Discussion for Eat Me

[Guest fountainhall]

Once again, can we please link all restaurant information to threads already made by members. For example - 

 

http://www.gaythailand.com/forums/topic/8263-eat-me-for-a-special-night-in-bangkok/

 

Frankly, I am also increasingly concerned that the descriptions we have been getting in recent similar posts seem to be made by people who have not visited the restaurants being described and have no real idea what they are like - or more importantly what the cuisine is actually like. Yet phrases are being used which imply that they have a definite gay thailand recommendation. I think it is really self-defeating when every establishment gets something like "you'll have a great time", "you're guaranteed to have a fabulous meal" or something like that! That is trainee copy-writer stuff!!

 

Instead, why not simply put down 'facts'! And if posters have indeed reviewed restaurants (surely the best form of recommendation or otherwise), then use the hyperlink to their comments.

 

It's clear in the case of Eat Me that whoever wrote the OP has never been there!

 

1. Even though the photos give a hint, the type of food offered is not described. What on earth does "quite exotic" mean? The food is Australian-fusion - with excellently devised dishes mixing west and east. That is perfectly clear. Why not say it?

 

2.  Who says the drinks are "strong"? I would never describe Eat Me's drinks as that - unless ordering a double Vodka or something like that. What Eat Me does have is an excellent wine list with some great Australian and New Zealand wines, but this is not mentioned.

 

3. "Staff is friendly, knowledgeable and very helpful" is certainly very true - but they are a lot more than that. I reckon they are some of the best - and best looking    - waiting staff in Bangkok.

 

4. Nowhere is price mentioned. The  fact is that Eat Me is on the expensive side and best reserved for a special evening unless you have a thick wallet. 

 

5. Lastly, when I think of Eat Me, I also think of "intimate". This is a small restaurant, a great place to go for a quiet romantic dinner. Yet from the text, it could be as huge as Baan Khanitha only 100 meters or so away.

 

Please, please, please let's get away from excessive hyperbole. Unless a reviewer has actually visited a restaurant or cafe, simply state facts. And please check the Search engine for previous threads.

 

Sorry to be so critical. Please be assured I do appreciate the effort to get information on all gay and gay-friendly establishments, but I also think the Board owes it to posters and readers to provide facts and actual impressions - not fancy descriptions dug up from goodness knows where!

[TotallyOz]

FH, with all due respect, the point of each of those posts that Scooby lists is to build up the database in the City Guides area that has a list of all places in Thailand that one would visit. IMHO, I don't care whether or not he has been there or not. He is putting a listing on the site for others to get information. Addresses are listed, details are given and he has even started adding Google Coordinates which I had never even thought of doing and I think a great benefit.

 

If you wish to link to other threads in the post, that is great. I think that is the entire point of the postings is to encourage others to contribute. Putting a link to past posts is great and I am sure most appreciated. But, just because he didn't do that in his original post, I do not think fair to criticize when all you needed to do was click Add Reply and add one or more discussions from the past.

 

I appreciate all the hard work and effort that Scooby is making in order to make the site better and build up the listings on the site. Unlike you, I don't expect perfection or it to be done the exact way that I would do it.

[Guest fountainhall]

Sorry Michael, I absolutely do not agree with you - and I think you are being quite unfair in implying that I might be looking for "perfection". I should have thought my post made that rather obvious! What I look for is accuracy.

 

1. Yes, I agree. It's great that a database is being built up. I already said that.

 

2. No, I do very definitely care if the person writing the post has been to the establishment or not. Why? Because if no-one has visited it, then all the fancy blurb about "fabulous", "great", "exotic", "flair' is pure b/s - a figment of someone's imagination almost certainly cribbed from 3rd party websites! That's wholly unnecessary. The website of the establishment can - and no doubt does - that perfectly well. Why repeat what might be fiction? That does zero service to readers in my view.

