PeterRS

I am sure all reasonable people agree. But the difference between the 1970s/80s and the 2020s is that Russia has the largest stock of nuclear weapons anywhere. We already know that NATO will not agree to Ukraine's request for a no-fly zone simply because of what might happen if a NATO aircraft brought down a Russian aircraft. Unlikely it would immediately result in a nuclear war, but it would dangerously escalate what is already a horrible situation. That the Russians are now fighting very close to Europe's largest nuclear power station is bad enough. What are these monsters thinking about? Sadly I believe there is nothing the west can do that will bring Putin down. Sanctions take time to work and there is little historical evidence that sanctions really work as intended. Only the Russian people can take Putin down. After nearly a quarter of a century in power, ex-KGB agent Putin will surely have his internal defences pretty secure by now, I'd think. But it was his surrounding coterie that got rid of Kruschev (as far as i know). Perhaps a group within Putin's inner circle may eventually find a way of getting rid of him.

I'm also very close to the Elite office on Sathorn so it is easy to deliver and pick up the passport and combine it with other things. The only other thing I found to do after the long trek out to Chaengwattana was a massage at a spa I had recently heard about. Hardly any English spoken but the massage was good and the ending as good. But I will try the online service if it is working well now.

I don't see these as destroying a thread. Some are very amusing. I seem to recall a saying that there is a very fine line between comedy and tragedy.

I had not realised the Search engine is so fast and effective. Here is the post written about the death of Inspector MacLennan and how that changed the law for Hong Kong's LGBT community.

This ruling was entirely predictable. Singapore's PM has repeatedly said he will not do anything to get rid of Section 377A. On the other hand he has also said he will not enforce it except in instances where the law is openly disobeyed - by which I reckon that means something like public sex in an open area. The cultural/religious argument that Singapore's government constantly throws out as its reason for not abolishing Section 377A is pretty much rubbish. The same reason was put forward by the Hong Kong government in the 1970s and 1980s which had the same law on the statute books. Roughly 95% of Hong Kong's population were Chinese and the government line was that the Chinese would never stand for legalisation of homosexuality. In those decades, it would routinely throw a few gay men in jail for a couple of years. It also had informants in the triads and in one of the two gay bars. One gay western solicitor found his time in jail little different to the luxury lifestyle he enjoyed when a free man. Thanks to corruption, he had a cell more like a well-furnished living room, all the good food he requested and a constant supply of young men! Someone wrote some time ago about an infamous case of the "alleged" suicide in January 1980 of a police inspector who was "alleged" to be outed as gay the following day. If I can find the post I will link it to this thread. That was all patent nonsense. But in the inquest and the various enquiries that followed, the public learned a great deal about government harassment of the LGBT community and even of a special government department specifically to root out gays from positions of authority. One High Court judge on learning of this fled Hong Kong in considerable haste. It was even alleged that the unmarried Head of the Police Force was gay and enjoyed gay weekends in Kuala Lumpur. But he held his ground and was never removed. As a result of the huge public fuss over the death of this policeman, the government tasked the Law Reform Commission with reviewing the anti-gay law. Its very clear recommendation was that it be abolished. Yet still the government sat on its arse and did nothing for several years. Ironically it was Hong Kong's return to China that forced Britain's hand. To become a full member of the international community, Hong Kong had to enact a Bill of Rights. Both parties agreed that the time had come for homosexuality to be decriminalised. The flood of complains from the local Chinese community never materialised. There was not even one peep! Thus from 1991 the Hong Kong LGBT community came gradually to be accepted. The many gay couples in the city could finally come out (if they wished) and gay bars, saunas and massage spas began to proliferate. Presumably Singapore's government has similar concerns - even though it permits gay saunas and bars to operate. But I have rarely, if ever, seen any objections to the abolition from any cultural group on the island state, be it Chinese, Malay, Muslim or Indian. It is the small rabidly anti gay group of Christian evangelical Churches which hit the headlines every time the word "gay" is mentioned. As has been proved quite recently in Court, some of these groups are, like some of their American twins, very corrupt institutions. Why they are permitted to operate AND to have tax exemption totally beats me!

I'm curious about this spray. I understood the virus can still enter the body via the eyes and from fingers which then touch the eyes, mouth or food about to be consumed. I wonder how a nasal spray prevents this.

Has anyone ever come across a Thai boy with what I believe is called a Prince Albert - a cock ring inserted into the tip of the penis. I have only seen this in a porn video and it actually disgusts me even more than mooks. I have heard the rumour that Queen Victoria's husband had had one inserted and that this is the reason for the name. No idea if this is true, though.

In normal times I would agree with you. I would happily return to St. Petersburg following a wonderful trip there in 2013 especially with a massively devalued ruble. For those able to obtain a visa, the high speed trains from Helsinki are by far the best way to get into the city. The airport is a painful disaster zone for passengers. On the other hand, credit cards may not work, cash will be king, inflation will surely soar and I would expect tourist places to show little decrease in prices. Plus, who will consider going anywhere in Russia for the rest of this year, no matter how the Ukraine invasion ends.

