Gaybutton

Sheeeeesh! What do we need to do, take a Polaroid picture of a non-Thai under age 25 entering free? If it makes you feel any better, only a couple days ago the Thai boyfriend of a very well known "farang" here decided to try a fairly new go-go bar, just off of Sunee Plaza. He was denied entrance. Do you know why? Because he is Thai. He was told they want only "farang" customers.

It's valid if you agree with it. I do not. You wrote, "why not have the policy for all guys under 25 . . ." Once again, my response to that is we do not yet know whether Sansuk has that policy or not. So far, nobody who has actually inquired has responded, so where is this assumption coming from? Wouldn't it make more sense to argue the point once we know the actual policy? You are arguing to put in place a policy that may very well already exist. Incidentally, welcome to the board. I see you have just joined us.

I disagree with that statement. I don't think it's fair to assume anything when all you would need to do to find out is call them and ask.

I don't think the policy is racist at all. It's based on nationality, not race. As far as I know, if someone from any other Asian country goes to the sauna, they'll pay the same admission price as "farang." I see no significant difference between that and something done in Florida: During the summer months, when few people go to Florida for a holiday, Disney World offers excellent discounts for those who hold a Florida driver's license. To my mind, what Sansuk sauna is doing is much closer to that than to a racist policy. You wrote, "Younger non-Thais deserve to be treated exactly the same way as younger Thais." I don't know whether the younger non-Thais get in under the 25-or-under-free admission policy or not. Do you? Will complaining to TAT accomplish anything? I have no idea. I've never tried it. Well, apparently from among the five choices I listed above, you like number 2 the best. I have to admit I think that's a little strange since it has the least chance of accomplishing anything. Personally, I think you're wasting time and energy now. You've already stated your reasons why you think it's a racist policy. I don't see how finding new ways to phrase the same premise is going to enhance your case, but go right ahead and complain to your heart's content if that's what floats your boat.

