NIrishGuy

^^^ This - and if so I'm sure you're already fully aware that PREP does not protect you ( or the boy ) from the myriad of other STI's that are continuously running rampant in Thailand, which begs the question why then would you want to even dream of wanting to run that risk that I wonder ( assuming that IS of course your reason for wishing to share that information with a boy?)

We're assuming of course that "fairies" WAS meant in a disparaging way as maybe it was meant it in more of a "aww he's so angelic looking" type way i.e every beach needs a few wee angels like this........although I have to say i find it hard to always think nice about labels as in some gay bars when a guy applies undue unwanted attention towards me and suggests that he's some hot "bear" all the while I'm just inwardly thinking "no, sorry, you're not, you're just some old, fat, sweaty guy who's let himself go past the point of no return who needs to go trim his chest hair a bit!" But I guess as long as I keep that in my head that's all ok then :-) So, if he meant is nastily, then no, that's just a bit mean and I would agree with firecat and but more angelic then I agree with him and wee angels like that dotted all over the world is exactly what the world needs as in the words of the song "what the world needs now, is lone sweet love" - and I would propose that starts with a load of those wee angels and me getting it on just as much as possible everywhere I go ! :-)

My My what an internationally jet setting bunch of whore mongers you / we all are it seems, I LOVE it, keep up the good work and the reports as they make for interesting reading ( plus lots of useful travel info detail too of course )

If booking Tartawan Place ( which I to also end up going for for the reasons already listed) personally I always book a Sarong deluxe room at the least, This is for the big of extra space you get in room but also mainly for the EXTRA large bed that you can ASK FOR ! to ensure that you (both) still get a genuinely good nights sleep even when sharing with a stranger without having to lie on top of each other - except when you want to of course :-)

These pics just remind me why I NEVER feel the need or wish to go to Tawan, but each to their own and all that I guess.......

"In any case a night in the police cell amongst the Burmese, Cambodian and other immigrant boys would be quite fun" Ha i like that attitude, if life gives you lemons make Gin and Tonic - I would have said lemonade but fuck that, gin and tonic wins every time in my book ! :-)

"If you don't want to carry your passport this week, then don't carry it. I fail to see the point of arguing about it." Well ffs then stop banging on about it then - it's like your personal mantra, often repeated and never changing and for WHAT - we all know "the law" the same as you THINK you do and are all adults and are quite capable of making our own decisions re whether to bother doing that or not without being permanently reminded of your (HUGHLY INFLATED) view of the potential ( totally negligible) risks IMHO So yes, you're right, carry it or don't but as I and as far as I know almost no one else on the boards have ever ACTUALLY been asked for their passport on the street - and even if they were that wouldn't be something that couldn't be resolved in 15 minutes if t was an issue, then I''ll still definitely decline carrying such a highly difficult document to replace on the streets "just in case" I'm ever asked thanks not to mention the chances of it being stolen by someone when out / with a boy etc. Which takes us nicely on to your prostitution point then - so what, now you're only chosing to follow the laws that you perceive are enforced eh, ah ok I see, just like me and the passport thing, i perceive there to be almost no risk so I chose to ignore their law ( which I'm not even sure IS a law actually about carry you're ACTUAL passport as I've yet to see it) .......so, care to move the goal posts any further about "following the law" there while you're at it ? Like Anon I carry a copy of the main page of my passport and on the back I also have details of my medical insurance along with a line in Thai saying "In case of accident I AM FULLY INSURED - call the number listed below for more details" to ensure I get to the right hospital as speedily as possible. For me this is plenty and if and when the police ever arrest me I'm sure it'll be sorted out quickly and with the aid of a 2000 baht bung as usual in good old corrupt and rotten to the core LOS.

" I also disagree with NIrishGuy's comment that these checks will hurt tourism. I don't think so." Yeah because tourists who are free to soend their money visiting any country they chose to ensure they have a nice relaxing beach holiday are well known for going to places where it's possible that tin pot corrupt police men are likely to arrest them on the street simply for not carrying their very important and full legal passport with them 24/7 - or maybe a copy, but even though the government have said that's ok, maybe it's not, who knows - yeah RIGHT, because thungs like that definitely wouldn't hurt tourism at all for sure - right !? "I don't see much room for complaint if people are not complying with the law." Since when did people in Pattaya, expats or tourist, start giving a shit about the law I wonder ? Only the laws that suit them Im guessing maybe. I trust we'll all be stopping offing boys from bars and paying them for sex any day now then eh as hey, we really should be abiding to the laws of the Countries we visit or live in - shouldnt we ? Or is that just the laws that suit that we're talking about now perhaps ?

Ah this old chestnut again........of course the law has always stated one should carry their passport when in Thailand, ready for inspection by the powers that be at any time required, in reality most people don't / never have and have absolutely no problems. Likewise it's assumed and I believe has been tried and tested many times where if the issue every DOES arise that a PHOTOCOPY of your passport carried in your wallet is sufficient to get you thorough most situations and if its a serious issue that has arisen police can and most certainly then would be free to accompany you back to your accommodation to see the original document. It wasn't stated in the article but judging from the pic of the guys in the back of the police pick up being taken for further ID checks ( and I'm GUESSING here) but I only see Arab / black gentlemen there and a severe lack of 50/60 something white farang from the US or Europe so I'm guessing that the polices' hunches / racist/ism gut feeling ? profiling were perhaps was more to do with who were detained for further investigation in view of the polices wish to be perceived to be securing the area of walking street before New years etc?