 

3. There are several key elements that should be in every notice about every eating establishment - IMHO. Location, Type and Quality of Cuisine, Nature of the Service, Ambience and - most importantly - Price Range. (You could add value for money - but that is probably too personal.) What is the point of a budget traveller being inspired to go to Eat Me and then finding the bill for two will be way over his modest budget? That's not a service - it's a disservice!

 

4. Linking to existing gaythailand reviews is, in my view, crucial. Why should every reader have to do that every single time, when the compiler of the original write-up can do it just once! Surely that saves masses of time! It's also a better service to readers if everything known about an eatery up to that point in time is all in one post!

 

Given that whoever writes that stuff probably hasn't been to most of the eateries, surely it is far, far better just to stick to facts. In those cases, as with the proposal in the gay romeo thread, all these types of posts require is a very basic template listing simple answers to the most basic questions. Then leave it up to the eatery in question to flesh everything out.

 

Get rid of the hyperbole and guff. Stick to facts and the site does everyone a service.

[williewillie]

This reminds me of a Pattaya restaurant

review, where the poster loved the food

but neglected to mention the owner encourages

cigarette smoking inside the air-conditioned

restaurant. Omitting important

and obvious facts is not doing anyone

a service, even with good intentions.

FH should be applauded as he is objective

and clearly knows what he says. Kudos FH:-)

[Guest fountainhall]

Thank you williewillie. I know, too, that Michael knows what he says, as his reviews about the Best Hamburger and Pizza places in Bangkok, amongst others, have shown us.

 

And so any future posting about a hamburger or pizza place would do a disservice to Michael and to all readers if it did NOT include the links to Michael's previous posts IMHO.

[TotallyOz]

Sorry, FH, I also disagree with you. Scooby wrote a post that lists a restaurant and not a personal review of the restaurant. There is a difference.

 

Yes, you do expect almost perfection in others posts. Just recently, you described one of Scooby's posts as "atrocious" spelling. You do expect everyone to post as perfect as your posts and when someone doesn't you berate them. Sorry, I am not trying to be rude, but I have seen this over the years with people who don't speak your tongue with perfection. Spelling and grammar are issues among many and on a board like this, everyone will be different. I am smart enough to read a post and read between the lines. Perhaps it is because I myself am dyslexic and make many mistakes. But, I never get upset when someone doesn't speak or write the way I do.

 

The post on this thread is a listing for others to contribute. I do not expect Scooby to have visited the restaurant in order to make a post about it. Everyone knows he owns the site and is trying to build up the database. If they don't, let me tell you, he is trying to build up the database and give information for users about the establishment. If you still don't get it, let me tell you again, Scooby is trying to make this site better and to have a place where anyone can go and find information about businesses in Thailand that are gay and gay friendly and he has not been to every place he posts for this reason. If you expect that, you have greater expectations than I do. That is OK. But, don't expect me to sit idly by when someone tries to attack him at every turn.

 

I have been lucky enough to have been to most places that are gay in Thailand. And the ones that I know about, I contribute to. If others have been, please do the same. It makes for great conversation and it helps the site. But, as someone who also has researched places in lands far away for other websites, I know that you must keep your database strong even if you have not been to every place. That is the way it works and it is the only way you can have the best database.

 

I doubt few have traveled as much as FH and has the vast knowledge he has on many places. I not only admire that, but I also respect it when he makes a statement. However, I do not expect that the owner of a website will know as much as he does or as much as I do about Thailand as we have spent more time here and went to more places.

 

I think instead of criticizing, and if you didn't see your first post in this thread as doing that I suggest you go back and read it, I think it would be better to be helpful and to contribute to the posts that Scooby makes without the bitterness.

 

I make a lot of posts on this site and I do so because I love the site and I love sharing information. I believe the same is true with FH and many others. I also learn a lot on the site. But, I try to be helpful and contribute as much as I can and not pick apart other peoples posts.

 

I do know FH has the best interests of the site in his mind. I just disagree with the approach.

[TotallyOz]

I know, too, that Michael knows what he says, as his reviews about the Best Hamburger and Pizza places in Bangkok, amongst others, have shown us.

