Gaybutton

Neither do I. I see it as a very good thing. I doubt that the bars are all going to eventually close. Maybe the ownership will change hands, but I think the gay bars are there to stay. I think the end result of all this will be a major cleanup of the area, which is exactly what many of us have been hoping for many years. 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. Now you can't go to Sunee Plaza without wondering whether you're going to be there just in time for a raid. You can't take a boy off unless you not only check his ID, but you also have to make sure it is actually his ID. You can't be sure that the police won't also check the farang customers for ID and now you face the possibility of arrest if you are not carrying your actual passport, as the law requires. I hope the result will be all the bars operating legitimately for a change. You can bet that the under-age boys and pedophiles will find some other place and some other way to hook up. Fine with me. Let them. Just get them the hell out of Sunee Plaza so that everyone can enjoy being there without all this nonsense hanging over our heads. At the moment, there are some bars I'm afraid to even enter because of all the under-age boys. And they're still there and still operating despite the frequent raids. Quite often there is a tip-off before the raids and the under-age, drug ridden, and illegal alien boys skedaddle. Many of us have been in Sunee Plaza and we hear that a raid will take place as much as two or three hours prior to the raid actually occurring. Personally, I do not fear being there when a raid occurs, but it also would be no fun and would spoil the evening. I look forward to the day when these raids are no longer necessary. In my opinion, the reason the bars hire under-age boys in the first place is because they know there are a lot of customers who want them. How about giving us something else, such as innovative ideas, that will attract just as many customers without having to resort to the use of under-age boys. If you're a bar owner and want to make money, then give me a good reason to patronize your particular bar. Under-age, drug ridden boys isn't the reason. I thought some of the ideas at the Birdcage were excellent ideas, but the location was a poor choice. When Jungle Boys first opened, the idea behind it was good, but the set-up didn't work. Still, at least those were different ideas. I think new, fresh ideas is what Sunee Plaza needs. If nothing else, at least get your dancers to actually dance instead of standing there looking bored and doing the "one-knee shuffle." You'll get me into your bar a lot more often if you reduce the music volume so that I can at least talk to the person sitting next to me and I don't have to walk out of there in pain from my ears throbbing. If you're putting on a show, try coming up with something different from a variation of the same show you'll see in just about every other bar that puts on a show. Try telling the mama-sans to provide service to the customers without being pushy. Try doing raffles for free offs or doing what Monty is doing; no charge for offs after the show is over. Try happy hour drink prices during certain time periods. Try anything, as long as it's something different and doesn't include having to worry about whether your boys are under-age. One more thing. In a few bars, try cleaning up your toilets.

The following appears in THE NATION: _____ EX-PM ON THE RUN 'Sinatra' Becomes a Diplomatic Hot Potato Published on August 12, 2008 Speculation about Bid for Asylum; Former PM Claims Courts Unfair The move by deposed prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra and his wife Pojaman to flee to the UK has raised speculation about whether he can seek political asylum to escape a host of corruption charges. Thaksin issued a statement yesterday claiming that political motives were behind his decision to live in exile in the UK, where "democracy is more important" than his homeland. "What happened to me and my family and my close relations resulted from efforts to get rid of me from politics; by assassination attempts; by military coup; by hand-picking my opponents to handle legal charges," he said in his hand written statement. "These individuals see me as their political enemy. They have no consideration of the judicial system, truth and legal principle. My family and I have been treated unjustly." Thaksin's claim that he and his family face a political threat may be aimed at helping them "fit" the definition on the status of refugees from the 1951 United Nations convention. The UK is a signatory to the convention (unlike Thailand) and has a long history of recognising asylum seekers who lodge credible claims that they were forced to leave and are unable to return to their homeland because a well-founded fear of persecution because of political opinion, race, religion or nationality. People who flee to avoid conviction for corruption or other crimes do not qualify for asylum unless there are serious doubts about the independence of courts in the applicant's homeland, or reasonable fears about their well-being if extradited. In 2006, 17 out of every 100 people who applied for asylum were recognised as refugees and given asylum, according to the UK Home Office. If Thaksin really wants political asylum he must make an application in person as soon as possible after arriving in the UK. "If you delay your application for asylum, it may affect your ability to prove your reasons for it," said the UK Home Office guideline. Applications for asylum can be made at the port of entry or in the case of Thaksin, who has a home near London, he can apply at units that screen asylum seekers in either Croydon (south of London) or in Liverpool. The asylum process takes about 30 days from the lodging of an application to a final decision. If Thaksin applied and was granted asylum, his family would obtain legal protection and the right to live and work in the UK for an initial period of five years. His "case owner" would help him and his family build new lives in the country by giving documents and any information they need. If he applied for but was denied asylum, Thaksin and his family would have the right to appeal and remain in the UK temporarily on humanitarian grounds. In that case, they may be required to comply with certain demands and could be detained if they refused to undertake them. However, Foreign Ministry spokesman Tharit Charungvat said Thaksin did not need to seek political asylum because he and his family could stay in the UK for some period as an investor or under some other status. He said the ministry had no information on whether Thaksin would seek asylum. Meanwhile, legal experts said Thaksin could be extradited back if the Thai government sought his return under the 1911 Siam-Great Britain extradition treaty. But they said using the treaty may not be an easy way to extradite him as Thai authorities may have to prove he could be prosecuted on similar charges in the UK. The 1911 treaty allows only 31 legal charges as a basis for extradition. And many matters, such abuse of power related to the purchase of state land by his wife, which is currently being heard by the Supreme Court, are not listed in the treaty or UK laws. Thai authorities would also have to prove the charges were not political and the UK courts would have full power to refuse extradition for any reason they saw fit.