The following appears in THE NATION: _____ DON MUANG AIRPORT THAI Going Back to the Ffuture National Carrier to Move All but Three of its Domestic Routes from Suvarnabhumi to Old Airport to Save on Operating Costs Thai Airways International is moving all of its domestic routes, except those involving Phuket, Chiang Mai and Khon Kaen, to Don Muang airport once the Cabinet approves its reopening. The move aims to save on operating costs, which are higher at the new Suvarnabhumi Airport. The flag carrier recently said the move to Suvarnabhumi had added Bt3.7 billion to its annual operating costs. THAI president Apinan Sumanaseni said yesterday that only flights on three routes would be operated at Suvarnabhumi as they carry a large number of foreign passengers who are taking connecting flights to overseas destinations. On Thursday, Airports of Thailand's (AOT) board approved in principle the reopening of the old airport following an outcry from low-cost airlines over the higher operating fees. Budget airlines have complained about the higher costs of using the new international airport, which took over domestic and international flights when it opened on September 28. Yesterday, AOT informed the Stock Exchange of Thailand that its board had approved reopening the capital's old airport for domestic flights, a move that would reduce operating costs for budget airlines. Deputy Transport Minister Sansern Wongcha-um said the reopening of Don Muang would relieve AOT from the future investment of Bt1.4 billion for the construction of a low-cost airline terminal. However, he is unsure whether the move will be permanent. The issue will be forwarded to the Cabinet for approval, possibly next week. "This should help AOT delay the new investment for four or five years," Sansern said yesterday, adding that the authorities are also addressing the reported cracks on Suvarnabhumi's taxi ways. AOT said in the statement that if the Cabinet approved the plan, airlines flying non-transit domestic routes would have the option of moving back to Don Muang. Low-cost carriers including Nok Air and One Two Go have shown interest in moving their operations to Don Muang airport. However, AirAsia wants to move both domestic and international routes back to the old airport. Apinan said few passengers would be troubled by THAI's intended move. The airline will provide a shuttle-bus service serving the two airports. He added that THAI would finalise a domestic flight timetable and a comparison of operating costs between the two airports within two weeks. "Operating costs at the former airport would be cheaper than Suvarnnabhumi Airport. Moreover, Don Muang will be less of a problem for matters such as landing fees, parking fees and ground services, as well as leading to shorter delays. Meanwhile, passengers will also save on travel time and transportation expenditure," said Apinan. The airline chief also said THAI was proceeding with a plan to set up a new airline, details of which are expected to be completed in six months. The new carrier will operate only domestic routes, using Don Muang airport. However, investment costs and a formal name have not yet been decided. "THAI will take a 100-per-cent share in the new airline," Apinan added. The carrier is will be a full-service airline positioned between low-cost operators and THAI. THAI will transfer aircraft and facilities to the new airline. Suchat Sritama The Nation __________ And this, from the BANGKOK POST: _____ IATA Blasts AoT Decision to Shift Flights Don Muang Looks Set to Make a Comeback BOONSONG KOSITCHOTETHANA & CHATRUDEE THEPARAT The International Air Transport Association (IATA) said yesterday that a decision by Airports of Thailand Plc (AoT) to shift some commercial flights back to Don Muang would dampen Bangkok's potential for becoming an aviation hub. Making flight connections between two airports would be a huge inconvenience for passengers, and might further damage the attractiveness of Thailand as a tourist destination, the world's largest airline trade group said. Responding to a query from the Bangkok Post, Albert Tjoeng, the IATA spokesman for Asia-Pacific, said: ''Imagine a passenger arriving in Suvarnabhumi and having to catch a connecting domestic flight or no-frills flight from Don Muang. How long will that connection take including baggage collection, travel from Suvarnabhumi to Don Muang and then check-in for the next flight? If an airport wants to be a hub, it is important to keep the connection time low.'' IATA has always supported the Thai governments' policy of having a single airport for Bangkok, largely because it would provide easy connections for passengers and facilitate airline operations. Mr Tjoeng said that if AoT insisted on going ahead with the reopening of Don Muang for commercial flights, then it had to ensure a level playing field for all airlines. While the landing and parking fees at both Suvarnabhumi and Don Muang airports are the same, the cost of renting space at Don Muang would be cheaper. Several Bangkok-based airline managers yesterday expressed support for AoT's decision to shift point-to-point domestic flights back to Don Muang in a move to relieve congestion at four-month-old Suvarnabhumi. They said it was the best immediate solution to unresolved problems, including insufficient toilet facilities, cracking taxiways and heavy traffic at the new airport, which is already nearing its designed annual capacity of 45 million passengers. This scenario could benefit passengers travelling domestic point-to-point routes, as well as the airlines, in that they would be processed through a more accessible, roomy and complete airport. Airline executives estimated that Suvarnabhumi could be relieved of as much as 30% of its traffic load by transferring selected flights to Don Muang. This would prolong the service lifespan of Bangkok's troubled new airport, particularly at a time when the government remains indecisive about the airport's expansion. Thai Airways International president Apinan Sumanaseni yesterday expressed support for AoT's decision. He said THAI was prepared to move point-to-point domestic flights to Don Muang while keeping those requiring connecting international flights, such as those from Chiang Mai, Phuket and Krabi, at Suvarnabhumi. THAI operates about 300 domestic flights a week. At least three airlines that offer domestic services including One-Two-Go, Nok Air and Thai AirAsia, have shown no objection to the move. IATA said there was urgent need to build a new mid-field terminal to create additional capacity for Suvarnabhumi. However, Apichart Sankary, president of the Association of Thai Travel Agents (ATTA), said using dual airports may not suit tour operators as they would need to provide facilities at both, entailing more cost and time. He said that AoT should be open about the problems at Suvarnabhumi airport in order to allow private sectors to prepare operations accordingly. He said if the government wanted to use two airports, the airport-link project should link to Don Muang as well. He said some big cities had two airports but they had efficient transport links. Maiyarat Pheerayakoses, managing director of Lee Ben Travel Service Co, said that if the government wanted to use Don Muang, a transport link between the two airports was vital because passengers would choose to fly to the airport destination with the most convenient facilities.

Ok, so the owner now knows about this thread. Good. When he reads it, he'll see the following statement from me, a moderator here: I don't give a damn about what motivates his pricing policy, whether it's racist or anything else. I don't see anything at all about what he's doing as racist and I wouldn't care if it is. The "what ifs" about blacks, Indians, Japanese, etc. are not a factor because there is no admission policy regarding any of that. I've been to Sansuk sauna and I will be there again, probably a great many times. Punya is doing absolutely nothing wrong and if anyone out there thinks he is, then there are five things you can do about it: 1. Take it up with Punya personally. 2. Continue griping about it and trying to prove your point on this message board. 3. State your case on the "Contact Us" section of the Sansuk web site. 4. Don't go to the sauna. 5. File a complaint with the TAT. If Kregger and others see it as racism, so be it. As far as I can tell, all Punya is trying to do is provide a means for people who otherwise could not afford it to be able to come to the sauna and still be able to regain his investment and make a profit, and racism most likely never entered his mind. I think this whole issue about the pricing policy at Sansuk as racism is just nonsense and is nothing more than a non-issue that few, if there is anyone else besides Kregger, even agrees with or cares about. Somehow I doubt that anyone is going to reconsider patronizing the Sansuk sauna because one person has decided that the admission policy is based on racism.

