Gaybutton

I'm glad, but I wasn't referring to your post. I was referring to the title of this thread.

I guess that works. By the way, do you realize that if Totie Fields married Truman Capote, she'd be Totie Capote? If Zero Mostel and Robert De Niro were gay and married each other, we would probably have had Zero De Niro.

I would guess he didn't get him anything in return for doing the ride. I don't think he bought a bicycle because in another thread he is looking for rentals. I don't picture GT as a person who would bribe the boyfriend to get him to do the trip. Either the boyfriend wants to do the trip or he doesn't.

I believe it does, but I don't see how that would do very much to stop Thaksin. Sure, the people who helped him might have a problem, but I can't visualize Thaksin caring about that or even helping them with bail money and legal fees.

Until they can apprehend him, what can they do to stop him?

At the time of this post, the exchange rates are as follows: US Dollar: 33.92 Euro: 47.08875 British Pound: 55.665 Australian Dollar: 26.97125 Canadian Dollar: 29.6675 The following appears in THE NATION: _____ 'Worst over for economy but recovery not visible' By Chamnan Noisamran The Nation Published on June 22, 2009 BOT chief Tarisa says she is opposed to using foreign-exchange reserves to stimulate growth. The economy has seen through the worst but a recovery has not yet come to pass, the Bank of Thailand governor said. In a special interview, Tarisa Watanagase said, "The Thai economy has bottomed out but signs of an economic recovery are not apparent yet. This broad outlook is a result of our discussion with the private sector. We still need to take a look at the July figures first." Still, Tarisa said the global economic conditions have begun to improve, compared with the turmoil in late 2008. Interest-rate spreads have started to return to normal because deep-seated problems in the US financial system have been tackled to a certain level following a recapitalisation of five to six financial institutions. In Asia, Tarisa added, the situation is also getting better, with China mounting a massive fiscal stimulus package to address its unemployment. Exports of Asian countries are still in negative territory, but the conditions are beginning to stabilise, particularly for Thai exports. The electronics sector, for instance, has begun to hire again. Recently, Dr Narongchai Arkasanee, a well-known economist, and other academics, called on the central bank to use US$200 million (Bt6.82 billion) to $300 million of its international reserves of $120 billion to help stimulate the sagging economy as the government is cash-strapped. Tarisa vigorously defended the central bank's international reserves management, saying that in economic theory it is not an appropriate policy to use international reserves to prop up the economy. "We have already talked it out with the prime minister and the finance minister that using international reserves to stimulate the economy is not a good option. Apart from the US dollar, there are other currencies in the reserves. If we sell the dollar from the reserves, the value of the baht will jump, which would complicate the problems. And if the Bank of Thailand were to push out the baht by converting the US dollar in its own account, this would also amount to printing money," Tarisa said. "No country in the world is spending money from its international reserves directly. If we were to use the reserves to buy up some oil reserves, then this matter can be put to rest because it would not affect the domestic economy." With the staunch stand of the central bank against using the foreign exchange reserves, the Abhisit government has no other choice but to raise Bt800 billion via two bills from the financial markets to fill up the hole in its budget and to also stimulate the economy. The House of Representatives has passed the Bt400-billion borrowing package introduced as an executive decree, and the Senate would deliberate this bill today. The other Bt400 billion borrowing package has also been passed by the House of Representatives, but it would be deliberated by the Senate probably in August. Tarisa said the amount of US$120 billion in international reserves is actually not high because it is derived from export earnings, from foreign investors' portfolio investment in the stock market and from foreign borrowings of Thai firms and from foreign direct investment. As for calls for the central bank to keep the baht weaker to boost exports, Tarisa said the central bank is managing the baht through a nominal effective exchange-rate system by weighing the Thai currencies with those of other trading partners, not only the US dollar. In January, the baht stood at Bt34.92 to the US dollar, compared to Bt34.57 in May this year. This, Tarisa said, represents the baht's appreciation of only 1 per cent during the first five months of this year based on the nominal effective exchange rate mechanism.

Personally, I prefer my performance as Leporello in Don Giovanni, but maybe I'll do Count Almaviva next time Pattaya Players recruits me for the role. There was a scene in "War Wagon" in which Kirk Douglas and John Wayne are ambushed by two gunslingers as they exit a bar. Of course, they both draw and shoot down the gunslingers simultaneously: Kirk Douglas, proudly: "Mine hit the ground first." John Wayne, thinks for a moment: "Mine was taller."

As opposed to impure bullshit? Actually, if I was worried about whether I would win a popularity contest, I would have been gone from the boards years ago. But I appreciate your sentiment.

You could also look at it from my point of view, namely that I don't give a shit whether you do or not.

I don't think you've ever been wrong. Just mistaken.

They don't all team up and go to just one bar. The ones still working in bars at all are scattered between several bars. Some found other jobs. Some freelance at the beach. Some work the personals sites, especially Gay Romeo. Some gave it up entirely and went back to the rice farm.

Thanks (I think) "The best thing to have ever come out of religion was the music." - George Carlin

That's a good question. It never occurred to me to ask if anyone knows where the boys are going, but wherever they go I doubt they will have any problems finding another bar, if that's what they want to do. Besides, a number of them were freelancers and not working directly for the bar.

