Gaybutton

Yes, of course I am sure he really is an attorney. Not only that, he's a damned good one.

Now it's 12:10 AM. All of the news stations, including CNN and BBC have gone off the air. However, obviously, the Internet still functions just fine, so on this end we'll be able to see the news via Internet for the time being. I guess, at least for the next several hours, people outside of Thailand will know more about what's going on than those of us within Thailand.

Yes, it's a coup. This doesn't come as any major surprise, at least to me. It's too early to know whether it will be successful. I am writing this at about 11:45 PM, Thailand time. Here's what's going on: In Bangkok troops have taken over key government offices, including Thaksin's office. Television programming on several Thai television stations has been suspended. They are running tributes to the King on several stations. However, cable TV is running normally and all the cable channels are running their regular programming. Not too much about it is being shown on CNN just yet. Bush, just a few moments ago, concluded his UN speech, so it will be a little while before much coverage is going to be shown. In Pattaya you would not know anything is happening. Everything in Pattaya is as usual. I have a feeling most people in Pattaya don't have any idea that anything is going on just yet. For now, there is absolutely no cause for alarm for foreigners in Thailand. Everything, including banking and ATMs, are running normally and there is no unusual police presence anywhere. I have seen no evidence of military activity in Pattaya. I have not seen any Thai people doing anything other than what they do every day and there is no panic or even mild apprehension. Before anyone starts cancelling trips to Thailand, lets give it a little time and see what happens. For me, the most interesting aspect of it is going to be how it affects the dollar-to-baht exchange rate. Again, at this moment there is no reason for anyone to feel afraid. We'll certainly keep you posted as to what's going on as soon as we know more about it ourselves.

I absolutely agree with that. An excellent attorney in Pattaya is Rachain Kluanklard and his executive secretary, Pee Jee. Both of them speak near fluent English and are always on top of everything. I highly recommend them and their prices are extremely reasonable. They're easy to find. Rachain owns the Balcony Restaurant in Pattaya and his offices are on the top floor. Their firm is called A.C.E.S. Advisors Co., Ltd. Telephone: 038-411 127 Fax: 038-425 109 E-mail: aces@loxinfo.co.th

Thank you, Rene. For those who don't know where that is, you can find the information and a map on the following link: http://www.lecolonialhotel.com/location.htm

Sometimes a relationship is going well enough that a "farang" does decide to build a house for the family. Personally, I think that's a mistake, but several people have done that. The problem is not necessarily that the relationship ends after the house is built, although I have heard many such stories. The problem often occurs when the relationship is going just fine, but the "farang" has been so generous that he not only built the house, but installed air conditioning, televisions, refrigerator, washing machine, stereo, etc. Then, when the montly electric bill comes, the family can't pay it. So, they hit up the "farang" for that too . . . every month.

Since Fountainhall is obviously far more experienced than I dealing with taxis (I have a car, so I rarely end up in taxis), then he's probably correct and I'm probably wrong. I suggest, then, planning according to his comments. One thing that may help would be to have an English speaking hotel staff member explain to the taxi driver where you want to go and, if he can, suggest alternate routes. Another thing . . . when you do manage to find a taxi driver who is really good and does use alternate routes, if he has a mobile phone get his number. Quite often that same taxi driver will be perfectly willing to pick you up and get you to your next destination. I've done that and it usually worked quite well for me. It's even better if you know what time you want to be picked up and can let him know in advance. That way you won't end up having a long wait between calling him and him getting to wherever you are. The trick is finding a really good taxi driver in the first place.

Where, exactly, is it? Is it the building under construction at the top of the hill?