That is a very good point. It would be nice if Thailand ever moves toward an 'innocent until proven guilty' country instead of the other way around, but I wouldn't hold my breath.

In case you are wondering, between Thaksin and his wife they have forfeited about 13,000,000 baht, which was the amount they had posted for bail. That works out to nearly US $400,000. Of course, for Thanksin that's not much more than pocket change.

Many of you know that Thailand's Mother's Day is celebrated annually on August 12, the date of the Queen's birthday. Krazy Dragon has announced they will be closed on Tuesday. El Duo is postponing their performance for one day. I have no further information about any other bar closings at this time. The following is El Duo's statement: _____ Regarding the birthday of her Highness Queen Sirikit of Thailand is our show for coming Tuesday (August 12th) postponed to Wednesday August 13th at 9.45pm to 1am. Hope to see you all again in Cafe Royal in Boyztown. The El Duo web site is: http://el-duo.com

Several posters have raised the question that if Thaksin becomes a fugitive from Thai justice, then what country would grant him asylum? My own guess is that Thaksin would not have done this if he didn't have something solid up his sleeve. I think we'll know soon enough just what that might be. I can't help but wonder what would have happened if his wife had not been granted bail and/or had her passport revoked. Both of the following stories appear in THE NATION: _____ Supreme Court Issues Arrest Warrants Against Thaksin, Wife The Supreme Court Monday issued arrest warrants against former prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra and his wife, Khunying Pojaman. The Supreme Court issued the warrants after the couple fled to England instead of returning to Thailand to attend a court hearing in the Ratchadapisek land purchase case. The Supreme Court's Criminal Tribunal for Holders of Political Positions said the couple broke their promise to return to the country to attend the trial so the courts issued arrest warrants against them. The Nation ____________________ THAKSIN'S EXILE IN ENGLAND Today is Not My Day : Thaksin By The Nation Ex-premier Thaksin Shinawatra said Monday he decided to go into exile in England because of security threats to him and his family, as well as unfair treatment in the country's judicial system. In his statement read out on a state-run NBT TV channel, Thaksin said he and his family will remain in exile in England indefinitely and did not say when he would return to the country. He accused the country's legal system of employing "double standard" in their proceeding with legal matters against him and his family. The former premier said he and his family have repeatedly received death threats and that they had to travel in bullet-proof cars. Thaksin said at first he thought the election result of February 23, which saw the People Power Party (PPP), many of whose members came from his now defunct Thai Rak Thai Party, came out victoriously would help "improve the situation". Therefore he decided to return to Thailand on February 28, thinking that the situation would be favorable and "permits me to prove my innocence." "But the situation has worsened. What has happened to me is like a poisoned fruits that came from a poisoned tree," Thaksin said. He claimed there were "intervention in judicial system" that originated from intervention by dictatorship who has hidden agenda to "get rid of me and my family". "These individuals see me as political enemy. They have no consideration to judicial system, truth and legal principle." "My family and I have been continuously treated unjustly. Thaksin apologized to his supporters for having to go into exile and asked them to remain committed to him. "These are all results of my tireless effort to help the country. I apologize for having to seek relocation to England. I ask that all my supporters to remain with me a bit longer," Thaksin said. Thaksin said he revealed the whole truth at an appropriate time, saying "Today is not my day." Thaksin said he and his family remain loyal to the Monarchy "even though some have tried to accuse me of being otherwise." "I may be not a perfect man but I reaffirm that I am as bad as some accused of being. If good fortune were on my side I would like to return to Thailand and die there like all other Thai people. It was not clear if Thaksin will seek political asylum in the United Kingdom where he owns the Manchester City football club

It has now been confirmed that Thaksin and his wife have indeed flown to England. The Thai court has stated that arrest warrants may be issued. The following appears in THE NATION: _____ Thaksin Delays his Announcement from London By Piyanart Srivalo The Nation Former prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra who fled to London has delayed his annoucement on his decision not to return home, pending the court's decision in the morning. Thaksin and his wife; Khunying Pojaman, were scheduled to return to Bangkok from Beijing to testify on a trial against them over the purchase of a Rachadapisek plot of land Monday morning. On Sunday, they instead opted to flee to London and his close aides said Thaksin would issue a statement from London at 9am today. Thaksin is owner of England's Manchester City Club. An informed source said Monday Thaksin will wait for the court's outcome before making any statement. Meanwhile a Thaksin's lawyer, who is now at the court said Monday the couple had not contacted him yet. Khamnuan Chalopatham said it was not uncertain whether Thaksin and Pojaman would show up for the trial in the Ratchadapisek land case. Khamnuan said he would wait until 10:30 am before making a statement to the court. The Supreme Court's head office is packed with reporters waiting to cover the corruption case related to the Ratchada land purchase against Pojaman and Thaksin.

