Gaybutton

As a matter of fact, there are several differences, all of which greatly pleased me. I have attached their map of how to get there, but let me try to make it a bit easier for you. Happy Bar is what I would call an "Off-Sunee Plaza" bar. It's actually quite easy to find. If you exit Sunee Plaza on the Po Pot restaurant side, that's Soi Yensabai (Not to be confused with the Yensabai Condo). Turn left and just follow the soi. Just before you reach the Family Mart, about a three minute walk from Sunee Plaza, you'll spot Happy Bar on the left side of the soi. It is very well worth a bit of a detour to get there. From among all the bars in Pattaya, many will likely agree with me that this is the most beautiful. It's small, but uniquely elegant with a beautiful Art Decco color scheme. The decor is intimate and the lighting is perfect. I also enjoy the fact that the music is kept at a much lower volume than most bars. One of the things I have always appreciated about Gentlemen Club is the low music volume and now Happy Bar gives your ears a similar break. You can easily have a conversation at a normal level and your ears won't be throbbing when you leave. The owners are two European young gentlemen, George and Roman. They make sure you feel welcome and are having a good time. Another great thing about the bar. No pushy mama-sans. Actually, no pushy anything. As a matter of fact, I'm not sure they even have mama-sans there. If there are any mama-sans, they are indistinguishable from the waiters. The drink prices are also a welcome break. I had a gin and tonic - a good one, not watered down - and it was only 95 baht. Most bars charge 120 baht and up for a drink, and many of them are watered down. Not at Happy Bar. You get a legitimate drink at what I believe are the lowest prices of any go-go bar in town. The boys themselves are definitely cute and there are all types, something for just about everyone. They all wear tiny loin cloths that just barely cover the goodies. They dance. They really dance. None of the "one-knee-shufflers" at Happy Bar. They dance two at a time on tables right in front of you, and yet it doesn't come across as an in-your-face type of setup at all. There are actually three floors at Happy Bar. The ground floor is the go-go bar area. The next floor up has sets of sofas and a very large lounge seat. If you wish, you can take the boy of your choice to the second floor, where there is much more privacy. The boys tend to lose their inhibitions on the second floor and touchy-feely is permissible as long as you do not carry it too far. Of course a tip is expected. I recommend 100 to 200 baht for the boy, depending on how well things go for you. If you are interested in carrying things to the next degree, well, that's what the third floor is for. That's where the short-time rooms are. Of course, you also have the option of taking the boy "off" and going back to your hotel room. All of the boys are age 18 and up. You will not find under-age boys at Happy Bar. The "off" fee is 250 baht. I was definitely happy at Happy Bar. Give it a try. I have a feeling a great many of you will quickly become regulars there.

