‘gay Natee’ Files Complaint Against New Bar

[farang9]

Nopniwat Krailerg

Natee Teerarotchanapong, otherwise known as "Gay Natee", Chiang Mai's well-known activist who has been fighting for the preservation of the cultural heritage in Chiang Mai and the northern region, handed in a complaint letter on October 20 to Chumporn Saengmanee, Chiang Mai's Deputy Governor, with regard to a new gay bar that has opened for business in the area of Jang Hua Rin, Chiang Mai's old city gate.

'Gay Natee' files complaint against new bar

The letter stated that the new gay bar "Power Boy" was inappropriately advertising using a large billboard with a pornographic image of a half-naked man, which was detracting from the Lanna cultural environment of Chiang Mai.

Natee, who is the secretary of the Chiang Mai Araya Group and the coordinator of the Chiang Mai Conservation Network, said that his organizations had requested that Chiang Mai's Governor arrange for the billboard to be removed within 24 hours. The representatives from the group and the network also wanted to discuss with the owner of the club to arrange a change of the club's name to something more suited to the province.

Chumporn Saengmanee said that he had forwarded the case to the organization in charge, which is the Chiang Mai Municipality, to make a decision regarding the appropriateness of the advertising board and contacted the Chiang Mai Muang District Chief Officer for cooperation in examining the case.

He added that it was impossible to follow the request to immediately remove the board due to rules and regulations. Additionally, he said that "gay bars", which officially register as entertainment venues in a similar way as other types of entertainment businesses, have to operate according to both the law and morality.

In a subsequent interview with reporters, Natee said that the owner of the "Power Boy" bar had already taken away the allegedly pornographic advertising board, however he said he would still petition for a change to the club's name, and added that he had bought a half-priced megaphone with the intention of using it for protest purposes outside of said bar.

[Jingthing]

This Gay Natee fellow is quite a character. He is big on protests and forcing people to change things that are really none of his business. I wonder when people are going to start openly protesting against HIM?

Edited November 4, 2009 by Jingthing

[sbk]

Nopniwat Krailerg

Natee Teerarotchanapong, otherwise known as "Gay Natee", Chiang Mai's well-known activist who has been fighting for the preservation of the cultural heritage in Chiang Mai and the northern region, handed in a complaint letter on October 20 to Chumporn Saengmanee, Chiang Mai's Deputy Governor, with regard to a new gay bar that has opened for business in the area of Jang Hua Rin, Chiang Mai's old city gate.

'Gay Natee' files complaint against new bar

The letter stated that the new gay bar "Power Boy" was inappropriately advertising using a large billboard with a pornographic image of a half-naked man, which was detracting from the Lanna cultural environment of Chiang Mai.

Natee, who is the secretary of the Chiang Mai Araya Group and the coordinator of the Chiang Mai Conservation Network, said that his organizations had requested that Chiang Mai's Governor arrange for the billboard to be removed within 24 hours. The representatives from the group and the network also wanted to discuss with the owner of the club to arrange a change of the club's name to something more suited to the province.

Chumporn Saengmanee said that he had forwarded the case to the organization in charge, which is the Chiang Mai Municipality, to make a decision regarding the appropriateness of the advertising board and contacted the Chiang Mai Muang District Chief Officer for cooperation in examining the case.

He added that it was impossible to follow the request to immediately remove the board due to rules and regulations. Additionally, he said that "gay bars", which officially register as entertainment venues in a similar way as other types of entertainment businesses, have to operate according to both the law and morality.

In a subsequent interview with reporters, Natee said that the owner of the "Power Boy" bar had already taken away the allegedly pornographic advertising board, however he said he would still petition for a change to the club's name, and added that he had bought a half-priced megaphone with the intention of using it for protest purposes outside of said bar.

link and credit to source please

[Tywais]

Source: Chiang Mai Mail by Nopniwat Krailerg

[Ijustwannateach]

It's interesting how the tensions in different areas of the 'gay world' have erupted into public disputes in Chiang Mai more than in other parts of the country.

For example, even before the fascist brigade shut down the legitimate (student- and community-led) gay parade (by threat of violence) not long ago, a commercially-driven gay couple had already petitioned the government for it to be refused a license. The thinking was, according to local gays, that since it WASN'T a parade about bars, prostitution, and generally the seediest side of gay life, it threatened their (the commercially motivated bar-owner types, for instance) stranglehold on the public's view of gay life.

