Gaybutton

I understood Bob's point right from the start. We either allow posting of other points of view or we should not permit any posting about it at all. I'm sorry, but I don't agree with that. I wish we could provide equal opportunity, but we can't and that's the way it is. I do not agree that those who wish to post what is allowable under the present rules should be prevented from doing so solely because those who wish to post opposing views cannot. Being unable to post anything at all would be, as George Carlin once said, like ignoring a turd in the punchbowl. In my opinion, as long as posting falls within the rules of this message board and also complies with the restrictions set by the coup, then we should not impose further restrictions ourselves.

PapaDavid, you certainly have an interesting way of making friends . . . I'm sure we would love to provide a forum for those who wish to condemn the coup, but Rainwalker is correct. We cannot. I'm sorry, gents, but I, for one, do not wish to wind up in prison because people out there want to condemn the coup or at best, put this board in jeopardy of being blocked. I am certainly not prepared to move from a prime rib at Manhattans to a cup of cold rice and a sip of water every now and then. Now, people out there can tell us all about how if it were they, they would do it differently, but we're the ones who are at risk if we refuse to comply with the present instructions. Nobody running this board has a desire to inhibit people from being able to post their thoughts, but the fact is that Thailand is currently under martial law and we have no choice but to comply with the publicized orders. Whether we like it or not is irrelevant. Everyone can post whatever they wish provided that they remain within the current Thai rules and the posting policies of this board. Those who wish to go 'outside the envelope' are just going to have to live with the fact that they'll have to go elsewhere to do it, at least for the time being. If, and when, we are able to do otherwise, then that's when we will.

BANGKOK, Sept 23 (TNA) Kasikorn Research Centre (KRC) predicts that the baht will hover at 37.30 to 37.70 per dollar next week in view of the coup d'tat. According to KRC, the Thai currency weakened and became volatile in the course of the week following Tuesday night's coup d'tat, though the baht was being traded at an over six year high in the currency market on September 15. The baht plunged to its weakest and most volatile within a single trading day at the New York currency market on Tuesday, to stand at 37.95, its weakest in seven weeks, as news of the coup emerged. The currency recovered towards end of the week, as investor confidence returned because of the absence of bloodshed or violence in the coup. The baht also gained on the back of exporters' currency trade and the strengthening of other regional currencies. For the weekly average, the baht was traded at 37.36 this week compared to 37.26 per dollar in the previous week. KRC projects that next week the baht will be traded from 37.30-37.70 as political developments continue to influence currency values. Other key factors affecting the currency include the announcement of economic data for the second quarter of the US economy. (TNA)-E007

Are you talking about the chief in Pattaya or the chief of the whole country? Where did you hear about this?

Well, at least give the place a chance, for crying out loud, before we start deciding that's all it's going to be. Perhaps it would be a good idea if someone staying at or near Howard's Hotel asks Punya if he has been advertising the sauna among the boys and then letting us know. We know about the sauna, but the big question is whether the boys know about it. Obviously the boys working at Howard's probably know. My guess is that a lot of boys do know about it. That's where his staff will come from, won't it?

The baht seems to be quite strong so far, but it may not remain that way: ______ BANGKOK, Sept 24 (TNA) The Thai economy could slow in the fourth quarter due to this week's abrupt political changes, according to Anusorn Thammajai, advisor to BankThai's Research Office and President of BT Asset Management Co. Mr. Anusorn said the baht is expected to be volatile in the short term in the aftermath of the power seizure staged Council for Democratic Reform under Constitutional Monarchy (CDRM). However, the currency should stabilise further down the road as political tensions ease and the inflow of foreign investment picks up following the latest round of interest rates increase in the US, he said. Mr. Anusorn predicts that the Thai economy will slow in the fourth quarter, as undemocratic changes hamper investment, affecting both tourism and sovereign credit ratings. "The actions taken by the CDRM from now on will have significant bearings on the economy, the leading economist predicted. "If the government is formed quickly, with a cabinet acceptable to all parties, and general election held quickly, investor confidence--both domestic and overseas--will return to benefit of the economy in the long run," he said. In any case, the Thai economy is heading towards a brighter path in 2007, Mr Anusorn believes. This is due to the downward trend of inflation resulting from decreased oil prices and projected an export rise on the back of economic growth in Thailand's trading partners chiefly China and India. Mr. Anusorn also sees domestic consumption and private sector investment on the up by the latter half of next year due to political stability and general election. (TNA)-E007

They can recommend all they want, but I have a feeling they haven't been to the Sabay Bar. Sticky Rice didn't recommend that. The guy who wrote the article recommended it. I too have been approached by Sticky Rice to write articles for them. I think my information is just as valid as theirs. The only reason I turned them down is because I would have to give up my retirement visa to be able to legally write for the magazine. Of course, if you have someone to take with you, so much the better. If you are looking to find someone different in Koh Chang, the Sabay Bar is the place to do it.

