Gaybutton

Here we go again, folks. Today, the 46th anniversary of the assassination of President John F. Kennedy, Thailand once again predicts political upheaval in Thaksin's efforts to regain power. If nothing else, the man is persistent. The following appears in THE NATION: _____ Fierce Political Battles Brewing Published on November 22, 2009 Ex-intelligence chief warns of violence as Thaksin and his allies might unleash all their might to topple govt Political tensions are building to danger point as fugitive ex-premier Thaksin Shinawatra steps up his struggle to regain power over the next several months, an intelligence expert and political observers warned yesterday. Serious political confrontation - and possibly violence - could erupt during the upcoming months when Thaksin and his allies inside Parliament and on the streets employ an arsenal of tactics in a bid to effect a change in government, they said. Pummarat Thaksadipong, former director of the National Intelligence Agency, said that given the recent movements of the Thaksin camp, "this upcoming festive season is unlikely to be the same for Thais". The ex-leader was expected to "make his heaviest blow with the use of all the means he's got", Pummarat said. Thaksin's allies who are MPs would disrupt the work of Parliament, and those who are protest leaders would instigate hatred against the government and possibly incite violence, he said. The goal was to force the government to dissolve the House of Representatives before the Supreme Court's Criminal Division for Political Office Holders rules on a corruption case against Thaksin, he said. As much as Bt76 billion of Thaksin's assets rides on the verdict, which is expected sometime next month. "Politics over the next three months, up to February, will see the fiercest fight between the two sides. Thaksin will try to use all means possible in his bid to return to power. And there is a tendency that violence may be used. This is the intelligence I have received," Pummarat said. Senator Paiboon Nititawan said violence could explode as it did in April when Thaksin's supporters stage street protests again late this month. "The aim is to cause violence and deaths. But in the April incident, the attempt failed because there were no deaths," he said, referring to the Songkran riots. "Now all the actors from the April incident have come back." Leaders of the pro-Thaksin red shirts said earlier that the anti-government rally would continue until the government collapsed. Senator Kamnoon Sithisamarn said he was convinced next month would be a "really difficult period" |for politics, starting with the red shirts' rally late this month. Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva will chair a meeting of security agencies this Wednesday to discuss measures to deal with the impending rally by the red shirts, a security source said. Besides Deputy Prime Minister Suthep Thaugsuban, who is in charge of security affairs, Defence Minister Prawit Wongsuwan, top military brass and acting police chief General Patheep Tanprasert will attend, the source said. "It remains unclear whether the government will invoke the Internal Security Act. There is a concern the imposition could affect celebrations for His Majesty the King's birthday," the source said. The rally is not expected to turn violent, as there are cracks within the red-shirt movement, which is now divided into three factions, he added. "It appears the rally is simply aimed at causing headaches for the government and the military," he said.

Believe me, they're fine. I only wish my own photography was anywhere near as good.

These are very impressive photos. I thank you for posting them. If you have more, the invitation to post them still stands . . .

Very good report and excellent photos. If you have more photos, please feel free to post them.

For those who enjoy participating in the Bondi Bar's Quiz Night, you probably know it is held on the last Sunday of each month. For this month, November, the schedule had been changed and the Quiz Night was to have been held this Sunday, November 22. I received word that the Quiz Night has now been rescheduled back to the last Sunday this month and will be held on Sunday, November 29.

I looked at the photos. What they did to that boy is about the most sickening thing I've ever seen in my life. I'm waiting to hear what that boy had done to deserve that. The only positive I can see is the scum who did this will never see the light of day again. I hope they are not executed for this. I hope they have to spend the rest of their lives rotting in some stinkhole of a prison.

