Gaybutton

First, the boys would need to even realize they have something wrong beyond just a chest cold and that whatever it is requires medical attention. To get medical attention, isn't it possible for them to go to a hospital under the 30-baht plan? I'm really not sure how that works, but isn't that what the plan is for?

This morning I had breakfast with a friend at Le Caf

It doesn't look any less convenient than the main bus terminal, depending on where you're starting from. Obviously the most convenient way to get to the airport is by taxi. If you don't want to spend the money on a taxi, then this is an inexpensive alternative. It's not all that far down the beach. It would take about five minutes to get there from the Dongtan police box.

It doesn't seem to me that there is anything to suggest. She went to Bangkok-Pattaya hospital and this was diagnosed. Correct? What did the doctor say about it and what did the doctor advise doing about it? That's the advice I'd be seeking out. Now, maybe I'm misunderstanding and that's what you're already doing. Are you posting because what you want from us is merely advice concerning how to open the pictures? If that's what you're looking for, I've never heard of any of those extensions other than the dll extention, which would have nothing to do with photos. Dll usually means Dynamic Link Library, and has to do with running programs, and nothing at all to do with photos. Ask the hospital what program they use to open those if Namjai's suggestion won't work. If that fails, then go to Tuk Com and see if any of the software shops have a program that will open them. If you get them to open, can I have an 8x10 glossy?

While it is possible to obtain the retirement visa in other countries, I don't recommend doing that for just the reasons fountainhall outlined. Get the visa within Thailand. Believe me, it's the easiest thing in the workl as long as you enter Thailand with at least the Type "O" visa and you are at least fifty years old. As I said, if anyone wants the article all you have to do is send an E-mail to me and I'll be glad to send it to you. Do not PM me for the article. I have no way to send it via PM. I can send it only by E-mail. Some people have asked me to post the article on the web site, but for reasons of my own I prefer to handle that, and any other article requests, by E-mail.

I've posted a map and circled Soi Chaiyapruk for you. Click the attachment below to enlarge it. [attachmentid=63]

The one-year non-immigrant visa and the retirement visa are both the same thing. You do not need an attorney. Save your money. Obtaining the visa is the easiest thing in the world, but you must be at least age 50. I have written a detailed article that literally walks you through the entire process. If you will send me your E-mail address I will be happy to send you a copy of the article. You can write to me at gaybutton@gmail.com . If you are under age fifty, then apply for the Type "O" visa, which is good for 90 days or the Type "O-A" visa, which is good for, I believe, 180 days. Both can be renewed via "visa runs." With that visa, once you reach age fifty you will be able to obtain the one-year retirement visa.

Although some may argue that the problems regarding North Korea have nothing to do with Thailand, I think the story is highly relevant given North Korea's proximity to Thailand and the fact that so many travelers to Thailand have stops in South Korea and Japan. __________ Report: North Korean Leader Regrets Test AP North Korean leader Kim Jong Il expressed regret about his country's nuclear test to a Chinese delegation and said Pyongyang would return to international nuclear talks if Washington backs off a campaign to financially isolate the country, a South Korean newspaper reported Friday. "If the U.S. makes a concession to some degree, we will also make a concession to some degree, whether it be bilateral talks or six-party talks," Kim was quoted as telling a Chinese envoy, the mass-circulation Chosun Ilbo reported, citing a diplomatic source in China. Kim told the Chinese delegation that "he is sorry about the nuclear test," the newspaper reported. The delegation led by State Councilor Tang Jiaxuan met Kim on Thursday and returned to Beijing later that day

And it's only 106 baht! For details click the following link: http://www.pattayamail.com/current/news.shtml#hd19

I haven't been to the airport yet, but if you contact the airline before you travel, arrangements can be made to have you met at the arrival gate with a wheelchair or some other form of assistance for people who are handicapped.