The following appears in the BANGKOK POST: _____ Eerie Experience Interrupts Rite Ghostly Encounters at Suvarnabhumi By Amornrat Mahitthirook Airports of Thailand (AoT) organised its largest religious rite at the new Suvarnabhumi airport yesterday to ward off evil spirits, only to experience an encounter with the unexplained. Rumours of occasional ''ghostly sightings'' have gone around since the first foundation brick was laid at the airport many years ago. The AoT is determined to correct the growing perception that the airport is possibly harbouring some ''uninvited inhabitants'' and to put its staff members' minds at ease. Yesterday's rite was presided over by 99 monks who chanted en masse to improve the luck of the new airport, set to open commercially on Thursday. However, halfway through the rite, a man appeared, quivering, and began to speak in a commanding voice claiming to be ''Poo Ming'', a guardian spirit of the land partially developed into the airport. He ordered that a proper spirit house be built at the airport to allow for its smooth operation. The man, who was unidentified, later passed out and woke up to find the spirit had left him. AoT president Chotisak Asapaviriya said the ceremony helped to boost the morale of airport staff, some of whom were unnerved after learning of frequent car crashes on the road running parallel to the airport's eastern runway. Some veiled figures have sometimes been spotted on the 6km-long road. Somchai Sawasdeepon, the airport general manager, said he had heard ghost stories from staff who came across a woman dressed in a Thai-style costume at the airport construction site in the evening. He said the airport land formerly belonged to some local communities encompassing the centuries-old Wat Nhong Prue and its cemetery. It was reported that the bodies had not been exhumed for proper religious cremation. Sqn Ldr Panupong Nualthongyai, head of Suvarnabhumi airport security, was also a witness to some strange, unexplained episodes. ''Whatever you make of it, it is the belief associated with the Thai way of life. For the non-believer, it is best not to act disrespectfully (towards the supernatural),'' he said.

SONGKHLA, Sept 23 (TNA) Police have arrested a total of six persons suspected of staging the bombing attacks in the southern region's commercial center of Hat Yai. Two suspects arrested Saturday are being held for questioning along with four others arrested earlier for possible involvement in six bomb attacks in major downtown commercial and tourist locations on September 16. The four suspects arrested earlier have refused to cooperate in the inquiry. They are being detained at Provincial Police Region 9 headquarters in Yala under the Emergency Decree. Pol. Maj. Gen. Thani Tawitsri, Deputy Commissioner of Provincial Police Region 9, said so far it has not yet been established that the six suspects were definitely involved in the September 16 bombings. Earlier Saturday, Songkhla Deputy Governor Jit Pasompong attended the cremation of Canadian teacher Jesse Lee Daniel, one of the four persons killed in the bomb attacks. The explosions on September 16 killed four people, and injured more than 70 others. Twenty persons are still hospitalized, receiving treatment at three hospitals in Hat Yai. (TNA)-E007