The following appears in THE NATION: _____ TIES WITH S'PORE SUFFER SETBACK High-Level Meetings Canceled as Govt Retaliates over Thaksin Visit; City-State 'Saddened' by Reaction Thailand yesterday decided to suspend indefinitely all high-level meetings with Singapore, including a ministerial dialog next month, to protest the island's insensitivity to Thailand's political situation, Foreign Ministry spokesman Kitti Wasinond said yesterday. An informed government source said this diplomatic retaliation could also affect the planned summit later this year between the leaders of the two countries if the situation does not improve. Yesterday's move was a retaliation against Singapore for permitting ousted prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra to meet deputy premier S Jayakumar and to use the island-state as a launching pad to attack the government. "We informed the Singaporean [ambassador] that we are concerned by the political movements made by Thaksin," Prime Minister Surayud Chulanont told reporters after Thai Foreign Ministry officials met Ambassador Peter Chan. "Singapore should be more cautious about allowing such movements as we have already revoked Thaksin's diplomatic passport," Surayud said. In response to Thailand's move, the Singaporean Foreign Ministry issued a statement saying they were "saddened" by the Thai action and expressed hope that Bangkok will respect the island-state's position "as a sovereign country." "The Thai government did not notify us that Dr Thaksin has been charged for any offence. There is also no restriction on where he can travel to," the statement said. "He [Thaksin] had chosen to make a visit to Singapore on his own. Dr Thaksin had asked to meet Deputy Prime Minister Professor S Jayakumar, who is an old friend. It was purely a social and private meeting. No official calls or meetings were arranged." The statement went on to say: "There is no reason for Singapore to turn Dr Thaksin away. Prior to Singapore, Dr Thaksin had also visited several other countries without any protest by the Thai government." Krit Garnjanagoonchorn, permanent secretary at the Foreign Ministry, yesterday summoned Singapore ambassador Chan to lodge Thailand's protest. "The main reason behind our measures was because Singaporean President SR Nathan had told PM Surayud on November 9, 2006, that Singapore will not betray [Thailand] and will not do anything to damage the trust and understanding between the two countries," Kitti said. Informed sources told The Nation the decision to hit back at Singapore was reached after Surayud asked the Foreign Ministry to assess the damage caused by Thaksin's meeting with Deputy Prime Minister S Jayakumar, as well as his interviews with CNN and the Wall Street Journal (Asia) on Monday's night. Last week in Cebu, Chan informed Foreign Minister Nitya Phibulsonggram and Krit Garnjanagoonchorn that Thaksin would be visiting Singapore for four days on a private visit and that Jayakumar would host him a private lunch. No immediate action was taken after the message was relayed to the Thai side. But Thaksin appeared to have crossed the threshold when he went to the foreign media during his visit to attack the government and the junta. A Thai source said Thaksin's visit was at the invitation of Singapore. In his interview with Wall Street Journal, Thaksin discredited the Thai government's economic policies and also derided the power seizure that deposed him from power on September 19. Thaksin also took a political pot-shot during his five-minute stint on CNN and reminded the audience that he was democratically elected. Thaksin also denied the government's accusations that he had any link with a series of bomb blasts on 31 December 2006. Thai officials said they were shocked to learn that a senior Singapore official would be giving a private lunch to Thaksin following hot on the heels of the revoking of his diplomatic passport and the ill-feeling caused by the Shin Corp-Temasek deal. "It shows Singapore's insensitivity to Thailand," said one of the sources. The move is expected to set a precedent for other countries over how to handle Thaksin's visit and meeting in their respective country. China was said to be "more than understanding" when informed about the revoking of Thaksin's diplomatic passport. After his return from Cebu on Monday, Surayud hinted at yesterday's action, saying some diplomatic action might have to be taken in response to Thaksin's meeting with Jayakumar in Singapore. At the Asean summit meeting in Cebu, Nitya informed his counterpart George Yeo about the revoking of Thaksin's diplomatic passport. Nitya was told that it was a private visit. Asean has a visa-free voluntary scheme for its citizens. The indefinite suspension of the important summit retreat between the two leaders scheduled for later this year represents a low-point in Thai-Singapore relations. Both countries are key Asean members that have cooperated closely on issues related to economic integration and political deliberations. This informal retreat has been the main forum for leaders of both countries to engage in a tete-a-tete on pivotal bilateral and regional issues. The fourth summit retreat was scheduled later this year in Singapore. The first was held in Phuket in 2003, the second in Sentosa Island 2004, and the latest summit was held in Chiang Mai in 2005. Another important bilateral meeting, known as Thai-Singapore Civil Service Exchange Programme (CSEP) has also been suspended. Singapore Foreign Minister Yeo was scheduled to fly in for the CSEP meeting in early February. This programme started in 1998 and was aimed at strengthening cooperation between the civil service sectors as part of the "strategic partnership" banner. Thailand has provided airstrips for the Singaporean air force to train their combat jetfighters as well as other defence cooperation. The island also participates in the Cobra Gold military exercise, under the Thai-US military co-operation. Bilateral trade between the two countries in 2005 amounted to nearly US$13 billion (Bt466 billion). _________ And this, also from THE NATION: _____ Overall Economic Picture not Affected by Sour Ties with Singapore: Pridiyathorn Deputy Prime Minister and Finance Minister Pridiyathorn Devakula insisted that Thailand's abolition of high-level diplomatic cooperation with Singapore would not hurt the overall economic picture. He noted that the government would ensure fair treatment to the Singaporean investors who are doing business in Thailand. "The diplomatic ties do not concern the overall economic picture. Our treatment to Singaporean investors would not be biased," he told reporters. He was also pleased with Thailand's better rankings in the Heritage Foundation's economic freedom index, saying that boosting the freedom is the government's obligation. In Asia, Thailand is ranked 9th, from 12th in the previous year. __________ And this, from the BANGKOK POST: _____ SINGAPORE 'REGRETS' THAI RETALIATION Singapore (dpa) Singapore's government on Wednesday said it regretted Thailand's decision to cancel its foreign minister's visit to Bangkok, which was made in response to ousted Thai premier Thaksin Shinawatra's visit to the city-state. "The Singapore government hopes that Thailand can appreciate Singapore's position," a statement from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MFA) said, adding that there was no reason for the city-state to turn Thaksin away. "The Thai government did not notify us that Dr Thaksin has been charged with any offence," it said, adding that there is no restriction on where he can travel. Thailand on Tuesday informed Singaporean Ambassador Peter Chan that it was cancelling a visit to Bangkok by Foreign Minister George Yeo planned for later this month and was also cancelling civil aviation cooperation talks. The Thai government called the city-state's stance toward Thaksin "inappropriate" and expressed concern over a meeting between Singapore's Deputy Prime Minister S Jayakumar and Thaksin last week. An earlier statement issued by the Singapore foreign ministry described Jayakumar as an old friend of Thaksin and said their meeting was "purely social and private." Thaksin "had chosen to make a visit to Singapore on his own," the latest ministry statement said. "Thai nationals do not require visas to visit Singapore. There is no reason for Singapore to turn Dr Thanksin away." Singapore also noted that Thaksin had visited several other countries "without any protest by the Thai government," referring to trips to China, Hong Kong and Indonesia. "We are therefore saddened that the Thai government has chosen to take this course of action," the foreign ministry said. "We hope Thailand will respect Singapore's position as that of a sovereign country. We value the longstanding friendly relations with Thailand." Thaksin was ousted by the military in a bloodless coup on September 19, while he was attending an annual UN summit of leaders in New York, and has been living in exile since. The military appointed a new government to take his place. Thailand's new prime minister, Surayud Chulanont, said Singapore's ambassador was told the city-state should be more cautious about allowing such movements "since we have already revoked Thaksin's diplomatic passport." The meeting between Thaksin and Jayakumar, "even though it was a low-key affair, sends the wrong signal to the Thai public," said a Foreign Ministry spokesman. Relations between Thailand and Singapore have been strained since January last year when Temasek Holdings, the Singapore government's investment arm, bought Shinawatra's 49 per cent holding in Shin Corp, Thaksin's business empire, for 1.9 billion dollars in a tax free deal. Many Thais saw the purchase as selling off national assets to a foreign company. Thailand's military-appointed government last week revoked Thaksin's diplomatic passport, making it difficult for him to travel without visas. While in Singapore Thaksin gave an interview to CNN - censored in Thailand - in which he vowed to stay away from Thai politics in the future. He also denied any involvement in the New Year's Eve bombings in Bangkok that killed three people and injured 40.