Not really. You'll notice that when most bar boys order a drink that a "farang" buys for him, it's almost always a soft drink. The bars usually tip him 20 baht for each soft drink he orders, if a "farang" is buying. He gets nothing for beer or other liquor. The reason for that was once explained to me, but to tell the truth I forgot what the explanation was.

The following appears in THE NATION: _____ Thai Airways to Open New Route to India, Increase Flights for Holiday Season Flag carrier Thai Airways International said Thursday it would open a new route to India and increase the number of flights to meet rising demand for winter holiday travel. The airline said it will launch three flights per week from Bangkok to Hyderabad, a popular tourist destination in central India, later this month. Hyderabad will become its sixth Indian destination. The airline would also increase the frequency of flights on 18 international routes, including from Bangkok to New York and Europe, by 36 per cent more than normal to meet upcoming holiday demand. "We have to increase the number of our flights because lots of Americans and Europeans are coming to Thailand for Christmas holidays," said an airline official. The company said the winter flight schedule, which also boosts the number of flights from Bangkok to Asian cities such as Yangon and Saigon, would be effective from later this month to March 2007. Thai Airways would also increase the number of domestic flights from Bangkok to the kingdom's popular tourist destinations such as Phuket and Chiang Mai.

Thank you for that report. We've had several posts about arriving at Suvarnabhumi, but I think this is the first post I've seen about departures. It seems as if they have the major problems worked out and everything is going smoothly now.

The following appears in THE NATION: _____ Eric Clapton Live in Bangkok Next Year Legend rocker Eric Clapton will perform a concert in Bangkok on January 16 at the Impact Arena, Muang Thong Thani. Tickets will be available at Bt1,000, Bt2,500, Bt3,000, Bt4,000 and Bt5,000 from Thai Ticket Master and 50 branches of Thai Post from October 26. Clapton has won 18 Grammy Awards and his hit songs include Tears in Heaven, Bell Bottom Blues, Cocaine, Wonderful Tonight and Layla. He releaed his 14th album, Back Home, in 2005.

I believe there is something more to the cigarette story. It is just too outrageous a story to accept on it's face. I agree with fountainhall. As far as I know, Thailand does not even issue customs declaration forms anymore on incoming international flights. I know someone wrote that the in-flight magazines explain the customs rules, but does Thailand actually expect people to get their customs information solely from an in-flight magazine? I doubt that. But I don't doubt that you are expected to find out the rules before you travel. Declaration form or not, if you have any reason to believe you might be carrying something dutiable, then you're much better off going through the red "items to declare" line than trying to sneak through the green "nothing to declare" line. If you get stopped and inspected, and it turns out you are carrying something that should have been declared, that's where the trouble starts. On the other hand, most customs inspectors anywhere are usually sympathetic and a lot more likely to be helpful if you are being honest with them. You might not have had any idea that you were carrying something that was supposed to have been declared, but if there is any doubt in your mind, then it seems to me that the smart thing to do is to voluntarily go to the red line. I believe fountainhall is right. If you go to the red line and are told there is duty to pay, then you have the option of paying or letting them confiscate the item. If you go to the green line, chances are good that you will not be stopped, but if you are stopped, then the cigarette story clearly illustrates what can happen.

I've seen all kind of ways to report a news item, but I don't recall seeing a report quite like this one before. I thought it was funny, but I can also see that others may not appreciate the humor and may see it as insulting. I'm referring to the last sentence of the news item. Whether it's good for a laugh or stirs up anger, here it is: The following appears in the PATTAYA CITY NEWS: _____ Drug Dealer Arrested A 24-year-old Thai man was arrested by tourist police at the southern end of Beach Road on Monday night and charged with being in possession of 20 packs of marijuana totalling just over 43 grams. He was taken to Pattaya police station where he admitted to attempting to sell the illegal substance to passing foreigners and anyone else who might be interested in the joys of the so-called happy weed. The arrested man was formerly an employee in a gay bar in Pattaya but had decided this method of earning money wasn

