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From Bangkok Post By Wichan Charoenkiatpakul Every day, thousands of people from all walks of life pass through Hua Lamphong railway station in Bangkok. The station has been serving travellers in Thailand for more than. 100 years. Some are full of hope of finding a new life in the big city on arrival. Some are bidding farewell to their families and friends. Some are lost in the flow of people. Hua Lamphong has witnessed lots of emotions. The station was considered modern when it opened in 1916 after six years of construction, but in the next few years Hua Lamphong will become a memory. The State Railway of Thailand plans to relocate Bangkok’s central station to Bang Sue in 2019. Hua Lamphong will then be turned into a museum. Continues with pics http://www.bangkokpost.com/learning/easy/1245383/hua-lamphong-enters-its-last-2-years

From Khaosod English AYUTTHAYA — A policeman in Ayutthaya province is under investigation for breaching discipline by announcing he will wed his fiance, a police commander confirmed Monday. Lance Cpl. Thanadech Sukthawinand launched to online fame last week after a wedding invitation, which showed him in a police uniform, surfaced on social media. His supervisors soon launched a probe to ascertain whether he breached any unspecified regulations by getting married. “We are now investigating the matter. We have not taken any action against him yet,” Col. Samart Kaewmanee, head of Wang Noi police, where Thanadech is assigned. “We want to find out the facts first.” But when pressed on what offense the lance corporal might be guilty of, Samart would not say. “Actually, I don’t even really want to talk to the media about this,” Samart said, laughing. The wedding is set to take place Wednesday in Roi Et province. On Friday, an image purported to be an internal Ayutthaya police memo ordering the investigation was posted to social media. Reached for comment, provincial police commander Thanasak Panyaem referred inquiries to Samart. But Thanasak told Matichon on Friday they merely wanted to find out whether Thanadech had a wife or children, and whether he was eligible to marry. The colonel also reportedly said police officers were free to live in accordance to their sexual orientation, as long as their conduct is in line with regulations. Same-sex marriage is not recognized under the law, but it is also not illegal and same-sex weddings are commonplace. Paisarn Likhitpreechakul, an activist with the Foundation for Sexual Orientation and Gender Identity Rights and Justice, said it’s the first time he heard of a police officer being investigated for marrying someone. Continues with pic http://www.khaosodenglish.com/politics/2017/05/08/cop-review-openly-marrying-boyfriend/

Now if the poll was limited to members here I think we'd be looking at a number >95%.

From Pattaya Mail Thais’ love of somtam is leading to higher cancer rates and deaths, the head of the Chonburi Cancer Hospital told medical professionals in Pattaya. Dr. Sutat Duangdeeden was the lead speaker at the center’s 8th annual cancer seminar at the A-One Royal Cruise Hotel. Sutat said rates of deaths caused by cancer in Thailand have increased in recent years with 60,000 cases now reported annually. Fatality rates also are increasing. While he noted that causes of cancer vary, Thais’ love of “pla ra” or raw fish used in somtam, as well as other undercooked foods are responsible for increased rates of worm infections, which can lead to liver cancer. http://www.pattayamail.com/news/somtam-slowly-killing-many-thais-cancer-center-says-172563

You may have a fair to middling chance of not being noticed engaging in all-out hanky panky on a deserted darkened beach, but in the back of a tuk-tuk in central Phuket not so much. The dash cam in the car behind captured the action, although lack of resolution leaves a lot to the imagination. The guy who took the video claims it was a man and a woman but, judging from the quality of the video, who can say for sure. The Brit tabloids love nothing better than sex in Thailand and the Sun, Mirror, Mail and Star all covered it but only the Sun didn't pixelate the video. https://www.thesun.co.uk/news/3495759/randy-tourists-face-arrest-after-being-filmed-having-sex-in-a-tuk-tuk-on-thailand-party-island-phuket/

From NY Times Descending from China in grand, graceful arcs, the upper Mekong unfurls in a tranquil, lulling sheen. Only battlement ruins to the south betray the region’s heritage, a blood-soaked clash of empires, contested by Thai, Burmese, Laotian and Khmer armies for centuries. Fortresses and royal cities are now all but swallowed by jungle and farmland. The once-remote Golden Triangle at the northern tip of Thailand is now a haven for peaceful contemplation in dozens of temples and shrines, from gilded palaces to secret grottoes, where you can meditate to the sound of water dripping on limestone or the chattering of monkeys. One mountain outcropping has become a favorite for passing elephants, who gaze over the mists to Myanmar and Laos beyond. Over the last few decades the area has been rediscovered. As they reclaim it from the drug smugglers and blissed-out backpackers who made it notorious in the 1970s, travelers today find a bracing climate — it can be 25 degrees cooler at night here than in the coastal cities — along with natural beauty, verdant courtyard lodgings, riverfront restaurants and street markets where a handful of fat, juicy grilled cicadas can cost just a dollar. Continues with map, photos https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2017/05/04/travel/what-to-do-36-hours-in-the-golden-triangle-thailand.html

