Bob

As noted, some of you have said your "bit elsewhere" and, given Neal was not a poster here (or at least not a regular poster), what's the point of rehashing all that on this board?  Please....just a request.....keep the praising/trashing of him or each other elsewhere. 

As noted, some of you have said your "bit elsewhere" and, given Neal was not a poster here (or at least not a regular poster), what's the point of rehashing all that on this board?  Please....just a request.....keep the praising/trashing of him or each other elsewhere. 

As noted, some of you have said your "bit elsewhere" and, given Neal was not a poster here (or at least not a regular poster), what's the point of rehashing all that on this board?  Please....just a request.....keep the praising/trashing of him or each other elsewhere. 

As noted, some of you have said your "bit elsewhere" and, given Neal was not a poster here (or at least not a regular poster), what's the point of rehashing all that on this board?  Please....just a request.....keep the praising/trashing of him or each other elsewhere. 

We could spend hours (months?) debating how Thailand got to this pathetic point.  Regardless, I'd love to see the next elected leader at his/her first speech say the following:
 
"The military is very valuable and necessary to the country's defense and I will support the military in completing its proper mission.  Regardless of all that, the military needs to learn that it is subservient to the civilian government, takes its orders from the civilian government, and has no right whatsoever to operate within or without the borders of Thailand without the permission of the civilian government.  And I might add that any action in violation of the orders of its civilian commanders let alone a military coup overthowing any civilian government is what any sane government would clearly call it, namely:  treason."

None of usl can cite decisions by the FISA courts as those proceedings are entirely secret!  But would note:
 
(1)  I share some of the same concerns you have regarding what the US is doing with respect to its own citizens and I'd like to see a open investigation by Congress to hopefully discover exactly what is happening and, then, having a healthy debate as to whether what they've done is legal and/or whether we (the citizens) want them to be doing that.  As you may know, the administration is expressly saying that only "metadata" has been collected with respect to US citizens and that no actual content of telephone calls or emails has actually been collected, listened to, or heard (with some exceptions - where court orders have been issued and/or where the NSA collected the information on foreign soil and it just happened that the foreigner was communicating with a US citizen).  Well, I'm with you in that I don't particularly trust any government to tell us the whole truth so a fair and open investigation ought to occur. 
 
(2)  You (Khun Khortose), are attempting to slide off the question posed.  It's not at all illegal for the US, for example, to listen in to phone calls occurring in Europe, Asia, or wherever (that's not to say I approve of it).  We know (or let's assume it's true) that the NSA was listening in to the phone calls of the leaders of Brazil, Germany, etc.  Okay, given Snowden's alleged claim as to why he's taken the actions he's taking (to alert the American people as to what the NSA is doing to American citizens), please explain why Snowden would tell anybody about the foreign activities. 
 
I watched the entire Snowden interview (and parts of it more than once).  While Snowden seemed to be sincere in most of what he said, I personally didn't buy parts of it.  And, although Brian Williams is a nice guy, I personally thought he did a lousy job of interviewing Snowden.  If the interview was just a platform to allow Snowden to have his say, then, okay, I'd think Williams did a good job; however, if Williams thought he was in any manner playing the role of a cross-examiner as to Snowden's obviously rehearsed lines, he failed miserably in my opinion.   

Geez, there's just a slight difference between a politician not fulfilling promises made on the campaign trail (especially when he ended up with a Congress that wouldn't approve anything) and somebody violating an oath such as Snowden took.  Of course, I'm using a whole lot of understatement when I say a "slight difference."
 
What I also don't understand at all is why Snowden released information about what the NSA is doing outside the US (listening to phone calls other world leaders are making, for example).  Releasing that type of information is not at all consistent with his claim that his only interest is to encourage a healthy debate about and/or changes to US governmental snooping on its own citizens.

We could spend hours (months?) debating how Thailand got to this pathetic point.  Regardless, I'd love to see the next elected leader at his/her first speech say the following:
 
"The military is very valuable and necessary to the country's defense and I will support the military in completing its proper mission.  Regardless of all that, the military needs to learn that it is subservient to the civilian government, takes its orders from the civilian government, and has no right whatsoever to operate within or without the borders of Thailand without the permission of the civilian government.  And I might add that any action in violation of the orders of its civilian commanders let alone a military coup overthowing any civilian government is what any sane government would clearly call it, namely:  treason."

