PeterRS

I used miles to book on Qatar biz class to the UK about 2 months ago. Unfortunately it was the time when fuel was its most expensive. Also as Qatar now add in to the surcharges lounge access and seat selection (if you pay for a ticket these are now extra costs), the extra charges were over $1,000. But I had to use up the miles or lose them - so you pay your money and take your choice! I was lucky in buying points when Marriott made its first offer during the pandemic. My purchase of 100,000 points got a bonus of 70% and seemed quite a bargain. The latest offer is around 25%, But I knew that Marrriott would just increase the number of points required for most hotels - especially at the top end. And so it has proved although I'll still come out slightly better.

Nope. The most recent is September 8. But he's been in Germany for at least 3 months. There's a post from 8 August giving details of his Thai adventures in April and early May. https://christianpfc.blogspot.com/2022/08/gay-activities-apr2022.html

Also agree, although I think 90% is more than a bit high. But it's wonderful if you're a top to be in a place where most of the boys you encounter wish to be your bottom. I had a strange but delightful encounter about 6 years ago. A young Chinese from Macao with whom I had been chatting for about 3 years on the now dreadful if not dead fridae site but never actually met suddenly contacted me on one of the more modern apps. He'd noticed in my profile that I liked Taipei. Turned out he'd been studying in Taiwan and decided to stay there. Although he lived in the centre of the island, when I told him I was coming over for the Gay Pride Parade, he said he'd never been to one and could he join me. I thought he might want to stay the night which I was slightly concerned about because I just did not know him. However, he said he had a friend with whom he would stay. We arranged to meet in my hotel about half an hour prior to leaving for the Parade. The previous evening I was having drinks with an old friend in one of the Red House bars. It's a great location for merely enjoying lots of eye candy. Suddenly the most gorgeous boy walked in front of us seemingly looking for someone. He then turned around and came up to me asking if I was the one he'd meet tomorrow. I then wished I'd offered to put him up for the night! He was looking for the friend he was staying with. The next day he duly arrived at the hotel and I had planned to offer him a quick snack lunch. But once in my room, he hugged me close and whispered in my ear. "Fuck me! Please!" I said we don't have much time. "It doesn't matter. Please I want now and we can take longer after the Parade." Well, what is a polite gentleman to do. And the deed was done to the great satisfaction of both!

I agree. christianpfc's blog is not only interesting reading it is packed with facts of use to gay travellers. The only point I'd make (perhaps with a touch of jealousy!) is that christianpfc is a lot younger than many of the posters here and we should bear this in mind.

For 2023 just a simple list. Longer than usual trips to Taiwan, Japan and my more recent discovery Vietnam. All are amazingly beautiful and fascinating countries. In each finding lovely guys whose only desire is to spend some time with a much older gay westerner without any payment is far from difficult. Indeed in Taiwan it seems more difficult finding money boys than guys merely wanting company and sex without even travel money.

I wonder what is the origin of the content in the OP. Some rubbish tabloid no doubt. The fact is that King Charles as he now is is on record as having stated when he was in his early 30s that as a result of his failure to turn his love for many young women into marriage he wondered if he might be gay. Prince Charles considered gay turn before marrying Diana Despite his status, Prince Charles's quest for a wife was in no way a fairy tale adventure. The future king struggled so much in his search for a royal bride he reportedly came close to giving up, and it's been revealed he reconsidered his sexuality along the way. In a new documentary about the Queen's four children, it's claimed Charles joked to a friend, asking "shall I go gay?" as he found himself disappointed with a string of relationships with women. All The Queen's Children is released this week in the UK. In it, British TV presenter Jeremy Paxman is filmed speaking to friends of the four heirs: Charles, Anne, Andrew and Edward. According to The Mirror, a close friend of Charles, Broderick Munro-Wilson, shares that before Diana came along, the prince made a comment about "going gay". During Charles's courting days, a hot topic for tabloids was to choose suitable contenders to marry the first in line to the British throne. Broderick Munro-Wilson tells Paxman: "I thought the only possibility was Caroline of Monaco," referring to one of the articles he'd read. However, as the potential matches never seemed to take Charles's fancy and he suggested he "goes gay", Munro-Wilson shares: "We all roared with laughter and moved on … They had a lot of fun." https://www.nzherald.co.nz/lifestyle/prince-charles-considered-gay-turn-before-marrying-diana/42UNA5X3UDPUQRGRV36H5H4U3Q/

Even with all the respect and regard I have for @TotallyOz who has run this site for so many years, I cannot help recalling that when there was a near revolt by many members against the poster named Beachlover - who it will be recalled had done his best to derail at least one other chat room forum - @TotallyOz actually denfended him. This despite many mistakes found in several of his posts and the posting of photographs with all personal detail blacked out. If I recall correcty, he stuck it out continually claiming he was this 20s Australian businessman when it was perfectly clear he was an ageing expat merely playing his little games. It took quite a time but he was eventually banned.

