Gaypattayan's Special Night

[Gaybutton]

This evening was the event at Niddy's Nook, honoring Gaypattayan for his fantastic work at the Pattayagay.com web site.

 

I realize that many here are convinced that the event was contrived as nothing more than profiteering on the part of Niddy's Nook. What I can tell you is that Niddy's Nook was absolutely packed with Allen's admirers and I don't think anyone who was actually present saw it as profiteering or anything other than a sincere effort of the part of Niddy's Nook to honor him.

 

For Allen, along with everyone who was there, it was a great evening. The buffet was quite good and everyone seemed to enjoy it very much. Following the meal, Chris did a speech and presentation for Allen, which included a marvelous "thank you" not only for the work Allen has done over the years, but also for Allen's help in getting Niddy's Nook established. His presentation included a history of the Pattayagay.com web site and a summary of the work Allen has done the gay community.

 

Another speaker, whose name I won't use here, also pointed out that while several cities in Thailand, such as Phuket and Chiang Mai are also popular among the gay community, Pattaya is the only city that has a web site devoted to a "Weekly Report" of all the goings on in town of interest to gays. In the twelve years Allen has been doing this, he has never missed a single week of bringing all of us the "Weekly Report." Not once.

 

Then it was Allen's turn to speak. It was quite an emotional moment for him, as well as all of us there. Allen made it clear that he does not take sole credit for what he does for the gay community. He acknowledged the help he receives from many people, without whom, he said, his web site would not be possible.

 

Following the speeches, several gifts were presented to Allen.

 

Accuse Niddy's Nook of self-promotion and using Allen as a means of profiteering if you must, but I don't think you will see that accusation coming from anybody who was there.

[TotallyOz]

Accuse Niddy's Nook of self-promotion and using Allen as a means of profiteering if you must, but I don't think you will see that accusation coming from anybody who was there.

 

Thank you for the great report. Allen has been a true pillar of the gay community in Pattaya and is one of the main reasons it has such a lively internet following around the world. When I am away, I always look forward to his reports. When GayThailand was shut down, he was always willing to offer advice as to what to do to get it unblocked.

 

I am glad that this event was respectable and not seen as a way for Niddy's to profit. I am sure that many will see things they wish to see them regardless of what the intentions were. However, your posting really brought a great light onto the event and is very much appreciated.

 

Thanks to Niddy's for honoring Alllen!

[Guest JoeM]

Allen

[Bob]

Nice report, GB.

 

And wish I could have been there to help honor Allen.

[Smiles]

" ... Nice report, GB. And wish I could have been there to help honor Allen ... "

... and I wish I could have been there as well.

 

After Allen decided to discontinue PattayaGay Message Board (in my opinion the best one ever ... even after the entrance of a number of others over the years, including SF) and I ~ with much trepidation ~ started up Sawatdee Forum (the 1st version) he was an incredible help to me.

 

We had ongoing email conversations about, not the technicalities of message boards, but the philosophy of message board administration: yes folks, there is an underlying philosophy which one decides on ~ sometimes over time, and under changing circumstances ~ when entering this difficult fray. It was often Allen's behind-the-scenes wise counsel which gave me pause, and gave me the benefit of sitting back for a Sober Second Thought. I am by nature less "of that place" than he, and his comments and ideas were greatly appreciated.

 

I have never said much of this before, but am quite happy and delighted to do so at this point ... directly after a well-deserved tribute to Allen has taken place. As I said above, I wish I had been able to be there.

 

 

One small aside . . . . (you may not believe it, but ...) some of the exact same things I said above about Allen can also be said about Mr. GayButton as well, at around the same time, and for the same reasons: I was lookiing fo advice from those who had been there. (GayButton's board at this time was only very sparcely populated ... for various reasons).

 

Alhough the quantity of correspondance was smaller, GayButton and I carried a series of "inner" email conversations which were most helpful in establishing a "place" ~ and again, a "philosophy" ~ for Sawatdee Forum.

GayButton's views on message boards in general were at the time very different from mine, but in our conversations we ended up agreeing that in the end the Total Good of ALL the different message boards (and their differing personalities) was what was most important, useful, and entertaining to the gay community in, and visiting, Thailand.

 

So you can add Mr GayButton to this little post of gentle kudos ... for both men.

 

Cheers .... Dave ['smiles']

 

[Guest catawampuscat]

well deserved... sometimes good things happen to nice guys and Alan is certainly one of the

nicest and least selfish guys in Pattaya.. How was the special drink prepared to honor gaypattayan?

Is it a rum concoction or based on some other liquor?

[Guest Hedda]

It was Hemlock, with a splash of Mekong.

 

Seriously, it's nice to see that GayPattayan has been honored by his friends and associates for his efforts and that Smiles has used the occasion to show his capacity to change his views publicly.

 

One of the most unfortunate aspects of the way Sawatdee Forum has been run in the past, in my opinion, has been its willingness to serve as a platform for vicious attacks by a few SF veterans posting with absurd handles in order to attack Gaybutton. I noticed it while I was still a poster in good graces at SF and later, when I became associated with GB on his board.

