bathroom doors. That's not my cup of pee . . . I do remember, however, a graffiti I saw several years ago in the bathroom of a restaurant in Philadelphia: "If you voted for Bush, don't shit here. Your asshole's in Washington." While I was in Lad Phrao and in that market I never saw any lady-boys at all. I'm trying to figure out why someone thought there are so many lady-boys in that area that a separate bathroom for them was warranted. I have a feeling, though, it was simply that three bathrooms were put in place, all next to each other, and the lady-boy bathroom is someone's idea of a joke.

For the past few days I have been doing some traveling around. One of my stops was in the Lad Phrao district of Bangkok. I went to use the Men's room at an outdoor marketplace, similar to a mini version of Chatuchak. I wish I had a camera with me because I don't think anyone is going to believe me. I nearly had no need to actually enter the Men's room to relieve myself when I saw that there are three restrooms there. One for Women. One for Men. And a third one for lady-boys!!!! Now I'm sure I've seen everything!

I was out of town for the past few days, so I have no idea whether bars ended up closing or remaining open. Perhaps someone can tell us what actually transpired on Wednesday.

I'm inclined to agree with Pete1969 on this one. I've never heard any of my friends say anything like that and I'm sure they also don't feel that way. However, I don't doubt what you say at all. Unfortunately there are people out there who try to pay as little as possible and they come up with all sorts of excuses and rationales to justify what they're doing. I have no problem at all with the idea of paying the going rate. I think one of the biggest mistakes many of the boys make is when it comes time to pay up and the "farang" asks how much. Quite often the boy says, "Up to you." Wrong reply if they happen to be with one of these people trying to get away with sex for a couple hundred baht. One of the most glaring examples I can remember personally witnessing was several years ago in one of the bars. A "gentleman" who usually shows up at this time of year had called a boy over to sit with him. I knew the boy. This guy spent over an hour sitting there feeling up the boy, kissing him, and even publicly masturbating him. From the expression on the boy's face it was obvious the boy was going through what must have been hell and an extremely humiliating experience for him. When the "gentleman" left he gave the boy a 20 baht tip. It didn't end there. A few days later the boy told me the same "gentleman" had arranged for him to come to his hotel room on a specified day and time. The boy went, despite the 20 baht tip. He had to take a motorcycle taxi to get there. When he arrived and knocked on this guy's door, he opened it up, told the boy he already has a boy with him, and shut the door in the boy's face. He didn't even give him taxi fare. I asked the boy why he went at all, considering how blatantly cheap this guy was. He said he needed the money and had no choice. It doesn't even end there. This same "gentleman" showed up at the bar yet again and called the boy over. The boy risked his job by telling him 'fuck you' and refused to have anything to do with him. Personally, I make no distinction between bar boys, host boys, massage boys, beach boys, or anything else. To me, they're all just people, all trying to survive as best as they can. Many of those beach boys are also bar boys at night. They work the beach during the day and work the bars during the night. The so-called status of the boy has never had anything to do with it, at least in my eyes.

The following appears in the BANGKOK POST: _____ Police Nab Dutch Paedophile Suspect Acting on an Interpol tip-off, Thai police arrested a 60-year-old Dutch national at Hua Hin beach resort on child sex abuse charges, authorities said Monday. Willem Gerard Knoppien, 60, was arrested Sunday shortly after police filmed a 12-year-old Thai boy entering and leaving his rented home in Hua Hin, 130 kilometres south of Bangkok. "We had received a warning from Netherlands Interpol that Knoppien had a child abuse record so we were keeping an eye on him," said Police Colonel Banya Pinsuk, of Thailand's Crimes Against Women and Children unit. "We asked Knoppien's neighbours to tell us if anything suspicious happened," he added. On Sunday morning a man on a motorcycle brought a 12-year-old Thai boy to Knoppien's Hua Hin home. Police filmed the boy entering the foreigner's house and leaving one hour later. Banya said the boy had confessed to having sex with Knoppien for 120 baht (3.50 dollars), while the man who delivered him on the motorcycle received another 200 baht (5.90 dollars). Knoppien, a frequent visitor to Thailand, denied having sex with the child. (dpa)

The only thing I'm sure of in regard to the bar closings is what I have been told and by whom. Two bar owners told me they will be closed and another reliable source told me the same thing. Whether they are required to be closed is another matter. It didn't occur to me to ask whether the closings are mandatory, so I can't answer that one. I don't think it matters much what we've read before. I read those articles too. You know how things work in Thailand. You're told something one day, and the next day it has all completely changed. There's one way to find out. Go to a few bars and see if they're open. But if it were me, and I want to be assured of a "guest" on Wednesday, I'd be making my arrangements on Tuesday.

