PeterRS

As a relatively regular visitor to the upmarket Central Chidlom shopping mall in Bangkok, I can say there are far more Indians now than i have ever seen before. Judging by the number of shopping bags they carry, these Indians are certainly not short of money.

Air ticket prices to Thailand have traditionally increaased for the high season when families and individuals in many countries have longish holiday breaks. But airlines are also trying to find any way possible to recoup the massive losses sustained during covid.

I've written this before a few years ago. One reason I could not end it all by jumping from a high floor. I know from an experience I had around 25 years ago that there are times when time itself seems to move much more slowly. Having arrived at Shanghai's Hongqiao airport one evening I had stepped on to what I thought was terra firma. In fact someone had moved a small section of a grille at the side of the parking lot right where I was to get into a hotel car. My right foot went into the hole and I had quite a bad fall when I was certain I would break my leg. I didn't, but I remember so well how that fleeting 2 seconds or so seemed much more like 10 or more. So my fear would be that as I fell from a height, maybe time would again slow down. And what if I suddently realised half way down that I had forgotten to do something very important?

Why is it not fair? Recently two British politicians were forced to resign. One had been seen watching porn in parliament. The other had groped men in the toilet of a major London political club.

My personal view. This thread has become far too personal and overly political to the point where it might continue for months filled with personal attacks - that get nowhere! I think enough as been said. I wrote in another thread recently that two blacks don't make etc. I loathe and detest with great intensity what Russia is doing in Ukraine and I applaud the USA, the UK, NATO and others for helping Ukraine fight the invasion. But some making similar comments conveniently forget, as Moses has rightly pointed out, Afghanistan, Iraq, Vietnam, Cambodia, Laos and other US invasions, several on totally wrong political assumptions and some totally illegal. Children are still being killed each year as a result of the USA dropping over Laos a planeload of bombs, most of the cluster variety, on average every 8 minutes, 24 hours a day for a period of nine whole years in the 1960s/70s! Some 30% of those bombs failed to explode on impact. 80 million bombs remained in the ground. By last year, only 300,000 had been cleared. Since 'peace' in 1973, these bombs have killed an additional 20,000 Lao people. Of this number nearly half were young children. The USA has provided $190 million to clear the bombs. Laos estimates it will take until 2030 before all the unexploded bombs can be cleared - but that goal will depend on a lot more money becoming avaiable. Others have estimated that at the present rate it will take 200 years. Has any US citizen ever been indicted and jailed for this terror and continuing murder? None of which I am aware. An indication of the problem is the 750lb bomb dropped 20 meters from the remote village Nonsomboun housing 1,000 people. This is the amount of time and effort it took before it could be destroyed. "After 53 days of careful planning and team-work between HALO [Hazardous Area Life-supprt Organisation] staff and the local community, the bomb was safely destroyed with no damage to the village. It took 100 HALO staff, the assistance of 150 villagers, 4,000 tonnes of sand and 200,000 sandbags to safely destroy the bomb." https://www.halotrust.org/where-we-work/south-asia/laos/ [Note: HALO has been working in Ukraine since 2014.] That was ONE BOMB! Seriously think about that and reflect on it for a few moments. Like Cambodia, this was all a covert secret operation by the CIA. And the bombing was undetaken AFTER the Treaty signed in Geneva in 1962 in which the USA was one of 14 countries (including the Soviet Union and China) which were forbidden from invasion of and etablishment of military bases in Laos. It was also illegal under the US system where only Congress can declare war. As a result of illegal US military activities, 10% of the population of Laos were murdered. A further 20% were wounded. 750,000 Lao people became refugeees. Those speaking out so forcefully about Ukraine should remember these facts. They should also watch this documetary about the US clandestine war in Laos with its details about the CIA's secret airport in the Lao jungle at Long Cheng. Three journalists who stumbled on it by chance witnessed one US plane landing or taking off every minute. https://www.history.com/news/laos-most-bombed-country-vietnam-war https://reliefweb.int/report/lao-peoples-democratic-republic/mag-removes-300000th-unexploded-bomb-laos

Same with Qatar and I expect most airlines.