I hope for the Vietnamese people that the infection rate quickly drops. Vietnam is a country which many tourists seem not to consider on S E Asia trips. I have only been 3 times now but have absolutely loved the country. Hanoi is a stunning city. I was not so keen on HCM City but I think that was more my lack of preparedness. The island of Phu Quoc perhaps surprisingly under Cambodia was a gem and my more recent trip 2 years ago to Danang, the glorious Hoi An and the old Imperial capital of Hue was one of my best trips in Asia. I did not venture to any gay establishments apart from one bar in Hanoi. Phu Quoc was purely a beach break and I was not looking for company although some of the boys working in the hotel were obviously gay. As soon as I arrived in Hoi An for my central Vietnam trip, however, the apps got busy and I arranged a meet up with a lovely guy for later in Danang. He stayed two nights with me and even accompanied me to the airport on departure. Apart from drinks and meals he wanted no cash, not even to get back to the city.

What is this? Seems like an out-and-out advertisement.

An interesting bunch of comments but none that have not been discussed at some time on this and other Thailand chat rooms. Without going through each one, as a longish-time resident in Bangkok I have recently decided that the constant visits to Immigration at Chaengwattana for 90 day reporting and annual visa/re-entry permit renewals is such a pain that I purchased a Thailand Elite membership. A 20 years visa for 1 million baht is obviously a lot more expensive than having either 65,000 remitted monthly or the other ridiculous method of having 400,000/800,000 tied up unspent in a savings account. But it is vastly more convenient for those who can afford it. Of course you will not get your 1 million back at the end of the term whereas that 800,000 is yours once you die! I am just delighted that Chaengwattana will be a distant memory once I can travel again (travel outside the country just once a year and you never need return there). But even if you never travel, the once-a-year visit to Immigration is a breeze because there is a young lady there to help you and a special counter. Last year I had an appointment at 11:00 am and was out by 11:20. Before getting the Elite visa, I'd have to be there around 7:30 am and was rarely out much before noon thanks to huge queues. Now I rarely have to queue. Even once I start travelling again, Elite members can use the dedicated first/business class lanes. (In that regard, over 70s also can use these lanes.) The paperwork in this country is just plain ridiculous. Bar girls/boys not loving you is again just something everyone has to have at the front of their minds. Of course there are exceptions, but these are mostly few and far between. Two-tier pricing has never bothered me, but it seems to strike a nerve with some posters who are incensed by it. I have never understood why! It is not that this is unique to Thailand because it isn't. And during my career before coming to Thailand I have earned a lot more than the vast majority of Thais. Plus it's their country. What bothered me most when I first settled here is the endemic corruption. It pervades virtually every aspect of life in Thailand. For a time it drove me nuts. But like living anywhere that is not your home country, there are certain issues that will always piss you off. As with all cops being on the take, you have no option other than get used to it - or move to another country. (Note: my comments above refer to Bangkok. I understand Immigration can be a lot easier in places like Pattaya, Chiang Mai etc.)

I went to Chakran in its heyday for farang in the years after its opening around the turn of the century. It was an amazing facility with lots of young Thais and only a few westerners. I think I am right in saying it was the first Bangkok sauna to introduce an all-nude area. There were at that time lounger chairs in front of the bar by the pool. Just sitting enjoying a drink while watching the guys walk down from the first floor on the open stairs opposite was a joy! Anyone know if Heaven sauna near the end of Silom across from the Holiday Inn Hotel still operates? It was sometimes quite active. A long time ago I met there a lovely guy who worked at the nearby Mandarin Oriental hotel.

I believe VCK Cool Space is the massage spa attached to Chakran Sauna off Soi Aree. According to its website, Chakran is open. However, for some years it has been virtually sticky Thai and Asian. I am sure some of the other saunas further from the central area will be open, but these tend also to be basically sticky Thai. However I have not been to any and is only what I have heard.

... and their propensity for making oodles of cash out of every decision they make!

Have you never seen a Filipino with a cock that looks like it's been put through the ringer as a result of some botched circumcision ceremony done by an unqualified quack in the countryside? Not merely a sight for sore eyes, sadly a boy definitely not to spend time with.

It reminds me a little of a similar accident which happened in Manila way back in November 1981. Imelda Marcos, she of the 3,000 pairs of shoes, untold wealth and personal possessions, decided she wanted a Film Festival. She saw one of her roles, apart from massive theft from the Treasury, as brightening the lives of the Filipinos with glamour and beauty (believe it or not, that is what she claimed!) So she had her minions set about building a Film Palace that would rival Cannes, Venice and Berlin. She owned a huge plot of land bordered on one side by the sea and on the other by Roxas Boulevard where she had earlier had built the Cultural Centre of the Philippines. Also on the site was the 5-star Philippine Plaza Hotel which for much the 1980s was effectively cruise central for visiting gay guys. The one problem was the timetable. The contractors had less than six months to complete the entire job. So it was round the clock working for roughly 8,000 labourers. One evening workers on the night shift heard a sound like thunder. The whole roof caved in. It was rumoured that 168 men were buried alive and another 41 injured. Immediately the government imposed a news blackout before eventually stating that just 3 men had died. With the deadline now even more tight, the contractors were ordered to continue with the construction without pulling out the dead bodies. Some who were alive but buried up to their waists in drying cement were never tended to and died where they landed. Only after the Marcos family was kicked out of the country did film of the true grisly event surface. When the Festival went ahead, most of the invitees had declined to accept. About the only 'stars' to attend were Peter Ustinov, Priscilla Presley, Brooke Shields and Imelda's favourite actor, the perennially sun-tanned George Hamilton. After much remodelling the building is currently used as a theatre.

