Gaybutton

I'm not going there, for sure. I opened the door for others to go there, if they want to do that. But this is one time I'm going to just sit back, relax, and let everyone else do the arguing. Have a good time, guys . . .

Reminder . . . Those of you Americans in Pattaya who need embassy services, they'll be here on Friday, this week.

There is nothing new in these arguments. Many still insist upon applying western thinking to what goes on in Thailand. Some view these boys as nothing but human garbage, whores and liars, to be used as cheaply as possible and worthy of nothing but contempt. Some view them as God's gift to the planet, to be worshipped and garlands of flowers strewn in their path. Obviously, most view them as something in between those extremes. One thing I note that is usually left out of these arguments is how we "farang" are viewed by the boys. What are we to them? That ought to generate a comment or two . . .

I had the same thing happen to me. When I switched over to TOT's high speed I continued to use the ADSL modem I already had. It never really achieved high speed. I even had technicians from TOT over here to check it out. When they tried it with a modem they brought with them, they got high speed. They told me that a router is what I need. So, off to Tuk Com. They are not particularly expensive, but it pays to shop around. I found what I was looking for at one shop, but still shopped around a bit more. At another shop I saw exactly the same router, but it was selling for 800 baht less. Anyway, ever since replacing the old modem with the new router, I get the speed.

The following appears in the BANGKOK POST _____ Third Army Moves Troops to Capital Follows Fears Thaksin may Return to Country WASSANA NANUAM, ANUCHA CHAROENPO & MONGKOL BANGPRAPA The Third Army sent a battalion of troops to Bangkok last night following fears of the return of deposed prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra and protests against the election of Meechai Ruchupan as National Legislative Assembly (NLA) president. An army source said the troops were sent from Nakhon Sawan, the closest contingent of the Third Army to Bangkok. Another four battalions were reported to be moving down from Phitsanulok. Army chief Gen Sonthi Boonyaratkalin has instructed the First Army, especially units based in Bangkok, to be on alert to deal with any untoward developments over the coming week, the source said. For its part, the Fourth Army in charge of the South has been instructed to step up road checkpoints in the region for fear that Mr Thaksin might sneak back by car into the country from Malaysia via Singapore, the source added. The precautions followed unconfirmed reports that Mr Thaksin had travelled to Singapore from England, where he has been in self-imposed exile since he was ousted in the Sept 19 coup. ''We have to take precautions because Pol Lt-Col Thaksin is the sort of person who says yes when he means no and no when he means yes,'' the source noted. The military movements came to light after Mr Meechai was elected president of the NLA yesterday, in a move that sparked fierce criticism from anti-Thaksin groups who see him as being loyal to the deposed prime minister. The election came amid an upsurge of criticism against the Council for National Security (CNS) and the interim government of Prime Minister Surayud Chulanont. The critics include academics and non-governmental organisations opposed to the coup, including the Campaign for Popular Democracy that was at the forefront in the People's Alliance for Democracy that protested against Mr Thaksin for several months earlier this year. Several mobs could form at this juncture, the army sources said, quoting intelligence reports. They include those against Mr Meechai's election as NLA president, and those protesting the continued imposition of martial law. ''This is where the military fears that a third hand, or previously powerful elements loyal to Pol Lt-Col Thaksin may create a situation by infiltrating or organising mobs to stir up violence in order to lure soldiers into using force, or violent means because they are empowered to do so under martial law,'' a source said. The army sources said Gen Saprang Kalyanamitr, assistant army chief and assistant secretary-general of the CNS, asked Gen Sonthi for permission to move Third Army forces under the command of Lt-Gen Chiradej Kotcharat into Bangkok to reinforce units based in the capital. Gen Sonthi and Gen Vinai Paetayakul, permanent secretary for defence and CNS secretary-general, had been in consultations with Gen Surayud about the matter. The military was also concerned about the spread of reports of division in the CNS, especially reports that Pol Gen Kowit Wattana would be dismissed as the national police chief because he had failed to follow policy, the sources said. The recent razing of schools in the provinces has been put down to the failure of police to contain the situation. ''Pol Gen Kowit has not been dismissed because he is a classmate of Gen Sonthi and most members of the CNS. But his role and stand have been discussed in the CNS several times,'' the sources said. The CNS was watching local politicians and former Thai Rak Thai MPs based in the Northeast and North, the sources said. It was also monitoring the movements of former communist insurgents who were close to core members of Mr Thaksin's ousted government as there were attempts to rally these people around their common grievance about the state's failure to allot land to them. Intelligence reports suggested that police and military officers loyal to Mr Thaksin were stirring up discontent with leaflets and rumours, the sources said. Mr Meechai promised to prove his worth as head of the interim parliament and called on his critics to give him time. As NLA president, he would only be responsible for supervising the selection of the 2,000 members of the National People's Assembly, which will proceed with drafting the constitution, he said. His assembly was not the one drafting the new constitution. The interim charter had clearly divided the responsibilities of the two assemblies, Mr Meechai said. Privy Council president Prem Tinsulanonda said Mr Meechai was an ''ace legal expert'' and honourable person who would be a ''good president'' of the NLA.