What's incredible to me is that a leader of a country is thrown out of office because a court says that the leader with the approval of the cabinet improperly fired (well, re-assigned) some department head.  Incredible.  In fact, almost as incredible as the ruling that the legislature can't amend the constitution even though the constitution gives it the power to do so!    
 
In any event, all these skirmishes await the big battle that will unfold after certain unmentionable events occur.
 
By the way, via a google search, I learned there are 34-35 cabinet ministers including the PM herself.  That leaves about 25 of them to muddle through this mess.  

What's incredible to me is that a leader of a country is thrown out of office because a court says that the leader with the approval of the cabinet improperly fired (well, re-assigned) some department head.  Incredible.  In fact, almost as incredible as the ruling that the legislature can't amend the constitution even though the constitution gives it the power to do so!    
 
In any event, all these skirmishes await the big battle that will unfold after certain unmentionable events occur.
 
By the way, via a google search, I learned there are 34-35 cabinet ministers including the PM herself.  That leaves about 25 of them to muddle through this mess.  

What's incredible to me is that a leader of a country is thrown out of office because a court says that the leader with the approval of the cabinet improperly fired (well, re-assigned) some department head.  Incredible.  In fact, almost as incredible as the ruling that the legislature can't amend the constitution even though the constitution gives it the power to do so!    
 
In any event, all these skirmishes await the big battle that will unfold after certain unmentionable events occur.
 
By the way, via a google search, I learned there are 34-35 cabinet ministers including the PM herself.  That leaves about 25 of them to muddle through this mess.  

Don't disagree with most of the comments here but maybe it's time for what I now consider a fairly humorous story of the TSA at work.  In 2005, I was flying to southern Michigan to visit one of my best friends who was hospitalized for a liver transplant.  He and his wife went down there in a hurry and I flew down the next day.  The wife's mother at the last moment gave me a carry-on for her daughter (as, given the sudden notice, her daughter flew down there with only the clothes on her back).  That carry-on was the problem.
 
So I went through the screening in my dinky northwestern Michigan city and, after the screening, two TSA guys came up to me smiling and announced that I was randomly chosen for some extra screening (they really did say something to the effect that "don't worry, we do this several times a day, and we're not targeting you for any reason").  They then started going though both of my carry-ons and the rest of it went something like this:
Q: Are these your items?
A: (without thinking too much): Sure.
Q: Are you sure these are your items?
A:  Sure (but maybe said a little less strength, being puzzled as to why I was being asked twice).
Q  (While pulling out of the daughter's bag a small pair of red panties, holding them up high, and almost shouting - all in the presence of maybe 30 other passengers...a couple of which knew me):  And these are yours!?!
A  (Rather red-faced):  Well, no.....
Q:  Is this your bag?
A:  Well, yes and no....  (My mind is beginning to panic watching the guy start pulling out stuff from the daughter's bag and wondering what the hell her mother might have put in there.....I'm imagining scissors, tampax, etc....)
Q. (While all the TSA people have converged on me and all 30 of the passengers are watching intently):  These (the red lace panties he's still holding up high for all to see) don't really look like they fit you!
A:  Hmmm....(I don't really know what to say....I'm still wondering what else is in that damn bag).  Then I tried to quickly backtrack and explain how it came to be that I was carrying the bag for my friend's wife.
Q.  Well!  Did you pack this bag???
A.  (Knowing damn well my answer could cause further consternation):  Well, no, my friend's wife's mother packed it for her daughter......but I was right next to her when she packed it!  (that last part was a lie but I figured I better say that).
Q:  Well, what else is in the bag then?
A.  (Fuck!  This ain't gonna be easy):  Mostly her clothes. (A guess on my part as I sure as hell didn't know)
 
There's a little more to the story but, thankfully, there were mostly clothes in there....I discovered that then because they unloaded the bag and checked everything.  After a few more minutes, they pretty much bought my story and let me go, albeit a bit red-faced (and thanking god/buddha the mother hadn't planted a grenade or sharp object that would have really screwed me over).  I laugh about it now but also remember the panic I enjoyed (not) for a short while.  I'll think twice in the future before carrying another bag for anyone!