Hal will always be 2001 😉

The problem stems partly from the lack of sex education in the vast majority of schools. Blame this on one of the early Thaksin governments which cut the HIV-AIDS budget substantially. Before then, most young guys grew up aware of the dangers of unprotected sex. Now many young guys know of HIV-AIDS but have little clue how the virus is transmitted. I have read more than a few reports of the many saunas catering to young Thais on the outskirts of Bangkok where condoms are rarely used. And I am certain this is a result of ignorance. Although I have no statisics, i suspect most of the patrons are not on PrEP. It's particularly sad when Thailand had an excellent record in controlling the spread of HIV in the 1990s and very early 2000s. But a United Nations study in 2014 found a new rise in HIV infections. 70% of the cases were in the 15-24 age group and of these 41% were amongst msm. Part of the Report on the Study says this - UNICEF says it believes that Thailand urgently needs more effective protection measures and appropriate testing and treatment programmes for young people in order to curb rising infection rates for HIV and STI. These programs, however, will need to be designed at the community level, with the involvement of young people themselves, so that they meet their specific needs. “Among several recommendations from the study, we are calling for the age of consent for HIV testing and counselling to be reduced from the current age of 18 years,” Mr. Gass said. “If a young person feels that they have engaged in an activity that puts them at risk of HIV, they should be entitled to have a test without needing parental consent.” The Medical Council of Thailand had actually been calling for children under 18 to have the right to be tested without parental consent since 2008. It is now in effect. But given that 8 years have passed since that United Nations Study, this country significantly undermined its earlier dedication to the reduction of HIV in its young people.

Jusr a reminder - should one be needed - that if you any any assets at all in Thailand you need to have a will written and executed in Thai for the disposal of those assets. So if you own a condo, have money in a bank account, etc., without such a will the Thai courts will take an age to make its decision about their disposal. In almost 100% of the time, these will go to your nearest living relative. If you have a Thai partner here, he is likely to get nothing if there is no Thai will. This can be done relatively inexpensively through one of the law firms who do this on the internet.

Audrey Hepburn will always be Breakfast Glenn Close will always be Fatal

Seems this Board is now infected by Beachlover redux!

Your posts now mark you out as a complete troll that is becoming abusive. You wrote a few posts ago that you planned to delete your membership. Trouble is, trolls don't like to do that so I guess you will be here as long as the owner/moderator is prepared to tolerate your increasingly schizophrenic posts. And guess what? A troll will now trash me! What a surpise and it will mean precisely nothing to me. After all, I don't need to hide in doorways

Goodness me! Such strong statements and positive actions that you propose! How come you behave like a frightened child when talking about why you can't take boys from bars? Sorry but it doesnt quite gel with some of the members here!

I don't blame anyone for their beliefs. I am not sure if you know that Moses not only owns the other chat site sawatdee network and has over the years also willingly provided technical help to gaybuttonthai.com. He did not have to buy sawatdee and keep it running. Several thailand gay chat sites have vanished in recent years. But he decided to keep sawatdee open. I don't know if you look at that site. Many do. It also happens that he lives in Russia. For all I know he may be Russian. Like it or not he is still as entitled as anyone else to his opinion without these being called lies - unless you can prove they are lies. And what reason do you have for calling him disagreeable? The fact is that much of what he has written is NOT lies. I have been there. When were you last in Russia? Frankly, I find your comments on this topic so totally different from those on the other thread "Your life as a Senior Gay Man". There you paint yourself as being a gay who has chosen to live in Pattaya but terrified about being seen taking a boy out of a bar. You tell us we will not believe how much "a bag of nerves" you are if you are brave enough to invite a sexy guy to your condo. Then how you almost hide in corners waiting for the coast to be clear. I find your activity on both threads getting pretty clear to trolling.