There are so many stories out there about "farang" being cheated and conned by taxi drivers, boys, bars, hotels, restaurants, etc. Many feel that "farang" pricing as opposed to Thai pricing for baht buses and entrance into various venues are also forms of cheating. What kinds of experiences have you had and how did you respond? I think I must be one of the lucky ones. I have hardly ever been cheated in Thailand, but it definitely has happened. I had the following experience during one of my first trips to Thailand, before I knew better. This story was part of an article I had on my web site: ________________ Renting a car is a different ballgame. Even the most unexpected places are likely to have cars available for rent, and they are usually new, in excellent condition, and have air conditioning. Sometimes insurance will be available and sometimes it won

I don't know if it's in the works, but I would love to see them do the same thing that's done in Hong Kong . . . an easy-to-get-to rapid rail system that will get people to and from the airport at a location in the central part of the city. It also wouldn't hurt anything for a rapid rail system to be put in place between the airport and Pattaya and/or central Bangkok and Pattaya.

Regarding showing you around, if you come to Pattaya I'll be glad to do that. I don't live in Bangkok, so maybe someone else will be willing to show you around in Bangkok.

If you are going to be in a taxi, wouldn't you be better off leaving the routing to the taxi driver? The driver won't want to be stuck in traffic nightmares either and he'll know the best route to take. It remains to be seen, of course, but I'm not so quick to jump on the "it's all going to be chaos" bandwagon. I think everything is going to run surprisingly smoothly. Thailand has a lot riding on the reputation the airport will have and quite a bit of planning has gone into it. They are well aware of the difference first impressions will make. I don't think it's going to be a nightmare at all, and that includes traffic getting there. I know a lot of people just assume that no matter what it is, Thailand will screw it up. That's not always the case and I think the airport operations are going to be just fine. Getting into Bangkok from the airport is a different story. If you arrive during rush hour, then you're going to be stuck in the same traffic jams that occur every day once you are outside the airport area.

If I recall, you are going to be in Bangkok. Is that correct? As far as the best bars to go to first, there's really no way to answer that. Different people are going to have different opinions as to what constitutes the best bars or which ones to start with. Just try them all. You don't have to be stuck in a bar you don't like. There's nothing wrong with going in, looking at the boys present in the bar, and if you don't care for what you see, turning around, walking out, and moving on to the next bar. Besides, you don't really plan to just walk by a go-go bar without at least having a look, are you? Then you'll have to wonder what you missed. In Bangkok, the greatest number of bars are on Silom Road (pronounced "SEE-lom"). Try Soi Twilight. That's the most popular area. When you ask what time of day you should see, I'm assuming that means what are the operating hours of the bars. They open at 8:00 PM and close at 1:00 AM, if they are operatring legally. I'm always happy to personally help out people new to Pattaya and I have a car to do it with. If you are going to be in Pattaya and would like to contact me personally, send me an E-mail at gaybutton@gmail.com . I'll be glad to get together with you when you are here and show you the whole thing, including the venues that are not so easy to find or get to. Perhaps someone who is in Bangkok and is familiar with everything will make the same offer to you and personally help you when you are there. I recommend doing that, if someone is willing. That way you won't end up spending your first night or two just trying to figure out where everything is. Personally, I think you are far better off finding someone experienced to personally help you, at least during your first night out, but if you prefer to "work alone," then have a look at http://www.dreadedned.com . Look at his "City Guides" section. He has listings of most of the gay venues. When you arrive in Thailand, look for "Spice Magazine." It's free and most gay venues will have copies on hand. There are maps of the gay areas inside that include listings of where all the different venues are. When will you arrive and how long will you be in Thailand?

One aspect of all of this that is not going to change, but confuses me, is the 90-day Type "O" visa. I have never understood the logic of forcing 'visa runs' on holders of that visa. Since a holder of that visa has to do essentially the same thing a holder of the 30-day visa-free has always had to do, that is exiting the country, obtaining a new visa, and then returning, then why force holders of that visa to leave the country at all? If you hold the one-year retirement visa, you don't have to leave Thailand to renew it. Why do people who hold the 90-day visa have to leave in order to renew it? Why can't that be taken care of at the Immigration Police office? All it would take is to have holders of that visa fill out the same paperwork at the Immigration Police office that they would fill out at a consulate in another country, and then check the holder's passport to see if there is any reason to deny a renewal. If there is no reason, then the holder could pay the fees and be granted a new visa at the Immigration Police office. Why force him to go over the border to do the same thing? I don't get it.