Maybe because Michael had 37 suitcases, a retinue of valets, and the monkey that was screaming "help me! help me!"?  (Just kidding, Michael)
 
Speaking of customs, on one of my first returns to the US from over here about 15 years ago, I was flying out of Tokyo on a loaded 747 and, as it turns out, I was the only person on the plane to declare anything.  When I gave the form to the customs dude, he began to examine my list of items (stupid things I bought for relatives) and I asked him: "Am I really the only one on that plane to have anything to declare or am I just the dumbest person on that plane?"  He just grinned at me with one of those smiles that said: "Way to go, Einstein, you sure figured that out quick!"   

Don't disagree with most of the comments here but maybe it's time for what I now consider a fairly humorous story of the TSA at work.  In 2005, I was flying to southern Michigan to visit one of my best friends who was hospitalized for a liver transplant.  He and his wife went down there in a hurry and I flew down the next day.  The wife's mother at the last moment gave me a carry-on for her daughter (as, given the sudden notice, her daughter flew down there with only the clothes on her back).  That carry-on was the problem.
 
So I went through the screening in my dinky northwestern Michigan city and, after the screening, two TSA guys came up to me smiling and announced that I was randomly chosen for some extra screening (they really did say something to the effect that "don't worry, we do this several times a day, and we're not targeting you for any reason").  They then started going though both of my carry-ons and the rest of it went something like this:
Q: Are these your items?
A: (without thinking too much): Sure.
Q: Are you sure these are your items?
A:  Sure (but maybe said a little less strength, being puzzled as to why I was being asked twice).
Q  (While pulling out of the daughter's bag a small pair of red panties, holding them up high, and almost shouting - all in the presence of maybe 30 other passengers...a couple of which knew me):  And these are yours!?!
A  (Rather red-faced):  Well, no.....
Q:  Is this your bag?
A:  Well, yes and no....  (My mind is beginning to panic watching the guy start pulling out stuff from the daughter's bag and wondering what the hell her mother might have put in there.....I'm imagining scissors, tampax, etc....)
Q. (While all the TSA people have converged on me and all 30 of the passengers are watching intently):  These (the red lace panties he's still holding up high for all to see) don't really look like they fit you!
A:  Hmmm....(I don't really know what to say....I'm still wondering what else is in that damn bag).  Then I tried to quickly backtrack and explain how it came to be that I was carrying the bag for my friend's wife.
Q.  Well!  Did you pack this bag???
A.  (Knowing damn well my answer could cause further consternation):  Well, no, my friend's wife's mother packed it for her daughter......but I was right next to her when she packed it!  (that last part was a lie but I figured I better say that).
Q:  Well, what else is in the bag then?
A.  (Fuck!  This ain't gonna be easy):  Mostly her clothes. (A guess on my part as I sure as hell didn't know)
 
There's a little more to the story but, thankfully, there were mostly clothes in there....I discovered that then because they unloaded the bag and checked everything.  After a few more minutes, they pretty much bought my story and let me go, albeit a bit red-faced (and thanking god/buddha the mother hadn't planted a grenade or sharp object that would have really screwed me over).  I laugh about it now but also remember the panic I enjoyed (not) for a short while.  I'll think twice in the future before carrying another bag for anyone!

Don't disagree with most of the comments here but maybe it's time for what I now consider a fairly humorous story of the TSA at work.  In 2005, I was flying to southern Michigan to visit one of my best friends who was hospitalized for a liver transplant.  He and his wife went down there in a hurry and I flew down the next day.  The wife's mother at the last moment gave me a carry-on for her daughter (as, given the sudden notice, her daughter flew down there with only the clothes on her back).  That carry-on was the problem.
 