The following appears in the BANGKOK POST: _____ 'Missed the Flight' Ex-premier Thaksin Shinawatra and Khunying Potjamarn have fled to London and will not be back for their court cases, a close supporter said on Sunday after the couple failed to catch their scheduled flight back from Beijing to Bangkok. The couple were to catch Thai Airways International Flight 615, which arrived on time at Bangkok at 9:45pm on Sunday - without the high-level passengers on board. Reports they would catch another flight looked like disinformation. People Power party MP Pracha Prasobdee said the couple would not return, despite promises from them and their spokesmen, including Mr Pracha himself. The Samut Prakan MP told reporters at Suvarnabhumi airport that Mr Thaksin will make a statement from London at 9am Thailand time on Monday, an hour before he and his wife were ordered to return and report to the Supreme Court on charges they face separately and together. The couple were due to report to the Supreme Court’s Criminal Division for Holders of Political Positions on Monday morning for a hearing on their trials in the Ratchadaphisek land deal. Two other cases against Mr Thaksin - the digit lottery case and the Exim Bank soft loan to Burma - are pending in the same court. Five other cases against Mr Thaksin and his cronies are with the Office of the Attorney-General. Flight to London and semi-permanent exile may cause Mr Thaksin and his wife to lose their bail and even cost them them 69 billion baht in frozen funds, it might also be good for the country. "If Thaksin really doesn't come back, the conflict in our country will lessen, which implies that our prolonged political trouble will come to an end soon," Kavee Chukitkasem, head of research at Bangkok brokerage Kasikorn Securities, said. "The markets should definitely rise tomorrow," he added. Last Thursday, the Stock Exchange of Thailand surged by 4 per cent on rumours the couple would be headed into exile. Business circles, at least, believe political tension will easy significantly if the couple stay away for a lengthy time. Thaksin lawyers were quoted by NBT TV news as saying the couple would be represented in court on Monday morning as scheduled - but did not say they would be there in person. They do not need to be present for the land trial to continue on schedule for now. Kriangkrai Juengjaturapit, chief judge of the Criminal Division for Holders of Political Positions, said if the couple fail to turn up today their lawyers must offer an explanation to the court. "If there are no reasons given, or the reasons are not good enough, the court will consider that they have the intention of fleeing and they will face arrest warrants," Mr Kriangkrai said. The court would then continue the trial of the couple in absentia until a verdict is given, he said. If the couple fail to appear on the day the verdict is given, the reading of the verdict will be adjourned for 30 days. After that, if the two still do not show up, the court will read out the verdict in their absence, Mr Kriangkrai said. "Until now, there have been no reports that Thaksin and Khunying Potjaman will report to the court, or that they will lodge a request to go overseas," Mr Kriangkrai said. The lawyers told NBT on Sunday Mr Thaksin had ordered his legal team to prepare to fight all charges against him, including the two- and three-digit lottery case, and the four billion baht loan granted to Burma. The deposed premier also ordered the legal team to prepare to file lawsuits against core leaders of the People’s Alliance for Democracy (PAD) and Kraisak Choonhavan, a Democrat party list MP and former senator, on defamation charges. Their son and daughter, Mr Panthongtae and Miss Pinthongta, had earlier flown to England to meet their parents, a Thai newspaper reported. Mr Thaksin and Khunying Potjamarn had attended the opening of the Olympic Games on Friday evening. Rumours they were preparing to go into exile dominated Bangkok political circles last week. Their spokesmen have repeatedly said the duo will be back and make their court appearance and lawyers encouraged that charade by detailing alleged plans to ask the court for permission for another trip abroad.. But on Sunday, both Pongthep Thepkanchana and Sansanee Nakpong were unavailable, their mobile phones switched off and their credibility likely ruined. Background report: The following story appeared in Saturday's Bangkok Post (Aug 9, 2008): Thaksin Asylum Bid Talk Swirls By Pradit Ruangdit and Wichit Chantanusornsiri A question mark still hangs over whether former prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra and his wife Khunying Potjaman will return to Thailand to face legal proceedings, with speculation rife the couple may seek asylum. They were in Beijing to attend the opening ceremony of the Summer Olympics yesterday. It was reported that the couple may go into exile overseas to escape the legal proceedings awaiting them at home. The couple are being tried at the Supreme Court's Criminal Division for Holders of Political Positions for alleged wrongdoing in the Ratchadaphisek land deal. Two other cases against Mr Thaksin _ the lottery case and the Exim Bank loan to Burma _ are pending in the same court. Five other cases against Mr Thaksin and his cronies are with the Office of the Attorney-General. Thaksin: Colleague says he will be back On July 31, the Criminal Court found Khunying Potjaman guilty of conspiring to evade tax totalling 546 million baht in the transfer of shares in the Shinawatra Computer and Communication company. She was sentenced to three years in jail and was later released on bail. Finance Minister Surapong Suebwonglee, one of the couple's closest aides, said he talked with people in close contact with Mr Thaksin about rumours the couple would seek political asylum, but the truth has yet to be established. "Some denied the rumour, others confirmed it," Mr Surapong said. Arisman Pongruangrong, a former Thai Rak Thai MP, said Mr Thaksin and Khunying Potjaman will definitely return to Thailand after the opening ceremony of the Olympics Games. They have booked seats on a flight from Beijing to Bangkok tomorrow, Mr Arisman said. "His return will go according to schedule. Mr Thaksin confirmed that he will come back to fight all the cases in Thailand. He has never thought of seeking asylum as has been rumoured," said Mr Arisman. A source at the Supreme Court said if the couple fail to turn up on Monday to report to a panel of judges handling the Ratchadaphisek land case, the judges may issue arrest warrants for them and may conduct the trial of the couple in absentia. "Actually, the defendants' testimonies have no bearing on the trial. The defendants have denied the allegations all along. It depends on the evidence," the source said. Meanwhile, Sakda Khongphet, a leader of the Isan Pattana faction of the People Power party (PPP), said he will give evidence showing misconduct by top people in the party to the National Counter Corruption Commission. The Isan Pattana group has exposed the rise of the so-called "gang of four" within the PPP, whom it has accused of trying to dominate the party and cashing in on state projects to prepare for the next election. The gang is believed to comprise Prime Minister Samak Sundaravej, his secretary-general Theerapol Nopparampa, Dr Surapong and Newin Chidchob, a veteran MP who controls a large PPP faction of northeastern MPs. The Isan Pattana faction claims the gang of four, guided by Mr Newin, is planning to form a coalition government with the Democrats if the PPP is dissolved. "He [Mr Thaksin] told me that he has been aware of the movements of the gang of four and he said he felt hurt," Mr Sakda said. However, Democrat secretary-general Suthep Thaugsuban denied any knowledge of the plan. A PPP source said Mr Thaksin sent his younger sister, Yingluck, to talk to Mr Newin and his group of MPs during a meeting of the party's northeastern MPs led by Mr Newin on Thursday. The group is called "Newin's friends". Maha Sarakham MP Suthin Klangsaeng, a member of the group, said Ms Yingluck explained that Mr Thaksin had nothing to do with the moves of the Isan Pattana group.