Keep that shit up they'll be needing a lot more of it once tourist numbers REALLY start falling !

Just for people who may perhaps read this post later on in the year and wonder - thankfully it appears that the fire didn't relate to Mosaik at all, which seems to be still operating away all just as normal.

Correct - although thats certainly not for the lack of them trying to buy a few, including three just as recently as this year from the Chinese, but for both (mainly) economic and also political reasons it appears that that deal may well sink too ( pun totally intended)

"Thailand has an aircraft carrier without any aircraft" That's nothing, the UK will shortly have TWO ! ( well at least for a while anyway it seems - and only until we probably sell the second one anyway once t's complete as we never could really afford it and probably won't be able to keep up with the monthly repayments anyway )

Any update on this ?? Hopefully all under control now and no injuries !???

Funny i'm guessing they say EXACTLY that about us too ! :-)

In my experience no, it's the exact opposite - a Thai guy can call you old, ugly, fat or worse, you name it, no problem, it's just "cultural" - but just you go and try calling HIM even just one of those things and watch the major huffy fit and drama act that ensues thereafter. He'll instantly starting moaning and complaining and asking "why you say that about me !" and setting out to get you back later, preferably in front of other people just so "save face". So no, in my experience they can give it ( oh it's just cultural, I no mean bad to you) but they sure as hell can't take it ( why you say that to me, fuck you, farang you can fuck off, I not need you, many farang in Thailand better than you, you OLD, FUCK YOU" - and that could be over something like "hmmm those shoes you're wearing tonight don't seem go with those trousers very well are you sure you want to wear those when we go to the nice restaurant ??) !! Or maybe I just always find the drama queens :-) - ( and if so fuck them as I can out drama queen the lot of them too when it suits with a highly offended, ok, I think better you go find new farang, you not good for me........and count the seconds until the "No, but I want YOUUUUUUU" kick in as he sees his rent money rapidly disappearing before his very eyes ;-)

Hmmm interesting - so, if your Government issues a travel warning to a particular country for a set time it's widely accepted that such a warning generally invalidates your travel insurance should you choose to ignore that warning and so on. So, I wonder does then does this "worldwide" warning mean that if you're a US Citizen that you're screwed now no matter where you choose to go as US insurance companies will now be able to use this as one of their many catch all "well you should have read the small print of your policy Sir" rules as they try to look for one of their many "how to fuck you over when you most need it" clauses each time it suits them ?

I can honestly say that Lek's massages are the one thing I miss most about Thailand ! If I was one of those super rich guys that could fly their masseuse in from anywhere in the world on a private jet for a quick going over then Lek would be my masseuse of choice. We've known each other a while now and he knows exactly the right spots to stretch and pull and push to make me hop and skip out of there feeling 10 years younger I highly recommend him and his various skills.

Sounds like a man with "issues" - the man he doth protest too much I think !

As long as it's only your nose thats dripping then you're fine, anything else and THEN you've really got a problem ! :-)

Thank goodness, for a second I thought this post was going to be about so how many active ( and passive) members do we have.......as that question opens up a whole host of possible answers :-)

Actually for the sake of accuracy ( and you may have meant this perhaps but autocorrect kicked in ?) but his reply when asked in 1924 by a New York Times reporter as to why he would want to climb Mount Everest etc his reply was " Because it's there". Actually although he's famed for those 3 words his full reply was " “BECAUSE IT’S THERE… EVER­EST IS THE HIGH­EST MOUN­TAIN IN THE WORLD, AND NO MAN HAS REACHED ITS SUM­MIT. ITS EXIS­TENCE IS A CHAL­LENGE. THE ANSWER IS INSTINC­TIVE, A PART, I SUP­POSE, OF MAN’S DESIRE TO CON­QUER THE UNIVERSE.”

Re Christians "in short" I would just add that that is obviously "his" in short and I wouldn't concur with his "the bars are horrible" view etc, but I guess it all depends whether you're going to a bar to be social and sociable and to meet new people and have a laugh and a good night out or just attending the bar to further am aim of picking up a guy to meet your ( strict) criteria and then go back to your room - which I'm not knocking, each to their own and all that but there's lots of ( genuine non sexual ) fun to be had in the ( few) gay bars in Bali IF that's what you go out to go into bars for.

Nightlife wise I agree re Kura. Scenery wise I agree re getting out and about and guy wise there's definitely something and someone for all tastes.

If anyone is stuck for accommodation suggestions I have a contact in seminyak who works privately for the Australian owners of a few select villas in the town and he can offer good prices on them and take good care of you whilst there ( I mean re collecting you from the airport and tours etc etc .... the rest, well that's up to you both I guess lol). I that's of interest PM me and I'll forward you his email address and you can take it from there. Needless to say I'm in no way involved with this apart from passing on his details and verifying he's a nice guy and dependable etc.