Gaybutton

No. The reason is the only immigration office requiring proof is the Pattaya immigration office. If what others are posting on other boards is correct, then even Pattaya doesn't ask everyone every time. Also, once again, you can submit your address report at any immigration office in Thailand, no matter where your residence is. The whole thing is on my "I Don't Get It" list.

Here's one exchange rate prediction I hope comes true. Even if it does, it still is lousy in comparison to the 45 per dollar that held for many years, but it would certainly be much better than it's been in a long time. The following appears in THE NATION: _____ Baht Likely to Weaken to 35 per Dollar this Year By Jiwamol Kanoksilp The Nation, Bloomberg Published on July 30, 2008 While the US dollar is bottoming out, experts predict the baht will grow weaker, ending up about 35 to the greenback by the end of the year. "The US dollar has bottomed out," Tim Condon from ING Wholesale Banking/Financial Markets in Singapore said yesterday. He predicts the dollar will appreciate against the euro and the yen, while the baht could fall further, depending on confidence. ING said the baht was expected to fall to 34.15 to the dollar in the third quarter before appreciating to 33.85 in the fourth quarter. ING predicts the baht will rise to 33 to the dollar next year, but Satian Tantanasarit, executive vice president of TMB Bank, predicts the baht will appreciate to 35 to the dollar this year. "I agree the dollar has been weakening and is bottoming out," he said. However, Condon believes the US Federal Reserve will likely cut its policy rate 50 basis points during next year's first quarter after the worst of the inflation shock passes, while the European Central Bank in the same quarter will reverse its recent rate increase policy. Condon believes the fading of the oil price shock will shift the European Central Bank's focus from inflation to growth. The US Fed funds rate is now at 2 per cent. However, Satian believes the US central bank will maintain its rate and predicts the Bank of Thailand BOT will increase rates at least once more this year. The BOT's Monetary Policy Committee will meet again on August 27 for a rate movement decision. The baht fell for a second day yesฌterday on speculation that slowing economic growth and a deepening US housing slump would deter investments in emerging market assets. The currency extended this month's losses after the BOT yesterday cut its economic growth forecast for this year to as little as 4.8 per cent, saying highฌer prices were squeezing consumption. The Morgan Stanley Capital International Asia Pacific Index dropped as much as 2.3 per cent folฌlowing a slump on Wall Street amid concerns about widening credit market losses. "The Thai stock market is down a lot, with foreign investors continuing to sell and thus damping demand for baht," said Chutima Nuphan, a currency trader at TMB Bank in Bangkok. "Last night, we saw steep drops on Wall Street. The baht is going to be on the weak side." The baht declined 0.1 percent to 33.49 to the dollar late yesterday morning. It has been the second worst performer in the past three months among the 10 most active Asian currencies outside of Japan. The BOT raised its inflation forecast for this year to 7.58.8 per cent, Assistant Governor Duangmanee Vongpradhip said yesterday. In April, it forecast an inflation rate of 45 per cent. The US$206billion (Bt6.91 trillion) economy was previously forecast to expand as much as 6 percent this year. Global funds sold about $1 billion worth of Thai stocks more than they bought from July 125. The Stock Exchange of Thailand Index fell as much as 1.7 percent yesterday.

Today I helped another friend obtain his retirement visa. He too had entered on only the 30 day privilege and also had no Thai bank account. Siam Commercial Bank let him open a bank account, but since I already hold a retirement visa and have a permanent address in Pattaya, they only would open the account if I was willing to guarantee his address. Of course I was readily able to make that guarantee, so now he has a bank account. Today we went to the USA Embassy, got his proof-of-income statement, and got back to Immigration. He still has two days left on his 30 days. We discovered something new. Immigration is still perfectly willing to convert the 30 days to a Type "O" visa, and then to the retirement visa, for 1900 baht each. However they told him he also has to pay for a 7 day extension on his 30 days. We pointed out that he still has two days left. They said sorry, but you have to have at least 5 days left or you have to get the extension. The extension was another 1900 baht and more copies of the paperwork. If you wish to enter Thailand on the 30 days, then make sure you act quickly to convert to the retirement visa in order to avoid being forced to purchase an extension.

Sammy's does, in Sunee Plaza, although I don't know what time he opens. There are probably more, but I've never checked. Have you asked any of the Howard's staff where you can get a local breakfast?

