a-447

Of, dear! Now yet another back flip. It's getting hard to keep up with all this chaos. "until Friday, electronics from China were subject to the 145 per cent tariff rate. Then the Trump administration exempted them from all but the 20 per cent tariff rate in place due to fentanyl. And now the muddy signals are that these products will face an entirely new and separate tariff rate, to be announced in a month or so."

I've been to Yangon and Mandalay. My plan to visit Bagan was cancelled after the coup. Does anyone have any photo evidence of the damage done to the Bagan temples? And how bad is the damage in the other 2 cities? As I recall, there really wasn't a lot to see in Myanmar, apart from temples. It's a shame to think that some of these may now be damaged beyond repair.

Trump's constant back flips would make an Olympic gymnast proud! The day after he boasted the rest of the world was kissing his ass, he blinked when they stood up to him. And now another back down on computer equipment, all because he misjudged China's resolve and their determination to stand up to the bully. So humiliating! But so funny! 😂😂😂 There is more humiliation to come for Trump. He will be forced to back down over Canada, Greenland, the Gaza strip and the Panama Canal. And of course, he'll be the one contacting China over the trade war, not the other way around.

I was under the impression that a 'wai' is always initiated by the person with the lower status, and hence, a farang customer in a gogo bar, for example, would never initiate a 'wai' to a gogo boy and would not offer one in return. I just nod to acknowledge the greeting and only 'wai' to someone older - increasingly rare these days! When I returned from Japan to live permanently in Australia my first instict when meeting someone was to bow. If I accidently stood on someone's foot or bumped into them, I'd say 'sorry' and accompany my apology with a bow. It was just something ingrained in me. My friends would have a laugh when they saw me bowing while on the phone to a Japanese person. 'WTF?? You are bowing to someone who can't even see you!' They missed the point. The bow is very closely tied to the language and is automatically triggered by the use of certain phrases in certain situations. You don't even realise you are doing it. So I don't care if people see me bowing in public whilst I'm on the phone. From my perspective, it's perfectly natural. I absolutely LOVE it when a Thai 'wais' me. It is such a calm, gentle, elegant gesture that immediately signals respect.

He could always sit on the customer's lap. They could talk about whatever comes up.

I went to Bangkok last year for Songkran - the first time in years. I dressed appropriately - shorts, t-shirt and flip flops - and put my phone in a waterproof plastic bag which I wore around my neck, under my shirt. I headed over to the area around Siam Paragon and had a ball! There were parades featuring hot guys from around Asia, all dressed in tiny national costumes, firing cold water at everyone. It was quite a spectacle. Of course, I got soaked but I didn't care, as it was so hot. I've seen a lot of foreigners who stupidly get upset when someone squirts them with water. FFS, they are in Thailand during the water festival so what did they expect??? So don't worry about your age. Just buy the biggest super soaker you can find and join in the fun. It finishes around 6pm so you can head off to the bars or wherever without getting wet. (This is not the case in Pattaya!!)

Yep, that's fine by me. Unless the topic is exhausted, it will eventually return to the OP.

I came for the trip report but got a couple of valuable history lessons about a country I am not particularly familiar with, despite 2 trips there, They made great reading. Thanks.

Yep Lots of girls on the streets at night outside the hotels, but no guys. I didn't bother with otot-otot. I figured that with the fast ending around 7, by the time the guys had eaten it would probably be too late for any action, as everybody seems to leave the sauna around 9. I'd only have an hour at most. Also, the clients would be mainly Indians. I've found them very unattractive in the past - overweight and aggressive. I much prefer the Malay guys.

That's what you get when you elect an unqualified, uneducated, unsophisticated pathological narcissist real estate agent to be your president. How the American people can sit idly by while one unhinged buffoon single-handedly destroys their economy and sends the global economy down the toilet is unfathomable to me as an outsider, watching this chaos from 10000 km away. But now it's personal. My retirement funds are tanking and the Australian dollar is rapidly falling against foreign currencies, affecting my up-coming trip to Japan and China. It's by no means the end of the world for me - I'll survive. But many are now facing a dreary retirement after working all those years. For fucks sake, what further proof do magats need that Trump couldn't give a shit about them?

You never know, Peter. Maybe she was.

The Monkees came to Japan in the late 60's. I still remember how I almost came in my pants when Davy told an interviewer that he had to have his pubic hair shaved for an operation. We were all shocked as we'd never heard mention of pubic hair on TV.

I don't know if anyone actually does. I certainly don't. But I do read his posts.

You're right - I am. Must be the lighting.

