Gaybutton

My opinion is it would not be necessary. I believe Corner Bar, directly across the street from you, already has WiFi. But how many of your customers do you think are going to Sunee Plaza while carrying a laptop computer?

So what? My interest was getting my question answered, not who answered it.

I have been informed that the Amor restaurant will reopen some time around October. Of course, once I have anything more specific I will post the information.

I thought he did in this post:

The USA and the UK have been guilty of many of the same things, haven't they? But I don't see people trying to convince others not to visit the USA or the UK. I also think it's unfair to start suggesting that josan must have an ulterior motive for his stance. I am sympathetic to Suu Kyi's plight and her cause and I have no respect at all for the junta, but quite frankly I doubt that my own decision as to whether or not to visit Myanmar-Burma, or whatever you want to call it, is going to be influenced by politics or the opinions of others, no matter how strong those opinions may be, that if you visit the country, then you are a bad person. I decide things for myself. I don't let other people decide for me. I don't like the junta. I am sympathetic to Suu Kyi. I know the country is guilty of human rights abuses. But speaking only for myself, it won't be any of those that determine my decision as to whether to visit the country.

I agree with both of those statements. I believe gay holiday makers are not coming to Thailand to sit on Gay Romeo and that's why I think many of the bars will survive, but I also think the ones at which nothing is done to make themselves more attractive to customers will not survive. After all, I can't speak for others, but given a choice of going to a bar where the music is at a comfortable level, where there are no pushy mama-sans, where drinks and off fees are reasonably priced, and the boys are at least entertaining to watch, guess which bars will get my business.

If you were not aware of it, you can also use that central wheel button on your mouse to zoom in and out on that map.

Can you make any specific hotel recommendations in both Mandalay and Yangon, including contact information? I seem to recall reading that now foreigners can enter the country without a visa and get one at the airport upon arrival. Is that correct?

I'm not trying to be flippant, but what are some of those reasons?

We do, but it just isn't enough. All the problems Thailand has gone through over the last few years, coupled with the strength of the baht compared to most western currencies, has caused a serious decline in tourist numbers. As a result, the casualty list is getting longer. Unless something changes, and soon, I think this is only the beginning of the number of venues we'll see go under. After all, how long can you sustain a business if you're not getting customers? I think in many cases, the venues are just as much to blame for their own demise as circumstances are to blame. I'll repeat what I've been saying for a long time. If the venues want to survive and get the customers to come, then they're going to have to change the paradigm. They need to get it through their heads that they are going to have to make changes that are attractive to customers. I keep using the go-go bars as an example. We've been saying for years that raising prices, the excessively loud music, the pushy mama-sans, the high off fees, and the boys just standing there on the stage looking bored out of their minds, along with the same damned drag shows in nearly every bar is driving away customers, not attracting them. People keep posting that the gay farang come to Thailand for the cheap sex. Maybe they do, but that doesn't mean they're going to look for it in bars that don't bother to do a damned thing to make themselves more attractive to customers. Just this evening I was in a popular Sunee Plaza go-go bar. I lasted about 15 minutes before the incredibly loud music volume was hurting my ears and making them throb so much that I just couldn't take it any longer. That's not my idea of an enjoyable way to spend an evening. The man sitting next to me told me he has talked to the owner several times about the music volume, but the owner pays no attention. We both left. That bar would have been a lot of fun and I would have spent much more money in there if it wasn't for the music volume. But I walked out. So did the man with whom I spoke. So did other customers. And there was the owner sitting by the entrance door doing nothing about it. I won't be back in that bar any time soon. I doubt that the other people who also walked out will be back any time soon either. Why on earth the bars refuse to listen to the customer complaints and make that one simple improvement goes beyond me. All he had to do was turn a switch a little bit and he would have taken in several thousand more baht. But nooooooo. Keep the music volume so loud that customers can't stand it. WHY? As I've said, the only thing I've seen any of the bars change is their prices. They're going to have to change much more than that if they are going to attract customers and survive. They're going to have to do things to get the customer numbers back and get gay customers to want to make the trip to Thailand. If not, it won't be Gay Romeo that destroys them. In my opinion they're doing a great job of destroying themselves through sheer complacency. And peripheral businesses, such as restaurants, that depend on gay customer numbers coming to Thailand are going to go right down the drain with them.

Bye bye . . .

When I click on those red icons, names pop up. Are those not the station names?

You better plan on waiting a lot longer than that . . . When I was young I tried hustling too. Nobody was interested.

While you're busy showing us all these terrible lies Fountainhall is telling us, would you mind doing it without the name calling? I've asked you to stop doing that. Now I'm warning you. I warn only once, my friend.

It is really sad to see so many venues closing their doors. Amor has been a Pattaya icon for over 16 years. Amor is closing, supposedly for renovations. I do not know if or when Amor will reopen. I understand this evening was the last night. Wi's will be open through Saturday, June 5. Then he will close his doors for good. He says he will reopen when high season comes around, but not in the same location. He is looking at one location in north Pattaya. We're trying to convince him to also look in the Jomtien area. Mr. Wi told us that he will do his 275 baht dinner special one last time on Saturday, June 5. After that, he closes. I will post more details about both restaurants if I am told anything more that I can confirm.