 

Sorry to say, SF moderators, including Smiles, share a portion of the blame, in my view, for allowing that mean culture to use Sawatdee as their launch pad. To his credit, Gaybottun never let the taunts affect him, nor allowed his forum to become a place for retaliation.

 

It's nice to see that Smiles has apparently had a change of heart and is willing to acknowledge Gaybutton's contributions to the posting board community. Well said and well done, and better late than never.

[khaolakguy]

It's a shame to see that a poster who has his own blog, specifically set up to attack Sawatdee Forum, ironically calling his blog Radio Free Sawatdee, although it is a moderated forum, which means he vets posts before they can be displayed, unlike this and the Sawatdee Forums, has usurped another thread, this time one in honour of GayPattayan, to continue his vendetta against Smiles and SWF. Does he have no shame?

 

 

 

[Guest Hedda]

Really, dear, you are becoming tiresome. Can't you at least use your regular posting names(s) so we can judge your bona fides.

 

Your reluctance to do that makes me wonder if you were one of the obnoxious gang of misfits who took such delight at SF in trying to trash GB, while its moderators looked on. It's probably the same bunch of creeps who tried to invade GB's privacy on the Blog, necessitating what you call "vetting" posts before they get published, to protect privacy.

 

If you'll take the time to read this thread, you'll also see that it was Smiles who "usurped" this thread by interjecting those comments about Gaybutton. If they were genuine, and I certainly hope they were, there were well deserving of comment, considering this history. Sorry you found them such a shame.

 

In short, dear, maybe I can find some shame if you can find your name.

[khaolakguy]

Given the context of this thread, in honouring Gay Paattayan's contribution, it was appropriate that Smiles should, in a conciliatory way, recognise Gay Pattayan and Gaybutton's positive help in starting Sawatdee Forum. That was hardly usurping the thread! As I recall you, Hedda, were repetitively critical of Gay Pattayan's running of his forum under a number of names!

 

It is also diisinegenuous to compare the free speech on Sawatdee Forum with moderated comments on Gaybutton or your own blog. As politically and practically naive as blaming a government for comments in the free press in that country.

[Bob]

Jesus, Hedda, give it a rest. Up until your post, I thought this thread was about a great story about the honors given to GP. Presuming you just can't help yourself and are somehow driven to get in some digs about Smiles or the Sawatdee formum, it would have been nice if you would have done that elsewhere.

 

 

P.S. I believe there are approximately 27 aborigines, 34 bedouins, and 19 Japanese soldiers in caves (who still think the war isn't over) that actually haven't heard of your views about the hydras, the other forum, and Smiles. Perhaps a news leaflet drop from an airplane might be more useful to notify those people of your views rather than postings them here as that would at least spare the other 4 billion people on the planet from hearing about it hundreds of times.

 

[Gaybutton]

How was the special drink prepared to honor gaypattayan?

Is it a rum concoction or based on some other liquor?

 

Since this thread seems to be yet another one that ended up as something entirely different from the original subject, RichLB came up with a solution that would instantly end the hydra and cat fight problem. I like his idea, although I doubt that any of the boards will ever do it. Simply eliminate the display of handles on posts. The only thing that would appear in a post would be the actual content of the post, but nothing would show who posted it and nobody would be allowed to include anything in the content that would reveal who posted it. End of problem.

 

Now, I'm going to try to bring this thread back to its original intent. In case the subject has been completely forgotten by now, it was supposed to be about the tribute to Allen and his special night.

 

I tried the drink. I liked it, but it is a sweet drink and I'm more of the Margarita or Gin & Tonic type. It reminded me of something akin to a Rum Punch or Mai Tai. The drink recipe was not revealed, so I don't know what was actually in it, but I assure you it tasted nothing like a cheeseburger.

 

 

[Guest A Rose By Any Other Name]

I tried the drink. I liked it, but it is a sweet drink and I'm more of the Margarita or Gin & Tonic type. It reminded me of something akin to a Rum Punch or Mai Tai. The drink recipe was not revealed, so I don't know what was actually in it, but I assure you it tasted nothing like a cheeseburger.

 

I was also in attendance on Saturday for the tribute. Though I was a tad bit late, I walked in just before the presentation; I got there in enough time to catch the oration. The presentation was delightfully short and sweet and I thought it was pulled off with a degree of class and decorum. Though I don't know Allen personally, he seemed happy and appreciative of all the efforts put forward. I also had the opportunity to try the new drink. I will agree with the former message that it was a sweet drink, however I really enjoy sweet cocktails and this one did not disappoint. I asked Chris for the ingredients, but all he would give away was that it started with vodka and southern comfort. The rest as they say is a family secret I suppose. It is, in my opinion worth trying if you like exotic beverages. It was served in a great glass (Tiki-like) with a fresh pineapple garnish.

 

Thanks to Niddy's Nook and congratulations to Allen of pattayagay.com.

 

The Rose