The following appears in THE NATION: _____ DOMESTIC FLIGHTS Opposition to Don Muang Plan Mounts Travel and Hotel Bodies Warn of Inconvenience, Especially to International Travelers The Association of Domestic Travel (ADT) and the Thai Hotels Association (THA) yesterday voiced their objection to a plan to move most domestic flights from Suvarnabhumi Airport to Don Muang Airport as it would inconvenience travelers. ADT president Charoen Wangananont said the use of two airports in Bangkok would not help, because those who had to fly on both routes would have to travel from one airport to the other. The two airports are located far apart without a mass-transportation system to connect them yet. "Imagine people living in Ubon Ratchathani province who have to travel abroad. They will need to get a flight to Don Muang Airport and then take a bus or a taxi to Suvarnabhumi Airport, which could take two or three hours on the road, said Charoen. "This will annoy travelers." Earlier this month, the Airports of Thailand (AOT) board of directors approved moving most of the domestic flights from Suvarnabhumi to Don Muang tentatively from March, due to traffic congestion at Suvarnabhumi. The Cabinet is set to make a decision at its meeting next week. Charoen said although AOT had said it would maintain domestic flights with international connection, such as Phuket, at Suvarnabhumi, some travellers connecting to other flights to Phuket from elsewhere would have to go to Don Muang. "The connecting flight time might take longer than flying between Suvarnabhumi and Phuket," he said. Passengers will end up paying more for transportation. Charoen said the plan to revive Don Muang had been proposed without proper study or research, particularly about return on investment. "The government bodies just want to re-use the old airport, but they have not discussed the details in-depth," he added. Charoen suggested using the old airport as an optional or reserved airport rather than for commercial flights. Prakit Chinamourpong, vice president of THA, made the same point, saying the association disagreed with the plan, because it would cause trouble for connecting passengers. Apichart Sankary, president of Association of Thai Travel Agents (ATTA), said that the body had urged the government and AOT to inform the private sector three months before moving domestic flights to Don Muang, so that they could make preparations. "I also told AOT to find out whether they would provide free shuttle buses between the two airports," said Apichart. ATTA urged the government to complete the airport link if it wants to reopen the old airport soon. Representatives of inbound tour operator CTS Travel Asia, and a hotel operator in Phuket, Club Andaman, said they support the reopening of Don Muang Airport as they believed the airport still had a good infrastructure and cheaper operation costs. "The new Suvarnabhumi Airport has been open for just four months, but it has already reached full capacity. So Don Muang can be used to accommodate more flights or charter flights," one of the operators added. The reopening of Don Muang could also help businesses, especially airport hotels and shops, located in the north part of Bangkok. ATTA figures show tourists using its members from January 1-14 totaled 97,501, 9.1 per cent down from 107,265 in the same period last year. Suchat Sritama

