Gaybutton

Primarily because there have been too many times when I have been told one thing, and then everything changes at the last minute. When that happens, I get criticized for publishing misinformation. So, if I'm going to be criticized, I'd rather be criticized for not naming the bars than be criticized because I wrote that a particular bar will be closed, and then it opened anyway. I wrote the post because that is what I was told by bar owners and I consider it perfectly appropriate to alert readers to the possibility that some bars may be closed those two nights, whether I name them or not. Sorry that you have decided my post is useless. I don't share your opinion.

I never knew of its existence until the day fliers were being handed out at the beach. Have you been there? If yes, what can you tell us about it?

So far, two bar owners have told me they intend to close for Songkran on both April 18 and 19. I'd rather not say which ones and I have no information at this point about other Pattaya bars, but I wouldn't be surprised if others also close. That's because many of the boys go home for Songkran or simply are not going to show up for work on those two days. The bar owners are also well aware that they're not exactly going to get a full house of customers on those two nights. They know they'll be lucky if anyone goes out to the bars at all on the 18th and 19th . . . that is if there are still any farang left in town and venturing out those nights. All should be back to normal on Sunday, April 20. Pattaya has started emptying out already. There are no crowds at the beach. Traffic is lighter than usual. Tonight I was in three bars, between 8:45 to 10:15 PM. I was the only customer in all three of them. Some people are uncomfortable in that situation. Not me. For me it was terrific!

Many of you are familiar with the Door-2-Door restaurant delivery service. You can order complete dinners from a variety of restaurants and within thirty minutes your order is delivered to your door. Now Door-2-Door has a rival, WOW, which stands for Waiter On Wheels. I don't need to go into detail for this one. You can pick up their catalog-menu at any participating restaurant and/or check it out on their web site, http://www.wowpattaya.com . If you don't already have the Door-2-Door catalog-menu, you can have a look at http://www.door2doorpattaya.com. Something tells me both of these delivery services are going to have plenty of customers during Songkran.

If it were me, if the boy works in a bar I probably wouldn't publish which one, mainly because so many of these boys either quit working in the bars or move on to a different one quite regularly. Chances are that by the time the magazine comes out, the boy has moved on. On the other hand, if the boy has an Email address or has a profile on any of the gay personals web sites, and if the boy gives his permission to publicize that information, then I don't see any reason not to include it. The publisher of Spice is open to suggestions. Why not send him an Email at editor@spicemag.net and ask if he can include that information?

I received the following Email today, including the attached file. As you know, SPICE Magazine is free and the web site is http://www.spicemag.net : _____ Dear Friends, It seems word is getting out about the new focus of Spice! Magazine due out shortly. So I am attaching a preview of it and letting you know what the travelers and readers can expect. The next issue will be a newly revised Spice! Magazine that will be known as "The Essential Guide for Men." Edward Carter has come aboard as Editorial Consultant to oversee the melding of Spice! into a first class guidebook for Gay Travelers. Dr. Carter has been an author, professor, publisher of the online travel guide (http://www.edwardcarterstravels.com) and entrepreneur par excellence. We have been hard at work for some time now on the revisions. We will still have the "stuff" in Spice! you want to see like interesting stories, photos of events, and information for and about the Gay community, as we are very supportive of the Gay organizations & charities in Thailand. There will still be reviews about all types of eateries and romantic getaways but gone are things like the horoscopes and agony aunt columns that are replaced by Highlights of where to go and what to see, the best shopping areas, and what is considered special about that city. New also, are easier to read maps of the major cities of Bangkok, Chiang Mai, Phuket, Koh Samui, and Pattaya, with an easier to use directory of places you want to visit. Also, we will offer tips about touring, places of interest not to be missed, and an "insiders" view on each city's Gay scene. But wait, I'm not gonna tell all here, you'll have to wait and see all the stuff we have packed into this new and larger edition of Spice! Magazine!—The Essential Guide for Men that is scheduled to published the 6th of May and will be sent to all the usual venues throughout Thailand. If you think people saved the previous issues as a resource for themselves or their friends, wait till you see this baby! Thanks again for all your support, comments, suggestions, or info you send to update the maps/indexes in Spice! They are always welcome and can be emailed to: editor@spicemag.net. Kind regards

I did try. You've seen what I look like? That's what did it to me . . .

