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Today is the big day for the major rally. At the time I am posting this, it is only 7:45am and already trouble has started. The following appears in the BANGKOK POST: _____ "Them or us" Nattaya Chetchotiros and Pradit Ruangdit The People's Alliance for Democracy (PAD) is betting its future on Tuesday's showdown with the government with confidence that Prime Minister Samak Sundaravej and his cabinet will be toppled. Calling today's showdown "the last whistleblow", Sondhi Limthongkul, one of the PAD leaders said: "If we fail this time, we'll quit and surrender the country to them. When people don't care about us, we won't have to care about them. Let others take over the country." But the group, which has staged the protest rally since May 25, will face defiance from the prime minister, who refused to bow to any move outside parliament to force him to step down. The government came to power legally and the only way to remove it from power should be through parliamentary means, Mr Samak said. "As prime minister, I am duty-bound to keep law and order in the country. Demonstrations must be kept within legal limits. If they go beyond those limits, the law enforcers will take action," Mr Samak said. Mr Sondhi expected 300,000 PAD supporters to turn up today but police estimated the rally would draw only tens of thousands. The PAD's strategy is to paralyse the administration and the country. It includes the seizure of Government House and all ministries along Ratchadamnoen avenue , disrupting two airports in Phuket and Hat Yai, and blocking roads, according to Mr Sondhi. "Today's protest is an extraordinary one. We will do everything possible to make sure the state mechanisms stop working. But we will not do anything to cause trouble to the people," Mr Sondhi said. A unit of about 100 Arintharat commandos have now been sent in to secure Government House. Mr Samak called the PAD's actions unreasonable and said they could hurt the country's economy. "People have started to panic. This is too much. But I will try my utmost to be patient," he said. He confirmed that the cabinet meeting would proceed as usual today despite the rallies and denied suggestions the government would resort to violent means to break up the rallies. Jatuporn Promphan, a People Power party MP, ridiculed the PAD's claimed final campaign, saying it was simply an attempt to make an early exit from their activities. Metropolitan police chief Pol LtGen Aswin Kwanmuang said police would not block protesters' movements and would help manage traffic flow. "Police units will be in place to facilitate movement, not to break up the rally," Pol Lt-Gen Aswin said. Police spokesman Pol Maj-Gen Surapol Thuanthong said the national police chief has told officers to be patient in the face of the demonstrations. Special Branch police chief Pol LtGen Thiradet Rodphothong said people from Chon Buri would form the largest number of demonstrators in Bangkok. The protest would be joined by 2,000 to 3,000 staff of the Provincial Electricity Authority, according to Phien Yongnoo, chairman of the labour union of the Metropolitan Electricity Authority. But Sirichai Mai-ngam, chairman of the labour union of the Electricity Generating Authority of Thailand, said the PAD leaders have not yet approached them to join today's protest. "We will wait to see the situation before making any move," he said. ____________________ Earlier Report: (By BangkokPost.com) Tens of thousands of demonstrators assembled on Monday for "one last protest march" to block highways, Bangkok streets and access to Government House to try to force Prime Minister Samak Sundaravej and his government out of office. Supporters of the People's Alliance for Democracy (PAD) have vowed to block major roads leading to Bangkok while PAD demonstrators in Bangkok plan to lay siege to Government House. The demonstration may focus on Government House, in attempt to force a confrontation when Mr Samak and ministers hold their weekly cabinet meeting. Retired Maj-Gen Chamlong Srimuang, core leader of the PAD, called on anti-government demonstrators from everywhere to gather at Makkawan Bridge at 7am on Tuesday to begin moving to Phitsanuloke Road "to lay siege at Government House". The bridge has been the street headquarters of a 24/7 PAD protest since May 25. Mr Samak, in a strongly worded statement broadcast live on NBTV from Government