I read that in the 1940s London's Windmill Theatre was allowed to have naked ladies on stage - provided they never moved! Just like statues. Having stayed open all throughout the war, including the Blitz, it adopted the motto, "We never closed." Some wit changed that to "We never clothed!"

As a part-time observer of US politics, I was always staggered that such a seemingly reasonable man as John McCain would select such a disaster as Palin to be his running mate. Was he so desperate that no-one else would have been a better choice? Had his vetters really done their job? How he must have regretted that selection for the rest of his life. As soon as she got tangled up in the 60 Minutes interview about which magazines she read and then the baloney about seeing Russia from her front door, I don't understand why he just did not drop her - from a height on to hard concrete.

Does it really matter? In every Atlas, map and guidebook I have ever consulted, the city's name is Bangkok - pure and simple. Are we going to get into a situation as with some airlines a few years ago when China objected to Taiwan being called a country? At least legally there is doubt as to whether Taiwan is in fact a country, given the various declarations at the Cairo, Potsdam and San Francisco Conferences during and after World War 2, as well as the declarations by the Nixon and Carter administrations.

I find the increasing reports of air rage, mostly it seems on USA internal flights, very disturbing. From what I read most involve those who are against the mask mandate. Well, my view is bugger them. They should be both fined and jailed. I realise cockpits are now secure and you cannot open a plane's doors at 10,000 meters, but the thought of fights breaking out on an aircraft I might also be on appals me, as I know it does the Flight Attendants Union. If by some chance a couple of passengers forced a flight attendant to give them the security code for the cockpit, who knows what might happen. To my way of thinking, this is a result of not making covid prevention measures a Federal mandate and instead leaving it to individual states and thus subject to political whims. Do the good people of the USA not realise that the numbers who have died from covid19 already number at least 50% more than all Americans who died in World Wars 1 and 2, the Korean War and the various wars in Indochina? In those wars, Federal mandates were in force. With covid19 it's people who stupidly call themselves politicians with ridiculous agendas who call the shots - or rather to avoid the shots!!

What idiocy! If they want to make a change, why not use the city's true official name - Krung Thep Mahanakhon Amon Rattanakosin Mahinthara Yuthaya Mahadilok Phop Noppharat Ratchathani Burirom Udomratchaniwet Mahasathan Amon Piman Awatan Sathit Sakkathattiya Witsanukam Prasit!! That will force all map and atlas makers to reprint! Most major cities and most capital cities around the world are known by a relatively simple one or two word title. Paris, Rome, Madrid, New York, Chicago, San Francisco, Tokyo, Osaka, Taipei, Singapore, Kuala Lumpur, Kathmandu, Buenos Aires, Ankara etc. Why complicate matters by making a capital city's name longer than Bangkok or Krung Thep? You can just hear it! "Where are you going for your vacation?" "Oh, we're off to Krung Thep Maha Nakhon to check out the gay scene. And then we're going to Nay Pyi Taw to check out the massage parlours!" I'll bet the Tourist Authority will have something to say about this. As a result largely of colonial rule, many cities names were changed. Understandably those now independent countries are anxious to return to the names they used to have. Hence Mumbai, Chennai and Yangon for example. But Thailand was never colonised!

Your points are all taken. I do think we need a firmer guideline. For example, when there is a substantial chunk of an article included (and i mean something like 15-20 lines along with the link to read the rest of the article, where does that fit into the guidelines? It's not a quote. It's much too long for a quote. Yet it is not a full article (although there have been occasions when around 75% of an article has been quoted). I just think we'll all feel more comfortable with more precise guidelines as none of us wish to see the site fall foul of copyright regulations.

What a wonderful report! Thank you for that and for all your truly wonderful photos.

Obviously a silly western magazine with a writer/publisher who has absolutely zero interest in Asia. In another article it also lists its 10 best Male Figure Skaters. Clearly Asians and those of Asian descent mean little to this magazine since the only one it mentions is Nathan Chen. He may be American but both his parents were born in China. Also four of the top five winners in the Men's Competition were purely Asian.

The shit spouted by the Thai authorities is thrown in our faces yet again! An Interpol red notice is issued for two farang whose whereabouts are "unclear" i.e. no one knows where they are. Yet, these same authorities allege that they cannot issue a similar Interpol notice for the Red Bull heir murderer because they do not have an address for him! Do they seriously believe all their fellow Thais are all idiots? Even so, at one time these authorities did in fact claim the murderer was indeed on an Interpol notice. At that time I looked through all 7,000+ individuals on that list. Guess what? The Red Bull heir was not on it. A total disgrace!