I haven't tried it yet. Apparently they just opened on Second Road, across from the North Pattaya Big-C. I have attached the flier they were handing out at the beach. I think they confused AM and PM. I think the flier is incorrect and the actual opening times are most likely from 12:00 PM to 1:00 AM. I don't know why it never seems to occur to Thai-owned businesses to have their fliers proofread by a native English speaker, but that's the way they do things.

And now it begins . . . Today I started to notice several stores selling water shooters. Traffic is way down. The beaches were quite empty of the throngs of farang that were here just a week or so ago. The beginning of April really starts the low season in Pattaya. This is the time of year when so many farang start to avoid Pattaya and the rest of Thailand, preferring to make their holiday here during another month. That's fine with me. Now I'm not getting stuck in traffic and am easily finding plenty of parking when I wish to go to the beach. There isn't going to be any water spraying going on until April 12 and at about 7:00 PM on April 19 it will all come to a halt. That's in Pattaya. However in other areas of Thailand, where Songkran is celebrated only for one day, none of it begins until April 12 anyway.

There's a way to test that. Use the water purifier, drink a glass of the water before you go to bed, and set your alarm clock for 7:00 AM. When the alarm goes off and you wake up to turn it off, then you passed the test. If you don't wake up, then you flunked the test . . .

Even the water company says not to drink the tap water. I don't know why, but I go by that advice. I really don't want to find out the answer the hard way and bottled water is readily available and very cheap. I use tap water for showering, brushing my teeth, washing dishes, and washing food items such as fruit. I have never had any problem, no matter where I am in Thailand. I use only bottled water for cooking. The only exception I make is boiling eggs in tap water. Again, I have never had any kind of a problem.

I just looked at that video and I enjoyed it too. I agree that tells it and shows it the way it really is. The only thing missing was more shots of the local "eye candy" and some of the items commonly sold by the beach vendors.

So far this has not happened to me, but I always look and I make sure they see me looking. I have, however, heard and read enough stories in the local newspapers to know this scam does indeed exist and the unwary are going to get fleeced sooner or later. Watch for other scams too. If you're driving a car, don't let a gas station attendant check under the hood. You can bet that you're extremely likely to be told you have some sort of a problem. In Pattayqa, just a few months ago I had my oil changed. I always have my car serviced at the dealership where I bought it. They are totally honest there and they charge no more than a service station does. I drove out with a fresh oil and filter change, stopped at a filling station less than ten minutes later, and was told I need oil and ought to also let them change the oil filter. I politely said I'll take care of it some other time. They proceeded to try to high-pressure me into letting them do it. Of course, I paid for the fuel and left, never to return to that station. When I find a good, honest service station, that's where I try to go on a regular basis. In Pattaya I always try to go to the Caltex station on the east side of Sukhumvit Highway, just south of Central Road (Pattaya Klang) and the MP station on Tepprasit Road (the one with that excellent car wash). I have always been treated with honesty and excellent service at those particular stations, so I make a point of using them. Also, if you ever have any tire trouble, need a new tire, or prefer a good used tire, try the tire service facility at that same MP station. Their service is quick, honest, and they stand behind their work. It seems like I'm in there every other month or so with a nail in one of my tires and they usually have me back on the road within 15 minutes and charge a total of 100 baht to repair the tire.

