Gaybutton

What made you think I'm in Phuket? I live in Pattaya.

I share Patexpat's opinion. I too think it's overpriced and poor quality. Unlike Painai, I'm not watching television to practice Thai. I'm watching for the programming. Obviously, since this is Thailand, the majority of the channels are for Thai programming. I have no objection to that, but the English language channels simply are not worth the price to me. The news channels are one thing, but as for the rest of them, the movie channels rarely show much of anything that interests me and most of the time they just run crappy movies over and over again - movies they obviously got at bargain basement prices. Sorry, but I can't see paying the equivalent of US$ 50 per month to watch re-runs of Shrek. And how many times do you need to watch programs about animals or World War II history? I'm going to start looking around for other companies. And if anyone has any recommendations, I'd appreciate it.

I think that is one of the most important points of all. We've all seen the posts from people who call these boys prostitutes, and say it in a demeaning manner, just as if they are somehow better than the boys and are perfectly justified in looking down their noses at them. How many times have we seen those kinds of posts? I've lost count. And don't forget all the posts about how the boys were so good looking ten years ago, but now they're ugly. I've lost count of those posts too. If they think that kind of attitude isn't picked up by the boys, they need to think again. Then they complain and can't figure out why the boys they were with turned out to be duds. Some of these people are very good at putting down the boys. Meanwhile, the boys are the primary reason these same people come to Thailand in the first place. That kind of attitude definitely makes it to my "I Don't Get It" list.

I don't see how you can choose between "I have a car and drive it myself" and "I drive but have to be more careful than in my country of origin." Either way, you drive. I chose "I have a car and drive it myself," but I certainly have to be much more careful about it too. In my home country, the USA, I've never driven anywhere where there are hordes of people driving motorbikes. As a matter of fact, where I've driven it was always unusual to see people driving motorbikes at all. Thailand is a whole different ballgame when it comes to driving. The actual driving isn't difficult. It didn't take me long to get used to right-hand drive. The problem is the insane way people drive in Thailand. I've gotten used to that too, but I can honestly say it is rare for me to drive anywhere in Thailand without having at least one close call. If these people want to drive as if they're suicidal, fine with me, but I wish they would do their insane driving around somebody else's car. When I took the driver's education course in high school, I still remember something my instructor constantly said: "Always expect the unexpected." Keeping that in mind is a very valuable thing to do when driving in Thailand.

They're old, dumpy, and definitely could do with renovation, but everything works. The rooms have all the standards - mini bar, refrigerator, air conditioning, TV, bath tub, etc, but no room safe. They have safes in the lobby, behind the front desk. Smoking and non-smoking rooms are on different floors. Behind the restaurant there is a swimming pool. Good maid service every day and room service available. Very gay friendly and if a boy is "visiting" you, they hold his ID card until you give them the all clear. I've seen complaints posted about the older man who has worked behind the front desk, seemingly since the hotel first opened, saying he can be unfriendly and uncooperative. I can only say I've never had any kind of problem with him at all and he has always been very friendly and helpful with me. If you're looking for luxury, the Malaysia isn't for you. Personally, I couldn't care less about luxurious accommodations as long as a hotel room has the basic amenities. I really don't foresee Gay Romeo replacing the bar scene. I doubt that Gay Romeo even puts much of a dent in it. There are always plenty of boys willing to work in the bars. Many do both - working the bars and also Gay Romeo. I suppose Gay Romeo has the potential of eventually hurting the bar scene and some believe that's exactly what's going to happen. I don't think so myself, but even if it does happen, there are still always plenty of boys on Gay Romeo looking for hookups. As long as Gay Romeo continues to exist, there always will be. If Gay Romeo has actually hurt anything, maybe it has hurt the beach scene. For years, the beach was fabulous for finding willing boys. But over the past year, whenever I go to the beach there are hardly any boys at all anymore, with the exception of the regulars. And even their numbers seem to have diminished. I have no idea whether Gay Romeo has anything to do with it, but I'll bet most people who have spent time at the beach lately, and have been coming to Pattaya for a number of years, have also noticed the decline in numbers of "farang hunter" boys at the beach.