Absolutely! My boyfriend and I were there just two weeks ago. We really enjoy Koh Chang and when we want a weekend getaway, that's where we go. I highly recommend staying at the Mac Resort on White Sands Beach. Their 'superior' room rate is 1600 baht per night at the moment, despite what their web site says. Get somebody Thai to place a call to them and make the reservation for you and you'll get the rate. The rooms are excellent, right on the appropriately named beach, in the best part of Koh Chang. Breakfast is included with the room and it's a very good breakfast buffet. If you meet someone, you can also have a romantic candle light dinner on the beach. Several of the beachfront hotels offer it, including the Mac. When you make the reservation, make sure to ask for a king size bed or you'll probably get stuck with twin beds. Their web site is : http://www.mac-resorthotel.com/en/index.html At White Sands Beach you don't have to worry about ATMs. There are plenty of them. There are several very good restaurants, convenience stores, and just about everything else you'll need. Local transportation is readily available and the hotel desk can help you arrange it. There are also rental cars and motorcycles available. Transportation to and from Koh Chang is easily arranged in Pattaya or Bangkok. The Mac Resort can also arrange it for you. Expect it to take three to four hours to get there from Pattaya. The only access to and from Koh Chang is by ferry boat. If you're lucky, you'll get to the ferry boat just as one is about to leave. The ride takes about 40 minutes. A "don't miss" in Koh Chang is the elephant trek that features "swimming with the elephants." It's a two-hour elephant trek, 900 baht per person (tip the guide 100 baht per person when the trek finishes). You don't have to swim with the elephants if you don't want to, but it's definitely something you'll always remember and perfectly safe. Don't worry that your wallet might end up soaked. Before the swimming part, they stop at a stand where you can leave your belongings. It's perfectly safe to leave your belongings on the stand. Nothing will get stolen. At the end of the trek they even give you a bottle of water and a bowl of fresh fruit at no additional charge. I won't tell you anything more about it. It would spoil the fun. Now, to your question: About half a block down from the Mac Resort, on the same side of the street, very easy walking distance, you'll spot the Sabay Bar. It's actually a disco and that's where all the gays go. There are a number of single local gay boys who frequent the disco and you won't have any trouble hooking up with someone. In all of Koh Chang that's the only gay life we encountered, but it's definitely there and there are definitely good looking single gay Thai boys there. The hotel won't give you any problem about bringing a boy back with you, but, of course, he doesn't get breakfast. I recommend two to three nights in Koh Chang (unless you meet someone who somehow motivates you to want to stay a little longer ).

Thank you. This time I found it. And you are right . . . well worth listening. It really was funny.

Subsequent to the coup, the Tourism Authority of Thailand has released the following statement: __________ Reports received from TAT offices, local and international travel trade associations, travel and tourism-related operators and media over the past two days indicate that the peaceful and bloodless coup d'

As of yesterday normal police presence seems to have returned, although I haven't spotted the usual stopping and fining helmetless mororcyclists just yet.

I wanted to try listening, but you need to provide more information. When I hit the "Listen Again," at least 300 possible listen again choices popped up. Which one is the one to click?

