PeterRS

Sorry guys, not the size you think the title means. There was a programme on tv last night about the construction of the Merdeka Tower 118 in Kuala Lumpur. Malaysia proudly tells everyone that this is the second tallest building in the world at 678.9 meters above ground. Yet, in my view, it is nowhere near that! Opened in 2024, it boasts a spire of 160.7 meters. True, some people can go up into it to access a small observation deck. But take away that spire and the height of the building is actually only 515 meters. The top habitable floor is 485 meters up. The Shanghai Tower which has no spire is 632 meters high and has 10 floors of habitable space more than the Merdeka 118. Merdeka 118 is actually the 10th highest in the world. Presently New York's World Trade Centre sits at No. 10 but it has a spire of 124.3 meters - so it slips further down the list. It reminds me of a feud between two of Hong Kong's top commercial banks. When HSBC opened its then new Norman Forster-designed headquarters in 1985, it was regarded as an iconic building in terms of the way it was constructed. Its height is 180 meters. Next door is the Standard Chartered Bank sitting on a vastly smaller land footprint. When it opened its own new HQ redesign in 1990, its tapered design reached 191 meters. Pure one-upmanship! (In the photo you can see the tiny stepped building next to the very large HSBC HQ.) One wonders when skyscrapers will boast ever larger spires. What sort of bragging rights does having the 2nd largest skyscraper in the world give to Malaysia when it is not even true?

Living here for more than a couple of decades, that is always what I have been told! Interesting that she mentions "Keep the displays of affection private". There was a thread on this issue some years ago with some posters basically saying, more or less, I'll do what I want. Part of the conversation dealt with 2 guys kissing in a very public place. Not a peck on the cheek but a full blown lengthy French kiss on a Skytrain platform. Some felt that this should not cause any problem as Thailand is a tourist-oriented country and should accept such behaviour, even though it is not what Thai's would do. I totally disagree. In a pub, club or disco, OK. But respect for and an understanding and acceptance of local sensibilities is important re tourism in all countries. When in Rome . . .

After more than 30 trips and with good friends in one of the coastal cities (New York) and in middle America (Louisville) whom I have regularly visited, I now have no desire to return. Loathing of Trump and his actions is only part of the reason, the ghastly and increasing profliferation of guns being one other. Scenically there are still parts of the country I would like to see, but there are also other parts of the world. I'll concentrate on those.

If you want to find a party scene in Chongqing or Chengdu, I really suggest you hook up and get to know a local first. Also bear in mind that the Chinese have some expectations of foreigners. May I suggest that you first read the Gay China forum and also watch the video I posted in there.

Last Friday US Secretary of State Marco Rubio made the most inane of comments: “'If you’re not coming to the United States to join a Hamas protest, or to come here and tell us about how right Hamas is, or … stir up conflict on our campuses and create riots in our streets and vandalize our universities, then you have nothing to worry about,' he told reporters in Brussels." Funny! I was always taught that in making public statements about any touchy subject you rolled out only good news - even though it may not be not so good! Rubio's stupidity has not stopped the fall-off in tourists from Europe to the USA already furious at Trump's behaviour in office aligned to his tariff tactics. Fear of detention by US Immigration authoriites has only made the situation worse. "After forecasting a 5% dip for inbound travel to the US this year in February, travel forecasting group Tourism Economics has revised its projections, telling CNN Travel that it now expects that figure to almost double to 9.4% . . . Summer hotel bookings from European travelers for Accor properties in the US are also down a whopping 25%, CEO Sébastien Bazin said in a recent interview with Bloomberg TV. Jean-François Rial, CEO of France’s leading luxury tour operator Voyageurs du Monde, said that ever since Trump’s inauguration in late January, bookings for US travel among his wealthy French clients have dropped a “colossal” 20%. In the 30 years I’ve been in this business, I’ve never seen anything like this for any destination. It’s huge,” he told CNN Travel. It's not just that Europeans are chosing other destinations. Many who have already booked, have cancelled those bookings despite losing their siginificant deposits. Yesterday Forbes also highlighted the fact that European tourism to the USA was down 17% in March compared to the same period last year. The US National Travel and Tourism Office is no more optimistic. “'Trump Administration policies and pronouncements are resulting in a negative sentiment shift toward the U.S. among travelers,' wrote analysts at Tourism Economics, which revised its 2025 forecast for a 9% loss of inbound foreign tourists after initially predicting a 9% jump. That 18% swing could be the beginning of a long-term decline, with the analysts adding, 'We expect the negative impact on international travel to the US to be strongest in 2025, but it will likely persist in degrees through the remainder of Trump’s second term.'” https://edition.cnn.com/2025/04/09/travel/european-travelers-skipping-us-trips/index.html https://www.forbes.com/sites/suzannerowankelleher/2025/04/09/european-travel-to-us-plummeted-in-march/

