wtfool

Seems this Board is now infected by Beachlover redux!

at least they could demonstrate freely without being afraid of being shot, imprisoned or called traitors by their government and compatriots which couldn't be said about those Russians who would be protesting against the war.
Since apparently about 80% Russians supports Putin politics, then it means in Moscow only there's 2 million who don't , nothing to sneeze at. Will they be able to demonstrate that freely ?
obviously their compatriots don't give a shit about those senseless deaths as we can see by some comments in this thread
I wonder by whom ?
It reminds me of propaganda leaflet I saw in Tashkent airport back in Sept 1977, yes 45 years ago. It said ' Soviet people are proud of their currency ruble, world's strongest currency". It looks old habits are dying slow. 

Your right , I have always found Russians here in Australia arrogant & rude , especially here in Sydney where they live in the wealthy areas such as Bondi .
I tend to avoid them 

What seems to be the problem there?
Theres plenty of jobs it seems and they aren't a third World Country ?
There seems to be a lot of Russian I meet who like it there ,I
would love to visit Russia one day ,after this silly war 

No one needs me to point out that friendship is a two way street. That means opening up to others and welcoming them into your life. It does not necessarily mean their knowing your sexuality. I have several straight friends, mostly not in Thailand, whom I have known for decades and who still do not know I am gay. I stress "know". The fact that I have never been married nor had a steady girlfriend means that at my age virtually everyone has guessed that I am gay. I never bring the issue up in conversation. But if anyone asks me outright, I will always answer "Yes, I am gay."
I also have a small number of lady friends whom again I have known for decades and whom I have told about my sexuality. None is in the slightest concerned about it. One is one of my closest friends. Over the years, we have taken vacations in various parts of Europe enjoying our shared interests and having a lot of fun times together. Now mostly retired, I spend a lot of time writing. My next book will be dedicated to her. 
I cannot speak about Pattaya as I visit only rarely. I live in Bangkok. Three of my close western friends here I had known for at least a decade before I moved. So it was not a case of my having to start anew in a totally new country.
My experience of making close friends with Thais is more complicated.  Over decades of visiting and living in Thailand I have realised that I will never understand Thai logic. And that failure makes a deep friendship more difficult. Not impossible as I know farangs who have been happily partnered with/married to Thais for decades.
I have written in another thread of a very close Thai friend who was not gay who frequently came to my apartment over a couple of years and we'd spend hours just chatting, laughing and gossiping as real friends do. One other I was close to for almost 25 years was gay. Again we'd meet frequently and have lots of good times, especially discussing his always complicated love life (which did not involve me!) Sadly a nasty illness brought death much too early. 
So in response to your question, yes you can make close friends. But please realise that very often you will have to take the initiative.

I understand your dilemma wtfool. Unfortunately you’re in the closet everywhere. You can stay in the closet at home in uk, but it’s too bad when you went to Thailand you didn’t just come out there. It’s that much harder now that you have established straight friends.
I watch football in bars in Pattaya. They’re all straight there. I talk to them but I don’t exchange numbers because they will not want to associate with me when they find out I’m gay. Well most of them. One time I brought a money boy with me and they all knew we were gay. 
People assume I’m straight at my condo, until I bring boys back. I often meet straights that question me in a roundabout way to see what my sexuality is. I try not to hide I’m gay, if they ask I tell them. One time I lied though and I feel awful about it. I had great tenants renting my condo and I was afraid I’d lose them if told them I was gay. Sometimes when I tell a bargirl I’m gay they are very surprised. I don’t know why, there’s so many gays in Thailand.
I would have many straight friends in Thailand if I was straight. They seem more approachable and friendly than the gay farang I meet there. Gays can be clicky and judgmental themselves. But I try to be friendly with any gays I meet. I would like to have some real gay friends in Thailand than the superficial ones I know now.

Wow!  what a lot of talk, advice and confessions!  Best thread in a while!  of course it would be better if we throw in picture or two of our hot men.
I came out to family and close friends in my 30's but not at work until my fifties working in a professional university environment. I initially lost a few "friends" because you "lied" to us. but 6 months later they were friends again.  Mom was mad at me cause I told dad first (4 years earlier, he said don't tell mom)...
I don't present as gay, but if asked often say I'm Bi.  why.... because I have fucked a couple of girls and it was fine.  but honestly their bodies do not turn me on like the firm muscled abs of a man... and the musk of man (heaven!}.
But telling your friends you are Bi works for most of them.  somehow even homophobic  straights don't mind Bi men as much as gays.  Then you get to talk more about it... and issue fades away.  
WTfool this strategy might serve you in Pattaya.  your "friends" as many have said are there for the same reason as you....  to get laid.
Or adding the 800B for a room to male conquests will not break the bank.
Make some Gay friends!.  they are here talking to you now!
 

are we allowed nudes in this thread?

And I've have a better decorated house, I don't have that part of the gay gene 😒
Pattaya only exists for 1 reason I've always said, Whoring. If they are there, I'm sure nothing will surprise them, they have probably been with a ladyboy or more.....it's chic to be Bi, test those waters....but in any case, I'm betting they already have a clue.

Surely a key ingredient in enjoying retirement is to be at peace with oneself. However we decide to live out our remaining years, whether short or long, the absence of worry is liberating. Some guys want to be active in pursuing a gay lifestyle and enjoying lfe to the full. Others are unable to do so for one reason or another. I am a firm believer that we all create our own realities. For those who are less than happy, I'd ask you to take time to work out why you feel that way. What specifically creates that unhappiness? What in your view would make you happier (let's leave money out of the discussion as there is often little we can do about that late in life)?
That decided, I believe you have no choice. You have to set those demons, fears, worries aside. See a psychiatrist if you think that might help. I fully realise that changing views that have been welded into your brain for decades is far from easy. But the choice is simple. Either continue with those demons etc. and perhaps keep regretting that you did not do this or do that. Or make a conscious decision that now you are in the latter part of your life, this life is for enjoyment and fulfilment. Your enjoyment and fulfilment. You have to make the decisions. They may seem hard, but you'll be surprised how easy they really are once you have made up your mind. Just do it!

Do you sell tickets?

When you come to thailand in winter.  hook up with some of the more social guys on the board.  Make some new friends!  there are plenty of guys here that enjoy good sex with young smooth thai men.
there used to be gay dinner social club in Pattaya that met to eat (at a german retaurant) then wander down the soi to sunnee and hit Eros (?) to fondle dancers then moved on to.....  It was fun and an eye opener for me to enjoy such things with some other like minded men.
Or maybe a lady boy for your straight men "friends" to admire you?  🤣

Similar case to @floridarob , when I was in my teens an elderly and very glamorous friend of my parents told me that the only regrets in life are the things you didn't do.
She appeared to have it all, still stylish approaching 80, in demand at social events, wealth. She had never married because the man she loved had not been good enough for her in her family's eyes and unable to marry the man she wanted without being cut off from the family money, she devoted her life to being an ornament on the social circuit. As she approached 80 it was a decision she very much regretted. 
Her advice to me was very clear: you have one shot at life, live it for who you are and want to be, don't live it to conform to the expectations of others.  
Buying a condo in Pattaya suggests to me that you have attempted to start a new life.
Why not make a second attempt?
Buy a condo somewhere else, away from you new 'hetro friends', and start over with a plan, a clearer vision and determination of who you want to be, who you want your friends to be and what you want to experience in the next phase of your life.