Gaybutton

My boyfriend needed one when we went to Laos. That was years ago. Maybe the regulations have changed or maybe it applies only to Laos. We entered by bus over the Friendship Bridge. Maybe it applies, or used to apply, there. I do remember that he had to get some sort of a permit to leave Thailand. So did every Thai citizen on that bus. Based on your post, apparently that is no longer necessary.

Obtaining a passport won't be a problem for the boy. I don't have the telephone number for the Thai passport agency. Perhaps someone else can provide that for you, but I do know that all he needs is his national ID card, passport photos, and some easy-to-get documents from home. The fee is nominal. I believe the only place he can get a passport is in Bangkok. Again, someone else will have to tell you where. The passport office used to be in the Asia Center building, easy to spot when entering Bangkok from the expressway, but it has since moved and I'm not sure where. Countries like Malaysia, Vietnam, and Cambodia are no problem at all. The boy will need an exit permit to leave Thailand and that is simple to obtain as well. There is a small fee for that permit, I think. Your boyfriend probably knows all of this already anyway, or can very easily find out.

That's not always the case, but when you do manage to find a good, helpful mama-san, I think it is a good idea to make sure she is well tipped. That would involve a second stop at that bar because you won't know how good the mama-san's advice was until after you have "offed" the boy. I think it is worth the effort and money to see that a good mama-san is tipped. That way you will be remembered, the mama-san will be even more helpful, and will be encouraged to be helpful to others. It's the pushy, rude mama-sans that I can do without, but the truly helpful ones are worth their weight in gold.

I have never understood why some people are under the impression that the numbers of messages and the numbers of members are the determining factors of what makes a good message board. Yes, some boards certainly do have numbers of posts far higher than this board has. I usually read those whenever I am in need of inanities, which constitute many of the posts that account for those numbers.

The following appears in the BANGKOK POST: _____ Schoolgirls 'Selling Sex for Easy Money' WASSAYOS NGAMKHAM Young schoolgirls have been selling sex during school term breaks to earn pocket money to play online games and buy luxury items, investigators have found. The Crimes against Children, Juvenile and Women Suppression Division (CCSD) recently said that sex services were offered by girls as young as 12 during the school holiday last month. It claimed scores of young schoolgirls, including those in lower high school and commercial colleges, took up prostitution for the easy money, so they could buy mobile phones, clothes and accessories and play online games. Pol Maj Uthen Nuipin, an inspector from the CCSD sub-division 1, said some girls in Bangkok had left home over the school break last month to stay with friends and offered sex for money, with motorcycle taxi drivers acting as go-betweens. He said some parents thought their daughters had gone missing, prompting police to search for them. The officers discovered the girls were selling themselves and making between 1,500 and 3,000 baht each. Pol Maj Uthen said he interviewed a 12-year-old girl who had sex with her boyfriend and thought she could now pocket some cash from sleeping with men for money. He insisted that those who paid for such sexual services would face three to 15 years in jail or be fined 6,000 to 30,000 baht, or both, no matter if the minor was willing or not. A 13-year-old schoolgirl in Mathayom 2 said she bought the newest models of mobile phones with the money she was paid for sex. She was arrested on Nov 1, together with her customer, in Prawet district. Pol Maj Uthen said his agency would speed up joint cooperation with relevant agencies to draw up a long-term solution to the problem before the next school summer break

I don't know, but maybe that sign was actually a clever thing. I was seriously considering shelling out 1400 baht just to find out and experience whatever "Fumigate the Infrared," "Rapidly", and "Highlight the Flower" were. I don't know if I would have paid 5000 baht to "Peel the New Face," but with a face like mine, 5000 baht for a new one might not have been such a bad idea.