When will Trump realise that he cannot win in a trade war with China. He can hike tariffs as much as he wants but China will brave it out. At the same time, the US consumer will lose out - at least in the short term. WIth his ridiculous list of tariffs announced prior to his backing down, five top tech leaders who supported him have collectively lost around $1.8 trillion since the start of the year. https://edition.cnn.com/2025/04/09/tech/tech-leaders-supported-trump-lost-money-dg/index.html Similarly, he backed down not for the stated reasons but because his Treasury and Commerce Secretaries had warned him of the danger of a sharp sell-off of normally safe US government bonds. As CNN reports, Trump's threshold for political pain is precisely one week! https://edition.cnn.com/2025/04/09/politics/trump-tariffs-retreat-bond-market/index.html

To round off my contribution to the Myanmar debate, let me just thank @Raposa for his contribution, something I should have done yesterday. He clearly knows a lot more about the country than I had at first assumed and I should have recognised that. I hope others may now know at least a little more about that blighted country, how complex the situation is there, and how difficult a solution to the ending of endless civil war and leading the country forward will be. I do hope that anyone interested in learning more will read Thant Myint-U's excellent "Hidden History of Burma." As one reviewer wrote: "Thant Myint-U is the one indispensable author on Burma. This is an accessible, understated but powerful story of modern Burma's journey from hope to tragedy." If ordered through the UK or USA amazon sites, there is a Kindle edition at £5.03 or $8.51.

Yes, the remains of the KMT in Yunnan which were unable to flee with Chiang Kai Shek to Taiwan did cross into Burma's Shan State in 1950 and were supported by the USA through the CIA, the ROC from Taiwan and Thailand. But they were not welcomed by the Burmese military, the Tadmadaw. One reason for its anger was the KMT had become involved in the lucrative opium trade. Another was its presence on the border with China compromised Burma's declared policy of neutrality. Having refused to depart the country after many requests to do so, in 1953 the Tadmadaw launched Operation Nagar Naing against the KMT forces. This resulted in a defeat at the hands of the KMT forces. The Burma government then complained to the United Nations about the KMT invasion of its territory. The UN told the KMT to withdraw. They did not. Like Chiang in Taiwan, those KMT forces in Burma intended to build up their forces and then help to invade communist China. Early in the following year in Operation Bayintnaung, though, the Burmese army managed to force much of the KMT out of the country into Thailand. That May these KMT forces were flown from Chiang Rai to Taiwan. About 6,000 KMT forces remained in Burma, but merely a rump of those who had invaded. Most of these remained on the Shan State border with Thailand - and sometimes across that border. Some have argued, as @Raposa has, that this group helped build the Burmese army into a true army that enabled the 1962 coup. But far from all agree with this. Some commentators have argued strongly that this is based on propaganda emanating from Taiwan. Having looked at various sources and their authors, I believe in this propaganda theory.

If I were to visit Pattaya, I'd usually head for Beertique apart from one reason - live music. If i want a beer with friends or even on my own in the hope I might chat with someone, I do not want music blaring over my shoulder. I have never understood this fascination with live music in eateries and bars.

If Washington does come up with that accusation, I trust someone in the USA will recall that Trump will effectively be calling the kettle BLACK! In the 1980s, the Reagan administration accused Japan of maintaining too low an exchange rate in order to boost its exports. It then used a number of measures to 'persuade' Japan that it had to increase the value of the ¥. From around US$1 = ¥250 when I started visiting the country in 1981, the rate by the time I left in 1992 after two years working there was close to US$1 = ¥115. This was entirely due to US pressure. And of course one indirect effect was that Japan endured an entire decade of deep recession in the 1990s.