How reassuring!

It seems to me that a mountain is being made out of a molehill that may, in part, not even exist. I'm sorry I ever wrote that Thais under 25 get in free. I didn't realize that I was starting the latest brouhaha. For all we know, anybody under age 25 might get in free. What we do know is Thais over age 25 get in for 90 baht. Double standard pricing has been a fixture in Thailand for as long as any of us can remember. Good or bad, that's the way it is in Thailand, and I don't remember any Thai officials asking whether "farang" like it or not. Just like the imposed Christmas and New Year's Eve buffets at many hotels, if you object to it you don't have to stay there. The price difference amounts to a whopping US $2.50. Unless you're planning to go quite often, I fail to see the big deal, but if you object to it, you don't have to go. Personally, I think it's a good idea and I'm in favor of it, racist or not. I doubt that it has anything to do with race. It might end up that way to some degree, but I don't think that is the intent. I think the intent is to attract boys who otherwise can't afford to go and, in turn, attracting "farang" customers. If he lets everyone in free, there goes the business. If he doesn't, then there won't be many boys there. If that's racism, then I'll take some racism as a much lesser evil than going to a gay sauna patronized solely by gay "farang," most of whom are in their fifties or older. If paying more than Thais are paying is something that truly upsets you, then complaining about it here isn't going to do you much good. The Sansuk sauna web site ( http://www.sansuksauna.com ) has a "Contact Us" area on which Punya asks people for their comments and suggestions. It seems to me that's the place to make your case, where you can be certain Punya will read your comments.

Two stories of interest appear in the PATTAYA CITY NEWS: _____ Chonburi Gymnasium Evacuated as Suspicious Package is Neutralized by Bomb Squad A story now from our broadcast colleagues in Chonburi District, some 60kms from Pattaya, which demonstrates the high state of alert relating to the threat of terrorist activity around the Province and around Thailand. On Friday Morning, Police Colonel Chockchai from Chonburi Police Headquarters received information from staff at a Gymnasium in Chonburi District which suggested that an incendiary device had been placed outside the building. Bomb hoaxes are frequent, however every one is dealt with caution and the assumption is that any one of these hoaxes could be the real thing. In this case, a box containing a mobile phone without its battery and a message were inside. The message read "Children

BANGKOK, Jan 12 (TNA) Transport Minister Admiral Thira Haocharoen on Friday stated that a proposed scheme to move domestic flights with no forward connections to other routes from Suvarnabhumi to Don Muang Airport had not yet been concluded, saying that another workshop to brainstorm a conclusion on the matter would be held late month or early next month. In a bid to save costs from expanding Suvarnabhumi Airport, the board of Airports of Thailand Plc on Thursday approved the use of Don Muang for domestic flights and set March 15 as the possible date for the relaunch of services at the former international airport. Adm. Thira said the resolution by the AoT board was not deemed final before being submitted for Cabinet approval. Decision-makers needed to heed the opinions of all parties concerned in the private and public sectors again. The workshop would lead to resolution of the issue. "The move of domestic flights to the Don Muang Airport will have wide-ranging repercussions. So, it needs to be studied in detail with caution. "The news that the matter will go before a Cabinet meeting in one or two weeks and that domestic flight services will be re-launched within one to two months cannot yet be affirmed. We need first to consider to the opinions of all parties concerned," he said. Don Muang airport accommodated almost 39 million passengers a year before ending more than 90 years service to regular flights September 27. It currently services only chartered and special flights. Thai Airways International president Apinan Sumanaseni said the AoT board's decision regarding domestic flights should be considered an impractical idea since it could affect schedules of domestic flights linking provinces. For instance, he said, the Mae Hong Son-Pitsanulok-Bangkok flight could not be scheduled under the scheme. So, he believed the matter would not yet be wrapped up. It needs renewed discussions with all parties concerned, particularly between aviation firms, the Transport Ministry and AoT. Tassapol Bijleveld, chief executive of Thai AirAsia, shared the view of the THAI president, saying the opening of domestic flights with no connections with other routes was not practicable. Should the scheme be implemented, the company would experience difficulties in managing its fleet of aircraft since there would need to be shuttles between planes for domestic and international flights. However, in any case he believed the AoT board's resolution would need endorsement by the Transport Ministry. But if the resolution won approval for implementation, he insisted, his company would not relocate its domestic flight services to Don Muang. (TNA)-E005

bump . . . topic unpinned.

