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Good point. When using computers or other devices that are property of employer, anything you write, any place you wander on the net can legally be accessed by the system administrator. Their is no assurance of any privacy whatsoever. I don't want to take this thread any more off topic than I have but this extract from an article on the topic sums it up pretty well I thought. (BYOD = bring your own device). The lines continue to blur between personal and business use of technology, and the rise of BYOD probably bears much of the blame. This has occurred despite the fact that many organizations do define those lines in “acceptable use” policies that govern use of corporate IT assets, including on-premises internet access and employer-issued laptops, tablets, and smartphones. Whether at work or school, many of us have agreed to such acceptable use and/or security policies — and soon forgotten or outright disregarded them. In fact, many people are comfortable treating employer-issued devices as their own — even if it means exposing sensitive information, increasing their vulnerability to phishing, or flaunting their organization’s security policy. https://www.proofpoint.com/us/security-awareness/post/employees-take-risks-when-using-corporate-devices-personal-tasks

There's nothing to prevent an individual from sharing their password to various types of accounts in advance of their death. Whether that password can be legally used post death is subject to "terms of use" and any applicable law. In the US there are legal services that offer to facilitate the process for estate planning purposes. This opens up the discussion as to what accounts an individual may NOT wish to be accessed after their death. Do you really want anyone to have access to your email, blogs (i.e., this one, Grindr, etc.), LINE, phone records, texts, Instagram, FB, Twitter). In many cases, I'd suspect the answer is no. So we all have some thinking to do. We may have very good reasons for providing our executor and/or attorney with financial account information. On the other hand, we may wish to direct the same individual to destroy any record of other on-line accounts (and passwords) upon our death. We may well wish to discuss our wishes now with that person (executor) who will be going through our things after we pass.

In my state alone, the state treasurer holds more than $2 billion in money and valuables that's unclaimed by its legal owners. Four years ago, while browsing the treasurer's website with names of individuals, I discovered that my late father (who had died 21 years earlier) had unclaimed funds. After providing all the required documentation I was sent a check for the balance. It came to $12.58. Why? because the bank that been holding it for the maximum time allowed had been charging annual account maintenance fees that whittled away the principal on deposit. How did this happen? My father left no record of the account that even he himself may have forgotten about in his retirement. This prompted me to keep my executor (trust attorney) provided with a current list of all my accounts and investments. He didn't want the passwords, just the information he needed to settle my estate without probate. (In most US states, your trust must be named as the beneficiary of accounts in order to avoid probating the trust).

Alan Alda will always be Hawkeye

From the Thaiger Last night, Samui Cruise hosted a launch party in Koh Samui after its test run for a new cruise ferry route between Koh Samui and Pattaya. The service is expected to launch later in the month though exact departure dates have not been set. The boat journey takes 0ver 12 hours in each direction and is planned to depart at 5pm from Pattaya and Samui, arriving at the destination port by 8am. The number of journeys each week has not yet been announced. The operators of the boat told The Thaiger that they look forward to launching the regular service aboard their Seahorse Ferry boat. “SPcruise will be ready to service our cruise from Pattaya to Koh Samui roundtrip by late September 2022, all information will be launched via www.SPcruise.com in due time.” The boat is more like a cruise ship than a ferry boat, boasting seating options ranging from an entry level reclining seat, to a capsule bed, all the way to first class private quarters that look practically like a hotel room. Prices for the different seats, beds, and room types but it is believed that rooms will be somewhere around the 3,000 baht mark for the overnight journey. The ferry boat also does not skimp on facilities, with a restaurant, spa and massage services, and a variety of nightlife entertainment options. Like a cruise, the boat is fully fitted with a bar, karaoke bar, and a disco. Transporting a car or motorbike is easy as well, as the ship boasts two levels of car parking. The test run departed Pattaya on Friday late afternoon and arrived to fanfare in Koh Samui yesterday, A collection of travel industry professionals were invited to an opening night gala aboard the ferry boat featuring an open bar, impressive food spread and live music to celebrate the launch of the new route.