To your question I have to say I have absolutely no idea, very sadly. As I wrote in an earlier post, the huge problem facing Myanmar should the militias win and the army is truly beaten is - is there an individual with the power and charisma who can both lead and unify? At one time I think we all assumed that Aung San Suu Kyi would fill that role. Sadly she is now thoroughly discredited and disliked, both within Myanmar and around the world. Besides she is over 80 and, as one who initially admired her and ended up speaking out quite forcibly against her, President Bill Clinton's once Ambassador at Large in his diplomacy with North Korea, basically told the world she "lacked moral leadership." The situation is somewhat similar to what existed in the mid-1930s. Britain then still regarded Burma as a Province of India. Many students actively felt betrayed by this and formed associations to find a way to gain independence. Ms. Aung's father, Aung San, became this group's natural leader. As war approached, Aung had taken note of the Japanese successes in China. He was almost certain that the Japanese intended to widen its war in Asia. So he spent a year in Japan, learning the language and studying its military methods. When the Japanese did invade Burma, General Aung believed that they did so primarily as a route to India where they intended to foment rebellion against the British. He sided with the invaders and became the second most important man in the Japanese occupying force. In that role, he was effectively fighting the Karens from Kayin State who fought on the side of the British. It was only when Aung realised he had been duped and that the Japanese were intent just as much in pillaging and raping Burma that he changed sides. At this time, the British had started their slow return to Burma. In London it was realised that the end of Empire was on the horizon and Burma would be one of the first countries to be granted independence. Winston Churchill was furious at General Aung whom he believed had been a traitor who should be tried and hung. He might have got his way had it not been for Admiral Louis Mountbatten, then the Supreme Commander of Allied Forces in South-East Asia. Mountbatten argued with Churchill that such a move was a recipe for disaster. He considered that only one man was capable of keeping Burma together as a country - General Aung. Mountbatten got his way. In the April 1947 General Election four months prior to independence, Aung's party won 176 of the 210 seats. Three months later Aung was having a cabinet meeting when four armed men burst into the chamber and asassinated Aung and six of his ministers. Although the country's pre-war Prime Minister U Saw was arrested and hanged for his participation in the murders, the guns and buillets used had come from a cache of British armaments. Rumours persist to this day of British involvement. Certainly there were some shady British ex-army characters who had joined the Burmese police about whom much has been written. One had allegedly been killed in 1950 but was then found to have been spirited back to Britain from Bangkok in 1955 using false papers! Britain's Secret Service monitored a group based in London interested in Burmese affairs. The fact that most of the documents remain sealed in the Brtish archives suggests - although there is to date no proof - that Britain could have been more heavily involved. All that can be assumed is that there were powerful people in Britain who wanted a different course for an independent Burma. Balloons Over Bagan Although considerably older than you, that also remains one of the few items on my bucket list. I have been told that some of the temples were almost certainly affected by the earthquake. The last major quake in 2016 sadly did considerable damage.