The fascist shutdown was another example- very rarely has any 'political' group attempted to involve homosexuality blatantly in their actual power 'politics'- the only example I can think of is the attempt to ban gay teachers over a decade ago now. And this wasn't in response to one of the typical, 'traditional' gay parades involving commercial sex and alcohol, but against the very real (and therefore threatening) presence of politically aware and motivated, and supposedly free citizens.

And now this- someone who (possibly) is a representative of the non-commercial gay side of Chiang Mai- locals will have to correct me on this if I am wrong- strikes back against the presence of sleaze-related bars in a culturally prominent area.

If some of this is a sign that the real (community) gay-related culture in Chiang Mai is actively claiming some of their public and political space back against the tourist-led demand for prostitution and alcohol, then I, for one, am all for it.

[endure]

In a subsequent interview with reporters, Natee said that the owner of the "Power Boy" bar had already taken away the allegedly pornographic advertising board, however he said he would still petition for a change to the club's name, and added that he had bought a half-priced megaphone with the intention of using it for protest purposes outside of said bar.

What a cheapskate

[endure]

One wonders why 'Gay Natee' has suddenly decided to protest about a new bar opening in Chiang Mai when there is a clutch of bars performing the same function that have been open for years that he could have complained about.

[Jingthing]

He is strangest "gay activist" I have ever heard about, ever. He is divisive, not inclusive. Gays are a minority everywhere, what's the point of pissing off any segment of a minority? I have heard he is trying to gain some kind of political office. This sounds possible. What better way to appeal to the majority than to be seen as a great moral crusader, it worked for Thaksin for awhile with his drug war.

I respect he is a Thai in Thailand exercising his freedom to protest here. However, I really can't understand westerners who would reject Christian moral crusaders in their home countries endorsing moral crusaders here, whether they have the "Gay" brand label or not. I really don't get it.

Edited November 4, 2009 by Jingthing

[PeaceBlondie]

Why protest the name 'Power Boy"? For years there was Doi Boy, Coffee Boy, maybe a Boy Oh Boy bar. Should the Power Boy bar change its name to Lanna Historical Cultural Preservation Yet Chuck Wow Yai Mahk Bar?

[catmac]

He is strangest "gay activist" I have ever heard about, ever. He is divisive, not inclusive. Gays are a minority everywhere, what's the point of pissing off any segment of a minority? I have heard he is trying to gain some kind of political office. This sounds possible. What better way to appeal to the majority than to be seen as a great moral crusader, it worked for Thaksin for awhile with his drug war.

I respect he is a Thai in Thailand exercising his freedom to protest here. However, I really can't understand westerners who would reject Christian moral crusaders in their home countries endorsing moral crusaders here, whether they have the "Gay" brand label or not. I really don't get it.

I couldn't agree more with you on this one, Jingthing. The antics of this Gay Natee are beyond my comprehension - wasn't he also involved in the attempt to have this years Pride march banned, along with those other two prats?

I'm afraid IJWTT's pseudo-phsycology eludes me on this one. I will accept and support a gay person's right to either prance round in traditional Lana costume or sit in a bar and have a drink - can't for the life of me see why one is inherently "good" and the other "bad". Live, and let live is my motto, and just in case anyone thinks I have some kind of commercial interest in this new bar, let me say that I very much doubt that I shall ever set foot in there, but then I won't be bewailing the death of "Lana culture" either!

[Paagai]

Is this just the old story re-gurgitated, as we discussed at length in the Chiang Mai forum some weeks agohttp://www.thaivisa.com/forum/Another Gay Scandal Brewing ? It wouldn't be the first time the CM Mail has run a story which is several weeks out of date and called it news (enough on that subject as threads bashing the Ol'CM mail tend not to last too long on TV ). Or, is there something new here and Natee has gone on the warpath again?

