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From Pattaya Mail By Barry Kenyon The traditional gay scene in Thai tourist cities has centered on westerners. But that scenario could be changing with marriage equality becoming legal early next year. Bangkok’s Rainbow Alliance points out there are three billion people living less than five hours flying time from Bangkok. They reside in countries where homosexuality is either frowned on or actually illegal. So the trickledown benefits to Thailand’s economy could be awesome. Thailand is the first country in south east Asia to legalize same sex nuptials. According to the digital travel platform Agoda, 4 million extra visitors could boost revenue by US$2 billion and lift the country’s gross national product by 0.3 percent. Thailand’s friendly gay image is a key plank of the international marketing plan to entice any and all interest groups as long as they’re not actually a threat to national security. The advent of the 60 days visa-free entry and of the five-years validity Destination Thailand Visa are just two examples of the strategy in action. As usual in Asian economic affairs, China leads the way. Owen Zhu, a Bangkok-based realtor, said that the purchase of Thai condominiums by Chinese gays was now mainstream as some look to establish second homes in Thailand with their partners, or anticipate longterm capital appreciation. What appeals to gay Chinese is “a place where you are accepted”. One pointed out in the South China Morning Post that you would never find a transexual receptionist at a business in China, a common phenomenon in Thailand. Chinese nationals buy 40 percent of all foreign property purchases in Thailand. Indian tourist numbers to Thailand have rocketed since the abolition of visa restrictions on entry although gayness is still a matter most prefer to keep private. There is heavy investment in the Thai hospitality industry, often via proxies in Dubai, but not directly in gay-orientated businesses. However, this could well change during the next few years. A spokesperson for Pattaya’s Walking Street Collective said, “There are lots of Indians already enjoying themselves in dance clubs, so it’s just a matter of time before the gay scene opens up.” There are other clues. According to Bangkok Pride, there are many Asians trying to register for their gay wedding in Thailand from January 2025, South Koreans and Singaporeans in particular. A Pacific-based gay tour operator, Thai Freedoms, is advertising Thai vacations in Malaysia and Indonesia where homophobia still rules the roost. A previous report by Agoda claimed that Thailand is the most popular destination for Japanese gay vacationers. Meanwhile, Thailand’s Boy Love website and mini-series dramas are popular throughout the region, clearly indicating how soft power or influences can stimulate the economy. This is not to say that western gay tourists are a relic of the past. The commercial gay scene is still mostly geared to them, although online dating apps less so. But the number of European and American visitors, as well as expats, appear to be declining, even though the return of the Trump administration in USA could witness more voluntary exiles including a fair proportion of gays seeking warmer climes. International Thai tourism has already experienced many shakeups as it has diversified its appeal beyond traditional western fun seekers. As Thailand’s business orientation continues to evolve, gay tourism can be expected to follow suit.

Had the pleasure of meeting TMax a few days ago at Foodland. It was interesting to compare notes on current and former massage venues around town with someone who made his first trip here four years before I did and still has excellent recall. Although he’s here for a short trip this time, I was impressed that he has been enjoying relaxing excursions on the river commuter boats and extended walks around the Silom area that I, too, like. These are some of the activities that can nicely fill out a day in my favorite town. Hope we can get together again when he plans to return next year.

I think you should forget all about owning a bar in Patttaya. With your people skills, and now your acknowledged availability—for a price, of course—it’s high time to began a new career as a guide for Siam Roads. Not everyone is looking for a buffed, cheery twink to take them around Sin City.