You may call them gangs, but the vast majority of Burmese do not - and certainly do not consider themselves as gangs. They are fighting for freedom, first and foremost, from a succession of military juntas. A small handful, perhaps, see control of natural resources as a secondary aim - but the numbers are tiny compared to the total in the militias. If anyone, it is the Chinese in the Shan State who have for years been after the country's raw materials and other resources - and that has not stopped. I absolutely cannot agree. The situation in Myanmar is hugely complicated and that is not merely the view of your so-called "experts". I would certainly trust a small number of Myanmar historians like Thant Mint-U to provide a very detailed and accurate picture. It seems you are suggesting that the situation in Myanmar is not as complex as I and others have suggested. With respect, perhaps you might therefore tell us more about your own detailed and extensive research that brings you to that view. As far as engaging in discussion with those Burmese outside the country, the fact is that almost no-one has much clue about what is going on within, and this is made more difficult by the day-to-day changes we hear little about. As I have written before, there are about 300 Myanmar journalists camped out near Mae Sot who manfully bring to the world as much news as they can from inside the country. Trump's slashing of USAID means that many now work for either penuts or nothing at all. I have written a book about a boy born in the Shan State in the year 2000. He is now in Switzerland. Three of his siblings have managed to flee to Thailand but his oldest sister and father are still in the country. Typical of the average Myanmar citizens, they have little clue about what is going on within the country as a whole - merely their own small district. That is just not true! The military conscription law covers all males between 18 and 35 - and is likely to have the upper age limit further extended. If Burmese live officially overseas, they can only get new passports if they show certificates either proving their service in the military or a specific reason for not serving. Those merely renewing work papers will have to pay a new tax to the junta government. Some 3 million Burmese work legally in Thailand. If they are illegals in non-essential work, they better hope they are not caught because the Thai government has not been slow in deporting Burmese back to Myanmar. As Roisai Wongsuban, a policy advocate for a Thai NGO said in January, "While all nationalities face similar risks, Myanmar nationals face dual risks - both political opposition groups and ordinary workers uninvolved in politics. If deported, they might be drafted into military service, risking their lives." https://www.benarnews.org/english/news/thai/myanmar-refugees-thailand-migrants-01252025163854.html I agree with the point you make in your last sentence. But even to suggest "it is misleading that colonialism is the sole or even the primary cause of the current predicament" is absolutely untrue! It is the primary truth! Do you really know anything about Myanmar before and during the British colonial era? Are you aware that the British tore the country apart in terms of governance, economics and religion - all for profit of the British. Are you aware of King Mindon's major reforms for the country which effectively made it the most powerful monarchy in South-East Asia? Are you aware that in the three wars against the British, Mindon's successor Thibaw in the capital Mandalay was so concerned about the British bringing vast numbers of Indians into the lower part of the country they then controlled, that he asked the French for help in getting the British out? Are you aware that Randolph Churchill, Winston's father and at that time Britain's Secretary of State for India, was so infuriated by this he ordered 10,000 British troops to sail up the Irrawaddy and dethrone Thibaw who became Burma's last king? Are you aware that the British terminated the millennia-old alliance between Buddhism and governance of the country? Are you aware that the British destroyed the hitherto self-sufficient economy of Burma? Are you aware that the British uprooted the extensive mangrove forests in the irrawaddy Delta to make way for a vast increase in rice farms? The opening of the Suez Canal had created new markets for rice and these the British intended to and did exploit making Burma the largest rice exporter in the world. Are you aware that this resulted in soaring land values and major inflation? Are you aware that the British allowed Indian and Chinese merchants to control the rice trade? Cheaper labour from India was then imported resulting in massive unemployment amongst the native Burmese? Are you aware at the beginning of the 20th century, more than 250,000 Indians each year were flocking to Myanmar to work? Are you aware that the governance of the country was in the hands of the British and Indians, without any native Burmese? One who witnessed the destruction of Burma by the British was one of their own. Eric Blair had been born to a poor family in Bengal. Thanks to a scholarship he was educated in England at Eton before returning to work in the Burma colonial police force. Blair took the trouble to learn Burmese, but he hated his time there. He hated the corruption. He was devastated at how Britain was destroying the country. After five years Blair left Burma and became a writer. In his most famous novel, he wrote, "“Power is tearing human minds to pieces and putting them together again in new shapes of your own choosing.” He learned that from his time in Burma. His name as a writer is George Orwell and that novel is "1984". That is another wholly inaccurate statement. The Chinese Civil War started in 1927 and continued with a short WWII break until the communists won in 1949. Communism in China was a fact 13 years before the 1962 military coup. Communism or fear of it had virtually no role whatever in the Burma coup. As in many countries, it was student uprisings that started that ball rolling. But it was another colonial act which spurred events. Prior to departing the country, under the Panglong Agreement the British colonial government had promised the huge Shan State (almost four times the size of Switzerland) independence within a united Burma ten years after the country's independence. The army was against the agreement and determined that it be torn up. The army feared any form of outside influence if any State broke away. After rebellions in the Shan State, the Panglong Agreement was shredded. I could go on and on. I spent much of last year researching Myanmar and its long history. I am no expert, but I believe I now know vastly more than I did before I started. I am happy to argue further on specific issues, but generalisations are rather a waste of time in my view.