House, called for the public to exercise discretion and pledged security forces would try to prevent violence. Mr Samak said: "The movement tomorrow should be abide by the laws.... If it goes beyond the boundaries of the law, police will handle it. "This government comes from legal elections. If someone want to overthrow the government, they should ask parliament. "About cases in the court process: If I have to quit, I will quit.... I am confident whatever happens, I can accept it. Whatever happens, it will not affect this country." The prime minister asked the PAD not to resort to violence, saying that the government will itself exercise restraint and try its best to maintain law and order. He vowed to take legal action if the PAD goes beyond the limits of the law. He also vowed that "a cabinet meeting will be held as usual tomorrow" (Tuesday). He pleaded for public "help to take care of the country," and asked them not tosupport a group of people who have been campaigning for the overthrow of the government. PAD members from Bangkok and the 14 southern provinces began to assemble at a gateway to the South on Monday afternoon. PAD leader Sondhi Limthongkul, said, via satellite-based ASTV: ''I'm making one last call for people in the North to come down and the South to come up. We'd like to ask people in every sector to come out. ''We ask you to trust us, the PAD core members.'' Protesters said they will seek to block main roads from the North, Northeast, eastern provinces and the South. If there is any resistance or clashes, "reinforcements" will join the battle. Politicians from all sides rallied around the government. Abhisit Vejjajiva, the opposition and Democrat party leader, said he believed Mr Samak would not resign and he did not see why the prime minister would yield to the PAD’s demands. "The government has not done anything wrong or malign to the country," he said. Deputy Prime Minister Sanan Kachornprasart said the government believes the PAD will not go beyond limits and bring the country’s administration or economy to a halt by laying siege to Government House or blocking roads in all regions. Maj-Gen Sanan warned the PAD to be careful, saying certain elements could stage an untoward incidents to incite unrest and a coup. The prime minister said he is ready to accept the outcome of all legal cases against him and vowed not to cause any damage to the country, adding that he is ready to leave his post through the right channels, not by pressure from any group. In his statement Mr Samak also strongly criticised the media for having too pessimistic an attitude against him. Late Monday afternoon, PAD supporters had arrived at Makkhawan Rangsan bridge from the provinces to prepare for the Tuesday rally. Pol Lt-Gen Aswin Kwanmuang, commissioner of the Metropolitan Police, said police will be deployed to provide security, maintain law and order and facilitate traffic flow. The police will not obstruct the PAD march, which is expected to be peaceful he said. Supachai Jaisamut, the Interior Ministry spokesman, said the ministry has coordinated with the Royal Thai Police Office and other security agencies to ensure law and order. Authorities concerned will not obstruct the PAD march, he said. ____________________ And this, from THE NATION: _____ Protesters Try to Seize NBT Station on Vipavadi Road By The Nation Protesters Block Entrance of National Broadcasting Telelvision Station on Vipavadi Rangsit Road on Tuesday. Police detained on Tuesday a group of protesters who tried to seize an NBT television station on on Vipavadi Rangsit Road. The attempt took place at about 5.30am when there are a few staffs of the NBT at that moment. The group, comprising about 60 men, covered their faces with black pieces of cloths and dressed in black t-shirt and jeans. Two NBT television hosts said in a news television programme at about 6.10am that police found a handgun and long knives from the group. The group also broke a glass door in their way to go to the station's building. They separated into several groups and went into the station. NBT staffs were told to leave the office. Police are interrogating the group. One of them was Nitirat Sapsomboon. Police brought the protesters who had weapons into 3 trucks to a police station while searching for protesters who might hide in the office. Main protest will go to the Government House where Samak Cabinet will meet in its weekly meeting.

