Rogie

Tony In that case, assuming you did decide to go ahead, would you be envisaging entering into a business partnership with a Thai person? Converting an existing building into a sauna complex will involve an enormous amount of planning and organisation, not to mention the quite substantial expense. It would be essential I would have thought to have a (local) Thai person to help with liaising with officialdom in Krabi. How do you find somebody you know you can trust? If you have a Thai boyfriend of long standing that has proved his worth, that would seem to me a preferable option. I could be wrong but I believe Punya at the Sansuk is or was the bf of the guy who presumably funded the enterprise.

Imagine the scene many moons ago, many millennia in fact a box jellyfish victim is brought ashore the rescuers know it can be fatal, but one of them has a weak bladder and the victim revives how else did all the knowledge possessed by communities arise, if not by either accident or experimentation? if Gaybutton has thought of it, so must his forbears, thus I deduce it was first tried long ago and found wanting.

Sorry Astrrro, when I said smiling face I had Land of Smiles in mind. So yes, a local boy. It occurred to me the minimart might be a good place to enjoy a quiet drink with or without farang company. I don't know about you, but I like the ambience of the place in its own right. Sometimes I am happy just to watch the world go by. When the time comes for some action, we all know where to go to find it. Sometimes you are happy for the action to approach you; sometimes not.

I most certainly do not know Jomtien However, even before the testimonies started to arrive, it was clear to me reading what he had written that he was sincere.

Like everything in life, the minimart has its place. . . There are one or two beer bars in the area where you can sit with a drink and not have a smiling soul come up to you, but in the majority you will. The smiling souls are not going to be too keen to be seen with the average farang drinking outside a minimart. So if you fancy having a quiet drink on your own or with a farang friend, it might be an option.

There was an article and some photos in one of the British papers recently highlighting something I was previously unaware of: killing polar bears for 'sport'. Perhaps this appeals to the same kind of latter-day 'Big Game Hunters' that go after lions in N.America, if I understand correctly another item I read about Tippi Hedren's lion sanctuary in California. According to this, she feels herself in danger for having spoken out about this.

This is a favourite painting I photographed during a (self-conducted) tour of the studio of the artist Symon in Ubud about five years ago. I'd seen him profiled in one of the Thai gay mags (the forerunner to Spice, forget its name) so was keen to visit the studio. It was an amazing place. Although this was my first and so far only visit I suspect that Bali has lost much of its 'innocence' but I would definitely recommend it. If we shun places just because they aren't what they used to be, we'd have to whittle down our list of options alarmingly. Maybe places like Bhutan are still pretty unspoiled but I've never been able to afford to go there! Perhaps its tourist industry has recovered by now. Bali certainly grew to rely on them.

From what I know, and I admit it isn't much, based on a visit a few years ago, the Farang / gay scene in Laos is miniscule compared to Thailand. Laotian gays presumably do amongst themselves what they have always done for generations, but as far as integrating farangs into that, a la Thailand, it has yet to happen. (And, who knows, may never happen - it is a lovely country and maybe I am being idealistic but I'd like to see it stay that way). Geographically, Laos isn't far from Isaan, just across the river, so, even if every last one of them was a passport-carrying Buddhist from a well-to-do family, what is to keep them at home? Curiosity! To see what it's all about - the world-famous Pattaya!

I'm sure you are right about the GDP aspect, and assuming the Thai authorities are also right, ease of access from Malaysia to Thailand means those criminals in the sophisticated world of ATM fraud are spolit for choice. Also, for all I know, compared to Thailand, the banks' ATM's in Malaysia may be ahead of the game in terms of anti-fraud measures that've been instigated.

That's just the place to go to let off a little steam it would seem

Would one webcam be enough?

Care to be a bit more specific regarding your England comment? Is this some kind of reference to British employment law? If not, we've wandered rather off-topic. This poster has jumped on the Lester1-bashing band wagon I see. Gaybutton's comments were fair and well-reasoned. But to use the word jealousy is pure inference.