The following appears in THE NATION: _____ TRANSCRIPT OF INTERVIEW AVAILABLE CNN's Full Interview with Ousted Thaksin to Air this Weekend CNN's full interview with deposed prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra in which he vowed to retire from politics will go on air this weekend, the television network said. CNN had broadcast five-minute excerpt of the interview with Thaksin from Singapore on Monday night. The full half-and-hour interview with CNN's Bangkok Dan Rivers will be aired on its special edition "Talk Asia" at 7.30am and 11pm Saturday and at 8.30am and 9pm Sunday Bangkok time. Thaksin told Rivers in the interview aired on Monday that he decided to stay out of the political arena and lived like a normal citizen. "Enough is enough," he said. He also denied that he was behind the New Year's Eve bombing that killed three people and injured 40 others. The following is the CNN's transcript of the interview aired on Monday. (DR - Dan Rivers/TS - Thaksin) TS - It's baseless allegations. No one believes so. Because everyone knows who is, who am I. I come from election, I come from the people. I owe gratitude to our people. I do everything for the good of the country and the people. I don't do something that's stupid. DR - So you had no involvement.. TS - Not involvement at all. Uh, and but I would like to express my deep sympathy, deepest sympathy for those who lose, lost their loved ones and also all those who are injured. And the individuals who are involved must be brought to justice. DR - This is the first time you've spoken since the coup of September the 19th, first of all, you were in the United States, in New York at the UN, when this happened, how did you find out that this was going on? TS - Well I find out just uh, about uh, 4, 5 hours uh, before, before it happened, but I trying to get into the television station but uh, its very difficult at that time I cannot get into it until I can get into channel 9 briefly, but uh, you know, which I, it's a rumors at that time but I don't believe that this can happen again in the 21st century. DR - So it was surprise when it happened? TS - It's very surprise because you know, but anyway 70 years in Thailand, 17 coups happened is very unfortunate but it's, uh, it's an event that happened here in Thailand. DR - Will you go back to, go back into politics? TS - No. No. (DR: Go back as a private

The following appears in THE NATION: _____ Police "Have Clues" about Bangkok Bombing Masterminds Police do have clues about who was behind the bomb attacks in Bangkok on New Year's Eve but are gathering more evidence to implicate and prosecute them, assistant national police chief Pol Lt General Jongrak Juthanont said Tuesday. "They are the people the public have been suspicious of or widely discussed about. But police cannot yet take any action against them without evidence," he said, without giving further details. Jongrak, the lead investigator handling the case, also pleaded with eyewitnesses or those who saw the suspected bombers before the explosions to volunteer information to police.

I can't for Bangkok, but I can for Pattaya. Try Modern Smiles, located on Central Road (Pattaya Klang) just west of the Third Road traffic light. I have been completely satisfied with their work and their prices. They have a web site at: http://www.modernsmiledental.com

I do not want to get into my personal financial affairs on a message board, but I do hold a long-term pre-paid lease on my home, since as a "farang" I was not able to buy in my own name. Suffice it to say that I am fully legally protected for the rest of my life, without having had to go through the Thai corporation route, and there is no possibility that I will ever involuntarily lose my home.

As many of you know, Gaypattayan, who produces the "Weekly Report" on the Pattayagay.com web site has been going through some difficult medical problems. As a result this week's "Weekly Report" has not appeared. You will find a good temporary alternative on the http://www.suneeplaza.com web site for the time being. I am placing a duplicate of this post on the Baht-Stop web site.

