Gaybutton

Ha! Ok, you got 'em.

Do you actually want to try making your point by quibbling over whether the Chinese are considered farang? They're foreigners and they don't come to Pattaya for the sex. For the Russians, you may be right. I don't know. I have no idea what their homes are like. I've never been to any of them and I've never been to Russia. Have you? If you are right, they also didn't come here just for sex. The truth is the reason I came to Thailand in the first place was because I was invited to do a presentation at the Royal Project in Chiang Mai. I had never even heard of Pattaya until my third trip to Thailand and even then I had no idea that gay activities even existed here. All I knew at the time was that Pattaya was a resort beach town. Any other questions you want to ask?

I agree. For years I would go to Wattana whenever my computer was feeling ill. I was always satisfied with their prices and service. However, I no longer go there. Not since I found Killin. I've posted about Killin before. He's a young Thai, thirty-ish, who speaks excellent English. He makes house calls. He'll come to wherever you are in Pattaya and repair your computer on the spot. If the problem is something he can't repair on the premises, he takes the computer with him and he'll have it back to you, working perfectly, within a day or two. When you need peripheral devices, such as Pattamale's VPN, Killin can probably get it for you at prices less than you would pay elsewhere. I have been extremely pleased with Killin and if nothing else, I don't have to lug my computer anywhere. For those of you who wish to give him a try, his number is 081 295 3860.

There are plenty of farangs in Pattaya who both live here and are holiday makers here and the sex has little or nothing to do with it. The Chinese who fill the tour buses. Families with kids. Married couples. There are a great many farang who go to Pattaya for their holidays and live in Pattaya who never go anywhere near the bars, gay or straight. For me, sex enhances my reasons for being here and I would be lying if I said it isn't a factor, but it isn't the only factor and it isn't the primary factor. I, for one, would be in Pattaya even if there were no gay bars at all. In my opinion, not all that many people choose a place to live or choose a holiday spot with available sex as the primary factor in their decision. Some people seem to think that sex is not just a primary factor, but the only factor. I don't think so. After all, there is plenty of sex available in many other cities in Thailand, especially Bangkok. Easy sex is available virtually everywhere in Thailand. Easy sex is readily available in Phuket, but I don't particularly like Phuket. Easy sex is readily available in Chiang Mai, but I don't particularly like Chiang Mai. Easy sex is readily available in Bangkok, but I don't particularly like Bangkok. But plenty of gay farang love those cities, among others, and wouldn't dream of being anywhere else when visiting Thailand or choosing a place to live. Do you truly believe they made their decision based solely upon sex? Even for those who really are in Pattaya only because of the available sex, why should that be viewed as something negative? I think people who base their choice with sex being the primary factor are quite narrow in their decision making. I'm definitely with Shebavon on this one.

I also don't know what you mean. What do you want to know that isn't covered in the threads you have already read? Simply asking for advice for a first time visitor is far too general.

Is that so? In what way is your point proven? As a matter of curiosity, just what is your point?

I haven't been, but I'm wondering if you're finding anything there that you wouldn't normally find in Pattaya anyway.

Beats me. The published fare schedule is more confusing than ever. The best I can suggest is to call the 1337 number, pray that you can get through, pray that someone on that end can speak English, and pray they can tell you the fare.

Does that matter? What difference does it make whether I am angry or not? The problem here is that I see nothing in the blog or your post that suggests reporting anything unless we personally witness it. In all my years in Thailand, I have yet to personally witness a pedophile having sex with a child or even taking a child to his hotel room (or behind bushes at a reservoir). Maybe you think we ought to call the police and report the bars that employ under age boys, just as if the police are not already fully aware of it. All I see is the same implication you claim you are not making. So far, Shebavon sees the same thing. On this board I warn people constantly not to engage in sex with under age boys. What else do you expect a board to do? Do you think the expat community or holiday makers should start doing the job the Thai police are supposed to be doing? We don't permit posting the names of bars that hire under age boys because of Thailand's libel laws. As much as I would like to see the pedophiles go away, I'm not willing to set myself up for a lawsuit to participate in a Quixotic attempt. The implication that the only true reason people choose to live here is for sex is utter nonsense. It may be included in the reasons, but it isn't the only reason. Even if it was, so what? As long as those who are here for only for sex are not breaking laws that could get them arrested, then as long as sex is available what reason would they have not to partake? You wrote, "Finally I think most people who contribute to this sort of board are probably more sex tourist than culture vulture." You can think whatever you like and you are entitled to post your opinion, but your thoughts and opinions do not make it fact. I asked you for some evidence to support your opinion. I don't see any. Your post included, "But these more often sound like the utterances of Pattaya’s prowling or resident ‘sex tourists’ which I guess gives them some sort of feeling of normality." I, for one, do not appreciate being called a resident sex tourist and I don't appreciate the statement that coming out against pedophiles would give me "some sort of feeling of normality." I think I'm perfectly normal, thank you very much. I also think the same about the vast majority of people who post here. People have to make up their own minds as to whether they want to get personally involved. It isn't up to Drummond and it isn't up to you. The fact that people don't see it your way or Drummond's way doesn't make them less than normal. In short, I will continue to vehemently protest about the pedophile problem whenever these reports come out. I will try to warn the pedophiles who read this message board, but I will not start doing the job the police are supposed to be doing. If that makes me something other than normal in your eyes, then I'll just have to be something other than normal.