Finally! A story about a police raid at a non-gay bar. The following appears in the PATTAYA DAILY NEWS: See http://www.pattayadailynews.com/shownews.p...NEWS=0000006732 for photos. _____ Pattaya Cocktail Bar Raid Nabs Thirty Teens Under 20 Nang Len Cocktail Bar in Pattaya was raided by police on July 28th,2008, because it was a favourite haunt of teens, who police suspected of illegal drug use. 30 teens were detained for under-age drinking, and although there was no drug use, the proprietor was charged with operating without a business license. At 2.20 AM on July 28, Pol.Col.Nopadol Wongnom, Pattaya Superintendent, and two senior police officers, led a 10-strong team on a raid on a Nang Len Cocktail Bar, 3rd Pattaya Road, after police detected that it was a gathering place for teen night owls under 20 years of age. Police found the bar packed with more than a hundred boys and girls who were drinking in the bar. They were also smoking hookahs which are popular among customers, though not illegal. Police found more than 30 teens, both boys and girls under 20, many of whom were not carrying I.D. cards. Police detained all of them for the record and also urine-tested for drugs, but when none registered positive, police released them. However, police did arrest Mr. Wathana Kittipatarasri (24), from Samutprakarn province, charged with operating a bar without a business license, merely having a licence to sell alcohol. Mr. Wathana said that he had opened the bar to sell alcohol and cocktails 5 months ago. In that time, it had become well known among the teens, and they would have a full house at weekends and holidays. As an additional attraction, they also provided hookahs. He maintained he did not know that there were customers who were under 20 years old frequenting his bar. Police later charged Mr. Wathana with selling alcohol out of hours, operating a bar without a licence and being negligent in allowing customers under 20 use the bar.

There is another aspect to this. I believe Lvdkeyes can answer this one better than most people if he reads this message. Are there any common prescription drugs that can yield results that would cause someone to fail a pee test? If the answer is yes, then I suppose you have to start carrying the prescription with you in case of getting caught up in a raid in which the police can subject you to a pee test.

Ok, I'm sorry if I misunderstood you. Of course Sunee Plaza's main attraction is young boys. Isn't that the main attraction in all the gay bar areas? Under-age boys is a different story. I believe if the bars will legitimize themselves, then they will become an attraction for everyone except the pedophiles. Personally, I couldn't care less where the pedophiles go as long as they keep away from the places the rest of us wish to frequent. By now I would think most people are apprehensive that simply going to a Sunee Plaza bar means a good chance of being caught up in a raid. I don't know too many people who want to be caught up in a raid. Now, along with it, people have to make a decision as to whether they ought to carry their passport with them when visiting those areas. You're damned if you do and damned if you don't. If you carry your passport, now there's the risk of losing it, someone stealing it, getting caught in the rain with it, etc. On the other hand, if you don't carry your passport and get caught up in a raid, the police have every right to cart you off and at best force you to pay a fine. In other words, this whole thing stinks! The revolving door of boys being arrested, released, arrested, released accomplishes nothing. For the life of me, I can't understand why the police don't just assign two or three uniformed police officers to patrol Sunee Plaza during bar hours. It would seem to me that would be the quickest way to solve the whole problem. As far as I know, that's never even been tried. Obviously the raids aren't working. I'm adding this to my "I Don't Get It" list.

I don't agree with that. I think that's just what repels a hell of a lot of people. Where are you getting the idea that only pedos go to Sunee Plaza? That's not true at all.