Certainly the bar boys are tired of the raids. Few of the bar boys enjoy working in the bars in the first place, but I'm not so sure you're going to see any kind of a bar boy exodus. They work in the bars primarily because it's an easy job, requiring no education or marketable skills, requires only a halfway decent body and a willingness to expose it publicly, and provides them with a means of earning more money than they can get any other way. I don't think they're going anywhere because there's really no place for them to go. I think they'll continue to tolerate the raids and all the other indignities they have to endure because if they quit, most have no opportunities at all other than working at menial jobs for more than twice as many hours for far less money. Either that, or go back to where they came from. Not too many want to opt for that because they don't relish the idea of living and working in poverty on the rice farm. Also, there is the factor of the ingrained obligation to send money to mama. Working in the bars may not be an enviable way to make a living, but it still beats almost anything else they can do.

Then it sounds like the original story I heard was at least close to correct. No bar raids, but a hunt for street kids and drugs. Well, good! If the police can do their job without harassing the bars and customers, that's a positive thing, in my opinion.

It looks like both Tuesday and Friday this week will not be the best days to be trying to get around or go sightseeing in Bangkok. Both groups are planning a major rally in Bangkok, but the time and place of each rally has not yet been announced. For those of you who have upcoming embassy business, it might be a good idea to try to take care of it on days when there are no marches planned, as far in advance as is feasible. You never know when the next march is going to take place. It would cause you major complications to put off embassy business until the last minute if you find that because of these marches you can't even get to your embassy. The following appears in THE NATION: _____ PAD Plans 'Largest Ever Rally' on Tuesday By SUNDAY NATION Published on August 24, 2008 Chamlong Srimuang, a core leader of the anti-government People's Alliance for Democracy (PAD), said yesterday the group would stage its "largest ever rally" on Tuesday. It wants to oust the Samak Sundaravej administration, which it regards as corrupt and a proxy of ousted PM Thaksin Shinawatra. Chamlong urged PAD supporters to join the protest on Tuesday morning at 7am but refused to say to where the demonstrators would march. He insisted the PAD was not calling for a coup and added that even if it did the military would not comply. The PAD leadership will inform demonstrators on Tuesday morning where they will march. Sites have been targeted, especially the proposed Parliament building at Kiak Kai, a project that he described as "a waste of money". He insisted that the demonstrators would not besiege Government House. The march will be peaceful and will not destroy public property. Chamlong denied that Tuesday's gathering was a way to end the marathon rally, now reaching 90 days. He added that the group's leaders were not seeking any political gain either, because "we're not politicians". The rally, he said, would continue until the government resigned. He defended the move as better than "analysing politics on a daily basis". Chamlong denied a claim by deputy government spokesman Nattawut Saikua that there had been conflict within the PAD, saying the rally would not have lasted 91 days if conflict truly existed. He added that he was confident police would keep pro-Thaksin supporters - who will also hold a rally on the same day at Chatuchak Park - at bay. Meanwhile, Pracha Prasopdee, People Power party MP for Samut Prakan, questioned the PAD's motive, saying that perhaps Chamlong or Sondhi Limthongkul wanted to become prime minister. Pracha added that if the PAD wanted to support opposition leader Abhisit Vejjajiva as PM, then Abhisit should appear at the PAD rally. Many pro-Thaksin, anti-coup groups such as Saturday People Against Dictatorship, taxi-drivers and White Doves, will meet, discuss the situation and hold a press conference on Tuesday. They expect to hold their own rally at Sanam Luang on Friday.

Now I'm beginning to think I may be the victim of a slight exaggeration. Since my post, I've contacted a couple people who I know were in Sunee last night and they also don't know anything about a raid. So, whatever took place last night must have been quite small scale. I don't think two or three police officers in the area constitutes a raid, especially since apparently no bars were entered. On the Ting & Tong's Gay Thailand board, Oogleman posted the following in reference to last night: And this, also from Oogleman: I'll see if I can find out anything more during the day today, although now it seems like there isn't much to find out.

I was not in Sunee Plaza last night, so my information is coming second hand. Perhaps someone who was there can elaborate. The story I'm getting is that police showed up in large numbers and seemed primarily interested in what was going on in the streets. I have not heard any stories about police entering bars last night, so I don't know if bar raids were included or not. From what I am hearing, they were primarily checking the street boys for age, drugs, and weapons. I also heard that farang were not hassled in any way. I understand the Pattayaland area was not raided. Again, my information at this point is second hand and rather sketchy. If anyone has details, please let us know.

Dogs are good people! They certainly deserve better than they're getting.

I think several of you who frequent Bangkok and stay at either The Pinnacle Hotel or the Malaysia Hotel are familiar with the dog. It's my favorite dog in Thailand and I'm guessing it's a street dog. For years, at the corner of Soi Ngam Duplee and Rama IV, just outside the bank there is a big dog that hangs out there. He's almost always lying down, just sitting there watching the world go by, but he's always there. Every day, all day, the dog is there. The dog never bothers anyone and seems to appreciate it when passers by stop to pet him (or is it a her? I forget which.). Someone always puts out food and water for the dog and the dog seems perfectly happy. Do some of you recognize which dog I'm talking about? I'd post a photo of the dog, but I don't have one. I've always wondered about that dog. I wonder where he comes from. I wonder if he has an owner, maybe someone who works in the bank. I wonder why that dog chooses that spot and wants to stay there all day, every day. That dog has become somewhat of an icon in that area.

Also, if they do ship it, make sure it's done in a way that delivery is guaranteed, such as FedEx. Otherwise, there's a good chance the shipment will be stolen.

You could also ask what's in it. Then, when the boy tells you, you can always say that you're allergic to one of the ingredients.