The full PATTAYA MAIL article is here: http://www.pattayamail.com/current/news.shtml#hd3 I'm posting the significant portion of the PATTAYA MAIL article: _____ If users are charged the wrong fares by the cooperative, they can call the 1337 Pattaya City Call Center to report it. Disciplinary action can then be taken against offending drivers, such as fines and suspension of the driver’s licenses. Official minibus fares listed by the Chonburi Transport Office are: The Charoenrat Pattana-Najomtien Village route: Charoenrat Pattana-Nipa Lodge Hotel 8 baht Charoenrat Pattana -Asia Hotel 21 baht Charoenrat Pattana-Soi Chaiyapruk 29 baht Nipa Lodge Hotel-Pattaya Market 8 baht Nipa Lodge Hotel-Asia Hotel 14 baht Nipa Lodge Hotel-Soi Chaiyapruk 22 baht The Pattaya Market -Soi Chaiyapruk 15 baht Asia Hotel-Soi Chaiyapruk 8 baht The around Pattaya route: From the beginning of South Pattaya-Banglamung Plaza 8 baht From the beginning of South Pattaya-Nipa Lodge (North Pattaya) 10 baht From Banglamung Plaza-Nipa Lodge junction (North Pattaya) 8 baht From Banglamung Plaza-beginning of South Pattaya 10 baht From Nipa Lodge junction (North Pattaya)-Banglamung Plaza 8 baht North Pattaya-Central Pattaya: North Pattaya-Central Pattaya Road Intersection 8 baht North Pattaya-Somprasong Plaza 11 baht North Pattaya-Wat Bunkanjanaram 23 baht Central Pattaya Road Intersection-Somprasong Plaza 8 baht Central Pattaya Road Intersection-Central Pattaya T-Intersection 17 baht Somprasong Plaza-Wat Bunkanjanaram 8 baht Somprasong Plaza-Central Pattaya T-Intersection 12 baht Wat Bunkanjanaram-Central Pattaya T-Intersection 8 baht For more fare information please contact the Pattaya Information Desk at 038-253-131-32 or the Pattaya City Call Center at 1337.

I hope I'm misinterpreting what you are implying because little makes me angrier than someone who starts saying that those who protest against pedophiles are likely, in reality, pedophiles themselves. In my opinion that is an absolutely idiotic, baseless, disgusting position. The implication is that those who reside here and also speak out against pedophiles are "prowling or resident ‘sex tourists’." I'd like to see either you or Mr. Drummond provide any evidence at all of the veracity of that statement. In case you hadn't noticed, not a single one of the people who post against pedophiles on this board or any of the other boards has ever been arrested or even questioned about being pedophiles themselves. Do those who speak out against pedophiles really have to start enduring baseless implications and accusations, with no evidence whatsoever, that they too are probably pedophiles? I make no apologies for being gay. I make no apologies because I choose to make Pattaya my home. I make no apologies for speaking out against pedophiles. I make no apologies for being attracted to and enjoying the company of Asian boys who are at least 18 years old. However, if I have misunderstood what you were trying to say, then I do publicly apologize to you.

Where did you get the idea that you can't reprint the words? That's perfectly permissible on this web site.

If they need any more people, I volunteer . . .

Meanwhile, these photos are of boys that appear much older than thousands and thousands of photos on the Internet. Why would these in particular end up blocked? What does Denmark do, have people who surf the net, find photos, and then decide to block them?

Both Presidents Calvin Coolidge and Chester Arthur had to re-take their presidential oaths too, due to some sort of a flub up. Constitutional authorities are saying the slip-up doesn't matter, but most likely everyone is now aware that Obama has taken the oath a second time.