http://phuketwan.com/article/tourism/nok-a...ghts-sack-staff _____ Nok Air Drops Phuket-Bangkok Flights, Sacks Staff By Chutima Sidasathian Friday July 25, 2008 NOK AIR is cutting its daily flights between Bangkok and Phuket from the end of July, along with services to three other destinations. About 20 Nok Air staff at the airport on Phuket are also going to lose their jobs as the aviation industry crisis, fueled by rising oil costs, impacts on Thai travel nationwide. Inevitably, the cutbacks will affect tourism on Phuket and before long, investment on the island in property and resort construction. Nok Air, the budget arm of Thai Airways, is also cutting flights from Bangkok to Chiang Rai, Ubon Ratchatanee and Krabi. It will retain services from Bangkok to Udon Thani, Chiang Mai and Had Yai. A Nok Air spokeswoman blamed the cuts on oil prices and the general economic downturn. Nok Air has been flying the route since February 10, 2006. The disappearance of the Nok Air flights leaves only Air Asia and Thai Airways operating on the Bangkok-Phuket route. Thai Airways maintains about 10 flights on the route a day, with Air Asia having six flights. Another budget airline that serviced Bangkok-Phuket, One-Two-Go, has just been suspended from flying by the Department of Civil Aviaition for 30 days, perhaps longer. The dramatic reduction in cheap air flights is likely to put many local travellers back on buses, force some international visitors to stay in Bangkok, and drive many to seek alternative holiday destinations to Phuket. The Nok Air cancellations add to the tale of woe for tourism as the airline industry worldwide undergoes a shattering transformation. While travelers with bookings will not be dissuaded from coming over the next few months, numbers are likely to fall away soon as the international downturn spreads. Australians, for example, are largely unaffected and still able to travel, although rising costs will affect them, too. In Europe, though, the knock-on effects of the banking and lending crisis in the US are already rumbling through the economies of many countries. Holidays, especially on long-haul flights with the cost of seats rising, are something fewer people can afford. The only real positive from the crisis is that it may reduce airline flights sufficiently to relieve the pressure on Phuket airport as it undergoes a major expansion to cope with increasing numbers of tourists. If and when those increasing numbers of tourists will begin arriving is now the question that nobody can answer.

Last night (Saturday, July 26) Oogleman, of the Ting & Tong's Gay Thailand forum ( http://www.gaytingtong.com/index.php ) hosted a wonderful get-together at the Two Guys Guesthouse. It was a terrific evening! Along with the camaraderie between old friends and new, everyone had an opportunity to enjoy Monty's show. Monty brought his whole show up to Two Guys and it was a hit! There was plenty of liquor, food, boys, and fun for all who dropped by. There was even a raffle. Also, the two 'El Duo' boys, who will open their show on Saturday, August 2 at Le Café Royale were there, introducing themselves to all of us and passing out free drink coupons for their opening night. You'll find photos of the event at: http://www.gaytingtong.com/topic3101.html Thank you, Oogleman! It couldn't possibly have been better.

The following appears in PATTAYA ONE: see http://www.pattayaone.net/news_26_07_51.html for photos Underage Bar Workers as Young as 8 Years Old Found in Sunee Plaza Police Operation In the early hours of Saturday Morning, Police Colonel Nopadon, the Chief of Pattaya Police, who was joined by Khun Itipon, the Mayor of Pattaya, conducted a raid of a number of bars located in the Sunee Plaza area in South Pattaya which is well known for its gay bars and for the availability of underage boys, who, for a fee, will engage in sexual activities with foreign tourists. It is for this reason that regular raids by Police take place in the area and on Saturday Morning, a total of 80 underage bar workers were found, many were performing on stages wearing only underwear. It is also well known that drug taking and dealing is prevalent in the area. During the operation, a total of 80 underage workers, 3 of the young boys were aged only 15 and one was aged only 8 years which shocked the Mayor who joined the Police to see for himself, the problem of underage bar workers in the area. Urine tests were performed on a random selection of the detainees and 32 of the young men failed the test, confirming the presence of meth-amphetamine in their systems. The bars involved in employing underage boys will now face legal action and the possibility their licenses will be revoked. __________ And this, from PATTAYA DAILY NEWS: see http://www.pattayadailynews.com/shownews.p...NEWS=0000006717 for photos. Pattaya Mayor Cracks Down on Illegal Gay Bars and Teen Druggies The Mayor of Pattaya, Mr.Itthipol Khun-pluem, intent on cracking down on illegal operations and under-age sex in one of Pattaya‘s most popular gay venues, Sunee Plaza, South Pattaya, on July 26, 2008, co-operated with police to mobilize in strength and thoroughly search the area. They were especially concerned to eradicate the prolific gangs of teenagers who sell sexual services, amongst whom there is a high illegal drug usage. At 00.30 AM, on July 26, Pol.Col.Nopadol Wongnom, Pattaya Superintendent, organized a 70-man squad of regular and volunteer police to raid Sunee Plaza, where many foreigners go to find willing young boys. The squad checked 50 gay beer bars, pubs and go-go bars on the lookout for business licence lawbreakers, overly-explicit sex shows and staff under 20 years old. However, no premises were found to be breaking the law on any of these three counts. Police volunteers, nevertheless, did manage to detain over 100 rent-boys who were soliciting in the plaza. Of these, six were under 15, 40 were using Yah Bah (amphetamines) and four were illegal Burmese immigrants. All the offenders were detained at Pattaya police station. Pol.Col.Nopadol Wongnom, Pattaya Superintendent, stated that because Pattaya is a prominent international tourist city, with millions of Thai and foreign visitors annually, it has long been a favourite venue of criminals, sex tourists and paedophiles. As a result, Pattaya's new mayor, Mr. Itthipol Khun-pluem and Pattaya Police have decided it is high time that illicit activities were eradicated and a good reputation be created for the city. Consequently, police have started a surveillance campaign and crack-down on non-compliant entertainment owners and sexual abusers. The authorities are particularly concerned about the large number of young boys, mainly from up-country and largely uneducated; many of whom have no legal guardians, forcing social services to send them to rehabilitation centres. However, because of the demand for their sexual service and the easy money available, the teenagers escape from the rehabilitation centres to return to Sunee Plaza to ply their trade. The problem is exacerbated by the fact that many teenagers use their immoral earnings to buy drugs to share among their friends. Mr. Itthipol Khun-pluem stated that he was relatively satisfied with the level of arrests and optimistic about the ongoing combined attempts to eradicate crime and give Pattaya a good name.