On the opposite end, I always get a good laugh with the fractured written English used by the Thais. There are so many native English speakers available to proofread for them, but few places ever seem to have anyone do that (unless they've been asking Dan Quayle to proofread) and even fewer ever make corrections when mistakes are pointed out. To me, the all time winner of the Fractured English award has got to be the sign that used to be outside of the Perfect Beauty Salon, near Center Condo. That barber shop is gone now, but the sign lives on forever. Here it is: [attachmentid=71]

Those are too numerous to list and I don't know them all. It isn't limited just to Pattaya either. I had it happen to me in Phuket. It seems to be primarily beach resort hotels that have a restaurant. The best suggestion I can make is to ask at the time you are making reservations. If you already have reservations, then I would still check and find out. If the hotel does have the mandatory buffet, I would also ask the price of it. If I don't want to participate, then I would try to make reservations elsewhere first, and then cancel my original reservations.

What do if your flight arrives when it's raining? Also, what do they do to get people from the terminal building out to the plane for departing flights? In my opinion, one of the most impressive and well designed airports in the world is Singapore's Changi International Airport. It's too bad Suvarnabhumi did not use the same people to design the airport. Based on everything I'm seeing on this thread, and I have not been to Suvarnabhumi yet, it sounds very poorly designed. I would have thought that a brand new airport, literally forty years in the making, an airport hoped to be the new major Asian hub, would have been designed so that it would be a pleasure to use. Instead it seems like it ended up being yet another semi disaster. Even if you don't mind the long walks, when I see people writing that there are not enough bathrooms, no convenient restaurants, not enough gates so that people still end up on a bus at a parking tarmac, and the bus takes you to areas inconvenient for connecting flights, etc, etc, etc, then I'm not exactly impressed with the design. It's hard to believe that competent, modern airport architects and designers would have failed to anticipate these problems, but there it is and we're all stuck with it. One thing is for sure . . . from now on, whenever I take a flight that originates in Thailand, I'm going to check to see if there's a way to get where I'm trying to go by departing from U-Tapao.

I don't agree with you. I think the Pinnacle is an excellent location and it is highly popular hotel for gays. I like Jimmy very much and have always been well satisfied with his service. I have never been asked to pay a joiner fee at the Pinnacle. There is nothing wrong with Tarntawan Place, but you are making unfair comments about Jimmy and calling people "cheap Charlies" because they want to stay at the Pinnacle. That's your opinion, to which you're entitled, but it sure isn't fact. Just because you don't like the Pinnacle doesn't make those comments true. I also don't think anyone is a "fool" for staying at an excellent hotel, only a few minutes away from where your preference is, and paying 1000 baht less a night for it.

Give me a call about that. There's a pool table company very close to where I live. I'll bet you can get service from them or at least they ought to be able to put you in touch with someone who can service it.

The answer is yes to both. The bars will definitely be busy and although most Thais do not celebrate the religious aspects of Christmas, a great many do celebrate the fun parts. Be careful of which hotel you choose. Many hotels charge a manditory fee for a Christmas buffet and also a New Year's Eve buffet regardless of whether you want to eat there or not. They don't let you out of it and sometimes those buffets are quite expensive. I will say, however, the one's I've been to have always been well worth it, although I also resent having to pay for something about which I was never told in advance.

If the visa does not specify the number of entries, then you will need to check with the immigration office. They are the ones who can tell you. I don't know if you need a re-entry permit for a multiple entry visa, but again I would check with the immigration police to find out. If you do need the re-enty permit, it's 1900 baht.

No need to book a full fare. In Bangkok I suggest staying at the Pinnacle. The Pinnacle is a ten minute, 35 baht taxi ride from the gay venues in the Silom-Suriwong-Patpong area. Call Jimmy by telephone to book. Don't use E-mail. You'll be back from your holiday before he gets around to answering his E-mail. It's worth the call. Booking through Jimmy will save you between 800 to 900 baht per night. Jimmy is Thai and he speaks English. His office is located in the Pinnacle. The telephone number in Thailand is 081-859-6585. If you wish to have a copy of the Pinnacle's business card, send me an E-mail at gaybutton@gmail.com. I'll be happy to attach a copy of the business card and send it to you. The card has taxi directions written in Thai so that you'll have no problem getting there from the airport. I suggest Pattaya over Phuket for your first trip. From the Pinnacle it's a short taxi ride to the Ekamai bus station. From there it costs only about 100 baht for a bus to Pattaya. The ride will take about two hours. Once you reach the bus terminal in Pattaya there will be plenty of baht buses to get you to your hotel. You'll be charged about 150 baht for the baht bus ride to your hotel. You can also hire a taxi to take you to Pattaya. That will run about 1400 baht or so. The Pinnacle can arrange that for you. In Pattaya I suggest staying at either The Ambiance or Le Caf