So I went through the screening in my dinky northwestern Michigan city and, after the screening, two TSA guys came up to me smiling and announced that I was randomly chosen for some extra screening (they really did say something to the effect that "don't worry, we do this several times a day, and we're not targeting you for any reason").  They then started going though both of my carry-ons and the rest of it went something like this:
Q: Are these your items?
A: (without thinking too much): Sure.
Q: Are you sure these are your items?
A:  Sure (but maybe said a little less strength, being puzzled as to why I was being asked twice).
Q  (While pulling out of the daughter's bag a small pair of red panties, holding them up high, and almost shouting - all in the presence of maybe 30 other passengers...a couple of which knew me):  And these are yours!?!
A  (Rather red-faced):  Well, no.....
Q:  Is this your bag?
A:  Well, yes and no....  (My mind is beginning to panic watching the guy start pulling out stuff from the daughter's bag and wondering what the hell her mother might have put in there.....I'm imagining scissors, tampax, etc....)
Q. (While all the TSA people have converged on me and all 30 of the passengers are watching intently):  These (the red lace panties he's still holding up high for all to see) don't really look like they fit you!
A:  Hmmm....(I don't really know what to say....I'm still wondering what else is in that damn bag).  Then I tried to quickly backtrack and explain how it came to be that I was carrying the bag for my friend's wife.
Q.  Well!  Did you pack this bag???
A.  (Knowing damn well my answer could cause further consternation):  Well, no, my friend's wife's mother packed it for her daughter......but I was right next to her when she packed it!  (that last part was a lie but I figured I better say that).
Q:  Well, what else is in the bag then?
A.  (Fuck!  This ain't gonna be easy):  Mostly her clothes. (A guess on my part as I sure as hell didn't know)
 
There's a little more to the story but, thankfully, there were mostly clothes in there....I discovered that then because they unloaded the bag and checked everything.  After a few more minutes, they pretty much bought my story and let me go, albeit a bit red-faced (and thanking god/buddha the mother hadn't planted a grenade or sharp object that would have really screwed me over).  I laugh about it now but also remember the panic I enjoyed (not) for a short while.  I'll think twice in the future before carrying another bag for anyone!

Hua Hin might be a better match for you.  Not that far from Bangkok and a lot nicer beaches.  On the other hand, if it's the gay bar scene you're after, perhaps better stick with Pattaya as there is almost none in Hua Hin.
 
As to how/where you recruit the assistants you mention, I don't have a clue but I doubt if it will be easy to find the PA you describe (with those qualifications, I would think he/she already has a decent job somewhere far from Pattaya). 
 
You don't mention what visa status you expect and/or whether you might need a work permit.  Something to consider (up to you). 

The peak bars were wiped out 5 years ago and that left the 4-5 bars on Soi 1 (Thapae Road) just behind the D-2 hotel.  A year+ ago, only two bars survived - Secrets and CU - and they moved just south of the old place.  Now Secrets (Oh, the manager, is a super guy) and CU have moved to the east side of the old City just outside the moat (approximately 100 yards north of Chang Moi).
 
We've lost about 8 or 9 gay host bars up here in the last decade but Secrets and CU still thankfully march on.  If/when you're up here in the boonies, stop and have a beer.  Michael, Secrets did take the pool (well, snooker) table with them and now the lean (hehe) heads west versus the old east (I need to bring them a level and/or a chainsaw so I can enlarge the pockets....). 

Let's see, you've now got 8 posts and almost all of them are ads that might better appear on Gay Romeo or in some personal ad sections elsewhere.  This board typically isn't used for cruising. 

I have no idea but I'm hopeful that nobody will ever locate the black boxes....

I have no idea but I'm hopeful that nobody will ever locate the black boxes....

Presuming the story is true, you knew the kid was 16 and taking him into your home was an act of sheer stupidity.  I personally have no sympathy at all for whatever happened to you after that.  You're lucky you haven't been charged with something. 

So be it.  There's a lot more I could have said [e.g, regarding your offer to let him sleep in the spare bedroom or your bedroom and your acknowledgment that even you knew you were on "thin ice"] but it was unnecessary in my view as the stupidity (in my view) began when you allowed him to live with you in the first place (at a time when you new his age and already knew that the other guy was allegedly making sexual demands of him).
 
Always admirable to help out somebody but that doesn't excuse what happened here.  That's my view of it (and I do presume that, by posting your story, you were soliciting or expecting some comments?).  

Probably wise, Mr. Pong, not to disclose your nationality; otherwise, somebody with equally bad taste might consider providing as stupid a stereotypical statement about your fellow citizens as you just offered about mine.

Probably wise, Mr. Pong, not to disclose your nationality; otherwise, somebody with equally bad taste might consider providing as stupid a stereotypical statement about your fellow citizens as you just offered about mine.

Yep, unfortunately there are still some bad genes floating around there; regardless, in honor of the event, think I'll have a bacardi coke to celebrate.