The posts in this thread and recent others suggests that those individuals we remember most intently were those who engaged us in ways that others did not. Although it may have been great sex that initially sparked the relationship, the guys we write about seem to have a common denominator: they reached us on an emotional level that left us feeling more whole and better about ourselves than our typical offs. Hopefully these pages will help us deal with aftermath of those often tragic deaths, and come to some kind of peace in our hearts

Good thing I got a refundable ticket. 😊

News reports are confirming first-hand accounts I've been getting from some workers in the Silom area of heavier than usual rain this season. Although the flooding isn't said to be as bad as in 2011, the volume of rain could be the most in two decades. Authorities today are predicting up to three more months of above-average rainfall. https://www.thaipbsworld.com/bangkoks-seasonal-floods-reveal-the-problem-of-short-term-thinking/ This certainly isn't changing my travel plans but I am mentally preparing on how it may affect my daytime schedule--and possibly for he better. Although I may have to curtail some plans for outdoor activity I hope to substitute those last-minute changes with increased visits to massage shops. Duck in for a 90-minute rub and a thunderstorm could spend itself by the time I emerge.

Even if something did happen to him back home, how would his family know to notify you? As Kipling wrote in Kim, "If I die today, who shall bring the news--and to whom?"

If you can't live your life at home as you want because of how contemporaries might judge you, there's no reason why you can't catch a flight to BKK (or Mexico, or Brazil) where you're unknown and live that life. It's been my experience that no one gives a shit who's walking beside you. I frequently walk around Bangkok with guys young enough to be my grandson and nobody cares. No, I don't hold their hands but I have no desire to. We just walk and talk like everybody else. I go to restaurants well outside the Silom area and we're greeted like everyone else. I go to malls and movie theaters and other attractions without a second thought. People are too busy enjoying themselves. Don't take my word for it. Take Morgan Freeman's: "Get busy living or get busy dying." https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q6v_eSNVxec

Malaysia has joined other ASEAN countries in managing to extract victims of human traffickers from Cambodia. News reports in recent months from Thailand, Vietnam, Laos and other nations have described how Chinese gangs operating in Cambodia lured foreigners with the promise of high-paying jobs only to confiscate their passports and force them to work in casinos or boiler room scams aimed at defrauding their fellow countrymen. Those who refused to work were reportedly abused and their families forced to pay huge sums to gain their elease. From the Associated Press KUALA LUMPUR, Malaysia (AP) — Malaysia’s foreign minister on Friday brought 24 Malaysians back from Cambodia who were rescued from human traffickers, out of a total of 148 citizens he said have been reported missing in the country. Saifuddin Abdullah said 65 of the 148 missing Malaysians were rescued and brought home earlier, and 29 others are still at immigration centers in Phnom Penh and Sihanoukville and will be sent home when their paperwork and investigations are completed. Another 30 remain missing, officials said.. The Malaysians, mostly young people, were lured by fake offers of high-paid work in Cambodia and ended up in the hands of human traffickers and were trapped there, he said. Saifuddin didn’t provide details on how the 24 people who returned Friday were tricked into going to Cambodia or how long they were trapped. The victims, who appeared at a news conference with Saifuddin, were mostly masked and didn’t speak to reporters. Saifuddin said such job scams are not unique to Cambodia and have been reported in other places, including South Africa. About 500 Malaysian companies operate in Cambodia, and 5,000 Malaysians work or do business safely there, he said. “What is most important is that they are coming back to Malaysia today safe and sound. We do not want to go into the details,” Saifuddin said. “There is no guarantee we can stop it (job scams) but we will try our level best.”

King Bhumibol Adulyadej welcomes Queen Elizabeth to the Kingdom in 1996. Two of the longest serving monarchs in history will be long remembered for service to country above self. (Photo from The Nation)

