WinnieTheKhwai

I completely agree Ulysses. Still, especially because it's so rare, I think we all have to do our part and be vigilant.

I also wonder however if it's 'almost non existent', if some fairly mainstream gay nightlife venues are apparenlty nick-named 'the kindergarten', as per a previous post. And (not just to please Peaceblondie), also in the 'straight' side of things I have to wonder about the very young hill tribe flower sellers who are out alone at night, all night. It would not surprise me one bit if there's equally creepy guys buying and abusing those.

Now that we have identified that Thailand has underage male prostitutes (and gay men brought it up in order to stop the abuse) - will the straights who are not kiddy fiddlers please start a thread to protect young girls?

I will if you don't close it?

I've seen people trying to address and discuss more serious (VERY serious) topics about social issues in this forum before, and they're always closed. So that leaves restaurant topics I guess.

But seriously, I would love to have a mature discussion on all aspects yes. So far I found just what I read here astonishing, frankly and I appreciate all contributions even those I do not understand and/or strongly disagree with.

Your post also seems to imply that this is picking unfairly on the gay scene. It's still a bit lame to seemingly shrug off completely outrageous behavior by pointing at other wrongs, as if that would make the behaviour at hand more acceptable. But perhaps it just came out that way, and objectively you are right that social wrongs need to be addressed everywhere, not just the Falang gay scene. I'm just not sure this is the place to have any kind of free and open discussion on topics that are more difficult than where to find the best burger.

So why are you even reading this, let alone joining this topic then?

I saw a topic on rugby earlier. I left it alone. How hard is that?

Why thell would you be drivin around on a big loud chopper motorbike

Why thell would you be driving around in a pick-up if you're not a farmer or construction foreman

Why thelll would you be driving around on a bicycle in this heat

Wy thell would..

BECAUSE WE CAN!

The wife always tells me never to stop to help anybody and keep the doors locked at all times ,at night don't stop stop at the traffic lights even if they are at red if there are no shops or perol stations near by thats from a thai.

I'd say your 'Thai' has issues. If you're so shit scared that you can't help a person in need, then you're really in the wrong place.

Ian raises an interesting point; actually I don't think most Thais are really bothered by the situation, if some hustler is younger than he should be so what. "live and let live" as Catmac said, afterall he's just making a living to support his family. The problem actually comes from the moral objecters from western culture bringing and trying to impose their values on Thailand. If it wasn't for various foreign NGOs pressurising the BIB nothing would be done at all. The motives of these NGO's are often very questionable, but that is exactly why Gay people should stop giving them sticks to beat us with. I could go on but.........

Kad Suan Kaew.. who knew!

I'm not sure I completely follow the line of thought here though.. When NGOs want to take action against children (ok teenagers I presume) being sexually abused then that is the problem, and not the abuse itself? That Thais don't give a *(&@# about hilltribe kids being abused would b e just fine, if only for those pesky NGOs with their Western morals deciding it's a problem?

This is a great topic.. There's quite obviously a need for a 'banter' topic or sub-sub-forum to the CM forum!!!

Who says they are contentious? It makes me so mad that people say food threads are contentious - clearly they don't know what contentiousness is

Contentious: tending to argument or strife; quarrelsome.

They are contentious.

Right, and that was for Bangkok. Chiang Mai prices are a bit higher due to the cost of trucking the stuff up here.

I don't have the exact numbers at hand, but

When's your birthday? Cause I have an advance birthday present for someone who appreciates data:

http://www.pttplc.com/EN/nc_oi.aspx?

All historical fuel prices for every type of fuel, back to 2006.

Thank you! That's always nice to hear.

Do you know how rare it is to find real games in CM?

Yeah, took me about 20 seconds, almost:

http://www.amazon.com/gp/bestsellers/video...FDCATFPBKZJ5J4F

What's the purpose of the mod chip I keep hearing about?

To play pirated illegal games. So if you're not a criminal, you don't need it.

I've said it many times that if I offered a Thai 100 baht today, but if they waited until tomorrow I would give them 1000 baht, they would take the 100 baht today every time. Tomorrow just isn't on their radar screen.