Remember when people were actually out there buying pet rocks? Now you can buy a can of air. The following appears in the BANGKOK POST: _____ Cans of Pure Mountain Air a Hit in Nan Nan - Fresh air from atop Doi Phu Kha mountain in Pua district is now being sold in cans as a souvenir for tourists. The product, known as Air Can, is part of a project to promote local tourism, develop new attractions in the province and manage natural resources in a sustainable manner. Surapol Thirasutra, deputy chief of the Nan provincial administration organisation, said the PAO is duty-bound to protect and preserve the environment and natural resources. It has cooperated with Doi Phu Kha national park to promote eco-tourism and local wisdom. Mr. Surapol said a small cannery had been taken to the top of Doi Phu Kha and the tins were filled at times when the air on the peak was at its cleanest. Explanatory graphics and information about tourist attractions and native plants in the province of Nan are printed on the cans, which sell at 30 baht each. They are on sale only at Doi Phu Kha national park. Mr. Surapol said the canned air is very popular with tourists. About 6,000 cans have been sold so far. Proceeds were being used to help villagers who had encroached on land in Doi Phu Kha National Park find new livelihoods, he said. They have been relocated and Doi Phu Kha National Park has launched projects to assist them in learning new ways, such as organic pig raising and rice farming on terraced fields. Rising to about 1,980 metres, Doi Phu Kha is home to the rare, endangered Chomphu Phu Kha tree (Bretschneidera sinensis hemsl), which many visitors to Nan go to see and admire.

The following appears in the BANGKOK POST: http://www.bangkokpost.com/News/12Jan2007_news01.php _____ AoT Backs Rebirth of Don Muang Old Airport to Service Some Domestic Routes AMORNRAT MAHITTHIROOK The board of Airports of Thailand Plc yesterday approved the use of Don Muang for domestic flights with no international connections and set March 15 as the possible date for the relaunch of services at the old airport. In an attempt to save costs from expanding Suvarnabhumi airport and to fully use its existing infrastructure, the board led by chairman Gen Saprang Kalayanamitr decided to move to Don Muang domestic flights with no connections to international routes operated by Thai Airways International (THAI) and no-frills carriers. Domestic flights with passengers connecting with international routes will remain at Suvarnabhumi. It targeted March 15 for the resumption of regular services for Don Muang, which was closed on Sept 28, when the country's main airport moved to Suvarnabhumi. The March 15 date was set to allow sufficient time to prepare for an expected surge in air travel to the provinces during the Songkran holiday. Sources in the Airports of Thailand (AoT) board said its president Chotisak Asapaviriya told the meeting that the March 15 move was possible. However, he told reporters afterwards that he could not guarantee complete success. The decision was based on a study by AoT to compare the advantages and disadvantages of expanding Suvarnabhumi against relocating domestic services to Don Muang. The use of Don Muang to ease air traffic at Suvarnabhumi would give officials more flexibility to fix a number of problems at the new airport, sources said. Mr Chotisak said the board has directed AoT to work on the details of the use of Don Muang and forward them to the Transport Ministry _ which oversees the airport agency _ within two weeks. After that the ministry, which has already made clear its preference for Don Muang, needs cabinet approval for the plan. Based on the current volume of passengers, Suvarnabhumi will serve 42 million passengers a year, just three million shy of its full capacity. Don Muang accommodated almost 39 million passengers a year before it was closed to regular flights. It currently services only chartered and special flights. Moving domestic flights with no connections to Don Muang will defer plans to expand the new airport, including the need to build a new terminal to service only local flights in the future. The move will boost revenues at Don Muang, which currently earns only 500,000 baht a month from the chartered and special flights. Don Muang director Pinit Saraithong said the airport was ready for the return to services because none of the facilities, including ground and safety equipment, had been moved to Suvarnabhumi. However, he said the airport needed about 45 days to prepare for the return of regular passengers and to hire more security staff. With existing facilities, Don Muang could serve up to 15 million passengers a year for a decade, he added. Airlines with domestic services _THAI, Nok Air, Thai AirAsia and One-Two-Go _ supported yesterday's decision. Bangkok Airways could not be reached for comment. THAI president Apinan Sumanaseni said the national flag carrier needed one month to move some equipment and hire more staff to be stationed at Don Muang but he said it was not a serious problem for the airline. Mr Apinan said flights serving popular destinations among international passengers such as Phuket, Chiang Mai, Chiang Rai and Hat Yai could remain at Suvarnabhumi. Nok Air CEO Patee Sarasin praised the decision, which could save AoT at least 1.4 billion baht from constructing a new domestic building at Suvarnabhumi. One-Two-Go chief executive and founder Udom Tantiprasongchai also hailed the decision, saying it was a ''good decision'' to shift domestic routes to Don Muang. But Thai AirAsia CEO Tassapon Bijleveld said the move to Don Muang should be on a voluntary basis. He admitted that the move would affect Thai AirAsia, which needed to rotate its fleets between international and domestic flights.