A whole group of us used to go to that Wednesday buffet when he had the Ol

Isn't that the best time . . . .?

With all the new restaurants opening lately it's getting tougher to choose where to dine. There are so many marvelous choices at every price range. Now yet another new restaurant is going to open soon. It's called 'Flamboyant - Creative Cuisine,' located in the Jomtien Complex, right next door to the 'Hot Stone Grill' and directly across from the blind massage institute. The restaurant is under construction, but from what I can see it looks like it will be a beautiful restaurant. I have not seen anything yet that announces when it will open. Based on the construction progress, it looks like they are at least a month or two away from being able to open.

I'm not going to pass. It doesn't have to be nearly that expensive if you forego the appetizers, drinks, wines, etc. I don't even want any of that. When I finally get there, all I want is a prime rib and I'll save all my room for it. It will still be on the pricey side, but I have a feeling it will be worth it every so often.

The following appears in THE NATION: _____ Economy Flyers Get a Lounge at Airport Thai Airways International Plc (THAI) will provide its first economy-class lounge at Suvarnabhumi Airport, consisting of entertainment facilities, shower rooms, e-service and resting corners. At the new airport, passengers will be surprised with several new services never before available in the Kingdom. The economy-class lounge is rare among airlines, most of which operate only first- and business-class lounges. But THAI is following a trend at other new airports which have started offering economy-class lounges. Charnchai Singtorij, vice-president of the cargo and mail commercial department of THAI, said the airline faced tough competition in the aviation industry, forcing it to find new ways to please customers. The lounge, he said, would include televised entertainment such as films, music videos, sports, documentaries and world news, in addition to Internet services. Passengers will also have a rest area that includes plenty of seating and showers in 18,000 square metres of space. Apart from the economy class lounge, the airline will offer first-class and business-class passengers a traditional Thai spa, private movie theatre and shower rooms. "We hope that all the lounges will convince passengers to use THAI," said Charnchai. Although there is reason to feel excited about these innovations in Bangkok, Singapore's Changi Airport already has them. THAI hopes to solicit feedback from travellers on how to improve services. The carrier predicts that the number of transfer passengers going through Bangkok will increase 20 per cent in the first year of operation. Each year, Don Muang Airport receives three million transit passengers. To reach that projection, THAI plans to add more international flights, such as a Bangkok-Johannesburg route, by the end of the year. The airline also plans to start operating more flights to India and long-haul destinations. THAI will operate a few international flights from Suvarnabhumi Airport on September 22 to Seoul, Beijing, and Guangzhou. The company begins domestic flights from the new airport on September 15. All other international flights will officially operate on September 28. Today THAI will start flying from Suvarnabhumi to Phitsanulok, Chiang Mai and Ubon Ratchathani. Not only will THAI start using the new airport today, Australian budget airline Jet Star will commence flights to it from down under. Suchat Sritama The Nation

There is a way to know if the boy is at least in his hometown. Cities have city codes as part of the land line telephone number. If they boy's home has a land line, call him on that number instead of a mobile phone number. If he's there, then he has to be in that city. If the home has no land line, but you are still suspicious, you could always do a Google search, find a hotel phone number in his hometown, and specify a time and day you are going to call the hotel. You can tell the boy to be there. You call the front desk and ask to speak to the boy, making it clear that they boy should be waiting for your call at the front desk. If he's there, fine. If he's not, then you get to be even more suspicious.