And not without good reason. Many guys appear to have adapted the NRA mantra and believe that the only thing that stops a bad guy with a knife is a good guy with a knife. And everyone believes they're the good guy. It's wise not to anger a Thai, and the younger they are the quicker they are to anger. Just a recent example: From Bangkok Post NARATHIWAT - An 18-year-old youth allegedly caught on camera entering a hospital emergency room and murdering a rival lying helpless in a bed there was taken to the scene for a crime re-enactment on Thursday. Assaree Sae, of Muang district, was taken to Naradhiwas Rajanagarindra Hospital’s emergency room for the crime re-enactment. Assaha Jaelor, 34, was stabbed to death in the room while being treated for injuries on the afternoon of April 28. A police investigation found that Assaree and two accomplices had brawled with the victim and his friends at the provincial Red Cross fair on April 28. Assaha was injured and was taken to the hospital and admitted to the emergency ward. It is alleged that the suspect and one accomplice raided the emergency room where the man was being treated and killed him. The third waited on a motorcycle outside. http://www.bangkokpost.com/news/general/1243507/teen-charged-with-slaying-rival-in-hospital-ward

Find it hard to believe that someone in a position of influence would exercise it for personal gain. It just seems so out of character for how stuff gets done there.

I stand--sit, actually--admonished. You think?

From The Nation Preserving vintage rail stations Nakhon Ratchasima governor Wichien Chantaranothai's has received some local support for his ongoing bid to raise funds to buy and conserve 10 picturesque old railway stations along the Chira Road-Khon Kaen route, which are earmarked for demolition.As Ch-Kanchang Co Ltd civil engineers were surveying the 60-year-old Noen Sung Train Station for demolition on Wednesday, Noen Sung district residents – many of whom were there to take free train rides – said they thought it would be a shame if this old station was demolished and backed the governor's bid to conserve it and nine other stations. Sompit Khayaiklang, 62, said that while it would be unfortunate to lose the station she has used since childhood, she agreed with the construction of a new station and double-track development. "I want the related agencies to conserve the building, maybe moving it to a public land and turning it into a library or museum," she said. The 10 railway stations in Muang, Noen Sung, Khong, Bua Yai and Bua Lai districts earmarked for demolition are Ban Koh, Nong Maew, Noen Sung, Nong Ploung, Pol Fai Songkhram, Bang Makha, Ban Don Yai, Khong, Noen Thong Lang and Nong Bua Lai. http://www.nationmultimedia.com/news/national/30314118 From Channel News Asia Locals protesting China's Mekong project KHON PI LONG, Thailand: China's plan to blast open more of the Mekong River for bigger cargo ships could founder on a remote outcrop of half-submerged rocks that Thai protesters have vowed to protect against Beijing's economic expansion in Southeast Asia. Dynamiting the Pi Long rapids and other sections of the Mekong between Thailand and Laos will harm the environment and bring trade advantages only to China, the protesters say. "This will be the death of the Mekong," said Niwat Roykaew, chairman of the Rak Chiang Khong Conservation Group, which is campaigning against the project. "You'll never be able to revive it." Niwat said blasting the Mekong will destroy fish breeding grounds, disrupt migrating birds and cause increased water flow that will erode riverside farmland. Such opposition reflects a wider challenge to China's ambitious "One Belt, One Road" project to build a modern-day Silk Road through Asia to Europe. http://www.nationmultimedia.com/news/national/30314118 From South China Morning Post Japan's new luxury train East Japan Railway’s new luxury sleeper train providing a cruise experience with a modern Japanese taste debuts May 1, with operator JR East on Wednesday giving members of the press test rides on the brand-new “Train Suite Shiki-shima”. JR East, which serves Tokyo and other areas in the eastern part of the main island of Honshu, will offer from May to November a four-day trip on the train covering Hokkaido and parts of northeastern Japan and a two-day trip around Yamanashi, Nagano and Fukushima. The fees range from 320,000 yen ($2,856 USD) to 950,000 yen ($8,428 USD) per person when two people share a room. West Japan Railway, which serves Osaka and other areas in the western part of the main island of Honshu will launch its version of the luxury sleeper train called Twilight Express Mizukeze in June. More photos http://www.scmp.com/magazines/style/travel-food/article/2091508/japans-new-luxury-sleeper-train-ultimate-travel

From The Nation Airlines have resumed using both runways of Suvarnabhumi International Airport after maintenance on the northern end of the airport's east runway was completed two days ahead of schedule. The reopening of the east runway means to airport is again operating at normal capacity - two runways servicing 68 flights per hour, Airports of Thailand's (AOT) Suvarnabhumi Airport general manager Sirote Duangratana said. The completion of the maintenance work meant all aircraft, including the superjumbo Airbus A380, began using the east runway again from 7am on Monday following an inspection and safety tests, he said. The work began on March 3. Sirote said the runway improvement enabled the airport to accommodate increased flights and support the country's growth in air transport.