I think this is quite common. I wish I had a dollar for every guy who bottoms or sucks cock, but who asks me not to tell his friends in the bar. I once met a guy from Super A who had the most beautiful bubble -butt. I was dying to fuck him but he insisted he was top only. Oh well, I thought, I'll off him anyway and just spend time in bed, admiring and playing with his butt. Imagine my surprise when he asked me if I wanted to fuck him! "Sshh...don't tell anyone in the bar." Before I knew it he had his butt up in the air, doggy style, waiting for me to enter. At first I thought he was just gay for pay and was smart enough to realise he could double his chances of an off, and double his money, if he offered up his butt to customers. But he absolutely LOVED being fucked! When I stopped to take a breather he'd continue moving his butt on my cock, moaning with pleasure. Of course, I offed him every night during my trip and also on subsequent trips. He is now married and has 2 kids!

OMG! The likeness to me is uncanny! 😅

"In the 1930s, many justified Hitler’s rise: He’s a strong leader. He loves his country. He’s fixing the economy. He’s just saying what others won’t. By the time the world acted, it was too late. History shows how dangerous complacency is. Before the war, Hitler had widespread support—not just in Germany but across the world. Many ignored his extremism, excused his rhetoric, and believed he was just a ‘tough leader’ restoring order. The German economy had been battered by the Great Depression, and Hitler promised to rebuild it—through military expansion, nationalism, and scapegoating entire groups of people. Many powerful figures chose to look the other way: 📌 Industrialists and corporations backed him because he promised to crush unions and drive economic growth. 📌 Religious leaders supported him, believing he would restore traditional values and fight against communism. 📌 Western leaders appeased him, hoping that conceding small demands would satisfy him. 📌 The media and public ignored or downplayed his extremism, convinced he was just another politician playing to his base. The cost of inaction? Tens of millions of lives lost. 📌 Over 70 million people died in World War II. 📌 6 million Jewish men, women, and children were murdered in the Holocaust. 📌 Countless civilians, soldiers, and entire nations were devastated. Fast forward to today—we see the same dangerous pattern with Trump. He undermines democracy, calls for mass arrests of political opponents, incites violence, and shreds the rule of law. He praises dictators like Putin and Orban while attacking allies, spreads disinformation, scapegoats marginalized groups, and fuels division—all under the banner of ‘saving’ his country. His presidency has been a masterclass in corruption and authoritarianism—firing inspectors general, silencing scientists, gutting social programs, weaponizing federal agencies, and attempting to overturn elections. His reckless policies have widened inequality, gutted environmental protections, alienated allies, and emboldened dictators. This isn’t alarmism; it’s reality. Democracy isn’t self-sustaining, and leaders like this don’t stop themselves. If we don’t act—as Canadians, Americans, and global citizens—the consequences will be catastrophic."

Although I didn't take this thread off topic, I plead guilty to participating in discussion which does not completely relate to the OP, but one which I think I know a lot about. It's what happens all the time on discussion boards like this. Once the topic has been exhausted, people move on to something else - just like we do when having a normal conversation.

I imagine you are 100% correct. And it makes sense, as there is strength in unity.

Yes. Stand in the doorway of the smallest room in the house - I.e. the toilet - is the advice we were always given.

That would be a feeling they'd be used to, given their customer base! 😂

August 12, 1985 was a dark day in Japan - I remember it at though it happened yesterday. Adding to the sadness was the fact that singer Sakamoto Kyuu of "Sukiyaki" fame (what a stupid title!) died in that crash. He had many hit records in Japan, was a talented actor and TV personality. In fact, he was the first real TV star. Here's something you may not know about him - teenage boys related well to him as, like many of them, he suffered from terrible acne problems but carried on regardless!

Important decisions are made, of course, just like in any advanced economy - but only at the top and only after long discussions which drag on forever. Once a decision has been reached on an issue, a meeting is then called to ostensibly discuss that issue and, surprise surprise, a consensus is reached! And everyone can quickly move forward together in lock-step. And, of course, you'd have to mention the Japanese workers' diligence, exceptional skill based on a very good knowledge of what their job entails (knowledge gained from rote learning), attention to detail, willingness to work for lower wages than those in the West, dedication to the company over the family, blindly following instructions without dissent, no pesky interfering unions to worry about,..........the list goes on.

Those at the top make the decisions - everyone else just follows. So it's not as though nobody ever decides anything. The decision is usually a collective one so that no singular person can be blamed if something goes wrong. I've often wondered where Japan would be today if they actually got their shit together and became more organised. Her competitors on the world stage should be grateful for the ongoing chaos.

I had no idea that Thailand was susceptible to earthquakes. And that begs the question - how safe are the buildings, especially the old ones like the Tarntawan Hotel? Not very, it seems, given that the new building under construction collapsed so easily. I've experienced lots of earthquakes but n never really felt afraid, as the buildings in Japan have great antu-earthquake technology and are considered to be safe. But it's why I haven't made the trip to Xian to see the terracotta warriors. I don't trust the Chinese buildings in a big earthquake.