Gay Thailand

The New Mandala blog is usually infested with conspiracy theorist with brains addled by university years spent taking drugs rather than lectures but sometimes they come up with some classics such as today's post trying to lay claim to the term "Sufficiency Democracy" the original 2006 New Mandela post said

Does this new merger affect your travel to Thailand? Will it make it easier for you on your trips? Does it mean that you will switch which airlines you are traveling most with? I have been with NWA for years and am Platinum. They rarely, if ever, upgrade on international flights unless an overbooking in coach. I am also Platinum with Continental. They don't fly to Thailand so I use the mostly going to Brazil and Europe. I rarely travel with United. However, my Platinum with Continental will transfer over to Untied when they merge and I have been told that United often upgrades on their International legs. If this is the case, I will be greatly benefit…

I received information today that Manhattans Restaurant has changed ownership. The latest Pattaya Pride dinner was scheduled to take place at Manhattans on Sunday, May 16. I understand the new owners have canceled the dinner. I have not been told the reason why the dinner has been canceled. It has also come to my attention that the manager, Hugh Millar, who many of you may remember from the Ambiance, Symphony Brasserie, and the Poseidon Restaurant, has been fired. I have not been told the reason why he was fired. Those are, to the best of my knowledge, the facts. I will stick strictly to the facts and leave my personal opinion out of it.

The BF and I want to hit all the real Ladyboy bars. I have seen many of them in the area and they are outside of the Gay areas. 1. Can anyone tell us of any all ladyboy bars in Pattaya? Please add as many to list as you know of. 2. Anyone want to join us when we get this organized for a night of fun?

Yep, you guessed it. I clearly remember the powers-that-be stating emphatically that Pattaya has plenty of water to see us through this year. Is anyone surprised that the reality turns out to be a little different? _____ Water supply problems

BANGKOK

PM proposes Nov 14 poll date Red shirt leaders push case for an amnesty Published: 4/05/2010 Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva has offered to hold a general election on Nov 14 as part of a plan to achieve national reconciliation. Mr Abhisit said in a television appearance last night for the first time a general election would be held on Nov14 - but only if five objectives underpinning a national conciliation were achieved. They are: the monarchy must not be used as a tool in political conflicts; the country must be reformed by tackling economic disparities and inequality; the media must refrain from reports which exacerbate social or political conflicts…

Thai air appears to be making some changes in service with a huge rise in cancellations. Attached is info from the Phuket Gazette: Monday, May 3, 2010 Thai airways in U-turn over Phuket? Phuket NEWS Hound

Cabinet Acknowledges Need for Army Move Against Red-Shirt Demonstrators By PIYANART SRIVALO THE NATION Published on May 3, 2010 The Cabinet yesterday acknowledged the need for the use of Army force against red-shirt pro-testers occupying the Rajprasong intersection, as Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva grimly warned the public in his weekly address to expect undesired results from future government action. A closed-door Cabinet meeting accepted a bigger role for armed troops who, since the "Black Saturday" drama on April 10, have still played mostly a secondary role to police commandos. "The government's action from now on will carry the risk of clashes o…

My bf said there was sketchy and conflicting information that Thaksin was in ICU in either Montenegro or Dubai. He couldn't make out what was true and what wasn't. Has anyone heard anything about it?

Many people sympathetic to the Red-Shirts are finding their sympathies quickly eroding due to more and more incidents of blatant lawlessness and extreme tactics. Some areas are still reporting that Red-Shirts are blocking highways and forcing cars to stop and be inspected. Not only is that absolutely illegal, but it has caused massive traffic backups in some areas. In their latest move, some 200 Red-Shirts stormed Chulalongkorn Hospital in Bangkok, supposedly due to suspicions that soldiers were hiding inside. They seized two innocent workers, but did release them later. Meanwhile the hospital has had to cease accepting any more inpatients and outpatients and even…

Ok, the Sawatdee forum has returned.

Today I read an interesting comment. Thailand is heading into an undeclared civil war. This will happen unless a third person from outside Thailand can help mediate. "Contrary to the repeated claims of various UDD leaders that their movement is non-violent, photos, video and eyewitness accounts demonstrate that many UDD security guards and protestors are armed with guns, explosives, petrol bombs, slingshots, metal clubs, knives, sharpened bamboo sticks and other weapons," HRW said. (Human Rights Watch) The article also noted that there have been over 70 bomb attacks (many more than I was aware of). Even though the article was published in the "Nation", it was …

Baht's Ok but Tourism Suffers Published: 27/04/2010 The escalating political crisis has not affected the value of the Thai currency, Bank of Thailand (BOT) deputy governor Bandit Nijthaworn said on Tuesday. "The baht's value has not been hit by the political turmoil as there are no capital outflows at this time. "In contrast, the Thai currency has appreciated as a result of continuous capital inflows to the Thai stock and bond markets," Mr Bandit said. Thailand's credit rating had been recently downgraded but it should not affect the interest rates of foreign loans to the country, he said. "But the interest rates could rise if the country's credit…

Outdoor Issan Music Festival the evening of April 30th on 3rd Road between Pattaya Nua and Pattaya Klang. 100 baht admission plus additional 20 baht for a chair. Beer and Thai whiskey is cheap. Starts around 8 PM or so and ends around 1Am or 2AM. Mostly Thais but a sprinkling of falangs.