I don't share your opinion, but you are, of course, entitled to it. I think some people are expecting too much. Some out there must be expecting Broadway quality at a bar. Try to remember that you're going to a bar, one that offers a show along with everything else. It's one of the few shows I have ever liked. Sure, it could stand improvement. What bar show couldn't? I think this one is the best bar show available in Pattaya. If you know of a better one, please let us know where it is. As far as the quality of the boys is concerned, that's a matter of individual taste. Boys who could easily replace Michaelangelo's 'David' are not usually found in a go-go bar. I do have one complaint, however. There is a toilet attendant. I never did like that and don't understand why anyone would think that is necessary or even desirable. When I go to a toilet, all I want to do is pee and go back to my seat. I very much dislike having someone try to massage me or stare at me while I'm trying to go. I can't even do what I went in there to do when that sort of thing is going on and I'm extremely uncomfortable with it. I end up going into a stall instead. At least the attendant can't follow me in there. If I were to request a change at Birdcage, being left alone in the toilet would be my first request. I've managed to take care of myself just fine in toilets ever since I was first potty-trained. I neither need nor want an attendant in the toilet and, in my opinion, having a toilet attendant is a terrible idea. Maybe whoever it was who thought that one up enjoys it, thinks it's a wonderful idea, and assumes everyone else thinks the same thing, but I'm someone who ends up feeling harassed and being made miserable in the toilet when an attendant is present. In short, when I have a need to go to the toilet, please . . . leave me alone.

Hmmmmm. Are you sure it's rice powder?

No need. Just go to YouTube and enter "Songkran" on the video search. Page after page of Songkran videos will come up and many are quite good.

Ok, good. I didn't spot that when I looked at the web site before. Good luck with everything. As they say, "break a leg." Just don't break mine . . .

If you don't enjoy Songkran, I can understand that, but why three weeks? The holiday exists everywhere in Thailand on various dates from April 12 through April 19. That's only one week. You won't get splashed before that and you won't get splashed after that. The only thing I dislike about Songkran is when some people, usually drunken farang, get carried away and cause real danger to other people, especially those driving motorcycles. There are enough accidents as it is, but I've actually witnessed bunches of idiot farang who intentionally try to temporarily blind people on motorcycles. Those are the kinds of people who ruin it for everyone else. It was either last year or the year before, I don't remember which, when one farang was actually caught squirting people with a caustic acid mixed in with the water. He seriously hurt a 12 year old boy. He was caught and arrested, but there are, unfortunately, others like him out there. I fail to see how intentionally hurting others can be anyone's idea of great fun, but apparently for some it is. That's another one I can add to my "I Don't Get It" list. I never see or hear about Thais doing things like that. Only farang. Fortunately, those kinds of incidents are not common, but they do happen. In any case, if getting splashed for a week puts you off, then yes, I would avoid Pattaya during that week. In most other areas of Thailand, the splashing only occurs for one day.

May I suggest that at some point you tell us what these acts are? I looked on your web site, but I can't find anything that tells us what the acts will be. I can't speak for others, but I would be much more inclined to buy a ticket if I had some idea of what I would actually be seeing.

As many of you know, Songkran is Thailand's water festival, during which you're going to be soaked. In Pattaya, the main Songkran day is always April 19. Usually, the water splashing starts sporadically about a week before and the pace picks up until the entire city turns out for the holiday on the 19th, which is a Saturday this year. Most farang run for cover during this time period. I'm already hearing about plans being made to hole-up or go somewhere else for that week. Not me. I'm going to be right here and I am one of the crazies who thoroughly enjoys it. I only know of two other farang who love it, as I do. Of course, being able to get around in a car does help . . . One of the reasons I like it so much is all the soaking wet, shirtless boys who will be all over town! Even the ones who usually avoid the beach because they don't want to be "color black" are usually shirtless on the 19th. I think it's a lot of fun, but I know I'm in the minority as far as farang are concerned. I do recall that last year, people who remained on the sidewalks, close to the buildings, were mostly spared, but I wouldn't want to bet the farm on that. If you're here, you're going to be soaked and that's all there is to it. If you are going to be here during that time period, it is advisable to take certain practical precautions, such as protecting your valuables. I wouldn't carry around any more cash than is necessary and you might want to keep it in a plastic bag. Protect your ATM card too and try to withdraw whatever cash you'll need either before the 12th of April or at night, when the splashing stops (or at least dramatically slows down). If you're going to carry a camera, make sure it's also in a plastic bag. If you have a watch that is susceptible to water damage, don't wear it during Songkran. Wear clothes and shoes that can take a soaking. Songkran is not exactly the time to be wearing a tuxedo. Carry disposable wipes. If you wear glasses, take along whatever materials you use to clean them, and keep them in a plastic bag. I wonder how you feel about Songkran and what those of you who will be present in Thailand will be doing during that week.