From VN Express Fake Vietnam Airlines websites are taking advantage of gullible customers to “sell” them flight tickets online, especially with the holiday season approaching, authorities have warned. Many websites similar to that of state-owned Vietnam Airlines are defrauding customers, the Ministry of Information and Communications’ Authority of Information Security said in a recent release. Fraudsters use address names such as "vietnamairslines" (with an extra "s") and vietnamaairlines (with an extra "a") to fool customers, and their websites look similar to the carrier’s. Customers are informed their chosen flights are full, but they can contact the seller on a phone number for more information. The fraudsters then ask the customer to make immediate payment to secure the last tickets available. Some receive a booking code on a legitimate Vietnam Airlines flight but it will soon be canceled automatically since the fare was not paid. The authority said: "All transactions are carried out online. After receiving the money, the fraudsters will cease all communication with the victims." It added that some customers have reported being fooled by "winning promotion tickets" messages which include a link. The fraudsters in this case steal the victims’ personal data or credit card information.

Phoenix today posted current roster for new location. Management appears to have backed away from “all-in, one price” promotion of 1600 baht in favor of conventional house fee plus masseur tip policy.

From Pattaya Mail A Mexican national was apprehended following a hit-and-run incident that critically injured a 22-year-old street cleaner on South Pattaya Road, November 18. The victim, Ms. Suchada Pilasuk, 22, an employee contracted by a cleaning company, was struck by a speeding white Toyota Fortuner while sweeping debris near a gas station. The impact sent her body flying onto the road, leaving her severely injured and bleeding. Rescue workers provided first aid before rushing her to a nearby hospital. The driver, identified later as 34-year-old Mr. Choo Caballero, fled the scene. However, a good Samaritan, Wattanakorn Waenkaen, pursued the vehicle on his motorbike, coordinating with others to block its escape. Police detained the driver and transported him to the Pattaya City Police Station amid concerns about a potential mob reaction. Witnesses, including the victim’s boyfriend, Apichai Prakobsaeng, reported that the Fortuner was traveling at high speed when it hit Ms. Suchada. The driver did not stop to assist and instead attempted to escape. Police conducted a breathalyzer test on Mr. Caballero, which revealed a blood alcohol level of 77 mg%, exceeding legal limits. Investigators are reviewing CCTV footage as part of the ongoing legal process to hold the suspect accountable. The incident has sparked public outcry over the brazenness of the act and the need for stricter enforcement of traffic laws.

Lesson learned: mere presence of water sprinkler device in your room is no guarantee that it will function as intended. This is all too common defect in older buildings where maintenance is lax. That’s why I travel with small battery-operated smoke detector.

Freshboy #25 can sing really well as can certain gorgeous waiter from Hot Male beer bar.

The small red dot on Inthamara 25 (lower right) represents location of Phoenix Massage.

Never heard Floridarob sing. Rant, sure, but never sing. 😄

Have done so and found everything (room, masseur, facilities) satisfactory in all respects. The showers in the eight oil massage rooms can easily accommodate three, although two is enough for me 🙂. In my experience, I’ve found the shops on Soi 6 satisfactory although I have not sampled any of the all-Thai 9-Teen shops. Others, however, have and you can find their reports scattered about in individual TR’s.

The old shop on Inthamara 25 off Suthisan Winitchai Rd. Is again the new shop’s location. Inthamara 25 is situated roughly opposite KK Massage, about a 22-25 minute walk from Saphan Kwai BTS. Shop is on left side of Soi a short distance from intersection.

They sing for their supper at Nature Boy, too.

From Pattaya News An intoxicated British tourist was assaulted and left injured on Third Road in South Pattaya early this morning. At 3:06 AM on November 19th, Pattaya police received a report of a tourist being assaulted and injured on Third Road in South Pattaya. Upon receiving the report, officers coordinated with rescue volunteers from the Sawang Boriboon Thammasathan Foundation and rushed to the scene, along with reporters from The Pattaya News. At the scene, officers found an unidentified British tourist aged around 55 to 65 years old with a broken nose, bruises around his left eye socket, and multiple abrasions on his body. He was visibly intoxicated. Rescue workers provided first aid before urgently transporting him to a local hospital.A 41-year-old good Samaritan, Mr. Rattapon Rodson, told The Pattaya News that he saw a Thai man dragging the injured tourist out of a white pickup truck, which was suspected to be a mobile app taxi. However, he did not know if the tourist was assaulted by the unknown driver. Due to his intoxicated state, the tourist was unable to provide any details other than his nationality to the police at the time of the incident. Relevant authorities are reviewing CCTV footage to locate the driver and determine the cause of the incident.

