PeterRS

What a shame that no one seems to have attended the Pride March on Sunday! I was in Taipei that day but my partner went with some friends and they loved it, but it was the first one he has attended and so I don't think he had any expectations. Anyone know how many participated - i.e. marched? Khaosodenglish has a brief description along with a few photos. Other sites have some basic information. But I can find absolutely nothing about the numbers marching. And on google I find nothing from the Bangkok Post! https://www.khaosodenglish.com/life/2025/06/01/thailand-kicks-off-pride-month-with-a-parade-in-bangkok/#google_vignette The reason I think this is relatively important is that Bangkok has anounced it will be in the running to become the first Asian nation to host the 2030 Gay Games event. Actually it would not be the first. Hong Kong (yes, Hong Kong!) was co-host of the 2023 Games (postponed by a year due to covid). Denver has already announced it will bid for 2030. But of the previous 10 Games four have been held in US cities and I think Denver, despite a lot of backing, may miss out for that one reason. As I wrote a few days ago, there has been no news about Taipei perhaps applying to host the Games. With 200,000 marching in their annual Gay Pride Parades and with its having almost totally changed the island's approach to the LGBTQ community very significantly over the last 20 years, my gut feel is it would have a better chance of hosting than Bangkok. The host city will be announced some time next year.

Bravissmo! I think that is one of the funniest and most apt ways of handling such a question.

Fair point. I did send @bkkmfj2648 a PM response the same day that I first read his post which outlined my views in detail. Naturally PMs are private affairs and I asked that the matter not be dragged into the main forum. Please note I have had absolutely no response from @bkkmfj2648 to that PM which was sent more than five days ago.

You have had a day and an evening to respond to my question - - and no response from you who usually are pretty quick off the mark. But you may well have been busy. Still, I will appreciate knowing why you consider one post vindictive and the original post made by the other party is not? Or perhaps you did you not read the original post?

The comments I quoted are not cut and paste! And you have failed to answer my simple questions: how is my post above "deranged"? And how was my post in the Dangers thread "condescending"? Seriously, I am interested to know. As I have said, I accept all criticism for anything I write. But criticism has to have a reason - and you have made quite aggresssive comments but provided no reasoning.

The comment I made above from my friend presently in Tokyo coes from a German site Der Farang dated 24 May. I'm sorry i do not have it to hand.

Oh really? And did you read the original - the full original posts? You mean one was not vindictive or any such similar word against me and my posts? I really do wish to know the difference.

And that I submit is absolute nonsense! Since you refer to the original posts, it is only right that they be repeated here to avoid posters checking back several pages. The subject of the OP was, let's recall, the dangers of sex when travelling in South America, (in my view a perfectly legitimate concern and one which has been echoed in many, many posts in various threads). In response to a point made by @vinapu, @bkkmfj2648 wrote - . . . this is also my exact philosophy, and is the primary reason as to why I have not yet ventured to some of these South American countries. I truly do not enjoy any experience where the hairs on my neck or arms feel the need to stand up - it is just not worth it, if I cannot relax and enjoy the environment that I am in, - especially as an elderly retiree, with who knows how many years are remaining in my life - why accelerate the eventual end by venturing into a perhaps dangerous situation?? Life is already too short. And that as far as possible dangers of sex was in my view an entirely reasonable response to which I replied with a simple question - @PeterRS - Merely out of curiosity, is sex an essential part of your travelling? I spent a fabulous month travelling around four South American countries and sex was rarely on my mind. It was a fabulous trip and I saw so many natural wonders. Let's also recall that I then added a second post when @floridarob asked how old I was when I went to South America. I replied - @PeterRS -60. I do go on other trips where sexual adventures are part of the agenda. For South America, the only reason was sightseeing [in ther words i was basically agreeing with @bkkmfj2648]. I had never been before, knew no-one and spoke hardly any Portuguese or Spanish. 9 cities/locations and 16 flights over a month (including 4 getting there and back) and each day was packed with activity. No time for anything else @bkkmfj2648 then responded with the contentious post which referred back to my original question and started - Dear @PeterRS, Your condescending question, framed as a mere curiosity, carries an unmistakable whiff of superiority, as if the pursuit of physical intimacy while traveling is somehow beneath the refined appreciation of culture you so clearly pride yourself on. It’s a tired trope, implying that those who acknowledge sex as part of their human experience are somehow less enlightened or incapable of savoring the world’s deeper offerings. This condescension, cloaked in intellectualism, betrays a rather narrow view—one that dismisses the complexity of human connection in favor of a self-congratulatory asceticism . . . As I said, @khaolakguy, you consider the above exchange was "condescending" on my part. Oh really? Please explain why. What in my question to @bkkmfj2648 - bearing in mind the discussion which had gone on between us beforehand - was anything other than perfectly simple? And what was "deranged" about my response above? I really wish to know.