The following appears in the BANGKOK POST: _________ Thaksin Caused Severe Division: Royal Order (bangkokpost.com, dpa) - Thailand's coup leaders on Friday received an official royal endorsement as the country's ruling junta in a ceremony broadcast on Thai television. His Majesty the King Bhumibol Adulyadej, who is head of state, on Wednesday informally endorsed coup leader and the Army's commander-in-chief, General Sonthi Boonyaratklin, as head of the Council of Democratic Reform under Constitutional Monarchy (CDRM). On Friday, Gen Sonthi and members of CDRM received an official endorsement as the country's new rulers in a ceremony performed in front of a portrait of the king. "Gen Sonthi informed HM the King that Thaksin Shinawatra as the prime minister caused severe division within the nation. This is something that has never happened in the country's history," according to the Royal Order as it was read out. Most people believe that the Thaksin administration was plagued with irregularites and corruption. Political intervention on independent bodies was rampant under Thaksin's watch. These interventions have created conflict and division. Many parties have tried but failed to change the situation. Therefore, the armed forces, police and civilian members have decided to seize administrative power under the leadership of General Sonthi Boonyaratglin, the head of the CDRM. For the sake of peace and national unity, HM the King has issued the Royal Order for General Sonthi as the leader of the CDRM. "We urged the public to remain calm and we ask that all government civil servants to support General Sonthi Boonyaratglin," the Royal Order said. The ceremony was broadcast on all Thai TV stations, which are now under the control of the council. Thailand has been under martial law since Tuesday night with troops and tanks stationed in the capital. At a press conference Wednesday, Sonthi said the junta would run the country for two weeks, after which it would hand power over to an appointed civilian administration to pave the way for a general election within a year. Sonthi mobilized troops and tanks Tuesday night in Bangkok in a bloodless coup that quickly toppled the caretaker government of former prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra, who was in New York attending the United Nations General Assembly at the time. The junta dissolved the former cabinet, the Senate and the constitutional court and abolished the constitution. One of the next government's first tasks will be to draft and approve a new constitution that will presumably guard against the return of a populist prime minister who could gain complete control over the political system, as Thaksin did. Initial opinion polls suggested the coup has been popular among Thais although it has sparked criticism from abroad as a step backward for democracy. The majority of Thais polled said they believed the coup would help end Thailand's political impasse, which has dragged on since February when Thaksin dissolved Parliament in the wave of growing opposition to his rule. An election, scheduled for some time in November, was expected to bring back Thaksin's populist Thai Rak Thai Party to power, given its tremendous popularity among Thailand's provincial poor. Although still popular in the provinces, Thaksin faced strong opposition from Bangkok's middle class and members of the political elite, who were unlikely to accept his return to power. _____ Who is Sonthi? The following appears in the BANGKOK POST: _____ Sonthi: The Unusual Coup Leader PROFILE: Bangkok (dpa) - Army Commander-in-Chief Sonthi Boonyaratglin, who was officially sworn in Friday as head of the junta that now rules Thailand, does not fit the common profile of past coup leaders. Thailand has experienced 18 coups in the past 76 years, including the last one staged Tuesday, but past putsches have been led by military or police generals with big mouths and giant egos, descriptions that so far don't stick to Sonthi. "In my dealings with General Sonthi, I've found him to be genuine, to be humble, to be polite and to be professional," said Surin Pitsuwan, a former foreign minister and leading executive of the Democrat Party. Like Surin, Sonthi is a Muslim, another trait that distinguishes this coup leader from his predecessors in predominantly Buddhist Thailand. Sonthi, 59, became Army commander-in-chief last year, partly on the prompting of Prem Tinsulanonda, chairman of the Privy Council, which advises the king, who thought it would be wise to have a Muslim in charge of the Army to cope with the escalating violence in Thailand's troubled, Muslim-majority deep South. He was never deemed a favourite of prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra, whom Sonthi overthrew earlier this week. Some said they believe it was disagreements over how to handle the southern situation that pushed Sonthi to stage the coup. In the aftermath of a spate of bombings of banks last month in Yala, Sonthi proposed opening a dialogue with the Muslim militants blamed for the violence, which has claimed up to 1,700 lives in the past two and half years. Militant groups in the deep South - made up of Narathiwat, Pattanai and Yala provinces - have for decades been waging a separatist struggle for the region, which was an independent Islamic sultanate more than 200 years ago. Thaksin, whose heavy-handed tactics in the South have been blamed for inflating the situation, turned Sonthi's suggestion down. Other sparks might have been Thaksin putting the blame on the military for an alleged assassination attempt on him on August 24; his efforts to handpick allies to be promoted to powerful posts in the military's annual reshuffle, which is to be finalized by September 30; or rumours that the now-former premier was planning to mobilize thousands of armed forest rangers to come to Bangkok to crack down on an anti-government protest on Wednesday without Sonthi's OK. Whatever his reasons for staging the coup, since seizing power, Sonthi has gone out of his way to make clear that his junta would not be in power for long, maybe two weeks at most, and would pave the way for a new general election as soon as possible. Both the international community and the Thai people will be waiting to see in the next few weeks whether Sonthi is as good as his word. "My advice to him is make the junta as short and as painless as possible, and don't take the international community lightly," Surin said. "It is the weak link in Thailand's chain of legitimacy, and Thaksin will try to exploit it." Thaksin, who counts world leaders, including US President George W Bush as friends, was in New York when the coup occurred and is currently in London, taking what he called a "well-deserved break" from politics.