Apparently China would, if they don't come back. Somehow I think, again if they don't come back, a certain amount of money may have found its way into certain hands. That usually does the trick. Hell, if Thaksin offers enough he can even stay at my house . . .

Perhaps. Whatever the motives are, the weekend raids have become so frequent that now I might not even bother to post when a raid occurs in Sunee Plaza. It would only be news now if a week goes by and no raid occurs at all.

Maybe both, although I think it's more likely a big push to clean up the area. After all, Pattaya now has a new mayor and the escalation of raids seem to coincide with his taking office. Only a few years ago these kinds of raids were virtually unheard of in Sunee Plaza or anywhere else. Now it's an expectation. I don't see how anyone can go to Sunee Plaza anymore without the possibility of a raid being in mind. Also, if it's all some sort of attempt to close down gay venues, that would make little sense in that these raids are not even occurring in the Boyztown area at all. I tend to think it's more of a "if you're under-age and/or are in possession of drugs or are caught being a drug user, then you're in deep shit" type of thing. If that's what it's really all about, then I applaud the intent, although I definitely have reservations about the methods being used. It probably is scaring away customers, but I'm guessing that's a side effect of what's really going on. Collateral damage. Maybe the powers-that-be are finally sick and tired of under-age boys, pedophiles, and drug gangs haunting Sunee Plaza and are finally trying to do something about it. Frequent raids just might do the trick or at least dramatically reduce the number of offenders. So far, I've been fortunate enough not to have ever personally witnessed one of these raids. I was not in Sunee Plaza this evening. However, the venues operating legitimately do have my sympathy. These raids certainly can't be helping their businesses and they end up suffering through no fault of their own. There are still some things that bother me, though. For example, if bar owners are still being held responsible if any of their employees are caught in a pee test, then I think that's totally absurd and unfair. How can the bar owners be responsible for what their employees do when they're not working? That aspect of it holds a high place on my "I Don't Get It" list. If the police are arresting these boys, but then releasing them to go right back to Sunee Plaza, then all they're accomplishing is a revolving door. That too would be on my "I Don't Get It" list. It's a shame things have degenerated to this point, but many of us have been saying for a long time that something serious has to be done about the under-age boys, the pedophiles, and the drug problems in Sunee Plaza. The fact that something is now really being done is hardly cause for complaint, in my opinion. If anything, my complaint would be in the methods being used. I still think a few uniformed police officers, different ones each night to avoid bribery as best as possible, strolling though Sunee Plaza nightly would be effective enough to accomplish a clean-up. I wish they would give that a try in lieu of these raids. I hope these raids don't end up producing a "destroy the town in order to save the town" result. Maybe the offending venues need to get the message. There's a really weird thing they ought to try, something they haven't tried before, just for laughs . . . obeying the law.

I agree. Even if MikeGeorg was the owner, so what? I encourage gay venue owners to post about their places here. It makes people aware of their businesses and gives people a direct connection if they have any questions or concerns. What's wrong with gay venue owners posting and advertising their places of business, as long as they don't overdo it? MikeGeorg says he was simply trying to inform people about a venue that nobody has posted about. I see no reason to doubt him.

In fairness, I have no idea whether MikeGeorg is involved with the place or not. I have a feeling the 150 baht per drink does not apply to beer, but someone will let us know soon enough.

The following was posted on the Gay Ting & Tong forum by globalwanderer: http://www.gaytingtong.com/topic3131.html

Maybe this will help "Thai time." The following appears in the PATTAYA DAILY NEWS: _____ Thailand Standardizes Clocks As from Aug 23, 2008, all public and official clocks will be synchronized to enable all the citizens of Thailand can hear the national anthem at the same time. Currently, Thailand doesn‘t actually have a standard time, but now, for the first time, the Royal Thai Navy‘s Hydrographic Department will act as the official timekeeper to standardize time throughout the country. Time checks will be able to be performed at two times during the day: 8 AM and 6 PM by tuning in to FM radio stations. Technological-based agencies, such as telecommunications operators, visual and audio broadcasters, computer networks and internet cafes will be instructed to follow the standard time according to the directive of The Science and Technology Ministry, who will enforce the convention by fining offenders between Bt100,000 and 500,000. Pian Totarong, Director of the National Institute of Metrology, which governs national measurement standards, said the clock synchronization will benefit agencies dependent on precision, such as security, public health, scientific research and satellite technologically-based organizations. Most of the world, however, synchronizes its time by a slightly more efficient method, namely the use of the atomic clock . These have been in existence since 1949, but the first accurate atomic clock was built in the UK's National Physical Laboratory in 1955 by Louis Essen. tHis was the caesium standard based on a transition of the caesium-133 atom and led to the first internationally agreed definition of the second. More accurate models wre progresively developed, but in August 2004, the US National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) scientists developed a chip-scaled atomic clock, which was e one-hundredth the size of any other. In February 2008, physicists at JILA, a joint institute of the NIST and the University of Colorado at Boulder, developed the world's most accurate timepiece, a clock based on strontium atoms trapped in a laser grid. This clock is over twice as accurate as any previous clock and has an inaccuracy of less than one second in 200 million years.