I didn't say I'm going, but I do think it's important that information be posted for those who do choose to go. The Suu Kyi vs tourism issue is a separate issue. To my mind, however, the Suu Kyi issue is one thing. Supporting gays in Burma is another and this would make for an interesting debate. While I am in full support of Suu Kyi, I also don't think a few gay farang going to Burma for a gay festival would make one iota of difference to her plight. Whether I choose to go or not, the Suu Kyi issue would be a factor in my decision, but it wouldn't be the decision-making factor. If I decide to go, for me neither the Suu Kyi issue nor support of gays issue would be the thing that makes my decision for me. For me it would be simply whether it is something I wish to do. I don't know whether that is pure selfishness on my part or not. I don't need to go to Burma to find gay young men, especially considering where I live, so that would not be my reason. I'm also not so sure that I would want to base my decision on political issues. To tell the truth, I don't really know for sure why I would go, if I go. I've never been to the Phuket gay festival either. Why would I decide to go to Burma, but not go to the Phuket gay festival or vice-versa? Why would I decide to do both? Why would I decide to do neither? At the moment I can't answer any of those, even for myself.

That doesn't work either. This link will work: http://www.citilabs.com/usergroup/files/futurapresentations/NChanchareon_Dynasim_Application_in_Bangkok.pdf However, all that file really does is tell what a good idea this BRT is. There is still no English language map of where it goes, where the stations are, the times of operation, or anything else. Is there anyone in Bangkok who can post some good, solid, English language information so that we can know what we need to know?

BRT service starts on Sathorn By JEERAWAN PRASOMSAB THE NATION ON SUNDAY Published on May 30, 2010 Bangkok's first Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) service between Sathorn and Ratchapruek was officially opened yesterday. The service will run free of charge for a test-run period up until August 31. BRT service starts on Sathorn I haven't been able to find anything in English. I can't find an English route map and the following YouTube presentation is in Thai, but it still gives you an idea of what it is all about and where it goes. If anyone can post English language information, please do.

Curfew ends as security regained Published: 30/05/2010 The government has ended the curfew in Bangkok and 23 other provinces. Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva said the decision followed assurances from security forces that they had regained control following recent riots and a deadly crackdown in Bangkok and some other provinces that left 85 dead in the capital. The curfew, which had been in place since May 19, ended at 4am yesterday. Curfew ends as security regained

Can you give us more details, such as gay-friendly hotel recommendations, how to get out to where the festival is (taxi, bus, whatever), etc? Are ATMs available? If not, is it best to bring US dollars, Thai baht, something else? In other words, for those who are interested in going, but have never been to Myanmar, what do we need to know?

As far as I can tell it means a majority of Filipino people are Catholic.

Hollywood’s last ‘Rebel’ dies ‘Easy Rider’ actor/director Dennis Hopper, at 74 By James Verniere Sunday, May 30, 2010 He was born to be wild, the last rebel without a cause and a comeback kid. Dennis Lee Hopper, aptly born in Dodge City, Kan., emerged playing baby-faced outlaws in the 1950s, idolized “Rebel” co-star James Dean, directed and co-starred in the 1969 youthquake phenomenon “Easy Rider” and revived his career sucking on a gas mask as the twisted killer Frank Booth in David Lynch’s psych-out classic “Blue Velvet” (1986). Many people know Hopper, who died yesterday of prostate cancer at 74, as mad bomber Howard Payne with Sandra Bullock and Keanu Reeves in “Speed” (1994). Dennis Hopper dies - BostonHerald.com

I'm glad to know that. I never got to know Googie. I wouldn't know him if he was sitting next to me, but it's always good to hear that someone is ok after all. I heard the rumor about his death about two weeks ago, but I've learned my lesson about posting things I haven't personally confirmed. Assuming your information is accurate, I'm glad the rumor was false.

But when would that actually occur? I know of no bars that try to force boys to go off with a farang if they choose not to. Many farang make clear to the boy what they want before taking him off. The boy can either accept or reject what the farang wants to do. If nothing was made clear in advance, once the boy is in the farang's room, he still can refuse and just leave if it comes to that. I also know of no bars that penalize the boys if they turn down an off or walk out on the customer if they don't want to do whatever it was the customer wanted to do. When it comes to the fuck shows or similar presentations, the boys participate voluntarily. They're normally paid more for their participation, but nobody is forcing them to be part of those shows.

2 Gay Men Spared 14-Year Sentence in Malawi By the CNN Wire Staff May 29, 2010 (CNN) -- The president of Malawi has pardoned two gay men who were sentenced to 14 years in prison this month for gross indecency and unnatural acts, the country's solicitor general, Anthony Kamanga, said Saturday. President Bingu wa Mutharika announced his pardon of Steven Monjeza and Tiwonge Chimbalanga after meeting with U.N. Secretary General Ban Ki-moon, Kamanga said. Authorities arrested Monjeza and Chimbalanga in December at their home in Blantyre, Malawi after the couple professed their love in a traditional engagement ceremony. Police discovered the couple when local newspapers reported on their engagement ceremony. 2 gay men spared 14-year sentence in Malawi - CNN.com