Gaybutton

That sounds better every time I hear it . . . They could introduce happy hour prices, have contests or drawings for free offs or drinks, do what Monty did and have either free or discounted off fees after certain hours, and probably many different ideas. Simply lowering the music volume would get me to come in a lot more often. I'm sure there are plenty of things the bars can do to attract more customers rather than watch them walk right by.

From where to where?

I agree. Apparently Pascal understands exactly the same thing we've been talking about. If you want to attract customers during hard times, then offer incentives and reduced prices. Once word of these prices and the quality of the menu begins to circulate, reservations will likely be a must. If some of the bars would figure out the same thing, they wouldn't be in trouble.

Casa Pascal is now offering their "Fantastic Set Menu" at very reasonable prices. Click the link to view the menu:

Now, how could anyone possibly resist your ass? It must have taken all the will power the guy could muster.

Honest Gems really is honest too. They quite often contribute very valuable jewelery to PGF for use in the raffles during the PGF dinners.

I was not able to find out anything more. The people I asked either knew nothing more than what's in the media or they didn't even know this had happened (so they say). Although it could very well be, I doubt that this man was attacked, especially to the degree he was attacked, just for the fun of it. I believe there is more to the story. There is a more complete story, with photos, on the PATTAYA DAILY NEWS site. see: http://www.pattayadailynews.com/shownews.p...NEWS=0000008071

I also find it difficult to believe. What are they going to do, put tens of thousands of protesters on trial and jail them all? Fine them all? How will they enforce collection of such fines? I think the Prime Minister is probably blowing smoke. If it wasn't for these protests and the PAD he wouldn't even be Prime Minister. He would still be someone most of the world never heard of. The way things seem to work in Thailand, I find it hard to believe he would turn on his supporters. The Red Shirts certainly don't support him. I wouldn't be at all surprised if it turns out he discussed this with the PAD leaders before ever making his public statement. I have a feeling it's similar to inviting someone to a party only because you know he won't come. I think he's saying this to try to score points with the Red Shirts. Later, when nothing happens, he'll be able to say, "Oh well, at least I tried." Of course, now the Red Shirts are planning some protests of their own. They have already been warned by the military. I wonder what will happen if they try to start taking over buildings, airports, or whatever. As far as I'm concerned, as long as they don't take over Pattayaland or Sunee Plaza, let them do what they want . . .

That's true. I missed that point. Still, unless the media follows up we can only guess. I would like to know if this man somehow provoked the attack or if he was in the wrong place at the wrong time. I'd also like to know just where in Sunee Plaza the attack actually occurred. I expect to be in the Sunee Plaza area this evening. I'll see if I can find out anything more.

A charitable effort, sponsored by Oscar's bar, Boyz Boyz Boyz, Panorama Pub. and The Balcony Bangkok, is an annual affair known as the Teddybear Picnic. All stuffed toy donations will be sent to the following on December 22: Jing Jai Orphanage The Camillians - Rayong School for the Blind You can see the 'picnic' at Oscar's bar in Boyztown, Pattaya and if you have any stuffed animals to personally donate, it would be greatly appreciated. -photos by Nai

At 2:30am? I have a feeling it is going to turn out to be something that stemmed from either the farang cheating a boy or insulting the wrong person. Maybe the media will actually publish a follow-up for a change so that we'll know.