The strange thing I found was when I came to the Citizenship country, it was all over the place. No alphabetical order and, as far as i was concerned, impossible to find GBR (or Hong Kong where I am a permanent resident). I tried several times. That's why I clicked on Scotland! when it suddenly appeared! The lady at the Immigration counter seemed to accept that there are still a few bugs in the system that need to be ironed out!

Not at all. I understood you perfectly and had I come from the same background, I would probably have dealt with the issue exactly as you would have done. But then while I know a bit about Japan and had the joy of working there for some years, I come from a country where we are proud of our heritage and, to a certain extent, of our own accomplishments. That's not to say we deliberately go out and brag. But we do not put up with intensely personal insults, the more so when they are virtually the opposite of what one person has already said/written quite recently about us. Indeed, when they are to all intents and purposes outright lies! I will say till the cows come home, I can take criticism as much as anyone else. I may not like it, but if I could not take it I would not be a member of this or any other Board. There is a line which I draw - and I believe that line is actually covered in the board's Code of Conduct. When someone has expressed almost profuse gratitude for my postings, lauded my style of writing and even compared it rather fancifully (but delightfully) to "great music", and when that poster then turns turtle and trashes me personally (not, please note, my writing style) by stating I personally showed "condescension”, “superiority”, “pride”, "self-congratulatory asceticism” and other negative qualities, for me that line is well and truly drawn. Hence my post.

Thanks

Apologies! I missed the deadline for adding this to the earlier post. I take it from your comment that you are perfectly happy for another poster to attack your character. Not what you have written but your person. Posts i have made have been criticised on this board many times which I take as part and parcel of contributing to a Board which permits a good deal of free speech. But the post I responded to was a direct attack on my character as I made perfectly clear when choosing the descriptions used and the specific words and phrases used. And it you fail to see that, then that is your judgement which I would respect, although definitely not agree with. I forgot to thank you for your earlier kind comments on my past postings which I happily do now.

I have heard this morning from a long-time friend presently staying in Tokyo but who has been spending 2/3rds of his years recently at his condo in Thailand that the government has done a U-turn on taxing funds remitted in to Thailand. According to his source, the government will not now consider taxing foreign income in 2005 and 2026. Apparently a decision was made a couple of weeks ago. I am reluctant to post on the basis of one source, but if true it will clearly be of benefit to many. Has any other member heard this news?

I completeled the form on my phone. May I ask if you used your phone or a computer? My confusion basically stemmed from the fact that the country listing was not in alphabetical order. It was in no logical order whatever! Perhaps I should just have typed in GBR rather than wade through and try and find it. But then not being able to type anything in the Thailand address lines seemed weird. Yet even without that, I still got the emailed QR code!

As I wrote earlier, I accept all criticism in this regard. I did think long and hard both about writing that post and then uploading it. I had a reason for writing and I certainly did not consider it would be popular with many. But I certainly did not write it lightly. And I think some have, or perhaps might, understand why I was simply not prepared to let the utterly incorrect personal criticisms posted in the earlier thread stand unanswered, the more so when they were 180 degrees opposite earlier written statements. If you are, then I would perfectly understand your reasons. Unfortunately that does not change my view. I'm sorry you are upset by it.

Adding to the recent thread on gonorrhoea inoculations soon to be available in the UK, in Thailand we have also to be aware that the rate of STIs is rising alarmingly. According to date from the HealthDeliver Clinic website, three key take-aways from their research - - Thailand experiences a rise in STI rates, particularly syphillis and gonorrhoea, with alarming inplications for youth health. - Drug use and casual sex culture contribute significantly to risky behaviors and decreased condom use among young individuals. - Gonorrhoea is increasingly antibiotic-resistant, posing a serious public health threat that could lead to untreatable infections. More significantly, under the heading Alarming Statistics on STI Rates in Bangkok, the Report writes - "In recent years, Thailand has witnessed a shocking spike in the rise in STDs, with syphilis cases jumping from 11 to 18.6 per 100,000 people between 2018 and 2022. These alarming statistics reveal a troubling rise in sexually transmitted infections, particularly among youth . . . As syphilis rates soar, gonorrhoea emerges as a growing concern that can no longer be overlooked. This STI, particularly affecting our youth, is becoming increasingly resistant to antibiotics, raising alarms among health professionals. With rising STI rates in Thailand, gonorrhoea’s potential to develop into an untreatable health crisis looms large. It's vital for you to understand the risks of transmission from one sexual partner to another." The Report is particularly concerned with Thailand's youth - "The rise in sexually transmitted infections among youth can be traced back to multiple factors. Casual sex and dating app culture often lead to risky behaviors [aligned with] the decrease in condom use which has contributed to the rising HIV prevalence in Thailand." This forum has frequently expressed concern at the apparent lack of condom use in most of the saunas outside the centre of the city, but till now that has been focussed more on the spread of HIV. With other STIs rising in importance, the government's seemingly increasing lack of urgency in introducing more detailed sex education in schools and colleges is especially worrying. https://www.healthdeliver.asia/blog/thailand-and-bangkok-rise-in-sexually-transmitted-infections-crisis-among-young