I'm sorry there is one issue I did not cover in my earlier post. This is conscription. These boys from Myanmar are almost certainly here either illegally or on temporary visas of some sort. They will eventually have to return to Myanmar and do not want anyone informing on them about things they might have said outside the country - however unlikely. Myanmar is a country ruled by fear as much as the junta! Returning means they will be liable to be called up to serve in the national army, the one that is slowly being defeated in many parts of the country with consequent loss of life. The alternative is to fight with one of their local militias or go underground. But even in Yangon, army units are patrolling streets after dark to pressgang any they come across and force them into the military. As my Myanmar friends tell me, the last thing they want is to end up dead killed by a fellow Burmese. The latest militia victory came two days ago when resistance groups led by the Kachin Independence Army seized full control of the strategic northern Sagaing town after eight months of fighting. All the time junta fighter bombers were trying to avoid the Resistance Army from winning the battle. The KIA and its allied forces have now captured over 300 junta outposts and bases in Kachin State. This is the northernmost State with an almost equally long border with China as the Shan State. https://www.irrawaddy.com/news/war-against-the-junta/kia-led-force-seizes-indaw-from-myanmar-junta-after-8-month-battle.html

WIth all respect, I think asking any individual barboy about the politics in his country is a really bad idea, especially re Myanmar where the civil war which many commentators talk about as having started after the 2021 coup, actually started with the 1962 coup. Myanmar is a hugely complex country with a hugely complex history. First there are 14 States - not 7. Second, in general terms, they are not fighting each other. The primary objective of all the State militias is to get rid of the ruling junta. Can you imagine any ruling government which continued its air offensive against the militias in the immediate aftermath of the dreadful earthquake last month? Is it any wonder most in that very large country loathe the national government and want change? Third, as I have ponted out before in these forums, Myanmar is made up of 135 different ethnic groups. In terms of population China is 26 times larger but has only 56 different ethnic groups. Each ethnic group in Myanmar has its own objectives, even those belonging to just one State. Fourth, the four States you list are all very different. Shan State is the largest, the closest to the longest part of the border with China and therefore has been historically open to a great deal of Chinese influence. The Shan are a fiercely proud people. The Karens in Kayin State, however, are probably the most western oriented of the States, despite being geographically one of the closest to the east. This is a result of extensive British influence in the colonial period when many British settled there and there remains a higher proportion of Christians than elsewhere. Fifth, in general one reason for the country's problems is the result of the utterly disastrous rule by the British. Colonialism created all manner of problems for many countries during the colonial era. Almost nowhere on the planet did it destroy a country as completely as it did Burma. It never even considered Burma a separate country until 1937. Before then it called Burma a division of India and its capital Rangoon as "a suburb of Madras". Sixth, despite their differences, all Burmese are extremely proud of the country's long history. How many in the west are aware that for a century during the Taungoo Dynasty its Empire was the largest ever in South East Asia, greater even than the much earlier Angkor Empire? Lastly, do you think any of them actually realised the significance of Yugoslavia, a 'country' born out of world War I and kept in place largely as a result of the Cold War before collapsing before any of them were born? Sorry again, but no one from Myanmar can tell you why "this eternal conflict cannot end". That is typical western thinking and I'm certain we'd all love to know. Other than saying everyone wants to get rid of the junta, four guys from four States certainly cannot tell you, so complicated are the reasons for the conflict, the history and the international pieces on that particular chess board. Even once the junta is despatched - if ever Russia, China and other players allow that to happen - there is absolutely no one presently in the country who could unify it. In an earlier thread about the history of the country, I have tried to explain why this is.

Nice one! Thanks for pointing it out.

I have noticed a number of fare reductions out of Bangkok over the last few months. Some airlines used to offer discounts on tickets to Europe (and maybe elsewhere but my destination was always Europe) in October for travel up to the following summer. For quite a few years I have got Qatar tickets for the following March at a basic discount of at least 20% - sometimes 25%. I have even got mileage tickets almost always in or near the days I wished. With enough miles left for one more European biz class ticket, I called Qatar last October to find out which dates were available in March 2025. None! A week later I called, extended the search to 4 months and was told there was only one seat available back from Europe. None going to Europe. I found this ridiculous, the more so given that Qatar had resumed its 5 daily flights to Doha, including one A380, and had 2 onward daily connections to my European destintation. Finally I had to accept a mileage ticket on Cathay Pacific via HKG which meant a 14-hour HKG/Europe flight plus a purchased short haul ticket at the European end. But then I was quite surprised to find that all six flights on that trip were 100% full! Now, though, something is clearly happening. Qatar and Emirates have sent out several emails recently with special biz class discount offers through to November. Given that this covers the summer holiday period in Europe and the USA, I find this both surprising and unusual. Hopefully the post-covid hike in fares last year may now be coming to an end and airlines are keen to keep planes relatively full, even at a discount. Although we should be aware that often such discounts in biz class are only for the tickets. If you want lounge access and advance seat selection, you are often screwed for a considerable premium!

