Gaybutton

The last time I was in Phuket was before the Tsunami. I hope they rebuilt Patong Beach Bungalows. If they did, it would fit exactly what Hans030 is looking for. If not, someone else will have to make a recommendation. I'm simply not familiar enough with Phuket to know where else to recommend, given his criteria.

A friend and I are planning to give it a try this evening. I'll post about it after we've been there.

I always liked Patong Beach Bungalows. http://www.phukethotel.com/phuket/patong-beach-bungalows.html

I seem to recall someone asking about Greek restaurants in Pattaya. I suppose this one is a start. Since some people on certain other boards seem to bitterly resent it when I write a restaurant review, I'll humor them by not writing one. I'll just refer you to someone else who did: http://www.pattayadailynews.com/showfeature.php?FeatureID=0000001382

A few days ago Jim told me he needs to have some surgery himself. Maybe that's why he's not responding.

Maybe they tell fortunes and communicate with the dead . . .

Yet another item for my "I Don't Get It" list. I can't imagine why it works just fine in Pattaya at any hour of any day, but in Bangkok you can't do the same thing. Welcome to Thailand.

But it wasn't a joke. It was a riddle . . .

Why not? You've learned whatever it is you've needed to learn and you've made decisions and changed your opinion. If you lose friends because of your post, then they weren't true friends in the first place. More likely you've gained friends from your post. If you are feeling that people will think the less of you for it, then that's the wrong feeling. You said that marijuana was fucking up your life. You finally realized that after having paid quite a price for much too long, but at least you realized it and now you want better out of life than you were getting. I think that deserves praise and I also think that you are taking the right steps so that you can discard the past and make a good new start and new life right here in Thailand. You'll be welcomed with open arms.

Don't laugh. In Thailand they don't drive cars, but I've seen plenty of them driving motorcycles.

I just put raw chicken into the laundry. It doesn't clean the clothes, but at least they smell like soup . . .

At 11:40pm this evening I deposited cash into my own account at a Cash Deposit Machine. I've done this many times before, putting cash into my own account as well as others. The Cash Deposit Machines are available 24/7. The money goes into the recipient's account immediately and the funds are available immediately.

Wouldn't it be a little easier to simply ask at one of those establishments?

That is precisely why the going rate is 500 baht at places like Saranrom. You almost never see older Thai men in bars taking boys off for 1000 baht up. There's no way. They go to places such as Saranrom Park and I wouldn't be surprised if many of them think 500 baht is quite expensive.

In my opinion, I'd say the numbers are based on two things: whim and the religious right.

Mark, what do you think of Lester1's idea about posting copies of the boys' ID cards either outside or in some sort of booklet available to customers? I think it's an excellent idea, but I'm curious what you think of it, from the point of view of a bar owner.

If anyone goes, fine with me. I wasn't trying to imply that the only updates need to come from GT or me. I'm merely saying that it's been the same for years and is likely to remain the same for quite some time. However, if anyone has his own individual experience, I'm just as interested as anyone else. I'm also interested in seeing people post about their experiences, or at least what they've heard about, in other cruising areas as well, anywhere in Thailand and surrounding countries.

Stork oil?

What's to update? It's exactly as we have described. Nothing is going to change in the foreseeable future.

Yes, it's the same area.

My major objection to drug use is not the drug use in and of itself. If people really want to dope themselves up on drugs, as far as I'm concerned that's their choice. My objection to drug use is the criminal activity it leads to. Not too many years ago I felt perfectly safe anywhere in Pattaya at any time of day. Now I don't even feel 100% safe in my own home. I've made modifications to my home so that a burglar would need a tank to break in. But street crime is rapidly on the rise . . . bag snatchings, armed and strong-arm robberies, armed gangs, pickpockets, scam artists, and so on. An awful lot of it is attributable to drug addicts trying to get the money to buy their next fix. That's where my objection is.

Actually, I think that's a damned good idea. I wonder why nobody ever thought of that before. It would certainly solve some problems. But I doubt that the bars will ever do it.

I've walked the same area several times and never had any problems, other than shooing away the more aggressive boys if I didn't want them. But you gave cigs to some of them? Since when do you carry cigarettes? Have you taken up smoking?

I agree. When a thread whose topic is seeking advice about a boyfriend evolves into bagels and writing skills, I'd also say "over and out."

I'm with TOQ. I love it . . . all of it. The only aspect of it that I dislike are the drunken farang dousing people and trying to knock people off their motorcycles. That part I'm sure we can all live without. Songkran seems to be something you either love or hate. There doesn't seem to be much of an in-between.