I had brunch with a young Taiwanese friend whom I have known for about ten years on Sunday. He had just returned from a week's holiday with a friend in Sicily (good timing because there was a massive eruption of Mt. Etna yesterday). He is 29, has a job with an Italian company and goes to Milan twice a year economy class for business. He also likes to take in trips to Tokyo where he has a love interest. I was slightly surprised that the two longest of his three flights to Sicily were in business class using mileage. His trips to Tokyo are also in business class. I asked which Alliance he is in and how he is able to accrue mileage so quickly. He's in One World using the Alaska Air programme. He's never actually flown Alaska Air but said they are by far the best when it comes to free miles. All he did was sign up for their programme. I had no idea Alaska Air was so generous. These days that of course may not last. But I'm certainly going to check it out.

I know there is a thread somewhere on this and apologies I cannot find it! I arrived yesterday and remembered to complete the new electronic arrival info the day before. But the site seems still something of a mess. When it comes to your country of residence, you are provided with a list of countries. The list I received was a total mess, it was not in alphabetical order and I could not find Thailand which I had been informed is now included. Nor could I find Great Britain but I did find Scotland! Then when it came to inserting my address in Thailand it would not accept any typing at all. At Immigration, the officer was understanding and took my address verbally. When I suggested the site still needed some work, she looked at me, smiled and nodded her head! I wonder if any member has been able to complete that form in full.

All negative and other comments received in the spirit in which they were made. I take full responsibility for what I post.

Bangkok is said to be applyng for 2030, but the city that year will not be chosen for at least another year. I can't see any other Asian city taking the initiative unless it is Taipei. That said, I have not heard that Taipei will be applying but given it's considerably longer - and continuing - history of gay acceptance island-wide, if it came to a vote between the two, I expect Taipei is likely to win out. Hopefully only Bangkok will apply.

There are more than a few times when one poster will disagree with another. That is the nature of a board like Gay Guides Thailand and it tends to keep a discussion lively. Occasionally there are times when things can get heated and one man's disagreement becomes somewhat more serious. Reading back over the forums on the flight to Bangkok this afternoon, i was reminded of one recent occasion where I incurred the wrath of another. As i had just returned from a meal with friends and was leaving early the next morning for Taipei, in keeping with board guidelines I wrote an apology. Frankly, I did not believe one should have been made for I knew I was the injured party. On the other hand I did not want any discussion to get out of hand when I was away as I generally do not read the forum when out of Thailand. But there is one issue which I recall reading with intense indignation just before I left Bangkok and which I believe is a case where one poster has stepped beyond the limits. I believe it important that the issue has to be corrected. Sadly in the relevant post @bkkmfj2648 made himself out to be a sanctimonious pompous fool. Why do I even consider writing that? For the very simple reason that he made assertion after assertion by attacking me in no uncertain terms in a ridiculous post in The Dangers of Colombia thread on May 28. When I happened to read it just prior to departure, I was utterly furious. I knew he had spouted major lies, but had absolutely no time to check back on my posts to disprove them. So to avoid further comment, I wrote a humiliating apology. As it turns out, that apology was a major error on my part. I take back every word of it. Let me remind @bkkmfj2648, a poster who in addition to matters relating to sex enjoys making endless posts about cafes, restaurants, bars and what he likes to eat and drink when out of Thailand. Earlier this eyear in February I made seven very, very long posts in The Beer Bar in which I all but laid out my sexual history, partly pre-Asia in places like Paris, Amsterdam and Hamburg, but mostly in the nearly four decades I have lived and extensively travelled in this continent. These were titled TALES from a GAY LIFE (mostly in Asia) - there were actually 9 posts but the last two were repeats of previous photo journals of many of the fascinating places I have visited. The earlier seven, all posted on February 18, were extremely detailed posts with a mass of information not only about bars, gogo bars, saunas, male spas and the pros and cons of a variety of apps in each place, but also about some of the individual young men who had made my regular traveling both around the world but more especially around Asia particularly special. Some of the information had already been individually detailed over nearly 20 years of posting on this Board. When I read @bkkmfj2648's disgraceful post, I wondered if he had actually read my long posts. This afternoon I discovered he had read them - all of them. Now I know he had given each of them a ‘like’ emoji. Now I know that in response, he had actually written a post in which he stated on February 18, “I wish that I had the writing style and talent that you have. Your choice of word usage always mesmerizes me as a great piece of music does . . . I know that the primary focus of this site, gayguides.com, is to share our hunt for our sexcapades and share some of those details - which I truly enjoy and I do participate in those when I am having one of those adventures.” That great music evaporated in a flash. In the discussion about the dangers of traveing to Colombia and South America in general, he concurred with the view about danger, basically saying he would not be comfortable in any such countries. I then made the point that in my month visiting four South American countries about 14 years ago, sex had specifically not been part of my agenda. I was there merely to see the natural beauty of that amazing continent, just as I had when visiting, for example, Glacier Bay in Alaska, traveling north of the Arctic Circle in Finland, and Petra in Jordan to name just three. I then asked a very simple question. “Merely out of curiosity, is sex an essential part of your traveling?” The implication behind the question was just that - “simple”. Why miss out on some of the world’s wonders only because you might have a concern about possible dangers of sexual adventures in such places? But to him that was as a red rag to a bull. He then accused me in his May 28 post of this being a “condescending question, framed as a mere curiosity, [carrying] an unmistakable whiff of superiority, as if the pursuit of physical intimacy while traveling is somehow beneath the refined appreciation of culture you so clearly pride yourself on.” What? "Condescending”? “Superiority”? “Pride”? What on earth made him write that garbage? He knew my posts. He knew of my many sexual adventures - when in the very first of the seven posts I had written of the admission by Edmund White in his latest novel of probably having had sex with more than 3,000 men, I had then written that throughout my life I had perhaps got somewhere close to that 3,000! So he then wrote I was “implying that those who acknowledge sex as part of their human experience are somehow less enlightened or incapable of savoring the world's deeper offerings. This condescension, cloaked in intellectualism, betrays a rather narrow view—one that dismisses the complexity of human connection in favor of a self-congratulatory asceticism.” There he spelled it out again. “Condescension”. “Intellectualism”. “Self-congratulatory asceticism.” Let me give @bkkmfj2648 a piece of advice. NEVER post such lies about any poster in future. As stated above there is a gentlemanly code of conduct on this Board that is part of the Board rules. You broke them - and I may also have done so with this post! Differing views are part and parcel of a Board. But lying so specifically about fellow posters is not. So I’ll end by repeating his own words, “STOP making condescending remarks towards my person in this forum!!!”