The following two stories appear in THE NATION: _____ PAD Protesters 'must face legal action' By WORANAREE KOSAJAN THE NATION Published on December 20, 2008 On his first day at Government House as prime minister yesterday, Abhisit Vejjajiva said the protesters who had besieged government offices and blockaded Bangkok's two commercial airports should be held legally accountable for their actions. "With every incident that has happened, we must uphold the rule of law," Abhisit told reporters at Government House. The People's Alliance for Democracy protesters included Democrat MP Somkiat Pongpaiboon, who is one of the PAD leaders. Abhisit said he had told Somkiat not to use his position as an MP to gain immunity. It has been almost four months since a prime minister - Samak Sundaravej - has been able to work at Government House. His successor Somchai Wongsawat was unable to do so at all, due to the PAD's occupation of the compound. In an attempt to oust the People Power Party-led government, the PAD occupied Government House for almost 100 days from late August. It only left the compound early this month. Yesterday was set as "Big Cleaning Day" for the seat of government. The PAD protesters also blockaded Suvarnabhumi and Don Mueang airports for eight days last month, dispersing on December 3. The blockade of the airports is estimated to have caused huge financial damage to Airports of Thailand, airlines and other operators, besides leaving about 350,000 tourists stranded. ____________________ Red Shirts Plan Dec 28 Rally in Sanam Luang By THE NATION Published on December 20, 2008 First Army Commander Warns Participants Against Further Chaos A rally of pro-Thaksin red shirts has been planned for Sanam Luang on December 28, eve of the day the new government is scheduled to declare its policy statement before Parliament. Veera Musigapong, co-host of the "Truth Today" talk show and leader of the red shirts, said yesterday the Cabinet of Abhisit Vejjajiva had no legitimacy to run the country and that many of his likely Cabinet members were unacceptable. "We are calling for a large rally on December 28 at Sanam Luang. It's because we have no trust in this government from the beginning. We will call on this government to dissolve the House of Representatives as soon as it completes announcing its policy statement before Parliament," he said. Veera said it remained undecided whether the protesters would move on to Parliament, where Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva will read out his policy statement before the House. Also he said protest leaders had not yet decided whether to continue the rally for a long period. Veera said his group found that certain likely members of the new Cabinet were unacceptable. Democrat MP Kasit Piromya, tipped to become foreign minister, was involved with the People's Alliance for Democracy, which illegally occupied Government House for months before seizing Bangkok's two airports, he said. First Army commander Lt-General Kanit Sapithak, yesterday warned against "creating more confusion in the country", saying differences of views were common in a democracy but that they should not develop into chaos. "Our country has experienced confusion and much damage. Now our democracy is going ahead … In addition to making ourselves and our families happy, we must also make sure there is peace in the country," he said. Yesterday 300 red shirts laid siege to the Dusit police station to demand release of Chokchai Kamlue, arrested for damaging vehicles and injuring MPs on the day the House voted to select a new prime minister. The protesters also blocked a road near the police station with taxis. They accused police of unfair treatment for failing to get tough with the yellow-shirts, referring to followers of the anti-Thaksin People's Alliance for Democracy. Station superintendent Police Colonel Chakrapap Sukontharat told the crowd the man was in court detention at the time. The officer showed them a document to convince the protesters, who later dispersed. A group of 200 red shirts also gathered at the state-run NBT channel to demand why "Truth Today" had been replaced by other programmes for a few days. Suriyong Hunthasan, director of NBT, explained that although the "Truth Today" producers' contract had a month to go, station management saw a need to broadcast other programmes in the prime-time slot from time to time. In Chiang Mai, Kanyaphak Maneechak, a local leader of the red shirts, said that some 800 would today protest at the house of Chiang Mai MP Norapol Tantimontri, who recently voted to support Democrat leader Abhisit as new PM. Norapol said he had some business in Bangkok today but that his family would welcome the protesters with food and drink in his absence.

Where is Mike's?