The following appears in THE NATION: _____ Thai Device Power Car with Water By The Nation Published on August 22, 2008 Udon Thani - Thai engineers yesterday launched their latest invention, the "Reactor 1" device, which extracts hydrogen from water to power a car, as the fruit of 30 years of study and labour that could be an alternative energy idea. Device developer Sumit Isarangkul na Ayutthaya, managing director of Pathum Thanibased Integrated Technology Consultant Co Ltd, and codeveloper Somchai Traisuriyathamma presented a hydropowered car at a press conference hosted by Udon Thani Rajabhat University's Mechanical Engineering Department. The conference did not reveal the cost of invention or its commercial use. Sumit said the reactor - a 12inch wide and 10inch high metal box installed inside the car's trunk - used electricity to extract two atoms of hydrogen and one atom of oxygen from water. It needed direct current (DC) from a 12voltage battery to extract hydrogen for the car engine's combustion, he said. This device extracted hydrogen for each use without having to store the gas in a tank, Sumit said. He said the "Reactor 1" could also control the heat produced from the hydrogen extraction to a safe level. The result was clean energy. Sumit said he continued to improve on the safety of the "Reactor 2" model by designing an electrical circuit to detect any abnormality in the whole system. The circuit would work with a "Micro Controller" to control the reactor and the engine to save the battery and have just the right amount of hydrogen produced for the car's engine usage. "I'm very happy to serve my country and there are many things to do. This invention is not my first and certainly will not my last. There will be more and better inventions to come," he said urging the Thai public to give support to his team.

Perhaps because that's the way Madam Sunee spells it, despite the way she pronounces it.

I have two suggestions. The first is to talk to the manager of GNC to see if they can order whatever you are looking for. They probably have an outlet in Bangkok. The second is to try Fascino Pharmacy, on North Road (Pattaya Nua). As far as I know GNC is the only other place in Pattaya, although both Boots and Watson's may carry the items you want, or can get them.

Fine with me. You get to be the one who changes all the signs that already say "Sunee." The part that's on my "I Don't Get It" list is the number of people who insist on spelling it "Sunnee" or "Sunny." I have yet to ever see a sign, ad, flier, or anything else around here that spells it any way other than "Sunee." Of course, most of that comes from people who still think we're "FAIR-rang."

Yes. You'll find it right next to the haggis.

And yet one more article on the La Cage web site. See http://www.lacage-pattaya.com Here is Mike's statement from the La Cage web site: _____ THE WHITE NIGHT BUFFET. I am very pleased to be able to report an exciting new development. After nearly ten years at the White Night Buffet, next door to the bar in Soi VC, Tony and Ken are retiring and handing over this well established restaurant to me. Tony and Ken have worked very hard over the years to make the White Night a firm favourite with visitors and residents alike. The much liked duo will be sadly missed. I am very proud indeed to be taking over such a well established eatery and have every intention of keeping the very successful buffet format as well as introducing some new ideas of my own. The Restaurant and the Bar, although next door to each other will remain two separate operations with very different atmospheres. Knocking down the dividing wall would ruin the ambiance of both units. However, the Restaurant will benefit from a much bigger drinks menu and the Bar will soon have a comprehensive hot and cold bar snacks selection, all freshly prepared in the White Night’s professional kitchens. There will obviously be some changes and one of the first will be the installation of air conditioning and very soon the restaurant will be opening earlier as well as offering a daily set menu as an alternative to the buffet. We are currently working on a new website for the restaurant but in the meantime I’ll keep you informed of changes here. The White Night Loyalty card will continue and all current cards will be honored. So to all customers old and new, please come in soon and say hello.” HAVE A LOOK AT OUR WEBSITE FOR THE WHITE NIGHT - http://www.white-night-pattaya.com

I knew nothing about this until I read a post by Garfield on the Pattaya Passion web site. The information about White Night is on their new web site, not yet complete as of this writing, at: http://www.white-night-pattaya.com

No. That is not what I wrote at all. Have another look at my post. What's the hard part? Ok, we'll use Jomtien's spelling. It is pronounced "SUE nee." It is NOT pronounced "sunny," like a sunny day. That's what I said in my post above. Who Boo Shoe Too Goo Do New Sunee. I hope it's clear to everyone now.

I have been there. Yes, it's top quality. It's about 1000 baht per person. It is available every night. If you can think of something to eat, this buffet probably has it.