Does that actually work for you? With me that just leads to the remote control being held hostage with the threat of chucking it out the hotel room window...

Whatever Thai is for 'I second that emotion', I say it now.

Looked up the official definition:

เออ "uuhr" adverb, interjection, colloquial [impolite exclamation of agreement and assent used among close friends only], " Yeah "

One for credible restaurant reviews and one for inane banter camouflaged by a restaurant topic title.

Love it!!! However I suspect there is a maximum number of characters for a sub forum, and "Inane banter camouflaged by a restaurant topic title" may be on the lengthy side. But I do think it's brilliant!

Ok.. Just for the record I'm not offended by any age gap. (I personally like older women.)

I was going to say that still the thought of poor hilltribe boys who are regular straight guys having few other options than to fondle creepy gay men is already distasteful enough.. But then in all honestly some of the bar women may be lesbians, which to be totally honest doesn't offend me in the same degree, so for the sake of fairness I think I should just shut up. (Cheers al 'round prolly.. )

Why would it be illegally harvested?? You can get permits for teak just fine. I think you should mind your own business frankly.

Ok fair enough if someone has the time to run around from one end of the city to the other to compare prices and get the lowest price for individual items...

It's not running around and checking.. Vegetables I buy at Doi Kham (only what's on sale) and at local markets; Everything else I buy at Makro, with the exception of the occasional sausage or tidbit from Rim Ping or Big C if it's something Makro doesn't have, or only has in package sizes that would take me a year to get through. it's not that hard really.

As for fuel, I believe Priceless answered that. A little bit is tax that's being added, as the government finds itself running out of funds fast. Overall though fuel prices aren't higher than most other countries.

Are you saying they're actually under-age? Or just that there's a big gap in age? If the former then that's more than merely a reason to not like those bars so much, that would make it very urgent and important to report this to police, or your local friendly tourist police volunteer if that's easier.

Hey, let's stay positive here, W.T. Kwai. The original poster asks a question and we are meant to help, no?

Yeah.. I guess.. wanted to make a strong statement though. So many foreigners who can't do anything without either a lawyer or a Thai girl/boy or both.

Importantly, beware that with a new company formation you MUST show the capital in a Thai bank. I think it's 3m+ baht to achieve 1 foreign work permit.

Isn't that an _investment_ of 3mil, not cash? I know it is for BOI companies, and then it's just 1 mil. And you don't even have to show it as cash, just as investment and it also doesn't have to be invested right away even. (Sorry, it's been a while. )

No nightlife.. Really? I'd love to do a Lamphun bar-crawl.. Should be awesome, visiting all the little bars and karaokes.. Would be better in a group.. Anyone interested..? if anything it should be more exciting than some Chiang Mai's pubs.......

it's about a four hour drive but i'd always recommend sukhothai for a visit. fantastic place.

It's also half-way to Bangkok and not really near Chiang Mai anymore. It's not even part of the North culturally.

LOL.. sorry..

Here's the best clue you'll ever get, but I won't bother after this:

YOU DONT NEED A LAWYER FOR SIMPLE STUFF LIKE OPENING A COMPANY!

It's not that hard. I really don't understand why so many 'Falongs' only manage the most basic of official business by using a law firm..

Go to the appropriate government office, get the forms, ask information, fill in the stuff.. It's not that hard. Same applies to getting BOI; some law companies (and the 'Falongs' who need them) would have you believe it's like black magic..)

Or perhaps even stronger: If you're so unfamiliar with general things Thai that you can't fill in a form then you probably shouldn't be in business in this country anyway.

Sorry, oven:

Bought this one at Siam TV not too long ago. Forgot how much it was, which means it was cheap.

Makro is expensive for some stuff. Eggs and vegetables are loads cheaper at local market, especially appointment-markets.

My personaly feeling is that some Farangs make far too much about this reverse market forces of increasing price. Usually it's just the last thing someone does before going out of busines.. They raise prices, any remaining customers move on, and then the place closes.

I wouldn't worry too much about it and just visit places where you do like the price vs value preposition.