From CNN CNN — Warning: This report contains graphic descriptions of sexual violence. It was the early hours of the morning when a guard entered Sohrab’s cell – a small, dark room with a barred window and a blanket on the floor – in Kabul’s sprawling Pul-e-Charkhi prison last August. The 19-year-old was escorted to another room in the complex, where he heard a Taliban member order the prison guards to leave and stop anyone else from entering. Panic set in, for Sohrab knew what these words often preceded. He had experienced physical violence at the hands of the Taliban before. “He grabbed me from behind, tore my clothes apart and raped me,” Sohrab – whose name has been changed for security reasons – told CNN in October. “For several days after that I had severe pain and bleeding.” Sohrab was being detained at Pul-e-Charkhi on the charge of sodomy, after family members found out about his and his boyfriend’s clandestine romance last year, he said. News of their relationship had spread through their tight-knit community, leading to his arrest and forced confession. monitors have told CNN that since 2021, when the Taliban regained power in Afghanistan, LGBTQ citizens have faced widespread sexual and physical violence in detention amid a systematic clampdown on minority groups. CNN has spoken to five LGBTQ Afghans who say they experienced physical abuse during time in detention, including – for some – repeated rape, electrocution, strangulation and flogging with metal chains. Transgender and gender non-conforming people are being “consistently” targeted at Taliban checkpoints due to their choice of clothing, human rights groups said. In response to CNN’s findings, a spokesperson for the Taliban’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs said that “acts such as sodomy, bestiality and other perversions that contravene Islamic law are illegal and perpetrators dealt with within the legal framework.” They added: “These allegations are fabrications as the alleged claims of torture, rape, persecution and mistreatment are themselves explicit violations of the legal framework.” CNN was able to locate the former detainees through two human rights charities: Roshaniya, a nonprofit organization working to relocate persecuted LGBTQ Afghans to safe countries, and Afghan LGBT Organization, a Czech Republic-based advocacy group established in 2021 to monitor human rights abuses in Afghanistan. A week after the first assault, his wounds still raw, Sohrab said he was raped again – and then a further four times by the same Taliban member. “My whole body was praying for my death,” Sohrab said. “Every time, he would threaten me that if I dared to tell anyone about the rape, he would kill me with his own hands.” Sohrab managed to leave Afghanistan, but lives in constant fear of further persecution, for the country he fled to also criminalizes homosexuality. Continues at https://edition.cnn.com/2024/11/19/asia/afghanistan-taliban-lgbtq-detention-intl/index.html

Monday evening took walk after getting massage and thought I’d share some photos that caught my attention. Keithambrose recently commented on how dark the massage shops on Soi 6 appeared to him. Well, he’ll be please to know that’s not the case with new Chillax shop illuminated Vegas style. I believe it was Floridarob and a-447 who introduced us to this place about a month ago. Mr. O’s is a bar that offers food, drink and intimate companionship on Soi Anuman Rajdhon (off Soi Tarntawan at Mango Tree restaurant). Although it wasn’t open at 8:20 when I passed by, it remains on my radar. It’s only steps from the long-standing Super A bar, massage parlor and other things. Further down on opposite side you’ll come to home of two old standards: Nature Boy and Golden Cock now under one roof. There are still a handful of members who have a soft spot (not in the biblical sense) for this bar that continues to carry on its lusty traditions.