From Coconuts Bangkok Bangkok’s hotels large and small had a resounding message today for guests wanting to blaze up: not here. Though weed is now so legal that its sellers will soon outpace 7-Elevens, tourists flying in to score some ganja could be in for a rude awakening – without the baking – at their hotel of choice. “Absolutely not,” a representative from Novotel Bangkok Siam Square told Coconuts on Friday morning. “While weed isn’t illegal, bringing such drugs is not appropriate for hotels. If the guests are caught smoking, whether cigarettes or weed, they will be reprimanded on a case-by-case basis.” Of 11 hotels contacted, all said they would not allow recreational smoking on their premises, and while some acknowledged it was not illegal, determined smokers could face fines for violating hotel policies. “Here at Banyan Tree, we do not have smoking areas for such activities, therefore weed isn’t allowed on the premises,” a hotel spokesperson said. One major hotel said that it would tolerate a purple haze if it was for a documented medical purpose. “At the moment, we do not allow guests to bring in weed for recreational purposes, but if they have a medical license and require it for their health condition, then we will allow it,” said a rep at Bangkok Marriott Hotel Sukhumvit. But every other hotel was adamant that guests should not 420 in the rooms, on their roofs, or even poolside. “We’re sorry, but we do not allow that,” a receptionist at the Shangri-La Hotel Bangkok said, politely. “It’s a bit of a sensitive topic.” “Our rooms are non-smoking areas, so not only could you not smoke cigarettes or weed as well,” Asai Bangkok’s concierge said. “You’d be given a warning and may be fined if you were caught smoking.” That’s not to say stealth smokers aren’t’ blazing their way, as you read this, through a gram of Gary Payton on some hotel balcony. The Okura Prestige hedged a bit, saying it doesn’t allow smoking ”at this time.” Ibis Bangkok Sathorn gave a firm no, saying that tokin’ was verboten at all its branches. Anantara Riverside, a resort known for decidedly sick riverside views, said it didn’t even want guests to bring in weed. The most lax position wasn’t quite 420-friendly, but not really. So Bangkok, over near Lumphini Park, nixed smoking but said edibles and drinks were fine so long as they were in “accordance with the current laws.” Since weed was decriminalized in June, Thailand has grappled with numerous unanswered questions that hadn’t been considered in its hasty rollout. Fly with buds on domestic flights? You bet. Smoke recreationally? Sure. Licenses required? Kind of but not really. Enthusiasts, cultivators, and retailers are still waiting for passage of the Cannabis Act, which is going through a round of revisions in parliament for clearer rules (any rules, really).

Although I'm not aware that anyone I met in Thailand has taken their own life, a good friend I worked with for many years did. We stopped for a beer after work one night and he told me he was on the verge of divorce. He was visibly shaken. I just tried to listen and say what I thought was reassuring. I still recall standing outside the bar, thinking about embracing him before we parted. But I didn't. Five days later he was found dead from self-inflicted wounds. As I look back on it I realize that I should have followed my gut instinct and hugged him. I'm not saying that if I did he wouldn't have killed himself. What I am saying is that I still ask myself why I didn't. It is--as some have said--what we don't do that can haunt us the most.

From The Thaiger An Airbus A380 aircraft landed on the runway at Bangkok’s Don Mueang International rt (DMK) for the first time ever yesterday. The Emirates flight was redirected to Bangkok’s smaller airport due to heavy rainfall disrupting the runway at Suvarnabhumi Airport. At 9.40pm, flight EK363 from Guangzhou in China descended on DMK after the runway became impassible at Suvarnabhumi International Airport, Thailand’s biggest and busiest airport. It is the first time an Airbus A380 has ever landed at DMK. The plane circled Bangkok’s skies for 50 minutes waiting for weather conditions to improve, but they didn’t. Several flights were unable to land or take off at Suvarnabhumi for several hours last night due to heavy and continuous rainfall. The aircraft landed safely on DMK’s west runway (21R) at 9.40pm before refuelling and flying over to Suvarnabhumi at 1.08am when the rain had subsided somewhat. Heavy rainfall and flash flooding are expected to continue today and tomorrow throughout Thailand, according to the Meteorological Department.

