Rogie

This is no laughing matter. I would imagine it can't be too easy for poor old Napolean. You never hear the expression 'hung like a pig', or 'hung like a boar'!

I wonder if it has the Royal Warrant? For more details see: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Royal_Warrant_of_Appointment_(Thailand) (some of you are probably thinking I've gone a bit crazy - but there's method in my madness)

I don't read that particular forum, so I missed that. Thanks for the link. Is Donut a common Thai name? (joke). I assume it's a falung-inspired nickname. Hopefully he has the consistency of his namesake.

Some encouraging news to set the tails wagging. Government officials from the countries of Thailand, Cambodia, Laos and Vietnam have pledged to end the inhumane, commercial trade in dogs for meat. http://www.nationmultimedia.com/national/GMS-countries-pledge-to-end-dog-meat-eating-30213985.html

Bbillybb's thoughts on this reflect those of many long-term Thai visitors and ex-pats. I have read many times on the Message Boards of ex-pats wondering out loud whether they can stand it much longer, or whether if they know what they know now they would ever have moved to LoS. As you say, weigh up the pros and cons on moving to Thailand. At one time, there would have undoubtedly been many more factors in the 'pluses' column than the 'minuses', but now with the deterioration in Thai society and the continuing pathetic political situation, coupled with great advances in gay rights in most western countries, many people will agree with bbillybb's comments.

That's a strange bit of logic Bob. You are quite right that Thais equate a pale skin as some sort of status. In that case using a black model to advertise their product ought to backfire on them. I suspect if the model was a Thai rice farmer (perhaps made even blacker by smearing her face with charcoal or whatever) it wouldn't work at all. Whereas that model shown in the OP doesn't look at all Thai to me. As these doughnuts are from a company based in America (I think I am right in saying that) the ad is relying on Thais equating exotic (foreign) black model with American 'know-how', by which I mean American companies dominate the fast-food market and their products are keenly sought after by many Thais. Personally I think that doughnuts (do-nuts) are grossly overpriced in Thailand. Take a look at Devint's excellent post about street food and you'll see what I mean!

Ceejay's comments are correct. However, Bob says this may not be offensive to Thais. No doubt we shall find out whether it is or not in due course. In the meantime any of our members resident or visiting are free to ask their Thai friends for their opinions.

Michael mentions office protocol. That seems a good yardstick, what is generally permitted and what isn't. At one time, moustaches and sideburns were acceptable for people who didn't want to go the whole hog. The rest of their face was clean-shaven. A man with a heavy beard growth and a 5 o'clock shadow was no problem, but turning up for work when it's obvious you hadn't shaved would soon attract adverse comment. Of course in those days men of influence, such as movie stars, were clean shaven and represented the epitome of manhood! Peer pressure kept men looking all the same, although there were some men who sported facial hair but it was a proper beard, not stubble. The trend towards stubble being seen as acceptable for the office was possibly predicable given the lowering of the bar with regards to other indicators such as a more relaxed attitude to what employees could wear without censure.

I've just gone to the Face Book page linked in the OP and it looks pretty dead, but maybe it's just me as I don't use FB. I agree with the comment in post #2, I wouldn't be interested in watching a video lasting 20m. That shot of the guy spooning foam to me holds out little prospect of a truly fulfilling video, more so as he's wearing a thumbring, a really dumb thing to do IMO.

I know full well the word you had in mind Koko. I just preferred to ignore it! By the way, I haven't done a search engine on this nor had a lookie in a dictionary - never heard of figger before. Figure, yes, and finger, yes, but not figger! Figures of expression can often be cute. An old guy addressing a younger man might call him 'old man'. A young man (or boy!) addressing his senior might call him 'old boy'. Sort of jocular usage.

I've just been reading and contributing to the Lone Ranger thread in the Beer Bar, so when I saw Trigger I immediately thought of Roy Rogers.