Everyone's experiences are different. My own is different from yours. I prefer Gay Romeo to the bars for a variety of reasons, although that doesn't mean there is anything wrong with finding boys in the bars too. Both work just fine for me. First, not all the boys on Gay Romeo work in the bars. Many do and many don't. One reason I would rather find a boy via Gay Romeo is because when I take a boy off from a bar, then the boy usually assumes I'm there for him if I return to the bar. As soon as he spots me, he comes right over. That can be very awkward sometimes if I've returned to the bar to look for a different boy, especially if the first boy is someone who I've had over for a little visit several times. Another reason I prefer Gay Romeo is the availability of willing young gents at any time, day or night. I'm writing this message at 5:55am, Thailand time (I woke up early). I just looked at Gay Romeo. At this moment there are 5 pages of boys currently online in Pattaya and 15 pages of boys online in Bangkok. Even at this hour. No complaints from me . . . As far as I'm concerned, between the bars and Gay Romeo, I'm pleased to have both. And Gay Romeo isn't the only hook-up site. There are so many ways and places to meet boys in Thailand. Bars. Gay Romeo. The beach. Shopping. Restaurant waiters. Hotel staff. Saunas. You name it. Nothing like that ever happened to me back in the good ol' USA, and that was when I was a hell of a lot younger and somewhat better looking than I look now. In Bangkok, one of the reasons I like the Malaysia Hotel is because even there, just about any time of day or night, all I have to do is simply walk outside the door. The restaurant, the gazebo in their parking lot, the walkway to the street, and usually just outside their parking lot there are always boys. And if none of them appeal to me I'm within easy walking distance of the Babylon Sauna. I'm very happy having all these choices and possibilities available. I think I'll just stay right here in Thailand.

I always loved Danny Kaye. Another great comedian, my personal favorite, was Jack Benny, especially when he would get together with Mel Blanc: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TZ6-y_aMLhw

On a practical basis it's interchangeable. Even the Thais pronounce it with an 'R' or 'L' and sometimes it's somewhere between the two, depending on their accent. I prefer the 'R' because that's how I hear it from most Thais with whom I speak or overhear, and that's how I see it written most of the time.

With some of those kinds of places, I think it would be fun to find out where the owner lives, and then rent one of those sound trucks and have it blaring at his place when he's trying to sleep. Give him a taste of his own medicine.

I suggest you look in a mirror when saying those words. Between this post and your 'now that Gaybutton and Gay Thailand have moved on" post, you're very lucky I no longer hold moderator status here. Someone who writes uncalled for posts such as those would be gone instantly. If Scooby wants people like you on his board, he's welcome to you.

Am I missing something? On July 31 I moved on. I don't post here very much anymore. However, I intend to post here any time I please. If that is a problem for you, just place me on ignore. Now you won't have to read my posts. Other than that, if you don't like it, tough luck. Gaythailand and I made this board. We've paid our dues. What, may I ask, have you ever done?

What!?!? No "hoochie-coochie" girls (or boys)? Then out with them I say!

I would appreciate you contacting me if someone does that. If someone who does that sort of thing is also a member of my board, I'll ban him there too. I don't think any of the boards need people like that. Unfortunately, some people get far too carried away on these boards. I think people ought to be aware that most boards are going to be very cooperative with each other when it comes to people who are out to harm others.

I hope you enjoy all those adventures. I still enjoy moderating despite all the shit I have to take, but it definitely takes a lot of time. Are you going to retain your moderator status on this board even though you won't be moderating any longer or are you going to relinquish it, as I did?

Considering the number of personal attacks you've posted about me, I would be perfectly justified in doing so. But I won't. There is no need. Your own posts take care of that quite adequately. I much prefer to watch you continue hanging yourself with your own rope.