Oprah Winfrey to End Talk Show in Sept 2011 Thu Nov 19 By Jill Serjeant LOS ANGELES, Nov 19 (Reuters) Oprah Winfrey, one of the most influential and highly paid women on television, will announce on Friday she is ending her popular daytime talk show in 2011. Winfrey's production company, Harpo Inc, said on Thursday she would make the official announcement on Friday's live program from Chicago and talk about the reasons behind the decision to end it after 25 years on the air. She is expected to move to cable network OWN, or Oprah Winfrey Network, a Los Angeles-based joint venture she formed with Discovery Communications Inc, when her current syndication deal for "The Oprah Winfrey Show" runs out in 2011. OWN will be available in more than 70 million homes. Harpo declined to comment on whether or when a revised form of the program might appear on OWN, whose launch has been delayed several times since its original 2009 start date. "The Oprah Winfrey Show," broadcast from Chicago on ABC stations across the United States and in more than 140 countries overseas, is one of the TV industry's biggest money-makers. It is the top-rated U.S. daytime talk show, averaging 7.1 million viewers this year. Winfrey, 55, is considered a major opinion-maker in the United States and this year was No. 45 on Forbes magazine's list of the world's most powerful people. She publicly promoted Barack Obama during his 2008 presidential campaign and her program became a platform this week for Republican 2008 vice presidential candidate Sarah Palin to launch her book, "Going Rogue." Actor Tom Cruise, the late Michael Jackson, and singer Whitney Houston are among the celebrities to have sat on, jumped on and poured out their hearts on her couch since the program began in 1986. Winfrey used the show to launch her magazine, a book club that turned authors into best-sellers, and a cable TV channel, Oxygen, geared to female and lifestyle topics. Her decision will affect CBS Corp's (CBS.N: Quote, Profile, Research, Stock Buzz) CBS Television Distribution arm, which syndicates the show, and Walt Disney Co's (DIS.N: Quote, Profile, Research, Stock Buzz) ABC-owned and operated TV stations that broadcast the show. CBS TV Distribution said in a statement it wished Winfrey well. "We have the greatest respect for Oprah and wish her nothing but the best in her future endeavors. We know that anything she turns her hand to will be a great success. We look forward to working with her for the next several years, and hopefully afterward as well," the statement said. (Editing by Bob Tourtellotte and Peter Cooney)

That was my impression, but the place is so large that I doubt anyone is going to ask any questions if you bring in a "guest" for a while. Exactly the point. Here is a brand new hotel, supposedly 5 stars (and I'm not so certain I agree, although I wouldn't dispute 4 stars), parts of which are still under construction, and no special provisions for the handicapped. If Central and Centara are examples of 'state-of-the-art,' then I think current state-of-the-art could stand some improvement. It is definitely a luxurious hotel, with prices that go with it, along with many amenities I haven't seen elsewhere, but if it were me I would have a look at the hotel and the rooms before deciding to stay there at those prices. I can honestly say that I was impressed by many aspects of the hotel, but there were also many aspects that I felt are common to most better hotels. In all honesty I would not feel comfortable in that kind of hotel if I was interested in pursuing gay activities in Pattaya. It seems to be more the kind of place where the average guests will spend most of their time and venture out only occasionally, and then most likely on tour buses. I felt that it was definitely for families looking more for a resort holiday more than families interested in exploring Thailand. That was my impression. It's a great place, but I doubt that it is the type of place at which many of those with an interest in the gay scene would feel very comfortable. Besides, it's nowhere near the gay scene. Also, I saw no baht buses or motorcycle taxis anywhere near the hotel.

It is available nightly.

Ok, I did go to the Centara Grand Mirage Beach Resort today. Getting there is easy. You just go north from the Dolphin Roundabout to Soi 18. Turn left and the soi takes you right to it. It's definitely an impressive place, but there were a two noticeable negatives, in my opinion. The first is there are no handicapped facilities. There are elevators, but that's about it. Somebody in a wheelchair isn't going to get to the swimming pool at all. The other was that the entire lobby area is completely open air. No air conditioning in that entire area. Good luck on a hot day. I asked for a room price list. They don't have one! I couldn't believe it. The desk clerk told me to just look on the Internet. It was like pulling teeth to get them to give me any room prices. But I did manage to get the important ones: Deluxe unit: 5400 baht Deluxe Ocean View: 5550 Club Mirage Ocean View: 6900 Grand Mirage Suite Ocean view: 17,000 baht Royal Suite (only 1 unit): 42,900 baht (and it was occupied!) Based on fountainhall's post, apparently you'll get much better deals using online hotel booking services.