I suppose there are other reasons why smugglers would attempt to get 350 dogs into Laos, but the idea that perhaps they were to be used as food certainly crosses my mind. Dog meat is sold in Laos. I have not yet had the pleasure. As much of a sacrifice that it is, I think I'll wait around a bit before sitting down to a plate of Dog Stroganoff or Fido Fazoo. The following appears in THE NATION _____ Marine Police Rescue 350 Dogs from Being Smuggled to Laos Nakhon Phanom - Mekong Patrol Police rescued 350 dogs early Tuesday morning before they were smuggled to Laos. Pol Capt Sommai Duangkam, leader of the patrol unit for Ban Paeng Pier in Tambon Ban paeng of Nakhon Phanom's Bang Paeng district, said his unit heard dogs barking and howling from a river bank at 5 am. Sommai said when he checked the spot he found that villagers were transporting 39 cages with 350 dogs onto 2 long-tailed boats. He said the villagers fled on foot upon seeing his patrol boat. The dogs were sent to the Nakhon Phanom animals quarantine centre for further action.

At first, raising the legal minimum drinking age to 25 was seriously considered. Now it has been settled that one must be at least 20 years old before liquor can legally be consumed. I am amused because either way a Thai boy can work in a bar at age 18, but he can't drink in the same bar until he is 20. BANGKOK, Oct. 24 (TNA) Thailand's Cabinet Tuesday decided to raise the threshold making the legal age for liquor consumption to be age 20 and to complete the process to enforce the new regulation along with the total ban on liquor commercials by November. Public Health Minister Mongkol Na Songkhla said the Cabinet discussed the legal drinking age, which was originally pondered to be 25, and decided on 20. The Disease Control Department will work out details of the draft Alcoholic Beverage Consumption Control Act before seeking Cabinet approval. After Cabinet endorsement, the draft will be sent to the Council of State and the whole process which leads to enforcement of this new rule should be completed by November, according to Dr. Mongkol. Apart from setting the drinking age, the Cabinet also discussed complaints about the impact of the Food and Drug Administration's order banning liquor advertisements around the clock that will result in a Bt200 million revenue loss to the state. Dr. Mongkol said the Cabinet is of the view that advertising revenue from the alcoholic drink sector is neither significant nor sustainable. The Cabinet is pondering a possible solution in the form of increasing the so-called 'sin tax'

I guess it isn't enough that so many Thai people are suffering huge losses because of the severe flooding and so many people are now suffering from diseases as a result. Now they (and you too if you're out in the provinces) also need to be careful of crocodile attacks: _____ BANGKOK, Oct 22 (TNA) Thailand's Department of Fisheries Sunday warned that crocodiles bred in illegal reptile farms have been escaping from their confinement due to the floods encompassing much of the central provinces, and that the animals --unused to a natural environment -- may look for food in all the wrong places. An undetermined number of crocodile farms, both legal and illegal, are located in the flood-ravaged central provinces, which have been battered by severe floods this year. The escaped reptiles are likely to approach humans because they are used to being fed by farm raisers, according to Fisheries Department director-general Charanthada Kannasut. The director-general suggested that villagers not walk or travel by boat in flooded areas at night in order to avoid from being attacked by hungry crocodiles. The difficulty in seeing crocodiles, though, is that their nose and eyes are visible only slightly above water, he said. At night they might not be noticed at all. Members of the public who see crocodiles at large should inform the authorities immediately, Mr. Charanthada advised. Crocodiles raised by legal farms have been moved to safe areas from the floods which are now ravaging several of Thailand's central provinces but the public, especially residents living near waterways, should be on alert for crocodiles that have escaped from illegal reptile farms, Mr. Charanthada said. Mr. Charanthada said that crocodiles from legal farms have been relocated and are now being kept in safe areas. Meanwhile, he warned, an undetermined number of crocodiles from unregistered crocodile farms have escaped from inundated farms and are still roaming free in canals and rivers. (TNA) - E 111

First, the boys would need to even realize they have something wrong beyond just a chest cold and that whatever it is requires medical attention. To get medical attention, isn't it possible for them to go to a hospital under the 30-baht plan? I'm really not sure how that works, but isn't that what the plan is for?