Well, of course he will. Didn't uou know that? 3 times. Good job keeping score. Maybe I'll go for four. Well, what can I say? Nobody seems to agree with me on this one, so that's that. But I still think . . . .oh, never mind. I really have no idea what he will be serving.

You're entitled to your opinion just as I'm entitled to mine. I have no plans regarding that night at all. The idea that I'm having a "little tantrum" is your interpretation. I still think it's a mistake to plan this event only two days following Thanksgiving. That's my opinion.

The following appears in the SAN FRANCISCO CHRONICLE: _____ SAN FRANCISCO Officer in Child Sex Arrest Reportedly Kills Self 25-Year Veteran was Being Held in Cambodian Jail - Staff and Wire Report Tuesday, October 31, 2006 A San Francisco police officer who had been arrested for alleged sexual abuse and "debauchery'' in Cambodia related to a 14-year-old girl there has apparently committed suicide in his jail cell, authorities said Monday. Officer Donald Rene Ramirez, 50, a 25-year veteran, "committed suicide by firing two bullets into his mouth," said Keo Thea, chief of antihuman trafficking police in Phnom Penh. Ramirez was arrested Thursday in Phnom Penh by Cambodian authorities, officials said. He was assigned to the police traffic detail and was on vacation at the time, authorities said. San Francisco police officials had no comment on the matter. Ramirez could have faced federal charges in the United States under the sex tourism law, which makes it a crime to arrange a meeting in another country with a minor for the purpose of a sexual encounter. Virginia Kice, spokeswoman for U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, had told The Chronicle before Ramirez's death that her agency was "working with the ICE office in Bangkok to determine what, if any, further enforcement action is necessary.'' Ngeth Sarath, a prosecutor in Phnom Penh, said Ramirez was charged Sunday with debauchery for allegedly having sex with a 14-year-old ethnic Vietnamese girl. Following the reports of Ramirez's death, reporters in Phnom Penh were not allowed into the police station to verify the official account, and it was unclear exactly how Ramirez shot himself, including how he would have fired twice. The death is under investigation by both Cambodian and U.S. officials. Keo Thea told reporters in Cambodia that Ramirez killed himself after a police guard left to use the bathroom. Ramirez allegedly used a broom to pull a gun from under a woven mat to his cell. Police arrested Ramirez at his rented apartment Thursday, said Keo Thea. Ramirez was seen bringing the girl into his apartment, Sarath said. He said Ramirez had denied doing anything wrong. "He is a policeman, so it is not easy for us to get him to talk," Sarath said earlier. He said police had also arrested the girl's mother on charges of providing the girl to Ramirez. Under Cambodian law, debauchery is a term for sexual offenses against minors. The offense can be punishable by 10 to 20 years in prison. Chronicle staff writer Jaxon Van Derbeken contributed to this report.

The following appears in the BANGKOK POST: _____ Transsexual to Fight Mental Disorder' Statement ANUCHA CHAROENPO A transsexual man is preparing to file a lawsuit with the Administrative Court against the army's statement in a conscription certificate (Sor Dor 43) which exempted him from service for having a ''mental disorder''. Samart Meecharoen, a 22-year-old student of Ban Somdej Chao Phraya Rajabhat University, said the document, issued two years ago, deprived him of career opportunities as a private firm turned down his application for a part-time job, citing it as the reason. His petition to the court, supported by the National Human Rights Commission, the Lawyers Council of Thailand, the Rainbow Sky Association of Thailand and the Saphan Group representing same-sex lovers, will be submitted to the court on Nov 10. If the court accepts the case for consideration, it will be the first of its kind in the country. ''I cannot accept it (the mental disorder statement) because I don't have a mental problem. In fact, I'm a normal guy who feels like a woman,'' said Mr Samart, who called himself Nong Namwan. He underwent the military conscription process two years ago in his hometown of Lop Buri province. He has long hair and has worn women's clothes for a long time. He has had a breast operation but has yet to change his sex organ. He said unless the document is changed properly, he would have no chance of working after finishing his studies at university in the next two years. ''I am the breadwinner of the family. If I have no job, I don't know how to earn money to feed my ageing parents,'' he said. The army earlier this year recognised the problem and agreed to remove the term ''mental disorder'' from the document for new conscripts, as urged by rights advocacy groups. However, it has yet to find ways to change the old documents. Naiyana Supaphung, a human rights commissioner, lauded the army for its understanding. ''We are waiting for better changes,'' she said