I just loved this one. The following appears in the PATTAYA CITY NEWS: _____ Two trainee Police Volunteers Arrested after Taking the Law into their Own Hands In the early hours of Tuesday Morning Police arrested two trainee Pattaya Police Volunteers accused of working outside of the law and without the supervision of Police and other volunteers. The two men are Khun Gitisak aged 23 and Khun Pitsopar aged 25. Both men recently went through a training course but do not possess Police Volunteer ID cards and are therefore not permitted to work as volunteers unless they are supervised by Police or existing volunteers. It appears that both men took it upon themselves to arrange a drugs sting after they received information of a suspected drug dealer operating in the area. Both men intended to purchase drugs from the suspect, however during the illegal sting operation, no drugs were forthcoming. Instead, the two men decided to take money from the suspect and alleged threats were issued to the suspect. Police Sergeant Major Songtum, the officer in charge of the Pattaya Police Volunteer Program confirmed to us that all genuine volunteers are issued with Identification Badges and should you ever be approached by a so-called Police Volunteer he urges you to challenge them to produce an ID Badge first. Both men will now face charges relating to their evening activities and have been removed from the shortlist of new trainee volunteers.

Who knows? Maybe nothing can be done. Maybe passes will be issued. Maybe there will be curfews. I have no idea how it can be done. All I know is what I've heard. If it goes the way most things happen around here, it will end up being all talk and no action anyway.

I wouldn't go quite as far as that, although if it were me I might consider waiting until we are quite clear on where all this is leading and what the exchange rate is going to do. At this point I don't know if anyone thoroughly understands what any of this is all about and I would even go as far as guessing that many Thai officials are also not certain what all of this means. Nevertheless, as far as I can tell, foreigners can still safely buy condos under the 49% rule. I do not have any expertise in this field whatsoever, so I can only state my personal opinion based on what I have been reading. If it were me, unless there was a necessity for buying at this time, then I would wait before committing to anything in Pattaya. With all the construction that has been going on for the past few years and all the construction going on presently, I would gamble that a real estate crash has a good chance of occurring in Pattaya, eventually making it a true buyer''s market. Even if I did need to buy a condo, I would not buy one still under construction, other than from a completely reliable company such as View Talay. Even then, I would first try to check to find out if there is any significant difference between promised completion dates and actual completion dates at sites recently occupied before I'd sign on the dotted line. If one buys a condo at which construction is not complete, then what can you do if the company goes under and construction is halted? I would not buy anything, no matter who the builder is, without first consulting a competent Thai attorney who is well versed in Thai real estate law.

PM Orders Diplomatic Response to Thaksin Visits BANGKOK, Jan 16 (TNA) Thailand's Prime Minister Surayud Chulanont has ordered the Ministry of Foreign Affairs to use diplomatic channels to inform countries visited by ousted prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra of the Thai government's position on his current status. Speaking after returning from the Philippines to attend the 12th Summit of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (Asean) Monday evening, Gen. Surayud said Mr. Thaksin's trips to different countries have no impact on the interim government but some diplomatic actions are needed to deal with this issue. He said Thailand, which has diplomatic relations with many countries, needs to inform those countries of the kingdom's stance on Mr. Thaksin's visits, given the fact that the diplomatic passport he holds has been revoked. Gen. Surayud noted that making an understanding through diplomatic channels with countries visited by Mr.Thaksin would not cause any problems since it was a proper channel and needed to be done. Living in exile following the September 19 coup, Mr. Thaksin travelled to Britain, China, Indonesia, and Singapore. Thailand views his mobility -- and his visits to government officials in some places -- as an attempt to keep himself in the news, which can cause confusion and division among the Thai public. A senior member of the military Council for National Security (CNS) had earlier expressed "uneasiness" over Mr. Thaksin's movements overseas -- including his latest trip to Singapore where he sought to meet with Singaporean deputy prime minister S. Jayakumar In an apparent attempt to make it less convenient for the deposed premier to move freely internationally, the Ministry of Foreign Affaires stripped him and his wife Pojaman of their diplomatic passports, citing his changed status, and the inappropriateness relating to national security concerns of his continued possession and use of such a passport. Gen. Surayud declined comment when asked how the foreign ministry should clarify Mr. Thaksin's current status to other countries, saying the foreign minister could himself give a better answer. Regarding the appropriate time for the ousted premier to return to Thailand, Gen. Surayud said the matter must be discussed further among the concerned parties, but that so far Mr. Thaksin has asked the government to return yet. (TNA)-E009

If you're going to quote me, then use the full context of the quote instead of paring it down to suit your own purposes. What I wrote was, "It is my understanding that several legitimate business owners in Sunee Plaza have approached the authorities, and are getting cooperation, to take steps to keep boys under age 16 out of Sunee Plaza entirely." While all these business owners are sending you E-mail, my information comes from someone who told me about it. I then confirmed what I heard with two Sunee Plaza business owners. You also included in your post two additional paragraphs that have absolutely nothing to do with the topic at hand. That, my friend, is the last time we're going to have that here. Do it even once more on this or any other thread and you'll be placed on moderated mode. You stand warned.

