Gay Thailand

Stickman's column this week pointed to a link with some photos, mostly of Bangkok, during the 1950's. I found the photos interesting, perhaps a few here will also. www.flickr.com/photos/terrymct/sets/72157594143583454/ The look across the city with all the green in the background was a bit stunning. The downtown street shots without the typical traffic jams of today is refreshing. Stickman's Column: www.stickmanbangkok.com/Weekly2006/weekly277.htm

The Boulder district attorney filed a motion this afternoon to withdraw the arrest warrant and vacate the case against John Mark Karr in the murder of JonBenet Ramsey. The announcement came after a television station reported that the schoolteacher's DNA failed to match genetic material on the 6-year-old girl's body. "The warrant on Mr. Karr has been dropped by the district attorney," said Karr's lawyer, public defender Seth Temin outside the jail. "They are not proceeding with the case."http://www.denverpost.com/jonbenet/ci_4250517

New issue with a hot lad on the cover and story about "Quiet Days in Jomtien". Sticky Rice

The following appears in THE NATION: _____ Airport Fees to go Up Published on August 29, 2006 Air passengers will be asked to pay heavier departure taxes from early next year, Airports of Thailand Plc (AOT) said yesterday. The international departure tax would be increased by Bt200 to Bt700 and domestic passengers would incur a Bt100 fee, up from a current Bt50. The increase would be effective from February 1 . AOT operates Suvarnabhumi Airport. It had planned to introduce the new taxes upon the opening of the new airport on September 28. Meanwhile, new landing fees levied on aircraft using the airport would be imposed from April 1, 2007. That i…

Boxer has provided a nice visitor's guide to the new airport. New Airport Guide I always arrange for the hotel car to pick me up, so things should run as smoothly as in the old airport.

I just can't figure this out. Though the average age of a customer in a go-go bar is often over 50, why in God's name do they continue to play music from only today? The hard thumping rap, the body pulsating techno... It's pure trash to me. However, whenever I ask the owner why they don't play some other mixture of music they always respond with either: 1. The boys don't like it -or- 2. My DJ chooses the music. Who's in control? The DJ and the boys? What about the customer? Now, I do understand that I have a choice to go or not, but I also wonder if others feel the same? I think they must. I know it has to be something upbeat, but more than hal…

An on-going story that continues to show promise... Thailand's jumbo patient gets new prothesis Bangkok (dpa) - Motala, the first elephant to receive a prosthetic leg in an historic operation conducted in Thailand seven years ago, on Monday was fitted for a new foot. "The original prosthesis needs to be replaced by a new one because it has gotten too hard and is causing some pain when Motala walks," said Soraida Salwala, secretary-general of the Asian Elephant Foundation, which is funding the operation. Motala, a female elephant that lost her left forefoot to a landmine in neighbouring Myanmar (Burma), made medical history in 1999 when a team of Thai v…

WEEKLY REPORT ON THAILANdD FOR THE WEEK OF AUGUST 27, 2006 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Bruno's Charity Dinner for Pattaya Gay Festival Aug. 20 brings in 271,000 baht; wonderful party Caribbean Party scheduled for The Balcony, Silom Soi 4, with staff suitably attired, Wednesday, July 30 Niddy's Nook Celebrates Niddy's Birthday September 13; free food on offer Sunny from Sunee reports on developments in Sunee Plaza and Day Night areas Aloha Night set for September 7 at @Richard's Bar, Silom 2/1 Thais4Life Penny Jar at Le Cage Bar still receiving "small cha…

I just spent three days in CM. It was my first visit there, but it will not be my last. I went with my current boy special (BS). For those who are interested, here is a trip report. Hotel We stayed at PJ's Place largely on the recommendation Stef posted about them here at GT and because of their great Internet site. I highly reccomend this place, and I will not stay anywhere else when in CM. We payed a low season rate of 1200 BT (normal 1500 BT). While cheaper rooms can be found, you want find anything like this. It is actually a beautiful house on the end of a small quiet soi. The house and the grounds are immaculate. The room we stayed in had a private entranc…

One of the more common questions and debates that arise is about whether "farang" relationships with Thais are seen by the Thais as love or a means of gaining money. The following article applies to "farang" and Thai marriages, but I have a feeling it can just as easily apply to gay relationships. It appears in THE NATION: __________ Foreign husbands pay off for Thais Published on August 27, 2006 Cross-cultural marriages between Thai women and foreign men are better received in Thai communities, a recent study has revealed, with northeastern villagers in particular praising their foreign sons-in-law for better supporting their new Thai family. …

I went to a bar last night and was overcharged for a drink. It got a little under my skin so I asked the mamasan what the price for drinks and offs were. My boyfriend has 3 friends that work in the bar and he took them off the night before and out on the town. They charged 300 baht for off fee but it was supposed to be 250. I asked about this and was told that times were slow and not many customers. I explained that overcharging makes someone not want to go to that bar and I would not go there if the prices were not consistent. I know that the off fee for Dream Boys in Bangkok is 400. This bar has my favorite mamasan in Thailand. I have never been led astray b…