From The Thaiger A brawl erupted between a Thai transwoman and a foreign man at a hotel in Phuket after the foreigner refused to pay upon discovering her gender. A source, who wishes to remain anonymous, reported the altercation between the Thai transwoman and the foreign man to the local news Facebook page, Phuket Times, on November 18. The page shared a post. The Facebook page provided more details in the comments section. According to the news source, the foreign man asked the transwoman to leave the hotel, stating that he did not know she was not a woman. During the argument, they threw items at each other in the hotel room, causing chaos in the hotel. The incident reportedly took place in the Patong area of Phuket. In a related story reported in February, a Thai transwoman attacked three foreign men with a knife at a hotel in Phuket after the men called her and two other transwomen to the hotel but paid only one of them. The transwoman claimed that the men had attacked her first, so she acted in self-defence.

We recently comments by members about toxic alcoholic drinks routinely served in Cambodia bars. This article as a reminder that bordering Laos shares same problem. From the Thaiger Two Melbourne teenagers are fighting for their lives in Thailand after allegedly downing poisoned vodka shots, raising alarm among travellers in the region. The pair, both 19 years old and fresh from university holidays, were rushed to hospital from the Laotian capital, Vientiane, with police suspecting their drinks had been laced with lethal methanol. Those dreams of carefree travels have quickly turned into a nightmare for the best friends, believed to be Beaumaris Secondary College graduates, as they face a precarious battle for survival. They’re now receiving critical care in hospitals in Udon Thani and Bangkok. One father has rushed to stand vigil at his daughter’s bedside. The crisis doesn’t end there: two people are feared dead in the local area, and ten more are critically ill following methanol poisoning. Chaos reigns as another traveller, struck down by the toxic wave, reported six individuals were admitted to her hospital in Vientiane, all with methanol poisoning from Vang Vieng, a hot spot for adventurous tourists. Her group suffered the fallout firsthand after accepting free shots, the disastrous outcome left six of them hospitalised. A staff member at Nana Backpacker Hostel in Vang Vieng recalls the group of Aussie teens staying the previous week. The girls ventured out for a lively night only to be found seriously unwell the next morning, requiring immediate hospitalisation. “I am so sad. They were very friendly.” Melbourne radio station 3AW Drive host Jacqui Felgate spoke to the father of one of the girls who said his daughter was in “grave” condition. The radio host added a sombre touch to the story. “I think it’s one of those stories where if you have teenage kids, you go home and hug them a little tighter.” Methanol, typically an industrial solvent, can be catastrophic if consumed, with just 25-90ml proving potentially fatal. In countries with high alcohol taxes, it’s often illicitly mixed into drinks as a cheap ethanol substitute, warns the Methanol Institute. Travel insurance agency Cover-More urges caution: “Methanol is highly toxic and can lead to blindness, coma, and death.” They advise sticking to alcohol from reputable venues and avoiding dubious bucket cocktails and cheap mixes. Methanol, typically an industrial solvent, can be catastrophic if consumed, with just 25-90ml proving potentially fatal. In countries with high alcohol taxes, it’s often illicitly mixed into drinks as a cheap ethanol substitute, warns the Methanol Institute. Travel insurance agency Cover-More urges caution: “Methanol is highly toxic and can lead to blindness, coma, and death.” They advise sticking to alcohol from reputable venues and avoiding dubious bucket cocktails and cheap mixes. https://thethaiger.com/news/national/melbourne-teenagers-fight-for-life-in-thailand-after-toxic-vodka-shots

Great way to generate business.

This isn’t my first rodeo and have never heard a massage account even remotely approaching this. You’d like to think these guys are more attuned to sexual health issues but obviously wasn’t the case here. Reckless was indeed the optimal definition. And somehow I’m inclined to believe this pony express substitution was prearranged.

Your artificial creations are good quality, Moses, but afraid I’ve become spoiled by real thing. 🙂

Have posted two reports already.

Well as much as I’ve enjoyed our little chat, I’m going to get a massage. I have no idea what you’ll do.

These signs have just been posted along Walking Street. Only fair that you get full credit for breaking story first.

So you heard same rumor?