Ryanasia's post about his former profession is definitely with a look. His first-hand accounts are intriguing as they are informative. Many posters got their questions answered in the 241 replies. http://www.gaythailand.com/forums/topic/10461-ask-a-former-money-boy-anything

Came across a not dissimilar article about a Sydney guy, 26, who got into the trade to pay bills when he was 19. Says he charges $280 (AUD) per hour, an amount not unlike might be asked in major US cities--and probably rivals what many lawyers bill out at. http://www.news.com.au/lifestyle/real-life/true-stories/australias-rent-boys-male-prostitution-is-everywhere-sex-industry-boss-says/news-story/faf8efff03b7cfb725a29a276151bd81 One of the strangest documents I came across was a scholarly thesis titled Spaces of Male Prostitution: Tactics, Performativity and Gay Identities in Streets, Go-Go Bars and Magazines in Contemporary Bangkok, Thailand. The Thai author submitted it in partial fulfillment for a PhD in architecture from University College, London. It goes on for 371 pages, much of it numblingly academic but it does mention Sananrom.

From Pattaya One Two more high speed catamarans will soon be plying the Pattaya to Hua Hin route after the successful introduction of the service that began in February. Sophon Cable reported on Facebook that “Royal 2” and “Royal 3” are set to join the original “Royal 1” service after checks have been made of the boats. The two new boats have virtually the same specifications as “Royal 1” but are in fact a little larger. They can each carry 350-360 passengers. Ekachai said that after seaworthiness checks have been completed it will be decided what schedule the new boats will follow that will best suit the needs of the travelling public. He expected things to be ready for the service to be expanded to three boats later this month. http://pattayaone.news/en/patta-hua-hin-ferry/

Excerpts from Buriram Times A poll about attitudes to prostitution clearly shows that Thais believe that when foreigners think of Thailand, they think of sex. A whopping 58% of Thais asked in the Bansomdej poll said that foreigners see Thailand as a leading sex destination of the world. The poll asked 1,158 Thai people in Bangkok their opinions and came in the wake of comments in foreign media about places like Pattaya and the sex scandal developing in Mae Hong Sorn. The survey showed that people believed that the trade was shifting from traditional places to the internet with more than 61% saying they had seen evidence of the Thai sex trade online. Nearly 53% believed it was time to invoke the powers of Article 44 to curb the trade. More than half of the people polled, 53%, said that they were aware of prostitution in Thailand in some way. In public the majority of those still see prostitutes touting for business in the capital at places like Lumpini Park or Wong Wian Yai in Thonburi. Others see the trade at cafes and karaoke, or know of it in massage establishments of both the soapy and traditional kind or through the internet. Some 61% of people online saw evidence of the Thai sex trade there. Asked why people turn to the sex trade 30% said it was economic hardship, 25% thought people were tricked or forced into it, 21% said poverty in families was to blame while nearly 12% pointed to greed and consumerism. The results of the poll taken between April 26-28th were announced on Saturday. (Source:Daily News) http://www.buriramtimes.com/thais-believe-foreigners-see-thailand-place-sex/

Thanks for the lead, Christian. I searched this forum for "Saranrom" and was amazed by the number of threads and posts. If you were referring to an outside source article, could you find a link? After a few hours of reading I have no regrets that a never bothered to pay it a visit. It seems to be high risk in several categories. Your escape from the guy with the machete sealed it! I do miss the guys who used to populate the stretch of Rama IV between Silom and Surawong, most asking 500 if I recall. But have seen very few there in recent years. On another note, agree with those who posted that guys from other SE Asian countries tend to form informal groups to look out for each other.

From NYTimes HANOI, Vietnam — As strips of tofu sizzle beside her in a vat of oil, Nguyen Thu Hong listens for police sirens. Police raids on sidewalk vendors have escalated sharply in downtown Hanoi since March, she said, and officers fine her about $9, or two days’ earnings, for the crime of selling bun dau mam tom — vermicelli rice noodles with tofu and fermented shrimp paste — from a plastic table beside an empty storefront. “Most Vietnamese live by what they do on the sidewalk, so you can’t just take that away,” she said. “More regulations would be fine, but what the cops are doing now feels too extreme.” Southeast Asia is famous for its street food, delighting tourists and locals alike with tasty, inexpensive dishes like spicy som tam (green papaya salad) in Bangkok or sizzling banh xeo crepes in Ho Chi Minh City. But major cities in three countries are strengthening campaigns to clear the sidewalks, driving thousands of food vendors into the shadows and threatening a culinary tradition. Officials say the campaigns in Thailand, Vietnam and Indonesia are largely aimed at promoting public order and food safety. In Bangkok, the military junta has been clearing vendors from spots where pedestrians have complained about littering, sidewalk congestion and vermin, officials said, and plans to move some into designated areas that would be more hygienic. “Bangkok wasn’t so crowded and congested” when the 1992 law regulating street vendors came into effect, said Vallop Suwandee, the chairman of advisers to Bangkok’s governor. “But now it is, so we have to reorganize and reorder public spaces.” According to government data, Bangkok now has fewer than 11,000 licensed vendors, about half the number it had two years ago. Continues https://www.nytimes.com/2017/04/29/world/asia/sidewalk-food-vendors-hanoi-bangkok-jakarta.html