Yes, that is my intent. As I said, there is no problem debating the issue, but I am hoping to avoid a new insult and put-down contest rearing up on this board. I don't think we'll have to worry about that again. This particular debate is giving me a lot to think about . . . on both sides. Let's hope people who wish to continue the debate will do so intelligently and non-maliciously.

Despite the fact that this thread started out as a warning about carrying laptops to the USA, and now has turned into a debate about whether or not China is a repressive government, I see no reason to lock this thread just yet. One note, however . . . please debate the issue. Let's not get start up the personal insults and pissing contests, ok? Atri1666, I'll leave your post in place, but any further posts that start getting into personal insults are going to go bye-bye.

Despite the problems and complaints regarding life in Thailand, I think it can be said that Thailand is one of the most progressive countries in the world, perhaps the most progressive, regarding the rights, needs, and tolerance of those who are not heterosexual, i.e. gay and transgender. While some may regard it as weird that transgender toilets are beginning to appear in Thailand, in my opinion they represent at least someone recognizing that heterosexuality is not the only lifestyle available to humans. The following appears in the BBC NEWS. Also, have a look at the link to the article. There is a video about this included in the article: http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/asia-pacific/7529227.stm _____ Thai School Offers Transsexual Toilet By Jonathan Head BBC News, north-east Thailand With its spacious, tree-lined grounds and slightly threadbare classrooms, there is nothing obviously unusual about the Kampang Secondary School. It is situated in Thailand's impoverished north-east, and most of the pupils are the children of farmers. Every morning at 0800 they all gather outside to sing the national anthem and watch the flag being raised. Then they have a chance to use the toilets, before heading off the first classes of the day. Kampang is proud of its toilets. Spotless, and surrounded by flowering tropical plants, they have won national awards for cleanliness. But there is something else about them too. Between the girls' toilet and the boys', there is one signposted with a half-man, half-woman figure in blue and red. This is the transsexual toilet, and outside, in front of the mirrors, some decidedly girly-looking teenage boys preen their hair and apply face cream. 'Uncomfortable' The headteacher, Sitisak Sumontha, estimates that in any year between 10% and 20% of his boys consider themselves to be transgender - boys who would rather be girls. "They used to be teased every time they used the boys' toilets," he said, "so they started using the girls' toilets instead. But that made the girls feel uncomfortable. It made these boys unhappy, and started to affect their work." So the school offered to build the transgender boys their own facility, and they welcomed it. Triwate Phamanee is a slightly built 13-year-old who is adamant that he will one day change his gender. "We're not boys," he told me, "so we don't want to use the boys' toilet - we want them to know we are transsexuals." Vichai Saengsakul, 15, agrees. "People need to know that being a transsexual is not a joke," he says, "it's the way we want to live our lives. That's why we're grateful for what the school has done." Normal treatment The transgender boys in Kampang tend to stick together as a group, practicing their somewhat exaggerated feminine mannerisms together and generally camping it up. They still have to wear male uniforms, make-up is not allowed (although some manage to sneak in a touch of lipstick and mascara), and of course sex-change surgery is out of the question at this age - the youngest self-declared transsexual is 12. But they appear to be treated perfectly normally by other pupils and teachers alike. I asked the headmaster whether they were not too young to be making decisions about their gender. He said that, in his 35 years of working in the Thai education system, he had come across many boys like this, and they never changed. Many go on as adults to have sex-change surgery, while others will live as gay men, he said. Thailand is well known for its tolerance of transgender men, and they are very visible in everyday life. Sex-change surgery has become a speciality of the Thai health industry, and it is relatively inexpensive; patients come here from all over the world for the operation. 'Sweet and soft' The Kampang school's initiative, far from stirring up controversy, has instead prompted a discussion in other schools over whether they should be providing the same facilities. A ratio of 10% to 20% of boys calling themselves transsexual in a provincial high school does seem very high, but Mr Sitisak assured me that in his experience it was not unusual. When [the pupils grow up] they won't want to go into a transgender toilet because they will want to be accepted as a woman - so they will go to the womens toilet. Which brought up a question that has been rattling around my head ever since I first lived in Thailand seven years ago: Why do so many Thai men want to become women? I asked Suttirat Simsiriwong, who became a campaigner for transgender rights after she was barred entry to a nightclub at an international hotel in Bangkok last year. Poised, articulate and very feminine, it is hard to tell that she was not born a woman. "Maybe the numbers of gays, of people with sexual identity issues, might be the same as in other countries," said Suttirat, "but because Thai society and culture tend to be very sweet, very soft, and the men can be really feminine, if we tend to be gay, many of us tend to be transgender." So does building a special toilet in school advance the cause of winning wider acceptance for transsexuals? "At that age it's good for them to have a specific place," she said. "But when they graduate from school or university, they will know how to have medical treatment. They won't want to go into a transgender toilet because they will want to be accepted as a woman - so they will go to the women's toilet." Discrimination remains Tolerance, said Suttirat, is not the same thing as acceptance. Despite their high profile in Thailand, transsexuals complain that they are still stereotyped - they can find work easily enough as entertainers, in the beauty industry, the media, or as prostitutes, but it is much harder to become a transgender lawyer or investment banker. And their biggest complaint is that they cannot change their legal status. Despite a proposal during the drafting of a new constitution last year, to allow them to change the gender on their identity cards, this has not yet been approved.