Thank you Promsak, it's often rewarding to think back to earlier times, maybe times when life was harder, for whatever reason, than it is today. Some fascinating glimpses can be had. I've heard of Polari, but never heard it spoken. I know of the Round the Horne radio show but unlike you can't recollect any episodes. Here's some interesting background on Polari: If you are interested the website linked below gives a list of Polari expressions. See how many you can recognise. Two that caught my eye were: Naff: meaning = bad, drab (from Not Available For Fucking) Camp: meaning = effeminate (origin: KAMP .... Known As Male Prostitute) http://chris-d.net/polari

Beard-Loving Hipsters Give Razor Sales a Shave "Procter & Gamble, which owns shaving giant Gillette, recently announced that its razor sales are falling in developed markets. Energizer’s Schick razor has also taken a recent hit, with sales dropping 10 percent in the last year. Market research firm Euromonitor International predicts that in 2013, shaving products are expected to lose their dominance in the larger male grooming market for the first time ever. For some men, growing a beard is not just about chucking their razor — it’s a full-on cosmetic surgery procedure. A growing number of vanity-conscious lads, at least in the U.K., are opting for beard transplants, a trend that has skyrocketed over the past year, The Daily Mail reports. Dr. Bessam Farjo, founder of the Farjo Hair Institute who performed the world’s first facial hair transplant in 1996, said he’s seen a six-fold increase every year for the past five years in the number of men getting surgery to boost their facial follicles. Over 4,500 procedures were carried out last year, 13 percent more than in 2011. His transplant procedures are the most popular form of cosmetic surgery for men in the U.K., which he credits to scruffy celebrities like as Pitt, Beckham and BBC presenter Jeremy Paxman. One stateside gentleman who clearly doesn’t need a beard transplant is “magnificently hirsute” L.A. Dodgers pitcher Brian Wilson, who was offered $1 million by 800razors.com to shave his “manhood,” but denied the request. TMZ reported that Wilson’s reps didn’t even consider the deal, responding that his trademark beard is “going with him to the grave.” So is facial hair here to stay? If you look at the broader arc of history, it’s been the dominant look for centuries. Ancient Greeks considered beards a sign of virility, and Europeans in the late 19th century took them to be a sign of middle-class respect. It was only with the Beat generation that facial growth became a sign of counterculture. So perhaps the clean-shaven look was just a blip on our radar." http://newsfeed.time.com/2013/08/25/beard-loving-hipsters-give-razor-sales-a-shave/?xid=newsletter-weekly http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2397637/Beard-implants-growing-Number-men-opting-transplants-fold-past-years.html

We all know Thai males are mercurial. A hypothetical scenario. For whatever reason, you've got up some guy's nose. He lashes out and you hit the deck. Next morning you have a lovely shiner to go with your bruised ego. Or, scenario take 2, he lashes out with a sharp implement, you hit the deck and wake up in the Bangkok Hilton (explanation: when the cops arrived the other guy said it was YOU that attacked HIM. As we are often told - and I'd like to think it's mostly untrue - when it's Thai versus falung guess whose word is believed?

Is that for a 'cut and blow dry'? I remember when I had more hair than I do now that was something to savour. I have no idea of course but hazard a guess you are clean-shaven. Have you considered frequenting a barber? Thais to the best of my knowledge have little interest in pies, so it ought to be safe!

We seem to have two camps here, those who say they've never had trouble and those that steer clear of the place for whatever reason, but mainly it seems because they don't want to risk it. I know when I see somebody use the dreaded AYOR acronym, it makes me think twice, and more likely than not to give it a miss. In between these two camps we have Christian. As we know because he's told us, he's had a problem with a guy with a knife. I think I would be right in saying instances of outright homophobia in which the real or imagined gay person is assaulted - akin to the quaint old term queer-bashing in Britain and other western countries - are rare in Thailand, at least Thais against a falung. I haven't been to Russia, but in addition to the government's attitude to gay rights, there was a recent news story where Russian homophobic thugs attacked youngsters, degraded them and posted pics on some social media outlet (see the Stephen Fry thread in the Beer Bar). If that kind of thing goes on then I wouldn't be surprised if physical assaults on people minding their own business get quite out of hand so that a Russian gay man will always be looking over his shoulder. The reason for going on at length here is I wonder if Thailand really is as safe as we like to think? Is Thailand full of homophobic thugs who, given the chance and encouragement (like in Russia) to legitimise their prejudice, would act on that? I guess the most likely answer to that is, no of course not. Large numbers of such Thai people don't exist. But you don't necessarily need that many. Taking a walk in a known pick-up place for MSM activity you only need two or three madmen to find yourself quickly surrounded, roughed-up or worse. Perhaps there is something to be said for there being lots of boys - for example, 30 as in the description in post #25. Indeed, the more the merrier for the seeker-after-action, from the point of view of choice, but also safety. My conclusion: Beware of dimly-lit out-of-the-way places where there are only a handfull of individuals. There's safety in numbers. Or, instead of going on your own, go with another falung, or with a Thai well-known to you - specially important if you do not speak Thai. (Of course, what happens after you meet somebody and adjourn to another place is another matter. . . )