This morning I had breakfast with a friend at Le Caf

It doesn't look any less convenient than the main bus terminal, depending on where you're starting from. Obviously the most convenient way to get to the airport is by taxi. If you don't want to spend the money on a taxi, then this is an inexpensive alternative. It's not all that far down the beach. It would take about five minutes to get there from the Dongtan police box.

It doesn't seem to me that there is anything to suggest. She went to Bangkok-Pattaya hospital and this was diagnosed. Correct? What did the doctor say about it and what did the doctor advise doing about it? That's the advice I'd be seeking out. Now, maybe I'm misunderstanding and that's what you're already doing. Are you posting because what you want from us is merely advice concerning how to open the pictures? If that's what you're looking for, I've never heard of any of those extensions other than the dll extention, which would have nothing to do with photos. Dll usually means Dynamic Link Library, and has to do with running programs, and nothing at all to do with photos. Ask the hospital what program they use to open those if Namjai's suggestion won't work. If that fails, then go to Tuk Com and see if any of the software shops have a program that will open them. If you get them to open, can I have an 8x10 glossy?

While it is possible to obtain the retirement visa in other countries, I don't recommend doing that for just the reasons fountainhall outlined. Get the visa within Thailand. Believe me, it's the easiest thing in the workl as long as you enter Thailand with at least the Type "O" visa and you are at least fifty years old. As I said, if anyone wants the article all you have to do is send an E-mail to me and I'll be glad to send it to you. Do not PM me for the article. I have no way to send it via PM. I can send it only by E-mail. Some people have asked me to post the article on the web site, but for reasons of my own I prefer to handle that, and any other article requests, by E-mail.

I've posted a map and circled Soi Chaiyapruk for you. Click the attachment below to enlarge it. [attachmentid=63]

The one-year non-immigrant visa and the retirement visa are both the same thing. You do not need an attorney. Save your money. Obtaining the visa is the easiest thing in the world, but you must be at least age 50. I have written a detailed article that literally walks you through the entire process. If you will send me your E-mail address I will be happy to send you a copy of the article. You can write to me at gaybutton@gmail.com . If you are under age fifty, then apply for the Type "O" visa, which is good for 90 days or the Type "O-A" visa, which is good for, I believe, 180 days. Both can be renewed via "visa runs." With that visa, once you reach age fifty you will be able to obtain the one-year retirement visa.

Although some may argue that the problems regarding North Korea have nothing to do with Thailand, I think the story is highly relevant given North Korea's proximity to Thailand and the fact that so many travelers to Thailand have stops in South Korea and Japan. __________ Report: North Korean Leader Regrets Test AP North Korean leader Kim Jong Il expressed regret about his country's nuclear test to a Chinese delegation and said Pyongyang would return to international nuclear talks if Washington backs off a campaign to financially isolate the country, a South Korean newspaper reported Friday. "If the U.S. makes a concession to some degree, we will also make a concession to some degree, whether it be bilateral talks or six-party talks," Kim was quoted as telling a Chinese envoy, the mass-circulation Chosun Ilbo reported, citing a diplomatic source in China. Kim told the Chinese delegation that "he is sorry about the nuclear test," the newspaper reported. The delegation led by State Councilor Tang Jiaxuan met Kim on Thursday and returned to Beijing later that day

And it's only 106 baht! For details click the following link: http://www.pattayamail.com/current/news.shtml#hd19

I haven't been to the airport yet, but if you contact the airline before you travel, arrangements can be made to have you met at the arrival gate with a wheelchair or some other form of assistance for people who are handicapped.

Not really. You'll notice that when most bar boys order a drink that a "farang" buys for him, it's almost always a soft drink. The bars usually tip him 20 baht for each soft drink he orders, if a "farang" is buying. He gets nothing for beer or other liquor. The reason for that was once explained to me, but to tell the truth I forgot what the explanation was.