 

And so any future posting about a hamburger or pizza place would do a disservice to Michael and to all readers if it did NOT include the links to Michael's previous posts IMHO.

Thank you. I appreciate that. But, as you can see with the lack of responses to my Pizza thread, once the reviews started, not many contribute. That does not bother me as I keep writing. I would never expect that any link to that thread but I am always happy when they do. We all write as we want to share information and even if few contribute, I know that down the road someone will learn something from a post I make and that is good enough for me.

 

Just last year I was sitting in a sauna in Rio and drinking with a friend. A guy approached me and asked me if I was TotallyOz from another site. I said yes. He then told me how much he appreciated my sauna reviews and my stories about my travels to Brazil. He said that because of them that he has now traveled to Brazil over 20 times in the last 10 years. He knew every post I had made and his memory was better than mine. But, I asked him what his name was on the site and he said he was never a member but that he kept up with things daily. There are many out there like that that never speak up or contribute.

 

You can see that by the vast number of views on this site for many threads. FH is one of the best writers from any site I have been on. But, I will never be able to write and photograph like he does and few others ever will. I am just trilled we have people like FH who posts to perfection, people like WillyWilly who posts quick and abbreviated posts, Scooby who gives us great topic starters, Firecat who posts about the boys he meets, and many others from Thailand and abroad. We are each different and someone will gain good info from our posts.

[Guest fountainhall]

I can see Michael that you and I are going to get into quite an argument here - and, with respect, there are shades of my dispute with your friend HeyGay apparent in your post. That I resent!

 

Scooby wrote a post that lists a restaurant and not a personal review of the restaurant. There is a difference.

 

Of course there is a difference. A listing contains facts - pure and simple. It does not contain fancy descriptions that give the very definite implication that the person writing the post has been there. Period! There is zero need or even use for descriptions like "you'll have a great time" or "you're guaranteed to have a fabulous meal" in a listing! There is, however, a definite bonus in linking the "facts" with past comments from posters who have actually experienced what the establishment has to offer.

 

Yes, you do expect almost perfection in others posts. Just recently, you described one of Scooby's posts as "atrocious" spelling. 

 

Michael, this is not your average post. This is a listing (your word) that will remain up on the site and be read for probably years! And it was posted by the owner of the site - not just any poster. I agree that my use of the word "atrocious" was a bit over the top, but it was extremely surprising to see a description with a lot of errors - and a lot of generalities. For example -

 

"The staff at the Blue House Massage will make sure you are very comfortable" - which means exactly what? Isn't that what all massage places aim to achieve? How do they make a customer comfortable?

 

"The rooms are not nasty and dirty like many massage places you can find in Thailand . . " What is a nasty room, I'd like to know?

 

"this include foamy soap massage and in a wet room . . ." I'll skip commenting on "include" and merely ask what is a wet room? Frankly I don't know because I have never been to one. A more detailed description would surely be useful. 

 

"At Blue House you will find all types of guys that are cute but it depends on your tastes." Again, what on earth is that supposed to mean? Doesn't cuteness always depend on taste? And isn't the total sentence true of 90%+ of all the massage places in Thailand? A generality which really means precious little.

 

"Overall, Blue House is one of the nicest massage places in Pattaya . . ." which may indeed be true. But if it is a listing, surely some detail as to why it is as claimed "one of the nicest" would be helpful. Merely saying so doesn't make it fact!

 

I could, but will not, comment on other spelling and grammatical points.

 

. . . let me tell you, he is trying to build up the database and give information for users about the establishment. If you still don't get it, let me tell you again, Scooby is trying to make this site better and to have a place where anyone can go and find information about businesses in Thailand that are gay and gay friendly and he has not been to every place he posts for this reason.

 

(oops, "let me tell you" - where did that come from)! Michael, I am perfectly well aware of that, just as you are perfectly well aware that Scooby did not rewrite the entire history of Thailand and all the city guides, nor provide a listing of the gay establishments in the Silom/Suriwong area that had even you somewhat amazed! A veil will be drawn over the rest of this, but you will get my drift.