Just in case you're in the middle of planning your dream holiday in Bangladesh, you might be interested in the following from the BANGKOK POST: http://www.bangkokpost.com/breaking_news/b...s.php?id=115949 _____ Bangladesh Declares State of Emergency Dhaka (dpa) - Bangladesh's President Iajuddin Ahmad declared a state of emergency Thursday after more than two months of political turmoil across the country that shattered the economy and threatened the fledgling democracy. In a televised address to the nation late Thursday night, Iajuddin also announced his resignation from the position of the chief of the caretaker government, promising to appoint an acceptable person to the office. Earlier Iajuddin called out the army to quell the escalating political violence sparked by a standoff between the two biggest political alliances led by former prime minister Sheikh Hasina and outgoing premier Khaleda Zia. Night curfew has been imposed from 11 pm (1700 GMT) to 5 am (2300 GMT) in Dhaka and other cities and major towns. State radio said the state of emergency would last until further notice. It come amid bitter wrangling over organising general elections planned for January 22. The previous day had seen tens of thousands of soldiers with sweeping powers to arrest persons without warrants launch a crackdown on anti-government protests as opposition parties vowed to resist the election. The deployment of the army was in addition to riot police and paramilitary border guards called out to quell protests over the virtually one-sided election. A united opposition led by Hasina's Awami League were abstaining from the upcoming polls, accusing the caretaker government of Ahmed of favouring outgoing Prime Minister Zia whose Nationalist-Islamist alliance is seeking a second term of five years. Hasina adopted a tough stance against the interim administration, declaring further nationwide protests across the country from a rally in Dhaka.

BANGKOK, Jan 11 (TNA) In the wake of what is being seen as his government's attempts to control Thailand's local media, Prime Minister Surayud Chulanont on Thursday insisted that the freedom of the expression of public opinion and discourse in the kingdom remains intact, even as he might suggest that the media themselves should exercise their right with balanced judgement. Gen. Surayud commented in response to critics suggesting that the military Council for National Security (CNS) and the interim government it installed are trying control the media when the CNS on Wednesday asked some 50 broadcast media executives to refrain from airing news related to the movements of ousted prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra and his aides. "It's entirely up to the media how they view the CNS move on this subject. As for the government, we're wide open for freedom of expressions," said Gen. Surayud, "quite completely." He suggested that the media themselves should make their own judgement on how to present news in a such a balanced way, and consider what they should or should not present in their coverage. Defending the CNS move, the prime minister said the military council had not specified any particular broadcasters airing news in a biased or exaggerating manner lately, and that the CNS' s action was simply a reflection of their concern over the media coverage in general, and so they deemed it necessary to come up with some guidelines for the media to cooperate. The prime minister also downplayed speculation that the CNS move will also curb the freedom of expression of other sectors than the media working with checks and balances against the interim government and the CNS. But when asked if it would adversely affect the government's image, Gen. Surayud said that nothing happens that does not impact on the government, and that the government must accept any consequences that follow. (TNA)-E009

You were placed on moderated mode by GayThailand and I see he has also placed you on a 10% warning level. As for who else might be on moderated mode, that is information I will not reveal. I will not override GayThailand's decisions, but you are at liberty to contact him directly for an explanation and/or to request that he take you off of moderated mode. In the meantime, I check the message board several times each day. As long as I see no reason to disapprove your post, then it will be approved unless GayThailand asks me not to continue approving your posts.

Well, here's an interesting little story. The following appears on NEWSNET5.COM: http://www.newsnet5.com/education/10713044/detail.html _____ Coach Allegedly Hit Kids' Groins, Showed Porn Children Say He Poured Water On Them In Cold Weather COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. -- A former basketball coach at a Monument charter school in Colorado is being accused of dozens of counts of child abuse, sexual assault and other crimes. The Colorado Springs Gazette reported that Gregory Lynn Burr, 28, is accused of regularly hitting players in the groin, exposing them to pornography, and pouring water on them when the weather was cold. Burr faces 39 charges including child abuse resulting in serious injury in the case, which involves 10 teenagers 14 to 17 years old. The incidents allegedly took place from September 2005 to March 2006 at the Monument Academy. Court records show he posted bail last month. In court documents examined by the Gazette, former basketball players said Burr routinely struck players in the groin with his hand, basketballs and tennis balls and laughed about it. One player claimed permanent injury. The paper reported that one boy had scrotal surgery for an injury he attributed to the coach's strikes. Police said other students said the strikes to the testicles were "the kind of hits that made you lay down" or "made you stop for a minute to catch your breath," according to the Gazette. Others said Burr showed them pornography on his home computer. They said that the pornography included images of men with disfigured penises and women with several body piercings. Burr's attorney, Phil Dubois, said the charges are unwarranted. "Mr. Burr is not a sex offender or anything close to it," Dubois said. Arrest records showed that the boys believed the incidents were the coach's attempts at humor and that they kept quiet about them because they feared they'd be booted from the team. One student said Burr would ask the boys what the capital of Thailand was and when they would answer, "Bangkok," he would hit their groin area. Some students said that Burr poured water on them and rolled down windows of the car during cold weather, when they were going to or from games. The paper reported that one student claimed Burr made him get out of the car and run behind it. Another said he was told to run around a rest area in the nude. Burr is no longer employed by the Monument Academy. Monument is located 45 miles south of Denver, between Denver and Colorado Springs.