The point is to always make sure of how much the total bill is and confirm it with the waiter before you pay. Also, make sure of how much you are supposed to be charged in the first place. I've been billed as much as 150 baht for a 110 baht drink before. If you have some sort of a discount card, make sure it will be honored before you order anything. I don't have any reason to believe the bars themselves are out to cheat their customers on drink bills. It's more likely individual waiters who either cheat people or get confused even with simple math.

That may not be so far fetched. Every so often I hear rumblings that once you have lived in Thailand on a retirement visa for 5 years, they might allow renewals of up to five years. The trouble is, those rumors started even before the promises of online address reporting and submitting. Neither has happened (although you can download the address report online, but you still have to take it to Immigration to submit it, which kind of makes the convenience of it superfluous.)

Now, now. Be careful. Suppose I start think you are one of them . . . . . . . .?

I hope you wear a helmet when you're riding it . . . .

I hate to say this, and I truly mean no personal insult by this, but if you permitted him to steal that much from you without throwing him out, then I don't think I'm stepping out of line by suggesting you have another look at who is suffering from a mental disorder.

I suppose on a technical basis, they're right, but that doesn't mean we have to sit around without at least speaking out about it. Maybe the people who insist it isn't our business need to consider what the extraordinary number of these arrests do to the public perception of Pattaya and gays who come here. What do they think the reason is that customs officials hassle single males who are returning home from Thailand, especially if they've made multiple trips to Thailand? What do they think the reason is that the odds are that a single male returning home from Thailand is going to have his laptop computer and photos rigorously inspected? Maybe they forgot that a great many people are under the impression that gays are also all pedophiles, and simply the fact of being gay is still almost universally stigmatized in the first place. In my opinion, the idea that it's not our business is ridiculous. Just why the police "stand by and let this happen" is a question I can't answer. I don't know what it takes before the police can consider that enough evidence has been gathered to make an arrest that will stand up in court. I am bothered by the fact that the police must have been following this guy if they knew where he took this boy, unless someone saw what was going on and called the police. The article doesn't say how the police knew where this man was. I'm bothered because in the majority of similar news stories I read, the police often wait for the act to be in progress before they make the actual arrest. Maybe that's necessary under the way Thai law works, but if it is, then changes need to be made so that the police can make the arrest without the boy actually having to be subjected to sex with the 'alleged' pedophile. I hope you are not going to retire elsewhere. Certainly Thailand has it's problems, but I hope you won't allow these sick individuals to destroy your confidence in Thailand as a wonderful place to retire.

These are minors? They not only appear to be at least 18, they appear to be at least 21. Maybe someone in Denmark needs glasses. They certainly appear to be older than a hell of a lot of female models that appear all over the various media. And these pics are G-rated in the first place. Something is rotten in the State of Denmark - William Shakespeare

Maybe that's why he brought the boy to his little hideaway by the reservoir instead of to his own place. First he stalks a school. Then he sets his sights on his target. Somehow he manages to speak to the boy in a location that won't arouse suspicions of adults or other kids. He lures them by promising to take them shopping, which he doesn't do. Instead he takes them to his 'secret spot' and somehow convinces the boy to have sex with him for 200 baht. This is one news story I hope the media will follow up. Based on what I've read so far, I have a feeling that there are going to be a significant number of more of his victims who come forward and I also see a possibility that this man may turn out to be one of the most vile, prolific pedophiles ever to show up in Pattaya. How would you like to be in his shoes? Even people who try to justify pedophile behavior are likely to come out against this "gentleman." I think even his own ex-wife is going to testify against him. The media says she left him because of this behavior. Obviously, somewhere along the line she mentioned that to somebody. I am also angry because once again this kind of story ends up having the effect of stigmatizing Pattaya as a haven for pedophiles and since he was involved with young boys, it also stigmatizes the gay community further than we have already been unfairly stigmatized. All this just so he can have himself a satisfying cum! If I ever met him, the first question I would ask would be, "Was it worth it?" The prosecutor is going to have a field day with this one. I would love it if part of his sentence includes allowing each parent of each victim ten unsupervised minutes alone with him. The only silver lining I see on this cloud is that at least he gives his victims money and a threat, however little, instead of (as far as we know) murdering them.

They didn't misunderstand. The application and process is the same. That's why I said, on another thread, the worst that can happen if you lose your retirement visa if it expires before you get a chance to renew it will be that you simply apply for a new one.

That's easy. Just walk into Boyz Boyz Boyz. You may not find those particular boys (maybe you will!), but you're sure to find that type.