Many would certainly agree with you, but Thai law actually requires all foreigners to have their passport on their person at all times, just as they require all Thai citizens to have their national ID card on their person at all times. Most of the time, the police are perfectly willing to accept a photocopy of your passport, provided it shows the face page, your visa, and your current 90-day address report if you are staying long-term in Thailand. But right now a major crackdown is obviously occurring and I wouldn't want to rely on a photocopy just now, in case you get caught up in it. Most likely a photocopy will serve just fine and it probably will, but remember that the police are not required to accept a photocopy and you can be penalized for failure to have your passport. During this crackdown, I wouldn't want to be caught without my actual passport with me and I do feel capable of carrying it a manner by which it won't be lost or stolen or ruined if I'm caught in a rain storm. It's your choice and your risk.

Since the police are obviously putting on a major show of force lately and have also taken farang into custody for not having their passport on their person, then I suggest, until this blows over, you carry your passport with you when visiting bars instead of relying on a copy of your passport. Make sure you carry it in such a way that it can't end up lost or stolen, but I'd have it with you, if I were you.

The following was posted by 'Mr. Pink' on the Ting & Tong's Gay Thailand forum: ( http://www.gaytingtong.com/topic3008-45.html )

PATTAYA ONE also has this story and photos. Click the following link: http://www.pattayaone.net/news_25_07_51_4.html

Our dear friends & guests, On Friday, August 1, 2008 Casa Pascal Restaurant hosts a very special Swiss Farmer’s Buffet Dinner to celebrate Swiss National Day. The event is under the patronage of Rotary Club Pattaya Marina . The cost for the buffet is at 750 Baht, which includes a 230 Baht donation to the various charity projects of Rotary Club. We would be very happy to see you at Casa Pascal for this special Swiss night ! With culinary regards, Pascal Schnyder Date : Friday, August 01, 2008 18:00 p.m. onward Venue : Restaurant Casa Pascal For your reservation, please call ; 038-723-660 (Casa Pascal) 085-992-0482 (Pascal) 081-983-4182 (Kim) Cold Dishes Potato Salad Cabbage Salad Cucumber Salad Turnip Salad Caesar Salad Green Bean Salad Butter Head Lettuce Red Rollo Lettuce Green Lettuce Smoked Tessiner Coppa Ham Smoked Sausage (Rauchwürste) Assorted Bread From the Kettle & Casserole Minestrone Soup Fischfillets in Dezaley Wine Sauce Berner Roeschti with Bacon, Onion,Egg Mountainman’s Pasta (Aelpler Makkernen) From the Grill Pork Sausage (Schweinswürstli) Veal Sausage Cervelats Sausage Pork Steak marinated with Rosemary Schicken Legs Sweets Puff Pastry & Cream Bars (Crèmeschnitten) Caramel Custard Chocolate Mousse Marinated Fruits Salad

I wonder if this thread makes some sort of history. It appears that we're all agreed.

