Bob

Don't have a clue, firecat, about using the alternate ways to get into sites allegedly banned by Thailand. I would note that I accessed the same forum from Chiangmai many times during my recent 3-week stay and I never had a problem accessing it directly. Puzzling.

Kudos to Amor and the PGF - that is a great amount to raise for the PGF at one dinner!

Exactly my first thoughts - there is no way I'm giving them the data on an account with substantial funds in it. If they follow through with this requirement, looks like I'll have to open up another account and keep a few thousand baht in it to keep it open.

Stef, I visited Kuala Lumpur with my Chiangmai bf last November. Since we were only going to be there three nights, I elected to stay upscale and we stayed at the Crowne Princess. Very nice hotel and, while certainly not "gay", we experienced no hassle or funny looks. Everyone was friendly. Kuala Lumpur is an amazing city, as nice and modern as Singapore in my view. You'll enjoy your visit (although I have no clue if you'll find any gay entertainment there). If I can figure out how to post a photo of the Petronas Towers I took at night, you'll see it next:

World's biggest fireworks display in Pattaya!!! Oh Lordy, they best consider quickly finishing (or starting?) the water pipeline to the reservoirs as they may need the water to put out the fires downtown..... I'd stand back a bit if I were you.

I'm using VISTA and the latest IE and the centering magically went away a couple of days ago. While the centering was a bit annoying, I didn't see it as such a life crisis that I would abandon the board about it. Maybe I'll just throw myself off the Pattaya Tower over it....haha.

Huh? Who's responsible....the guy who painted the lines on the ground (or the guy who sold him the paint)? The friggin' pilot (supposedly expert on the machine he's driving) should have known he was flying the biggest passenger aircraft in the world. He should known exactly how long the wings are and exactly what it takes (space-wise) to safely move that plane by any structure (if he was going by ground markings, he should have been smart enough to know those markings were meant for planes with shorter wing spans). And this all happened in broad daylight. No excuses whatsoever for this pilot. This pilot either needs to go back to school (one specializing in A-380 aircraft) or he needs to buy a better amulet at the weekend market....

We (well, most of us) know what a terrorist is and there is no excuse whatsoever for anybody trying to kill innocent civilians. Sure, Hedda, the Thai government has made mistakes down there but to even suggest that the what the Thai government forces are doing there is anywhere near equivalent to what the terrorists are doing is baloney. I'd guess that 98% of what the Thai troops are doing is perfectly fine - just trying to protect the citizens, monks, schools, etc. And, based on what I've read (the hundreds of schools burned to the ground, the hundreds of kids, monks, and just plain random and innocent civilians being intentionally killed), the vast bulk of what the separatists are doing is terrorism pure and simple. The next time some "freedom fighter" tries to chop up a monk or a little kid, I can only pray that a thai soldier is present and will blow the guy's brains out first.

WP: Here in the states, the 24th is Christmas Eve. They move it up in England and/or Pattaya?

Jumping the gun? Probably. But perhaps dreaming is also occuring. If/when Fidel takes a dirt nap, nothing is likely going to change in Cuba for a long time. Fidel has been out of power effectively for a couple of years now and I haven't noticed any difference. When the US lifts the embargo - which I hope they do now let alone after Fidel bites the bullet - then things will start to change but we'll never see anything compared to Thailand there in my opinion. Buddhists may be tolerant but Catholics and commies ain't...hehe.

Simple answer to the question posed: No.

If you're already paying for a double, then I object to a joiner's fee....unless you're bringing in more than one person per day. Otherwise, I really don't have a problem with the hotels charging a joiner's fee. When you've paid the single rate, bringing guests back means more use of water, towels, soap, wear on the premises, etc., so why shouldn't the hotel have the right to charge for that? Besides all of that, the hotel, if it desires, probably has the right to try to stop prostitution on its premises on the grounds it offends them or may offend some of their other guests. Like a message board, the owner still retains the right to make the rules and you either accept them or move on. It probably would be helpful and a more honest policy if the hotel would clearly advise of the rules in advance. It's obvious that this isn't done most of the time because the question keeps resurfacing.

That's what we hear from the Tawan boys. Try viagra..... (sorry, couldn't resist)

Yep, works like a charm....thanks, Wowpow. You get the geek of the week award.

Yes, condolences to Earwig and the boy's family. Sad, such a waste of his young life, and all too common everywhere.