They simply have not yet gotten around to updating their web site following the holidays. I know of no reason to avoid staying there. It's just as nice as ever and you will not be charged fees for holidays that are already over. If you still feel uneasy about staying there, there is always The Ambiance directly across the street, but there really is no reason at all to feel any qualms about staying at Le Caf

BANGKOK, Jan 10 (TNA) Australian bomb experts were working with Thai police investigating Bangkok's New Year's Eve bombings that left three people dead and more than 40 wounded, including nine foreigners. Police Office of Forensic Science commissioner Pol. Lt-Gen. Ek Angsananont said five Australian bomb experts were helping the Thai authorities inspect the bomb scene at San Sab Pier in Pratunam area not far from the Central World Plaza where the New Year's countdown party was cancelled. The Australian bomb experts helped collect the additional evidence and in mapping the bomb scene as well, he said. A Thai police forensic team had already collected the evidence, including nails, pieces of metal, detonators, gunpowder carbon traces, he said, adding that revisiting the scene with Australian experts was to inspect the site in further detail. He said the Australian bomb experts had paid special attention to the pier opposite the bomb scene as two people were injured there even though they were some 13 metres away from the bomb location. The forensic team agreed to build a bomb duplicating the eight bombs that were exploded in Bangkok and nearby Nonthaburi on New Year's Eve and New Year's Day, he said, adding that the bomb would be built from the information and evidences gathered from the eight bomb scenes. By building the mock-up bomb, the officials expected to gain more information to find out the group behind the bombs, said the commissioner. Lt-Gen. Ek said the forensic team wanted to do its best to gather information but could not specify the time frame and could not promise that the bombers and those behind the blast would be arrested. (TNA)-E003

Apparently, for whatever reasons, the powers-that-be don't mind newspaper reporting about Thaksin, so far, but now consider television and radio news reports about him to be a no-no. The following appears in the BANGKOK POST: _____ CNS to Get Tough with Broadcast Media (Bangkokpost.com) The military has ordered the broadcast media to stop airing news about former prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra and his cronies. Representatives of all television and radio stations were today invited to meet with members of the Council of National Security to be notified of the CNS's ''request for cooperation'' to refrain from airing news about the deposed prime minister and his cronies. General Vinai Patthiyakul, secretary-general of the CNS, said that the CNS had observed '' with great tolerance'' the broadcast media's coverage of news about Mr. Thaksin and his cronies for the past three months. He said some of the media had expanded the coverage in a manner that tended to cause public misunderstanding of the CNS. He also warned that the CNS might have to resort to tougher measure against the media which refuses to heed the CNS's request. All but one television station and all radio stations in Thailand are state-owned. Some are concessioned out to private sector to operate the stations. This is the first attempt at overt media censorship since the immediate aftermath of the coup. One of the earliest promises made by the junta when the group seized power was that they would quickly lift the censorship of the media imposed in the hours after the coup. Local media now have also been told they cannot report comments made by Mr. Thaksin's lawyer - who said on Tuesday he had received telephoned death threats. The Thai media has not fashioned a formal response. It is not clear what will happen if the media defy the military council. It is also entirely unclear why the generals felt they had to impose the ban today. __________ And this, from THE NATION: _____ JUNTA GETS TOUGH Thaksin's Passport Revoked Pojaman Also Loses Diplomatic Passport; CNS Asks Broadcast Media Not to Report about Him Former premier Thaksin Shinawatra has had his travelling privileges curtailed, following calls for tougher action against him. The junta also moved to stop him using the media to orchestrate political trouble. The Foreign Ministry revoked the diplomatic passports of Thaksin and his wife Pojaman after an inquiry concluded he had engaged in political activities while in exile, a senior ministry official said yesterday. The ministry has also instructed all its embassies not to facilitate Thaksin's travels and visits, said deputy spokesman Kiatthikhun Chartprasert. Council for National Security (CNS) secretary-general Winai Phattiyakul, and assistants Saprang Kallayanamit and Anupong Paochinda, told some 50 editors of the broadcasting media in a meeting yesterday not to report Thaksin's activities. CNS chief Sonthi Boonyaratglin yesterday lectured some 300 senior police officers, including police chief Kovit Wattana, about the CNS' new moves and stringent policies, especially in dealing with anticipated anti-coup movements. He instructed the police to be more active. The move to revoke the deposed premier's diplomatic passport came after criticism of the junta that it was too lenient in dealing with Thaksin, allowing him to travel around the region to meet his supporters. "Taking into consideration the appropriateness and security concern, the diplomatic passports of Thaksin and [his] wife have been revoked since December 31, 2006," Kiatthikhun said. Thaksin, however, is permitted to to carry an ordinary Thai passport that will enable him to travel abroad but without the privileges of the diplomatic one with the red cover. On Tuesday, the ministry instructed the Thai consulate in Hong Kong and the Thai Embassy in London to notify the Shinawatras of the decision. With the exception of Asean members, a number of countries require a pre-approved visa for Thai passport holders. The issue of revoking Thaksin's passport cropped up almost immediately after he was ousted by the September 19 coup. Thaksin has been visiting a number of neighbouring countries, including China, Japan and Indonesia, as well as Hong Kong, where he was believed to have met some of his close aides. Suspicions that he was plotting a political comeback rapidly surfaced and kicked off a debate among coup leaders, diplomats and senior officials. The Foreign Ministry has consistently downplayed the demand on the grounds that all former prime ministers and foreign ministers were permitted to hold on to their diplomatic passports for life. The junta accused Thaksin of orchestrating what they called an "undercurrent" to create trouble for the people in the power. The issue became public when Deputy Foreign Minister Sawanit Kongsiri informed the National Legislative Assembly in a closed session that the ministry had already terminated the diplomatic passports of Thaksin and his wife. On November 16, the ministry revoked the diplomatic passports of Panthongtae and Pinthongtha, Thaksin's first two children. Youngest daughter Paethongtarn diplomatic passport expired earlier and was not extended. Thaksin yesterday let it be known he would not only stop all political activity but would also offer the junta his assistance to facilitate trade with foreign businesses for the Kingdom while he was abroad. Sopaporn Kurz The Nation