Calif. AG Urges Court to Void Gay Marriage Ban SAN FRANCISCO (AP) – The California attorney general has changed his position on the state's new same-sex marriage ban and is now urging the state Supreme Court to void Proposition 8. Jerry Brown filed a brief Friday saying the measure that amended the California Constitution to limit marriage to a man and a woman is unconstitutional. He says it deprives gay couples of a fundamental right. After California voters passed Proposition 8 on Nov. 4, Brown said he would fight to uphold the initiative in his role as attorney general, even though he personally voted against it. He submitted his brief in one of the three legal challenges to Proposition 8 brought by same-sex marriage supporters. ____________________ SAN FRANCISCO (AP) — The sponsors of Proposition 8 asked the California Supreme Court on Friday to nullify the marriages of the estimated 18,000 same-sex couples who exchanged vows before voters approved the ballot initiative that outlawed gay unions. The Yes on 8 campaign filed a brief arguing that because the new law holds that only marriages between a man and a woman are recognized or valid in California, the state can no longer recognize the existing same-sex unions. The document reveals for the first time that opponents of same-sex marriage will fight in court to undo those unions that already exist. "Proposition 8's brevity is matched by its clarity. There are no conditional clauses, exceptions, exemptions or exclusions," reads the brief co-written by Kenneth Starr, dean of Pepperdine University's law school and the former independent counsel who investigated President Bill Clinton. The campaign submitted the document in response to three lawsuits seeking to invalidate Proposition 8, the constitutional amendment adopted last month that overruled the court's decision in May that had legalized gay marriage in the nation's most populous state. Both Attorney General Jerry Brown, whose office is scheduled to submit its own brief to the court Friday, and gay rights groups maintain that the gay marriage ban may not be applied retroactively. The Supreme Court could hear arguments in the litigation as soon as March. The measure's backers announced Friday that Starr, a former federal judge and U.S. solicitor general, had signed on as their lead counsel and would argue the cases. Proposition 8's supporters assert that the Supreme Court lacks the authority or historical precedent to throw out the amendment. "For this court to rule otherwise would be to tear asunder a lavish body of jurisprudence," the court papers state. "That body of decisional law commands judges — as servants of the people — to bow to the will of those whom they serve — even if the substantive result of what people have wrought in constitution-amending is deemed unenlightened." The cases are Strauss v. Horton, S168047; City and County of San Francisco v. Horton, S168078; and Tyler v. State of California, S168066.

I'm glad you got to see the Bang Pa-In palace. That's one of the nicest stops in all of Thailand, in my opinion, and very well maintained. It's well worth a side trip for anyone visiting the Ayutthya area.

The following appears in PATTAYA ONE: _____ Frenchman Badly Hurt in Sunee Plaza Attack by Three Thai Men Just after 2.30 on Friday Morning, Police Lieutenant Colonel Prichar from Pattaya Police Station was called to the Bangkok Hospital Pattaya to investigate a serious assault on a French National. Mr. Damien Latoure aged 35 sustained multiple knife wounds to his head and other injuries consistent with a fist fight. He was in a serious condition and was unable to tell Police what happened. Witnesses explained that the incident occurred inside Soi Sunee Plaza, which is full of Boy Bars. The man was seen to walk alone and was approached by three Thai Men who set-upon the man and then left the scene. Police are now determining the motive behind the attack which remains a mystery at this time.

My apologies. I didn't have time this morning to post the opening rates, but here are the closing rates. I'm going to stop these posts for the time being. If the US dollar to baht exchange rate falls below 34 or looks as if it's going to get up into the 35's again, then I'll continue these posts on a new thread. Friday, December 19 CLOSING RATES: US Dollar: 34.26 Euro: 49.145 British Pound: 51.485 Australian Dollar: 23.2725 Canadian Dollar: 27.625