 

Of course everyone wants to see the site improved. But a listing is not just an average post. It is the provision of detailed, accurate information. Whether or not Scooby or anyone else has seen them is frankly immaterial. It just plain does not matter! But a listing is not the place for hyperbole or fancy descriptions that may or may not be anything like accurate. It is a place for facts - period! And it is a place where previous comments about the establishment should be linked.

 

I try to be helpful and contribute as much as I can and not pick apart other peoples posts.

 

Well, Michael, we could get into quite a ding-dong over that statement! I have picked up on some other posts as regular readers will now well. but then so have you, and to suggest otherwise is, quite frankly, stretching the truth! I leave readers to form their own opinions.

[TotallyOz]

Love the long post and your dissection of recent posts from Scooby. You are a true genius of this "picking apart" and I do not mean that in the negative way you may think. I have watched it with awe and amazement over the years and wish I had that skill right after law school as I might have stayed with a legal profession as opposed to the one I chose.

 

I just had to throw in the LMTU part. Sorry, I could not resist but as I have seen this conversation before, I just had to throw it in. Most of my time in Thailand is spend loving the beaches and the boys so forgive me if I had to bring up Let Me Tell U.

[Rogie]

I have nowhere near the same ability to focus on fine details as Fountainhall, but there are few of his posts I don't enjoy reading, and a great many where I learn something new and interesting. Before anyone thinks I am a cheerleader for the FH Appreciation Society let me scotch that right now. I love many of Michael's posts too, and if I don't then I sometimes chime in, as for example the Dan Cathy thread in the Beer Bar. Scooby is doing just fine in general, but in truth, I generally don't bother reading any of the 'review' topics he posts. I made an exception on this one as as I have eaten at Eat Me and so was interested in what was written. Just about the first thing that came to mind was why wasn't there a link to the already referrred to excellent thread FH started which I well remembered (and it wasn't that long ago either)? But I have nothing against Scooby for doing that, there are plenty of other topics I give a miss to as well. It's the topic I go by, not the contributor. So this thread will go into the database for the City Guides. I am sure anyone stumbling across it unfamiliar with the message board will be somewhat bemused to read all the comments. So axe all the comments! I would suggest the listing on City Guides simply lists this venue, but edited slightly to include a link to the original Eat Me thread already referred to, plus edit the title to either Eat Me restaurant on Soi Convent (or Convent Road if you prefer), or as it isn't actually on Convent, how about Eat Me restaurant just off (or near) Convent Road.

[Guest fountainhall]

So this thread will go into the database for the City Guides. I am sure anyone stumbling across it unfamiliar with the message board will be somewhat bemused to read all the comments.

 

Indeed bemused they may be, the more so as I suspect - and do correct me if I am wrong - that most people visiting it will be first timers to Bangkok, or visitors who only occasionally visit. But Rogie, the problem with deleting the comments is that it leaves in place what I contend is an inaccurate summary of Eat Me. It's a great restaurant and it deserves to be described with some accuracy. It also deserves to have posters previous comments linked to it. As indeed every listing should IMHO. 

 

In addition, if you delete comments for one listing, then really you should delete for them all. Ideally the listings should stand on their own and be hyperlinked to earlier comments (or, say, those from up to around 2 years ago since establishments can often change hands quite quickly). The addition of comments from posters who have actually visited is clearly a huge bonus.

 

I have to say again I applaud Scooby's efforts to list gay and gay-friendly establishments. I think it can be exceedingly helpful. But a listing is a listing. What is being put into many of the 'listings' are sometimes fanciful and occasionally inaccurate comments which imply that the site owner or someone associated with it has actually been to it and that it is his/their comments the visitor/prospective visitor is reading. In other words, they look like personal recommendations - and they are not!  How else do you explain all that hyperbole? Yet, why the absence of a price range?