The following appears in THE NATION: _____ Outrage Sparked by "Wedding of the Year" Video "Wedding of the Year" in Burma took place in July. But it becomes talk of the town after the release of video footage of the wedding of Gen Than Shwe's daughter and a major which showed extravagance. [see the video: http://www.irrawaddy.org/bur/thandar_shwe.html ) Burma's wedding of the year took place in July, but it's again the talk of the town

Nevertheless, it is the truth.

The following appears in THE NATION: _____ Skytrain's Minimum Fare Increases Next Month The minimum fare on the Skytrain will rise from Bt10 to Bt15 next month, the operator Bangkok Mass Transit (BTS) announced on Wednesday. However, the maximum fare of Bt40 will remain unchanged. Anat Arbhabirama, advisor to the BTS board, said the rise in the minimum fare would not affect long haul passengers. According to Anat, this is will be the first time the BTS has raised its fare since it began service six years ago. With the rise, the BTS is expected to earn Bt10.6 million a month from fares compared to the current average of Bt9.5 million. "The fare hike is necessary in the face of rising electricity, petrol and operational costs," Anat said. On the extension route of the Skytrain from Taksin Bridge to Thon Buri, Anat said it would depend on the Bangkok Metropolitan Administration (BMA) to decide on how much to charge passengers travelling on the new route that stretches over two stations. "The BMA has paid for this extension route," Anat said. The new route is expected to begin operations in 2008.

You may be right about that. I don't know. I guess the trick is to find a doctor who does accept the idea of patient confidentiality. I do know that if you go to to the average street clinic, one that actually has a real doctor there, they don't ask to see a passport or any other form of ID. If someone is fearful of a confidentiality breach I suppose he could always use a fictitious name and address. To me, that's still better than taking drugs when you don't know what you're doing. Of course, I also think that anyone taking illicit drugs hardly knows what he's doing in the first place. I'm not a drug user and never have been, so I'm as naive as it gets when it comes to illicit drugs and the terminolgy that goes with it. I don't have a clue what "smoking" means unless that refers to marijuana.

I was not aware that they don't. As far as I know, this is the first time this kind of question has even appeared. I have no idea what a qualified doctor will do or whether he will or will not write a prescription for this sort of thing, but I do know that if someone is in need of medical attention then the smart move is to go to a qualified physician rather than some street pharmacy. If the doctor refuses to write a prescription, that's one thing, but you won't know until you try. I wouldn't recommend simply assuming that a doctor won't do anything.

In Bangkok, and Phuket as well, the going rate is 1500 baht for short time, and at least 2000 baht for "long time." Saphan Kwai will be essentially the same as Pattaya. If you take one of the muscle boys "off" from the Tawan bar, they usually want a lot more, so make sure you have come to an agreement, really at any bar, before taking the boy "off." You would probably be better off making sure the boy knows what you want and agrees to it prior to taking him "off." Sometimes people end up spending a lot of money to take a boy "off" and when they are in the privacy of the hotel room, the boy turns out to be a dud. So, make sure the you have come to an agreement for what you want and how much you'll pay before taking the boy "off." If the boy agrees in advance and then still is a dud, then all I would give him is cab fare.

BANGKOK, Nov 1 (TNA) Standard & Poor