Yes, you can go there with no hassle at all. Yes, there will be mature farangs there. If you are fairly good looking you are quite likely to find someone who will be interested in you. As I said, you really don't need someone "in the know." Believe me, in just a very few minutes there you will be as much "in the know" as anyone else. You might also want to consider advertising yourself on Gay Romeo ( http://www.gayromeo.com ). It is free and if you post a few photos of yourself and state that you are interested in farang, not Asians, you'll have more responses than you can handle.

I spoke with the owner this afternoon, at the bar, as he was packing everything to go. I can now confirm the first post on this thread. He said he does actually make money there, but not enough to justify putting up with the problems, the time, the problems with the police, the problems with the boys, etc. He said he's moving on to other things. He's not sure yet what he'll be doing next, but he said he's had enough of the bar business. He does intend to remain in Thailand. For those of you who enjoy the Memories bar in Sunee Plaza, you might recognize some of the items from Rock Hard. They bought most of the furniture and accessories from Rock Hard and a lot of it was being packed up to be moved to Memories while I was there.

I'm not surprised. The authorities can try to paint as rosy a picture as they want, but anyone here can see that the tourist industry is in real trouble. I've never seen it this bad. I think there are going to be more venues going out of business, especially if high season turns out to be another disaster. And high season is still some months away. I hope the businesses can survive until then, but that's hard to do when you're lucky if you get even ten customers per night.

Last night was the final night for the Rock Hard bar in Jomtien Complex. The story I'm getting is there simply was not enough customers to sustain the business. From what I understand the closing is permanent. I hope the owner somehow manages to reopen, but it doesn't look that way. It's really sad to see what's happening to the bar scene in Pattaya. Not too many years ago the bars were consistently packed. Now you're lucky in many of the bars if you even see anyone in there besides yourself.

Your message is fine right where it is. Trust me on this, you do not need anyone to go to Babylon with you. Everyone is a little shy their first time at something entirely new, but at Babylon there is no need. When you enter, you'll pay the fee. They'll give you a receipt and just a few steps from there you'll be given a locker key. Then you simply go upstairs, find your locker, open it, and there will be a towel inside. That's the attire . . . the towel. There will be a condom or two in there as well. If you want to wear a swim suit, that's fine too. Then simply wander around. It will take you maybe five minutes, if that long, to catch on. Chances are strong that you'll be approached by different guys. You're just about guaranteed to meet people there and, shall we say, you are very unlikely to leave Babylon as a virgin. Your locker key has a wrist cord. That key also acts as a credit card. Any food or drinks you have will be charged to your key number and you pay when you are leaving Babylon. All you have to say to a taxi driver or motorcycle taxi driver is "bai bah-bee-LON." They all know, or print out their address in Thai from their web site ( http://www.babylonbangkok.com/map_bbl.htm ). When you exit Babylon, there are motorcycle taxis right there or if you step outside to the street it won't be long before a taxi comes by. If you've never been to a gay sauna before, you'll either love it or hate it. But do try it. The best time of day to go is around 3:30-4:00pm, although you will probably have success even earlier.

Oogleman is right. You left it up to him and he said he wants to try it. So, let him try it and let him know if he wants to bow out at some point there is no problem about it. I'd say to let him make up his own mind. Based on your description of him, I'd also say if he wants to bow out, that's exactly what he'll do.

To the tune of "It's a Small World (Disney)" "Come with us be born again. In Jim and Tammy Land, amen. We pray to St. Mercedes Benz In Jim and Tammy Land. Come to Jim and Tammy Bakker Land Where a hotel room costs a hundred grand. Send your check to PTL And if you don't, then go to Hell In Jim and Tammy Land . . ." - Mark Russell, PBS

Whoops! Oh well, who's counting . . . ?

The following appears in the PATTAYA DAILY NEWS: _____ PATTAYA LADYBOY LOCKED UP IN DIFFERENT CELL TO HIS LOVER As an update to the PDN report on the 15th June 2009 concerning the ladyboy who handed himself in to the police in order to be close to his imprisoned lover, police have revealed that his wish did not come true. On 19th June 2009, at the Chonburi Police Station, Superintendent Police Colonel Noppadol Wongnom, revealed that the ladyboy, Mr. Anusanon Walaijai [21,] surrendered himself to them in possession of a bag of marijuana, asking that he be arrested in order to have a chance to meet his lover. Unfortunately for Mr. Anusanon, the Chonburi jail officials locked him up in a separate cell designated for ladyboys. Police Colonel Noppadol added that the ladyboy go-go dancer was not very happy and he said he would never do such a thing again. He also told police that his “real” German boyfriend would be back soon. Mr. Artit, the imprisoned lover, was only his “gig” (casual sex-partner). It remains to be seen how Mr. Anusanon intends to explain the reason for his incarceration to the real boyfriend on his return.

Why should he phone them? Unless I missed something, two people on this thread have already said they have no problems having boys stay overnight with them.

Do I offend you? Goooooooooooooood.

A lot of people seem to particularly enjoy Wild West Boys and also particularly enjoy their show. For me, most of the Pattayaland-Boyztown bars are "six of one, half a dozen of the other." Most are also more expensive than the Sunee Plaza bars.