mauRICE

Sounds like a school excursion. Who's the teacher-in-charge? Ohh don't tell me, don't tell me...is it Mrs V?

Yes. @Keithambrosewas the chief foreign legal adviser to John D. Rockefeller at Standard Oil. 😅

Oh I dunno...Olddaddy seems to have had a fair go at it, as the Aussies would say. 🤣😂

Instead of rambling on where or how the term "Oriental" may be used denotatively, try looking up its connotative meanings which are generally considered offensive, dated and derogatory when applied to people. It carries strong colonial undertones, reducing diverse cultures to a stereotyped, exotic or othered image. The term is linked to historical discrimination, "yellow peril" stereotypes and Western colonial attitudes that viewed Asia as other or inferior and reduces diverse populations to a monolithic, exoticised or foreign image, often disregarding individual identities. Not surprisingly, I've often seen this blinkered lens applied to the diverse Thai peoples in this and other fora. I suggest anyone who's interested in this topic read Edward Said's seminal tome, Orientalism.

Where did I say or suggest it to be "purely an equivalent of Asian"? The term has been used on me and I found it very offensive.

Oh please don't make Olddaddy break out into that Gloria Gaynor song. 🙏🏻

Ohh you must've been horrified to discover he was a sex worker who slept with a different customer every night too! 😲😱

Aunty looks like Colonel Sanders. Finger lickin' good...stamps, that is. Or a fine southern gentleman - a Big Daddy type! 🤣

Hi @vinapu and @Kiwi306, thanks for the brief reports of your visits. By twinks do you mean skinny, floppy-haired Jomtien Complex-type beings of indeterminate sex or twunks, as represented below, or something else altogether? vin, it's not cool to describe Asians (which I presume is what you meant) as Orientals. While I understand that some of you are desperate to hold on to the belief that Queen V still sits on the throne of Empire, and a few of you might have even been born during her reign, those days are long gone.

Wishing all friends and forum members who are celebrating a happy Chinese New Year. May the arrival of the Fire Horse bring you good health, peace, prosperity and the man of your dreams. 🙏🏻🐎🍊 The 2026 Chinese Year of the Fire Horse, is a rare (every 60 years) and intense period defined by passion, rapid change and bold ambition. It symbolizes unstoppable energy, urging action and strategic, fast-paced decision-making over careful planning. Describes my Aunty Vin to a V. 🙀 I've got the whole week off and will be driving to Hatyai later this afternoon.

😼

Isn't hot rum and milk a cold weather drink and aren't you in the middle of summer now?

Bravo, Bravo! 👏😏

I believe they've already made that movie. 😉😏 https://youtu.be/dYDxxHrlmUg?si=9TqRR4Zck90BnPim

Best advice, in my opinion, is to use condoms. Agree about the regular testing but as to whether the treatment is "free or at a very small cost" depends on where "home" is. Agreed. 💯

Okay, up to you. The Thai Red Cross does require a blood test on a patient's first visit. It's the responsible thing to do, in my opinion, and in the case of some patients - not saying who - an additional psychiatric evaluation may be prescribed. 😏 My understanding from a doctor friend specialising in men's sexual health in Thailand is that the number of middle-aged men who have sex with men (45 to 60-year-olds), both foreign and local, who have tested positive with HIV in the last few years have risen dramatically in the last few years due to the return of unsafe sex practices and the fall sense of security provided by PrEP. I have a friend from the States, 47, with a long-time Thai partner, who was just diagnosed with HIV last week. They both fuck around with different people. Mind you both of them have good jobs and have never been involved in the commercial sex industry. On top of that he's obese, smokes, drinks like a fish and has been involved in quite a few scrapes while driving his motorbike under the influence in Thailand. He's a very nice guy with a good heart who's sadly been playing Russian Roulette with his life.

The Thai Red Cross AIDS Research Centre (Anonymous Clinic) in Bangkok provides accessible, low-cost HIV Pre-Exposure Prophylaxis (PrEP) and testing for both Thai citizens and foreigners. It is a leading, English-friendly facility offering PrEP, PEP, and consultation, with services often available for around ฿450-500 per bottle (30 tablets) for PrEP plus testing fees. Key Details for PrEP at Thai Red Cross (Anonymous Clinic): Location: Thai Red Cross AIDS Research Centre (Anonymous Clinic), Ratchadamri Road, Bangkok. Hours: Monday–Friday, 8:30 AM – 4:00 PM (Avoid lunch hour 12 PM - 1 PM). Process: An HIV test is mandatory before starting or renewing PrEP. Cost: While PrEP is free for eligible Thai citizens under universal health coverage, for others, it is highly affordable—roughly ฿450 per bottle of 30 tablets as of mid-2023. Actionable Step: Register online one day before visiting to save time. Services: In addition to standard PrEP, they offer "Same Day" PrEP and the "Tangerine Clinic" for transgender health services.

Oooh this was during the good ol' days of Sunee Plaza? And Gaybutton was their ringleader? Say no more...🤫🤐😉 Thank you. I remember it as it was the only pub that I have been to that had an adult diaper changing room and paramedics with defibrillators on standby. Very inclusive, I thought. It's a shame it closed; any idea why?

Chinese New Year party on Tuesday, 17 February 2026. d882b7ca9c834eb2dec52a576af82dd3.mp4

A snippet from last night's Valentine's Day show. moonlightvalentine'sday.mp4

What joke? I was hoping that @Keithambrose would pick up on the famous nervous shock case of Alcock v Chief Constable of South Yorkshire Police (1991) that arose from the Hillsborough disaster where the House of Lords ruled that relatives watching the events on television or hearing about them did not satisfy the criteria for being secondary victims. Torts was my favourite subject and @Keithambrose has a pithy way of walking us down memory lane with his vast legal knowledge.

Oh dear, not another Hillsborough waiting to happen, I hope. Thankfully cricket fans tend to be more subdued than football fans.

There used to be a social group there called the Barmy Army. I wonder if they still exist. It was said that they were among the original balloon chasers although I'm not sure how far this was true. Wasn't there a bar or restaurant in Silom Soi 2 that was popular with the older set? One evening my friends and I were too early for G.O.D. which was next door to it and we decided to drop in for a tipple and some finger food and had all the eyes in the restaurant leering at us. It was quite creepy. Of course, this was around fifteen years ago when we were relatively young ourselves. I think it was called Robert's, Dick's or something (but not Dick's Cafe).

Leaving you to reach for your smelling salts, safely tucked away in your lace handkerchief? 😏 Not sure how being a busy bar justifies having an attitude as you say... I've been to many establishments which many would describe as top end and one of the main reasons why they are deemed top end is because of their humble and accommodating staff and how they're able to make every patron feel special.