The following appears in the BANGKOK POST: _____ AVIATION AIRPORT CONGESTION Only Three Airlines Set to Move to Don Muang BOONSONG KOSITCHOTETHANA Only three carriers including Thai Airways International are prepared to move their non-connecting domestic operations to Don Muang Airport, raising questions whether the shift would ease crowding at Suvarnabhumi Airport. The other two airlines that are prepared to move are the budget carriers One-Two-Go and Nok Air, whereas Thai AirAsia and Bangkok Airways have opted to remain at the new airport. Their willingness to move point-to-point domestic flights to the old airport is driven by a desire to relieve passengers and staff of the inconveniences and frustration they are enduring at Suvarnabhumi. On the passenger side, the problems involve long queues for check-in, long waits for baggage and long walks to boarding gates, while airlines have been subject to flight delays due to poor traffic management and congestion. THAI, One-Two-Go and Nok Air are reportedly prepared to pay the additional costs in setting up separate operations at Don Muang, which was closed on Sept 28 when Suvarnabhumi opened. However, Thai AirAsia and Bangkok Airways prefer to stay at Suvarnabhumi due partly to the high costs of operating at two sites. They also do not want to lose connections with their international flights. Both Nok Air chief executive Patee Sarasin and One-Two-Go vice-chairman Kajit Habanananda said yesterday that passengers' convenience overshadowed the incremental costs involved in setting up again at Don Muang. ''We are ready to go back to Don Muang on 30 days' notice,'' Mr Patee said, adding that all of Nok Air's current flights were domestic point-to-point. Mr Kajit said One-Two-Go was prepared to absorb and costs arising from move and would not pass it on to passengers. THAI president Apinan Sumanaseni said that the sooner the national carrier could move its non-connecting flights to Don Muang, the better it would be for its passengers, who are mostly Thais. Both Mr Apinan and Mr Kajit said their airlines could start their flights out of Don Muang on March 15. Meanwhile, Bangkok Airways said its operations had been built around Suvarnabhumi and that Don Muang was not in its plans. M.L. Nandhika Varavarn, vice-president for corporate communication, said 90% of Bangkok Airways' passengers were foreigners who required connections with international flights. Thai AirAsia chief executive Tassapon Bijleveld said that unless Airports of Thailand Plc allowed it to also shift its international services to Don Muang, it would rather remain at Suvarnabhumi. ''We cannot afford to split our operations at two sites. It doesn't make economic sense.'' Instead, Mr Tassapon urged AoT to speed up consideration of a plan it had outlined earlier to build a special terminal for budget carriers at Suvarnabhumi. Aviation analysts estimate anywhere from 15% to 30% of the load at Suvarnabhumi could be reduced by reopening Don Muang for commercial flights. Mr Apinan said THAI could make a ''significant'' contribution by moving. The national carrier operates about 300 domestic flights a week. It wants to offer certain flights on three domestic routes frequented by foreign tourists - from Bangkok to Chiang Mai, Phuket and Krabi - at Suvarnabhumi to facilitate connections.