From VN Express Firemen work at An Phu karaoke parlor in Binh Duong Province on September 7, 2022 where a fire break out on September 6, 2022. Photo by VnExpress/Thanh Tung A total of 33 people have died in the fire that broke out Tuesday evening at a karaoke parlor in Binh Duong Province, authorities confirmed Wednesday night. Colonel Tran Van Chinh, Deputy Director of the Binh Duong Police Department, said that the victims comprised 17 men and 16 women. Among the deaths was that of a woman who succumbed in the hospital to injuries sustained after jumping down from an upper floor. All the bodies have been taken to the Thuan An General Hospital. The search for victims has now ended, Chinh said. Hundreds of people gathered at the scene to watch the search for bodies. At around 4 p.m., firemen had found nine more bodies in the bathroom on the third floor of the An Phu karaoke parlor on Trang Quang Dieu Street, taking the death toll to 23, with officials saying it could rise as the search continued. Ho Chi Minh City had sent 15 elite firemen to assist in finding the bodies as the structure of the building had collapsed and its pathways were blocked. The fire broke out at the karaoke parlor at around 9 p.m. Tuesday night. There were around 70 people in it at the time. The parlor staff were not able to contain the fire as it caught the soundproof foam mattresses and wooden interiors. Many people were forced to rush to the balcony. Four people were injured after jumping down a height of 7-8 meters from the second floor. Continues with video https://e.vnexpress.net/news/news/karaoke-parlor-death-toll-rises-further-to-33-4508541.html ======================= Only way out is down Nguyen Trong Phuc, 18, is treated at the An Phu Hospital in Binh Duong Province with a broken leg after jumping off the second floor of a karaoke parlor to escape a fire, September 7, 2022. Photo by VnExpress/Dinh Van When the flames and smoke raged around him on the second floor of a karaoke parlor in Binh Duong, Nguyen Trong Phuc, 18, knew there was only one way out. On Wednesday morning, Phuc, an employee of the An Phu karaoke parlor in the southern province, was awaiting leg surgery at An Phu General Hospital after jumping 10 meters from the second floor onto the roof of a house next door. The fire at the parlor from the previous night has claimed the lives of 23 people so far. Still weary from an eventful night and with aches all over his body, Phuc thought himself a lucky man. Phuc has been working at the facility for VND7 million ($296.74) a month. At around 9 p.m. Tuesday, as he was cleaning a room on the first floor, he heard a scream: "Fire in room 303!" followed by the sounds of multiple explosions. The power went out just five minutes after, as the smoke began seeping through the doors and hallways and the heat wafted into the air, closing in from the front. In the dark, Phuc heard screams of terror, along with calls for help. "It was dark as ink. The voices screaming for help still haunt me even now," he said. Phuc felt like suffocating. He ran towards the stairs, but the smoke was too thick and too many people were running in the opposite direction. Realizing the stairs were a no-go, Phuc covered his nose with his shirt and tried to find his way within the dark toward the restroom. He climbed on top of the toilet and jumped from the window, landing on a roof next door. Phuc said he might have died if he landed on the ground instead. At the hospital with Phuc, dozens of other employees were being treated in the ICU. Ngan, 20, was one of the employees rescued by firefighters from the highest floor, where she was sleeping with dozens of other staff, waiting for their next shift. Ngan saw the smoke coming up from the stairs. It stung her nose and eyes, trapping Ngan and the others inside the room, knowing they cannot escape to lower levels. When the electric signs began to catch fire, Ngan and the others had no choice but to run toward the roof and scream for help. They used whatever they had at the time, scarfs and dresses and other clothing items, to protect their noses from the smoke. Ngan said many tried to poke their heads through metal bars and wave their hands, hoping someone could see them. Thirty minutes after the fire began, the group was rescued by firefighters and taken to hospital, only 500 meters away. Duong Ba Khuong, 27, was at the parlor's reception when he realized what was happening. He tried to run upstairs to help, but failed due to the sheer amount of smoke and heat. "Some people managed to run to lower floors but were severely burned. The soot blackened their clothes all over," he said. The parlor has around 30 rooms, including seven on the first floor and nine to 13 rooms on the next two floors. There was a kitchen on the first floor, while the highest floor served as staff quarters, he said. Continues at https://e.vnexpress.net/news/news/only-way-out-is-down-karaoke-parlor-employees-escape-from-deadly-fire-4508429.html

From Channel News Asia Malaysia on Wednesday (Sep 7) scrapped its mask mandate for indoor settings, with premise owners allowed to decide whether to impose their own face mask requirements. “Face masks indoors will be optional effective immediately,” said Health Minister Khairy Jamaluddin, adding that masks remain mandatory for COVID-19 cases, and in public transport and healthcare facilities. Healthcare facilities include hospitals, clinics and nursing homes while public transport covers e-hailing services, flights, taxis and trains. Masks are "highly encouraged" for crowded indoor settings, he added. High-risk individuals, those who are ill or symptomatic, as well as individuals who interact with vulnerable groups are also encouraged to keep their masks on. Those who test positive for COVID-19 - and are required to undergo health checks at COVID-19 Assessment Centres (CAC) - will still need to put on masks. The Health Minister said that although the wearing of masks indoors was no longer compulsory, premise owners could decide on the mask requirements for their premises, such as making them mandatory or optional.