My understanding from previous posts is that @abidismaili is based in The Netherlands.

I used miles to book on Qatar biz class to the UK about 2 months ago. Unfortunately it was the time when fuel was its most expensive. Also as Qatar now add in to the surcharges lounge access and seat selection (if you pay for a ticket these are now extra costs), the extra charges were over $1,000. But I had to use up the miles or lose them - so you pay your money and take your choice! I was lucky in buying points when Marriott made its first offer during the pandemic. My purchase of 100,000 points got a bonus of 70% and seemed quite a bargain. The latest offer is around 25%, But I knew that Marrriott would just increase the number of points required for most hotels - especially at the top end. And so it has proved although I'll still come out slightly better.

Nope. The most recent is September 8. But he's been in Germany for at least 3 months. There's a post from 8 August giving details of his Thai adventures in April and early May. https://christianpfc.blogspot.com/2022/08/gay-activities-apr2022.html

Also agree, although I think 90% is more than a bit high. But it's wonderful if you're a top to be in a place where most of the boys you encounter wish to be your bottom. I had a strange but delightful encounter about 6 years ago. A young Chinese from Macao with whom I had been chatting for about 3 years on the now dreadful if not dead fridae site but never actually met suddenly contacted me on one of the more modern apps. He'd noticed in my profile that I liked Taipei. Turned out he'd been studying in Taiwan and decided to stay there. Although he lived in the centre of the island, when I told him I was coming over for the Gay Pride Parade, he said he'd never been to one and could he join me. I thought he might want to stay the night which I was slightly concerned about because I just did not know him. However, he said he had a friend with whom he would stay. We arranged to meet in my hotel about half an hour prior to leaving for the Parade. The previous evening I was having drinks with an old friend in one of the Red House bars. It's a great location for merely enjoying lots of eye candy. Suddenly the most gorgeous boy walked in front of us seemingly looking for someone. He then turned around and came up to me asking if I was the one he'd meet tomorrow. I then wished I'd offered to put him up for the night! He was looking for the friend he was staying with. The next day he duly arrived at the hotel and I had planned to offer him a quick snack lunch. But once in my room, he hugged me close and whispered in my ear. "Fuck me! Please!" I said we don't have much time. "It doesn't matter. Please I want now and we can take longer after the Parade." Well, what is a polite gentleman to do. And the deed was done to the great satisfaction of both!

I agree. christianpfc's blog is not only interesting reading it is packed with facts of use to gay travellers. The only point I'd make (perhaps with a touch of jealousy!) is that christianpfc is a lot younger than many of the posters here and we should bear this in mind.

For 2023 just a simple list. Longer than usual trips to Taiwan, Japan and my more recent discovery Vietnam. All are amazingly beautiful and fascinating countries. In each finding lovely guys whose only desire is to spend some time with a much older gay westerner without any payment is far from difficult. Indeed in Taiwan it seems more difficult finding money boys than guys merely wanting company and sex without even travel money.

I wonder what is the origin of the content in the OP. Some rubbish tabloid no doubt. The fact is that King Charles as he now is is on record as having stated when he was in his early 30s that as a result of his failure to turn his love for many young women into marriage he wondered if he might be gay. Prince Charles considered gay turn before marrying Diana Despite his status, Prince Charles's quest for a wife was in no way a fairy tale adventure. The future king struggled so much in his search for a royal bride he reportedly came close to giving up, and it's been revealed he reconsidered his sexuality along the way. In a new documentary about the Queen's four children, it's claimed Charles joked to a friend, asking "shall I go gay?" as he found himself disappointed with a string of relationships with women. All The Queen's Children is released this week in the UK. In it, British TV presenter Jeremy Paxman is filmed speaking to friends of the four heirs: Charles, Anne, Andrew and Edward. According to The Mirror, a close friend of Charles, Broderick Munro-Wilson, shares that before Diana came along, the prince made a comment about "going gay". During Charles's courting days, a hot topic for tabloids was to choose suitable contenders to marry the first in line to the British throne. Broderick Munro-Wilson tells Paxman: "I thought the only possibility was Caroline of Monaco," referring to one of the articles he'd read. However, as the potential matches never seemed to take Charles's fancy and he suggested he "goes gay", Munro-Wilson shares: "We all roared with laughter and moved on … They had a lot of fun." https://www.nzherald.co.nz/lifestyle/prince-charles-considered-gay-turn-before-marrying-diana/42UNA5X3UDPUQRGRV36H5H4U3Q/