That will be very interesting. Just how are drivers supposed to know that the Thai National Anthem is being played? I almost never have my car radio on, and that's the only way I would be aware that the anthem is being played. I'm picturing a "farang" driver being fined for failure to stop and turn off his engine because he didn't have his radio on, or if he did then he didn't even recognize the Thai National Anthem in the first place. Until I had come to Thailand a few times, I wouldn't have recognized it. Come to think of it, I also wouldn't recognize the national anthems of Uruguay, Oman, or Burkina Faso.

Wednesday, December 5 is His Majesty, the King's 80th birthday. In Thailand this is a major holiday. All government offices, banks, embassy services, and bars will be closed. ATMs will be working. If you need to cash any travel checks, today or tomorrow is the time to do it. Also, if you wish to have a "guest" on Wednesday, tonight or tomorrow is the time to make that arrangement as well.

Actually, it is not up to you, unless you wish to tip more than the specified minimum. I think maybe you are talking about beach massage boys. That's not what I am talking about. I am talking about the gay massage parlors. In virtually all of them, they show you a "menu" of what they have to offer and that menu shows the prices. The usual rate is 300 baht for the room and a basic massage, and 500 baht for the boy. At least that's been the rate at the ones I've been to. It's been more than a year since the last time I went to any of them, so the prices may have changed since then. You can certainly give the boy more than the specified minimum tip if you wish, but they make the minimum clear. Of course, a place like Madame Ed's is far more expensive (if they're still open), but you get a hell of an experience there. The naked boy bubble bath massage is certainly a, shall we say . . . unique experience. I'm not sure I understand what you mean by a 'pecking order.'

Ok, a few comments from me: First, 1300 baht is far too much to pay for a "happy ending" massage in Pattaya. Most massage parlors charge 300 baht for the room and 500 baht for the boy, unless you want some sort of higher class massage. I would never opt for anything other than a basic massage in these places. Something tells me most of these boys are not exactly skilled, trained masseurs, and if they were I doubt they would be working for a sex massage parlor. There is something to be said for your methods if your sole interest is sex. Sure, a direct deal with a boy will save you money. But in the process you are giving up the entertainment offered by the bars. That's fine if the bar entertainment is of no interest to you. I get tired of "the usual" in the bars too . . . dealing with the pushy mama-san, calling the boy over and going through the "what you name, where you from, how long you stay Thailand?" routine, followed by the drink for the boy, followed by the "off" fee, followed by waiting for him to change clothes, followed by him pretending to be madly in love with you, and all accompanied to the sound of horrendous music loud enough to force another Noriega into an early surrender. Many people, especially those who are only in Thailand for a week or two each year, greatly enjoy the bar scene. Plenty of "farang" who are living here also greatly enjoy it as well. I have no objection to what you are doing and it certainly pleases the freelancers, but I do wish to warn people that sticking with freelancers can be dangerous. If a boy is working in a bar, the bar, by law, has copies of his identification and contact information. If something goes wrong, then it's much easier to track down the boy if he has been taken "off" from a bar. If something goes wrong with a freelancer, such as theft or worse, there's not much you'll be able to do about it. You'll have no practical means of tracking him down. Just be extra careful and at least make sure the hotel holds his ID card until he leaves. Make sure the hotel will not return his ID card to him, and he knows they won't, unless you personally accompany him to retrieve it or the desk clerk contacts you first to make sure everything is ok. Also, make sure the desk clerk checks the ID card to verify it is actually his own. The good news is that most freelancers turn out to be perfectly honest and fun to be with, but there are always a few around who will take full advantage if an opportunity arises.

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My biggest peeve would be the price you paid for the drink. The seating comfort, "quality" of the boys, and music volume are matters of personal taste and opinion, but the drink prices are a matter of fact and cannot be disputed. I was assured, twice, that drink prices do not go to 150 baht until 10:00. If you were charged that price before 10:00 then either the bar has changed its prices or is not living up to the assurance I was given. If the latter is true, then I won't be back either.