I have never seen Nespresso capsules in Starbucks, but will check, thanks. On the other hand, I tried out many Nespresso flavours before I finally found one I really like. That is the only one I purchase.

I read recently that a number of factors have negatively affected the price of coffee - meaning your morning cuppa is going to cost more, perhaps even considerably more. As a convert to Nespresso machines (yes, I know: the coffee is not quite as tasty as that freshly ground but it is much more convenient for me), I noticed in January that my favourite flavour had risen by around 12%. Seeing thereafter that the price of wholesale arabica beans has doubled in a year and that ground roast coffee in the USA was at an all-time high, I decided to buy more now. Droughts and weather-related factors in Brazil have seen a drop in exports of 11.3%. In Vietnam a drop of 39.5%. Added to the effects of climate change, here in Asia there has been a substantial increase in drinking coffee in China. As I result, I recently was back at Nespresso buying 300 more capsules. https://caffeinespots.com/news/why-coffee-prices-in-thailand-just-got-more-expensive/

I used to love visiting Singapore. Just walking down Orchard Road or cruising shopping malls you can see some of the most gorgeous young Chinese guys on the planet. There is a lot of sex available for free if a guy likes you. No idea about paid sex, though. There are gay saunas, gay bars and gay clubs. One part of the beach off Beach Road used to be very cruisy but it was always AYOR as cops would use entrapment. But now that the dreaded colonial law (Section 377A) was repealed in 2023, I suspect it may be more cruisy again. As younger Singaporeans are mostly well-educated, well-dressed, well-mannered and financially at least reasonably well-off, I suspect older, overweight, T-shirt, shorts and flip-flop visitors are unlikely to have much success - unless they can find some gay for play on the apps. Just my thoughts.

You should note that the original Thailand Elite programme was changed two years ago and is now Thailand Privilege. In typical Thai fashion, it has also become a great deal more expensive. Whereas before the basic 5-year visa cost 500,000 Bt but gave you the option at the end to convert for another 15 years for the same amount of 500,000, the option of extension has now disappeared. Apart from a 650,000 version which expires on June 30 this year, the new basic is 900,000 for five years - no option to extend other than purchasing a new basic visa. 1,500,000 baht buys you a 10 years Privilege Visa. 2,500,000 gets you 15 years. So whereas before you could get 20 years for 1 million, now 20 years would cost 3,400,000! Although these expensive options provide some additional perks, you'd be far better on a plain retirement visa avaiable after you are 50 and plonking 800,000 in a savings account. At present this permits annual renewals ad infinitum. Incidentally I recently asked a Thailand Privilege assistant at BKK if the new visa charges had proved popular. She said they can not satisfy demand - so far mostly from Chinese and Russians.

The Portuguese Embassy, the oldest in the Kingom, is situated on the river and easily seen as it is next door to the large Royal Orchid Sheraton Hotel. It was a gift from Thailand in return for assistance the Portuguese had given the country during the late 1700s war against the invading Burmese who had sacked the capital at Ayutthaya. Only a couple of decades or so ago, it leased part of its extensive land down to the river to the hotel so that it could expand what had earlier been the hotel's much smaller pool area. Photo: Chaiyawat Chaiyachote, TIme Out Bangkok The Portuguese were the first traders to make serious inroads culturally in Asia. They had captured their first Asian base in Goa only the year before they appeared in Thailand. In this same year they took over Malacca which quickly became their primary base for further exploration and expansion in the continent. In 1517 they made their first commerical contacts with China, eventually leasing from the Ming Dynasty the tiny enclave of Macao on the western side of the mouth of the southern Pearl River in 1557. The terms of the lease meant an annual payment to the Emperor of 19 kgs of gold. Before that agreement with China, they had ventured north-east and started a small trading base at Nagasaki in 1543. The triangular trade in Chinese silk, porcelain and gold with Japanese silver was remakably successful for the time and soon became a monopoly. The Portuguese also brought guns which were of particular interest to the Japanese. As in all western expansion, it only took a few years for Catholic Church missionaries to follow, in this case those from the Jesuit order. To a certain extent this was tolerated by China but not in Japan. Within only a few decades, the Japanese kicked out the missionaries and very soon thereafter the traders. The arrival of the Shoguns as the absolute rulers of Japan meant the end of Japanese influence. China was different. It recognised the value of an association with the Portuguese who soon gained access to Chinese markets, especially silk, tea and porcelain. The Chinese valued the knowledge of science, mathematics and astronomy the Portuguese brought with them. As importantly, the Jesuits gained a foothold in the Chinese court. Perhaps surprisingly, the Jesuits efforts to integrate Christianity with strongly held Confucian values also gained a degree of acceptance. One Jesuit in particular gained the trust of the Emperor. Matteo Ricci was a Jesuit priest who had landed in Macao around 1580. Unlike most, he learned both to speak and write Chinese. He became the first European to enter Beijing's Forbidden City in 1601. He died in Beijing a few years later. Although he never met the Emperor, he did have the Emperor's patronage and was to meet and associate with a large number of his officials, also establishing the first Catholic Church in the city which remains today. Ironically this burgeoning relationship between an Empire and the Catholic Church was ended not by China, but by the Pope in Rome. In the early 18th century Pope Clement XI considered millennia-old Chinese socio-cultural rituals to be dangerous idol worship. He ordered all priests out of the heathen kingdom. The Portuguese then departed, but many of their ideas remained. The influence of Portugal within Asia as a whole in so many ways cannot be underestimated.