Even with all the respect and regard I have for @TotallyOz who has run this site for so many years, I cannot help recalling that when there was a near revolt by many members against the poster named Beachlover - who it will be recalled had done his best to derail at least one other chat room forum - @TotallyOz actually denfended him. This despite many mistakes found in several of his posts and the posting of photographs with all personal detail blacked out. If I recall correcty, he stuck it out continually claiming he was this 20s Australian businessman when it was perfectly clear he was an ageing expat merely playing his little games. It took quite a time but he was eventually banned.

Hal will always be 2001 😉

The problem stems partly from the lack of sex education in the vast majority of schools. Blame this on one of the early Thaksin governments which cut the HIV-AIDS budget substantially. Before then, most young guys grew up aware of the dangers of unprotected sex. Now many young guys know of HIV-AIDS but have little clue how the virus is transmitted. I have read more than a few reports of the many saunas catering to young Thais on the outskirts of Bangkok where condoms are rarely used. And I am certain this is a result of ignorance. Although I have no statisics, i suspect most of the patrons are not on PrEP. It's particularly sad when Thailand had an excellent record in controlling the spread of HIV in the 1990s and very early 2000s. But a United Nations study in 2014 found a new rise in HIV infections. 70% of the cases were in the 15-24 age group and of these 41% were amongst msm. Part of the Report on the Study says this - UNICEF says it believes that Thailand urgently needs more effective protection measures and appropriate testing and treatment programmes for young people in order to curb rising infection rates for HIV and STI. These programs, however, will need to be designed at the community level, with the involvement of young people themselves, so that they meet their specific needs. “Among several recommendations from the study, we are calling for the age of consent for HIV testing and counselling to be reduced from the current age of 18 years,” Mr. Gass said. “If a young person feels that they have engaged in an activity that puts them at risk of HIV, they should be entitled to have a test without needing parental consent.” The Medical Council of Thailand had actually been calling for children under 18 to have the right to be tested without parental consent since 2008. It is now in effect. But given that 8 years have passed since that United Nations Study, this country significantly undermined its earlier dedication to the reduction of HIV in its young people.

Jusr a reminder - should one be needed - that if you any any assets at all in Thailand you need to have a will written and executed in Thai for the disposal of those assets. So if you own a condo, have money in a bank account, etc., without such a will the Thai courts will take an age to make its decision about their disposal. In almost 100% of the time, these will go to your nearest living relative. If you have a Thai partner here, he is likely to get nothing if there is no Thai will. This can be done relatively inexpensively through one of the law firms who do this on the internet.

Audrey Hepburn will always be Breakfast Glenn Close will always be Fatal

Seems this Board is now infected by Beachlover redux!

Your posts now mark you out as a complete troll that is becoming abusive. You wrote a few posts ago that you planned to delete your membership. Trouble is, trolls don't like to do that so I guess you will be here as long as the owner/moderator is prepared to tolerate your increasingly schizophrenic posts. And guess what? A troll will now trash me! What a surpise and it will mean precisely nothing to me. After all, I don't need to hide in doorways

Goodness me! Such strong statements and positive actions that you propose! How come you behave like a frightened child when talking about why you can't take boys from bars? Sorry but it doesnt quite gel with some of the members here!