Where are you seeing prices like that? I'm looking at prices that range from 4700 to 6500 baht per night. Later today I'm planning to go over there myself to have a look. I'll get the prices and post them.

Want to stay at a true 5-star hotel during your next trip to Pattaya and have the bucks to pay for it? The Centara Grand Mirage Beach Resort is open and ready. http://www.centarahotelsresorts.com/pattaya_hotels.asp

FONDUE & RACLETTE PROMOTION Cook your own Fondue or Raclette ( a typical Swiss National Dish ) at your table ! Great Fun and relaxing ! ( Min. 2 Persons, The Price is per person )

Not true. While all the other documents have to be very recent, the proof-of-income statement can be many months old. I'm a perfect example. I got mine months in advance last time and had no trouble at all, most likely because they keep the originals, so they know your latest has to be a new original and that a person's retirement income is likely to either remain the same or increase the following year. In any case, lvdkeyes is not going to have a problem.

The annual Leonids meteor shower will occur tonight. Throughout Asia, it is predicted that 200 to 300 meteors per hour will be seen, about 10 times the number that will be visible in other parts of the world. The best time to start looking will be around midnight, but the majority of meteors will be seen after midnight. You want to be as far from the glare of city lights as you can, in order to get the best views. If the skies are clear this could be quite a spectacular show. Scientists are saying that none of the meteors will be dangerous. They are all too small for that. Scientists also say that on rare occasions, this meteor shower produces up to 1000 meteors per hour, but there is no way to predict whether tonight will be a shower like that or not. So, if you are interested let's hope tonight will be a clear night.

Here is some additional information:

True. I forget the fee for farang trying to enter Laos. I think it's about US $30, but if you are entering by land, you can get it at the Friendship Bridge. By air, I believe it's available when you land at the airport in Vientiane. I believe, and again I'm not certain, the fee for a visa to go to Vietnam is about US $50. Lvdkeyes, can you help us with the correct amount for Vietnam?

A Thai can cross into Laos and back again to Thailand without paying fees. Laos may have such laws, but they are enforced about as much as Thailand's prostitution laws. In other words, it's a non-issue and you have nothing to worry about when having a 'liaison' with a Laotian boy in Laos. Just make sure he's at least 18 years old.

I doubt it. They can always easily find people who can handle English for them if they can't handle it themselves.

I get them sometimes too. They're all only a con game, similar to the Dr. Mwenene Bluluku from Nigeria messages you may sometimes get via Email, in which he's going to put 3 million dollars, or something like that, in your bank account in order to get his cash out of the country. There are still people who actually fall for it.

Every so often there is a story about someone who sees the Virgin Mary in a potato chip or a wall stain. You don't hear about things like that very often when it comes to Buddhism, but you might want to have a look at this. Since viewing the photos is important to the story, rather than post the story, just click on this link: http://www.pattayaone.net/news/2009/november/news_13_11_52_4.shtml

I'm not so sure you're correct about that. When it comes to money, they have the greatest memories I've ever seen. I've seen and experienced many times when either I or a friend encounters a boy he hasn't seen in years and the boy not only remembers his name, but also remembers everything they did as if the last time they were together was yesterday. For many of these boys, money (and the potential thereof) is an excellent memory enhancer.