All I know is what is listed above. I used to bring my laptop back and forth all the time with no problems. As far as I know, nobody has had any problems bringing in a laptop. You, however, are talking about a desktop. I have no idea, but it does say a reasonable amount of used household goods is no problem, so you probably won't have any problem bringing it with you. You might call Thai Airways and ask them if they know or at least know know how to find out. The Thai embassy also can probably tell you. But why bring the entire desktop? When I moved here I brought only the hard drive and a few peripherals. The desktop itself was too big and bulky to be something practical to bring along. I had a new desktop built here, which can be done relatively inexpensively, and had them use my hard drive. There was no problem about doing it that way at all, and it is that very computer and hard drive I'm using at this moment.

The link to the web site is posted earlier in this thread. According to their web site, their address is: Asia.com 33 Knightsbridge Road Piscataway, NJ 08854

Gaybutton has been down for months. Mine was the first of the boards to be blocked in Thailand. When that occurred I decided to take the web site offline. It would take me about ten minutes to put it online again, but I doubt I will ever put it online again. I'm quite satisfied with this web site and I really see no need to place the Gaybutton site online again. For those who did not already know, any of the articles that I had on my former web site are still available by E-mail request. If anyone wants any of the articles, all you have to do is send an E-mail to me at gaybutton@gmail.com and I will be happy to send them to you.

I don't see how. The regulations specifically say that none of these places are allowed to play music louder than 90 decibels. Naturally, that is also being rigidly enforced, just like everything else. That's working great too, isn't it? Now maybe if the police realize they play the music without wearing helmets perhaps more attention would b e paid . . . .

For those of you who love Thai food, do you ever wonder what the Royal family eats? It turns out that they enjoy doing a lot of their own cooking. They have written a cookbook of their favorite recipes and it is going on sale in Thailand today. The following appears in the BANGKOK POST: _____ Princess' Book Set to be a Hit SANITSUDA EKACHAI Set to be this year's bestseller is Her Royal Highness Princess Maha Chakri Sirindhorn's Krua Sra Pathum, a cookbook-cum-2007 diary, which will be launched today at the Book Fair, held at the Queen Sirikit National Convention Centre. The book contains 12 royal recipes in the Princess' own handwriting accompanied by personal notes with royal humour. The cookbook-cum-diary also features photographs of the late Princess Mother cooking as well as Princess Sirindhorn herself, in apron and tousled hair, busy in the kitchen showing readers how to prepare each dish step-by-step. Two of the recipes from the Sra Pathum Palace kitchen are those of the late Princess Mother, namely Boston Baked Beans and Boston Brown Bread, said to be among His Majesty the King's favourite dishes during his childhood. The other ten recipes are Superfish in an Ocean of Milk, Prawns in an Emerald Pond, Stir-fried Young Chillies, Poultice for a Baby's Head, Baked Spinach Balls, Wattenmeer Pumpkin Soup, Pumpkin Pie, Beehive Pancake, Pork/Meat on Sticks and Chicken Pressed on the Pan. Despite the fancy names, all recipes are easy to make and the Princess has herself tried each recipe and adjusted them to ensure the recipes' consistency. Apart from doing the cooking and tasting for the book Krua Sra Pathum, meaning Sra Pathum cuisine, the Princess also took some of the photographs herself. After the book launch, Krua Sra Pathum, priced at 299 baht a copy, will be available at all leading bookstores. The proceeds will go to the museum project in memory of Queen Savang Vadhana, the Queen Grandmother, at the Sra Pathum Palace. A prolific writer, Princess Sirindhorn's book-cum-diary last year about her dogs and other animals in the Sra Pathum Palace was also a bestseller. _____ And this, from THE NATION: _____ A Taste of Royal Recipes A 2007 diary of cooking recipes of HRH Princess Sri Nagarindra the Princess Mother and HRH Princess Maha Chakri Sirindhorn, will hit the shelves today. Titled, "Krua Sa Pathum" (The Kitchen of Sa Pathum Palace), it contains colourful photographs of HRH the Princess Mother and HRH Princess Maha Chakri Sirindhorn, while cooking in the palace - plus their own hand-written instructions for 12 recipes. Two recipes written in English by the late Princess Mother are 'Boston Baked Beans' and 'Boston Brown Bread' - both favourites of His Majesty the King as the Princess Mother cooked for the King in his early years. The other 10 recipes are written by HRH the Princess in Thai and English. The menus include 'Ya Pok Hua Dek' (spinach cheese toast), 'Massaya Kasian Samut' (baked snakehead fish soaked in milk and butter), 'Kung Bor Morakot' (freshwater giant prawn on top of seaweed grilled on hot granite rock) and 'Pad Prik On' (prawn and pork stir-fried in Chinese tea seed oil with shrimp paste). The diary is published by the Queen Savang Vadhana Foundation founded by HRH the Princess and costs Bt299. It will be launched today at the National Book Fair at the Queen Sirikit National Convention Centre and will soon be available in bookstores across the country. Proceeds will go towards the construction of a museum dedicated to Queen Savang Vadhana at the queen's former residence, Tamnak Yai, in Sa Pathum Palace. It was HRH Princess Sirindhorn who initiated the idea that Tamnak Yai be turned into a museum with the aim of making it a cultural-heritage site and a place to teach the younger generation about Thai history and the life of the late queen. The queen was the Princess's great-grandmother. Queen Savang Vadhana, whose life spanned six reigns, including that of HM the King, was the daughter of King Mongkut (Rama IV) and was Queen Sri Savarindhira to King Rama V. Tamnak Yai in Sa Pathum Palace was the residence of the Princess Mother and HRH Princess Maha Chakri Sirindhorn currently resides there.