BANGKOK, Sept 22 (TNA) Most Thai people believe the political situation in the kingdom will be steady and the national economy will recover soon after the Tuesday coup, according to a new opinion poll. Conducted by the Research Centre of Assumption University, the "ABAC Poll" from September 20-22 interviewed 4,250 respondents in 16 provinces nationwide finding that 82.7 per cent of the respondents thought that after the Tuesday coup staged by the Council for Democratic Reform under Constitutional Monarchy (CDRM) -- the name the military council has given itself -- that Thai politics will remain calm, while 66.5 per cent anticipated national economic recovery. When asked how concerned they were about the nation's current affairs, over one in three persons -- 36.8 per cent -- conceded that they were still worried, but the proportion was lower than that previously discovered in the survey conducted before the coup. Prior to the military intervention, almost two-thirds of the respondents--62.5 per cent--expressed concern about the national situation. According to the new survey, the proportion of those who developed stress over the Thai politics stood at 26.6 per cent, compared to 36.1 per cent in the last poll conducted before the coup. Asked what they wanted the military council to do, a resounding majority of those responding--over 90 per cent--wished the coup architects to quickly resolve over ten problems the country is facing now, including the southern unrest, the public's suffering from national disasters. They also wanted to the CDRM to restore unity of the Thai people, clean up Thai politics, and make the upcoming new constitution more accessible to the public. Besides, a resounding 87.8 per cent of the respondents wanted the People's Alliance for Democracy (PAD), the core body launching campaigns against former prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra, to end its gatherings. Meanwhile, three-fourths of the respondents--74.5 per cent--said that the former Cabinet members should be prosecuted if found guilty, as accused, of corruption and abusing of power. (TNA)

Whether or not meeting participants are safe, I've said it before and I'll say it again . . . I think Thailand is missing a golden opportunity to bring in the one man who can truly save Thailand, and probably the rest of the world. And here he is:

I'm sure you are right. I also can't picture arrests being made because of a Thais For Life meeting, but I would prefer to see something that fully clarifies it, coming from the new regime, that goes beyond what makes sense to us. I would not have any fear of attending apolitical meetings, but I still would like to see something from Thai authorities that says, in effect, yes, such meetings are allowable and are not banned. We say that such meetings are just fine and that it would be absurd to even entertain the notion that anyone would be arrested for attending such meetings, but I want to hear the same thing from Thai authorities.

That is quite an article, TeePee, and you know something? I believe every word of it. I've been convinced right from the start that the coup leaders are men of honor who acted because they thought it was right, not because they were power hungry. I also believe they are going to do exactly what they have been saying they are going to do. In my opinion, the only ones who have been power and greed hungry have been Thaksin and his cronies. Look what has been taking place: The suppression of the press. The violence in the south and the violent measures Thaksin took to put a stop to it. Worked great, didn't it? The tax free sale of his Shin Corporation. Literally buying votes from poverty stricken, uneducated people. The lawsuits against politicians who opposed him. The puritanical restrictions on entertainment venues, resulting in dramatic losses for the tourism industry. The list goes on and on. I believe if he could eventually have established a dictatorship, that's precisely what he would have done.

Ha! Are you familiar with the term "fat chance"? I've got a different idea. How about having Thaksin come back and take us? He can afford it. Me? I'm lucky when I can afford a som-tom from a street vendor . . . Common sense. In Thailand? Yes, I think a novel approach just might work, at that

I'm not seeing it that way, Tdperhs. Here's what I saw in the article: __________ "Meetings of political parties and conducting any other political activities are banned," said the statement read on national television. It also bans gatherings by five or more people and introduces restrictions on the media. __________ The word "also," to me, means that "gatherings" do not necessarily mean the same thing as limited to political reasons. That's the part that I'm concerned about. The article simply states that "gatherings" by five or more people are banned. What, exactly, does that mean? I don't see anything that says gatherings are ok as long as they are not for political reasons. The way I'm seeing it, gatherings are prohibited, period. It has not been sufficiently clarified to suit me. I'm not even sure if a non-political meeting would be considered a banned gathering. So, back to my primary question. How do we find out?

Here's something else I don't get. The coup has suspended Thailand's constitution. That, I suppose, is to be expected during a military coup, but why create a new one? What's wrong with the current constitution? I've seen many articles saying a new constitution will be drawn up, but I haven't seen any articles that explain why. Why not simply lift the suspension and go right back to the current constitution? I don't get it.

That's what I'm talking about, Bob. My concern is whether what we think and what is actually the case is really the same thing. Don't forget, we're talking about Thailand. They haven't banned "Thai logic," and perhaps this ban does apply to organized meetings. I think you're correct too, but how do we know for sure? Suppose you're not correct? How do we find out?

Welcome to Pattaya.

The coup leaders have banned gatherings, which I presume means meetings and demonstrations, of five or more people for the time being. What does that mean for "farang?" I'm not writing this in jest. I really don't know whether that means meetings such as Thais For Life, Ex-Pat Club, PGF, etc. are now banned. Am I misinterpreting the meaning of the ban? Does this ban include such types of 'gatherings?' I don't even know yet how to find out.