Dear Pattaya Area American Citizens, The Consular Section of the American Embassy in Bangkok is pleased to inform you of a consular outreach visit to Pattaya on November 19, 2009. Please come if you can! Consular staff will be available to provide services at the following location: Thursday, November 19, 2009, 8:00 AM to 12:00 PM at the Dusit Thani Pattaya, at 240/2 Pattaya Beach Road, Pattaya City, Chonburi, 20150, Thailand. Telephone: 03-842-5611. The following consular services will be available during our outreach visits: * Passport renewal applications ($75.00 or Baht 2550 for adult passports, and $85 or Baht 2890 for a child's passport) * Notarial Services and Certified Copies ($30.00 or Baht 1020). This includes income affidavits for retirees in Thailand. * Social security, VA, or other federal benefits question will be limited, but we will try to provide forms and answers (Please bring exact change!) NOTE: We cannot process extra visa pages during our outreach trips. We can accept applications, but the passports will have to be brought back to the Embassy for final processing the next day. The passports will then have to be picked up in person (or by a friend upon presentation of a letter of authorization signed by the applicant) at the Embassy. We regret any inconvenience caused by this. Additionally, Consular Reports of Birth cannot be processed during consular outreach trips. If you have any questions, please email acsbkk@state.gov or call the American Citizen Services Unit at 02-205-4049. We look forward to seeing you in Pattaya on Thursday, November 19th. Sincerely, American Citizen Services U.S. Embassy Bangkok, Thailand

I agree with you. When it comes to getting money out of farang, suddenly they know all about Email. Maybe I've become jaded over the years, but in nearly every case I've heard about, when a boy is sending and responding to Email and is also getting money out of you, rest assured you're not the only farang he's doing the same thing with. I've seen so many farang who come here, meet a boy, have a wonderful time with him, become convinced that the boy is honest, truthful, and loyal to him, start sending money to him, and then sooner or later discovers that he's not exactly his only 'boyfriend.' I know one boy who carries 4 different mobile phones, one for each of his 'farang' boyfriends, none of whom have the slightest idea that he is involved with and gets a lot of money out of the others too. I know another boy who is one of the "farang hunters" at the beach. He's there nearly every day. You know where he lives? In a View Talay condo, paid for by his boyfriend who comes to Thailand two weeks out of the year and is convinced the boy is faithful only to him. Meanwhile that same boy tries hooking up with different farang every day at the beach. If someone wants to send money to these boys, I have no problem about that, but I do have a problem when I see unsuspecting farang being taken advantage of, being lied to, becoming convinced he has found the boy of his dreams and the love of his life, while the reality is he is being conned right from the beginning by a boy who will empty your bank account and break your heart with no remorse whatsoever. Just within the past two weeks a boy tried it with me. His farang boyfriend and I have been friends for years. I happened upon them at the beach. We sat and chatted for a while. Then my farang friend left without taking the boy with him. I wondered about that until only a few minutes later the tears started flowing and the boy told me my farang friend had "finished" him that very day and left him high and dry with no money at all and no way to pay for a room or even have money enough to eat. When I asked him why and what had happened, the boy said he didn't know. He said as far as he knew everything was fine, there were no problems, and this came as a total surprise and shock. That instantly caused my eyebrows to raise. I know my farang friend a whole lot better than that, so I knew immediately that I'm probably hearing a line of bullshit. Only a few days later the "I not have money for room" calls started coming in (along with plenty of others that also started coming in from other boys). When I next saw my farang friend he made it clear that this boy, as cherubic as he looks, is nothing more than a ya ba ridden liar who is a very convincing con artist. I'm not surprised. In my opinion, no matter how enamored one may have become with the boy of his dreams, the boy he met during a two or three week holiday in Thailand, the one who falls into the category of "Not this boy. He's different.", the best thing to do if you are someone who can come to Thailand for only a few weeks or so during the year would be to tell the boy you had a wonderful time with him and you hope you'll see him again when you return. I would give him a decent amount of money right then and there and say the goodbyes without exchanging Email addresses or telephone numbers. When you return, if he's still there, that's wonderful. If he isn't, this sea has plenty of other fish. I know some will disagree with me about this, but based on the number of horror stories I've both heard and seen for myself, that's what I would do. Many of these boys really are honest and sincere, and the tears they shed when you depart are genuine, but since you have no way of knowing for sure, then my free advice would be to err on the safe side rather than risk heartbreak and ending up having to move into the poorhouse. Bear in mind that no matter how moving his sob story may be, he managed to survive until you came along and he will continue to manage to survive after you're gone. I've posted this many times, but I think it's appropriate on this thread to repeat what Richard Burk, owner of the Amor restaurant, told me years ago, and from my own experiences and observations I have come to agree with him: "If you want love in Thailand, rent it."