The following appears in THE NATION: _____ 10,000 in Anti-Asylum Rally at British Embassy By THE NATION Published on August 20, 2008 More than 10,000 protesters gathered outside the British Embassy in Bangkok yesterday to demand that London return ousted prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra and his wife, Pojaman, to Thailand to face criminal charges. The protesters, organised by the People's Alliance for Democracy (PAD), aggravated traffic conditions in Bangkok, as the British Embassy is located on Ploenchit Road in the heart of the city. The protesters arrived at the embassy at about 10.30am holding posters and shouting: "Thaksin, go to jail!" Police had to seal off roads in the area, including Wireless and Ploenchit roads. PAD leaders Chamlong Srimuang, Sondhi Limthongkul and Somsak Kosaisuk submitted a petition to an embassy representative at 11.10am. The protesters called on the British government not to grant political asylum to Thaksin. The petition said his request for political asylum in Britain must be turned down. "If Thaksin is not brought back to |face the charges against him in Thai courts, it will contribute further to the political and democratic deadlock and undermine the capacity to transform the public realm," said the PAD's letter, which was addressed to British Ambassador Quinton Mark Quayle. Thaksin and Pojaman jumped bail last week, to avoid the looming prospect of losing their Ratchadaphisek land-purchase case in court. They and their family have now settled in London and plan to seek asylum. On July 31, Pojaman was also sentenced to three years in prison for tax evasion in stock transactions dating back to November 1997. The PAD protesters warned the British Embassy that if Thaksin's request were met, it would set a terrible precedent for other rich, powerful and non-democratic figures, both in Thailand and elsewhere. "The original meaning of 'democracy' is not merely majority rule, but rather the capacity to do things, especially the capacity to pursue change in the public realm. Through popular, legal and sovereign measures, former prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra was recently brought to trial," said the letter. "Thaksin was charged with abusing his power as prime minister by securing inside deals on real-estate purchases for family members. This is the first time in Thai political history that a former prime minister has been brought to trial." The PAD also plans to organise a rally at the Foreign Ministry demanding that Thaksin and Pojaman's passports be revoked on the grounds they are now bail-jumping fugitives.

I always enjoy it when people both misquote me and also attempt to entirely change the context of a statement, and even do that multiple times. This is the second time you've done that in this thread and it still doesn't work. Are you planning to do that a third time? What I wrote was, "I see no valid excuse at all for bars to intentionally flout the law by hiring under-age boys. Doing so may satisfy the pedophile brigade, but look at the effect on everybody else." If you can't figure out the meaning of what I wrote and if you can't figure out that I never 'reported' that there are brigades of pedos in Sunee Plaza, especially in the sense by which you are trying to twist my use of the word "brigade," then I can only think you lack certain cognitive skills. If you really have to resort to misquoting and attempting to change context as a means of making your case and enhancing your argument, then your argument didn't hold much water in the first place. What do you want to do? Do you want to continue twisting my words or do you want to post a valid, reasonable, well thought out argument in favor of your position about ending reports of under-age boys, drugs, and pedos in Sunee Plaza?

I think that's an excellent suggestion, but I think it would have to include the sois that lead up to Sunee Plaza as well, for it to be truly effective. In any case, your idea would at least go a long way to help clean up Sunee Plaza itself.

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That's good. Today you get to learn something new. "SOO" is pronounced as the first three letters of "soon." "SUE" is the name of of a boy immortalized by Johnny Cash, also pronounced that way. Flip a coin and take your pick. I know of no words in which "SOO" would be pronounced as the first two letters of "Sony." Do you (or is that pronounced 'yo' as in 'yo-yo')?

First, start spelling it correctly. It's "Sunee," pronounced "SOO nee." It is not pronounced "sunny" like a sunny day. Ok, so dwelling on the druggies and pedos reinforces a negative image of Sunee Plaza. So what? When the druggies and pedos are finally cleaned out, there won't be a negative image to reinforce anymore and no reason to "dwell" upon it anymore. I fail to see any valid reason why reporting facts and permitting discussion, whether a negative image is reinforced or not, should not be permitted. To do that would mean that we ignore the problems and pretend that no such problems exist, just like Ahmadinejad's claim that homosexuals do not exist in Iran. (Well maybe not. They kill the ones they discover.) Some forums, as in more than one? Would you mind telling me which forums have banned such posts? If some forums have banned these posts, does that mean that the rest of the forums ought to follow suit? Perhaps you're not the only person who thinks your way. I don't dispute that at all. I'm sure you're right. Strangely enough, there are also people who do not think your way. I'm one of them. In my opinion, the image of Sunee Plaza that these posts might convey is not the issue. The fact that bars still employ under-age boys and pedos still seek them out is the issue. You are going to have to carefully explain why this forum, or any forum, would be better serving the public interest by not reporting about the raids, not reporting about the pedo arrests, not reporting about drug arrests, and not reporting about under-age boys, whether they work in the bars or freelance, and the possible consequences of sex with under-age boys, before I would find myself in agreement with you. As a matter of fact, I am in complete agreement with every word KhorTose wrote in his post above.