I have a feeling that the first significant group of tourists to start returning to Thailand will be the gays. Rising costs and all, Thailand is still quite inexpensive for gays seeking readily available boys. But I think the days of bargain basement prices for bars, booze, boys, and sex are over. If the gays want what Thailand has to offer, then they're going to have to spend more money to get it. I think raising prices is acceptable, within reasonable limits. I think some of the prices being reported in some of the Bangkok bars are outrageous. The bars charging that much won't get any of my business, they can rest assured of that. The tactics some bars are using are right up there on my "I Don't Get It" list. 250 baht for a glass of water? Not me, especially when I can go to plenty of other bars that charge reasonable prices. I have yet to ever see a bar at which the boys are so irresistible that I would willingly pay that kind of a price. Just why these same bars can't figure out that the way to run a successful business is to attract customers goes beyond me. The first thing I think they ought to do is put a stop to overly aggressive touts who try to literally pull customers into the bar. Any bar employing touts trying to do that to me, or blocking my path while they're insulting my intelligence with shouts of "have BOY, sexy BOY, new BOY, go-go BOY," or any of the other aggressive things they sometimes do, can forget all about my business. The second thing they can do is to charge reasonable, fair prices for drinks and off fees. Next they can get rid of the pushy mama-sans. I haven't met anyone yet who enjoys being high-pressured by a mama san. They can also lower the music volume to an acceptable level. The law says no more than 90 decibels. Very few bars are in compliance. They can also get their dancers to actually dance. Having their boys just standing there like narcissists, admiring themselves in the wall mirrors, or doing nothing more than the 'one-knee shuffle' is not my idea of a fun bar. So, if you happen to be a bar owner who is reading this, if you want my business then employing under-age boys so that I have to check IDs if I want to take one off, using aggressive touts who try to physically yank me into your place of business, watching go-go boys doing everything except go-go dancing while you're busy blasting my ear drums with uncomfortably and illegally high music volume, while being high-pressured by your pushy mama-sans, and paying 250 baht on up for a watered-down drink for the privilege, and paying you 300 to 400 baht to take a boy off, isn't exactly the way to get it. Not interested. I'll go to a bar where I am treated decently and can have an enjoyable time, while paying fair and reasonable prices. Your bar, if you're running it as described, can close down permanently tonight for all I care. You're not going to get my business or my support and I doubt you'll have many repeat customers. If the current economic crisis and lack of tourists drives bars like that out of business, I never thought I would find myself saying this, but as far as I'm concerned, good riddance.