One of the most popular gay hotels in Pattaya is Le Cafe Royale. Today, at the beach, the rumor mill included gossip about some sort of a brouhaha at Le Cafe Royale. It is all being explained on the Sawatdee Forum. See http://www.sawatdee-gay-thailand.com/forum...now-t14380.html I see no reason why anyone should cancel reservations or be hesitant about making reservations, but I do feel it is only fair for people to be aware of what is going on. Since Mr. Quill, himself, is explaining the situation, then I think it is appropriate to refer you to the thread. I also feel that comments and questions should be posted only on the thread on which Mr. Quill is posting. Therefore, in fairness, I am not going to permit comments to be posted on this forum. Those of you who have questions and comments will have to post them on the Sawatdee forum's thread, so that those involved can have a reasonable opportunity to respond.

You might also want to check out Pattaya Male's post at: http://www.sawatdee-gay-thailand.com/forum...ces-t14365.html

If we are discussing Burma on this thread, despite the fact that this is the Thailand forum, does that present some sort of a problem for you? We've left it on this forum because it is obviously generating a great deal of interest. In Thailand, you'll find Burma in the north and west, where the Karen hill tribes live. They're Burmese. As far as vacationing in "Haiiti," I know of no such place.

The following appears in THE NATION: _____ Pattaya Prices Take Off Market Rides on Strong Foreign Investor Interest Published on March 20, 2008 Resale prices of luxury condominium projects in Pattaya have surged by up to 100 per cent due to strong demand from foreign investors, especially from the UK and Russia, according to a research report by property firm Raimon Land yesterday. The Raimon Land report said that demand for luxury condominium projects located close to Jomtien Beach, Wong-Amat Beach and Pattaya Bay had risen strongly while new project launches have been limited. As a result, the resale price of luxury condominium projects in Pattaya have increased from an average of Bt74,000 per square metre in 2005 to Bt150,000 in the first two months of this year. Investors who are interested in snapping up properties in Pattaya are mainly from Russia, the UK, Australia, Germany, and Sweden. Half the buyers of Pattaya properties treat it as an investment, which generates returns of between 8 to 10 per cent a year, while the other half invest in them as a second home, Simon Derville, Raimon Land vice president for research and development, said. With strong demand in the market, a number of property firms have launched new residential projects. According to the report, 19 new luxury condominium projects, or 5,177 units, were launched last year worth nearly Bt30 billion. Some are going through the construction phase and this year about 281 units would be completed. About 1,115 units are being constructed now and will be completed next year or over the next two years. Some 3,781 units would be built over the next two years, to add to the booming Pattaya property market. Raimon Land is a property firm, which is planning to launch a new luxury condominium project this year called "EDGE", with an investment of Bt3.6 billion. Raimon Land was very successful with its Northshore project in Pattaya, worth Bt1.49 billion. Its Northpoint project has recorded presales of more than 50 per cent. Somluck Srimalee The Nation

We went for months without any "flying farang" stories. Now, all of a sudden, there's two stories. Here it is, from the PATTAYA CITY NEWS: _____ Austrian Man Jumps to his Death at Mike Shopping Mall Police Major Sawai from Pattaya Police Station along with Police Lieutenant Colonel Suwan, from Pattaya’s Tourist Police made their way to Mike Shopping Mall in South Pattaya early on Wednesday Morning to investigate reports of a suspected suicide. At the scene, officers inspected the body of Mr. Ernst Prosch aged 48 from Austria who was lying on the ground outside the Shopping Mall. The man was known to have used the Swimming Pool located on the 10th Floor of the Shopping Mall on many occasions and around 10pm on Wednesday Night Khun Montar aged 49, who lives in a small house nearby, mentioned to Police that she heard a loud thud nearby but did not investigate. The body was discovered by her when she awoke on Wednesday. An inspection of the body was conducted and no signs of third party involvement in his death were evident. A packet of sleeping tablets and other medications were found in his pocket and Police suspect that he may have taken his own life because of his medical condition. The Austrian Embassy have been informed of the case.