It seemed last time it all calmed down after Natee actually visited the place and realised he knew half the people working there etc, etc (pity he didn't do that before he opened his mouth, but....). It seems after certain gestures of contriteness were made the situation died down. If it's flared up again, probably means it's reminder time for another envelope

There may be other factors here too. It's long been know what the boundaries are for operating an entertainment venue in that part of Chiang Mai. Power Boys has been progressively pushing those boundaries to the extent now that they're sometimes including full nudity in their shows. This will inevitably lead to problems sooner or later [Aside: IMHO they need to decide what type of bar they are and stick to it - is it a Cabaret show for a mixed audience, or a sex show come/brothel? Trying to be all things to all people won't work ]. Also, the article quotes officaldom as saying

"gay bars", which officially register as entertainment venues in a similar way as other types of entertainment businesses, have to operate according to both the law and morality

. I thought the authorities stopped issuing "Special Entertainment" licences in Chiang Mai several years ago, which makes this comment rather strange with regard to a brand new venue. Not that not having the proper licence ever stopped anyone from doing anything in Thailand

Several in this thread have already mentioned the antics of Gay Natee, the following post in the thread mentioned above gives some background info. Gay Natee Background. If you want more of the background to the CM Gay Pride debacle this thread from the CM forum covered it in depth: Governor Petitioned to Ban Chiang-Mai Gay Parade

[Ijustwannateach]

If anyone can show that this individual was in fact one of those who petitioned for the (real) gay parade to be prevented, then I will happily say G.N. is a bounder. That information is actually contained in my previous message, and can be extracted by a process called 'reading.'

[Paagai]

If anyone can show that this individual was in fact one of those who petitioned for the (real) gay parade to be prevented, then I will happily say G.N. is a bounder. That information is actually contained in my previous message, and can be extracted by a process called 'reading.'

Well, I'm not going to re-read 17 odd pages of the thread on the Gay parade I linked to above, but I think if you do you will find the evidence you want. IIRC some of the protaganists posted their version of what went on in meetings with the city authorities, governer etc, as well as other news articles related to it which named names.

In your previous comment "a commercially-driven gay couple had already petitioned the government for it to be refused a license" are you referring to Chiang Mai, or something elsewhere, e.g. BKK Gay Pride fiasco? Whilst a gay couple were allegedly involved in petitioning the Governer in the CM Case I don't think it was commercially motivated in the drection you suggest, though there might have been other ulterior motives.

[Paagai]

Why protest the name 'Power Boy"? For years there was Doi Boy, Coffee Boy, maybe a Boy Oh Boy bar. Should the Power Boy bar change its name to Lanna Historical Cultural Preservation Yet Chuck Wow Yai Mahk Bar?

Power Boys will take many years to get close to the reputation of those two places

And "Chuck Wow Yai Mahk Bar" Isn't that the new name for Adam's Apple?

Recently we had Yum-Boi-Boi too - that hasn't gone so well either. Maybe its an omen - bars containing the name "Boy" in CM are doomed to failure? Guess that's not such good news for a certain new late night Karaoke either?

Of course "Free Guy" wins the prize for the most deceptive bar name!

Edited November 5, 2009 by Paagai

[PeaceBlondie]

Nothing lasts forever, in the cold November reigns of go-go bars, but Coffee Boy and Doi Boy outlasted their use-by dates for years.

[orchis]

Nathee wants to be 'the only gay in the village'.

[Jingthing]

Nathee wants to be 'the only gay in the village'.

If he is "Gay" Natee, then I am "Straight" Jingthing (close the tittie bars!!! preserve traditional family values!!!) ...

Edited November 6, 2009 by Jingthing

[geriatrickid]

This Gay Natee fellow is quite a character. He is big on protests and forcing people to change things that are really none of his business. I wonder when people are going to start openly protesting against HIM?

It's called freedom of expression. He has every right to dissent. As long as he doesn't break the laws, deal with it. If you disagree with his views and support the Power Rangers Bar or whatever, feel free to go and patronize the establishments, and even organize an event in support of such commercial enterprises. If you want to protest Natee, go for it. Get on the baht bus, drive out there you give Natee a piece of your mind.

I can't stand billboards, no matter what they advertise, so maybe that's why I don't care.

Jingles, is he really forcing you to change things? If he lives in the area and has to look at the billboard, then it most certainly is his business to say the billboard needed to go.

[Jingthing]

Nothing to do with me, but demanding a private business to change their name is extremely obnoxious. Who does he think he is?

Edited November 7, 2009 by Jingthing

[Ijustwannateach]

Paagai: thanks, then I will go ahead: he is certainly a bounder!