Tell them to explore this long-time and well-followed site and let them make up their own minds: www.stickmanweekly.com

Inspired by the wildly popular thread Abhorrent behavior on Twilight, my original intent was to research the history of male sex workers organizing in some sort of association that address issues we've been reading and posting about. The first evidence I came across is Scarlet Men, a group working out of Australia. Topics on its website include "client control", "keeping it up" and "spit or swallow". http://www.scarletalliance.org.au/scarletmen/ But the more I Googled the less evidence I found of sex worker unions in what I admit was a less than exhaustive search. However, I did come across some associated links that might interest some here. Here's a photo essay from Slate, "The Sex workers of Thailand," featuring mostly males from the period 2007-2012. http://www.slate.com/blogs/behold/2014/01/09/gerry_yaum_photographs_sex_workers_in_pattaya_thailand_in_his_exhibition.html The more I read the more I was persuaded that males are far less likely to organize themselves in the way females have. The idea of operating largely on their own appeals to them. Even those working out of a bar still seem to value their independence. The bar may be the venue that brings the client and provider together, but the compensation--and any attendant risks--are shared by the individuals. This article about the street scene in Mexico City portrays the lone hustler. https://news.vice.com/article/mexico-citys-male-hustlers-inside-the-rough-lives-of-the-good-vibe-guys For those who wish to pursue the topic. here's a review of the book "Male Sex Work and Society." http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2014/09/07/male-sex-work-and-society_n_5766774.html

Been using the shop on second floor on Silom (up same stairway used to reach the internet place). It's on right right between Silom Center and Soi Saladaeng. It's an old fashioned shop with 4-5 chairs and same barbers as my first cut years ago. Think it was 160 bht last time.

Excerpts from Pattaya One Calls have been made to clear up a notorious area of Pattaya after a man tried to rape a 14 year old girl near some toilets. The area in question is beneath the overpass leading to Bali Hai port at the foot of Pratumnak Hill. Yesterday police received a frantic call from an 18 year old woman who had been waiting for her 14 year old sister outside some toilets. A man produced what she thought was a knife and threatened her. She ran off to alert people nearby while the man – aged about 30 – broke down the door of the toilets and threatened the 14 year old inside ordering her to remove her clothing. But she fought back and screamed causing the man to flee while police were alerted. After a manhunt in the Pratumnak Hill area the man was found in some undergrowth sniffing glue. He was named as Burapha Suchart, 32, who described himself as a trader in second hand goods. He said he did not use a knife – it was a stick covered in a cloth made to look like a weapon. http://pattayaone.news/en/pratumnak-area-rape/

Don't doubt that at all. Purpose of my post to lend a bit of humor to the thread. View your post of this incident in the same way because it made me laugh.

We have here another interesting case that balances as much as on what we know as what we don't. On good authority we know that a farang of demonstrated endurance performed, for a captive audience, with much gusto. We are informed, however, that reward proffered was deemed insufficient by the audience and, presumably, the recipient of said services. What don't we know? Did the serviced individual deliver on his end of the bargain. Was there--how can I put this--physical evidence? What it comes down to, in the end, is getting both sides of any story is no easy task.

The Rubyfruit--and the much more numerous male-dominated bars--represented a time and place in Manhattan when smart phones were unknown and you had to actually go outside to meet people. And what grand choices there were! I'd trade all my devices (and years) for them in a heartbeat. The apps have created a new but, IMHO, a comparatively sterile atmosphere.

From Wikipedia Farang (Thai: ฝรั่ง [faràŋ], colloquially [falàŋ]) is a generic Thai word for someone of European ancestry, no matter where they may come from. The Royal Institute Dictionary 1999, the official dictionary of Thai words, defines the word as "a person of white race". Edmund Roberts, US envoy in 1833, defined the term as "Frank (or European)."[2] People of mixed sub-Saharan African-European descent were called farang dam (Thai: ฝรั่งดำ; 'black farang') to distinguish them from white people. This began during the Vietnam War, when the United States military maintained bases in Thailand. The practice continues in present-day Bangkok. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Farang