Happy to oblige. "If Hitler invaded Hell, I would make at least a favourable reference to the devil in the House of Commons.“

Can I just say that I find the tone of this thread going downhill too quickly. Most people support Ukraine. A few clearly support Russia. Getting worked up about it here is not going to do anything but arouse deep-rooted feelings. I have never been to Ukraine but support it after the Russian invasion. I have been four times to Moscow and twice to St. Petersburg. They are both amazing cities with some extraordinary wonders. I loathe Putin's homophobia but that did not stop me making meaningful glances at a waiter in a St. Petersburg hotel which, if my gaydar was working properly, were reciprocated. That is as far as I went, though, I would never have risked anything more. In my view, anyone even attempting to find a gay venue or to hook up with a Russian in Russia is asking for a great deal of trouble - even if they feel safe for Russians who live there.. I know two blacks don't make etc. , but would those prepared to chance it in Russia do likewise in Brunei, Iran, Nigeria, some of the Gulf States etc.?

Merely for the sake of accuracy, her father King George VI was the second son of King George V. His older brother was the philadering but hugely popular Prince Edward. He had had several affairs, usually with older married women. His father despaired of him and was disgusted by his affairs. In 1931 one of his romantic relationships introduced him to Mrs. Wallis Simpson, an American who had divorced her first husband. Edward fell head over heels in love with her. By 1934 she was his mistress. None of the establishment expected the affair to last much longer than the others. It did. As George V became ill, the royal court and the government became alarmed. The British Secret Service had her investigated. One report claimed she had spent time in Shanghai (true) where she learned some special sexual techniques (uncertain). One story, true or not, was that she perfected what is termed the "Shanghai Squeeze" or the "Singapore Grip". This being a respectably gay forum, I will not go into detail! She certainly exercised a very strong influence over Edward. When George V died, there was concern in the government. Wallis announced that she would divorce for the second time and a mock adultery by her husband was arranged. As King, Edward announced he would marry Wallis once the divorce was final. Now the government went into panic mode. The monarch of the UK is also head of the Anglican Church which in those days did not permit marriage to a divorcee if the divorced spouse was still alive. There was also fear that Edward would interfere in the business of government (not permitted in the UK) and would share state secrets with the domineering Wallis. The government gave the King an ultimatum - get rid of Wallis or abdicate. By all accounts, his brother who became King George VI was a diligent, hard working and much loved monarch. But he was a heavy smoker and suffered from cancer. Unknown to most he had had a lung removed. The then Princess Elizabeth stood in for him many times, especially on planned overseas trips. In 1952 she and her husband were in Kenya at the start of a long trip that was to take them onwards to Australia and New Zealand. They had just spent a night at the Treetops hotel when she learned that her father had died. Elizabeth was now Queen. The couple then flew immediately back to London.

Sometimes doing the right thing can be incredibly painful. But when it has to be done, it is better than the alternative of a longer, bitter decline in what was once something unique and beautiful.

A good point. I have no idea if any of his immediate family were able to access his emails or phone. There is one postscript which I did not bother to add to the story. About 7 or 8 years ago, I was with a friend having lunch in another Italian restaurant off Sathorn. I recognised the owner as being one of the ladies who had left Zanotti along with my friend. I asked her if she remembered my friend. Of course, she said. Had she seen him in recent years, I asked. There was a pause which I considered too long. Yes, she said. I asked if he was OK and in Bangkok. She summoned another of the staff who I did not recognise, chatted a little in Thai and then told me he was OK but she did not know where he was. I merely asked her to tell him I was asking about him. I wrote in another post recently that I have never been able to understand Thai logic. But I have an idea when a Thai is being deliberately evasive. I took what I was hearing and the way she said it as being basically, "I don't want to talk about a difficult subject." Why could it have been difficult? I can only guess. This was very similar to another reaction when a long time Thai friend passed away. He ran a little shop with branches in Chatuchak and Terminal 21. I was in Chatuchak and wanted him to make something for me. When I saw he was not there, I asked if he was overseas as he often sourced materials in China and India. "Sorry, I don't know where he is," his nice assistant said. I was just looking at some of the products when the co-owner of the business came in. She chatted to the assistant in Thai. I asked if she knew where my friend was. After various knowing glances between the pair, she said she was very sorry to tell me he had died. Eventually I managed to tease out of her that there had been a fire in his condo and he had not been able to get out. I left certain of two things. Firstly he must have died. Secondly it definitely had nothing to do with a fire in a condo. But what? I'll never find out.

Interesting that both reigned for 70 years, although Elizabeth for about 120 days longer. Interesting, too, I suggest that neither was destined to become monarch at their birth. Accidents of history resulted in the crowns being passed to them.