The following appears in THE NATION: _____ SOUTHERN BOMBINGS Hat Yai Weeps, Fears Worst Published on September 18, 2006 Canadian teacher killed, 14 foreigners among 70 injured n Business leaders expect to lose millions of tourist dollars The fatal bombings on Saturday night have cast a grim shadow over this vital economic and tourist hub of southern Thailand. In the space of a few hours after the bombings, thousands of visitors fled the city and many more cancelled hotel bookings. Community business confidence has also been rocked. Six bombs exploded almost simultaneously at a bar, department stores, a hotel and a massage parlour at about 9pm on Saturday. Downtown Hat Yai was crowded with tourists at restaurants and entertainment venues. The blasts killed four including 29-year-old Jesse Lee Daniel, a Canadian teacher, the first Westerner to die in the protracted deep-South insurgency. More than 70 people were injured, including 14 foreigners, Health Minister Pinij Charusombat said. Among the foreign injured are six Malaysians, three Singaporeans, three Britons, an Indian and an American. Internationally-known Hat Yai is popular among foreigners - particularly Malaysians and Singa-poreans. Bargains and entertainment attract locals. It is the transport and finance centre of the deep South. Almost all business in Hat Yai, however, relies on tourism. Hat Yai is no stranger to violence. It was a target during the first term of Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra before the insurgency shifted to Yala, Narathiwat and Pattani after January 2004. The latest major attack here was in April 2005 when a series of bombs exploded at Hat Yai Airport, a Carrefour and a hotel. One man was killed and several injured. However, the explosions this weekend are expected to have a harsher impact on the Hat Yai economy. It was the economic backbone of the deep South, said Songkhla Professional Tourist Guide Asso-ciation chairman Songchai Mungprasitthichai. "The bombings took place in the heart of the city, leaving no sense of safety and security for visitors. It's going to be very difficult to re-build confidence within a short period of time," Songchai said. He said as many as 7,000 tourists had been expected to visit the city over the weekend. All had cancelled their bookings or left the area. That had cost the city millions of baht. "They witnessed everything that happened because it took place right in the downtown area. We don't know how to explain what happened right in front of their eyes," Songchai said. Hat Yai would now suffer from a slowdown in tourism over the coming three months. Normally, the city would expect about 100,000 tourists in that period with the average person spending Bt10,000. "We are losing billions of baht," he said. "We are waiting for the day our businesses go bankrupt. We have been trying hard to cope ever since the violence spread to Hat Yai. But, after these bombings it is doomed," Songchai said. Retailers have experienced an immediate impact. Nearly 2,000 downtown shop owners depend entirely on Thai and foreign visitors. "After the explosions there were virtually no customers. Everyone fears for their safety," said Hat Yai Retailers chairman Nopporn Prakijwatanakul. Deputy chairman of the Songkhla Chamber of Commerce Kawitpong Sirithananonsaku said the bombings would have a great and deep consequence on the Hat Yai and regional economy. "Since violence re-emerged in the deep South in 2004, investment in Hat Yai has been low. So has the confidence of the private sector. The bombings this past weekend have simply made the situation worse," Kawitpong said. The Nation Hat Yai

That's a good question. I mentioned the concern about taxes because the articles include mention of taxes as one of the concerns. I haven't spotted an article that specifies what kinds of taxes they mean. I too am not sure what taxes they're talking about or how much Thailand is losing as a result of the 30-day rules. My best guess is they may be referring to the amount of money Thailand receives when foreigners pay for tourist and non-immigrant visas and visa renewals. Most visa renewals cost 1900 baht a pop. Under the 30-day rule, people don't pay anything at all unless they pay for an extension or pay over-stay fines. When they make a visa run under the 30-day rules, they still don't pay Thailand anything. Perhaps that's what they're talking about.

You'll find everything you want to know on this link: http://www.thaiticketmaster.com/events/wes...e-story_eng.php

The DVD of Westside Story is available in Thailand and it has Thai subtitles. I watched it with my boyfriend to see if he would like it and he really enjoyed it. I told him about the production in Bangkok. Now that he's seen the movie version and can understand what's going on, he wants to see the show, despite the fact that it will be in English.

What an excellent review! Finally, a truly great steak house in Pattaya! I want to get there too. The prime rib sounds fabulous and that's just what I've been waiting for!