I don't blame anyone for their beliefs. I am not sure if you know that Moses not only owns the other chat site sawatdee network and has over the years also willingly provided technical help to gaybuttonthai.com. He did not have to buy sawatdee and keep it running. Several thailand gay chat sites have vanished in recent years. But he decided to keep sawatdee open. I don't know if you look at that site. Many do. It also happens that he lives in Russia. For all I know he may be Russian. Like it or not he is still as entitled as anyone else to his opinion without these being called lies - unless you can prove they are lies. And what reason do you have for calling him disagreeable? The fact is that much of what he has written is NOT lies. I have been there. When were you last in Russia? Frankly, I find your comments on this topic so totally different from those on the other thread "Your life as a Senior Gay Man". There you paint yourself as being a gay who has chosen to live in Pattaya but terrified about being seen taking a boy out of a bar. You tell us we will not believe how much "a bag of nerves" you are if you are brave enough to invite a sexy guy to your condo. Then how you almost hide in corners waiting for the coast to be clear. I find your activity on both threads getting pretty clear to trolling.

Happy to oblige. "If Hitler invaded Hell, I would make at least a favourable reference to the devil in the House of Commons.“

Can I just say that I find the tone of this thread going downhill too quickly. Most people support Ukraine. A few clearly support Russia. Getting worked up about it here is not going to do anything but arouse deep-rooted feelings. I have never been to Ukraine but support it after the Russian invasion. I have been four times to Moscow and twice to St. Petersburg. They are both amazing cities with some extraordinary wonders. I loathe Putin's homophobia but that did not stop me making meaningful glances at a waiter in a St. Petersburg hotel which, if my gaydar was working properly, were reciprocated. That is as far as I went, though, I would never have risked anything more. In my view, anyone even attempting to find a gay venue or to hook up with a Russian in Russia is asking for a great deal of trouble - even if they feel safe for Russians who live there.. I know two blacks don't make etc. , but would those prepared to chance it in Russia do likewise in Brunei, Iran, Nigeria, some of the Gulf States etc.?

Merely for the sake of accuracy, her father King George VI was the second son of King George V. His older brother was the philadering but hugely popular Prince Edward. He had had several affairs, usually with older married women. His father despaired of him and was disgusted by his affairs. In 1931 one of his romantic relationships introduced him to Mrs. Wallis Simpson, an American who had divorced her first husband. Edward fell head over heels in love with her. By 1934 she was his mistress. None of the establishment expected the affair to last much longer than the others. It did. As George V became ill, the royal court and the government became alarmed. The British Secret Service had her investigated. One report claimed she had spent time in Shanghai (true) where she learned some special sexual techniques (uncertain). One story, true or not, was that she perfected what is termed the "Shanghai Squeeze" or the "Singapore Grip". This being a respectably gay forum, I will not go into detail! She certainly exercised a very strong influence over Edward. When George V died, there was concern in the government. Wallis announced that she would divorce for the second time and a mock adultery by her husband was arranged. As King, Edward announced he would marry Wallis once the divorce was final. Now the government went into panic mode. The monarch of the UK is also head of the Anglican Church which in those days did not permit marriage to a divorcee if the divorced spouse was still alive. There was also fear that Edward would interfere in the business of government (not permitted in the UK) and would share state secrets with the domineering Wallis. The government gave the King an ultimatum - get rid of Wallis or abdicate. By all accounts, his brother who became King George VI was a diligent, hard working and much loved monarch. But he was a heavy smoker and suffered from cancer. Unknown to most he had had a lung removed. The then Princess Elizabeth stood in for him many times, especially on planned overseas trips. In 1952 she and her husband were in Kenya at the start of a long trip that was to take them onwards to Australia and New Zealand. They had just spent a night at the Treetops hotel when she learned that her father had died. Elizabeth was now Queen. The couple then flew immediately back to London.