It's clear that punters haven't lost their interest in cruising. Cruising offers something the apps can't: an in your face, three-dimensional experience. It can happen anywhere and requires no other device but your eyes. It almost always involves other solo men, so that helps refine the search. And we all know what it is we're looking for. That bit of eye contact--sometimes obvious but often furtive. On the best of occasions, the guy may physically approach us and make clear his intentions as we've read above. It's just a matter of ignoring your phone and allowing your eyes to do your talking. Nothing's guaranteed but anything is possible.

Must be. They let me ride.

All the more reason for Lao guys to head for the LOS. From The Star VIENTIANE, Sept 6 (Laotian Times): The inflation rate for August has been reported at a whopping 30 per cent with a 2.5 percent increase from July’s figure of 27.5 per cent. The numbers were confirmed by the Lao Statistics Bureau on Tuesday. The price of food and non-alcoholic beverages has surged by 30.2% year on year including that of daily essentials like rice, starch, meat, fat, vegetable oil, fruit, and vegetables. Commercial transport and delivery charges have risen by 51.7% with automobiles, and spare parts becoming even more expensive because of the low exchange rate. Fuel prices have also shot up recently adding to people’s woes. Additionally, prices for housing, electricity, water supply and cooking oil also increased by 20.5% due to the soaring prices of steel, cement, concrete, and gas.

Bangkok Post is reporting that the leader of the Thai Civilized Party is gathering signatures to turn back the recent fine increases on the grounds that they are conducive to police corruption.

Channel News Asia has posted a list of entry requirements for seven countries at this link: https://www.channelnewsasia.com/singapore/covid-19-entry-requirements-tourists-travellers-asia-south-korea-japan-taiwan-malaysia-2922606

From Thai News Agency BANGKOK, Sept 6 (TNA) – The State Railway of Thailand (SRT) has conducted a test run of the Kiha 183 passenger train carriages donated by Japan after the work to modify and refurbish the first three carriages completed.

That the students were all on one motorbike and the shooter was driving a BMW tells me more than I need to know about this incident. From Thai PBS World Three high-school students were shot dead in the Khao Phanom District of Thailand’s southern province of Krabi last night after the motorcycle on which they were travelling was involved in a collision with a private car. Police subsequently arrested the suspect at a roadside car tire shop in Thung Yai district this morning (Tuesday). According to the Khao Phanom District police, the three high school students, all aged 18, left home to spend the night at another’s place after midnight. Their motorbike collided with a black sedan. They were all thrown from the bike by the impact, which also caused the bike to catch fire. Then, a man got out of the sedan and fired two shots from a shotgun into the three students before speeding away in the direction of Thung Yai district. Police checked footage from CCTV installed on the Khao Phanom-Thung Yai road and, as a result, about 20 policemen, including a SWAT team, laid siege to a car tire shop in Thung Yai district, where the suspected gunman was believed to have taken shelter. They found a black BMW with its front damaged and broken front windshield. The police knocked at the front door of the shop, but there was no response. One of the officers then went to fetch the parents of the shop-owner, in the hope of convincing their son to open the door and surrender. The shop-owner, later identified as “Thirasak”, tried to escape while wielding a handgun. He later surrendered to the police. During police questioning this morning, Thirasak allegedly admitted that he took two methamphetamine pills before he drove the black BMW from his wife’s home to the shop and, on the way, his car was involved in a collision with a motorcycle. He told the police that, after the accident, he grabbed a shotgun in his car and fired at the students. A shotgun was later found in Thirasak’s bedroom.

Saddened to hear that the once most popular gay-friendly hotel has fallen so far. Besides the ever-present manager, Lucas, there was one particular staff member I still recall fondly. He was one of the elevator guards who (20 years ago when I first arrived in Bangkok) was a young man. Courteous and friendly to a fault, I looked forward to his morning greeting. I believe he stayed on for a few years after new management took over. Even when I wasn't no longer staying there, I'd drop by to say hello and give him a red note for old time sake. It was always entertaining to see who showed up in the lobby for breakfast with their overnight guests.