 

Despite the differences expressed in this thread, we are all trying to help make the site better. I sincerely believe that the way listings are presently being written does quite a major disservice to those they are supposed to help.

[Guest fountainhall]

I just had to throw in the LMTU part. Sorry, I could not resist but as I have seen this conversation before, I just had to throw it in.

 

And that surprised me because you have shown in posts how sensitive you are on this particular subject. But the fact that one poster - who was clearly much loved by many but who was totally unknown to most who post on this Board other than from the content of his posts - an Englishman who deliberately and for his own reasons elected to post in a highly mangled form of the language is, I suggest, no reason why posts written by or on behalf of the Board owner, posts which will remain as reference points for years, should follow suit (even in the mildest way).

 

And incidentally, I take issue with you on this point -

 

You do expect everyone to post as perfect as your posts and when someone doesn't you berate them. Sorry, I am not trying to be rude, but I have seen this over the years with people who don't speak your tongue with perfection. 

 

Sorry Michael, in respect of the written language, I believe that is absolutely not true. Indeed, I challenge you to dinner at Eat Me (!) with aperitifs and wine   to find any posts where I have "berated" any other poster for not posting "perfect posts" - or even where I have taken issue with matters of spelling, grammar or syntax. Indeed, I can give you several instances over the years where I have suggested it is very much in this site's best interest that other posters be less critical of the English of posters whose native language is not English. The only exception was with HeyGay - and I was just one of a very large number over several Boards who objected to those posts.

 

Over to you. Back up your comment with proof from actual posts - or withdraw it. My money's on the table!

[TotallyOz]

Sorry Michael, in respect of the written language, I believe that is absolutely not true. Indeed, I challenge you to dinner at Eat Me (!) with aperitifs and wine   to find any posts where I have "berated" any other poster for not posting "perfect posts" - or even where I have taken issue with matters of spelling, grammar or syntax. Indeed, I can give you several instances over the years where I have suggested it is very much in this site's best interest that other posters be less critical of the English of posters whose native language is not English. The only exception was with HeyGay - and I was just one of a very large number over several Boards who objected to those posts.

 

Over to you. Back up your comment with proof from actual posts - or withdraw it. My money's on the table!

LOL "Back up your comments" but exclude HeyGay? Isn't that like going to a gun fight but taking only a knife?

[TotallyOz]

It also deserves to have posters previous comments linked to it.

I agree. I didn't realize that Scooby or the Mods deleted any posts that linked over to other threads. I am appalled at this. I can't believe they did that!

 

Oh, wait, perhaps I misunderstood you. Were you saying that you think they should be linked but that it should be Scooby that does it? Oh, I see, that I understand. So kind of you to offer him to do that for you.

 

Wait. Wait. I have a brilliant idea! It is amazing. When you see a thread that needs to be linked, you might post a reply:

 

Hey, there was a great discussion of this thread recently. Here it is:

 

[firecat69]

I have to agree with Michael. There is no reason for us to expect Scooby to search for posts and link them to the listings. Last time I checked this site is free and therefore I am sure Scooby has many things to do in order to make a living.

 

If a business is given a Listing here and there has been a previous post on that business then the OP or anyone can reply and add that link. Will that make the listing better, of course it will and I believe most posters here will be more then happy to add a reply of a previous relevant post. 

 

If something gets left out , it will not be a tragedy!

[Guest fountainhall]

LOL "Back up your comments" but exclude HeyGay? Isn't that like going to a gun fight but taking only a knife?

 

Now who is arguing like with unlike? You'll recall your comment was - 

 

I have seen this over the years with people who don't speak your tongue with perfection

 

You will know perfectly well that "people' refers to more than one "person". You will also know you can not include HeyGay because he was not a person who "didn't speak my tongue with perfection." Whilst I did not know him, he was English and taught English and I expect he spoke English a great deal better than he elected to write it on several Boards, not only this one. I'll bet in his conversations with you and others, he spoke pretty good, if not impeccable, English!