I'm sure most of us have paid over the odds for drinks. The variation is huge. Unless you like getting ripped off, it's just as useful to know the going rate for drinks as it is for 'offs'. In a country village or small town if a business cheats its customers word gets round PDQ. In a bigger town or city businesses can thrive and prosper whether they cheat their customers or not. The main difference is that many of the customers in a city are just passing through, and even those who live there don't know enough people to influence opinion. IMO, that's the difference between Bangkok and Pattaya.

Just read the article in the Pattaya Daily News (tried yesterday but for some reason I couldn't load it) The man in question used a whip - just lying around the house it would seem. Even in Thailand you have to choose your friends carefully. 4 comments farther on, in post #5 as soon as I'd read it I roared with laughter (what the Americans refer to as Lol). Some of you are suffering from SOHF (sense of humour failure).

The Jews have a long history being successful businessmen, often in the financial sphere. That is going to antagonise those of an envious bent. Sometimes the envious ones resort to lies, discrimination or worse.

It does seem to boil down to communication There was a case in Sweden last November where a teenage boy was taken to hospital in a serious condition after playing a computer game "all day and all night". The name of the game? World of Warcraft A fascination with computer games = likely addiction I suspect many parents cannot see where a harmless interest ends and a potentially harmful attraction begins, whether it be confined to the computer screen or out there in real life.

He/she should be in immigration - much nicer on the way in than on the way out

I like your sense of humour. . . but, my dear fellow, even in 1st Class you've already admitted - it's strictly one per berth

An impressive array of transportation! Too far to go Ubon -> Pattaya by car unless you break the journey, so flying or train a lot more restful. I haven't flown but used the train from Bkk as far as Surin before now. Alas, only 2nd class! I've travelled through Ubon by car a couple of times on the way to the Mekong. Didn't stop to take in the sights - maybe I should have - the Moon River cruise looks VERY relaxing. Thanks for sharing the pics.

A bit unfair to zero in on whether Pius XII is destined for sainthood when there looks to me as if there are some open-minded people, scholars, call them what you will, on the scene. If such people as this are prepared to genuinely debate these issues and if free speech is encouraged, that can only help the Catholic Church move on. It may be fair to say they have a lot of catching up to do.

I'm sure he was more than capable of doing so, but it beggars belief he was the first. If somebody had asked me, before I read this, I would have guessed as soon as the Iron Age cut in. . . (sorry, not that funny)

Yes, they do! At least body massage, not sure about foot but I'd be surprised if they didn't as the staff seem eager to please. Having said that I haven't has a massage myself so cannot comment further. This is a very well run, friendly sauna with excellent facilities. A scaled down version of Babylon in some ways. I have not eaten there but the restaurant looked clean and the meals good value. I prefer to go late afternoon whilst it is still light and laze around the pool. The pool is quite small so probably a bit disappointing for fitness fanatics (who can use the gym incidentally), but as a centrepiece for the sauna it's not bad. If my memory serves me well, I recall seeing a tuk-tuk with a Sansuk Sauna logo roll up and a farang get out. Perhaps you can phone up and book it.

Madonna leaves me cold and I couldn't care less what she says or does Sure, I'm opinionated but labour under no illusions anybody else gives a monkeys what I say or think what is it that entitles people in the public eye to think they can wow the rest of us 'ordinary' folks with their pearls of wisdom? - ok if they stick to what they are famous for, but please do not expect us to hang on their every word about every Tom, Dick and Harry subject these people are just chunks of protoplasm like the rest of us Signed: Disgusted of Tunbridge Wells

So it would seem (understated British humour) I can well imagine the way the majority of Americans must be feeling right now - 8 years of Bush & Cheney and now we're stuck with what many people are calling the credit crunch. They must be absolutely desperate for change. They can see some tantalising light at the end of the tunnel. The waiting must be agonising. The rest of the world senses that America is on the threshold of a new regime, and a lot of the animosity directed against the country in recent times is 'soft' - why, even in the dying days of Bush the French President is calling on him and it's all smiles (for the cameras at least).

As a Brit I'm not too familiar with how American politics works. Can a President get rid of his VP for any reason at all? In Britain the Prime Minister can sack any of his ministers at any time, and indeed in times of crisis will often use this an an excuse to do so, or at the very least just shuffle the pack. As everybody seems to hate Cheney as much if not more than Bush is that an option (a bit late in the day now I know...!)?