Gay Leaders Furious with Obama Ben Smith, Nia-Malika Henderson Ben Smith, Nia-malika Henderson Wed Dec 17, 5:59 pm ET Barack Obama’s choice of a prominent evangelical minister to deliver the invocation at his inauguration is a conciliatory gesture toward social conservatives who opposed him in November, but it is drawing fierce challenges from a gay rights movement that – in the wake of a gay marriage ban in California – is looking for a fight. Rick Warren, the senior pastor of Saddleback Church in southern California, opposes abortion rights but has taken more liberal stances on the government role in fighting poverty, and backed away from other evangelicals’ staunch support for economic conservatism. But it’s his support for the California constitutional amendment to ban same-sex marriage that drew the most heated criticism from Democrats Wednesday. “Your invitation to Reverend Rick Warren to deliver the invocation at your inauguration is a genuine blow to LGBT Americans,” the president of Human Rights Campaign, Joe Solomonese, wrote Obama Wednesday. “[W]e feel a deep level of disrespect when one of architects and promoters of an anti-gay agenda is given the prominence and the pulpit of your historic nomination.” The rapid, angry reaction from a range of gay activists comes as the gay rights movement looks for an opportunity to flex its political muscle. Last summer gay groups complained, but were rebuffed by Obama, when an “ex-gay” singer led Obama’s rallies in South Carolina. And many were shocked last month when voters approved the California ban. “There is a lot of energy and there’s a lot of anger and I think people are wanting to direct it somewhere,” Solomonese told Politico. The selection of Warren to preside at the inauguration is not a surprise move, but it is a mirror image of President Bill Clinton’s early struggles with issues of gay rights. Obama has worked, and at times succeeded, to bridge the gap between Democrats and evangelical Christians, who form a solid section of the Republican base. Obama opposes same-sex marriage, but also opposed the California constitutional amendment Warren backed. In selecting Warren, he is choosing to reach out to conservatives on a hot-button social issue, at the cost of antagonizing gay voters who overwhelmingly supported him. Clinton, by contrast, drew early praise from gay rights activists by pressing to allow openly gay soldiers to serve, only to retreat into the “don’t ask, don’t tell” compromise that pleased few. The reaction Wednesday in gay rights circles was universally negative. “It’s a huge mistake,” said California gay rights activist Rick Jacobs, who chairs the state’s Courage Campaign. “He’s really the wrong person to lead the president into office. “Can you imagine if he had a man of God doing the invocation who had deliberately said that Jews are not going to be saved and therefore should be excluded from what’s going on in America? People would be up in arms,” he said. The editor of the Washington Blade, Kevin Naff, called the choice “Obama’s first big mistake.” “His presence on the inauguration stand is a slap in the faces of the millions of GLBT voters who so enthusiastically supported him,” Naff wrote, referring to gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgendered people. “This tone-deafness to our concerns must not be tolerated. We have just endured eight years of endless assaults on our dignity and equality from a president beholden to bigoted conservative Christians. The election was supposed to have ended that era. It appears otherwise.” Other liberal groups chimed in. “Rick Warren gets plenty of attention through his books and media appearances. He doesn’t need or deserve this position of honor,” said the president of People for the American Way, Kathryn Kolbert, who described Warren as “someone who has in recent weeks actively promoted legalized discrimination and denigrated the lives and relationships of millions of Americans.” Warren’s spokeswoman did not respond to a message seeking comment, but he has tried to blend personal tolerance with doctrinal disapproval of homosexuality. “I have many gay friends, I’ve eaten dinner in gay homes. No church has probably done more for people with AIDS than Saddleback Church,” he said in a recent interview with BeliefNet. In the same interview, he compared the “redefiniton of a marrige” to include gay marriage to legitimizing incest, child abuse, and polygamy. Obama’s move may deepen some apparent distance between him among gays and lesbians, one of the very few core Democratic groups among whom his performance was worse than John Kerry’s in 2004. Exit polls suggested that John McCain won 27% of the gay vote in November, up four points from Bush’s 2004 tally – even as almost all other voters slid toward Obama. But despite the symbolism of picking Warren, Obama is likely to shift several substantive policy areas in directions that will please gay voters and their political leaders, including a pledge to end “don’t ask, don’t tell” in military service. And some gay activists were holding out hope that they would either persuade Obama to dump Warren or Warren to change his mind. “Rick Warren did a real disservice to gay families in California and across the country by casually supporting our continued exclusion from marriage,” said the founder of the pro-same sex marriage Freedom to Marry, Evan Wolfson. “I hope in the spirit of the new era that’s dawning, he will open his heart and speak to all Americans about inclusion and our country’s commitment to equality.”

I didn't know either. Is it a buffet or menu breakfast? How much does it cost?

Every year, Boyztown Pattaya hosts a Christmas Eve snowstorm. If you have a Thai gentleman with you, take him! The boys love it!!!

When I received the photos in the first post on this thread I didn't know who provided them. I now know they are courtesy of Gay Affairs. Many thanks, Gay Affairs. Be sure to visit the Gay Affairs web site at: http://www.gayaffairspattaya.com

I admire your courage. An injured hand, getting sick, and you are still pursuing this and still enjoying it. I don't know how you do it. What kinds of roads do you and the group travel, back roads? I can't picture you doing this on main highways and thoroughfares with all the crazies driving.

Thursday, December 18 OPENING RATES: US Dollar: 34.19 Euro: 49.235 British Pound: 52.99 Australian Dollar: 24.0175 Canadian Dollar: 28.5875 _____ CLOSING RATES: US Dollar: 34.16 Euro: 49.85 British Pound: 52.925 Australian Dollar: 24.055 Canadian Dollar: 28.6475

I thought some of you might like an update on this contest. The following posters, as of December 17, have exceeded 100 posts since the contest began: Steve1903 - 110 Pattayamale - 141 Laurence - 148 Lvdkeyes - 181 Fountainhall gets honorable mention with 99 posts. The leader of the pack is MonkeySee - 355 posts so far.