 

So my bet stands. Dinner on me at Eat Me if you can prove your allegation! Dinner there on you if you cannot.

 

There is no reason for us to expect Scooby to search for posts and link them to the listings.

 

With respect, why no earth not? He owns the site - or so we are led to believe. It's his and he is the one who decided to update the listings (very commendably). He employs or somehow arranges for others to write the listings. If there is a relatively simple way of improving listings, why would he not even wish to do this?

 

If that isn't done, then what I wonder is the point of anyone contributing any review of any establishment, whether it is a restaurant, massage parlour, go-go bar - whatever? There's a wealth of information on this Board about all manner of establishments. Do you seriously expect newcomers, first-timers, occasional visitors will themselves take the time to go through a search? Some may, but many will not, I suggest. So the absence of links is a disservice both to those who submit reviews and those who would like to see them! At least that's how I see it.

[firecat69]

Sorry FH I do not agree with you.  Scooby provides a 2 pronged site. Unlike most message boards he and the past owners elected to provide a lot of information on this site that has nothing to do with the Forums.  

 

These are the listings he is trying to update. If the members of this Forum have something to contribute then they can add it or if they previously posted they can link it. Up to them!

 

After all if a listing intrigues you then you can look for a previous post or add one of your own.  Just like if you think the description of the business is inaccurate then you can add your thoughts.

 

That is what a Forum is,not for someone else to necessarily do all the work for you.

 

I say that with the greatest respect because like many here I enjoy your posts and photos, many of them take you a lot of time to contribute. 

 

Maybe you only sleep 4 hours a day and maybe you only work 4 hours a day. We actually have no idea what Scooby does to make a living but I am quite sure this site is not supporting him.

 

Therefore he has to make a living and any time or money he spends making this site better should be appreciated.

[Guest fountainhall]

Your points are well taken, firecat69. As is very obvious, I just don't agree with them. But I have made my case - and my bet (boy, I'm looking forward to that Eat Me dinner Michael is going to stand me   - that I will not let disappear as this thread is forgotten), and I'll leave it at that. I hope others contribute to the discussion, though.

[TotallyOz]

Sorry Michael, in respect of the written language, I believe that is absolutely not true. Indeed, I challenge you to find any posts where I have "berated" any other poster for not posting "perfect posts" - or even where I have taken issue with matters of spelling, grammar or syntax.

http://www.gaythailand.com/forums/topic/9068-the-blue-house-in-gay-pattaya/

 

FH: "With all respect, who wrote this? The English is atrocious!! This surely isn't Scooby's prose?"

 

You don't call that taking issue?

 

I know your answer. Don't even bother as I am sure you will say that is not berating someone. Again, I disagree!

 

 

And, for HeyGay:

FH said:

"And I have to say sorry again, because I think it is utterly ridiculous to permit someone to post gobbledygook and then have the mods clean up his pathetic English just to make it more comprehensible! Where does that end? I readily acknowledge that brevity is not one of my stronger points - and I will try and do something about that in future. But are the mods going to step in and edit my posts so they are more readable to those with a very short attention span? I know it's a ridiculous idea. But no more ridiculous than what they were trying to do with HeyGay's posts.

 

If any poster wishes to post on a message Board which uses English as the language of communication, surely that poster has a responsibility to post in at least reasonable English? We know that some posters here are not English, and in general they post excellent easily readable English (better even than some native English speakers ).

 

Why on earth should someone who was born in England, whose native language is English, who - as we had been informed - actually taught English in Thailand for a while, why should that poster have the right to post nonsense posts? Worse, in my view, why should the mods help him by virtually encouraging that nonsense style of writing through going to the bother of checking all his posts and then editing them? That really does smack of authoritarian rule. I'm sorry because you say you know and like the poster. That being the case, I'd suggest you would have done him a better service by persuading him to cease his pathetic mangling of his native language and writing instead like a reasonably normal person."