Just tried to log on to the Sawatdee site, just to check what the crazies are doing, you understand, and saw that it was not available. Sawatdee Forum web link I don't know what suspended means. I assume that, again, someone forgot to pay the bills and that's certainly not professional. Add that to the crazies that inhabit the zoo over there - virtually the only spot that allows the bizarre rhetoric of those who have angry badgers in their pants - leads me to wonder if, in fact, the Sawatdee board has seen better days and is now in its death throes. What can/should be done to rehabilitate this longtime community resource?

May 01~15 Gourmet Set Menu House Champagne *** Amuse Bouche *** White Wine Cackle Berry Chardonnay, Australia 2007 Pan-fried Frog Legs with Olive Oil, Garlic and herb on Tomato Salsa *** Cold Cucumber Soup with Sesame coated Shrimps *** Spinach and Ricotta Cheese Cannelloni *** Orange Champagne Sherbet *** Red Wine Optimus Berry, Shiraz Cabernet, Australia, 2006 Roasted Duck Breast stuffed with Walnut & Raisin Served with roasted Rosemary Potato Pancake in Pink Pepper Sauce -or- Grilled Lamb Cutlets on Layers of Potato and Egg Plant Tart with Fresh Mint Sauce *** Chinese Mango Pudding on Sweet Coconut Sa…

The following appeared on ThaiVisa.com from the nation: SUCHEERA PINIJPARAKARN THE NATION BANGKOK: -- Foreign tourist arrivals at Bangkok's Suvarnabhumi Airport, the Kingdom's main international gateway, have plunged dramatically, due to the protracted anti-government protests. The average number of arrivals is now about 20,000 a day, down from 30,000 prior to the start of protests at the Pan Fah Bridge on March 14, Tourism and Sports Minister Chumpol Silapa-archa said yesterday. The situation has worsened since Silom Road, in the heart of the city's central business district, was also sealed off in addition to protesters' occupying the Rajprasong are…

All banks and government offices will be closed on Monday, May 3 for May Day.

Be careful what you do as most of us live in small cities and even if we live in larger ones, the scene is still small. I remember years ago going with my ex to a few bars and he wanted to drink with his friends while I went to a few gogo's. I did not want to take someone back to my place so I got a short time room over the bar. I took 3-4 boys up for a little fun. I paid the bar and left and walked back to the ex and he said, "did you have fun with the boys you took for short time?" I said yes. I asked how he knew. He said, "there is nothing you can do in Pattaya that I don't know about." I laughed and knew he was right. Yesterday the current Boyfriend and…

This is a question I get often. I am not sure where people's minds are when they ask questions like this. Perhaps they have learned to avoid thinking with their big brain totally and started to rely on thinking with the little one? Perhaps they think it is an appropriate question to ask in a land of gogo bars? Perhaps it is a socially acceptable question? What do you think? If someone asks you this question what is your response? What if you have been with the guy for say 7 years and your friend knows that? Does that make the question any worst or better? I am just curious to see what others think before I give my own humble opinion.

Let's hope the situation doesn't change to the worse and everybody (Expats, Tourists, Thais) stops laughing, but for the moment, I have these two jokes: "Red Shirt? Yellow Shirt? Depends on what goes better with my pants." (Not my idea, from http://toogaybangkok.blogspot.com/) "Red Shirt? Yellow Shirt? I don't care. My hotel room is no-shirt-zone!" Does anyone have more?

Article and video on CNN web site. If protesters come within 100 meters of soldiers, use of tear gas is authorized. If they come within 30 meters, use of live ammunition is authorized. http://edition.cnn.com/2010/WORLD/asiapcf/04/28/thailand.protests/index.html?hpt=T2 ____________________ Red Rally Site Isolated Troops, protesters clash on highway Soldier shot dead, 19 people injured Published: 29/04/2010 Security authorities have ordered Bangkok police to close all roads around the red shirt rally site as of last night to increase the pressure on the anti-government group. Sources said the Centre for the Resolution of the Emergency Situation…

We had a harsh post today that was over the top and put the member on moderated status. We did this to keep posts from being live before we read them. When someone is placed on Moderated status, their posts simply become invisible before they are made public. This particular poster was treated harshly be several in a thread. I'll be one of the first ones to say that several were attached in this tread and it was a one sided debate. One of that that went over the top was myself. I can't put myself on Moderated status for calling someone a troll but I'll try to be nicer in the future. And, to this individual if I went overboard in my debate with you I apologize.…

Having lived here for long enough to have lived thru coups, civil unrest, dodgy elections et al, it has never really bothered me ..... sailed thru it all ... until now. NOW I am feeling worried. NOW I am feeling very unsure and uncertain about the future. For those of you who have lived here and also experienced these things before, how are YOU feeling?