I haven't responded to any of the pissing contest nonsense going on here and other boards. I don't like you any better than you like me. Despite all of your put-down and insult posts directed at me here and on other boards, for the record I do not allow people to post personal attacks about others on my board. I do not allow people to post personal information about others. I do not allow people to post photos of others. Despite my personal opinion of you, I have not and will not allow anyone to post any of that kind of garbage about you on my board. As for your statement that LMTU can post anything he wants on my board, I have edited out many of his inappropriate comments and have deleted many of his posts. People ask me why, since he apparently is banned everywhere else, I permit him to post on my board. The answer is he hasn't caused me or the board any problems, doesn't complain when I deal with his posts if I see a need, and when he posts information, leaving his personal opinion out of it, it is invariably good, reliable information. I also don't decide who to ban by consensus. I make those decisions myself without regard to whether anyone else likes it or not. As for you, I neither know nor care who you are, whether the person you pass yourself off to be is genuine, or anything else about you. You seem to take great pleasure in putting me down at every opportunity. I don't recall ever posting any put-downs about you, or posting anything about you at all for that matter. But if it gives you that much pleasure to attack me all the time, that's your affair.

No

I fully agree with that statement. I wish I had said it. You bring out a very good point - not a replacement, but an "in addition to."

I agree with RichLB. I think sites like Gay Romeo are probably much more attractive to those who live in Thailand than those who are in Thailand for a holiday. For me, many of the bars have become nothing more than dull, expensive, money traps. One bar seems to me to be pretty much the same as the next. I don't enjoy the bars now anywhere near as much as I used to. Living here, my thinking is more in line with why should I go to go-go bars at which the boys stand there doing little more than the "One Knee Shuffle," music far too loud for my taste, pushy waiters and mama-sans, bar shows that I don't enjoy, high prices for drinks I don't want in the first place, and off fees of 300 to 400 baht? Why should I do that when from the comfort of my own home I can easily find boys who are my type on Gay Romeo, at any time day or night, and have to endure none of that? I think RichLB is absolutely right. If going to the go-go bars was fun, then I'd be going to the bars. But for me, going to the bars is more of an expensive chore than anything else, where I have to sit there "playing the game." Before sites such as Gay Romeo came into existence, if I wanted a boy I would go to the bars. Now, I don't have to go to the bars to find boys. Obviously, that makes Gay Romeo competitive. I don't think Gay Romeo will put the Thailand bars out of business, but it is bound to have an impact. I don't have any idea of just how much of an impact that would be.

"Wise decision. Noble task." - Yul Brynner, 'The Ten Commandments'

I fully agree with your post. I couldn't have said it better myself.

Bars are not even mentioned in the posts above. I always love it when some jerk comes along with those kinds of loaded questions, just as if an interest means you must be a pedophile. I, for one, happen to be very interested and I'm sure as hell no pedophile. In keeping with your innuendo, if those bars are known to be pedo bars, how do you know that and what is your own interest? Keep your innuendo to yourself.

Did he? Are we reading the same post? I see: If somewhere he said he's excluding everything else, I missed it. In any case, I don't see any indication that he is "insisting' on anything. How does simply asking about other gay hotels become insisting?

First, where do you see anyone "insisting" upon staying in gay hotels? Few people on this board are more familiar with Pattaya and the available accommodations than I, but I would still choose, not insist, to stay in gay hotels if they are available even if my budget would allow for the most luxurious accommodations in town. The gay hotels here are either in the heart of, or within very close proximity to the gay venues. I also prefer to stay with my peer group. I have yet to see heterosexual men or couples choosing to stay in gay hotels and I'm far more comfortable staying where gay is the norm, where the staff is accustomed to catering to gay men, and where I can easily converse and make friends with other guests who are also gay. I'm looking for more than just the ability to bring in "guests."

In Boyztown, there is The Ambiance and Le Café Royale. In Jomtien Complex there is The Venue, Poseidon, and Ganymede. Around Sunee Plaza there is the Don Plaza, the Marina Inn, Two Guys, and several others, all gay. For more details about what's available at Sunee plaza see: http://www.suneeplaza.info/cgi-bin/page.pl?p=home