Nok Air will resume limited service to Phuket beginning Saturday, August 9. The following appears in the Phuket Gazette ( see http://www.phuketgazette.net/dailynews/index.asp?id=6692 ): _____ Nok Air Resumes Phuket Service PHUKET CITY: Nok Air is resuming twice-weekly flights to Phuket from Bangkok following media reports of Phuket-bound tourists stranded in Suvarnabhumi Airport in Bangkok. The Phuket Gazette's report as well as other media reports were used by the board in their decision making, Nok Air media and public relations representative Dechavut Vuttisilp told the Gazette. The limited service, which resumes on August 9, is scheduled to operate on Saturdays and Sundays only. Flights depart from Don Muang airport in Bangkok to Phuket International Airport (PIA) at 9.15 am, with the return leg taking off from PIA at 11.05 am. However, the Sunday flight for this week will be moved to Tuesday, August 12 to accommodate those wishing to enjoy Mother's Day in Phuket. For the rest of August the flights will be on Saturdays and Sundays. Many Phuket-bound tourists who already faced limited flight options following the suspension of One-Two-Go's services on July 22 were stranded in Bangkok when Nok Air suspended its Bangkok-Phuket service on August 1. The move followed Nok Air's halt of its Krabi-Bangkok service on July 1. At that time, Nok Air issued no official statement regarding its marketing strategies, but a source at the budget airline told the Gazette that people would be able to figure it out if they looked carefully at what the airline was doing. Nok Air also suspended its loss-ridden Phuket-Haad Yai service November last year after a six-month trial period found there were not enough passengers to continue it. It now remains impossible to fly between the South's two major airports, which for decades had regularly-scheduled services. Angry Finnish tourist Arto Tiitinen called from Suvarnabhumi Airport in Bangkok on August 2 to inform the Gazette that many other irate Phuket-bound tourists were awaiting standby flights. "I'm surprised that there are not extra flights; now my family must holiday elsewhere. I have no problem with money, it's just that there aren't any tickets to Phuket available for now at any price," he said, adding that he would instead take his family to Chiang Mai for a holiday. The Gazette checked the AirAsia website that day, which showed that the airline's seven daily flights to Phuket from Suvarnabhumi were fully booked until Tuesday, August 5. Thai Airways continues to fly two or three flights daily to Phuket from Don Muang and six flights a day from Suvarnabhumi. Nok Air, which used Don Mueang International Airport as its main base, started operations in July 2004. Owned 39% by Thai Airways International, the low-cost carrier was set up to compete with the aggressive expansion of rival low-cost carrier Thai AirAsia. As it celebrates its 4th anniversary, the carrier has also relaunched its "Nok Gives Life" project. With "Nok Gives Life" the airline works to raise funds for the Cardiac Children Foundation of Thailand, established Under the Royal Patronage of HRH Princess Galyani Vadhana. Funds raised enable life-saving surgery and treatment for young heart patients.

Our dear friends and guests, Please be informed of our new Gourmet Set Menu serving from August 02. through 15 available at Casa Pascal Only. Weekly Set Menu serving from August 05 ~ 18 avaiable at both Casa Pascal and Poseidon. August 02 ~ 15 Gourmet Set Menu House Champagne *** Amuse Bouche *** White Wine Cackle Berry Chardonnay, Australia 2004 Phuket Lobster Salad with sautéed Provencale Mushrooms *** Tomato flavored Vegetables Soup *** White Asparagus and Parma Ham in Orange Mousseline *** Apple Calvados Sherbet *** Red Wine Sea Horse Bay, Shiraz, Australia,2006 Tian of Grouper and Egg Plant in Lemon Mint Butter Sauce or Oven–baked Beef- , Chicken- and Lamb Mignons roasted Artichokes and Shallots in red Wine Reduction *** Rum flavored Parfait of exotic Fruits or Selection of premium international Cheese *** Coffee or Tea Calvados, Grappa, Remy Martin, Williams Food only 1,450 Baht net (31.60 Є), Menu with Unlimited Beverages 2,900 Baht net (63.20 Є) <Weekly Special August 5. – August 11. > APPETIZER Cervelas Salad with Gherkins, Onions and Tomatoes SOUP Potato & Garlic Cream Soup MAIN COURSE Beef Skewer with Pepper Corn Sauce, Vegetables and Noodles or Pacific Dory Filet pan-fried in Butter and Almonds served with boiled Potatoes DESSERT Banana Split or Coffee or Tea <Weekly Special August 12. – August 18. > APPETIZER Tuna Tatar on Salad of assorted grilled Vegetables SOUP Cold Cucumber Soup with Dill and Walnuts MAIN COURSE Chicken stuffed with Prunes Polenta and Ratatouille or Oven-baked Sea Bass with Herbs, Olive Oil, Lemon and Vegetables accompanied by boiled Potatoes DESSERT Swiss Chocolate Mousse or Coffee or Tea WINES White Wine : Monte Vino Bianco, Italy Red Wine : Monte Vino Rosso, Italy Food only 3-Course @ 580 Baht net 4-Course @ 680 Baht net Food & unlimited Wine 3-Course @ 950 Baht net 4-Course @ 1,300 Baht net *** All prices are including 7% VAT. Service tip is at your own discretion *** For reservation at Casa Pascal (038) 723 660 Fax (038) 723 659 For reservation at Poseidon (038) 303 300 Fax (038) 303 336 E-mail: info@restaurant-pattya.com For more information : www.restaurant-pattaya.com

Thank you very much. I'm certainly looking forward to giving it a try.