Though I am fairly old hat with the bar scene, I am curious how others view this type of arrangement. Let's say that I ask a boy to come sit and talk with me and I buy him a drink. We talk and play and I buy him another drink and he is very touchy/feely and I have a good time. Let's say about 1 hour's time passes by. Now I am ready to leave, but I don't want to off the boy. What is considered a "normal tip"? I know the whole "up to you thing" and that there really is no "normal," but I'd like to know what others do...? Generally, I would give the boy between 100 and 300 baht tip. Is this right? Too much? Too little? I'd love to hear other people's experiences..…

As I predicted it did not last long before the cyber police got to work on blocking the old new site. So I hope spike came back from the land of Nod to send us some new proxy sites, the old ones just dont work. Back to the old tried and tested again... http://p092.ezboard.com/fsawatdeeforumfrm21

A friend who was in Chiang Mai recently reported that Adam's Apple Bar was closed down by police action. Can anyone confirm this or add more information?

I was thinking fondly about Cafe Royale and was wondering if there has been any changes since Ian has passed on. It has only been a short time I know but thought I'd ask. Also, maybe I have missed some postings, but what is the status of the venture that was renovating part of Sunee. I think it was in the area of the Spotlight. Do I have this all wrong?

This is an excerpt from an article about the ways foreigners in Thailand (Pattaya in particular) prey on visitors: 1. Iranian gangs normally will concentrate on larceny and theft in various hotels. They normally concentrate on credit cards using them for the purchase of items or sometimes forging a credit card and passports for travel in-out of different countries. Some sell the stolen items to other criminals; this gang tends to be violent and will not hesitate to use weapons on their victims. Iran

On the other forum, I have read with interest about the opening of Topman Bar. My how I wish I was there to see it in person. What I find most amazing is that LMTU posts a very long post that is not harsh or mean in his mind. He often tries to tutor people in the way he thinks things should be run. The more that is made out of the posts and the more he relishes in it. He doesn

The following appears in the BANGKOK POST: _________ BoT: Get Used to a Stronger Baht PARISTA YUTHAMANOP Thai businesses need to prepare for a stronger baht that will reflect a growing shift in foreign investment away from dollar-denominated assets, according to the Bank of Thailand. M.R. Pridiyathorn Devakula, the central bank governor, also said that the economy of Thailand would experience greater volatility in foreign capital flows until the end of 2007. Global investors, he said, were growing increasingly wary about the dollar because of the huge US trade and current account deficits. ''The United States current account deficit is now $2 bi…

It's at 88 Sukumvit 24, Klongteoy, Bangkok. I see a gay tour company says it's where their customers will stay in Bangkok. http://www.davisbangkok.net/index.html

Warning! The following are a few 'facts', and some "Best Guesses" of mine. I have not been involved with Sawatdee Forum in any way other than a regular poster for over a year now ( ironically on hiatus as of only a few days ago!! ), but the Board is now down completely and that message you get when clicking on the address is as ominous a sign as I've seen before. This account is temporarily unavailable. Please contact your hosting provider Note that it does say "Temporarily" ... but I'm not holding my breath. FACTS: ~ The owner of Sawatdee ( ElephantSpike / Robert) has been completely missing for at least a month, perhaps a bit longer. …

Actually, I should call it a "rediscovery" rather than a "find." I've eaten at Cherry several times. RichLB first told me about Cherry a year or so ago. It was a nice little inexpensive restaurant that served good steaks at very inexpensive prices. They had a small, barely acceptable salad bar along with it. This evening Geezer invited me to go out to dinner. He said he just found a great restaurant at very reasonable prices. When I arrived to pick him up, he said to go to Third Road and start looking for a parking spot when we get close to the X-yte disco. I said, "You're talking about Cherry, aen't you?" I asked if he was referring to the same place I…

Just as you thought you were going to get settled in to the old sawatdee, Ive found the new one again for you, funny old world but dont hold your breath it can go as fast as it cum, like me I exspect/ Bye? Click here to see all your favorites. be quick \ http://www.sawatdee-gay-thailand.com/forum/forum-9.html Elephant spike has now paid the bill and it is all AOK for now we hope?

I Am returning to Perth tomorrow for a check up ,So Monty's Encharted Hut will be closed till the 1st Sept. So we are having a party night at Monty Encharted Butt. Free Thai Banquet from 7pm till 9 pm Then show time folks. All welcome for a Fun Night. Monty.

The following appears in THE NATION: __________ ANTIRETROVIRAL Tenofovir Drug to be Sold Cheaply Published on August 26, 2006 Experts Say Drug has been Tested on Thais with Satisfactory Result The antiretroviral drug Tenofovir used to treat HIV/AIDS patients will be available on the Thai market for around US$1 (Bt38) per tablet, 90 per cent cheaper than on the US or European markets. Prof Dr Prapan Panupark, director of the Thai Red Cross Society's AIDS Research Centre has told a press conference that the centre and related officials had been informed by a US-based pharmaceutical manufacturer, Gilead, that the drug Tenofovir had been regist…

Burmese Immigration have raised the visa fee for entering Tachileik from USD5.00 (or 250Bt) to USD10.00 (or 500Bt) as of 1 August 2006. The Mae Sai (Chiang Rai)-Tachileik border is popular with visa runners and weekend Thai shoppers.