The following appears in BANGKOK POST: _____ Diplomatic Passports of Thaksin Revoked (Bangkokpost.com) The Foreign Ministry said on Wednesday that it had revoked diplomatic passports of ousted prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra and his wife Potjaman. Deputy Foreign Minister Sawanit Kongsiri said at the National Legislative Assembly meeting that the ministry decided to revoke the passports of the couple after finding out that Mr. Thaksin engaged in political activities while taking exile overseas -- by issuing a statement attacking the government and the Concil for National Security. Mr. Sawanit said the ministry also issued a statement ordering Thai embassies and consulates abroad to stop welcoming Mr. Thaksin. The idea of revoking Mr. Thaksin's diplomatic passport surfaced shortly after he was ousted by the Sep 19 coup, but the ministry decided to take action against the ousted premier and his wife only recently. Mr. Sawanit explained the reason why it took months before the ministry took action on the issue was that some countries did not accept government that came into power from a coup. So the ministry needed time to explain to them about political situation in the country. __________ And this, from THE NATION: _____ Urgent: Thaksin's Diplomatic Passport Revoked The Foreign Ministry has revoked diplomatic passports of deposed Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra and his wife after months of suggestion to block his activities in abroad which the junta deemed as a political threat to national harmony. Deputy Foreign Ministry Sawanit Kongsivi told a National Legislative Assembly close session yesterday that the ministry has terminated the travelling document since December 31 to bar him and his family from convenient travelling in foreign countries which waive visa for Thai diplomats. The Nation

I hope so . . .

I hope that doesn't happen. I wouldn't be able to afford the 75,000 baht entry fee I'd have to pay.

I have been unable to access this web site from Thailand in order to check the veracity of this story, but assuming it's true, then I'd say someone in the USA has reached a new low in bad taste. The following is from CBC: http://www.cbc.ca/cp/Oddities/070108/K010804AU.html _____ Thailand blocks access to U.S.-based porn website that uses images of Buddha Published: Monday, January 8, 2007 | 6:19 AM ET Canadian Press BANGKOK, Thailand (AP) - The Thai government blocked access Monday to a U.S.-based pornography website that uses an image of Buddha as its logo and is calling on Buddhists around the world to condemn the site, an official said. The Chicago-based website, buddha-porn.com, features sexually explicit material beneath an image of a golden statue of a seated Buddha and contains pornographic images divided up in different categories named, the Buddha Galleries, Nirvana Galleries, and Satori Galleries - the last two referring to Buddhist beliefs about reaching enlightenment. About 90 per cent of Thailand's 65 million people are Buddhist. "It certainly crosses the line in a Buddhist society, " said Culture Ministry official Ladda Tangsuphachai, adding that the site was blocked by the Information Ministry after culture officials brought it to their attention. "We ask Buddhists around the world to send letters to condemn the website, " he said. The Foreign Ministry is asking the website' s administrators, through the U.S. Embassy in Thailand, to remove all Buddhist references from the site, Ladda said. "I don't know what their intention is, but I assume they did not know that this is unacceptable in our culture," Ladda said. The website' s home page offers this disclaimer: "This site is in no way associated with religion and any religious symbols on this site are just a joke."