Yes I do.

I am one who has lived in Bangkok for 24 years. But I had visited the city and other parts of Thailand many dozens of times before I took the plunge, as it were. Since I was living in Hong Kong during the 1980s and 1990s, that made it easy for me. By the mid-1990s I realised I wished to remain in Asia for the rest of my life. The only question was: where? Once again I was extremely lucky. The jobs I had been doing took me regularly virtually all over Asia and so I was quickly able to rule out most countries. I had certain criteria - one being it had to be close to Hong Kong for I did not intend to retire in 2001. I planned to continue running my own small company in Hong Kong even after normal retirement age. So proximity and ease of travel were vital. I narrowed the choice down to two cities in two countries and eventually purchased a small Bangkok condo in mid-1999. While I had intended to rent it out for at least 15 or more years, the Asian Economic Crisis which started in Thailand on 1 July 1997 finally reached Hong Kong in 2000. There followed the worst recession there since WWII. With my company's budgeted income for 2001 and 2002 quickly vanishing, it became cheaper for me to base myself in Bangkok and commute to Hong Kong or wherever work took me each month. I had done my research and my sums. The one problem I had not factored in was the worldwide recession of 2008 and the resultant crash in interest rates. As Thailand's economy has grown extensively since 1999, everything is a good bit more expensive than I had expected by this stage. But that would almost certainly also be true of most retirement cities/countries.

Over the last 25 or so years China has developed many more contemporary dance troupes - a few of them near world-class.

Cruising around the internet this morning, I was looking at various vdos commenting on how airlines are all reducing their tier points and increasing their mileage requirements for free flights. Having just spent most of my remaining air miles on the flight to Hong Kong and the UK last month, I’m not sure why I was bothering with this. Purely habit, I guess, because I used to have tons of miles and was always looking for the best way of using them. For some strange reason, I noticed a video about attitudes of gay guys in China. I clicked on it and found it quite fascinating. When this forum has focused on gay life in China, that has generally been life in Beijing and Shanghai. In the recent thread titled "Most Obscure Places You Have Found Someone" in the The Beer Bar, I did mention my experience on a visit to Chengdu when I met several young gay guys from the apps – and could have met many more had I had time, given the number of hits I was getting. This video I found has a Chinese guy who at the end reveals he is actually straight interviewing three Chinese gay guys in their 20s. His interviews are quite probing – and I suggest quite revealing about how the guys came to realise they preferred men and what gay life in China is really like, especially the attitude of ordinary folk to the LGBT community. I think it is even more interesting that two of the guys live in Chengdu and the third in nearby Chongqing, both large cities and both in central China approx. 240 kms apart and both mentioned by @terper. So perhaps they are more representative of better-off young men in the country than a small sample from the main coastal cities. I certainly found their views pretty much the same as guys I know or have met over the last 10 - 15 or so years. You will note that the vdo does not discuss money boys, but it does seek views on the difference between Chinese gay guys and foreign gay guys. I think this is more for relationships for the Chinese I have met have been as eager for sex as most non-Chinese. But perhaps it is a point just worth bearing in mind for those planning to visit China.