Also, the Pattaya Vegetarian Club meets at Café New Orleans, of all places, on the second Tuesday of every month. The group meets upstairs and provides a wonderful all-vegetarian buffet. It's a grand total of 99 baht for it. It's been about a year since I last went, so the price may have increased by now. I don't know. You do not have to be a member, but you do have to go to Café New Orleans and buy your ticket in advance. The dinner always starts at 6:00 PM. If you are interested I suggest getting your ticket well in advance. The tickets always get sold out quickly.

"Gulag Archipelago" Author Dies In Russia (AP) Alexander Solzhenitsyn, the Nobel Prize-winning author whose books chronicled the horrors of the Soviet gulag system, has died of heart failure, his son said Monday. He was 89. Stepan Solzhenitsyn told The Associated Press his father died late Sunday, but declined further comment. Solzhenitsyn's unflinching accounts of torment and survival in the Soviet Union's slave labor camps riveted his countrymen, whose secret history he exposed. They earned him 20 years of bitter exile, but international renown. And they inspired millions, perhaps, with the knowledge that one person's courage and integrity could, in the end, defeat the totalitarian machinery of an empire. Beginning with the 1962 short novel "One Day in the Life of Ivan Denisovich," Solzhenitsyn devoted himself to describing what he called the human "meat grinder" that had caught him along with millions of other Soviet citizens: capricious arrests, often for trifling and seemingly absurd reasons, followed by sentences to slave labor camps where cold, starvation and punishing work crushed inmates physically and spiritually. His "Gulag Archipelago" trilogy of the 1970s shocked readers by describing the savagery of the Soviet state under the dictator Josef Stalin. It helped erase lingering sympathy for the Soviet Union among many leftist intellectuals, especially in Europe. But his account of that secret system of prison camps was also inspiring in its description of how one person - Solzhenitsyn himself - survived, physically and spiritually, in a penal system of soul-crushing hardship and injustice. The West offered him shelter and accolades. But Solzhenitsyn's refusal to bend despite enormous pressure, perhaps, also gave him the courage to criticize Western culture for what he considered its weakness and decadence.

Morgan Freeman Hospitalized after Car Wreck (CNN) -- Oscar-winning actor Morgan Freeman was in serious condition but in "good spirits" at a Tennessee hospital after being involved in a car wreck in northern Mississippi Sunday night, his business partner said. Freeman, 71, broke his left upper arm and suffered several other fractures and neck and shoulder injuries in the wreck, said Bill Luckett, an attorney from Clarksdale, Mississippi. A woman who also was in the car was taken to the same hospital, said Angie Underwood, a spokeswoman for the Mississippi Highway Patrol. No information on her condition was released. Freeman could have surgery as early as Monday evening and could need three to four months to recover, Luckett told reporters outside the Regional Medical Center in Memphis, Tennessee. "He's in good spirits, but he's in some pain," said Luckett, who owns a restaurant and blues club with Freeman in Clarksdale. Underwood said the wreck happened at about 11:30 p.m. Sunday on a state highway about five miles west of Charleston, Mississippi, where Freeman has a home. According to The Associated Press, Mississippi Highway Patrol spokesman Sgt. Ben Williams said Freeman was driving a 1997 Nissan Maxima belonging to Demaris Meyer of Memphis when the car left a rural highway and flipped several times shortly before midnight Sunday. "There's no indication that either alcohol or drugs were involved," Williams said, according to the AP. Williams said Meyer was in the car, and that both she and Freeman were wearing seat belts, Williams said. Clay McFerrin, editor of the Sun Sentinel in Charleston, Mississippi, told the AP that emergency personnel "had to use the jaws of life to extract him from the vehicle." "He was lucid, conscious," McFerrin told the AP. "He was talking, joking with some of the rescue workers at one point." McFerrin, who told the AP he arrived at the accident scene not long after the incident, said bystanders were trying to get a look at the actor. When one person tried to snap a photo with a cell phone camera, Freeman joked, "no freebies, no freebies," McFerrin told the AP. The cause of the wreck is under investigation, Underwood said. Milla Borden, spokeswoman for the Memphis hospital, confirmed that Freeman was in serious condition there Monday. Freeman was headed to his Charleston home when the wreck happened, said Luckett, who added that the woman in the car "is a mutual friend of ours." Both had been at Luckett's home in Clarksdale -- about 35 miles northwest of the wreck site -- before the crash occurred, Luckett said. Freeman won an Academy Award for best supporting actor in 2005 for his role in the gritty boxing film "Million Dollar Baby." He has been nominated for Oscars three other times, for the movies "Street Smart," "Driving Miss Daisy" and "The Shawshank Redemption." He's starring in two successful summer films, the hitman drama "Wanted" and the blockbuster "The Dark Knight." He recently starred on Broadway in a production of the Clifford Odets play "The Country Girl." He was born in Memphis and grew up in the Mississippi Delta region, moving back to open his blues club, Ground Zero, and a restaurant in Clarksdale in 2001. In a 2005 interview with CNN, he said returning to the area was "one of the smartest moves I've made in life." "My aim in life, when I graduated from high school, was to get out of Mississippi," he said. "I started coming back in about 1979, because my parents moved back, which I couldn't understand. What in the world would make you come back here? It took me about 20 years to figure that out." Freeman's nonprofit foundation has donated hundreds of thousands of dollars to schools in the historically poor region, and he established the club in part to preserve the Delta's musical heritage.