Maybe they'll stop coming to Thailand. According to some who post here, maybe Sunee Plaza will empty out. The following is from BBC News: http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/south_asia/6230957.stm _____ Goa - New Paedophile's Paradise? By Allan Urry BBC World Service in Goa For many years now, certain parts of the world - such as Thailand, Cambodia and Vietnam - have had an unsavoury connection with sex tourism: foreigners arriving to sexually abuse children. Now, a BBC investigation finds that the Indian state of Goa may be added to that list. Child sex tourism is threatening to become the darker side of life in Goa's tropical paradise - and there is evidence that the Indian authorities are turning their back on the problem. Nishta Desai, a consultant to the organisation Children's Rights In Goa, estimates that there are "hundreds" of children being abused by foreign paedophiles. "It is not getting the attention it requires," she says. "We believe it is organised, and already fairly institutionalised. "It is something that really requires a lot of will to unearth the way it is organised." Trafficking network There are various ways that the sex offenders get access. Some approach the children directly on the beach, and offer them a drink or a meal before taking them back their hotel rooms. Others are approached by intermediaries, such as shack owners and motorcycle taxi drivers. Within half an hour of my being on the beach in north Goa, a young man who called himself Romeo approaches and tells me he knows friends at the nearby town of Mapusa who can help me have fun with girls. I ask if there are 13-year-old girls, and he replies that "it's no problem," even though the age of consent in Goa is 18. Non-governmental organisations say that there is such demand in Goa for child sex workers that they are now being trafficked into the state on demand by criminal gangs operating from India. "Traffickers in Bombay contact the local traffickers and ask them how many girls they want, and then they traffic the girls by buses," explains Arun Pandey, director of charity ARZ, set up to try and rescue children from the sex trade. "The local traffickers receive these girls from the bus stop and then they supply them to the hotels and lodges... it's a very organised network." 'Hyped' issue Concern over the problem is shared by the UN office on drugs and crime, which last year began a project to strengthen law enforcement on the issue. It believes as many as three or four million women and children are being trafficked around India. In a report, the UN agency said Goa is a "major destination" for children trafficked for paedophiles, and that sex tourism in the state is "significant." But this is denied by the state's government minister for social welfare, Subhash Shirodkar, who categorically states that "neither Goans nor non-Goans are abused." "The issue is a little hyped," he adds. "There may be one or two instances over the last five to 10 years - maybe." And he also states that he does not think child trafficking is a problem in the state at all. "I totally disagree with this," he says. "NGOs are not complaining to me. What prevents them, when every week and every month, they meet with me?" However, Ms Desai of Children's Rights In Goa says she is not surprised by the minister's denial, saying there is no political will to deal with child prostitution. "There is a sense of fear that if they take up the problem in a forthright manner, we could lose tourist revenue and give Goa a bad name," she says. "What we would like to say is that it will not do this - if any country takes on child sexual abuse, it should in fact give that country a good name." 'Bribes' Perhaps lending credence to this theory is that a report commissioned by the Goan government which estimates at least 100 paedophiles are active there during the tourist season - and speaks of an increasing threat and the need for the government to take firm action - has never been published. And on the rare occasions alleged sex tourists have been put before the courts, they have been acquitted; there has been no successful conviction apart from a paedophile ring that was broken up by a national police squad brought in from Delhi. And NGOs also complain that local police take bribes and keep the problem hushed up. One senior worker for a charity organisation, who did not wish to be named, said that he actually caught one man with a boy in a hotel bedroom, but that when he reported the case to the police, they dropped it immediately - despite a signed confession from the child who had been abused. Certainly, the superintendent of Goa's crime division, Vishram Borkar, says that no cases of paedophiles have been investigated in 2006. "I think we're doing a good job. "Without a complaint, we cannot proceed further." Story from BBC NEWS: http://news.bbc.co.uk/go/pr/fr/-/2/hi/south_asia/6230957.stm Published: 2007/01/08 00:25:42 GMT