Gaybutton

Are they? I'm not so sure. I no of no arrests, hassles, questioning, or anything else as a result of those cameras. I think that's another example of creating a problem that simply does not exist. If anyone is ever arrested because of what is recorded on those cameras, that's when I'll agree with you. Again, the only time you have to worry is if you engage in sex with an under-age boy. As for the bars that hire under-age boys, I don't like it. I think it's wrong. I think a stop should be put to it. But the facts are the facts and one fact is there has never been an arrest of a farang in a bar who was simply there watching the go-go boys, having a boy sit with him, or even fondling the boy. Even the police seem to feel that it is not incumbent on a bar customer to check the age of the boy unless he takes the boy off. And, again, as far as I know there has never been an arrest of a farang when he took a boy off from a bar. Not ever.

The BANGKOK POST is running a poll: "Do you agree with Pope Benedict’s comment that the use of condoms could endanger public health and increase the problem of HIV/Aids?" You can see the results at: http://www.bangkokpost.com/poll/1293/oo

The Departed

I'm glad nobody thought I was talking about 'Whatever Happened to Baby Jane?'

Even if you don't care about a specific hotel, I can't imagine why anyone would avoid booking a hotel, at least for a night or two. For what reason would someone come to Thailand, a major long-haul trip, and then start looking around or a place to stay? What would someone write on his arrival documents when he gets to the part about his address in Thailand? 'Unknown?' 'I don't know?' 'Don't worry, I'll find something?' Book the room. You could always cancel the booking, but at least have somewhere definite to stay upon arrival.

That's not true. There is absolutely no reason to start making those kinds of assumptions or to create problems that don't exist. A person could easily be visiting Thai friends who happen to have children and could be doing nothing more sinister than taking one of their boys shopping for something. I've never heard of anyone getting in trouble for that. A farang married to a Thai wife, and their children have a complete Thai appearance, never seem to have any problems. A straight farang could have a Thai girlfriend or Thai wife who already has children of her own. You could have a Thai boyfriend and his brother or cousin or friend is visiting. To assume you could be arrested for merely having contact with an under-age Thai boy is ridiculous. You don't get in trouble for merely talking with an under-age boy or even being with an under-age boy. You get in trouble for engaging in sex with an under-age boy. I know of no farang who has ever been arrested for talking with or even being with an under-age boy unless there was sexual activity. You don't need to be making assumptions that any contact at all with under-age boys is going to lead to arrest. That's simply not true and it doesn't happen. The article says, "they had arrested Mr. Paul Dixon [45], a British national, for having sex with a Thai male under 15 years of age." It doesn't say he was arrested for talking with the boy. It says he was "arrested by a police team when he ventured into the area in the early hours of the morning and propositioned a young teenager for sex." It's much more likely that the police, whether Thai or Australian, had been after him for a while anyway. My guess is they were able to overhear him offering money to the boy for sex and/or he had actually handed money over to the boy. In any case, according to the article he had actually propositioned the boy. In any case, you're not going to get in trouble unless you engage in under-age sex. However, I do agree that you are definitely safe if you avoid being alone with an under-age boy.

It can't hurt to make a complaint, but I have a feeling it will fall on deaf ears. Considering that the material is neither illegal nor pornographic, I really don't need some homophobic, over-zealous customs official, probably less than half my age, deciding for me what I can and cannot read.

It just might be worth it to get the boy a computer. If you both have Skype you can talk for free any time you want, for as long as you want. That's how I talk with my family in the USA and the connection is almost always perfect and actually even more clear than using a telephone.

I agree. An excellent film. It's a true story too. Yes, a lot of people were disappointed that Gran Torino was not the typical Eastwood shoot-em-up, but I definitely enjoyed it. He is a hell of a good director now. I read somewhere that Gran Torino is the last movie in which he intends to appear as an actor. He wants to stick to directing from now on. From among all his shoot-em-up films, my favorite was always Joe Kidd. I couldn't keep up with the body count in that one. A lot of the recent movies have been very good. I just saw one that's a few years old and I hadn't see it before. Primal Fear. It's a Richard Gere movie. I thought it was very good, but unfortunately I figured out the ending. I would rather have been surprised. I think one of the reasons I liked Gran Torino is because I didn't figure out the ending. Well, let's not tell people how these movies end. I don't want to spoil it for anyone who hasn't seen them. I'll suffice it to say the butler didn't do it . . .

I guess there's not much you can do about it, but that really stinks. I know of nothing that has ever been in any issue that could be considered remotely pornographic or otherwise illegal. Just somebody at Customs who decided all by himself that you can't have that material. I always thought it was this sort of thing that the USA is supposed to be against.

Everyone has his own opinion. I thought both films were excellent.