The following two stories appear in the BANGKOK POST: _____ Cambodia Starts Squabble over Second Temple (BangkokPost.com, Agencies) - Cambodia on Sunday escalated the border dispute over the Preah Vihear temple, accusing Thai troops of "occupying" a temple far to the west, long considered a totally different matter. About 70 Thais have been at the 13th Century Ta Muen Thom temple complex in Surin province "since Thursday", a Cambodian spokesman in Phnom Penh claimed. But Thai Foreign Minister Tej Bunnag said no troops have moved into the area. Cambodia and spokesman Sim Sokha appeared to be linking the Preah Vihear and Ta Muen Thom disputes. Although both are in border areas, they are not connected in either distant or recent history - until now. On the ground, military commanders were more relaxed and there was no apparent tension at the site. "We have a paramilitary post which has been there for several years," said Thai Army Maj Gen Sujit Sithiprabha, commander for the Cambodian border. "Ta Muen Thom belongs to us. We have to have soldiers to take care of the area which belongs to us." Var Kimhong, chairman of the Cambodia Border Committee, told the AFP news agency that Thai soldiers were stationed in the ruin, but said this was "not a new thing". "Ta Muen is in our territory, but since 1998 Thailand took a chance to occupy it by claiming that they came to conserve it." Ta Muen Thom is a temple from the height of the Khmer empire, and part of the outlying Angkor Wat complex opposite Thailand's northeast, or Isan region. An Associated Press report from Cambodia on Sunday quoted Chuch Phoeun of the Cambodian Ministry of Culture as saying it was built in the 13th century as a rest house along a road linking the ancient Angkor city with what is now northeastern Thailand. Ta Muen Thom is in a so-called "white zone" under dispute by the neighbouring countries, where Surin abuts the border of Cambodia`s Oddar Meanchey Cambodian authorities appear to be stepping up nationalist sentiment, despite earlier predictions they would try to cool the Preah Vihear and other border disputes following last week's general election, won handily by Prime Minister Hun Sen. Thai merchants and diplomats were forced to call off two planned exhibitions and sales of Thai fruit and other goods this week. Expo officials cited growing anti-Thai sentiment in Cambodia. Last week Hun Sen's wife hosted a huge Preah Vihear temple ritual, seen by some as a major provocation, after Mr Tej and his Cambodian counterpart Hor Namhong negotiated a troop pullback at the disputed temple grounds. In Phnom Penh on Sunday, Maj Sim Sokha, a Cambodian border-protection officer, claimed that Thai soldiers have been deployed in an 80-yard radius around the Ta Muen Thom temple grounds and have prevented Cambodian troops from entering. About 40 Cambodian soldiers are in close proximity to the Thai troops, he said. Mr Tej denied there had been any troop movements by either side at the Surin province border site. Sim Sokha said Thai troops had been deployed in an 80-metre radius around the Ta Muen Thom temple grounds, and had prevented Cambodian troops from entering. He said about 40 Cambodian soldiers were "in close proximity" to the Thai troops, but had been ordered to exercise restraint while the government tries to resolve the issue with Thailand. Last Friday, the French and Japanese ambassadors discussed the border problem with Mr Tej at the foreign ministry. The Preah Vihear dispute originates in French colonial maps, and Japanese actions when it occupied Cambodia during World War Two. Mr Tej, who assumed the ministerial post July 27, told Ambassador Laurent Bili that France could now act as a bridge in solving the temple row. Japanese ambassador to Thailand Hideaki Kobayashi supported bilateral efforts to solve the temple problem, and would be willing to assist in clearing landmines around the disputed area, according to a report by official Thai News Agency. In addition, US ambassador Eric John pledged American "support for bilateral talks between Thailand and Cambodia to peacefully resolve the situation in the border area adjacent to" Preah Vihear. The US is interested in how the dispute could affect the visit on Wednesday of President George W. Bush. The "US stood ready to cooperate and work closely with Thailand to further strengthen the two countries' relations," the US diplomat said. ____________________ New Temple Uproar Phnom Penh - Reports that a second sacred temple on the Thai- Cambodian border has been occupied by Thai troops has drawn an angry reaction from the public, Cambodian media reported Sunday. Thai Foreign Minister Tej Bunnag said no troops have moved into the area. Ta Muen Thom temple, at the border of Surin province and Cambodia's Banteay Meanchey, has been manned by Thai troops for more than five years, the chairman of the government's border committee, Var Kimhong, told locally broadcast Radio France Internationale (RFI). However the nation's largest selling newspaper, Rasmei Kampuchea, as well as the French-funded RFI and US-funded Radio Free Asia began running reports of its alleged occupation Sunday. Kimhong said there was no legal doubt Ta Muen Thom was Cambodian. Public outrage has grown steadily since areas around Preah Vihear temple, which Cambodia says are sovereign and Thailand says are disputed, were occupied by Thai troops on July 15, days after it was declared a Unesco World Heritage Site against Thai wishes. At a press conference held just before national elections last month, Cambodian government spokesman Khieu Kanharith declined to answer a question on whether troop build-ups had also occurred on the Thai border with Banteay Meanchey. The Cambodian government has tried to dampen the nationalist sentiment sweeping the country and urged the public to allow bilateral diplomacy to work, or, failing that, UN mediation. In 2003 an angry mob torched the Thai embassy and several businesses over a false story a Thai actress had claimed the nation's icon, Angkor Wat temple, was Thai - a serious setback for trade and diplomatic relations. Claims published in the Thai media accusing Cambodia's First Lady Bun Rany, wife of Prime Minister Hun Sen, of leading a black magic ritual when she hosted a Buddhist ceremony attended by more than 1,000 people at Preah Vihear Friday have not helped. To be accused of sorcery is regarded as a terrible insult by Cambodians, who regularly kill those accused of it. (dpa)