Ruthrieston

I also hide in my condo in Pattaya from 12th to 16th, then I flee to Bangkok as the nonsense finishes there on 15th, and then return to Pattaya on 20th as 19th is the most stupid day in Pattaya. I see though that the "government" intends to lengthen Songkran this year but I have not seen any details of those plans as yet. I remember on my first trip to Thailand in 1998 that Songkran even in Pattaya was more civilised in those days, with all the water throwing stopping as the sun went down about 6pm so you could dress decently and go out for dinner with no threat of stupid drunk farang dumping buckets of iced water over your head.

Jomtien Complex is not one of the designated entertainment zones, and therefore is not permitted to stay open until 4am, they must close at 2am. All of the bars were informed of this by the complex.

Older women chasing younger men are called "cougars", and many young women are envious of them. So who cares what they really think, but jealousy sounds accurate to me.

"9 males" ?? In a Tomboy Club?? It has been great to see the "coming out" of the Tomboys over the past few years. Watching the tomboys walking through places like Central Festival shopping centre holding hands with their girlfriends is lovely. Presumably the raid on this club happened because the bib's were not getting enough in their brown envelopes. Sad.

We can only hope what the future may bring. A few years ago I met a gay Thai man from a very wealthy family drinking with friends in Telephone Bar in Soi 4 Bangkok. Shortly after that his family told him that if he did not get married soon then they would throw him out and disown him. He married and the young lady soon worked out the issues and started demanding more and more money from him. The hiso set really do despise gay people, and are willing to punish their own children. As for any hope of democracy returning to Thailand, I simply cannot see the army ever relinquishing their absolute grip on power.

Putin is a closet queen, jealous of those who actually have the courage to come out of the closet and live their lives freely and openly when he cannot. His persecution of the gay community is all about his own issues. Sad but still unforgivable.

I really can't stand all this technology stuff, I much prefer to deal with a human being.

Westerners have not always been so clean. I remember my early years coming out and having sex with men who had what were then described as "cheesy willies", disgustingly smelly penis, who never seemed to draw back their foreskins to clean them properly!

One of the saddest events of my life was when I was in a senior seminary and in my second year. Among the dozen new entrants in the first year was a sweet, completely straight 17 year old. A 24 year old in the third year fell besotted with him, and got more crazy, even picking fights with him just so that he could touch him. The seminary was surrounded by farm land and we all worked the fields etc in the afternoons. One night the besotted 24 yr old went down to the farm buildings and took the paraquat (lethal weedkiller) which he drank, then walked back to the seminary, woke up the young man and told him what he had done and why. The young lad had a total breakdown, and left the seminary. Of course in Catholic Church teaching suicide is a mortal sin so there can be no requiem mass or burial in holy ground. Unless of course the church is covering it's arse and cannot admit a seminarian committed suicide. So there was a full requiem mass, presided over by the Archbishop, and we all had to attend. I left the seminary shortly after that.

I spoke too soon, blocked again now....

My pardon has been granted - that was quick!

I must have committed some punishable offence as I am blocked from reacting to any topics again today. I plead "not guilty"!

I look forward to Putin being arrested as a war criminal and imprisoned for the rest of his miserable life. Thailand's support for him is an international disgrace.

Sadly an old friend of mine killed himself in his condo on Friday morning, he was 89 years old and frail, tired and depressed. I only wish I could have helped him more. I hope he finds peace now.

In Thailand, money talks, and obviously walks too.

For now the army/junta stays in control, definitely not what the people of Thailand want. Time will tell, but I hope the Move Forward Party stays strong and focused towards the next election, if the army allows one.

I have lived in Thailand for almost twelve years now, and I have a work pension of 60,000 Baht a month and next year I can claim my old age pension. What has hurt me a lot was the UK vote to leave the European Union. The day before the vote the exchange rate was 56 Baht to the UK pound, the day after it fell to 36! Currently it is around 44 so still a serious loss of income.

I cannot find any supplies of the vaccine in Pattaya now. Anybody know of anywhere to try?

From what I see in Pattaya the Tom Boy clubs have all closed down. There used to be several on Third Road in Pattaya, but not one to be seen now. The anti gay prejudice is still strong in the Hi So set of Thai society and I have met the sons of rich families who have been forced to marry a woman or be thrown out of the family and cut off financially.

It is virtually impossible to get a covid vaccine in Pattaya now.

I am also reluctant to download my bank app on my phone.

My favourite is Railay Beach, a promontory off Krabi, can only reach by longtail boat, no roads, no cars or motorbikes, plenty of resorts, restaurants and bars.

Sadly I think you are right TotallyOz. At least they haven't got the army out with their guns yet, but I think that is only a matter of time. Here we go again with the "Attitude Adjustment Camps" and protesters disappearing from the streets never to be seen again.

Below 44 again today....

I moved to live in Thailand almost twelve years ago, and have never regretted that decision. In September I shall travel back to the disUnited Kingdom for the first time since I moved, mainly to visit family and friends and visit the place I was born and grew up in Scotland. It is going to eat up half of my savings or more as the costs in the UK are astronomical. Afternoon Tea in my favourite Browns Hotel in London is now 90 quid a head (4,000 Baht)!!!