No one needs me to point out that friendship is a two way street. That means opening up to others and welcoming them into your life. It does not necessarily mean their knowing your sexuality. I have several straight friends, mostly not in Thailand, whom I have known for decades and who still do not know I am gay. I stress "know". The fact that I have never been married nor had a steady girlfriend means that at my age virtually everyone has guessed that I am gay. I never bring the issue up in conversation. But if anyone asks me outright, I will always answer "Yes, I am gay." I also have a small number of lady friends whom again I have known for decades and whom I have told about my sexuality. None is in the slightest concerned about it. One is one of my closest friends. Over the years, we have taken vacations in various parts of Europe enjoying our shared interests and having a lot of fun times together. Now mostly retired, I spend a lot of time writing. My next book will be dedicated to her. I cannot speak about Pattaya as I visit only rarely. I live in Bangkok. Three of my close western friends here I had known for at least a decade before I moved. So it was not a case of my having to start anew in a totally new country. My experience of making close friends with Thais is more complicated. Over decades of visiting and living in Thailand I have realised that I will never understand Thai logic. And that failure makes a deep friendship more difficult. Not impossible as I know farangs who have been happily partnered with/married to Thais for decades. I have written in another thread of a very close Thai friend who was not gay who frequently came to my apartment over a couple of years and we'd spend hours just chatting, laughing and gossiping as real friends do. One other I was close to for almost 25 years was gay. Again we'd meet frequently and have lots of good times, especially discussing his always complicated love life (which did not involve me!) Sadly a nasty illness brought death much too early. So in response to your question, yes you can make close friends. But please realise that very often you will have to take the initiative.

So you know the problem, but you are not prepared to take the 'medicine' to enable you to have that fuller life. We're all different and that is your way of living it. Frankly, though, if I wanted a fuller life, I'd hate myself if I had not done my damnedest to solve it. As has been said before in other posts, I don't want to die with regrets.

Perhaps even worse is when a boy you care about just disappears and you have no idea what happened to him, even after many years have passed. Around 16 years ago I would occasionally go to the up-market Italian restaurant Zanotti on Saladaeng. Sometimes a client would take me. At others I would go with friends. Expensive at evening time, it had a very good set lunch at a very reasonable price. There was one waiter who I found especially attractive. Mid-20s, he came from a town in Isaan. His English was good and his smile virtually to die for. I usually chatted with him. Over time we became friends although he always said he was not gay. As his room was not far from my condo, I invited him round for drinks after work one evening. I was surprised that he came. Soon he would come quite frequently, almost always sleeping overnight on the sofa. For his birthday, I got a cake from the Mandarin Oriental shop and he was so happy. He said he'd never had a birthday cake before! Only on 2 or 3 occasions would he knock on my door and ask to sleep with me. Although i was not in love with him, I loved his company. He could be wonderfully funny and we spent many evenings on the sofa just chatting and laughing. I considered him a lovely close friend. After about a year, he and several other staff left Zanotti following a disagreement with the manager. He told me that of the 10% service charge, the manager kept 8.5% leaving the staff to share just 1.5%. Eventually he told me that he wanted to work overseas. The Mango Tree restaurant (near Tawan Bar) had a namesake in Dubai. He had been offered a job there. I checked the contract with which I told him there were several problems. He tried to bring them up with the manager here but was told it was take it or leave it. So he signed and flew off to Dubai. In several early emails he told me how much he was enjoying the work and being in Dubai. Soon, though, things began to turn sour and he wanted to break his contract and just leave. He did have his passport but no air ticket which he was saving up for. I told him just to get the ticket and I would pay him the balance. Back in Bangkok, he did a couple of part-time restaurant jobs before he was offered a post on one of the Royal Viking Line Cruise ships. Hugely excited, off he went to somewhere in the Baltic. When in ports he would email me saying he loved the job, despite the hard work. Eventually he had some leave coming up. He wrote and asked if he could stay with me in Bangkok. Of course I agreed. Having given me his dates, he said he'd contact me when he got back to Thailand. Sure enough, he mailed me to say he had arrived but would first go to see his family. He'd come to Bangkok after 6 days. That was the last I heard from him! I mailed him several times. They were unanswered. I left sms messages on his phone which was still working. No reply. I called and just got the ring tone. After a couple of months I wrote that I did not care what had happened to him - maybe he'd married, maybe found a long-term boyfriend, maybe been in a bad accident - all I wanted to know was that he was OK and perhaps see him if he came to Bangkok. If he needed help, I was here. Again no reply. I hope he is somewhere and happily settled down with the good job he deserves and a love life that he enjoys. If I could just get one mail saying that, I'd be really happy for him. It would also set my mind at ease. My fear is that something happened when he was back with his family and he died. It's the not knowing that occasionally, even now, gnaws at me.

WIth all respect to you @vinapu as one of the most prolific and important posters on this board, you are lousy when it comes to arguing your case in a discussion. This one has just descended in nonsense!