Today, Thursday July 24, I stopped off at Pattaya's Immigration office and asked. 1. Yes, you are required to produce documents that show evidence of your actual address in Thailand. Someone on another board wrote that he just did his 90-day address report, but was not asked for any documents. From what I was told, that was an oversight and you can expect to be required to show proof. 2. You will have to show similar proof every time you do your 90-day address report from now on. Two questions that had not occurred to me until later are: 1. You can submit a 90-day address report at any Immigration office in Thailand, no matter where you live. Given that, do other Immigration offices also have a proof-of-address requirement? If yes, then you better take your proof along with you if you are going to be out of town, but still somewhere within Thailand, when it's time to do an address report. 2. If other Immigration offices do not require proof-of-address, but see that your address is a Pattaya address, will they require proof? I don't know the answers to either question.

Ok, you've all convinced me that you're right. While I see nothing wrong with being a mama-san or go go boy, I thought this organization's purpose was to try to prevent under-age children from being involved with prostitution. Based on what everyone is writing, now my opinion has changed. I still believe the group does want to help the street kids, but I also believe what PattayaMale, GayThailand, and buaseng are saying. To me, the questions are: 1. Can this organization really accomplish anything? 2. If they can, is it really worth the price? Based on my interpretation of these posts, that price would mean jumping out of one frying pan right into another fire and, quite frankly, I don't know which situation for these children would be worse.

Am I missing something? I see nothing sinister about this organization. To me, something like this beats hell out of the idea of trying to organize boycotts. If anyone actually contacts this group and checks it out, let us know who and what is behind it.

I disagree with you. I don't get an interpretation like that. They're trying to help prevent children from turning to prostitution. What's wrong with that?

http://news.yahoo.com/s/mcb_china/20080722...ksoftheolympics The 'Eight Don't Asks' of the Olympics Posted by Tim Johnson Posters are appearing around Beijing guiding locals about how to interact with the (few) foreigners coming for the Summer Games. The posters instruct residents on the “eight don’t asks” when chatting with foreign guests. Here’s a rough translation, courtesy of the Peaceful Rise blog: Don’t ask about income or expenses, don’t ask about age, don’t ask about love life or marriage, don’t ask about health, don’t ask about someone’s home or address, don’t ask about personal experience, don’t ask about religious beliefs or political views, don’t ask what someone does. So what is one to ask? Maybe the relative merits of fencing versus marathon swimming? Now, for the foreigners out there, here’s the No. 1 dud question to ask a Chinese person. It’s a question that will draw a blank, non-comprehending stare: “Hey, pal, tell me about your president. Is he doing a good job?”

I think so too. On several boards people have made suggestions and asked the central question: What can the gay community do to help rid Sunee Plaza of so many under-age boys? For those who wish to take an active roll, maybe involvement in this project is a way to start. My guess is it's probably too late for an organization like this to do anything about the under-age boys already working in the bars, but sooner or later those under-age boys won't be under-age anymore. Perhaps a project like this can help prevent, or at least reduce the number of "new" under-age boys appearing on the scene.

Here is the accompanying flier:

And a tip-of-the hat goes to . . . (wishes to remain anonymous) for alerting me to this article, which appears in the BANGKOK POST: _____ Hope for Pattaya's Children Education and Guidance Can Help Keep the Young off the Streets Story by PICHAYA SVASTI and Photo by SOMKID CHAIJITVANIT Deh, a 14-year-old boy, carries a heavy sack of cement in the hot sun while most children his age are at school. He is not alone as a child worker in the thriving resort city of Pattaya. "I work from eight o'clock in the morning to five o'clock in the afternoon every day. I carry and mix cement and lay floor tiles. Sometimes I suffer back pain," Deh said, squinting his eyes in the sun. The boy is paid 180 baht a day and gives all the money to his grandmother because he wants to help her. "I have been in this job for about one month and will continue because it's better-paid than collecting garbage," he added. Deh Chanrasmi has been living in Pattaya since his early childhood with his parents and grandmother. His parents collect garbage while his grandmother stays home because she is old and unwell. According to Deh's grandmother, Thongkham Chomklin, 64, the family depends on the boy's additional income to make ends meet. As garbage collectors, Deh's parents earn only about 30 to 100 baht a day. Deh added that his father rides a motorcycle to collect garbage from dawn till dusk every day, while Deh and his younger brother, aged eight, take up the evening shift. The boy and his family live in a shabby shelter they rent for 700 baht a month. The cramped and small hut is full of garbage waiting to be sorted. Whenever it rains, the water leaks through the damaged zinc roof, making it almost unlivable. However, the grandmother has a bigger worry. "Drug problems are serious in our neighbourhood," she said. "Boys aged 15 and 16 like smoking, and that can lead to nastier things." Deh, she said, used to smoke a whole packet of cigarettes a day until he developed coughing problems. Now, he is trying to quit, and has cut the number of cigarettes he smokes to one an hour. "I want him to stay away from drugs that can land him in terrible situations," said his concerned grandma. She recalled that Khru Taen ("Teacher Taen"), or Sudjai Nakphian of the World Vision Foundation of Thailand's Street Children in Pattaya Project, tried to enrol Deh in a school, but the school had refused, claiming he was too old to study with little children as it was feared he might bully them. Therefore, the project has been encouraging Deh to enter a non-formal system. But Deh has to wait until the age of 16, as is required by the school. "The teacher has promised to send me to the non-formal school," Deh said with hope. Deh's younger sister and brother, Mint and Bew, are more fortunate. They are studying at Wat Thamsamakkhee School. The foundation pays for their education, textbooks, uniforms and learning materials. The foundation believes one of the most effective ways to reduce the number of street children in Pattaya is to identify high-risk children and give them proper support. Deh and his siblings are among the children under its support. According to volunteer Pastor Sudjai Wangsa, from the Phra Siri Church, the programme has presented opportunities for children in difficult situations, such as Deh, providing a variety of activities, ranging from summer camps and group activities to anti-drug orientation and counselling. Deh's younger brother, Chartchai Chanrasmee, or Bew, in second grade, said he plays fun games, prays and sings during summer camps. His half-sister, Piyachat Thongyang, or Mint, in grade four, added that she enjoys the camp activities that make her realise the dangers of drugs as well as teach her English. Like Deh, Mint said she wants to be a police officer when she grows up because she wants to arrest drug dealers. According to Khru Taen, the children eligible for help from the foundation's programme must be under 18 and reside in one of five flagged Pattaya communities - Thepprasit, Kor Phai, Nong Prue, Wat Thamsamakkhee and Pachajeen. Their parents must also meet risk criteria, such as not having permanent addresses, ineligibility for public utility services and insufficient income which forces their children to enter child labour. The project has about 250 children under its care. The children are classified into two groups - homeless children and street children. The first applies to children who migrated to Pattaya with their families and have no permanent address in the resort town. Meanwhile, street children are usually from broken homes and have run away because their parents don't care for or understand them. "A lot of street children hang around in Sunee Alley, which is notorious for child prostitution. Many of them offer themselves to the sex trade," Khru Taen said. The foundation has tried to help these youngsters by operating a day centre named Little House in a Big Forest. The centre provides counselling for those in trouble and arranges medical treatment for sexually-transmitted diseases. It also offers art and music therapy. Every evening, a number of children drop by to sing and enjoy the music in addition to taking Thai and English language classes. The teaching is aimed at decreasing the children's communication problems with their employers and foreign customers to prevent them from being taken advantage of. "Also, we guide them for career changes in the future. We always tell them that their jobs are short-lived. And there are tendencies for them to become mama-sans or pimps when they are older," she said. According to her, the number of the centre's users has grown from five or six to 20 or 30 a day, with new faces showing up all the time. Among the visitors was Parn, a 14-year-old street girl. She escaped from home at the age of 10. She worked as an independent child prostitute in Sunee Alley from the age of 12 until six months ago. "Parn entered and left our shelter so many times that we told her we could not help her if she was still doing so, but she said she didn't want to be locked up, wake up early in the morning and follow orders," Khru Taen said. At last, however, Parn made a very important decision to change her life. Parn reportedly stopped selling her body and has been staying at the foundation's shelter for six months. According to Khru Taen, it is estimated that Pattaya has more than 500 homeless and street children who are at risk of falling into prostitution and drug use. "Here in Pattaya, there are neither preventive mechanisms nor safe zones for children. From Na Klua to Jomtiem lies a long stretch of karaoke and beer bars. Children see strippers dancing and bar girls drinking with foreigners everywhere. There are even beer bars near schools. Where are the safe zones for youngsters?" she questioned. "Some mama-sans and drug dealers have sent children to join our project as their spies. We knew that but still wanted them to listen to our message. Some of these children changed. They are now waiters or waitresses or still working at nightspots but no are longer prostitutes," Khru Taen said. Despite the odds, it is important to show high-risk children there are other choices in life, she said. "That's basically what we're doing, giving them choices. It's up to them to decide which way to go." The project needs volunteers to help the children with art, music and sports activities. For more information, call Sudjai Nakphian on 08-6042-5040.