The following appears in THE NATION: _____ Thai Airways to Open New Route to India, Increase Flights for Holiday Season Flag carrier Thai Airways International said Thursday it would open a new route to India and increase the number of flights to meet rising demand for winter holiday travel. The airline said it will launch three flights per week from Bangkok to Hyderabad, a popular tourist destination in central India, later this month. Hyderabad will become its sixth Indian destination. The airline would also increase the frequency of flights on 18 international routes, including from Bangkok to New York and Europe, by 36 per cent more than normal to meet upcoming holiday demand. "We have to increase the number of our flights because lots of Americans and Europeans are coming to Thailand for Christmas holidays," said an airline official. The company said the winter flight schedule, which also boosts the number of flights from Bangkok to Asian cities such as Yangon and Saigon, would be effective from later this month to March 2007. Thai Airways would also increase the number of domestic flights from Bangkok to the kingdom's popular tourist destinations such as Phuket and Chiang Mai.

Thank you for that report. We've had several posts about arriving at Suvarnabhumi, but I think this is the first post I've seen about departures. It seems as if they have the major problems worked out and everything is going smoothly now.

The following appears in THE NATION: _____ Eric Clapton Live in Bangkok Next Year Legend rocker Eric Clapton will perform a concert in Bangkok on January 16 at the Impact Arena, Muang Thong Thani. Tickets will be available at Bt1,000, Bt2,500, Bt3,000, Bt4,000 and Bt5,000 from Thai Ticket Master and 50 branches of Thai Post from October 26. Clapton has won 18 Grammy Awards and his hit songs include Tears in Heaven, Bell Bottom Blues, Cocaine, Wonderful Tonight and Layla. He releaed his 14th album, Back Home, in 2005.

I believe there is something more to the cigarette story. It is just too outrageous a story to accept on it's face. I agree with fountainhall. As far as I know, Thailand does not even issue customs declaration forms anymore on incoming international flights. I know someone wrote that the in-flight magazines explain the customs rules, but does Thailand actually expect people to get their customs information solely from an in-flight magazine? I doubt that. But I don't doubt that you are expected to find out the rules before you travel. Declaration form or not, if you have any reason to believe you might be carrying something dutiable, then you're much better off going through the red "items to declare" line than trying to sneak through the green "nothing to declare" line. If you get stopped and inspected, and it turns out you are carrying something that should have been declared, that's where the trouble starts. On the other hand, most customs inspectors anywhere are usually sympathetic and a lot more likely to be helpful if you are being honest with them. You might not have had any idea that you were carrying something that was supposed to have been declared, but if there is any doubt in your mind, then it seems to me that the smart thing to do is to voluntarily go to the red line. I believe fountainhall is right. If you go to the red line and are told there is duty to pay, then you have the option of paying or letting them confiscate the item. If you go to the green line, chances are good that you will not be stopped, but if you are stopped, then the cigarette story clearly illustrates what can happen.

I've seen all kind of ways to report a news item, but I don't recall seeing a report quite like this one before. I thought it was funny, but I can also see that others may not appreciate the humor and may see it as insulting. I'm referring to the last sentence of the news item. Whether it's good for a laugh or stirs up anger, here it is: The following appears in the PATTAYA CITY NEWS: _____ Drug Dealer Arrested A 24-year-old Thai man was arrested by tourist police at the southern end of Beach Road on Monday night and charged with being in possession of 20 packs of marijuana totalling just over 43 grams. He was taken to Pattaya police station where he admitted to attempting to sell the illegal substance to passing foreigners and anyone else who might be interested in the joys of the so-called happy weed. The arrested man was formerly an employee in a gay bar in Pattaya but had decided this method of earning money wasn

All I know is what is listed above. I used to bring my laptop back and forth all the time with no problems. As far as I know, nobody has had any problems bringing in a laptop. You, however, are talking about a desktop. I have no idea, but it does say a reasonable amount of used household goods is no problem, so you probably won't have any problem bringing it with you. You might call Thai Airways and ask them if they know or at least know know how to find out. The Thai embassy also can probably tell you. But why bring the entire desktop? When I moved here I brought only the hard drive and a few peripherals. The desktop itself was too big and bulky to be something practical to bring along. I had a new desktop built here, which can be done relatively inexpensively, and had them use my hard drive. There was no problem about doing it that way at all, and it is that very computer and hard drive I'm using at this moment.