In that case, everybody better familiarize themselves with the customs regulations: Prohibited items : All kinds of narcotics (hemp, opium, cocaine, morphine, heroin), obscene literature, pictures or articles. Firearms : Importation of firearms and ammunition can be done only after a permit has been obtained from instruments may be brought in free of duty. Cameras : One still-camera or one movie camera can be brought in without duty. Five rolls of still-camera film or three rolls of 8 or 16 m.m. movie-camera film may be brought in free of duty. Tobacco, alcoholic beverages : Cigarettes, cigars, or smoking tobacco each or in total must not exceed 250 grams in weight but cigarettes not exceeding 200 in quantity. One litre each of wine or spirits may be brought in free of duty. Household effects : A reasonable amount of used household effects, accompanied by the owner on change of domicile are also free of duty. Plants and animals : Certain species of fruits, vegetables and plants are prohibited. Please contact the Agricultural Regulatory Division , Bangkhen Bangkok Tel:5791581, 5793576. A permission of entry for animals coming in by air can be obtained at the airport. If by sea, application must be made at the Department of Livestock Development, Bangkok Tel:2515136, 2526944. Vaccination certificates are required. (source: http://sunsite.au.ac.th/thailand/tipsonthai/custom.html )

Looks like they have come up with yet another way of making foreign tourists feel really welcome in Thailand. 35,000 baht for three cartons too many? That works out to 11,666 baht for each "contraband" carton. I'm wondering about the veracity of the story. It's probably true, but if each individual person is allowed to bring in 200 cigarettes, which is one carton per adult, then the violation amounts to a grand total of three cartons too many since two adults were involved and would be allowed to bring in one carton each. They were taken away from the airport, grilled for hours, and then fined 35,000 baht because of three extra cartons? I'm wondering if there is more to this story.

You just hit on the very essence of much of what the powers-that-be in Thailand come up with. It makes no sense, at least not to us. My favorite is still the 1:00 AM bar closing rule. The stated reason for that was because it will dramatically cut down on street crime. Worked great, didn't it?

Damned right.