Well, that's one way to get a few votes . . . The following appears in the BANGKOK POST: _____ Viagra Stiffens up the Vote in Thailand Candidates in next month's fiercely contested Thai election have been offering Viagra in exchange for votes, it was alleged Friday. Elderly male voters are being wooed with the little blue pill used to treat sexual dysfunction at social functions, claimed Sayan Nopcha, a campaigner for the People Power Party (PPP) in Pathum Thani, near Bangkok. "A politician is giving out Viagra to gain popularity and votes. I think this is a very bad method of vote buying," Sayan told the Bangkok Post. He showed journalists two tablets as "proof" of his allegations and warned that cheap Viagra substitutes could be very damaging to the health of voters. The December 23 general election is to return power to the people after the September 2006 coup d'etat that brought a military-appointed government to power. The PPP, widely considered a proxy party for deposed prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra, is fiercely contesting the election against 40 other parties for 480 seats in the lower house. There are 4,200 candidates running for election. Critics of the ousted prime minister claim that his "Viagra" is his recent purchase of Manchester City Football Club in England to keep his name in the news in soccer mad Thailand. Manchester City recently signed up three young Thai players - unlikely drafts for a professional league team, but fascinating for Thai voters. Vote buying is traditionally rampant in Thai elections where rural voters are more impressed by hard cash than superficial ideologies. The Election Commission has toughened up the rules so much this time that even giving away T-shirts and soft drinks can be censored. Sayan refused to disclose who might be giving out the sex drug because he said it was difficult to prove. The wildly popular drug is supposed to be used only on doctor's advice but can be bought over the counter in Thailand. However, it is too expensive for most Thais. (dpa)

Somehow I'm not surprised. I sat in the back row and the seats were the same as anywhere else, to my recollection. Did you sit in the front row? Is that where the kind of seating you describe was? I didn't pay any attention to the front row when I was there. I am surprised, however, that you were charged 150 baht for drinks before 10:00. I wasn't. What time were you there? Did you say anything to the manager or mama-san when your bill came? If yes, what did they say?

As many of you know, you have to buy separate tickets if you wish to travel in Bangkok on the BTS Skytrain or the MRT Subway system. Bangkok is finally going to start selling tickets that cover them both, as well as other forms of transportation. For details, see the following article in the PATTAYA MAIL: http://www.pattayamail.com/current/travel.shtml#hd1

Geezer taught me something that he did not mention in his post above. Once he has the boy's ID car in hand, he asks the boy when his birthday is. I have actually been with him twice when the boy said, "I don't know." Right. He doesn't know his own birthday. What he really didn't know was the birth date on the card he borrowed from someone else, in hopes the "farang" would not catch on that it isn't his own card and he's probably under-age. If you are ever confused about the Thai year, remember the "543 Rule." This year the Thai year is 2550. Subtract 543 from 2550 and you have 2007. Subtract 543 from 2531 and you have 1988, making the boy at least 18 years old if he's using his own ID card.

That's one of my favorite dishes. In Thailand I've probably eaten it. The banking issue has to do with the exchange rates. If there is going to be another major cash flow coming into Thailand, that's likely to make the baht stronger, at least temporarily. That's precisely Thailand's dilemma. On the one hand, Thailand needs money and a major cash inflow helps provide it. On the other hand, the last thing Thailand wants is an even stronger baht and a major cash inflow helps cause it. Thailand's economy is caught between a rock and a hard place. Just what the outcome will be, in the end, is anybody's guess. I still think the baht will eventually crash. I just hope, if that is the baht's destiny, it happens before the US dollar crashes.