How could anyone possibly know that? None of us have a crystal ball. We won't know until the time comes. All anyone can do is guess. As for booking ahead, that is always recommended. What reason would you have for not booking ahead?

Two great events if you're going to be here:

I've sent both mail and packages to the USA many times, from Thailand. I use the local mail services and also sometimes send directly from the post office. The most it ever took for mine to arrive was 8 days. Usually it gets there in 5 or 6 days. I have no idea why yours took so long, but based on my experience the fact that yours took so long is quite unusual.

Yes, but first, regarding bedbugy's suggestion of using Google translations, forget it. Try copying a sentence or two written in Thai and pasting it into the Google translation. The English that comes out is incomprehensible. Most likely the reverse would be true and the Thai that comes out would be just as incomprehensible to a Thai person. Go to http://www.thaivisa.com and write 'translation' in their search. Many items will come up. Perhaps one of them will be what you seek.

I know of one. Perhaps you've heard of it. The name of the town is Pattaya.

I have never heard of a farang arrested when taking a boy off from a bar at all, regardless of the boy's age. But bars are not the only places where farang find under-age boys. I've heard about plenty of arrests when a farang picked up an under-age boy freelancing on the streets. Once in a while I have heard of arrests when bars were raided and a farang was caught with an under-age boy in the bar's short time room, but it's been about ten years since I last heard of such an arrest. That doesn't mean it's worth the risk. Just because I've never heard of it doesn't mean it never happens or can't start happening. Also, few hotels are going to let someone in if he has an under-age boy in tow.

I see signs in the windows of many travel services, legal services, and language schools that offer translation service. Also, you might be able to do it in a different way. Are there any Thai restaurants in your area? If there are, maybe someone in the restaurant would be willing to do it for you, especially for a fee. Then you could send out the letter yourself.

That's a good point. I would imagine those important documents would most likely be documents needed at Immigration. Obviously the ideal thing to do would be to get the documents wherever they need to be either before or after the splashing days. If that is not possible, then place them in a plastic bag or some other waterproof container. Take a baht bus and sit up front with the driver. Try to go as early in the day as you can, while the drunken revelers are still asleep.

Don't worry about that. Gang away! You, Soi10Tom, and everybody else are entitled to their opinions just as I am entitled to mine. There is never a problem about disagreement on this board as long as there are no personal attacks, and there have been none. Never think your opinion has to agree with mine (even though you're dead wrong whenever it doesn't . . . .)

Well, that certainly brings tears to my eyes. Is that what you find? I didn't even know you were looking. My friend, if you want to go by strict definitions and quibble about it, that's your affair. Just because you attach great importance to that doesn't mean everybody else has to do the same thing. New knowledge? That's a presumptuous assumption. Quite frankly, I actually have enough command of the language to already have known the differences long, long before your post. I never said I'm unwilling to hear facts or that I lack intellectual curiosity. That's your opinion. If you think you're telling me anything I didn't know before, well . . . you're mistaken. I already know the facts, thank you very much. I also know the phrase about a rose by any other name. In all honesty I'm neither interested nor do I give a damn. My interest is in the practical side. Quibbling about words and dictionary definitions is of no importance to me at all, especially in light of another fact: The last time I checked, English is not a static language. I'll tell you what. The next time someone is arrested for being a pedophile, but in reality he's merely a pederast, just have him open his dictionary for the police. I'm sure that will make a huge difference. If this makes me very Bush-like, so be it. I disagree with that interpretation. I thought it makes me very Nixon-like.

Here's one of my favorite quotes. I've posted it before,and it seems appropriate now: "The only good thing that ever came from religion is the music." - George Carlin

Exactly. I agree with every word of your post including the part about the pointlessness of going into what defines what or why the media reports whatever it reports. It doesn't matter. Pedo, pederast, or anything else. None of it changes the fact that if someone comes to Thailand, seeks out boys under 18 years old for sex, and gets caught, then he's going bye-bye. I fail to see what difference the rest of it makes.

For practical purposes, does it really matter? We can analyze and guess about the reasons from now 'till Kingdom Come, but none of it alters the fact that given the numbers of arrests of the pedos diddling around with under age boys, these people must have a whole hardware store full of loose screws to take such a risk. And for what? A satisfying cum. Great idea, pedos! Brilliant! Risk ruining your entire life, career, family, reputation, time in a Thai prison, time in a prison in your home country, along with a major loss of money so that you can get laid by a 10 year old. I have no sympathy for these people, but I do stand back in awe of that level of stupidity.

I would think the reason is due to the fact that so many pedophiles come to Pattaya for the express purpose of seeking out sex with under-age boys. That's bound to add to the statistics. Unfortunately, Pattaya is unique in that sex with under-age boys is so readily available.