Please be 100% assured that I absolutely did not intend to make any condescending comment in that post which has clearly hurt you. You, as with each member here, are entirely entitled to do what you wish when it comes to travelling. I have thoroughly enjoyed all of your posts and I think you may have noted that to almost all of them I have given a 'like'. My error for which i apologise completely and one that I much regret is that at the start of my reply I had hastily copied your post without considering its full implication. If I may briefly explain, since the subject of the thread had been basically about sex in South America and you had said you would not consider going due to the dangers already expressed by others when occasionally meeting up with locals, I merely - and I did start the post by writing "merely out of curiosity" - wanted to compare my own experience where sometimes I travel with sex in mind - as I expect will be the case in Taipei this week-end - but at others, especially when I went to South America and aware of the possible dangers, my sole purpose was to enjoy its many natural wonders. Sex was never on my mind in the entire year it took to plan that trip. But my comments were ill-thought through and clearly hurt you. For this i cannot apologise enough. It may be just as well that I will be away for 5 days enjoying my usual adventures in Taiwan which I have detailed in other threads. I will therefore be making no posts and certainly wish to avoid the possibility of adding insult to injury. Please keep posting. I renew my apologies. I thank you.

. . . not yet, thankfully.

We know that the 1990s were a very different time. After the mega-boom years of the 1980s, Japan had entered what was to become a decade of major recession. In gay terms it was also slowly coming out of the stage that I think many Asian countries went through - of Japanese/local young men seeking westerners both for sex and as boyfriends. Most young Japanese men either lived with their families or in tiny studio apartments, usually well out of the centre - hence the rush to stations to get trains home before the lines virtually all closed around midnight. Westerners had larger apartments nearer the centre and much higher salaries. For Japanese who wanted some form of quick relief, apart from love hotels there really were no places for most - other than rich Japanese - to go to apart from saunas or toilets. But love hotels and saunas required cash to enter. I recall there used to be quite a lot of furtive walking around and a bit of action in the little park with its tiny toilet close to King of College - and later just across from 24 Kaikan sauna after it opened. I think it may have been called Taishu-ji Park. Certainly it was only a few hundred meters from the BYGS building.

BYGS used always to be pretty busy in the 90s and even into the 2000s. But I have noticed on visits thereafter that it is usually all but empty. When I llived there also in the 90s, I was never into the toilet scene. There was enough eye candy and nighttime entertainment in the small bars and discos nearby BYGS.