The following appears in THE NATION: _____ BOT Predicts Cash Boom Central Bank Sets Aside Bt300-bn Reserve as Election and Holidays Set to Spur Demand for Banknotes Published on November 28, 2007 Money will flood into the economy next month thanks to the general election and the festive season, banking experts said yesterday. The Bank of Thailand (BOT) estimates that household spending in December will jump by about 8 per cent as politicians pour money into their election campaigns and the Thai public spends more during the festive season. Chittima Duriyaprapan, senior director of the BOT's Banknote Operation Depart-ment, said notes distributed to commercial banks in December are likely to total Bt192.5 billion, an 8-per-cent increase from the same period last year in response to rising demand. The expansion of currency supply in December is also notably higher than in past months, with the Kingdom likely to report an economic growth rate of 4.3 to 4.8 per cent for the year. Chittima said the escalating demand for money is a result of the many events that will be held next month, including the election, Christmas and New Year celebrations. Cash gifts at weddings, which are very popular in December, will also spur demand. "In December, we are forecasting that people will require more money than normal. This would lead to a higher distribution of banknotes," Chittima said. A source from the central bank said demand for Bt1,000 banknotes has risen, while demand for Bt100 banknotes has been declining. The source did not speculate on the reason for these trends. Chittima said the central bank is preparing a reserve of Bt300.4-billion worth of banknotes to meet cash demand over the next two months. In November, the total value of banknotes in circulation was Bt740.38 billion, rising by 4.84 per cent from the same period last year, according to the BOT. In October, Bt736.3 billion was in circulation, an increase of 6.41 per cent over October of 2006. Aside from the surging distribution of banknotes in general, the central bank did not report any irregular patterns of distribution for particular denominations over the past few months. The recent boost in currency circulation was partly caused by resurgent export activity, particularly in October when exporters stocked their inventories for the holiday season. The spike in oil prices, the harvest season and hike in farm income, which has been spurred by the 23.3-per-cent rise in agricultural prices, also contributed to the increase of tender in circulation. In October, the central bank reserved Bt263.5 million of Bt1,000 banknotes. However, the actual distribution to the banks totalled Bt106.4 million, accounting for about 40 per cent of the reserve. For the Bt500 denomination, banknotes worth Bt28.1 million were distributed, accounting for 43.8 per cent of the Bt64.2-million reserve. For Bt100 banknotes, Bt139.9-million worth were reserved and Bt78.9 million, or 56.4 per cent, distributed. About Bt9.7-million worth of Bt50 banknotes were reserved with a distribution of Bt5.7 million, accounting for 58.8 per cent. Thirty-one per cent of the Bt20-banknote reserve was distributed, or Bt78.7 million of Bt251.2 million. Anoma Srisukkasem The Nation

There are many more than the ones on luvthai's list. I'm sure there are plenty more than are on my list, but here are the ones I know about. That ought to keep you busy for a while . . . . _____ http://www.dragoncastle.net/gaydating http://www.gayuniverse.com/profiles/Thailand.html http://www.gay.com http://www.gaydar.co.uk http://www.gayrice.com http://www.squirt.org http://www.gayromeo.com http://www.silverdaddies.com http://www.postjung.com/index.php http://www.thaiboyx.com http://thaiboy.net http://asiafriendfinder.com http://fridae.com http://www.masseurthailand.com/home.php http://www.thaimalemassage.com http://www.dudesnude.com http://www.ratefun.com http://bnskin.com

Many of you are familiar with the Bamboo Bar in Jomtien, almost next door to the 7-Eleven at the entrance to the Dongtan Beach parking area. This evening was their 9th anniversary celebration. They hosted a roast pig, along with a chicken bbq, salads, fruits, and significantly discounted drink prices. The food was free to all comers, and there was plenty for all. The bar was packed with both customers and cute boys. The evening was a lot of fun for all. Bamboo Bar is a host bar and a great place to stop in for a drink and relaxation with cute boys on your way to or coming from the beach. If you have never been there, give it a try.

Ok, I certainly stand corrected. I don't know how I missed the announcement, but I missed it.

In other words, based on what is being said here, it's a very altruistic idea that either simply isn't going to work or will be such a tremendous hassle that it has little, if any, practical chance. I think the best thing we can do for these boys is through the work being done by PGF. I wish it were different, but after reading Rainwalker's post, I think he's right and he obviously knows what he is talking about. Many of us feel that we would like to "give back" in return for how Thailand has enhanced our lives. I think PGF is the best way to do it, at least on a practical level.

Thank you for sharing those photos. I wish, however, an announcement of the funeral arrangements had been made on the message boards. I had no idea his funeral was even going to be in Thailand and I had no idea where and when it was to be. I would have attended and paid my respects had I known, as I'm sure many others would have. I hope we don't have to see anyone else pass away any time soon, but in the future if someone knows funeral arrangements, please let the rest of us know too.

That may happen, but personally I doubt it. The exporters and tourist industries are already screaming about the current strong level of the baht. If the baht becomes even stronger, especially by a significant amount, then Thailand would only be seriously damaging its own economy even further. Also, the Bank of Thailand has a history of intervening if the baht is becoming too strong. On top of that, I have yet to see any of the economic predictions actually happen. At the moment of this posting, the US dollar to baht exchange rate is 33.65. Based on that, a 16% strengthening of the baht would drive the exchange rate to 28.27. I can't imagine Thailand wanting that to happen. I, for one, am not going to start glooming and dooming based on one economic forecast by one reporter. I'll do my glooming and dooming once such a situation actually exists.

Actually I don't think you'll need a book. You won't exactly be the first "farang" the bar boys have encountered. Most speak enough English to understand perfectly what you want. If you are having a communication problem, that's where the mama-sans can be of help.