It's said sometimes in sporting, musical or theatrical circles, to take just three professions, that a person should time his retirement carefully. So for example in the field of sport, folk are wondering when Roger Federer, the brilliant Swiss tennis player will retire. Will he retire whilst his aura of invincibility is intact? Or perhaps leave it a little longer by which time the 'legend' is starting to lose its lustre. These kinds of forums are a bit like that; unfortunately few leave at the time of their choosing so as to leave a lingering sense of regret in those that remain. (Alas, some much-loved posters pass away; whilst some are booted out by management, often after a career of disruption marred by deleted posts and warnings from the mods). The subject of this thread has left of his own volition, leaving us forlornly hoping for more; I certainly put myself in that category. That's that. . .

I like your use of the term 'home turf'. I wonder if some of us don't get a little 'possessive' from time to time? (Veteran poster with over 1,000 posts - thinks to self: "How dare that newbie with just a handfull of posts pull me up on one of my posts")

Fair comment from Koko. I'm just saying what I do, and I did say I rarely use my fingers, that means I sometimes do! I recall an occasion many years ago: I was minding my business enjoying a meal on my own in an American restaurant. Chap eating at a nearby table yelled across . . ."You British?"

I was all set to ride to Christian's defence based on the quote in post #34. I was assuming it referred to a sit-down-at-table restaurant meal. Then I checked and it was an 85 baht cheapo. So the eating with fingers comment was reasonable. I don't know if Christian's pizza was freshly made for him or not. One thing I never buy is a slice of pizza that may've been cooked quite some time earlier. So, not eating those kinds of pizzas I rarely resort to using my fingers. As I was rude about the appearance of the pizza in post #32, looking back earlier in this thread the Zanotti pizza in post #20 looks much more appealing. There again, it ran out at 500 baht (cost inclusive of taxes).

F-E-R-R-A-R-I drivers - don't ya just luv 'em? (Nothing against the car, the cars themselves are beautiful!) Just in case any readers haven't been following this case, check out: http://www.gaythailand.com/forums/topic/8102-another-deadly-cocktail/?do=findComment&comment=59011 It is now almost a full year since the accident.

That's quite so. I wrote my comment below before reading post #7. Undoubtedly annoying, but that reaction is only fair if you are an inexperienced tourist, visiting a country with Buddhist temples for the first time. Doubly annoying if you are in a tour group and neither the tour leader (usually somebody from your home country) nor the local guide has informed you! If you know the rules, but just happen to forget, you have only yourself to blame. I had what was certainly an annoying experience in Bangkok at the restaurant at the top of the Banyan Tree hotel. They don't like shorts so I had to borrow some longs. I was extra-annoyed as I had been wearing a nice pair of shorts (no cargo pockets!) that came down to my knees. Other men were being admitted wearing scruffy jeans. It just goes to show a sense of humour helps in Thailand. Rather than seethe just laugh it off. I think that's why some ex-pats and tourists come amiss, they let the little annoyances fester which in time is a recipe for becoming jaded and cynical.

True enough. That's a good photo of the Emerald Buddha Michael. I well recall on my first visit to Thailand and the Grand Palace I was frustrated to catch hardly a glimpse if it. It would help if it was bigger of course, but I can't really say that, can I? - after all I regard myself as a serious tourist, rather than a gawper.

Good article. Thanks for the link Promsak. Is that really the best Mount Olympus can cook up for its gods? I admit the Parma ham looks good, but the base (!) - it looks like a bloated popadom! The average price paid for all those pizzas on sale on various places in Britain was £6. So approx 280 baht. By the time the taxes are added the one at Amici weighed in at nearly 500 baht. I've eaten at a couple of pizza restaurants in Naples and they are spit and sawdust places but they have people Q -ing outside! They go to enjoy a fabulous authentic no-frills pizza, and to hell with the decor! The margherita is €3.50 so about £3 or 150 baht.

Funny title, but is that the reason for it? Puttin' on the Ritz derives from: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Puttin'_on_the_Ritz No doubt there was a gay equivalent - perhaps dressing in drag? Just a guess.