Visited Singapore via Changi last November and Kuala Lumpur via KLIA this April. Decent airports but I didn't see why they are significantly better than Suvarnabhumi (which I admittedly like a lot better than Don Muang). Suvarnabhumi is huge but easy to navigate in my opinion.

Joining in (but correcting my Canadian amigo): Mai chawp, kap. But, all the same, glad the forum is back (I couldn't access it for several days).

Absolutely delusional thinking which, of course, is par for the course. Let's see, there's a certain number of readers of a post and whatever that number happens to be actually means (1) they like to see me post, (2) they agree with what I post, and (3) in fact, they are climbing over each other to clamor and beg for me to post again (the world loves me!). That about it? (I'd prescribe an exceptially heavy dosage of prozac.....) Back to the real world......the responses are fairly indicative of what the readers think. That should not make you happy. P.S. I have viewed the occasional post about an "unloved" poster which spins on the theory that: "hey guys, the person may be a dork on the message board, but he's a really nice guy in person." While I suppose that's possible (I personally don't believe it), we're not responding to the real person in private (we're reacting to what he/she/it writes on a public message board and one would think those thoughts are some evidence of what is or isn't going on within their skull!).

If it helps - let some of us be clear too: If you happen to have a little sissy spat going with another poster (i.e., the Cat), why don't you limit your comments to: (1) A private message to that poster (so we don't have to hear about it); (2) The moderator (if you want to be a true pussy about it); and (3) Limit it to about 100,000 repetitive comments (so we don't have to hear about it ad infinitum and ad nauseum). As a final note, if and when I host a party (don't hold your breath), you are not invited. And, although I would have no inclination to invite the Cat, I might do so only because it would piss you off. Thank you. Over and out.

Yep, a wonderful term. I presume it means they've been around the block a few times (or, as otherwise sometimes said, this surely ain't the maiden voyage on the gopher)?

The height of the building dictates (among other things) the strength of the foundation and stength (size) of the vertical steel columns. Nobody is dumb enough to spend the money for a foundation or steel columns fit for a 22-story building unless they are sure the building will be 22-stories high (otherwise, the cost of a lesser number of condo units would be astronomical). Given that, if they continue with construction, they know exactly how high the building will be (which would mean, of course, that the deal has already been greased in the backroom). Rich people and banks wouldn't and couldn't gamble on whether they can add 18 more stories. Too much money at stake. Simple as that.

Hmmm......maybe because people aren't on Mars? Just a hunch. While I'm no expert on global warming (the notion that our carbon emissions are causing more problems for the earth than what the normal warming and cooling cycles do), the vast bulk of the respected scientific community of the world say it is happening. Until I know more than they do, I'll defer to their expertise. Plus, when Rush Limbaugh calls them "eco-nazis", then I want to believe them.

I heard he cancelled because Simon Cabaret refused to hire him. Something about they turned him down because he wasn't a big tipper.....

Up to you but don't believe everything you read in the Thai press. That statement (that all the protestors were paid) was made by the current government. And the current government's record on its pronouncements pretty much stands on its own merit (or lack thereof). The leaders of the protest that showed up for court for arraignment were: PTV executives Chatuporn Promphan, Jakraphob Penkair and Nattawut Saikua; PTV president Veera Musikhapong; Viphuthalaeng Pattanaphumthai, spokesman for the Saturday Voice Against Dictatorship; Weng Tojirakarn, adviser to the Confederation for Democracy; Jaran Ditthapichai, former member of the National Human Rights Commission; Manit Jitjanklab, former chief justice of the Criminal Court; Apinant Viriyachai, a former Thai Rak Thai party MP If Shinawatra or Santa Claus caused something, then deal with it legally. But until there's some evidence of Shinawatra's involvement, my guess of Santa Claus being behind it is almost as legitmate.

So Gore's meeting with the Prime Minister to discuss what Thailand can do about global warming? Serious subject but, in reality, rather funny underlying premises (that the Prime Minister or the Thai Government would actually ever do something about anything....). While I would guess the Thais will do nothing, perhaps they could simply legislate a decree that Thailand's carbon imprint shall be reduced by 50% (or whatever) in 2 years. Much like the pronouncements that all illegal drugs and poverty would be totally eradicated in 2-3 years. Just this past year, there was a serious (worse than the lousy normal) air pollution problem in Chiangmai largely caused by burning of the fields....and the government in October forbid further burning. Of course, last November and then again this April, I travelled the main highway between Chiangmai and Chiangrai and saw many burning fields (you could only see the smoke a few kilometers from the burn sites so it probably went "unnoticed").