For those who are interested, ousted Prime Minister Thaksin's CNN interview last night was not shown in Thailand. It is my understanding that the actual interview lasted about four minutes. The CNN web site has a video of about 2 minutes of the interview and it is all in English. If you wish to view it, the URL is: http://edition.cnn.com/2007/WORLD/asiapcf/...view/index.html The following appears in THE NATION: _____ Thaksin: Enough is Enough Ex-PM vows he won't re-enter politics; denies being behind blasts, saying he wouldn't be so stupid as to plant bombs Overthrown prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra has vowed not to re-enter politics, saying "enough is enough". Speaking to an international news organisation for the first time since his ousting, Thaksin told CNN he wants to return to Thailand as a private citizen. "After six years in politics it is time for me to be a normal citizen," he said, adding he would like to return to Thailand and "contribute as a private citizen outside the political arena". He described his years as prime minister as a "sacrifice". In a brief taped interview from Singapore, Thaksin strongly dismissed suggestions he was behind the New Year's Eve bombings in Bangkok that killed three and injured about 40 more. "I came from an election. I came from the people," Thaksin said. He asked rhetorically why he would do something "stupid" like plant bombs in crowded places. The former PM called on the authorities to bring the culprits to justice and expressed sympathy with the victims and their families. Thaksin told CNN he learnt of the coup that ended his leadership about four hours before it was publicly announced, while in New York attending the United Nations General Assembly. He was only able to get a brief appearance on ModernNine Tele-vision to counter events at home. The then director of the station Mingkwan Saengsuwan resigned a few days later accepting responsibility for broadcasting Thaksin's comments. ModernNine and Channel 7, contacted last night, said they were now practising self-censorship and would not air yesterday's CNN interview. One Channel 7 official said the station did not wish to enter into a debate with the Council of National Security (CNS) after last week's much-criticised demand for local broadcasters to not carry stories about the former prime minister. "Just the name Thaksin is enough. We don't need to look at the content," said a Channel 7 source, who spoke on condition of anonymity. Thaksin's chief counsel in Bangkok, Noppadon Pattama, con-tacted about 30 minutes after the interview, said he was still waiting for the item. "What? It has been broadcast already? You sure it wasn't blocked?" he said. Thaksin has been travelling through East Asia, to Hong Kong, Beijing and Bali, over the past month in what was seen by the CNS as an effort to map a possible comeback. In an unprecedented move, the government of Prime Minister Surayud Chulanont revoked his diplomatic passport and instructed Thai embassies not to provide special assistance - just treat Thaksin as an ordinary citizen living abroad. On his return from the Asean summit in the Philippines Surayud offered no opinion on the Thaksin interview. Neither did he react to broadcasters' self-censorship. He said "some diplomatic action" might need to be taken in response to Thaksin's meeting with a deputy prime minister of Singapore last week. "We need to let all countries know of our stance [towards Thaksin's travels] because his diplomatic passport had been revoked. "We will not issue documents or anything to anyone. But it will be a mutual understanding on all sides making it clear how the matter should be dealt with diplomatically."

That's all just wonderful, Ear Wig. However, this thread's topic involves a question about Clubbing Club and the Diamond bar, not the story of your life yet again. Any further posts that are not on the topic will be eliminated.

I'll leave it up to others to post links to the pics you seek. However, I caution anyone who posts links to avoid posting links to any porn sites. The Code of Conduct on this message board clearly states the following: "No links to pornographic websites are allowed. Posting these links will result in immediate removal of the post and disillusion of the membership of the poster." I believe most people are aware that any links that are posted here will be checked and I will enforce the rule, although the word "disillusion" is misspelled and should be "dissolution." If anyone has a link to post and is not sure whether the link would be considered a porn link, please send me the link in a PM first. I will be happy to check it out and let you know whether it is ok to post it or not. You could also simply send the link to Steve1903 in a PM. That would not violate the rules because it would not be publicly posted. In the meantime, since you went to Egypt, what can you tell us about Egypt? Is there a gay scene there? What did you discover?

Once you are able to decipher the above post, I can assure you there is no reason to avoid Sunee Plaza or any of the bars there. The thing to do is to check a boy's ID card before taking him "off" to make sure he is at least 18 years old. If the boy doesn't have his ID card or comes up with some story to explain why he doesn't have it, then don't take him "off." The current Thai year is 2550, so he would have to have been born in 2532 or earlier to be of legal age. I would advise taking boys who were born in 2531 or earlier because you'll be here when it is still January-February. Even if boys were born in 2532 they still probably have not yet reached their 18th birthday. Also, have the desk clerk at your hotel double check the boy's ID card to make sure it is a genuine ID card and that it actually belongs to him. Sometimes under-age boys are good at switching ID cards with a boy who is 18 or more when a "farang" wants to take him "off." If you take those precautions, then you won't have any problems. Also, if you think under-age boys in bars is limited only to Sunee Plaza, I advise you to think again. Regarding a perception of being a pedophile, I wouldn't worry about that. First, anyone who would think of you as a pedophile simply for being in Sunee Plaza would have to be in Sunee Plaza himself to even know you are there. Second, if your mode of thinking is anything like mine, then I wouldn't care about what someone else thinks anyhow. It doesn't matter what someone else may think. The only thing that matters is what you think. Third, the only people I have ever encountered who automatically assume one is a pedophile for being in Sunee Plaza are a few people who post on the message boards and don't know what they're talking about in the first place.