 

http://www.gaythailand.com/forums/topic/8455-administrative-decisions/?hl=grammar&do=findComment&comment=62250

 

Same thread:

FH: "If anyone wants to use stronger language or make irrelevant or idiotic posts in mangled English, as z909 said, there are other boards they can join and where they will probably be welcomed. "

 

Sorry, FH, but we disagree on this. I think it is obvious that you wish everyone to write perfect or near perfect English. I don't think this is a bad thing. But, you did just this week tell Scooby his English was Atrocious.

[Guest fountainhall]

You force me to return and make another post. 

 

I have seen this over the years with people who don't speak your tongue with perfection

 

Are you seriously forgetting what you posted? "Over the years!" Scooby posted a day or two ago. HeyGay does not qualify under the remarks you made, as I have already stated. "Over the years!" Michael. You said it. I asked you to prove it and placed a wager on it.

 

The fact is you cannot. So I ask you politely to withdraw the remark!

[TotallyOz]

You force me to return and make another post. 

 

 

Are you seriously forgetting what you posted? "Over the years!" Scooby posted a day or two ago. HeyGay does not qualify under the remarks you made, as I have already stated. "Over the years!" Michael. You said it. I asked you to prove it and placed a wager on it.

 

The fact is you cannot. So I ask you politely to withdraw the remark!

Nice try! HeyGay was years back. Scooby was this week. If you seriously can't see that, you must have blinders on. Like I said early on, I never expected you to admit anything. I knew you much prefer a semantics game. Not me. Now, I am not going to argue with you any further. I'll just end with, we agree to disagree.

[TotallyOz]

FH seems to be upset and it was not my intention to upset him or anyone else. He seems to think I have questioned his integrity and that was also not my intention. I made a comment that I do not see the issue when posts are made on this or any site that is not a perfectly worded post. I do not think anyone should expect this from others. If FH believes that I have insulted him, for that I apologize. I guess I need to learn to debate in a more proper way as opposed to the way I did it growing up which is through arguments. Arguing back and forth is not a debate. And, at no point did I ever mean to insinuate that FH was less than honest in his posts. I do believe he was wrong in his points and I am not sure why we can't agree to disagree?

[Rogie]

I just took another quick look at the City Guides section and it seems pretty patchy. Nothing under Phuket except for the hotels section. Anyway my intention is not to carp about that, it's a difficult task to get everything listed and even more difficult to keep it up-to-date. I suggest when Scooby or someone else chooses a place in Bkk, Pattaya, Chiang Mai or Phuket to review, it should be either passed as reliable and accurate by signed-up members of GT (no replies to the OP would therefore imply no-one had anything to add or question) in which case it is ceremoniously shunted over into the limelight of City Guides, or if it is deemed inaccurate or incomplete members can point this out so that the final version passes muster. I wouldn't personally be too bothered by a slight awkwardness in phraseology such as has been mentioned, but I do agree fatuous comments praising the establishment do not deserve to be included. The alternative for GT owner/admin is to simply bypass the Message Board 'vetting' and post directly onto City Guides. I for one would never know what goes on there as I never bother to read that part of the website (apart from just now, for research purposes). That may sound like I couldn't care less what goes into City Guides, but I hasten to add I wouldn't like to think of anyone consulting it and being let down by inaccuracies or unreliable information, so I would say it should be the best possible. The best possible under the constraints of time and allowing for the fact things change, often overnight. It's a thankless task if you ask me!

[Guest]

Please accept my apologies for causing this riff. It was not my intent. If there is ever a listing on the site that needs to be edited, we will edit it and fix it.

[Rogie]

More reviews by GT members should be encouraged, especially in the less-visited places. For example Phuket has very few listings, and not a single bar is listed. Unfortunately Phuket does polarise opinion and many don't go there, but it would be helpful if those that do gave some feedback. Don't be too put off if you don't feel that confident writing a full-scale review . . .  I could be wrong, but I would imagine the management here would be only too happy to use your comments and findings as a basis on which to compile one.