That is true. This evening Thaksin will get four minutes on CNN, as reported in THE NATION: _____ Ousted Prime Minister Gives Live Interview to CNN Deposed Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra will give live interview to CNN from Singapore tonight at 7pm. Thaksin will be interviewed for four minutes on the CNN's World Business Programme. It will be the first time that Thaksin speaks publicly to the media since his ouster. _____ I fully expect Ear Wig to be sitting right next to him.

Sorry you feel that way. Your post is still visible to Stef, Rainwalker, and GayThailand. If any of them agree that your post is not a personal attack, then any one of them is at full liberty to restore it without argument or resentment from me. I make no claims to be perfect in my judgments and being human I'm not going to get it right all the time, but I do see your post as a personal attack and I meant what I said . . . if a personal attack is posted, it's going bye-bye no matter who posts it. I doubt this will be much consolation, but I actually agree with what you said. It's the manner in which you said it that I considered to be a personal attack. Again, I have no problem at all if any of the moderators decide to restore your post if they disagree with my opinion of it.

Can you know who my sources are? No, you can't. "High powered inside informants"? I don't recall claiming that I have any such informants. However, since you have a highly developed spy network and are also on intimate terms with the Mayor of Pattaya, then I'm sure your information is accurate, as always. Since you are not here, then you can get one of them to go back to tell them it's not going to happen. I won't because I don't care whether they think it's going to happen or not. I hope it does happen, but that remains to be seen.

You saw that post before I did. I don't sit in front of my computer screen 24/7, so sometimes I don't catch these things before they've been online for a while. I agree that the post did seem much more like a personal attack than a discussion of the issue. Considering that I have already stated personal attacks are not going to be permitted, I have removed that post. Aunty . . . please feel free to re-post, if you wish, but you're going to have to leave the personal attacks out of it.

Further details now appear in the BANGKOK POST: _____ HUA HIN BAD RAILWAY COMMUNICATIONS Three Dead, 93 Hurt in Head-On Train Crash CHAIWAT SADYAEM Prachuap Khiri Khan _ Poor driver-to-driver communication led to two trains colliding head on, killing three people and injuring 93 others in Hua Hin district yesterday, police said. A north-bound Chumphon-Thon Buri train, with about 100 passengers, went through a red light and ran into the Bangkok-Yala sprinter, carrying more than 300 passengers, near Ban Nong Kae station. The Yala-bound train was waiting for the train from Lang Suan, in Chumphon, to pass so it could continue south. The crash happened at about 2.30am. Three railway employees on the sprinter _ driver Paijit Chuyada, crew member Wanida Popa and mechanic Teerapol Boonchai _ died at the scene of the accident, police said. Ninety-three passengers were admitted to hospitals in Hua Hin. Most were allowed to go home later yesterday, but nine were still receiving medical care last night. The State Railway of Thailand (SRT) launched an investigation into the crash. Initial inquiries indicated the Thon Buri-bound train ignored a red light, officials said. The driver of the Bangkok-Yala train reportedly tried in vain to contact the other train to inform the driver of his position and ask him to slow down and wait until his train moved to another track so they could pass. According to initial investigations, the north-bound train gave no response and ploughed head on into the sprinter. Deputy Interior Minister Banyat Chansena, who visited injured passengers in Hua Hin yesterday, said the SRT must find the cause of the accident to avoid a recurrence. An SRT spokesman said damage was estimated at 200 million baht. It will take at least two days to remove the damaged carriages from the area. The railway at Ban Nong Kae village was reopened to traffic later yesterday. Social Security Office secretary-general Surin Jirawisith said compensation would be paid to all injured passengers who are members of the fund. They would receive half their monthly salary while they were being treated and unable to work.

Well, for crying out loud, it never occurred to me that you were referring to an all Thai language web site in your original post about it. You suggested "dropping by" the TG message board, which I had never heard of, and nothing you wrote indicated that you were not referring to an English language board. If you had mentioned that it was an all Thai language message board, then I would not have asked for a link. I also have not asked for any full translations. What I am asking for is that you to post the gist of any messages you saw that provide any details or information you feel is something we ought to know that has not already been posted. If you have further information for us, I hope you'll post it since most of us do not have the capability to read it for ourselves.

First, I don't know for sure this is going to happen at all. As I said, this is only what I have heard. Since, assuming this is true, the idea was set into motion by business owners, then it stands to reason they are planning ways to do this so that customers will not feel uncomfortable. Before condemning the idea, I'd say that it makes the most sense to first wait until we know for sure whether it's true and second to wait to see what will be done and how it will be done. Many would agree that something ought to be done to clean things up and if that drives away customers who are also pedophiles, I'm all for it.